Learn about Cohea’s life. See “Spotlight On,” Page 2.
Who are Code Talkers? See story, Page 3.
Vote wisely. See “How To,” Page 4.
Community, college celebrate
Joshua Pace News Editor
More than 1,000 visitors gathered on the RSC campus on Oct. 27 in what is being hailed as yet another successful Halloween festival, Daniel McClure, student senate president, said.
The festival is an annual event sponsored by Student Activities that treats the community to a safe environment to bring the kids for Halloween. The event provides activities such as inflatable games, food, drinks, candy and a haunted house – all of which are offered free by the college as a community service.
Three campus buildings were literally packed with children and adults, includ-
ing the Gymnasium, Student Center and Student Services Building.
Not only were the inside of the buildings filled, but long lines could also be seen as people waited to get inside.
Among those who attended were Shawna Hukill, 10; Anna Hukill, 10; Ariel Hayes, 6; and Cali Freeman, 6, who each said they were enjoying themselves immensely.
“We liked the haunted house,” Shawna said.
“Yeah,” the others agreed.
“It was our favorite.”
So how about the candy?
Each child held up her Trickor-Treat bag, indicating with a big smile and a little shake of the bag that it was, indeed, filled with candy and they were loving it.
So were their parents, Brian and Donna Hayes, who said RSC’s festival was even better than the one traditionally held in the Midwest City Community Center.
“They just love it,” Brian Hayes said. “They’re really having a good time.”
Shawna Hukill is an RSC student through the college’s Continuing Education Junior Chef class.
“Halloween was awesome, it was so much fun,” McClure said. “All the senate and club [volunteers] worked really, really hard to make the event a success and I just want to thank everyone and we look forward to planning an even better one next year.”
Towry Barnard, Student Activities coordinator, thanked
the senators for their planning and participation of the event during the Oct. 31 student senate meeting.
“I heard a lot of compliments from the [RSC] administrators, faculty and from people out in the community,” she said. “It was good of you guys to come through like this and I’m proud of each of you.”
McClure said he credits Zach Bridges, student senator and Halloween Committee chair, and Theresa Tran, committee co-chair, with the planning and implementation of this year’s festival, as well as all of the other senators, clubs and organizations that worked to make the event happen.
jpace@rose.edu
Tattoo supporters see results; law goes into effect
Shannon Hoverson Assistant Editor
After seven years of trying to get tattoos legalized in Oklahoma, it has finally happened.
On Nov. 1, Senate Bill 806 became a law, allowing tattooists to operate legally in the state – providing they meet the regulations imposed by the law.
Tony Garcia, local tattoo artist and owner of A Different Image tattoo studio, is one person that will benefit from the law.
He estimates the number of people coming in for tattoos will double now that the bill has gone into effect.
“I am glad [the law] passed,” Garcia said.
State Rep. Al Lindley said that with the new law, taxpayers will not have to pay for any part of the regulations on tattoos – the licensing fees will cover this.
Oklahoma is the last state to make tattooing legal and many feel it should have happened earlier.
“There is no point in having something like this be illegal. Who are we protecting?” Sally Boyster, professor of nursing said.
Some of the guidelines the new law requires follow:
o Limiting sales of tattoo equipment to licensed professionals.
o Training in blood-borne pathogen transmissions of tattooists.
o Regulating commercial tattooing.
o Licensing by the Oklahoma State Department of Health.
o Semiannually inspecting of tattoo parlors to ensure compliance.
o No tattooing of persons under 18 years of age.
o No tattoo shop within 1,000 feet of a church, school or playground.
Since the May signing of SB 806, several tattoo studios have sprung up literally overnight, but Garcia strongly cautions people from going to these places and does not consider them to be safe.
“I have seen a lot of people that have [gone] to these ‘pop-up’ shops come [to my shop] to get them fixed,” Garcia said.
Literary artists sought, deadline approaching
Julie
Farris Contributing Writer
The James Axley Creative Writing Awards competition is looking for inspired RSC students to submit their poetry and short story fiction.
