Balloon Fest Hot air balloons fill the Abilene sky
vol. 103, no. 12
Wednesday october 1, 2014
News Page 3
1 SECTION, 6 PAGES
what’s INSIDE SPORTS Soccer picks up home win against top team in the Southland. Page 6
SPORTS Football dominates in win over HBU, third win in a row.
Page 6
OPINION Ben Todd describes the four trends he sees in recent cult classic movies Page 4
NEWS Two students launch movement to develop Abilene’s culture Page 3
alicia adams staff Photographer
Itzel Garcia De Alba, junior communications and international studies major from Farmers Branch, serves up the traditional Mexican drink, horchata, at Entra a la Plaza. Hispanos Unidos hosted the event at the Hunter Welcome Center on Friday night.
OPINION The climate change debate is about the power grab behind it
Entra a la Plaza serves up culture emily seidel copy editor
Page 4
INTRAMURALS Daniel Block narrates the story of Dream Team Frisbee’s path to victory Page 2
A Spanish version of “Be My Baby” blasted over loudspeakers as several hundred waited for the festivities of Entra a la Plaza to begin Friday night. While they waited, some had their faces painted, and others bounced around in the inflatable obstacle course. The aroma of cheese, beef and spices filled the air as the line that stretched the length of the Hunter Welcome Center courtyard finally started moving, kicking off the annual event with a feast
allison Brown
VIDEO The GSP Siblings challenge the Galaxy Novas to a LOTR duel
VIDEO See our video coverage of the Abilene Balloon Festival this weekend
Read more at acuoptimist.com
tea and water. Ballet Folklorico, a dance group from St. Vincent’s Catholic Church near ACU, brought three troupes of dancers to perform traditional Mexican dances. Dressed in customary multicolored Mexican dresses and ponchos, the young boys and girls of St. Vincent’s put on a performance that had the audience cheering and clapping along to the rhythm. Maria Sanchez, a dancer from the senior group, said the dances and bright outfits represented culture from different regions of Mexico. “The pee-wees dressed
for the state of Michoacán, the juniors represented the Yucatán region and the seniors dressed for the state of Jalisco,” Sanchez said. They performed to classic regional songs such as “Jarabe Tapatio,” “Guadalajara” and “La Negra,” to name a few. A live mariachi band, Mariachi Real de Abilene de Jose Chavez, got the audience dancing with classics like “La Bamba” and “Stand by Me.” Piñatas came next. Children waited in a long line to take a swing at the giant orange star hanging in the courtyard while Hispanos Unidos officers sang the traditional
piñata song, “Dale dale dale,” until a boy named Isaiah finally busted it open. The college students’ piñata only lasted a couple minutes. The night ended with audience dancing. DJ TAZ loosened up the crowd with classics like The Cupid Shuffle, Wobble, and The Electric Slide before unleashing an energetic mix of salsa, bachata, cumbia and merengue music for those who were willing to try more cultural dances. Itzel Garcia De Alba, public relations officer for Hissee features page 5
Phased retirement now offered to faculty managing editor
what’s online
to remember. Entra a la Plaza, hosted by student organization Hispanos Unidos, drew a crowd of more than 500 throughout a night full of entertainment. The evening was a blend of music, dancing, food and fun that gave the Abilene community a chance to experience authentic Hispanic culture. Catered by ARAMARK, the fiesta featured a buffet of chicken, beef and cheese enchiladas, refried beans, rice and sopapillas, accompanied by rows of cinnamon milk called horchata, three varieties of agua fresca, iced
Eligible faculty members have until Dec. 1 to decide whether they’ll take advantage of the university’s phased retirement plan. The plan allows tenured faculty members at least 55 years of age to apply for a one, two or three year phased retirement period. If approved, the faculty member’s workload is reduced by 50 percent and their pay is adjusted accordingly. Dr. Susan Lewis, vice provost, has been involved
the developing of this retirement plan. The university began offering the plan last fall, with applications due last December. Interested faculty had to make a relatively quick decision to apply, Lewis said. Three faculty members applied last year and received approval for phased retirement. This year, eligible faculty members have more time to consider their options as they approach retirement. Thus far, the plan has been well received by faculty members. It was designed to offer flexibility to
faculty members who have many years of experience as they approach retirement. With reduced workload, faculty have increased time to work on scholarly projects. Lewis noted in an email that faculty members approved for phased retirement also still receive healthcare and insurance benefits. “Everyone on the phased retirement plan is eligible for benefits, merit raises and retains his or her tenure until fully retired,” Lewis said. Another benefit of this type of retirement plan is
the amount of time departments have to plan for a faculty member’s retirement. “Phased retirement gives the department advanced notice to begin planning how it will address the retirement of a particular faculty member,” Lewis said. “It’s really a win-win.” Additionally, Lewis said the plan could potentially save the university some money. “The phased retirement plan has the potential to save ACU some salary dollars, but another real benefit for both the retiree and the
university is that it gives us more lead time than traditional retirement does,” Lewis said. Dr. Wendell Willis, professor of Bible, has taught at ACU for 20 years. Willis is one of the faculty members approved last fall for the phased retirement plan. “I thought I would just stop after a certain year but this was an attractive option for several reasons,” Willis said. Willis said he found this option appealing because his retirement wouldn’t be see faculty page 3
