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Monday, February 7, 2011

TODAYH 47 L 24

The

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Volume 90Issue 3

Next Publication:Thursday, February 10, 2011

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The Independent Voice of Stephen F. Austin State University

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PINE LOG The

The Independent Voice of Stephen F. Austin State University

Ladyjacks fall to McNeese

State in overtime

Weighing in on the Super Bowl PINE LOG

A small fire was extinguished in a residence room on the second floor of Steen Hall during the early morning hours Thursday. There were no serious injuries. The fire broke out when a lamp fell on a bed and ignited the bedding. Students were evacuated across the street to the East College Cafeteria. Although the fire was small and extinguished quickly, there is water damage to the first and second floors. Cleanup is un-derway. Students on the undam-aged floors have been allowed to move back to their rooms. Students who reside on the damaged floors were relocated to other rooms.

THOMAS MOTYKA/THE PINE LOG

PINE LOG PINE LOG PINE LOG PINE LOG PINE LOG PINE LOG PINE LOG Weighing in on the Super Bowl PINE LOG PINE LOG PINE LOG PINE LOG PINE LOG PINE LOG PINE LOG

Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean, the fourth man to walk on the moon and an award-winning artist, will be the featured guest at the 2011 installment of the Archie McDonald Speaker Series at Stephen F. Austin State University.

The event is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 14, in the Grand Ballroom of the Baker Pattillo Student Center on the SFA campus. Reserve tickets will go on sale soon.

“Alan Bean is a member of a most exclusive group - one of 12 people who have walked on the moon and captured the focus and imagi-nation of the nation and the world during the apex of manned space exploration,” Dr. Archie McDonald said. “Our speaker series is delighted to feature a fellow Texan who has viewed our world from a perspective few others have experienced.”

Bean graduated from Paschal High School in Fort Worth in 1950 and received a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps scholarship to attend the University of Texas at Austin, where he earned a bachelor’s degree and was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy. He was trained as a test pilot and, in 1963, was selected as a NASA astronaut.

He was the lunar module pilot on Apollo 12, man’s second lunar landing. In 1973, Bean again flew in space as commander of

Skylab Mission II, a 59-day mission in which he traveled more than 24 million miles. He later served as backup spacecraft command-er for the joint American-Russian Apollo-Soyuz Test Project and as chief of operations and training and acting chief astronaut until the first flight of the space shuttle.

Bean began pursuing his interest in painting while still a test pilot in the Navy. Throughout his NASA career, he took art classes and honed his artistic skills at night and on weekends when he wasn’t training for a mission. For the past 29 years, the former astronaut has worked full time as a profes-sional artist. His work has evolved into a mix-ture of painting and sculpture, textured with lunar tools, sprinkled with bits of his Apollo 12 spacecraft and the emblems and flag from the spacesuit he wore on the moon.

When he retired from NASA, Bean vowed, “I will not be an astronaut that paints, but will become an artist that used to be an as-tronaut.”

He explains, “I want to record, in fine art, paintings that will tell future generations

of humankind’s first exploration of another world.”

SFA’s speaker series, which debuted last spring, was created to honor and preserve McDonald’s legacy as a distinguished schol-ar, educator and community commentator. A prominent national figure will be hosted annually at SFA to discuss contemporary cultural issues - from politics to art - in the tradition of McDonald’s writings and oral presentations.

McDonald has taught history at SFA for 46 years and served as director of the East Texas Historical Association and editor of the association’s journal for 37 years. He is a past president of the Texas State Historical Association, past vice chair of the Texas Historical Commission and author/editor of more than 20 books on historical topics. Along with teaching, McDonald currently serves as the SFA university/community li-aison and is a weekly commentator on Red River Radio in Shreveport.

pinelog@thepinelog.com

Former NASA astronaut Alan Bean to speak at SFA

Small fire in Steen leads toevacuation, water damage

Snow Day in NacogdochesTHOMAS MOTYKA/THE PINE LOG THOMAS MOTYKA/THE PINE LOG

THOMAS MOTYKA/THE PINE LOGCODY DEROUEN/THE PINE LOG

SFA students enjoyed a Friday off from classes as snow fell for the first time this year

(Above) Snowball fights were the order of the day for students like John Jackson (left) and Tim Calderon (right). Below, Stephen F. Austin stands vigil as the snow continues to fall across campus. Most school districts in the area canceled classes and icy temperatures swept over East Texas.

Some students had to resort to extreme measures to free their cars from the ice and snow on Friday morning. Germissca Hendrix (above) resorted to using a hole punch to chisel her way through the ice on her vehicle. Others, like Tim Calderon (below) used the snow day as an opportunity to unwind and have fun.

