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NEWS
15th Street

@15thStreetNews

Volume XLV

@15thStreetNews

February 26, 2016

Issue 10

NEWS BRIEFS
Photo by Kelsey Morgan

by Christian Tabak
Assistant Editor

Oklahoma Supreme Court Upholds

Controversial Abortion Law
The Oklahoma Supreme Court voted to
uphold a controversial 2014 state law
that restricts the use of abortion-inducing drugs. The law prohibits off-label
use of abortion drugs by requiring them
to be administered only according to
guidelines set forth by the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration. Abortion rights
groups challenged the law as restrictive
of womens reproductive rights as well
as less effective. The FDA guidelines require that women take the medication in
higher doses than typically prescribed,
visit three times with a doctor and
prevent them from taking the medication after the seventh week. Aside from
the restrictive nature of the guidelines,
medical experts have asserted that the
higher dosages increase the chance of
side effects and reduce the efficacy of
the pills.

Apple Resists FBI Order to Hack San

Bernardino Terrorists iPhone
Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook
launched an appeal against an order
issued by the FBI to have the technology
company create a backdoor for one of
the iPhones used by the San Bernardino terrorists. The iPhone in question
was used by Syed Rizwan Farook, one
of the two individuals responsible for 14
deaths in a mass shooting Dec. 2, 2015,
in San Bernardino, California. The FBI
claimed the phone may provide answers
to several questions regarding the shootHillary Clinton : 47.6
ing, but Apple argued that the government is overstepping its boundaries
Hillary Clinton : 47.6
regarding consumer privacy and security. If Apple continues to fight against the
mandate, the appeal is expected to go all
the way to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals before a decision can be reached.

Many oil rigs in Oklahoma have been shut down because of drops in Oklahomas economy.

Quakey State: Fracking in Oklahoma

by Becca Stokes
Online Editor

Downfalls, benefits of oil fracking

Since 2009, there has been a dramatic

increase in earthquakes in the central and
eastern United States. In Oklahoma, these
earthquakes are prominent around the central
and northern parts of the state.
More than 200 magnitude 3.0 or greater
earthquakes have shaken Oklahoma since
2009. According to the United States Geological Survey, one to three 3.0 magnitude
or greater earthquakes occurred yearly from
1975 to 2008. This rose significantly to an
average of 40 earthquakes per year from 2009
to mid-2013.
This increase included the largest earthquake recorded in Oklahoma, which was a 5.6

magnitude that occurred near Prague Nov. 5,

2011. It has been interpreted that this activity
is related to the process of fracking and wastewater injection.
Fracking is shorthand for hydraulic fracturing, which involves the process of drilling
a mile or more into shale formations before
gradually turning horizontal and continuing
its path. This creates a well that, after it is
safely drilled, cased and cemented, has small
holes in the horizontal pipe through which
a mixture of water and sand is pumped at a
high pressure that creates small fractures in
the rock that are held open by sand.
Fracking has provided access to an alternate

See FRACKING, Page 2

Current 2016 Presidential Standings

Ted Cruz : 20.6
Ted Cruz : 20.6

Clinton
47.8

Sanders
42

Cruz
20.6
Bernie Sanders : 42

Rubio
16
8.6

Marco Rubio : 16

Kasich

John Kasich : 8.6

Hillary Clinton

Donald Trump :

Donald Trump :

Bernie Sanders : 42

Marco Rubio : 16

Bernie Sanders

Trump
34.2

Donald Trump
meta-chart.com

John Kasich : 8.6

Ben Carson

6.6
Carson

Ben Carson : 6.6

Ben Carson : 6.6

John Kasich

Marco Rubio

Ted Cr

meta-c

Community

February 26, 2016

NEWS BRIEFS
by Christian Tabak
Assistant Editor

Oklahoma Education Committee Passes

Bill to Reform High School Testing
A bill that would eliminate Oklahomas
end-of-instruction tests in high schools
passed the states Education Committee and is on track to be reviewed by
the Oklahoma State Senate as early
as next week. Proposed by Sen. John
Ford, R-Bartlesville, the bill would allow
individual school districts to determine
which assessment would best address
the needs of each districts student
body. Currently, high school students
are required to pass four-out-of-seven
end-of-instruction exams in order to
graduate, regardless of their grades prior
to the examinations. The new bill is expected to reduce education costs as well
as reduce stress on students, who are
often required to take more than three of
the exams in one year.

Obama Introduces Proposal to Shut

Down Guantanamo Bay
President Barack Obama called for the
closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility located in Cuba and has presented a proposal to Congress. Coming
seven years after his original promise
to close down the detention facility, the
proposal involves transferring a majority
of the 91 detainees to other countries
and securing the remainder in another
U.S. detention facility. Republicans have
already voiced their opposition to the
move by citing laws that prevent detained terrorists from being transferred
to U.S. soil and arguing that the transfer of detainees would create a major
security risk. While a detention facility
has yet to be selected for the transfer,
the Pentagon has identified 13 different
facilities and are in the process of choosing which facility would be most suitable
for the project.

