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The Wichitan page 4 Twilight falling
page 7 California!!!
Film based on best-selling books to premiere Friday, blockbuster turnout expected.
No. 3 Midwestern State heads to California to compete in the NCAA Division II quarterfinals.
WEDNESDAY, november 19, 2008
Puck Farking
Parking woes lead to protest Jamie Monroe Chris Collins For the Wichitan
and
Kaysi Provence For the Wichitan
The “Wall of Shame” is a way of discouraging the sneaking of girls into Pierce Hall, an all-male residence hall. For the boys of Pierce Hall, the “Wall of Shame” is more like a “Wall of Fame,” but for girls who are added to it, it is simply embarrassing. However, before this “Wall” was created, the fact that you had been caught and the RAs knew who you were was embarrassing for girls. MSU junior Brittney Ostermann admits being mortified when she was caught on video sneaking into Pierce Hall to visit her boyfriend. In her situation, her boyfriend had to speak to the hall director and was punished. He was forced to watch the door to Pierce Hall to catch others attempting to sneak in.
“I think my case was different. I didn’t go to school here yet,” Ostermann said. The “Wall of Shame,” located to the left of the dorm entrance, was created by Wayne Schields last year when he became hall director of the residence hall. “I found out that people were propping open doors,” Schields said. Schields, who is also a resident of Pierce Hall along with his family, felt that the doors being propped open were a threat to his family and the university community. Schields’ first attempt to stop the girls from sneaking into the residence hall was to post pictures on the doors of Jeanne Clery, a student of Lehigh University who was raped and killed April 5, 1986, after a man entered her residence hall through a propped open door. As a result
of her murder, the Clery Act was passed. It states that propping doors is a violation of the residence life handbook and could result in disciplinary action and/ or criminal charges. When this did not work Schields came up with the “Wall of Shame.” “I believe in shame. It is a valuable trait,” Shields said. Yet, the objective of the wall is not to embarrass the students, but to teach them a lesson. In order to become a member of the “Wall of Shame” a person must sneak into Pierce Hall. The majority are girls. A surveillance camera takes a video still of about four pictures. Those pictures are given to other residence halls to put up if they wish and are also See WALL page 3
Exhibit conveys trials of life with mental illness Russ Lawrenz For the Wichitan
World renowned photographer Michael Nye’s captivating exhibit “Fine Line, Mental Health/Mental Illness” opened last Friday at the Wichita Falls Museum of Art at MSU. “Fine Line” is a compilation of portraits and stories that convey the difficulties and experiences of those living with mental illness. Nye, who lives in San Antonio, traveled the country for four years, personally visiting with more than 50 people to share their stories with a world often unacquainted with the issue of mental illness. “I’m driven by sharing these stories. It is less about me and more about the people and what they have to say,” Nye said. Nye practiced law for 10 years before he decided to take up photography.
“My partner in my law firm committed suicide and I have never truly gotten over it,” Nye said. “He (the partner) suffered from severe depression. I felt that if I had just known more
that I could’ve helped.” That experience drove him from practicing law to look for something more meaningful. Nye began studying photography to get in touch with a differ-
ent side of himself. “I was amazed at what I discovered while photographing images, just the story I could tell,” Nye said. In the exhibit, photographs align the wall along with headphones so those in attendance can listen to excerpts of the subjects describing what it is like to suffer from mental illness. “What I’m really curious about is what we do and know as humans, simply what it is to be human,” Nye said. “When I went into the project and when I came out I am two very different people.” One out of every six people suffer from some sort of mental illness, mild to severe. The topic is deep, yet enlightening. “The urgency of helping people with mental issues important. I learned that listening is healing,” Nye said. See EXHIBIT page 3
Puck farking. That’s the motto many MSU students have adopted in response to a common campus problem: parking. The slogan, which is part of an assignment in a Mass Communication Law class, was designed to test the public’s tolerance of First Amendment rights. The class project quickly blossomed into a campus protest, however, and now the students plan to make their voices heard. They’ll gather Thursday on the lawn of the Quadrangle to ask some questions and, if they succeed, get some answers. “When I passed out the assignment they started talking,” said Dr. Jim Sernoe, instructor of the Mass Communication Law class. “I don’t remember who started it, but they all just kind of wanted to do that.” Sernoe had initially thought students would work on the
project individually or in small groups. A full-blown parking protest isn’t at all what he expected. “It just started to snowball,” he said. Twenty-two of the 29 students in the law class opted to work on the protest. They split up into several committees to research university protest rules, design T-shirts and organize a petition. The protesters, trying to rally support for their cause online, created a Facebook group. More than 330 people had joined two weeks after its launch. “I feel like the administration knows it’s a problem, but since no one is putting up a fuss, it’s not being resolved,” said Jenny Gaylor, a junior in the law class. Gaylor said she hopes the protest will raise awareness of an important issue that hasn’t been sufficiently addressed by the university. “I don’t expect them to build a parking garage tomorrow, but See PROTEST page 3
Engineering dept finds new home Chris Collins Managing Editor
MSU engineering and physics students will have a new building to call home this spring. The McCoy Engineering Hall, a $7.7 million project, will be completed in December, according to Alan Goldapp, associate vice president for facilities services. Architectural planning for the building began about two years ago, Goldapp said. Construction on the former Fowler building, located in between Louis J. Rodriguez Drive and Martin Hall, started in October 2007. The mechanical engineering department is currently in McCoy Hall. The physics department is in Bolin. Dallas-based ICI Construction was contracted for the project. “The building has been completely redesigned for engineering and physics,” Goldapp said. “Just about the only same thing is the brick on the outside.” The building’s interior has been gutted to the frame structure. Most of the first floor has been removed. The new engineering hall will feature seven labs altogether, Goldapp said. One is a “high bay” lab, a transparent, two-story workroom made with a material called Kalwall. While the engineering department stands to gain about
40 percent more square footage from the move, the physics department probably won’t gain any. Richard Fleming, chair of the physics department, has doubts that moving is the right decision. “It’s probably not good, but I guess I can accept it,” Fleming said. The physics chair complained that while the new building might have nicer labs, it doesn’t have as much space. The department might even have to restrict enrollment in some freshman classes because of the move. Currently, the physics department has about 10 majors, two of whom will graduate this semester. The mechanical engineering department has 152 majors. Ten manufacturing engineering majors will have to switch fields of study because the major will be phased out, said Jenny Gattis, administrative assistant at the McCoy School of Engineering. The first mechanical engineering majors will graduate in May 2008, according to Janus Buss, director of public information and marketing. The first class started in spring 2004. “You only get a program like this at a large university,” Buss said. There are currently only 15 public schools in Texas that offer a mechanical engineering major.
