The Battalion: January 17, 2012

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thebattalion

Americans missing at sea More than twodozen people, including 16 American citizens, have been reported missing after the Costa Concordia cruise ship hit a reef and ran aground near Tuscany on Friday night. Thus far, six people have been confirmed dead. Capt.

Francesco Schettino, who was accused of causing the wreck by deviating from the authorized course, is currently under investigation for manslaughter.

● tuesday,

january 17, 2012

● serving

texas a&m since 1893

● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2012 student media

Back in action

Huntsman drops GOP race Jon Huntsman dropped from the Republican presidential nomination on Monday, and has since endorsed Mitt Romney as the candidate “best equipped to defeat Barack Obama” in the fall election.

Huntsman quit the GOP race less than a week after finishing third in New Hampshire, the state where he had staked his candidacy.

The Associated Press

inside

b!

Barrett House — THE BATTALION

Newly activated Corps units, Squadron 1 and Company F-1, filed in rank at the Sanders Corps of Cadets Center.

lifestyles | 9 What to look for

2012 is scheduled to be a premier year in the world of entertainment.

Don’t miss out on the latest news and trends in our 2012 preview.

sports | 4 While you were gone Get a winter sports update and see what you missed over the break.

sports | 6 SEC Football A&M’s fall SEC schedule came out over the break.

See who visits Aggieland and mark your calendar inside.

voices | 7 Homage to civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.’s struggles for civil rights were essential for restoring our nation’s tradition of liberty for all.

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Disbanded Corps units return to form Barrett House The Battalion

A

fter ushering in the largest freshman class since 1987, the Corps made room for increasing numbers by breathing life into two previously disbanded outfits.

Squadron 1, “Hustlin’ One,” and Company F-1, the “Finest First,” became part of the Corps once more in separate ceremonies held at the Sanders Corps Center Friday in the presence of former students who once filled the outfits’ ranks.

The Commandant of the

Corps, Brig. Gen. Joe E. Ramirez Jr., Class of 1979, made the decision to reactivate the units after the Corps eclipsed 2,100 cadets in the fall. Expanding and diversifying the Corps has been a priority for Ramirez.

Disband criteria Outfits have been disbanded in years past due to reorganization, low enrollment and as a disciplinary measure.

See Corps on page 8

university

Denver, A&M at odds over 12th Man Administration vows to protect University trademarks Barrett House The Battalion The Denver Broncos caught the A&M administration’s attention when a parachutist dropped into Mile High Stadium before

a playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers bearing an orange Twelfth Man flag.

The Twelfth Man tradition at A&M dates more than 90 years, when “an Aggie, E. King Gill, was called from the stands to suit up as a substitute, hence the phrase ‘Twelfth Man’,” according to the campusology memorized by all members of the Corps of Cadets.

The Jan. 8 contest in Colorado wasn’t the first time that a professional football team

attempted to use A&M’s tradition-turnedtrademark in reference to its fans. Most recently, in January 2006, Texas A&M filed a suit against the Seattle Seahawks for using the trademark.

Jason Cook, A&M vice president of marketing and communications, said A&M took ownership of the trademark in 1990, which was upheld by the Seattle case.

See Trademark on page 8

Trademark The University has been in contact with the Denver Broncos since Wednesday.

Officials said that the trademark would not be sold to Denver like it was to Seattle.

sports

research

Tigers thrash Aggies, 70-51

Scientists utilize E. coli bacteria

Austin Meek

Kelly Tucker

The Battalion After the Aggies jumped out to a 17-14 lead, the No. 5 Missouri Tigers roared back with a 28-2 scoring spree and eventually ran away with the 70-51 victory.

You’ve gotta give them credit,” said Texas A&M head coach Billy Kennedy.

“They’ve got another gear in ‘em, and that’s Up next what makes them so The Aggies are good.” back in action at The Aggies started 3 p.m. Saturday at out well with junior home against the forward Khris MidOklahoma Sooners. dleton hitting two threes in the opening salvo. Senior point guard Dash Harris fed the ball to the post players inside, who consistently dished back out and hit Middleton and junior guard Elston Turner for open looks.

But soon the Tigers’ full-court press and riotous crowd inhibited A&M’s execution.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Texas A&M sophomore guard Khris Middleton shoots a jumper in the Tigers’ 71-50 rout of the Aggies.

“We had them at the pace we wanted to for the first 12 minutes but I think we got out of rhythm. Offensively, we started runSee Aggies on page 6

The Battalion E. coli typically gets a bad rap for causing food poisoning and mass produce recalls. But while the bacteria might be unsuitable for dinner, A&M professor Thomas Wood and A&M associate professor Arul Jayaraman revealed earlier in January a way the bacteria can boost productivity in bioreactors and possibly pave the way for alternative fuel sources.

Biofilm, a layer formed between different species of bacteria, contains proteins, carbohydrates and DNA, which help the bacteria bind together, take in nutrients and hold onto surfaces.

Common biofilms are the “slime” on shells and rocks and the plaque on teeth.

If the biofilm is removed, the remaining bacteria use chemical signals to communicate with one another, and to rebuild the biofilm to resume its necessary bio-

Cells as chemical plants At a time when resources are at a premium, the possibility of having common bacteria produce essential materials as chemical reactors opens the door to creating alternative sources of in-demand supplies.

