Employees’ gifts may not have been reported as required by Oklahoma ethics laws

NICHOLAS HARRISONThe Oklahoma Daily

T h e O U F o u n d a t i o n m a y b e u n d e r i n v e s t i g a t i o n b y t h e O k l a h o m a S t a t e E t h i c s Commission for failing to report gifts to university officers and employees.

The Daily submitted a com-plaint to the commission Dec. 1 3 s t e m m i n g f r o m t h e O U Foundation’s denial of an open records request first reported Dec. 7.

Although the foundation in-voked a statute that allows them to keep donor information confi-dential, the state attorney gener-al’s office had issued an opinion in 2002 that indicated it must still

comply with all applicable state ethics laws.

In his 2002 opinion, Attorney General Drew Edmondson wrote, “The authority of a public body to keep donors’ identities confiden-tial is tempered by the rules of the commission.”

Edmondson noted state offi-cials and employees are required to be independent and impartial and to exercise their powers and prerogatives without prejudice or favoritism.

Anyone who does business with a state entity is required to report any gift to a state officer or employee with a cost of more than $50, according to state statutes.

On its official website, the foun-dation’s audit report indicates it has several contracts with the uni-versity and provided $21,644,682 in salary supplements in 2010 and $28,824,589 in 2009. However,

when The Daily contacted the commission, no reports were filed by the foundation.

At its regular meeting Dec. 21, the commission acted on two complaints, voting unani-mously “there was a reasonable basis to believe that a violation of constitutional ethics rules had occurred.”

Immediately after the meet-ing, Marilyn Hughes, executive

WHAT’S INSIDE

Campus ................. 2Classifi eds ............. 7 Life & Arts .............. 8Opinion ................. 4Sports ................... 5

TODAY’S WEATHER

Tomorrow: 50 percent chance of light wintery mix

VOL. 96, NO. 81© 2011 OU Publications Board

THE OKLAHOMA DAILYA LOOK AT WHAT’S ON

College of Arts and Sciences names five alumni to honor as Distinguished Alumni for contributions to society www.OUDaily.com

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Men’s hoops fighting to competeOU coach Jeff Capel (shown right) and the men’s

basketball team sit at 11th in a tough Big 12 Conference. The Daily analyzes OU’s competition.

Weapons ban debate reopensDaily opinion columnist Shayna Daitch

examines gun control laws in the wake of recent Arizona shooting.

SPORTS • PAGE 5OPINION • PAGE 4

www.OUDaily.com Wednesday, January 19, 2011 Free — additional copies 25¢

The University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice since 1916

UOSA proposes new outlets for laptop users in library’s high-traffi c areas

KATHLEEN EVANSThe Oklahoma Daily

The UOSA executive branch intends to add more electrical outlets in Bizzell Memorial Library to increase student access to laptops in study areas.

The library currently features pairs of electri-cal outlets in study areas and group rooms, but UOSA said it hopes to keep pace with increasing demand from students by doubling or perhaps

tripling that number in high-traffic areas.“I usually charge my laptop before I go to the

library because it’s so hard to find an outlet,” history sophomore Brittanica Dubord said. “If you do plug it in, people usually trip over the cords.”

UOSA is trying to alleviate the shortage by adding outlets in areas where the most students study.

“The first places we want to add them are the higher floors where students plug in laptops,” said Cory Lloyd, UOSA vice president and ad-vertising senior. “Down on the first floor there are a lot of computers and books, but the higher

floors have the study areas and group rooms. That’s really where the problem is.”

However, where UOSA leaders add outlets depends on the location of stronger electri-cal charges within the building, Lloyd said. Because of this, they are talking to electricians about places that would be suitable for more outlets.

There are limitations to where outlets can be placed because the library is a historical build-ing, and different outlets are linked to different

Bizzell to plug in for more power

SEE OUTLETS PAGE 2

SEE ETHICS PAGE 2

Michael B. Oren

Israeli authority to speak at OUAmbassador Michael Oren understands Middle East peace factors, Boren says

HILARY MCLAINThe Oklahoma Daily

Israeli ambassador to the United States and best-selling author Michael B. Oren will speak Feb. 9 at a President’s A s s o c i a t e s D i n n e r i n t h e Oklahoma Memorial Union’s Molly Shi Boren Ballroom.

A reception will be held at 6 p.m. followed by a dinner and Oren’s lecture presented at 6:30 p.m. — both at no cost.

Oren is a contributing writ-er to The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The New Republic. His most re-cent books — “Six Days of War: June 1967 and The Making of the Modern Middle East” and “Power, Faith, and Fantasy: America in the Middle East, 1776 to the Present” — both made the New York Times Best-Sellers Lists.

“Ambassador Oren has a keen understanding of the underly-ing factors which influence the chance for peace in the Middle East,” President David Boren said.

O r e n i s a g r a d u a t e o f Princeton and Columbia uni-versities, and has received f e l l o w s h i p s f ro m t h e U. S. D e p a r t m e nt s o f St at e a n d Defense as well as from the British and Canadian govern-ments. He has served as the Lady Davis Fellow of Hebrew University, a Moshe Dayan Fellow at Tel-Aviv University and the Distinguished Fellow at the Shalem Center in Jerusalem, according to a press release.

According to the release, Oren moved to Israel in the 1970s after being raised in New Jersey. He served as an officer in the Israel Defense Forces, with the paratroopers in the Lebanon War, as a liaison with the U.S. Sixth Fleet during the Gulf War and as an Israel Defense Forces spokesman during the Second Lebanon War and the Gaza operation in January 2009.

O re n a c t e d a s a n Is ra e l i Emissary to Jewish individu-als denied emigration in the Soviet Union, as an adviser to Israel’s delegation to the United Nations and as the gov-ernment’s director of Inter-Religious Affairs, according to a press release.

Dinner seating is available by reservation for OU students, faculty and staff, with limited overflow seating available to the public. For reservations and information, call the OU Office of Special Events at 405-325-3784.

OU Foundation may face possible ethics probe for unreported gifts

BRIEF

Plant to ease utility demands

Steam, chilled water and electricity will flow from Jenkins Street after a new construction project is finished, a university spokesman said.

A new power plant is under construction on Jenkins Street south of Lindsey Street to help with increasing utility demands due to campus expansion, university spokesman Chris Shilling said in an e-mail.

The street was closed before campus opened Tuesday to unload equipment, but construction will not hinder student travel, Shilling said.

Requests for information regarding the cost and date of completion of the plant were submitted to Shilling and Facilities Management, but The Daily had received no response at press time.

— Chase Cook/The Daily

What’s next

» The next Oklahoma State Ethics Commission meeting is at 1 p.m. Jan. 21 at the Capitol

GOVERNMENT

WELCOME BACK | STUDENTS GREETED WITH FOOD, GAMES

MERRILL JONES/THE DAILY

Public relations senior Bridgette Haxton, right, hands a cup to a passing student Monday on the South Oval during Campus Activities Council’s Winter Welcome Week. The activities include passing out doughnuts and hot chocolate each morning and sports tournaments Thursday night.

director for the commis-sion, confirmed an inves-tigation had been opened on the OU Foundation. However, when contacted by The Daily on Tuesday, Hughes said she could nei-ther confirm nor deny the investigation.

All information regarding ongoing investigations is kept confidential in accor-dance with state law. After

a complaint is submitted it is presented to the commis-sion by the executive direc-tor during a closed execu-tive session, said Rebecca Adams, general counsel to the commission.

If the commission deter-mines rules have been vio-lated, there is no guarantee the findings will be avail-able to the public.

At its discretion, the com-mission may resolve a pos-sible rules violation by is-suing a private reprimand

which remains confiden-tial. They may also issue a public reprimand, reach a settlement or bring a law-suit to court, Adams said.

