The Battalion: September 6, 2010

thebattalion ● monday,september

6, 2010

● serving

texas a&m since 1893

● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2010 student media

A&M 48, SFA 7

Fanatical

Photos by J.D. Swiger — THE BATTALION

Standing 81,287 strong Insurmountable force The Aggie offense, above, tacks up 539 total yards and the revamped defense steals the show.

Packed house The largest opening-day crowd in Kyle Field’s history, right, helps kick off the 2010 season.

sports | 5 1-0 With the 41-point dismantling of the Lumberjacks, A&M took the first step toward a season to remember.

Check out the game story at

thebatt.com

Paul Mezier— SPECIAL TO THE BATTALION

What’s next

Blue Collar Reunion

Texas A&M vs. Louisiana Tech Kyle Field 6 p.m.

Bill Engvall greets Aggies at First Yell for the third time.

b! | 3

Saturday

I’m Blue, da ba dee da ba da Justin Furstenfeld, lead vocals and guitarist for the band Blue October sings at the eighth annual Zeigfest Music Festival at the Texas World Speedway in College Station Sunday night.

Megan Ryan

Tiffany Cornelius — SPECIAL TO THE BATTALION

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SBP promises transparency after doors-locked meeting The Battalion Student Senate meetings happen so students can hear and express issues they have come across on campus. However, this summer a student meeting was held in Koldus 144 behind a locked door.

“This summer the student senate hosted a special meeting to cover the budget reductions on campus and the meeting was advertised as being ‘open to the public and all students’ as all our meetings are,” said Justin Pulliam, junior animal sciences major and student senator for the college of agriculture and life sciences.

“However, we found out into the meeting that the Student Government Association advisers locked the doors to the meeting and no one could get in.”

Not only were the doors locked, but the room was in an area of Koldus that was difficult to find without having been there before.

A&M President R. Bowen Loftin said he had to “go around the back way” in order to find the correct room.

After members of the student senate were made aware of the locked door, Pulliam brought the issue up in the meeting. Bill

Student Senate Meetings of the Student Senate are open to students and the public who wish to attend.

They will be in Koldus 144; the next meeting will take place Sept. 8 at 7 p.m.

See Senate on page 8

9/5/10 11:24 PM

fully ed p p i u q e

1

Stay safe on campus

Campus Safety Awareness Week begins at 11 a.m. today in the Zone Plaza by Kyle Field. The event helps students, faculty and staff to learn about emergency preparedness.

Today 30% chance of thunderstorms

2

Warning signs

Retired FBI agent Mary Ellen O’Toole will speak about identifying behaviors that often precede acts of campus and workplace violence. The presentation will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Rudder Theatre.

3

Open forum

The Office of the Provost will have an open forum at 4 p.m. Tuesday in Rudder 601. Part of a series on strategic issues in planning efforts at the University, the forum will focus on enhancing the undergraduate experience.

Tuesday 70% chance of thunderstorms high: 86 low: 75 Wednesday 50% chance of thunderstorms high: 89 low: 76 Thursday 40% chance of thunderstorms high: 94 low: 77

High: 93 Low: 76 courtesy t off NOAA

pagetwo

thebattalion 09.06.2010 For daily updates go to thebatt.com ● Facebook ● Twitter@thebattonline

Hanging around

Paul Mezier — SPECIAL TO THE BATTALION

texas Consulate killing suspect in court A man who told Mexican authorities he ordered the March killing of a U.S. Consulate worker in Mexico has been extradited to the U.S. and appeared in a federal court in Texas. Jesus Ernesto Chavez, an enforcer with the Juarez drug cartel, said he ordered the death of Lesley Enriquez because she was helping a rival gang get American visas.

A U.S. federal official told The Associated Press in July there was no evidence of wrongdoing by Enriquez.

