The Battalion: June 10, 2010

thebattalion

news for you texas Man faces trial for assaulting child Jury selection has begun in the trial of Abram Harker Jeffs, a 39-yearold member of a polygamist group who faces a charge of sexual assault of a child. Church documents seized at the Yearning for Zion Ranch in Eldorado indicate Jeffs married a 15-year-old daughter of the ranch’s elder in 2005.

Mel Gibson filming in south Texas Actor Mel Gibson is shooting part of his new movie in Brownsville.The scheduled two-day shoot is expected to generate at least $200,000 for the border city. The film “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” involves a criminal character, played

by Gibson, being arrested by Mexican law officers.

● thursday,

june 10, 2010

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sports

Nebraska to join Big Ten David Harris The Battalion Fox Sports Ohio reports that the University of Nebraska regents have voted on moving to the Big Ten. The station reports that a deal could be finished by Friday.

ESPN reported that Nebraska Athletic Director and former football Head Coach

Tom Osbourne informed athletic staff members that the Cornhuskers would be moving to the Big Ten. Big 12 sources have confirmed that both Texas A&M and the University of Texas will have joint officials meetings Thursday to discuss conference expansion.

Rivals.com reported Monday that the Pac-10 had offered A&M, Texas, Texas

Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Colorado a spot in a potential 16-team conference. Pac-10 Commissioner Larry Scott was given the go-ahead from the conference’s higher-ups to explore expansion last weekend.

“We probably have contemplated or are contemplating almost everything you’ve read about,” Scott said at the conference’s annual meetings. “The Pac-10

is in a very fortunate position. We have tremendous prospects exactly as we are.

We also have some potentially exciting opportunities regarding expanding the footprint of the conference.”

Amid the rumors, KZNE reported that A&M Athletic Director Bill Byrne has informed coaches and staff that the speculation was very real.

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to downtown Goode Company off of Northwest Freeway boasts freshly made meats, breads and sides.

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nation &world South Africa prepares for World Cup Soccer’s stars have converged on South Africa from across the globe, but on the eve of the World Cup, it is the host nation that has seized the spotlight. It will be the first time the world’s mostwatched sporting event is held anywhere in Africa, and it takes place in a country that for decades was an international sports outcast, boycotted because of its racist policies.

Sports, page 6

Britain enforces English language Starting this fall, the spouse of a citizen who is coming from outside the European Union and wants to live in Britain will have to prove he or she has a basic command of English. The move comes as countries across Europe tighten their rules on immigration amid rising unemployment rates and concerns about the ability of newcomers to integrate.

Staff and wire reports

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A freestanding sculpture by Joan Miro provides sharp contrast to the J.P. Morgan Chase Building in downtown Houston.

The San Jacinto Monument commemorates the end of Mexican rule and is alo the tallest monument column in the world.

Evan Andrews — THE BATTALION

190 miles Tank of gas ◗ This story is part of a series “There and back on a tank of gas.” A staff member will travel to a different city each week and document the trip.

A trip to Houston offers everything from barbecue to modern art.

Travel on ◗ James Cavin discloses the various trials and traumas that can accompany road trips.

T

he country pastures along Highway 6 quickly transform into the urban cityscape of Houston. Although a bustling business hub, H-town remains truly Texan in history and culture. Amid the suburbs and skyscrapers, determined travelers will find unexpected venues for sightseeing, dining and fun.

Voices, page 5

Story & photos by Jennifer DuBose | Special to The Battalion

see story on page 3

astronomy

Professor discovers more of universe Patrique Ludan The Battalion There are a limited number of people who can say that they have saved Alan Alda’s life or went to high school with Robin Williams. In addition, a select group of astrophysicists and astronomers can lay claim to the discovery of 70 percent of the universe.

In the scope of Nicholas Suntzeff’s life, he has eyed all three.

Suntzeff, professor of observational astronomy, has seen his life take him from San Francisco to a 21-year stint

in Chile before a final journey back to the U.S. in College Station. “[In Chile,] I basically got to do research for 100 percent of the time,” Suntzeff said. “It was a dream.”

Suntzeff can chalk off a prestigious government fellowship to his proverbial list.

The Jefferson Science Fellowship is a fellowship with the U.S. State Department. Fellows are based in Washington, D.C., but have an opportunity to work abroad in order to articulate accurate science for statecraft, which is becoming an increas-

ingly key component in 21st century diplomacy.

“I am the first astronomer they have ever picked,” Suntzeff said.

As a Jefferson Fellow at the State Department, he will in effect, attempt to help break down the wall of ignorance that separates countries from the West.

“One of the things I am interested in is to work with the Arab countries to help them to build a large telescope,” Suntzeff said. “It is a good

Professor Nicholas Suntzeff is the first astronomer to be selected for the Jefferson Science Fellowship.

See Suntzeff on page 3

Tyler Hosea — THE BATTALION

6/9/10 9:39 PM

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Double Quick

Today 60% chance of heavy rain High: 88 | Low: 76 courtesy of NOAA

2

3

The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum will have a birthday celebration for former President George Bush and Barbara Bush from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday at the museum. The Bushes will not be in attendance.

