The Battalion 01-26-2011

J.D. Swiger — THE BATTALION

Second Life proves an effective

learning tool

I heard of Second Life two

years ago, and it was

introduced to me in a

negative light. During a

particular 20/20 episode,

a segment aired about the

detrimental effects that “al-

ternate reality” networking

sites were having on indi-

viduals. Second Life

was featured.

Students search for prizes on campus

Texas A&M is partnering with the Collegiate Licensing Co. on Tuesday and Wednesday, to jumpstart an innovative social media scavenger hunt powered by smart phones.

“[I am] ready to get some clues – Just chillin’ at Poor Yorick’s until one goes out.” Charlie Nelson, a current student, posted on his Twit-ter page.

The hunt involves clues posted on Texas A&M’s Twitter page and a virtual check-in using

the geographic locator application, Foursquare. Students who follow the clues and reach the des-tination must check-in, and will then receive one of many prizes including MSC Bookstore mer-chandise, iPods, University Dining Services gift cards and Adidas apparel.

“This scavenger hunt is designed to encourage students to explore their campus and experience Aggie tradition,” said Diane C. McDonald, di-rector of social media and marketing programs. “It’s a unique way to explore and learn more

Alex Randolph Special to the Battalion

How to playThere is no entry fee to participate. Simply follow Texas A&M on Twitter and Foursquare for clues posted each day.

JD Swiger — THE BATTALION

Sophomores Haley Gatlin, general studies major, Charlie Nelson, political science major and freshmen Nick Wilson, business major and Valerie Hamilton, general studies major participate in the smart phone scavenger hunt.See Scavenger hunt on page 7

● wednesday, january 26, 2011 ● serving texas a&m since 1893 ● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2011 student media

thebattalioncampus news

Provost candidate to visit campusThe search advisory committee for the position of provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs invites Texas A&M to participate in a campuswide interview session for the second of two recently announced fi nalists Karan Watson. Watson, interim provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, will be available for a general interview session from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Friday, in Rudder 601. James Coleman, vice provost for research at Rice University, was on campus for a general interview session. The feedback will be compiled by the search advisory committee and provided to President R. Bowen Loftin to assist in his fi nal decision-making process for this important position.

A&M News

inside

trends | 3The Great HuntDerrick and Cherise Ratliff, class of 2007, are competing for their a produced and paid for hunting television show on the Sportsman Channel.

sports | 5Set for SoonersThe No. 5 A&M women’s basketball team travels to Norman today to take on No. 13 Oklahoma.

voices | 8State of the UnionThe State of the Union address seemed to be remarkably similar to past speeches.

b!

coming thursday

What do you do for me?Today’s libraries don’t just hold books. Thanks to new media technology, Texas A&M University Libraries can help you work on research and projects using iPods, movies, online databases, virtual maps, recorders, projectors and much more. While some cities suffer from

high crime rates or dangerous streets, residents who live in the City of College Station are fortunate to have a law enforce-ment dedicated to safety. In December, the College Station Police Department was nation-ally recognized for their efforts during National Night Out.

“The purpose of National Night Out is to go out and edu-cate residents on different crime prevention techniques,” said Lt. Craig Anderson of the Col-lege Station Police Department. “There are measures offered by the police department but at the same time, we teach neighbors how to watch out for themselves also.”

The National Association of Town Watch awarded College Station under Category 3 for population sizes between 50,000 and 99,999. Richardson, Cedar Park, The Woodlands and Bas-trop County were the other departments from Texas that received awards in Category 3.

“It means a lot. For them to

National award for CS policeMichael Teague The Battalion

See Police on page 6

community

The stress of an approach-ing graduation, although excit-ing, can also be overwhelming. Finishing class work, looking for a job and moving plans can worry students. Making sure everything is set for gradua-tion at two separate universi-ties, on the same day, seems almost impossible.

For Rebecca Sappenfield, a recent graduate of both Texas A&M University and Texas A&M University in Galveston, the idea seemed possible. Aggies are taught to work hard and fol-low their dreams, and Sappen-field had no problem with that.

Sappenfield received a de-gree in English at Texas A&M University in College Station at 9 a.m., Dec. 18, 2010, and a de-gree in marine biology at Texas A&M University in Galveston at the same time.

