Crucible Challenge
Leap Year birthdays
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Angelo State University’s student-run newspaper since 1936
Ram Friday, February 26, 2016
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www.asurampage.com
Physics wins big Student science group maintains outstanding status Luis Montoya Staff Writer The Society of Physics Students was recognized with an Outstanding Chapter Award from the Society of Physics National Council for the 20142015 academic year. “We are very lucky to have students who work hard,” said
Dr. Juan Blandon, coordinator and advisor for the organization. “The main purpose of the club is for students to learn social and professional development and provide service to the community. To be honored with this achievement is very rewarding.” Chosen by the National Council in Washington D.C. the Outstanding Chapter Award is the highest possible honor a SPS chapter can achieve and the ASU chapter has been honored 12 times.
Each year the SPS writes an extensive chapter report and sends it to the SPS National Council where it is reviewed and chosen from over 760 applications where only 50-70 are chosen. “This organization started small and local but within the past few years we have managed to expand more and travel out of state,” Blandon “We like to travel to schools who
See PHYSICS page 3
Volume 82, Issue 19
New scholarship available with SGA Ram Family Student Campaign allows alumni to give back Miguel Luna Staff Writer The Ram Family Student Campaign is a new scholarship that was created by SGA on Jan. 25, which will allow students and alumni to give back. The Senate created a Scholarship Endowment Commit-
tee, through the passage of a bill. The committee will set the criteria for the recipient or recipients and how much will be allotted but will not select who the scholarship is awarded to. “It’s more of a financial scholarship for students who are working and trying their hardest and who are also really struggling to pay for
See SGA page 4
Theater’s
Titanic
performance Top: Sophomore Dimitri Mareno sings along with the cast of “Titanic”. Mareno also had a part in last semester’s play “keepingabreast.” Bottom: Kayla Young and Mason Gable perform songs in “Titanic”. The production is presented with full dialogue and music “in-concert” with the ASU Symphony and a chorus. The music and lyrics were written by Maury Yeston.
Contributed by Marsolis Mahome
Senior lives on in memory Special Education student unexpectedly lost and will be missed Hanna Schindler Editor-in-Chief ASU student Kelsey Denae Webb, 20, died unexpectedly on Feb. 14 in San Angelo. She was a sister, daughter, friend, future special education teacher and much more. The senior was set to graduate in May 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in special education. She planned to attend graduate school at Texas Tech University to further specialize in the special education of students with hearing disabilities. Webb was known for her great sense of humor and talent for lifting people up.
“She could always make us laugh,” said graduate student Sherry Schmiedekamp. “We could be flaming mad and she would distract us and make us laugh.” “She always knew the right words to say when we were upset,” freshman Justin Willis said. Webb was born in Abilene on April 5, 1995 and grew up in the neighboring town of Tuscola. She graduated from Jim Ned High School in 2013 and enrolled at ASU that fall. “She was that one friend that God sent to be in your life,” sophomore Shali Simpson said. “She was more than a friend; she was our best friend, a sister.” Webb’s friends said they are extremely proud of the life she led, saying she was a strong,
independent, loving and caring woman. She treated every child like it was her own and she didn’t care about the challenges that came with being a special education major. “You are never too young to change the world and that is what Kelsey did with her desire to go into the teaching profession,” said Mary Snowden, certification advisor. She worked hard toward achieving her dream of becoming a teacher and knew that her future held a challenging but fulfilling career path. “Kelsey was a bright light and full of potential,” said Meagan Word, College of Education adviser. “She was energetic and kind and I will greatly miss seeing Kelsey in
See WEBB page 2
NEWS
Page 2
2.26.2016
Longmire author comes to campus at 9 a.m. and then perform a
insight into the art of literature
from accomplished authors
for an important form of cul-
book-signing. “For the past several years, we’ve featured a single writer,” Jon Ellery, professor of English and Modern Languages said. “This year we have numerous writers visiting campus to share their works with students, the public and one another.” Students have the opportunity to meet writers and get first-hand accounts of the process of creating literature. Literature and creative writing students may be especially inclined to participate to gain
rather faceless,” Ellery said. “Hearing from the writers themselves makes it more human.” The writing convention can spark interest in those that are still unsure of what they choose to do with their major or it may pique the interest of those looking for a pastime. It can also reassure those that think they may have a knack for writing and just need the inspiration. “I have been to a couple of ASU’s writing conferences and I can honestly say hearing
er know when a question you didn’t even know you had might get answered. I think students should always look for ways to challenge themselves and spark conversation.” Writing students benefit from the conference and anybody interested in learning the secret to success can gain insight by listening to the work habits and character traits of highly successful writers and adapt such traits to their own life goal. “We hope [the students] gain a greater appreciation
campus. We expect it to be a learning experience on many of levels.” The ASU writers Conference is named in honor of the late Elmer Kelton: a visiting professor of English and long-time friend of ASU and the Department of English and Modern Languages. Kelton is considered one the most beloved western writers of all time, voted Best Western Author of All time by the Western Writers of America.
