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COACH SHERMAN: Texas A&M football Head Coach Mike Sherman gives Sherman his “State of the Union” address on the Fightin’ Texas Aggie football team before the A&M-Arkansas game this weekend. sports | 7
october 1, 2009
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Sherman calls special yell practice Head Coach Mike Sherman, the Aggie Football team and the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band will be at a special Yell Practice tonight at 6 p.m. on Kyle Field. Raffle tickets will be given to the first 20,000 students to arrive, and four Aggies will be given an all-expense paid trip with the football team over the weekend. “They’ll get to see how that whole process works — watching the coaching staff and seeing how get the team excited and give the team all the tools they need
to get them to victory,” said Student Body President Kolin Loveless. Winners will travel with the team for its away game in Arlington against Arkansas, walk through the Cowboys Stadium, and sit on the sidelines with players during the game. “This is probably the only time we’re going to do something like this,” said Head Yell Leader Casey Schaefer. “This is a really big game for us — we’re 3-0
Alex Ravandi
junior industrial engineering major
We are the Aggies Aggies are We will be a series of stories published every other Thursday highlighting Aggies.
Christina Francisco | The Battalion
A
lex Ravandi is an Aggie that knows how to have a knee-slapping good time. He’s a junior industrial engineering major from Iran. Not only does Ravandi practice the art of integrated systems, he also practices the art of funny. Ravandi is an aspiring stand-up comedian, and he brings his unique brand of humor to Aggieland every Tuesday night. Comedy wasn’t always something he pursued. It wasn’t until his friends urged him to try out for his high school talent show that he realized he could entertain a crowd. “A few years ago I started realizing I had the ability of making people laugh,” Ravandi said. “I figured I should just start writing all this stuff down.” He ended up placing third in the show his junior year, and second his senior year. Since then, Ravandi has taken every opportunity to write more material, especially the opportunities that being a college student provides. “A lot of my material is based off of my experiences. I write about the stuff I observe on campus and in class,” Ravandi said. “I think students love hearing about stuff like that. It’s fun to make them laugh at the things that stress them out.” Comedy is more than a hobby, Rav-
From Cornell University, David M. Lee, 1996 Nobel Prize winner in physics, will make the move to Texas A&M to continue his research. “He was hired for a faculty position where he will also be able to conduct research and collaborate with others in his field,” said Shana Hutchins, communications coordinator of the college of science. Hutchins said that the idea was formed by colleagues in his field wanting to collaborate more closely with Lee. “I ran into a friend of mine at a Yale physLee ics graduate school reunion and he told me about some wonderful opportunities at A&M, so in February I went down for an interview,” Lee said. Lee said he was attracted to A&M because of the friendly people and its reputation as a great place to do research. Lee became the recipient of the Nobel Prize for his work in the field of low temperature physics and the discovery of a rare form of helium in very low temperatures.
Follow Alex for a day Watch online as Christina Francisco captures Alex’s comedy show.
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Nicholas Badger — THE BATTALION
Rebekah Skelton G
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Howdy Ags
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K OC
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How to give yourself a breast exam ■ Lie down and place your right arm behind your head.
Jeremy Northum— THE BATTALION
Student Body President Kolin Loveless, MSC Student Programs Director Sherry Wine, Vice President for Facilities Chuck Sippial, and Interim President R. Bowen Loftin answer questions regarding current issues facing the University Wednesday evening in Rudder Theater. The Military Walk, a traditional walkway for the Corps of Cadets and students alike, is currently nine percent complete, said Physical Plant Vice President Charles Sippial Jr. Other buildings that are under construction are the Emerging Technology and Economic Development Interdisciplinary Building, Agriculture Headquarters Building and the Ross See Town hall on page 5
See Nobel prize on page 10
Breast cancer awareness month begins today
Jane Lee
write to him about any issues and concerns they might have. Student Body President Kolin Loveless spoke on the ongoing search for a new president and said that there will be meetings in the next week with the Board of Regents. Loveless said a 10-year commemorative Bonfire Remembrance will occur at 8 p.m. on Nov. 17. The memorial service will honor the 12 students that lost their lives on Nov. 18, 1999.
A&M welcomes Nobel laureate The Battalion
See Alex on page 5
The Battalion Interim President R. Bowen Loftin had a town hall meeting Wednesday to address concerns and issues of the University. The town hall meeting consisted of a panel of speakers from various departments that helped clarify major changes happening at Texas A&M. “We hope this meeting will help students understand the changes, as well as the reasons behind them,” said MSC President Stephanie Burns. Loftin spoke about Vision 2020 and the enrollment increase at the University. “There are now more women than men at Texas A&M,” he said. The president also addressed concerns with the current flu season. “We urge you to go and receive a flu shot from [Student] Health Services,” Loftin said. He encouraged students to practice safe sanitation procedures, such as washing hands thoroughly, not attending classes and organizations when ill, and receiving proper attention to their illness. Loftin urged students to
Meagan O’Toole-Pitts, city editor
Vicky Flores
Loftin informs students with town hall meeting
pg.1-10.01.09.indd 1
right now. We’re trying to make this a big weekend — get behind the team, get them motivated and get them to come home with a win.” The gates will open at 5 p.m. at the northeast and southeast entrances. Only currently enrolled students will be eligible. All students must bring their student IDs. Purses, bags and backpacks will not be allowed in. Check facebook.com/tamu for further details.
