January 30, 2008 Vol. 100, No. 1www.txwes.edu/rambler

The RamblerThe students’ voice since 1917

T E X A S W E S L E Y A N U N I V E R S I T Y

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Happy ‘Birthday!’The Rambler celebrates

the start of its 100th vol-ume! We look forward to100 more.

President’s Honor ConcertWesleyan’s biannual

evening of performances byWesleyan’s top musical per-formers starts at 7:30 p.m.Feb. 8 in Nicholas MartinHall.

Welcome, ROTC!Lt. Col. Rodney W.

Joye has joined the TexasWesleyan faculty as ArmyROTC professor of militaryscience. The program isopen to all students and pro-vides scholarships, stipendsand a path to obtain a com-mission in the active com-ponent, reserves or ArmyNational Guard. His officeis located in Room 108 ofthe basement of the admin-istration building, and hecan also be contacted by e-mail at rjoye@txwes.edu.

2% SolutionEarthday TV, Focus the

Nation and the WildlifeFederation present 2%Solution, a free interactivewebcast, at 7 p.m. in the sci-ence lecture theater (room111) of the McFadden sci-ence building.

Party with Zeta Phi BetaJan. 31: Come hang out

and watch CSI: Miami withthe lovely ladies of Zeta PhiBeta Sorority at 7:20 p.m. inthe Stella Russel HallLobby.

Feb. 1: Attend theladies’ flavorful soul foodcookout from noon to 3 p.m.in the Student UnionBuilding. Admission is $3.

Feb. 3: Join the ladiesfor their Super Bowl partyin the Stella Russell Halllobby. Drinks and refresh-ments will be provided.

Help out SafeHavenStudent Life is holding

a donation drive for theSafeHaven of TarrantCounty. Faculty can donate$5, which grants you theprivilege to wear jeans Feb.1. Tight, low-rise and holeyjeans are not allowed.

HOT JOB opportunities@ Career Services

Assisstant Therapist,Brent Woodall FoundationForeign Service Diplomatic Security Special Agent, U.S. Dept. of State CareersPaid Internship, Q InvestmentsPersonal Trainer, LAFitnessInstructional Assistants &Math Tutors, TCCPart-time Marketing Assistant, PointwiseSecurity Manager, FC DallasCrime Analyst, Fort Worth PD

NEWS BRIEFS

Wesleyan changes campus alcohol policyTexas Wesleyan recently updated its campus alcohol policy, adding two

locations to the list of acceptable places to serve and consume alcohol, buttightening requirements to do so.

The Louella Baker Martin Pavilion and the Baker Martin House werenewly named as areas appropriate to serve alcohol. Other locations are thepresident’s suite, the trustee board room and the law school’s conferencecenter, as well as other areas deemed appropriate by the president.

“The pavilion was built for a variety of different group and functions,including third party events and functions, so it makes sense to allow alco-hol in the building,” said Steve Roberts, associate vice president of admin-istrative services.

The east room of the campus library was previously included in thehandbook as an appropriate venue but was removed from the list after ittransformed into the Academic Resource Center.

The new policy also calls for more restriction. It mandates that an off-duty Fort Worth police officer to be present for all student and third partyevents where alcohol is served. The cost is assumed by sponsoring parties.

“Any time you serve alcohol you can have problems related to that, sowe felt it was in the best interest of everybody involved, particularly forthird party events,” said Roberts.

University policy also states that a third party and licensed vendor orbartender must distribute the beverages, state and local laws must be

adhered to, alcohol must not be the focus of the activity, and advertise-ments of the event may not use alcohol to draw the attendees.

Off-campus events, including organization-sponsored gatherings, mustabide by even more procedures. A variety of non-alcoholic beverages mustbe conveniently and readily available, sufficient food or hors’ douvres mustbe provided, carding must be enforced and alternate transportation arrange-ments should be readily available upon request.

Alcohol is still not permitted in or on residence hall property; thisincludes any container that had previously contained the substance.

Failure to follow any of the alcohol restrictions could lead to conse-quences that inhibit any club or association at Texas Wesleyan from havingthe right to have alcoholic beverages on or off campus, according to thehandbook. Organizations could lose their rights, sponsors and president;other leading members are also subject to hefty fines. The rules in theirentirety may be found in the Texas Wesleyan University Student Handbook.

If a society wishes to seek approval to hold a function that serves alco-hol, they can request an alcohol permit form from Joslyn Neblett in theoffice of the dean of students.

The request serves for both on and off-campus purposes and asks forexplicit details of the event. Event administers must be ready to furnishdetails as to who the vendor will be, what will be served and how they willensure that minors will not be supplied with beverages beyond their limita-tions.

Approval is lastly based on a sign off from Roberts, as well as the deanof students.

MARTIN GARCIASTAFF WRITER

AT&T grants $25K for technology efforts

Graduates stepping toward the future

Photo courtesy of Communications Office

Harold Jeffcoat, universitypresident, and HectorQuintanilla, dean of theschool of business (fromfar left), accept a check onbehalf of Texas WesleyanUniversity. The school wasawarded the $25,000AT&T Excelerator grant tohelp fund the installationof SMART technologies intwo business classrooms.David Parker, AT&Tregional vice president forexternal affairs (secondfrom right), presented thecheck with the help of KimBrimer, state senator (farright). The SMART tech-nologies will provide pro-fessors everything theyneed to give integrated pre-sentations to students.