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The Wichitan
Staff Editorial
Lighting frenzy How are decorative holiday lights a
fire hazard? Last time we checked, millions of people around the country put these lights around their yards every winter season and they rarely burn down neighborhoods. So, why is the school banning them from outside of dorm rooms? Banning outside lights indoor is understandable, but forcing students to take down lights that have been placed outside their windows just doesn’t seem to make much sense. The lights are not offensive in any way and from rooms next door you can’t even see the glow of them at night. Denying students of extension cords, candles, and other flammable objects in the dorms is justifiable. All
Time for Christmas... I mean Thanksgiving Alyssa Edson Op-Ed Editor
Falalalala la la la la! The familiar tune leaks from every speaker around Wal-Mart. I came to get a new makeup compact, but I ended up lost in the new addition of aisles dedicated to Christmas candy, wrapping paper, cheesy gifts and decorations. No. This is all wrong. There is a little over a week until Thanksgiving, and it looks like Santa Claus, all eight of his reindeer, and even the Mrs. helped renovate the store for a more “homey” feel. The usual place to find my necessities is now an aisle
of us in the dorms would prefer to not be awakened at 4 a.m. by a fire alarm, thank you. However, if the lights are put up safely and in the correct manner, denying students the right to festively decorate for the holiday season is another issue.
dedicated to every type of battery-operated massaging slipper one can imagine. Sweet. I’ll be home for Christmas… I look around the store for a moment and notice a section of the store is not entirely red and green and start walking toward the beacon of hope that is the right side of Wal-Mart. After pushing aside the trillion new “Christmas-inspired” makeup bags, I find my Cover Girl compact. Finally. Its not that I don’t like Christmas; actually, I love the holiday. Winter is my favorite season because of all the traditions it brings. I love decorating the tree, listening to the spirited
music, and opening presents on the morning of the 25thbut I love all theses traditions when I am in Christmas mode. For me, Christmas has always been fair game to be celebrated starting the day after Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is another part of the traditions that come with the winter festivities but I see no reason to ignore Thanksgiving entirely. Yes, money can be made, and is made off Christmas products even if they are sold ridiculously early. But can’t stores choose one method of pushing these products on us? If you are going to play holiday-themed music start-
ing in September, maybe the constant commercials that depict Christmas morning if you shop at that store could be held for a while. It seems like a reasonable request to me. Merchandisers have always turned the winter season into a time to overwhelm consumers with Christmas paraphernalia, and I’m not guessing that for this trend, there is no end in sight. So, as usual I will be avoiding outings like my Wal-Mart excursion for just a bit longer. This time, however, I’ll also be working on getting Frosty the Snowman out of my head until the turkey is off the table.
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3410 Taft Blvd. Box 14 • Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 News Desk (940) 397-4704 • Advertising Desk (940) 397-4705 Fax (940) 397-4025 • E-mail WICHITAN@mwsu.edu Web site: http://wichitan.mwsu.edu Copyright © 2008. The Wichitan is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association. The Wichitan reserves the right to edit any material submitted for publication. Opinions expressed in The Wichitan do not necessarily reflect those of the students, staff, faculty, administration or Board of Regents of Midwestern State University. First copy of the paper is free of charge; additional copies are $1. The Wichitan welcomes letters of opinion from students, faculty and staff submitted by the Friday before intended publication. Letters should be brief and without abusive language or personal attacks. Letters must be typed and signed by the writer and include a telephone number and address for verification purposes. The editor retains the right to edit letters.
Editorial Board
Editor-in-Chief Brittany Norman
Managing Editor Chris Collins
Entertainment Editor Courtney Foreman
Reporters Richard Carter Josh Mujica Lauren Wood
Op-Ed Editor Alyssa Edson
Photographers Loren Eggenschwiler
Photo Editor Patrick Johnston
Advertising Manager Ayesha Dorsey
Sports Editor Bobby Morris
Copy Editor Patrick Johnston Adviser Randy Pruitt
News
Jazz Ensemble performs fall concert The MSU Jazz Ensemble performed on Tuesday in Akin Auditorium. Alan Black directed the fall recital. Ensemble members are Allie Echols, Thomas Foster, Danny Timmerman, Aimee Santellana, Chad Britt, Justin Green, Jarrett Pickard, Jacob Light, Bill Myers, Ben Ketchersid, Charles Enloe, Bill McClellan, Kristin Mask, Cameron Rodriguez, Aaron Bata and Alan Black.