The Red Cross blood drive will be set up from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. tomorrow in G. Rollie White and the Biochemistry/ Biophysics Building lobby.

Sign-up online at www. redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-Give-Life (448-3543).

Walk-ins are also welcomed.

Red Cross blood drive

Friday 20% chance of showers high: 93 low: 77 Saturday 20% chance of showers high: 95 low: 77 Sunday 20% chance of showers high: 93 low: 76

pagetwo

thebattalion 06.10.2010 For daily updates go to thebatt.com ● Facebook ● Twitter@thebattonline

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news for you

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NEW ORLEANS — BP plans to bring in an oil-burning device and a tanker from the North Sea as it tries to contain the crude spewing into the Gulf of Mexico, a disaster creating headaches for people who make money off the sea and those processing their claims of financial loss. The current containment system is catching 630,000 gallons of oil daily, Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said at a news briefing in Washington. Officials had previously cited that figure as the system’s general capacity, but Allen said officials now believe it can handle 756,000 gallons.

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Border shooting threatens to heighten migrant issues CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico — Mexicans are seething over the second death of a countryman at the hands of U.S. Border Patrol agents in two weeks, a shooting near downtown El Paso that is threatening to escalate tensions over migrant issues.

U.S. authorities said Tuesday a Border Patrol agent was defending himself and colleagues when he fatally shot the 15-year-old as officers came under a barrage of big stones while trying to detain illegal immigrants on the U.S. side of the Rio Grande.

About 30 relatives and friends gathered late Tuesday to mourn Sergio Adrian Hernandez Huereka, who died Monday on the Mexican side of the river border with Texas.

“Damn them! Damn them!” sobbed Rosario Hernandez, sister of the dead teenager, at a wake in the family’s two-room adobe house on the outskirts of Ciudad Juarez.

Preliminary reports on the incident indicated that U.S. officers on bicycle patrol “were assaulted with rocks by an unknown number of people,” Border Patrol Special Operations Supervisor Ramiro Cordero said Tuesday.

“During the assault at least one agent discharged his firearm,” he said. “The agent is currently on administrative leave. A thorough, multi-agency investigation is currently ongoing.”

The shooting happened beneath a railroad bridge linking the two nations, and late Tuesday night a banner appeared on the bridge that said in English: “U.S. Border Patrol we worry about the violence in Mex and murders and now you. Viva Mexico!”

The San Diego medical examiner’s office ruled that death a homicide.

Associated Press

WOBURN, Mass. — A Delaware man charged with faking his way into Harvard was accepted at Stanford University after he was kicked out of the Ivy League school. Adam Wheeler, 23, applied and was accepted to Stanford for the 2010-2011 school year after he was expelled from Harvard in October, according to documents listing evidence that prosecutors have turned over to Wheeler’s lawyer. Wheeler, of Milton, Del., was indicted last month on 20 counts of larceny, identity fraud and other charges for allegedly conning his way into Harvard by falsely claiming he had attended the exclusive Phillips Academy prep school in Andover and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Authorities said Wheeler essentially stole $45,000 in financial aid, scholarship money and academic awards from Harvard.

US tip leads Mexican navy to explosives MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s navy seized 45 pounds of powerful explosives Wednesday in a bohemian neighborhood in the capital after exchanging information with U.S. authorities.

Four Mexicans suspected of links to organized crime were being questioned after a pre-dawn raid on a hostel in Mexico City’s Roma.

Staff and wire reports

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Cost is $64.90, including shipping and sales tax. Go to the optional services box in Howdy when you register for fall. For info, call 845-2613.

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Man accused of duping Harvard gets into Stanford

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6/9/10 4:51 PM

news

page 3 wednesday 6.10.2010

thebattalion

H-town bound Roadtrip to Houston for history Jennifer DuBose Special to The Battalion Taking Highway 6 South from Aggieland, then merging onto Interstate Highway 290, your first stop is Buc-ee’s.

Skepticism may arise as you view the dozens of gopher (or maybe beaver) logos with intense overbites—until you look around, only to see a full carwash and vacuum service with sparkling gas pumps to boot. Inside, Buc-ee’s offers computers with Internet access, ATMs, aisles of pit stop essentials and bathrooms clean enough to host dinner parties.

“This place is cleaner than my own bathroom at home!” said Linda Dobbs, another traveler in awe of Buc-ee’s.

Before leaving, be sure to sink your gopher-beaver teeth into the scores of Buc-ee’s homemade snacks, including fudge, jerky and camo-flavored popcorn. Yes, camo-flavored popcorn.

After the gleam of your washed car begins to fade and the reality of Houston traffic is starting to set in, look for the water tower of Goode Co. Texas Barbeque just off of Northwest Freeway.

“We go the extra step,” said Jon Snell, manager of the restaurant. “Our whole concept is when you buy the best, cook

Suntzeff Continued from page 1

way to bring countries together in an international treaty around a science project.”

While Suntzeff has been at A&M, he has had an effect on those who have studied and researched under his tutelage.

“Although I knew very little about astronomy when I met him, Nick has taught me how to be an astronomer,” said Sam Gooding, a graduate student in astronomy.