Nearly-graduated studentsgraced the Texas WesleyanUniveristy campus with fullsmiles during the processionfrom the McFadden ScienceBuilding to PolytechnicUnited Methodist Church forthe traditional robing cere-mony Dec. 14.

Photos by Kevin Keathley

News2 January 30, 2008 The Rambler

Smoking ordinance takes effect on campusCan’t wait to light up after you leave class? Considering a visit to Marlboro country to

curb your nerves about that looming test? Well, fellow smokers, as of this year, the Wesleyancommunity will have to wait to indulge ournicotine habit… at least until we’re 20 feetfrom any door on campus.

This means no more smoking in front ofthe psychology building, on the steps of thelibrary or in front of the church (where I canusually be found smoking).

The Fort Worth City Council voted 7 -2last summer to amend a city wide smokingban that prohibits smoking in public places.According to the city Web site (www.fort-worthgov.org), this new amendment pro-hibits smoking within “20 feet of a primaryentrance/exit of a regulated facility.” It tookeffect Jan. 1.

Fort Worth’s Web site states that the cityis “in the process of educating all establish-ments impacted by the new ordinance.”

Steve Roberts, the associate vice presi-dent of administrative services/humanresources, said that Wesleyan did not specif-ically receive any “education” pertaining tothe new ordinances; however, Roberts isaware of the recent changes in the smokingban and Wesleyan’s duty to comply.

As of yet, the university has not adheredto the amendment. According to the newlypassed ordinance, owners of the affectedfacilities must ensure that no smoking is tak-

ing place in a non-smoking facility, they must remove all ashtrays and other “smoking acces-sories” from places where smoking is prohibited, and they must post “no smoking” signswith the international “no smoking” symbol at the owner’s cost.

“We’re waiting on the signs,” Roberts said, regarding the steps Wesleyan is taking tocomply with the ordinance.

Roberts said that “no smoking” signshave been ordered and will be prominentlydisplayed around entrances. Ashtrays willalso be moved 20 feet away from buildings.Also, Roberts said that there will continue tobe designated smoking areas - they’ll just bea little farther away.

Roberts estimated that the changes willbe implemented by the end of February.

While the new amendment cracks downon smoking in public, banning smoking inall restaurants and their respective bars,bowling alleys and business/office build-ings, the city of Fort Worth still allowssmoking in bars, designated hotel/motelrooms and Bingo parlors.

This leaves many more places prohibit-ing smoking than allowing it, and the viola-tion of that probation could come with ahefty fine. Violators, both residents and pro-prietors, can be fined up to $500;owners/operators of the designated facilitiescan be fined up to $2,000 for knowingly vio-lating the new ordinance. In effect, be mind-ful of where you light up, fellow smokers,because if you think $4.75 a pack is outra-geous, wait until you have to pay $500 forone cigarette.

CHUCK FAINSTAFF WRITER

A new amendment to the Fort Worth smoking ban changes the way students smoke on campus,including a required distance of 20 feet from entrances.

Photo courtesy of Google Images

The U.S. House of Representatives may consider apiece of legislation in the next few weeks that, ifpassed, could make textbook-buying and other collegecosts easier on students’ checkbooks.

The College Opportunity and Affordability Act of2007, which, among other things, calls for textbookpublishers to provide colleges with more informationabout the costs of buying textbooks, could be reviewedby the full House in early February.

“It is long past time to address rising textbookprices, and this bill will take important steps to makethese costs more manageable,” said Rep. George Miller(D-Calif.), who introduced the bill, in an e-mail.

The bill, introduced in November 2007, wouldamend the Higher Education Act of 1965 by adding sev-eral sections that would make the cost of higher educa-tion more transparent to students and their families.

The bill was passed unanimously in December 2007out of the House Education and Labor Committee, ofwhich Miller is chair, and is now ready for considera-tion by the whole House.

One provision of the nearly 800-page-long billwould require textbook publishers to fully disclose tocolleges the prices of textbooks, as well as informationabout how revised editions differ from previous ones.Publishers would also have to allow bundled textbooksand materials to be purchased separately.

UC Berkeley student organizations such asCalPIRG have demonstrated support for the bill’s text-book provision by building a photo petition that urgesCongress to pass the bill.

“The textbook market is just messed up,” said Jenn

Engstrom, CalPIRG’s chapter chair on the Berkley cam-pus. “Now we are calling on Congress to take action.”

Yet some, including UC officials and UC Berkeleytextbook distributor Follett Higher Education Groupsaid that, although they agree with legislation thatwould lower student costs, the bill also includes provi-sions that do not seem practical, like requiring campus-es to print course schedules even when they are subjectto change.

“Some of those things need to be looked at to makethem practical and beneficial,” said Follett spokespersonCliff Ewert.

The bill also seeks to extend the length of the PellGrant, provide predominantly ethnic minority institu-tions with aid and grant more aid to institutions as areward for keeping tuition rates low.

While citing provisions of the bill that would beuseful to students, UC Legislative Director forEducation Carolyn Henrich said some of the informa-tion the bill seeks from the university, loan lenders andtextbook publishers may not achieve lower costs.

