The Rice Thresher, Vol. 98, No. 6, Ed. 1 Friday, September 24, 2010 Page: 4 of 20
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4 NEWS
the Rice Thresher
Friday, September24,2010
OPARKER
FROM PAGE 1
lem areas were in the city, there were
always surprises."
Parker listed a few of the issues
she has had to handle since taking
office this January. She said that the
easiest one to address was the merger
of Continental and United Airlines,
which raised much concern in the city
over lost jobs because Continental was
Houston's hometown airline.
"We're [still] going to have a sig-
nificant Continental presence [here] -
about 17,000 jobs," she said, "A lot of
those jobs are not moving because it's
so much more cost-effective to operate
here in Houston than it is in Chicago. By
some estimates, a minimum of $20,000
per head [is saved] for employees to be
here than up there."
Parker also talked about handling
the BP oil spill. She said 16 of the 18
companies that operate deep-water
rigs either have headquarters or a sig-
nificant presence in Houston and stat-
ed that though the city, being 50 miles
inland, was not directly impacted,
there could still ue a long-term effect on
Houston's economic viability because
of the spill's influence on oil prices and
related economic elements.
In addition, Parker discussed her
efforts to convince President Obama
to reconsider his stance on NASA and
space travel. This February, Obama an-
nounced that he would be cancelling
NASA's Constellation Program — an
initiative aimed toward sending Ameri-
cans to the International Space Station
and then to the moon and beyond. This
cancellation marked a move toward
privatizing space travel and prompted
Parker to travel to Washington, D.C.
several times and to work closely with
the local congressional delegation and
business community to urge the presi-
dent to modify his policy.
"Fortunately, there is [now] a bill
both in the House and the Senate, ei-
ther of which would restore much of
what we had originally had here in
Houston in terms of our NASA program
although it does accommodate many of
the things that the president wants to
do as well," Parker said.
Regarding more recent challeng-
es, Parker said the Federal Transit
Administration announced that the
$900 million Houston was going to
receive to build the next three ME-
TRORail lines was on hold until the
city fixed the damage left behind by
the previous METRO president, Frank
Wilson. Wilson illegally shredded
public documents and was accused
of having improper relations with a
female employee, leading Parker to
call for his dismissal.
In closing, Parker discussed the im-
pending construction of a Wal-Mart in
the Washington Heights Development,
a former industrial site with metal parts
contamination that would be cleared
BEYOND THE HEDGES
beforehand. She said the residents in
the area had used the Internet to ettev
tively organize and campaign agamst
the Wal-Mart and that such advances
in technology wre changing the coeth
ods of governance. Parker said that the
residents flooded her inbox. with angrv
e-mails and urged he* to stop the Wal-
Mart's construction. She responded to
these efforts bv going door-to-door in
the neighborhood around the site with
a district council member, and she said
she was able to engage in civil, logical
conversation with the disgruntled resi-
dents through these visits.
According to Parker, her residential
visits also reminded her why she want-
ed to become mayor in the first place.
"I have the ability to affect people's
lives very greatly on a daily basis, and
there is no more wonderful power to
have," she said.
After her speech, Parker fielded
questions about topics from post-Hurri-
cane Ike preparation to a strengthened
relationship with China. Regarding the
latter, Parker said that "Houston" is
on the lips of every Chinese person be-
cause of Yao Ming and that she wanted
to capitalize on this connection by
building more international business
ties with China.
Parker also listed the top three ini-
tiatives that she is currently undertak-
ing: composing a Historic Preservation
Ordinance, rebuilding Houston from
the underground up and encouraging
collaboration and the ability to work
across judicial lines.
Before departing, Parker said that
undergraduates should get as much
experience as possible both at Rice and
beyond the hedges.
In the reception after the presen-
tation, attendees discussed Parker's
speech and reacted to her ideas.
Art McElroy, who works as a senior
account manager at GE Healthcare, said
that Parker's speech was the first Jones
School event he had attended and that
he was interested to see how the mayor
would integrate her policy with the
growth of the Texas Medical Center.
Jones Partners President Rebecca
Cooke said she appreciated everything
Parker talked about, including her com-
ments about balancing finance and pol-
icy concerns with daily life issues.
"As a Houstonian, it's good to hear
how things are getting done. Parker's
words really hit home with me as a resi-
dent," Cooke said. "I'm glad that qual-
ity of life is on the mayor's radar."
Cooke said she also enjoyed Park-
er's openness and common sense re-
garding serious issues.
"It is refreshing to hear a political
person speak so openly," Cooke said. "It
is the goal of the Jones Partners to bring
together leadership from throughout
Houston to talk openly, and Mayor
Parker delivered beautifully."
2010 Rice University
Law School Fair
Friday, October 8, 2010
RMC Grand Hall • 1 lam-3pm
Meet with representatives from
prestigious law schools such as
Cornell, Columbia, U Penn,
Penn State, Duke and Stanford!
Free admission for all Rice students.
Discuss the application and financing
processes with law professionals
Miner Lounge • 10-11 am and 2-3 pm
Sponsored by Student Judicial Programs
and Legalese Pre-law Society
National
Tornadoes in NYC
TV o tornadoes struck New York
City Sept. 16, causing damage
in Queens, Brooklyn and Staten
island. One woman was killed, and
thousands of trees in neighbor-
hoods and parks were downed.