Craig Johnson to be key reading of his works at 7 p.m. and into the culture in general. can be inspirational to an as- ture,” Ellery said. “It’s a big note speaker at 2016 in front of the ASU book store “Studying it in the class- piring writer,” English major investment for the universiWriter’s Conference followed by a meet-the-author room, literature can seem Falon Nelson said. “You nev- ty to bring a major author to Alora Ferarra Contributor Best-selling author Craig Johnson and 17 other writers will be discussing their works March 3-4 at the 20th annual ASU Writers Conference in the University Center. Craig Johnson wrote 13 successful novels that spawned a top-rated TV series on Netflix called “Longmire”. He will have two events at the conference. He will give a lecture
Events Calendar
Continued from WEBB page 1 my office and at ASU.” Webb excelled in her education, made the dean’s list several times and was also an involved part of the ASU community. She was a member of Kappa Delta Pi, a national honor society in education, and TCTA, the Texas Classroom Teachers Association. “Kelsey was a dedicated and persistent student. She worked hard and strived for excellence,” Word said. “She was very active in our community engagement projects in TCTA and KDP.
She was enthusiastic about her involvement in the Teacher Education Department and had a passion for working with students. Our department lost a good student and a future educator.” Services were held on Feb. 20 at the First Baptist Church in Tuscola. Donations to be used toward hospitalization costs and school loans may be made to the Kelsey Webb Memorial Fund at Texas National Bank in Tuscola. (325-554-9000).
“We thought of you today, but that is nothing new. We thought about you yesterday and days before that too. We think of you in silence, we often speak your name. All we have are memories and your picture in a frame. Your memory is a keepsake from which we will never part. God has you in his arms, we have you in our heart. Until we meet again fly high Kels, we love you and miss you soo much!” -Justin Willis, Shali Simpson and Sherry Schmiedekamp
@ASU RamPage
@ASU RAMPAGE
Monday 2/29
Wednesday 3/2
CSS: Infrastructure Security Workshop All Day C.J. Davidson Conference Center UCPC: Leap Day Mixer 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. Center for Student Involvement
Writers Conference Featuring Craig Johnson 3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. Room 004, Academic Building Official ASU Class Ring Sales until 3 p.m. Houston Harte University Center
UREC Crucible 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. CHP Gym
Tuesday 3/1
Air Force Recruitment 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Mathematics-Computer Science Building
RA Info Session 3 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Plaza Verde
Thursday 3/3
Etiquette Dinner 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Houston Harte University Center
facebook. com/ASU RamPage
The Basics of Marketing & Branding 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. Business Resource Center
The Pride Project 7 p.m. UC 114 Multicultural Center
Writers Conference Featuring Craig Johnson 3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. Room 004, Academic Building
SAN ANGELO WEEKEND WEATHER FORECAST Friday, FEB. 26:
Saturday, FEB. 27:
H: 70°F L: 37°F
Sunday, FEB. 28:
H: 75°F L: 50°F
WILLIAM CLARK GREEN • SAM RIGGS CODY JOHNSON & THE ROCKIN' CJB JASON BOLAND & THE STRAGGLERS MICKY & THE MOTORCARS AND MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED!
Monday, FEB. 29:
H: 82°F L: 46°F
H: 79°F L: 50°F
2.26.2016 Continued from PHYSICS page 1 usually don’t teach physics and we get the opportunity to show them basic physics principles.” In the past, the club has traveled to Los Alamos, New Mexico and this year plan to travel to LIGO (The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) in Liv-
NEWS
ingston, Louisiana. “We are putting a teacher’s aide kit together that can be used to show students physics,” Blandon said. “The students will get the opportunity to work with physicists and engineers at the cutting edge of research.” To join the organization,
one does not have to be a physics or a science-based major but enjoy teaching others. “I contribute to the club by maintaining many of the events our organization attends,” said Jose Duran, junior and president of the SPS. “I give a lot of my time to
this organization in order to make things easier for physics majors, to build a stronger resume and by announcing undergraduate research opportunities.” Blandon says his favorite thing about being the advisor is the service aspect and the impact on the students.
Page 3 Recruiting for the organization is open and anyone interested can join, says Blandon. The club meets every day from noon-1 in the Vincent Nursing-Physical Science building.
Photos by Summer Almaguer Physics Club officers junior Deyton Riddle, sophomore Alyssa Davenport-Herbst, junior Jose Duran, senior Chris Ortega, senior Sean Czarnecki and Professor Juan Blandon share some laughs after their meeting.
