Rambler 10.3.07 by The Rambler

The Rambler

The students’ voice since 1917

Fort Worth, Texas

October 3, 2007

NEWS BRIEFS Hear from hall-of-famer Bob Simpson, chief executive officer of XTO Energy, will speak at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 16 in Martin Hall. Simpson is named executive of the year for the Texas Wesleyan Business Hall of Fame.

Vol. 99, No. 5

Wesleyan gets down and dirty

News Briefs

Sigma Week TWU’s Phi Beta Sigma fraternity is hosting a slew of campus events including Monday Night Football from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Wesleyan Village clubhouse Oct. 8, barbecue cookout on the mall during free period Oct. 9, game night in Stella Russell Hall from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 10, interest meeting (mandatory for sigma wannabees) Oct. 11, party at Crystal’s Night Club in Arlington Oct. 12, Playstation 3 tournament in Wesleyan Village Club House at 1 p.m. Oct. 13 and church with the Sigmas Oct. 14. Contact president Kenneth Jackson at kennethjackson1914@yahoo.com. Gay-Straight Alliance In honor of National Coming Out Day, the gaystraight alliance will be holding various events during free period in the library Oct. 11 promoting tolerance, understanding and appreciation of the diversity in our culture. Regular Gay Straight Alliance meetings are every Friday at 12:15 in room B17 in the Eunice L. West Library basement. All students, faculty and staff that support human rights are encouraged and invited to attend. Hey Mr. DJ Come join Texas Wesleyan and 89.7 Power FM for The Road Less Traveled Concert Series at 7:14 p.m. Oct. 14 in Martin Hall. Tickets are $5 in advance ($7 for general seating, $15 for VIP seats) and can be purchased through the Texas Wesleyan bookstore or the chaplain’s office in PUMC. Featured acts include Slingshot 57, One Minute Halo and Eimi Hall. Willson Lecture Series Open your mind and take in a thought-provoking lecture by Dr. Stacey FloydThomas, associate professor of ethics and director of black church studies at Brite Divinity School. She will give her lecture “What’s Going On: The Permanence of Racism, the Erasure of Education, and the Relevance of Religion” at 7 p.m. Oct. 16 in Martin Hall. You really need a facial... A Coldwater Creek spa package is being raffled off Oct. 23 between games 2 and 3 of the volleyball match. The package is valued at more than $200. Tickets are $20, available from any volleyball player or coach.

Photo by Kevin Keathley

Kappa Alpha hosted the third annual mud volleyball tournament Sept. 29. It was open to the general public and other KA chapters from the area. “It was a great event and everyone had fun; $354 was raised for muscular dystrophy research,” said Michael Chaney, president of Kappa Alpha.

FWPD takes over local landmark SHAWN R. POLING EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The neighborhood surrounding Texas Wesleyan University may have its challenges, but the Fort Worth Police Department is doing its part to bring life to Lancaster. Fort Worth now owns the historic red-brick Stripling & Cox building at 3616 E. Lancaster Avenue. The building will be the new home for the police department’s crime lab and evidence room operations. Stripling & Cox closed the Lancaster location in 2005 and is now in the process of closing its last location on Camp Bowie. “We were very disappointed to see it close a few years ago,” said Kathleen Hicks, Fort Worth council member. The city of Fort Worth has been very concerned with revitalizing the Lancaster area, which used to be a bustling business sector. “This is a very significant, very positive step. Millions will be spent to renovate a dilapidated building. Not only police, but scientists and professionals will be right Photos by Zainah Usman there in the neighborhood. This will also Wesleyan will soon have a new neighbor in the Fort Worth attract more business to the area,” said Police Department, which will relocate its crime lab and Hicks. evidence room operations to the former Stripling & Cox “Police presence has been a big concern, building on East Lancaster. and [the move] will bring a community focus and presence not there before.” The once classy department store has been boarded up for years. Foliage on the property is overgrown and the “Cox’s Center” parking lot sign is more than falling apart, with wires from the dilapidated electrical system spilling out from its support beams. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the building was purchased in 2005 by the Cox Lancaster Venture, who experienced great difficulty finding a tenant to lease the space. “One of the biggest problems we face on Lancaster Avenue is the perception of crime and vagrancy. The police presence will help with that,” Dan Borin, president of the East Fort Worth Business Association, told the Star-Telegram. The move from Weatherford Street in downtown Fort Worth will reportedly allow the police department to triple the space currently used for the crime lab and evidence room. An architect should be hired by the end of the year, a design should be completed by mid-2008 and the police department should be moved in by mid-2009, according to city officials.