The Wichitan Nov. 19, 2008
3
Campus briefs •
Nov. 19
UPB: Murder Mys-
tery; CSC Comanche; Wed. 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. •
Nov. 20 Fine Line - Mental
MSU gives cloth bags instead of plastic
Health/Mental Illness; Wichita Falls
Every year, 110 billion plastic bags are used just in North America. Plastic bags can take between 15 and 1,000 years to break down in the environment. MSU is looking to solve this environmental problem by handing out cloth bags. Janus Buss, director of public information and marketing, put together an idea to go green and promote MSU at the same time. “We just want to do our part
Atrium; Thurs. 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Kenny Bergstrom For the Wichitan
in making our world cleaner,” Buss said. So far, 10,000 cloth bags have been produced with more coming if demand increases. Buss has also asked the Student Government to give bags out to student organizations on campus. The bags have the MSU logo on them with ‘Maroon, Gold, Green’ next to the logo. “When I go to local stores they actually prefer these bags over plastic. They hold more, are more resistant to tearing and cost less to stores. It’s also nice to promote our school at the
same time,” Buss said. According to bringyourbag. com, plastic bags don’t biodegrade. They photodegrade, which means they break down into smaller and smaller toxic bits polluting our soil, rivers, lakes and oceans. Every year, hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales and other marine mammals die from mistaking plastic bags for food. Since March 2002, Ireland has cut back their plastic bag use by more than 90 percent. A town in Tasmania, Australia, has banned plastic bags in all retail stores. In the first year, it
prevented 350,000 bags from being used. San Francisco became the first U.S. city to ban plastic bags in March 2007. China has also banned free bags. This will save China 37 million barrels of oil every year, due to the fact that oil is used to make the bags. Buss encourages students to come by her office in Hardin North room 206 to pick up these cloth bags or call 940-397-4352. Bags are free to all students and faculty. If students want bags shipped to them, Buss asks for one dollar for shipping costs.
WALL.........................................................................................................continued from page 1 valuable trait,” Shields said. Yet, the objective of the wall is not to embarrass the students, but to teach them a lesson. In order to become a member of the “Wall of Shame” a person must sneak into Pierce Hall. The majority are girls. A surveillance camera takes a video still of about four pictures. Those pictures are given to other residence halls to put up if they wish
and are also posted on the wall where they stay until the subject fesses up. The person who snuck in and the one who aided them have three days to speak to the hall director or the penalties will be severe. MSU sophomore Audie Maki was added to the “Wall of Shame” after visiting a friend in Pierce. “It basically made fun of me,”
said Maki about the pictures of her on the wall. However, it seems embarrassing the girls is the most effective way of keeping them out of the dorm, Maki admitted. “After you talk to the hall director, you just don’t want to do it anymore. I just think it scares you so bad to the point where you are too embarrassed because all of the RAs know who you
are,” Maki said. “These rules are incredulous.” However, the wall seems to be working. No violators have been added to it this year. While people have not completely quit sneaking into Pierce Hall, the ones who have and were caught have learned how embarrassing a picture on the “Wall of Shame” can be.
Museum of Art at MSU; Thurs. 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. • UPB: Big Man on Campus; CSC • An Evening of Percussion and Pan; Akin Auditorium; Thurs. 7:30 p.m. • Native American History Month movie: Windtalkers; CSC Comanche; Thurs. 9 p.m. •
Nov. 21
Council for Excep-
tional Children: blood drive; CSC Wichita I & II; Fri. 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. • 5k Walk/Run Turkey Trot; West Side Ligon Coliseum; Fri. 3 p.m. • Alpha Kappa Alpha: Mr. Pink and Green; Akin Auditorium; 7 p.m. • Greeks Got Talent; CSC Comache; Fri. 8 p.m.
PROTEST...................................................................................................continued from page 1 I expect them to say something as a result of what we’re doing,” she said. The group ordered 129 Tshirts to sell to students between Nov. 17 and Nov. 20. They cost $10 each. Gaylor, a member of the committee dealing with Tshirts, said the group expected to sell all of them. Funds from the shirts will be donated to MSU as a “restricted gift,” she said. This means the money can only be used to fund
future parking projects. Some students are uncertain about what the protest is supposed to achieve. “What’s the point?” asked Todd Hensley, sophomore business major. “The administration knows there’s a problem. They’ve hired consultants to come in and they’re going to repaint the lots. They are doing something.” MSU administration discussed re-striping lots and relo-
cating the police station as possible solutions to the problem during a Student Government Association meeting last week. Stephanie Seman, freshman chemistry major, said students should take it easier on administration. “I think the administration is being underestimated,” she said. “Actions have been taken to try to fix the problem.” “We’re just trying to make some noise,” said senior Joe
Cochram, who is participating in the protest. “We can’t disrupt classes, but we need to get a point across. We need to make sure there’s a plan. And if there is, they need to tell us about it.” The protest will begin Thursday at 11 a.m. Students in the Clark Student Center are selling the T-shirts, accepting donations and gathering signatures for a petition this week.
EXHIBIT.....................................................................................................continued from page 1 Director of the Museum and Arts Center Cohn Drennan felt privileged and excited to host Nye’s exhibit. “This is a really unique project and as soon as we heard about it we met with a planning committee to get it here,” Drennan said. “It started with Dr. Kim Robinson in the college of nursing. She saw his exhibit in Ft. Worth and informed me of how power-
ful it was.” Drennan, along with the committee and a group of donors made it happen. “It was important for us that this be a community project. We wanted to inform the community on these issues,” Drennan said. Fine Line has traveled to more than 30 cities in the U.S. and Nye has toured the world as a photographer. He also gives lec-
tures at museums and universities globally. “Many of these people I studied felt that they were invisible. They felt they didn’t have a story to tell,” Nye said. “But I believe everyone has a unique wisdom based upon their own experiences.” The black-and-white photos are very impactful and give a glimpse into the lives of those
greatly affected by something that many do not understand. “The important thing is that the exhibit makes you think. It makes you ponder your friends, family and those in your life and realize that mental illness really can affect anyone,” Nye said. The exhibit will be open at the museum until Dec. 20. For more information, call the museum at (940)-692-0923.