Judges will look for outstanding form and content, Carl Sennhenn, Honors coordinator, and Professor of English, said. This contest was brought about to honor the memory of a very special man on the RSC campus, Sennhenn said. For more than a decade, he served as a professor of English and as the faculty editor for the RSC literary publication, Pegasus.
“This contest was created in his honor and will award outstanding students,” Sennhenn said.
The contest is accepting any type and style of open poetry. Length of all poetry is limited to 36 lines. The entry form states that two copies of four poems must be submitted. Students are not required to submit multiple stories for the short story category, but should provide two copies of each story submitted. Also, no genre fiction, such as science fiction, romance or fantasy, will be accepted.
All entries must be typed and fiction should be double spaced in manuscript format. Handwritten work will not be judged. Deadline for submissions is November 14, 2006 and all entries should be hand-delivered to Sennhenn in the Fine Arts building, Room 115.
Winners of the accepted works will be notified December 13, 2006. Also, they will be recognized and required to share their works during Poetry at Rose scheduled for January 26, 2007.
While previous first place winners are not being considered for the category already won, Sennhenn said that all RSC students should submit something to be considered. For more information, call Sennhenn at 733-7512. farrisnj@yahoo.com
According to an article from www.abcnews.com, tattoo artists must have a surety bond of $100,000. This is in addition to the $1,000 licensing fee and $500 annual renewal fee.
The article also stated that the state health department hired an additional public-health specialist – there are now four people to help regulate the tattooing.
With the law passed, people can now get a tattoo in a place they can be sure is safe and liscensed. As for Lindley, he is pleased that the bill has finally passed.
“Unregulated tattoos are not good for Oklahoma,” Lindley said. “ I am quite, quite relieved that the legislature finally saw the light, as I did many years ago.” shoverson@rose.edu
Campus sponsors ‘LIVE!’ performances
Shannon Hoverson Assistant Editor
This year, Rose State LIVE! is offering an assortment of shows suitable for people of all ages.
“Tickets to any of these events would make a great birthday, anniversary or holiday present,” Liz Hames, director for Marketing and Public Relations, said.
8 p.m. Nov. 9
Better Than Ezra, an alternative rock band from New Orleans, will play at the RSC
Performing Arts Theatre.
Kevin Griffin, Joel Rundell, Tom Drummond and Cary Bonnecaze started the band in 1988. Rundell died in 1990 and the band continued to perform as a trio, according to wikipedia.org. Tickets are $15 for RSC students, faculty and staff and between $25-$30 for the general public.
8 p.m. Nov. 18; 2 p.m. Nov. 19
The Tulsa Ballet will be performing the Oklahoma! Suite.
The ballet is celebrating their 50th season and will start off the Centennial Celebration in honor of Oklahoma’s 100th anniversary of statehood. Tickets range from $20$45 for adults and $15-$45 for children and seniors. RSC students, faculty and staff may purchase tickets at the reduced price of $7 two hours prior to curtain.
8 p.m. Feb. 2, 2007
Béla Fleck and the Flecktones featuring Victor Lemonte Wooten, Future Man and Jeff Coffin, will be coming to RSC to perform. The Flecktones made their debut in 1990 and are a critically acclaimed and award-winning band. The band presents an eclectic fusion of jazz and bluegrass, called “blue-bop.”
Tickets are $23.75 for all RSC students, faculty and staff and $47.50 for the general public.
8 p.m. March 22, 2007
Hal Holbrook’s “Mark Twain Tonight!” opened offBroadway in 1959. It went on to become the model for the “one-man” performance.
Holbrook has now played his version of Twain more than 2,000 times. Tickets are $27.50 for RSC students, faculty and staff. General public costs $55. 2 p.m. May 13, 2007 The Oklahoma City Philharmonic, conducted by Joel Levine, will be giving one performance at RSC. They will present “an evening of Pops favorites.” Some of the selections to be heard include music from “West Side Story,” a Duke Ellington Medley and a salute to America’s Armed Forces.
Tickets are $15 for RSC students, faculty and staff and $25-$30 for the public.