Sappenfield began her col-lege education at Texas A&M University in Galveston, so she chose to walk across the stage there on the day of her gradua-

1 stage,two degrees

Christine PerrenotThe Battalion

See Degrees on page 7

students

campus

Student graduates from two universities on same day

J.D. Swiger — THE BATTALION

wo

l-

g

dnesday, january 26, 2011 ● servinggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg ggggggggggggggggggggggg tetetetetetetexaxaxaaxaxxxaas sss s aaaa&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&mmmmmm mmm m mmmmmmmmmmmmm ssssssissisisissisisssissiiiissiisisisiss ncnncncncncnccncccccccccnncncncnncnccnnnnn eeee e eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee 1893 ● first paper free – additional

Visit Aggieland in Second LifeTo fi nd out more information about A&M’s Second Life campus visit http://itsinfo.tamu.edu/secondlife. Second Life is free, but to acquire more things such as land or other objects users have to purchase “Linden Dollars.” Once in the virtual world people are able to customize their avatar to fi t their personality and looks.

The segment contained the B-roll footage of Second Life players whose online counterparts were more success-ful and attractive than their real life doppel-gangers. Second Life was portrayed as digital waste-land populated by a unique society of refugees from reality. I adhered to this view until I was given the opportunity to personally explore

Second Life in an educational setting.One of the best things, however, about Second Life is

how accurately the virtual A&M campus is portrayed online. During the time I had before class began, I would stroll — or fly — around the island the college is built on. Many famous University landmarks have been faithfully recon-structed, including the Academic Building, Cushing Library, the Memorial Student Center, Fish Pond, the clock tower,

A&M’s virtual campus contains

many realistic landmarks such as

Academic Plaza, the water tower, and the

Bonfire Memorial.

Joe

Terrell

sophomore telecommunication

major

Professor Leroy Dorsey is shown, half

avatar, half human. His class meets mostly in the real world but other times they meet in Second Life A&M Campus where the professor can lecture and teach from Powerpoint slides.

See Second Life on page 4

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The 109th edition of Texas A&M University’s official yearbook — the Aggieland — will chronicle the 2010-2011 school year: traditions, academics, the other education, sports, the Corps, greeks, campus organizations, and seniors and graduate students.

By credit card go online to http://aggieland.tamu.edu or call 979-845-2613. Or drop by the Student Media office, Bldg. #8901 in The Grove (between Albritton Bell Tower and Cain Hall). Cost is $64.90, including shipping and sales tax. Hours: 8:30 A.M. to �4:30 P.M. Monday–Friday.

page301.26.2011thebattalion

sceneb!

things you should know before you go 5

2 Donations against

DamnationsThe Agnostic and Atheist Student Group will have fundraiser in support of accepting other Aggies for who they are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today through Friday next to the Academic Building. Students can give donations to such groups as Aggie Allies and the Women’s Resource Center.

5 Texas country

showThe Texas country band Southern Echoes, based out of College Station, will play at 10 p.m. Saturday at Schotzi’s.

1 Cooking on a

budgetMoney Wise Aggies will have an information session on how to budget to spend less on food from 1:50 to 2:50 p.m. today in the Pavilion, room 236.

3 Love and money

Money is one of the main causes of marriage problems. Learn some of the money topics couples should discuss before they get married to avoid problems after the wedding. An information session will be from 12:45 to 1:45 p.m. Thursday in room 236 of the Pavilion.

4 Finance study

abroadMoney Wise Aggies will have an information session from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Friday in room 236 of the Pavilion to discuss options for funding study abroad tips.

Former students compete for hunting show

Courtesy photo

Derrick and Cherise Ratliff, both class of 2007, are attempting to spread their passion for hunting to the nation by winning a television program on the Sportsman Channel.

Former students Derrick and Cherise Ratliff, both class of 2007, have been given the opportunity of a lifetime to film and edit hunts in the great outdoors for a chance to win a coveted show on the Sportsman Channel. Derrick and Cherise make up the only team from Texas and need some Aggie help to push them through.

“While at home for lunch one day, a commercial came on regarding application to become a team on North American Safari: Hunting for the Dream. I called in and spoke to a producer im-mediately,” said Derrick. “After he told us he liked our story and that we would be a great fit, we were awarded the final team spot on the show.”

Derrick grew up on a 1,000 acre farm in North Texas and spent his younger days baling hay, playing football and of course, hunting. He attended Texas A&M for a wildlife and fisheries sciences degree with a minor in business. While in Aggieland, he met his wife, Cherise.

Cherise grew up on 450 acres in south central Texas where hunting was a holiday tradition. She attended A&M for a degree in business finance that would later lead the two to new lives in Oregon. Yet it didn’t take long for the enticing call of Texas to reclaim its hold, leading the couple to move back to the Lone Star State and reside in Spring, closer to family, favorite hunting spots and Aggieland.

Derrick said he was excited about the latest turn in the couple’s lives, the opportunity to win a television show.

“My dad called me the other day and said he had been talk-ing with a cowboy at the sale barn in Oklahoma City who had seen us on TV the night before. It’s those moments when it hits you that you really are doing what you love and what you’ve dreamed about,” he said. “It is even all that more special for me because I am getting to do it with my wife,”

Hunting for the Dream is an accurate title for a show giving out an opportunity to live as one wants to and present that life na-tionwide. The program is based on a reality show concept, with viewers voting for a favorite team. The winner of Hunting for the Dream will be rewarded with television program in 2012, which will be completely produced and paid for.