■ Use the finger pads of the three middle fingers on your left hand to feel for lumps in the right breast. Use overlapping dime-sized circular motions to feel the breast tissue. ■ Use three different levels of pressure to feel all the breast tissue. A firm ridge in the lower curve of each breast is normal. ■ Move around the breast in an up and down pattern starting at an imaginary line drawn straight down your side from the underarm and moving across the breast to the middle of the chest bone. ■ Repeat the process on your left breast. American Cancer Society
The Battalion Today kicks off Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual campaign with a goal to increase awareness about the importance of detecting breast cancer in its early stages. “Anyone can be affected by breast cancer,” said Lauren Dorsett, a health educator with Texas A&M University’s Student Health Services. “All men and women can be affected.” Breast cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the tissue of the breast, typically in the ducts, the tubes that carry milk to the nipple, or the lobules, the glands that make milk. Although breast cancer is most prevalent in women over the age of 45, Dorsett said it’s important for women in college to get in the habit of performing self-exams once a month and having a physician perform a clinical exam at annual well-woman check-ups. “It’s a goal for all college women to perform breast exams and get breast exams starting from puberty on,” Dorsett said. “You need to be comfortable with your own breasts and know what’s normal for your breasts. So if there is a lump or an abnormality, you know.” Although some women may feel uncomfortable performing a self-breast exam, Dorsett said it is important to erase the negative connotation associated with the exam. “I think the most important thing for college women to know is that it’s not a scary thing to do a breast exam,” Dorsett said. “It’s also important to have a physician do a clinical breast exam because it is not the same as a mammogram, which is an X-Ray.” Another element of prevention is keeping physicians aware of any familial history of cancer. “It’s not just being directly affected by breast cancer, but having a family member affected by breast cancer [can increase chances of development],” Dorsett said. According to the National Cancer Institute, both smoking and inheriting certain genes are risk factors that can increase chances of cancer. The NCI also said that although there is no way to prevent the development of cancer, See Breast cancer on page 10
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Amanda Casanova Editor in 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: 979-845-2678. 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 $100 per school year. To charge by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express, call 979-845-2613.
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Steady mission
CNN reports that a policy at Tufts University prohibits students in dorms from having sex while their roommate is in the room, according to the university’s 2009-2010 student handbook. The Massachusetts university’s rule also bars socalled “sexiling” — exiling a roommate from the room so the other roommate can engage in sexual activity.The policy “is really about consideration and respect for others and the need for students to be mindful of their roommates’ need for privacy, study and sleep,” university spokeswoman Kim Thurler told CNN. She said, “over the last few years, the Office of Residential Life and Learning received approximately a dozen expressions of concern about this issue.” The guidelines for students having overnight guests say: “You may not engage in sexual activity while your roommate is present in the room. And sexual activity within your assigned room should not ever deprive your roommate(s) of privacy, study, or sleep time.”
Rachel Nhan — THE BATTALION
Junior philosophy major Susan Freeman tends plants Wednesday in the Floriculture Greenhouse, which is located on Lamar Street across from the Student Computing Center. Horticulture students have the opportunity to participate in a webinar with Gary Stutte, senior scientist and plant physiologist, Dynamac Corp., Kennedy Space Center, Fla., “Plants in Space: A Horticultural Perspective.“ During the past 10 years, Stutte has worked at the space center in Dynamac’s plant research group to determine the feasibility of using plants as bioregenerative life support systems for long duration space missions. Go to http://hortsciences.tamu.edu/seminar/index.html for more information.
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flavor thebattalion 10.01.2009 page3
Courtesy photo
Rescue Signals will be coming to College Station to perform Oct. 19.
Rescue Signals debut first album Nancy Barrera Special to The Battalion
Rescue Signals’ first album raw but catchy
R
escue Signals, a rock, alternaative and pop band formed inn 2006, released their self-titled ed first album. The album was released from m Indie record label Rock Ridge Music onn Sept. 22. In only 18 months as a band, Beau Tyler ler (vocals, guitar and piano), Bryan Nicholas as (drums and loops), Mike Marhefka (bass and piano) and Noah Galaviz (guitar) have ve proven to be one of the most successful rock bands in the mid- and southwest. Allll songs, music, recordings and production are done by the band themselves, making these ese established artists one of the most thrivingg musicians of Texas. “Every Word You Say,” a song written en by Beau Tyler, is about the nostalgia a man experiences when the one he loves has moved on, started over and rebuilt her life. This song is exceptionally promising with its strong vocals and solid guitar encouragement. However, conflicts launch in “Carousel” as lead singer Beau Tyler turns out to be powerless when the song comes to a climax and he’s incapable of transmitting the high pitch vocals the song entails. Furthermore, in “Favorite Kind of Pain,” written by Beau Tyler as well, the drummer seems to be having rhythmic tribulations in the opening of the song, even though he rallies for a glorious finale. In my perception, the backup singers, which are all the members with the exception of Beau Tyler, should contribute further to the songs to extend the vision of the lyrics. In “You Never Touch Me Anymore,” written by Beau Tyler and Nathan Morgan, each band member conveys their talent by linking their vocals to the song. From my standpoint, if all the members join forces in supplementary songs, the significance of the songs and the messages the band members are trying to show their fans will have an important effect. If the group would unite in their lyrics to an extra degree, I would feel more connected by the words on a higher and deeper scale. Such a talented and gifted group should not be experiencing incidents and shortcomings from any of the musicians, particularly since they are projected to be an unbeaten, well-known rock band. Drawbacks such as the ones presented so prematurely in the album will not be tolerated by devoted fans who expect nothing but the best. The album calls for some editing as the vocals sound raspy. The power delivered by each of the instruments, especially the drums, must be balanced and leveled so the quality can be equivalent. I am personally not fond of the fact that the drums subdue the general resonance of the songs, but then again, I give props to Nicholas for managing such a complex apparatus. Nonetheless, “Rescue Signals” delivers a firm foundation with high-quality tunes. Each performance brings out the better side of every member, as their songs address to all listeners. Even though the album is rather short for my taste, the content was very satisfying. I consider that the substance should regard the quality not the quantity. I consider “Rescue Signals” a first-rate rock band album that I recommend to future listeners. The album contains catchy tunes, insightful lyrics and an unforgettable performance by the constituents. I trust the band will be such a tremendous success that they will not let any fan down Oct. 19 when they carry on with their tour in College Station. Nancy Barrera is a sophomore English major.