Join The Oklahoma City Museum of

Art For Omelettes and RocknRoll
The Oklahoma City Museum of Art is
hosting its 32nd Omelette Party fundraiser
at 7 p.m. March 4 at the Chevy Bricktown
Events Center. The event features gourmet
egg dishes prepared by famous local chefs,
live music and an art raffle featuring the
works of more than 50 local artists. Tickets cost $100 for museum members and
$125 for non-members. Tickets can be
ordered in advance at 236-3100. All proceeds benefit the Oklahoma City Museum
of Art.

Momentum 2016 will take place at the Plow in Bricktown, showcasing several amateur artists work.

Photo courtesy of Momentum 2016

Momentum to spotlight local artists under 30

by Michelle Rojano
News Editor
The annual Momentum art show displaying
artwork created by young Oklahoma artists will take place March 4-5 at the Plow in
Bricktown.
Exhibiting art as well as film, live performances and more, the event is meant to help
artists age 30 and under become known within the community as well as encourage the
appreciation of art.
The spotlight artists for this event are Klair
Larson, Haley Prestifilippo and Gloria Shows.
These artists not only received monetary help
to create art but also received three months
of artistic guidance from guest curators.
Spotlight artists are selected months before
the event and given $2,000 to create art exclusively for the next Momentum event. These
spotlight artists are featured through highlighted displays and performances throughout the event.
Not all the art shown will be only from spotlight artists. The event portrays the creations
of several local artists who were chosen by
guest curators as the best out of hundreds of
submissions.
Former Rose State College student Randall Barnes will be part of the event planning

committee. In previous years, art from an

RSC student has been displayed and sold at
Momentum.
The event is not only great for entertainment but also for art collectors.
There are about 80 pieces of art on display.
Certain pieces of art may be purchased at the
venue, depending on the artist. The website
for the event shows previews of the work from
the spotlight artists.
Aside from March 4-5, there will be free
gallery nights from 2 to 7 p.m. March 6-7 and
artists will be at the venue to talk about their
art before ending the event at 7 p.m.
For more information on applying, volunteering or joining the organization, visit www.
MomentumOklahoma.org. The application
and selection of spotlight artists and artwork
begins early in the year, so it is recommended
that artists interested in being a part of the
event begin looking into the event as soon as
possible.
Tickets for the show can be purchased at
the door for $15 or can be reserved in advance for $10 by calling the Oklahoma Visual
Arts Coalition at 879-2400.

FRACKING continued from Page 1

source of fuel. Until renewable energy is better

developed and accessible for everyone, this
alternate source of fuel will buy some time.
However, fracking also uses largest amounts
of water. According to Chesapeake Energy, the
initial drilling operation could use 6,000 to
60,000 gallons of fracking mixture.
The oil and gas companies will tell you
that there is little to no risk of contamination
to drinking water because they securely seal
the aquifers. That said, however, there are
chances for things to not go as planned and a
potential of contamination of drinking water,
said Environmental Science Professor Daniel
Ratcliff.
Despite all this, fracking is not considered
the cause of this increase in earthquakes.
According to the USGS, fracking is only directly involved in a small percentage of seismic
activity.
It is not each individual frack well per se,
because each individual frack well is put under pressure for short durations and not as
high of a pressure. Its the disposal of those
millions and billions of gallons of frack fluid
and production fluid from all of the wells,
Ratcliff said.
These wells that hold all this fluid are also
known as Class II underground injection
wells. They take any fluid related to oil and
gas drilling, including frack wastewater. The

oil and gas industry uses injection wells to

dispose of the highly salty water from the ancient seas that have preceded in the Oklahoma area, chemicals, heavy metals and radioactive material.
Things get pumped down more into those
regularly. And so there you have a consistent
process going on rather than a very short
term, said Geology Professor Eric Johnson.
Fracking has been a technique to extract
resources since the 1940s.
However, new techniques such as horizontal
drilling, which was developed in the 1990s,
has led to more fluid needing to be disposed
of. The larger amounts of fluid in recent years
are the likely cause of the increase in earthquakes.
It decreased the amount of fracking fluid
they have in their production water, so they
have a higher volume of disposal fluid they
have to take care, Ratcliff said.
Johnson also mentioned that its possible
there are faults deeper below than what was
previously recorded. If they exist, it is possible
that the wells are interacting with these deep
faults.
Theres no definitive answer currently for
what is causing the earthquakes. In order to
access this source of fuel, it is beneficial for oil
and gas companies to continue these fracking
procedures.

February 26, 2016

News
Titanic II delays voyage to 2018
dy Gibbons, a possible Titanic II passenger.
The new ship is almost identical to the
original but it includes modern technology
for navigation and safety. This includes more
lifeboats, satellite controls and digital navigation among many other updates.
The original Titanic was 883 feet long and
175 feet high. The new ship is 882 feet long
and 100 feet high. Though the new ships
length and height are smaller, it will be a few
meters wider than the original ship to supply
additional stability.
Titanic II is maintaining the same Turkish
and Edwardian look and feel as the original
ship.
The grand staircase will be one of the
many identical features the two ships share.
In addition, Titanic II will include identical first-class suites, dining rooms, smoking
rooms, poolrooms and other amenities.
Even though the two ships share many
features, the new ship is estimated to cost
$426 million more than the original.
Some eager passengers have already
expressed willingness to pay $1 million per
ticket, according to CNBC.
Palmer plans to keep class system the
same as it was in the twentieth century. Including first-, second- and third-class dining
rooms. Also, first-class travelers will be separated from the other classes.
Tickets are not yet available for purchase.
Ticketing information, voyage dates and prices will be posted on bluestarline.com.au.