A the time this story was written, OU Foundation President Guy Patton and OU Press Secretary Chris Shilling said they had not been contacted by the com-mission. They were not aware the foundation was the subject of an investiga-tion and could provide no comments.

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

2 • Wednesday, January 19, 2011 The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.com

CAMPUS

Today around campus» CAC will provide free coffee and doughnuts at 8 a.m. on the South Oval.

» The European Student Organization will host a welcome back breakfast 9:30 to 11 a.m. in the Oklahoma Memorial Union’s Presidents Room.

» CAC will provide free food at 11:30 a.m. on the South Oval.

» CAC will play bingo at 7 p.m. in the Jim Thorpe Multicultural Center.

» This day in OU history

Jan. 19, 1939English department adds philosophy doctorate

A doctorate in philosophy was approved by President William Bizzell. It was offered through the English department.

Co-eds sport lucky charms Students from Kappa Kappa Gamma wore blue

clothes and rabbit feet as lucky charms during finals week. Four-leaf clovers and other trinkets were popular as well. Students thought the charms would help improve their grades.

— Source: The Oklahoma Daily archives

Thursday, Jan. 20» Final day to register or add a class for spring semester.

» CAC will provide free coffee and doughnuts at 8 a.m. on the South Oval.

» CAC will provide free food at 11:30 a.m. on the South Oval.

» Sam Noble Museum of Natural History will host “Looking Back: Near the End of a Career in Archaeology” at 7 p.m. The event will honor Don Wyckoff’s 50-year career as archaeology curator.

» CAC will host Night at the Huff from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Huston Huffman Center.

» CAC will host the premiere of “The Rock and Roll Dreams of Duncan Christopher” at 9 p.m. in the Union’s Meacham Auditorium.

Friday, Jan. 21» CAC will provide coffee and doughnuts at 8 a.m. on the South Oval.

» The OU hockey team will play Davenport University at 7 p.m. at Blazers Ice Centre. Student admission is $5.

» A pajama party with showings of “The Social Network” at 4, 7, and 10 p.m. will take place in the Union’s Meacham Auditorium.

» CAC will host a midnight breakfast at the Union’s Crossroads.

» Women’s gymnastics will play Oregon State, Denver and Centenary at 7 p.m. in Lloyd Noble Center.

Saturday, Jan. 22» The OU hockey team will play Davenport University at 4 p.m. at Blazers Ice Centre. Student admission is $5.

» Men’s basketball will play Colorado at 12:30 p.m. in Lloyd Noble Center.

» Men’s gymnastics will compete against Ohio State at 7 p.m. in McCasland Field House.

» The track team will compete in the JD Marting Invitational all day in the Mosier Indoor Athletic Facility.

Stay connected with

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and entertainment news

@OUDaily

@OUDailySports

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OUTLETS: UOSA hopes to add more pluginsContinued from page 1

ETHICS: Allegations unconfirmedContinued from page 1

registries, OU Information Technology spokesman Nick Key said. Though his department does not deal with electrical outlets, it did run into similar problems when adding Internet access throughout the library.

UOSA leaders plan to increase the number of outlets in present locations from two to four or six, Lloyd said.

“It should be pretty inex-pensive,” he said. “There are a lot of tools you can plug into a two-plug outlet and make it four or six ... We can’t change the electrical structure, so we are figuring what we can do with what is running.”

The goal is to install more outlets by midterm and final exams, when many students come to the library to study on their laptops, Lloyd said.

Dubord agreed that finding an outlet is especially hard around dead week when many students use the library. She was not, however, convinced that adding more outlets was the best solution.

“It would be really nice if [outlets] were closer to the desks, like inside or under,” she said.

These plans are all preliminary and can change, Lloyd said.

“It’s a variable building,” he said. “The electricity has been in there a long time. As we move further, things will change and adapt, but we hope to come up with some type of solu-tion that will allow better access to electrical outlets.”

BRIEF

Sorority honored for commitment to women’s health

An OU sorority has been recognized for its work on campus showcasing dedication to female students.

Alpha Kappa Delta Phi was chosen to receive the Women’s Outreach Center Commitment to Women Award for 2010, outreach center coordinator Kathy Moxley said.

“We decided this past year to start this award to recognize the good work that happens in the greek community in the advancement for women,” Moxley said.

The outreach center created the prize to encourage others in the greek community to get involved, Moxley said.

Sororities and fraternities cannot nominate themselves; they must be nominated by an adviser, Moxley said.

The sorority sisters were committed to breast-health awareness during the past semester and volunteered for Breast Health Awareness Month, the SHOUT Panel and the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Moxley said.

— Carmen Forman/

The Daily

I usually charge my laptop before I go to the library because it’s so hard to find an outlet.”

— BRITTANICA DUBORD,HISTORY SOPHOMORE

MERRILL JONES/THE DAILY

Pictured is an electrical outlet in the Bizzel Memorial Library. UOSA is increasing the number of outlets in the library.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011 • 3The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.com NATION/STATE

Teens shot, injured by same bullet; how gun got past security is unclear

LOS ANGELES — A gun in a 10th-grader’s backpack discharged Tuesday when he dropped the bag, wound-ing two students at a high school, including one who remained in critical condi-tion, police said.

A 15-year-old girl with a head wound underwent hours of surger y at Los Angeles County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, said Dr. Gail V. Anderson Jr. A 15-year-old boy was in seri-ous condition with neck and shoulder wounds.

Both teens were hit with the same bullet, Los Angeles deputy police chief Patrick Gannon said.

The student who brought the gun apologized before running to another class-room, Gannon said.

“He said ‘I’m sorry’ when the gun went off. It made it appear to the teacher that it was an accident,” Gannon said.

However, Los Angeles po-lice Lt. John Pasquariello said later that it was a crime to bring a gun to campus. The unidentified student was ar-rested and charges were pending, he said.

“We don’t know exactly what happened,” Pasquariello said. “Traditionally, guns don’t go off without some-one’s finger on the trigger.”

The shooting occurred in a classroom at Gardena High School, where Principal Rudy Mendoza said students were on a break at the time. The campus was locked down after the incident. Police ini-tially reported a shooter was at large.

Student Semaj Elan, who

Judge refuses to remove fellow judge from murder case

OKLAHOMA CITY — An Oklahoma County judge has denied a defense motion to remove a fellow judge from the first-degree murder case of an Oklahoma City pharmacist charged in the shooting death of a 16-year-old would-be robber.

District Judge Bill Graves handed down the ruling Tuesday concerning the recusal of fellow District Judge Ray Elliott. Elliott last month refused a defense request to recuse himself from the high-profile case against pharmacist Jerome Ersland.

Defense attorney Irven Box says Elliott’s wife, an assistant district attorney, provided him with an appellate court opinion involving the case. Box also says Elliott has used a racial slur to describe Hispanics. Prosecutors say Elliott’s actions weren’t inappropriate.

Box says he will appeal Graves’ ruling. Ersland is charged in the May 2009 shooting death of Antwun Parker.

Choctaw program’s full staff headed to Afghanistan

DURANT — The entire three-person staff of the Choctaw Nation’s veterans’ advocacy program is headed to Afghanistan.

The Durant-based tribe says Kelly McKaughan, Brent Oakes and John Lance all are members of the Oklahoma Army National Guard’s 45th Infantry Brigade combat team, which is on alert for a year-long deployment. They are scheduled to deploy early this year.

The tribe started the program in 2005 to assist American Indian veterans in filing benefit claims. Choctaw Chief Greg Pyle says those in the program also work to provide items to soldiers who are deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq.

It will be McKaughan’s second deployment and the first for Oakes and Lance.