Leap year birthdays celebrated Students celebrate their rare birthdays together after four years Miguel Luna Staff Writer The odds of being born in a Leap Year is one in 1,461 and ASU has four “leaplings” or “leapers,” which all happen to be female. “It’s cool because it’s unique,” sophomore Lauren Van Steenburg said. Leap Years have an extra day added to the month of Feb. They occur about every four years and have a complex history dating back to the Roman Empire. Leap Years are caused due to the Earth’s orbit around the sun actually being approximately 365 ¼ days “Having a Leap Year Birthday can be pretty interesting,” said Brandy Chappa, who will turn “6” on Feb. 29. Roman Emperor Julius Caesar introduced leap years with the only rule being the year had to be divisible by four. However, this caused too many leap years to occur. To correct this two other rules were applied. If the year is divisible by 100 it is not a leap year but if the year is divisible by 400 then it is a Leap Year. This means while 2000 was a Leap Year, 1900 was not. “The common question I’m asked is ‘how old are you really?” Chappa said. “I remember my 16th birthday was really special because it was Barney themed,” Desiree Marshall said. “There was Barney decorations and a Barney cake.” Feb. 29 might be a famous day, however many people do not know what it’s like to have a birthday celebrated on it.
Photos by Summer Almaguer Top: Lauren Van Steenburg, Jessica Kalina, Desiree Marshall and Brandy Chapa all celebrate their leap year birthdays after waiting four years. Their birthdays were celebrated with a cake that read “It’s your birthday... finally!” Bottom: The birthday candles are lit for the birthday girls to blow out.
“Sometimes when I tell people they respond with, ‘But that date doesn’t really exist,” Marshall said. “I tell everybody I celebrate the whole week,” sophomore Jessica Kalina said. “I deserve the whole week since I don’t get to celebrate on my real birthday.” Most Leap Year babies either celebrate on the Feb. 28
or Mar. 1, when it is a common year. This is when 365 days take place. “Growing up, my dad would tell me, ‘well technically you don’t have a birthday,” Kalina said. The term Leap Year comes from the fact when the extra day is added a day in the week is skipped. For example, Christmas Day fell on a
Thursday in 2014 and on a Friday in 2015. In 2016, Christmas Day will fall on a Sunday, therefore it “leaped.” “I’m excited to turn 5!” Van Steenburg said. The date causes confusion among the public and many systems do not allow the date Feb. 29 to be selected. Many say their 21st birthday was difficult to celebrate
because they had to wait an extra day in order to be let into establishments that only allow 21-years-old and above. “There was a point in time where many websites didn’t actually acknowledge a Leap Year Birthday, so I would have to pick either Feb. 28 or Mar. 1,” Marshall said.
Pick up the latest issue of the Ram Page every Friday!
FEATURES
Page 4
2.26.2016
Students head to the Crucible Challenge Annual UREC fitness challenge scheduled for Feb. 29 Alana Edgin Managing Editor
C
rucible, by its definition, is a severe test or trial and University Recreation hopes many students come out on Feb. 29 for the 5th annual Crucible Challenge. In 2011, the first ever Crucible Challenge began and has become an annual event. Over 130 students competed in the challenge last year. This year competitors will undergo many challenges, including crossfit, abs and yoga. “My favorite part of the Crucible was competing, not against others, but against myself,” senior Marsalis Mahome said. “I think every student at ASU has competed in the challenge at some point. The Crucible is a true test of one’s
fight and determination.” There are also multiple levels from beginner to expert and 10 stations. Each station will be tailored to skill level and all who survive the Crucible will win a free “I survived” UREC Crucible t-shirt. “We want all of our participants to push themselves to their maximum fitness level and have fun at the same time,” Jodi Jackson, assistant director for fitness, said. “It will be challenging but a great event to test one’s fitness.” Students can sign up at the CHP at 6 p.m. on Feb. 29 and the competition will begin after sign ups. Jackson says the “I survived” Crucible shirts have a great design this year. “The Crucible is not a competition,” Jackson said. “It is for all students to participate and undergo a really challenging fitness event. If you complete the challenge, the students will receive a UREC Crucible t-shirt.
2100 W. Beauregard 325-942-1647
Contributed by Jodi Jackson Top: A crucible instructor shows the crucible competitors the proper yoga forms. Bottom: Crucible contestants do sets of advanced crunches during the core strength section of the crucible.
Open 7 days a week 6 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Continued from SGA page 1 school,” Miah Wagnon, Scholarship Endowment Committee member, said The Senate also appointed President Jarret Lujan as the chair of the committee. A donor will give $5,000 toward the scholarship, only if that same amount is raised. “If we don’t get the donations matched it’s going to take longer to get the scholarship out,” Wagnon said. The committee held many events to gather donations from students, faculty, staff
and alumni. Lujan thought of the idea during the summer, then set it into motion during late fall. “It was one of his projects as president that he had to do,” Victoria Galvan, Scholarship Endowment Committee member, said “A team composed of the Executive Director of Development and Alumni Relations Jamie Akin, Director of Development and Alumni Relations Kim Adams, Director of Communications and Marketing
Becky Brackin and I worked towards the establishment for the scholarship,” Lujan said. For the campaign to be effective it is important for there to be constant advertising on campus and through other outlets to reach alumni. A strong support from the student body is also key. The campaign shows both incentive from the SGA and that the student organization cares towards to the students. Lujan graduates this semester and wants to see the
program he initiated be something that helps students. The campaign’s slogan is “We Take Care of Our Own.” “I hope the endowment keeps growing every year so we can not only give the scholarship to more students but a bigger amount as well,” Lujan said. Committee members are pushing for many of their fundraising events to reach their goal. The Student Life Office will have control over who receives
the scholarship. Requirements and criteria classification, full-time or part-time student, work study eligibility, community involvement, extra-curriculum activities and an essay question all have the possibility of being applied. “Many students have said, ‘Wow, this is amazing and it’s something different’ when they react to what the SGA is doing,” Galvan said.
