Editor’s note: This story is the sixth in a series exploring race, racism and diversity on the UT campus. Questions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program have fueled worldwide debate over the past few months, but behind the televised debates a large community of Iranians at UT face daily anxiety while supporting their loved ones back home. Amir Ahmadian came to the United States from Iran nine years ago when his parents decided that it would be better for him to live with his uncles. His parents thought he had a better chance to find opportunity and an education in America, he said, and as a biology senior planning to go to medical school, it seems like the choice is paying off. Going home every summer to see his parents and his brother in Isfahan, Iran, Ahmadian said he was very concerned when sanctions resulting from political maneuvering between different countries made his family’s life more difficult. Ahmadian said he would do anything to raise awareness about the Iranians and Israelis affected by political tension but added that some Iranians avoid speaking for fear of discrimination and being labeled as terrorists. “A lot of Iranians have already dealt with so many hardships and wars in coming to the United States, so they want to keep a low profile when talking about this,” Ahmadian said. “Even if I have an Iranian bumper sticker, my uncles will say, ‘What if someone breaks A year after he led the mission to apprehend Osama bin Laden, Adm. William H. McRaven returned to his alma mater to advocate for legal assistance for returning service women and men. McRaven was the keynote speaker at the Champions of Justice Gala Benefitting Veterans Tuesday evening. The Texas Access to Justice Commission hosted the gala to raise funds for free civil legal services for low-income Texas veterans. “There are people in the world who do nothing, but your military is doing something,” McRaven said. “I can’t think of a better cause than the work the commission is doing to also do something in this world.” McRaven was in command of Operation Neptune’s Spear, the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command raid that led to the death of Osama bin Laden last May in Abbottabad, Pakistan. He currently serves as the ninth commander of United States Special Operations Command. McRaven graduated from UT in 1977 with a degree in journalism. More than 1.8 million veterans currently live in Texas. Of these, 450,000 served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The justice commission raised more than $413,000 from the event with all proceeds going to free legal services Laborers and activists around the world, including in Austin, acknowledged the first day of May through political demonstrations on Tuesday. International Workers Day, or May Day, developed from rallies in Chicago in the early 1900s that called for eight-hour workdays. The event is now a global holiday recognizing workers and labor unions, May Day events in Austin included a rally at the steps of the Capitol and a march through the downtown district as an estimated crowd of 300 people of different organizations and labor unions united to discuss future goals and current issues and flaws in the American labor and political systems. Prior to the rally, UT students organized a march to the Capitol advocating rights for immigrant families and workers. Dave Cortez, organizer for Occupy Austin Bank Action team and the May Day Austin Coalition, said it was inspiring to see UT students organizing the march independently and around issues that directly affect them. “The march at UT and the rally at the Capitol are vehicles to inspire people to follow up on different struggles and campaigns,” New information from current College Republicans at Texas leaders has revealed a former president of the organization was not a student when she held her position. Cassandra Wright, current president emeritus of the organization, said a representative from the Office of the Dean of Students told her former president Lauren Pierce was not a student for most of her tenure, which lasted from April 2011 to December 2011. When College Republican’s officers confronted Pierce about her status, Wright said Pierce chose to leave the organization. Wright said the organization will meet with the Office of the Dean of Students this week to discuss the situation. Marcia Gibbs, spokeswoman for the Office of the Dean of Students, said DOS could not comment on Pierce’s case because information about a specific case is confidential. Gibbs also said Pierce requested her records be restricted. Pierce did not respond to requests for comment. Pierce is most known for the controversial tweet she posted after the arrest of a Pennsylvania man who fired shots at the White House. Police charged Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez with 1 helping students to add more to the menu than just ramen noodles High Textbook Buyback Prices BookHolders SELL BOOKS W/ADVANTAGE Drop off Books Books Get Sold Get Paid 3x More SOLD up to BookHolders has 2 ways to sell your books... Sell Now Get Cash Now OR SELL BOOKS FOR MORE CASH Dobie Mall 512.377.9543 BookHolders THE DAILY TEXAN Serving the University of Texas at Austin community since 1900 >> Breaking news, blogs and more: www.dailytexanonline.com @thedailytexan facebook.com/dailytexan Wednesday, May 2, 2012 Longhorns rally in fifth inning to defeat Texas A&M Prairie View SPORTS PAGE 7 LIFE&ARTS PAGE 10 Calendar Today in history Poetry on the Plaza Poetry on the Plaza will take place from noon-2 p.m. Michael Hall, Terri Hendrix, Lloyd Maines and Monte Warden are some of the singers and songwriters performing. Admission is free. Robert Rodriguez Forum Director, producer, screenwriter, musician Robert Rodriguez (Sin City, Spy Kids, Machete) joins Professor Charles Ramírez Berg (radio-television-film) to discuss the future of Latino images in film and media. This will take place from 5-6:30p.m. in BUR 106 and is free and open to the public. In 1933 The modern legend of the Loch Ness Monster was born. A sighting of the Loch Ness Monster made local news in Scotland as a couple claimed to have seen a large “monster” plunging in the surface. TODAY Iranian students seek understanding By Andrew Messamore Daily Texan Staff Republican organization learns former leader lied May Day celebrates workers, unions Thomas Allison | Daily Texan Staff LMiddle Eastern Studies senior Yajaira Fraga reads a Frederick Douglass quote from her phone to May Day protesters in front of the Tower Tuesday afternoon, before the group marched to join a larger protest at the Capitol Building. May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day, is a global celebration of labor rights and other left-wing movements. Gala raises money for returning Texas veterans Rebeca Rodriguez | Daily Texan Staff U.S. Navy Adm. William H. McRaven, who led the Osama bin Laden mission a year ago, attends the Champions of Justice Gala Benefitting Veterans as the keynote speaker at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center Tuesday evening. The gala was hosted by the Texas Access to Justice Commission to raise funds for free civil legal services for low-income Texas veterans. IRAN continues on PAGE 2 MAY DAY continues on PAGE 2 PIERCE continues on PAGE 2 McRAVEN continues on PAGE 2 By Jody Serrano Daily Texan Staff By Sylvia Butanda Daily Texan Staff By Alexa Ura Daily Texan Staff WATCH TStv ON CHANNEL 15 9 p.m - Movie Junkies It's our war films episode! Our movie panelists discuss topics like when is too soon to cover a war, whether historical accuracy is critical, and more! 7-9 a.m., “Blues at Sunrise” As one of KVRX’s most popular and longest-running specialty programs, Blues at Sunrise is proud to be your most complete source for blues music on the FM dial in Austin. Longhorn and food enthusiast blogs delicious recipes Wednesday, May 2, 2012 NEWS 2 NEWS Wednesday, May 2, 2012 2 The Daily Texan Volume 112, Number 167 MAY DAY continues from PAGE 1 Cortez said. “Whether you’re a “We continue to be segregated student, parent, housekeeper, teach-among economic lines and worker or server, we are all workers and ers continue to be part of the eco- CONTACT US the hope is we can begin to col-nomic slavery,” Alvarenga said. “We laborate more and weave together have a dream where a worker can be the various struggles being fought in the same room as his boss and be throughout the Austin community.” treated as an equal and where he can Main Telephone: Latin American studies senior Jona-be treated with the respect he so de (512) 471-4591 than Orta, one of the student orga-serves.” In addition to the marches nizers for the UT march to the Cap-and rally, Occupy Austin organized Editor: itol and member of the International discussions and teach-ins at Wool- Viviana Aldous Socialist Organization, said students ridge Square and Eastwoods Park (512) 232-2212 who participated in the May Day throughout the day. march and rally are part of a growing Michael Diviesti, a leader of the editor@dailytexanonline.com Managing Editor: student movement. Texas chapter of GetEQUAL, a na- Audrey White “Students are the tie between the tional organization that empowers (512) 232-2217 future and current conditions,” Orta the LGBTQ community, spoke at managingeditor@ said. “A real student movement is one of the discussions. dailytexanonline.com starting to build and it takes a com-“LGBTQ workers are more often mon theme, like fighting for a re-discriminated against in the work- News Office: form in the issues we’re concerned place, and because of that, a large rate (512) 232-2207 about, to connect it all.” of this community are unemployed or news@dailytexanonline.com Latin American studies junior Jes-denied housing,” Diviesti said. “Our sica Alvarenga, a participant in the main goal is to support the workers’ Multimedia Office: UT march and member of the Make movements because we’re intricate (512) 471-7835 UT Sweatshop-Free Coalition, said ly involved in unemployment issues.” the voices of workers and students Diviesti said although the nation has “Every single day is a vote and ernment on the streets in the ral-tatives, the culmination of votes dailytexanmultimedia@gmail.com Sports Office: have been oppressed and silenced a decent system of voting, a person’s you’re counted,” Diviesti said. ly or by walking into your hall of increases for our concerns to (512) 232-2210 for far too long. voice does not stop at the poll booth. “When you stand up to the gov-congress and talking to represen-be heard.” sports@dailytexanonline.com Life & Arts Office: (512) 232-2209 dailytexan@gmail.com McRAVEN continues from PAGE 1 Photo Office: for veterans. Head football coach Mack ment to the values of the U.S. “There’s definitely more to do something he took everywhere (512) 471-8618 Harry Reasoner, chair of the Brown introduced McRaven, remains intact. for our students that are returning the military took him. photo@dailytexanonline.com Texas Access to Justice Commis-who he called an American hero. “Today’s generation of service veterans, but I think if you asked During his speech, McRaven sion, said the commission works Brown said he learned what men and women may have tat-them they would say that UT is told the story of a former col- Comics Office: to help veterans through the leadership was when he visited toos, piercings and Facebooks, setting the standard for veteran league and friend that was killed (512) 232-4386 continuous struggle of claiming the Middle East in 2009. but you are wrong if you don’t services at universities,” Powers in the line of duty. He, like many dailytexancomics@gmail.com the benefits they are entitled to, “I took more from those men think they will go down as the said. “Our soldiers provide a great other Texas soldiers, upheld the Retail Advertising: Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and and women than they took from greatest generation of our time,” service and when they are our stu-ideal his father taught him, that (512) 471-1865 Texas Attorney General Greg me, but I learned that leader-McRaven said. dents, well, I can’t think of a bet-Texans should stand a little taller joanw@mail.utexas.edu Abbott were also honored at the ship is taught. It’s not recruited,” President William Powers Jr., a ter combination.” and reach a little further, he said. gala for their work in helping he said. “Admiral McRaven is a veteran himself, said the Univer-The University also offers stu-“When they come back to Classified Advertising: provide funding for the com-special man. He’s a special lead-sity was honored to have McRa-dent veterans various resources Texas, they will make you proud, (512) 471-5244 mission. Texas distributes $1.5 er, and he leads a special group.” ven back on the 40 Acres. on campus through Student Vet-and it’s our responsibility to help classifieds@dailytexanonline.com billion in compensation and McRaven said today’s genera-Powers said the work of the eran Services and the Students them,” he said. “Texas is a way pension to veterans and surviv-tion of service men and women commission provides returning Veterans Association. of life and our soldiers are the ing family members each year, are sometimes judged because veterans, including UT students, McRaven talked about the im-type of people who pull up their according to the Texas Veterans of their appearance and varied with valuable resources in terms pact growing up in Texas had on boots and do something about it Commission’s website. ways of life, but their commit-of legal aid. his life and how that impact was because of it.” 