The competition will be fierce and voting will be essential to the Ratliff’s success, Derrick said.

As for filming the show, he said the two have already fallen in love with the editing process, even though they are new to the concept.

“Filming hunts changes the entire experience and presents a huge challenge all in itself. All of the factors have to be just per-

Matt BizzellThe Battalion

fect,” he said. “You have to have enough camera light, the cam-era has to be able to see the animal, the animal has to be in focus and the camera has to be steady. Sometimes everything happens so fast you forget the dumbest details like pressing record and then you miss the kill shot, but the perfect recording is priceless.”

The show will run on the Sportsman Channel at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and 10:30 p.m. on Fridays, so viewers have multiple chances to catch the show every week.

The voting period lasts through July, as the show airs for three months and then reruns for another three. Votes are allowed only once per IP address during the entire six-month period, so Der-rick said he encourages supporters to vote from home, work, the library and anywhere else so that they can cast multiple votes.

If the Ratliffs win, they will be giving away an entire hunt on Agarita Ranch to show their appreciation, with plans for that

hunt to be filmed and aired on the new show. Those interested can sign up at www.hunteclipse.com.

Based on his experiences so far, Derrick said he has gained valuable insight into pursuing his dreams.

“Blindly believe in yourself. There is a difference in that and the common saying of never letting people tell you what you are capable of doing,” he said. “Also be content in where God has placed you at any given time. That one was a hard one for me to learn. Proactively chase your dreams, but figure out how to be content in your current situation as well, or else life will be a frustrating uphill battle where you cannot be used by God to impact those around you.”

Aggies can follow the details of the Ratcliffs’ ongoing adven-ture by joining the Facebook group “Team Eclipse — Hunting for the Dream” and by going to the couple’s website.

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the Memorial Student Center,

Fish Pond, the clock tower, and most poignantly, the Bonfire Memorial. All of these locations can be entered and explored, just like their real world counterparts. This feature is most appreciated when you enter the MSC and find yourself in a spot-on replication of the MSC Flag Room. It has to be seen to be believed. Other not-so-famous landmarks include the Texas A&M beach, which contains a giant blue waterslide. One can only hope that as soon the MSC restoration is finished that this online portion of campus will be considered for immediate real world imple-mentation.

Second Life is an online 3-D virtual world that can be downloaded at no cost to the user. It was launched in 2003 by Linden Lab and since then has had more than 21.3 million accounts registered. The world — which users call “The Grid” — con-tains islands, major cities, clubs, colleges and major landmarks. Even though the program is free, us-ers can buy in-game currency, called “Linden Dollars,” with real money and use it to buy clothes, property and entrance to certain areas.

In fall of 2010, I enrolled in COMM 340: Communication and Popular Culture, taught by Leroy Dorsey. The cur-riculum required students to download and create Second Life accounts so the profes-sor could hold class within this digital domain. After I downloaded the massive file, I was prompted to create an ava-tar — no, not like blue people from that James Cameron movie with the explosions, but a digital representation of my-self. Typing in “Texas A&M Campus” into the search bar, my avatar soon found himself dumped into the middle of the Academic Plaza, where I then proceeded to find my classroom.

The academic environ-ment flawlessly transfers over into Second Life. It is dif-ficult to critique the learning experience within the program because it is almost identical to its real world counterpart. I sat down, listened to the lecture and took notes. Volume can be adjusted easily, so no matter where you are sitting, it sounds as if you are in the front row. The fact that the classrooms support the use of PowerPoint slides makes the transition all the more fluid. You can com-municate with others using a chat-style messaging system, or if you have a computer mic, by talking via voice chat. The controls are easy to use and the world is a breeze to navigate. In a sense, anyone with a basic understanding of computers should not find Second Life difficult to explore.

Most of the drawbacks of Second Life are intrinsi-cally linked to the technology itself. The digital presentation sometimes lags and the frame rate drop can be atrocious, especially when flying. While I did not have any trouble attending the lectures, I could see how these technological glitches could unfairly prevent a student from a productive and enjoyable experience. Overall, I think these issues will be resolved in the near future with an ever-improving digital network.

Since class ended in early December, I have not logged into my Second Life account. I probably never will again. The time I spent in Second Life was fun, entertaining and when used in the context of a classroom experience, offered a unique Aggie experience. Considering that the Univer-sity paid money to have this virtual campus, you should at least check it out. Where else on campus can you plummet down a waterslide or lounge on a beach?

page 4

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Apply Now!Join the Maroon Coats.