Photos by Summer Almaguer Left: Student Body President Jarett Lujan, senior, signs a bill officiating a student organization. Right: Sazza Dahal, sophomore, and Peyton LaBauve, junior, discuss why He for She, a gender awareness organization, should become official.
2.26.2016
FEATURES
Page 5
First generation RAMS The Multicultural Center helps students get involved in campus life and network Luis Montoya Staff Writer ASU offers many programs and resources for students to gain college experience. Organizations and clubs are an important factor in ASU life because they offer a perspective outside of the classroom. RAMS First Generation program devotes its time to first-generation college students by providing a resource to learn about leadership opportunities and planning for a future after graduation. The program was developed around 2010 by Dr. Flor Madero, who was director of the Multicultural Center at the time. The Center is always looking to meet the needs for underrepresented groups of students to succeed academically, in this case, first-generation students were the focus. The program has evolved and continues to be progressive by adapting to the needs of each specific generation but the goal remains the same, rising to meet the standards. “Our main purpose for the
RAMS First Generation program is for students to learn about communication skills, network with other students and faculty, and to learn lifeskills and develop professionalism,” said Erika Baeza, director of the Multicultural Center and the RAMS First Generation Program. “We want to teach our students about reaching their academic goals and teach them about diversity awareness so they can be prepared for their future careers.” Any first-generation student can join the program and can apply for a mentor. Mentors can graduate from a mentee to a mentor through program experience. They must be full-time students, complete a full academic year at ASU and have a 2.5 GPA or above. As a mentor, one must be involved in mentor-only sessions and educational guidance sessions with a program Contributed by Multicultural Center specialist. Mentors and mentees of the First Generation RAMS program bring each other happy “As a mentor, my favorite memories of their time at ASU. thing is socializing with other people, especially students Workshop meetings consist while developing academic “The most rewarding part who have a culture not comof a combination of life-skills, skills. of the program is connecting mon at ASU,” senior Myriam identity development inforSocial activities are a big with students,” Baeza said. Barrera said. “This semester mation, study skill building part of the program where “We can look at charts and I have a mentee from South and self-reflection to create they get to learn to connect data all day but at the end of Korea and it’s interesting to academic foundations. This al- with the cultural and historical the day, it’s every single inlearn about where they come lows students to gather, social- parts of San Angelo and par- dividual in our programs that from and they also get to learn ize and get to know each other ticipate in volunteer events. make my job so profound.” about you and your culture.”
UCPC to showcase student talent 33rd annual student talent show to take place with special guest Alana Edgin Managing Editor
Contributed by Sam Mendoza Dave Ahdoot of the comedy duo Dave & Ethan were Special Guest Emcees last year.
Singers, dancers, comedians and all student talents are welcome at the upcoming 33rd annual UCPC Talent Show. Open stage auditions will be on March 2-3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the UC Info Desk Lobby. “It’s really two events in one,” said Graduate Assistant for UCPC Freddie Cantu. “We have to plan an auditions event which gives all ASU students a chance to participate and show us their talent. Then our Nighttime Committee, who’s in charge of the event, has to choose the top 10 best acts for the show. For the actual Talent Show, we bring an artist to emcee the event.” This year’s emcee will be the
comedic acapella duo, Dakaboom, chosen by freshman and UCPC Nighttime Chairman Justice Medina. The two men of Dakaboom are Ben McClain, who goes into the audience and enjoys flirting, and Paul Peglar, who plays piano and sings, according to their YouTube introduction. They have known each other since high school and began their comedic enterprise in 1999. McClain has been in television series like “General Hospital” and is part of Los Angeles based electronic vocal band ARORA. Peglar was the original pianist on the hit show “Glee” and is a member of The Haze, an international band that tours Europe in the summer. While the Talent Show began in 1983, one of the biggest hits was two years ago, where acapella group Six Appeal was invited to emcee.
“One of my favorite moments from a past talent show would be having the acapella group Six Appeal emceeing the 31st talent show,” said Sam Mendoza, coordinator for Student Programs and Activities. “They were amazing and had the crowd entertained throughout the whole show. They also stayed after the show to hang out and collaborate with the Urban Dance Society student group on a cool YouTube video.” The show serves as a competition. Only 10-12 of those who audition will be picked and they will compete for cash prizes on April 27 in the C.J. Davidson Conference Center in front of four faculty and staff judges and all who want to watch. For more information about auditions, questions and updates about the show and UCPC events, follow them on Twitter @AngeloStateUCPC.