THOMAS MOTYKA/THE PINE LOG

CMYK

Page Two Monday, February 7, 2011Pine LogThe

By Andreya StephensonFeatures editor

Set back in a grove of East Texas pines sits a modest blue theatre. Nacogdoches’ Lamp-Lite Theatre has been putting on a variety of Broadway and off-Broadway plays for forty years now. The Lamp-Lite Theatre is run completely by vol-unteers and features a diverse set of plays from comedies and musicals to dramas and mysteries. They also cater to all age groups, showing plays just for kids, family-friendly shows, and shows that adults will love.

The Lamp-Lite Theatre got its start in a rented building of Christ Episcopal Church in 1971. Founder of the Lamp-Lite, Sarah McMullan, pulled from Nacogdoches’ talent pool and put together a group of actors to perform on a tiny stage. After a few location changes, the Lamp-Lite eventually ended up at its current location off of Loop 224 at Old Tyler Road in 1979.

The theatre, which is run entirely by volunteers and a few altruistic professionals, has grown tremendously since then. They have added onto the lobby, dressing rooms, and stor-age rooms. Today’s theatre holds 216 audience members. The lobby features local artists’ work. This little theatre truly showcases the talent of Nacogdoches in many ways.

The Lamp-Lite’s current production, Nunsense, is a hilari-ous musical comedy by Dan Goggin. There are only five ac-tresses in the entire play with momentary participation from the music combo and the audience. This simple play has no set or costume changes, which really allows the audience to focus on the comedy of the play. Nunsense began as a line of greeting cards featuring nuns and a witty line. The card idea took off and Goggin turned his idea into a cabaret show and then a full-on theatre production.

Nunsense ran for ten years off-Broadway, making it the second longest running off-Broadway production, just after The Fantasticks. Nunsense first made its debut at the Lamp-Lite Theatre in 2001. Most of 2001’s cast are reprising their roles in the current production.

Jackie Vose, Deborah Dalton, Karrie Parish, Nita Hudson, and Katherine Parish Whitebeck put on quite a show. These ladies all play nuns from the same convent who are putting on a fundraiser to raise money after tragedy strikes their con-vent. Fifty-two of their fellow nuns died after eating a soup prepared by Sister Julia, Child of God. To bury their dead, the nuns start a greeting card company, this made just enough money to buy a laptop for the convent, but not to bury the last four nuns. So, the nuns host a fundraiser to be able to get the dead nuns out of the freezer at the convent, where they

have been holding their bodies until they have the money to bury them. This musical comedy is packed full of Catholic puns and witty humor. Whether you are religious or not, you will thoroughly enjoy this show.

If you are looking for something different to do in the Nacogdoches area, venture just less than three miles from campus to the Lamp-Lite Theatre, where you are sure to find a highly entertaining show. Nunsense is showing February 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m. and February 13 at 2:00 p.m. The Lamp-Lite offers student prices for just eight dollars. Nunsense is well worth this price.

For something more solemn, check out the Lamp-Lite’s next production, The Chalk Garden, which is set to premiere in early April.

The Lamp-Lite Theatre offers this small town a taste of the stage. It is worth your trip if you journey outside the bound-

aries of SFA’s campus and local student hang-outs. Make the most of your time in Nacogdoches.

If you are someone who would rather be on the stage or behind the scenes instead of in the audience, the Lamp-Lite Theatre is always looking for volunteers. For more information about the Lamp-Lite Theatre, check out www.lamplitetheatre.org, email lamplite@netdot.com, or call 936-564-8300.

astephenson@thepinelog.com

Nacogdoches’ local acting troupe puts on hilarious musical comedy, Nunsense, at the Lamp-Lite Theatre.

The Lamp-Lite Theatre is all “Nunsense”

By Krissah Thompsonthe Washington Post

After Arizona rancher Robert Krentz was killed on his land last year by a man police believe was an illegal immigrant, television networks and more than 300 newspapers wrote about his death as an example of the dangers on the border.

Two months after Krentz was killed, 9-year-old Brisenia Flores and her father, Raul, were shot to death in their home, 150 miles from Krentz’s ranch. Their attackers were allegedly affiliated with an militia group opposed to il-legal immigration that was conducting raids to steal money.

The Flores case is now being tried in Tucson, and immigrant rights activists con-tend that it deserves more attention. The reason: The raid was allegedly organized by Shawna Forde, 43, head of a fringe border patrol group called Minutemen American Defense.

