TheBattalion07052012

Page 1

Through fire and flames

thebattalion ● thursday,

Joe Terrell: An eyewitness account to history

july 5, 2012

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texas a&m since 1893

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Fun-filled Fourth

W

hen I learned I had been accepted into an internship program with Focus on the Family, a Christian ministry based in Colorado Springs, I had no idea I would be forced to evacuate and embroiled in the middle of the most destructive wildfire in Colorado’s history.

I had been anticipating a summer full of hiking, rafting and scanning documents. Prior to June 19, the Waldo Canyon fire was nothing more than scant plumes of smoke hovering above the mountains that form the western border of Colorado Springs. It was more of an allergen and sinus irritant than anything else. That changed that Tuesday when the fire unexpectedly flared up and consumed thousands of acres within the span of a few hours. On that fateful Tuesday, I stepped out of my cubicle around 4 p.m. and walked out to the parking lot to get a bottle of water out of my car. We heard reports of fires brewing in the west for several days, but were assured by the authorities that Colorado Springs was in the safe zone. The first thing I noticed upon stepping outside was the light flurries of ash See Fire on page 2

F The Waldo Canyon wildfire burns thousands of acres of land while spreading dangerously close to Colorado Springs on June 19.

ireworks light up the sky during the “I Love America” cel ebration” Wednesday above the George Bush Library and Museum. Music, food, fun and an F-16 flyover are some of the ways to celebrate the occasion. The Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra accompany fireworks with the “1812 Overture” among others.

nation

campus

policy

Colorado fire now under control

Student redefines touch screen

Mandate to affect student health care

Joe Terrell — THE BATTALION

Alec Goetz The Battalion

Camryn Ford

After nearly a month of intense efforts to battle wildfires in Colorado, firefighters have contained most of the blazes, including the deadly Waldo Canyon fire around Colorado Springs. The fires, which have been called the most destructive in the state’s history, have destroyed nearly 350 homes and left at least three people dead. The first fire ignited June 9, and was followed in the weeks after by a number of other blazes, resulting in millions of dollars in damage and the displacement of more than 30,000 people in the state. Senior telecommunication media studies major Joe Terrell, currently in Colorado Springs for an internship, witnessed the devastation firsthand when he was forced to evacuate from his host home after fires came dangerously close. “The fire came within a couple blocks of the house I’m staying in,”

The Battalion Innovative sparks at Texas A&M University’s interface ecology lab are igniting a blazing fire in the world of technology. Zero Touch is on the path to quickly landing itself in commercial usage. Jon Moeller’s voice caught most Aggies off-guard during his recent Best Buy commercial appearance, as he announces, “My name is Jon Moeller. I’m from Texas A&M University. I’m using my laptop to help create a touchscreen out of thin air.” Jon Moeller, graduate student in computer science, and a team of researchers created Zero Touch, a multi-touch sensor frame. “Through classes and various other things, this idea of a flat, thin, transparent multi-touch sensor came about,” Moeller said. Zero Touch works similarly to the touchscreen most people use on a device such as an iPhone or an iPad. However, when you cross the plane of sensors on it, light is blocked from travelling from one LED to another sensor on the frame.

See Colorado on page 2

Pg. 1-07-05-12.indd 1

Photos by Roger Zhang — THE BATTALION

Trevor Stevens The Battalion

Roger Zhang — THE BATTALION

Jon Moeller, along with a team of researchers, has developed Zero Touch over the past three and a half years. According to Moeller, it does not have to be touched, offering some advantage in touch screen applications, because a person can move more fluidly without having to ensure that their finger is in contact with the screen the entire time. The first major prototype of Zero Touch was published in May 2011. Moeller worked alongside Andruid Kerne, associate professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, on this project for about three and a half years. Kerne said, “There were some methods around that were popular for multi-touch sensing. Most of them involved having projectors behind a screen…. so that’s a really bulky setup. We wanted to get rid of that and be able to work with LCDs because the See Zero Touch on page 4

The U.S. Supreme Court largely upheld President Barack Obama’s health care reform bill, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requiring most Americans to purchase heath care. Most students, whether under their parent’s insurance, self- or uninsured, fall under the umbrella of people to be affected by the new health care law. According to the Affordable Care Act, those who don’t comply with the mandate must make a “shared responsibility payment,” according to Chief Justice John Roberts’ written majority opinion. Roberts said the Court could not uphold the “individual mandate” under the premise of Congress’ power to “regulate commerce.” In other words, the Court said Congress can’t force someone to purchase a product. But the Court could enact the bill if the mandate is See Health on page 4