See Biofilm on page 10

1/17/12 12:02 AM

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pagetwo thebattalion 1.17.2012

Aggies win first bowl game in a decade

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The Battalion welcomes any Texas A&M student interested in writing for the arts, campus, metro or sports staffs to try out. We particularly encourage freshmen and sophomores to apply, but students may try out regardless of semester standing or major. No previous journalism experience is necessary.

news for you nation&world Rescuers find missing snowshoer

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SEATTLE — A 66-year-old snowshoer, Yong Chun Kim, of Tacoma, Wash., who was missing on Mount Rainier since Saturday was found alive Monday afternoon by a team of three rescuers, a national park spokeswoman said. Kim was leading a group of 16 members of a hiking club on a snowshoe hike on the mountain when he slid down a slope and became separated from his party. Kim was found alert and conscious, and was cold but otherwise in stable condition, park spokeswoman Lee Taylor said.

The Associated Press

Jay Kapadia — THE BATTALION

Running back Ben Malena celebrates after scoring a touchdown in a 33-22 win against Northwestern in the Meineke Car Care Bowl on Dec. 31.

Obama accelerates student loan program to relieve debt Jonathan Webb Special to The Battalion For many students, loans are the only way to fund an education, but paying back these loans can be burdensome down the road.

President Barack Obama announced an executive order on Oct. 26 to accelerate a student loan program that was originally set to take place in 2014. The program, which came into effect this month, was enacted to relieve students in debt by lessening the burden of paying back student loans.

With tuition rates at an all-time high, many students have to use various methods of financial aid to complete school. On average, tuition tends to increase about eight percent per year, according to the U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics. This means tuition rates increase at about twice the general inflation rate. With an eight percent college inflation rate in place, tuition doubles every nine years.

Obama’s loan program will allow students to cut their loan payments down to 10 percent of discretionary income, as opposed to the current 15 percent. The loan program will allow students with multiple federal loans to consolidate payments into one monthly payment. Students will be relieved of any remaining debt after 20 years.

“The idea behind consolidation of loans is to lower interest rates,” Chase Bank representative Aaron Blaylock said. “There are several million borrowers who have multiple loans that require separate monthly payments.”

Before the law change, there were two federal loan programs: the Federal Family Education Loan Program and the Federal Direct Student Loan Program. The Department of Education was the lender under the Direct Student Loan Program, and private institutions such as banks and credit unions were the lenders for the Federal Family Education Loan Program.

“The two programs were basically the same, with a few differences in the repayment terms of the loans,” said Delisa Falks, Texas A&M executive director of scholarships.

A majority of universities were participating in the Federal Family Education Loan Program, however, in April 2009, Obama eliminated the program, which made all loans direct. From that point on, universities had to participate in the Federal Direct Student Loan Program.

“This program is not for every student,” Falks said. “Seek out all loan repayment options; ensure you choose the right one for

you and your individual circumstances.”

Blaylock said students tend to find themselves ◗ Students can cut in the most trouble under private loans because their loan payments they do not have the down to 10 percent same protections and, in of discretionary turn, are more liable. income.

“This is where the ◗ Students problem exists,” Blaywith multiple lock said. “Students who federal loans can borrow from private lenders are not under the consolidate their payments into one same government promonthly payment. tection and they typically carry higher interest ◗ Students will rates. Obama’s plan will be relieved of any not help these students.” remaining debt Nor will Obama’s after 20 years. plan cater to borrowers who have already defaulted on loan payments. Also, this program will not affect students who are already in repayment and are not planning to take out any new student loans.

Students who did not take out loans before 2008 and who will borrow in 2012 can take advantage of the program.

Jonathan Meer, assistant professor of economics, does not see the program having a significant impact on student debt.

“I don’t think the plan is bad, per se, but I don’t think it does much good either,” Meer said.

The plan only applies to current and future students who have federal loans and will have no real impact on anyone who graduated earlier.

“I’m sure that there are some individuals who will benefit, namely those with very high student loans and low current incomes, but for the most part it won’t have much of an effect,” Meer said.

Tyler Stewart, junior history major, said the reason behind moving the program’s effective date up two years is campaigning, and that the program will have a diminutive impact, if any, on students in debt.

“The president is just trying to wrap up the student vote for 2012,” Stewart said.

“How is this plan going to affect students?

The changes [Obama] made to the current loan plan are too minor to see any significant good come from it. And it will be far from what he is promising to students.”

Effective this month:

1/17/12 12:06 AM

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Kingsbury will take his second coaching job as he re-joins Sumlin’s staff

Sumlin wraps up hires James Solano

◗ B.J. Anderson, Offensive Line Anderson spent three seasons at UH, and has also had stints at Sam Houston State where his line paved the way for the top ranked offense in the nation in NCAA Division II in 2003.

The Battalion As Kevin Sumlin prepared for his first spring in Aggieland at the helm of the football program, the former University of Houston head coach has gradually revealed his first coaching staff, which will lead the Aggies into the Southeastern Conference this fall

◗ Clarence McKinney, Running Backs/ Recruiting Coordinator - Clarence McKinney is the third coach from Sumlin’s former UH staff. The Houston native is revered for his recruiting in the Houston area.

Offense

◗ Kliff Kingsbury, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks - After a 13–1 campaign last season at UH, Kliff Kingsbury’s offense led the nation in total offense, passing offense and scoring.

◗ David Beaty, Wide Receivers - David Beaty returns to his native state from his

previous coaching job as the co-offensive coordinator at Kansas to join the Aggies as the wide receiver coach.