Junior civil engineering major Travis Walker sleeps in his hammock Sunday in front of Kyle Field camping for tickets. There is a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms today.

nation &world Desperate Pakistanis still wait for aid after flood DAIRA DINPANAH, Pakistan — Abdul Rehman and his family live under a tree next to a pile of rubble on a newly created island where his house used to be. In the month since his home was destroyed in the raging floodwaters that inundated Pakistan, he has gotten no aid of any kind from the government or private aid groups to help him survive, he said. More than 3 million

people have yet to receive desperately needed food aid, according to the U.N., and the Pakistani government says nearly 1 million people have received no help of any sort. “They need everything,” said Ahmad Kamal, spokesman for Pakistan’s disaster management agency, who appealed to international donors to send tents, ambulances, mobile clinics and hygiene kits.

Guatemala mudslides kill at least 38; 2 buses hit NAHUALA, Guatemala — Torrential rains from a tropical depression caused landslides that have killed at least 38 people in Guatemala — some of them rescuers trying to save people already buried under a wall of mud. In the village of Nahuala, about 200 rescue workers suspended the search for bodies Sunday afternoon after

heavy rain fell in the area. Two slides in the same spot in the town of Nahuala killed at least 20 along a highway leading northwest of the capital toward Mexico. Another slide closer to Guatemala City killed at least 12.

Fire Department spokesman Mario Cruz said it could take three days to recover all the bodies because of the weather.

Harry Podcast and the Podcast of Fire James Cavin and Ian McPhail discuss sex scandals, Iran and the end of the war in Iraq. James and Ian debate whether Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is guilty of rape or just good journalism, as his case has been reopened in Sweden. In the Middle East, Iran is building a better nuclear reactor. Ian wonders when it will be used to make Israel glow.

In national news, President Barack Obama plans to pull out nearly 100,000 troops by next summer. Are we ready? For current events, election news, and funny opinions on everything, tune in every Monday to Politics as Usual.

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Key Gulf oil spill evidence recovered Investigators looking into what went wrong in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill are a step closer to answers now that a key piece of evidence is secure aboard a ship. Engineers took more than 29 hours to lift the 50-foot, 300-ton blowout preventer from a mile beneath the sea.

The five-story high device looked largely intact with black stains on the yellow metal. FBI agents will escort it back to a NASA facility in Louisiana for analysis. The government said a new blowout preventer was placed on the blown-out well late Friday.

Car bomb detonates in Baghdad A suicide car bomb targeting the Baghdad military headquarters exploded Sunday killing two soldiers and wounding eight bystanders, the Iraqi military said. Spokesman Maj. Gen. Qassim alMoussawi said guards at the eastern Baghdad military command building in the Bab al-Muadham neighborhood opened fire at the car as it came speeding toward them before exploding.

If you have a question for President Loftin you’d like to hear on the show, be sure to e-mail multimedia@thebatt.com.

James Cavin — THE BATTALION

Associated Press

9/5/10 9:27 PM

things you should know

5 before you go 1

Instore at Hastings

Cory Morrow will perform at 6 p.m.

Tuesday at Hastings.

Fans will be able to register to win an acoustic guitar with artwork from his Brand New Me album on it.

The guitar will be given away at Morrow’s performance at Hurricane Harry’s Friday.

At The Stafford tonight

2

MSC Forsyth Paint Out

‘District 9’ panel discussion

3

4

Singer and songwriter Dave Schulz will perform at 9 p.m. today at The Stafford in Bryan.

Schulz, also keyboardist for Berlin, is promoting his album Connect, and will be joined by Elyse & the Aftermath.

MSC Forsyth Gallery is supporting the seventh annual Paint Out, kicking off at 8 a.m.

Saturday at the gallery’s location in Bryan. Artists from throughout the Brazos Valley will paint throughout Downtown Bryan, as well as the TAMU Horticultural Gardens.

There will be a film viewing of “District 9” at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Evans Room 410.

A panel discussion on race and science fiction will follow, including professors Qwo-li Driskoll, Shona Jackson, Jimmie Killingsworth and Kimberly N. Brown.

5

Dorm burn

The second annual mock residence hall room burn will take place at 6:30 p.m.

