The Battalion: March 24, 2010 by The Battalion

thebattalion march 24, 2010

● serving

texas a&m since 1893

Evan Anderws — THE BATTALION

● wednesday,

!mplic@tions of $ocial ne+work1ng Grammar not affected by Web sites, texting Katy Ralston The Battalion Facebook, Twitter, texting, Second Life, e-mail — the list goes on. In the past few years, technology has saturated the life of the college student. These new mediums have opened the door to shorthand typing, abbreviations, emoticons and instant message lingo, causing some people to fear the decline of the formal English language. The question of whether it is making a difference in student’s formal writing is debatable. Texas A&M University Writing Center Executive Director Valeria Balester says it does not have an effect. While there are still mistakes in stu-

this day in

world history

dent’s grammar usage, Balester said she has not seen an increase or decline in the amount of errors in the 20 years she has taught writing. “Any teachers who are assuming [errors] are increasing don’t have any evidence for that. It’s just anecdotal,” Balester said. Freshman architecture major Corinne Nelson said she doesn’t think social networking plays a role in student’s grammar abilities either. “If someone has good grammar it’s not going to make it worse,” Nelson said. See Grammar on page 4

Game plan Students can waste days fake farming or collecting Farkle chips on Facebook. Avoid these games or try to log off the site before it becomes an addiction and sucks all the studying from your life.

voices | 7

Workplaces should avoid stalking employees online

loria Gadsden, a sociol ogy professor at East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania was suspended for comments made on her Facebook page.

As social networking sites grow in popularity, more businesses are disciplining employees because of online content. Instead of overreacting to off-color remarks made outside of work, employers need to stop invading employees’ personal lives. Sites like Facebook and MySpace are

‘Dwell time’ for military to change

Ian McPhail well-known even to those technologically illiterate. Content placed online, especially on networking sites, has become accessible to almost anyone. Gadsden believed her Facebook status would remain private, and despite having no student listed as a friend, a pupil

Student loans to shift hands Robert Carpenter

Samantha Johnson

March 24, 1874 Harry Houdini (18741926) was born (as Erik Weisz) in Budapest, Hungary. He came to the U.S. with his family as an infant and lived in New York City. He began as a Coney Island magician, then became a world famous escape artist, known for escaping from chains, handcuffs, straightjackets, locked boxes and milk cans ﬁlled with water. He died from a burst appendix and was buried in Queens, N.Y.

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The Battalion Lt. Gen. David Huntoon Jr., the director of Army Staff, spoke to a group of junior and senior Corps of Cadets under contract with the military about changes to time length between deployments. “I want to thank you for raising your hand and volunteering to serve your country in a time of war,” Huntoon said. “You have lots of options, but you decided to put on this uniform when we need you.” One issue that Huntoon addressed is referred to as “dwell time,” the amount of time that soldiers spend home in between deployments. The rate is one year deployed, followed by one year at home. “We know that if we want to sustain an all-volunteer military, we have to improve that,” he said. Huntoon said the goal was by early 2011 soldiers can begin to have two years at home for every year they are deployed, but the time spent at home will not be all rest. “There will be a deep breath where you See Army on page 4

See Facebook on page 7

Sam Smith — THE BATTALION

Lt. Gen. David Huntoon Jr., the director of Army Staff, speaks to a group of junior and senior Corps of Cadets under contract with the military about their future.

The Battalion Beginning this summer, Texas A&M students seeking student loans will be doing business with the federal government. The change comes as the University transitions from the Federal Family Education Loan Program to the Federal Direct Loan Program Formerly, students received student loans through private banks, however, these loans were insured against default by the federal government. Under the new program, students seeking loans will skip the middleman and receive loans directly from the U.S. Department of Education. Joe Pettibon, assistant provost of student financial aid, said the University could have made the transition as early as 1993, but rejected the opportunity because private banks typically offered better options to students. This changed, he said, when the credit crunch began driving banks

Fast facts ◗17,500 Texas A&M students have student loans ◗ Approximately half of A&M undergraduates will have student loans upon graduation ◗ The Congressional Budget Ofﬁce anticipates $61 billion in federal savings over the next 10 years

◗ 4.4 million direct student loans in the U.S.

See Student loans on page 4

3/23/10 10:37 PM

THE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY STUDENT MEDIA BOARD INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR

ULLYED F P Editor P I U Aggieland 2011 EQ

Student Research Week, an event promoting research across all disciplines, began Monday and runs through Friday. For more information http:// srw.tamu.edu.

Qualifications for editor-in-chief of the Aggieland yearbook are: REQUIRED • Be a Texas A&M student in good standing with the University and enrolled in at least six credit hours (4 if a graduate student) during the term of office (unless fewer credits are required to graduate); • Have at least a 2.25 cumulative grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate student) and at least a 2.25 grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate student) in the semester immediately prior to the appointment, the semester of appointment and semester during the term of office. In order for this provision to be met, at least six hours (4 if a graduate student) must have been taken for that semester; PREFERRED • Have completed JOUR 301 or COMM 307 (Mass Communication, Law, and Society) and ARTS 203 (Graphic Design I), or equivalent; • Have demonstrated ability in writing through university coursework or equivalent experience; • Have at least one year experience in a responsible position on the Aggieland or comparable college yearbook.

Application forms should be picked up and returned to Bob Wegener, Student Media Board secretary, in room 013 of Bldg. #8901 in The Grove. Deadline for submitting application: 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 31, 2010. An equal opportunity, afﬁrmative action employer committed to diversity

THE TEXAS A&M STUDENT MEDIA BOARD INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR

Editor

thebattalion SERVING TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SINCE 1893

Summer 2010

Fall 2010–Spring 2011

(The summer editor will serve May 16 through Aug. 14, 2010)

(The fall and spring editor will serve Aug. 15, 2010, through May 14, 2011)

Qualifications for editor-in-chief of The Battalion are: REQUIRED • Be a Texas A&M student in good standing with the University and enrolled in at least six credit hours (4 if a graduate student) during the term of office (unless fewer credits are required to graduate); • Have at least a 2.25 cumulative grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate student) and at least a 2.25 grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate student) in the semester immediately prior to the appointment, the semester of appointment and semester during the term of office. In order for this provision to be met, at least six hours (4 if a graduate student) must have been taken for that semester. PREFERRED • Have completed JOUR 301 or COMM 307 (Mass Communication, Law, and Society) or equivalent; • Have at least one year experience in a responsible editorial position on The Battalion or comparable daily college newspaper, – OR – Have at least one year editorial experience on a commercial newspaper, – OR – Have completed at least 12 hours in journalism, including JOUR 203 and 303 (Media Writing I and II) and JOUR 304 (Editing for the Mass Media), or equivalent.

HELP CHRONICLE TEXAS A&M HISTORY. GET EXPERIENCE TO ENHANCE YOUR RESUME. join texas a&m’s award-winning yearbook staff! download an application from our website at http://aggieland.tamu.edu or drop by the Student Media ofﬁce in The Grove, Bldg. #8901 for information, call 979.845.2681

AGGIELAND 2010 Official yearbook of Texas A&M University

Student Post SXSW Physics Research concert Festival Week Defacto Productions will host The Department of Physics

Today 30% chance of showers High: 75 Low: 55 courtesy of NOAA

the B-CS Post SXSW Showcase starting at 8 p.m. Friday at Schotzi’s Bar. Performers include They Mean Us, Words in Windows, Blinded by Bears, Same as Sunday and The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.

and Astronomy and Department of Aerospace Engineering at Texas A&M University will host a physics festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday at the George P. Mitchell ’40 Physics Buildings. Entry to the event is free.