“If it’s going to be good for students, then we’ll dowhat we have to do,” she said. “We’re happy to reportmore information. We just don’t want to provide moreinformation for the sake of it.”

The bill would also create indices that would rankcolleges according to their tuition rates, a processHenrich said should be more standardized since eachinstitution calculates rates using different factors.

“Quality (in the index) is not considered in the least,it’s just the cost,” she said. “One of the things we’relooking for is a standardized definition so when you aremaking the comparison you’re looking at apples vs.apples.”

ANGELICA DONGALLOU-WIRE/DAILY CALIFORNIAN

Federal bill aims to lower cost of textbooks

A new bill, if passed, would regulate textbook companies further,requiring them to provide more information to colleges and students,as well as bring down the cost of textbooks.

Photo courtesy of Google Images

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meetings every Thursday during free period in Stella Russell Hall

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OpinionsThe Rambler January 30, 2008 3

The RamblerFounded in 1917 as The Handout

Harold G. Jeffcoat, Publisher Kelli Lamers, adviser Shawn R Poling, editor-in-chief Tiara Nugent, managing/college life editor Bryce Wilks, sports editorColleen Burnie, entertainment 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

Rambler RatingsThumbs up to Wesleyan par-ticipants in the 2008 All-Western Stock Show Parade.The parade took place January12.

Thumbs down to holiday fatthat won’t go away.

Thumbs down to the writers’strike. We miss most of ourfavorite shows.

Thumbs up to LULAC forhosting a winter festival as afund-raiser Jan. 29.

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It is the start of a newsemester. For most of us

that means a new start, maybethe first ever in college,maybe the last, but a newstart. No matter what lastsemester looked like, nomatter what grades youmade, this semester offers anew beginnings

During my five yearsin college, I have gained

various perspectives on Wesleyan. I love thesmall atmosphere, I love most of the professorsthat I have studied under, and I love that I havethe chance to meet all kinds of people from dif-ferent backgrounds. I look forward to startingback each time, but no matter how well I thinkI’ve prepared for my semester to start, the firstdays are always chaotic as I inevitably end uprunning around campus.

If it’s not some financial issue that hasn’tbeen resolved or two classes that conflict (yetsomehow I was permitted to register for) it isthe bookstore.

Now, it’s not news that books are pricedhigh or often out of stock even though they’rerequired by the class. Everyone who has attend-ed any institution of higher learning has beendealt the blow that books cost ridiculousamounts of money and return less that 20 per-cent of the price that was paid.

I was still surprised, however, when I wentto get my books two days before school startedthis semester, and found that the bookstore wasunable to provide the supplies that I was look-ing for. This might not be so grievous an errorif I were looking for some specific pen refill orspecialized stationary. After all, the bookstore isnot an OfficeMax and should really only beexpected to carry the basic needs for class.

However, after searching the store for aboutfive minutes and not finding any loose-leafnotebook paper, I finally asked an employee ifthe store carried paper. The associate told me shewas sure there was paper and proceeded to helpme look for some. We decided that the store

must have run out … of paper. Now, I may bethe only person who thinks that it is ridiculousthat the campus book store would not have

paper. That’s how it seemed that day wheneveryone who heard me mention it, told me to“go to Wal-Mart.”

Just when I was resigning myself to the fact

that I would have to go to Wal-Mart to get themost basic of school supplies, the sales associatetold me that she had found some paper, and

showed me to the short stack. The plastic cover read

(insert name here), and eachpack had 100 sheets. I soonfound out that this environmen-tally friendly paper costs $3.95a pack. I could hardly believeit. Now don’t get me wrong,I’m all about going green, butin my experience recycledpaper costs less than the newstuff.

This is on top of the factthat many classes are doingwithout books for the first fewweeks of the already 14-weeksemester, because bookstoreoperations insist on orderingbooks based on the previousyear’s enrollment.

Shouldn’t a bookstore bepromoting education? Or atleast meeting the general needsof the students – its customers?Professors are required to planour lessons and have a syllabusready for school. Most of us, asstudents, are committed to dothe work that we are paying asmall fortune to have access to.So shouldn’t the universitybookstore be expected to joinin that effort and have adequatebooks and basic supplies?

I may be overreacting,but when the only way thatmany students pay for theirbooks is with a universityissued voucher, shouldn’t theybe able to expect supplies at a

reasonable cost? Next time I’ll just “go to Wal-Mart.”

According to a recent Gallup poll, almost two-thirdsof Americans already report giving “quite a lot” of

thought to the presidential election this year, the highestsuch number recorded in January of an election year.This is due largely to the earlier primaries of otherstates and the extremely early start date for most of thepresidential candidates. One can’t help wondering,though, exactly how pivotal this year’s election willactually be.

Of course, voting at any time is a vital civicresponsibility that every citizen should fulfill. AsPresident Garfield once noted, “the people are respon-

sible for the character of their Congress,” and the same could be said of ourpresidential election.

Several factors, however, make this year’s elections especially impor-tant.

The economic state of the nation is always a factor, but this year, it hasspecial significance. Consumer confidence in the American economy is atan all-time low after the sub-prime lending crises, the General Motor com-pany problems and the current rush on the part of Congress to give theeconomy a “shot in the arm” to stimulate some forward movement andminimize the affects of recession.