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The Wichitan Nov. 19, 2008
Entertainment
Twilight
Best-selling novel hits the big screen Courtney Foreman Entertainment Editor
When it comes to basic premise of the mega-hit book series of Twilight, falling in love with a vampire simple doesn’t do the book justice. The relationship between Edward Cullen and Bella Swan is unlike any other, mainly by them both being unconditionally and irrevocably in love with each other. It might sound like the same old fairy tale with a twist of science fiction love novel, but it’s not. The unlikely couple give the word “unconditional” an entirely new meaning when the love they share not only threatens their reputation, but their existence altogether. The book starts off with an ordinary girl named Bella Swan moving to Forks, Washington, which happens to be the rainiest town in the United States. Despite her anxiety about moving to a place where she doesn’t know anyone, within her first day at school she is captivated by a group of beautifully exceptional students. From that point on, the meeting, conversing, and consequently falling in love with the now world famous Edward Cullen, takes the reader on a whirlwind of emotions that will truly leave you speechless. I’m not sure if it’s because the relationship is so ill-fated to begin with, or the fact that he is of a different species entirely, but when it comes to Bella and Edward it seems we all make an exception to their unnatural union. Even with all stereotypes aside, one of the main struggles Bella and Edward face doesn’t have to deal with them being a bizarre match. It hinges on Edwards’ inner struggle between keeping Bella out of harms way, and keeping his animal instincts in check. Because Edward is a vampire, and vampires are typically known for living off of human blood, Edward is faced with falling in love and fighting the urge to kill her all at the same time. You see, Edward and other vampires have a very heightened sense of smell and Bella happens to smell like nothing Edwards has ever smelt before. It sounds strange, but Edward has compared his fixation on Bella
to that of a heroine addict, saying that Bella is, “exactly my brand of heroin.” Luckily for Bella, the Cullen family happens to be masters at the art of sustaining from human blood by instead replacing that pressure with that of animals. As mixed up as this book seems, something is shared between the pages of Bella and Edward’s relationship that is in contrast with other teen fiction novels today. Instead of just having a girl fall in love with a boy or vise versa, Bella and Edward share this profound craving for each other that leaves them willing to do whatever it takes to stay together, no matter the cost. Stephanie Meyer has created a series of books with such a wide range of emotions that bound from intense happiness to utter depression that has left readers hypnotized. Twilight is just the first of four entrancing pageturning books that is followed by New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. The movie that is set to release this Friday is going to attempt to capture the essence of Twilight and bring it to life on the big screen. Edward Cullen was cast by Robert Pattison, who barely has any claim to fame other than a brief stint in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Kristen Stewart, another semi-low-profile actress, (The Messengers, Into The Wild) was cast to play Bella Swan in the movie. Because the book Twilight does commonly refer to thoughts in Bella’s head describing most of what she sees happen and her obsession with Edward, everyone is anxious to see how the thoughts in her head will displayed for everyone to see in the movie. Stephanie Meyer has been reported to have been on set of movie many times to critique, suggest and ultimately make sure that the movie being produced will have fans of the series approving of the on screen depiction. Fans and critics alike are excited to see how, if at all, the movie can match up to a book with this much sought-after attention and dedicated fan base.
Movie sountrack details Lauren Wood For the Wichitan
Alice Cullen, (Ashley Green) Jasper Hale, (Jackson Rathebone) Bella Swan, (Kristen Stewart) Edward Cullen, (Robert Pattison) Rosalie Hale, (Nikki Reed) Emmet Cullen, (Kellan Lutz)
Rev. Angus Thompson, Pastor
1400 Borton Lane Wichita Falls, TX 76305
“A Church That Will Make You Feel at Home”
Come Worship With Other MSU Students. Lively music and down home Sunday School 9:30 A.M. preaching and Morning Worship 10:45 A.M. Bible Study Wednesday Evening 7:00 P.M. teachings.
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Fascinated with the upcoming release of the much anticipated book-made-film Twilight on Friday, audiences have already been captivated by the soundtrack to the film. The “Twilight Original Motion Picture Soundtrack” features 12 songs, bringing the CD to the top of album charts. Released by Atlantic Records, the soundtrack has become the third soundtrack of the year to go No. 1. The other soundtracks to climb the Billboard chart to number one this year have been “Juno” and “Mamma Mia!” The soundtrack includes two brand-new songs from Par-
amore, written specifically for the movie, “Decode” and “I Caught Myself,” plus previously-unreleased songs from Perry Farrell and Mute Math. Mute Math’s music consists of many elements such as rock, new wave, electro and jazz. Linkin Park’s “Leave Out All the Rest” is also featured on the album, along with Muse’s “Supermassive Black Hole.” Rob Pattinson, who plays Edward Cullen, contributed an original song, “Never Think,” his debut recording. The film’s score was composed by Carter Burwell, and the soundtrack also includes his “Bella’s Lullaby,” a sincere song that Edward composes for Bella
Swan, played by Kristin Stewart, in the book. The Black Ghosts, Collective Soul, Blue Fountain and Iron & Wine are a few others also featured on the album. Merchandise is available on multiple websites, but if you are impatient and want to wear your favorite Edward shirt to the premiere, Hot Topic carries shirts, pins and bags, to name a few things. So if you fancy emo music and alternative rock that goes along with a vampire film, pick up your copy at any local store that sells CDs, order yours online, or download the songs from iTunes.