Contributed by Sam Mendoza
DeMarcus Parker and Zazu Abraham peform mash-ups during the UCPC talent show last year.
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OPINIONS
Steven’s Spins “For those who miss the easy-going songwriters of the ’60s and ’70s, this record could be the most modest grand slam 2016 hears.”
Steven McKeown Contributor
R
emember the singer-songwriters of the 1970s: James Taylor, Carol King, Graham Nash, Jim Croce, Cat Stevens. Think about what those musicians all had in common, a simplistic style mostly. The folk rock movement, which penetrated the ’70s was known for its deeply reflective yet deceptively simple stripped-down sound. That simple sound can still be heard today from American Idol winner Lee DeWyze’s most recent release, “Oil & Water.” The album debuted on Feb. 12 and it’s already receiving praise for its downto-earth and roots-like production. At only 29 minutes, “Oil & Water” starts and ends in the blink of an eye, but it is a 29 minutes worth listening to. DeWyze’s vocals are strikingly similar to those of Marcus Mumford of Mumford & Sons. In fact, imagine if Marcus Mumford pursued a solo career as a folk musician and the resulting sound would be Lee DeWyze. “Oil & Water” begins with “Again,” a song about going home. While not exactly a brand new idea in the folk music scene, DeWyze delivers a heartfelt message in this song with all of the modesty his soul can muster. “But I know it won’t be long till I pack my things and I’ll be gone,” sings DeWyze, who sings with an almost morose overtone. “Again” is the type of song that can bring back memories that might not even exist. Nostalgia is felt for something that never was.
The title track “Oil & Water” can be compared to “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” considering the song’s lyrics revolve around one more kiss before the singer departs. Nevertheless, the song is an excellent example of what folk music should sound like. Next on the album is “Stone,” a track with brass arrangements and marching-style drums. The song is quite possibly the best on the whole album. Its lyrical content touches a little bit on the spiritual, while the vocals and instrumentation is reminiscent of a Mumford & Sons track from the album “Sigh No More.” The track “Safe” sounds as if it could have come from Cat Stevens, possibly from the album “Tea for the Tillerman,” with DeWyze’s high-to-low melodies and background vocal performances. Following is “Same for You,” a much darker track aided by haunting production and an eerie chorus. The song “West” harkens back to the good old days of early Bob Dylan with its lyrical content about a girl out west waiting, an idea similar to Dylan’s “Girl from the North Country.” In “Hollyridge,” a song dedicated to a place that has not been forgotten, a style similar to Simon & Garfunkel is heard. This is perhaps the softest track on the album and is guaranteed to relax its listeners. As a whole, “Oil & Water” is perfect in its simplicity and earthy textures. For those who miss the easy-going songwriters of the ’60s and ’70s, this record could be the most modest grand slam 2016 hears.
2.26.2016
Your movie theatre sucks Dustin Dodson Copy Editor
H
eralded as the savior of San Angelo, Icon Cinema opened their doors just a few months ago to the public. The advertising was sparse but effective. Although the flyers handed out both online and offline had questionable design elements, I still held out hope for this new challenger faced to compete with Tinseltown. Boy, was that misplaced. Icon Cinema, by my criteria, is barely worth the price of admission. For a company that slaps “VIP seating” on their marketing, you’d think by reserving a ticket you’d get treated as such. When first entering the building, which I should mention has a terrible location, you are directed
to the left to either place your ticket order, pick up reserved tickets or place an order for concessions. So far this sounds like your average visit to the theater. The catch is that nobody serves you your popcorn or soft drink; instead the staff hands over your empty containers and directs you to the far corner of the lobby to help yourself. Leaving serving options up to the patrons is my biggest knock on Icon. Not only do I have to make my way over to four large vats of popcorn, which means that the buttery snack is nowhere near as fresh as Tinseltown’s smaller popcorn machine, but I have to watch as other patrons as well as their children participate in the “full Icon experience” by pulling the designed levers that dispense the popcorn into the container. Letting a customer handle their own servings is a bad call. You know why? Customers don’t have to follow employee health regulation. An employee could slip up and not wash their hands when handling my beverage, but I’m willing to take my chances with the person getting paid rather than the person that paid to get in. The same goes with the beverages. I was on my way to get my reg-
ular drink when a child cut in front of me (I should mention that there are no lines?), only to caress the soda dispenser with her greasy fingers before finally giving up on the nozzle and running away. Pass. Once I was finally seated it was fine. The seats are worth the extra $2 of admission and I recommend getting the recliner option at all costs. You still have the run-ins with the usual movie goer suspects like the chatty Kathy’s and the phone zombies, which again, is strange for a VIP movie theater, but the movie going experience is what you would expect. Picture quality was fine and I found the sound system to almost be too loud on my initial viewing, but I’ve heard others say it’s great. What really hurts Icon is its organization. When you enter the building, you’re met with a rush of customers walking in every direction. There are no lines except the ones to get into the actual theater hall, it’s a manager’s nightmare. Icon was supposed to be the Tinseltown killer, and it may very well be, but don’t let the advertising fool you, you are not a VIP.