Healthcare takes its usual place on the list of American voting issues,but with heightened importance due to recent issues with Medicare,Medicaid and Social Security funds.

The final major issue that makes this election year extremely importantis that of the war in Iraq. With just asmuch support for as against it, the warin Iraq is an on-going topic of debate.The next administration will decide themanner in which the closing chapter ofthis war will be handled.

Of course there are other issuessuch as illegal immigration, the national debt and government spending,but, overall, the 2008 election will be pivotal in determining the future

course of our country over the next four years. Many of us will graduate into this environment, and the importance of

being involved now cannot be underestimated.Alexander Hamilton, founding father and first Secretary of the

Treasury, made the statement that “voting at elections is one of the mostimportant rights of the subject, and in a republic ought to stand foremost inthe estimation of the law.”

The duty of voting is a vital opportunity, and one that should not betaken lightly. Both the Democrat and Republican Party primaries occur inTexas on March 4, a scarce month away. The primaries may seem unimpor-tant, butrememberthat eachcandidatehas iden-tified theissuesthat willmakethemunique. Inessence,you havetheopportu-nity to choose and lobby for the one person you feel best represents youand your values now.

Regardless of who earns the nomination for either party, it is importantto know that your vote influences the direction of this great country.

In the words of President Garfield, “If the next centennial does not findus a great nation ... it will be because those who represent the enterprise,the culture and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the polit-ical forces.”

RACHELHORTON

Rachel Horton is a freshman political science major and is a staff writer for TheRambler.

COLLEENBURNIE

Colleen Burnie is a senior writing major and is theentertainment editor for The Rambler.

The uncertainty of which candidates will win the primaries hasprompted citizens to pay more attention to candidate debates.

Courtesy of Google Images

Can I just have some paper?Campus bookstore neglects to provide students with the essential supplies needed for education

Voting is an opportunity not to be passed up

“Voting at elections is oneof the most important rightsof the subject....”

– Alexander HamiltonFirst Secretary of the Treasury

While the campus bookstore may be lacking in offerings in classroommaterials and textbooks, school spirit paraphenelia -- including appar-rell, blankets, bumper stickers and more -- are available in abundance.

File Photo

College Life The Rambler

WANTED:

Web Manager

txwes.edu/rambler

January 30, 2008

Have you ever gotten to the mid-point in a semester and decided there was too much onyour plate and dropped a class? Students all over the state are having to rethink think drop-ping a course due to a law passed last summer.

According to Senate Bill 1231, students who started at a higher education institution infall 2007 or later are prohibited, except under certain rules, from dropping more than sixcourses in their college career. This prohibition includes classes dropped at other schools andcommunity colleges. Exceptions are made for circumstances such as death or serious illnessin the family, military service and inflexible work schedules.

The law does state that labs associated with lecture classes do not count as separatecourses, and students are still permitted to “course shop” checking out a course theymight be interested in and then dropping until the 12th day of classes. After the 12thday or census date when the school sends its enrollment information to the state forfunding, any dropped class counts against the six permitted.

The statute also gives the governing board of an institution the authorization toadopt a policy that allows students to drop less than the six now allowed through thestate. According to an article published in the Dallas Morning News late last year, theUniversity of Texas, Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University have all optedto adopt stricter policies than the onesestablished by the bill.

The law was written by Rep. FredBrown of College Station who felt that thenew policy would save the state money byreducing the funding sent to students whodon’t finish courses. It would also, themovement reasoned, free up chairs in class-es for students who want to finish andencourage students to finish their degreeson time.

According to the Texas HigherEducation Board, only 56 percent of Texascollege students graduate within six yearsof beginning.

It is now up to the registrars at eachstate school to track the number of droppedcourses and enforce the state-mandatedstatute. According to a report released bythe American Association of CollegiateRegistrars and Admissions Officers, manyregistrars are concerned about the logisticsof trying to keep track of all students’dropped courses from all institutions andattempting to make decisions on what con-stitutes as a reasonable excused drop. SouthPlains College registrar’s office, amongothers, has had to hire a new employee ded-icated wholly to the tracking of drop rates.

Mike Allen, the associate registrar at UT, criticized the law as a “one size fits all” provi-sion. There are other college officials who agree the law misses the point, saying they cer-tainly agree with timely graduation, but they don’t want to see students penalized when theywind up in a class that’s too hard or not what they expected. Many students are encouragedto try a class, critics say, and if they decide that it’s too tough, the option of dropping should

be available with little or no penalty. Some officials have even voiced fears that students could get discouraged and drop out

completely. Another concern with regard to the law is that students who transfer to a four-year uni-

versity from community colleges could end up without any flexibility in their schedule whenthey arrive. Dr. Cary Israel, chancellor of the Collin County Community College District,voiced such concerns for his students in an interview with the Dallas Morning News.

“If the purpose is to get them to have a two-year degree within two years, it’s never goingto happen because 80 percent of our students work,” he said.

So what does this mean for small private colleges, like Wesleyan, that receive federalfunding? According to Pati Alexander, vice president of enrollment and student services, nota whole lot.

“The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s rules regarding a ‘six class droplimit’ do not apply toWesleyan as a privateinstitution. AlthoughWesleyan does receivestate funding from theCoordinating Boardand is subject to manyrules and regulations,the requirements aresometimes differentfor private institu-tions,” said Alexander.“The freedom to setour own policy comeswith being a privateinstitution. This newpolicy may actuallyhelp recruit students toWesleyan.”