Thursday 20% chance of showers high: 70 low: 49 Friday sunny high: 71 low: 49 Saturday mostly sunny high: 75 low: 52

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thebattalion 03.24.2010 For daily updates go to thebatt.com ● Facebook ● Twitter@thebattonline

corrections

1.1 million dollar smiles

A headline on Tuesday’s front page incorrectly described Jason Reed Vestal’s court proceedings. Vestal was tried in a civil court. The Battalion welcomes readers’ comments about published information that may require correction. Please e-mail at editor@ thebatt.com.

howtoapply If you are interested in writing or contributing content in The Battalion apply at thebatt.com, or call 845-3313. The Battalion welcomes any A&M student interested in writing for the arts, campus, metro or sports staffs to try out. We particularly encourage freshmen and sophomores to apply, but students may try out regardless of semester standing or major. No previous journalism experience is necessary.

Jeramie Heflin— THE BATTALION

Members from the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas presented the Texas A&M System with a $1.1 million check on Tuesday at the Association of Former Students to help fund cancer research. Chancellor Mike McKinney accepted the check and spoke about how Texas A&M must become more creative in research methods to find a cure for cancer.

President Loftin, committee search for budget-cutting administrator Travis Lawson The Battalion President R. Bowen Loftin and an eightperson search committee are attempting to fill the senior vice president for administration position, a newly created position that he said will help in budget reductions and campus infrastructure. The Division of Facilities will report to the senior vice president about operations varying from facilities to campus police and will serve as an adviser to Loftin. “The new senior vice president for administration will serve as one of my key advisers and provide management oversight for administrative matters related to nonacademic operations in the areas of facilities and physical plant, business auxiliaries and university risk and compliance, which includes University police,” Loftin said. Because of the importance of this position, Loftin said finding the right person was crucial. Lallah Howard, the executive associate vice president of business affairs who will be overseeing operations in the Division of Facilities during the interim period, said the main focus was the future of the campus facilities. “The primary focus is trying to tie down what facilities does, to further the academic mis-

sion of the institution and make sure the two missions are closely aligned, specifically with the academic master plan,” Howard said. Maintaining buildings and making sure students will not have to pay for rising energy costs is a concern that will be addressed, Howard said. “It is a project that has been on going for quite sometime, I designed it to reduce our energy consumption on campus,” Howard said. “It is also putting in new generators at the power plant to make the power plant more efficient because much of our infrastructure on campus is aging.” Jason Cook, chief communication officer for the A&M system, said the search committee and Loftin were working as quickly and efficiently as possible to fill the position. The search committee is headed by the Vice President of Research Jeffrey Seeman and made up of undergraduates, graduates and faculty. “This is an important position for the University and as such Dr. Loftin is moving quickly to find the right person for this important role,” Cook said. “We are handling it quickly but also in accordance to standard procedures we have on campus.” No deadline has been set to fill of the position.

It's Time! A Conference Commemorating 25 Years of LGBT Recognition at Texas A&M University Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building March 30-April 1, 2010 March 30th – The Garbage Man's Kid: An Autobiographical Performance Bryant Alexander (California State LA) Fallout Theatre/ Blocker 140, 4 pm Photograph permission from the Cushing Memorial Library & Archives.

March 31st – Queer of Color Symposium Scholars Include: Qwo-Li Driskill (TAMU) Gayatri Gopinath (NYU) Daniel Heath Justice (U. of Toronto) Darieck Scott (U. of California, Berkeley)

April 1st – 25 Years: LGBT in Higher Education Keynote Address:

Charles Middleton (President, Roosevelt University)

Outside Participants Include: Larry Hickman (Southern Illinois) D'Lane Compton (U. of New Orleans) Nancy Jean Tubbs (U. of California Riverside) Clayton Koppes (Oberlin) Brian Reinhardt (Assoc. for University & College Counseling ) Free and Open to the Public. To register and for more information, please visit:

http://itstime.tamu.edu Pg. 2-03.24.10.indd 1

Lesbians’ rights violated JACKSON, Miss. — The prom’s still off at a Mississippi high school that canceled it instead of letting a lesbian student bring her girlfriend, but a federal judge ruled Tuesday that the district’s actions did violate the teen’s constitutional rights. U.S. District Judge Glen H. Davidson said canceling it violated 18-year-old Constance McMillen’s rights and that a trial would be held on the issue. McMillen intended to communicate a message by wearing a tuxedo and escorting a same-sex date. “The court ﬁnds this expression and communication falls squarely within the purview of the First Amendment,” Davidson said. Associated Press

thebattalion THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE OF TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893

Amanda Casanova, Editor in Chief Jill Beathard, Managing Editor Matt Woolbright, Asst. Mng. Editor Vicky Flores, City Editor Ian McPhail, Opinion Editor Megan Keyho, Features Editor David Harris, Sports Editor Evan Andrews, Graphics Chief Megan Ryan, Video/Photo Chief THE BATTALION (ISSN #1055-4726) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University. Periodicals Postage Paid at College Station, TX 77840. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, Texas A&M University, 1111 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-1111. News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs. News offices are in The Grove, Bldg. 8901. Newsroom phone: 979-845-3313; Fax: 979-845-2647; E-mail: metro@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com. Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and national display advertising, call 979-845-2696. For classified advertising, call 979-845-0569. Advertising offices are in The Grove, Bldg. 8901, and office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fax: 979845-2678. Subscriptions: A part of the Student Services Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies $1. Mail subscriptions are $125 per school year. To charge by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express, call 979-845-2613.

3/23/10 9:46 PM

things you should know

5 before you go Practice for job interviews

Aggie art race

Learn the appropriate attire and what questions to ask during an on-site visit and job interview through the Career Fair Event from 5 to 6 p.m. today in room 110 Koldus Student Services Building.

This campuswide race will begin at 3 p.m. Thursday from the Student Recreational Center. It offers innovative ways to learn about the arts on campus. Register at http://stark.tamu.edu. Prizes worth $300 will be awarded at a reception.

Farmers market

Fresh fruits and vegetables will be sold from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday in front of Sbisa Dining Hall.

Big Event

The largest annual one day, student-run service project in the nation, Big Event, is from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m Saturday. For more information on how to get involved visit http://bigevent.tamu. edu.

Max and Ruby

OPAS presents â&#x20AC;&#x153;Max & Ruby,â&#x20AC;? a new childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s musical from TheatreWorks USA at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday in Rudder Theatre. Tickets can be purchased at the MSC Box OfďŹ ce.

b! thebattalion 03.24.2010 page3

scene Taking the wonder out of wonderland

Courtesy photos

Mia Wasikowska plays Alice in Disneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s adaptation of the of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Alice in Wonderlandâ&#x20AC;? with director Tim Burton.

