Bat 02 04 14

thebattalion ● tuesday,

february 4, 2014

● serving

texas a&m since 1893

● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2014 student media

FIRST STEPS A&M researchers make strides in bipedal robotics John Rangel

The Battalion olling, flying and swimming, robots today are capable of many physical actions. However, there is one simple movement that continues to elude the robots and their designers — walking.

It is an action confined to fiction today, but researchers at Texas A&M University are on track to teach robots to mimic their creators for the first time.

A walking robot would open the doors to improved prosthesis and space exploration technology — if it can keep from falling over.

“Walking is controlled falling,” said Aaron Ames, assistant

R

professor in mechanical engineering at Texas A&M. “When we walk, we’re never statically stable, and if you try to walk so that at any point in time you can stop, you basically walk like a robot.”

Ames is head of the A&M Bipedal Experimental Robotics Lab. The AMBER Lab has built two robots on its own, AMBER 1 and AMBER 2, that can walk with guiding tethers.

AMBER Lab researchers have also collaborated with NASA and other universities on several projects, including NASA’s Valkyrie robot that competed in December’s DARPA robotics challenge.

Three to four undergraduates work See Robots on page 2

Photos by Jenna Rabel — THE BATTALION

Aaron Ames (left) and Aakar Mehra, mechanical engineering graduate student, prepare AMBER 2 for a walking demonstration. (Far left) Nao Robots were used to demonstrate AMBER’s software capabilities.

Silver Taps to honor Jinhoon Lee Graduate student personified personal bravery, passion Aimee Breaux The Battalion

A

COURTESY

Jinhoon Lee (right), an architecture graduate student who had a passion for research in sustainable data structure, stands with his wife Ji Hyun Kim.

t the surface, Jinhoon Lee was a soft-spoken man with a spark of curiosity behind his eyes.

But beyond the first impression, Lee’s life story is, to the very end, a story of passion, bravery, hope and above all, love.

Lee was a member of the Korean Catholic community and took Glycerius as his confirmation name. He was a devoted husband, a caring friend, a dedicated Catholic and a faithful family member.

But for those who knew him best, this list cannot hold a candle to the memory of his genuine smile or his appetite for life.

When Changjoo Nam, computer science graduate student, met Lee at a meeting for their Korean

silver

taps

when 10:30 p.m. Tuesday where Academic Plaza

An honor guard from Ross Volunteer Company will march to Academic Plaza, where its members will fire three rifle volleys. Buglers from the Aggie Band will play a special arrangement of “Taps.” The tolling of the Albritton Tower bells will signal the end of the ceremony.

Catholic community, a friendship was born. In the course of this friendship — which spanned both of their presidencies of the Korean Catholic Association — Nam said most of his favorite memories See Silver Taps on page 2

Students reflect on impact of Silver Taps letters Traditions Council works to comfort grieving families Jennifer Reiley The Battalion

E

very month for Silver Taps, students are encouraged to participate in a tradition that began when Sul Ross died — writing letters to the grieving families, assuring them the Aggie family grieves as well.

Traditions Council facilitates the tradition today and there are places on campus where students can write letters in remembrance of deceased students, said Ryan Johnson, junior mechanical engineering major and campus relations sub-committee chair for Traditions Council.

Last semester, Traditions Council collected about 330 letters in September and 856 in November, Johnson said.

thebattalion What is the asks most difficult

Q:

page 2

part of writing Silver Taps Letters?

“I cannot begin to explain how much these letters mean to the families,” Johnson said. “To show that we as the Aggie family are there for them and support them through such a tragic time in their lives brings a little bit of comfort. It is a way to show that the Aggie family will always be there for the families and it shows that we truly are a family, not just a student body.”

The process is not limited to those who personally knew the student. Cindi Kepic, sophomore ecological restoration major, knew a student who passed away in May. She said it is almost better if letters come from students who did not know the fallen personally because the grief is fresh during Silver Taps week.

“I think before, I sort of assumed that writing was more for people that knew the person, and after Travis I realized that it’s so much harder to write it when you knew the person,” Keptic said. “It’s almost like See Letters on page 2

David Cohen — THE BATTALION

Cindi Kepic, sophomore ecological restoration major, has written a Silver Taps letter each month since the death of her friend and fellow student in May.

social media

Facebook blows the candle on 10th anniversary

inside lifestyles | 3 Brother Jed back at A&M Confrontational evangelists Jed Smock, commonly referred to as Brother Jed, and his wife, Cindy Smock, made their annual visit to College Station Wednesday.

sports | 4 Tennis wins Monday A&M men’s and woman’s tennis look to remain undefeated heading into this week’s competition.

BAT_02-04-14_A1.indd 1

William Guerra Guerra — — THE THE BATTALION BATTALION William

Allison Rubenak The Battalion

F

acebook users will have one more happy birthday wish to send on Tuesday as the social media site celebrates its 10th anniversary.

There was an average of 757 million daily active users during December 2013, according to a 2013 fourth quarter report published by Facebook. There may be some debate as to whether the site has waned in popularity, but as Facebook amasses millions of users, the company still continues to change and adapt to maintain its presence in many people’s lives.

“I’d like to pretend I was clairvoyant and could understand, but I really didn’t know it would grow to what it’d become, or the power of it,” said Greg Ormes, communication professor. “I think I always thought it was going to be more superficial and have less capacity to really change the world.”