◗ Brian Polian, Special Teams/Tight Ends - From Stanford University, Brian Polian joins the Aggies to be the special teams coordinator and to coach the tight ends.

Defense

◗ Mark Snyder, Defensive Coordinator - Snyder is coming to A&M from South Florida, but he has also served as head coach at Marshall University, and was a part of the 2002 Ohio State national championship team.

◗ Terrell Williams, Defensive Line Terrell Williams will return to coach the defensive line, as the only retuning coach from Coach Sherman’s staff ◗ Larry Jackson, Head Football Strength and Conditioning - Former A&M standout Larry Jackson will return to Aggieland as the strength and conditioning coach. Jackson was previously UH’s Director of Sports Performance, and also worked with Sumlin at the University of Oklahoma.

For the complete story, visit thebatt.com.

sports

thebattalion 1.17.2011 page4

Winter hooplah Austin Meek: No rest for the weary, but hope remains

T

hough they probably could’ve used it, the Texas A&M men’s basketball team didn’t get much of a break over the holidays.

While you were at home, complaining about washing dishes and trying to stomach the incessant chatter of parental nagging, the squad pushed through a Christmas tournament in New York City, finished off a slate of comically underwhelming non-conference games, and began conference play.

In case you spent the holidays in a drunken stupor, a debilitating coma or simply carefree from the vacillations of Aggie athletics, here’s a quick primer to get you up to speed before Saturday’s home game against Oklahoma.

The 2K Sports Classic held its share of ups and downs. A 69-60 defeat by Mississippi State relegated the Aggies to consolation, but they eventually won that side of the bracket with a 58-57 win against St. John’s.

Non-conference play was more bad than good. An embarrassing loss on national television to then-ranked No. 13 Florida served A&M an SEC-sized slice of humble pie, but rather than rebound they tanked the next game too with a 65-58 drubbing that snapped the Aggies’ 67-game non-conference home winning streak and earned the Rice Owls their first victory against A&M since 1996. The jubilation of putting away all the early-season cream puffs quickly vanished.

I trekked south to Waco on Jan. 2 for the Aggies last Big 12 tilt in history, hoping that they’d remain hot coming off a 76-58 annihilation of Arkansas Tech. But a barrage of half-court alley-oops and no buckets in the game’s first five minutes quickly wiped away any dreams I’d harbored of stealing a W at the Golden Dome.

When Iowa State came to Reed the next Saturday, I was sure the Aggies would find a way to win.

I mean, Iowa State — they hadn’t won in College Station in more than a decade. But sure enough, five Cyclones reached double figures and Royce White recorded a triple-double, connecting on ten assists (three more than A&M’s team total). I thought it couldn’t get any worse … until four days later.

A 61-51 loss at Texas the following Wednesday bolstered everyone’s deepest fears: a lifetime of bragging rights for t-sips and a downward descent into a (hopeful) bid for the NIT. The NCAA tournament pairs college basketball’s greatest teams against one another, and that spineless loss in Austin proved this team isn’t among the cream of the nation’s crop.

But then it came: a win. A victorious battle against a longstanding rival. A spark. A new season.

I don’t want to overstate the importance of Saturday’s 67-54 win over Texas Tech. By all metrics, the Red Raiders rank as the conference’s doormat and, with an 0-4 Big 12 record, are all but assured of watching from the punch line as other teams dance into March. But beating Billy Gillispie, the former

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A&M coach brought to Lubbock after stints at the University of Kentucky and the Franklin (KY) County jail, could be pointed to in two months as the game that turned around the Aggies’ last season in the Big 12.

Think about the rollercoaster this team’s been riding the past few months. First off, the team’s head coach and father figure, Mark Turgeon, alerted his boys he’d accepted the job at Maryland. His replacement, Billy Kennedy from unheralded Murray State, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease shortly after his hiring. The first month of the season was spent with both Kennedy and Big 12 Preseason First-Teamer Khris Middleton out of commission.

Once the team finally started seeing floor time together, more disaster struck. Promising forward Kourtney Roberson went down with an injury. Jamal Branch, a highly-touted freshman and the team’s only point guard outside Dash Harris, renounced his position and dropped out of school.

And then, to top it all off, the first three conference games turned out to be duds.

Three quick justifications before getting to the silver lining: 1) Baylor is the No. 3 team in the country and was undefeated through 17 contests before falling to Kansas on the road Monday; losing on the road by only nine when you shoot 6-28 in the first half is nothing to be ashamed of. 2) Royce White put up a triple-double (10 pts/18 reb/10 assists), the first time a Big 12 player has accomplished the feat in a conference game since 2006.

That’s called an “aberration.” 3) The most talented team in Texas/ Texas A&M games rarely wins; it’s the squad that can handle the mental and physical struggle of facing our biggest rival that ends up on top. In the unfriendly confines of the Frank Erwin Center, the Aggies folded, no way around it.

But when you look at the enormous amount of bad breaks the Aggies have endured to even make it to this point, doesn’t some part of you want to give them the benefit of the doubt? That maybe, if our rookie coach who’s trying to implement a new offense and figure out how to deploy players he didn’t recruit, didn’t incur a debilitating case of Parkinson’s, the season might look different?

All I can say is this: despite even the most recent 70-51 debacle against No. 5 Missouri, there’s hope. This team’s laden with leaders and shot makers, defensive stoppers and charge takers. Kennedy knows what he’s doing (check out Murray State when you get a second; they’re 18-0 and the No. 10 team in the nation). So don’t let a few rough games cloud your perspective. This team has talent, and I hope you’ll join me to see how the drama unfolds this season.