Name of man killed in Tulsa County shooting released

LEONARD — Authorities have identified the man killed in a shooting outside his home near Leonard in southern Tulsa County as 59-year-old Edward Brown.

The name of a woman wounded in the Monday afternoon shooting has not been released and authorities say the gunman remains at large.

Authorities found a missing pickup belonging to Brown on Tuesday afternoon. They say the pickup had been abandoned in a ravine by Bixhoma Lake.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Shannon Clark said the woman told deputies a man walked out of a wooded area behind the home about 5:30 p.m. Monday and opened fire. The woman was flown to a Tulsa hospital in critical condition.

Clark says the woman told deputies she doesn’t know the gunman and investigators are trying to determine a motive for the shooting.

— AP

STATE BRIEFS

JAE C. HONG/AP

A group of police officers stand outside Gardena High School on Tuesday in Gardena, Calif., after reports of students being wounded during a shooting where a gun accidently misfired.

2 wounded at LA school when gun fires from bag

was in an adjacent classroom when the shooting occurred, said he saw a student run out and toss a handgun by a fence then keep running.

“My friend came up to me in the classroom talking about how she almost got shot. They’re gonna be trau-matized by that,” Elan said.

Nelda Robledo, one of the worried parents who gath-ered near the school, said her 16-year-old daughter texted her that students were ordered to get down on the

ground or hide in a corner after the shooting.

Numerous law enforce-ment agencies responded to the 2,400-student cam-pus about 15 miles south of downtown Los Angeles.

Los Angeles school dis-trict spokesman Robert Alaniz said preliminary re-ports from the principal and teacher said the boy dropped the bag on the floor and the gun discharged.

Shedric Porter, 14, said he was walking in the hall.

“I didn’t see anything, but I heard the shot, and it was re-ally loud,” he said. “I stopped. I was scared. Then I thought it was just a book or some-thing hitting the ground, but it was too loud for that.”

L i k e m a n y s c h o o l s , Gardena High checks arriv-ing students with security wands. It’s unclear how the student got in with the gun in his backpack, district spokes-woman Gayle Pollard-Terry said.

“We’re trying to find out if the wanding is random or if every student is wanded,” she said.

No d i s t r i c t s c h o o l i s equipped with walkthrough metal detectors, she said.

— AP

Traditionally, guns don’t go off without someone’s finger on the trigger.”

— JOHN PASQUARIELLO,LOS ANGELES POLICE LIEUTENANT

SHOOTING

45 percent of students show minimum improvement after 2 years of college

A new study provides disturbing answers to questions about how much students ac-tually learn in college — for many, not much — and has inflamed a debate about the value of an American higher education.

The research of more than 2,300 under-graduates found 45 percent of students show no significant improvement in the key measures of critical thinking, complex rea-soning and writing by the end of their soph-omore years.

One problem is that stu-dents just aren’t asked to do much, according to findings in a new book, “Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses.” Half of students did not take a single course requiring 20 pages of writing during their prior se-mester, and one-third did not take a single course requiring even 40 pages of reading per week.

That light load sound-ed familiar to University of Missouri freshman Julia Rheinecker, who said her first semester of college largely duplicat-ed the work she completed back home in southern Illinois.

“Most of what I learned this year I already had in high school. It was almost easier my first semester (in college),” she said.

Three of the five classes she took at Missouri were in lecture halls with several hundred students. And Rheinecker said she was required to complete at least 20 pages of writing in only one of those classes.

“I love the environment, don’t get me wrong, I just haven’t found myself pushing as much as I expected,” she said.

The study, an unusually large-scale effort to track student learning over time, comes as the federal government, reformers and others argue that the U.S. must produce more college graduates to remain competi-tive globally. But if students aren’t learning much it calls into question whether boost-ing graduation rates will provide that edge.

“It’s not the case that giving out more cre-dentials is going to make the U.S. more eco-nomically competitive,” Richard Arum of New York University, who co-authored the book with Josipa Roksa of the University of Virginia, said in an interview. “It requires ac-ademic rigor ... You can’t just get it through

osmosis at these institutions.”The book is based on information from 24

schools, meant to be a representative sam-ple, which provided Collegiate Learning Assessment data on students who took the standardized test in their first semester in fall 2005 and at the end of their sophomore years in spring 2007. The schools took part on the condition that their institutions not be identified.

The Collegiate Learning Assessment has critics who say it doesn’t capture learning in specialized majors or isn’t a reliable mea-

sure of college perfor-mance because so many factors are beyond their control.

The research found an average-scoring student in fall 2005 scored seven percentage points higher in spring of 2007 on the as-sessment. In other words, those who entered col-lege in the 50th percentile would rise to the equiva-lent of the 57th after their sophomore years.

Among the findings outlined in the book and report, which tracked stu-

dents through four years of college:— Overall, the picture doesn’t brighten

much over four years. After four years, 36 percent of students did not demonstrate significant improvement, compared to 45 percent after two.

— Students who studied alone, read and wrote more, attended more selective schools and majored in traditional arts and sciences majors posted greater learning gains.

— Social engagement generally does not help student performance. Students who spent more time studying with peers showed diminishing growth and students who spent more time in the Greek system had decreased rates of learning, while ac-tivities such as working off campus, partici-pating in campus clubs and volunteering did not impact learning.

— Students from families with different levels of parental education enter college with different learning levels but learn at about the same rates while attending col-lege. The racial gap between black and white students going in, however, widens: Black students improve their assessment scores at lower levels than whites.

— AP

Student tracking finds limited college learning

It’s not the case that giving out more credentials is going to make the U.S. more economically competitive. It requires academic rigor ... You can’t just get it through osmosis at these institutions.”

— RICHARD ARUM, AUTHOR

Oklahoma State University’s student newspaper, The Daily O’Collegian, is attempting to do what many major news outlets have failed to do: charge readers for online content.

While initial reactions to this move have been mostly negative, we see a potential revenue source for underfund-ed university media outlets if this venture proves successful.

The plan is to put up an online pay wall for frequent readers residing 25 miles outside of the Stillwater campus.

Some have argued that this move has the potential to destroy circulation, but let’s be honest: most of The O’Collegian’s readership is probably within that 25 mile radius. The paper’s general manager, Raymond Catalino, told The Chronicle of Higher Education that the pay wall would affect less than 25 percent of readers.

The same would likely hold true if The Daily put up a pay wall. Because we serve primarily the OU community, we’re unlikely to have large readership in cities like Woodward, Tulsa or even Oklahoma City.

However, people who do read the paper outside of the Norman bubble probably have a vested interest in the

campus, such as alumni, sports fans and prospective stu-dents. These are exactly the kind of paying customers Catalino is trying to attract, according to an interview with The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Some readers may think the quality of a student news-paper isn’t worth paying for. It’s true that student journal-

ists can have a difficult time covering all the hard-hitting campus news when they have classes and other commitments.

However, we are still the best source for all OU news, and like anything else, we require funding to run. And if you haven’t heard, the state of the news media has been in turmoil in recent years.

Once upon a time, there was no Internet. People had to get their news from television or the physical newspaper.

To get the paper delivered to their homes, people actually had to pay money and sub-scribe to the publication. After the Internet

came along, the old business model shattered. Only pa-pers such as The Wall Street Journal or The Financial Times have been able to find success with charging readers be-cause they publish quality articles focused on highly spe-cialized topics.

This brings up another dimension of the future of quality journalism: If fewer media outlets can afford to pay their journalists, quality is going to decline.

We’ve seen this in action today. More than a few newspa-pers have moved completely online. Layoffs at major out-lets have been enormous. This semester, The Daily even decreased the number of papers it prints from 10,500 to 8,000 per day to save on printing costs and help balance the Student Media Department budget.