State says high school grads not ready for college COLLEEN BURNIE ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Think drafting a research paper is difficult? Try drafting a plan to make sure that Texas high school students are prepared to enter college. This year Texas Governor Rick Perry appointed the Commission for a College Ready Texas for just this task. They are currently gathering information on the way to make the journey from high school to college an easier one by preparing students. The Texas commission is one of the many in the nation trying to bridge the gap in college and high school expectations. According to the ACT Inc. president, only 34 percent of students have the skills to be successful in college. These numbers are worrying parents and educators across the nation. According to the Colorado Springs Gazette, 30 percent of its college freshmen need remedial courses, and the numbers jump to 56 percent in two year colleges and are up to 60 percent in California. According to The Commission for a College Ready Texas, about 50 percent of Texas students are lacking some essential skill needed for college classes. Who is to blame for these serious holes in American high school students’ education? Many people say it’s the high schools and parents who allow students to skate through their senior year. “Teachers are under pressure to pass students, parents are breathing down their necks, grades get inflated, and somewhere along the way students decide that they don’t have to do the work,” said Melody Bell Fowler, director of Developmental and New Student Programs at Wesleyan. “Letting students fly through their last year without any math, science or English classes is ridiculous.” Authorities say that high school students need to pay closer attention to the classes that

See Unprepared, page 2

2 October 3, 2007

News

The Rambler

Many employers searching applicants’ Facebook profiles KATHLEEN WILLIAMS THE LARIAT/U-WIRE

Forget about your resume. Forget about the interview. Starting Thursday, your Facebook profile can be accessed by companies, employers, strangers and exes using search engines like Google, MSN and Yahoo. Facebook notified users recently about the new changes. Users may keep their listings private or allow Facebook to make their name and profile available to outside searches. Non-members also will be able to search Facebook’s home page for the public profiles of users. Traditionally, Facebook prided itself on denying search engines access to users’ information, boasting more privacy protection compared to other social networking sites. Facebook’s privacy changes may reflect the social network’s growing number of users. There are now more than 39 million users on Facebook, a 62.5 percent increase since May. New privacy changes may be met with opposition from users who opposed Facebook’s addition of a news feed last fall.

Facebook’s expansion to include non-collegiate users was also met by criticism from the site’s core student base. The effects of new privacy settings also could impact the professional and academic lives of users. Dr. John H. Boyd, director of Baylor University Career Services, was clear about his opinion of Facebook. “Don’t get on it. Don’t use it,” Boyd said. “Employers are looking at it, and if they find anything questionable, you’re done.” Boyd also said students’ Facebook activity is a reflection of Baylor. “Be very careful about what you put on that screen. It becomes public property,” he said. Baylor students are already suffering the repercussions of posting questionable Facebook material. Boyd said a Baylor nursing student was recently suspended because of questionable profile content. University admissions may also be affected by relaxed privacy settings. “I think it’s something to be worried (about),” McAllen freshman David Sanchez said.

Courtesy of Google Images

Many businesses near and far, including University of Texas at Arlington, are now checking Facebook as part of the hiring process.

playing around

Photos by Kevin Keathley

Wesleyan students find a variety of ways to hang out or kill some extra time across campus. At left, junior Kevin Doskocil, sophomore Marquita Guyden and senior Ross Mullens enjoy a game of shuffleboard and lollipops. Above, junior Ryan Ragsdale takes advantage of the new frisbee golf course.

Unprepared, from page 1

they choose and need to understand that higher level high school courses are only going to benefit them in the long run. According to the Colorado Springs Gazette, there is also a lack of communication between colleges and high schools about what students need for success. For example, an ACT survey of thousands of high school and college educators released last year shows that high schools are teaching advanced concepts, and colleges prefer a rigorous understanding of the basics. What are the results of all of the unpreparedness? The Colorado Department of Higher Education estimates that in Colorado alone thousands of students will spend upwards of $20 million on remedial classes that don’t even count toward their degree. Texas numbers are significantly higher. Wesleyan currently offers four sections of developmental English, four sections of developmental reading and nine sections of developmental math. “The purpose of our developmental program is to provide an opportunity for students with assessed deficiencies in reading, mathematics and English to receive appropriate developmental education in order to perform satisfactorily in college-level course work,” said Fowler. “The courses are counted for financial aid credit but not toward hours needed for graduation.” Wesleyan is just one in a long line of universities that has found it necessary to add a remedial program for students who just don’t have the skills that are required to succeed in college, including Texas Christian University and University of Texas at Arlington. “We have to meet students where they are and take them where they need to be,” said Fowler, “It’s not necessarily the students’ fault or our fault. Somewhere along the way they just missed the foundations.” Fowler feels that if students want to be here and are willing to work to get to graduation day, then it is the university’s responsibility to help them get there. “Sometimes life gets in the way,” said Fowler. “Taking five or 10 years off of school can be overwhelming. Skills like studying, preparing for tests and having confidence in your academic ability can take time to get back.” The stakes involved in fixing this problem translate into economic costs for the state and the nation. A college board analyst told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that if Texas “moderately” improved education over the next few decades, the pay would equal more than tuition to the Texas universities. “When it’s cheaper for a U.S. hospital to have a radiologist in India read and return an image, that’s serious challenge to our ability to compete,” said Wes Jurey, president of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce on the reaction of the job market to the education issues. The commission will meet in Austin again in late October to try and work out the complex and serious task of making Texas high school students prepared for college and, from there, for the world-wide job market.