â&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sorry,â&#x20AC;? says the grim-faced actress Mia Wasikowska in Disneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Alice in Wonderland.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean to be the wrong Alice.â&#x20AC;? Who is this Alice, all grown up and radiating with girl power? The beloved female protagonist seems to have exchanged her childish pinafore Rebecca Bennett for a number of dreamy haute couture creations fense of the saintly White Queen (Anne Hathaâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;characteristically blue, but scandalously looseway). She is Joan of Arc meets female fitting (or not so loose-fitting) by VictoFrodo. This is hardly the Alice of my rian standards. At 19, Alice is turning down marriage proposals, throwing Disneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Alice in childhood, nor the Alice I eagerly anticipated for a nearly a year since aside her corset and yet still trying Wonderlandâ&#x20AC;? is to overcome her bad habit of fallvisually dazzling, but hearing of the upcoming film. The film didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need the ing down rabbit holes. fails to enchant like structured traditional plot of good This modernized, feminist story the original. versus evil, as if Wonderland is the is overly predictable and strikingly drug addictâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cracked out version of similar to that of â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Wizard of C.S. Lewisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Narnia. From what I recall, Oz.â&#x20AC;? You know, imaginative girl gets Aliceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest struggle was losing her mind lost in magical land, makes friends with some and composure, not battling ferocious mythical weirdos and talking animals, gets some fabubeasts. This Tolkien-esque epic battle between lous addition to her wardrobe, all before finally discovering only her inner courage will guide her two feuding royal sisters serves to structure what should not be structured, to explain what home. How endearing. should not be explained. Similarly, the entirety The filmmakers oddly take the poem as seriof Underland â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the gloomily renamed setting ous enough to merit Wasikowshka brandishing of Aliceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s adventures â&#x20AC;&#x201D; cannot be accepted as about a sword at a dragon-like creature in de-

mere phantasmagoria. Aliceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s haunting â&#x20AC;&#x153;recurring dreamâ&#x20AC;? is reduced to real memory, leaving the fantasy feeling less than, well, fantastical. Fortunately for the lackluster plot, the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aesthetics are brilliant. At times the CGI graphics are admittedly overwhelming and a bit distracting, but the attention to detail is enchanting. The Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) is festooned with remnants of his profession: mismatched thimbles, spools of colorful thread and a hatpin haphazardly stuck into the knuckle of a glove. With a slightly satirical touch, the courtiers of the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) each possess grossly exaggerated facial features appropriate to their personal vices. Logically, only a busybody would need such disturbingly huge ears, and only an egotistical totalitarian could support such an enormous head. And in classic self-promoting Disney style, the benevolent White Queen resides in a palatial abode reminiscent of Cinderellaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s castle. Has Alice mistakenly stumbled upon Disneyland instead of Wonderland? The quirky cast stars some of director Tim Burtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorites, including wife Bonham Carter as a particularly irritating Queen of Hearts. With garish blue eye shadow that might have been applied by windshield wipers and a profound streak of animal abuse (pot-bellied pigs are this aristocratâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s preferred footstools), Bonham Carter provides an amusing parody of the villain we all love to hate.

As for Deppâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highly anticipated portrayal of the Mad Hatter, I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help but feel I was watching the strange antics of Willy Wonkaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s orange-haired cousin. Depp may have allowed himself to be typecast as the freak yet again, but as always, he pulls off the role with ease. He is all mercury-induced delirium, slurred riddles and jerky movements. True, there were elements of Jack Sparrow and Edward Scissorhands in his performance, but could we really see anyone else awkwardly dancing around in those clown-like shoes, smashing discarded teacups along the way? Burtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attempt to modernize the famous childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s novel is appreciable, but even with dazzling and artful visuals, fails to capture the true spirit of Lewis Carrollâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original work. The film pointlessly strains to put reason behind the madness. It seems each eccentric character is psychoanalyzed, diagnosed and treated for their condition. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d think Burton, the film king of the bizarre, would understand sometimes craziness needs to be accepted, even enjoyed, without explanation. So Wasikowska, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry your pretty little head. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not your fault you are hardly the Alice of your literary predecessor. I just ask that you kindly forgive me for being a staunch purist when it comes to my book-to-movie adaptations.

Rebecca Bennett is a junior English and communications major.

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news

page 4 wednesday 3.24.2010

thebattalion

Army

Student loans

Continued from page 1

can rest when you come home, but we’re going to keep you busy here,” Huntoon said. Jesse Morvant, a junior history major, said that he liked the idea of adjusting the amount of time that they were able to spend at home. “The thing that stood out the most was that they are extending the time at home,” Morvant said. “It shows me that the army is making a bigger effort to accommodate soldiers and their family’s needs.” Another program Huntoon brought up is Comprehensive Soldier Fitness, which focuses on strengthening soldiers. “Soldiers need emotional fitness too,” Huntoon said. “We’ve got to prepare soldiers and their families for inevitable trauma and help them build resilience before deployment.” David Blackerby, a junior information and operations management major, said that hearing Huntoon go into the ways the army is trying to accommodate its soldiers is reassuring. “It makes me feel better to see the depths they’re going to take care and prepare us,” Blackerby said. “It is also good to see that every decision that has been made has had a lot of thought put into it.”

from the student loan market in 2008. “Over the last two to three years, there have been changes in the FFELP both by congress and as a result of the current economic crisis, so that the competitive advantage to participating in FFELP was no longer there.“ The program will guarantee that student loans are available regardless of the status of the student loan market. Edgar Diaz, freshman biology major, said he needs this assurance for his education. “I know I’m going to need a loan every year,” Diaz said. “So as long as I’m going to be able get a loan to pay to go to college, that benefits me.” Pettibon said there are not many differences in the student loans, and that obtaining a loan through direct lending is not complicated. “By and large, it is still the same loan limits, same loan amounts, same interest rate for student loans, so other than having to sign a new promissory note, there is very little difference to the student,” Pettibon said. “If you are a new borrower, you won’t necessarily notice anything new.” Current students who have borrowed previ-

Pg. 4-03.24.10.indd 1

ously will have to sign a promissory note which will be available electronically upon acceptance of the loan. Pettibon said the note will be similar to those required previously by private banks. However, despite many similarities between the two programs, Pettibon said students might be confused when making future loan payments. “The loans [students] borrowed previously will still be held by whoever they are held by currently. That may be the bank, the bank may have sold the loan to the Department of Education already or to somebody else,” Pettibon said. “The complicating factor for these students when they get out of school and want to pay off their loans… they could potentially have multiple people that they have to work with.” A&M decided to switch to federal direct loans before the U.S. House of Representatives voted to require schools to do so. The legislation passed as part of the health-care reconciliation bill. The Congressional Budget Office anticipated $61 billion in savings over the next 10 years from the switch. Chelsea Howell, senior history major, said if this is true, the change sounds good. “If it doesn’t affect my taxes and it’s helping people, I don’t see the bad in it,” Howell said.

Grammar Continued from page 1

According to “Mistakes Are a Fact of Life: A National Comparative Study,” the number of errors has remained the same for almost a century. In this article, researchers Andrea and Karen Lunsford compared studies from different time periods measuring number of errors per 100 words in students’ papers. Separate studies from 1917, 1930, 1986 and 2006 each reported the number of errors around two, with ranges from 2.11 up to 2.45. Types of mistakes made, however, have changed slightly, Balester said, and in these cases some technology may be playing a role. Spelling mistakes moved from the top of the list 80 years ago, to No. 5 on the list. Wrong word choice is No. 1. One plausible explanation for this shift is the spell check option on word processing programs, which catches misspelled words but does not flag homonyms and proper nouns. “In this case, many of the wrong word errors appear to be the result of spell-checker suggestions. A student trying to spell ‘frantic,’ for example, apparently accepted the spell-checker’s suggestion of ‘fanatic,’” the study stated. Common errors such as confusing ‘its’ and ‘it’s,’ comma errors, verb tense shifts and capitalization errors have remained a problem. A&M technical writing and composition professor Cindy Raisor said she has noticed a change in student’s attitude toward these errors. “Students are still not putting the commas in the right places or writing run-on sentences occasionally, but I think where I am seeing a change that concerns me is that they don’t seem to care anymore,” Raisor said. In the past, students might not have known the grammar rules, but they were active in trying to correct them. Now, with social networking and instant messaging, using shorthand and leaving out commas, apostrophes and periods is part of the protocol, Raisor said. “It’s almost like that’s a formality that is inappropriate for that kind of situation,” Raisor said. As for assigned papers, Raisor said her students have for the most part been able to distinguish between the two contexts and switch back into formal style and tone. E-mail correspondence is another story. “In media with e-mails I have seen a definite decline in grammar usage and punctuation,” Raisor said. “Students, instructors, professors and other people in this world are relying heavily on quick information, quick answers, so we are not communicating formally in writing.” Balester said students do not change tone when e-mailing friends or professors. “A student writes an e-mail, and they think an e-mail is informal, and they are not thinking ‘e-mail to professor formal, e-mail to friend informal,” Balester said. However, Balester said once students know to make the distinction, the problem goes away. “I think the key is them understanding and thinking about audience every time they write something. They need to consider it before they put their hands on the keyboard,” Balester said. Raisor encourages her students when writing to picture the person on the other end of the message. “When we do that, we are more deliberate about our writing. We are more conscious of what we are saying and how we are saying it,” Raisor said. “I think picturing that person sitting on the other end slows you down. It helps you to be more aware of your style, content, and how that message will be received.”