Gooding also received his bachelor’s degree in physics at A&M, and has been researching with Suntzeff since his arrival.

There are also nonphysics majors who give Suntzeff a top-notch rating as a professor.

Zach Walton, graduate student in mechanical engineering, is one of those people.

“Dr. Suntzeff is one of the few great professors I have had the privilege to learn from,” Walton said. “His main goal, which he expresses the first week of classes, isn’t that you are able to understand the most difficult aspects of math or physics, but instead that you learn something, anything really.”

Kevin Krisciunas, Suntzeff’s colleague and a lecturer in physics and astronomy, said Suntzeff’s pragmatic approach was fundamental in being selected for the fellowship.

“Nick has sat on various national committees that decide scientific priorities for expensive projects,” Krisciunas said.

“It is useful to have people at the table who will not just rubberstamp the agenda of the chairman of the meeting.”

COME

the best and use nothing but the best, you’ll come out with the best.”

The place is a complete Texas museum in itself as the walls are covered with artifacts and animal heads; old Texas country music dances through the rafters. Be sure to enjoy a brisket sandwich with homemade jalapeno cheese bread and barbeque sauce, homemade potato salad and a huge slice of pecan pie—homemade.

Having experienced the twang of Houston, take the I-10 downtown exit to see the eclectic side of the city. For no charge at all, you can see one of only two freestanding Miro sculptures in the U.S., right in front of the J.P. Morgan Chase Building on Travis Street, the tallest building in Texas.

The sculpture by Joan Miro, a Spanish surrealist painter and sculptor, was dedicated in 1982 and continues to add a vibrant color pallet to the grey backdrop of the business world. ‘“Yeah, it’s pretty” said one rushed Houstonian.

After pondering its meaning and what it represents, you’ll notice that the statue is supposed to be a woman with things flying about her head.

No one quite knows what the things are, perhaps not even Miro. Continue walking

past the art, up the steps and enter the Chase Building for a free ride to the 75th floor, the Sky Lobby, for access to more abstract art and a beautiful view of the entire city. I suggest running toward the windows, then stopping just inches before the glass windows for the most incredible flying sensation. Don’t worry, the glass is super strong and there are guards everywhere.

You know, to catch you if the unthinkable happens.

The road trip is winding down, but there is still one last important stop, perfect for the history buff. After getting back on I-10 east, take the Highlands exit and ride the ferry to the San Jacinto Monument. A jewel of Texas, it has been hailed by Guinness World Records as “the tallest monument column in the world.” It stands at 570 feet, topped with a Texas star.

It represents victory in a fierce battle against Mexico on April 21, 1836, ending Mexican rule and extending America’s western border. Enrich yourself and take time to explore the museum, the picnic area, the historical films and yes, rides to the top. Who knew that Houston was home to such a vital piece of American history?

energy

A&M assists in creating nation’s largest turbine, G10X Caroline Ward Special to The Battalion Gamesa, a Spanish company that specializes in technologies for alternative energy, has teamed up with Texas A&M to create the G10X, soon to be the nation’s largest wind turbine. The turbine will be at West Texas A&M Campus in Canyon, Texas, 15 miles south of Amarillo.

“West Texas A&M University is ideally located for the testing of wind turbines, with not only abundant but also the most consistent wind in the country. We have been engaged in wind energy research and standards development for over 30 years, and are committed to continued leadership in these activities,” said Vaughn Nelson, director of the Alternative Energy Institute.

In addition to taking advantage of the vicious squalls of West Texas and converting them to electrical energy, the turbine will be an object of extensive research and development. The majority of students participating in research will be engineering majors. Those using the turbine for study include aerospace, mechanical, civil, electrical and industrial engineers.

Computer Science, Atmospheric Science, and Material Science Departments may also be involved in the research, with the possibility of input from a statistics professor from West Texas A&M who has an expertise in wind prediction. “[The turbine] may operate in the red, meaning budget deficit with supplementary costs,” said Theresa Maldonado, associate

music

Young stars lead way at CMT awards

“The data just said we had just seen 70 percent of the universe no one else had ever seen before.”

Nicholas Suntzeff

In 1998, Suntzeff and a colleague from the High-Z Supernova Team discovered that the universe was expanding at an accelerating rate and 70 percent of the universe is composed of dark energy, which is responsible for the expansion.

“The data just said we had just seen 70 percent of the universe that no one else had ever seen before,” Suntzeff said.

So far, the discovery has held up under scrutiny. Scientists are still unsure what the nature of dark energy might be. With discoveries of this magnitude, Suntzeff said he hoped he did not mess up.

Yet with prestige, comes scrutiny. As recently as April, Suntzeff was criticized for his view on String Theory. On this occasion though, Stephen Hawking gave the minor insult at a public lecture at A&M in April. On the question about whether or not he believed in String Theory, Suntzeff said “yes” and began to explain his reasoning. However, in the middle of his explanation, he heard something loud and mechanical.

“The famous guy over there in the wheelchair just said ‘no, I don’t believe in string theory,’” said Suntzeff. “So I felt like crawling in a hole at that point.”

To the audience’s laughter, Suntzeff replied with “take back everything I just said.”

