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Diet soda dilemma Dieters should think twice about their diet sodas, says Joey Roberts, wellness blogger for The Battalion. Read his blog at thebatt.com to learn more about the beverages.
thebattalion ● tuesday,
october 11, 201 2011 01 0 11
● se sserving erv rvin i g
texas a&m since 1893
Into the flames
sports
Tech responds to bus incident Texas Tech University released an official statement Monday in response to Saturday’s vandalism of two A&M buses, saying fish bait, not animal feces, was spread inside the buses. Texas A&M Director of Athletics Bill Byrne commented about the vandalism on his Twitter account before Saturday’s football game in Lubbock. “Someone vandalized our buses in Lubbock,” Byrne tweeted. “Excrement inside and outside of buses plus spray painted vulgarities on outside. Classy.” Tech’s response called the post “inaccurate” and “careless.” The university’s statement reads: “Many of you are aware of a tweet from a Texas A&M official that their team buses were spray painted and animal feces were spread inside of the buses early Saturday morning. The clear implication of the tweet was that this was the responsibility of Texas Tech fans or students. Texas Tech has conducted an investigation regarding this allegation, and has discovered the following: The buses were not spray painted. Instead, washable shoe polish was used on the windows of one of the buses. No feces were found either in or on the buses. Fish bait was dropped onto the floor of one of the buses. The alleged “vandalism” was cleaned by the bus drivers and Holiday Inn staff before it was seen by the A&M official who tweeted the information. While incidents such as the ones alleged are inappropriate and strongly condemned by Texas Tech, it is no less wrong to condemn the entirety of our university, students and supporters by posting inaccurate information on the internet for the purpose of sensationalizing the actions of one or a very few. We are disturbed by the careless use of social media to share these inaccuracies.” Jason Cook, A&M vice president of communications, declined to comment. Adrian O’Hanlon III, staff writer
inside campus | 3 Going green The Aggie Green Fund supports nine sustainability projects around campus, including Aggie Zimride and the Big Belly trash compactors. See inside to learn more.
voices | 7 Can you hear me? It’s hard to ignore the yelling evangelizers while walking between classes on campus. Opinion columnist Andy Rowell says it’s time for people to reconsider the effectiveness of their message delivery.
Student volunteers to fight Texas wildfires Madeline Burns The Battalion
I
n many ways, junior agricultural leadership and development major Katlene Lee appears to be just a typical student. However, there is one big exception: when wildfires broke out across Texas, she worked to contain the blazes. Lee, who serves in the Brazos County Precinct .3 Volunteer Fire Department, is both basic accredited and wild land certified. “I did go out with the Brazos County Task Force to the tri-county fire,” Lee said. “We were there for about 15-16 hours the night I was there, but our county was there everyday for about four days.” Unlike conventional structure fires, this year’s Texas wildfires covered thousands of acres and grew in area as winds spread the flames. Lee said trying to contain these massive fires poses new and unconventional difficulties for firefighters. “Wild land fires are a different world,” Lee said. Despite the challenges, Lee said the benefits she receives from being involved in such a program have far outweighed the difficulties. She considers
State fire totals Joint responses by Texas Forest Service and fire departments this year: ◗ 3,193 fires ◗ 2,876,122 acres burned ◗ 5, 775 structures lost ◗ 28,131 structures saved
See Firefighter on page 8
Jay Kapadia — THE BATTALION
Katlene Lee, a student at A&M and a firefighter with the Brazos County Precinct 3 Volunteer Fire Department, helped extinguish some of Texas’ recent tri-county fires.
religion
campus
Students bring ‘Week of Action’ to A&M Emily Davis Christian mourners carry the coffins of victims of clashes between protesters and security forces in Cairo, Egypt. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Religious violence intensifies in Egypt Kevin Smith The Battalion Riots and a deadly military assault against Coptic Christians engaged in a peaceful protest in Cairo on Sunday have left 24 Christians dead and more than 100 injured. The protesters assembled in response to an earlier attack on a church. Coptics are the dominant Christian sect in Egypt. The Associated Press reported that the clashes Sunday night raged over a large section of downtown Cairo and drew in Christians, Muslims and security forces. The violence began when about 1,000 Christian protesters tried to stage a peaceful sit-in outside the state television building along the Nile River in downtown Cairo.
Protesters said they were attacked by “thugs with sticks” and the violence then spiraled out of control after a speeding military vehicle jumped up onto a sidewalk and rammed into some of the Christians, according to The Associated Press. Isis Hannah Farag, a native of Egypt currently residing in Bryan, feels a personal connection to those suffering violence. “I’m worried because most of my family lives there. I don’t know what’s going on — I would like all of my family to come here, but how can I help them?” said Farag, a Christian. “It is impossible for us to remove the history of hostility between Christians and Muslims, but I know that we will see God’s hand.” Farag said Egypt has a long history of See Egypt on page 2
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The Battalion GLBT Aggies flew a rainbow flag in Academic Plaza on Monday, welcoming Week of Action and preparing for National Coming Out Day on Tuesday. Groups observe the week and holiday nationwide, promoting awareness about the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender movement. Camden Breeding, president of GLBT Aggies, said National Coming Out Day is an opportunity for members of the GLBT community and heterosexual Aggies to show support for friends and loved ones who are gay. “The purpose is to increase visibility and to humanize the GLBT community,” Breeding said. “When you have a friend or family member who comes out to you, it’s no longer just this word or identity. Now you have someone that you love that’s attached to this identify. People can understand better if they know someone who’s ‘out.’” Breeding said Aggie Allies, heterosexual members of the Aggie community who “ally” with the GLBT campaign on campus, have a role in National Coming Out Day as well. “Coming out day is not just a opportunity for GLBT people, but it’s also an opportunity for straight allies to stand up and speak out in support of the GLBT community,” Breeding said. “If you hear discriminatory language, speak up and prevent it.” Brian Hutchison, president of Aggie
Week of Action events Tuesday National Coming Out Day: Commit to end bullying: 7 p.m. in Cain B111 Shades of Colour meeting: 5:15 p.m. in Rudder 510 Wednesday GLBT Sandwich Luncheon: 12-1 p.m. at the Canterbury House, 902 George Bush Dr. Thursday Speaker Neil Miller: 6:30 p.m. in Rudder 601 Friday Faculty/Staff Guess Who’s Gay Panel: 7:30 p.m. in Cain B111
See Coming Out on page 4
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