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sports thebattalion 01.26.2011

page5

men’s basketball | The No. 11 Aggies

have the week off before travelling to Lincoln

Saturday to take on Nebraska.

equestrian | The No. 1 Aggies return

to action for the spring season when South

Carolina comes to town Friday.

men’s tennis | No. 10 A&M welcomes

in Mississipi State, Miami and Arizona for ITA

Kickoff Weekend Saturday.

No. 5 Aggies look for 12th straight win

Embarking on Boomerland

In the first of two games that will de-cide who has the early edge in the race to the Big 12 championship, Texas A&M’s No. 5 women’s basketball team travels to Norman today for a showdown with No. 13 Oklahoma.

A&M (17-1, 5-0) and Oklahoma (15-3, 5-0) both enter the matchup with perfect records in conference play. In the Big 12 standings, both teams are knotted up with No. 1 Baylor, who the Aggies will face Sunday.

“Nationally, people are talking about A&M and Baylor, but you can’t forget Okla-homa is undefeated too,” Head Coach Gary Blair said. “They’re 5-0, we’re 5-0 and so it’s all three of us right now.”

After recording career-highs in minutes played last week, senior center Danielle Adams is becoming vital to A&M’s success. Adams leads the Big 12 in scoring, averaging 22.4 points per game and pulls down a team-high 8.6 rebounds per game.

“Because we’ve been behind, I haven’t taken her out,” Blair said. “She’s forced some shots early but then she took over. You’re going to play her inside or you’re going to play outside. We will adjust on our offense depending on what you’re do-ing on defense.”

Running the attack for the Oklahoma Sooners will be senior guard Danielle Rob-inson who dishes out 5.33 assists per game and ranks third in the Big 12 in scoring with 18.4 points per game. When the Aggies went to Norman last season, Robinson re-corded 24 points and seven assists to lead the Sooners to a 74-65 win over A&M.

“She’s the best point guard in the league,

maybe the best point guard in the nation,” Blair said. “Oklahoma is a streak team. They can get eight points probably quicker than any other team in the league because of the speed of their guards.”

Making a comeback after suffering a season-ending ACL injury in 2009, Okla-homa sophomore guard Whitney Hand is averaging 15.5 points and 6.7 rebounds in six games this season. Blair emphasized how important Hand is to Sooners’ Head Coach Sherri Coale.

“Whitney Hand is a kid that comes on the court smiling, leaves the court smiling and plays with a happy face the whole time,” Blair said. “Sherri depends on her so much to make plays. Since she’s got back in Janu-ary, she’s played tons of minutes. She’s only had one poor game, and I think that’s the difference in their team right now.”

Blair highlighted the importance of senior guard Sydney Colson, who will play a key role on both ends of the floor for A&M. Colson leads the Big 12 in assists averag-ing 6.38 per game but it will be her defense against Robinson and Hand that will deter-mine how much she is able to contribute.

“She’s got to realize that her steals, we don’t care about,” Blair said. “We care about her fouls. I just want her to be solid on de-fense. She leaves our post players vulnerable when she’s always reaching or fouling. It’s up to Sydney to adjust her game.”

A&M has lost to the Sooners in their pre-vious three trips to Norman and hasn’t won at Oklahoma since 2007.

“It’s just another great atmosphere,” Blair said. “I really wish our fans could feel what we have to feel when we go on the road. I want them to realize how hard it is to win and make a statement. The league has a pret-ty good home-winning percentage.”

Mike Teague The Battalion

File photos — THE BATTALION

Top: Senior center Danielle Adams leads the Big 12 in scoring with more than 22 points per game. Left: Senior guard Sydney Colson leads the Big 12 in assists with over six per game. Both players will be counted on heavily as No. 5 A&M puts its 11-game win streak on the line against No. 13 Oklahoma at 7 p.m. tonight in Norman.

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thebattalion

news/comicspage 6

wednesday 1.26.2011

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2bd/1ba Fourplex. Near shuttle.Some utilities included. $595/mo.$500 deposit. 979-777-6865.

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3/2 Houses, Townhouses &Apart-ments, 1250sqft. Very spacious,ethernet, large kitchen, walk-inpantry &closets, extra storage, W/D,great amenities, on bus route, nowpre-leasing, excellent specials.979-694-0320,[email protected]

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Available now 2/1.5, W/D Connec-tions. Large fenced yard. Pets ok.Large closets, fireplace. 2404-BLong Drive. $575/mo. Call979-693-1448.

Bogart’s beautifully furnished bed-room w/bath. Run of the house,W/D, ground, &pool. Two great fur-nished apartments. 936-825-1969.www.bogarts.org

Cottage. Holik C.S. 2bd/1ba,1000sqft., W/D, Balcony, wooded.Private drive. Quiet. $600/mo.979-777-2472.