Tyler Hosea — THE BATTALION

Junior guard Adrian Pratcher drives to the bucket in a 76-71 loss to rival Texas at Reed Arena.

Drew Chambers: Ups, downs define holidays for defending national champions

T

he Fighting Texas Aggie Women’s Basketball team went 5-3 over the winter break, improving to a 11-4 overall record and moving to No. 14 nationally.

The Aggies got key wins over USC and Oklahoma, but also suffering crucial losses to the University of Connecticut and the University of Texas.

As the break began, the Aggies faced No. 2 ranked Connecticut Huskies. They committed two turnovers within the first minute of the game. The Aggies fell behind 10-5 with 17:33 left in the first half and couldn’t catch up for the rest of the game, losing 81-51.

Connecticut had six players scoring double digits including Tiffany Hayes and Kaleena MosquedaLewis with 14 points each. The Aggies top scorer was senior guard Tyra White with 14 points.

Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair said the Aggies would get better after seeing things they had to fix in the loss to Connecticut.

“You can tell right now we’re not ready for this type of competition,” Blair said. “We’ll get better because of it. We saw a lot of things we make mistakes on.”

The Aggies proved to be a team as different players stepped up at the right time for them. When Austin Meek is a senior creative the Aggies traveled to Fort Worth writing major to take on the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs, senior forward Adaora Elonu and White racked up 15 points apiece as they led the way for the Aggies to a

68-53 win.

After a month on the road the Aggies came back home to face a tough USC Trojan team, currently ranked second in the Pac-12 Conference, in a nail biting finish.

Senior guard Sydney Carter came through the clutch by hitting a game winning 3-pointer with 11 seconds remaining to bring the final score to 71-70.

Junior guard Adrienne Pratcher stepped up as she started the comeback by hitting two jumpers after the Aggies were down 69-61 with 2:34 left in the game. Pratcher had a career and game high of 22 points. Pratcher’s scoring and Carter’s 3-pointer improved the Aggies record to 8-2 on the season.

After a tough win at USC, McNeese State traveled to Reed Arena hoping to avenge their first round loss in the NCAA tournament last year. Junior center Kelsey Bone led the Aggies with 19 points and 15 rebounds to win their ninth game of the season 72-62. McNeese State twins Ashlyn and Caitlyn Baggett combined for more than half of their team’s points with 37.

January 4 marked the first game of Big 12 Conference play for the Aggies as they traveled to Manhattan to face the Kansas State Wildcats. Coach Blair knew that every Big 12 team is looking to dethrone

the national champions.

“Everyone’s circle on their calendar is when they play us,” Blair said. “We have to respond.”

The game came down to the very last second of overtime as Kansas State guard Mariah White made a layup with four seconds left to hand Texas A&M their first Big 12 loss of the season 71-69.

The Aggies headed back to College Station where they dominated the Oklahoma Sooners 75-58. The Texas Longhorns then came to town as they were looking for their first win against the Aggies and got it with a 76-71 heartbreaker at Reed Arena. Carter led the Aggies with 25 points and a career high 3 for 6 from 3-point range but fouled out with 3:57 left in the game.

She acknowledged her frustration of being fouled out after the game.

“I think it was a lot of the emotion,” Carter said. “I was trying to get a stop for my team, but I just have to be smarter.”

As the Aggies bounced back with a 59-33 win over Iowa State, they are looking to improve its record in Big 12 play to 3-2 tonight as they take on the Missouri Tigers in Reed Arena 7 p.m.

Drew Chambers is a junior communication major

1/17/12 12:16 AM

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sports

page 6 If you are an undergraduate student currently enrolled at Texas A&M University, and are conducting a research project or scholarly studies or have done so in the past, this is an excellent opportunity to get your work published!

To submit your proposal for consideration, please clearly state your name, department, faculty advisor’s name and email, classification, area of research, your work and/or contribution to the stated research and an abstract of no more than 250 words. Describe your research in the simplest of terms as this journal targets a general audience.

The deadline to submit your proposal is 31st January 2012.

Submit proposals to: explorations@tamu.edu

tuesday 1.17.2012

thebattalion

football SEC schedule set for 2012 The Texas A&M football schedule was released over the break with home conference games including the likes of Florida, LSU, Missouri and possibly Arkansas. There has yet to be confirmation on the site of the Arkansas game and whether it will be played at Cowboys Stadium or Kyle Field.

All nonconference opponents, while some have been determined, are still in the works.

For more information see http://explorations.tamu.edu

Aggies Continued from page 1

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ning a bit, and their pressure defense took it to another level, and that’s why they’re so good,” Kennedy said.

When things started heading south, the offense adopted an uncharacteristically flashy style.

“We were throwing alley-oops, taking quick shots, and here at Missouri you don’t do that,” Kennedy said.

The Aggies may have been trying to compete with the acrobatics and sharp shooting of Mizzou’s Michael Dixon, who came off the bench and poured in 16 points in the first half in front of the home crowd.

After heading into the locker room down 19, the Aggies came out firing and started a 14-5 run while holding the Tigers to only one field goal in the second half’s first eight minutes. The game remained close until the seven-minute mark, when exhaustion and crowd noise finally broke the Aggies’ spirit and Mizzou ripped off eight in a row to take control once and for all.

“There was a lot going on,” junior forward Ray Turner said. “The fans had their backs; they were very loud. When it gets to that point, we need to come even closer as a team and execute as we need to on the offensive end. And today as the crowd got louder, I don’t think we

executed as we should have toward the end.”