Entertainment
The Wichitan Nov. 19, 2008
5
Angelina back at box office with ‘Changeling’ Chance Gibbs For the Wichitan
Centered around the infamous “Wineville Chicken Murders� in Riverside County, California in 1928, Changeling tells the story of a woman’s desperate, life-changing attempt to find her missing son. When Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) returned home from her job as a telephone supervisor in 1920s Los Angeles, her son, Walter (Gattlin Griffith), was nowhere to be found. Frantically, Christine scoured the neighborhood in search of her son, but Walter never turned up. No neighbors saw Walter leave and local law enforcement refused to aid in the search or file a missing child’s report for 24 hours. Days went by, and finally the unsympathetic, sexist Los Angeles Police Department got on the hunt. After five months of dead-end
Angelina Jolie and Gattlin Griffith
leads and empty promises made to Christine, a boy calling himself Walter Collins was found in
Ohio. Following media frenzy for the corrupt Los Angeles Police
Department’s benefit, a reunion of mother and son was arranged at an L.A. train station. Every-
one was uplifted, everything was right, except for the minor detail that the boy is not Christine’s son. The police department, headed by Capt. J.J. Jones (Jeffrey Donovan) insists the boy is Christine’s son and that herself, his teacher, dentist, and friends are all wrong and simply don’t recognize the changes that time has made on Walter. Christine’s relentless pursuit of justice and growing fan base proves to be a hassle and an embarrassment for the L.A.P.D., and they shove her in the nearest psycho ward with a slew of other women whose admittance isn’t merited and have merely pissed of the cops. It is here that local reverend Gustav Briegleb (John Malkovich) begins fighting for Christine. Briegleb gets Los Angeles’ best attorney and begins to take on, and take down, the Los Angeles Police Department. During all of the turmoil and mistreating of Christine, a chil-
dren’s graveyard is discovered in Riverside County and although no bodies can be identified and the murderer denies ever kidnapping Christine’s son, an adolescent accomplice identifies Walter Collins as one of the 20 victims. Changeling is direct by Clint Eastwood, and with its many dark themes and a brilliant performance by Jolie, it’s probably his best film. The film is a great re-telling of one of the most gruesome murders in American history. It’s so good that its close to three hour running time flies by, and when the film finally concludes, you still want more. Changeling’s fall release is appropriate, especially with the Oscar race right around the bend. Eastwood will probably add another Best Director Oscar to his case, and if Jolie can beat out Meryl Streep for her performance of Sister Aloysius in Doubt, she’ll score Oscar gold again, too.
Mega record-producing bands are put to the test New ‘Snow Patrol’ album surpasses the ‘Cure’s’ latest studio effort PopMatters.com MCT
Snow Patrol: “A Hundred Million Suns� (Polydor / A&M) (rating: 9) Give Gary Lightbody and his comrades enormous credit for purposely avoiding repeating massive hit “Chasing Cars� on “A Hundred Million Suns,� a smart hopscotch forward from “Eyes Open.� Super-producer Jacknife Lee returns to the booth he occupied for Snow Patrol’s past two releases and continues to define and refine their expansive sound. The highlights keep flowing into each other. Lead single “Take Back the City� has a compelling doublechorus: first the stacks of aggressive triple-notes reminiscent of “Hands Open,� then the stadium-ready sing-along worthy of one-time tour-mates U2. “Lifeboats� smoothly outdoes the aforementioned Coldplay’s trademarked mid-record midtempo exercises in sonic experimentation with aplomb, and
Snow Patrol
“The Golden Floor� applies the skipping beats that Lee provided for Bloc Party’s Intimacy to another gorgeous refrain. If there’s a “Chasing Cars� moment on this album, it’s “The Planets Bend Between Us.� Though unquestionably softer and less tense, “Planets� manufactures many metric tons more pathos than that song about ly-
ing down. For a record that Lightbody has claimed would be more cheerful than previous efforts, “A Hundred Million Suns’� tones are less dulcet and more doubtful. Perhaps doubt is hopeful in and of itself after the certainty of heartache that permeated “Eyes Open,� but even the minutelydetailed pain of the previous LP was redeemed with spectacular enlightenment in the grand climax of “Open Your Eyes.� Then there’s “The Lightning Strike,� a 16-minute, three-movement celestial $110,000 Value By Owner metaphor of operatic granHIGHEST BIDDER SALE deur and overwhelming beauty. Linked together by synthesizer bedrocks of gradually increasing Stunning 2 Story, 3 Bedroom Town Home warmth and brightness, the song-cycle progresses from 4112 Picasso, Near MSU silver-lined dark clouds to hints of dawn before final$59,500 or Best Reasonable Offer ly settling on a lovely, sun-
drenched morning. Whether or not this album contains a hit as massive as “Chasing Cars,� it’s a confident, balanced work of mass art with only minor flaws. A record built for dusks and dawns in wide open spaces, wherever they may be found. Ross Langager The Cure: “4:13 Dream� (Geffen) (rating: 4) Why does the Cure have to keep reminding us that they’re the Cure? It’s an election year, and as such, it must be time for another album from the Cure, and that album, titled “4:13 Dream,� sees the Cure unfortunately spinning its wheels once again as they did in 2004 with “The Cure.� Yes, I know, it’s their 13th album, and perhaps they’re simply trying to get comfortable in their latest guise as a four-piece outfit, but that doesn’t excuse the blatant nostalgia baiting of a song like opening track “Underneath the Stars.� Opening with the exact same tinkly noises as “Pictures of You� is a good way to say “we’re trying to rewrite ‘Disintegration’ one more freaking time.� Musically, the track fits right in with the era as well, with an extended introduction and a trajectory line that looks uncomfortably like that of an EKG attached to the recently deceased. Even then it’s pretty and all, but the danger of so openly courting nostalgia like this is that a new entry into old canon is simply never going to live up to the standard that those who’ve come to live with said canon
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have built for it. The Cure are never going to write an ‘80s era tune that lives up to their “actual� ‘80s era tunes. The old ones are too good, and too loved, and too familiar for new ones to have much of an impact. In the right circumstance, on the right day, with a peaceful mist-like rain turning slowly to snow as daylight turns to dusk, “4:13 Dream� is certainly going to be a pleasing listen for someone. As far as backward-leaning songs go, these are fairly upbeat, and Smith at least sounds as though his singing voice has found him again. The tunes are occasionally catchy, if too
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often merely adequate, and the instrumentation feels like a familiar, if torn, blanket when it’s not trying too hard. Still, the sound that one immediately associates with the Cure simply hasn’t been gone long enough for it to be welcome again. A band like Metallica gets a hero’s reception for returning to its roots simply because it’s spent nearly two decades shedding those roots. That’s what it would take for the Cure’s old sound to sound fresh again; it’s hard not to fear that “4:13 Dream� signals that they’ve run out of time to do so.