Previous Rose State LIVE! performers include comedian Bill Cosby, the Golden Dragon Acrobats from China and numerous musical artists. Tickets for the entire Rose State LIVE! season are on sale at the Civic Center Music Hall Box Office and online at www.myticketoffice.com. Tickets can be purchased by phone by calling 297-2264. shoverson@rose.edu
Photos by STACEY McENTIRE
(Above:) Tony Garcia, A Different Image Tattoo Studio owner, adds another tattoo to the arm of Shane Wallace, 34, Oklahoma City. (Left:) Frank Ready, 18, Midwest City, displays several of the tattoos and piercings he received in recent months.
Photo by STACEY McENTIRE
Lita Bliss, Mustang, utilizes the art of tattoos as an avenue for self expression, as well as a method to honor both of her daughters whose names are tattooed on her lower back.
Photo by STACEY McENTIRE
Children play a game similar to both, hot potato and cake walk, during the annual Halloween festival held for RSC students, faculty, staff, their families and community members. Children passed the fake pumpkin from one player to the next while music played through the speakers in the Main Dining Room. Once the music stopped, the child left holding the pumpkin was removed from the game and offered a piece of candy.
Photo provided by RSC PUBLIC RELATIONS
Briefly Speaking
Darfur Awareness Day – Today!
The RSC Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society is sponsoring a Darfur Awareness Day from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3. A viewing of “Hotel Rwanda” will be presented from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and information tables will be set up in the Main Dining Room and on the sidewalk between the Humanities and Social Sciences buildings.
Good Doctor now showing
The RSC Theatre Department is currently presenting “The Good Doctor.” RSC students, faculty and staff may attend free; tickets for the general public are $3 and seniors and children cost $2. For more information, call 733-7430. Lions host dinner
The Del City Lions Club will hold a “Let’s Get Acquainted” turkey dinner at 6 p.m. Nov. 7 at 3925 S.E. 29th St., Del City. The cost of the meal is $10 and a meeting will follow at 7 p.m. For more information or to RSVP, call Beverly Young at 659-2136 or 799-9353.
Excellence in Teaching Nominations for the Excellence in Teaching Award for the fall semester will be accepted through Nov. 30. For more information, contact the the Academic
Bierman during the reading. Light refreshments will be provided and admission is free. For more information, call 307-9320 or visit www. thepas.org.
Veterans to hold auction
The Veterans Affairs Medical Center, located at 921 N.E. 13th St., Oklahoma City, will hold a silent auction, open to the public, on Nov. 17 to raise money to aid in the assistance of area veterans. For more information, call Ralph Gosselin at 737-0843 or the hospital at 270-5162.
Scholarship offered Women enrolled at RSC may apply for a $500 scholarship for the spring 2007 semester now until noon Nov. 21. The Zonta Chapter of Central Oklahoma sponsors the scholarship and students must be enrolled in at least six credit hours per semester to be eligible. For more information, call 732-9946 or e-mail pemmons@rose.edu.
Holiday cash
Students seeking a little extra cash for the holidays may apply for banquet wait staff and large event setup personnel positions for hotels through Link Staffing. Day and evening hours are available and hourly pay is $7.50. For more information, call 946-1884.
Essay Contest
Oklahoma State University and the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department will sponsor an essay and drawing contest in an effort to determine what value, Oklahomans place on the state parks. The “People Speak About Parks” essay and drawing contest is open until March 1, 2007 to all citizens ranging from grade school to adults. Several prizes will be awarded to the top winners, including recognition by the governor during the Centennial Celebration and display of the submission at various Oklahoma Welcome Centers. For more information, visit okparks.okstate.edu or email okparks@okstate.edu.
OPINION/FEATURES
Tattoo law not cure-all, editor says
Johnna Ray Editor in
Chief
They finally did it – Oklahoma became the last state to make tattooing legal, but it isn’t legal for everyone.
Only adults, aged 18 or older, may legally obtain a tattoo in Oklahoma. So what about 16 year olds who have their parents’ consent? – No. And what about those 17 or younger without parental consent? – Again, no. And the same is true for those who would rather continue tattooing friends and acquaintances in their homes – Not without a license, the new law states.