$1,000 given to Swing Cats’ Fall Stomp Jazz Ensemble. Those who attend are encouraged to dress up in their best attire or vintage clothing. The ACU Swing Cats’ anThe event has been free nual Fall Stomp is benefit- in the past with donations ing from an anonymous encouraged, said Dr. B. $1,000 donation. Cole Bennett, Swing Cats In its fifth year, Fall sponsor. Stomp is the result of a “There are those who partnership between the enjoy Fall Stomp so much dance group and the ACU that they make small doJazz Ensemble. The event nations on the spot, but we will include dance les- don’t bill it as a fundraiser,” sons, social dancing and a said Bennett, chair of the performance by the ACU Department of Language
Sarah Stephens
student reporter
“
People from all over Abilene as well as neighboring cities come out to spend an evening with us” elisa wyrick senior english major from the woodlands
and Literature. Bennett said the Swing Cats appreciate the generosity of the $1000 donation because it financed the event’s venue, the Elks
Abilene Christian University
Club Ballroom. In the past, the event has taken place other locations, but the group has enjoyed the Elks Club Ballroom most over the past couple of years, he said. Swing Cats co-president Elisa Wyrick, senior English major from The Woodlands, said she doesn’t get to experience live music often, so she takes advantage of it every chance she gets. She anticipates a big turnout for the event, Swing
Cats’ biggest of the year. “Apart from the band, what makes Fall Stomp really amazing is that it’s free for everyone, and we always have a really large crowd,” Wyrick said. “People from all over Abilene as well as neighboring cities come out to spend an evening with us. It’s a great source of community.” contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Wednesday 10.01.14
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wednesday
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thursday 10 a.m. Graduate and professional school fair in McGlothlin Campus Center
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friday 7 p.m. Volleyball game at Northwestern State University
saturday 2 p.m. Volleyball game at Stephen F. Austin State University
7 p.m. ACU Swing Cats Fall Stomp 7 p.m. Soccer game at University of Central Arkansas
3 p.m. SJ Jiang senior recital 6 p.m. Football game versus Lamar
8 p.m. Swing Dance Concert at Elks Art Center
Chapel checkup To date:
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Around Abilene
Remaining:
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Oct. 3 8 p.m. Haunted House Come visit the best scare in Abilene area. Visit us at 100 Hunt St. in Clyde. You won’t be disappointed. We are open until Nov. 3, as well as from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Oct. 29-30.
@acuoptimist The Optimist
Oct. 4
Oct. 7
Oct. 7
7 p.m. Dance Under the Stars at Abilene State Park with Muddy Creek as the featured band. Admission is $5 for persons 13 and older. Overnight campers are free. Light concessions will be sold by Friends of Abilene State Park. Proceeds are used to support projects and activities at the park.
7:30 p.m. ACU Guest Artist Recital featuring Joy Thurman on piano in the Williams Performing Arts Center Recital Hall.
7 p.m. Join us at the Abilene Civic Center for a night out to celebrate cancer survivors and enjoy a great style show and silent auction. Proceeds go to supporting Cancer Services Network’s effort to continue providing gifts of hope to cancer patients and their families in West Central Texas. Doors open at 6 p.m. Visit http://www. cancerservicesnetwork. org/events.html for more information.
optimist@acu.edu Announcements If you are a fan of hockey or want to learn how to play, join the ACU Hockey Club! The team plays at the Div. II college level of Inline Roller Hockey. Email our club president, Ryan Podany, at rap10c@acu. edu or our team captain, Tim Holt, at tdh10b@acu.edu for more information. Books in the library are being relocated to movable compact shelving on the first floor of the library. The move will take place through September and October and will make it difficult to access some of the books. The move will open up more of the library for study spaces on the first and third floors. We apologize for any inconvenience and ask that you seek librarian assistance at the main
floor research desk if you are not able to a lesson at 7 p.m., and dancing will be easily find what you are looking for. from 8-10 p.m. Dress up, or dress vintage! This year’s homecoming musical is Big Fish, which centers on Edward Bloom, a Seekers of the Word Drama Ministry traveling salesman who lives life to the meets for Chapel on Thursdays in the fullest. ACU Theatre is one of the first in Bible building, room 104. Our Chapel is the nation to mount a production. The open to everyone. Come study the Bible, musical’s three shows will run Oct. 10- pray, worship, talk and laugh with us, and 11 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 12 at 2 p.m. The get a chapel credit in the process! show is suitable for all ages. Tickets can be purchased online at acu.edu/theatre. Looking for a Summer 2015 Internship? Come visit with Arms of Hope recruitCome join the ACU Swing Cats and Jazz ers Nov. 4 at their booth in the Campus Ensemble at this year’s Fall Stomp for a Center 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and learn about swanky night of swing dancing and live great opportunities at the Medina Chilmusic! It will be in the Elks Ballroom at dren’s Home campus. There will also be 1174 N. 1st St., on Oct. 3. We will have an information session in the Campus
Center Living Room at 2 p.m. Don’t get sick and miss out on any fun (or classes) this season! Flu shots are now available in the ACU Medical Care Center for $20. We accept cash, check, credit, debit or you may bill it to your ACU banner account. Office hours are 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Watch for announcements of special clinic hours. Don’t miss Dr. Kent and Amber Brantly’s “Story of Faith and Hope” at 4 p.m. Oct. 10 in Moody Coliseum. Admission is free.