Kinesiology department welcomes new professor SHAMEKA HYATT

specifically in the Midwest, for TWU’s athletic training program and by introSTAFF WRITER ducing technologies into the coordinaBorn and raised in Marion, Ohio, tion of the curriculum. Jason Hoffman enjoyed a normal, Hoffman said he was pleased with everyday low-to-middle income family the offer from Wesleyan, which allows life with his younger brother and his him to pursue a full-time position in his mother, a barber, and his father, a Fed beloved field of athletic training. He Ex truck driver. specifically chose TWU “I came from an averover another institution age family,” said because of people at Hoffman. Wesleyan like Pamela That little boy would Rast, director of the athlater become Dr. Jason letic training program, Hoffman, assistant profesalong with others he sor of athletic encountered like Kyle training/kinesiology and Morgan, head athletic clinical coordinator at trainer, and Erika Debro, Texas Wesleyan. Photo by Zainah Usman clinical instructor and Upon pursuing his associate athletic trainer. Jason Hoffman higher education, “I immediately felt Hoffman obtained a bachelor’s degree comfortable around them,” said in fitness with a concentration in athlet- Hoffman. ic training from Cornell College. He Along with choosing Wesleyan later earned a master’s in sports man- because of the people, Hoffman said he agement from Illinois State University witnessed a good athletic training proand a doctorate in health science from gram going on at TWU. Nova Southeastern University. Prior to coming to TWU, Hoffman Playing collegiate football while was a fitness director at New Life getting his undergraduate degree, Fitness World in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a Hoffman had an interest in the medical graduate assistant athletic trainer for field and majored in pre-med. Hoffman ISU football and baseball and an recalls how seeing athletic trainers in instructor, internship coordinator and action showed him that he could enjoy assistant athletic trainer at Graceland both the medical field and athletics in University. one profession. When Hoffman gets spare time, he Coming to Texas Wesleyan this said he loves spending time with his fall, Hoffman said he plans to con- family and watching football games. tribute by boosting recruitment efforts,

Opinions

“White Noise.”

October 3, 2007 3

Should you believe everything in the movies? Be on guard for sneaky propaganda incorporated into Iraq war films

ar films have long held an important place in American lives. If it isn’t classics like King Vidor’s The Big Parade (1925), depicting a young rich American going off to World War I and losing both his legs fighting in the trenches, then JOSEPH it’s the action-packed modSAVAGE ern portrayal of non-stop exploding mines accompanied by the steady rhythm of M4 Carbines. In the latter, a guy losing his legs is baby-cakes compared to the flying body parts and up-closeand-personal head shots preformed by long range snipers. Today’s war movies are just as technologically advanced as the battles they are intending to represent, thus providing producers with much ease in creating the exact message they wish the audience to perceive. This desire by a producer is present as far back as D.W. Griffith’s 1915 fictional propaganda piece titled The Birth of a Nation, which, although it was used to influence and encourage a particular synthesis among it’s viewers, it was not used for indoctrination. Recent American war genre films, such as Paul Greengrass’s United 93 (2006) and last year’s feel good heroic-epic staring Nicholas Cage, World Trade Center, could be seen as aiding or encouraging inculcating ideas, attitudes and cognitive strategies. Despite depicting a situation in which no one survived to tell the tale, United 93 is being slated as a film to go down in history for the iconic moment of American heroism for which is stands. Every mainstream film critic gave this picture four stars; however, not a single eyewitness to the tragedy was featured for an interview

on David Letterman or Jay Leno’s night time talk shows. Oliver Stone’s World Trade Center is amidst a swirl of bad feelings for not contacting the surviving members of the victims’ families before releasing the film. This 2006 critically acclaimed film also went ill-accepted by the majority of Stone fans for not touching on any current 9/11 conspiracies. Many expected this feature considering Stone’s political film JFK (1991) in which he interweaves the public’s thoughts of conspiracy into the film, leaving the audience to walk out of the cinema in a state of question rather than passive acceptance of an idea. Propaganda, as defined by Garth S.

Courtesy of Google Images

Jowett and Victoria O’Donnel in Propaganda and Persuasion, is the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognition and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist. A propaganda film, as defined in Wikipedia, is a film produced to convince the viewer of a certain political point or to influence the opinions and behaviors of people, often by providing deliberately misleading content.

Many of the American-made war films in the early 1940s were designed to create a patriotic mind set and convince viewers that sacrifices are needed to defeat ‘the enemy’ and gear the American public for the upcoming war they would enter on the “date that will live in infamy,” Dec. 7, 1941. Could our present day films be doing the same? Are we but pawns to be persuaded and hoaxed into our non-wavering beliefs about the world? Now we have two more war genre films: newly-released The Kingdom, directed by Peter Berg, and, coming Nov. 2, The Kite Runner, directed by Marc Foster and based on the novel by Khaled Hosseini. The Kingdom tells a story involving the terrorist bombings of the Riyadh Compound. In a key scene, the movie depicts terrorists entering the compound secretly dressed as police officers, a contradiction to the detailed report on the incident in 2003, which reads that the terrorists entered the building as plain clothed civilians, firing at and killing the two guards on duty. In addition, dialog in this film states that the 100-plus deaths and 200plus injured were the casualties of the bombing. Again, this is contradicted by the official report that reads 35 dead and 160 injured. The Kite Runner’s highly emotional scenes, such as the rape of a young boy, help form the image about the fall of the Afghanistan monarch and the formation of the Taliban regime. This leads me to question: What are these films really trying to say? And, if that message is received, what are the effects on our human psyche and our cognitive perceptions of the world around us? Joseph Savage is a senior Spanish and Engligh literature major and is a staff writer for The Rambler.