BY A N D

TA KE

A

TO U R

TAKE ADVANTAGE

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Carrie Underwood won CMT performance of the year the 2010 CMT Awards in Nashville, Wednesday.

Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood of the group Lady Antebellum attend the 2010 CMT Awards in Nashville, Tenn. Wednesday.

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vice chancellor for research and director for the Energy Engineering Institute.

Maldonado said the drawbacks would be mostly financial because Texas A&M would not see immediate monetary profits. The transportation of the turbine would also be extremely costly.

The height of the turbine is expected to be 420 feet (128 meters), making it as tall as the length of a football field and the tallest wind turbine in the nation. “[We are] ready to take on the challenge; it’s going to be fun,” Maldonado said.

She said West Texas A&M has been researching wind energy for over 30 years, but with the addition of the G10X to the team, the program will become more widely known throughout the country.

The turbine will train the students for the industry and give them hardware that they will be able to test . It will also help the field to move forward; those involved will think of new improvements and possibly completely new technologies.

Though the costs may be high, many of the students at West Texas A&M will gain handson experience and a better understanding of the technology.

“Recognized for its worldwide reputation for conducting research and finding breakthrough technology, we look forward to this collaboration with Texas A&M. This key relationship represents another milestone for Gamesa as we continue to grow and enhance our research programs to advance wind turbine technology in the U.S.,” said Dirk Matthys, CEO of Gamesa.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Lady Antebellum continued its scorching run on the awards circuit, kicking off the CMT Music Awards on Wednesday night by winning group video of the year for the crossover hit “Need You Now.” “Tonight’s all about the fans,” Dave Haywood said after receiving the belt buckle given to winners. “Thank you fans!”

Lady A was one of four hot young acts who led all nominees with three apiece on the fan-voted awards show. Also nominated for three awards were Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift and Jason Aldean.

Ten others are nominated for two awards apiece with fans making all the decisions. A field of 10 video of the year nominees was whittled down at the start of the show with “Need You Now,” Toby Keith’s “American Ride,” Miranda Lambert’s “White Liar,” Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me” and Carrie Underwood’s “Cowboy Casanova” making the cut. The night’s winner will be determined by fan texts during the show.

The CMT Music Awards usually skew lighthearted and with the rowdy Kid Rock hosting, things quickly got interesting.

The good times started immediately when he was joined on stage by surprise guest Hank Williams Jr., who rarely attends awards shows, Trace Adkins, Zac Brown, Jamey Johnson, Randy Houser, Martina McBride and Kellie Pick-

ler for a medley of “Cowboy,” ‘’Bawitdaba” and “Good Ol’ Boys.”

Kid Rock called Williams, “My rockin’ rebel father Bocephus,” before saying: “Does anybody realize how hard it is to get Bocephus out of the house? I don’t think you understand this. The party has just begun.”

Taylor Swift took the stage with Faith Hill and said, “Now that’s how you start an awards show.”

Brad Paisley, Tim McGraw, Underwood, Lambert, Lady A, Zac Brown Band and many others were scheduled to perform.

Fans lined up outside Bridgestone Arena to watch most of country music’s biggest stars walk the red carpet. It was an eclectic mix with NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens, ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews and the cast of “Jersey Shore” joining a lineup of artists that included most of the nominees.

Some interacted with fans, signing autographs and posing for pictures. Miranda Lambert, wearing a shiny sequined dress she compared to a “walking disco ball,” drew some of the night’s loudest cheers when she showed up with fiance Blake Shelton.

“There’s no energy like this at any other awards show,” said Shelton, who’s nominated with Trace Adkins in the collaborative video of the year award for “Hillbilly Bone.”

Associated Press

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6/9/10 9:35 PM

voices

page 4 thursday 6.10.2010

thebattalion

MAILCALL From Phillip Brooks, senior mechanical engineering major I’m glad the editorial staff has such wonderful opinions about why the government should nationalize the oil spill problem. No doubt they are well informed by the mainstream media. But I can assure you that pushing in a bankrupt organization guided by red tape and no motivation to solve the problem, just profit from it politically, will not result in a swift fix. That aside, there are a few points that I would like to make that people should keep in mind.

First: BP has every incentive to fix this problem as soon as possible. It is costing them tens of millions of dollars to keep their armada of ships at sea working to fix the well and catch the oil. They are also keenly aware that every day oil leaks, the greater their losses due to lawsuits. BP also has the tools and engineering experience to solve this specific problem as quickly as is possible. The government on the other hand, no matter what branch, has relatively no experience with deep sea oil drilling. The government is also an organization that is defined by red tape and an inability to act quickly.

We do not need to replace a motivated business with politicians and bureaucrats.

Second: Engineering takes

time. No number of dead birds or grandstanding politicians can speed up the process. In fact, the best thing that could be done is for the swarming government agencies to stand aside and let BP act unrestricted to solve this issue. Afterward there will be plenty of time to saddle responsibility. Third: The ocean naturally breaks down oil. Oil is a naturally occurring substance. Oil naturally leaks into the ocean in what are called “seeps” all the time.

This is not an excuse for BP to dump crude into the sea.