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 IRAN continues from PAGE 1 managingeditor@dailytexanonline.com. into your car because of that?’” inclined to take the position of the Is-it,” Ahmadian said. “A month ago, tion, Mehdibeigi said, and concern for saying ‘down with America’ and Beginning in heated discussions to-rael Lobby, for lack of a better word,” I remember seeing an Israeli offi-relatives back home continues among ‘death to America,’” Mehdibeigi ward the end of last year, leaders in Is-Frankel said. “Israeli leaders were push-cial on CNN talking about a preemp-the Iranian families concentrated in said. “Not everyone in Iran is like COPYRIGHT rael, some European countries and the ing a very pro-war line, even though tive strike, and it scared me to think of the suburbs of Dallas and Houston. that, and if you came to visit it’s re- United Nations began to deliberate on Israelis were divided on the issue, and what could potentially happen to the “In 2009 there was a lot of protest, ally unlikely that you would see Copyright 2012 Texas Student the best way to deal with Iran, which the coverage smelled somewhat like millions of Iranians who don’t neces-and in Dallas a lot of Iranians went any of that. There are a lot of peo- Media. All articles, photographs they believe will soon be armed with a the run up to the Iraq War.” sarily agree with what the government to demonstrate peacefully in City ple who don’t hold grudges against and graphics, both in the print and nuclear bomb. Public perception has since grown is doing.” Hall,” Mehdibeigi said of the Green other countries, and those people online editions, are the property of However, beyond the fact that Iran to reflect a wider range of opinions, International relations fresh-Movement, which brought world-who might be radical are the ones Texas Student Media and may not be reproduced or republished in part or is developing a nuclear energy pro-Frankel said, a key difference from man Shaya Mehdibeigi, a Dallas na-wide attention to Iranian democracy being brainwashed.” gram, little is clear. Authorities and the orchestration that occurred before tive who is the only member of her protesters through eye-witness vid-Ahmadian said he thought Iranians agencies from different countries dis-the Iraq War. family born in the United States, eos that quickly went viral. “Irani-and people in the United States could agree with the intention, capability “Coming back after the debacle said she thought the media cover-ans just want democracy, and a lot of do more to raise a discussion about the and extent of the Iranian nuclear pro-in Iraq and the souring Afghanistan age of Iran didn’t reflect the Iranians people think that Iranians have nev-people being affected by these larger gram, and as the debate in the me-war, I think people are very reluctant who weren’t Muslim, didn’t agree er had that before. But they did and political issues, hopefully shining a light in whole without written permission. TOMORROW’S WEATHER dia has continued there have been a to get involved in another conflict,” with the government or actively they want it back.” on the millions not spoken for in the variety of differing opinions present-Frankel said. spoke out against Iranian president The media also sometimes causes political debate. Low High ed to the public, said Glenn Fran-Ahmadian said he often avoids Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. misconceptions about how Iranians “The Iranian community here is kel, director of the School of Journal-talking about the conflict with friends Large Iranian communities ex-view themselves and the different parts so influential, educated and powerful ism, who studies the media patterns or other Iranians because the possibili-ist around the United States in places of their nation, Mehdibeigi said.as a result,” Ahmadian said. “I would surrounding Iran. ty of war is so sensitive. like “Tehrangeles,” a name given to Los “When we see any footage of just think they could do more, but “Early on, the American media was “It’s uncomfortable to talk about Angeles for its sizable Iranian popula-Iran, it’s people burning flags and they’re scared.” 70 92 Hissy, fitty, kitty Thomas Allison | Daily Texan Staff José Garcia, a graduate student in the College of Education, waves a red flag in front of the Texas State Capitol during the May Day protest Tuesday afternoon. 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Katie Stroh Associate Life&Arts Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christopher NguyenSenior Life&Arts Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elizabeth Hinojos, Anjli Mehta, Eli Watson, Alex Williams Sports Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sameer BhucharAssociate Sports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Christian CoronaSenior Sports Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nick Cremona, Austin Laymance, Lauren Giudice, Chris HummerComics Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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Hayley FickEditorial Adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Doug Warren Issue Staff Reporters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sylvia Butanda, Alexa Ura, Bobby BlanchardMultimedia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Shea Carley, Marie Arregalla, Zen RenSports Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Garrett Callahan, Rachel Thompson, Antonio MoralesLife&Arts Writers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jessica Lee, Karin SamelsonColumnist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Heba DafashyPage Designers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Omar Longoria, Pu Ying HuangCopy Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Taylor Graham, Kristine Reyna, Louis San MiguelComics Artists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Xiu Zhu Shao, Anne Le, Holly Hansel, John Massingill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dae Hyng Jin, Caitlin Zellers, Michael Rodriguez, Nick GreggWeb Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kayla Moses, Mary Schaffer, Omar Longoria PIERCE continues from PAGE 1 attempting to assassinate President Barack Obama in November 2011, a crime that can result in a lifetime prison sentence. “Y’all as tempting as it may It’s the primary be, don’t shoot Obama,” Pierce responsibility of the said in her Nov. 16. “We need him to go down in history as the student organization WORST president we’ve EVER had! #2012.” to maintain their Wright said Pierce was a student when the organization elected information current dean of students. On that day, stu-ment status more often and that her in April, and the organization dents who are no longer enrolled she will be looking into it. — Mary Mercatoris, assistant dean of students does not check representatives sta-are removed from the authorized Huey Fischer, president of Unitus once the semester goes along. representative database for the versity Democrats, said the fact Wright said she was told in Feb- registered student organization. that Pierce was not a student ruary that the organization would In addition, Mercatoris said en-does not change the gravity of the not face any punishment because rollment for representatives of new Obama tweet because the entire of Pierce’s status. She said she the event because Pierce had not student organizations is checked community was under the impresspoke with Melinda Sutton, dep-appropriately reserved the space, as part of the official approval pro-sion that she led College Republiuty to the dean of students, about since she was not a student. cess of the organization and sta-cans when she posted it. the issue. Villarreal said he was surprised tus is automatically checked again Fischer said University Dem “We were disconcerted with the and unsettled when he found out when the organization reregisters ocrats has strict rules restricting entire thing [when we found out],” Pierce was not a student. every semester. Organizations can membership to current UT stu- Wright said. “And it put into ques-Wright said she wants the inci-update their information on that dents and checks members’ station what was legitimate for last dent to serve as an example to oth-database at any time. tuses on the University direcsemester. At first, we weren’t sure er organizations and encourage “It’s the primary responsibili-tory during the semester and what was true and what wasn’t and them to do regular status checkups ty of the student organization to when they apply for member- who we had actually been in con-on all members, not just officers of maintain their information cur-ship. He said he believes this case tact with as an organization.” the ones who may seem like they rent,” she said. “They need to be is odd and does not merit a more Cesar Villarreal, the organiza-are dropping out. She said Pierce’s able to identify both to their mem-stringent screening process for tion’s former public relations di-status does not make a differ-bers and to the public who is able student leaders. rector, said Pierce made him and ence regarding the tweet she made to speak on their behalf and who “It’s difficult for clubs to hold others believe she was a student. about Obama last year. are their leaders.” their members accountable in Villarreal said Pierce would dis-“It goes to show how much pres-Mercatoris said only UT stu-terms of their academic status,” cuss the classes she was in, the sure she was under as a person,” dents, faculty and staff are allowed Fischer said. “It’s really a matter professors she had and what was Wright said. to be part of the membership of an of trust.” going on in her life academically. At the moment, the Office of the organization according to the Uni-Fischer said he does not think Villarreal said questions first arose Dean of Students checks the en-versity’s institutional rules. If DOS University Democrats will be after Pierce organized an event in rollment status of authorized stu-learned there may be a violation changing its rules to check their December at the Lyndon Baines dent representatives on the 17th of those rules, she said they would members’ status more often be- Johnson Plaza and used CR to se-class day of each long semester immediately investigate. cause he does not want to create cure the space. The University got and keeps it on an online database, She said there are discussions a culture where students question involved in the situation during said Mary Mercatoris, assistant about checking a student’s enroll-one another’s eligibility. World&NatioN3Wednesday, May 2, 2012 | The Daily Texan | Austin Myers, Wire Editor | dailytexanonline.com World&NatioN3Wednesday, May 2, 2012 | The Daily Texan | Austin Myers, Wire Editor | dailytexanonline.com NEWS BRIEFLY Domestic terrorist convicted of trying to blow up a subway NEW YORK — A New York man was convicted Tuesday of plotting an aborted suicide mission against New York City subways in 2009 — a case that featured the first-time testimony from admitted homegrown terrorists about alQaida’s fixation with pulling off another attack on American soil. A jury found Adis Medunjanin guilty of all counts for his role in a terror plot that federal authorities say was one of the closest calls since Sept. 11, 2001. Medunjanin could be ordered to spend the rest of his life in prison when he is sentenced Sept. 7. Medunjanin, who showed no visible reaction to the verdicts, afterward asked Gottlieb to “tell his family to be strong,” the lawyer said. The defendant’s mother and sister testified during the trial of terrifying late-night raids by federal agents before his arrest. The defense had admitted that the Bosnian-born Medunjanin wanted to fight for the Taliban, but they insisted he never agreed to spread death and destruction in the city where his family put down roots. Feds to investigate U. Montana for mishanding assault cases MISSOULA, Mont. — The U.S. Justice Department is investigating the way Missoula police, prosecutors and the University of Montana responded to reports of sexual assault and sexual harassment. The federal investigation was disclosed Tuesday after the agency received complaints that the allegations were not properly handled. It will look at all 80 sexual assaults reported by women in Missoula over the past three years. Eleven sexual assaults involving university students have been reported in the past 18 months, agency officials said Tuesday. “The allegations that the University of Montana, the local police department and the county attorney’s office failed to adequately address sexual assaults are very disturbing,” U.S. Attorney Eric Holder said in a statement. The federal agency said it would investigate allegations that police, the university’s Office of Public Safety and the Missoula County attorney’s office engaged in gender discrimination by failing to investigate reports of sexual assault against women. Despite very serious warnings, Mexico still hit by Spring Break MEXICO CITY — Mexico is taking a rare opportunity to tweak neighboring Texas, saying the number of U.S. spring breakers visiting Mexico this year rose 7.2 percent despite a travel warning issued by the U.S. state. Mexico’s Tourism Department notes with some satisfaction that tourists arriving during March included some highly regarded Texans — the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. They agency says they did a calendar shoot on Mexico’s Caribbean coast. A Tuesday announcement from the department says 77,000 young tourists visited Mexico on spring break trips between March 5 and 30. In early March, the Texas Department of Public Safety advised students on spring break to avoid Mexico, citing violence. Overall, the number of U.S. tourists visiting Mexico in March totaled 382,376, young and old. That is a 7.3 percent increase from 2011. If you want a bear out of a tree you first find a bouncy house CONWAY, Ark. — When a black bear climbed a tree in a central Arkansas city and refused to come down, authorities turned to unconventional rescue tools: bouncy houses. Conway Police spokeswoman La Tresha Woodruff says Foster the Bear is named for the residential street where he holed himself up in a tree, straddled a branch and wouldn’t budge. She says officials shot Foster with tranquilizer darts late Monday, causing him to fall asleep. They inflated two bouncy houses beneath the tree. And then firefighters let loose with water from a fire hose, knocking the bear from his perch. Woodruff says Foster wasn’t hurt and will be released back into the wild. —Compiled from Associated Press reports Obama flies to Afghanistan to sign strategic pact By Ben Feller The Associated Press KABUL, Afghanistan — President Barack Obama slipped into Afghanistan Tuesday night on the anniversary of the killing of 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden and signed an agreement cementing U.S. commitment to the nation after American combat troops leave. Alongside Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Obama declared, “Together, we’re now committed to replacing war with peace.” The partnership spells out the U.S. relationship with Afghanistan beyond 2014, covering security, economics and governance. The deal is limited in scope and essentially gives both sides political cover: Afghanistan is guaranteed its sovereignty and promised it won’t be abandoned, while the U.S. gets to end its combat mission in the long and unpopular war but keep a foothold in the country. The deal does not commit the United States to any specific troop presence or spending. But it does allow the U.S. to potentially keep troops in Afghanistan after the war ends for two specific purposes: continued training of Afghan forces and targeted operations against al-Qaida. The terror group is present in neighboring Pakistan but has only a nominal presence inside Afghanistan. Karzai said his countrymen “will never forget” the help of U.S. forces over the past decade. He said the partnership agreement shows the United States and Afghanistan will continue to fight terrorism together. The United States does promise to seek money from Congress every year to support Afghanistan. Charles Dharapak | Associated Press