Forde’s murder trial, which has been marked by vivid testimony over the last two weeks, has become a cause celebre among proponents of overhauling U.S. immigration law, who cite the killings as an example of the risks of extremism in the immigration debate.

“There has been the prospect of people taking the law into their own hands for some time,” said Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice, which advocates a path

to citizenship for illegal immigrants. “The rhetoric, the hate mail. It’s unbelievable.”

The organization Cuentame posted a video online last week asking, “Is hate turn-ing to violence?” It elicited hundreds of com-ments.

But unlike the Krentz case, the trial has been a largely local story.

“There’s a few places writing about this, but it is not getting the attention it deserves,” said Eric Rodriguez, vice president of the National Council of La Raza. “It should be shocking to more people. Is there any cir-cumstance where what took place is accept-able to people?”

Krentz’s shooting, which for a time was a staple of news coverage and has been brought up in homeland security hearings on Capitol Hill, struck a nerve in part be-cause of the government’s failure to deal with illegal immigration. Arizona, which the Pew Hispanic Center reported this month is home to 400,000 undocumented immi-grants, has passed tough legislation in recent months to crack down on those who are in the country illegally.

Forde’s small Minuteman group was known for tough rhetoric on illegal immi-gration. According to police, Forde believed Flores was a drug trafficker and planned to seize money and drugs from him to fund her group’s patrol efforts. Police found no drugs in the home and little money.

During the early-morning incident,

Brisenia Flores was shot twice and Raul Flores multiple times. Brisenia’s mother, Gina Gonzalez, was shot twice but survived and called 911.

Prosecutors accuse Forde of leading the raid, shouting orders to two men, her alleged accomplices, who will stand trial this spring. Defense attorney Eric Larsen counters that there’s no direct evidence that she organized the raid or was at the house at the time of the shooting.

Forde was at one time a member of the much larger Minuteman Project, though that group’s leader, Jim Gilchrist, has insisted his relationship with her was never “extensive.” Forde, whose group had about half a dozen members, had been pushed out of other civilian border patrol groups because of her extremist views, said Professor Brian Levin, director of a nonpartisan group that studies extremism at California State University in San Bernardino.

“She was not an unknown,” he said. “She was known as a firebrand.”

In a 2007 report by the Southern Poverty Law Center, Forde was quoted saying she worried that illegal immigrants would soon “outnumber real Americans.” She said she didn’t like the common use of Spanish on business telephones and that she “decided to do something about it.”

Because of her past comments and ac-tions, immigrant rights groups say, the kill-ing and the trial deserve to be treated as an

crime with strong political overtones.“It is important to raise that particular

issue because it seems like a lot of the media is focusing more on the individual crime, the individual action, but what we are seeing is a trend,” said Axel Caballero, director of Cuentame, which is affiliated with the liberal Brave New Foundation. “People are talking about this.”

The conversation is being led by Hispanic bloggers and picked up by activists, who are focused on Forde’s ties to the border militia movement.

Forde supporters have rallied around a website, Justice for Shawna Forde, and allege that her trial is an effort to upend the border militia movement. The operator of the site, Laine Lawless, who is a likely witness in the case, appeared in the courtroom last week against a judge’s order and interrupted the trial, according to the Arizona Daily Star, which has followed the case closely.

Closing arguments in Forde’s trial are ex-pected late next week. Testimony so far has included Gonzalez’s recounting of the death of her daughter by an alleged accomplice of Forde. “I can hear it happening. I can hear her telling him to ‘Please don’t shoot me,’ “ the mother testified. Last week, prosecutors introduced text messages allegedly sent by Forde to others implicated in the killings.

If convicted of murder, Forde could re-ceive the death penalty.

Krentz murder case spotlights tense climate along border

By Mary Beth Sheridanthe Washington Post

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton cautioned Sunday that Egyptians have to overcome numerous obstacles to pull off elections in September to replace President Hosni Mubarak and acknowledged that oust-ing him beforehand might roil the transition to democracy.

Clinton made her comments as the ad-ministration appeared to be realizing the risks and complexities of a transition to de-mocracy in a key strategic ally of 80 million people.

Administration officials have distanced themselves from remarks Saturday by Frank Wisner, a presidential envoy to Egypt, that Mubarak should guide the transition rather than stepping down as protesters are insist-ing. On Sunday, Clinton said repeatedly that it was up to Egyptians, not Americans, to decide Mubarak’s role.

But she noted that under the Egyptian constitution, if Mubarak resigned he would be replaced by the speaker of the House and elections would be required within 60 days.

