T H E S T U 0' "e ,N T 0 P I N I 0 N P U B L I C A T I 0 N Spirit ~\..SO INs~, ()~ 116ter!JoiJrd£ ' ll/p- I t s not 0 Camp., ~ c. _ nearly .. -s .t.un as . as p Jt sounds . ages 12 &13 Students impact campus/ pages 4, 5, 7, 10 U7D in Perspective UT Systems student regent looks . back on hl S time at UTD Pages 8 &9 • $ U M M E R. 2 0 0.9 • , V .0 J.., U M :e , .5 -.. , .•... .. I S S U, E • • 8 , ' •. A .M .P• •• U ;r, 0 . A .I.. L .A .s. E. 0 U , • • , , • • • • • , 2 THE EDITORS DESK < < < < < <', ~ •• " hhaha is ste~ng au tn~ at- ', ' 1' al~trated than all the:C~t)l~1ic )?r<?. .. · : ', ·: • · .. ~ :; m what is·othefWiSe a :gJ:.~~tJSS\!~· ' : n;nd·J'n\'willing .. tention ~.ro . l dU kAMPhas ever run,.... · Th.iS'is one thebest arttcles: . n. they want if it appeaM in the .t.. :int whatever ,offenstve JlOt;lSense.. ,. -,.C. • t ; to let wem pr . Even the artWork ts mag~cen . d sari'te issue· as -stuff1ike , t\\J~. , . ·a.": ' ·ariicleswere-thoughtful,un · v , Saras an .n.arons ·.t. I also thought;n.enn.ys~ ·· 1 • ::td neverblwecomeup\Wl~u .1 . L h~-nrovoking. 1 wow. more irtlportanuy, I.U.Oug > 1'• ' , ' all ood' . • • some of those ~~ents, but ~ey ~e t: ~·tha~ AMP:for:a great issue~ th ks Art, for a great story, . Anyway, · a.n · • · · •1-u"'"rs·ge· t the spotlight. · · u 'et the contrttJ w Maybe next.WU~J'? "' · · · · · · · · . frY e"post No.2 , • . H: a1d' the Decline _o ~tscpurs " . • " ,AMP Fan, ·'~lie Hprsem~ er. , • , . In last month's issue we ran :a story by Richard Badgett h. h . d tmporta.nr factual inaccuracy. · . W 1a contatne an . ~e ori~na1 artiC!e, You Dirty Rat: intorrectly dai~ed that -~ 9- ear o~d g:trlm Bra2il was excommuiUcated for having an abortion 'Tt. -t . .y; . 1h · 1 · · . · .tna. 1s .nor tme. e gtr m questtO,n was never excommunicated only' her moth " d d AM d t p 1 . ' ~r ,.n actors. ~ es roposa apo1 ogtzes for this mistake. We take genuine ride . the qu~ty and accuracy of the articles we present. p m Send iil your <?r~~n:al . s~qries, qp~tliQJ1s, ·ai~or~~ :ana mystical treatises ol?- ac~i:e~ng enlighte?ment ;t~ [email protected]'and you can be as fat and happy a? this ·guy! · ·> ... ·> ~end your submissions amodes~propos~~g!-llail.c:9_g1_ A MODEST PROPOSAL CONTENTS 3 In 7his Issue. • • CAMPU S LIF E Torture Modest Intentions The Cowardice of"Bravery" 4 BY ART ZACHARY AMP's Journey from 1 all the way to 11 BY LIAM SKOYLES SPEAK Your Mind Recycle Money 5 It aiti't easy-being green, but it's A student organization takes fun and rewarding on ;voter apathy · BY CONNIE KAO BY MEGA"4 NEWMAN AND DINA SHAHROKHI GLOBAL POLITICS 6 So Long Suckers UTD's meager offerings drive current and potential students Avast, Ye Readers! Somalian Pirates arrr romantic atten­ BY JESSICA HUSEMAN tion grabbers and scary BY ALICE POST Trash The Current Plan 7 Lack ofresources, not support, ARTS & LEISURE hampering UTD recycling BY LINDSAY BERNSEN Hollywood Heroes How TV and movies will fix the crisis 8 UTD In Perspective BY ALEX GAR.CIA TOPETE Where orange and green fits into , the color spectrum? The Spin Cycle BY BEN DOWER 17 Bat for Lashes and Akron/Family 10 Financial Leadership Association BY KAITLIN BUTLER Collaboration with experienced peers gives UTD business students a leg up The Menu BY VINCE TRAN This month: Twisted Root BY BRADY SPENRATH SOCIAL COMMENTARY Caption Contest & Comics II The Truth OfThe Matter Mediating the mistakes ofa misguided media PU ZZLES & G A M ES BY MATT WADE 20 Puzzles P~ge 12 Torture Department of (In)Justice Memos 22 The Uranus BY ~ILLY EASLEY Cover design by jordon bawra, sarah hutto and mac hi rd. Uranus cover design by liam skoyles. Contents images by jeffrey miranda 4 • AMP's journey from 1 all the way to 11 described, "We had high standards for writing, and no standards for opin~on." They also felt that any ii ... paper relying on advertising revenue for its existence 'We had high stan~ards for .. .. would never be truly free to print controversial ideas, writing, and no standards for s~ they decided to make the paper ad-free and freely by liam skoyles available to students. ltsOJJ()()()@utdallas.edu • There were real questions about the viability ----op1n1on.' ,'' of such a philosophy, though: how could AMP A Modest Proposal is about to pass the threshold ensure that it cover issues important to students, With our incorporation into the Student Media of maturity wherein the organization outlives its consistently fill its pages, or exist as a publication department AMP has reached a real milestone; it is original members. While not a founding member