President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai arrive before signing a strategic partnership agreement in Kabul on Tuesday. French presidential race has socialist ahead by 12 percent By Angela Charlton The Associated Press PARIS — President Nicolas Sarkozy is the underdog, and he knows it. Not a single poll has predicted he will win re-election on Sunday, and leading figures in his government are already lining up new jobs. In televised interviews, Sarkozy’s on the defensive and paints himself as a victim. At campaign rallies, he’s boxer-like, punching the air, torso soaked with sweat within minutes of taking the podium. He relishes the combat, but after he leaves the stage, his face drains of color, his features lined with fatigue. The dynamic French leader made his mark on the world arena but let down voters at home, and may well be out of a job within days. Always the fighter, Sarkozy could confound pollsters and pull off a victory. At a sunny Paris rally in front of the Eiffel Tower on Tuesday, he looked more like the triumphant Sarkozy of the 2007 campaign. But his challenger in Sunday’s runoff vote, Socialist Francois Hollande, is sounding increasingly confident, and his campaign rallies already feel like victory parties. Even as the field of challengers has shifted throughout the campaign, Sarkozy has never climbed above second place in the polls. In a surprising admission for the 57-year-old career politician, Sarkozy has acknowledged that he’s thinking about possible defeat and says he would quit politics if he loses. “I will fight with all my strength to win your confidence, to protect and lead you and build a strong France, but if that is not your choice I will bow out. That’s the way it is, and I will have had a great life in politics,” Sarkozy said on RMC radio. “I’ll do something else. I don’t know what.” It’s not over yet. Sarkozy scored 27 percent of the vote in the first round of presidential elections April 22, to Hollande’s 28 percent.Sarkozy may pick up more support from voters who handed far right candidate Marine Le Pen a surprisingly strong third place. But millions of French voters are determined to prevent Sarkozy from winning a second term, and polls predict Hollande could win by as much as a 12-percent margin. Michel Euler | Associated Press The dynamic French leader Nicolas Sarkozy made his mark on the world but let down voters at home. The president’s Tuesday night address was coming exactly one year after special forces, on his order, began the raid that led to the killing of bin Laden in Pakistan. Since then, ties between the United States and Afghanistan have been tested anew by the burning of Muslim holy books at a U.S. base and the massacre of 17 civilians, including children, allegedly by an American soldier. More than 1,800 U.S. forces have been killed and 15,700 more have been wounded in Afghanistan. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq combined have cost almost $1.3 trillion. May Day protesters focus economic rage By Daniel Woolls The Associated Press MADRID — On the front lines of the world’s May Day protests this year, along with the traditional chants, banners and marches, a gamut of emotions flowed through the crowds: Anger. Fear. Elation. Despair. With Europe’s unemployed denouncing austerity measures, Asia’s laborers demanding higher salaries and U.S. protesters condemning Wall Street, Tuesday’s demonstrations by hundreds of thousands were less a celebration of workers’ rights than a furious venting over spending cuts, tax hikes and soaring unemployment. The protests came just days ahead of key elections in Greece and France, whose leaders have acutely felt popular anger over policies many feel are strangling any hopes of economic recovery. The rallies reflected deep pessimism in Spain, dealing with a fragile economy is in the cross-hairs of the European debt crisis. Yet optimism and national pride emerged too. Over 100,000 turned out in Russia for May Day rallies that celebrated Vladimir Putin’s government. And tens of thousands of workers rallied with joy in France, hoping this would be the last week of President Nicolas Sarkozy’s conservative leadership. In the U.S., protesters lined major financial institutions in the country’s most high-profile Occupy Wall Street rallies since the encampments protesting the gap between the superrich and poor came down in the fall. Crowds blocked intersections in Oakland, Calif., trying to force businesses to shut down for not observing calls for a “general strike.” Police in riot gear faced dozens of Occupy activists marching in front of a Bank of America in New York City, chanting “Bank of America. Bad for America.” Under a gray Madrid sky that reflected the dark national mood, 25-year Adriana Jaime turned out to march. Jaime speaks three languages and has a masters degree as a translator, but works for what she derided as peanuts in a university research project that has been cut from three years to three months due to a lack of funds. “I am here because there is no future for the young people of this country,” Jaime said as many marchers carried black-and-white placards with the word NO and a Manu Fernandez | Associated Press People protest during a May Day rally in Barcelona, Spain on Tuesday. Tens of thousands of workers marked May Day in European cities with a mix of anger and gloom over imposed austerity measures. pair of red scissors. In France, tens of thousands of workers, leftists and union leaders marked May Day with glee, hoping that a presidential runoff vote Sunday will put a Socialist at the helm for the first time since 1988. Protests took place all over the globe, in places such as Germany Russia; Chile; Argentina, Indonesia, the Phillipines, Taiwan and Cuba. Also known as International Workers’ Day, it is a commemoration of those killed striking during the Haymarket Riots of 1886. UK lawmakers call Murdoch ‘unfit to run’ media empire By David Stringer The Associated Press LONDON — A committee of British lawmakers called Rupert Murdoch unfit to run his global media empire — a finding that reflects just how deeply the phone hacking scandal born of his defunct News of the World has shaken the relationship between the press and politics. The divisive ruling Tuesday against Murdoch, his son James and three of their executives also exposed the waning influence of the media tycoon, and could jeopardize his control of a major broadcaster. Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport committee — a panel that scrutinizes the standards of Britain’s press and sports authorities — began an inquiry amid disclosures about widespread tabloid hacking of voice mail, concerns over bribes paid to police for scoops, and politicians who may have overstepped the bounds by cozying up to key players in the Murdoch empire. Tarring the credentials of both the 81-year-old media mogul and James Murdoch, a former executive chairman of News Corp.’s U.K. newspaper division, the committee’s scathing words on the Murdochs could affect their controlling stake in British Sky Broadcasting. Britain’s broadcasting regulator Ofcom acknowledged it was studying details of the report, which unanimously agreed that three key News International executives had misled Parliament — a verdict that can see offenders hauled before legislators to make a personal apology. “We conclude, therefore, that Rupert Murdoch is not a fit person to exercise the stewardship of a major international company,” the report said. In a message to News International staff, Murdoch said he found the findings “difficult to read” and that he deeply regretted what took place. “We certainly should have acted more quickly and aggressively to uncover wrongdoing,” he wrote. “There is no easy way around this, but I am proud to say that we have been working hard to put things right.” Among the 11-member committee, four lawmakers from Britain’s Conservative Party — which Murdoch’s flagship The Sun tabloid now supports — refused to endorse the report. It was supported by one Liberal Democrat and five members of the opposition Labour Party, which Murdoch ditched before Britain’s 2010 national election. The chairman, a Conservative, did not vote in line with parliamentary convention. The fallout has jolted Prime Minister David Cameron, who lost his top media adviser over the scandal and is fighting demands to sack a Cabinet minister over the links his office had to some of Murdoch’s key staff. Murdoch has so far paid out millions to settle lawsuits from 60 celebrities, athletes, politicians and other public figures whose voice mails were hacked. Dozens more lawsuits have been filed. 4Wednesday, May 2, 2012 | THE DAILY TEXAN | Viviana Aldous, Editor-in-Chief | (512) 232-2212 | editor@dailytexanonline.com OPINION4Wednesday, May 2, 2012 | THE DAILY TEXAN | Viviana Aldous, Editor-in-Chief | (512) 232-2212 | editor@dailytexanonline.com OPINION VIEWPOINT Make a move on tuition Tuition may be important enough for the UT System Board of Regents to talk about after all. Today marks the beginning of the board’s two-day meeting, and tuition has finally made the agenda. Students and UT institutions alike have long awaited the board to address the issue, as many expected the re- gents to set tuition in March. The delay led to uncer- tainty regarding the cost of system schools. Last fall, the regents gave UT two directives: to tie any requests for tuition increases to the effort to improve four-year graduation rates and to limit tuition increase requests to the change in the consumer price index, re- sulting in a limit of about 2.6 percent. The University could also request an additional 1 percent increase for out-of-state and graduate students. Each tuition-setting year, the Tuition Policy Advisory Committee presents President William Powers Jr. with a proposal regarding tuition policy at the University. Powers then formulates his own recommendation to submit to the Board of Regents, and in both 2010 and 2012, Powers forwarded TPAC’s recommendations on to the board. This year, Powers requested a resident tuition in- crease of 2.6 percent and a nonresident increase of 3.6 percent each year for the next two academic years — a proposal that maximizes tuition increases for UT given the board’s directives. UT-Austin is the only school in the system that requested a different increase for resi- dent and nonresident students. Because all universities in the UT System adhered to the board’s directives, the reason for the delay is unwar- ranted. Hopefully the Board of Regents will set tuition for UT System institutions this week to allow students to know the cost of attendance for the next two aca- demic years and to allow universities to adjust their budgets accordingly. Nominate a Longhorn of the Year The Daily Texan Editorial Board is seeking sugges- tions for our Longhorn of the Year distinction. The Long- horn of the Year is an individual who had the most posi- tive impact on the UT community throughout the 2011-12 academic year. You can suggest a candidate by emailing the name of the nominee and a short explanation to firingline@dai- lytexanonline.comfor potential publication or tweeting us @DTeditorial. We’ll print finalists later in the semester and announce our selection in May. Taking strides to make the world change By Channing Holman have been the only black in a class of 100, not a term that should be used in 2012 be- Daily Texan Guest Columnist and I have been stared at like I was on display cause of its racial connotation. in a museum, perhaps because I’m black. I’ve His name is spelled T-R-A-Y-V-O-N, not Growing up, I was taught to work hard-been overlooked during oce hours because T-R-E-Y-V-O-N, and George Zimmerman, er because I was a black female and things the white girl’s question was more impor-who was denoted as “the big, bad white wouldn’t be handed to me. I knew that peo-tant, and I’ve been called “the n-word” [ra-man,” is both white and Hispanic. e carple wouldn’t want to see me succeed because cial epithet] while walking on Dean Keeton, toon was neither satirical nor funny. Bottom of the color of my skin. My mom told me at which is considered part of campus. I am not line: A 17-year-old was shot because he was a very young age that I was dierent because an extinct species, but I am one of the blacks racially proled, or in Zimmerman’s words, I was black, but I needed to be proud of my that represent 4.5 percent of this university. “suspicious.” If Martin looked suspicious, culture and my ancestors who fought so that While I graduated from my high school then I must look suspicious every time I I could have a better life. with honors and in the top 10 percent, I also wear a hoodie when I’m sick, I’m cold or My mother is a postal clerk at the United had a slew of organizations that I was a part it’s raining. States Postal Service and my father is a lieu-of that made me a well-rounded candidate; UT has a racist past and continually tries tenant at the Texas Department of Criminal it takes more than the top 10 percent to sur-to portray itself as a diverse campus, but a Justice. Life was never handed to me on a sil-vive at UT. I was not privileged as a legacy statement such as the cartoon takes this ver platter, but like my parents, I had to work nor is my father on the Board of Regents. I university back decades. If “what starts hard to achieve the simple things in life. So did everything the person sitting next to me here changes the world,” then this insti- I worked hard athletically and academically did to attend this institution, and my hard tution should take strides in making the for one goal: to attend the University of Tex-work ethic is the reason I am still here in my world change. as at Austin. And I did just that. third year of college. As UT students, our newspaper should re- So I came to UT wide-eyed, in awe that So when Austin hosted a rally to support ect the student body, not just a percentage. I was where many students wanted to be, Trayvon Martin, I was there in my black In light of the recent events involving e and I was so excited to begin a new chapter hoodie marching to City Hall. When e Daily Texan, I hope the publication takes this of my life. I knew UT was a predominantly Daily Texan ran the racist cartoon portray-opportunity to examine its editorial board white institution, especially based on the re-ing the case, I was angry, upset, disappointed and sta and also remember its audience: actions I received from people in my home-and embarrassed rst as a UT student, sec-the UT student body composed of Africans, town when I told them UT was my school ond as a black person attending this institu-African-Americans, Caucasians, Hispanics, of choice. I also knew I would be a minority tion and nally as a journalist. Puerto Ricans, Italians, Brazilians and so once again, but I refused to let it deter me We all learn as a child that we are all dif-many more. Just like students here at UT are from getting