Fully furnished, luxurious 4/4Waterwood townhome for leaseAugust 2011. 1596 sf. W/D, 2-milesto TAMU, on bus-route. 1001Krenek Tap. $2000/mo. ContactStephen 512-694-3311.

Horse Lover’s Dream! 3bdrm, min-utes from A&M, 5 acres, Fenced,$1395/mo, 4334 N.Grahm.979-776-8984.

Large 3bd/3ba Fox Run Condos.W/D, gated. $1600/mo. Utilitiespaid. Available now. 979-575-7343.

New homes for rent. Close to cam-pus! 4bd/4ba, 3bd/2ba. Call today!254-721-6179. Broker.

FOR RENT

Mobile home room to rent, onculdesac, quiet, furnished, W/D cen-tral A/C &heat, all bills paid.$400/mo. 210-288-5881.

Northgate, available now and pre-lease, new duplexes and fourplexes,1/1, 2/2, and 3/2, call 979-255-5648.

One room availabe in 3bd/3b apart-ment, close to Blinn and TAMU,$333/mo plus utilities, call Sara979-966-7597,[email protected]

Prelease for May or August, 2/1fourplex. W/D connections, waterpaid. 609 Turner. $465/m.979-693-1448.

Prelease for May or August. Large2/2 with fenced yard, W/D connec-tions, large closets, great location.University Oaks. $775/m.979-693-1448.

Prelease for May or August: 2/1 du-plex, fenced back yard, w/d conn. 3locations to choose from $600.00,693-1448.

Preleasing for May! 4/2/2 Fenced to-tally remodeled, 1312 Timm,$1750/mo, biking distance to cam-pus. 979-776-8984.

Walk to TAMU! 2bd/2bth/office, allappliances, W/D, spacious, newlyremodeled, fenced townhouse.979-846-1887.

FOR SALE

Custom 2007 dark gray w/whitestripes V6 Mustang. 53,000mi. Blackinterior. Salvage title. $12,500o.b.o. 956-821-0706.

HELP WANTED

Artist needs female canvas subjects,body image project. $30/hr. callAlyssa 817-507-6140.

HELP WANTED

Cheddar’s Casual Cafe and FishDaddy’s on University Drive arenow accepting applications for serv-ers and hostesses. Come be a partof our friendly team! Apply inperson. EOE.

Child Care- FT & PT shifts available.Some nights & Saturdays required.Apply in person at 3609 E. 29th St.,Bryan.

Cleaning commercial buildings atnight, M-F. Call 979-823-5031 forappointment.

COLLEGE STUDENTS! Part Timework. $16 base-appt. Flexible, con-ditions apply, all ages 17+. Callnow! 979-260-4555.

Commerce National Bank is seekingPart Time Tellers available to workeither a morning shift of7:15a.m.-1:00p.m. or afternoonshift of 1:00p.m.-6:00p.m. and alter-nating Saturday mornings. CNBTellers provide excellent customerservice while completing transac-tions such as cashing checks, receiv-ing deposits and making withdraw-als. Must have previous cash han-dling experience, strong interper-sonal and organizational skills. Visitwww.commercenb.com for applica-tion. Applications & resume may befaxed to 806-792-0976 or emailedto [email protected] EOE

Experienced part-time lawn mainte-nance workers needed. $7.50/hr.Call Kirk, 979-324-2719.

Full-time medical technician forgrowing allergy practice wanted.4-year degree and 1-year commit-ment required. We are looking foran intelligent, positive, friendly per-son to join our team. We teachskills that are an asset for anyoneinterested in a career in healthcareand can help a candidate get intomedical school. E-mail resume [email protected]

Have you seen the cool handles onboard the Spirit shuttle buses?HIGH FIVE ADVERTISING needs stu-dents on a part-time basis that havesome flexibility with their schedulesto sell advertising to the local busi-ness community to go on the han-dles. This is a great way for adver-tisers to get their messages in frontof the students. Please send yourresume to Gregg [email protected]

HELP WANTED

Have the summer of your life at aprestigious coed sleepaway camp inthe beautiful Pocono Mountains ofPennsylvania, 2.5 hours from NYC.We’re seeking counselors who canteach any Team & Individual Sports,Tennis, Gymnastics, Horseback Rid-ing, Mt. Biking, Skate Park, Theatre,Tech Theatre, Circus, Magic, Arts &Crafts, Pioneering, Climbing Tower,Water Sports, Music, Dance or Sci-ence. Great salaries and perks.Plenty of free time. Internshipsavailable for many majors. On-cam-pus interviews on Feb. 1. Apply on-line at www.islandlake.com Call800-869-6083 between 9-5 easterntime on weekdays for more infor-mation.