Ormes said as an undergraduate in college, he remembered hearing a “buzz” surrounding the topic of Facebook as it began to gradually expand beyond its exclusive membership among particular universities. Ormes said he made a profile around 2005 or 2006.

“Back then, there weren’t status updates, there

weren’t places to put pictures or video or things like that, and if I’m not mistaken, there wasn’t even the live feed of home information,” Ormes said. “You would have to go to various people’s pages to get their information.”

Ormes said Facebook is more than just a platform for communication but a “multimedia experience.”

Brooke Halsey, senior telecommunication and media studies major, said she didn’t expect Facebook to last as long as it has, but attributed its longevity to the important role it plays in the See Facebook on page 3

2/3/14 11:06 PM

ANSWERS

to todays puzzles

Do you have loans with Sallie Mae? If you have unsubsidized and subsidized loans serviced by Sallie Mae, and you have made payments on these loans in the last couple of years, we want to hear from.

Please contact Mike at memitch@swbell.net.

news

page 2 tuesday 2.4.2014

thebattalion

Letters Continued from page 1

A&B SELF STORAGE www.AandBstorage.com

FIRST MONTH 1 $

call for details

Embroidery Store (inside office)

Reveille’s Seamstress Since 2003

www.etsy.com/shop/aggiesandbows

1701 N Earl Rudder Frwy Bryan, TX 77803 979-778-2293

Senior Boot Bag

Silver Taps

Price Includes Logo and Name

Continued from page 1

(More logos available) Bag is lined and boots are divided

center around the laughter shared over dinners between Nam and Lee’s family.

Nam said he recalls the November day when he and Lee went crabbing in Galveston. With too few devices, not enough warm clothing and no luck finding a good crabbing spot, the trip was a textbook example of a failed adventure and the group came back empty-handed. Despite this, Nam said he cherished this memory with Lee, for Lee had a way of bringing cheerfulness with him everywhere.

To Nam, this characteristic was a mark of bravery. Whether facing a failed trip or the skin cancer that caused his death, Lee seemed to have an infinite supply of hope.

“After several months, I heard that his cancer recurred in April,” Nam said. “He had a stiff upper lip even in the difficult situation. He was always joyful and energetic even with his serious health condition.”

Nam said he never saw Lee angry. There was always a smile.

“He was a devoted and passionate person for everything,” Nam said. “He really loved his wife. He spared no efforts for our community.”

Nam said he spent a lot of his time studying and researching and traveled when he could with his wife, who is in South Korea and could not be reached for comment.

Julian Kang, associate construction science professor and advisor to Lee, said he was impressed with Lee from the first time he met him at a conference in Japan.

“I attended a conference and he happened to attend the conference with his professor, when he was working on his master’s degree in South Korea,” Kang said. “That was the first time I met him and I was impressed at the level of curiosity and want to know what was going on.”

Lee’s curiosity manifested itself in his work with data structure, Kang said.

“He was very ambitious with things he was interested in,” Kang said. “He was very

etsy.com/shop/aggiesandbows

by Charlotte, Reveille’s Seamstress

979-778-2293

charboeg@yahoo.com

FIND OUT HOW THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS

SAVE LIVES EA&RNEXTRA CASH

By Donating Plasma Regularly

$20SPECIAL

4223 WELLBORN RD. BRYAN, TX 77801

NEW DONOR

979-846-8855 MON-FRI

SATURDAY

8AM - 7PM 9AM - 5PM

700 UNIVERSITY DR. E STE 111 COLLEGE STATION, TX 77840

979-268-6050 MON-FRI

SATURDAY

8AM - 7PM 9AM - 5PM

www.dciplasma.com

$

20 $5 $5 $5 $5

New Donor SPECIAL

you knew the person,” Kepic said. “It’s almost like you would rather they get letters from people who didn’t know them because it hurts you so much to write it. The people who are closer to him I know didn’t write letters because they couldn’t put their thoughts down on paper.”

Jon Bumann, sophomore political science major and member of Traditions Council, writes a letter every month Silver Taps takes place.

“Whether we personally know them or not, I feel it’s important that we are there for every part of our family and that means giving all the comfort we can give to their families in a time when they really need it,” Bumann said.

Johnson said there are few limitations on what students can include in their letters.

The purpose is to let the families know the Aggies are thinking about them.

Johnson said a father of a deceased Aggie came to the Silver Taps table once and wrote

1st DONATION

2nd DONATION

3rd DONATION

4th DONATION

COUPON

COUPON

COUPON

COUPON

VALID FOR AN EXTRA $5 ON YOUR NEXT 4 DONATIONS

thebattalion The IndependenT STudenT VoIce of TexaS a&M SInce 1893

Robots Continued from page 1

with 15 graduate students alongside Ames at any one time to research human locomotion and apply their findings to robotics. “[AMBER 1] was the first robot that we built,” Ames said. “[It] has been a very good test bed for doing our algorithms because of the fact that it has point feet. The one thing that is difficult about human locomotion is achieving this sort of constantly falling forward phenomenon. Most robots today don’t really utilize that to the degree that they should.”

Point feet are important to achieving humanlike motion because it more accurately reflects the human form’s dimensions. Ames said while robots today are able to move on two feet, they do not walk as hu-

a letter. He told Johnson how comforted he was to receive letters from Aggies.