GRILL & FROZEN TREATS

Photo courtesy of Chris Martin

by Rya Underwood
Staff Writer
Titanic II delayed setting sail, and it will
not be ready until 2018.
The ship is currently being built in Jiangsu, China.
The replica of the ill-fated ship was supposed to set sail this year. The ship was
originally going to keep the same maiden
voyage as the Titanic, but it will now set sail
in Jiangsu and land in Dubai.
The Titanic twin is a creation of billionaire
Clive Palmer and the shipping company Blue
Star Line.
Why build the Titanic? Why go to the
moon? Why do the Yankees play the Red
Socks? Why did Christopher Columbus discover the Americas? Because they could, and
I can, and we can build the Titanic, Palmer
said.
The original Titanic, known as the ship of
dreams, set sail April 1912 in Southampton, England. It was destined to land in New
York.
Five days into the maiden voyage the ship
hit an iceberg estimated at 300 feet long and
100 feet above water.
More than 1,500 people died in the Titanic
tragedy, with only 706 survivors.
Palmer and Blue Star Line received many
supporters and positive feedback, but some
people have questioned if building the replica
is insensitive to the lives lost of the Titanic.
I dont think its insensitive, I think its
fascinating that people will get to experience
the wonders of the Titanic again, said Wen-

Chris Grill sells homemade burgers, fries, onion rings and various ice cream items.

Food truck take over

by Christian Tabak
Assistant Editor

Chris Martin never saw himself operating a

burger and frozen dessert food truck, but after
getting hold of a truck to expand the reach of
his ice cream cart business he has found himself right at home behind the grill.
The reason I chose to do burgers and grilled
items is very simple: the truck that I bought
had a grill on it. I have had to add my fry
equipment, but a burger just tastes better with
fresh cut fries, Martin said.
Now in its third month of operation, Chris
Grill and Frozen Treats has picked up a decent following and joined a growing number of
popular food truck vendors across the state.
The bacon cheeseburger is probably my
biggest seller, and fresh cut french fries or onion rings are such a unique treat they almost
always accompany the burgers, Martin said.
The food truck business has exploded across
the U.S. over the past five years and there is
no sign of it dying down anytime soon, according to a report from consumer research organization IBIS.
In the short time I have been open I am
very encouraged by the business, Martin said.
When I am expecting a large rush or crowd I
always try to have a helper to keep the lines
moving quickly.
From traditional food cart fare like burgers
and hotdogs to mobile pizzerias and bakeries,
Oklahomas food trucks offer a wide variety of
meals and tastes. Even vegan meals.
The Loaded Bowl, Oklahomas only whole
food and vegan food truck, opened in 2013
and has been surprised to see that its varied
menu has a broader appeal than owner Tevin
Grupe expected.

The Loaded Bowl has always been a small

operation, but our customer base has been
growing like crazy over the past couple of
years, he said.
This increase in customer base has been so
great that the food truck recently began plans
for a restaurant in the Farmers Market District of Oklahoma City so as to meet the increased demand.
The Farmers Market District is also the location of the recently constructed Bleu Garten
food truck court, an open venue that features
a rotating selection of food trucks daily and attracts hundreds of local community members.
Following Bleu Gartens success, community and council members in Midwest City have
begun clamoring for the opportunity to create
something similar.
I think a dedicated food court like Bleu
Garten or a festival like the defunct H & 8th
in Eastern Oklahoma County would be great,
Martin said.
But while city officials have updated the
zoning ordinances to allow for a food truck
court, local business have yet to jump at the
prospect.
Until then, Martins food truck can be found
at locations across Midwest City and Oklahoma City as he supplies his burgers and considers updating his menu.
I have just recently introduced homemade
egg rolls onto the truck. If their initial success
is sustained I may have to alter my concept,
Martin said.
To see where Martins food truck is from
day-to-day, like his page, Chris Grill and
Frozen Treats, on Facebook.

NEWS BRIEFS
by Christian Tabak
Assistant Editor

China to Relocate 9,100 people for

Worlds Largest Telescope

China announced plans for the construction of a 500-meter radio telescope that
would have the ability to detect radio
signals from as far away as tens of billions
of light years. But the project requires
the relocation of more than 9,000 people
to make space for the massive structure.
While small compared to the 1.2 million
who were relocated for the Three Gorges Dam, the move is estimated to have a
significantly higher cost than the 12,000
yuan being offered to each family as compensation. The $185 million project is expected to be completed by September and,
once complete, will surpass the Arecibo
Observatory in Puerto Rico as the largest
radio telescope.

Womens Leadership Scholarship

Now Open

RSCs annual Womens Leadership Initiative Scholarship is now accepting

applications for the 2016 Womens Leadership Conference held March 25. This
years theme is Women and Education
and applicants are required to submit a
minimum 15-slide presentation on the
theme. Requirements for eligibility are that
applicants are female students currently
enrolled or enrolled in the fall semester,
have at least a 3.0 GPA and must be enrolled in at least six credit hours for the
fall. The submission deadline is March 21.
For more information, contact Professor
of History Michelle Brockmeier at mbrockmeier@rose.edu.

