Committee hosts discussion on political comedy shows

The Division of Housing and Food Services' Diversity Committee hosted a discussion on political comedy shows Wednesday in Jester's Fireplace Lounge, but the few students who attended the event were either affiliated with the department or occupied themselves with private conversations.

Lil' Bush and The Daily Show, two politically - oriented shows broadcast on Comedy Central, were used as the starting point for discussion. Latonya Robinson, the committee's advisor, said it chose to screen the shows as an opportunity to discuss political views, as these shows attract the mainstream by their use of comedy.

"That's why Lil' Bush and Jon Stewart are appealing, because you can talk about more things through a comedic lens," said Ray Blanton, a department head resident with housing and food.

The committee showed clips from the two programs, including one with a man impersonating R. Kelly in a clip meant to tie in the musician's "Trapped in the Closet" videos with the sex solicitation scandal enveloping Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho.

The Diversity Committee looks for a variety of events that focus on issues of culture and diversity that are pertinent to students. These events include Capoeira demonstrations, live music, henna painting and political discussions like the one Wednesday.

"Because it is the Division of Housing and Food Service, we do things that are focused towards students who live in the halls," Robinson said.

- Roxanna Asgarian


University receives $38 million for carbon dioxide research

The Bureau of Economic Geology at UT received $38 million to conduct the first large scale test for storing carbon dioxide underground. The funds were received from the U.S. Department of Energy, according to a UT press release issued Wednesday.

The 10-year project is designed to reassure the public that carbon sequestration, or storing carbon dioxide underground, will help decrease carbon dioxide emissions into the air, according to the release.

The project is a phase three research program of the Southeast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership, according to the release.

"This is the next step in a series of bureau-led experiments to test much-needed carbon capture and storage technologies," said Scott Tinker, director of the Bureau of Economic Geology, in a release.

The mission is to capture the carbon dioxide at the point of its emission from power plants and store it in underground geological formations, said J.B. Bird, spokesman for the Jackson School of Geosciences.

These injection projects may have the capability to reduce the volume of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, from the air, according to the release.

- Megan Kaldis

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