Help wanted part-time building at-tendant for the Brazos Center.$10.10hourly. Work schedule willvary from 12-20 hours/week. Jani-torial duties and customer service.Apply: Brazos County HR Dept.County Courthouse. Visit our web-site for more info atwww.co.brazos.tx.us

Hollywood Cafe Bistro at PremiereCinema, Grand Opening, Feb. 2011,wait staff, cooking, and coffee ba-rista needed, experience preferred,shift pay, movie tickets, and otherperks, call 713-291-2923 for infor-mation and interviews.

Little Guys Movers now hiring FT/PTemployees. Must be at least 21w/valid D.L. Apply in person at 3209Earl Rudder Freeway.

Now hiring bike or car delivery.Burger Boy Northgate. 311 Church.

Now hiring college sales agents forgoWiFi to sell WiFi to local busi-nesses. Earn up to $115/sale andmake your own hours. Seeking mo-tivated students looking to buildbusiness skills and make money. Noexperience necessary. [email protected] or visit gowifi.comfor more information.

Part-time person needed for web-site development work plus alltypes of social marketing for localbusiness. 979-220-4822.

PT help needed. Local hunting clubneeds PT guides. Freshman, Sopho-more, or Junior level workers. Aver-age 1 day/week in off- season; 2-3days/week in Fall and Winter. Lim-ited hunting privileges. Applica-tions at www.yardbirdhunting.com

P/T work cleaning pools, 15-20/hrs aweek, Spring semester and maybeSummer, 979-402-0878 or979-229-0071.

STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM Paid Sur-vey Takers Needed In College Sta-tion. 100% Free To Join. Click OnSurveys.

MUSIC

Best deal in town- DJ services/audiorentals. RDM Audio does it all!Weddings, parties, band set ups, PAsystems, Event Lighting,979-260-1925. rdmaudio.com

Party Block Mobile DJ- Peter Block,professional 22yrs experience.Specializing in Weddings, TAMUfunctions, lights/smoke. Mobile toanywhere. Book early!!979-693-6294.http://www.partyblockdj.com

REAL ESTATE

B/CS. Sell/Buy/Invest! Re/Max,Michael McGrann. TAMU ‘93 engi-neering. 979-739-2035,979-693-1851. aggierealtor.com

ROOMMATES

$320/mo. Female roommateneeded. One huge room with at-tached bath and large closet avail-able now in a 2bd/2ba apt.1030sqft, on bus route 22, pet ok.832-334-1426.

1 roomate 3 bed 2 bath.$425/mnth+utl. Contact email: [email protected]

1-2 roommates needed. 4bd/4ba atWaterwood on SW Parkway. W/D,private bath, on bus route. Short orlong term leases available.$400/mo. includes utilities,cable/internet. Call 254-721-2716.

1-Female wanted. 4bd/4.5ba. RiverOaks Townhome on Holleman.$500/mo. 512-351-2057.

1-male roommate needed at ZoneApartments. 2bd/2ba fully fur-nished, W/D, bus route. $485/mo+electricity. 512-398-5787.

1-Male roommate needed for 1/2fully furnished condo. Close to cam-pus, on shuttle route, W/D. Nosmoking/pets. $450/[email protected].

1-Male roommate needed in4bd/4ba condo. W/D, on bus route,bike to campus. $350/mo +utilities.Sublease through May or August.361-816-1224.

2bd/1ba Anderson Place Apart-ments. W/D, cable/internet, all billspaid. $360/roommate. Male. Bus-route. 979-402-2486.

Female roommate wanted,$450/mo. plus utilities, WoodbrookCondos. Call 281-795-4110.

Female roommates needed.4/3 house, big rooms and closets,private bath, W/D, internet/cable.$400/mo +utilities. 817-734-3303

Female wanted. 3bd/3ba Wood-lands. Private bed/bath, fully fur-nished, $650/mo, new custompaint/carpet. Workout facility, thea-ter, computers, study room, secu-rity on premises. 630-536-9001.

Male roommate needed forsub-lease. $300/mo. 3bd/2ba house.Contact 210-347-9604.

Medium sized bedroom for rent ina 3/2.5 home near 2818 and Texas,on bus route 33, $500(Negotiable)All-Bills-Paid. “Great view of down-town Manhattan!” 979-422-9141.

TUTORS

Online math tutor. $8.50/hr.Calculus I/II, Trig, Business Math.http://JimmieMathTutoring.blog-spot.com

recognize us as having an outstanding neigh-borhood watch program and our National Night Out event is a wonderful recognition for us,” Anderson said. Although the department is proud of the award, the impact of the event on the com-munity is what they value. Anderson empha-sized the importance of National Night Out in the College Station community and ex-plained how important it was for citizens to get to know their neighbors. The impact of knowing the people next door could make a difference in the event of a crime.