a UT education. ferent and come from various backgrounds, of all dierent shades, there are also dierent Reality set in during orientation, when but publishing a cartoon to make light of a shades of talented journalists just waiting for there was only one other black girl in my teenager’s death is unacceptable especially their voices to be heard. wing and again when I was automatically when the killer was recently charged nearly labeled as an athlete because I was black. I two months aer the shooting. “Colored” is Holman is a journalism junior. An open letter to the South Mall Lawn By Heba Dafashy Daily Texan Columnist Dear South Mall Lawn, I was asked to reect on my time here at UT and felt it was tting to address this letter to you. You have seen thousands of students walk around you and have become a special place for not only me, but for many. Your lawn was the home of lots of fun adventures including Holi, where I got to throw paint powder and water balloons on my friends, and the gigantic dance parties at “Gone to Texas” and even the days where I just want to twirl around on the lush of your grass. We only got to really know each other sophomore year because freshman year, I was too insecure to come lay in the middle of campus on your grass. But for some reason, being a second-year college student gave me the con dence to nally meet you. And I’m so glad that I did. You gave me the inspiration sophomore year to grow into the person I was meant to be. You were the home for not only me but for many students, as we sat on your grass debating major life decisions. You watched me lay for hours contemplating dropping pre-med and strictly being a liberal arts student. In the arms of your grass, you helped me realize that the calling in my life did not lie in medicine but rather in human rights advocacy. It was this year where I learned that the purpose of life is something much greater than myself; although I did not exactly know what that purpose was, I was willing to dream big and seek it. e next year was where you watched me struggle through hardships, while teaching me that nothing was impossible. As I sat on your grass, almost in tears from Plan II physics, you became my sanctuary. It was there where I had meaningful life talks with students who have become some of my best friends. Later that year, you watched me leave campus and move to Washington, D.C., for a semester. Even though I lived in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol and the Supreme Court, I still missed the sweetness of your lawn and campus — nothing beats the spirit of the Texas Capitol and the UT Tower. Finally, this year you have watched me learn some of the greatest lessons of all. Senior year started o with mixed sentiments: lots of excitement yet lots of uncertainty toward the future. Whenever I was overwhelmed with where the future may take me aer gradua tion, you would be the rst place I would go. is year I have learned that everything will work out as it should and that I need to cling to my faith and just be patient. is year was also most memorable as you watched me sit week aer week and write opinion columns for e Daily Texan. I didn’t even know I had that many opinions on things, but on your lawn I found the love of writing. I even shared you with some of my friends and family throughout the years. A special thank you to my Duren friends who have kept me grounded for four years. To Melissa and Lynda for reminding me to dream big. To my lovely parents for reading every single one of my columns and acting like each column needed to be published in e Washington Post. To my twin brother for always supporting me. And to Chris for being my best friend and No. 1 fan. Lastly, thank you, South Mall, for all the years, lessons and memories. I will forever miss your lawn and your spirit that made me wholeheartedly know that Texas is truly the greatest University. Sincerely, Heba Dafashy, a Plan II senior, worked as a columnist in the spring. LEGALESE Opinions expressed in e Daily Texan are those of the editor, the Editorial Board or the writer of the article. ey are not necessarily those of the UT administration, the Board of Regents or the Texas Student Media Board of Operating Trustees. RECYCLE Please recycle this copy of The Daily Texan. Place the paper in one of the recycling bins on campus or back in the burnt-orange newsstand where you found it. EDITORIAL TWITTER Follow The Daily Texan Editorial Board on Twitter (@DTeditorial) and receive updates on our latest content. SUBMIT A FIRING LINE Email your Firing Lines to firingline@dailytexanonline.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. SUBMIT A GUEST COLUMN The editorial board welcomes guest column submissions. Columns must be between 600 and 800 words. Send columns to editor@dailytexanonline. com. The Daily Texan reserves the right to edit all columns for clarity, brevity and liability. NEWSWednesday, May 2, 2012 5 NEWSWednesday, May 2, 2012 5 Reformed lobbyist tries to enact change By Andrew Messamore Daily Texan Staff When George W. Bush was president and Tom DeLay the house majority leader, super lobbyist Jack Abramoff was one of the most powerful men in Washington, D.C. Then, in 2006, he was convicted for mail fraud, conspiracy to bribe public officials and tax evasion after a scandal involving Indian casino interests found him and 21 other White House officials guilty of corruption. After four years in prison, the former lobbyist is now writing for anti-corruption publications and asking for hard lobbying reform in Washington, to the derision of some pundits who claim he has yet to change. Bringing his campaign to UT, Jack Abramoff spoke with The Daily Texan to talk about what he wants from Congress. Daily Texan: What kind of message are you hoping to bring to the students at UT? Jack Abramoff: I’m telling people what’s happening with your government. The special interests have a special sway in Washington that’s not good for the Republic, and I’m educating citizens, legislatures and students about what goes on behind the closed doors of Washington power politics. DT: Could you describe what’s going on to me? How do you know that corruption is happening? Abramoff: First of all, I used to participate in it, second of all, I met and worked with the organizations that are still participating in it and third of all, you see it in the dysfunction that is currently affecting our federal government. The government is unable to stop reaching out and touching our lives in every possible way, and in many cases we see special interest with significant sway in Washington in a way that is detrimental to people’s lives. DT: And is that problem coming from Capitol Hill or is coming from lobbying industry? Abramoff: Well I think it’s both. It’s endemic whenever you have institutions or individuals who accumulate a lot of power, and the exercise of that power is often corrupt. In Washington in particular, we see the relationship between the special interests, lobbyists and their legislature goes over the line of what is necessarily appropriate all too frequently. DT: What should people ask for in order for that actual change to come about? Abramoff: Well, we are looking at four points that would have a fairly significant impact on the system. One is a combination of barring special interests from giving any money politically, or conveying any financial interests of benefit to a public servant. We are hoping to create and vouch- er/tax credit that allow people to give contributions at a much lower level, maybe $50. That would en- Charles Dharapak | The Associated Press Former lobbyist Jack Abramoff speaks in Washington. A former aide to Tom DeLay was sentenced Friday to five months in a halfway house in the final act of a probe of the Jack Abramoff influence peddling scandal. Thomas Allison | Daily Texan Staff Steve Schwolert designed and built much of the Austin History Center’s latest exhibit, “The First Picture Shows: Historic Austin Movie Houses,” which will be on display through Aug. 19. Hit-and-run raises safety concerns for cyclists By Sarah White Daily Texan Staff A recent hit-and-run accident near the UT campus has led to greater concern about cyclist safety in Austin. Evan Baird, 22, was traveling home by bike from work south on Guadalupe Street at 38th Street when he was struck by a car. The vehicle sped off after colliding with Baird and he has been in the hospital since with debilitating injuries. Evan’s mother, Sarah Baird, said he has traumatic brain injury, a shattered clavicle, a broken wrist and a fractured knee. She said the bone surrounding his left eardrum is shattered and he has been bleeding extensively out of his mouth, nose and ears. The doctors are seeing improvement, but Evan has a long way to go before a full recovery, his mother said. The suspect in this case has still not been apprehended according to Austin Police Department Cpl. Anthony Hipolito. “Baird was struck by a small black compact car believed to be a Hyundai,” said Hipolito. “The black car was last seen [driving] westbound on West 38th Street.” Hipolito said the car has a “coexist” sticker on the rear bumper and has front-end damage from the collision with Baird. UT biology senior Erika Almodovar said she was at the scene when the accident happened. “I heard a loud crunching noise,” said Almodovar. “I jumped out of the car and ran to where I could see Evan laying on the ground.” Almodovar said she stayed with Baird until Emergency Medical Services arrived, while her friend Katherine Li, also a UT student, called 9-1-1. “I wish [the driver would] own up for his mistake,” said Almodovar. “It’s frustrating because I have a lot of friends who are bikers.” Almodovar said she is now more fearful for the safety of cyclists. “Knowing that there are people like this out there certainly makes me reconsider the safety of cycling on campus.” Sarah Baird said Evan has been visited by local cyclists and concerned Austin residents who he has never met. She said the reaction of the cycling community has been a great comfort to Evan’s family. “It has been devastating,” Baird said. “We are so grateful that he is alive, but he is experiencing a lot of frustration and agitation due to the fact that the driver has not tice more people to get involved rather than just the special interests, who have something to get back. Second is the revolving door [between K Street and the Hill]. Three is to create a term limit to stop people from spending their entire life in Washington, either as a representative or a lobbyist. Step four is to change and affirm the rule that Congress cant pass any legislation that doesn’t apply to itself, and that would go a long way to curbing insider trading. DT: When you have all these changes enacted, what kind of change would you expect in the lobbying industry? Abramoff: Well, we are hoping it brings out the average citizen’s voice, in a way that levels the playing field and no longer drowns out a citizen by a lobbyist who goes off to raise $100,000. We hope to dampen the voice of the special interests, be they labor unions, industries or individuals who are using money to tilt the playing field in their favor. By making the field even, we are hoping more issues are discussed in Congress based on their legal merit rather than their monetary value. Expo showcases Austin theaters By Alexa Ura Daily Texan Staff Almost a century after it was first built, the Paramount Theatre remains a staple in downtown Austin. The theater is one of the many movie houses featured in a local exhibit. “The First Picture Shows: Historic Austin Movie Houses” is the Austin History Center’s newest exhibit. With hundreds of historic photographs, documents and architectural drawings, the exhibit showcases the history of more than 100 Austin theaters. The exhibit launched March 20 and will be on display until Aug. 19. “Everyone at the theater is well aware of the history behind it,” said John Stewart, house projectionist at the Paramount Theatre. “Despite changes over the decades, we try to hold on to the original intent of what film was about.” Stewart was one of the panelists at the exhibit’s opening in April and has worked in film for over 40 years. He said the exhibit shows how the movie-going experience has changed over time while remaining a communal experience. In the early 1900s, movie houses and storefront theaters began to line the streets of downtown Austin years after the end of the Civil War with the first screening of a motion picture in 1896. The exhibit details the creation of these theaters and displays photographs of what has become of the ones that no longer screen movies. Jay Podolnick, whose grandfather, Louis Novy, founded the historic Trans Texas Theater Co., said the history of the few surviving film gems in the community must be preserved through efforts like those of the Austin History Center. Podolnick said film has played an important role in his life and it’s important to continue teaching students about film because it is part of the foundations of modern cinema. “Theater is to film what the blues is to music. You can’t be a great musician unless you have an understanding of the genre that gave way to others,” he said. “Students need to learn what it looks like, what it feels like and what it’s like to edit it.” Russell Bush, radio-televisionfilm graduate student, said film is an important part of studying cinema if students are able to take the discipline that comes with working with film and apply it to shooting in digital formats. But the ability to work with the Austin film community is the biggest strength in UT’s film program, he said. “Theaters like the Paramount are impactful for the community in general and there’s a change in culture that comes with it,” he said. “Knowing there’s a history of film and picture houses in Austin helps establish the tradition for students.” Radio-television-film senior Charles Crane is a programmer for Austin Cinematheque, a student organization that screens 35 mm films on campus. Crane said films are becoming harder to see, so the organization works to preserve the cinematic experience by screening films in their original format. “Living in Austin and experiencing the film community in this city has been unbelievably rewarding,” he said. “It’s hugely inspiring to be part of such a rich film culture in Austin, and I’m glad the Austin Cinematheque has been a part of it.” been found.” Baird said APD Chief Art Acevedo has spoken out recently about transportation safety issues in light of Evan’s accident and the fatal MetroRail crash that happened last Monday. “I am in 100 percent support of making laws stricter against motorists who injure pedestrians and cyclists,” said Sara Baird. Kate Bedford, coordinator of the Campus Safe Cycling Campaign at UT, said Baird’s accident is a symptom of a larger problem at UT. Bedford said she and other concerned students have been and will continue to work with Parking and Transportation Services to increase the safety of sidewalks and roads, and to raise motorist awareness of cyclists. “Austin, and the University of Texas especially, are in a state of flux which is proving to be difficult and dangerous for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians,” Bedford said. “The road and sidewalk system are not well designed for our time — a time in which we are becoming more and more concerned with using less gasoline and are interested in riding bicycles/ walking more.” This board oversees the largest student media program in the United States. Your job as a board member?