without income?' The founders of AMP, though, now more difficult for the paper to die than for us to of AMP I've contributed to all but two issues and were confident that students would write about the continue publishing. For ytars too much of our time feel that I am in a unique position to talk about the same issues they would want to read, that UTD had at AMP was spent fighting to ensuring the continued history of AMP before I graduate at the end of this enough intelligent, well-spoken students to fill the existence of the paper. This meant we were unable to semester. Like all organizations, AMP is a direct writing demand, and they had faith that this kind of fully dedicate ourselves to the creation of the best reflection of the quality of the people associated publication would become an integral part ofUTD. issues possible. Now, with institutional backing, we with it, and I would like this piece to be a testament They were right. are beginning to produce what the founders originally to the many people who have made AMP w]lat it is With each passing semester, more students read, envisioned: an established opinion publication that today. write, edit, design, and contribute to AMP. We can print submissions without fear .of repercussion AMP was created in late 2004- by a small group have outgrown our ad-hoc funding and informal or censorship. of students who thought campus needed a more editor selections by incor~orating ourselves into AMP also knows alumni often look online first to prominent forum for student opinioqs. At the time the Student Media department. Our editors are find connections with their alma mater. We want ~o 1he Mercury whose 'policies have since changed, appointed through a rigorous process, and.we receive cater to the growing group of students who will look determined which story each "staff writer" covered student-fee money to produce our publication. to AMP to stay in touch with UTD. and required writers to commit to producing Despite the transformation of AMP. as a lasting The future of AMP is bright. 'Student Media at multiple articles. That made sense for a traditional campus institution, we have stayed true to the UTD has matured into a force to be reckoned with. campus newspaper but left little space for students founding beliefs of t~e. - paper: Contributors are We are in the design stages for a new suite that will to publish their opinions. Students had to serve a free to write about whatever piques their interest, finally unifY the various parts of Student Media (The lengthy stint as a staff writer to earn the right to there are still no obligations, and, most importantly, M ercury, Radio UTD and AMP). have their opinions published, and even then the articles are judged solely on the strength of their AMP has become an essential part of campus. content was scrutinized. writing without regard to their opinion. We are still, Students rely on us not only to publish their opinions The founders of AMP decided student opinions and will forever be, free from the burden of catering but also to expose them to ideas they may not come deserved a better outlet. They begged and pleaded to advertising when dealing with controversial across elsewhere. For five years, AMP has worked to for just enough startup money to go to press for a opinions. establish its place on campus. We have our fans and semester. The first issues were produced in a cramped AMP has also become a real online presence in our critics, but few can deny AMP works to amplify Waterview bedroom with gallons ofcoffee, borrowed recent years. Our web traffic has grown exponentially­ the voices of the students, and this is something I hope computers, and illegally downloaded software. and the forums are filled with comments after every will always be a part ofUTD, my alma mater. • As underground as a newspaper could possibly be, issue. AMP extends its defense of free speech into AMP defiantly printed controversial articles about the digital realm, ensuring no comment will ever be polit.ics, campus, and :;ocial issues. Contri~utors ' deleted, altered or banned in any ~ay. could submit whehever ~hdy wanted without 'any '· • · obligations and were free to wrl.te about any topiC. ,Articles were judged solely on their writing style rather than the opinion they espoused. As AMP Founder Bobby Janecka Liam SJuryles has bem with liMP through more than a tlo:un etlittm, · four tlijftrmt offices, and two presitknts, buJ he rtill (IJn't ¥tl From humble beginnings, AMP hu grown into a vibrant, indispensable part of student life.