“The problem is that people don’t know their neighbors and they don’t watch out for each other,” Anderson said. “Criminals come into the neighborhoods and commit crimes. They may try to impersonate a moving com-pany with uniforms and a moving truck and nobody expects anything out of the ordinary. If neighbors would just communicate with each other, a lot of these crimes could be prevented. It provides extra eyes and ears that help police officers fight crime.”

Residents of College Station appreciate the

efforts of the police department and under-stand that a strong community is one of the best ways to prevent crime.

“I think the fact that the police department is taking time to put on this event shows just how important we are as citizens to helping them do their job,” said Brittney Bowles, a resident of College Station. “By working with the police department, I believe that we can make our city a safer place to live in.”

Due to the benefits brought on by the event, Anderson and the department are eager to continue the National Night Out tradition.

“We start planning around July and Au-gust,” Anderson said. “We’ll start sending out applications for block parties and organizing them. We’ll plan the ride-alongs with our of-ficers, city council members, and other vol-unteers in our department.”

The National Association of Town Watch has hosted the National Night Out event since 1984. According to their website, the goals of National Night Out are to heighten crime prevention awareness, generate sup-port for anticrime programs and strength-en neighborhood and police-community relationships.

PoliceContinued from page 1

Adrian Calcaneo— THE BATTALION

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wednesday 1.26.2011

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about the Texas A&M cam-pus.”

The hunt began Tuesday, but students are encouraged to jump in at any time. There is no entry fee, and the only require-ment is that you follow Texas A&M on Twitter and Four-square. Up to four clues will be posted each day on Twitter and there will be a representa-tive with a Foursquare marker at each of the secret locations. The scavenger hunt is not only a hunt, but a race. There are 10 prizes at every location.

“Awesome idea with the Social Media Scavenger Hunt! Wish they had this stuff when I was a student. Good luck!” Jes-sica Clements, former student and current Houston resident, posted via Twitter.

Michael Green, an intern for the division of marketing and communications, brought geolocation technology to the University’s attention.

“With Foursquare, a new student has a tour guide at their fingertips. In the most general sense, it’s the next step to social media,” Green said.

McDonald added that Four-square is great because it allows upperclassmen to leave virtual tips for future Aggies. These fu-ture Aggies can then leave tips of their own, creating a new way to pass on traditions and knowledge about the campus.

Some Aggies already have ideas to some secret locations that future students will love. One student, posting on her Foursquare profile, suggested that students visit the Student Recreation Center and ask to see the underground pool, say-ing ‘it’s really awesome and not a lot of people know about it’.

Upperclassman Caroline Hirko said that social media is a great way to connect, and she would definitely be interested in leaving tips for future Ags.

“The nook in the oceanog-raphy building is pretty cool, and the pond in the Maroon and White garden—I like that place a lot,” Hirko said.

According to McDonald and Green, A&M is trying to con-nect with its students using so-cial media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare. Green added that it is a good thing for the University to be a front-runner in social media.

“A lot of students are already using Foursquare, but we’d like to get attention at the Texas A&M Foursquare page,” Mc-Donald said.

Current A&M student Justin Payne said he’s heard of Four-square but has never used it.

“It’s helpful for people to utilize their resources,” Payne said. “I think social media is one of the only ways for the univer-sity to effectively reach students in this generation.”

Foursquare, a site that has recently become more popu-lar among students, is a virtual locator that users can use to check-in anywhere that Four-square is used. They can enter a building and check into the lo-cation on the net using a smart phone. Foursquare also allows users to see which locations their friends have checked into.

“Foursquare is taking people away from the computer and helping people explore their world virtually,” McDonald

Scavenger huntContinued from page 1

ation. Her Texas A&M diplo-ma was forwarded to Galveston so she received both diplomas at the same time.

“I had a lot of friends from my freshman year that had been through such hardships that I got to graduate with,” Sappen-field said.

After beginning school in Galveston, Sappenfield and many of her friends had to evacuate to the main campus inland due to Hurricane Ike. At one point, Sappenfield thought that she had lost all of her be-

longings and had to start think-ing of a way to keep going with her education. During that time said that she really enjoyed Ag-gieland and had gotten excited about Aggie traditions and the life here. She then decided to stay in College Station and work on another degree.

“[My experience] wasn’t easy, but I made it work. I had a lot of help from the adminis-trative office,” Sappenfield said.

Sappenfield met a lot of peo-ple in College Station that she liked and on which she had an impact.

“[Rebecca is] very enthusias-tic and passionate about helping others,” said Mahesh Padanad,

DegreesContinued from page 1

professor for Sappenfield’s mi-crobiology class.