3/23/10 10:37 PM

sports

Coming Thursday An in-depth look at Aggie swimmer Balasz Makany

thebattalion 3.24.2010 page5

Aggies fall to Northwestern St. No. 21 A&M loses second straight, 4-2 Brad Cox

Florian Achberger — SPECIAL TO THE BATTALION

Sophomore infielder Scott Arthur runs down the baseline during the Aggies’ 4-2 loss Tuesday at Olsen Field. Arthur finished the game 1-for-3.

The Battalion Other than a pair of solo home runs, Texas A&M was silent at the plate against Northwestern State on Tuesday at Olsen Field. Aggie senior designated hitter Joe Patterson hit one in the fourth inning and senior short stop Brodie Greene hit one in the ninth as A&M lost 4-2 to the Demons. The Aggies had eight base runners, three of which were caught stealing or put out within the first two innings and two more of which were forced out in inning-ending double plays, stranding a total of three. “They were getting out of their approach,” A&M Head Coach Rob Childress said about the struggles at the plate. “They were a little too anxious. It’s something we haven’t done all year long and we did that tonight.” Northwestern State pitcher Ryan Zimmerman controlled the strike zone, taking down nine Aggie batters and only walking one in seven innings of work. Zimmerman was relieved by Chad Sheppard in the eighth, who struck out the side that inning. The Demon pitchers never faced more than four batters in any one inning, facing the minimum three in five of the nine. The 12 strikeouts by A&M batters were a season high and the seven hits were a season low. A&M freshman starter Michael Wacha matched Zimmerman’s output with seven innings of work, striking out five and walking none, but it was a pair of pitches in the first few innings that haunted the Aggies throughout.

Second baseman Justin Martinez connected with the second pitch he saw in the second inning, giving his team an early 1-0 lead. Right fielder Tyler Baisley extended the lead to 3-0 in the third inning with a two-run shot over the left field. “Six of the nine hits [Wacha] gave up were in a pitcher’s count,” Childress said. “He didn’t make a quality pitcher’s pitch when he was up in the count and he made a mistake and Northwestern State made him pay. All four runs he gave up were with two outs.” Freshman Jake Feckley and sophomore John Stilson combined to pitch the final two innings, shutting out Northwestern and keeping the Aggies’ hopes alive. Trailing 3-1 and with the meat of the order coming up to bat in the ninth inning, Childress said he thought they were going to win the game. After Greene’s one-out homer, Patterson hit a single into left-center field to keep the rally going. But senior third baseman Caleb Shofner hit a hard grounder to short, causing a game-ending double play. It was the Aggies’ second midweek loss of the season, continuing a series of midweek struggles dating back to the 2009 season in which they lost five midweek games. A&M fell to 15-5 overall, dropping the second consecutive game and Northwestern State improved to 15-4. The Aggies start its second Big 12 series of the season on Friday with a three-game home set against Missouri.

Atkinson and Wilkinson win gold, team finishes 6th Beau Holder The Battalion In West Lafayette, Ind. this past weekend, the Texas A&M women’s swimming and diving team finished sixth at the National Championships at Purdue University. The sixth place finish was the second highest in the program’s history only behind the fourth place finish accomplished in 2008. Two Aggies, seniors Julia Wilkinson and Alia Atkinson, won gold medals at the meet, the first time Aggie women have accomplished such a feat. “That was incredibly sweet to watch for me as a coach,” said A&M Head swimming Coach Steve Bultman. “Seeing Julia win our first-ever national title and then doing it again with Alia was awesome to watch. Going into the meet we knew they had a chance to win, but having a chance and actually doing it are different things. You know it can happen but to see them pull it off was exciting and fun to see.” Wilkinson’s win came in the 100-yard freestyle where she finished in 47.16. Atkinson followed by swimming a 2:07.38 in the 200-yard breaststroke to complete the A&M gold rush. The University of Florida ended the weekend with 382 points

to capture the team national championship. Stanford and California rounded out the top three. A&M finished with a team total of 311 points. “We would have loved to bring home some hardware, but I was proud of the way the team competed throughout the meet,” Bultman said. “It was an incredibly close NCAA meet with six teams that really separated from the rest of the pack. We were solidly in sixth place and only 71 points out of first place, so that was very exciting for our program.” The win for Wilkinson was the icing on what has been an illustrious career at A&M. The Canadian native finished her four years with 23 All-America citations and 19 Big 12 Championships. The win was especially bittersweet after missing last season due to a shoulder injury. “I’ve been waiting for this day for two years,” Wilkinson said. “It was pretty spectacular to hit the wall and hear my name; [because] last year was pretty rough.” Atkinson finishes her career with 19 All-America citations and 10 Big 12 Championships. Senior Kristin Heiss capped off her career at A&M with a respectable showing at the meet finishing sixth in the 200-yard backstroke.

Megan Ryan — THE BATTALION

Senior swimmer Julia Wilkinson won the gold in the 100yard freestyle at last week’s national championships.

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Pg. 5-03.24.10.indd 1

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thebattalion 3.24.2010 page6 PLACE

AN AD Phone 845-0569 or Fax 845-2678 The Grove, Bldg. #8901 Texas A&M University

AUTO

WHEN

TO CALL 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday Insertion deadline: 1 p.m. prior business day

FOR RENT

I buy vehicles, running or not running. 979-778-1121.

BED AND BREAKFAST Bogart’s Casa Blanca B&B. Now booking rooms for all university events. Gated 4 acres, 12 elegant rooms with private bath and heated pool. Green Parrot Bar. Hearty southern breakfast. (Hollywood in Texas) www.bogarts.org 936-825-1969.

BUSINESS OPPS. For Lease: Long established 25-year and prominent small animal veterinary clinic. Inside Loop 410, San Antonio TX. Over 25 years of very profitable performance with excellent clientele. Owner will lease property and discount first month’s rent. Consideration available for new graduate. Perfect place to begin long and purposeful career. Please contact 210-733-9516 or 210-843-3535. Serious inquiries only.

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2BR DUPLEXES and FOURPLEXES, WIDE VARIETY to choose from, W/D conn., F/P, fenced, Pets welcomed. Prices start at %515. NOW or PRELEASE for MAY or AUGUST. 979-775-2291. www.twincityproperties.com 3/1 HOUSE, WOLF PEN AREA, W/D conn., FENCED yard w/ lawn care PROVIDED, 1CAR GARAGE, CLOSE to TAMU SHUTTLE. $815/mo. NOW or PRELEASE for MAY-AUGUST. 979-775-2291. www.twincityproperties.com

3/2 duplexes. Prelease August. Very nice. 5mins to campus. W/D. Lawn care, security system. $900/mo. 979-691-0304, 979-571-6020.

