thebattalion ● tuesday,february
28, 2012
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2012 student media
undercover
Rhythm
Police sting crime in B-CS
&
Blue
Undercover operations target stolen property, narcotics, alcohol distribution
Blue Man Group brings colorful music to campus
Barrett House The Battalion Undercover operations are a weapon utilized by law enforcement in order to crack down on criminal activity across the globe. The Bryan-College Station area, with its own criminal element, is no exception. According to John Agnew, public information officer for the Bryan Police Department, undercover operations are used in order to break a cycle that criminals rely on, especially when dealing with the sale and distribution of stolen property. “Our goal when we do something like this is we’re trying to break the cycle that encourages the continued victimization of our citizens,” Agnew said. “If someone steals property from our citizens, and another person goes and buys it, they are creating a cycle and are reinforcing for the person who stole it that there’s a market for the stolen property.” Undercover operations are not merely limited to stolen property. The College Station Police Department also takes part in narcotics and alcohol distribution operations. “Most of the time our undercover operations are geared toward narcotics, or we have what we call ‘plainclothes assignments,’ which a person is working in plainclothes undercover operations,” said Sgt. James Woodward of the College Station Police Department. “And those are done on a regular basis in the bars in the Northgate area, trying to catch underage drinking.” Ryan Bray, junior technology management major, said he defends law enforcement’s ability to conduct undercover operations — especially since the rules are in place for people’s safety. “Most of the laws are convened for
Jennifer DuBose The Battalion
T
he Blue Man Group is coming to College Station, and they’re bringing a spectacle of art, sound and technology equipped to wow Rudder Theatre in an entirely new way. Bhurin Sead, one of the three blue men, said the show is more of a two-way sensory experience than a mere performance. “It’s hard to describe. [The show] is meant to be experienced,” Sead said. “There’s really no fourth wall between us and the audience, so they let us know where we want to take it every night. The blue men discover the audience and the audience gets to live in the moment and have fun — let go of everything else.” Each performance is tailored to fit Blue Man the crowd of the night. The show depends entirely on audience interGroup action and plays off the energy in the Performance room. For example, if an audience is particularly quiet, the musicians and times will alter the pace of the ◗ The Blue Man Group performers show to inspire excitement. will perform Thursday “The band is different for each through Monday. audience, but the show is scripted,” ◗ Additional information Sead said. “There are certain points that we have to hit every time in orregarding tickets der to reach the finale, but it’s how and show times are we hit them that changes.” available online at mscopas.org. See Blue on page 2
Basically, no show is the same. “Every city is really unique,” Sead said. “Everywhere we’ve gone, it’s been really receptive and that gives us something real and tangible to work with.” The performance itself revolves around three bald characters that exhibit a wide range of emotions while portraying a special sense of childlike wonder in the process. It’s about tapping into the inner kid and letting go of the constrictions of everyday life, not just for the audience, but for the performers as well. “When I put on the makeup, I get to be myself,” Sead said. “I get to get away with more stuff, like joking. The Blue Man is a heightened sense of what’s inside. I’m more myself than when I’m out of the makeup.” Clayton Bridge, freshman electrical engineering major, purchased Blue Man Group tickets for sentimental reasons. “I used to do taekwondo demonstrations to Blue Man Group music, so I’m attached to them in a way,” Bridge said.
See Undercover on page 6
Baylor 69, A&M 62
campus
Bears hold off Aggies
Renowned reporter promotes book at A&M Emily Villani
Mark Dore The Battalion The No. 11 Aggies pushed the undefeated No. 1 Lady Bears farther than any team has this season in front of 10,265 fans — the third-largest crowd in program history — coming back from 15 down to take the lead in the second half. But the top team in the country responded, outdueling the Aggies in a free throw heavy contest, 69-62. A&M (20-8, 11-6) trailed 25-10 out of the gate, allowing 6-foot-8 Baylor junior center Brittney Griner to have her way in the interior. Griner would check out of the game
Matthew Wong — THE BATTALION
A&M attempts to retrieve a loose ball from Baylor at Reed Arena Monday night. after recording her second personal foul well before halftime, opening a door the Aggies would seize to the tune of a 28-10 run spanning into the second half that allowed the Aggies to take their first lead of the game, 38-37. A&M head coach Gary Blair said that his team has improved since taking a 71-48 thrashing in Waco earlier
this season. “That’s the best basketball game that’s been in here this year,” Blair said. “We’ve gotten better since we got embarrassed in Waco. This is a team that’s a work in progress.” The Aggies were eventually undone by an inability to convert from
The Battalion Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times reporter Eric Schmitt will be on campus Tuesday to promote his new book, “Counterstrike: The Untold Story of America’s Secret Campaign Against Al Qaeda.” Schmitt’s career has involved reporting on the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and embedding with troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and Pakistan. Currently, Schmitt is a terrorism correspondent . “I’m down here at Texas A&M at the invitation of Gen. Weber, who I got to know in Iraq,” Schmitt said. Lt. Gen. Joe Weber, vice president of Student Affairs and retired Marine Corps veteran, said he and Schmitt got to know each other Schmitt
David Gardner’s Jewelers
◗Schmitt is the autor of Counterstrike: The Untold Story of America’s Secret Campaign Against Al Qaeda. ◗ Schmitt will discuss his book at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday in the Great Hall at the Sanders Corps Center.
See Schmitt on page 6
See Basketball on page 6
E N G A G E M E N T
‘Times’ reporter discusses book
R I N G
E V E N T
Friday & Saturday, March 2 & 3
where aggies get engaged www.whereaggiesgetengaged.com
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