7/5/12 12:15 AM


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Today mostly sunny High: 95 Low: 75 courtesy of NOAA

pagetwo thebattalion 7.5.2012

Fire Continued from page 1

falling from the sky. Puzzled, I looked up to see a massive pillar of smoke and flame cresting the mountain range. The firestorm looked poised to overtake Rockrimmon valley within a few hours, the location of my host home. After making a call to my supervisor, I drove off into the direction of the fire. During my 15-minute drive, the city issued mandatory evacuation notices to the Pinon, Woodmen and Rockrimmon valley neighborhoods. Unfortunately, I didn’t receive the memo. Driving into my neighborhood was like visiting a Hollywood film set. Helicopters roared overhead carrying fire-retardant chemicals while families frantically packed their possessions into waiting vehicles. I pulled into my host home driveway and gathered everything that could fit into two suitcases. Securing the suitcases in my backseat, I then made the worst decision of the week. I drove a mile west up the mountain to get pictures of the fire. I found myself on a ridge less than couple of blocks from the fire line with a group of equally foolish spectators. After five minutes of taking photographs, the wind abruptly changed direction. I later learned the weather service recorded wind speeds in excess of 65 mph. There was a gasping noise from the fire and the flames surged forward in our direction. In that moment, I knew we didn’t have hours, we had minutes. The group of amateur photographers and I frantically stumbled down the ridge toward our vehicles as the landscape at our backs bloomed orange. Upon reaching my car, I was immediately overtaken by a thick cloud of smoke and debris. Day turned to night in a matter of minutes. Flicking on my headlights, I began my surreal and

Joe Terrell - THE BATTALION

The Waldo Canyon wildfire leaves its imprint on the Colorado sky as smoke fills the air on June 19. slow journey back down the mountain. The road was filled with fleeing deer and other wildlife. At one point, a flock of birds dropped dead from the sky. Overwhelmed by emergency and military responders, cell service plummeted. It honestly felt like the end of the world. My escape grounded to a halt when the road outside my neighborhood became gridlocked with traffic. Stuck in one spot, smoke began to fill the interior of my car. I poured water over a towel and wrapped it over my nose and mouth. I broke free from the fire line half an hour later. In my rear view, Colorado Springs was shrouded in thick black smoke. It looked like a scene out of the book of Revelations. Later that night, I stood on another balcony three miles north of the fire line watching flames tear through residential neighborhoods. Of everything on fire, homes burned the brightest. During the following days, fire-

fighters and emergency personnel beat back the flames and saved thousands of homes, including my host home. Unfortunately, more than 300 houses were lost in the blaze. I witnessed a diverse community pull together to support one another in a time of disaster. Supplies and aid poured in from the country. Thousands of families and businesses opened their homes and buildings to the evacuees. The past weeks have been one of the most devastating, exhilarating and poignant experiences of my life. Even in the face of cataclysm, nothing can compare to a community’s will to survive and rebuild.

Joe Terrell is a senior telecommunication media studies major and the fall 2012 managing editor for The Battalion.

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A utilities worker walks through homes destroyed by the Waldo Canyon Fire on Monday in the Mountain Shadows neighborhood in Colorado Springs, Colo. Photos by ASSOCIATED PRESS

Colorado Continued from page 1

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Terrell said. “The sound the wind made when it changed directions was unlike anything I’d ever heard. The evacuation was pretty chaotic for a while — people and animals just trying to get away from the fire as fast as they could. It’s a miracle that more people weren’t killed by the time they got it under control.” Wind is one of the most dangerous aspects of a wildfire as it is unpredictable and can change the direction of a spreading inferno without warning. “The conditions were perfect for a firestorm the day I had to evacuate, and that’s pretty much exactly what happened,” Terrell said. Firefighters were joined in their attempts to contain the fires by National Guard troops and cadets from the nearby Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and was briefly threatened by the Waldo Country fire. Firefighters used every tool at their disposal to beat back the blazes, using shovels and chainsaws to stop the spread of fire on the ground and planes and helicopters to drop payloads of fire extinguishing fluids from the air. One of the main tools of the Air Force’s firefighting operations, the C-130 tanker plane, was briefly grounded after one of the planes in the fleet crashed in South Dakota during firefighting efforts, resulting in the death of four airmen. The fleet’s remaining C-130s, capable of dropping 3,000 gallons of water or fire-retardant chemicals, returned to firefighting service Tuesday after a brief suspension. The tanker planes are often called into action when civilian firefighting planes are not enough to contain fires. “I’m glad the Air Force stepped in,” said Zach Tingle, senior English major, reporter for The Battalion and Colorado resident. “Many more friends would