Many people,including Wesleyan’s

registrar, Kay Van Toorn, feel that thelaw will encourage students to get serious about their education and stop relying on the security blanket of knowing they can drop.

“More restrictions on drops would not be a bad thing,” said Van Toorn, “but itwould be difficult to track.”

According to Van Toorn, the factors that impact the number of classes dropped some-times go beyond the student.

“If advising is good, students typically don’t need to drop as many classes,” said VanToorn. “Good advising is so critical.”

Jessica Boone, technical records coordinator at Wesleyan, wasn’t able to pull the sta-tistics on Wesleyan’s average drop percentage because of the vast number of recordsthat would have to be searched – a good example of the work it would take to track thenew policy.

“It really runs the spectrum. I’ve seen some transcripts without any drops and somethat have numerous entire semesters dropped,” said Boone. “Our student population,

with high numbers of non-traditional students, lends us to have more drops and be morelenient with students who have families, jobs, health issues and finances to deal with on topof school.”

Students and staff can rest easy for now, Wesleyan students are exempt from the six classdrop limit, and administration is free from the burden of tracking each student’s record.

Shop till you drop As course shopping becomes more difficult atpublic schools, Wesleyan remains lenient. Thestate law could benefit TWU recruitment.

COLLEEN BURNIEENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Courtesy of Google Images

Students at state campuses including the University of NorthTexas and the University of Texas at Arlington will be affectedby the policies limiting the ability to drop classes. Some univer-sities are cracking down harder than the state laws.

Students present

CHEER

Photos by Kevin Keathley

Omega Chi members celebrate their purchaseand donation of gifts and clothing to underpriv-ileged children. Junior religion major KevinDoskocil enjoyed messing around with one spe-cial lil tot and after a festive shin-dig, societymembers had a party of their own. Junior reli-gion major Katie Slaten hung out with juniorpsychology major Ryan Authier and sophomoreathletic trianing major Joakim Soderbaum.

YOU HAVE THERIGHT TO WRITE.

Use it.The Rambler is currently seeking talented and committed writers.

Contact twurambler@yahoo.com

Where did I put... ?

So you walk into eachclass on Day 1 and arehanded a syllabus.Within a week, youopen your car door andhandouts flutter in thebreeze. Papers, papers -- they all mix up!Avoid the confusionand panic of lost docu-ments by practicing theart of tidiness.** Buy a slim three-ring notebook andkeep it with you eachday so those papershave no chance todisappear.

** Carry a three-ringhole punch so youcan punch yourpapers right away.Wal-Mart sells light,slim and cheap onesthat work great.

** If you have aclass/classes that willbe providing anextreme amount ofpapers, obtain a fold-er or binder just forthat class.

** Preserve writtenworks and valuablehandouts in portfolioslabeled by class, sub-ject or semester.

** Stay on top of it! Ifyou procrastinateorganizing yourpapers, the moundwill seem too daunt-ing to bother with.

- Tiara Nugent

SportsThe Rambler January 30, 2008 5

Log on to:www.ramsports.netfor the latest game

information andprofiles of your

favorite WesleyanTeams and Athletes

Quick Quotes“They say that nobody isperfect. Then they tellyou practice makes per-fect. I wish they'd makeup their minds.”

- Wilt Chamberlain Basketball legend

Feb. 2*5:30 p.m. Women’sBasketball vs. JarvisChristian

*7:30 p.m. Men’sBasketball vs. JarvisChristian

Feb. 3*1 p.m. Baseball vs.Concordia

*3 p.m. Baseball vs.Concordia

Feb. 45:30 p.m. Women’sBasketball @ Langston

7:30 p.m. Men’sBasketball @ Langston

*denotes home game

Men’s GolfThe men’s golf team wasselected to receive a$5,000 grant from theCrowne Plaza Invitational atColonial and ColonialCountry Club Charities overthe holiday break. TheRams are currently rankedfifth in the NAIA NationalPoll. Senior Mitch Hendonlooks to lead the team whentheir season opens March 3at the Point Loma/SmeeBuilders Invitational in SanDiego.

SoftballThe softball team is prepar-ing to start its 2008 cam-paign. 2007 All-Regionselections and Ariel Raleyand Brooke McNabb willlead the team as seniorsinto their first match up Feb.12 against OklahomaBaptist University. Thegame is scheduled to beginat 1 p.m. in Sycamore Park.

Upcoming Events

Sports Briefs

American sports fans like to devote theirattentions to football, basketball and baseball. Itseems that hockey and soccer can't quite contendin popularity for various reasons. Some say thatsoccer is boring, while others say they don'tunderstand the rules of hockey.

The solution? Combine the two sports intoone. It's hard to explain a sport like that, so myadvice is to consult your nearest Internet access,hit up Youtube.com and type “floorball” into thesearch engine.

That's right, floorball. It hails from countriessuch as Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and theCzech Republic, and a floorball club from Dallasis scheduled to play an exhibition game at 6:30p.m. Feb. 4 in the Sid Richardson Gym.

Wesleyan students Joakim Soderbaum andRyan Authier arranged for the exhibition and hopeto generate interest in the sport so that a gamemade up of students can take place.