Volunteer Opportunities Big Brothers Big Sisters “Lunch Buddy” program is looking for volunteers. Each volunteer is matched with an elementary-age child. Volunteers spend just 30 minutes per week eating lunch with their “little brother” or “little sister” at local elementary schools, while mentoring through the simple act of friendship. Participants can enjoy playing card games, reading books and visiting during lunch. Each volunteer can choose their own “lunch buddy day” that fits best with their schedule. 138 children are on the waiting list. Contact Jamie Bearden at 325-6743113 or jbearden@bbbstx.org for more information.
Communities in Schools needs 1020 reading and lunch buddies at Ortiz Elementary. Volunteers are needed anytime between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. weekdays. Contact Sheila Ashford at 325-671-4945 ext.5351 or sheila.ashford@abileneisd.org for more information. Friends for Life needs volunteers to work with the elderly and people with disabilities, focusing on those that don’t have family or friends to care for them. Some live in nursing homes and some live independently. For nursing home clients, we have friendly visitation, reading to the blind, entertainment,
playing games, help writing letters, special holiday recognition, adopt a grandparent and Gifts for Grannies and Grandpas at Christmas. For those living independently, we have minor household repairs, transportation to the grocery store or doctor appointments, running errands, reassurance calls, change light bulbs and mow lawns. Dates and times are flexible and able to work around students’ schedules. Contact Cecilia Barahona at 325-672-2635 or cecilia@friendsforlife.org for more information.
young girls. Girl Scouts offers several flexible ways to volunteer. You choose how: a one-day event, six-week series or year-round troop! Volunteer positions are ongoing and varied. Contact the Michelle Lawson in the Girl Scout Office for current opportunities at 325670-0432 and mlawson@gs-top.org. Keep Abilene Beautiful is looking for volunteers to help with litter cleanups. Small and large groups are both needed. Contact Nicole Eaves at 325734-3301 and nicole.eaves@abilenetx. com for more information.
Girl Scouts is seeking volunteers to help make a difference in the life of
Intramurals
Dream Team Frisbee dominates Ultimate tournament sighed in relief and tried to slow his rapid breathTHE ing. He calmly rested the VAGABONDAGE REC-COVERING remainder of the night, SAMANTHA SUTHERLAND ADDICT assured that the tournament would proceed as DANIEL BLOCK planned. There would be no more nightmares on Ramsey Towell, senior experienced a nightmare this night for the captain computer science major like this before–the an- of Dream Team Frisbee. from Abilene, woke with nual intramural ultimate With no Champs a start early Saturday frisbee tournament had League f lag football morning, dripping in a been canceled. games taking place over cold sweat. He’d never Back to reality, he the past week, the ultimate frisbee tournament took center stage in the intramural world. Of the six teams competing in the co ed tournament, five were from social clubs, or combinations of social clubs. I use the term “competing” loosely though, as the lone non-social club team, The Dream Team, could have won the tournament with each member blindfolded and one hand tied behind their backs. “It felt good to beat all the club teams,” Towell said. “I’m usually only used to beating clubs in Sing Song but it’s nice to
be able to establish dominance out on the field as well.” Through the first two matches of the evening, The Dream Team was 2-0 and had outscored its opponents, Sub-T 16 and Siggies-GSP, 25-5. As captain, Towell managed the team and rewarded players who performed well with stickers that read, “Good Job!” or “You’re a Star!” Despite their early season struggles, a couple players on Dream Team Frisbee stood out to Towell for raising their games to the next level when it mattered most. “Cameron ‘Booby Miles’ Cox had a stellar performance,” Towell said. “His preseason games weren’t anything to brag about, but he really showed everyone at the tournament why he was Dream Team Frisbee.” Aric Tate, not known for his catching ability, Towell said, also came through in the clutch in
The Dream Team’s third game, a 12-2 victory over Kojie-Moonie. “He moshed two of the Moonies and scored a clutch goal,” Towell said. Despite the lopsided score, Towell appreciated the effort put forth by both teams, and knows the outcome could have been different. “(I’d like to give a) special shout-out to Coco and the rest of (Galaxy) for showing up and doing their best against us,” Towell said. “It was a close and hard-fought battle, but in the end, the better team came out on top with a close 12-2 victory.” Someone will have to inform Towell that 12 and two are not remotely close to each other. Now in the finals, and Towell’s nightmare from the night before now nothing more than a long-lost memory, Dream Team Frisbee refueled for the championship game. Cookies and orange slices (not brought by the wom-
en of Zeta Rho, unfortunately) were the snack of choice. Siggies-GSP stormed its way through the rest of the draw and into the final for a chance to make amends for its earlier loss to Dream Team Frisbee. In what would end up being Dream Team Frisbee’s closest match of the day, Towell and his teammates walked away with a 10-5 victory and a championship to their names. Towell never faced off against his own club team, Trojans. He credits his practice during the weeks leading up to the tournament for pushing himself and his team over the top. “I occasionally played whenever the weather permitted,” Towell said. “And when I had all my homework done, of course.”