Thursday on Simpson Drill Field. A Campus Safety Awareness Week event, the burn is sponsored by the Department of Residence Life, Environmental Health and Safety and the College Station Fire Department.

b! thebattalion 09.06.2010 page3

scene

Bill Engvall

makes me PMP

By Kyle Cunnigham | The Battalion

B

ill Engvall, The Aggie Wranglers, Fade to Black, the Singing Cadets and the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Yell Leaders were the entertainers at the 12th edition of First Yell, a tradition that welcomes current and former students to the upcoming football season and school year.

Engvall, one of four comedians from the popular Blue Collar Comedy Tour that ran from 2000 to 2006, was the headlining act. With this appearance, Engvall tied the record with comedian Bill Cosby for most First Yell headlining performances. The two comedians have combined to be the main entertainment six of the 12 times First Yell has been performed.

The 53-year-old comedian, known for using relatable family issues in his comedy, took a slightly edgier route in his latest appearance to Reed Arena, talking about the generational gap in technology, colonoscopies (and the necessary “poopin’ juice”) and making faces at children at the back of school buses.

Opening the show was the Singing Cadets, who opened the festivities with “The Spirit of Aggieland” and selections from their summer tour of South Africa.

They closed by putting their own twist on The Little Mermaid’s “Kiss the Girl,” which featured junior Yell Leader David Benac on trumpet.

“The Singing Cadets did a wonderful job,” said Kellie Parker, a sophomore general studies major. “Any time you can sound that good on that many styles of music in front of that many people, I’m impressed.”

The first act of First Yell was closed by Aggie Wranglers. The Aggie Wranglers are a dance group that has been in existence since 1984 and specializes in country western, polka and jitterbug styles of dance.

The group’s twist on country-style dancing included flips, dips and spins that left the audience impressed.

“The Wranglers stole the show,” Parker said. “They’re a really good show group

who do a lot of crowd-appealing tricks, and I’m terribly jealous of their abilities.”

Before the Wranglers took the stage, a dance troupe of a completely different element, Fade to Black, took the stage. Fade to Black, which began in 1991, specializes in hip-hop but also dances in tap, jazz and salsa styles.

The group did a two-part set, with costume changes and a dance ensemble that at one time featured the Yell Leaders.

First Yell also gave students who hadn’t been to a sporting event this year a chance to see the newest Yell Leaders in action. Seniors John Busch and Travis Kennedy return, and are joined by fellow senior Brett Bergamo and juniors Austin Trahan and Benac.

“I wish our yell leaders were as linguistically gifted as Bill Engvall,” said Dane Richards, a junior business management major. “I tell you what.”

Afterward, most First Yell attendees walked over to Kyle Field for the first Midnight Yell of the 2010-2011 football season, where Engvall made a guest appearance.

“You could tell that there was a lot of energy and enthusiasm about the start of football season,” said Mallory Rogers, a senior nursing major.

“There were several overzealous freshmen eager to find someone to mug down with.” Top, Comedian Bill Engvall makes a special guest appearance at Midnight Yell. Middle, Juniors from Squadron 21 hoist each other on their shoulders.

Bottom Engvall laughs during his performance at Reed Arena.

Photos by Paul Mezier — Special to THE BATTALION

Jeremy Northum — THE BATTALION

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9/5/10 9:19 PM

sports

Defense gets it done

thebattalion 9.6.2010 page5

Aggies’ most scrutinized unit passes its first test

Around the Big 12: Best Games

T

hey played fast, ferocious and physical.

They flew to the football with fanatical effort. In a 48-7 season-opening victory over an overmatched Stephen F. Austin squad, there were plenty of performances to laud.

Sophomore running back Christine Michael showed off why he may in fact be the conference’s best back. The oft-maligned offensive line was solid in pass protection and got a substantial push up front to aid the running game.

And sophomore receiver Ryan Swope displayed the talent that makes him the go-to guy on this high-powered offensive machine.

But the performance that should garner the most attention is the debut of Tim DeRuyter’s defense.