“That put it all in perspective for me,” Johnson said. “We really do make a difference. Writing these letters really does impact these families.”

Since her friend passed last May, Kepic said she has written a letter every Silver Taps.

She said the letters are one way A&M sets itself apart from other schools. That A&M has so many letters from students who knew or didn’t know the deceased really comforts the family and friends, she said.

“I think it’s important because after you lose someone, one of the things that you really want is for everyone to realize what the world is missing without them,” Kepic said.

Once the letters are collected by Traditions Council, they are passed on to Student Assistance Services, which then passes the letters to the families. Tables are set up from 9:30 a.m. through 3:30 p.m. at Sbisa Hall, MSC 12th Man Hall, the Quad and Rudder Plaza. There will also be a drop box placed in the Student Activities office in Koldus where students can drop letters through the week.

curious about how technology is going to change, the way we make decisions and also, at the same time, he was interested in how we are going to sustain our data.”

Kang said Lee was working on his doctoral degree and hoped to one day move back to South Korea and achieve a faculty position at a Korean university.

“He investigated many of the current movements going on in terms of using software independence structure to maintain the data so that no matter what is happening to those applications down the road, we will still be able to keep the data for the entire life cycle,” Kang said.

Kang said Lee never considered his death due to cancer a possibility and was driven by his passion for the subject, remembering when Lee presented his paper at a conference in Canada with only months to live.

“He could barely walk,” Kang said. “He still had a burning desire grow as a future scholar in our area. I was very impressed by his strong will to give a presentation. He gave two presentations, which is not common to see from any graduate-level student.”

This characteristic remained true to the end, Kang said. Knowing that Lee was going to fly back to South Korea for medical care and that he had one last chance to visit, Kang traveled to M.D. Anderson in Houston where Lee was staying before the flight back.

“The discussion I exchanged with him was how he would communicate with me over email once he went back to Korea and things he would maybe do next month,” Kang said. “We never talked about how he was going to cure the cancer, he never expected that he was going to die. Instead, he was coming to Korea for a better treatment, then he was coming back to the United States with better health conditions.”

Hong-Hoe Kim, computer science graduate student and a friend from the Korean Catholic Association, said Lee carried his religion with him until the end.

“He was a very religious person,” Kim said. “Even though he had pain, he didn’t lose hope that God will save him.”

mans do because either the feet are disproportionally large or the legs are artificially bent.

AMBER 2 built on AMBER 1’s success. It resembles the human form from the waist down and has independently walked more than a kilometer.

Ames and his students plan to build two more robots.

AMBER 2.5 is hoped to have the ability to run and walk up stairs, and Proxi is a collaboration between Texas A&M, the research company SRI International and several other universities. Proxi will be assembled at Texas A&M before competing in the December 2014 DARPA robotics challenge.

In addition to robots, Ames and the AMBER lab develops next generation prosthesis from the understanding of human locomotion derived from their research.

“One thing that sets us apart is the human inspired design, as

thebattalion asks

Q:

What is the most difficult part of writing Silver Taps letters?

“Finding the right words to use. It’s not easy to relate to such a tragedy.”

Micah Stahlman, freshman animal science major

“Knowing that an A&M student has passed away, and while we’re still going to school their friends and their family are going through a really hard time.”

Matthew Krebs, senior mechanical engineering major

“I think most of the time you may not actually have contact with that student so you may not directly know them, but in the same way they’re still all part of the Aggie family, so you still have to find that way to connect it.”

Emily Peter, junior business administration major

Jenna Rabel & Jayavel Arumugam — THE BATTALION

well as the human inspired control,” said Jonathan Horn, first year graduate student in mechanical engineering and member of the AMBER lab. “Another thing is the cost. We’re looking to help somebody, that’s our main goal. It’s translating from AMBER 2 straight to someone else.”

Horn said taking ideas developed from robotics research and applying it to prosthesis poses its own unique challenges.

“The hardest thing to do is to go from something that is good for a robot and make it good for a human in that there’s a lot more limitations in terms of size, weight, functionality and safety,” Horn said.

Ames said the work in prosthesis technology produced in the lab answers the question that many skeptics ask when wondering what advantage a walking robot would have over conventional technology.

“A lot of people ask, ‘Why bipedal robots? Why do you want them to walk humanlike?’

And the answer is ultimately those technologies where you understand how humans walk can go on to building devices to help humans walk better — especially humans who can’t walk very well,” Ames said.

Eric Cousineau, second year graduate student in mechanical engineering and member of the AMBER lab, echoed Ames’ sentiments on the importance of researching human locomotion on such a fundamental level.

“The main importance is being able to develop platforms that can help people complete the tasks that they need done,” Cousineau said. “Whether that is something mundane such as a Roomba vacuuming the floor, or something more intense such as emergency response and potentially saving lives.”

Jake Walker, Editor in Chief Jessica Smarr, Copy Chief Luis Cavazos, Page Designer Allison Rubenak, Lifestyles Editor Emily Thompson, Lifestyles Asst.

William Guerra, Graphics Chief Jenna Rabel, Photo Chief David Cohen, Photo Asst.

The BaTTalion is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center.

News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media, a unit within the Division of Student Affairs. Newsroom phone: 979-845-3315; E-mail: editor@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com.

Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and national display advertising, call 979-845-2687. For classified advertising, call 979-845-0569. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Email: battads@thebatt.com.