“The Egyptians are the ones having to grapple with the reality of what they must do,” she told reporters traveling on her plane. She added that some Egyptian opposition leaders have said that 60 days is not enough time to organize political parties and an election. “That’s not us saying it,” she said. “It’s them saying it.”

Mubarak’s resignation is the central de-mand of hundreds of thousands of protest-

ers who have jammed downtown Cairo and held noisy demonstrations in other Egyptian cities for nearly two weeks.

Wisner said Saturday that if Mubarak stepped down and snap elections were held, the opposition could be forced to compete under existing electoral laws favoring the ruling party, which they probably would refuse to do.

The next regularly scheduled Egyptian presidential election is in September, and Mubarak has pledged not to run, in a major concession to protesters.

Clinton stressed that the U.S. government was trying to avoid publicly taking sides in Egypt’s tumultuous internal politics. She de-clined to express an opinion on the decision by the Muslim Brotherhood to hold talks Sunday with Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman, the government’s lead negotiator.

“I am not going to be prejudging who is going to participate in this political process,” she said.

The U.S. government has been wary of the Brotherhood, Egypt’s largest opposition group, because of its support for Islamist groups such as the Palestinian Hamas move-ment, which is on the U.S. terrorist list.

Clinton laid out in greater detail than before the steps that Egyptians must take for a peaceful transition, urging them to set benchmarks and deadlines on reforming the constitution, changing undemocratic laws and preparing for elections.

She said the United States and other coun-tries were ready to offer technical experts to help.

“You don’t want to get to September and have a failed election and have people say, ‘Wait a minute. What was the point of this?’“ she said. “You want to help set the stage for the kind of credible, legitimate elections that are going to produce winners that people will believe - whether they voted for them or not - represent Egypt.”

Asked whether Egypt could pull off such

a vote in seven months, she replied, “It’s up to them. But I think with a concerted effort, with the kind of timelines and concrete steps I’m calling for, it could be done.”

Clinton spoke on a return flight from Munich, where she attended an internation-al security conference and held meetings with European leaders in which the Egypt crisis was a central theme.

SFA Repertory Dance Company in Concert

Cody deroueN/The PiNe LogThe SFA repertory dance Company gave a performance at Turner Auditorium on Saturday night. The dance Company has been sponsored by the dance Program for over 20 years. Their next event is titled “danceworks” and will be held April 14-15 at 7 p.m. and on April 16 at 3 p.m. in hPe201.

Clinton cautions egyptover September elections

CMYK

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The Crime LogOn 2-2-2011 an officer was dispatched to University Woods in ref-

erence to drug complaint. Upon arrival the officer located a subject in possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. The subject was arrested and transported to the Nacogdoches County Jail without inci-dent. There are two suspects.

On 2-2-2011 an officer was dispatched to the lobby of UPD in refer-ence to criminal mischief. Upon arrival the officer made contact with the complainant who advised on 1-30-2011 her vehicle was damaged in lot 23. The complainant also stated that on 2-1-2011 a known person used language that offended her in Steen Hall Lobby.

By Jamie LivingstonSTAFF WRITER

Looking for an organization to be a part of? The Office of International Programs has cre-ated a new program of interac-tion between international and American students.

The International Friendship Program is the first initiative that will teach American stu-dents about different cultures, holidays and lifestyles all over the world.

Oresta Felts, coordinator of international programs, says the organization is in its first semes-ter, and is hopeful that students will participate.

“The Office of International Programs organizes a meeting at which hosts have a chance to

physically meet their interna-tional students,” she said. “From then on, hosts meet with the students once a month during a semester, completely on their own, to do activities together. At the end of the semester, all participants will meet.”

Such activities can include home visits, game nights, mov-ies, bowling or even trips to a local place of interest.

Anyone interested can fill out the application form located in LAN 402.

“We will review the applica-tions and match people with in-ternational students,” Felts said.

For more information con-tact the Office of International Programs at (936)-468-6631.

Friendship Program offers students chance to interact with other cultures

By Jamie LivingstonSTAFF WRITER

Often times, a student will wind up in a class that they struggle in. Whether it’s English, math, chemistry or history, the Academic Assistance and Resource Center provides extra attention tailored to fit the needs of students in specific courses.

“Through the personal attention of our staff, we engage students in a collaborative, learner-centered environment focused on developing the scholarship of clients and the leadership of tutors,” said M.E McWilliams, AARC director.

In 2010, 6,000 students visited the AARC, which recorded an aggregate 63,000 visits.