Uncomfortable fit for four crazy persons S

“SAW II.”

mall cars seem to be gaining speed with the college crowd. Perhaps students are attracted to the good gas mileage, low sticker price or, sometimes, the ecofriendly design. Whatever the attraction, tiny may soon get even tinier. “The intelligent solution to urban transport” is what Toyota is saying about its latest concept car introduced earlier this month at the Frankfurt Auto Show in Germany. The Toyota iQ is ERIC an ultra-compact car that is smaller than DOUGLAS anything currently offered by the Japanese auto giant and would, if sent to production, be the world’s smallest four-seater vehicle. The auto magazine Car and Driver measured the car at approximately 117 inches. According to the article, that is about half the size of a Lincoln Town Car, or 3 feet shorter than Toyota’s current mini offering, the Yarris. The mini-car concept came out of Toyota’s French based ED2 design studio and maintains European feel and design. The seating arrangement has been coined by the company as “three-plus-one” because the fourth seat, located behind the driver’s seat, is only large enough for an average-sized child. The seats can also be rearranged inside the car to make the vehicle a two-seater with more storage space. To access the back seats, an adult would have to slide the front seats into a forward position. This is made possible on the passenger side because of the extremely tiny dash at the front of the car, but achieving the same feat on the driver’s side is problematic because of the obtruding

“Amityville Horror.”

Brooke McNabb Senior Chemistry Major

Seth Mullins Senior Finance Major

What is your favorite scary movie?

Alycia Nabors Sophomore Exercise Science Major

Lendo Krieger Senior History Major

“Bloodstone or The Exorcist.”

The Rambler

Eric Douglas is a senior religion major and is a staff writer for The Rambler.

Rambler Ratings

The Rambler Founded in 1917 as The Handout Harold G. Jeffcoat, Publisher Kelli Lamers, adviser Zainah Usman, photo editor Colleen Burnie, entertainment editor Amanda May, Web editor

steering wheel. Because of this situation, only a small person or a child could sit comfortably behind the driver. Because this is strictly a concept car, Toyota has yet to announce a price. As of now there is no word of how the car will be powered, although speculations abound. The most logical choice and the most popular among the different media outlets is that Toyota will use a hybrid configuration much like the one found in the currently hot Prius. This type of drive system would use a mixture of gas and electricity to achieve a more environmentally-friendly and economical car, thus appealing to the growing number of eco-minded car buyers. According to the cover of Edmund’s auto magazine, the concept featured a panoramic sunroof and 17inch wheels and rims in addition to its unique size. A Courtesy of Google Images centered instrument panel, complete with audio/navigation controls mounted on the steering wheel rounds out this new contraption. Will the Toyota iQ hit the car lot near you? Only time can tell.

Shawn R Poling, editor-in-chief Tiara Nugent, managing/college life editor Bryce Wilks, sports editor Skyla Claxton, advertising manager Member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association.

Opinions expressed in The Rambler are those of the individual author only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Texas Wesleyan community as a whole. Letters to the editor: The Rambler, a weekly publication, welcomes all letters. All submissions must have a full printed name, phone number and signature; however, confidentiality will be granted if requested. While every consideration is made to publish letters, publication is limited by time and space. The editors reserve the right to edit all submissions for space, grammar, clarity and style. Letters to the editor may be subject to response from editors and students on the opinions page. "We are not afraid to follow the truth...wherever it may lead." -Thomas Jefferson Address all correspondence to: Texas Wesleyan University, The Rambler, 1201 Wesleyan St., Fort Worth, TX 76105. Newsroom: 531-7552 Advertising: 531-7582 Fax: 531-4878 E-mail: twurambler@yahoo.com

Thumbs up to Yanika Daniels, the new 3PR coordinator who is very personable with her students.

Thumbs down to the skimpy grapes in the otherwise wonderful chicken salad sandwiches in the SUB.

Thumbs down to the broken lock on Stella’s door.

Thumbs up to security for cracking down on residents parking in dorm visitors’ parking.

College Life

October 3, 2007

The Rambler

‘Have you seen my...?’