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Tiffany Tran — THE BATTALION
Eating healthy
under $20
M
ost people spend too much money on food — $9.50 for a sandwich, $7 for a salad — even $3 for a fastfood burger. It’s actually possible to eat (and eat healthy) on $20 a week — approximately $2.15 a day, or less than you might spend on a latte. Not only is it possible, it’s pretty simple. Eating on $20 a week requires that you make a shopping list of the food that you need, not necessarily what you want. Packaged snacks are out. Candy is out. Most meat and dairy are out. You’ll have to stick to a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and complex carbohydrates — a healthy diet. “We have become a culture of convenience. People don’t cook anymore; people don’t plan ahead anymore,” said dietician Sue Orr. “Fifty years ago, basically people ate grains and fresh vegetables and fruit, a little bit of meat and some dairy and eggs.” The country didn’t have obesity problems back then, Orr said. Now, however, most people eat too much protein and too many processed foods. “Our protein need is far less than we consume,” Orr said. “Living on peanut butter sandwiches is more within the realm of what we need. What you’re trying to do with all good nutrition is get a balance from different nutrients. There’s just so much food out there, and it’s very expensive. I’m amazed at what people buy that they shouldn’t buy.” Common misconceptions:
Produce is expensive Produce is expensive when you buy it out of season. Produce is expensive when you buy poor-quality produce and have to throw it out. Produce is one of the best values in the store when you buy what’s fresh and in season.
Buying fruit is difficult When buying fruit, firmer is usually
Julie’s spending 1 1/2 lb grapes $1.49 1 lb apples $1 2 lb bananas $0.74 1 bag frozen mixed vegetables (store brand, 16 oz)
Julie Rambin
Eating healthy is possible with careful planning better. Apples need to be hard and without soft spots (bruises). Bananas are wonderful because they’re nutritious and cheap, but don’t buy more than you plan to eat in the next couple of days. They should be yellow with a tinge of green and mostly free of bruises and black marks. When buying pitted fruits (peaches, nectarines, plums), make sure they’re not soft or overripe. A little “give” is fine. Do not buy moldy or discolored fruit.
I don’t know how to buy vegetables With vegetables, if it looks fresh it probably is. Beware of soft, wilted or browning vegetables.
Ramen or macaroni and cheese or boxed dinner product is good because it’s cheap People tend to think that processed food is inexpensive, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Often, the more a food is processed, the more it costs. Ramen is terrible for you — fried white flour noodles with a flavoring packet that’s almost all sodium. Sure, it’s cheap, but you don’t need all that salt. Macaroni and cheese isn’t healthy, and it’s expensive. Each box
$0.99 is about $1, and if you add the cost of milk (approximately $2.50 a gallon) you’re paying around 60 cents for a serving. Other boxed dinners require ground beef or other ingredients, which move the cost per serving up substantially. Contrast that with a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wheat bread, which costs 28 cents. Add a serving of fruit or vegetables for 12 cents to 20 cents more, and you have a complete and healthy meal, for less.