Subscriptions: A part of the Student Services Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion.

First copy free, additional copies $1.

BAT_02-04-14_A2.indd 1

Freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, grad students

Today

walk in for your free portrait sitting for Texas A&M’s 2014 Aggieland yearbook, if you didn’t last fall.

Kristen Womac Management Andrew Wood Psychology Benjamin Wood Meteorology Dorothy Wood English Amber Woodin Biomedical Sciences

Lydia Wessner Entomology David West Aerospace Engineering Erin West Chemistry Amanda Whatley English Lesley Wheeler Communication

Lauren Woodring Kinesiology Jared Wright Computer Science Jeremy Wright Agricultural Economics Laura Wright Communication Lauren Wyly Interdisciplinary Studies

Bradley Whelan Aeronautical Engineering Matthew Whigham University Studies Lindsay White History Bryan Whiting Industrial Distribution Emily Whitmoyer & Journalism

RAITS PORT

Mark Doré, Managing Editor Aimee Breaux, City Editor Jennifer Reiley, City Editor John Rangel, City Asst.

Lindsey Gawlik, City Asst.

Clay Koepke, Sports Editor Tyler Stafford, Sports Asst.

Britney Wynn Sport Management Christopher Wynne Petroleum Engineering Harika Yalamanchili Biology Jessica Yancey Animal Science Dustin Yates Electrical Engineering

Agricultural Communications

Morgan Whitwell & Journalism Agricultural Communications Jonathan Widdig Biology Koby Wilbanks Psychology Ryan Wilck Political Science Kathleen Wild Biomedical Science

Ryan Yeatman Geology Krysten Yezak Development Educational Admin and HR Sarah Yezak Interdisciplinary Studies Tiffany Ynosencio Microbiology Chase Young Sport Management

Eric Wilkins Mechanical Engineering Dana Willenborg Psychology Ashley Williams Biology Clora Williams Health Jennifer Williams Biomedical Science

Katherine Young Spanish Lauralee Young Marketing Lauren Young Environmental Geosciences Lauren Young Economics Shaley Young University Studies

Rachel Williams Forensic Entomology Kelly Wilmoth History Emily Wilpitz University Studies Angela Wilson Horticulture Jason Wilson Agricultural Education

Lauren Youngblood Development Agricultural Leadership and Casey Zander English Sadie Zapalac Biomedical Science Tegan Zealy Animal Science Mark Zemanek Agricultural Economics

Jazmyn Wilson Bioenvironmental Sciences Jordan Wilson Interdisciplinary Studies Markay Wilson Biomedical Science Tory Wingate Bioenvironmental Sciences Heather Winkle Interdisciplinary Studies Paul Witkowski Civil Engineering Joshua Witter Agricultural Economics Ryan Wolff Information & Operations Management Jordyn Woltersdorf Health Alyson Wolthoff Human Resource Development

Rebecca

Abbate Health Ken Abdullah Physics Maegan Ables

Wildlife

Finance Michelle and Fisheries Abney Sciences Andrea Abrams Commun ication

Karen Zerda Communication Amanda Zietak Kinesiology Tamara Zuehlke Communication Michael Zurovec Mechanical Engineering Haili Zwiercan & Journalism Agricultural Communications

seniors & graduate students |

577

Managem

576 | aggieland

Just walk in 1 – 4 p.m. Tuesday in the Student Media office, Suite L400 of the MSC. Or, for appointment email arphototamu@gmail.com or call 979.846.9690.

ent Informat Kelli Adam ion Systems Emily ent Informat Adamcik ion Systems Seth Adams Spacial Sciences Joshua Aduddel l Health Teresa Aguilar Resource Developm ent Krystle Aguirre Interdisc iplinary Studies Omobola Ajao Chemica l Engineer ing Food ScienceTeresa Aldredge and Technolo gy Denise Commun Alex ication Monica Alexand er Kinesiolo gy Kimberl ee Allen Sara MorganEnglish Allen Agribusi ness Kiley Allred Biomedic al Science Brant Altenhof en Economi cs Matthew Biomedic Altman al Science Seetha Ram Amujula Ocean Engineer ing Justin Anchors Petroleum Engineer ing Kellen Ancinec Business Managem ent Agricultu ral Leadersh Clayton Anderso ip and Developm n ent David Anderso n Political Science Agricultu ral LeadershWhitney Anderso ip and Developm n ent Victoria Andrews English Maritza Wildlife and FisheriesAnguiano Sciences Julio Araiza Jr. Mathema tics Carolina Aramayo Finance Lauren Arditti Psycholo gy Ashley Arisco Managem

Human

Finance Cody Arnold ral Economi cs Crystal Arnote Accounti

Agricultu

Kaitlyn

536 | aggiela

nd

ng Arringto n English

Tracy Ashton

Agricultu ral Kaela AstleyLeadership and Developm ent Accounti ng Michael Atkinson Compute r Science Jonathon Ausburn Biomedic al Science Jaime Austin Psycholo gy Jamesia Austin Agricultu ral Laura Avila Leadership and Developm ent Mathema tics Michael Babcock Accounti ng Eliezer Badillo Internati onal Commer Brennan ce Bailey Biomedic al Science James Baker Agricultu re Leadersh Andrea ip and Developm Bakke ent Biomedic al Science Mary Baldwin Psycholo gy Zachary Baldwin Wildlife and Fisheries Nathan Sciences Ball Civil Engineer ing Chrystel Ballard Sociology

