Top: The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem is Islam’s third holiest site. The city is split between Israelis and Palestinians. Below, left: Seniors Jeffrey Frankens and Andrew Cagle walk through Talbieh Refugee Camp south of Amman, Jordan’s capital. Bottom: Employees at a United Nations medical facility in alHussein Refugee Camp give out prescriptions.
thebattalion ● friday,
december 3, 2010
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2010 student media
Unlocking identities Keys. An Israeli soldier buries the key to a Palestinian home deep into the earth. The soldier wipes his brow, proud of the fruit of his labor and he turns away from the tiny grave. Moments later he hears an explosion of metal. When he whips around, he cannot believe his eyes. A tiny golden tree made of keys has burst from the ground. This is the story Kanaan King alJamal tells three Aggies studying in Jordan. He says it is the story of a nation of people driven from their homeland who, despite half a century of displacement, continue to fight for their identity. Story by Katie White | Page 3 Photos by Jeffrey Frankens — THE BATTALION
MSC simplifies book-buying process
inside Aggie basketball
Katie White The Battalion Click. That is all it takes to buy textbooks now. The MSC Bookstore registration integration system allows students to follow a link after registering on the Howdy portal. The course information will be input into the bookstore’s website. Students can see books available to them that they need for courses. This includes used books, new books, electronic books and books for rent. “It’s really just a convenient way to shop,” said Holley Scott, MSC Bookstore manager. “It’s all about choices. Students can choose from four different options. We want to offer new avenues for all the different ways students like to learn.” Renting textbooks through the bookstore is new next semester. Scott said it is a great option for students who want to save money; students can save up to 50 percent when they rent. “Bottom line is the used textbook is going to be cheapest option but sometimes the option to buy used is not available,” Scott said. “Rental is just another choice to help the students.” Ashley Schultz, a sophomore sport management major,
The A&M men returned to Reed Arena after a week away to play the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks.
sports | 4
More than child’s play Camp Kesem plans a dodgeball game to benefit children of cancer patients
lifestyles | 6
WASHINGTON — The discovery of a strange bacteria that can use arsenic as one of its nutrients widens the scope for finding new forms of life on Earth and possibly beyond. While researchers discovered the unusual bacteria on Earth, they say it shows that life has possibilities beyond the major elements that have been considered essential. “This organism has dual capability. It can grow with either phosphorous or arsenic. That makes it very peculiar, though it falls short of being some form of truly ‘alien’ life,” said Paul C. W. Davies of Arizona State University. Associated Press
Untitled-5 1
Osa Okundaye — THE BATTALION
It’s official: Regents approve Olsen renovations Sean Lester The Battalion The Texas A&M Board of Regents voted Thursday in favor of a $7 million donation from Blue Bell Creameries toward the renovation of Olsen Field. The donation will complete the two-phase construction process to make Olsen Field one of the premier facilities in college baseball. The Board of Regents formally accepted the donation at Thursday’s meeting. “We received an extraordinary gift from Blue Bell and the Kruse family. The Kruses have generously agreed to give $7 million to the renovation of Olsen Field and we thank them for it,” said Texas A&M President R. Bowen Loftin. Thanks went around the room as the board complimented Ed and Howard Kruse, Blue Bell executives, for the donation. It was announced that during the February board meeting, the final funding will be announced and the board will be asked to approve construction. Construction is scheduled to begin during the beginning of the 2011 baseball season. The $16 million first phase of the plan includes the construction of a two-story student-athlete center housing a locker room, player’s lounge, coaches’ offices, training and weight facilities as well as club
English professor selected for board
seating, widening of the concourse and concession stands and restrooms. A secondary $8 million phase includes an exterior façade of the facility, removal of metal bleachers and construction of seating areas on the first and third base sides. Construction of suites along the top of the stadium and numerous fan and family amenities throughout the ballpark will be added. Along with the campaign commitments of more than $15 million toward the Phase I goal of $16 million and the sales of premium seats and suites, the gift from the Kruse brothers to the 12th
Evan Andrews — THE BATTALION
nation &world Microbe found that can use arsenic as nutrient
said the option to rent is a good idea. She said a lot of professors do not use the textbooks often enough in class for her to buy them, so renting for half the price would work well for her. “The only con I can really think of is if you rent you don’t know what condition the book will be in,” Schultz said. Students who rent textbooks will be allowed to highlight and take notes in the books they rent without penalty. Cristina Rosales, a freshman English major, said highlighting from previous users is sometimes beneficial to her studying because she can see other student’s ideas of what subject matter is important to remember. “Renting books had always been a hassle because I haven’t been able to highlight,” Rosales said. “I think I would rent if I could use highlighters and sticky notes.” Rosales said the system that allows students to go to the bookstore from Howdy seems beneficial but she will probably continue to use the MSC Bookstore to find what books she needs and then buy them for a discounted price online. Scott said students interested in buying electronic textbooks should look into the free application on the bookstore’s website called “nookstudy” which allows students to highlight and write notes in their electronic books.
See Olsen on page 2
Margaret Ezell, a distinguished English professor, will be the first Texas A&M faculty member selected as part of the international advisory board for the Centre for Women’s Writing and Literary Culture at Aberystwyth University in the United Kingdom. “I am delighted to be part of this new center and very honored to be included as part of its international advisory board,” Ezell said. Operating since September 2010, the center launches when Ezell, holder of the Sara and John Lindsey Chair in Liberal Arts, delivers the first lecture in May 2011. The center researches women’s writing from literary time periods and focuses on specific fields. While serving on the advisory board, Ezell will help the center’s director and faculty members contrive educational endeavors and workshops that create learning opportunities for students and faculty members. The center presents a lecture series and organizes an international conference every three years. “Presently I am working with the head of the center to develop an exchange program between the Center and the English department here at A&M,” Ezell said. “Initially, the plan is to have a graduate student from their program come here for a semester to work in our department with our faculty, and one of ours will be going there for a semester.” Ezell earned her doctorate in English and history from Cambridge University. She teaches Shakespeare, English 312; Early Modern Women Writers and the English Civil War, English 481. Stephanie Massey, staff writer
12/2/10 8:31 PM