This is to point out that nature is not fragile. The Earth has been taking care of itself for a long time. Fourth: Accidents happen. There is risk with everything anyone decides to do. We all balance cost effectiveness with that risk.

There is a point where we are willing to accept the risk and suffer the consequences of the possible results of our actions. By the same token, BP and its engineers make choices every day that help them recover a resource that is essential to our modern way of living. They take on a certain amount of risk and right now they are going to have to suffer the consequences of cleaning up the oil and reimbursing individuals that were directly harmed by their mistakes. But ultimately, nothing can be done with total certainty of success.

From Molly, on the batt.com In response to yesterday’s editorial, first allow priests to be married, THEN tackle the other things. It wasn’t until several hundred years after the formation of the church that the celibacy law started. It should have been repealed hundreds of years ago. After celibacy is repealed, let that settle in for a time. Rocking the Church once is enough for now. If women priests are allowed while the celibacy law is in place, then everyone will still be celibate. You have to understand that the church is one of the oldest organizations in our civilization, and one of the largest.

“Rome wasn’t built in a day,” and the church will not physically or emotionally change in a day. The rights of a certain group to barrel its way in do not even factor in this situation. Women may eventually be ordained as priests, but the most harmful thing to the church right now is celibacy. It should go away.

From Mark, on the batt.com I think the Catholic Church is more focused on keeping quiet about which members of power in their religion used that authority to molest children.

There is already plenty of evidence the pope helped systematically repress investigation, prosecution or even removal of child molester from around the globe when he was in charge over the last 20 years. Archaic rules about who gets to be in power seems kind of moot at that point. Can you think of another group that gets away with being the “moral compass” of what society should adhere to, and quietly condones child molestation? From the reports, they told the children they would go to hell if they ever told the police. So who cares that it’s a boys only club?

From Nicholas Green, class of 1980 on the batt.com

From Anonymous, class of 2009 on thebatt.com

We need to stop telling children they can be anything they want to be. If this were true, the NBA would have five million players and the office of president of America would be occupied by dozens of folks at a time and the Blue Angels would feature 200 jets in their air shows. Children would be better served being told that they can PURSUE any career or station in life that they choose to, but that the realities of competition and the market forces may prevent their ultimate success at doing so. Thus, coach them to have plans B, C and D. This concept is true for all stages and aspects of life, from childhood to old age. Oh and by the way, wasn’t it 1963 that the college became a University, the Corps was made voluntary, and women were admitted?

It’s true that dressing modestly cannot protect you fully from harassment on any level, but dressing modestly can certainly help. It not only helps to protect us as women, but it also helps to protect the men by at least minimizing temptation. When women dress in a way that leaves little to the imagination it can heighten the threatlevel. The logic isn’t flawed. The issue is simply that there is no all-encompassing “logic” that can protect a woman in this world whatever the era. It is true that the way a woman dresses says something to onlookers about who she is or what she is trying to be. Unfortunately the media has seriously skewed the idea of modesty in such a way that it’s nearly impossible to turn on the television or watch a movie with out a great deal of skin being revealed. This certainly affects the younger generations.

I cannot tell you how many YOUNG girls in the six-14 age range I see who are dressing like they belong on a street corner in the red light district. This also says something about the parenting that’s occurring, or rather, lack thereof. How parents, fathers especially, can allow their little girls to leave the house looking like that is astonishing.

From Feminist Ag, on thebatt.com In response to the column “A modest proposal,” frankly I’m ashamed. I don’t know why. It’s not like this should be surprising, coming from a school like A&M, with a reputation for being full of conservative bigots, but I never really thought you’d let someone write such a disgusting piece of rape apologies in the student newspaper. So I’m calling this piece what it is: a horribly typical piece of misogynistic rape apologies and slut shaming. To top it all off, it’s insulting to men. Men can control themselves - I have never seen a man turn into a raping lunatic just because I changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top, nor have I ever had a friend tell me they were suddenly raped by a normally nice guy because he lost control upon seeing her in a bikini on a beach.

So give the men some credit, stop with the stupid misogynistic crap, and prepare yourselves for huge amounts of Internet mockery. I am so ashamed.

From Keith Marrocco, class of 1990 Every day I have passed at least two gas stations on my way into work displaying prices of $2.49/gallon. Today I passed three, Super Wal-Mart, Exxon and HEB on Briarcrest, two of which were $2.48. Every issue The Battalion has carried a quote from www.texasgasprices.com showing prices somewhat over what I’ve seen; today’s “lowest gas price” was $2.56. I would humbly suggest that The Battalion find a more reliable source of information than texasgasprices. com, as that site seems to be directing Aggies to pay more for gas than needed.

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the battalion

6/9/10 9:45 PM

On thebatt.com Politics as usual: the voices podcast Tune in to hear Richard Creecy, Ian McPhail and of course, James Cavin discuss current events.

‘ voices thebattalion 06.10.2010

page5

Get off the road T

he summer is upon us, and that means one thing: bikini-induced skin cancer. Well, that and road trips, which is what we’re going to talk about.