Mary Ballenge r Commun ication John Bandas Ocean Engineer Kyle Banner ing Electrica l Engineer Sarah Banschb ing ach English Mary Anne Baring Internati onal Studies Megan Baringer Environm ental Design Blanton Barkeme yer Industria l Distribut Ashlie Barker ion Psycholo gy Lindsey Barlow English

Alexand er Compute Barnes r Engineer Mackenz ing ie Barnhar Human t Resource Developm Monica Barone ent Psycholo gy Jonathan Baros Agricultu ral Economi Kristina cs Barsten Biomedic al Engineer ing Sarah Bass Commun ication Mark Batis Nutrition al Sciences Catherin e Chemistr Baxter y Brock Beard Managem ent Staci Beaty Human Resource Developm ent

seniors &

graduate students | 537

It’s your yearbook. Be in it.

2/3/14 10:21 PM

news

page 3 tuesday 2.4.2014

thebattalion

Brother Jed Smock makes loud return to campus Allison Rubenak & Erum Salam The Battalion

S

tudents congregated around Jed Smock, the traveling evangelist commonly known as “Brother Jed,� and his companions on Monday.

Jed Smock crosses the country to preach at universities. Students such as senior history major Gabby Ybarra stopped to hear what Jed Smock and the representatives of The Campus Ministries USA had to say. “I stopped because I was curious about what he says,� Ybarra said. “I’ve heard of him, so I’ve known about him for the past three years so I was just curious about what message he was preaching.�

Ybarra said the words spoken by Smock were very condemning. “Just the way he preached his message came off as unloving, and as a Christian we’re supposed to be loving and caring when we present the gospel, so it was shocking,�

Ybarra said.

Cindy Smock, Jed Smock’s wife who is commonly referred to as Sister Cindy, said she and Jed were traditional, inter-denominational Christians. Jed Smock has been preaching on college campuses for about

Facebook Continued from page 1

daily life of many, including herself. “I have the app on my phone so if I’m bored I’ll scroll through my news feed to see what’s new,� Halsey said. “I follow like news sites and clothing stores so it keeps me updated on a lot different stuff, not just my friends.�

Jose Contreras, senior engineering technology major, said he expected Facebook to remain a strong medium because of its constant adaptations. “They bought Instagram — they bought all these things, they kept

Erum Salam — THE BATTALION

Cindy Smock (right) preaches Monday to gathered students. thirty years and has visited A&M for almost a decade, she said. “We preach that [Jesus] is the way of salvation and that he commanded us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature,� Cindy Smock said. “So we’re here to preach the gospel and call the students to a life of righteous faith in Christ.�

This year, Jed, Cindy and three other team members traveled to the A&M

it really controlled compared to MySpace, and MySpace was like, ‘What do the users want?’� Contreras said. “Facebook is more about, ‘What can we show them what they like and they’ll use?’�

Despite Facebook’s continued popularity, some people make do without a profile, citing concerns on how it affects the spread of information.

Brian Altenhofen, communication technology professor, recently deleted his Facebook because he saw it as a distraction. He said the sharing of content on Facebook was a “double-edged sword.� “On one hand, you are exposed to

campus as a part of a three and a half month mission across the Sunbelt, Cindy Smock said.

Freshman finance major Kathleen Seunsom said she found the Smocks’ delivery and message uncomfortable. “I understand freedom of speech and religion, but everyone’s different and when they yell out at a whole group of diversified people, it’s not okay,� Seunsom said. “I think it’s okay if it’s a club, but when they preach at hundreds of student’s walking by and they don’t know their story, I just don’t think that’s right.�

Cindy Smock said she and Jed use “confrontational evangelism� to challenge students with sins such as “fornication, marijuana smoking [and] the party lifestyle.� “We’re calling out their sins and commanding them to turn from them,� Cindy Smock said.

Cindy Smock said they use a direct approach when preaching to students because they believe that Jesus was confrontational in his ministry. There was a lot of heckling and laughing from the crowd, she said, but they expect that response from students. “We’re pushing their buttons,� Cindy Smock said. “We’re provoking them a little bit, and the good part of that is often students get provoked into reading the Bible and searching further. Some of our worst hecklers end up turning to Christ and becoming believers. So we’re not discouraged by the heckling.�

digital kind of content and different kinds of people, but on the other side it shows you content from people who you already agree with,� Altenhofen said. “We tend to like and agree and share stories that we agree with and find interesting, therefore the algorithms are going to make those more popular on our news feed. It doesn’t necessarily help with the diversity of information.�

John O’Hearne, senior telecommunication media studies major, said although he checks his Facebook four or five times a day, he would prefer not to use it as much. He said Facebook has become an integral part of his social life and that there

TUESDAY DRIVE-THRU-SPECIAL!

FREE CINNAMON ROLLS

* College Station Stores only *5ct - Drive Thru only * 1 per car 1 per visit

public� was an aspect of Facebook that was more obvious. “A lot of the big thing now is posting BuzzFeed posts and posts kind of inside jokes, but make them public, so everyone knows you have inside jokes,� Halsey said.