It’s the unit that will determine the success of the 2010 season and, in turn, the job security of Head Coach Mike Sherman.

“We want to have guys that are chomping at the bit to go rip someone’s head off,” DeRuyter said when talking about his ideal defense.

Saturday, this make-or-break unit — albeit against a lesser opponent — seemingly took DeRuyter’s words to heart.

At a school where football success has been predicated on an attacking, take-no-mercy defense, it was a refreshing flashback to the glory days when the “Wrecking Crew” reigned supreme.

“You hear countless times about the old-school ‘Wrecking Crew,’ and how they were so physical,” junior safety Trent Hunter said. “We’re striving to get back to that oldschool football. We’re trying to hit people. We’re trying to be very physical.”

And physical they were.

The defensive line was stout against the run, controlling the line of scrimmage with ease and holding the Lumberjacks to 31 yards rushing on 16 carries.

The secondary — the strong point of this unit — left few holes for All-Southland Conference quarterback Jeremy Moses who finished the game with a paltry 171 yards passing and was constantly harassed by A&M’s mixed coverages and aggressive cornerbacks.

And the linebackers, despite the absence of All-American Von Miller for much of the game, filled their gaps tenaciously, playing instinctive football.

Overall, it was a brand of defense that was missing in 2009 on a unit that finished the season ranked 106 in the country and had point totals of 65, 62, 49 and 47 rung up on it.

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David Harris senior economics major

5) Kansas State 31, UCLA 22 Trailing in the third quarter, the Wildcats rallied behind senior running back Daniel Thomas’ 234 yards and two touchdowns.

“They have a heck of a defense,” SFA Head Coach J.C. Harper said. “I [see] their speed and talent — and they

hit hard.”

DeRuyter was brought to Aggieland in January because Sherman thought his attacking scheme would thrive against Big 12 offenses. It was the hire that will shape the success of Sherman’s tenure. And following its debut on a grand stage, the head coach has to be confident in the decision he made eight months prior.

“I thought our defense played extremely well,” Sherman said. “I thought there was genuine effort that all 11 guys were trying to make plays — with the understanding we still have a long way to go.”

There is still, as Sherman said, a long ways to go. And the true test will come Sept. 30 on national television in Stillwater against Oklahoma State.

But Saturday night, football returned to Kyle Field. And accompanying it — if for only one night — was a fast, ferocious and physical defense “chomping at the bit to go rip someone’s head off.”

Next week Head Coach Sonny Dykes brings his Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and new offense to College Station to face the Aggies and Tim DeRuyter’s defense. The Bulldogs put up 336 yards of offense Saturday and forced two turnovers in a 20-6 win over Grambling State.

“It was a sloppy first game,” Dykes said. “We’d hoped to be a lot sharper.” A&M senior All-American joker Von Miller is listed as probable with an ankle sprain.

Who: Texas A&M (1-0) vs.

Louisiana Tech (1-0) Where: Kyle Field When: 6 p.m.

There’s more Go to thebatt.com for more coverage, including a recap of Saturday’s win.

4) Missouri 23, Illinois 13 The Tigers rallied back from a 13-3 deficit at halftime with a 20-0 run in the second half, knocking off the Illini in the “Arch Rivalry” game.

Junior quarterback Blaine Gabbert completed 71 percent of his passes and threw two touchdowns.

Jeremy Northum — THE BATTALION

The Aggies (3-4) will try to regroup once again and head to the University of Denver Invitational before returning home Sept. 16.

Roller Coaster After a midweek win, A&M goes 1-2 Mike Teague The Battalion The Aggie volleyball team returns to College Station after losing two of three matches over the weekend at the Missouri State JQH Invitational tournament; a win over North Carolina was sandwiched between defeats at the hands of Missouri State and Ohio.

“Our goal was to come here and play some great volleyball and learn a lot and get a lot of experience, see where we need to be focusing our efforts every single day in practice,” said A&M Head Coach Laurie Corbelli. “It certainly is clear to us what we need to do.”