The loss dropped the Aggies to 1-4 in conference play, a precipitous decline for a team slated by many pundits as favorites to win the Big 12. Kennedy said the team has faced adversity in the first half of the season. The Aggies lost star player Middleton with a torn meniscus for several weeks, and four of A&M’s losses have come against teams currently ranked in the top 15 nationally.

“Look at the games we lost: we lost to Missouri on the road Baylor on the road, Texas on the road, and Iowa State who was playing very well,” Kennedy said of the Aggies’ Big 12 start. “This is a good league. There are no easy games, and we have to be a little more efficient on both ends of the court.”

Chris Weber, senior nuclear engineering major, said the team’s recent struggles would never stifle his wellspring of Aggie spirit.

“I believe in this team,” Weber said. “Because I believe in the Twelfth Man.” Ray Turner said the team looks to each other for strength. And while the losses have been difficult for players to stomach, the only way to overcome the disappointment is by preparing for the next game rather than dwelling on the past.

“It’s been rough,” Turner said. “But over time we’ve just got to keep working at practice and get ready for the next game.”

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

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

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

Direct all correspondence to: Editor in chief of The Battalion (979) 845-3315 | mailcall@thebatt.com

Road to freedom Naila Dhanani: In honor of Martin Luther King Jr.

O

n April 3, 1968, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a speech at the Mason Temple in Memphis, Tenn.

King said, “Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land.”

The next day, King was shot on the second-floor balcony of the Lorraine Motel and later died.

King didn’t live long enough to see the triumphs of his efforts, but our nation is forever indebted to his convictions. He believed in a free America — not just in name, but also in reality.

We were a troubled nation before King arrived. We denied justice to men and women based solely on the color of his or her skin.

Despite the failings of those around him; despite the failure of the bus driver who told an exhausted Rosa Parks to give up her seat so a white man could sit down; despite the failure of the police who arrested her, King stood up. He stood up

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Coming Wednesday Columnist Michael Rodriguez explores Martin Luther King Jr.’s contribution to the Hispanic community. and challenged America to live up to its name as a free nation.

We lost our humanity and decency, and King helped us regain it.

But it wasn’t an easy fight. A couple of weeks after the March on Washington, where King delivered his “I have a dream” speech, four young black girls attending Sunday school classes in Birmingham, Ala., were killed by a bomb set by a member of the Ku Klux Klan. It didn’t stop King. He continued the fight and eventually the civil rights movement emerged victorious.

Although the days of denying rights and instilling fear in an entire race are now over, our nation is still not perfect. We must strive to end the injustices facing our generation — the lack of marriage equality for all, the inability of undocumented immigrants to gain citizenship, unfair

‘

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.

voices thebattalion 01.17.2012 page7

ASSOCIATED PRESS

A mug shot of Martin Luther King Jr. taken following his February 1956 arrest during the Montgomery, Ala., bus boycotts. profiling and others — as King did with the civil rights movement.

In his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”, King wrote, “I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere … Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

Although he died well before his time, King gave rise to a movement

that would empower and enrich the lives of all Americans.

We must never forget King’s mission to end all injustices, and we must never forget that anyone has the ability to rise up and lead a troubled cause.

President Barack Obama said it best at the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial dedication on Oct. 16, when he said of King, “A black

preacher with no official rank or title who somehow gave voice to our deepest dreams and our most lasting ideals, a man who stirred our conscience and thereby helped make our union more perfect.”

Naila Dhanani is a junior biomedical sciences major and opinion editor for The Battalion.

1/17/12 12:08 AM

news

page 8 tuesday 1.17.2011

thebattalion

The Twelfth Man has been a part of A&M tradition since then-student E. King Gill stood ready to join the Aggie football team in 1922 at the Dixie Classic.

Corps Continued from page 1

Jay Kapadia — THE BATTALION

Continued from page 1

“The Seattle case was important to us because it proved that Texas A&M had ownership and trademark protection over the Twelfth Man mark,” Cook said. “It also gave us protection in the professional leagues. We didn’t want protection of the Twelfth Man just in college football, but in all football.”

The suit was settled out of court, with Texas A&M allowing the Seahawks to pay for use of the trademark as long as A&M is credited with ownership.

After the parachutist landed in Denver, Cook responded, via Twitter, claiming that the Aggies’ Twelfth Man trademark would be protected.

“After the Twelfth Man flag was shown on the broadcast, I began receiving texts and tweets and emails and saw traffic on Texas A&M-related forums. I went to Twitter to state Texas A&M ownership of that trademark,” Cook said. “If we don’t aggressively police our trademarks, it can be diluted where every NFL fan is the Twelfth Man, or that we lose ownership of it entirely.”

The reason Cook decided to use Twitter was because of its reach to the many people who watched the game and witnessed the Twelfth Man flag.

“I knew I could immediately reach tens of thousands of people,” Cook said. “The legal processes would have never become known to the millions of people who saw it.”

Cook’s tweet sparked heated comments from fans in Denver and abroad, claiming Texas A&M was complaining for no reason. How-

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Junior information and operations ever, Cook was more concerned management major Coby Blackmon with Aggies.

“I think people are just upset. said A&M has the right to protect Although we may have had a lot the trademark since it originated of upset Denver fans, there were here, and that it is a part of the Aggie also a bunch of upset Aggies,” brand, which has been under scruCook said. “One of our beloved tiny since the decision to move to trademarks had been stolen. Our the SEC. However, Blackmon said goal is not to make people happy; he does not think this issue will hurt our goal is to maintain ownership the brand.