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6
The Wichitan Nov. 19, 2008
Feature
Sports
The Wichitan Nov. 19, 2008
Mustangs push through playoffs No. 3 Midwestern State Mustangs punch their ticket to national quarterfinals with pair of victories Bobby Morris Sports Editor
The No. 3 Midwestern State Mustangs are on their way back to the NCAA Division II national quarterfinals. But the trip through the first two rounds of the postseason went a couple of vastly different ways. After clawing out a 2-1 victory over Incarnate Word in double overtime Thursday night, the Mustangs blew out the No. 2 Fort Lewis Skyhawks 5-0 to stamp their ticket to the quarterfinals match in Carson, Calif. Kyle Kmiec and Nick Auditore led the way for MSU in the runaway win, each knocking in a pair of goals. Kmiec gave the Mustangs an early lead during the 18th minute when he blasted a loose ball into the back of the net, after Robert Swann’s shot fell off of Fort Lewis keeper Zane Wells. MSU took the 1-0 lead into intermission, but clutch second-half play blew the game out in the Mustangs favor.
Senior Ahmad Ihmeidan scored his eighth goal of the season during the 63rd minute to extend the lead to 2-0, before Kmiec collected a Brannon Calvert pass in the 65th minute and tallied his second goal of the game. The score stayed at 3-0 for the next 20 minutes as goalkeeper Shawn Carr and the Mustangs’ defense stepped up for huge saves that would have turned the tide of momentum to the Skyhawks’ side of the ball. Specifically in-between the Mustangs second and third goals, Carr’s number was called to halt a Fort Lewis scoring opportunity as Euan Purcell pulled away one-on-one. But Carr came up huge again and blazed the way for their 12th shutout of the season. “I believe he saved the game for us,” MSU head coach Doug Elder said. “That was at a crucial spot in the match when it could have gone either way.” Auditore extended the score with a pair of goals in the last 10 minutes of the match to give
the match the final 5-0 score. The loss finished the season for No. 2 Fort Lewis after a 18-2-3 campaign. Both losses came at the hands of the Mustangs. The opening round game against the Incarnate Word Cardinals proved to be much more challenging for the Mustangs. Rob Humphrey scored his seventh goal of the season to give the Mustangs the win, and he couldn’t have picked a better time to score the gamewinning goal. After defeating the Cardinals twice earlier in the season, MSU saw a much tougher contest Thursday night but was still able to pull out the 2-1 doubleOT win thanks to Humphrey’s leg. “This was the best Incarnate Word team we’ve faced this year,” Elder said. “It is hard to beat a team three times in a season.” The Mustangs now face No. 9 Cal Sate-Dominguez Hills at Toro Stadium in Carson, Calif. Kickoff is slated for 9 p.m.
W
That’s all that an NFL head coach cares about. At least that’s what Bobby Morris they want you Sports Editor to think. “A win, is a win, is a win.” That phrase is muttered throughout locker rooms every Sunday afternoon. Whether it was a good team barely defeating a sub-par team or a winless team finally getting over the hump it’s always just that. A win. Well, I’m sure Wade Phillips is saying the same thing to everyone. That Sunday night’s 14-10 victory over the Washington Redskins was a big, divisional win, but nothing more. But deep inside, even ole Wade knows that this win was so much more than that. In case you’ve been in a cave for the past two months and have
missed the Days of Our Livesesque drama around Valley Ranch, here’s a quick synopsis. Adam “Pacman” Jones. Gone. Roy E. Williams. Arrived. Terrence Newman and boywonder Tony Romo out for what seems like a year and all in while Jerry Jones has a coronary in the luxury suite watching the Cowboys fight to mediocrity. After starting 4-1, the Cowboys lost embarrassingly to the Cardinals, Rams and Giants. The end of the Cardinals game saw the pinkie of Romo broken and the punter Mat McBriar out for the season. The absence of Romo highlighted so many glaring holes in Dallas’s previously inpenetrable wall. The offensive line looked subpar with statuesque Brad Johnson under center. Terrell Owens went unnoticed for over a month without a quarterback. And Marion “The Barbarian” Barber couldn’t really do his patented bowling ball inpersonation with constant
8-man-in-the-box looks. The defense was exposed. But what’s new? Terrence Newman was out but with the offense scraping to score double-digits, surely he wouldn’t make that big of a difference. So, with all these things wrong. So many people hurt (not mentioning the rookie wonder Felix Jones who is still sidelined) and so many people underperforming the matchup against longtime rival Washington looked hopeless. Until that pinkie of Romo’s started feeling better. 19-of-27 for 198 yards, a touchdown and a pair of interceptions. Not glamorous. Nothing near the level of play this guy, with a healthy throwing hand has had Dallas fans accustomed to seeing. But he brought one undeniable thing to the entire team that no one else could have brought. Hope. Whatever Tony Romo’s pinkie felt like, having him under center just feels right.
Mens Hoops College of the Southwest at 7 p.m. Thursday November 20 Patrick Johnston | The Wichitan Kyle Kmiec (4) attempts to gather a loose ball inside the Incarnate Word box Thursday in the NCAA Division II opening round of the postseason. MSU pulled out the 2-1 doubleovertime victory before Kmiec’s pair of goals led them to a 5-0 win over No. 2 Fort Lewis in the second round.
The Midwestern State women’s basketball team dropped their season opener on the road against the No. 15 Arkansas Tech Lady Suns Saturday afternoon, 73-62. Regiane Araujo led the way for the Mustangs with a double-double effort but it wasn’t enough to hold off the Suns as they capitalized on 24 MSU turnovers to take the victory. “They had to do some major adjustments to respond to (Arau-
Patrick Johnston | The Wichitan Junior Brittny Smith (14) goes in for the lay-up against Howard Payne last Tuesday night. Smith dropped in six points in the game against the Yellow Jackets. Smith plaed four minutes in the Mustangs dropped season opening loss to Arkansas Tech, 73-62.
Midwestern State committed 31 errors Thursday night and fell to Texas Woman’s University 25-14, 21-25, 25-22, 25-16 in the opening round of the Lone Star Conference Championships at West Texas A&M Fieldhouse. The Mustangs end the season with a 25-9 mark as MSU lost in the opening round of the conference postseason tournament for
Incarnate Word at 6 p.m.