So, where are the teenagers who are walking around with permanent ink on their skin getting their tattoos? Yes, some travel to other
states where, with parental permission, they are legally able to obtain this fleshy art, while others simply turn to those who wish to tattoo without a license regardless of the law.
Still, some teens opt for a homemade version of a tattoo, commonly referred to as a “jailhouse tattoo,” which they create by using various forms of ink – sometimes even the ink from ballpoint pens – and a sewing needle.
Unfortunately, this is not something I have made up or something I only think happens. My own teenaged daughter and her friend used this exact method during a sleepover in the spring of this year.
When I discovered the tattoo – which my daughter
swears is a cross, although it looks more like a sick dragonfly or an asterisk to me – I was horrified.
The dangers this method of marking the skin have the potential to arouse flooded through my mind rather rapidly.
Blood borne pathogens, such as those that cause Hepatitis, could have been passed through this careless and rebellious act, as could have other infections.
Fortunately, aside from the permanent marker on my daughter’s skin, there does not appear to be any other damage. However, I cannot help but wonder if an infection or blood poisoning had occurred, whether she would have continued to hide the tattoo or come to me for
Spotlight On: Cohea
finds niche
Shannon Hoverson
at college
help.
Not long after the discovery, I called and spoke with Rep. Al Lindley and asked what legal steps could be taken in a situation such as this.
Unfortunately, he said that with the “tattoo artist” being a minor child and not an adult, the only actions I could take were to have my daughter tested for various infections at a doctor’s office or file a civil suit against the minor’s parents.
I accepted that the tattoo was not going away, no matter how much I would love to be able to scrub it off – at least until she is old enough and mature enough to make the decision with consideration instead of impulse – and I did not file suit
against anyone. Although the law has good intentions and might assist in offering those seeking tattoos a safe environment to do so, there will still be many, I am certain, who ignore the law. And, unfortunately, there will be many who continue to put themselves at risk of infection for a tattoo that looks much less perfect than what they had envisioned. Anyway, I give my kudos to you for trying, Oklahoma. jray@rose.edu
“I wanted to get my foot in the door with the goal of teaching in the future, but fell in love with helping students in a one-on-one setting,” Cohea said.
Assistant Editor The “spotlight” falls on Job Placement Specialist Sally Cohea this week. Cohea has worked at RSC for 10 years, starting as an enrollment adviser and later becoming an athletics adviser before landing her current position.
She has two children, Jamie, 28, and Jeff, 26. It is raising them, along with attending law school, that she feels are her proudest accomplishments.
Cohea has a Bachelor of Science in Business from Oklahoma State University and a Jurist Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma.
“The first job I remember wanting was to be a barmaid, later an accountant,” Cohea said. “Now I am an attorney
and also work part-time here at [RSC] helping students – so my original goals have changed quite a bit.”
She went into Job Placement because, when she graduated from OU, she was handed a sample resume and nothing else.
She was given nothing more to help her write a resume or prepare for a job interview. Now, at RSC, she can help students to learn how to write resumes and be better organized to face the challenges of finding a job.
“This is an invaluable resource that [RSC] provides for the students and they should take advantage of it,” Cohea said. shoverson@rose.edu
Q. What do you consider the most exciting thing you have done so far in your life time?
A. Attending Oxford [College] because I was able to do a lot of traveling on the weekends seeing all parts of England and also Paris.
Q. What hobbies do you have?
A. Going to OSU sporting events, bowling, decorating and reading.
Q. What do you feel makes you unique?
A. Choosing to work at a job that I love, but that doesn’t make me as much money as my other job.
Q. What have been some of your best times at RSC?
A. All of the great friends I have made.
Major: Recording Engineer Hobbies: Music.
When did you first start at RSC? Fall ‘06
What are your goals while at RSC? To get my degree.
Major: Early Childhood Education Hobbies: Sleep, children and music. When did you first start at RSC? Summer ‘04
Major: Art Hobbies: Drawing, cooking and ice skating. When did you first start at RSC? Fall ’05
What are your favorite moments at RSC? The Halloween Festival, especially the haunted house.