“It won’t affect it significantly,” over our marks, which are federally Blackmon said. “It obviously will protected.”

Junior kinesiology major Evan put us in the news a little bit more.

Boullosa said he could understand But don’t they say that any exposure why NFL fans would claim the is good exposure?”

Cook said the Twelfth Man will Twelfth Man trademark, but that its origins in Aggie tradition are Our goal is not to make people worth protecting. happy; our goal is to maintain “We own the rights ownership over our marks, which to that phrase and the law is the law, but I are federally protected.” have mixed feelings — Jason Cook, A&M vice president for on whether we should marketing and communications actually own it. I feel like that phrase should belong to the sport itself, meaning continue to be an important tradition anyone can use it,” Boullosa said. to Aggies everywhere.

“With the Twelfth Man, it’s “But at the same time, I love the history of A&M and I am a huge part of our DNA as Aggies. It emsupporter when it comes to retain- bodies a call to service; it embodies loyalty; and embodies passion and ing and respecting our history.”

On Friday, Cook said that the spirit,” Cook said. “For us, we want issue will be handled quickly, and somebody to see the Twelfth Man that no suit had been filed against and connect it back to Texas A&M. Denver. However, the Univer- We have the visual of thousands sity has been in contact with the of students, wearing maroon, supDenver Broncos since Wednesday. porting their team, and we want to Cook also said that the trademark protect that.” would not be sold to Denver like it was to Seattle.

“We don’t have the desire to license the trademark with anybody,” Cook said. “We’ve been very pleased with our decisions, in terms of reaching an amicable resolution. We do approach the protection of our marks very agsee ads at thebatt.com gressively.”

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“One of my goals when I first took over was to grow the Corps, and as we grew the Corps I wanted to bring back units that had been deactivated over the years that had been a part of our history,” Ramirez said. “My hope is that we’ll continue to grow the Corps and stand up more units.”

Ramirez attributes the growth to revised recruiting practices, along with cadets becoming more involved with the process. He also said he expects to welcome another large freshmen class in August.

“We’re putting the message out about what the Corps stands for and what it is that we’re trying to do and we’re making changes to make the Corps more relevant and focus more on leadership and preparing young men and women for the future,” Ramirez said. “All the indicators right now, including the numbers of folks spending the night with the Corps and folks who have contacted us, they’re all up.”

Senior history major Kristan Volk, the new Squadron 1 commander, applied for the position to be a part of the outfit’s history.

“It’s the outfit that stole Bevo, so it’s going to be good to bring it back,” Volk said. “I thought it would be cool to help stand up a new unit and be a part of that tradition and help bring the first group of people in and help shape the outfit tradition and culture.”

The guest speaker for the Company F-1 ceremony, Bill Stough, Class of 1960, and retired Army Gen. Edmond Solymosy, Class of 1960, were excited to attend the reactivation of the outfit they helped create.

“It’s wonderful,” Stough said.

“It’s a reaffirmation of the bond we had that’s lasted for over half a century.”

Solymosy reminisced of the lessons learned, although the outfit

was disbanded in the 1980s.

“What we really learned is to care for one another, which really formed that brotherly bond — above and beyond what I would consider the normal stuff you hear about being a member in the Corps,” Solymosy said. “When our outfit was disbanded, we were all shocked. We had won the General Moore award five years out of 10.”

The award, given annually, recognized the most outstanding unit in the Corps based on several criteria including military proficiency and grades. The criteria have since changed to recognize outfits that perform well in inspection.

Stough noted many of the differences since his days on campus.

Aside from perhaps the most obvious — the addition of women — Stough said the most influential change was the Corps becoming voluntary.

“When we were there, we thought, ‘we’re all going to get college degrees and we won’t get drafted until we get college degrees,’ so that made it a career option,” Stough said. “And these folks are volunteering [to join the Corps] from the get go, and that’s something that’s impressive.”

When Stough and Solymosy came to A&M as freshmen in 1956, they joined 7,200 cadets. At the time, the Corps represented the entire student population. Now, the Corps represents approximately 4.2 percent of the university’s nearly 50,000 students.

Former members, along with Stough and Solymosy, treated the ceremonies as a reunion, both between friends and members throughout the years.

“Looking at all these other former ‘F-1s,’ as old as we are, it’s remarkable. And that’s what I think is so wonderful about this,” Solymosy said. “There are people here from all over that came back, not just because of this, but to see everybody, and the outfit. They inherited, I hope, the spirit we helped instill.”

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b! 2012

page 9

thebattalion

tuesday 1.17.2012

New year, new hype Students discuss trends in fashion, technology and films of the Rings series, is the first film in a two-part adaptation of J.R.R Tolkien’s novel, The Hobbit. An Unexpected Journey introduces the story of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), and how he obtained The Ring of Sauron.

The film is a not a strict adaptation of the novel, but rather Peter Jackson’s interpretation. Many characters will return from the original trilogy, including Gandalf (Ian McKellen), Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), Saruman (Christopher Lee), and Galadriel (Cate Blanchett), according to IMDB. Arianna Shewfelt, sophomore psychology major and Lord of The Rings fanatic, is anxious to see Peter Jackson’s interpretation of the novel.