• *Adopt annual budget• *Review monthly income and expenses• *Select KVRX station manager, TSTV station• manager, Texas Travesty and Cactus yearbook editors, The Daily• Texan managing editor *Certify candidates seeking election to TSM• board and for The Daily Texan editor• *Review major purchase requests• Time commitment? About five hours per month (one meet- ing, reading before meeting, committee work). Pick up an application at the Hearst Student Media build- ing (HSM), 25th and Whitis Ave, Room 3.200, or print a application from our website: http://www.utexas.edu/tsm/board/ Deadline is noon on Friday, May 18, 2012. nt ng ica h tp s n mm , m r n ing, up an appHSM), 25 bsite: ht adline issmm g, reaing, coming m g m s p 5 t re m Pick uing (H u HbwebaDeaw P i ime c i meme cm uH b a ii ime ca M)) w li m ead m icup an app com ing, reaeeaime c i Pick u H b a u i c i im g, mmm, r m app t t s Min weee nii www M)M) ee nn TEXASSTUDENTMEDIABoard of Operating Trustees has an opening for a student board position. THE TEXAS STUDENT MEDIA APPLICATION DEADLINE College of Communication, Place 2 6/2012 – 5/2014 Rock. Enroll. And reshape your future this summer. First, sign up for summer classes at any Alamo College on campus or online. Our tiny tuition will keep your college savings in great shape. And since our credits are fully transferable, you’ll also reshape your career at The University of Texas at Austin, by speeding up graduation or opening your schedule to take more advanced classes in your major. Lots of required courses? Stay an extra semester to learn and save even more. Start now at alamo.edu. alamo.edu | 210-485-0000 NEWS Wednesday, May 2, 2012 6 NEWS Wednesday, May 2, 2012 6 would be released. from victims’ family members. rested and questioned by Aus-and Brummett picked up the saying he had been denied pa-“special review.” One letter said that he would It was not clear whether tin police, he told them that two girls after their car broke role. Verna Lee Carr, an Austin- be paroled, but the last one said Brummett has an attorney. he had killed two other young down and then raped and Then on March 15, anoth-based victim advocate, said that the Texas Board of Pardons and On Aug. 16, 1976, Sublett women in Kerrville — different killed them. er letter was mailed, this time in her 22-year career working Paroles has flagged Brummett returned to his South Austin crimes from the rapes he had Based largely on Brummett’s saying Brummett was “tenta-with victims of violent crimes, for “special review.” home to find his girlfriend, been charged with. testimony, Woody was convict-tively approved ... for release she has never seen three con- Brummett has been up for 22-year-old Dianne Roberts, Police drove to the city ed of murdering Pearson in to parole supervision.” flicting documents mailed out parole before, and Sublett said lying in their bed naked with northwest of San Antonio and April 1977. Owens said a board panel in-as they did in this case. that each time, family and a pillowcase wrapped around began searching a grassy pas-A few days later, Brummett terviewed Brummett and vot-“I was furious” after see- friends of his victims have her neck. ture around midnight. pleaded guilty in Kerrville to ed to release him into treat-ing the letter saying Brumwritten letters to the parole Sublett, a musician and mem-Eight hours later, they found London’s murder and was sen-ment but then realized he did mett would be released, board asking that he not be re-ber of the influential Austin the remains of Beth Pearson, tenced to life in prison. Later not qualify for it. said Pearson’s brother, leased. This is the first time punk band the Skunks, said in-15, and Carol Ann London, that month, Brummett plead-Finally, on March 23, after Martin Valance. they’ve received a letter saying vestigators initially suspected 18. Both had been missing for ed guilty in Austin to Roberts’ calls and letters from the fami-“You’ve got a serial rap- Brummett had been approved he was the killer. But he point-nearly a year, and their fami-murder as well and was giv-lies of the victims, a third letter ist and a serial killer on your for release. ed them to Brummett, a labor-lies had assumed they had run en a second life sentence to was sent, saying that because hands, and I don’t think the Now, Sublett says he and er and friend of his roommate’s away together. be served concurrent with the of the receipt of “addition-state cares,” said Valance, others will travel to Huntsville who had recently been charged Brummett told investigators first. al information not previous-who now lives near Tyler. on May 11 to address the board with and was awaiting trial on he had an accomplice in those On March 5 of this year, the ly available to the Texas Board “I’ve got a family who’s scared members in person. They said two rapes in Kerrville, he said. crimes: Alan Ladd Woody, then department sent a letter to the of Pardons and Paroles,” Brum-to death.” Convicted murderer faces potential parole, worries victim’s family By Patrick George based on his history of mul- Austin American Statesman tiple rapes and murders, they hope to make the case that Jesse Sublett received a let- Brummett, now 55, should not ter from the Texas Department be released. of Criminal Justice in March “This guy is not someone saying that the man who was who has just made a few mis- convicted of killing his girl- takes,” Sublett said. friend and another woman in Rissie Owens, the presiding the 1970s would be released officer for the Texas Board of on parole. Pardons and Paroles, said the His reaction was visceral. board will review new infor“’ Stunned’ is not the word,” mation that is sent to them. Sublett said. “It’s like getting After May 11, she said, they run over by a truck. You can’t could grant or deny parole even move.” to Brummett. In March, Sublett and rela “All options are open at this tives of two other murder vic time,” Owens said. “We will retims tied to convicted kill- view all information and make er Lyle Richard Brummett re- a decision at this time.” ceived three different let- The information sent to the ters with conflicting informa board could include letters, tion about whether Brummett phone calls and statements LOOK AT ME MEOW A cat grooms itself while an Austin Pets Alive! volunteer cleans out a litter box in the cat trailer on South Congress Avenue. Austin Pets Alive! is a nonprofit organization that rescues animals from shelters that are at risk of being euthanized and helps them find new homes. Shea Carley Daily Texan Staff When Brummett was ar-20. Investigators said Woody families of Brummett’s victims mett is being considered for Publication to report counter-narrative By Bobby Blanchard Daily Texan Staff After two semesters and a summer of planning, a new on- line African-American UT publication will launch in the fall. Cheyenne Matthews-Hoffman, editor-in-chief of the publication and a journalism sophomore, said the student organization Black Ink Association is attempting to launch a publication similar to the “The Griot,” which was an African-American print publication at UT in the ’80s and the ’90s. Choquette Hamilton, associate director of development for the African and African Diaspora Studies Department, said during its time the Griot served as a counter-narrative to the dominant voice of students, which she said was The Daily Texan. “The Griot came about because students, particular black students at the University, felt that their story wasn’t being told, and if it was being told, it was being told in a viewpoint that was not their own,” Hamilton said. Hamilton said the Griot addressed a few landmark issues during its time. For instance, the Griot tackled the issue of divest ment of UT from companies in South Africa, which was utilizing the racial segregation policy of apartheid at the time. Hamilton said while she was not for certain why the Griot stopped publishing, she imagined it would have to do with funding, as it cost about $225 to create the Griot, which printed once a semester. “It doesn’t sound like a lot of money, but back in the ’80s, I imagine $225 to create a newspaper was a significant cost for students,” Hamilton said. Hamilton said while The Daily Texan says it strives to act as the voice for all students, the newspaper has a hard time recruiting and retaining people of color from different perspectives. “The way The Daily Texan obtains their employees is through walk-in type basis, rather than more of a recruitment,” Hamilton said. “Because that is the case, it’s self-selected. By the very nature of that process you’re going to get a one-sided viewpoint on many of these issues. So having these counter-narratives open up the dialogues and present things from different perspectives really helps everyone involved.” Now, Hoffman said, the Black Ink Association’s publication, which does not yet have a name, will attempt to cover some of the issues that have not been covered since the Griot’s absence. “I just think there are a lot of issues involving the black community at UT, and just Austin in general, that don’t really get reported about,” Hoffman said. News editor Aladeria Allen said students can expect a diversity of news from the publication that is not just from the African- American perspective, but all student minorities. “Students can expect just really a huge range of news, from the more controversial topics to the stuff you don’t see everyday,” Allen said. Since the Black Ink Association’s publication will be online and not in print, Hoffman said they are planning to spread information about their publication by talking to organizations on campus. “When we do start next semester, we’ll have a Twitter [account] and Facebook [page], and we’ll be pushing for it a lot in the organizations,” Hoffman said. Hoffman said the publication is still looking for reporters and all students are welcome. Zen Ren | Daily Texan Staff Cheyenne Hoffman looks to provide an outlet for black voices on campus. She is the editor-in-chief of the Black Ink Association, which is launching an online publication this fall to raise awareness about news affecting minority communities. RECYCLE .YOUR COPY OF THE DAILY TEXAN You were waiting until “later” to buy your yearbook. Now is your last chance. buy a yearbook. www.cactusyearbook.com SPORTS7 Wednesday, May 2, 2012 | THE DAILY TEXAN | Sameer Bhuchar, Sports Editor | (512) 232-2210 | sports@dailytexanonline.com Wednesday, May 2, 2012 | THE DAILY TEXAN | Sameer Bhuchar, Sports Editor | (512) 232-2210 | sports@dailytexanonline.com JOIN THE FUNMAY 2 .. SPLASH BASH PARTY TIME STARTS HERE www.utrecsports.org Whittier led the integration of Texas football team By Rachel Thompson Daily Texan Staff Texas fans rejoiced euphorically on Dec. 6, 1969, as the Longhorns defeated Arkansas, 15-14, in the national championship game. It was a game that would long be celebrated for what the Longhorns had accomplished on the field, but history was also being made among the members of the team itself. Behind the confetti, excited fans and post-game interviews was a historical change in college athletics that few were conscious of. The 1969 Texas team was the last all-white football team to bring in a national championship title. As his teammates battled the Razorbacks on the field, freshman Julius Whittier watched the televised game from Jester Center dormitory, ineligible to play as a freshman. By his sophomore year, as Texas contended for the national title once again, Whittier was a sophomore offensive lineman. He earned a varsity letter his sophomore, junior and senior year and started the latter two years of his college career and was the first African-American player to letter for Texas. “I was a jock, plain and simple,” Whittier told The New York Jeff Heimsath | Daily Texan file photo Times in an interview. “I didn’t Julius Whittier was the first African-American to play for Texas’ football team. The San Antonio native was a lineman and played for the team the year after they won the 1969 national championship. That Texas team was the last all-white team to win the national championship. WHITTIER continues on PAGE 8 Coaching staff lacks diversity, could be due to few personnel changes By Christian Corona Daily Texan Staff Everyone remembers the player that breaks the color barrier. But what of the coach? The most famous African-American to defy a color barrier in the world of sports is the Brooklyn Dodgers’ Jackie Robinson. For the Texas football program, it’s Julius Whittier, a lineman who became the first black Longhorns football player in 1970. Neither the Dodgers nor the Longhorn football team have ever had a black head coach. All 14 of the Dodgers’ managers since Robinson made his major-league debut in 1947 were white, along with each of the four head football coaches to lead the Texas football team since the legendary Darrell Royal stepped down in 1976, seven years after the Longhorns earned the dubious distinction of becoming the last all-white football team to win a national championship. It should be noted that former For the second straight game, the Longhorns came back to beat A&M. The only difference was that Tuesday’s win came against Prai- rie View A&M and it wasn’t nearly as dra- matic as Texas’ ninth- inning rally in its 2-1 victory over Texas A&M Sunday afternoon. But after falling behind in the fourth inning against the Pan- thers, the No. 24 Longhorns (26- Daily Texan Staff SOFTBALL TEXAS 7, BAYLOR 3 Longhorns score five unanswered runs in record-breaking win over Baylor By Garrett Callahan Daily Texan Staff The Longhorns were able to tame the bear this time around. After losing their first game of the series to conference rival Baylor, the Longhorns took this second game with ease on Tuesday night. In the 7-3 win, Texas proved how strong of a team it is. While giving up seven hits and hitting 11 themselves, they were able to out power Baylor late in the game. After five innings, the Longhorns were down. Baylor took the lead early with a 1-0 stand through the first two innings. When the Longhorns finally got some production in the third, the Bears responded with two more runs of their own to keep the lead Lakers icon Magic Johnson recently became a co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and that less than 10 percent