Like it or not, those in the news industry are going to need help in the near future, and your own campus news-paper is no different.

If The O’Collegian succeeds in charging at least some readers for online content, you can probably expect sev-eral university papers to follow suit.

Nobody likes spending money, but doing it for news is mutually beneficial. Journalists don’t starve, and you get quality news.

We wish our fellow journalists at The O’Collegian luck in their pay wall experiment. In the meantime, we hope you support all of your local papers. If you want quality news, someone is going to have to pay.

Comment on this column at OUDaily.com

When Congress recon-vened this year, its first order of business was sim-ple: Read the Constitution. Speaker of the House John Boehner and for-mer Speaker Nancy Pelosi started the reading, and various congressmen and con-gresswomen read sections of our founding legislation.

I say sections because, according to the New York Times, the entire Constitution was not read. Rather, only those portions still relevant today; any part of the Constitution superseded by a later amendment was omitted.

In the 90 minutes our representatives volleyed articles and amendments back and forth, blacks were always free. They were never “three-fifths of all other persons.”

In 2011, most sane people agree that forcing people into slavery and keeping them from full citizenship was a horrible tradition. However wrong these things were, it is imperative that Americans never forget these forays. Although we should be ashamed of our past mistakes, we need to be aware of them so we never repeat them.

It has become all too easy to erase our indiscretions. We may as well have never been drunk at that party; pictures of our red Solo cups disappear from the Internet as soon as we hit delete. But the Constitution is more substantial than Facebook and its ilk. We can’t just wish away amend-ments that failed; you cannot “untag” yourself from injus-tices such as slavery. Our country has not treated every minority group fairly every time. Our forefathers stum-bled; they enacted compromises that in hindsight were brutally unfair.

It’s a stretch to say we should embrace these flaws. I cer-tainly am not suggesting a return to these policies, nor do I think that anyone is a lesser person because of one’s eth-nicity, gender or other factor. However, it is vital that our country recognize misdeeds that have previously trans-pired in order to prevent other grave errors from occur-ring. We should be ashamed but not forgetful.

Congress should have read the entire Constitution. It might have been awkward to be the congressman respon-sible for reading that any escaped slave caught must be re-turned, but I highly doubt it would be more awkward than being that escaped slave brought back to inhumane living conditions because of your government’s law.

We can’t whitewash history. This really happened; men and women were beaten and worked to death based sole-ly on the color of their skin. Grave injustices occurred, and our government permitted them to happen. To pretend these things never happened is incredibly disrespectful to those who were slaves and to their descendents.

Furthermore, the lessons we can learn from shameful pieces of our collective past are invaluable. We’ve got a duty to prevent a tragedy as horrible as slavery from hap-pening again. It is easy to condemn our ancestors for their actions, but it is much harder to call our peers out for mistreating others, and it is harder still to recognize prejudices in ourselves. We live in a world where citizens are routinely denied rights based on their genders, sexual orientations, religions or races. We must have the courage to correct these injustices and admit when we are wrong.

At the risk of sounding cliché, if you attempt to erase history, it is almost certain that it will repeat itself. I would hate to see a future where any marginalized group of peo-ple lose two-fifths of their worth due to our current law-makers’ fear of becoming a sound bite on the evening news.

— Kate McPherson,

University College freshman

Comment on this column at OUDaily.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

OUR VIEW

Quality journalism requires quality pay

4 • Wednesday, January 19, 2011 The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.com

OPINION Jared Rader, opinion editordailyopinion@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

THUMBS UP ›› UOSA wants to help plug you in (see page 1)

Kate McPherson

STAFF COLUMN

on

COLUMN COLUMN

Overlooking ugly historical truths

The current political land-scape is deeply disturbing. Politicians preach violence and toxic rhetoric; a trigger-happy populace seems eager to follow.

Unfortunately, it took an assassination attempt on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., the murders of six blameless people includ-ing a Federal Judge and a 9-year-old, and a dozen more injuries for this coun-try to reopen a dialogue on decorum in public discourse and gun control laws.

As more evidence comes to light on the massacre that Jared Loughner perpetrated in Arizona, a big question remains: Was this tragedy avoidable? While no one can fully answer this ques-tion, something can be done to prevent a future tragedy.

Many have blamed the shooting on the rh eto-r i c p ro m o t e d by Sa ra h “don’t retreat — reload” Pa l i n , S h a ro n “S e c o n d Amendment remedies” Angle, and “peaceful but prepared” tea partiers.

It is unfair to square-ly blame them, but they do fan the flames of anti-government frenzy and conspiracy theories that plague the Internet. There is emerging evidence that Loughner trolled and read sites inundated with such sentiments.

In her taped speech, Palin invoked President Reagan’s belief that we should not blame society for the acts of criminals, but then con-tradicted herself by say-ing, “It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.”

So I’m wondering, when is she going to admit that maybe she shouldn’t have put up a map with gun sights on Democrats, including Giffords? Or that the can-didate she endorsed to run against Giffords, Jesse Kelly, should not have hosted an

If The O’Collegian succeeds in charging at least some readers for online content, you can probably expect several university papers to follow suit.”

Leaders should tone down rhetoric, examine U.S. gun laws

CHRIS CARLSON/AP

President Barack Obama speaks at a memorial service for the victims of Saturday’s shootings Wednesday at McKale Center on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Ariz.

event titled “Get on target for victory” where constitu-ents could shoot an M16 as-sault weapon? These actions clearly worried Giffords, es-pecially after her office was vandalized and someone dropped a gun at an event she hosted.

Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor re-marked, “Before speaking out, ask yourself whether your words are t r u e , w h e t h e r they are respect-ful and whether they are needed in our civil dis-cussions.” Palin and others on the political right need to heed this advice, take it down a notch and antici-pate the consequences of their words.

After ever yone calms down, we can logically look at the lax gun control laws in the U.S.

T h e f a c t s a r e c l e a r. Loughner carried a con-c e a l e d w e a p o n i n t h e Tucson grocery store. He p u rc ha s e d a c l i p o f 3 3

rounds of ammunition from a Walmart, mere hours be-fore the shooting spree — without an evaluation of his mental status. In Arizona, his actions were legal until he actually shot someone.

Oklahoma is second to last in many aspects — ed-ucation spending, health

and gun con-trol laws. The thing that keeps us from being dead last in the country is that universities may ban the carry-ing of guns on campuses.

J u s t t h r e e years ago our state lawmak-ers wanted to change the law, but students and profes-sors held firm in the debate. Just last week, Oklahoma’s C h a n c e l l o r o f H i g h e r Education Chancellor, Glen Johnson, pledged to uphold the ban on guns on campus.

The prevailing argument, presented by OU President David Boren, stated that in the event of a standoff with guns, authorities un-able to identify the active

shooter might harm good Samaritans.

This nearly came to frui-tion in the Arizona massacre. Joe Zamudio, an armed and responsible citizen, walked into the chaos prepared to draw his gun. He spotted someone he thought was the shooter waving a gun, but it was actually the per-son who wrangled it away from Loughner.

Luckily for all parties in-volved, he did not shoot.

The solution to the prob-lem is simple, but difficult due to the influence from the Second Amendment lobbies like the National Rifle Association.

It ’s t ime to renew the Assault Weapons Ban that expired in 2004. I under-stand the desire some peo-ple have to own guns for pro-tection or sport, but there is no compelling reason to own fully automatic assault weapons or purchase clips that contain high amounts of ammunition.

There is a big difference in guns designed for sport and guns designed for killing people. Had the ban been renewed, it would have pre-vented Loughner from pur-chasing so much ammuni-tion and harming so many innocents.

It’s also time to imple-ment a more comprehen-sive process for buying guns — including a mental evalu-ation, gun safety training and a license. There is noth-ing unreasonable or uncon-stitutional about smart gun laws.