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3/2 Townhouses &Apartments, 1250sqft. Very spacious, ethernet, large kitchen, walk-in pantry &closets, extra storage, W/D, great amenities, on bus route, now pre-leasing for 2010, excellent specials. 979-694-0320, office@luxormanagement.com 3/2, 5/4 C.S. duplexes. Garage, on shuttle, very nice, tile, fireplace, W/D, fenced, lawn service, pets OK. Available August. 979-255-0424/ 979-255-1585. 3bd/3ba. Duplexes. Close to campus, Great backyards. Fairly New! 979-693-4900. Brand new luxury condos, granite countertops, tile flooring, great location. 979-693-4900 3bdrm/3bth house. Great floorplans, fenced yards, W/D, tile floors, icemakers, alarm systems. 979-776-6079, www.aggielandleasing.com 3BR w/ STUDY HOUSE, WOLF PEN AREA, CLOSE to TAMU SHUTTLE, W/D conn., FENCED yard w/ lawn care PROVIDED. $895/mo. NOW or PRELEASE for MAY and AUGUST. 979-775-2291. www.twincityproperties.com 4/2 HOUSE in great location, W/D conn., F/P, 1 car GARAGE, FENCED yard. 1509 Lemontree, CS. AVAILABLE 5/25, 979-775-2291. www.twincityproperties.com 4/3 house, 4024 Southern Trace, CS, built 2006. Granite couners, W/D included. $1490/mo. No pets or smoking. Available August 2010. 979-450-0053. 4/3, 3/3 &3/2 Townhouses, Duplexes &Fourplexes, 1250-1700sqft. Very spacious, ethernet, large kitchen, extra storage, W/D, great amenities, on bus route, now pre-leasing for 2010, excellent specials. 694-0320. office@luxormanagement.com 4/4 Home off Southwest Parkway. High ceilings, huge closets, large front porch, tile floors, all appliances, many extras. $500/ea., Pre-leasing for August, 979-229-6326. See photos and info at www.TexAgRentals.com

FOR RENT

4bd/2ba less than 1 mile from TAMU. Hardwood floors, fenced yard, includes W/D and lawn service. $1450/mo. Available August. 404 Bay St. Call 979-450-5666. www.bcsrental.com

COZY 2/1 Duplex, faux wood floors, W/D conn., some FENCED, lawn care PROVIDED @ all. Prices starting @ $525/mo. PRELEASE for MAY. 979-775-2291. www.twincityproperties.com

4bd/4ba houses. Brand New, great size, great location, AAF 979-693-4900.

Cripple Creek Condo for Rent! 2bd/2ba., W/D, available June 15, pool, tennis courts, information 903-819-2907.

4bd/4ba. +study, New Home, Available August, 2 blocks from TAMU, 1206 Milner, asking $2400/mo. includes W/D and lawn service. Call 979-450-5666. www.bcsrental.com

4bdrm/2bth houses. Great Location. Close to campus, wood floors, tile floors, ceiling fans, w/d, fenced yards. 979-776-6079, www.aggielandleasing.com

3/2 HOUSE, W/D Conn, F/P, SHADED fenced yard w/ DECK and PATIO, 2 CAR GARAGE. AVAILABLE NOW, 3005 JENNIFER,CS. 979-775-2291. www.twincityproperties.com

1/1 w/ STUDY, close to Blinn, W/D conn., some fenced or w/ patios, $565-$615/mo includes Extended Cable, High Speed Internet, W/S. AVAIL NOW or PRE-LEASE for MAY-AUGUST. 979-775-2291. www.twincityproperties.com

FOR RENT

3/2 duplex, all appliances, yard care, pest control. Preleasing for May. Holleman and Legacy. 979-774-4575.

$900 Available Now or Pre-lease, 3 & 4 bdrm. houses near TAMU, pets ok. Call Agent Ardi 979-422-5660.

1/1 DELIGHTFUL DUPLEX, WOOD FLOORS, W/D conn., FENCED w/ lawn care PROVIDED, COVERED PARKING, Ext. Storage. PRELEASE for MAY. 979-775-2291. 979-775-2291.

$10 for 20 words running 5 days, if your merchandise is priced $1,000 or less (price must appear in ad). This rate applies only to non-commercial advertisers offering personal possessions for sale. Guaranteed results or you get an additional 5 days at no charge. If item doesn’t sell, advertiser must call before 1 p.m. on the day the ad is scheduled to end to qualify for the 5 additional insertions at no charge. No refunds will be made if your ad is cancelled early.

4bdrm/2ba house. Close to campus, great floor plan, wood floors, tile floors, ceiling fans, W/D, fenced yards. 979-776-6079, www.aggielandleasing.com

3/2 fourplexes, close to campus, on bus route, W/D, newly renovated, very nice, must see. southwoodplace.com 979-822-3520

1-3/bedroom apartments. Some with w/d, some near campus. $175-$600/mo. 979-696-2038.

PRIVATE PARTY WANT ADS

3/2 duplex, 1920 Holleman Dr.W. Available August. Great location, tile, new carpet and wood floors, newly updated, fenced backyard, W/D, shuttle, bike to campus, pets okay, $1150/month. 979-255-5628.

$375 available now. 1/1, 2/1, 2/2 Free Wi-Fi, On Northgate, on Shuttle. Short term leases ok. Call agent, Ardi. 979-422-5660.

1,2,3,4 bedroom apartments. Furnished or unfurnished. Available May or August. 979-693-4900.

SPECIAL

see ads at thebatt.com

4bdrm/2bth house. Close to campus, wood floors, tile floors, ceiling fans, W/D, fenced yards. 979-776-6079, www.aggielandleasing.com 4bed/4bath Waterwood Townhomes, 1001 Krenek Tap Road across from C/S’s Central Park. Gated, security system, bus route, appliances+washer/dryer included. Available summer or fall 2010. Contact 281-793-0102 or Jimbo77@AggieNetwork.com. ADORABLE 2/1 HOUSE, EAST SIDE HISTORICAL DISTRICT, WOOD FLOORS, W/D conn., BIG fenced yard, EXT Strg, CARPORT. MOVE IN 5/11, $725/mo. 106 POLK. 979-775-2291. www.twincityproperties.com Aggie Station, 4bd/4ba Summer lease, 1bdrm. available, Please Contact 713-385-9683. August, 2/1.5 duplex, large fenced yard. W/D connections, $675/mo. 979-693-0551. AWESOME 3/3 HOUSE, EVERYTHING NEW, MUST SEE! WILL FALL IN LOVE! AVAILABLE NOW! 979-775-2291. www.twincityproperties.com Bike to campus, available May and August, 2/1 College Station duplex, fenced backyard, W/D connections, pets allowed, lawn care provided, E-walk shuttle route. $575-625. 979-218-2995. C.S. 3,4,5 bedroom houses, updated, pets o.k., fenced. Presently pre-leasing for May and August. aggieLandRentals.com 979-776-8984. CHARMING 2/1 DUPLEX, WOOD FLOORS, stackable W/D INSTALLED, fenced yard w/ lawn care PROVIDED. PRELEASE for MAY. 979-775-2291. www.twincityproperties.com College Station Duplex. Nice 2bd/1.5bth. Central air/heat, fenced, appliances, lawn care. May 16. $600/mo. 979-764-7993 CUTE 3/1.5 HOUSE, W/D conn., privacy fenced yard. $775/month. AVAIL NOW or PRELEASE for MAY-AUGUST. 979-775-2291. www.twincityproperties.com

puzzle answers can be found online at www.thebatt.com

Dainty 1/1, FAUX WOOD FLOORS, W/D conn., PRELEASE for MAY. 979-775-2291. www.twincityproperties.com

FOR RENT

One bedroom for rent in 3bedroom house. M/F, 1mi to campus. On bus route. $200/mo +1/3bills. Furnished if needed. Hot tub and game room. (979)739-7717. Pre-leasing for August. 3b/1.5b, carport, on shuttle, pets ok, fenced, $750/month. aggieLandRentals.com 979-776-8984. Prelease for May or August, 2/1 fourplex. W/D connections, water paid. 609 Turner. $450/m. 979-693-1448.