Along with tutoring, students can attend Supplement Instruction groups, weekly ap-pointments and walk-in tables, as well as

have their papers proofread. Brian Livingston, a criminal justice major,

tutors geology and history and enjoys help-ing his clients.

“Tutoring at the AARC has allowed me to meet some very smart, highly motivated people,” he said.

Ethan Fatheree, a French tutor, agrees, “I love seeing the look on a student’s face when something clicks after they’ve been thinking for a long time,” he said. “It’s a great feel-ing and really lets you know you’ve helped someone.”

Although the AARC is helpful, the work in the course ultimately relies on the student.

“A common misconception about tutoring is that it is only worthwhile if you are doing poorly in a class. The fact is that if you wait until you’re having trouble it may be too late,” Livingston said. “Even if you are doing

well in a class, a good tutor can help you keep your eye on the ball.”

Clients aren’t the only ones who get some-thing out of tutoring, according to John Ramsey, an economics and finance tutor.

“A tutor benefits from analyzing the ma-terial in alternate forms, especially when clients ask questions that the tutor may have never encountered before,” he said.

Attending SI groups and seeing a tutor is for anyone, not just students with low GPAs.

“It’s not just unintelligent students who see tutors,” Fatheree said, “The fact is that there are subjects that everyone struggles with and it’s just a matter of pride and not being afraid of asking for help. Truth is, most of the tutors at the AARC were clients before they were tutors.”

And, for tutors, these weekly sessions are conducive to retaining the information

needed for future clients.“Tutoring is an invaluable occupation

for students seeking graduate studies and further education, due to the fact that the constant explanation of the material keeps the tutor razor sharp on his or her subject,” Ramsey said.

A student can become a tutor in many ways.

“An AARC tutor needs three things- an A or high B in the subject matter for tutoring, great communication skills and a passion for helping others,” McWilliams said.

For tutoring inquiries or to take advantage of the other resources the AARC provides, visit the web site at www.sfasu.edu/aarc or call 936-468-4108.

jlivingston@thepinelog.com

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GetYourJack

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CMYK

I find that it’s a rare occasion to meet someone who truly impacts your life and opens your eyes to the creative side of things. It’s also rare to meet someone who becomes the type of long-term friend that you just can’t seem to live without. I met such a per-son about a year and a half ago, co-workers, both entering into a job that would bring us closer than I could have ever imagined. And sitting here today, missing her terribly so, I again realize just exactly how beautiful she, and our incredible friendship is.

If this seems like a sort of tribute to this friend of mine, you are most certainly cor-rect. At this point in time I absolutely can-not think of another subject more worthy of

my thoughts. I’ve recently realized that this friendship has become a sort of backbone to me, always providing me strength even when I don’t realize it. And today, even if not quite directly, I’d like to do my best to point out just what makes her the amazing friend that she is.

This friend of mine is very unique. She’s the type of girl who really has her own style…bold and fearless in such a way that’s inspir-ing beyond belief. She’s definitely the type of young woman who has the world by the tail, even if she doesn’t quite realize it. And she’s so down to earth in the most beautiful way…never giving herself enough credit even when the most immense credit is due.

She is an artist. She sees life through art, color, and music and gives back to the world through all the same elements and more. Before she graduated and we lived in the same residence hall, I often found myself enjoying her company while watching her create beautiful pieces of artwork. She had the ability to paint and create with her emo-tions so effortlessly but with such energy and power. Watching her express herself in such a

manner never failed to amaze me. What touches me the most about this

friend of mine is that she was never once scared to be honest or vulnerable around me. No matter what she was feeling or going through, she was always true in letting her emotions show, regardless of what they were at the time. She and I are very much the same in that we all too often let our emotions get the best of us, and having shared that hon-esty has undoubtedly brought us that much closer.

Through the past year and a half, I have watched my friend go through numerous experiences- most happy and enlightening, but some sad and heartbreaking. But none-theless, our friendship has been through a lot. And now that she’s graduated, moved on to bigger and better things while I’m still here in this small town where our friendship once bloomed, I find that I miss her honest, vulnerable ways more than I could have ever imagined.

I really just couldn’t be more thankful to have such an honest friend. Just by being her true, unique self around me, she really

helped me find myself whether she realized it or not.

To put it simply, I know at times, it’s easy to want to change things about ourselves. All too often we’re guilty of disliking who we are, and putting way too much effort into wanting to become something we’re not. But it’s the true individuals, like my friend, who make the most difference within our lives. The people who exist merely within their own being, thriving within their true skin…those are the individuals who can show us the things in life that we may have never seen.