The Waldo Canyon wildfire blazes through tree tops Monday west of Manitou Springs, Colo. The Waldo Canyon fire is one of at least a half-dozen wildfires in Colorado. have lost their homes without the air support. As it is, most of my friends still have homes to return to, though some have been pretty badly damaged by the smoke.” Residents of Colorado Springs and other areas affected by the fires began to return to what was left of their homes and towns earlier this week, though thousands remain displaced. Even though the largest fires in the state have been for the most part contained, potentially treacherous weather in the state means Colorado is not out of danger yet. “The fire potential is still very, very high. It’s extreme and explosive,” Incident Commander Rich Harvey told The Associated Press on Saturday, while firefighters continued to make progress combating the fire.

Colorado Springs is known to be the most lightning-strike areas of the country, and the dry climate and frequency of thunderstorms in the area contribute to the heightened potential for wildfires in the state. The cause of the Waldo Canyon fire is as of yet unknown. Large wildfires continue to burn in Utah, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and California, in addition to the fires that are not yet contained in Colorado and the blazes in South Dakota. Experts say though summer is the most dangerous time of the year for wildfires, dry conditions make the chance of a large fire breaking out much higher than they would be otherwise. Last year’s prolonged drought in Texas resulted in massive wildfires around Bastrop and the central area of the state.

7/4/12 3:10 PM


voices thursday 7.5.2012

MAILCALL From Matthew Wey, graduate student in mathematics Last week our University announced it purchased Texas Wesleyan University’s law school; the college will be dreadfully named the Texas A&M School of Law at Texas Wesleyan University. The decision was, as usual, defended by Vision 2020 and the fact that “most of [our peer institutions] have a law school.” Unfortunately for us, there’s a major difference between our new law school and the law schools of our peers: ours isn’t any good. U.S. News ranks Wesleyan Law a Tier 4 school, the lowest possible grade, and the median LSAT is 153, just barely above the national average. In 2010, less than half of its graduating class was employed by graduation. Let’s set aside for a moment we’re partnering with a university that in the past decade nearly couldn’t pay its own bills. Texas A&M’s prestige and resources will dramatically augment Wesleyan Law’s standing, but, at a time when our school is

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attempting to establish itself as a top public institution, I’m afraid we’ve partnered with a university that can develop a mediocre law school at best. We have the financial resources and alumni drive to build a law school that could have competed with the elites. We blew it.

MAILCALL GUESTCOLUMNS Make your opinion known by submitting Mail Call or guest columns to The Battalion. All submissions should focus on issues not personalities, become property of The Battalion and are subject to editing for style, clarity and space concerns. Anonymous letters will be read, but not printed. The Battalion will print only one letter per author per month. No mail call will appear in The Battalion’s print or online editions before it is verified. Direct all correspondence to: Editor in chief of The Battalion (979) 845-3315 | mailcall@thebatt.com

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2 and 3/bedroom CS duplexes. Very nice, on shuttle, tile, fireplace, w/d, fenced, lawn service, pets o.k. Available August. Details and photos available online. http://arduplexes.com info@arduplexes.com 979-255-0424, 979-255-1585. 2 bdrm/2bath duplex. Brand new. 1000 sqft. All appliances included, W/D. Nice, quiet country setting. Water is included. Extra land for horses is a possibility. Energy efficient heat pump. Electric bill is super affordable! Super nice!! Very close to main campus/Health Science Center, beat the traffic!! Call for more information 979-777-2253. 2-3/bedroom apartments. Some with W/D, some on College Main, remodeled with dishwashers, Great deal! $175-$600/mo. 979-219-3217. 2/1 Duplex, 950sq.ft., near campus/ Shuttle, large living room, fenced backyard, W/D connections, ceiling fans. $650/mo. 229 Brentwood, CS. 512-206-6658, Nabilski@hotmail.com

2bd/2.5ba unique floorplans w/balcony views of Kyle Field. Brand new luxury apartment condos. Fullsize stainless steel appliances, W/D, designer ammenities granite/wood/tile, bus stop. Only 36units on Holleman at Wolf Pen. www.broadstoneranchatwolfpen.com, www.aggielandleasing.com, 979-776-6079. 2bd/2ba 4-plex. Spacious floorplan, W/D connections, close to campus. $550/mo. www.aggielandleasing.com 979-776-6079. 2bd/2ba unique floorplans w/balcony views of Kyle Field. Brand new luxury apartment condos. Fullsize stainless steel appliances, W/D, designer ammenities granite/wood/tile, bus stop. Only 36units on Holleman at Wolf Pen. www.broadstoneranchatwolfpen.com, www.aggielandleasing.com, 979-776-6079. 3/2 CS Duplex. Fenced, shuttle, very large. Treehouse Trail, Cypress. www.c4properties.net 979-268-1074.