Eastside Landing, 500 East 31st, 2/1 or 2/2 AVAILABLE ASAP, QUIET & HIDDEN location close to historic downtown, extended cable, high speed internet, and W/S all PAID! Reserved COVERED parking. PRELEASE for MAY. 979-775-2291. www.twincityproperties.com

Prelease for May or August. Large 2/2 with fenced yard, W/D connections, large closets, great location. University Oaks. $750/m. 979-693-1448.

ENORMOUS 4/2 HOUSE w/ STUDY, 2500 sqft, W/D conn., 2 sided F/P, GIANT privacy fenced yard w/ lawn care PROVIDED. AVAILABLE NOW. 979-775-2291. www.twincityproperties.com

Quick to find sublease, contract ends in August, March’s rent is already paid, 1bd/1bath, swimming pool, fitness center, etc, rent is $715 at Presidio Apartments, call 979.817.6645 or email clau_uane@hotmail.com

FANTASTIC 2/1 FOURPLEX, W/D conn., BIKING/WALKING distance to TAMU, NORTHGATE AREA, PRELEASE for MAY or AUGUST. 979-775-2291. www.twincityproperties.com House for lease. 3bd/2ba brick, large fenced backyard, off Rock Prairie. $1500/mo. Available 6/1/10. 281-342-6969, gary@garygillen.com House for rent 3/1.5/1, 0.75 acres, horse ok, $875/mo., $875 deposit. 979-696-1670. June and July sublease, 3bd/3ba townhome at Woodlands Apartments, $600/mo. with everything included. Numerous amenities. Miranda 281-217-5081. LEASE THIS HIDDEN JEWEL Sonoma Terrace Apts, 611 S. Ennis, 2BR or 3BR, LARGE floorplans w/ HUGE living areas, TONS of storage, COVERED parking, extended cable, high speed internet, and W/S all PAID! 979-775-2291. www.twincityproperties.com

Ridgewood Village efficiency with loft. Uniquely designed floor plan. No pets, $385/mo, $250 deposit. 1211-1213 Holik. 979-696-2998. Some short term leases available. $455/mo. Ridgewood Village, large very quiet tree-shaded 1bdrm/1bth studio, no pets. $435/mo, $250 deposit, 1201-1209 Holik. 979-696-2998. Some short term leases available $495/mo.

INTERNSHIPS AVAILABLE! Advertising Sales

Enthusiastic & Outgoing Students Must Have Dependable Car. Will Train.

$400-$500

Weekly Commissions Texas A&M University y Telephone p Directory y Email resume to:

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SAVE MONEY! No need for parking pass! Located walking distance to Kyle Field. 4bd/2ba non-smoking house. W/D included. Security system, fenced yard. Available June. Call 979-820-1198. Sub-lease 05/28-07/28, 1br/bth, Signature Park Apartments, 650sq.ft. $745/mo. Call 713-702-6886 Two rooms available in 3/2 on 3-acres, just four miles from campus. Horse property. $475/mo. Cable/Internet provided. 858-442-4918.

FOR SALE 3/3 duplex on 2818 and Villa Maria. W/D included; cable, internet; fenced. $197,500. 512-251-3901. dana.aquatech@austin.rr.com ADPi jewelry, 2 rings, 2 drop pendants, 1 pin with ring converter, black futon in very good condition, 979-571-7078. Kenmore Electric W/D- $550/set; 28” TV- $100; Whirlpool Fridge and Gas Stove- $250/ea; 1yr old Brown Sofa$275. If interested contact dennis@tamhsc.edu. We buy keg shells. $25 cash. 979-739-7717.

HELP WANTED Ags! Looking for summer work? Earn $9000.00 this summer, build your resume, great experience, call Taylor, 214-707-9145. Apartment leasing agent needed for Sundance on Harvey Road. Please apply in person, with resume, at 811 Harvey Rd. No phone calls, please. Chedder’s Casual Cafe and Fish Daddy’s on University Drive are now accepting applications for server and hostess. Come be a part of our friendly team! Apply in person. EOE. Athletic men for calendars, books, etc. $100-$200/hr, up to $1000/day. No experience. 512-684-8296. photoguy@io.com Classiﬁeds continued on page 8

Luxury 3/2 duplex, $895/mo. Preleasing for May and August. 979-693-0551. Luxury townhome. Gateway Villas. 4bd/4bth, 1800/mo. Pre-lease summer/ fall 2010. 979-229-6935. MAGNIFICENT 4/2 HOUSE, ASF 2300, HUGE master bedroom, W/D conn., CARPORT, EXT Strg, shaded FENCED yard w/ BRICK PATIO. AVAILABLE for MAY, $1800/mo. 1106 DOMINIK. 979-775-2291. www.twincityproperties.com MAY & AUG PRE-LEASE! Free Locator- United Realty- 979-260-1200. 1,2,3,4&5 bedroom in apartments, fourplexes, duplexes, condos, and houses. Call our free locators! Browse our wide selections at www.united-rico.com NEW/NEWER 1/1, 1/1.5, 2/2, 3/3, Granite, Ceramic, Shuttles www.jesinvestments.com owner/broker 979-777-5477. Pre-leasing brand new 4/4 luxurious cottage style home, behind HEB, two blocks from campus! $525/mo. per person. Call 979-314-1333.

STUDIES IN PROGRESS ACNE STUDY Volunteers between the ages of 12 and 45, with facial acne are needed to participate in a 12-week clinical research study with an investigational topical medication. All eligible volunteers will receive at no cost: • Study related acne evaluations by a dermatologist • Study related medication • Reimbursement up to $250.00 for time and effort For more information please contact:

RED DRY SCALY PATCHES OF SKIN ATOPIC DERMATITIS STUDY (ECZEMA) www.AggieNetwork.com

Volunteers ages 18 - 64 needed to participate in up to 12 week long clinical research study with an investigational topical medication for atopic dermatitis (RED, DRY, SCALY PATCHES OF SKIN). Eligible volunteers will receive at no cost: • Study related medication • Physical Examination • Dermatological Assessments • Compensation up to $675.00 for time and travel For more information please contact:

ATHLETE’S FOOT STUDY Volunteers ages 17 and older are needed to participate in a 6 week clinical research study with an investigational topical medication for the treatment of Athlete’s foot. Eligible volunteers will need to make 3 ofﬁce visits and receive at no cost: • Study related medication • Medical examinations relating to their athlete’s foot • Compensation up to $120 for time and effort For more information please contact:

J&S Studies, Inc. 979-774-5933 1710 Crescent Pointe Parkway, College Station, TX 77845 www.js-studies.com

Pg. 6-03-24-10.indd 1

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EDITOR’SNOTE The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and forum participants in this paper do not necessarily reﬂect those of Texas A&M University, The Battalion or its staff.