contact block at djb13a@acu.edu
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news
Wednesday 10.01.14
Big Country Balloon Fest takes to the skies james eldred staff reporter About a dozen hot air balloons floated gently into the sky from Red Bud Park Sunday for the grand finale of the 20th annual Big Country Balloon Fest. In a marked improvement from last year, the weather was calm enough for pilots to take flight Saturday and Sunday and allowed a sizable crowd to attend. “We’ve had a great turnout this year,” said Kathey Ashley, the pilot coordinator for the event. “We really appreciate everyone who comes out to support us.” The festival is hosted by the Abilene chapter of Optimist International, a non-profit organization that benefits low-income youth. Due to foul weather last year, the club was not able to cover the cost of the event. The president of the Optimist Club, Robin Hicks, said this year’s festival was significantly better. “The difference is night and day,” she said. “The weather’s just wonderful. It’s fixing to be a good show.” Attractions at the festival included bounce houses, pony rides, a petting zoo and tethered balloon rides. Joining the balloons in the air were the kites of the End of the Line Synchronized Kite Team, which performed at the event last year. The coordinators were only planning to perform a candlestick burn – firing the burners without the balloon attached – until
7:30 p.m. Saturday when the wind died down and allowed several pilots to inflate their envelopes for a full glow – activating the burner with the balloon inflated. Pilots took off Sunday morning with help from volunteers from the crowd of spectators. Among these volunteers were four ACU students - Bonnie Ashlock, Brady Cox, Alex Buckel and Paulina Sanchez - who returned to watch the balloons ascend. “It was a spur-of-themoment date,” said Sanchez, a junior biology and pre-med major from Decatur. “We went to the festival Saturday night, but they weren’t actually going to fly off the balloons which was really disappointing.” A member of a balloon team told the group there would be a flight Sunday morning, so they decided to go back and watch the lift-off before attending church. “And then they asked for help,” said Buckel, junior environmental science major from Azle. The students had inadvertently chosen to watch from the volunteer benches, and were assigned help the crew of the Old Lady and the Shoe - the only specially-shaped balloon on the field. “There’s a lot more that goes into hot air balloons than you think,” said Ashlock, a junior nutrition major from Abilene. “This one weighs almost a thousand pounds. An average balloon is about 80 feet tall, and the Old Lady is about 140. One hundred forty-seven feet tall, to be
photo courtesy of james eldred
Students Bonnie Ashlock, Brady Cox, Paulina Sanchez and Alex Buckel volunteered at this weekend’s balloon festival. exact. At that height, it is one of the tallest balloons in the nation, said pilot Chris Jones, operating out of Amarillo and a newcomer to the festival. “The Space Shuttle Balloon has us beat by about 70 feet,” he said, referring to the largest hot air balloon in the world, the Patriot. The students helped
operate fans to inflate the boot-shaped envelope, and even crawled inside to fasten two of the vents that allow air to escape. “She’s a really sweet lady, you just have to get to know her,” Buckel said about the balloon. “She’s a bit stressed out with all the kids, but she has a good heart.” After the balloon was
Students bring culture to Abilene jonathan ward staff reporter Two ACU students launched Young Adult Cult, a movement to develop Abilene’s culture and unite the community. “Young Adult Cult is an effort to bridge the gap between the different schools,” said Mary Carol Fox, event manager for the organization. Fox, senior marketing major from Waco, said ACU, Hardin-Simmons University and McMurry University are working together on the project to connect students to businesses and the city. The group is mostly based
online through its blog, as well as its Twitter and Instagram accounts. The goal of the online social media campaign is to explore Abilene residents’ findings on local culture. The organization’s blog will also document the development process of an endof-the-year festival organized through Young Adult Cult. Site visitors can find updates on the festival’s entertainment list and sponsors in addition to news about what’s going on in Abilene. Jordan Fox, event manager for Young Adult Cult, said the organization is in the planning phase and is about to begin conducting inter-
views for team leaders. Young Adult Cult is also in search of volunteers. “We know a lot of people won’t be able to put in a lot of hours, but even just one small project or one thing here and there will really make this thing happen,” said Jordan, senior communications major from Houston. Jordan said the idea for the movement was conceived after summer internships, The internships then inspired the two event managers to enrich the cultural identity of Abilene. “There is a lot of stuff in Abilene to go do; we’ve just noticed there’s really no way to get it out there,” he said.
The organization is completely independent of any direct university involvement, but Jordan and Mary Carol said ACU and Hardin- Simmons have been extremely supportive of their organization. “We’ve seen nothing but support from the schools, the Cultural Affairs Council, Chamber of Commerce and businesses downtown,” Jordan said. “Our businesses downtown are already really excited about it.”
contact ward at jtw12a@acu.edu
Retirement: Phased plan gives faculty more options from page 1 be a clean break from teaching, but he can gradually move out of his role as professor. “People come to universities for different reasons but I enjoy the classroom,” Willis said. “I find a lot of fun and enjoyment in teaching, so I was a little reluctant to give it up. But, I also didn’t want to hang around after I should’ve left. This sort
of allowed me to do that with two steps instead of one.” This semester, Willis is on sabbatical and will return to teach half-time for two years. Willis and Lewis noted that this plan gives faculty members room in their schedules to work on projects outside of teaching. “It gives experienced faculty members the option for more f lexibility
in their schedules as they approach full retirement, as well as giving them increased time to work on scholarly projects,” Lewis said. Willis will spend his sabbatical semester finishing a book and has plans to start another when he returns to teaching half-time. “One of the gains I get is more time to work on some publishing that I want to finish and get
Dance group to hold open auditions allison barksdale staff reporter Sophisticats dance team will begin its second year on campus with open auditions Oct. 24 and 25. The team was founded last year by Dani Burrell, junior advertising and public relations major from Dallas, Ashley Edge, sophomore math education major from Alvord, and Samone Smith, sophomore Bible and political science major from Indianapolis. Smith said women interested in auditioning for the team don’t need to be advanced-level dancers, and all levels of experience are welcome. “One of our goals is to make the game fun and
pump people up and make them want to be a wildcat,” Smith said. “Sophisticats is about bridging all different styles of dance together. It is a diverse team and a place to be creative.” Sophisticats offers the women of ACU a unique opportunity. “Our dance team is a place where you can be yourself because everyone is different,” Edge said. “We all bring different qualities to the team.” Edge said Sophisticats is a work in progress but has a great amount of potential because it’s different from other dance groups on campus. Burrell said the team is looking for women who not only love to perform but are in good standing with the university and exem-
plify what it means to be a part of Sophisticats. In addition to dancers, the team is looking for individuals interested in handling administrative responsibilities. As Sophisticats continues to establish itself as a performing group, Edge said she hopes the group will become a lasting part of campus entertainment. For example, the team this year plans to perform during half-time shows at ACU sporting events. “As the years go by, the dance team will get better and better and will become a tradition that ACU will hold forever.”