In response to the mur-der of 9-year-old Christina Green, President Barack Obama commented, “I want America to be as good as she imagined it .” We need to correct the laws that have allowed so many mass shootings to occur in order to create the country that our children expect.

One day we will get there.

— Shayna Daitch,

international security

studies senior

Comment on this column at OUDaily.com

...there is no compelling reason to own fully automatic assault weapons.”

Shayna Daitch

STAFF COLUMN

itch

UMN

Wednesday, January 19, 2011 • 5The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.com

SPORTS OUDAILY.COM ›› OU women’s basketball team to rely on defense in Big 12 matchup tonight against Texas Tech Red Raiders

Also on OUDaily.com | FOOTBALL » Two OU recruits already on campus; third expected this week | GYMNASTICS » Nowak, Spears earn Big 12 weekly awards for women’s squad

James Corley, sports editordailysports@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

Stay connected with

The Daily sports desk

for news and updates

about Sooner sports

@OUDailySports

www.twitter.com/OUDailySports

Red-White game set for April 16

April 16 has been selected as the date for the annual spring football game.

Kickoff time and ticket information will be released at a later date.

The Sooners are tentatively scheduled to begin their spring drills March 8 and Bob Stoops and his staff will welcome back 29 position players who had at least one start last season.

Fifteen of those are on offense, including consensus All-American Ryan Broyles, the school’s all-time leading receiver.

The 14 defensive returnees are led by linebacker Travis Lewis and cornerback Jamell Fleming.

Another five special teams starters are back in punter Tress Way, kickers Patrick O’Hara and Jimmy Stevens and long snappers James Winchester and Austin Woods.

Kickoff time and ticket information for the spring game will be released at a later date.

BaylorThe Bears began the season by winning eight

of their first nine games. Since then, they’ve lost two straight, but look for Baylor to quickly turn that around. The Bears have a streaky scorer in preseason All-Big 12 guard LaceDarius Dunn, and an outstanding freshman in Perry Jones, who is vying for the Freshman of the Year award. Keep an eye on Baylor, who could be the team to

burst a bubble or two down the stretch.

ColoradoProjected to finish ninth in conference,

the Buffaloes are shocking everyone. They are undefeated in Big 12 play, beating both No. 8 Missouri and No. 20 Kansas State. They did get their season off to a slow start — losing three of their first five — but have since gone 12-1. They are led by a dynamic guard duo of sophomore Alec Burks and

preseason All-Big 12 senior Cory Higgins. If Colorado continues to play well, it may add itself to the list of Big 12 teams who will be playing in late March.

Iowa StateThe Cyclones are the surprise of the con-

ference. Projected to finish in last place in the Big 12, Iowa State has played at full force, boasting a 14-4 record in which all four loss-es are by a combined total of 15 points. Much of the Cylcones success can be accredited to

the guard play of senior Diante Garrett and junior Scott Christopherson. Despite the early lack of faith from the rest of the conference, Iowa State is priming itself for a run to compete in the Big Dance.

KansasRanked No. 2 in the country — the highest

of all Big 12 teams — the Jayhawks are once again continuing their legacy of success. They lead the nation in field goal percentage, a key contributor to their undefeated record. The Jayhawks are out to prove to the world they aren’t overrated. Brothers Marcus — a pre-

season All-Big 12 team member — and Markieff Morris are leading the Jayhawks this season in both scoring and rebounding, respectively. Kansas has had some close calls, but the team is learning from those experiences and looks to continue the program’s success.

The Big 12 overall is looking pretty tough. There are eight teams with four or fewer losses. As competitive as this conference can get, the Big 12 could send six teams to the Big Dance. With this being the fi nal year of the 12-team conference, the Big 12 will look appeasing as it potentially seeks two new members to fi ll the vacancies.

Kansas StateFor the first time in the program’s histo-

ry, the Wildcats were projected to win the Big 12. However, things are not shaping up the way they would like. Kansas State (13-6), the only team in conference with two preseason All-Big 12 team members, has been without half of that duo — senior for-

ward Curtis Kelly — for much of the season. Senior guard Jacob Pullen has carried his weight, but it has not been enough for Kansas State. It is not too late for the Wildcats to turn things around, but they will have to do so with a lot of urgency.

MissouriThe Tigers are living up to expectations,

sitting in fifth, their preseason poll position. They only have three losses, two of which came in overtime to top-25 teams. This Missouri team is poised to make a run in

the Big 12 and make some noise in the postseason tournament.

NebraskaThe Cornhuskers had a great start to their sea-

son, but they’ve hit hard times in conference play. Prior to Big 12 play, the Huskers only had one true road game, so going into Big 12 stadi-ums may shake them up some. Look for this team fight hard but struggle to overcome adversity.

— Jordan Marks/The Daily

Oklahoma StateThe Cowboys faired well in nonconfer-

ence play but will see tougher competition from their Big 12 conference schedule.Like Nebraska, they have not traveled much, only going on three true road trips. This could be a huge disadvantage down the line for OSU.

TexasIn recent years, the Longhorns have

been an up-and-down team from season to season. This year’s squad is looking to revamp the attitude of the program and put Texas back on the map. The Longhonrs have only three

losses, two coming against top-10 teams in overtime. If the Longhorns figure out how win big games late, they too could be making a lot of noise in March.

Texas A&MThe one-loss Aggies, who were projected to

finished sixth in the Big 12, are out to prove they are better than that prediction. With wins over three top-25 teams, A&M is stating its case as to why it should be playing in the Big Dance. Led by sophomore forward Khris Middleton, the Aggies may very well be the only Big 12 team that can slow down Kansas.

Texas TechThe Red Raiders are one of two teams in the

conference with a losing record, the other being Oklahoma. They have not been able to find ways to win. Projected to finish seventh, Texas Tech was tied with the Sooners for last in the conference before Tuesday night’s game put the Red Raiders alone in last. It will be tough for Texas Tech to turn itself around, since many of

its conference opponents are rolling into a “snow ball effect,” pummel-ing the little people along the way to March.

OklahomaAs expected, the Sooners

are rebuilding after losing all but a handful of players from last year. They are still learn-ing to mesh together and try-ing to grow in the process. Do not expect the Sooners to win often in conference play, but if they do find a way to beat some of the big dogs, OU

could critically hurt those teams’ chances for March in the tough Big 12 Conference.

Big 12 men’s hoops heating up

Sooner softball voted No. 1 in preseason

The Oklahoma softball team received seven first- place votes to earn the preseason No. 1 spot in the Big 12 Coaches Poll, the conference announced Tuesday. The Sooners have been voted preseason No. 1 for three consecutive seasons.

Last year, the Sooners posted a 47-12 overall record and advanced to the 2010 NCAA Super Regional before being ousted by the defending national champion Washington Huskies.

The Sooners also finished 13-3 in Big 12 action, earning the team a regular-season second-place finish before winning the Big 12 Championship at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.

OU returns 10 letter winners from last season, including the Big 12 Championship Most Outstanding Player, sophomore left-handed pitcher Keilani Ricketts. The San Jose, Calif., native allowed one run in 20 innings pitched during the three-game conference tournament stretch, allowing just eight hits and nine walks while holding opponents to a .121 batting average.

The Sooners will open the 2011 season against California State-Bakersfield on Feb. 10 at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz.

— Daily staff reports

Big Games for OU» March 2 — at Texas TechOU must prove it can win games against teams with less talent, like the Red Raiders, to avoid fi nishing last in the Big 12. It also would be OU’s fi rst road win if its losing trend continues until then.

» Feb. 16 — vs. NebraskaThe game against the Huskers is another chance for the Sooners to prove they can win against opponents who are unsure of themselves.