Photo by Hanna Schindler
Movie goers hustle into the movie theatre to make their evening show time.
Car rides turned into
forever memories Alana Edgin Managing Editor
I
’ve moved a lot since I was born, and I spent a lot of my life in cars. Moving, traveling, or just going for school trips have all been spent in cars or
buses. Because of this, there are many memories that happened in a car for me. When I was in fourth grade in 2005, my dad and brothers went to Rotan while my mom and I went to Spur. For those who are unfamiliar with small town Texas, this is almost an hour drive and since my mom was a teacher, we had to be there even earlier. She was also the One Act Play coach so we would make trips and stay late so the performers could practice. Since we would be in the car together for at least two hours a day, my mom and I ended up forming a playlist of sorts. Shania Twain’s “Up” and
LoneStar’s “Mr. Mom” would blast through the radio and we would dance and sing. It’s a memory that still makes me smile 11 years later. Another favorite car memory of mine was in 2008 when my family decided to move to Quinlan, Texas. This was a five hour drive, and a ridiculously long drive that got worse when you have four dogs, a cat, two birds and around six puppies. We tried to split up the small zoo between my dad in the U-Haul and our Trailblazer. One dog and the pups went in the area behind the backseat, and I was in the seat in front of them. We stopped at Schlotzsky’s and my sandwich was
passed back to me. Now, what I didn’t know was that Nala, the dog in the back with the puppies, was plotting something evil. I was simply sitting there, preparing to eat my awesome sandwich, then Nala goes for the kill. One moment a glorious sandwich was in my hands. The next moment, Nala had downed the sandwich and I was so upset. My poor sandwich. It’s an entertaining moment to me. My family likes to travel and we have gone to Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and others. Traveling in the car, arguing with my brothers while my parents switch shifts driv-
ing has always been a great memory. This wanderlust has followed me to college. While a two to four hour drive will knock people out, I’m perfectly fine. Last year some of my friends and I took my first ever out of state trip without my family, and it was awesome. We went to Louisiana and experienced some gorgeous places. That drive was over 10 hours, and one of the guys made everyone their own driving music. I’ve come to enjoy the time jamming out in my car while driving the hour long trips. It makes me feel like I’m home again.
OPINIONS Virtual reality, FBI’s demand a reality? could be a slippery-slope 2.26.2016
Page 7
Hanna Schindler
Editor-in-Chief
V
irtual reality seems to be taking over but is it here to stay? Samsung, LG and many more introduced their immersive technology at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona last weekend. Samsung showed off their new 360-degree, 30-megapixel camera with Mark Zuckerburg endorsing the product and LG introduced a similar 360-degree camera with fewer megapixels but a rumored lower price. From Samsung’s virtual reality launch of the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge to LG’s new phone compatible headset that isn’t far behind Samsung, the immersive technology had the Internet buzzing. The phones both promise better quality photos with a lower megapixel count in their 2D cameras. Lower megapixels and a bigger sensor allow the capturing of more light in low light con-
ditions. The phones are also compatible with the VR headsets that Samsung released last year. The headset, phone combo will allow consumers to take VR videos and share them with other VR users. So, does this mean virtual reality has finally made it big or is it just another fad like 3D? I think the average consumer will disregard the advancement in the virtual world at first, with mostly hardcore gamers and tech enthusiasts chasing after the products. The VR world that is limited to only select devices makes the consumers and market a niche that may or may not catch on. With phone sales of higher-end Android devices like Samsung’s S and LG’s G series plummeting, I think innovation was a necessity. The question remains, will people buy these products? If more consumers experience VR and begin purchasing VR compatible devices, I think based on buzz people would begin switching over to the immersive world. According to Zuckerberg, who spoke at the conference, VR is now mainly used for gaming but that is quickly changing. That is why Facebook is investing so much in VR, so they can deliver these “social experiences.” I guess in the coming months we will see what’s next for the world of VR and if it is here to stay.