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Male volunteers ages 18-35, with facial acne are needed to participate in a 6 week long clinical research study with an investigational topical medication. All eligible volunteers will receive at no cost: • Study Related Acne Evaluations by a Dermatologist • Study Medication • Compensation up to $1,550.00 for time and effort Eligible Volunteers will be required to make daily office visits for application of study drug and study assessments. For more information please contact:

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4bd/2ba., Large house, 1-mile from campus, close to everything, W/D, pet friendly. www.LoneStarHousing.com 4bd/4ba private bathroom. $325 per room. Wood/tile floors, large living room, new refrigerator, w/d, central a/c, walk-in closets, on shuttle. Student community, large pool, basketball court, sand beach volleyball. 979-574-0040, 281-639-8847.

903 San Benito, 3/2/2, W/D, on shuttle route, $1000/mo, 979-268-5206.

FOR RENT 911 Gardenia, CS. Available August 1st, new 2 story brick home, 4bd/2.5ba, perfect student housing close to A&M Campus with 2-car garage, patio for grilling and a small fenced yard, $1500/mo., First Month's Rent is Your Deposit! Call or text 817-915-0258 or email dshelton@buxtonco.com. Hurry, time is running out! Apartment: 2/1at Southwest Parkway and Anderson. $500/mo. Call 682-365-0282. August Leasing. 4bd/2ba house. Close to campus, wood floors, tile floors, ceiling fans, W/D, fenced yards. 979-776-6079. www.aggielandleasing.com August Move In, spacious 3bdrm/2bth duplex, W/D provided, $895/mo. 979-693-0551. Available August 15th, 2bd/2ba apartment, W/D, approximately 900sqft, $585/mo, call 210-387-5030. Beautiful 3bd/2ba condo on shuttle route with move in specials, 203 Navarro, small pets ok, 979-268-3200. College Station: 3/2, 1240sqft. Newly remodeled! All Stainless Steel Appliances! Close to shuttle, W/D, lawn/pest/maintenance included. 905 Balcones (off Welch), $1000. KAZ Realty 979-324-9666. Cozy 2bd/1ba condo. Off Wellborn, in Bryan. Fireplace, FP, no HUD, $495/month total. 254-589-0585. 254-289-8200. Cozy 2bdrm/2bth condo 3-blocks from campus, yard, w/d connections, over 1000sqft., no HUD, updated, $595/mo total, 506-A College Main Available August. 254-289-0585, 254-289-8200. Cute duplex off Graham road! Big fenced yard! Pets ok. 2bd/2ba., available 08/01/12. $850/mo. Call 979-255-6804.

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Newer 1/1, 2/2, 3/3 townhomes, close to campus, cable/internet, $810-$1530. Broker/owner 979-777-5477.

Part-time job helping handicapped. Male student preferred. $360/mo. 5-10hrs/wk. 979-846-3376.

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The Steamery now hiring carpet cleaning techs. Full-time summer help. 979-693-6969.

OSR, approximately 30-minutes from campus. 3bdrm/1bath brick home, nice size kitchen, dining and den. Garage w/carport, fenced yard w/two large dog pens. Usable barn and feed silo w/three to four fenced acres w/corral. $895/mo. Call 979-255-5555.

FOR SALE Very rare Ag maroon 1966 Seagrave fire truck for sale. Looks, runs + pumps great. Ideal for parades, shows and parties. Completely loaded with accessories. Call Dave at 281-346-1250.

HELP WANTED Athletic men for calendars, books, etc. $100-$200/hr, up to $1000/day. No experience. aggieresponse@gmail.com Child Care- FT & PT shifts available. Some nights & Saturdays required. Apply in person at 3609 E. 29th St., Bryan. Energetic part-time nanny w/transportation and references. Send resume to amy.muston@gmail.com Fall Camp Intern Needed. Are you looking for a fun place to serve this fall? Stoney Creek Ranch, a Christian camp in New Ulm, TX (easy drive from College Station) is looking for a fall intern. You’ll do various jobs helping campers enjoy their time at camp in a Christian environment. The reward is great! For more information, please contact Pam Gray (Class of 85’) at pam@stoneycreekranch.org or 713-851-7292. This is a fully paid position offering room and board and meals while working. Visit our website at www.stoneycreekranch.org Looking for a student worker. Painting, minor plumbing and maintenance skills required. $12/hr. 979-324-9666. Need box delivered to Junction, Texas. $25. 979-450-8211.