But just realizing how much these people truly benefit our lives, that’s what makes all the difference. Sometimes the people around us provide us with much more insight and support than we may ever know. Sometimes we may be the unique individuals providing that insight…either way, never before has it been a better time to be an honest friend, and to just truly be your own, unique self.

Stephanie is a photojournalism junior from Kigore, TX.

Page Four Monday, February 7, 2011Pine LogThe

opinionsthe pine log

Axes Up to Snow Day. Duh. Classes were canceled, Nac was beautiful, everybody got to play in it, and I got to read approximately 784 Facebook posts about the snow. Good things.

Axes Up to the Super Bowl, because just when you think we’ve milked it for all its worth, we milk it a little more. Come on, who can’t get excited for such a big event? Go Pack!

contributing writer

StephanieBallard

sballard@thepinelog.com

Fair weather friends? Open up and show yourself

✓ Write a letter to Grinding the Ax. Follow the guidelines on the left. Sign your name, and your letter will likely appear on this very page.

✓ Or use our Web site to submit a letter to Grinding the Ax. It’ll save you a trip to the Baker Pattillo Student Center.

✓ Post feedback to our stories online. Hit the “Feedback” button at the end of a story, and let us have it. We can take it.

We’re lookingfor your

FEEDBACKOpinions expressed in this sec-tion of The Pine Log are those of the individual writer or car-toonist and do not necessarily reflect those of the University, its administrative officers or Board of Regents.

Letters should be typed and should include the student’s hometown, classification, cam-pus identification number and phone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit letters for space, spelling, grammar and potentially libelous material. Letters should not be longer than 300 words. Any letter that does not follow this criteria will not be published.

OpinionsPolicy

FEATURES EDITORANDREYA STEPHENSON

PHOTO EDITORTHOMAS MOTYKA

ENTERTAINMENT EDITORGARRETT COOK

COPY EDITORJESSICA GILLIGAN

Fall 2010 Editorial Board EDITOR JONATHAN GARRIS

MANAGING EDITORAUDREY SPENCER

OPINION EDITORGARRETT COOK

SPORTS EDITORSTEPHANIE SLABAUGH

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITORMANDY BOWLING

ADVERTISING MANAGER JERRET SWIERC

Editor’s Note: This cartoon is the work of Brady Smith, who was named last year’s Outstanding Young Alumnus by the SFA Alumni Association. Smith was editorial cartoonist for The Pine Log in 1993 and is an actor, artist and writer who lives in Los Angeles, Calif.

The following editorial appeared in Saturday’s Washington Post.

Over the past few days the world has seen a vivid portrait of the two sides in Egypt’s cri-sis. There has been the orchestrated brutality and cynical facade of compromise presented by the regime of Hosni Mubarak, who while clinging to his office until September is trying to destroy the opposition and ensure the per-petuation of 50 years of autocracy. In Cairo’s Tahrir Square and in other plazas around the country is the alternative: millions of mostly secular and middle-class citizens, led by the young, who seek genuine democracy and whose regular chant is “we are peaceful.”

What the week’s events have shown is that Egypt is not facing a simple choice between the departure of Mubarak in September and his immediate resignation. In fact the two sides offer very different futures for Egypt. One is a continuation of the present regime, with minimal concessions to opponents. The

other is a new, more liberal Egypt, one that will have a chance to modernize its economy and its political system and to introduce a desperately needed era of reform in the Arab Middle East.

Mubarak now claims that he will oversee a political transition. But the reality is this: Since Wednesday, at least 11 people have been killed in Cairo clashes started by gangs of regime thugs, many of whom carried ID cards from the police or the ruling party. Western journalists have been attacked or detained, and many opposition activists have been arrested by military police.

Mubarak and his newly appointed vice president and prime minister, meanwhile, have waged a disinformation campaign aimed at splitting the opposition and de-terring the United States and other gov-ernments from taking sides. They profess surprise at the violence their forces orches-trated; call on the demonstrators to go home; and threaten “chaos” if Mubarak is forced to

leave before September. The shallowness of their promises is revealed in their claims that talks with the opposition can be wrapped up in days and constitutional changes limited to two articles about the president’s election and term.

In fact, as Egyptian activists Hossam Bahgat and Soha Abdelaty make clear on the opposite page, considerably more reform is needed for a democratic election, including the lifting of the emergency law and restric-tions on political parties, the reinstatement of independent election monitoring by judg-es, and the opening of state media to oppo-sition voices. The failure of Mubarak and his aides to mention such steps reveals their real ambition, which is to install a successor in another rigged process.