I want to see how Peter Jackson translates the characters and scenes from the book,� Shewfelt said. “I really love how each of the actors brought their character to life.�

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a winter release, and will be in theaters Dec. 14.

Sam Neal The Battalion With the arrival of the new year comes new technology, movies and fashion trends. No matter your interest, 2012 is shaping up to be a great year for the world of entertainment.

Technology Apple releases a new iPhone every year and, according to Dan Grabham at TechRadar, they will continue this trend in 2012 with the release of the iPhone 5. While there is no official word from Apple, there are many credible rumors circulating the Internet about the release date of this device.

Rumor has it that the iPhone 5 will be revealed at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference in June and released on Oct. 5, according to Mail Online.

The device is also rumored to have twice the processing speed of the iPhone 4S with 4G support, the ability to stream content from the user’s iTunes library with iCloud and a 3D camera, according to TechRadar.

Kenny Tran, junior psychology major, hopes that iPhone 5 can be used as a computer. “I’d like the new iPhone 5 to feature new capabilities that would allow me to connect a keyboard and mouse to it wirelessly,� Tran said. “And a monitor through thunderbolt so I could use the iPhone as an actual portable personal computer.�

Another portable device coming in 2012 is the PlayStation Vita, the successor to Sony’s PSP. The PlayStation Vita aims to bring the console experience to a handheld and will feature exclusive versions of many popular game series, such as Uncharted, Little Big Planet and Call of Duty.

To call the Vita “feature-rich� would be an understatement. Compared to the PSP, the PlayStation Vita has triple the processing power, a higher-resolution screen with touch controls, a rear touch pad — similar to the touch pad on a laptop — front and rear cameras, a microphone and a gyroscope for tilt controls, like one would find in an iPhone, according to the official PlayStation website.

Theses features come at a price; the device is 7 inches long, nearly the length of two iPhones, and has a constant use battery life of three to five hours.

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT

The Playstation Vita is expected to be the ultimate handheld device.

WARNER BROTHERS

The Dark Knight Rises has already sold out in select theaters.

The PlayStation Vita will cost $299 for the 3G model, with an additional $19.99 a month for the 3G contract and $249 for the Wi-Fi only model.

The PlayStation Vita hits store shelves Feb. 22.

Fashion Some of the fashion trends of 2012 are speculative, but expect some of the later trends from 2011 to carry over into the new year.

This phrase “history repeats itself� is fitting for the spring fashion trends in 2012.

The 60s are in full swing this spring, and bring with them a trio of popular looks.

The first of these, Mod. Style, embodies a light and playful personality. The Mod. Style is characterized by bright block colors, abstract geometric patters, short hairstyles and short playful dresses.

The second of the three, Folk Style, is a softer and sexier look, according to Fashionising. Folk fashion is known for it’s lace clothing, ultra-short hemlines, and monochrome colors.

The final popular 60s trend, the Sex Kitten look, is the polar opposite of the Mod. Style and represents the embracement of female sexuality. This curvaceous look is defined by waist cuts that accentuate the bust and hips, slim pencil skirts or cropped pants and voluminous hairstyles according to Fashionishing Online.

Kristen Alessi, sophomore business administration major, thinks that 60s fashion has been quite influential in modern fashion. “I think that 60s fashion has influenced a lot of styles in this day and age,� Alessi said. “The color blocking, big sun glasses and mini skirts are all products of the 60s.�

Spring also means the return of swimsuit season, and expects the vintage style to affect swimsuit trends as well.

Some of these popular vintage-trends include ruffled bikinis, crocheted bikinis, string and strap bikinis, and colorfully printed swimwear.

With so much to offer, 2012 will be an eventful year for those interested in technology, entertainment or fashion.

Movies For movie fans, 2012 marks the end of one critically acclaimed trilogy and the revival of another.

This summer, Christopher Nolan brings an end to The Dark Knight trilogy with The Dark Knight Rises.

Set eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, the film follows Batman as he attempts to clear Harvey Dent’s name, and save the city of Gotham from the brutal new villain, Bane. Bane, played by Tom Hardy, is a villain who can challenge Batman both physically and mentally. “He’s brutal,� Nolan said in an interview with Empire. “ It’s not about fighting, it’s about carnage. Anything from small-joint manipulation to crushing skulls, crushing rib cages, stamping on shins and knees and necks and collarbones and snapping heads off and tearing his fists through chests, ripping out spinal columns.�

The Dark Knight Rises is also the series debut of Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway), aka Catwoman. Other than her skin-tight leather outfit, very little is known about Catwoman’s role in the film.

Will Prince, sophomore international business major, is huge fan of The Dark Knight trilogy. “The past two movies were amazing,�

Prince said. “I’m always willing to fork over my money to support world saving.�

The Dark Knight Rises opens in theaters July 20.

While The Dark Knight Trilogy is wrapping up, the popular Lord of the Rings series is getting a new film with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the newest addition to Peter Jackson’s Lord

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The small block is prototype of the bio film used in Arul Jayaraman’s research for an alternative fuel source.

Biofilm

What we

Continued from page 1

envision is

7X .SWITL &VE^SW :EPPI] &YFFE 1SSVI 7X .SWITL logical processes.

1IQSVMEP %9&$6$ 'EXLSPMG 'EXLSPMG “Biofilms are formed by vir )POW +VSYT -RG 'LYVGL 7GLSSP tually all bacteria, and nearly 90 percent of all bacteria in the environment are found associated with surfaces,” Jayaraman said. “Bacteria in a biofilm are harder to kill, and this shows why they form biofilms.”