It’s too hard to cook in the dorm If you have a microwave and a mini fridge, you can cook. Many foods, such as sandwiches and salads, don’t require cooking, but pasta and fresh or frozen vegetables can easily be cooked in the microwave. Cook a potato (be sure to poke holes in the sides) and add shredded cheese and vegetables for an easy and inexpensive lunch. Pasta is fantastic, but for microwave cooking try to get thinner, quicker-cooking varieties. Pasta sauce is often inexpensive, at $1.50 to $2 a jar. Since each jar has around six servings, you can easily eat dinner for a week on it. If you like quesadillas, these can easily be cooked in a microwave — add vegetables (fresh, frozen or canned) to make your meal more substantial. Eating healthy
1 loaf of wheat bread (store brand, 24 slices) $0.78 1 jar jam (no sugar added) $1.65 1 jar peanut butter (store brand, 18 oz) $1.69 7 cups yogurt $3.50 1 bag of shredded cheese (8 oz) $1.69 1 bag of tortillas (12 tortillas) $0.75 1 bag of spaghetti noodles (48 oz) $3.17 1 jar of marinara sauce (26 oz) $1.88 Total: $19.33 single serving peanut butter $0.11 single serving jam $0.10
9/30/09 10:04 PM
comics/people
page 4 thursday 10.1.2009
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‘Jon & Kate’ soon ‘Kate Plus Eight’ NEW YORK — “Jon & Kate Plus 8” will soon be simply “Kate Plus Eight.” That’s the word from the TLC network, who announced Tuesday that its hit reality show is adapting to changes in the Gosselin household, which has been disrupted by the split up of Kate and Jon. The renamed “Kate Plus Eight,” which begins Nov. 2, will continue to chronicle the lives of the Gosselin kids (5-year-old sextuplets and 8-year-old twins) but will also focus on Kate’s role as a single mother. “It’s not a huge GOSSELIN shift, but it’s reflective of where the show was already going,” said Eileen O’Neill, TLC’s president and general manager. “Jon’s going to be involved in the show,” she said, adding that he will be seen less often than before. TLC retains an exclusive arrangement with him, as well as the rest of the family, O’Neill said. The couple made their separation official on a “Jon & Kate” episode that aired in June and was seen by 10.6 million viewers. The rupture came after weeks of tabloid reports of marital strains and infidelities, which both spouses denied. On the show, the parental costars barely spoke to each other. Since then, media coverage of the squabbling exes has continued fullbore, and both Jon and Kate have made separate he-said-she-said talkshow rounds. They are in divorce proceedings.
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thebattalion
Palin already a best-seller
It’s quite a change since the series clicked with viewers two years ago for its heartwarming look at the challenges of raising eight young children. Going forward, O’Neill said, “We hope for the sake of the family that things are more manageable. I don’t think anyone asked for that amount of attention.” She spoke hopefully of a bright future for the series and dismissed a report circulating Tuesday that Kate Gosselin had posted a tweet that this season might be the last: Kate doesn’t have a Twitter account, O’Neill said. Although the audience for recent “Jon & Kate” airings has dropped below two million viewers, the current season has averaged a robust 3.2 million (even omitting its two recordsetting “event” episodes), which represents an increase of 300,000 viewers over last season. Discussions are under way with Kate Gosselin for another series that might debut in 2010, O’Neill said. “I think there’s an opportunity for Kate beyond her role as a supermom to explore her other interests,” O’Neill said. Meanwhile, with reality-based programming that also includes “Little People, Big World,” ‘’What Not to Wear” and “LA Ink,” the network is boasting a year of consecutive month-to-month audience gains. “We’re not a one-hit wonder,” O’Neill said.
NEW YORK — Sarah Palin finished her book quickly and became a best seller even faster. Just two days after HarperCollins announced that the release of Palin’s memoir, “Going Rogue,” had been moved up from the spring PALIN to Nov. 17, preorders for the former Alaska governor’s book have made it No. 1 on Barnes & Noble.com on Wednesday and at No. 2 on Amazon. com, trailing only Dan Brown’s “The Lost Symbol.” Palin, in collaboration with author Lynn Vincent, completed her 400-page book just four months after agreeing to terms with HarperCollins, which plans a first printing of 1.5 million copies.
Associated Press
Associated Press
The series airs Mondays at 9 p.m. EDT.
9/30/09 9:22 PM
news
page 5 thursday 10.1.2009
thebattalion
One of my goals is to pursue whatever career I end up doing, and coming back and having a building named after me here.”
“
— Alex Ravandi junior industrial engineering major
Alex
Continued from page 1
andi said. When he’s not studying in Evans Library for his next engineering economic analysis exam, he’s scribbling away set ideas and focusing on his job as a student and a comedian. “When I do shows I always tell the audience that if I can make one person laugh, I’ve done one-fiftieth of my job,” Ravandi said. Friends close to Ravandi say he wasn’t always the outgoing, funny guy he is today. “I’ve known him since fourth grade,” said Matthew Walters, junior biomedical science major and Ravandi’s roommate. “Alex used to be shy and withdrawn, and then all of a sudden he decided to not stop talking.” Not only has Walters been Ravandi’s roommate and friend, he has also been the “lab rat” for all his jokes, Walters said. “All of his jokes get tested on me,” Walters said. “I try and help him out with them, and see if they’re funny or not.” Ravandi’s banter even followed him to the workplace. Ravandi’s seasonal supervisor at HEB, Josi Zimmerman, said his sense of humor made him a favored cashier among customers. “He was terrific with costumers because he could always joke,” Zimmerman said. “When he mentioned he did comedy, I saw him in the role immediately.” While balancing academics and weekly standup routines, Ravandi still has time to get involved around campus by playing striker for his intramural indoor soccer team, “Los Diablos Rojos,” and watching the Texans play on Sunday afternoons. But above all that, books and jokes remain his top priorities. “The career is engineering, the dream is comedy,” Ravandi said.