Despite the brutality the opposition has suffered, its platform remains moderate. Its leaders seek the replacement of Mubarak with a transitional administration that could include figures from the current regime.

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood so far has taken a back seat in the movement, and there are no demands to rupture relations with Israel, much less the United States.

Friday’s massive demonstrations showed that this democratic movement is not yield-ing to the regime’s ruthlessness. It is willing to share power with the army and the regime but not to accept a mix of phony reforms and repression aimed at preventing the emer-gence of a democracy. The United States has been trying to avoid taking sides in this standoff. On Friday, President Barack Obama repeated his position that a political transi-tion “must begin now” but that it was up to Egyptians; he did not rule out Mubarak lead-ing it. But there is really only one side that represents U.S. values and interests - and it can be found in Tahrir Square.

www.washingtonpost.com

Axes Down to bad class-room behavior. A few things you should have learned in ju-nior high: pick up your trash and throw it away before you leave, shut up when the teach-er is talking, don’t play musical chairs, and get there on time.

Chaotic Egypt’s two futures: brutality or democracy

CMYK

Monday, February 7, 2011 PINE LOGTHE Page Five

By Garrett CookENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

So often with the Oscar awards, it becomes a case of sentimentality versus rationality, tugging at the heartstrings versus stimu-lating the brain, voting with the head versus voting with the heart. Case in point, last year: James Cameron’s audience-pleasing Avatar versus Kathryn Bigelow’s ce-rebral The Hurt Locker. I, along with everyone else was shocked when Locker took the big prize over the high-est-grossing film of all time (though I suspect that had more to do with Cameron already having Oscars for directing and picture). Politics aside, it was still a big upset that an Iraq war film that did middling box office could overtake such a mammoth studio film.

This year, the race for Best Picture seems to have come down to a similar situation. Though neither The Social Network nor The King’s Speech has achieved runaway box office success (indeed, only $20 million separates their current figures), make no mistake, this is a case of an audience favorite versus a thinking man’s thriller. Do you vote for the film that left you feeling all warm and fuzzy or the one that may, in fact, be the better film?

I, for one, find Network to be an infinitely superior film, and was also touched deeply by the relationship at the heart of the film. And that only leads me to be baffled by the current criti-cal consensus that Network leaves viewers feeling cold.

The feeling out there seems to be, “Yeah, it’s good, but who cares.”

I think I understand the reasoning behind this. Network is a film that, like Pulp Fiction and The Big Lebowski, rewards repeat viewings. Upon first viewing, you’re likely fighting to keep up with Aaron Sorkin’s rat-a-tat dialogue and Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall’s lightning-paced cutting. It is a film that assumes its audience is paying attention and that they’re as smart as the film. There is no big speech-mak-ing, no weepy music score hammering home crucial

points. Whereas Speech used Beethoven to do just as much of the emotional work as the story or the actors, Network’s Trent Reznor-scored music underplays the scene instead of sending it over the top.

Take a second or third look at Network and you’ll see the ancient themes of friend-ship, loyalty, and betrayal lying just below its technical brilliance. The aforemen-tioned relationship between Mark Zuckerberg and his best friend Eduardo Saverin and what happens between them gives the high-IQ film its beating heart. Jesse Eisenberg as Zuckerberg and Andrew Garfield as Saverin play so beautifully off each other and create such palpa-ble chemistry between them that when Saverin finally re-alizes he’s been screwed out of a company that he helped co-found, the scene has the bite of a shark.

Speech is by no means a bad film; it’s just that it is so safe, so middlebrow, so crowd-pleasing, so square. It is handsomely made, well-acted (Colin Firth will win an Oscar) and generates all the excitement of a trip to the dentist. Yes, it is a nice story. Yes, Firth and Geoffrey Rush as his speech therapist are excellent actors. Yes, it meets all the requirements of a clas-sic awards contender: period piece, British, uplifting story, main character overcoming physical handicap, et cet-era. Depending on who you are, you will likely exit the movie theater jubilant and

feeling better about your life because Speech comforts you with its message of the human

spirit overcoming great odds to triumph even when a whole country is depending on you.

Network is the best film of the year not only because it is the finest technical achieve-ment of the year, or that it has a razor-sharp cast doing some very good, layered act-ing, or that its director, David Fincher, guides it all along with a most confident hand; it is the best because you’re going to watch it again and again and still think it is as good as the first time. I thought Locker’s win last year would open up doors to smaller, more challeng-ing films taking big prizes. I’m hoping the Academy will once again find the nerve to award a film as daring, smart, and challenging as Network.

gcook@thepinelog.com

Network versus King’s Speech: head versus the heart

the pine logentertainment

“Take a second or third look at Network and you’ll see the ancient themes of friendship, loyalty, and be-trayal lying just below its technical brilliance.”