Committing 87 errors in 12 sets, the Aggies hitting percentage was a lowly .146 percent for the tournament. A&M also fell victim to 18 service and five blocking errors.

“We are really struggling offensively and defensively as well,” Corbelli said. “Our hitters became very tentative because they were feeling like they better put the ball away because they weren’t playing very good defense either, so the

hitters were feeling impatient.”

Despite the Aggies’ early struggles in 2010, Corbelli was encouraged by the room for improvement and maturity that every player on the young roster possesses. She indicated that is experience, not talent, which is missing on the court for A&M. “We are making progress, which is the good news,” Corbelli said.

“The level that we are playing is relatively high compared to what it was last weekend, so that is exciting to me. The bad news is we haven’t figured out yet how to get the win when we have it right there in our hands. Just finishing.”

In their only victory of the weekend, the Aggies grinded out a 3-2 victory over the Tar Heels.

Junior outside hitter Kelsey Black recorded a double-double with 20 kills and 12 digs while sophomore middle blocker Lindsey Miller and junior utility player Elise Hendrickson both tallied career-highs in kills combining for 28. Defensively, A&M had five players with

Upcoming Schedule A&M is 2-3 in the team’s past four games and its two wins outside of North Carolina came against Siena and Sam Houston State. The team’s next five opponents: Friday-Saturday University of Denver Invitational vs. Jacksonville State at Denver vs. Gonzaga Sept. 16 vs. Texas Sept. 18 at Kansas

3) Texas Tech 35, SMU 27 Tommy Tuberville’s debut as Texas Tech head coach was successful, but a 13-0 comeback attempt

by SMU in the last 20 minutes pushed the final score to 35-27 in favor of the Red Raiders.

Senior quarterback Taylor Potts threw for 359 yards and four touchdowns without a pick.

2) Oklahoma 31, Utah State 24 Senior running back DeMarco Murray ran for 218 yards and a pair of touchdowns to help No. 7 Oklahoma escape at home with a 3124 win.

1) North Dakota State 6, Kansas 3 The Jayhawks were the only Big 12 team to lose their opening match-up, falling to FCS North Dakota State 6-3 in Turner Gill’s debut as head coach.

Kyle Cunningham, staff writer

See Invitational on page 6

9/5/10 10:01 PM

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No. 6 TCU delivers convincing message ARLINGTON, Texas — There had to be a Fiesta Bowl flashback for the TCU Horned Frogs when Andy Dalton threw an interception on the team’s first drive of the new season.

Then another when Oregon State converted a fake punt that set up a touchdown, like Boise State did to the Frogs eight months earlier.

But sixth-ranked TCU overcame the miscues, and bad memories, for a 30-21 victory over No. 24 Oregon State in a tough test Saturday. It was the Frogs’ first game since the Fiesta Bowl loss that spoiled the first undefeated regular season since 1938. “I guess you could say the sour taste is gone,” defensive end Wayne Daniels said. “We worked all summer long just to get to this point.”

The Frogs can look forward to the possibility of trying to become a two-time BCS buster.

“It’s good to have that behind us,” Dalton said. “It’s a new season and hopefully the momentum will keep coming.”

The only opponent left from an automatic BCS-qualifying conference is Baylor, but the Bears haven’t had a winning season since the inception of the Big 12 in 1996.

“As usual, no matter what we do and how we do it, we’re

always having to prove ourselves. And that’s OK with us,” said Gary Patterson, in his 10th season as the Frogs’ head coach.

“To get one of these kind of games, where it’s one of your tougher games behind you and you won it, is a big deal for us.”

Next for TCU is its home opener Saturday against FCS team Tennessee Tech, where Patterson was a linebackers coach in 1983-84.

Dalton threw for 175 yards and a touchdown, and ran for 64 yards and two more scores Saturday night to make up for his two interceptions that both led directly to Oregon State touchdowns.

“He’s very confident, crafty, and quick,” Oregon State coach Mike Riley said.

Dalton had only five interceptions in 2009 before throwing three in the Fiesta Bowl.