O’Hearne said, “everything has its time,� but he didn’t feel other social media sites such as Twitter would eclipse Facebook. “It’s something you do every day — you brush your teeth, you floss, you shower, you get on Facebook,�

O’Hearne said. “Whatever is living in the social media world — Facebook definitely has a hold.�

SUPER SAVER

COUPONS GREAT DEALS EVERY TUESDAY IN THE BATTALION

Make Reservations for

Sweetheart Night Call for reservations!

U paint it ¡ We glaze & fire it! In 6 days pick up your art!

$3 Off Your Studio Fee (not valid on Wednesdays or Special Events/one per person)

*With Purchase of Any Extra Large Pizza at Reg. Price

(979) 694-2424

was a general expectation to maintain a profile. “Facebook is so much a part of who we are and more of what we’re supposed to be,� O’Hearne said. “I don’t think you can deny just how much, like, if you take photo, that photo better be on Facebook. If you meet somebody, you will become Facebook friends with them. If you join an organization, you’re expected to join that Facebook group. If something new comes out on Facebook — it’s always a part of your social life.

You’re going to be connected to it.�

Halsey said Facebook was useful in shaping social interactions. She said she felt like “making your friendship

Friday, February 14th

*

College Station

Jed Smock said his team enjoys the A&M campus because he believed there was a high percentage of Christians on campus. He said it was important to preach to them as well.

Cindy Smock said many students were uncomfortable with their messages because she and the campus ministries team were there to “violate� taboos. “You know anything goes on the college campus and whatever you want to do is fine,� Cindy Smock said. “We’re politically incorrect, we’re judging them according to the Bible. In the eyes of the students we’re breaking the rules.�

Seunsom said the large group of students who stayed and listened for hours just wanted a show. “I think the people who stayed there for hours had nothing to do,� Seunsom said. “You either have class or you don’t. When someone is passionately yelling at you about something you don’t hear every day, you either want to see how ridiculous it is or how it affects their beliefs.�

Ybarra said her beliefs weren’t swayed by what was preached, but it did give her insight on how she would talk to people from now on. “It made me take into consideration how I talk to people,� Ybarra said. “It makes me think about how I approach things, because I could see the reactions from the people in the crowd and how it wasn’t a positive reaction.�

College Station Express

(979) 690-8888 EXPIRES 2/13/14

900 Harvey Rd. • 695.1500 upaintit.com We ♼ You...Now you LIKE us!

Celebrating 10 years in College Station Aggie Owned & Operated

4050 State Hwy 6 South • www.aggielandďŹ tness.com 979-690-DOME (3663)

FREE VIP PASS

Useable for any group ďŹ tness class!

We have an assortment of cardio equipment & tons of free weights!

Group Fitness Classes included with your membership PLUS Indoor Basketball & Volleyball!

Some restrictions may apply.

ANY HAIRCUT (Reg. $10.95 - $13.95)

$

9

95

supercuts.com

Coupon valid only at participating locations. Not valid with any other offer. No cash value. One coupon valid per customer. Please present coupon prior to payment of service. Š2014 Supercuts Inc. Printed U.S.A.

EXPIRES: 08/31/2014

A&MBat

1519 S. Texas Ave

(Near Kohl’s & Next to Los Cuco’s)

979-696-1155 M-F 9-7 SAT 9-6 SUN 12-5

Open Every Day...

No Appointment Needed!

ONLY $4.99

LARGE One-Topping Pizza Mon-Sat 11am-9pmˆ ;EPXSR (V ˆ p

caffĂŠ capri FREE dessert (1 per table with meal purchase) Expires 2/10/14

not valid with any other offer

%KKMIPERH´W &IWX Pizza ERH Pizza 6SPPW 4VMQS4M^^E6SPPW 4VMQS4M^^E6SPPW GSQ

BAT_02-04-14_A3.indd 1

222 n. main downtown bryan • (979) 822-2675 www.theplaceforitalian.com

2/3/14 11:10 PM

\

sports

page 4 tuesday 2.4.2014

Better clinic.

tennis

Better medicine.

Better world.

Everybody counts on having safe, effective medicine for anything from the common cold to heart disease. But making sure medications are safe is a complex and careful process.

At PPD, we count on healthy volunteers to help evaluate medications being developed – maybe like you. You must meet certain requirements to qualify, including a free medical exam and screening tests. We have research studies available in many different lengths, and you’ll ďŹ nd current studies listed here weekly.

PPD has been conducting research studies in Austin for more than 25 years.

Call today to ďŹ nd out more.

Current Research Opportunities AgeAge

Compensation Compensation

Requirements

thebattalion

Timeline

Men and Postmenopausal or Surgically Sterile Women 18 to 55

Up to $1200

Healthy & Tue. 11 Feb. through Thu. 13 Feb. Non-Smoking Outpatient Visit: 18 Feb. BMI between 19 and 35

Men and Postmenopausal or Surgically Sterile Women 18 to 55

Up to $1200

Healthy & Tue. 18 Feb. through Thu. 20 Feb. Non-Smoking Outpatient Visit: 25 Feb. BMI between 19 and 35

Men and Postmenopausal or Surgically Sterile Women 18 to 55

Up to $1200

Healthy & Tue. 25 Feb. through Thu. 27 Feb. Non-Smoking Outpatient Visit: 4 Mar. BMI between 19 and 35

Men and Surgically Sterile Women 18 to 45

Up to $1500

Healthy & Non-Smoking Thu. 27 Feb. through Mon. 3 Mar. BMI between 18 and 32 Outpatient Visit: 7 Mar. Weigh at least 132 lbs.