of all current MLB players are African-American, an all- time low. UT women’s track and field coach Beverly Kearney is currently the only African-American head coach on the 40 Acres, a disappointing fact considering that nearly three-quarters of the Longhorns football squad’s two-deep roster is African-American and more than 90 percent of next year’s men’s basketball roster will be African- American players. With no change in head coach of the football, men’s basketball and baseball programs in more than a decade, that could indicate a simple lack of opportunity. But women’s athletic director Chris Plonsky has hired three head coaches in the last five months — Carol Capitani (women’s swimming and diving), Karen Aston (women’s basket- Darrell Wyatt Wide Receivers Coach ball) and Angela Kelly (women’s soccer) — all of them white. Is that an indictment on the hiring practices of the Texas athletic program? “I think it’s an indictment,” said Brian Jones, a former all-Southwest Conference linebacker for the Longhorns and current CBS Sports analyst. “Nothing’s going to change until we get more people of color in [administrative] positions. I’m not going to say that they should simply hire black people when they get in that position, but hire by one. It wasn’t until the sixth inning when the true Texas team came out. Two of the Longhorns leaders all season took their role as Lexy Bennett and Taylor Hoagland both hit home runs to knock in four runs. Hoagland, who was just named co-Big 12 Player of the Week, hit a home run with one runner on base, knocking in two runs to give Bo Davis Defensive Tackles Coach them on their merits.” Mack Brown has spent the last 14 years guiding the Longhorns head football squad. Former defensive coordinator Will Muschamp was once the head coach in-waiting, but since he bolted for a head coaching gig at Florida, Brown’s successor is uncertain once again. Texas has plenty of qualified minority assistants, including Muschamp’s replacement at defensive coordinator, 38-year-old Manny Diaz. Wide receivers coach Darrell Wyatt and defensive tackles coach/ Payton keeps up consistency, vital in comeback victory By Lauren Giudice Daily Texan Staff Mark Payton made it on base at least once during each of Texas’ first 33 games. Although that streak has ended, his consistency and good timing brought the Longhorns back in the game on Tuesday night when they were down 2-1 to Prairie View A&M. The Panthers got the edge in the fourth inning. But their lead wouldn’t last for long. Payton’s base hit in the fifth inning began a rally that was necessary to give the Longhorns the lead that they never gave up. His hit sent center fielder Tim Maitland to third base. Maitland the Longhorns the lead. Bennett, just two batters later, followed up with an almost identical home run, tallying another two runs to give the team a three-run lead. It was a record tying and breaking day for the Longhorns. Hoagland, after hitting her home run in the sixth, tied her personal record for home runs in a season with 15. Then senior Bennett broke a re- Beverly Kearney Women’s Track Head Coach ace recruiter Bo Davis, both African- Americans, are also among the top of Brown’s coaching staff. While Wyatt and Davis probably can’t produce a resume that would command serious consideration from men’s athletic director DeLoss Dodds to lead the massive cash cow that is the Texas football program, there’s at least one other qualified minority candidate — Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray. Gray, a two-time first-team COACHES continues on PAGE 8 cord herself, setting the new UT single season record for RBIs with her 51st last night. She took the accolade from Loryn Johnson, who graduated in 2009. Finally, Brejae Washington set a new Texas career mark with her 63rd stolen base, passing the previous record of 62 set by Desiree BAYLOR continues on PAGE 8 would eventually score off of a hit from Erich Weiss. Jonathan Walsh’s two RBI single sent Payton and Brooks Marlow home. Weiss singled and drove Payton home making the score 1-0 Texas in the third inning. Payton bunted to get on base. “Mark Payton is a ballplayer,” said head coach Augie Garrido. “He is day in day out a really hard nosed quality baseball player. That’s what sets him apart from the others. The others can have really good days. Every day is a good day for him because of the attitude that he has and the work ethic that he has.” Garrido said because of Payton’s PAYTON continues on PAGE 8 SIDELINE NBA 76ERS BULLS CELTICS HAWKS RANGERS BLUE JAYS DEVILS FLYERS MLB NHL TWEET OF THE DAY “Love this school. My team, coaches and ppl really take care of one another! Sitting back talking to my folks and realizing how blessed I am.” Miles Onyebule @TheLump17 SPORTS BRIEFLY Aston hires last member of staff with Washington as assistant Texas Women’s head basketball coach Karen Aston has hired George Washington as the assistant coach for the team. He served as an assistant coach at Westbury Christian High School in Houston. The school made four- straight Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) 4A State Championship appearances while he was coaching there. Wes- bury Christian was ranked No. 8 in the country during the 2008-2009 season and No. 9 in 2010-2011. The Wildcats went 140-16 while he coached there. “I am thrilled to announce the addition of George Washington to our Texas women’s basketball staff,” Aston said. “We wanted to add a different element, in the sense of someone who has dealt with young people on a daily basis during their high school years. George is a teacher, foremost, which I love most about him. He also is a passionate, energetic coach who shares our vision for Texas.” Before his time at Westbury Christian, he was the girls’ varsity basketball coach at St. Thomas Episcopal in Houston. He was also the schools athletic director during the 2004-2005 season. George Washington completes head coach Karen Aston’s staff for the 2012-13 season. “George has always been involved throughout his career in skills training and that has become a staple of any program bearing his assistance,” Aston added. — Lauren Giudice 16, 11-6) used RBI singles from sophomore third baseman Erich Weiss and junior left fielder Jon- athan Walsh in the fifth frame to take down Prairie View A&M (22- 21, 13-7), 5-2, Tuesday evening at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. “That’s kind of been like us all year,” sophomore right field- er Mark Payton, who racked up a game-high three hits, including a pivotal single. Texas fell behind in the fourth in- ning when freshman pitcher Ricky Jacquez gave up a leadoff double to deep left-center field. The next batter, Brett Valley, beat out a bunt single down the third base line be- fore Jacquez fielded a bunt by the following hitter, Brad Benes, and spun around to throw for a forced out at third base. But, Weiss was nowhere to be found and Jacquez recovered to throw the runner out at first base. Panthers clean-up man Dominiq Harris delivered a two- run single up the middle with the Weiss, Walsh lead fifth inning rally WEISS continues on PAGE 8 BASEBALL TEXAS 5, PRAIRIE VIEW A&M 2 Erich Weiss Rebecca Howeth Daily Texan Staff CADRUNS ONLINEFORFREE! ADRUNS ONLINEFORFREE! 8 Wednesday, May 2, 2012sports the bunt. Outside of that, it was a ed, that gave Texas a 4-2 lead and like you’re a leadoff hitter,” said flawless game.” all the offense it would need. Weiss. “During the beginning of WEISS The Longhorns roared back in Since April 13, the Longhorns the season, we were hitting the the fifth frame. Senior center field-are batting 8-for-12 (.667) with ball well but we were hitting it continues from PAGE 7 er Tim Maitland, filling in for the the bases juiced after hitting just right at them. Now they’re start- bases loaded that put the Long-injured freshman Taylor Stell, was 6-for-34 (.176) in that same situ-ing to fall in for us. About time.” horns in a 2-1 hole. hit by a pitch for the team-lead-ation previously this year. Weiss, Stell, who last played in Friday’s “The defense played well. That’s ing 13th time with one out before who picked up the first of two 6-5 loss to Texas A&M in College encouraging,” said Texas head Payton singled and freshman sec-bases-loaded base hits in that fifth Station, had surgery Tuesday to coach Augie Garrido about his de-ond baseman Brooks Marlow was inning, said that Texas has em-repair a knee injury he suffered in fense, which didn’t commit an er-also beaned. Then, with the bases phasized that situation more of-last week’s 4-2 victory over Cenror for the second straight game loaded, Weiss singled softly up the ten in scrimmages recently. tral Arkansas. Garrido said that after committing eight in the pre-middle to bring home Maitland “Coach Garrido talked to us he’ll be out at least three weeks vious two. “They made all the and tie the contest at 2-2. That set about not seeing the runners on but hopes to have him back in plays that they needed to make, the stage for Walsh’s sharp single base and pretending like they’re time for the NCAA Tournament except for the confusion twice on to right, also with the bases load-not there and taking that at-bat that begins next month. tempted to recruit African-Amer-the football team. He was not invitican athletes to play for UT, but ed out to parties by his teammates WHITTIER many were turned off by the Uni-and struggled to find a roommate versity’s reputation for racist ten-his sophomore year. continues from PAGE 7 dencies and slow integration. Teammate Billy Dale, a senior He’s a hero. He opened made the All-Big 12 freshman team. care about civil rights or mak-In 1967, E.A. Curry tried out running back who scored the This year, he is continuing to step up doors for many other ing a mark. I just wanted to play for the freshman football team winning touchdown of the 1970 PAYTON when the team needs him. big-time football.” and earned a place on the roster Cotton Bowl, agreed to room kids that have come “My game has got to be to get on But in the South, gaining one’s but was sidelined by grades and with Whittier. base no matter how it is,” Payton continues from PAGE 7 civil rights was no small chal-did not continue to play for UT. “I lost all my friends,” Dale told behind him. small size, standing 5-foot-8, he has said. “I try not to worry about the lenge. Applicant Heman Swe-In 1968, Leon O’Neal II became The New York Times. “I chose to — Mack Brown, head football coach stepped up and become an even better statistics at all. My job is to get on att sued the University of Texas the first African-American to re-live with Julius because I believed baseball player. base and make plays on the field in 1946 after being rejected from ceive a football scholarship to the it would add that much more di- Payton went 3-for-5 and scored and put together quality at bats. the School of Law because of his University but did not return after mension to me as a person.” two runs against the Panthers. Al-That’s the only thing I’ve been race. The law school’s segregation his first year. Whittier’s tenure at UT paved though Prairie View A&M lost, they worried about.” policy was overturned by the Su-Whittier was a standout play-the way for other black ath-Whittier has repeatedly said put up a strong fight against the Payton’s hit in the fifth inning preme Court in 1950, but it took er at an integrated San Antonio letes. Running back Roosevelt that he doesn’t consider himself a Longhorns, who were still surging jump-started the Longhorns and led until 1956 for all UT’s academic high school, blessed not only with Leaks was recruited in 1971, Earl pioneer, but head football coach from the ninth inning victory over them to the win. The players and programs to be integrated. a gift for the game but also an in-Campbell in 1974. Mack Brown feels a bit differently. A&M on Sunday. Garrido emphasize “total offense.” The integration of sports teams nate confidence and a self-de-Whittier’s time at UT also al-“He’s a hero,” said Brown in an in“ Mark is an excellent leadoff guy,” “It’s not focusing on getting a hit took place years earlier in the scribed oratorical knack. lowed him to cross into the path terview with Texassports.com. “He Weiss said. “He’s got that spot down. but focusing on getting the leadoff North. William Henry Lewis was Despite the warnings of his of Lyndon B. Johnson, who rec-opened doors for many other kids Last year, I think he was two hole man on base,” Walsh said. “We want the first African-American play-friends and family, Whittier joined ommended that Whittier contin-that have come behind him. Thank sometimes, second batter. He’s de-him to get over and then let the next er in major college football and the team in 1969 as a freshman. ue his studies at the University’s goodness that it’s a much better veloped into a leadoff hitter.” guy do his job.” played at Amherst University from “I basically came here for my School of Public Affairs. world today than it was in 1969.” Weiss said Payton is good at drag-Walsh said hits seem to be conta 1889 to 1891, and in 1942, Bill Wil-purposes, which was to play foot-“I got a chance to go to gradu-Whittier returned to UT in ging on the count and making the gious sometimes. lis played on the national champi-ball,” Whittier said in an interview ate school,” Whittier told the UT 2010 to speak to the team in a pitcher throw to him a lot. “Anytime you get more than one onship team for Ohio State. with Texassports.com. “In spite football team during a 2010 visit. stadium named after his former But, Payton doesn’t take all the credit. run in an inning is great, especially UT’s athletic programs took a of what a lot of people thought “I met President Johnson and he coach. Brown made sure his play“ It’s nice when you have Erich for your pitching cause that takes a lot bit longer to follow suit. African-might happen when I came up told me he would enjoy knowing ers understood the importance of and Walsh hitting behind you be-of pressure off of them,” Weiss said. American students weren’t allowed here, I had a ball.” I had at least examined the pro-Whittier’s contribution. cause you’re going to get pitches to “Even hitting, too, because you think to participate in varsity sports un-While Whittier has said he gram at that school.” “Think about it. This is history,” hit,” Payton said. “They don’t want that you’re more relaxed up there and til 1963, and the Southwest Con-didn’t mind being the only Afri-Whittier followed Johnson’s ad-Brown told his team during Whittito walk you. It’s nice when those two take a better at bat.” ference was not hasty in recruiting can-American player on the roster, vice, enrolled and graduated from er’s visit. “You’re seeing history right are hitting.” Payton’s consistency this season African-Americans to play. he’s also noted that he wasn’t always the LBJ School in 1976. Today, he here. You’re seeing the reason that a Payton knows that his job is to get and