MAILCALL GUESTCOLUMNS Make your opinion known by submitting Mail Call or guest columns to The Battalion. Mail

call must be fewer than 200 words and include the author’s name, classification, major and phone number. Staff and faculty must include title. Guest columns must be fewer than 700 words. All submissions should focus on issues not personalities, become property of The Battalion and are subject to editing for style, clarity and space concerns. Anonymous letters

‘

will be read, but not printed. The Battalion will print only one letter per author per month. No mail call will appear in The Battalion’s print or online editions before it is veriﬁed. Direct all correspondence to: Editor in chief of The Battalion (979) 845-3315 | mailcall@thebatt.com

voices

thebattalion 03.24.2010

page7

Field of screens F

acebook is a useful social networking tool and can help people organize social or study get-togethers, but it comes with a hefty price. Regardless of willpower, Facebook has the ability to suck people into a deep time hole, draining away precious hours of the day with nothing to show for it, particularly with games.

“I have found myself sitting at my computer playing pointless games for hours instead of doing the things that needed to get done,’” said Melissa Dye, a freshman general studies major. Unfortunately Melissa is the rule, not the exception. Every day I check my news feed and find someone is movin’ on up in FarmVille, has achieved a new battle rank in Castle Age, or wants to give me some Farkle chips. Facebook games are crazy addictive, and can easily suck up several hours of your day. Research into addictiveness of video games is a new field, considering the newness of online video games to begin with and their rapid development. “I realized that I was not getting enough sleep and was not getting all of my stuff done,” Dye said. The addictiveness of Facebook games is quite puzzling, especially since the games aren’t good. They have terrible graphics, horrid animation and usually don’t have any aspect of skill attached. But the absence of skill requirement is exactly what gives many Facebook games success. Video games have contained aspects of skill development or careful thought, if not both, since pong. By creating games that anyone can play, companies like Zynga, which runs more than a dozen games on Facebook, have broken out of the typical gamer market and attracted those who otherwise wouldn’t play video games. Worst of all, many of the games are literally endless. Because of various downtimes from running out

Evan Andrews — THE BATTALION

Steven Laxton of energy or waiting for crops to grow, it essentially stops you from playing past a certain length of time. However, due to the way some of these games are designed, this can be several hours. Because of the downtimes, there is a sense of obligation to exhaust whatever resources are at

your disposal, for efficiency’s is the purpose of almost all sake, as resources are usuof these games in some way or another, unless ally invested somehow Facebook games advertisements are to produce greater are addicting and tied in. resources later. endless. Don’t Despite the lack At the heart of spend all your of chemical depenthese games, as with time working on a dency, Facebook all things in society, is ﬁctional farm. games can be one of the quest to take your the more difficult admoney. Most people dictions to quit. It takes have the common sense above all else is simply not to spend money on such recognition of how much time garbage games, but some succumb it absorbs, and the desire to stop. to the addiction so deeply that they As nothing ingested or otherwise might spend real money in order entering your body, the addiction is to get these virtual resources. This

was venting in what is a very public arena. As the Internet becomes more imbedded in our lives, privacy or anonymity can no Continued from page 1 longer be expected on the World Wide Web. reported her to university officials. Employees have to censor what’s written in In the wake of the tragic shootings at the confines of their home, in what the University of Alabama-Huntsville, was the domain of their personal officials were less than thrilled to life. In an arena that should Employees have the read the professor’s update asking be reserved for relaxation, right to expect a her friends and family where she people are forced to be could find a discreet hitman after paranoid about the wrong reasonable amount of a long day. person reading what they’ve separation between A month later, Gadsden’s written. As the Internet work and their private status again barely alluded to is used more and more for lives, even online. violence, reading “had a good day communication, employtoday. DIDN’T want to kill even ers monitoring online activity one student :-).” threatens free speech. Although smiley face emoticons often Already a South Florida teenager is betray an unstable mind, Gadsden’s comsuing her former principal after a suspension ments did not require a disciplinary reaction. based on a Facebook page titled “Ms. Sarah Everyone with a career in academia has felt a Phelps is the worst teacher I’ve ever had.” murderous urge toward college students, usual- Katherine Evans invited former and current ly more than once a month. Gadsden’s mistake students of Phelps to comment on her page

Facebook

after a series of minor altercations in class. The responses varied in the few days Evans kept the page up, but two months later, Evans was suspended for cyber bullying Phelps. The American Civil Liberties Union has supported Evans right to freedom of speech, including the Internet in the application of First Amendment rights. “In today’s world, very little is private anymore,” said Tomas Reta, a freshman general studies major. “Even though your private and personal life should be separate, it’s often not. You have to watch what you say and do.” But worse than the loss of privacy is the subjectivity businesses can employ while cybersnooping. Gadsden believes her suspension was in response to an essay she wrote criticizing universities for not doing enough to retain minority faculty. Employers have no obligation to search through sites for unflattering words, and there is an inherent unfairness in deciding whose personal life to intrude in. At one point in their life, everyone has contributed something they

I S L A N D S T Y L E A PA R T M E N T L I V I N G

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psychological. “I limited the amount of time I was allowed to spend on Facebook a day. It really wasn’t that hard, I just kind of told myself to quit playing them and so I did,” Dye said. To everyone out there who uses Facebook and has yet play one of these games, don’t. They’re poor wastes of your time, and once you start, it’s hard to realize you need to stop. Now if you’ll excuse me, my stamina has probably refilled.

Steven Laxton is a freshman electrical engineering major.

regret to the Internet. The effort put into finding yours can easily be based on favoritism. Consideration needs to be put into the photos and posting put online, but employers need to stop using the Internet to cyber-stalk employees. As long as the content is not potentially damaging to the company, social networking sites should remain none of the office’s business. Employees are entitled to express themselves outside of work without worrying who might be looking. No one should expect the information they put on the Internet to be private, but employees and students have the right to a personal life. Social networking sites have become imbedded in our culture, and should not be used to keep Orwellian tabs on activities away from work. As more interaction takes place online, the freedom of speech on the Internet needs to be defended. Ian McPhail is a junior history major and voices editor.

Attention Class of 2011, 2012, and 2013! Are you interested in becoming a Class Officer? We currently have applications available for Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, which can be found online at

classcouncils.tamu.edu.

Applications are due at Koldus 223 by 5:00pm on March 31st. If you have any questions please contact the Class Center at 979-845-3534.