contact barksdale at alb14c@acu.edu
off my to-do list,” Willis said. Eligible faculty members must submit applications by December 1 for approval by their college’s dean.
contact brown at akb12b@acu.edu
upright, they were given the opportunity to go up with Jones on a short tether ride. “Sometimes, you’ve got to get off the spectator bench and into the hot air balloon,” Ashlock said. The unexpected plan turned out to be a day to remember. “It was a good Sunday morning that we weren’t
really expecting,” Sanchez added. Jones said he would love to come back next year for the festival. “The people here really made it worth my while to come over,” he said.
contact eldred at jfe11a@acu.edu
Opinion
Wednesday 10.01.14
4
editorial
Climate change issue hinges on power hunger the issue Climate change has been put back on the table and protestors are demanding change.
our take They are chanting “power to the people” but they expect the government to make change for them using big government, regulation and ultimately less power for the people.
Climate Week came and went. Last week, we heard President Obama speak at the United Nations Summit meeting on global warming. We saw 300,000 activ-
ists march the streets of New York City demanding change. And we did a double take when we saw Leonardo DiCaprio weighing in on the environment with world leaders.
hashtagACU
But more importantly, we were reminded climate change will always be a power issue. Not a green power or a people power, but a bureaucratic power issue. After all the science, the facts, the myths, the protests and the trends, climate change is still at the mercy of government regulation. No matter where you stand on the science behind global warming, the fight for power is undeniable. Governments grasp for power over industries, corporations, other countries and individuals. Their ini-
tiatives to “save the planet” or to “reduce our carbon footprint” all employ one common strategic device: the stripping of freedom to maintain power. They will slowly regulate away our freedom to drive whatever car we want. They will regulate our freedom to choose what type of energy we consume. Obama even hinted at the hunger for power all countries face during his speech to the United Nations Climate Summit last Tuesday. “In each of our countries,
there are interests that will be resistant to action,” he said. “And in each country there is a suspicion that if we act and other countries don’t, that we will be at an economic disadvantage.” Even at the highest level—the very top of the bureaucratic food chain—governments are monitoring the ways in which they can maintain the most power. Bottom-up movements, like the activists marching around Wall Street last week, are heartening and raising awareness for the damage done to the environment.
But they don’t end the power-grab cycle. They call out to government officials because they have “power” to make change, when really, government power lies in how much control it has over us. Protestors will keep marching, shouting “power to the people,” without realizing they’re actually giving more power to the people who are going to take our freedoms away. contact The Optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
DAILY doodle dosage
Ben Todd
Sept. 29 3:48 p.m.
Raise your hand if you are ready for longboards to stop being a thing
Sept. 29 3:48 p.m.
Jokes on you, person commiting fraud with my card, I’m broke.
@carlyyruth Sept. 29 9:32 a.m.
The two rules I try to live by: 1. Love others 2. Always say yes to breakfast burritos
@jessianderson13 Sept. 30 1:57 p.m.
S/O to members who wear club shirts and keep me from doubting myself about who they are #pledging #ACU
@SamanthaSharp12 Sept. 18 5:19 p.m.
college aka the place that makes you question everything you ever thought you knew about anything ever
@ablynnbildstein Sept. 28 11:58 p.m.
All of my “People you may know” are siblings lol. #acu
Column
Finding a new spin on Ultimate
@jaymiejoyce7 @hashtagtimmyf
Sept. 28 11:25 p.m.
It’s cool that I get to be their coach AND their biggest fan! I love these Cats. We’re building something special here at #ACU
Sept. 29 2:47 p.m.
Stop yelling. This is a library. Who raised you?
VAGABONDAGE THE ORRACLE
SAMANTHAMADELINE SUTHERLAND ORR
@linsdayurban3
This weekend, I played in the intramural Ultimate Frisbee tournament. Well actually, I just ran around and congested the middle of the field with defenders who didn’t know I wasn’t actually going to touch the Frisbee. I was asked to play only because, being a co-ed tournament, there was a requirement of at least two female players per team on the field at all times. Basically, all I was asked to do was show up with two x chromosomes.
@kencollums
I told my mom I had 3 exams this week and now the netflix password is changed
YikYak
Can we get a ‘This Week at the Bean’ email too?
YikYak Life’s too short to “eject USB safely”
YikYak
And I think I did my job pretty well because my team ended up winning the tournament. Not only did I win a free T-shirt, but I also gained some insight from my observational participation. For instance, life is more fun with fewer whistleblowers around. There weren’t any referees with flags ready to throw or whistles around their neck. There was just one person with the job of keeping the score and time. No referee was nec-
essary to hand the disc to the other team every time it was turned over or thrown out of bounds. Players just picked up and went. It was simple and made me long for this “honor system” to be applied elsewhere. It made me wish the Chapel office just trust I go to Chapel 55 times a semester instead of monitoring my every card swipe. I also learned it’s easy to see someone’s true character when they are put in a losing situation. While this is probably true for all sports, it’s especially evident when students who typically dominate the flag football field are thrown into an Ultimate tournament.