Author Harper Lee Dead at 89

Harper Lee, best known for the classic
novel To Kill a Mockingbird and its recent sequel, Go Set a Watchman, passed
away at the age of 89 in her hometown of
Monroeville, Alabama. Despite her expectations of a modest reception, To Kill a
Mockingbird sold more than 1.1 million
copies in its first week, remained on the
New York Times best-seller list for more
than 98 weeks and won Lee the 1961
Pulitzer Prize. The story followed the experience of a young girl in the American
South during the depression as her lawyer
father represented an African-American
farmhand falsely accused of rape. Dealing
with issues of racism and justice through
the eyes of a young child, the novel not
only captured the hearts of readers but
helped influence a national dialogue on
Civil Rights. Students at the University
of Alabama began a petition to rename a
campus building in her honor rather than
after former Sen. John Tyler Morgan, who
had been a leader of the Ku Klux Klan.

February 26, 2016

Raider Life/News

by Christian Tabak
Assistant Editor
and
Becca Stokes
Online Editor

Campus Chat

Who has your vote in the presidential election?

Steve Carano,
Geosciences Coordinator

Kayla Barr,
Pre-Med Major

I want a candidate
that will follow the Constitution. This person
has a mess to clean up!
The future of the country likely demands it.

As for now, I think

Im going to vote for
Bernie Sanders.

Gabriella Gonzalez,
Graduation Services Work
Study

Voting for the Bernie

man for 2016!!

Cynthia Richards,
Graduation Services
Administrative Assistant

Undecided until the

primary. Trying to make
a decision now is
impossible.

Mark Tippin,
Dean of Business
Information Technology

As of today, I am
leaning towards
Bernie Sanders for the
next president.

Interviewees also responded Republican candidate Donald Trump and

Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton but wished to remain anonymous.

*Editors note:

OKC Zoo elephants necropsy results verify cause of death

by Sarah Hite
Staff Writer

The Oklahoma City Zoo released the necropsy results on the

37-year-old Asian elephant that died in late January. Chai the Elephant was found dead in her habitat in the OKC Zoo on Jan. 30.
Some groups are calling Chais death an unnecessary tragedy.
Her death was unexpected. Zoo staff reported Chai was behaving
normally. The initial necropsy found no obvious signs of death, aside
from a slightly thin body, and tissue results were sent to an independent lab. Further examination found a systemic bacterial infection,
considered non-contagious. The independent examination supported
the initial results, concluding a significant loss in body fat.
Animal activists are calling for the closure of the elephant exhibit at
the OKC Zoo in response to Chais death and the death of the 4-yearold elephant, Malee, which occurred Oct. 1, 2015.
Chai and Bamboo, two Asian Elephants, were moved from Seattles
Woodland Park Zoo to OKC in May last year. They were transferred
because Woodland Park faced complaints about the inhumane conditions of the elephant exhibit.
It was debated on whether to send the pair to an accredited sanctuary or to the OKC Zoo. The decision to transfer the elephants faced
protests from animal rights groups pushing strongly for a transfer to
a sanctuary.
The average life expectancy for Asian elephants is about 60-70 years
in the wild. The median life expectancy for Asian elephants in captivity is about 47 years. Chai was 37 years old when she died.
The Woodland Park Zoo officials chose the OKC Zoo among 32 options because of its $13 million state-of-the-art facility.
Opponents of the transfer favored sanctuary because of the space
available for the elephants to roam. In response to these concerns, the
OKC Zoo addressed the collaboration between itself, Woodland Park
Zoo and a network of elephant welfare experts. It concluded the most
important resource that supports elephant welfare is a natural social
environment.
Female Asian elephants live in multi-generational, matriarchal
herds. No sanctuary is able to provide Chai and Bamboo with a
multi-generational herd, Woodland Park Zoo stated in a press release.
The OKC Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquar-