For those of you that don’t know, a road trip is when you load up all of your earthly effects into a motorized vehicle and then use said motorized vehicle to transport yourself and cargo from your current location to a destination of your choice, such as another country with a non-extradition policy and more lenient pharmaceutical laws.

But James, you say, I’ve never done a road trip before, how do I know what to do? Well, fear not, I’m here to walk you through every step of the process.

First off, decide whether or not you’re going to take passengers on this voyage. There are a lot of pros and cons to consider here. On the one hand, passengers can help with things like taking turns driving, keeping you awake or quadrupling the number of obscene hand gestures you can display to other motorists. On the other hand, they have an annoying tendency to have to use the bathroom every 5.7 seconds, but more on this later.

Anyhow, once you have selected your traveling companions, the next step is to load the car with tons of useless junk. Cardboard boxes full of your passengers’ belongings work quite well. Be sure to arrange sharp edges so that they occupy the same space as tender areas of the driver’s anatomy.

Among all this useless junk, I recom-

mend you take the following: one fully functioning public restroom with indoor plumbing and no less than James Cavin seven spare tires. senior English I say this major because of an interesting experience I had during my field studies. Let us look at this completely unaltered transcript: Me: Boy, I sure do love driving through rural Tennessee for seven hours straight!

Tire: Really? You know what’s even better? Walking through rural Tennessee.

Me: What?

Tire: Kerthlumpaloompapopopothereeeeeekhiiiiiiissssssss.

This is where the seven spare time to have to use the bathroom. tires come in handy. You stack them Well, as it turns out, closed gas stain a pile and then light them on fire. tions lock their bathrooms, and locked The smoke should attract rescuers bathrooms are a little hard to use, in five to six days, far quicker than so Sibling Who is Deathly Afraid of it would take for your cell phone to Spiders attempted take care of business find a signal. While you’re waiting in an alternate location. Unfortunately, for the National Guard to swoop in, this alternate location turned out to you’ll also be glad that you packed be not nearly as out of sight as Sibling that fully functioning public restWho is Deathly Afraid of Spiders had room. Just look at this case study: initially thought. In fact, it could not While I was busy doing manly have been more visible if there had things like reading the user’s been spotlights and neon signs manual, and trying to reRoad trips pointing in its direction. member where the wheels “That’s a very visible busiare long and were located (useful tip: ness,” I noted. frustrating, they’re the round things “Yeah,” said Sibling Who next time on the bottom), one of is Deathly Afraid of Spiders, stay home. “I kind of realize that now the passengers who, in the interest of not getting shanked that I’m done.” in my sleep, will be referred to “Perhaps we should relocate it, only as Sibling Who is Deathly Afraid you know, for the sake of people that of Spiders, decided that it was a good want to use that door.”

It’s a small World(Cup) after all

T

his year the world will tune in to South Africa for one of the most widely televised sporting events, the quadrennial World Cup.

However, the World Cup soccer tournament has very specific regulations and qualifying standards that have to be met in order for a country’s team to be admitted. Although FIFA supporters will claim that the World Cup is more than just a game and that it unites the world under one common sport, there is another side of the story, the Viva World Cup. The Viva World Cup was established in 2005 by the New Federation Board, a relatively new soccer governing body and “..is organized with no involvement from FIFA,” according to FIFA. This tournament seeks not to exclude peoples or regions for what can come across as arbitrary restrictions. FIFA does not allow recognized nations to field more than one team.

This means, as in the case of Iraq-

Kurdistan, an autonomous region or tribal group may not field a team to compete internationally, even though Richard that particular people or region Creecy remains indesenior classics major pendent from the country.

On the surface this “one nation, one team” rule seems perfectly legitimate. The World Cup might not be such a spectacle to behold if power-house nations such as Brazil or Argentina were stacking the tournament with multiple teams. However, this rule excludes a number of countries and people, and denies their independence and sovereignty by institutionally segregating some soccer teams from the World Cup. Although this rule seems like it would discriminate against a small minority of obscure nations, regions and peoples, this helps keep powerful dynasty nations powerful by eliminating competitors. FIFA has other rules

that put others out of the international tournaments. Of the nations recognized by FIFA, a few well-known countries like Greenland are left off the list. The reason cited is that 85 percent of Greenland is covered by ice and therefore can not be a viable option until an artificial stadium could be built. This is an example of the numerous rules and regulations that have driven such entities as Pandania, a mountainous region in Northern Italy, to compete in the Viva Cup. This year the Viva World Cup is taking place in Gozo, also known as the Island of Malta, and six teams are competing, as three pulled out at the last moment for various reasons.

The teams competing are Pandania, Iraq-Kurdistan, Occitania (a group hailing from areas around Spain, Italy and France), Provence (a province of France), the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and Gozo.

On June 6, Pandania received the Nelson Mandela victory trophy by beating Kurdistan, winning the tournament for the third year in a row.

And yes, the trophy bears the likeness of Nelson Mandela, former president

of South Africa, where coincidentally the World Cup is later this month.

The sculpture was designed by Gérard Pigault and pays tribute to Nelson Mandela’s efforts to end apartheid in South Africa, just as the idea of the Viva World Cup is to include the disenfranchised countries and peoples of the world.