» Feb. 9 — vs. TexasThey were blown out in the fi rst game against the Longhorns Saturday in Austin, but last year — despite the Sooners’ streaky shooting — OU upset the Longhorns in Norman. Winning this rivalry game could add some life to the players.

Fernandez earns Big 12 honors for performance last weekend

OU senior wrestler Nathan Fernandez was named Big 12 wrestler of the week for his performance at Saturday’s Lone Star Duals, the conference announced Tuesday.

The Lawton native, ranked 11th nationally, helped the seventh-ranked Sooners upend No. 8 American University by defeating AU’s Ryan Flores, a two-time NCAA qualifier ranked No. 3 nationally.

“We’re very proud of Nathan that he has been named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week,” coach Jack Spates said. “He is very deserving, especially coming off a hard-fought battle over the third-ranked wrestler in the country. Nathan is an outstanding student as well as athlete and represents the University of Oklahoma with honor.”

It was the second career conference honor for Fernandez.

— Daily staff reports

Nathan Fernandez

Christians on Campus

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Bible studyToday, 1/19 @12:30pm

Traditions Room, OU Union

Welcome DinnerTomorrow, 1/20 @6:00pm

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OU men’s basketball team holds off Texas Tech to avoid slipping to sole possession of last place

JORDAN MARKSThe Oklahoma Daily

The Sooners’ late first-half push and second-half ener-gy propelled the team to an 83-74 win over Texas Tech on Tuesday at Lloyd Noble.

The win gave the OU men’s basketball team its first con-ference win of the season and the first since Feb. 6, 2010.

“I’m please with the win,” coach Jeff Capel said. “We look forward to working and getting back to getting better.”

Oklahoma (9-9, 1-3 Big 12) was led by senior guard Cade Davis, who tied his career high with 25 points, 12 of those from 3-point range. He also grabbed seven re-bounds and jumped in to the crowd two times for hustle points.

“I was just confident,” D av i s s a i d . “ Mov i n g without the ball helped me more.”

S o p h o m o r e f o r -ward Andrew Fitzgerald chipped in with 20 points, and freshman guards Cameron Clark and Carl Blair put up 11 each.

For the first time this season in a win, sopho-more guard Steven Pledger did not lead the Sooners in scoring, but he did overcome his abysmal shooting slump against Texas to score 14 points Tuesday against the Red Raiders.

All five Sooner starters were in double figures for the first time this season, tying a school record.

Oklahoma also shot its most free throws this season, going 29-of-34 for their second-highest percentage this year (85.3).

“It very important to have a balance offense,” Fitzgerald said. “We’re relying on each other for us to score.”

The Red Raiders opened with a 7-2 run, but OU fought back and finished the half on an 12-6 run, pushing the lead to eight. The Sooners never looked back.

Clutch free throws down the stretch clinched the win despite relentless pushes by the Red Raiders, pulling the Sooners ahead of Texas Tech to 11th in the Big 12 Conference standings.

“In order to protect [the lead] even more, we have to protect the ball,” Capel said. “But I am pleased with how we fought, and it is good to have some success.”

Both teams committed more than 15 turnovers each, and Oklahoma did not shoot well from behind the arc. OU also allowed Texas Tech to grab offensive rebounds early in the game, which kept the game close, but Davis said the victory was key for the team.

”We needed this win,” he said.

6 • Wednesday, January 19, 2011 The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.comSPORTS

NEIL MCGLOHON/THE DAILY

Freshman John Warden prepares to volley back to Wichita State’s Guillermo Gomez in Tuesday’s match at the Gregg Wadley Tennis Pavilion. OU swept the Shockers in each pairing, 7-0.

Sooners sweep Shockers, turn attention toward Notre Dame Fighting Irish

JOSH HELMERThe Oklahoma Daily

Wichita State was expect-ed to challenge the Sooners. Instead, the 17th-ranked Oklahoma men’s tennis team opened its 2011 season in dominating fashion Tuesday inside the Gregg Wadley Tennis Pavilion.

The Sooners (1-0) swept t h e Sh o c k e r s 7 - 0 , w i n -ning every singles match in straight-sets. When coupled with OU’s perfect three-for-three finish in the doubles matches, Sooners coach John Roddick was pleased with his team’s opening effort.

“Wichita State is a good team,” Roddick said. “They are a better team than when we played them last year. Going out and winning 7-0 is encouraging and doesn’t leave too many question marks in my mind about where we are at.”

Senior Ionut Beleleu and sophomore Costin Paval — OU’s 26th-ranked Romanian native duo — got OU off to a fast start in the doubles por-tion of the match, routing the Shockers’ Vlad Marinescu and Valentin Mihai — also Romanian natives — 8-2.

“The referee told us if you speak any language, speak English. It was kind of funny,” Beleleu said.

Sophomore Lawrence Formentera and freshman John Warden, ranked the 38th-best doubles team, d o w n e d W S U ’s Pa t r i c k Stiebinger and Guillermo Gomez, 8-5.

Oklahoma newcomers Tsvetan Mihov and Peerakit Siributwong finished the doubles sweep after beat-ing Wichita State’s Matheus Pereira and David Cavalcanti, 8-5.

“ T h e t h i n g I ’v e b e e n

MEN’S TENNIS

OU dominant in opener

stressing the most is dou-bles,” Roddick said. “To go out and play the way they did out of the gate, I thought that was really important.”

Oklahoma was equally overwhelming in singles play. Paval, ranked No. 57, claimed the Sooners first victory of the season after a dispatching of Stiebinger ( 6 - 2 , 6 - 1 ) a t t h e No. 2 position.

“We’ve been working very hard the last four or five days,” Paval said. “I looked up at the scoreboard and saw everything was as it should be.”

After Paval, Siributwong defeated the Shockers’

Pereira at the No. 3 spot in identical 6-2 sets.

Beleleu, manning the No. 1 position for the Sooners, f a c e d f o r m e r S o o n e r Mar inescu, who trans-ferred to Wichita State after posting a 6-13 record in his freshman season at OU.

Marinescu struggled in his return to Norman as 26th-ranked Beleleu dic-tated the tempo through-out their match, dropping Marinescu in a pair of 6-3 sets.

“I’ve played against him before,” Beleleu said. “I know his style, and I know his game.”

Despite the youth and

inexperience of some of his players, Roddick said the team performed very well.

“We had some rough patches, but everyone took care of business in straight sets,” he said. “Hopefully this gives some of these young guys an idea of what’s going on and a little bit of confi-dence moving forward.”

The Sooners continue their season at the ITA Kick-Off Weekend tournament Jan. 28-30 in Champaign, Ill. Oklahoma will face No. 36 Notre Dame in the open-ing round.

“Our team is in great shape. We’re ready to roll,” Paval said.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Sooners score 1st Big 12 win

Game notes

An OU school record was almost set when none of the three bench players had scored a basket, but freshman forward Tyler Neal’s pair of free throws with 20 seconds ended the chance.

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If your ad appears incorrectly, or if you wish to cancel your ad call 325-

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the fault of the advertiser will be adjusted. Refunds will not be issued for

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The Oklahoma Daily will not knowingly accept advertisements that

discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religious preference,

national origin or sexual orientation. Violations of this policy should be

reported to The Oklahoma Daily Business Offi ce at

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Help Wanted ads in The Oklahoma Daily are not to separate as to

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Wednesday, January 19, 2011 • 7The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.com

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CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) - Because your judgment could be faulty at times, you might have to retrace your steps. Heed the old saying: “What you don’t have in your head, you have to have in your feet.”