The chemical signaling responsible for the biofilm is at ®

Pg. 10-01.17.12.indd 1

news

page 10

having multiple types of bacteria in a biofilm, with each one being capable of performing a specific

chemical reaction.”

— Arul Jayaraman

the heart of the researchers’ findings. Harnessing the signals and their resulting responses can control the biofilm and the cellular products it makes.

“What we envision is having multiple types of bacteria in a biofilm, with each one being capable of performing a specific chemical reaction.

Thus, the community together can perform a complex set of reactions, which is what’s done in commercial production of specialty chemicals,” Jayaraman said. “Since we can control the ratio of members in the biofilm, we can control the type of reaction carried out and the product formed.

Thus, one use is in a ‘bacterial chemical plant.’”

At a time when resources are at a premium, the possibility of having bacteria produce essential materials as chemical reactors opens the door to creating alternative sources of in-demand supplies. Since bacteria feed on compounds such as glucose, fueling bioreactors that utilize modified bioreactors could potentially be more efficient and economical.

“In our work, we engineered cells for the first time to displace existing biofilms via population-driven signals produced by the second biofilm cells. We expect it may be applied to pattern biofilms by facilitating the reuse of platforms and to create sophisticated reactor systems that will be used to form biorefineries,” said Seok-Hoon Hong, Class of 2010 and a postdoctoral associate at Northwestern University who worked in Wood’s lab.

By signaling the biofilm to naturally disperse, the research group was able to effectively “shut off” the bacteria’s production line. Using such control could allow for the assembly of various cellular products that could be used to make chemicals needed by various industries naturally.

To accomplish the displacement of the biofilm, E. coli bacteria were modified to transmit the signal normally sent by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a different bacteria species. The E. coli bacteria were then inserted into a biofilm made in the lab that responded to the implanted P. aeruginosa signal by breaking apart.

The end result of this complex process is the manipulation of the product of the biofilm, in effect creating a switch that can be used to turn on or off the production of a given compound.

The researchers’ next goal is to further refine how bacteria can be controlled via signal modification to make specific products such as dyes currently made from petroleum. While the research is still in its early stages and implementing it in industries is years away, the continued efforts of the researchers are optimistic.

“We envision that biofilms will be used as chemical reactors to make the chemicals we now get from petroleum refineries and the products of those chemicals are all around us, from skylights to water bottles,” Wood said.

1/17/12 12:28 AM

news thebattalion

page 11 tuesday 1.17.2012

In accordance with Texas Education Code Section 51.936 and as the entity charged with the collection and distribution described therein, the Department of Student Activities is formally publishing a list of organizations that have been disciplined for hazing or convicted for hazing on or off the campus of the institution during the preceding three years.

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COURTESY PHOTO

Residents from Brazos County march along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard on Monday in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Brazos Valley marches for freedom Natalee Blanchat The Battalion “Keeping the dream alive� was the message at the 16th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom March in Bryan on Monday. “This Little Light of Mine,� “In the Army of the Lord� and other hymns echoed throughout the streets of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard as hundreds of walkers came out to celebrate the iconic figure and to show their support for contemporary civil rights issues, freedoms and current immigration laws. Participants clapped along to the gospels and embraced their neighbors as they trekked two miles from Sadie Thomas Park to Kemp Elementary.

On the street corners of Congress and Logan, residents cheered the marchers while displaying bouts of patriotism. They waved American flags and held signs depicting the face of the reverend who advocated for non-violence and equality during the African-American civil rights movement in the 1950s and ‘60s.

Agnes Gray, chair of the Brazos Valley Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, created the march in Bryan and helped facilitate it for more than a decade. She said the idea for the march materialized after some southern states, such as Arizona, continuously voted against the bill that would recognize Martin Luther King Jr. Day as an official paid holiday. “The event started with only 200 hundred people and after our 16th year, it has continued to grow,� Gray said.

Gray said the true importance of the march is to enlighten a younger generation

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— many of whom have forgotten the struggles her generation went through. “But we have to keep it going, otherwise, we will lose the message and the concept behind the message and what the struggle was about: equality for all,� Gray said.

Janice Burke, youth director for Endtime Evangelistic Pentecostal church, said she agrees with Gray’s ideology: that the younger generation is losing the message about where their civil liberties came from and what King stood for.

After taking members of the organization to Memphis, Tenn., to visit the National Civil Rights Museum, Burke said continuing to educate and shed a holistic perspective on the history of the United States is vital to America’s youth. “The youth wanted to make a statement that they are taking a stand on their civil rights and their dreams and that they can be great in life and achieve their goals,� Burke said.

Brittney Williams, who works at the Office of the Provost at Texas A&M, said she came out to try to “make the dream live on.� She wanted to show the community that members in her age demographic — between 18 to 30 — care about history and the influential people of the 20th century, such as King. “I’m 26 and it’s a blessing to be able to come here and have such a large turnout of young people,� Williams said. “We work hard all year to show equality and to be a unit; this march shows that.

American citizens continue to love and embrace each other no matter their gender, race or sexual orientation. Thank God for Martin Luther King, his dream and what he’s shown us.�

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This information along with a summary of the provisions of Subchapter F, Chapter 37 can be found at http://stuorgreport.tamu.edu

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Alleged incidents of hazing should be reported to one of the following offices: University Police Department: 845-2345 Office of the Dean of Student Life: 845-3113 Office of the Commandant: 845-2811 Department of Student Activities: 845-1133

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