FEMA officials went to the city
Wednesday to investigate the
damage done and see if the city
will qualify for federal aid in clean-
ing up after the storm. In order to
qualify, FEMA must determine that
at least $25 million in damages
have been done.
Source: The New York Times
'Don'task, don't
tell'remains
The U.S. Senate failed Tuesday
to get enough votes to start debate
on the repeal of the military's 'Don't
ask, don't tell' policy. The measure,
instated in 1993, allows gays to
serve in the military so long as they
do not reveal their sexual orienta-
tion. Despite Senate majority and
White House support, only 56 of
the necessary 60 votes to begin
debate on the issue were achieved.
A Pentagon investigation into the
measure is due to be completed by
the beginning of December.
Source: Washington Post
Republicans pres-
ent 'Pledge'
Republican members of the
House of Representatives pre-
sented a new agenda, "Pledge to
America," yesterday. The agenda's
points include the extension of the
Bush tax cuts and the requirement
of congressional approval for new
regulations which would cost the
economy at least $100 million.
House Democrats have criticized
the agenda for promoting a return
to failed policies and for not pro-
viding details on how Republicans
would deal with Medicare and
Social Security.
Source: Wall Street journal
International
Report says Israel
broke law
An investigation by the UN Hu-
man Rights Council has reported
that Israel broke international law
in dealing with the 'Gaza Flotilla,' a
six-ship convoy from Turkey which
was boarded by Israeli comman-
does May 31 when it attempted to
break Israel's naval blockade of
Gaza. Israel has called the report's
claims biased and one-sided, and
the council extremist and politi-
cized. Israel is also conducting an
investigation into the events, as is
another UN inquiry.
Source: BBC
Fishing dispute
escalates
Sino-Japanese relations have
deteriorated after Japan took a
Chinese fishing captain prisoner
Sept. 7 under suspicion of having
purposefully rammed into two
Japanese patrol vessels in the East
China Sea. Nearby uninhabited
islands — called Senkaku in Japa-
nese, and Diaoyu in Chinese — are
administered by Japan but claimed
by China. Neither Chinese nor Japa-
nese politicians appear interested
in backing down on the issue, with
China turning down invitations for
talks and insisting that the captain
be returned immediately and japan
claiming the legal right to investi-
gate the captain.
Source: Christian Science Monitor
Election fraud in
Afghanistan
Afghanistan's Independent Elec-
tion Commission reported Tuesday
that there was evidence of fraud in
Saturday's parliamentary elec-
tions. Some districts under Taliban
or militia control reported turnout
rates of more than 100 percent,
suggesting that ballot stuffing took
place. There appears to have been
an increased incidence of violence
over last year's presidential elec-
tions — while there were around
450 instances then, one source
estimated that there were around
600 during Saturday's elections.
Source: Miami Herald
Fanapi hits Asia
Typhoon Fanapi killed two in
Taiwan on Sunday before moving
on to China, where it had killed at
least 54 in Guangdong Province as
of yesterday morning. The typhoon
is the strongest to hit China yet
this year, and the rains are the
heaviest Guangdong Province has
experienced in a century, with
some areas reporting 25 inches
over one 24-hour period.
Source: BBC
Engagement COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT CENTER
OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUNDING TO
VOLUNTEER ABROAD
Loewenstern Fellowships
Have expenses of up to $7,500 covered for a summer of international service in Latin America or
Asia! As a Loewenstern Fellow you will have the opportunity to serve in a 6- to 12-week
placement, with travel to/from host country, living expenses, program fees, and other expenses
covered. In this fourth year, up to 20 Fellows will participate in the direct service, leadership, and
community-based research tracks.
Rice Developing World Student's Scholarship
This need-based scholarship provides assistance to participate in international service work over
winter break, spring break, or the summer. One $2,000 need-based scholarship will be awarded
to assist an undergraduate student funding an independent service trip to a region that is
considered a developing or Third World country. Those serving as part of a group experience are
not eligible.
Changes to the 2011 - 2012 Loewenstern Fellowship Program
• No Medical Service Placements
• Approved Providers
o Fellows must serve with an approved Third Party Provider.
• Minimum Language Ability
Applicants must complete coursework at the 102 level, prior to submitting an
application. If applicants do not meet this minimum standard through formal
coursework, you must complete and submit a "Foreign Language Evaluation"
and "Language Background Report".
• Length of Summer Service Placement
I he minimum term of the summer service placement has been increased from 4
to 6 weeks, l-ellows will now have the option ot serving in placements from 6 to
12 weeks.
• Maximum Covered Expenses
In order to accommodate the increased minimum term ol service, the maximum
covered expenses have increased from $5,000 to $6,000 for placements in Latin
American and from $6,500 to $7,500 for Asia.
for more information and to apply for both of the above programs
before October 4. 2010. please visit the Community Involvement Center's
web site at HTTP://C1C.RICE.EDU. if you have any questions. cal i (713-348
4^70) or e mail (service^rice.eihj) the community involvement cent er.
fl
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Wilde, Anna. The Rice Thresher, Vol. 98, No. 6, Ed. 1 Friday, September 24, 2010, newspaper, September 24, 2010; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth398457/m1/4/?rotate=270: accessed June 22, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.