It should be obvious, but throwing a Frisbee is drastically different than throwing a football, meaning the strategy of the game changes, too. Opponent teams stacked with flag football stars got easily frustrated when they realized this was a different ball... er, disc game. Before I ever date a football player, I’ll probably ask him to play Ultimate against me. But the real moral of the story here is: if you’re ever obliged to participate in an activity solely because of your gender, make sure you’re at least guaranteed a free T-shirt out of it. contact orr at mco10b@acu.edu
Column
Common attributes create our cult classic movies DAILY DOODLE VAGABONDAGE DOSAGE SAMANTHA SUTHERLAND BEN TODD
Believe it or not, Pitch Perfect came out two years ago. (Yeah, now you feel old.) Even though it’s history, the majority of the Internet/American population will know what you are talking about if you start doing the cup song. Some recent movies like Pitch Perfect have made a significant impact on our culture. Movies like Frozen, Mean Girls and The Princess Bride. These cult classics have four things in common.
Quotability: If you recite any part of these movies, it will be instantly recognized. These oneliners make it much easier to refer to the movie in normal social banter, especially when meeting new people. If you quote a cult classic in a crowd, you will see certain people’s eyes light up, and know who to make friends with. Humorous: This is a large part of these movies’ popularity. If it doesn’t make you laugh,
what’s the point of bringing it up in everyday conversation? What’s the point of quoting it? It’s much more difficult to bring up movies like Dawn of the Planet of the Apes or The Dark Knight, regardless of how amazing they are. I’d laugh at “I’ve been shot!” more than, “Do you wanna know how I got these scars?” Sing-alongable Soundtrack (optional): Movies like Pitch Perfect and Frozen have taken full advantage of this bonus factor. Not only will quotes bounce around in your head, but songs are going to get stuck in there, too. This can be a doubleedged sword because anything your friends say
editorial and Letter Policy Unsigned editorials are the opinions of the Optimist and may not necessarily reflect the views of the university or its administration. Signed columns, cartoons and letters are the opinions of their creators and may not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the Optimist or the university. The Optimist encourages reader response through letters to the editor but reserves the right to limit frequent contributors or to refuse to print letters containing
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that is remotely close to the lyrics of the song will spark a spontaneous solo from you. That doubleedged sword depends on how good your voice is, though. Women: It’s important that the majority of the female population have to love the movie. I wish men’s taste in movies would determine the course of cult classics more, but that isn’t the case. Men have their own classics, but women seldom jump on these bandwagons because of the strong-testosterone themes. On the other hand, guys will jump on the girls’ cult-classic movie bandwagon because we will do almost anything to get in close
“
If it doesn’t make you laugh, what’s the point of bringing it up in everyday conversation? What’s the point of quoting it?”
proximity with the opposite sex, even if it means watching The Princess Bride for the 17th time this month. These are the common factors that I’ve seen in recent popular movies, but that means some amazing movies have slipped under the radar. One close contender to reach cult-classic status is Marvel’s latest sci-fi feature, Guardians of the Galaxy. It has all these
factors except for one – their lack of the female fandom. But all is not lost because now I can filter through my potential significant other by seeing if my potential other enjoyed this movie as much as I did. Then again, maybe my standards are too high.
contact todd at bat12a@acu.edu
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Features
Wednesday 10.01.14
Above: Two dancers representing the state of Jalisco perform for the crowd of students at the Hispanos Unidos-sponsored event Entra a la Plaza.
Alicia adams sTAFf Photographer
Hispanos Unidos caters to community Continued from Page 1 Design by Linsey Thut panos Unidos, came dressed in a traditional outfit from Jalisco, a white lace, knee-length dress with hot pink bands embroidered with colorful llamas. She said she believes Entra a la Plaza did its job educating others about Hispanic culture and inciting interest in Hispanos Unidos. “Essentially, Hispanic culture is about coming together just like everyone did on Friday, through food, music, dancing, and laughter. I would really enjoy having more guests come dressed in any sort of traditional Hispanic clothing, I think that would be lots of fun,” de Alba said. Ana Arango, president of Hispanos Unidos, said the goal of Entra a la Plaza is to raise awareness of Hispanos Unidos and the Office of Multicultural Enrichment. The organization wants students to understand Hispanos Unidos’ purpose, rather than see it as the group that
puts on the Mexican event with free food every fall. “Hopefully it will just keep growing, to the point where we can actually partner up with various Hispanic restaurants and businesses in Abilene and show everyone how prominent Hispanic culture is throughout Abilene,” Arango said. The event took months to plan. Preparations began in April, when the date was set and the Welcome Center was booked. At the beginning of the fall semester, Hispanos Unidos began booking the caterers, bounce houses, DJ, performers and face painters. Arango said not only did Hispanos Unidos wish to provide a fun night of cultural enrichment for students, but they also hoped the night would create a place of familiarity and comfort for students who have come from Hispanicdominant areas. Speaking Spanish is not
a requirement to become involved, nor is a Hispanic heritage. “We aren’t trying to become a Hispanic cult. Instead, we want people to come explore and enjoy our culture,” Arango said. ACU sophomore Lakin Carpenter attended the event for the first time Friday night, new to the culture and not sure what to expect. “I knew a little bit about Hispanic culture before, but not much. My favorite part was definitely the dancing. It was cool seeing how their culture celebrates and the different colors and dresses they wear,” Carpenter said. Arango said she hopes to have more Hispanic countries represented next year, as this year’s event was somewhat dominated by Mexican culture. “The only thing I wish we had the resources to better address is educating
people that Hispanic is not equivalent to Mexican,” Arango said. “In Texas, Hispanic tends to automatically translate to Mexican, when it encompasses so much more than that. The word Hispanic applies to all Spanish-speaking countries, as well as the Portuguese-speaking ones.’” Arango considered the event a huge success and hopes for larger audiences in the future, once Hispanos Unidos starts making a bigger name for itself. “I definitely think Entra a la Plaza does a good job of reminding people, especially on ACU’s campus, that while the dominant ethnicity may be Caucasian, there is a lot of Hispanic culture around, too.” contact Seidel at eks13b@acu.edu
Mariana Cedillo Staff Photographer
Mariana Cedillo sTAFf Photographer
Left: Students dance with dancers dressed in traditional Hispanic costumes. Right: Three children perform a traditional Hispanic dance in front of an audience at Entra a la Plaza.