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URINARY TRACT INFECTION STUDY Female volunteers who think they might be experiencing a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) are needed to participate in a 2 day clinical research study of an investigational study medication for the pain that is associated with a UTI. Symptoms of a UTI include: Pain, Burning and Frequency when urinating. Eligible volunteers will receive at no cost: • UTI Assessments by a Study Doctor • Antibiotics for their UTI • Study Medication • Compensation up to $100.00 for time and effort Eligible volunteers will be required to make 2 office visits. There is no cost to you for participating in this research study. For more information please contact:

J&S Studies, Inc. 979-774-5933 1710 Crescent Pointe Parkway, College Station, TX 77845 www.js-studies.com

Pg. 3 07-05-12.indd 1

7/4/12 1:15 PM


news

page 4 thursday 7.5.2012

thebattalion

Zero Touch Continued from page 1

thinness is nice.” The team working on Zero Touch said getting the opportunity to participate in the Best Buy commercial was an eye-opening experience. “The Best Buy commercial has kind of been a rocket ship that has propelled us. It’s great for me because all of my friends are like ‘Hey I saw you on a commercial,’” Moeller said. “It’s a good validation for the technology. When you see other people using it, they think it’s really cool. It’s a different level than when you see it everyday.”

Roger Zhang — THE BATTALION

Zero Touch is very similar to touchscreens in smart phones and multimedia players except Zero Touch can scale more economically than conventional touchscreens.

Health Continued from page 1

TAKE A PIECE OF A&M HISTORY WITH YOU · Reserve your 2013 Aggieland The 111th edition of Texas A&M University’s official yearbook will chronicle traditions, academics, the other education, sports, the Corps, Greeks, campus organizations and seniors and graduate students. Distribution will be during Fall 2013. Cost is $75, plus tax. Go to the optional services box in Howdy when you register for fall.

· Order your 2012 Aggieland (if you haven’t) The 2012 Aggieland yearbook will be a record of the 2011-2012 Texas A&M school year. Books will be mailed out during Fall 2012. By credit card go online to http://aggieland.tamu.edu or call 979-8452696. Or drop by the Student Media office, Suite L400 in the Memorial Student Center. Hours: 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Monday–Friday.

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construed as a “tax” instead of a “penalty” based on Congress’ power to “lay and collect taxes.” How will ACA affect students? About 30 percent of Texas A&M University students currently do not have health insurance. President of the Texas A&M Health Science Center Dr. Nancy Dickey said most of those students will be included in the mandate. “I think we could anticipate that more college students are likely to be insured by 2014 than currently,” she said. Dickey said there is a possibility the University wouldn’t need to charge students with a health fee. If students are getting primary care through the means of required health insurance, they may not need Student Health Services. She said the student-paid health fee, which was $72.50 per semester last year, is unlikely to increase as a result of the ACA because students receive primary care that is covered by said fee. Under the new law, people up to 26 years — married or unmarried — are covered under their parent’s insurance, instead of the previous law which covered 25 years and younger. “If [a] student does not have insurance through their parents … only time will tell if the student chooses to take advantage of the opportunity to buy the insurance — presumably with the help of subsidies since their income will be low — or will chose to pay the tax,” Dr. Barbara Tyler said. She said the tax will be a small amount because it is relative to a percentage of income. Dickey said some of those in the medical community speculate the ACA will drive the

best and brightest students to professions other than medicine, but during her time at the HSC there has been an increase in number and quality of applications. “Most people don’t go into medicine based on finances … most people go into medicine because they like the opportunity to help people and be involved in a science that changes literally on a daily and weekly basis,” she said. Senior psychology and forensic and investigative sciences double major Tommy Lau said he isn’t going into medicine for financial reasons. “I wanted to go into the medical field because I want to bring a sense of relief to the family of a patient and be able to give them more time to create special memories,” Lau said. Dickey said part of HSC’s obligation will be to educate incoming students on how to influence health care system and the government. “The [ACA] is not a perfect bill,” she said. “There are lots of things that need to be modified, changed, added, taken away, and the Supreme Court decision was just one step in literally hundreds if not thousands of steps that will dictate how health care is provided in this country over the next 25 years.” The cost of care Some people predict the ACA will increase the cost of care. Another prediction is that the 30 million people currently without health insurance, who will now be added to the system, will increase the cost of providing health care due to increased demand, but only temporarily. Once people receive preventative care and there are subsequently less chronic illness cases, the cost is predicted to go down Please see thebatt.com for the full story

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