Soderbaum, a native of Varberg, Sweden, and

goalie on the Wesleyan soccer team said that hewas involved with floorball for about eight yearswhile growing up.

“Floorball is the second biggest sport inSweden, other than soccer,” he said. “I played andalso coached teams when I got older.”

Authier added that he would like to see anyand all students that can attend the exhibitiongame and take part in the student game to follow.

“We have already built goals and will be get-ting sticks soon,” he said. “I will be the goalie forone team, and I plan on wearing my high schoolfootball helmet for protection.”

Interested students might want to know whatthey are in for, so here is a brief description of thesport with a little help from the InternationalFloorball Federation at www.floorball.org.

Each floorball team is made up of five courtplayers and a goalie. The object of the game is toscore goals into what looks like a hockey goal.

Only the goalie, who is not permitted a stick,may use hands or arms to stop the ball. Other play-ers may use their feet to stop a rolling ball andgain control, but not to pass or shoot.

The ball itself looks a lot like a plastic whiffleball. It contains holes like a whiffle ball, as well astiny golfball-like dimples that reduce air resist-ance and friction on the floor.

A floorball stick closely resembles a hockeystick, but the blade is vented to create stick speed.

Much like lacrosse and ice hockey, there isroom behind the goalie net for offensive teammembers to maneuver around and create trickypassing and shooting angles.

Floorball was not designed to be a contactsport, but players do make some contact whencompeting for a loose ball. When hockey-styleboards are set up, there is also some physical“checking” into corners and boards. Penalties areassessed for fouls deemed unnecessary by the ref-erees.

An international championship is held everytwo years for men and women, and Sweden hasdominated the world, winning six consecutivegold medals in men's and three out of six inwomen's.

For further information, visit www.twfloor-ball.com.

Chili. Cheese. Jalapenos. Pico de gallo. Those don't exactly sound likethe ingredients for a winning baseball team, but, in an odd way, they are.

Like most NAIA programs, Wesleyan's baseball budget is somewhat lim-ited, so team members and coaches work a concession stand at DallasCowboys home games to create funds.

Throughout the fall and winter, two groups take turns working, and, inreturn, the program gets to keep a percentage of the sales so that financialobligations can be met during the season.

Players and coaches show up four hours prior to kickoff for games,including the preseason and playoffs.

Concession workers get star-treatment as soon as they arrive in Irvingwith free parking. The lot is approximately two miles away from the stadi-

um, but a shuttle bus transports workers to the gates.After a quick frisking by security, it's off to the section 27 concession

stand, where a jolly concession manager named Sig is waiting to dole outassignments.

Immediately, there are items to be counted so that Jerry won't think thatthe team is giving away freebies or pocketing extra money at the end of thegame.

After cups, containers, bottles and bags are counted, food items need tobegin warming. The cooking equipment rivals Texas Stadium in age, so ittakes a while for the cheese, chili and barbecue beef to thaw out and eventu-ally become a tasty temperature.

When the gates open a few hours prior to game time, rabid fans begin topour in, ready to cheer on their team.

The marquee item, "Super Bowl Nachos," can be had for only $7.50.

Need a drink? No problem, that'll be 13 bucks altogether, please.Fans don't mind the steep prices too much, as long as the Cowboys are

winning. Some are even generous enough to drop a few dollars or somechange in the tip box.

Senior first baseman Brad Henderson has worked his share of gamesover the years and has a few fond memories.

"We get our share of older women who have had too much to drink,"Henderson said. "I definitely got hit on by two 40-year-olds one time."

The job doesn't seem very glamorous so far, but it does have a few perks.Players are too busy to see much game action, but watching for a few celebri-ties on the field and in the stands is always a good way to forget about theever-present stench of hot dogs and T.O.'s famous popcorn.

"Getting to see Peyton Manning and Tony Romo play in person has beena pretty big thrill," said junior catcher Ryan Ragsdale.

During a game against the New England Patriots in October, players hada chance to snap some quick pictures of celebrity couple Eva Longoria andTony Parker as they went down to the sideline.

When the game ends, there are dishes to be washed and shrink-wrapped,floors that need mopping and money to be counted and organized.

Finally, after an eight hour day, only a brisk walk through traffic andacross Loop 12 separates the team from freedom.

The team hopes their hard work will begin to pay off when LaGraveField hosts the season opener on Feb. 3 at 1 p.m. against ConcordiaUniversity.

BRYCE WILKSSPORTS EDITOR

Photo by Bryce Wilks

Photo by Bryce Wilks

Baseball players fund season with help from America’s Team

Super Bowl Nachos are a huge item with fans at Dallas Cowboy games.They cost a pretty penny but help generate revenue for the baseballteam’s expenses throughout the season.

Floorball, a com-petitive sportplayed overseas,is coming toTexas WesleyanFeb. 4. Pro play-ers from Dallaswill play an exhi-bition match inSid RichardsonGym at 6:30 p.m.The game is ahybrid, involvingelements of soc-cer, hockey andlacrosse. A gamebetween studentsand faculty willfollow for anyoneinterested.

BRYCE WILKSSPORTS EDITOR

Floorball league to kick-off with pro demoPhoto courtesy of google images

Juniors Blake Walker (front) and Nolan Whisenhunt help with the baseballteam’s concession booth at the final Cowboys game against the New YorkGiants Jan. 13.