alicia adams Staff Photographer
Mariana Cedillo Staff Photographer
alicia adams Staff Photographer
Left: Two students dressed in Hispanic dresses dance the night away. Middle: Students wait in line for the spread of Hispanic foods offered at Entra a la Plaza. Right: Dancers clap along and wait for their turn to take the stage.
sports
wednesday 10.01.14
Mitchell scores two in pair of wins daniel zepeda sports director The soccer team picked up two wins at Shotwell this weekend against Nicholls State and Southeastern Louisiana. The wins improve the Wildcats record to 6-6 and a 3-1 Southland Conference record. The Wildcats shutout the Nicholls State Colonels 3-0 on Friday afternoon. ACU struck first on a goal by Baylee Mitchell, sophomore forward from Flower Mound, in the 27th minute making her sixth goal of the season. Mitchell is the first Wildcat to score six or more goals in a season since former ACU great Andrea Carpenter. After halftime, ACU came out and extended the lead with two goals in the 60th and 82nd minJarred Schuetze chief Photographer ute. Lindsey Jones, junior Sophomore Alyssa Gerner scored a goal in the Wildcats forward from McKinney, found the back of the net 2-1 Southland win over Southeastern Louisiana. off of a free kick from
about 10 yards out, and Maria Gomez, from Naples, Florida, scored her first goal of the season. “One of the things I wanted to focus on this year is improving our ability to score from the outside,” said Casey Wilson, head coach. “We have a lot of girls that can score from the outside and give us a scoring option other than our forwards.” Two days later, the Wildcats faced the top team in the conference in Southeastern Louisiana and came away with 2-1 win. ACU and SELU headed into halftime with a 1-1 tie. The Lions took an early lead after the Southland Conference goals leader Bri Singh, sophomore forward, recorded her 11th goal. Mitchell provided the equalizer in the 34th minute. This was Mitchell’s seventh goal on the year which ties her for second in the conference as well as fourth for
points with 14. “She has been very impressive this year and has found a way to be in the right place at the right time,” Wilson said. “A lot of her strikes outside of the 18 have been really impressive, and I think that accounts for three or four of her goals.” Alyssa Gerner, sophomore goal keeper from San Antonio, came in to start the second half and recorded four saves in her shutout half. The Wildcats pulled in front in the 70th minute as Gerner launched a 12foot diagonal shot which sailed over the head of the Lion goalkeeper. The Wildcats will look for their third consecutive win in the team’s next game against the University of Central Arkansas. The game will be at 7 p.m. Friday in Conway, Arkansas.
6
standings football Standings
Team
Div.
ACU SELA UCA SHSU SFA
2-0 1-0 1-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-1 0-1 0-1 0-2
MSU NSU Lamar HBU Nicholls St. UIW
Ovrl 3-2 3-2 2-3 2-3 3-1 2-1 2-2 3-2 1-3 0-5 0-5
soccer Standings
Team
Div.
SELA 3-0-1 ACU 3-0-1 SFA 2-0-0 Nicholls St. 2-0-1 SHSU 2-0-1 HBU 2-0-1 Lamar 1-1-1 UCA 1-0-1 TAMU-CC 1-0-2 MSU 1-0-2 NSU 0-3-1 UIW 0-0-3
Ovrl 10-2 6-6 6-2 6-4 3-7 2-5-3 3-6-1 5-4-1 2-4-2 3-6-1 3-8-1 0-10
volleyball Standings contact zepeda at djz11a@acu.edu
Team
Div.
UCA SFA HBU Lamar SELA TAMU-CC Nicholls St. UIW NSU SHSU MSU ACU NO
3-0 2-0 2-0 1-0 2-1 1-1 1-1 1-1 1-1 0-1 0-2 0-2 0-4
Ovrl 8-7 9-7 7-9 1-12 4-10 8-11 5-10 5-10 4-11 7-7 9-7 2-13 5-11
Who’s Hot Freshman Forward Baylee Mitchell is on a scoring spree this baylee mitchell season. Mitchell is second in the Southand Conference in goals with seven. Mitchell also averages 1.27 points per game. She was a big part of ACU’s wins over Nicholls St. and Southeastern Louisiana.
briefings paige otway Staff Photographer
Sophomore quarterback Parker McKenzie has not thrown an interception in two games. McKenzie threw for over 300 yards and four touchdowns last week in ACU’s 59-14 win over HBU. The Sophomore has 14 touchdowns in just five games this season.
