Out Wide: North Texas Soccer

04/20/12 15:35 PM

By Brad Namdar, bnamdarkhan@smu.edu  This week Out Wide is taking a look back at Jacob Wilner, an FC Dallas U-17 player, who played in this years Dallas Cup. Jacob was exited and looking forward to playing is his first ever Dallas Cup match, and now a week and a half later, he has officially been apart of this prestigious tournament. Wilner's team did not do as well as they had hoped. FC Dallas U-17 premier had only lost two games the entire season, and in the Dallas Cup won only one our of its three matches in the preliminary stages. Here is a question and answer session with Wilner: Out Wide: What was the opening ceremony like? Jacob: It was amazing there were so many teams from all over the world and there were so many fans. I honestly felt like all the hard...

Furry Friday: Summer Planning for your Dog

04/20/12 13:47 PM

By Bridget Bennett, brekow@smu.edu Summer is just around the corner — that means it’s time to move back in with the parents, start that summer internship in New York or go on that long awaited summer vacation. For pet owners, it also means finding a place for your pooch. For most students — myself included — that means dropping them off at mom and dad’s. I’m headed to Europe for over a month this summer; my parents are keeping both of my dogs at their home in North Dakota while I’m gone. However, for some students, mom and dad’s place isn’t always an option. There are other possibilities. A pet-loving friend who is living or staying in the area is one option. Mandy Pathak, a member of SMU campus ministries, has used her friends as puppy-sitters many times. When she went to...

Happenings in Dallas Arts District: Food trucks slammed with more fees

04/20/12 13:45 PM

By Yolonda Battle, ybattle@smu.edu  So just when I became accustomed to seeing food trucks in the Dallas Arts District, I read this Dallas Morning News article posted on twitter explaining how the City of Dallas instituted a new fee for food truck owners and re-allocated where they can operate. According to the City of Dallas code compliance page food truck owners pay $430 annually for required permits and licenses and an additional $100 monthly fee for a location permit. I’m not an expert on city fees and code compliance so I appreciate the work the city does to re-assure customers that food trucks are following rules and in compliance. So I can’t complain about the fees, but making food trucks move off the streets of downtown Dallas is another thing. Where should...

Curtains Up: Play Explores Racial Biases Inherent Within Us

04/20/12 13:41 PM

By Ben Ateku, bateku@smu.edu  If you thought discourse on race in America would end with the prosecution of George Zimmerman last week in the killing of black teenager Trayvon Martin in Florida, you are off the mark. While the Florida case took place offstage, this weekend a similar case will be on stage at SMU’s Owen Arts Center. In this setting, a wealthy white man is on trial for raping a black woman. Pulitzer Prize- winner David Mamet’s play, “Race,” will run at the center April 20 to April 21. Directed by SMU student Chris McCreary, the play reminds us that conflicts around race will not be wished away, but will continue to be a sensitive issue as long as some folks are black and others white. David Mamet work has won him a Pulitzer Prize, among other...

Out Wide: Dallas Cup Soccer

04/12/12 22:55 PM

By Brad Namdar, bnamdarkhan@smu.edu    The 2012 Dallas Cup finished last Sunday with a stunning under dog victory of Coritiba F.C (Brazil) defeating Manchester United (England) 2-1 in the super group. Even though it rained earlier in the day, the two teams kicked off the finals at 6pm. Approximately seven thousand fans were in attendance for the super group finals. USA teams won 5 out of the 7 age groups in the tournament. This is a big step for US Soccer. Below is a list of all the age group champions, as well as an audio slideshow of the finals. (Interviews with fans, Gordon Jago, and Sanchez of Coritiba). U-19 Super Group- Coritiba F.C. (Brazil) U-19 Chelsea/ Solar Academy (USA) U-17 Rot Weiss Essen (Germany) U-16 OBGC Rangers (USA) U-15...

Furry Friday: Emergency Pet Care

04/12/12 22:53 PM

By Bridget Bennett, brekow@smu.edu Last week I came home to find piles of blood inside little Rolo’s kennel. At just barely six pounds, my little Yorkie was extremely weak and lethargic. It was about 9 p.m., so I immediately looked up the number to an urgent care vet clinic. After a blood test, several injections, and some fluids, the vet was able to rule out any serious injuries and Rolo was already looking much better. This piece of mind helped to ease the extreme fear and stress I was feeling from such an unexpected situation. As many experienced pet owners know, these unexpected emergency vet visits also come with a shockingly large price tag. Rolo’s treatments totaled just under $500 — a figure that is fairly small compared to emergency pet surgeries. For student...

Happenings in Dallas Arts District: Author Judy Blume gives lecture

04/09/12 11:12 AM

By Yolonda Battle, ybattle@smu.edu  The Dallas Museum of Art is bringing Judy Blume to Dallas, April 19 at 7 p.m. Best known for her children and teen book’s, Blume is expected to speak at the First United Methodist Church in Dallas, to share with her followers the successes and failures she has endured throughout her long standing career as an author. Known for tackling controversial issues like religion, body image, and sexuality; Blume has overcome numerous attempts of censorship by school library’s disallowing the accessibility of her books in schools. Fortunately, my private school was not one. I remember the very first Blume book I read. I was in elementary and it was library day at school. We were learning how to look books up in the catalog system. The...

Out Wide: Dallas Cup Soccer

04/05/12 16:41 PM

By Brad Namdar, bnamdarkhan@smu.edu  “Impossible is nothing,” is definitely the phrase the U-16 Solar S.C. team lived by on Wednesday night at FC Dallas complex. Solar was tied for first place with Cruz Soccer Club from California in their bracket. In the Dallas Cup only the first place team advances into the next round. In each bracket, there are a total of four teams, each team playing against each other once. A win is awarded 3 points, a tie one, and a loss 0. Though, if there is a tie in total points, goal differential is the tie-breaker (basically whoever has scored the most goals in the tournament between the two advances). Cruz was at the top of the table with two wins and one loss, with a positive of + seven goal differential over Solar. Solar, who was...

Happenings in the Dallas Arts District: Food trucks outside Winspear

04/01/12 16:33 PM

By Yolonda Battle, ybattle@smu.edu  This Wednesday after leaving Booker T Washington around noon, starving for a good lunch after eating merely a boiled egg, peanut butter and toast for breakfast. I noticed a crowd of people lounging out in front of the Winspear Opera House. It was the first time I ventured northwest toward the Meyerson Symphony Center instead of going south and jumping on the freeway in search of food. When I did finally get closer I noticed a number of food trucks. At SMU everyone is talking about the food truck craze and how delicious the food is. They are so popular that SMU allowed food trucks to come on campus this. So I thought why not give it a try. I recalled hearing about Ruthie’s Rolling Café. It’s a grilled cheese food truck so I...

Furry Friday: Dogs have fears too

03/31/12 23:13 PM

By Bridget Bennett, brekow@smu.edu  The dog in this video may seem strong and confident at first, but it is simply a mask covering the utter terror the cat provokes. My little Yorkie, Rolo, is petrified of grass and the sun. Luckily, he doesn’t express his fear with a gut-wrenching scream like the YouTube dog. Instead, Rolo crouches and cowers and refuses to walk another step without some prodding. Fears and phobias are a common occurrence in dogs. Amy Bender, a writer for dogs.about.com lists the 10 most common dog phobias: thunder, fireworks, being left alone, the vet, riding in a car, going up and down stairs, men, strangers, children, and objects. Kathy Diamond Davis, a dog trainer and author, adds vacuums, lawnmowers and slippery floors to the list of common phobias....