Briana Martinez Contributor Apple continues to stand firm on their position against the FBI. The FBI asked a court to order Apple to create a unique version of iOS that would unlock the iPhone of a dead terrorist. The terrorist attacks were carried out by a married couple in San Bernardino on Dec. 2 of last year. The system is meant to bypass the security protections on the iPhone Lock screen. There are many that do not understand why Apple is fighting the government on this. Some even think that Apple is siding with terrorists by not complying. The iPhone in question could
hold the key to other terrorist cells and that would potentially save lives. The case, however is not so black and white. What the government is asking of Apple has dangerous implications. The operating system they are asking for Apple to create, removes security features and adds a new anti-encryption capability that allows passcodes to be entered electronically, making it easier to unlock an iPhone by trying unlimited amounts of passcode combinations with the speed of a modern computer. If Apple does create such an operating system, then a dangerous precedent will be set. The implications of which could be far-reaching. On the Apple website, there is a letter to customers that states, should the government be allowed to order us to create other capabilities for surveillance purposes, such as recoding conversations or location tracking? This would set a very dangerous precedent. Apple would essentially be creating a “master key” soft-
ware that could unlock anybody’s iPhone even if it is in their physical possession. Both sides of the argument are understandable. The families of the victims of these terrorist attacks are just a few of the people who are spearheading the debate and backing the FBI in their requests to Apple. Some family members and even survivors are filing court papers supporting a judge’s order that Apple assist the FBI. Apple’s primary fears are the potential misuse of this “backdoor” into iPhones for all customers. Cyber-terrorists and hackers alike would try to gain access to this type of software relentlessly and with the amount of private information stored on phones, it would be a potential goldmine. FBI Director James Comey insists that neither Apple nor the FBI should resolve the issue. “It should be resolved by the American people,” Comey said. “Deciding how we want to govern ourselves in a world we have never seen before.”
What is the weirdest thing that you’ve seen on campus?
Selena Tesfahiwet
Freshman “I saw a vampire! Like a girl dressed as a vampire or a witch coming out of Centennial. And it was nowhere near Halloween.”
Ram Page
Shayla Martin
Junior “One night we were out playing volleyball and this person was walking around in a clown suit and was scaring people.
Kaylin White
Junior “I was in Centennial and it was Friday the 13th, and this guy was riding the elevator in a morph suite. And he would creepily wave. It was just creepy and weird.”
T-Shirt design contest! The Ram Page team wants T-shirts but we need your design!
Submit your shirt designs to
rampage@angelo.edu Deadline to enter is March 21, 2016.
Winner gets $40 Visa gift card!
Ram Page Staff
Dane White
Senior “I think it’s weird that we have a gum tree that isn’t even a tree; it’s more like a stump.”
Sophomore “Squirrels chasing people. The squirrels are pretty crazy here.”
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Landon Lowe
Mugeni Ynonne
Junior “I was surprised by the different cultures that are found here. I have never seen so many different cultures in one place and San Angelo is not a big city. ”
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Published every Friday and available to students, one copy per student, the student newspaper of Angelo State University is a public forum, with its student editorial board making all decisions concerning its contents. Unsigned editorials express the views of the majority of the editorial board. Ram Page welcomes all letters. Please include your name, classification/position and a phone number and/or e-mail address for verification purposes. Letters must be signed and be no more than 350 words. The paper reserves the right to edit letters for grammar and clarity, and all letters are subject to laws governing obscenity, libel and privacy. Deadline is 5 p.m., Monday. Submission does not guarantee publication. Letters may be mailed, e-mailed or submitted at the newspaper’s office, Room 324 on the third floor of the Porter Henderson Library. Opinions in letters are not necessarily those of the staff, nor should any opinion expressed in a public forum be construed as the opinion or policy of the administration, unless so attributed.
Page 8
SPORTS
2.26.2016
Senior swan song victorious Graduating players leave their last home game on a high note Sam Fowler Sports Writer
Ram and Rambelle basketball sent off a total of five seniors with their last potential wins at Stephens Arena on Feb. 17th The Belles started the night off with a 71-63 victory over Cameron University before the Rams dispatched the Aggies of Cameron with an 82-
75 win. This was the last scheduled home game for Belle seniors Brea Mitchell and Diamalises Rivera and for Ram seniors Stedman Allen, Tre Bennett and Omari Gudul. For the Belles in their first year under Head Coach Kevin Baker, Mitchell and Rivera were the key focus in buying in to Baker’s plan of action for Belle basketball. “I am so glad that [Diamalises] stayed with us,” Baker said. “When you get a new coach your senior year, it’s very difficult sometimes. But, she managed to handle it real-
ly well and has been a tremendous asset to our team. We knew when we got Brea that we got a great player.” “Even though we would only have her for one year, we knew she could do great things for us. Both Brea and Diamalises have been great senior leaders for us,” Baker said. For the Rams, under the full direction of former assistant turned Head Coach Cinco Boone, it took no convincing for the three year starter Omari Gudul about where the program was heading. But Boone had a seemingly
tall task getting senior transfers Stedman Allen and Tre Bennett to commit to his ideals as a coach. “It starts with the players themselves,” Boone said. “They are really high character guys. And when you take character over talent then they are going to buy in. I think that’s helped them a lot.” “It’s a great feeling,” senior guard Tre Bennett said when asked about winning on senior night. “We love the community. I have been shown nothing but love since I got here. I’m glad I got to play my senior year here at Angelo.”