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) - Although you like to work at your own pace, you might not be given that luxury. This may be due mostly to the demands and responsibilities being foisted on you by others.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) - You won’t be able to rely on others to bail you out when you get in way over your noggin. It is going to be completely up to you to unravel whatever trouble you’ve wrought.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) - Regardless of the fact that your intentions are good, don’t make any major decision without fi rst discussing it with your mate. S/he might have a different idea about things.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) - De-tails can be important and should never be overlooked. However, it is also easy to get caught up in trivial points that can easily obscure the purpose. Stand back for a better view.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) - Your natural prudence and caution mustn’t be allowed to desert you when deciding whether or not to take a gamble on something of value. Being gullible could distort the picture.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) - Even if you truly believe your way of doing something is far better than the methods of your associates, it is smarter to make some concessions or adjustments in the interest of cooperation.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) - Be careful that you don’t use your magnifi cent, imaginative faculty of vision for anticipating only nega-tive results. Factor in some realistic thinking that is more positive.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) - Although your fi nancial trends may have had some vitality lately, they still could be subjected to an occasional setback. This could be one of those topsy-turvy days.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) - Some kind of critical objective that you were hoping to achieve may fall prey to negative circumstances of your own making. Consider what you can be doing differently.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) - You may have to contend with an ar-rangement similar to one that you handled poorly in the past. Stop and reevaluate what you’re doing, and profi t from your past mistakes instead of repeating them.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) - High hopes and good expecta-tions have excellent chances of being fulfi lled if you pursue them in a pragmatic manner. Be a consci-entious doer, not a dreamer.

HOROSCOPE By Bernice Bede Osol

Copyright 2010, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.

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

Previous Solution

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

4 6 1 5 2 7 9 8 39 7 3 4 6 8 1 5 28 2 5 1 3 9 7 4 66 9 2 7 5 1 4 3 83 1 7 8 4 6 5 2 95 8 4 2 9 3 6 1 72 3 9 6 1 4 8 7 57 4 6 3 8 5 2 9 11 5 8 9 7 2 3 6 4

5 3 4 84 5

1 3 6 8 4 23 6

2 4 35 14 8 1 7 3 9

9 73 9 6 2

Universal Crossword

A BITTER PUZZLE by Dana Crowley

ACROSS 1 Some

Glaswegians wear them

5 When to do rush jobs

9 Whacks sharply

14 “Regrets, I’ve had ___ ...”

15 High C, for one

16 First episode in a TV series

17 Traditional tales

18 It’ll stink up the place

19 Related through the mother

20 Heat waves’ opposites

22 PC drive insert

23 Cold and hard

24 Grand in scale

26 Run ___ (go berserk)

29 Go over again

33 Have reservations about

37 MasterCard rival

39 Dot in the ocean

40 Niche at Notre Dame

41 Chips collection

42 Property claim

43 Film vault holding

44 Mental germ45 Natural

weapons

46 Sign up for a class

48 Flood preventer

50 Big tippler 52 To some

extent 57 Composer of

the Mephisto Waltzes

60 It’s caused by arctic conditions

63 Narrow water passage

64 They may be kept in chests

65 Exploring a la Columbus

66 Blazing 67 Sporting

weapon 68 Box for

practice 69 Whirlybird

whirler 70 Egghead 71 Song in

praise of GodDOWN 1 Rash

preventers 2 “The game

is ___!” (Sherlock Holmes line)

3 Singer Haggard

4 Krona spender

5 Assumed name

6 Malt shop offering

7 On the roof of 8 Latin for “in

itself” 9 Coined

money 10 Freezing

weather factor

11 Off-the-market fruit spray

12 Dorothy’s dog 13 ___ the tide 21 Lattice piece 25 Make

supplication 27 Roman love

poet 28 Wrote bad

checks 30 Where most

humans reside

31 Did in, as a dragon

32 Female lobsters

33 Throw caution to the wind

34 Dentist’s request

35 ___ name (computer ID)

36 Frigid temperature

range 38 Blackjack

option 41 Fixture at a

pottery 45 Smallest

postage hike 47 Wayside

waste 49 Exchanged

smacks 51 More than

occasionally 53 Put to shame 54 Like thin

smoke rings 55 “Hannibal”

Smith’s group 56 Ache 57 Polygraph

victim 58 The I in FYI,

for short 59 Small

opening 61 Mountain-

climbing aid 62 ___ and

terminer (criminal court)

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

Edited by Timothy E. Parker January 19, 2011

© 2011 Universal Uclickwww.upuzzles.com

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highest new-member GPAs in the Interfraternity Council during fall 2009 — the aver-age new member earned a 3.014 GPA, defying expecta-tions that those in fraterni-ties disregard hopes for aca-demic success, Coffey said.

This belief is a common

misconception, he said.“I realize that stereotypes

will always exist. The bot-tom line is that fraternities on this campus, many with approximately 150 to 200 members, cannot be accu-rately stereotyped,” he said.

Although humor websites

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

8 • Wednesday, January 19, 2011 The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.com

LIFE&ARTS OUDAILY.COM ›› Visit the life & arts blog to read a review of the movie ‘Country Strong’

GR∑∑KUniversity of Oklahoma

Community Profile

The

Beta Theta Pi defying greek stereotypes with GPAs, president says

SYDNEY ALLENThe Oklahoma Daily

Occupying the palatial white stone house at 800 C hau t au q u a Ave. , B e t a Theta Pi has been part of the OU campus since 1907.

T h e f r a t e r n i t y w a s founded in 1839 at Miami University in Ohio. With a motto of “Know Friendship,” these men not only strive to make social connections but to achieve academic success as well, fraternity president Nick Coffey said.

“The opportunities to grow as a person and a lead-er while serving your fra-ternity are numerous,” said Coffey, history and econom-ics sophomore.

In 2003, Forbes published a report showing many CEOs of Fortune 500 Companies were greek.

“Eleven of them actually having once belonged to Beta Theta Pi, the most of any fraternity,” Coffey said.

Beta also had one of the

Fraternity promotes academic success

ASHLEY WEST/THE DAILY

Pictured is the Beta Theta Pi house, 800 Chautauqua Ave. The fraternity, established on campus in 1907, had one of the Interfraternity Council’s highest new-member GPA in fall 2009.

such as TotalFratMove.com appear to glorify getting hammered and “slamming” anything that moves, Coffey said the exaggerations of negative perceptions of fra-ternities arise when mem-bers stray from the organiza-tion’s principles.

Coffey said although many feel those involved in greek life are simply paying for friends, he feels more than friendship can be gained from fraternity involvement.

“[While] lifelong friend-ships and brotherhood are created in fraternities, a person’s set of social skills that cause him to join a fra-ternity is further cultivated during his time as a member and can later be vital to suc-cess in the corporate world,” Coffey said.

At a glance

Name: Beta Theta Pi

Letters: Bθ∏

Founded: Aug. 8, 1839, at Miami University

Colors: Pink and blue

Years at OU: 104

Like me, many of you will graduate from OU and aren’t precisely certain how to earn the gobs of money to which our degrees will entitle us.

Obviously many of you don’t have anything to worry about because you will be marrying into well-moneyed families or are Sooner football star Jeremy Beal, so you can probably stop reading now.

Unless you actually are Jeremy Beal, in which case I think you should keep read-ing and we should hang out sometime.

I’ve thusly taken it upon myself to offer, for the ben-efit of the rest of us, a few helpful tips as we begin our career searches.

I’ve worked in many dif-ferent capacities over the years including food ser-vice, food preparation and animal whispering and can

guarantee these tips will leave employers scratch-ing their heads in amaze-ment. They might even ask questions like “Who do you think you are?” That’s how impressed they’ll be.

When it comes to résu-més, the goal is to appear as knowledgeable, qualified and genuinely interesting as can possibly be conveyed on paper, which is why I usually scribble a lengthy mathematic equation — it’s one of the few times I ven-ture “online” for informa-tion on a piece of origami in the shape of a blue ribbon medal. You also should in-clude references here.