Town hall Continued from page 1
Street extension and paving. There are plans for the restoration of the historic YMCA Building. Sippial presented plans for a Wellborn Road grade separation, which will allow A&M buses to go under Wellborn Road and stay away from the railroad tracks. Another big project under consideration is the effects of the MSC renovation to Joe Routt Boulevard. Considerations include closing the north side of the street and opening the south side for vehicles, but another idea is to close the entire street. “Safety is our No. 1 priority,” said Sippial. The MSC renovation was discussed by Sherry Wine, the director of the University Center. “The renovation has been a team effort project and has touched every corner and stakeholder on this campus,” Wine said.
Another dream he has is one that gives back to Texas A&M. “One of my goals is to pursue whatever career I end up doing, and coming back and having a building named after me here,” Ravandi said. “It’d be cool to have some kind of entertainment hall to encourage students to live out their dreams of performing.” While being influenced under the comedic likes of George Carlin and Steve Martin, Ravandi said he feels he has a style that makes him different from most comedians. “I went to school to prove I have a brain,” Ravandi said. “That’s the difference between a clown and a comedian. A clown just does things that are funny, but a good comedian will figure out a way to say things that are funny.” Ravandi said he enjoys being not-your-average Aggie. “If you’re saying the same thing as everybody else, nobody is going to listen to you,” Ravandi said. “If I went a to school like UT then I’m a liberal and the same as everyone else. Here, I love being that voice that’s saying something a little different.” The Aggie Spirit and community have helped him grow into a fun-loving jokester, Ravandi said. “I’ve met some very cool people here,” Ravandi said. “I start to wonder if I hadn’t gone to this school, and hung out with the people I did, would I still have been doing all the comedy stuff.” Whether it be in the classroom or on the stage, Ravandi said he is looking forward to the future and predicting that no matter what career path works out in the end, “it should be a good time.” To see his stand-up, you can catch Alex Ravandi at Zapato’s Bar and Grille Tuesday, and keep updated on his upcoming shows online at his Facebook fan page.
Floor plans of the new MSC were shown, including various components that will be added. The lower floor of the MSC will have retail stores with talks of a computer-type establishment, such as an Apple store. There are talks about modernizing the recreational games, such as putting in new technological equipment.
“
We hope this meeting will help students understand the changes, as well as the reasons behind them.” — Stephanie Burns MSC president
On level one, they hope to put in “a Starbucks-type coffee shop as well as a 24-hour student lounge,” Wine said. The building will be constructed to allow as much natural light in as possible.
Dining Services introduced many new options for students for the fall and upcoming spring semester. “We have renovated various dining locations on campus such as Azimuth in the Architecture building, as well as established sidewalk cafes at Koldus and Rudder,” said Lallah Howard, the vice president of business affairs. Sbisa Dining Hall has updated its menus to include stir fry, Vietnamese noodle bowls, a rotisserie oven and more healthy options. “We will also be opening a late night coffee shop at the West Campus Library, hopefully, right before finals,” Howard said. The town hall meeting concluded with an open forum. Students asked questions concerning military walk and the Howdy portal. Questions from students who wrote to askthepresident@tamu.edu were answered in the meeting as well. “We hope this type of meeting will help the University community communicate with us,” Loftin said.
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sports thebattalion 10.1.2009 page7
Rallying the Twelfth Man Mike Sherman
Texas A&M football Head Coach Mike Sherman addresses the Twelfth Man and gives a season update on the status of the team.
O
ver the last year The Battalion has been gracious enough to allow me an opportunity to give a “State of the Union” update on your Fightin’ Texas Aggie Football Team. Since I have always sensed a very real connection between the Twelfth Man and the football team, I wanted to take full advantage of this occasion this week of the season to better inform you — the Twelfth Man — about your team. I’ve got to tell you first and foremost I am proud of how this team has worked. Dating back to last January, this group of men have been challenged to be better. Better people, better students, better football players — and they have responded. Our winter workouts, spring ball and summer training, although not actually done in Junction, Texas, had a Junction-like feel to it. As motivation, I have constantly talked about how they represent the greatest student body and University in the country and that a huge responsibility comes with being an Aggie football player. As I said, I am proud of how this team has worked, but I am prouder of how they have acted as a team. The chemistry they have demonstrated toward each other in the locker room, on the practice field, in Netum Steed weight room, across campus and on our sidelines during the games has been extraordinary. Much has been made about the large number of true freshmen we have played
Jon Eilts — THE BATTALION
Senior outside hitter Jennifer Banse spikes the ball in Texas A&M’s match against Texas Wednesday in Austin. Banse led the Aggies in kills with 15 and had 5 digs.