XXX QQEJ DPN t t 5FYU i11%w UP UP SFDFJWF TUVEZ JOGPSNBUJPO

A&M knocks off Nicholls State, SMU Clay Koepke The Battalion

O

n a brisk Monday afternoon, the No. 9 Texas A&M men’s tennis team improved to 6-0 in spring play with victories over the SMU Mustangs, 4-0, and Nicholls State Colonels, 6-1, at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center.

The Aggies jumped out to an early advantage in both matches. Against SMU, the Aggies took the first doubles point, 6-2, behind the duo of Harrison Adams and Shane Vinsant. Similarly, the No. 20 pair of Aggies, Jeremy Efferding and Jordan Szabo, started the Nicholls State match by defeating the pair of Evan Karatzas and Kieran Cronin, 6-2.

Texas A&M men’s head coach Steve Denton said he was pleased with the overall effort of his players and considers the team’s consistency as an indicator of his squad’s impressive top-tobottom play in singles and doubles matches. “I was very pleased with the effort overall,�

Denton said. “I felt like, considering the conditions, we came out and played with a lot of energy. We played well. We were able to win convincingly, but these were two pretty good teams.�

With the Aggie men ranked No. 9 nationally — and the Aggie women coming in at No. 7 — Texas A&M is one of only four schools that have both teams ranked in the nation’s top 10.

The men will next take the court Friday when they travel to Urbana, Ill., to battle Illinois, followed by Sunday’s match in Columbus, Ohio, for a top-10 showdown against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

The Texas A&M women, having defeated Mississippi State and Depaul by identical 4-1 scores in the ITA Kick-Off Weekend, will head to Chapel Hill, N.C., Tuesday to challenge the No. 3 North Carolina Tar Heels.

The Aggies will have their hands full as they take on a UNC squad that is 4-0 on its home

Jenna Rabel — THE BATTALION

Jeremy Efferding competes Monday, which included a doubles win alongside Jordan Szabo. court. The Tar Heels sport two of the top five players in the nation in freshman Jamie Loeb and Hayley Carter. Loeb and Carter come in at No. 2 and No. 5, respectively, in the ITA national singles rankings. “This is definitely a big challenge for our group, but for the first time all year I would say our group in the past seven to 10 days has started to look a little more organized, cohesive and is playing better, so I’m very excited for us to get the opportunity to go at North Carolina and see how we perform,� said Howard Joffe, A&M women’s head coach.

The Aggies are led by senior Cristina Stancu, who enters the week No. 14 in singles play and No. 22 in doubles with Stefania Hristov, sophomore and fellow Romanian. Stancu is 2-0 in dual singles and 18-4 overall, including an 11-2 ledger against ranked opponents.

classifieds

Place

an ad Phone 845-0569 Suite L400, Memorial Student Center Texas A&M University

AUTO I buy vehicles; working, nonworking, or wrecked. 979-778-1121.

BED AND BREAKFAST Romantic Getaways & Engagements, secluded cabin suites. All Day, All Night. www.7flodge.com 979-690-0073.

FARM/RANCH Aggieland Alfalfa. 50lb compressed Alfalfa bales, 50lb compressed Timothy bales. Call or text orders to 806-683-2916.

FOR RENT 1bd/1ba sublease, Parkway Place Apartments on Harvey Mitchell Parkway, $550/mo, all utilities except electricity included, available immediately, call 915-740-6007.

2bd/1.5bath duplex, 1808 Holleman Dr West unit #A, $775/mo, available August, remodeled, W/D, great floor plan, bus route, private parking, no pets. www.brazosvalleyrentals.com 979-731-8257 3 and 4 bedroom homes, close to campus, call or text today for list and early bird rates, JC/broker 254-721-6179.

When

to call 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday Insertion deadline: 1 p.m. prior business day

FOR RENT 4br/1guest br, 4.5ba, SW Parkway, like new, high ceilings, huge closets, large front porch, tile floors, all appliances, many extras. preleasing Aug.2014, 979-229-6326, see photos at www.TexAgRentals.com Bike to campus. 2/1 CS duplex, available in May, pets allowed, privacy fenced backyard, tile floors, blinds and ceiling fans, W/D connections, lawncare and pest-control included, E-Walk shuttle route, $650/mo, 979-218-2995.

SPECIAL

see ads at thebatt.com

Private Party Want ads

$10 for 20 words running 5 days, if your merchandise is priced $1,000 or less (price must appear in ad). This rate applies only to non-commercial advertisers offering personal possessions for sale. Guaranteed results or you get an additional 5 days at no charge. If item doesn’t sell, advertiser must call before 1 p.m. on the day the ad is scheduled to end to qualify for the 5 additional insertions at no charge. No refunds will be made if your ad is cancelled early.

FOR RENT Don’t Miss! 4/2/2 House, great location, on shuttle, fenced yard.

Rent $1400/month, 979-255-8637.

Duplex 3bd/2ba. All appliances, full-size W/D, fenced yard.

Located at Rock Hollow Loop. $850/m. 469-233-4653.

Just available! Close to campus, College Main and Eastgate areas.

2bd/1ba., some w/dishwasher, 1-fenced, some bills paid. $325-$450/mo. 979-219-3217.