Whether you tuned in to the Viva World Cup or will be tuning in to the World Cup, soccer is a sport that both FIFA and the New Federation Board uses to establish unity among the nations of the world. But there seems to be a darker motive to FIFA’s seemingly endless number of rules, to keep people out and certain countries on top.

FIFA should loosen their restrictions to make exceptions to the outcast soccer groups of the world. If FIFA truly seeks to promote soccer and unity, why bar certain peoples and nations from entering the competition?

If FIFA wants to call it the World Cup, then the entire world should be allowed to enter the competition and not just the nations that qualify according to selective rules.

While we had forgotten to pack a fully functioning public restroom, we did have approximately 7.5 million Taco Bell napkins in the glove box, all of which were used in this delicate procedure. As Sibling Who is Deathly Afraid of Spiders was in the middle of transferring said business, I happened to notice something: the world’s largest, hairiest spider. It was located on Sibling Who is Deathly Afraid of Spiders’ elbow. After a moment of hesitation, I decided to point this fact out.

To make a long story short, the business was relocated to several different new locations, some of which were less visible that its original resting place.

Well, as I’m sure you’ve realized from studying this field research, the final step to any road trip is as follows: stay home.

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

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Pg. 5-06.10.10.indd 1

6/9/10 9:41 PM

page 6 thursday 6.10.2010

GROUP A

Two to advance: 1) Argentina, 2) Nigeria

I was told not to type too many words, and it’s a shame really, because I could write an entire article on Argentinean midfielder/winger/forward/demi-God Lionel Messi. Having a top-two world talent definitely makes the job of manager easier, which is a good thing for Diego Maradona, who is a slightly below-average manager on his best day. However, there’s too much talent for this team not to advance. Nigeria is a team of talent, but the days of a high-flying attack of the Super Eagles are gone, and Nigeria has slowly been reined in toward a more traditional defensive style. That said, they have strong attacking talent in Ayegbeni Yakubu from Everton. South Korea is a solid unit with a great work ethic, but there just isn’t enough talent for the group to advance without some help. Greece is too methodical with its 4-51 to be a scoring factor in any way other than set pieces.

GROUP B

Two to advance: 1) Uruguay, 2) France

Sure, the other three teams have to go South Africa through host nation South Africa, but that really doesn’t present much of a challenge. France, Mexico and Uruguay are where the real competition is. Uruguay is my favorite, because of its strong atFIFA ranking: 83rd tack, especially Luis Suarez, who scored 35 goals for the Dutch club Ajax last year.

Mexico France may have “laid an egg” by losing its final tune-up game against China, but the French really were the aggressors. Les Bleus lost one of their biggest soccer tal17th ents in Zinedine Zidane, but the team still has plenty to go around, including Bayern Uruguay Munich winger Franck Ribery. Mexico has a lot of young talent, and manager Javier Aguirre will coach in what he says is his final World Cup. The Mexicans have been 16th one of the more consistent teams in World Cup history, advancing out of group stage the last four Cups.

France

9th

Argentina

7th Nigeria

21st South Korea

47th Greece

13th

England

8th United States

14th Algeria

30th Slovenia

25th

Germany

6th Australia

20th Serbia

15th Ghana

32nd

GROUP C Could the Americans have had better luck?

Sure, they have to play England, but English defender and captain Rio Ferdinand is out for the Cup after injuring his left knee in a training session. The U.S. was already expected to advance after drawing two decent-at-best teams (Slovenia and Algeria), and now the team has a legitimate chance to win the group. That said, they will need more from Landon Donovan to dominate. England still has one of the best pure strikers in Wayne Rooney, and has gone undefeated (9-0-1) in its last ten matches. Slovenia qualified for the World Cup with a weak group other than Russia, but played poorly in their last major competition (Euro 2008, in which the team failed to qualify and only finished ahead of Luxembourg). Algeria is inconsistent – great when their game is on, and awful when it’s off. This is their first World Cup qualification since 1986, so expectations are low for the African squad.

Two to advance: 1) England, 2) United States

GROUP D This may be the toughest group from 1-4 in the World Cup. Germany is focused on the attack this time around, and with young stud striker Lukas Podolski, it’s hard to not to be. The goalkeeping for the Germans, once an asset, could possibly be a liability with FC Schalke 04’s Manuel Neuer, who was more likely to be the team’s third keeper until Rene Adler went down with injury and Robert Enke’s suicide in November. Add that with the injury of captain Michael Ballack (who has been replaced by Philipp Lahm), and Germany is a solid choice to advance, but questionable to go much deeper than the group stage. Serbia has sixteen players playing in one of the Big Four club leagues, and did consistently well in qualifying. Ghana plays solid soccer when it matters, despite not being the best team in the continent. It has home nation advantage, which helps. The Aussies’ hopes rest on keeper Mark Schwarzer, who will have to keep the attacks of Germany, Ghana, and Serbia at bay to give his team a chance to advance.

Two to advance: 1) Germany, 2) Serbia

E

32 teams.