Insight on what to do and where to go when you lose something on campus ROSS MULLENS CONTRIBUTING WRITER It’s been a long week, and this is your last class before the weekend begins. Your glazed eyes slowly peer from the time displayed on the outside of your phone to the obscurity of an hour’s worth of notes that are scribbled in your spiral. Your brain is cooked, overcooked. You’re fried. Only five more minutes until class is over then you’re free from the tortures of lecture. Have you ever left that class with a smile on your face, only to open the door of relaxation and remember that you left something behind? Could you go five minutes without opening your phone, acting like you are receiving a text message from someone important? How long would you stand beside your car, trying not to look like you are clueless as to where your keys are, that the car you are looking into is actually yours, along with its stereo that Rosedale covets? The truth of the matter is that the assignment you need to complete is saved on your jump drive, you need to read at least one chapter in that textbook over the weekend and you really can’t do without your laptop. Whether you handle your situation with sarcasm or sincerity, your belongings are yours and you need to find them. Without any knowledge of a lost and found, Marquita Guyden, a sophomore psychology major, decided she would call the lab assistant if she lost anything in the computer lab located in the basement of the library. Sophomore accounting major Alyssa Jones once found her two misplaced notebooks in the seat in which she left them. Erica Rivera, a senior bilingual education major, said that if she ever lost her keys in the library, she would first find the building’s receptionist. If this failed, Rivera stated she “would have my friends help me look for my keys.” “A student should come to the circulation desk and describe their lost item,” said Warren Brown, the library’s circulation desk supervisor. If you cannot find your lost item in the building you last remember having it, check with Student Life. Wesleyan’s primary lost and found area is located in the Student Life office, next to the bookstore. Joslyn Neblett, an administrative assistant, said that new items are brought in weekly, if not daily. Items are usually kept for 90 days, but they might hold on to items for a longer period of time depending on their value. “The oddest thing that no one ever came and claimed was a class ring from high school,” said Jenny Houze, coordinator of student activities. She said they tend to hold on to something like that longer before letting go of it. Items that are not claimed are donated. “One time we held an auction,” Houze said. “Or we might see if it’s anything we can use, or if it’s something the library can use, we might donate it to the library.” Other items, such as coats, are given to places like The Salvation Army or Goodwill. “If it has someone’s name on it, we’ll do our best to track them down. But sometimes their information isn’t correct in the registrar’s office or they don’t call us back or something,” Houze said. Most often a description of the item will be sufficient to claim it, but you must also have your student ID. To reach the Student Life office by phone, call (817) 531-4872.

Photos by Thomas Boylan

Items such as a bracelet, gloves and a jacket find their way into the lost and found.

Pick-a-perfect-practical-passionate-prof CHUCK FAIN STAFF WRITER

Pick-A-Prof (www.pickaprof.com) is an informative Web site where students can go for valuable information about their current, future or past professors. The site includes a professor-grading history, student reviews and ratings, schedule and degree planner and a book exchange. The site is also affiliated with the social networking site, Facebook; there’s even a special login for Facebook members on the home page. Login is not required for a school and/or professor search, but to utilize some of the more involved features, such as the schedule planner, an account must be set up by providing an email address and a screen name. The professor-grading history is an interesting tool that averages a teacher’s grades for all his/her classes and provides a breakdown of the data in an easy-to-read bar graph. The Web site claims that all the grading information collected is from each teacher’s school in order to assure total accuracy. There are also student ratings and reviews for each teacher, providing a testimony of that professor’s strengths and weaknesses. The schedule planner is another useful tool that displays class times and teachers for courses to make planning one’s

school schedule as easy as possible. A-Prof homepage and a special Pick-A-Prof login for The degree planner, a relatively new feature on Pick-A- Facebook users. According to the Web site, this intimate Prof, lays out courses taken each semester and “tracks course affiliation with Facebook will help students readily find their credit earned as well as the grades received in each class to friends (whom must also be Facebook users) to coordinate provide a complete academic picture,” the Web site explains. class schedules and form study groups. While the site features no Wesleyan professors, the site Some critics, such as College Hacker, praise the efforts may still prove of Pick-A-Prof, calling the service “the gold standard useful for in Web sites offering student evaluations.” Other comWesleyan stumentators do not view Pick-A-Prof so favorably; the dents. One of the Western Courier called the site the “worst blow to the site’s most helpintegrity of higher education since Cliff Notes.” ful features is In this reporter’s opinion, the site could be used for the book good or evil; it’s all dependent on the user and what Courtesy of Google Images exchange. that user does with the available information. Once the tab labeled “Book Exchange” is selected, a This “available information,” however, is only available page comes up containing a list of the most popular books on for certain schools, and Wesleyan did not make the cut. Out Pick-A-Prof. Popping up along with a “Title or Author of the boasted “1,240,000 + professors” and Pick-A-Prof’s Search,” an “ISBN Search,” is an option to sell your own “8,360,000 + classes,” Wesleyan and its faculty were not books. The search results display a list of book and shipping included among them. prices from different Web sites such as Amazon and A pre-compiled list of schools is the only source Pick-AHalf.com and includes the Pick-A-Prof price (when avail- Prof has for researching colleges, and the Web site has no able), which is usually the cheapest and does not charge for school or professor search engine. shipping. The only search feature available is for the book Facebook, a networking site popular with students, is exchange, which is good since this will likely hold the most closely affiliated with this site with its own link on the Pick- interest for Wesleyan students.

Courtesy should be more common

f you had to put a price on courtesy, what would it be? Think about it – how much does it cost to be courteous? Does it cost you anything to hold the door open for the person walking in behind you? Do you lose anything by giving up your place in the grocery line so the person behind you can pay for their one item? In our fast paced world, people have forgotten the value of courtesy. The other day, I was waitJULIE ing for a parking place and the woman whose DAVIS spot I was waiting for pointed to a space that was closer to the front. I was so thankful that she let me know that because it was hot outside and it saved me a lengthy walk. I took advantage of her nice gesture and made sure I thanked her as she passed me on her way to the exit. My encounter with that woman may not have influenced her the way it did me. However, her random act of kindness was something I not only appreciated, but I learned from. So remember: ”Life is short, but there is always time enough for courtesy.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson Julie Davis is a senior writing major and is a staff writer for The Rambler.