Mens Soccer
MCT Campus Tony Romo returned to the field Sunday night to lead the Cowboys to the victory despite a splinted pinkie finger.
He gives the entire team a swagger, from the defense that shut down a transcendant Washington Redskins squad that torched them for 26 points in week four, to the running game that suddenly gave gaping holes to Barber allowing him to seal the game away in the fourth
quarter and tally 114 yards on 24 carries. Romo dug this team from a potential 5-5 hole and sparked a win to put them at 6-4 and right back into the playoff hunt despite all that drama. Just a win? Are you kidding me?
jo),” MSU head coach Noel Johnson. “They were really trying to flop on her, but she did a good job of dealing with frustration and finishing with contact.” Araujo finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds, but the Arkansas Tech forward duo of Anna Baran and Amanda Grappe led the Lady Suns down the stretch, accounting for 39 of the team’s 73 points. Baran finished with a careerhigh 24 points and nine rebounds, while Grappe was able to tally up 15 points and five rebounds despite playing with foul
trouble for most of the evening. Brittany Bryant joined in to help Araujo with the scoring burden, scoring 11 points as the lone other Mustang in doubledigits. The 24 turnovers committed by the Mustangs translated into 24 points for the Lady Suns, allowing Arkansas Tech to hold off any comeback effort. The Mustangs will attempt to get their first win of the season this Thursday as they host Incarnate Word in D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m.
the second-straight season. MSU, who opened the season with a school-record 18-straight wins, were unable to solve a TWU defense that limited the Mustangs to a .094 team attack percentage. Texas Woman’s Kandis Schroeder recorded five total blocks as the Pioneers recorded 9.5 total blocks. TWU also placed five players with 10-ormore digs led by Alyson Harlon’s with 18.
Offensively, the Mustangs were led by juniors Sesley Graves and Alysha Pritt, who each had 11 kills. Senior setter Allison Schreiber finished with 40 assists and 11 digs to notch her eighth double-double of the season. The Windthorst native finished her stellar career with a school record 5,741 assists. Senior libero Shay Velasquez paced the Mustangs’ back-row effort with 16 digs.
Mustangs fall in LSC Tournament MSUMustangs.com For the Wichitan
Womens Hoops
Saturday November 22
Baran, No. 15 Lady Suns deal Mustangs first loss, 73-62 Bobby Morris Sports Editor
On Deck this week... Wedensday November 19
Sometimes a win is much more than “just a win”
7
NCAA Division II National Quarterfinals @ Cal State Dominguez Hills
Cross Country NCAA Division II Championships @ Slippery Rock, Penn.
Mens Hoops Wayland Baptist at 7 p.m. Tuesday November 25 Mens Hoops @ Univ. of Central Okla. at 7 p.m. Home Events are Bold
8
The Wichitan Nov. 19, 2008
Sports
Rookie head coach noel johnson looks to make her mark Bobby Morris Sports Editor
Noel Johnson is making her head-coaching debut this season for the Midwestern State University women’s basketball team. After shining on the court as a championship-winning point guard, Johnson has been an associate and assistant coach at two different universities for the past 11 seasons.
“Sometimes you’re not sure when someone hasn’t been a head coach before,” Midwestern State University Athletic Director Charlie Carr explained. “But I felt pretty confident that she knew how to do it, she’d been around it, and she had a competitive fire that was hard to miss.” Johnson has been a winner since she was playing for her high-school team in Nazareth, Texas. She earned two letters from Nazareth High School as she helped lead the Swiftettes to two Class 1A state championships. Johnson moved on to play four years under legendary head coach Marsha Sharp at Texas Tech University. Johnson started 106 games for Sharp, and her play at point guard led the way for four-consecutive Southwest Conference championships, fourconsecutive Sweet 16 appearances and the NCAA national championship in 1993. Johnson, a west Texas native, believes she has adapted well in the move to Wichita Falls because of the support from the people around her and the familiarity with the environment. “The people that were around me and were my support, they
really gave me the sense of pride and what I can do,” Johnson said. “You always want to make people proud that have supported you. I feel like I’m coming home.” The fire and competitiveness Johnson brought to the court in her years as a player have also been evident throughout her assistant-coaching career. Her track record and unmistakable commitment to the game were noticeable, but it was more about the person she was that prompted Carr and Midwestern State officials to take a chance on the first-time head coach. “The most important thing is her person and who she is,” Carr said. “If you’ve ever talked to her for any length of time, you realize that she is a great people person and has a real strong affinity to all the student athletes that she’s ever worked with. And that’s something that our program stands for.” Johnson spent nine seasons as associate head coach under Suzanne Fox at Texas State University, where she was the recruiting coordinator and played an integral role in recruiting 11 All-Southland Conference players, one player of the year, one freshman of the year and two Southland newcom-
ers of the year. “Noel Johnson is an excellent coach and teacher of the game,” Fox said. “She understands that college athletics is about relationships and developing them.” Johnson moved on to spend the 2007-08 season as an assistant coach at the University of North Texas under head coach Tina Slinker. She believes that all of the years as an assistant coach and a student-athlete will be able to guide her through her first years as a head coach. NCAA regulations and academic issues have left Johnson and the Midwestern State Lady Mustangs with only four returning players from last season. However, Johnson managed a stellar recruiting class full of young standouts and a few upperclassman for the 2008-09 season. “She inherited a short stick,” Carr said. “She went right to work, though, and I think she kind of puts her stamp on each recruit. She has recruited student-athletes that I think will fit in to what she wants to do. They’re the type of kids that we want to have here at Midwestern and I think that Noel will be proud of them.” Johnson replaces Shannon
Burks, who resigned after his ninth season of head coaching to pursue an opportunity outside of collegiate athletics. Given the state of the program in her first season, there are no real expectations set for the upcoming season, but both Carr and Johnson are hoping to at least begin building for the future and laying a foundation that can translate into many successful seasons for the Midwestern State University women’s basketball program. “I feel I can bring the same work ethic and know the sacrifice it takes to be successful as a student-athlete,” Johnson explained. The Mustangs dropped their first game of the season to No. 15 Arkansas Tech, 73-62 but the team is just starting to come together. Carr feels lucky that they stumbled on Johnson around the same time she was looking to make the jump into head coaching. The blending of needs could prove to be just what the women’s basketball program needs to turn their fortunes around. “She’s a special one, and we look forward to many good years,” Carr said.