One was returned for a score and the last came after TCU had reached the Boise State 30 in the closing minute of that 17-10 loss.

“I didn’t let those (interceptions) affect me. I knew I had to come back and play well for us to win,” Dalton said. “At times I made some stupid mistakes, but I also made a couple of plays.”

And won again.

Associated Press

Invitational

everything that we do” Freshman setter Allie Sawatzky continued to impress with a game-high 56 assists.

“Our 17-year old setter, Allie [Sawatzky], just brings a smile to my face every time I watch her play because she does exactly what we ask her to do,” Corbelli said. “She takes chances and she’s just consistent in everything she is doing right now. That was a really big match for her.”

After a week off, A&M will hit the road again when the team travels to the Denver Pioneer Classic next weekend.

Matches against Jacksonville State, Denver and Gonzaga will cap off the Aggies’ nonconference schedule for the season.

Continued from page 5

double-figures in digs.

“That win was just a total team effort,” Corbelli said.

“Our blocking started out a little bit shaky, but as soon as we got our blocking disciplined and timed well, everything started to fall into place, from our digging to our transition offense. It was an equal effort from every side of the court, and it was really a very satisfying win given how inexperienced and young we are and having to go five to win against a very experienced and very talented North Carolina team. Any win that this group gets right now is just going to propel our confidence and

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thebattalion

Apocalypse now(ish)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

American and South Korean forces respond to aggression by North Korea with joint military drills and games in August.

A

minimum. As few whose butts we saved in World War II are still alive enough to be grateful, it may be time for us to save the world from another war-hungry villain with unusual facial hair.

Reason three for the apocalypse now: Iran or North Korea. It might be up to Obama to decide which socially awkward junior high nerd with mad dreams will make the world glow for those wedgies. Kim Jong-il and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are both too unstable to run a country, country further into depression. After 12 and already their fingers are waiting to push Reason one for the years of marginal competence from the the nuclear button they’re still building. A apocalypse now: commander-in-chief, America’s problems weak president and economy might be too the president. Wars will only pile up. If the solution becomes tempting for one of these tyrants to pass up, often don’t start on war, Obama and his Middle East peace talks and South Korea or Israel could suffer the the battlefield, and may be seen like Great Britain’s Neville worst consequences, even if America can America has seen Chamberlain’s “peace in our time” talk save everyone else. its worst recession, with Germany’s Adolph Hitler.

Reason four for the apocalypse depression, obsession Ian McPhail Reason two for the apocalypse now: Russia and China. since the 1930s. The senior history now: the economy former president While both countries Great Depression major and voices Franklin Roosevelt spent his way are sure to say all the presidents help draw If history editor out of the depression, but in all right things, neither the parallels. Former repeats itself, fairness, saving the world from are about practicpresident George America Hitler’s army of mutated Nazi ing what they W. Bush breaking record vacation days zombies was expensive. But preach. Russia has closely resembles former president Calvin is quickly without the war, many histospent the last few Coolidge’s notorious reputation for napmarching rians are doubtful the economy decades having a taking. After half a term, President Barack toward Word would have healed. Our budget garage sale with its Obama has reminded Americans of former deficit continues to climb, and the Cold War weapons president Herbert Hoover, whose wellWar III. government will be $2 trillion short and nuclear materials, meaning Ivy League ideas simply drew the on their credit card and Iran’s buying their payments this year. old uranium. China and North To put it in perspec- Korea have a mutually beneficial trade relative, the entire cost tionship that Beijing argues is frayed by the of the war in Iraq, launching of too many Taepodong missiles. $700 billion, will be Whether its funding or an open military borrowed three times alliance, both countries have given the U.S. over, again. After cause for concern.

Iraq, much of the War has changed, and nuclear weapons world has developed have made the stakes much higher. Hisa bit of an attitude tory’s value has always been learning from towards Amerithe mistakes of the past. If we have learned cans. Eventually the anything from the world wars it’s that it’s other countries of more costly to get involved too late. Many the world are going Americans have grown apathetic towards to form a collection world politics — or political involvement agency, and some of in general — but as the sole superpower in our utilities will be the nuclear age, there’s little room for error.