Aggies fall to Longhorns Michael Teague The Battalion AUSTIN — Despite a strong performance, Texas A&M’s volleyball team fell in a disappointing 3-0 loss to No. 2 Texas Wednesday. The Aggies were unable to upset their second Top 10 opponent in the past week. “I think it just shows that A&M is a great team,” said Texas junior Juliann Faucette. “It shows that rankings don’t matter and that in a rivalry like this they’re going to come in and try to beat us. It’s just awesome to have that rivalry and be able to be pushed.” A&M (9-3, 2-2) couldn’t overcome the 4,229 Texas fans in attendance at Gregory Gymnasium in the first edi-
tion of the 2009-2010 Texas Lone Star Showdown. The crowd was Texas’ third-largest in school history. “The crowd was great,” said Texas Head Coach Jerritt Elliot. “It’s just a great college environment. They got loud in the ‘crunch’ time and gave us some extra adrenaline.” Senior Jennifer Banse displayed her improvement, leading the Aggies in kills with 15. Banse also added five digs and a .429 hitting percentage. “I thought when we started the match, I had never seen my team feel so prepared and relaxed and confident that they were going to be able to have a great shot at a victory tonight,” said Texas A&M Head Coach Laurie Corbelli. “I’m really proud
of the progress this team’s making. We’re obviously disappointed about the loss because we think we could have pushed it a game or two.” Senior Sarah Ammerman had another big night, totaling 14 kills and nine digs. Fellow senior outside hitter Mary Batis struggled offensively with a .034 hitting percentage but led the team with 11 digs. Freshman Lindsey Miller led the Aggies with three blocks. “That’s a team that passed really well tonight,” Elliot said. “They out-passed us for sure and with the speed of their offense it cause a little bit of chaos. It took us some time to adjust to.” See Volleyball on page 8
within the first three ball games. The real story, however, is that the upperclassmen have embraced these “fish” and have guided them and taught them how to not only fit into our culture as A&M football players, but how to be better players on the field at their respective positions. In some cases, upperclassmen have lost their position to a freshman in the process of tutoring the younger player. This unselfish commitment toward helping us win has impressed me and it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before. In trying to teach a greater sense of accountability and chemistry to the team, I took a page out of the Corps of Cadets handbook. I broke the team locker room up into six battalions. If a member of a battalion is late or misses a class, or does something that contradicts our team rules, the entire battalion has to pay the consequences for the one. If the battalion members do things right, they are all rewarded; if they do not, they must face the consequences as a group. This was a little thing that has turned into a big chemistry builder and has created a greater sense of accountability, as well as a connection to our great history with the Corps of Cadets. Currently, as a football team, we are 3-0. Every week, we must always keep things in perspective. As I told them back in camp, Aggies are a great group of people but See Sherman on page 8
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sports
page 8 thursday 10.1.2009
thebattalion
Volleyball Continued from page 7
Texas’ offensive firepower was too much for the Aggies to handle. Faucette and senior Destinee Hooker combined for 31 of the Longhorns’ 48 kills. Texas considers themselves to be one of, if not the hardest hitting team in the country. “I’d have to say that most of the time our power tends to show,” Hooker said. “I know that I definitely wouldn’t want to be blocking one of (Faucette’s) swings.” Both teams started the match in top form, staying neck-and-neck throughout the opening set. There were 18 tie scores and seven lead changes. Texas scored the first two-point lead of the match after taking a 20-18 lead. A service error by the Longhorns gave the Aggies set point, but following two A&M turnovers Texas pulled off the 28-26 victory. A&M came out in the second set with all pistons firing and quickly snagged an 11-6 advantage. Hooker and Texas would come back on an 11-2 run to take a 17-13 lead. The Aggies fought back but could not overcome the Longhorns’ lead, falling 25-20. After the break, A&M’s confidence looked deflated and the Longhorns took full advantage. Texas attacked with a .414 hitting percentage and completed the sweep after a 25-21 win. The Aggies will return home to Reed Arena Saturday to host the Kansas Jayhawks.
Jon Eilts — THE BATTALION
Junior A&M setter Kristen Schevikhoven sets the ball in A&M’s 3-0 loss to Texas Wednesday.
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Sherman Continued from page 7
because of their passion they can sometimes lose perspective. If we win, they will think we are the best thing going. If we lose they will wonder if we can win a game. That passion and energy that all Aggies share is a good thing, because they care. I wouldn’t have it any other way; neither would they. As a football team, however, they must keep an even keel perspective. Don’t get too high when things go your way, don’t get down when they don’t. We must never lose sight of taking care of the present. No matter what we did yesterday or last week — whether good or bad — it does not weigh in on what they do today or Saturday. What does hold weight is their work ethic, character and talent … and we can never take a backward step in these areas. We really stress honesty and accountability in the program. We have to assess where we are and what we have to do to get better every day. I tell them all the time I want us better today than yesterday, better tomorrow than today. They are working hard to achieve that. Sometimes we succeed at this, sometimes we do not. One thing is for certain, there is always the present to start the process over again. We must continue to improve.