Grigsby, Sarpy lead Mustangs to first win of the season, 99-49 MSUMustangs.com For the Wichitan
Midwestern State’s Quincy Sarpy led a pack of five players in double figures as the Mustangs rolled to a 99-49 win over Hillsdale Freewill Baptist College Tuesday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. The Mustangs, who improved to 1-1, scored the first eight points of the game and sprinted out to a 41-14 first-half bulge, then it didn’t get any better for the Saints, who fell to 0-8 on the season. MSU turned 26 Hillsdale
turnovers into 35 points and held a decisive 32-3 in fastbreak points led by the pesky defense of junior guard Phillip Homere, who finished with seven points, seven assists and six steals. The Mustangs also outscored the Saints 57-7 in bench points as senior Trajinksi Grigsby posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while junior guard Craig Green had 13, junior guard Anthony Moore added 12 and junior forward Chris Williams finished with 10. Midwestern closed the final
Rugby dominates UNT Bobby Morris Sports Editor
The MSU rugby club closed their fall semester season with a dominating win over the University of North Texas, 34-20. A week after dropping a match to Angelo State University, a completely different team seemed to take the field as they played a great team game to take the lopsided victory.
Matt Davis, Colin Frank and Jeremy Stewart scored tries in the first half to give the MSU a dominating 24-3 first half lead. UNT tried to build a comeback in the second half but another Davis score late in the match sealed the game for MSU. The MSU rugby club will return to action Feb. 1 as they host Texas Christian University.
11:49 of the game on a 37-9 and finished game with its largest lead of the game at 99-49 when Williams layed in an assist from Moore with 13 seconds to play. Sophomore Brody Clark paced Hillsdale with 12 points and six rebounds, while sophomore Devon Rogers had nine points and 10 rebounds. The Mustangs play host to the University of the Southwest Wednesday night at Ligon Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. Quincy Sarpy poured in a game-high 20 points while added seven rebounds and five assists in Saturday night’s season opener at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. But Dallas Baptist quickly erased a nine-point MSU halftime lead, then used a 12-1 to take command and cruise to an 88-83 win over the Mustangs. Jordan McGowan and Dean Pele combined for 35 points off of the bench as the Patriots, who improved to 1-0, controlled the second half 54-40 after the Mustangs led 43-34 at the half.
Patrick Johnston | The Wichitan Charlie Logan (23) and Aboubakar Wandji (10) fight for a rebound over a Dallas Baptist player as Quincy Sarpy(1) looks on in the final exhibition contest Saturday night. The Mustangs lost the game 88-83 in the season opener, before taking their first win of the season against Hillsdale Freewill Baptist Tuesday night, 99-49.
Midwestern State student-athletes rake in postseason accolades Bobby Morris Sports Editor
As the fall sports’ schedules start coming to a close, Mustangs are beginning to gather more and more postseason awards from both the conference and national levels.
VOLLEYBALL Junior Alysha Pritt and senior Allison Schreiber headlined a group of five Mustangs that were honored by the Lone Star Conference on the All-Conference teams. Pritt and Schreiber both garnered first-team selections after leading the Mustnags to a re-
cord-breaking seasons. Seniors Whitney Maxwell and Shay Velasquez as well as junior Sesley Graves were also honored with honorable mention selections. Schreiber was also honored on the LSC All-Academic team, while Pritt and Velasquez were named on the Commisioner’s Honor Roll.
WOMEN’S SOCCER Five Mustangs were honored by the LSC on the Commisioner’s Honor Roll last Thursday. Megan Bibilone, Heather Primavera, Amy Smith, Michelle Harris and Kendra Clemons all were selected by the conference
after meeting academic requirements.
MEN’S SOCCER Robert Swann and Craig Sutherland were both honored with high achievements last Wednesday when the Southwest Soccer Conference announced its postseason awards. Swann was named the Defensive Player of the Year while helping lead the Mustangs to a dominating season which included 12 shutouts, while Sutherland was named Freshman of the Year after propelling MSU on the other side of the ball. Sutherland finished with a
conference-high 16 goals and five assists while sparking the Mustangs’ potent offense. The No. 3 Mustangs placedseven student-athletes on the SSC first team, including: Swann, Sutherland, Brannon Calvert, Kyle Kmiec, Nick Auditore, Ahmad Ihmeidan, and Estevao Alexandre. MSU also placed three on the SSC second team, including Brian Martinez, Rob Humphrey and keeper Shawn Carr. Head coach Doug Elder was also honored as SSC Coach of the Year for the fourth-straight season. Junior midfielder Tyler Murphy was named the Academic Player of the Year by the SSC
by garnering a 3.95 GPA in his major of biology. Kmiec, Calvert and Murphy were on the All-Academic first team while William Freeman was the lone Mustang on the Commisioner’s Honor Roll.
CROSS COUNTRY The Mustangs have ran their way into the highest national ranking in the history of the program in the first year of head coach Koby Styles’ tenure. Katie Stepp, Kayla Hendrix and Lindsey Pate are all-region runners for Styles, who took home the South Central Region coach of the year honors after making a compelling run to
nationals.
FOOTBALL BeeJay Mathis and Todd Zoglmann were the lone Mustangs on the LSC south division first team when the conference released their picks oon Friday. Mathis became the Mustangs’ all-time punt return leader this season and it led to return specialist honors by the LSC. Zoglmann anchored a stellar defensive line, hurrying the quarterback and plugging up holes in the line all season. Marcus Mathis and Michael Mejia were garnered with AllAcademic honors by the LSC South division.