iums, and OKC Zoo works to support and generate funding for elephant conservation projects and protecting habitats. The association
works to connect communities with wildlife.
About two months after the transfer, The United States Department
of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service publicly released a routine inspection report performed July 22, 2015, outlining
four instances of noncompliance, one of which referenced the sanitation of the elephant exhibit.
According to the report, at the time of the inspection there were
rodent droppings near the elephant food preparation area. The USDA
APHIS gave the OKC Zoo until the next day to correct the citation.
In response to Chais death, the Friends of the Woodland Park Zoo
Elephants filed a complaint with the USDA to investigate. Alyne Fortgang, of Friends of Woodland Park Zoo Elephants, advocated for Chai
and Bamboo to be sent to a sanctuary. She has said it is impossible
to completely rule out the possibility that the Seattle elephants played
a role in Malees death. Chai was exposed to Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpes Virus (EEHV) early in her life and was likely a carrier.
The OKC Zoo began considering a testing system that would yield
quicker treatment in the future, the EEHV virus took hold of Malee
too rapidly to save her. With another young elephant in the herd, the
keepers maintain vigilance for the warning signs.
The Seattle elephants did not bring this virus to us. This particular strain was already here, said OKC Zoo Veternarian Dr. Jennifer
DAgostino.
It has been determined that the EEHV virus is not what killed Chai.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals released a statement
concerning Chais death. After contacting PETA, Jaimie Schwartz,
communications special projects manager, stated the organization
had no further comment at this time.
In an unrelated circumstance, Dr. Marion Garai of the Elephant
Specialist Advisory Group, issued statements explaining the welfare
concerns of removing elephants from the wild.
Of course the zoos need elephants to generate income through
more visitors, as they have clearly admitted, Garai said via email.
This is an issue about money and not about the elephants and one
wonders why they asked for public comment in the first place?
My personal opinion is that wild elephants do not belong into a
zoo. Most zoos are inappropriate for the varied social structure and
behaviour of elephants. There are very few zoos which can offer them
more or less adequate facilities and only zoo born elephant should be
kept in breeding herds, including males, said Garai.
There are numerous concerns over the involvement, or lack thereof,
of the OKC Zoo in Chais death. Reports indicated that the OKC Zoo
asked for further investigation to determine if Chai had an underlying disease or chronic issue. The results may take several weeks for
complete analysis.

Hoaxmaps efforts to extinguish

speculation of migrants

Photo courtesy of politico.com

Political

Politics

Marco Rubio holds third place in the polls since the Iowa Caucus Feb. 1.

Rubio criticized by news stations

regarding age
by Rya Underwood
Staff Writer
The United States law prohibits any person under the age of 35 to
be eligible to run for president.
But a candidate only a decade older than the minimum requirement is sparking concern in some voters.
The idea that age brings wisdom and maturity is what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they spelled it out in the Constitution, reported USA Today.
Rubio will be 45 in May, putting him just 10 years above the required age. Although Rubio meets the age requirements to run for
president, he is one of the youngest candidates in the race.
Even though Rubios age sparked controversy, if he were elected he
would not be the youngest president. Theodore Roosevelt was sworn
in at only 42 years old. John F. Kennedy was the second youngest
president and was elected at 43 years old.
Citizens oftentimes consider a candidates age when deciding for
whom to vote.
Some people are concerned Rubios age may negatively impact his
role as president because he is not old enough to have the experience or wisdom a leader needs to run a country, while others see
Rubios age as a positive aspect because they think he will be able to
better relate with the people and be more open for change.
I think age is less of a factor in comparison to experience, said
Lacey Pagel, a registered Republican.
A study conducted by The Quantitative Peace posted by Ben Farrer in 2014 showed citizens who want to see change in the country
tend to vote for a younger candidate. The study also indicated that
voters who want to see continuity within the country tend to vote for
an older candidate.
I dont think age matters, unless theyre really old like Bernie
Sanders, said Shirlee Kapella, owner and CEO of Kapella Tax Service Inc.
Rubio expressed his youthfulness allows him to be in touch with
the modern world. Thus, making him more aware of the wants and
needs of this generation.
The time has come to turn the page and allow a new generation of
leadership into this country, Rubio said.
Many citizens think there needs to be dramatic change in the
White House, and Rubio might be the solution.
Other citizens think Rubios conservative values may prevent him
from being open to changes the people want to see happen in America.
It seems Rubios talk about being in touch may have had an
impact on Iowan voters. During the Iowa Caucuses, Rubio impressed
his opponents by ranking in third place with 23 percent. This was
only 1 percent below Donald Trump.
Though Rubio had impressive scores in Iowa, it seemed the people
of New Hampshire may have a different opinion. Rubio came in third
place in the New Hampshire primaries, with only 10 percent.
Rubio hopes to regain his voters as he prepares for Super Tuesday
March 1.

by Sarah Hite
Staff Writer
Karolin Schwarz and Lutz Helm confronted online media falsifications by creating HoaxMap Feb. 8. The focus was to dispel rumors
about migrants and the relation to increased crime rates. The map
was released online, as well as by hoaxmap.org. The map pin-points
exact locations where criminal activity was said to have taken place.
The map shows the local crime reports involving migrants in Germany, showing local crime reports involving migrants. The country is
one of many that is currently under a refugee crisis. Such a dramatic influx has prompted fear from some Germans.
There are more than 200 rumors. Public fear is charted on a visual
plane, allowing viewers to form a new opinion concerning information-gathering through social media. The pins provide a description,
accompanied by completed police investigations proving the falsehood of the alleged crimes. Reports range from vandalism and property damage to rape and sexual assault.
Currently, there is no statistical evidence to support a correlation
between migrants and increased crime.
Saeed Mirzaee, the executive chef at the University of Central
Oklahoma, is an immigrant from Iran. He left his country to escape
an oppressive regime and further his education in America more
than 35 years ago. He attended Rose State before transferring to
University of Central Oklahoma and completing his degree in industrial technology.
In 1979, I left Iran because of the regime change. Iran was a
disaster but not many people wanted to leave Iran. Their heritage
was there; their husbands were in Iran and their families were there
I got the last seat on the plane out of Abadan, Iran, to America. I
was the only Iranian on the plane, most were American people there
because of the oil, Mirzaee said. 2
Mirzaee went on to discuss the hardships of assimilation and moving to a new country.
The hardest part about being away from my home was the culture. The different dialects were difficult to understand, he said. All
the language and rules were difficult to pick up. I knew too many
people that came here and said, I cant stay. They want to go back
to Iran because it is so difficult here. I knew people who threatened
suicide rather than face the assimilation and harsh judgment in
America.
Social media has perpetuated a historical fear and has gone viral
with reported incidents. Users do not necessarily validate the authenticity of a source before sharing it or passing it along.
Since the middle of last year, were witnessing an increasing
trend of rumours about asylum seekers going viral ranging from
[migrants] poaching swans to desecrating graves. Those stories are
collected here, wrote Schwarz on Hoaxmap.
The map faced criticism for not including accurate events among
the inaccurate. By not addressing the relationship between factual
news and rumors, Hoaxmap is considered vulnerable. The concession of true crimes compared to the false accusations could create
a foil that demonstrates both negative and positive aspects of social
medias influence.
The anonymity online allowed users to express extreme ideas produced from malice. Schwarz confronted the anonymity with Hoaxmap.