tonight will continue to get Head coach Darrell Royal at-treated like every other member of works as a trial lawyer in Dallas. lot of you were allowed to come.” on base. This season, he certainly the Longhorns on the scoreboard. has. He is currently batting .329. That With Marlow, Weiss and Walsh be- is second highest on the team, only hind him in the batting order, Pay- and the Integration of Society. “It defense (8.2 ppg), total defense crossing a color barrier, because trailing Weiss who is hitting .343. ton will continue to put runs on would probably have to be some-(183.6 ypg), rushing defense (72.2 I never thought they would have Last year, he was consistent and the board. COACHES body that was perceived to be the rush ypg) and pass defense (111.5 a black head [football] coach. I equivalent of a Tony Dungy ... pass ypg). The Crimson Tide held never thought Texas would have a continues from PAGE 7 They’re going to be looking for a LSU to 92 total yards and five first black head coach in football. For All-American and four-time Pro high-profile candidate. It’s Texas. downs in this year’s national title A&M to be the first in this area, I Bowler, was briefly brought in It’s a money machine.” game, a 21-0 Alabama victory. think it speaks volumes.” to coach the Longhorns defen-At Texas A&M, conference af-But the Aggies went with Sum-Brown wasn’t fired after Tex- BAYLOR continues from PAGE 7 sive backs before Duane Akina filiation isn’t the only thing that’s lin, who is preparing to take his as went 5-7 two years ago the way Williams (2005-2009). Texas will continue with Big 12 play took his job back and Gray left for changing as the Aggies recently squad into a brutal SEC West that Mike Sherman was when Texas This was a much better game for this week when they face rivals Okla- Nashville. He should be given a hired Kevin Sumlin, an African-boasts each of the last three nation-A&M posted a 6-6 mark last sea- the Texas team after their last game homa in a three game series in Nor- hard look, including an interview, American coach who led Houston al champions. But Sumlin has re-son. But Brown, 60, won’t coach with Baylor ended in a loss. The eight man, Okla. There are only four games when Brown steps down. to a school-record 13-1 mark last cruited very well since being hired forever. When the time comes for inning game came in a period of the left for the Longhorns and they look “My gut is there’d be more of a year, as their first black head foot-last December. Sumlin will be the his incredible tenure to end, let’s season for the Longhorns in which to finish strong. A strong finish for the chance of it happening in [men’s] ball coach. Other qualified candi-only African-American head foot-hope Dodds self-implements a they had lost four out of their last team can push the team into convinc basketall,” said Michael Cramer, dates were considered, such as Al-ball coach in the SEC this year. Rooney Rule of his own so guys seven, their first real period of losing ing postseason play, where they look to director of the Texas Program in abama defensive coordinator Kir-“This is historic,” said Jones, a like Diaz and Gray get an opporthis season. Tonight, however, Texas make a far run into the NCAA Wom- Sports and Media, who also teach-by Smart, who was in charge of a friend of Sumlin’s. “What A&M tunity to become the Longhorns’ tied up the series with a win. en’s College World Series. es a course called Sports, Media, unit that led the nation in scoring has done can be looked upon as next head football coach. Rebecca Howeth | Daily texan staff Mark Payton went 3-for-5 and scored two runs during Texas’ 5-2 win. 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COMICS Wednesday, May 2, 2012 9 COMICS Wednesday, May 2, 2012 9 Daily Texan Comics wants your opinion! Fill out a survey at bit.ly/ddttccss for a chance to win a Wacom Bamboo drawing tablet. SUDOKUFORYOU Yesterday’s solution OKU 8 3 6 5 2 5 1 3 5 1 8 2 5 6 4 8 7 1 7 3 7 5 6 8 6 4 9 9 7 3 4 3 4 8 9 6 2 1 5 7 6 5 7 1 4 3 9 8 2 1 9 2 7 5 8 3 4 6 8 3 5 2 9 4 6 7 1 2 6 9 8 7 1 5 3 4 7 1 4 6 3 5 2 9 8 4 8 3 5 1 6 7 2 9 5 7 1 4 2 9 8 6 3 9 2 6 3 8 7 4 1 5 For a few hours every few months LIFE&ARTS10 Wednesday, May 2, 2012 | THE DAILY TEXAN | Katie Stroh, Life&Arts Editor | (512) 232-2209 | dailytexan@gmail.com By Karin Samelson Daily Texan Staff NO DICE NECESSARY For a few hours every few months LIFE&ARTS10 Wednesday, May 2, 2012 | THE DAILY TEXAN | Katie Stroh, Life&Arts Editor | (512) 232-2209 | dailytexan@gmail.com By Karin Samelson Daily Texan Staff NO DICE NECESSARY a small group of Austinites live in a world of monsters, gnomes, spell bags, swords and elves. The Austin chapter of Heroic Interactive Theatre participates in live-action role-play, or LARP, and have been involved in events since January. The first role-playing games were played in the ’70s and have many different styles. In some groups, participants play upon a set of rules and create elaborate characters and costumes. The interaction is very game- like and was influenced by tabletop games where role-playing was used, like Dungeons and Dragons. “It’s kind of like improvisational theater,” said Donald McCullough, also known by his character name Thurgar the Warrior. The main goal of LARP is to have fun while interacting and uncovering secrets along the intended story line. Killing monsters before they kill you is another goal. The next event will take place on June 23, but the group hopes that the events could become monthly sometime in the near future. “I’ve been playing Dungeons and Dragons since I was 4 and I’m 37 this year,” McCullough said. “I’ve studied various forms of weapon combat for just as long and I thought I would put my skills to good use.” Costumes play a vital role in the events. Since all participants have their own characters, the costumes are sometimes elaborate and their weapons are intricate and includes spears, swords, glaives and battle-axes with spear tips on the end. McCullough’s costume consists of chainmail armor that acts as extra hit It’s not like online play. It’s a fun bunch of people to play with and have real simulated sword combat which isn’t that common — Charles Bowling . Bufurd the Two-Handed Warrior points, so he can take some hits before it affects his character’s health. Some outfits are more complicated than others, but the group had the idea to make painted masks this time, since wiping off face paint while switching characters seemed to be too difficult at the last event. The weapons have to follow certain protocol, like not being too long and having to have two hands on the weapon at all times if you want to gain points in battle. All of the weapons are made of PVC pipe covered in pipe insulation foam. Everything used is relatively soft and hitting places like the head, hands and groin are off limits. “It’s not like online play. It’s a fun bunch of people to play with and have real simulated sword combat which isn’t that common,” said Charles Bowling, or Bufurd the Two- Handed Warrior. LARP isn’t only about killing the Nathaniel Goldsmith | Daily Texan Staff Thomas Abruzzese, playing an ogre character, thrusts his greatsword at an enemy during a live action role playing game Sunday. The prop weapons used by players are padded to reduce the risk of injury. monsters and surviving; it’s about in-gistics’ fantasy plan comes into play. teraction with the other players and John Garcia, the group’s leader and puzzle solving. At the last event, there head of plot, decided that once you’re was a locked chest full of in-game killed a number of times, your char- money, and monsters would drop pa-acter will die off and you will have to pers that turned into a combination invent a new one. that could eventually open the lock. “Sometimes bad stuff hap- Each person will play the same pens to your character or your character throughout the events un-friend’s character,” Garcia said. “It less they are killed too many times; this is when the head of plot and lo-LARP continues on PAGE 11 Event Details What: Austin Heroic Interactive Theatre When: This summer Where: Tenative Other: nerocentral.com Food blog inspires student to undertake culinary adventure By Jessica Lee Daily Texan Staff Just two years ago, when petroleum engineering senior Allison Boyle thought of what would be on the menu for dinner that night, processed foods such as macaroni and cheese or ramen noodles came to mind. But as the 2011 new year approached, Boyle decided to make a change. She made a resolution to start cooking a new meal every week and blog about it. Thus, her food blog, The Best of Thymes, was born. “I always ate good food growing up, and I realized I could be eating that way now,” Boyle said. “I’m by no means an Iron Chef now, but cooking has become natural to me.” Starting a blog that was open to public meant that Boyle had to keep up with her resolution, or else her friends and readers would notice she was slacking off. Now, Boyle cooks more than once a week and is constantly on the search for new recipes to try. She accredits food blogs and Pinterest as her main recipe sources. Allison Boyle started her blog The Best of Thymes when she made the 2011 new year’s resolution to cook a new meal every week. Marisa Vasquez Daily Texan Staff Check out Allison Boyle’s Best of Thymes blog thebestofthymes.me Boyle has found that not only is cooking at home a lot cheaper than eating out, it is also a lot of fun. Though she did not cook much before the blog, she has found that most recipes are not too difficult to conquer. Though there have been a few recipe disasters along the way (a recent attempt at baking brownies went all wrong when the pan shifted), Boyle chooses only to feature her successful dishes. Some of her favorites include banana nut waffles, chocolate chip zucchini bread, herb garden BLOG continues on PAGE 11 Workaholics trio discuss comedic path to third season By Anjli Mehta Daily Texan Staff If you think there isn’t anything charming about three 20-something best friends and roommates with jobs at the same call center, think again. Screenwriters and actors Adam DeVine, Blake Anderson and Anders Holm play funnier versions of themselves in Comedy Central’s bro-tastic sitcom, “Workaholics.” In honor of being renewed for a third season of the show, which had its series premiere last year, the cast checked in with The Daily Texan and discussed everything from their YouTube beginnings to hair products and sex toys. The Daily Texan: What can we expect to see in season three? Adam DeVine: Whoa, hitting us with the heavy questions! Probably some really serious things like obesity and finding new drug dealers and using hallucinogenics on business trips. So, definitely stuff that the youth of America can relate to. We’re basically doing a public service. DT: What inspires some of the episodes? Blake Anderson: Some come Photo courtesy of Comedy Central Blake Anderson, Adam Devine and Anders Holm star in Comedy Central’s “Workaholics.” from real life stories, or exagger-DT: How did YouTube play into now. Comedy Central saw us on Youated real times in our lives, but your success early on? Tube and gave us a show from there. other things are simple, [such DeVine: We started making as] what would be the funni-sketches in 2006 and it really helped DT: How has life changed since est thing to see on television us find our comedic voice and figure the show? and what other shows [are] not out what kind of comedy we like to hitting on. do. It was like practice for what we do WORKAHOLIC continues on PAGE 11 UT Professor speaks about her cell damage, cancer research By Clayton Wickham Daily Texan Staff Molecular genetics and microbiology professor Tanya Paull studies how cells respond to DNA damage and to a cellular imbalance called oxidative stress. Her research on cell damage has implications for cancer treatment as well as the treatment of ataxia-telangiectasia, a rare neurodegenerative disorder that inhibits movement and coordination. She is the winner of a CPRIT Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, or CPRIT, grant and one of 330 Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigators in the nation. Daily Texan: What are you studying in your research now? Tanya Paull: We primarily work on DNA damage response, which is a series of events that occur after double-strand breaks happen in chromosomal DNA. The chromosome is made up of a DNA double helix, a double-strand break occurs when the helix is severed into multiple pieces. Cells have ways of recognizing, binding to and signaling those damaged DNA molecules very, very rapidly. So, we study those events that occur during that first recognition process. We look at how breaks are repaired. We do this using biochemistry, which means that we make these enzymes, purify them and look at what the enzymes are doing. You can control everything in the reaction very carefully, which lets you make conclusions about what exactly those enzymes are doing. DT: I know you are funded by the Cancer Prevention Institute of Texas. How does your work fit into the field of cancer research? Paull: We’re funded by cancer research organizations because there’s an obvious relation to cancer, although we’re not doing things like testing drugs. We’re not trying out new cancer therapies. We’re at the basic research level trying to understand why loss of certain genes results in cancer, and what the enzymes encoded by those genes normally do. DT: I read you do research on an enzyme called ATM, which plays a role in tumor growth. What is the importance of ATM? Paull: [ATM] is also occasionally found to be lost or mutated in spontaneous tumors in normal people. Tanya Paull Molecular genetics and microbiology professor There’s been a lot of sequencing of cancer genomes recently, now that sequencing DNA is getting to be so inexpensive. Cancer is this whole progression of events — basically changes in the genome — that lead RESEARCH continues on PAGE 11 LIFE&ARTS Wednesday, May 2, 2012 11 LIFE&ARTS Wednesday, May 2, 2012 11 LARP continues from PAGE 10 Nathaniel Goldsmith | Daily Texan Staff Zach Ryan and Yvonne McCullough consult character sheets during a lull in Sunday’s combat. Live action role playing blends elements of improvisational theater with traditional tabletop role playing games. gets emotional.” Each player has a character with a specific weapon, power and points. There is a general rulebook, but the head of plot and logistics makes up secret plans, a general plot and scenarios that the rest of the characters act out. The only time a person can break character is if they need clarification of a rule. Garcia will play several different monsters for the June event. “I could be the scorpion that fights them and then I could be a skeleton boss,” Garcia said. Garcia knows all the secrets, since he has written the plot, and other characters don’t know some of the consequences like getting killed too many times. He keeps a lot of the story line to himself so the game will be exciting the en tire time. McCullough, or Thurgar, runs the tavern where he charges in- game currency for meals. He has a feast planned: chicken skewers, pita bread, stuffed mushrooms, sausage, sweet tea and much more. Each item is paid for with gold or silver currency that has been acquired in one way or another throughout the game. Yvonne McCullough, a.k.a. Tor lia of the Sun Settler Clan and wife of Donald, is a blue sea elf that doubles as a spell caster. She plans on painting her entire body blue for the event. “I like the sense of community and combining all my favorite hobbies together: we can hike in the woods, create costumes, live in a fantasy world and make a bunch of really cool friends,” Garcia said. LBJ historian releases new book By Hillel Italie The Associated Press NEW YORK — Robert Caro receives the most interesting mail. “I get letters, constantly, saying, ‘I see your book’s coming. I hope you’re going to prove in this book that LBJ did it,’” the award-winning and ongoing biographer of Lyndon Johnson says during a recent interview at his midtown Manhattan office. “Did it,” as in killed President Kennedy. “When I talk at colleges, you can hardly have a lecture or a speech without one of the first questions being, “Are you going to prove that Johnson did it? Or, are you going to show that Johnson was involved in it?’ And when you say Johnson had nothing to with it, you can feel the audience doesn’t accept it. You lose your audience.” Believers in Oliver Stone’s “JFK” and other conspiracy theorists who hoped that Caro, the most hardworking of historians, would finally nail Johnson will have to look elsewhere. In “The Passage of Power,” the fourth of five planned volumes on Johnson, Caro devotes more than 100 pages to the events immediately before, during and after Nov. 22, 1963. Nothing in his many years of research made him suspect Johnson. “I never came across a single hint, in anything I did — in interviews or all the documents — that would lead you to make such a conclusion,” he says. The Johnson books are an obsession, regardless of who you blame for the death of JFK. Caro has been writing about the late president for nearly 40 years and fans, as anx ious in their own way as followers of “Harry Potter,” have waited a decade for the latest volume. “Passage of Power” begins in 1958, when Johnson is considering a presidential run; continues through his unhappy time as vice president; and ends in early 1964, weeks after he succeeds Kennedy. Published this week, the new book is around 700 pages and the series totals more than 3,000; Caro has enough unused material in his filing cabinets to fill many more. Length has not deterred readers or critics. The first three volumes have sold more than 1 million copies. Caro has won two National Book Critics Circle awards, a National Book Award and a Pulitzer Prize, for “Master of the Senate.” But his influence reaches beyond sales and prizes. The author, who has never held or sought political office, has become a kind of wise man in Washington. According to Ron Suskind’s best-selling “Confidence Men,” Democratic senators read Caro’s books as they attempted to pass health care legislation in 2009 and Rep. Barney Frank consulted “Master of the Senate,” which covered Johnson’s dominating run as Senate majority leader, as he urged fellow Democrats to support new financial regulation. President Obama has met at the White House with Caro and has said that “The Power Broker,” Caro’s Pulitzer winner about municipal builder Robert Moses, influenced his own political thinking. “I think everyone was reading ‘Master of the Senate,’” says former Kennedy aide Jim Flug, and adds that the historian may have persuaded a couple of legislators to change their minds. BLOG continues from PAGE 10 green beans and roasted cauliflower and aged white cheddar soup. And of course, Boyle shares her creations with friends and family. Boyle’s friend and fellow petroleum engineering senior Cara Blais is more than happy to taste test for Boyle. “Allisoncooksonlydeliciousthings. It is dangerous to be friends with her because of all the treats she feeds me,” Blais said. “I once ate about 10 of her lemon ricotta cookies in one minute. Just thinking about those things makes me drool.” Food blogging is not as easy as it sounds. Aside from actually cooking, Boyle has had to learn how to photograph the food. The pointand- shoot camera she used when the blog was initially created was not going to cut it, so Boyle upgraded to a more professional camera. According to Boyle, the camera does most of the work, but finding good light has proven difficult. After graduation, Boyle is moving to California for work. She hopes that there she will solve her lighting problem. “I am going to try to create a space for white boards in order to bounce off light and create colors and textures around the food,” Boyle said. “I also think that the move to California will influence my recipes because I plan on getting involved in farmer’s markets and trying to cook seasonally.” In California, Boyle will have her husband Sam Boyle by her side to eat anything she whips up in the kitchen. He has seen her grow and evolve since the creation of The Best of Thymes. “Allison’s blogging has helped motivate her to continue cooking, even when her life gets busy and schoolwork piles up,” Boyle said. “Being able to share her cooking through the blog has allowed her to reach new people and inspire them to start cooking themselves, even those who get intimidated by cooking or feel like they don’t have the time to cook.” Boyle hopes that more people will be inspired to cook from the blog. She plans to upgrade certain elements of the The Best of Thymes in order to gain a bigger readership. Boyle even hopes to one day start creating recipes of her own. “I started this blog for me,” Boyle said. “I’m a very visual person, and I like being able to see all my recipes. Now I have all these great recipes that I can go back to.” And as long as Boyle keeps returning to the kitchen, she will keep up with The Best of Thymes. The blog quickly seeped into her life, and she believes it will be there for awhile. WORKAHOLIC continues from PAGE 10 DeVine: For myself, it’s awesome. We’re like kind of famous now, it’s really cool. I have friends that are like, “Don’t you hate that people you don’t even know are just nice to you for no reason?” and I’m like, “No, it’s freaking awesome! It’s so cool that people are just nice all the time!” Anderson: It’s also cool when you get people you respect like watching the show, too. It’s like you get to meet musicians and work with actors that you never thought you’d work with, too. DT: Do you guys ever prank on set? Anderson: I don’t know if we do pranks as much as we dare each other to do stuff. It’s just too early in the morning, I’d be afraid that if I really fucked with someone that early in the morning, I might just get punched in the face. Anders Holm: Yeah, there’s a lot of dads on the set [whose time we don’t want to waste], and be like, “Hey, check it out, I put peanut butter all over the set,” and they’re like, “Okay, well now we have to clean that up, and now I won’t get to see my daughter tonight.” DT: Why do you think the show has such a huge following? DeVine: I think we’re relatable. When you’re in college and right out of college, these are the kinds of jobs you get like right out of school, and you’re living with your friends and you pull pranks on each other. Also, it gives you cool ideas like putting poop in a dollar and seeing who picks it up. Anderson: We just make a TV show that we would want to watch. Holm: Plus, we’re friends in real life and to me that would be interesting. DeVine: Plus, we have more dick jokes per capita than any other show. Holm: Well, yeah. That’s the real answer. DT: How close are the characters in the show to who you guys are in real life? DeVine: I think that we’ll just, like, take on character flaws and really exaggerate them for comedic purposes. Except for that I’m actually dumber in real life than on the show. Holm: Yeah, we scaled that back. DT: A few weeks ago you guys tweeted about getting some Fleshlights for the season premiere — DeVine: Oh yeah! Are you asking if it is a real thing or if it feels like the real thing? I don’t mean to throw them under the bus because they were so nice to us by giving us free stuff, but it’s not even close. If you’re going masturbatory device you got to go Tenga Egg. Look it up. Get on it. I think it’s like $6. Way better. RESEARCH continues from PAGE 10 to a cell having the ability to grow without normal control. Normally, our cells have redundant layers of growth control, so there are many things that have to be disabled before a cell can get to that point. ATM is one of those things. It’s found to be gone or mutated in a certain percentage of tumors. In some cancer types, it’s gone in 50 percent of cases; in others it might be a rare event. DT: Is the kind of research you do going to help doctors cater their treatments to patients depending on which kind of tumor they have? Paull: Personalized cancer treatment is something we talk a lot about. It’s the idea that someday in the future you’re going to go in with a cancer diagnosis and someone will be able tell you, “In comparison with your normal genome you have these thousand changes that have occurred in your tumor.” I don’t think we’re that far from getting there. That’s mainly a cost issue at this point. The problem is, once you get this information, what does that mean? Maybe, out of those thousand mutations, there are one or two that are absolutely known to cause your type of cancer. But, in most cases, you find these mutations, and you don’t know what those things do. What do you do with the information? Figuring that out it is going to take a really long time. DT: Right now, what’s the most advanced cancer treatment in terms of personalizing care? Paull: Well, it’s been done very successfully with certain types of breast cancer. There’s a particular receptor that’s on certain breast cancers and not others, which they can pretty easily test for now. If you have that receptor, you can receive a treatment that is specifically for that tumor type and avoid going through all the hor- Workaholics Blake Anderson, Adam Devine, Anders Holm Genre: Comedy Where: Comedy Central When: Season starts May 29 Anderson: To be fair though, I heard that if you heat the Flesh- light up before you use it, it’s better. It is weird though. DT: Okay, last question and it’s for Blake. What hair products do you use? Anderson: Mostly I use shampoo and maybe later in the week, I’ll throw in conditioner. But we have a hair person on set who I think uses Moroccan oil in it. DeVine: It’s a magical head of hair. We’re not trying out new cancer therapies. We’re at the basic research level trying to understand why loss of certain genes results in cancer — Tanya Paull, Professor rible chemotherapy that just generally kills everything growing in your body. This [treatment] has been extremely successful. The toxicity is much less and there’s a huge success rate. So, that kind of thing is what everyone wants, but it takes a long time to get even one of those successes. Nation’s censorship topic of film By Todd Pitman The Associated Press YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — When Burmese filmmaker Htun Zaw Win decided to make a short comedy about the tragically bizarre process of getting movies made in his oppressed homeland, he knew exactly what to base it on: real life. “Ban That Scene!” makes a daring mockery of Myanmar’s dreaded film censorship board, whose members are cast as comical guardians of a tyrannical state’s idealized image of itself. Sunk into the faux-leather chairs of a government screening theater, they face off against a sputtering film projector that bathes them in the dim reality of their own fallen nation. The officials are offended at everything that appears on screen — beggars, corruption, power outages, even a street fight — because they all allegedly make the state look “undignified.” “Ban that scene! Remove it!” the bespectacled censor boss bellows over and over, jabbing an index finger through the twilit darkness with a triumphant, lips-pursed “hrrrrummph.” Beyond its highly satirical take on modern day filmmaking in Myanmar, what’s most striking about the movie by Htun Zaw Win, who goes by the name Wyne, is that it was made at all. Its existence, coupled with the fact that Wyne has seen no jail time, offers proof that some artists are growing brave enough to criticize the establishment as the nation’s new reform-minded government begins allowing a level of free expression that was unheard of here during decades of suffocating military rule. But the film also proves just how much here remains unchanged. Wyne says he never submitted “Ban That Scene!” to the government’s Film and Video Censor Board for approval because they would almost certainly have, well, banned the entire thing. The board’s mandate is limited to screening films made for sale, and Wyne says he chose to forgo all profit to ensure it would be produced uncut. The sacrifice was essential, he said, “to show the public both at home and abroad what barriers filmmakers are facing.” The 18-minute short was first shown in the former capital Yangon in January during a film festival dubbed “Art of Freedom” that was hosted by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the prominent local comedian Zarganar. It has been posted on YouTube and Wyne has so far distributed about 10,000 copies on DVD for free. But the movie’s impact has been limited. It cannot be shown in local cinemas, and the vast majority of Myanmar’s 60 million people are out of reach — living in thatched huts without electricity or Internet lines in a rural countryside that’s remained almost untouched for hundreds, maybe thousands, of years. Still, the work is remarkable for what it contrasts brilliantly throughout: on one hand, the sanitized image of Myanmar that the nation’s xenophobic former regime once wanted to portray to the world; on the other, the tumbledown reality of just how far this place fell under their rule. Wyne, 39, said he has been surprised at the positive response to the film he has received from a few top officials in the country’s post-junta regime, which is made up largely of military officers who retired to join the civilian government. The censor board itself could not be reached for comment. Zarganar, the comedian, called the satire “an important work” that shows artists are truly becoming independent again. Wyne ends the movie with three hopeful words: “We Can Change.” Photo courtesy of The Associated Press “Ban That Scene!” makes a daring mockery of this country’s dreaded film censorship board, whose members are cast as comical guardians of a tyrannical state’s idealized image of itself.