Did we pick up a lil’ mud?

Photo by Kevin Keathley

Kappa Alpha hosts a successful mud volleyball tournament on the field behind Stella Russell Hall to raise money for muscular dystrophy research Sept. 29.

Sports

The Rambler

Flag frenzy!

Quick Quotes “Because I want to have my arm in good shape, I need to have my legs in good shape. Without a leg, there is no arm." - Pedro Martinez Pitcher New York Mets

Upcoming Events Oct. 3 1 p.m. Women’s soccer @ Houston Baptist 3 p.m. Men’s soccer @ Houston Baptist Oct. 4 *7:30 p.m. Men’s Soccer vs. Our Lady of the Lake Oct. 5 7 p.m. Volleyball @ Wayland Baptist Oct. 6 11 a.m. Volleyball @ Lubbock Christian 3 p.m. Volleyball @ College of the Southwest 1 p.m. Women’s soccer @ SAGU 3 p.m. Men’s soccer @ SAGU *denotes home games

October 3, 2007 5

Even without a traditional football team, students find a way to get on the gridiron the flag football league can be most attributed to the fact that Texas Wesleyan University doesn’t STAFF WRITER have its own football team in competitive collegiate sports. The friendly confines of Martin Field, the For those students that can’t enjoy rooting for home of Texas Wesleyan soccer, also serves as their alma mater’s football team every week, intrahome to one of Wesleyan’s prevalent intramural mural flag football sports, flag football. Every could be the answer. Saturday morning, there It provides a are battles to the finish friendly yet competibetween respective teams. tive environment as The competition has well as one that prorisen over the years, thus vides the necessary making the run for the tools for the particichampionship even more pants to feel like they competitive. are taking part in Although every team aggressive collegiate fights for its own glory, the action. 2007 season has a motto The flag football that motions to “bring the league, headed by title back to main campus.” Aaron Whaley, assisTexas Wesleyan Law tant dean of students serves up teams for the for campus involveleague every year, and they ment, features three are the reigning champito four games every ons. Saturday in the fall. Of the seven teams this Games run for year, five are from the main roughly one hour. campus. It’s up to the The regular seaPickles, Puerto Rican son runs through Pigskins, The ConquistaOct. 27 and culmidors, Soul Glo or the FPhotos by Kevin Keathley nates with playoff Bombs to bring the crown A wide receiver in the Saturday morning flag football league sprints away from defenders during a conweekend Nov. 3. The back home. test Sept. 29. Games are held at Martin Field. standings are tight Anyone and everyone thus far, but if there is welcome to create a team for the league every Wesleyan junior and Puerto Rican Pigskins mem- was any time for Texas Wesleyan main campus to fall. Fraternities, organizations and merely groups ber, Jake Nelson. bring back the championship, 2007 is the year. of friends all make up the teams in flag football. The passion of the individuals participating in

MARTIN GARCIA

Registration is open to anyone, regardless of enrollment. Teams this year are eager to battle it out amidst the cold, early morning dew of the fall. “I look forward to Saturday mornings. I think about the following game every day,” said Texas

Log on to: www.ramsports.net for the latest game information and profiles of your favorite Wesleyan Teams and Athletes

Sports Briefs Table Tennis to host open Oct. 6 The TWU Open is scheduled in the Sid Richardson Gymnasium. Players of all skill levels will test their talent against members of the table tennis team. Lady Rams sting scorpions Sept. 29 The women’s soccer team improved to 2-0 in conference play with a 2-1 win over UT-Brownsville. UTB edges Wesleyan men Sept. 29 UT-Brownsville defeated the men’s soccer team 1-0, pushing their record to 5-41 on the season. O’Brien nets awards Sept. 25 Goalkeeper Brittany O’Brien was named both Red River Athletic Conference and Region VI Defensive Women’s Soccer Palyer of the Week for the period of Sept. 17-23. Richeson gains recognition Sept. 25 Midfielder Chase Richeson was selected as the Red River Athletic Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Week for the period of Sept. 17-23. Volleyball sweeps road trip Sept. 25 The TWU volleyball team improved to 16-8 on the year and 5-0 in the conference after sweeping three games in East Texas.

The defending flag football champions from Texas Wesleyan law school make it tough on undergraduate teams who have their sights set on the 2007 crown.