Photo courtesy of Google Maps

February 26, 2016

Maps such as these allow Hoaxmap to disprove false correlations between migrant influxes and crime activity.

Features

February 26, 2016

Students interested
in travelling!

Passport program offers students

way to travel while earning college
credit and cash

Indias ban on Facebooks Free Basics program hinders efforts to break down virtual barriers around the world.

Facebook misfortune: Indias ban on

program to open Internet access
by Christian Tabak
Assistant Editor
Facebooks quest to connect globally was put on hold in India after
the Indian government banned its
Free Basics program for limiting
Internet access rather than expanding it.
Citing how the service provides
access to only a limited collection
of Internet services, the Telecom
Regulatory Authority of India ruled
that the service was in direct violation of international net neutrality
standards.
This ban is the first of its kind
for the program since its launch in
2013 as part of Facebook founder
Mark Zuckerbergs initiative to increase Internet access around the
world.
While were disappointed with
[this] decision, I want to personally
communicate that we are committed to keep working to break down
barriers to connectivity in India
and around the world, Zuckerberg
said in a statement released on
Facebook.
But the idea that this is about
actually connecting more countries
to the Internet is a misconception,
according to Mark Raymond, Wick
Carey Assistant Professor of International Security at the University
of Oklahoma.
Almost every country on earth
has Internet access. Even North
Korea. So its wrong to say that this
is a matter of getting more countries online. Rather, the challenges
are more often either about government repression or censorship, or
about the costs of modern telecommunications services, he said.
Free Basics began operating in
India in February 2015 and quickly
became the subject of a national
discussion over whether or not the

service violated one of the most

important principles governing
unrestricted Internet access: net
neutrality.
By preventing Internet service
providers from restricting access
to content or services available to
Internet users, net neutrality works
to ensure that discrimination and
monopolization is kept to a minimum and not letting large corporations or the wealthy pay for faster
Internet speed than the general
public.
And while Free Basics markets
itself as a free Internet service that
expands Internet access to millions of people in more than 37
countries, that access is limited to
Facebook and services that sign-on
with the program. Not the entire
Internet.
Whether or not you think the
kind of model Facebook was attempting to deliver in India is a
problem ultimately depends on
whether you value consumer
freedom or simply improving the
material and economic conditions
for citizens, Raymond said.
Although the ruling presents a
major obstacle for Free Basics in
India, Zuckerberg and Facebook
have made clear their intentions to
fight the ban.
Everyone in the world should
have access to the Internet. Our
mission is to make the world more
open and connected. That mission continues, and so does our
commitment to India, Zuckerberg
said.
But for the time being, India
appears to have decided that
maintaining strong net neutrality
outweighs the services Free Basics
is offering.

Students and community members have an opportunity to travel

and experience countries around the world through Rose States
Global and Cultural Learning Program and the Passport to Learning Program.
Open to students, faculty and community members, the Global
and Cultural Learning program provided two-week long study tours
to countries as diverse as Nicaragua, Paris and Austria.
The plan behind this project is to help students get the chance to
see the world around them from a different perspective and also to
allow them the chance to have new experiences, according to Professor of Humanities Lori Morrow.
Part of college is about gaining a new perspective on the world,
Morrow said. If students can see themselves and the world a bit
differently after participating, then it was a success.
Most of the travels for the Global and Cultural Learning Program
take place in Europe, with this years trip in May providing students the opportunity to visit France, Switzerland, Germany and
Austria.
The Passport to Learning Program is a new initiative that began
last fall that promotes student learning about art and culture within our state.
Part of the reason behind the creation of the Passport to Learning
Program was to allow students who could not travel overseas to still
get an opportunity to experience art, culture and music from a different perspective without even having to leave the state, according
to Professor of English Sherri Mussatto.
Points are earned for attending events such as musicals, cultural festivals and museums and students who earn more than 100
points are eligible for a Passport to Learning Certificate that is added to their activity transcript.
Students who achieve 100 points are also entered into a drawing
for one of five $75 gift cards and students who achieve 75 points
are eligible to receive a $10 gift card.
The program also provides two bus trips in the spring and fall
semesters as a learning experience and can also be attended for
extra credit for certain classes. While these trips cost between $30$40 for students, the cost covers lunch, travel and admission to the
sites visited.
For more information about either program, contact Morrow at
lmorrow@rose.edu or Mussatto at smussatto@rose.edu.