With this possibly being the final game at ASU for these seniors at the edge of the culmination of long and arduous careers, emotions were running high. “The seniors have been instrumental in our success this season,” Coach Boone said. “From an experience and leadership standpoint, they have been outstanding. You can’t say enough about the experience they have.” Wherever life takes these young men and women, ASU will be forever thankful for all they have done, big or small, for this program.
Photo by Danny Meyer, department of communication and marketing
Left: Seniors Brea Mitchell, guard and forward, and Diamalises Rivera, post, pose for a photo to commemorate their last home game as seniors. Right: Seniors Omari Gudul, forward, Tre Bennett, guard, and Stedman Allen, forward, accept their awards after their game in Cameron.
Rams steal win from LCU
Baseball makes a comeback after two losses in series Sam Fowler Sports Writer
The No. 9 ranked Ram baseball team stopped in Lubbock Feb. 19-21st during their season opening road trip, dropping two of the three games against No. 10 ranked Lubbock Christian University. In the first game on Feb. 19th, the Rams fell 7-6 in a closely contested matchup with the Chaparrals. Senior pitcher Bryce Zak tossed a solid game during six and two-thirds innings of work, giving up just three runs on five hits with his second consecutive 10 strikeout game. Zak was in line for his third win of the season with the Rams up 5-3 going in to the eighth inning before the Chaparrals figured out a way to score four runs off senior relief pitcher Graylon Brown, snatching the lead in the bottom of the eighth. On the second day of the series, the Rams struggled at the plate only scoring one run off one hit to the Chaparral’s 12 hits as the Rams fell 6-1 to LCU. Despite eight strikeouts, redshirt freshman Matt Shannon gave up four runs on nine hits during his six and twothirds innings of work in the loss putting him at 1-2 on the
mound this season. LCU was looking for a series sweep, but the Rams had other plans, stealing the final game 6-3. The Rams kicked off the scoring in the third inning as junior utility player Christian Abilla scored Michael Urquidi with an RBI single to left field putting the Rams up 1-0. After LCU tied the game in the bottom of the third and a scoreless fourth inning, junior first baseman Jay Gonzales put the Rams back ahead with a two run double before senior designated hitter Jerryd Klemm scored him on an RBI single to cap off the inning with the Rams up 4-1. The Chaparrals scored runs in the fifth and seventh innings narrowing the Rams lead to 5-3 going in to the eighth inning. In the top of the eighth, junior shortstop Tyler Coolbaugh brought in Jerryd Klemm, and the Rams’ final run, on an RBI single to right field. Sophomore pitcher Kellen Rholl started off the game on the mound tossing four strikeouts in the three and a third innings that he pitched but junior pitcher Joey Wise got the decision in his three innings of relief with senior Graylon Brown getting his second save of the season. The Rams are now 6-3 overall this season as they stay on the road, traveling to Golden, Colorado to face Colorado School of Mines in a four game series Feb. 26-28th.
Belles split with Hilltoppers Softball comes back after 11-inning loss Sam Fowler Sports Writer Belle softball kicked off their six game road trip on Feb. 20. by splitting a double-header with non-conference opponent St. Edwards University in Austin In the first game, the Belles fell 3-2 in an 11 inning pitcher’s duel. The first eight innings were quiet as the two teams combined for just three hits across the first eight frames. During the top of the ninth inning, the Belles broke the scoreless deadlock with a single by freshman Becky Wilhelm that brought Alexis Evans around to score and narrowly put the Belles up 1-0 going in to the bottom of the ninth.
After the Hilltoppers evened the score in the bottom of the ninth, the Belles were able to tack on another run in the 10th as sophomore Madison Greenwell brought Becky Wilhelm home with an RBI single. Yet again, the Hilltoppers were able to pull even with the Belles at two runs in the bottom of the 10th inning but were unable to win the game despite having the bases loaded with only one out. The top of the 11th, saw the Hilltoppers able to hold the Belles scoreless opening the door for their walk-off single off sophomore pitcher Brandy Marlett in the bottom of the 11th. In the second game, the Belles topped the Hilltoppers 6-0. The Belles got off to a hot start in the first inning as freshman catcher Taegan Kirk managed to get a single past the left side of the Hilltopper
infield, scoring Bailey Wallace from third base to give the Belles a 1-0 lead. In the second inning, the Belles pushed their lead to 3-0 off an RBI double by freshman Bailey Wallace and an RBI single by junior pitcher Kenedy Urbany. The Belles doubled their lead to 6-0 in the top of the third as senior outfielder Ambra Hill connected on a two run triple before scoring on an illegal pitch to cap off the scoring for the Belles. Urbany fed off the early lead inside the circle for the Belles by throwing six scoreless innings, only giving up one hit before sophomore Morgan Hill took over for the final three outs of the game. The Belles are now 11-4 on the season, heading into their four game series with Texas A&M-Kingsville Feb. 26-27th.
Photo by Danny Meyer, department of communication and marketing Rambelle runs the bases with a smile.