Close To Campus! 4/2 &5/2 houses, preleasing for August, great floorplans, updated, no pets 731-8257, www.BrazosValleyRentals.com

Large 3/2/1 on bus-route. W/D, $1200/mo. 1431 Magnolia Drive.

214-914-4305.

Cooner houses and apartments.

Bike to TAMU. Close to retail and restaurants off University Drive. 1 bedroom apartments at $425. 2 and 3 bedroom houses, $625 to $695. Call On-Line Real Estate, Broker, 268-8620.

Navarro Apartments, conveniently located in Southwood Valley, near medical district. 2 Bedroom floorplans ranging from $625 to $650. W/D conn, ceiling fans, dining rooms, miniblinds, near shuttle route. Call On-Line Real Estate, Broker, 268-8620.

Cottage. Holik C.S. 2bd/1ba, 1000sqft., W/D, Balcony, wooded.

Private drive. 1 mile to TAMU shuttle, Clean. Quiet. No pets.

Must See. $650/mo. 979-777-2472.

puzzle answers can be found on page 2

FOR RENT New 4bd/4ba townhomes, walk bike or bus to campus, completed for Summer or Fall move in, call or text today for early bird rates, JC/broker 254-721-6179.

Now preleasing 2,3,4,5 bedroom houses and duplexes, pet friendly, Aggielandrentals.com 979-776-8984.

Pre-lease 4 and 5 bedroom houses, available August, great floor plans, close to campus, updated, W/D, all appliances, no pets. www.brazosvalleyrentals.com 979-731-8257.

Preleasing for May, efficiency apartment, 1bd, 2bd, 3bd, 979-693-1906, great prices and amenities.

Weekend rental barndominium, great for graduations, gamedays, or special events, ultimate party pad with RV parking, two miles from campus, call today for availability, JC/broker 254-721-6179 www.gamedaybcs.com

HELP WANTED Athletic men for calendars, books, etc. $100-$200/hr, up to $1000/day. No experience. aggieresponse@gmail.com CiCi’s Pizza/CiCi’s Express in C.S. Drive-thru and kitchen personnel needed. Starting up to $10/per hour w/experience. Flexible hours/shifts. All applications must be submitted in person at C.S. CiCi’s location.

Cleaning commercial buildings at night, M-F. Call 979-823-5031 for interview.

Fish Daddy’s and Cheddar’s now interviewing all positions. 1611 University Drive.

Floor Attendants wanted at Brazos Bingo, shifts available Mondays Saturday 5:45P.M.-10:00P.M., Sundays: 5:15P.M.-10:00P.M., and 1:00P.M.-4:00P.M. on Wed. and Fri. Call (979)774-7266 for an interview.

Looking for experienced WordPress developer to provide support for amazing new product. Flexible hours. Great pay.

Send email to: scott@theme.co.

Part-time leasing, Saturdays a must, apply Doux Chene Apartments, 2101 Harvey Mitchell South. 979-693-1906 Part-time or full-time person need for social media management and sales, 979-574-7474.

Part-time warehouse help needed. Flexible hours. Business hours are M-F 8-5. Apply at Valley Supply 3320 S. College Ave. Bryan, TX. 979-779-7042.

Penncro Associates, Inc. in Bryan Texas now has Multiple Projects with open positions. Customer Service Representatives for one of the country’s leading servicers of home loans are open that we will train qualified candidates for!

The position requires strong communication skills and computer skills to navigate multiple systems. A HS Diploma/GED is required. Full-time positions are eligible for medical, dental and life insurance benefits. Contests and incentive programs create an exciting environment, state of the art facility and countless career opportunities. View Job Listings and Apply online today: https://www.penncro.com/careers. php EOE

BAT_03-04_12A4.indd 1

HELP WANTED PT help needed. Local hunting club needs PT guides. Students only. Average 1-2 weekends/month in offseason; 2-3 in Fall and Winter. Limited hunting privileges. Applications at www.yardbirdhunting.com STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM Paid survey takers needed in College Station. 100% free to join. Click on surveys.

Weekend merchandisers.

Budweiser has immediate openings for part-time positions.

Great pay! Pre-employment drug screen. Apply at Jack Hilliard Dist., 1000 Independence, Bryan, TX.

MUSIC LEARN MUSIC NOW private instruction in Piano and/or Voice for Adults only. First lesson is FREE! Email learnmusicnow@suddenlink.net or call Scott at 979-204-0447 for more information.

REAL ESTATE 8 CS 3/2 Duplexes, shuttle, $229,900, Town & Country Realty 979-777-6211, 979-739-2035 B/CS. Sell/Buy/Invest! Michael McGrann TAMU ‘93 Civil Engineering 979-739-2035, mike@aggierealtor.com Nadia McGrann 979-777-6211, Town & Country Realty.

ROOMMATES Looking for roommate for immediate move-in to 3bd/2ba, 5min from A&M. Huge backyard, on cul-de-sac. Clean, spacious, hardwoods, fireplace. 512-529-4050.

TUTORS Need a Tutor? Friendly, helpful one-on-one private tutors for all subjects at TAMU/Blinn and Sam Houston State. Check us out at www.99tutors.com, 979-268-8867.

the battalion Classified Advertising • Easy • Affordable • Effective For information, call 845-0569

2/3/14 9:23 PM