Rams soccer goes under the lights at Martin Field of the heat and fans working in the middle of the day. Evening games do just the opposite. Gibbs and Millikan claim that they have one of the best facilities Soccer is a sport with worldwide appeal, but it is not one that tran- in the conference because of the lighting. The playing surface, being scends American culture. That’s not true at Texas Wesleyan, however, “far better than most,” is excellent, Gibbs said, but he refers to the as the soccer teams are among the best in the Red River Athletic lighting as a bonus. Conference. “It’s helpful for the players from a physical standpoint since they The Women’s soccer team has won two consecutive conference don’t have to practice during the heat of the day,” Gibbs said. championships in 2005 and 2006. The men’s soccer team won a conFrom the psychological standpoint, he said, the Rams and their ference title in 2005. opponents get excited to play under lights. Martin Field was not used for many This also makes home games until this year. One of the it a great recruitment main reasons was a lack of lighting to tool. make night games possible. But now “If you have the fans and players are seeing the light. best facilities and one of Thirty lights were recently installed the best educational at Martin Field. Head soccer coach opportunities, then that Josh Gibbs said the lights were donated sets you apart,” Gibbs by Nema 3, the same company that said. “That will bring in provided lighting at Pizza Hut Park in more players.” San Francisco and Dick’s Sporting Installing these Goods Stadium in Denver. lights, Millikan said, Athletic Director Kevin Millikan was also the driving explained that the owner of the compaforce for Texas ny, Don Cooper, was the contact that Wesleyan being able to Photo courtesy of athletic department made it happen. host the Men and Cooper’s grandson plays club soc- New lights at Martin Field allow for prime time games. Women’s Soccer Red cer for Gaspar Martinez, an assitant River Athletic soccer coach at Wesleyan. Conference Tournament. Although it’s been rumored that the grass could be burned by these TWU made a bid to host those games, and the lights were the lights, Gibbs said he is very dubious about such hearsay. deciding factor, he said. Millikan said it took approximately three months to put the lights Millikan now describes the facilities at Martin Field the “finest in up. the conference.” He said this is one of many steps to improve Texas As simple as lighting can be, it makes a big difference in many Wesleyan’s athletic venue. areas. Attendance is one factor. Gibbs said attendance has increased, “We’re very proud of our student athletes for how they are doing and he believes that trend will continue. in the classroom and on the field,” Millikan said. “This is just one of “Word spreads about the lights,” Gibbs said. our goals to enhance Martin Field. We are building covered benches Having afternoon games cut back in terms of attendance because for both teams before the end of the year.” KEVIN KEATHLEY STAFF WRITER

Entertainment

6 October 3, 2007

The Rambler

Good clean fun? Calling all comedians RACHEL HORTON STAFF WRITER

“Where, in the Star Wars universe, can you find the eyeballs of Albert Einstein?” There were collective giggles and chuckles as people in the small room were pleasantly distracted from their crowded 15 minute wait outside the Star Wars exhibit. One of my coworkers from this summer at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History brilliantly decided that where there is a waiting crowd, there are laughs to be had. As a student of stand-up comedy, she skillfully blended trivia and a handful of jokes in an effort to relieve some of the tension from the waiting crowd. It worked. Life in general can sometimes be stressful, tense and overwhelming; especially after standing in line all day. Sometimes, all you need is a chance to let loose and laugh. Of course, when we think of stand-up comedy, we typically think of shows like Saturday Night Live, The David Letterman Show or various others on Comedy Central. Perhaps a select few of us even know of local comedy clubs or night clubs that feature local stand-up comedians. The most entertaining and enjoyable part, though, is finding the comedians that are of the Bill Cosby tradition – familyfriendly. A visit to your average comedy club on a Friday night would suggest many acts rely on risque material sprinkled with bad language. But some are beginning to wonder – if a joke is truly funny, does it really need questionable content in order to make an audience laugh? A BBC issue from February of this year posed the same question in an article entitled Can Clean Comedy be Funny? BBC writer Tom Geoghegan noted that “there are crude comics who are also brilliant, but it’s the subject matter which makes them so, not the language.”

Joe Brown, professor of theater at Texas Wesleyan University noted that “humor is a very individual thing. Like any other speaker, comics will target their humor for particular audiences.” Brown went on to name several cases in point, such as Robin Williams or Rosie O’Donnell, who tailor their humor for their audience. But then again, there are the comics like Brian Regan. Regan has been in the stand-up comedy industry for the last 25 years, and, in that time, he has become widely known for his extremely clean, yet hilarious routine. “When I first Photo courtesy of www.uweb.ucsb.edu started, I threw Bill Cosby played Bass Hall Sept. 30 in a dirty joke here or there, but when I didn’t, I found that my audience feedback was more responsive and interesting,” said Regan in an interview with North Carolina’s Post & Courier. “I’m kind of meticulous, so I thought, ‘Why be 95 percent clean when I can be 100 percent clean?’” American stand-up comedy originally had its roots in the wit and sarcasm of speakers like Mark Twain in the 19th Century and later developed into an actual profession through people such as Jack Benny, Bob Hope and Fred

Allen. In the 1950’s, stand-up comedy became a bit more widespread, but it wasn’t until the late 1950’s to early 1960’s that comedy began to showcase a more adult sense of humor. Stand-up exploded during the 1970’s and went from clubs and theaters to major concerts and sports arenas. Then, in the beginning of the 1980’s, America met Bill Cosby. Cosby had already established himself as a stand-up comedian with a well-known reputation before he landed a role in the TV show I Spy in 1960’s. But it wasn’t until his role in The Cosby Show, one of America’s most beloved situation comedies, that he became an American institution as a comedian. Now, almost 50 years after beginning his career, Cosby is still going strong and is widely recognized as a humorist, activist, author and public speaker. His material consists mainly of anecdotal tales, often dealing with his upbringing and raising his own family. But Cosby is most well-known for having a clean, family-friendly routine. He brought that routine to Fort Worth Sept. 30 when he performed at Bass Performance Hall. Comedy appeals to all ages and categories of people because it enables us to see the humor in our own frustrations. Traffic jams, office tension, weight loss programs and the battle of the sexes are all sources of hilarity for the average stand-up comedy humor. Interested in a live, mostly clean and incredibly hilarious comedy show? If you missed out (or couldn’t afford) Cosby’s show, check out Four Day Weekend in Downtown Fort Worth. The troupe specializes in improvisational comedy and typically sells out to a crowd of about 200 on a Saturday night. For college students on a budget, you could see the Four Day Weekend apprentices on Thursday evenings for a minimal $5. Visit www.fourdayweekend.com for more information.