Would you like everything on those nachos?

“We get our share of older women who have had too much todrink. I have definitely been hit on by two 40-year-old women atthe same time.”

– Brad HendersonSenior first baseman

Looking Ahead

Mens’ GolfJan. 26The men’s basketball team

and Wiley College tookeachother’s best shot in acontest between conferencefront runners. Wiley nippedthe No. 23 ranked Rams70-68.

BasketballJan. 26The Texas WesleyanUniversity women’s basket-ball team (12-7, 4-3 RRAC)suffered an 80-53 loss toWiley College (17-4, 5-1RRAC).

BasketballJan. 23The Texas WesleyanUniversity men’s basketballteam (13-6, 6-0 RRAC)moved into the NAIA’s top-25 national ranking. TheRams, who had receivedvotes in each of the last twopolls, moved up to 23rd inthe week’s ranking.

What do rodeos, corn dogs, tilt-a-whirls and great shopping have in common? They are allpart of the 112th Annual Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show and Rodeo at WillRoger’s Memorial Center in Fort Worth.

If you have not made it out yet, I would highly encourage you to do so for the incredibleexcitement that the show provides. It runs through Feb. 3. What bet-ter way to experience and gain appreciation of farm and ranch lifethan spending a day at the show?

According to a press release issued by the Southwestern Expositionand Livestock Show, many interactive exhibits about farm animalsand production agriculture await visitors.

“We want visitors to not only have fun at the midway, at the rodeoor enjoying a corn dog, but we want them to experience what makesfarm and ranch life so special,” said Bradford Barnes, executive vicepresident/general manager of the Stock Show. “Providing events thatare not only fun, but allow our guests to share in farming and ranch-ing experiences, is what the Stock Show’s all about.”

In addition to seeing livestock, rodeo performances, riding the tilt-a-whirl in the midway and visiting all the vendors, patrons get theopportunity to touch the livestock at the petting zoo. They can also seechicks being hatched, ducklings sliding down a waterslide and babyfarm animals with their mothers. They’re all under one roof called theFFA Children’s Barnyard.

The “World’s Original Indoor Rodeo” is everything the West ismeant to be. It features 30 performances with edge-of-your-seatexcitement. The tickets for the rodeo are not included with generaladmission but can be purchased for $16 to $22 each.

If the events aren’t enough to draw you out, try the food, food andmore food. For the seventh year in a row, Reata restaurant, which islocated in downtown Fort Worth, has set up shop in the Amon G.Carter Jr. Exhibit Hall. It features a full-service restaurant and barwith the same elegant environment provided at its downtown loca-tion. In addition to Reata, folks can experience the delight of barbe-cue, cold beer and catfish, all located in the same building as the Reataat the Round Up Inn.

There are plenty of booths to visit while at the stock show. There arealmost 200 vendors, as well as media partners, special event partners and major corporatepartners.

One such media partner is “The Sound of Texas” 95.9 The Ranch radio station. The sta-

tion, who calls downtown Fort Worth home, has one savvy set up. The booth, constructed byMassey’s Fence, features a prize wheel and a chance to register for both a GMC pick up truckand a big screen television. Also, Ranch fans can purchase The Ranch Texas Music SeriesCDs. The 2006 CD is priced at $10, while the 2007 is $14 and the combo is $20.

Being at the stock show has given employees of The Ranch, such as myself, the opportunetime to meet and interact with listeners, as well as gain new ones.

“This is my first time working out here,” said Stu Stewart, an on-air personality for TheRanch. “Igot thechance tomeet a lotof listenersand a lot ofre s iden t sof the area.It has beensuch arewardinge x p e r i -ence.”

S i s t e rstation to95.9 TheR a n c h ,C o u n t r yL e g e n d s92.1 is thes o u n dheard allover theS t o c kShow. RonM o o r efrom them o r n i n gshow is incharge ofdoing the

rodeo reports. Not only is he getting the chance to mingle with many of the patrons, but alsowith celebrities as well.

“We do rodeo reports three times a day,” said Moore. “Also, I’m going around and talkingto vendors, livestock vendors, exhibitors and celebrities.”

If shopping is your idea of fun, then you better plan an all day outing if you plan on doingit at the Stock Show. Featuring everything from western wear to western furniture, thegrounds of the Stock Show have it all.

One that stands above the rest is Boulet Boot Company from Canada. Kate Wilson,owner of Diamond W Western World in Coleman, Texas, has brought these oh-so comfort-able hand-made boots to the Lone Star State.

Wilson said the boots are made with steel shanks and a leather heel cup. Most boot man-ufactures, however, use materials that can wear and break, such as plastic. The result is aquality and unique custom boot fit, which can be adjusted according to a person’s heelwidth.

“Once someone gets in a Boulet boot, that’s all they want,” said Wilson. “We call them‘Boulet believers.’”

Another fascinating place is The Bull Pen. Anyone from 8 months to 88 years can havetheir photo taken on what once was a real life bucking bull.

“This is our fifth year here at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo,” said Nicole Petet,who owns The Bull Pen with her husband Kenny. “We have been in business for six yearsand also have a booth set up at the Mesquite Rodeo from April to September.”