Photo by Kelsey Morgan

Photo by Kelsey Morgan

by Kat Tabak
Circulation Manager

Last semester, the Passport Program took students to Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Dallas museums.

Entertainment

February 26, 2016

Staff Members

Editor-in-Chief, Graphic Artist

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Kelsey Morgan

Assistant Editor

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Christian Tabak

Photography Editor
Jackson Parker

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Online Editor
Becca Stokes

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News Editor

Michelle Rojano

Staff Writer

Cassandra Hernandez
Austin Russell
Sarah Hite
Jonathan Goudeau
Trevor Wilson
Page Clare

Adviser

Darcy Delaney

Secretary

Carol Benefee

Computer Guru
Scottie Seger

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published 16 times a year and is a
designated public forum. Student
editors have the authority to make
all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. Columns,
commentaries and letters to the
editor are personal opinions of the
writers and do not necessarily reflect
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Anyone having a complaint
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This includes, but is not limited
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ec

Graph
Twitter is the source of many celebrity disagreements, from Kanye West and Wiz Khalifa to Katy Perry and Taylor Swift.

Yeezy not so easy-going on twitter

by Garrett Hare
Staff Writer

In the weeks leading up to the highly-anticipated

seventh solo studio album by Kanye West, Twitter
was taken by storm. West, an occasional Twitter user
in the past, was the talk of Twitter because of his
rants, album title changes and, of course, he is Yeezus.
West has gone through a plethora of title names,
ranging from So Help Me God to The Life of Pablo.
As West was in the midst of indecisiveness, changing
the title from Swish to Waves, rapper Wiz Khalifa
took offense to album title because West was not paying homage to Max B, the innovator of the wave.
Khalifa posted a tweet with the initials KK, which
brought Wests insecurities to the forefront as he attacked Khalifa.
Maybe I couldnt be skinny and tall but Ill settle
for being the greatest artist of all time as a consolation, West tweeted.
In the following days, Khalifa seemed to continue throwing shots Wests way, but they ended up
squashing the beef.
West continued to keep the Internet buzzing after
announcing his Yeezy Season 3 Collection will be

shown at a listening party of his new album at Madison Square Garden. When tickets went on sale, they
were sold out in 10 minutes.
Thank you so much guys we sold Madison Square
Garden out in 10 minutes, West tweeted.
All-in-all, this feat is extraordinary and shows
Wests relevancy in our culture.
On the eve of the albums release date of Feb. 13,
West tweeted prior to his performance on Saturday
Night Live announcing he is $53 million in debt.
Mark Zuckerberg invest $1 billion into Kanye
West ideas, West tweeted the morning of his album
release.
He opened himself up to help from anyone who
was willing to help. West did not go into specifics on
why he is where he is at financially, but he stated
his dreams and ideas played a part.
People always want something to talk about on social media and West has provided that. Twitter and
West may not make much sense together, but you
will be entertained by his irrational, unpredictable
tweets.

Cheap, fun last-minute Spring Break trips

by Michelle Rojano
News Editor
Spring Break does not have to be beach raves or
cost thousands of dollars. The point of Spring Break
is to have fun and visit some places that are not accessible in day-to-day life.
It is not too late to plan a short, fun trip with a
handful of friends.
Roadtrip to a neighboring state
Go to Texas beaches like Galveston or Padre Island. These are probably the closest, easiest trips
to take as an Oklahoma resident who wishes to go
to the beach. After visiting the beach, there is the
possibility of passing through and exploring Houston
and Dallas on the way. Popular cities in Texas have
many activities and attractions that vary from Oklahomas.
Two-day trip to a different city
Plan a short two-day, one-night trip to Dallas or
Tulsa. This is perfect if it is not possible to take a
week off. Plan a weekend trip there. Look into their
popular attractions like the local zoos, museums or
aquariums. Rent a hotel room at any hotel with an
indoor pool, just in case the weather is rainy or cold.
See a concert and explore a new city
Plan a concert trip or an event trip. Many theaters
and venues will have plenty of artists or plays scheduled during spring break. If there is a band, artist
or performance occuring in a nearby city, plan a

short day or two-day trip around it. It is easy to look

up concerts and buy tickets online ahead of time.
Songkick and Bands in Town are great websites that
follow specific artists and bands and send notifications when artists are nearby. Venues usually have
websites or advertisement of events happening.
Visit a local lake
Oklahoma may be landlocked, but there are many
man-made lakes. A trip to Lake Murray or Lake
Thunderbird might be a great substitute for a beach.
Another great option is Turner Falls. It may not be a
new place but it can still be a nice short trip full of
fun adventures.
Rent a cabin by a lake
Visiting a lake does not have to mean camping.
There are many cabins available averaging about
$125 per night. Most cabins are a short distance
from a lake and come fully-furnished and have running water and electricity.
Visit local family or friends
Visit family or friends. Message your favorite cousin on Facebook and plan a visit. Most people have
extended family that they do not see often. It is even
better when there is not a huge age gap between
cousins or siblings, because the interests will be
similar. Maybe visit a close friend that has moved
out of the city.