Sims scorches Huskies collin wieder sports editor The ACU football team dominated the Houston Baptist Huskies from start to finish in their third consecutive win Saturday, 59-14. ACU improved to 3-2 on the season and 2-0 in conference while the Huskies dropped to 1-3 and 0-1. The Wildcats put together a complete offensive game as the team compiled 659 total yards of offense with zero turnovers. “I feel good about our offense,” said Ken Collums, head coach. “You
know, statistically, we are the best in the country when it comes to fumble. You can’t have less than zero fumbles. We value the football.” Sophomore quarterback Parker McKenzie had his second consecutive turnover-free game. McKenzie went 21-for-31 for 385 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed three times for 24 yards and completed a pass to himself for 14 yards. Junior wide receiver Cade Stone led all receivers in catches (7) and yards (121) and tied for the team lead in touchdowns with two. Junior Cedric Gilbert extended
his streak of games to five in which he has scored a touchdown. Gilbert had four catches for 40 yards and 2 touchdowns. “Our receiving corps has really stepped up,” Collums said. “I don’t know how clean they played tonight, but there were a couple of individual performances that were good tonight. Cade Stone ran really good routes, and when the ball is in the air, Cedric Gilbert can snag it.” The running game had its best game of the season tonight as junior Herschel Sims, who has just returned from an injury, carried 15 times for 128 yards and three touch-
downs. Sims also added four receptions and 94 yards through the air. Freshman Randy Gober also put in significant work in cleanup duty, carrying 16 times for 80 yards and a touchdown. “I feel like we all had a pretty good game,” Sims said. “It was really important to have a game like that. We just have to continue to work hard.” ACU’s defense forced two more turnovers this week as both freshman Sam Denmark and sophomore Quinton Baker recovered a fumble. The Huskies fumbled five times on the night. Senior Nick Richard-
son picked up another sack moving his season total to 3.5 total on the season and Denmark led the defense in total tackles with seven. The defense recorded nine tackles for loss on the night for a total loss of 22 yards. “Sam Denmark is getting better and better,” Collums said. “He is very instinctive and the good thing is we have a lot of big guys up front that we are rolling in and out, and our D-line is going to get better and better.”
contact WIEDER at CPW11A@acu.edu
The Captain deserves ‘RE2PECT’ Collin Thompson sports reporter Shortstop Derek Jeter was one of the most popular players in Major League Baseball during his 20 year career with the New York Yankees. The 14-time allstar decided to step away from the game after the 2014 season ended, but his legacy and impact on the game still linger. Jeter earned Rookie of the Year award in 1996 and five Gold Gloves awards, helped his team reach six World Series’ – five of which they won – and won the World Series MVP in 2000.
No. 2 has been viewed as one of baseball’s best since he broke into the scene in 1995. While playing for the most loved and hated team in the MLB, Jeter has maintained a general respect from the public and, yes, even from Red Sox fans, for both his offensive and defensive abilities. A career .310 hitter, Jeter was known for his clutch hitting ability at the plate. He led the league in hits twice and earned five Silver Slugger Awards during his career. His timely hitting was most apparent in Game 4 of the 2001 World Series when he hit a walk-
off home run in the 10th inning, earning him the nickname, “Mr. November,” as it was the first time an MLB game had been played during the month of November. The Captain’s most recent walk-off hit was a game-winning single in his final game at Yankee Stadium. A real storybook ending for him, his family and baseball fans everywhere. Jeter’s defensive skills at short were flashy and awesome at times. Though he wasn’t the greatest defensive shortstop during his playing years, his posting a dWAR of -9.7 over his career, when he made a great
play, it was better than any other player in the league. His signature jump throw would earn him countless SportsCenter Top 10 spots over the years, and still remains a rarity among MLB shortstops. Where Jeter really earned his respect among baseball fans was how he composed himself as a leader. He knew his responsibility to his team and to the Yankee fans that adored him. He played hard and led by example, leaving it all out on the field for 20 years while wearing his title as team captain proudly since 2003. He cares about prob-
lems that are bigger than his own and started a charity, the Turn 2 Foundation, in 1996. The organization helps teenagers avoid both drug and alcohol addiction and teaches them how to adopt healthier lifestyles. He was never the typical, self-absorbed athlete that did everything for himself. Jeter did everything he did for the fans and those who loved him, and his legacy won’t be based on his playing ability, but on how he led his team by and represented his city. contact Thompson at cnt13c@acu.edu
ACU running back Herschel Sims faces off against his former team, the Lamar Cardinals. Sims attended and played at Lamar for the 2012-2013 season. The ACU cross country teams participated in the Cowboy Jamboree on Sept. 27. The women’s team came in third while the men took sixth in Stillwater. Be sure to follow @OptimistSports on Twitter for more stories and the latest ACU sports news coverage.
Upcoming Women’s volleyball travels to Northwestern State. The match starts at 7 p.m. on Thursday. Women’s soccer heads to Arkansas to take on Central Arkansas. The game starts at 7 p.m. this Friday. The cross country teams travel again this weekend to Fayettville, Arkansas for the Chili Pepper Festival. The meet will take place at 8 a.m. Women’s volleyball hits the road on Saturday as they take on Stephen F. Austin at 2 p.m. Football returns home for their third Southland game of the year. The Wildcats play Saturday at 6 p.m.