And unless we care to change something, ASSOCIATED PRESS cut off when we can Protestors rally for peace in South Korea. no longer afford the history is going to repeat itself.

n old Chinese curse reads “may you always live in interesting times.” Those events and times we hear discussed in class and occasionally on the History Channel (if it’s after midnight and they’ve stopped showing reality television). As history is usually determined after the fact, predictions are harder, but the stage is set for another world war, and we’ve already seen the prequels.

MAILCALL From Tyler Moquin, sophomore nuclear engineering major It’s that time of year where students at Texas A&M grab their 12th Man towels, camp out next to Kyle Field and attend the ever-inspiring Midnight Yell. This particular Saturday, my best friend and I grabbed our maroon class shirts and proceeded to the third deck of Kyle Field to watch the Aggies Beat The Hell Outta SFA. I was pleased to see Kyle Field so full with 81,000 attendees. However, I was also very disappointed at the sheer lack of student enthusiasm on the third deck. By the end of the third quarter, we had moved forward three rows because many students felt the need to leave early. I also noticed several freshman members of the Corps of Cadets

were sitting during the second, third and fourth quarters. I was exceptionally upset with this lack of spirit. Are we not the Aggies? Isn’t one of the wonderful qualities about being an Aggie supporting our players whether they lose or win?

For all of those who leave early, who sit down for personal comfort, who keep their caps on their heads during yells, who stay on the “wood” during the school song and the War Hymn, I challenge you to be that annoying student with a yell that destroys your voice, to endure the discomfort of standing and to stay throughout the entirety of the game. Support our team in the most spirited manner you can. It is a sad day in Aggieland when two percenters are brushed off like it is the norm. I know it is Bad Bull to “Hissssss” a fellow Aggie, but many of us deserve one.

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

Pg. 7-09.06.10.indd 1

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

9/5/10 9:40 PM

page 8 monday 9.6.2010

news thebattalion

Courtesy photo

Senate Continued from page 1

Stackman, director of Student Activities, said the issue was resolved. Pulliam said he did not think the resolution was much of a solution.

“Some senators discussed with the student activities director that this was a problem, and it was suggested that, because there were lots of senators there, a senator should go stand inside the door.

And, if someone came, open the door for them,” Pulliam said.

Because most of the senators wanted to be present in the meeting, someone made a sign stating to text a phone number for entrance into the room.

“I know if I was a student, someone not in Student Senate, I wouldn’t just go up to the door and text some random number, and I mean by that point it was a moot point — 30-45 min-

utes into the meeting so anyone who wanted to come had probably already tried to come,” Pulliam said.

Pulliam said the most troubling thing was that the advisers thought it was more important that they be in the meeting, rather than the student senators.

“I think [the meetings] are for the students of the University,” he said. “And I think it kind of touches on the bigger issue of the University, which is how student-run are student organizations, especially the Student Government Association?”

Student senate meetings for the fall will still be held in Koldus 144, but Pulliam and Student Body President Jacob Robinson said there should not be anything to worry about this semester.

“All of the meetings in the fall will have the door unlocked because we will have workers out front to watch everything,” Robinson said.

Troops provide security in earthquake-hit NZ city CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — Army troops took control of the center of the New Zealand city of Christchurch on Monday, two days after a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake smashed buildings and homes, wrecked roads and rail lines — but caused no loss of life. Mayor Bob Parker extended a state of emergency for another two days as troops moved to help police secure streets and badly damaged businesses in the worst-hit central area of the city. The city center remained cordoned off,

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with only building and business owners allowed access. At least 500 buildings, including 90 in the downtown area, were designated as destroyed by the quake that struck at 4:35 a.m.

Saturday near the South Island city of 400,000 people. Most other buildings sustained only minor damage. The quake cut power across the region, blocked roads with debris, and disrupted gas and water supplies, but Parker said services were being restored.

Associated Press

9/5/10 10:22 PM