Fifth Street Coffeehouse serves up music, coffee, fun house before his Bass Hall performance. In November, Gaby looks forward to the return of Brazilian-born Erika Luckett, who he STAFF WRITER describes as “world-beat.” As fall comes rolling in and class work begins to pile up, it may be time to kick back with Christian music is left off of the set lists for a reason, Gaby said. He views the gift of a cup of Joe and some live music. First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth is happy to music that encourages or describes the “spiritual journey” as something God wishes for accommodate your needs by hosting Fifth Street Coffeehouse the first Friday of each month. humanity. It’s all about finding meaning in music. “The coffeehouse has several goals,” said Charles Gaby, director of the coffehouse. Fifth Street has allowed many individuals to come and enjoy, be touched by and have According to Gaby, the church desires a place for people to hear meaningful, live music. real experiences listening to various musicians and bands, Gaby said. Many who have attendGaby said he believes that the “human ed have been deeply moved by the artists that have journey is hard to express in ordinary lanbeen brought in. guage” and “music seems to capture” the The coffeehouse takes place once a month, in the inner spirit more profoundly. Our modern newly renovated Wesley Hall at 800 W. Fifth St. on culture seems to have embraced music that the west edge of downtown. A renovated dining hall lacks depth or substance, Gaby said, and he at First United Methodist Church, the facility has and his colleagues are seeking musicians state of the art sound, lighting and projection and across the country who are writing lyrics seats about 250. about the life journey. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door These artists are using the medium of when available (depending on the performance, resergreat and substantive art in an attempt to fill vations are recommended through an online reservathe need for substance and, Gaby said, the tion system on the Web site). Parking is free at the coffeehouse wants to bring in music that is church. intellectually enriching and emotionally Beverages and food, mainly desserts, are availprofound. able at the events with donations accepted. Proceeds The coffeehouse began in 2002. Rev. from the coffeehouse benefit mission projects and Kent Kilbourne, a former associate pastor, relief efforts. formed the event before he transferred to A Fifth Street Festival is slated for October, but another church. Gaby had experience with details are still being finalized. Check the Web site for coffeehouses previously and said he considupcoming details. ered it a joyful opportunity to work with the The coffeehouse is open the first Friday of each church’s venture. Believing that FUMC month. Doors usually open at 7 p.m. with performshould continue what Kent had started, ances at 7:30 p.m. The house occasionally opens on Gaby has put time and effort into helping other dates when a desired performer has specific the group grow in the past four years. availability. Fifth Street Coffeehouse has featured a For more information visit www.fifthstreet.org. Photo courtesy of Kevin Keathley wide variety of artists. Among them are pro- The First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth hosts Fifth Street Coffeehouse once a Fifth Street is designed to facilitate artists who gressive folk musicians such as Peter Mayer month in the historical downtown facility. sing through heart and soul. The truth may not be recand Carry Newcomer, local artists like blues ognizable until it is heard, Gaby said, and music has guitarist Buddy Whittington and Celtic rock group Killdares. Others are Austinites Ruthy the power to bring it to consciousness. Foster and Eliza Gilkyson, and another favorite was David Wilcox who played the coffee-

KEVIN KEATHLEY

T HE W EEK A HEAD

Wednesday On Campus:

On Campus:

Friday On Campus

* The Rambler staff meeting: * Methodist Student Lobby of Stella Russell Hall, Movement meeting: Poly UMC, noon, free lunch served. 12:15 p.m.

* Fall Break

* Baptist Student Ministry: Sid *Men’s Soccer vs. Our Lady of the Lake: Martin Field, 7:30 Richardson Building, noon, p.m. free lunch served

Barash wows a full house

* Fall Break Workshop with Marshall W. Madison: location TBA, all day

*Kappa Alpha & Alpha Xi Delta Mixer: TBA, 7 p.m.

To submit an event for the calender, e-mail twurambler@yahoo.com.

Saturday

Thursday

Sunday On Campus:

Monday Off Campus:

Tuesday On Campus:

* Fall Break Workshop with * Dallas Chamber Music * Fall Break Workshop with Marshall W. Madison: location Marshall W. Madison: location Society Series: Southern Methodist University, all day. TBA, all day TBA, all day

* English & Spanish major and minors mix and mingle: Bragan Fellowship Hall, 12:15 p.m.

* Kappa Alpha Order * Cowtown Brush Up: Fort Meetings: TBA, 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Worth, all day, go to www.cowtownbrushup.com for more info.

* Women’s Volleyball vs. Paul Quinn College: Gym, 7 p.m. * Student Government Meeting: Carter Conference Room, noon

World renowned violinist Mikhail Barash played for a record breaking packed house in Martin Hall Sept. 28. The violinist wowed audiences with classics and modern favorites.