Photo by Kelsey Morgan

Op-Ed

Frederick A. Douglass High School was named after Frederick Douglass, orator and author who advocated for civil rights.

February 26, 2016

History, despite its wrenching pain,
cannot be unlived, but faced with courage,
need not to be lived again.
- Maya Angelou

Black History Month: February holds black heritage celebration and pride
by Page Clare
Staff Writer
Since 1976, the United States
has devoted the month of February to black history. As decades
go on, Black History Month has
become more of a celebration of
black culture, excellence and the
thriving of black individuals in
general.
Black History Month originated
from Carter G. Woodsons Negro
History Week, according to History.com. The Association for the
Study of African American Life
and History (ASALH) sponsored
national Negro History Week. The
organization chose to dedicate
the second week of February to
converge with the birthdays of
Abraham Lincoln and Frederick
Douglass.
The nation should find pride
in itself for overcoming a horrific
epidemic of slavery, prejudice and
racial discrimination. Although
there are still racial issues in the
country, progress has been made.
Years ago, segregation stood
between bodies of people that
passed judgment because of race.

However, the individuals who

believe society has grown tremendously to love and encourage one
another have also realized the
only superior race is the human
race. Despite this way of thinking, racial profiling has not been
permanently extinguished. Terrible events such as black-on-black
crimes, police shootings and
wrongful systematic occurrences
are still taking place. Although,
how discrimination effects law enforcement is not fully publicized.
In an interview with Lonzell Scott,
a reference clerk for the Midwest
City Police Department, Scott
stated after two years of military
service, he became certified to be
an Equal Employment Opportunity Clerk.
Discrimination wasnt that
[bad] but minorities were having
a hard time getting jobs, Scott
said. When asked if he personally
experiences prejudice in his law
enforcement career he answered
yes.
Being called the N-word wasnt

anything odd or out-of-the-ordinary, Scott stated regarding his

military service in 1982.
Despite his racial obstacles,
Scott rose above the odds against
him. He received an award from
the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People
because of his achievements and
efforts.
Black History Month reached
prospects not only in the United
States but also around the world.
Countries such as Canada and
the United Kingdom also partake
in the celebration in black culture. This is an example of how
many generations have evolved
and have come to respect, and
more importantly learn, from
those before them. Seeing change
in communities does not require
looking far.
Rose State offers a variety of
ethnicities in its students, faculty
and staff. Dr. James Hochtritt,
professor of African-American
studies, holds Black History
Month close to his heart.

He is caucasian man who teaches an African-American history

course.
In an interview with Hochtritt,
the question of why he wanted
to teach black history arose. He
replied that he grew up in the Bay
area in the 1960s.
In such a diverse and radical
area, you could not help but to
become politicized at a very early
age, Hochtritt said. Given his circumstances, growing up exposed
to issues such as Civil Rights and
watching his generation question
various public issues, this contributed to his interest in African-American subjects. He began
seeing oppression involving many
ethnicities.
You couldnt help to be made
aware, empathetic and understanding of all kinds of people,
he said.
Although black history is only
recognized internationally once a
year, the culture and triumph of
blacks and minorities should be
recognized every day.

14. Snakelike fish

15. Parsley, sage, rosemary or thyme
16. Head of a monastery
19. Split; fissure
23. Talon
24. Dont have __, man!; comment from
Bart Simpson
25. Former talk show host Dick
28. Candid __
30. Gregory Pecks role in Moby Dick
31. Actress Winningham
32. Intl. military alliance
33. Mulgrew and Winslet
34. Martin or Cain
36. Henry Zebrowskis A to Z role
39. The Sonny and Cher __ Hour
42. Couples
44. Ladd and Thicke
45. Actress Moorehead
46. Susan of L.A. Law
47. Late movie critic Ebert

17. Sandwich choice, for short

18. __ Masterson
20. __-T; Law & Order: SVU actor
21. Grounded __ Life
22. Defunct airline
25. Catch Me If You __; Leonardo DiCaprio movie
26. Cry of discovery
27. Large tub
28. __ on a Hot Tin Roof
29. Car 54, Where __ You?
31. A Gifted __
33. Actress __ Panabaker
35. Bradley and Begley
37. One __ Hill
38. Back in the __; Beatles song
39. Inconsiderate jerk
40. Grand __ Opry
41. Melinda __; role on Agents of
S.H.I.E.L.D.
42. __ for the course; normal
43. Not long __; recently

ACROSS
1. Wheel of Fortune purchase
6. __ Always Sunny in Philadelphia

9. Take __; disassemble

10. Actor Cibrian
12. Frasiers brother
13. __: Youre the One That I Want!

1. Weathercock
2. Mayberry resident
3. Eamonn Walkers role on Chicago
Fire
4. Before, to a poet
5. Titles for Columbo and others: abbr.
6. Ms. Lupino
7. ...__ the season to be jolly...
8. Now You __ Me; Jesse Eisenberg
thriller
10. Goof up
11. The Mysteries of Laura actress
13. How to __ Away with Murder
15. __ I Met Your Mother

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