Clockwise from top: Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield in The Social Network, Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush in The King’s Speech, and Eisenberg and Garfield in The Social Network. While Speech makes a conservative effort at awards glory, Networkis edgy, brilliant work done by filmmakers at the height of their powers. Here’s to hoping that on Oscar night, the Academy rewards Network for being the best film of the year, awards be damned.

COURTESY PHOTOS

CMYK

sportsPage Six Monday, February 7, 2011Pine LogThe

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By Mandy BowlingAssistAnt sports Editor

SFA Lumberjack basket-ball took on the McNeese Cowboys at Johnson Coliseum Saturday night. The Cowboys retained the top spot of the SLC standings before the Lumberjacks took that away.

After McNeese scored in the first 20 seconds, they continued to try and take control of the game, but SFA stuck with it and held their own. The first half was a little tough for the Jacks as they had multiple turnovers and the Cowboys continuously made many three-pointers. Houston junior Jereal Scott was a big asset to the Jacks in the game, getting many re-bounds and being the lead-ing scorer at the end of the first half.

Coming back into the game down by six after halftime, a technical foul was called against SFA’s Shawnee soph-omore Antonio Bostic for mouthing off. That seemed to be enough for the Jacks, because after that they began to sneak up on the Cowboys, fighting with all they had. Seven minutes into the sec-ond half, the Jacks took the lead for the first time in the game.

SFA won the second half on hustle plays, outscor-ing the Cowboys, 15-4, in second-chance buckets and posting an 8-4 edge in points off turnovers.

As the clock ran down, and the score got tighter, every-one could feel the intensity from the fans as well as the players on the court. Five minutes left in the game, the score was tied and SFA was

looking much stronger. The Jacks took advantage of the Cowboys missed shots, re-bounded each opportunity, and let the clock run down until the final buzzer was heard and the Jacks win 65-50.

Saturday’s win continued a strong home record against teams from the SLC stand-ings. SFA is now 17-1 in home games against competition and has won 15 consecu-tive matchups in Johnson Coliseum.

SFA travels to Nicholls on Feb. 9 to take on the Colonels. The Jacks haven’t won in Thibodaux, La., since the 2004-05 season. The game against the Colonels is set to start at 6:30 p.m.

abowilng@thepinelog.com

Lumberjacks lasso Cowboys 65-50

The Ladyjack’s four game win streak came to an end on Saturday as first-place McNeese State picked up a 68-66 win in overtime.

SFA got two free throws from Tammara Marion with just 6.1 seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into over-time. The Ladyjacks jumped out to a 64-60 lead after the first two possessions in the extra frame. The Cowgirls answered with six straight points and with just under 12 sec-onds remaining to seal the win.

Free throws moved SFA into overtime but also proved to be the Ladyjacks’ demise with SFA hitting just 15-for-26 from the free throw stripe for the game. Marion led all Ladyjacks with 14 points, despite being hounded de-fensively all afternoon. Jordan Ford made it into double figures for the fifth straight game with 12 points, and Decreasha Goodner fin-ished with 11 points off the bench. Toni Davis led all rebounders with a season-high 10 boards.

The Cowgirls did not take the lead until the 12:52 mark of the second half on a three-point play from Markita Hull, but managed to keep the lead for nearly the rest of regula-tion. The Ladyjacks never trailed by less than 6 points, and when Caitlyn Baggett missed a pair of free throws that would have put McNeese up six points, it gave SFA the op-portunity it needed.

The Ladyjacks trailed only after the first bucket of the game, using a 10-0 run that started with a three-point play from Amina Sawyer and ended with a triple from Cheyenne Berry at the 15:13 mark of the first half. Both Ashlyn and Caitlyn Baggett man-aged to keep it close for the Cowgirls, bring-ing McNeese back to within four points with under two minutes remaining in the half, but Decreasha Goodner forced a steak and finished with a left hand on a breakaway to give SFA some added momentum heading into the break.

SFA falls to Cowgirls In overtime 68-66With the intense victory over McNeese Saturday night, SFA moves to 13-7 overall and 4-4 in Southland play. The Cowboys fall to 13-8 on the year and 5-3 against the league.

Cody deroueN/The pINe Log

Toni davis led all players with 10 rebounds in Saturday’s tough loss at McNeese State.ThoMAS MoTykA/The pINe Log