All the excitement, all the people, and all the things to see and do at the 112th annualSouthwestern Exposition and Livestock Show and Rodeo make it one of my top picks forentertainment during this long-awaited cold winter season. General admission is about theprice of a movie ticket, $8 for adults, $4 for children ages 6 to 16 and free for younger chil-dren.

For tickets to the rodeo, call the Stock Show Ticket Office at (817) 877-2420 orTicketmaster at (972) 647-5700. The grounds are located at Will Rogers Memorial Centerat 3400 Burnett-Tandy Drive. Parking is available around Will Rogers and at most neigh-boring museums. For more information, visit www.fwssr.com.

This ain’t my first rodeoANDREW CARVER

STAFF WRITER

Photo courtesy of Google images

The Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo is a Fort Worth tradition that incorporates the culture and histo-ry of Fort Worth. The rodeo runs until Feb. 3.

Entertainment6 January 30, 2008 The Rambler

On Campus:

* Broadway Boot Camp: LawSone building, all day.

* Rick Springfield: Billy Bob’sTexas, 8 p.m.

Off Campus:

* Fort Worth SymphonyOrchestra presents “Mozart &Schuman”: Bass PerformanceHall, 7 p.m.

Off Campus:

* Vincent Black Shadow:Ridglea Theatre, 7 p.m.

* “A Ride with Bob”- The BobWills Musical FeaturingAsleep at the Wheel: BassPerformance Hall, 8 p.m.

On Campus:

* DVD releases: Across theUniverse, Elizabeth TheGolden Age, The Arisocats,The Jane Austin Book Club,and Anthony BourdainCollection 2

* Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday:Razzoo's Sundance Square, allday.

TTHEHE

WWEEKEEK

AAHEADHEAD

On Campus:

*Methodist Student Movementmeeting: Poly UMC, noon,free lunch served

*Baptist Student Ministry: SidRichardson Building, noon,free lunch served

30

To submit an event forthe calender, e-mail

twurambler@yahoo.com.

Wednesday

On Campus:

*The Rambler staff meeting:Stella Russell Hall lobby,12:15 p.m.

* Cody Gill: White ElephantSaloon, 8 p.m.

31Thursday

On Campus

* Gay Straight Alliancemeeting: B17 basement ofthe library, 12:15 p.m.

* Learning ComminutiesSeminar: Lou’s Pavillion, 9a.m.

* Monterey Jazz Festival:50th Anniversary Tour:Southern MethodistUniversity, all day.

1Friday

5Tuesday2Saturday 3Sunday 4Monday

The loss of Ledger hits home In most girls’ lives there comes a point when a leading man in Hollywood captures our heart. I always

felt like I was late coming to that table. At least among my friends, it took me a while to say that Ieven thought that an actor was “hot.”

However, when The Patriot was released my freshman year in high school, I joined the club. Anavid American history lover and mild movie buff, I found the perfect mix of class, heroism and plainol’ good looks in Heath Ledger. My crush was pretty intense. I read every article I could get my handson, watched copies of his Australian movies and shows online and kept tabs on all of his upcominggigs. I was even convinced that I would marry a man with an accent like his.

As the years went by my crush faded, but Ledger’s talent and fame only grew. As he broke awayfrom teen films and with projects like Monster’s Ball and of course Brokeback Mountain (for which hewas Oscar nominated) , Ledger established himself as one of the industry’s leaders. That’s why when Iheard the news that he had passed away, it was heartbreaking.

According to USA Today, the 28-year-old actor was found Jan. 23 lying face-down at the foot of his bed without anyclothes. He apparently had a massage appointment, and when his housekeeper went into his room to tell him that themasseuse had arrived, they found him with sleeping pills nearby.

The police don’t believe that it was a suicide, and the medical examiner’s report hasn’t been released as of yet. Ledgerleft behind a 2-year-old daughter with ex-wife Michelle Williams.

The question that everyone seems to be asking now is what will happen with the new Batman movie The Dark Knight.Ledger took on the daunting task of recreating Jack Nicholson ionic character, the Joker. According to a report released onYahoo!, quires for Heath Ledger as Joker on search engines have risen 3,600 percent. The new Batman movies are darkerthan the originals and, according to a report from Yahoo!, Ledger has made the character more menacing.

Warner Brow. executives are concerned about the public perception of the late actor playing such a dark character andhave stated that they will greatly change the film’s advertising campaign, which relied solely on teasing Ledger’s Joker,but keep the months-away release date.

During an interview for the premiere of I’m Not There, the biographical film chronicling Bob Dillon, Ledger told theNew York Times that he “stressed out a little too much during the Dylan film” and had trouble sleeping while working onthe sinister Joker, which could explain the sleeping pills.

Whatever the explanation, or lack there of, he will be missed. The Dark Knight Web site has posted a memorial pagethat reads “We mourn the loss of a remarkable talent gone too soon and the passing of an extraordinary man who will begreatly missed.”

Personally, I feel the loss of my first Hollywood crush and the hole that he has left in the film industry.

COLLEENBURNIE

Colleen Burnie is a senior writing major and is the entertainment editor for The Rambler.

The 28-year-oldactor was founddead in his apart-ment Jan. 23 byhis house keeperand massage artist.He will be remem-bered for his talentand charm.

Fort Worth Stock Show continuestradition with plenty of fun for all