Padanad thinks the reason she was able to be so success-ful with her degrees was due to her strong reasoning and critical thinking.

“She does not need motiva-tion from others. She is very confident in her abilities and can take the lead to make things happen,” Padanad said.

Sappenfield’s mother is also pleased with how her daughter has overcome her challenges.

“The circumstances at which the whole situation began were daunting, but overall the expe-rience was great for her. As a parent, I was very pleased and

always felt that she was capable to follow through with all of her decisions,” said Poleteme Sappenfield.

Sappenfield is a role model to anyone wanting to have an ed-ucation that includes a little bit of everything and a lot of work.

Sappenfield has degree in English and marine biology with minors in chemistry and French. She is considering go-ing to law school or getting her master’s degree next, and is tak-ing her Grade Record Exami-nation, GRE, the Law School Admission Test, LSAT, and the Graduate Management Admis-sion Test, GMAT, coming up in February.

said. “[It] also replaces loyalty cards at some restaurants and businesses that use the pro-gram.”

McDonald also said it’s easy to check in and receive dis-counts or coupons for the res-taurants that students frequent. Starbucks is one of the many companies that use the pro-gram.

“Foursquare and Twitter tie into traditions on campus but with a contemporary twist. We hope that students participating in the scavenger hunt will meet others and have some fun,” McDonald said.

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‘The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and forum participants in this paper do not necessarily refl ect those of Texas A&M University, The Battalion or its staff.

MAILCALL GUESTCOLUMNSMake your opinion known by submitting Mail Call or guest columns to The Battalion. Mail

call must be fewer than 200 words and include the author’s name, classification, major and phone number. Staff and faculty must include title. Guest columns must be fewer than 700 words. All submissions should focus on issues not personalities, become property of The Battalion and are subject to editing for style, clarity and space concerns. Anonymous letters

will be read, but not printed. The Battalion will print only one letter per author per month. No mail call will appear in The Battalion’s print or online editions before it is verifi ed.

Direct all correspondence to: Editor in chief of The Battalion

(979) 845-3315 | [email protected] voicespage801.26.2011thebattalion

EDITOR’SNOTE

Last night Obama

outlined his plan to

“win the future”

and the only thing truly

remarkable about his plan

was that it hasn’t changed.

In 2009 during Obama’s speech to a joint session of congress unem-ployment was at 8.2 percent. After a year of stimulus, and a drawn out and controversial health care debate unemployment was at 9.4 percent during Obama’s 2010 address. Today unemployment is at 9.4 percent after a long recession and a slow recovery where many Americans have simply given up looking for jobs.

“Now is the time to jump-start job creation, re-start lending and invest in areas like energy, health care and education that will grow our econo-my, even as we make hard choices to bring our deficit down,” Obama said in 2009 at his speech to a joint session of congress.

“That is why jobs must be our number one focus in 2010,” Obama declared in his 2010 State of the Union Address before listing top pri-orities; financial reform, innovation (clean energy), increasing exports,

education and health care.Tuesday night Obama served up a

cold dish of recycled rhetoric and stale policy ideas that haven’t delivered since he entered office.

“The first step in winning the future is encouraging American innovation. We’ll invest in biomedical research, information technology and especially clean energy technology — an invest-ment that will strengthen our security, protect our planet and create countless new jobs for our people.”

Or as he put it last year, “But to truly transform our economy, protect our security, and save our planet from the ravages of climate change, we need to ultimately make clean, renewable energy the profitable kind of energy.”

Next, “if we want innovation to produce jobs in America and not overseas — then we also have to win the race to educate our kids.”

Or as he put it last year, “In a global economy where the most valu-able skill you can sell is your knowl-edge, a good education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity – it is a pre-requisite.”

“The third step in winning the future is rebuilding America.” Some

might remember this as a primary selling point for American

Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

This year’s he says to

“reduce barriers to growth

and investment, I’ve or-

dered a review of govern-

ment regulations.”

Last year he said, “I ask

Congress to move quickly

on legislation that will

finally reform our outdated

regulatory system.”

Obama emphasized fa-

miliar memes like bipartisan coopera-

tion, and keeping jobs in America.

He paid lip service to business speak-

ing of eliminating burdensome regu-

lations and lowering the corporate tax

rate. He recycled an earlier proposal

to “freeze annual domestic spending

for the next five years.”

Ultimately the resounding message

from the president was clear. Expect

more of the same thing.

Considering the lackluster re-

covery, persistent high unemploy-

ment and generally poor state of the

economy, I was hoping for some new

ideas. I didn’t even get a new speech.

Taylor

Wolken

junior economics major

President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address in Washington, D.C., Tuesday.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Meet the new speech, same as the old speech

State of the Union address resembles past presentations by President Obama

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