Every day is an opportunity we cannot afford to waste. After every game — win or lose — we watch an “accountability” tape as a team. I take the plays in the game that were not good enough for whatever reason. This is tough for players to watch in front of their peers, but it holds them accountable to each other and I believe it is of great benefit. I am pleased that the team is 3-0. They have done what I’ve asked them to do. They cannot be any better recordwise than they are at this point. We are, however, fully aware that the next part of the schedule, starting with Arkansas this Saturday up in Arlington, will be a new challenge for us; a challenge we must rise up and meet. With this game and the following Big 12 Conference games, teams will be bigger, stronger and faster than the ones we have already played. Mistakes we’ve made and overcome in the first three games may become more difficult to put behind us in the upcoming weeks. Therefore, we must play smarter, tougher and as always together. This Saturday we play our first road trip of the season. We have been fortunate to have played our first three games in the friendly confines of Kyle Field with the Twelfth Man close by our sides. I’m hopeful we have a great crowd up in Arlington this weekend so we can “lean on” the Twelfth Man if necessary. It should be fun! I have to keep our young players focused on the job at hand and not let them be distracted in the new venue and the surrounding atmosphere. To help in this area, the Yell Leaders have approached me about having a Yell Practice in Kyle Field on Thursday at 6 p.m. after our practice. I agreed and thought it was a good idea so the players can get a feel on just how much our student body wants us to “Beat the Hell Outta Arkansas!” At the Yell Practice, I will say a few words, as will a couple of the team leaders. Of course, the Aggie Corps and Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band will be in full force to add to this special event. This is just another opportunity for our football team to connect with the Twelfth Man and for the Twelfth Man to connect with
our football team. It should be a great event and a noteworthy send-off for us to play a great game against the Razorbacks in the 2009 Southwest Classic. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate being the head coach of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Football Team. I do not take the responsibility lightly. I am thankful to have the best student body in the country and the “Spirit of the Twelfth Man” by our sides. That “Spirit” has supported us over the last year through some tough times as well as the early successes we have seen thus far this year. With that said, I decided last Saturday night after we beat UAB that I wanted to take the Twelfth Man with us to Arlington. I regret I can’t take all of you but I will take four of you from the student body to come with us and be a part of our football team this weekend. We will draw the four Aggie students’ names from those in attendance at the Yell Practice Thursday evening. Those four students will ride on the bus with the team, go to the walk-thru at the Dallas Cowboy Stadium, go to pre-game meal and meetings, as well as stay in the hotel with the team. During the game all four members of the Twelfth Man will wear Twelfth Man jerseys on the sidelines during the game with their names on them. In the true Spirit of the Twelfth Man and E. King Gill, they will stand on the sidelines in wait of being called into the game if need be. Hopefully, we won’t need their services — for their sake and mine. Bottom line, it should be a fun time and a great experience and hopefully become an addition to Aggie traditions that I will continue as we play this series throughout the next decade and beyond. I hope you can make it to the Yell Practice on Thursday and to the game on Saturday in Arlington. If you’re at the game, we need to hear you, and if there are tough times in the game, this young football team may need to “lean on you” a little. If you can’t make it to Arlington, I know you will be with us in true “Aggie Spirit.” Thanks for all you do for this football team. Gig ’em and God Bless, Mike Sherman
STUDIES IN PROGRESS RED DRY SCALY PATCHES OF SKIN ATOPIC DERMATITIS STUDY (ECZEMA)
Volunteers ages 18 - 64 needed to participate up to a 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:
J&S Studies, Inc. 979-774-5933 1710 Crescent Pointe Parkway, College Station, TX 77845
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voices
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.
thebattalion 10.1.2009 page9
Marijuana: the last free frontier Steve Humeniuk
Why bring in government to an already efficiently running free trade system?
T
his paper has published a series of articles in support of the legalization of marijuana, and certainly in this current time of economic disparity, marijuana legalization is a conversation that has been breached by lawmakers and concerned citizens alike. However, government interference in any part of the economy comes with unintended consequences. The marijuana trade is one of the last free-market institutions still present in the U.S. The drug is illegal, but so is speeding, and that doesn’t seem to stop people from doing that either, as long as they are not getting caught. One of the main points of the argument for legalization is that governments and municipalities can gain much needed revenue from taxation of the crop. In theory this is a legitimate argument — in the sense of scratch our back and we’ll scratch yours. But what I don’t understand is why anyone would welcome government intervention into an already highly efficient free trade? Marijuana follows the classic laws of supply and demand. If a consumer wants to buy pot, then they contact a distributor, and agree on a price to pay for a particular quantity and quality of product. If the price is too high, or the quality insufficient, then the consumer is free to negotiate with another dealer until they are satisfied with the bargain. That seems simple to me. But now people want to bring the government into marijuana production and distribution. This could cause a tax incidence, where the burden to pay a particular tax is passed from the producer to the consumer, or vice-versa depending on the elasticity of supply and demand. So in essence, if a tax is implemented on a product that will not face a foreseeable decline in consumer demand, then
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instead of the producer fronting the cost of the tax and thus risking profits, theyy will pass the burden to pay the tax onto the buyer er by raising prices. Marijuana would be taxedd like alcohol or cigarettes. Every time the powers owers that be increase a so-called “sin tax” on thesee products, the distributors are hit with the initial cost of the excise tax then levy that increased cost onto the everyday purchasers to salvage that initial itial loss. Government intervention on is the reason why a pack of cigarettes ttes will cost $6 or $7 as opposed to $4 orr $5 several years ago, even though the production cost has remained relatively stagnant over the same time. The tax is thee only thing to increase. If marijuana was legalized, the government would set the tax on a per-unit basis, effectively re-setting the value of the product. duct. A similar “sin tax” on weed would not distinguish between different nt quality products. Think of whiskey; thoughh there is a big difference between Sunny ny Brook and Crown Royal, they are indistinguishable in the way they are re taxed. I can justify spending $40 onn a bottle of Crown because I perceivee it to be of high quality, but is the samee sized bottle of Sunny Brook really worth $25? No, Sunny Brook is whiskey-flavored water and in no way worth the price you pay for it, but its costs are increased because the producer ucer has to pass on the tax incidence in order to turn rn a higher profit. The same is true for marijuana juana — at least that’s what I hear. Some strains off the h plant l are off bbetter quality than others and hence worth more. However, the implementation of a tax would raise all prices — including those of lower quality products. To me, that’s not free market. I support paying your taxes so that we can have the sovereign government that we have in place, but government intrusion into the free market taints the entire definition of “free market.” The pot trade, despite its illegitimacy in the eyes of the government, is the last free frontier. It’s untainted and naturally driven by the laws of supply and demand. What is wrong with that? You get what you pay for, and if you don’t like it, then
MAILCALL From Noah Lombardo, junior psychology major All of this “uncover” business is getting way out of hand. On Saturday, I couldn’t even count how many times people screamed it at people around me. After a while I told them to shut up, even though I wasn’t wearing a hat. Since when is uncovering during yells a tradition? I can understand taking your hat off during the National Anthem or during Spirit, but is it really “respectful” to remove your hat when yelling “beat the hell outta UAB?” I even heard a story about a guy who tipped off the hat of a guy sitting in front of him. That’s just flat out wrong. Sometimes I feel like people care more about others uncovering than the score of the game. If you want to take your hat off to yell, go ahead, but if someone else doesn’t do it, don’t scream in their ear and definitely don’t start cussing at them. Let’s take the focus off of the hat on the guy in front of us and on to our team on the field.