Jeremy, is it OK if I put you down as a reference? If so, smile really big when you get drafted by an NFL team, that way I’ll know for sure.

You’ll also need to in-clude contact information for when the employer is

‘Professional’ advice from a student in final semesterSTAFF COLUMN

Matt Carney

MN

y

extremely impressed by your paper-folding tech-nique and decides to offer you a job.

I ’ m t o l d “ T h e A l l e y B e t w e e n S u g e r ’s a n d Fuzzy’s Taco Shop” isn’t a proper mailing address, so you might have to go to the post office and acquire a P.O. box — what does that stand for, anyway? — to ap-pear less homeless.

To initiate an interview, always ask how much the gig pays, right from the

get-go. It helps to use the words “gig” and “get-go” because they sound really cool. Propping your feet up on a table or the interview-er’s desk achieves the same effect.

By asking a question be-fore the interviewer, the balance of power shifts in your favor, thereby sending the message that it is you who is in charge here, not Mr. Suit Guy.

Dressing for a job inter-view can wrack your nerves, but don’t let it!

Instead, don your most confident attire to reinforce your own notion of success, just in case the interview goes south. That way if you remain unemployed, at

least you’re walking back to the alley in your best plaid leisure suit with your head held high.

The best way to prepare for interviews is to have a friend ask you the kind of questions that a poten-tial employer may ask, like “What do you have to offer this company?” or “Mr. Carney, would you please stop folding my personal stationery into the shape of barnyard animals?”

Good preparation ne-cessitates a stock “go-to” response in case the inter-viewer asks a real stumper question. Mine is, “Did you know that I am the god-father to — insert which-ever NFL team that drafts

Jeremy Beal here — and former standout OU defen-sive end Jeremy Beal’s first, second and third-born chil-dren?” We should probably talk about this over coffee sometime, eh Jeremy?

No matter how persis-tent an employer is in their questioning, that always steers the conversation safely away from those pub-lic indecency charges.

Well, that’s about all I’ve got. Good luck in your ca-reer search and remember, if you have Jeremy Beal’s phone number, please e-mail it to mattheartsjere-my@gmail.com.

— Matt Carney, professional

writing senior

COLUMN

BRIEF

Kathy Griffin to perform Thursday night in Tulsa

Comedian Kathy Griffin will perform at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Brady Theater in Tulsa.

Griffin, who is known for her personality and over-the-top comedy, is best known for reality TV show, “My Life on the D-List.”

Along with jokes about current events and trends, the “Kathy Griffin: Whores on Crutches” tour will feature high-energy comedy routine about Griffin’s humorous encounters with A-list celebrities.

Tickets start at $47.50 per person, plus service charges.

To purchase tickets, visit protixonline.com.

— Daily staff reports

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THE MOTIVATION, IS ACADEMIC.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011 • 9The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.com WORLD

1. Islamabad

Major 7.2 quake hits Pakistan

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake rocked a remote area of southwestern Pakistan on Wednesday, shaking parts of the country and causing tremors as far away as India.

The quake was centered in the Baluchistan province, the country’s most sparsely populated area, said the United States Geological Service.

Its epicenter was in a remote area some 200 miles southwest of the Baluchistan capital of Quetta, said chief Pakistani meteorologist Arif Mahmood.

There was no word on damage in Dalbandin. ___

2. Guatemala City

Guatemalan president extends state of siege in violent north

Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom says he is extending a state of siege in a violent province on the border with Mexico that has been taken over by Mexico’s brutal Zetas drug gang.

Colom says the state of siege that began Dec. 19 when police and soldiers were sent to Alta Verapaz has been successful, but he’ll extend it an extra month.

The measure lets the army detain suspects without warrants, conduct warrantless searches, prohibit gun possession and public gatherings, and control the media.

___

3. Oslo, Norway

Filipino government, rebels agree to resume peace talks

Negotiators from the Philippines’ government and communist rebels agreed Tuesday to resume peace talks after informal meetings in Norway.

The two sides signed a joint statement at the end of the five-day preparatory talks, saying they would meet again in Oslo for the actual negotiations Feb. 15 to 21.

They agreed on an agenda and to work for the release of imprisoned rebels.

— AP

12

3

WORLD NEWS BRIEFS

DIEU NALIO CHERY/AP

Haiti’s ex-dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier, center, is led by police to court and surrounded by journalists Tuesday in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Police led Duvalier out of his hotel and took him to court Tuesday without saying whether he was being charged with crimes committed under his brutal regime.

Exiled leader’s reasons for returning to former country unknown

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Haitian police led ex-dic-tator Jean-Claude Duvalier out of his hotel and took him to court Tuesday with-out saying whether he was being charged with crimes committed under his brutal regime. His longtime com-panion denied that he had been arrested.

A contingent of police led the former dictator known as “Baby Doc” to a waiting SUV. He was not wearing handcuffs.

Duvalier, 59, was calm and did not say anything as he was led away to cheers from some and jeers from others.

Duvalier’s companion, Veronique Roy, said she did not know why authori-ties decided to escort him to court and did not expect to be there much longer.

“We are ver y relaxed, drinking coffee and water,” she said.

He was removed from the hotel after meeting in private

Haitian police take ex-dictator ‘Baby Doc’ to court Tuesday

with senior Haitian judicial officials inside his hotel room amid calls by human rights groups and others for his arrest.

The country’s top pros-ecutor and a judge were among those meeting with the former leader in the high-end hotel where he

has been ensconced since his surprise return to Haiti on Sunday.

Haitian National Police officers were posted inside and around the hotel, some of them in riot gear or guard-ing the stairwells.

None of the officials pres-ent would comment on

what was being discussed at the meeting. Asked why he was going to meet Duvalier, Judge Gabriel Amboisse said, “I’m here to assist the prosecutor because he asked me to be here with him.”

Duvalier was forced into exile in 1986 in a mass up-rising and had been living in exile in France. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and others have urged the Haitian government to arrest him for widespread abuses.

Duvalier assumed power in 1971 at age 19 follow-ing the death of his fa-ther, Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier. The father and son presided over one of the darkest chapters in Haitian history, a period when a thuggish government secret police force known as the Tonton Macoute tortured and killed opponents.

He has not yet publicly commented on why he came back to Haiti. His compan-ion, Roy, told reporters he would stay three days.

— AP

With fl oods leaving thousands of homes without power, Australians are advised to seek higher ground

MELBOURNE, Australia— Residents of rural communi-ties in southeastern Australia were sent emergency evacu-ation orders before dawn Wednesday, urged to leave their homes with three days of supplies just before floodwaters breached levees and swamped the town.

Up to 1,500 homes in the northern Victoria town of Kerang could be affected if the Lodden River rises any further.

The State Emergency Services said the Kerang levee has been breached in many places and the townspeople should head for a relief center on higher ground.

“You should ensure you have left your property immedi-ately,” the emergency services said in text message alerts.

“We have enough resources and enough high ground for people to still operate within Kerang, but if it becomes

totally inundated there will be very few people left in town,” Mayor Max Fehring told Sky News.

Walls of water miles wide are surging across northern and western Victoria in the wake of record rainfall last week.

Floodwaters have already left 1,000 households in Victoria’s northwest without power, and thousands more homes are under threat of cuts as substations and low-lying power lines are submerged.

Energy supplier Powercor built earthen barriers around the substation in Kerang, in a floodplain expected to be in-undated by six feet of water.

The government has said the Queensland floods could be the country’s most expensive natural disaster ever. The price tag from the relentless floods was already at $5 billion before muddy brown waters swamped Brisbane last week.

— AP

Rising rivers force Australian evacuations

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