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Experts: Health care lawsuit will fail TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The White House says it isn’t worried that 13 state attorneys general are suing to overturn the massive health care overhaul, and many legal experts agree the effort is futile. But the lawsuit, filed in federal court seven minutes after President Barack Obama signed the 10-year, $938 billion health care bill, underscores the divisiveness of the issue and the political rancor that has surrounded it. Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum led the effort to file the suit that claims Congress doesn’t have the constitutional right to force people to get health coverage. It also says the federal government is violating the Constitution by forcing a mandate on the states without providing resources to pay for it. “To that I say, ‘Bring it on,’” said White House domestic policy chief Melody Barnes, who cited similar suits filed over Social Security and the Voting Rights Act when those were passed. “If you want to look in the face of a parent whose child now has health care insurance and say we’re repealing that ... go right ahead.” A 14th state, Virginia, did not join the bigger lawsuit, but filed its own, which other states are also considering. McCollum, a Republican running for governor, has been talking about suing to overturn the bill since December. This month he invited other attorneys general to join him. So far South Carolina, Nebraska, Texas, Michigan, Utah, Pennsylvania, Alabama, South Dakota, Idaho, Washington,

Colorado and Louisiana have agreed. All the attorneys general are Republican except James “Buddy” Caldwell of Louisiana, a Democrat, who said he signed on because Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal asked him to and he felt the effort had merit. The lawsuit, filed in Pensacola, asks a judge to declare the bill unconstitutional because “the Constitution nowhere authorizes the United States to mandate, either directly or under threat of penalty, that all citizens and legal residents have qualifying health care coverage.” South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley disputed that characterization, saying his state will have to cut education and other programs to make up for increased Medicaid costs under the overhaul. “This isn’t about attorneys general trying to break into the realm of telling what needs to happen with health care reform,” he said. “This is attorneys general saying you went too far with unfunded federal mandates. You exceeded your power under the Constitution.” Not so, said Bruce Jacob, a constitutional law professor at Stetson University in Florida, who said the suit seems like a political ploy and is unlikely to succeed. “The federal government certainly can compel people to pay taxes, can compel people to join the Army,” he said. Some more states, including Missouri, may join the suit. Still others are looking at other ways to avoid participating, like passing legislation to block requirements in the bill. Associated Press

Texas man accused of multimillion-dollar fraud AMARILLO, Texas — A Texas Panhandle man has been indicted for allegedly trying to defraud investors by promising them shares of trillions of dollars from bogus ﬁnancial instruments. A federal grand jury in Amarillo returned a 39-count mail fraud indictment Wednesday against 63-yearold Tommy Lee Buckley of Amarillo. A statement issued by U.S. Attorney James Jacks says Buckley tried to redeem supposed ﬁnancial instruments Buckley described

as “certiﬁcates of obligation.” Some were drawn on the U.S. Treasury and made payable to foreign heads of state, and some were drawn on foreign ﬁnancial institution. He allegedly marketed his scheme to almost 2,000 investors who purchased memberships in his groups. Between 2004 and May 2008, Buckley allegedly deposited about $2.8 million from checks and money orders sent to him by these members. Associated Press

As supervisor of a property’s Community Assistant (CA) team, the Resident Director (RD) serves as a liaison between the CA staff and the management team. The Resident Director assists with the day-to-day management of the facility while being directly responsible for the implementation of the student housing community’s Residence Life Program. Apply online at www.leadlivelearn.com EOE M/F/D/V Career Apparel now hiring retail sales position P/T. Apply in person 4001 E. 29th #103. 979-260-2727. Chiropractors office, part-time, Apply 3733 E. 29th St., Bryan. Fax resume 979-691-0610. City of College Station lifeguards needed. $8.70/hr. Apply online @ csjobs.cstx.gov or call 979-764-3540. Equal Opportunity Employer. Cleaning commercial buildings at night, M-F. Call 979-823-5031 for appointment. Great summer opportunity! Enjoy your summer at Camp For All making a difference in the lives of children with special needs. Paid position +room, board, paid time off! Call 979-289-3752 or apply online: www.campforall.org Lake Management, Hourly help needed, Flexible schedule, Full-days work, $10-$12/hr. Contact 512-788-2149 jchapman@lochowranch.com Need someone very proficient with Dragon Naturally SpeakingVersion 9. Tutor how to use and maximize proficiency with software. Call Mike during evenings 979-450-9917. Now accepting resumes for vet technicians for late summer, able to work with large animals. Send resume to dockimbo@aggienetwork.com Office Assistant needed full-time. Must have good computer skills. Contact 979-574-3910 to apply. Part-time job helping handicapped. Male student preferred. $330/mo. 30-hours/mo. 979-846-3376. Student worker needed for website design. E-mail for more details mckovar@txcyber.com STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM Paid survey takers needed in College Station. 100% free to join. Click on surveys. Tampico Del Barrio. Nuevo Latino Tapas Cafe & Bar. 1011 Oliver Ave., Bryan 822-6178. Ag owned/operated. Open Call-Thurs. March 25th 10am-12pm & 2pm-5pm. Accepting applications for: Hostess, Wait Staff, Bartender and Dishwasher. P/T Wed.-Sun 10am-3pm 18ys+ Bilingual & P.O.S. Exp. +, Willing to train. Must be able to obtain Food Hander’s Card. Great Positions if you have a passion for food and want exp. w/2 C.I.A. Trained Chefs. Drug-free work environment. Tutors wanted for all subjects currently taught at TAMU/ Blinn and Sam Houston State starting at $7.25/hour. Apply on-line @ www.99Tutors.com, 979-255-3655. Veterinary hospital in Navasota seeks afternoon technician. Monday-Friday 1pm-7pm and every other weekend. Fax resume to 936-825-4065. Web Designers/Programmers MEMdata, a College Station-based medical technology firm, is seeking multiple part time or full time Web Designers and Programmers that are well-versed in PHP programming and web design. Work with an existing team of IT professionals to improve our internal and external web design and functionality. MYSQL knowledge and experience a plus. Flash and other skillsets a plus. Flexible hours available. Send resume with PHP or Flash portfolio examples to careers@memdata.com. www.memdata.com

HELP WANTED Weekend childcare in Ag family home w/3yr. - Fun-loving, reliable, responsible female. Bilingual + Spanish or Chinese, references & drvier’s license. chefrizzo@hotmail.com or 739-9535.

MISCELLANEOUS SELL YOUR USED FURNITURE! Are you leaving this semester? Quality Used Furniture will buy your furniture. Free estimates and moving. Call Quality Used Furniture, 979-693-8669 or visit www.qualityusedfurniturebcs.com Mon-Sat. 9:00-5:30.

MUSIC Party Block Mobile DJ- Peter Block, professional 22yrs experience. Specializing in Weddings, TAMU functions, lights/smoke. Mobile to anywhere. Book early!! 979-693-6294. http://www.partyblockdj.com

PETS A+Teacup puppies: Maltese, Shorkies, Maltipoos, Yorkies &Poodles. $500 &up. 979-324-2866, linda_d_54@yahoo.com Adopt Pets: Dogs, Cats, Puppies, Kittens, Many purebreds. Brazos Animal Shelter, 979-775-5755, www.brazosanimalshelter.org

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ROOMMATES 1-F, studious, 2BR/2.5B furnished condo, pool, W/D, bus route, free Internet/cable, $525/mo. all bills paid, starting August, Call Christina 512-557-0256. 3 roomates needed. Spacious 2 story townhouse in Canyon Creek. Fully furnished. 4/2.5 $400/mo. +1/4 utilities. 713-823-9340. Fall house. 3 females wanted. $350/person. 4/2, utilities $80-100. Off of Southwest Pkwy. Dogs and cats allowed. Must fill by March 31st. Grads, Jrs, Srs. On bus 31. Email karrine45@yahoo.com 817-228-8529. Roommates needed. 4bd/4bth $325/mo., washer/dryer. University Place on Southwest Parkway. 281-844-2090.

TUTORS Need a Tutor? Friendly, helpful one-on-one private tutors for all subjects at TAMU/Blinn and Sam Houston State. Check us out at www.99tutors.com, 979-255-3655.

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Do your genes play a role in how you respond to flu vaccine? VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR CLINICAL STUDY Researchers will analyze genetic markers in the blood of up to 130 women of European ancestry before and after licensed flu vaccine is given. They hope to learn how these markers might affect the vaccine’s ability to protect individuals against the flu.

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Study Procedures x 5 Study Visits over 28 day period with blood samples x One vaccination with licensed influenza vaccine x Complete a diary of symptoms and signs for 1 week

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