From Bain Mullins, junior computer engineering major
Evan Andrews — THE BATTALION
don’t buy it or look elsewhere for a better bargain. Prices are driven not by regulations, but through an agreement and street value the prices are free to fluctuate as they please. In a perfect world, marijuana would not be legalized, but simply decriminalized so that trade could remain the equivalent of students buying and selling textbooks from one another. Steve Humeniuk is a senior political science major.
How is it possible that a country founded on the basic principles of free speech and open criticism of government entities is now advocating the censorship of political opinion? The infamous Facebook poll was not titled ‘Are you actively plotting to murder the president?” No direct threat to anyone’s life was made, and thus, no crime was committed. The only victims in this situation are Americans who hold the First Amendment sacred. The only criminals here are the parasites who thrive in a society of mouths sewn shut. Why is it OK to ask whether a citizen accused of murder deserves capital punishment, but it is unpatriotic to ask whether a president accused of murder should deserve the same fate? Why do we hold presidents on such a high pedestal that we are not allowed to openly discuss his crimes or acceptable punishments for them?
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thebattalion
“
It’s a goal for all college women to perform breast exams and get breast exams starting from puberty on. You need to be comfortable with your own breasts and know what’s normal for your breasts. So if there is a lump or an abnormality, you know.”
Animal cop
— Lauren Dorsett student health services health educator
Breast cancer Continued from page 1
OCTOBER 9 • 10 • 11, 2009
Featuring 3 days of music, food and fun. 48 bands on 6 stages. Admission is $10 and children 12 and under are free. Free shuttle service from the Target parking lot at I-45 and Hwy. 105.
www.conroecajuncatfishfestival.com
Festival Hotlines:
936-539-6009 800-324-2604
regular exercise and a healthy diet may be protective factors against some types of cancer. According to the NCI, there have been 192,370 new cases in females and 1,910 new cases in males so far this year. Although A&M will not be hosting any Breast Cancer Awareness events, students can participate in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure at 8 a.m Saturday in Houston. The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation is a nonprofit organization that was formed in 1982 after Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister that she would do all she could to find a cure for breast cancer. The foundation’s mission is to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find the cures. For more information about participating in Race for the Cure, visit www.komen-houston.org. To schedule an appointment at the Women’s Clinic in Beutel Health Center, visit shs.tamu. edu/services/womensclinic or call (979) 4588250.
Nobel prize Continued from page 1
He was able to cool helium-3 enough to make it act like a superfluid. A superfluid moves through cracks without friction and acts in accordance with the laws of quantum mechanics. Because of this discovery scientists in physics and other fields will be able to study the behavior of quantum mechanics not only in microscopic form, but also in macroscopic form.
Jeremy Northum — THE BATTALION
Charles Jantzen, Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Chief Cruelty Investigator and star of the Animal Planet show “Animal Cops: Houston” spoke at a Texas A&M University Zoological Society meeting Wednesday afternoon in the Biological Sciences Building East. He discussed animal cruelty laws, aspects of working for the HSPCA and unusual cases of animal cruelty with which he has been involved.
The research that Lee will pursue at A&M will be in the subject area of matrix isolation of free radicals, which may lead to a new way of producing superfluids. Not only is Lee looking forward to researching with new colleagues, but he said he is also looking forward to being able to teach physics classes this coming spring semester. “One of the greatest satisfactions of teaching grad students in a major university is that you are able to help them with their research projects and one day those students might end up making a significant discov-
ery,” Lee said. Lee said science is like a web, because one discovery might be of value in any other field of science, not only physics. Due to Lee’s valuable contributions to physics, a number of people have been trying to recruit the Nobel laureate to be a part of the expanding physics department. “He saw a dynamic physics research department and we have hired a number of top young physicists and he will be great complement to the dynamics of the physics department,” said Edward Fry, head of the physics department.
COLLEGE STUDENTS DESERVE AN
EDUCATION NOT INDOCTRINATION
Christian students at our public universities are being denied their right to openly express what they believe. The Constitution has something to say about this—and so should you. A RESOURCE OF THE ADF CENTER FOR ACADEMIC FREEDOM
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