Kyle Cunningham | The Battalion

very four years, 32 teams take center stage in the world’s grandest sporting event: the World Cup. Friday, the 19th installment of the tournament will begin. Held for the first time in South Africa. The notable stories are numerous. Country’s hopes, pride and dreams ride on the feet of their fellow man. The passion is unmatched. The players have arrived. Memories waiting to be made. It’s time. And the world is watching.

With Charlie Davies out, can the U.S. find a second forward?

II

Onyewu, a center back, is the tallest field player in U.S. history at 6 feet 4 inches, and has considerable muscle for a soccer player at 210 pounds. That said, he is recovering from a torn patellar tendon in his left knee in an injury he suffered in October of 2009. His recovery forced captain Carlos Bocanegra to the inside, and leaves questionable outside defenders like Jonathan Bornstein to play Bocanegra’s spot. Onyewu is back now, but hasn’t shown he’s 100% capable of performing like he did before the injury.

Hopefully, the rust has been knocked off by now, or it could be a long Saturday for the Yanks against England.

How well can Oguchi Onyewu play?

Three questions usa must face

I

How much pressure can Tim Howard handle?

On October 11, 2009, U.S. and Sochaux striker Charlie Davies was in a serious car crash. Despite Davies’ best efforts, he was not able to heal in time to make the World Cup roster, or even get a spot on the preliminary squad back in early May. Manager Bob Bradley decided to add Herculez Gomez from Pachuca, Edson Buddle from the L.A. Galaxy and Real Salt Lake’s Robbie Findley to Hull City’s Jozy Altidore for his forward corps.

The negative is that Buddle, Findley and Gomez have combined for 13 caps (appearances for the national team), less than Jozy Altidore (25) alone. It is possible, however, that Bradley could move Fulham wing Clint Dempsey to a forward spot, since Dempsey can double as a striker and had a propensity for finding the net in key moments during the 2009 Confederations Cup.

III

Tim Howard has been a top-flight keeper for Everton F.C. in the English Premier League, but he also has some of the best talent in the world surrounding him. The United States, while talented, would be hard-pressed to keep the best strikers in the world out of the box. Simply put, Tim Howard cannot be good – he must be fantastic. The back line is solid at its best, but is also very inconsistent. Add that to the midfield’s inability to keep the ball for too long, and the game will be coming to Howard more frequently than it would for most keepers. Howard must be on his top form every match for the U.S. to advance further than the Round of 16, where they’ll probably see Germany.

One dream.

Netherlands

4th

Denmark

36th

Japan

GROUP e

This one should be simple enough; the Netherlands are advancing, the Japanese are not. Now, all that’s left to decipher is a match between Denmark and Cameroon. The Lions of Cameroon are solid, but need a great performance from striker Samuel Eto’o to do the most damage. In two rounds of World Cup qualifying, Cameroon went 7-0-0 when Eto’o scored. Denmark doesn’t have a forward in his prime, but the 22-year-old Niklas Bendtner from Arsenal is a great threat when his game is on form. The Danes need keeper Thomas Sorensen to be able to go, or Denmark will fail to advance.

Two to advance: 1) Netherlands, 2) Cameroon

Brazil

1st

North Korea

105th

Ivory Coast

27th

Portugal

45th

Cameroon

3rd

GROUP f

38th

Honduras

24th

Switzerland

2nd

Spain

19th

Paraguay

31st

New Zealand

78th

If you thought Group E was easy to pick, you haven’t seen anything yet. New Zealand has zero chance of advancing, and Slovakia has too little of a chance to really go through mentioning. So, it becomes to question of who to put first – Italy or Paraguay. Lucky for them, their matchup is first, so whoever wins can play with much less intensity for the rest of the group stage. Italy has struggled for a team with so much talent, going 1-1-4 in its last six friendlies, with its lone loss coming to Mexico. Paraguay plays safer soccer, since the offensive talent is thin. In a coin toss, I’ll take Italy in a close match.

5th

Chile

Italy

Slovakia

18th

Two to advance: 1) Italy, 2) Paraguay

34th

thebattalion

GROUP g

Group G, known as the Group of Death, is a tad easier to decipher with Chelsea forward Didier Drogba out for Ivory Coast. Brazil, who has gone 23-3-3 since the 2006 World Cup, is the favorite not only to win this group, but to win the whole thing. Portugal has a lot of individual talent, including Cristiano Ronaldo. But, it all hinges on Drogba. If he isn’t able to play in the first game, their match against Portugal, then the team would have to rely on a few lucky bounces and probably a win over Brazil.

Even with a healthy Drogba, that’s a long shot.

Two to advance: 1) Brazil, 2) Portugal

GROUP h

This group is somewhat competitive – in the race for second place. Spain is the odds-on favorite to make the semi-finals and probably the finals, unless Chile upsets them and forces the Spaniards into a match with Brazil in round two. That, however, is unlikely.

Chile is the most likely team to take the two spot, since Honduras is really too big of an unknown to put money on. However, the one World Cup team that Honduras played between qualifying and now was the United States, who they thrashed 3-1 in California.

Switzerland is simply too inconsistent to trust, boasting a win over Portugal 2-0, but also a loss to Luxembourg 2-1.

Two to advance: 1) Spain, 2) Chile

6/9/10 8:09 PM

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