Counseling Tip No. 9
What are your favorite moments at RSC? I like that the classes are small, more one-on-one with the teachers.
Major: Business Economics Hobbies: UCO baseball, partying, music and you gotta love sleeping. When did you first start at RSC? Fall ‘06
Do you find yourself constantly worrying about your weight and thinking about what you are or are not going to eat? If so, you might have an unhealthy relationship with food. Thinking about food is a normal part of living, but obsessing about food and body weight is not.
Columns, commentaries and letters to the editor are personal opinions of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of 15th Street News or other students, faculty or administrators of the college. Editorials are written by the editorial staff. Letters to the editor may be hand delivered to FA110; sent by mail to 15th Street News, Rose State College, 6420 SE 15, Midwest City, 73110; e-mailed to the secretary, [cbenefee@rose.edu] or recorded nights on PhoneMail at 733-7400 between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. Letters must include the writer’s full name, ID number and telephone number. Letters will be printed with full name and must be 500 words or less. Editing may be necessary for space, clarity or to avoid obscenity, libel or invasion of privacy, but ideas will not be altered.
Publication of all materials is at the discretion of the editor. Anyone having a complaint may call the editor in chief, 733-7400, or the Student Publications Board chairperson, Towry Barnard, 733-7379. 15th Street News, a student newspaper serving the RSC community, is published weekly, except school holidays, on Fridays during the fall
Do you find about what are or are not If so, you have an about food is a normal part of If you would like to this way of and Services and Student Outreach at 733-7373 for a free, confidential
What are your goals while at RSC? Passing all my classes.
If you would like to change this way of thinking and want some help, call Special Services and Student Outreach at 733-7373 for a free, confidential counseling appointment.
and spring semesters by the Office of Student Publications, 6420 SE 15, Midwest City, OK 73110. 15th Street News is a member of Oklahoma Collegiate Press Association, which has designated this paper top junior college newspaper six years, and Associated Collegiate Press, which has rated it All American 30 semesters. This publication is printed by Edmond Sun, Inc., issued by RSC and authorized by the Coordinator of Student Publications. Cost to the state taxpayers is $301.81 for 4,000 copies per issue and $56.40 for spot color. This paper is recyclable. RSC, in compliance with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Executive Order 11246, as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and other federal laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes, but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid and educational services.
Johnna Ray [jray@rose.edu]
Editor Shannon Hoverson [shoverson@rose.edu]
Julie Farris farrisnj@yahoo.com
McEntire [smcentire@ros.edu]
[jrollman@rose.edu]
[jwimer@rose.edu]
[mmontgomery@rose.edu] News Editor Joshua Pace [jpace@rose.edu]
David Najera
Jennifer Shafer
Elechia Bryant
Dillon Chaney
Wanna tattoo each other after class? Y or N
Game simulation classes available
Joshua Pace News Editor
Arguably, one of the most successful titles on the game market today is the Halo series – a game that pits a cyborg marine against the likes of aliens and parasites that turn everything they encounter into zombie-like creatures.
The characters are fascinating, many players and reviewers have said, and offer an interesting story that unfolds in various scenes scattered between gameplay.
The game environment takes place on an alien object called Halo, which floats in orbit around a gas giant and sports a planet-like environment, not unlike Earth.
Gamers eat it up. They play it on their PCs; they play it on their Xbox consoles; they play it against each other in tournaments. The game’s characters were eventually turned into toys, books, and now there’s even talk about turning it into a movie.
That’s today, but what about tomorrow? What game could be lurking in the mind of some imaginative person even now and how would that person go about seeing their idea realized?
Believe it or not, one RSC program might just be the key to unlock that possibility, Eileen Dewey, Networking and Cyber Security professor, said.
A series of classes in the college’s Computer Simulation and Game Design program will team students with different skills to design, produce and possibly, even market their own games, she added.
“We have two different groups of students – the designers and the program-
mers,” Dewey said. “The designer is more of an art person – they’re the ones who come up with the storyline and what the characters are going to look like, [as well as] the scenery. The programmers are the ones that make it do all the action.”
The classes offered through this program could, perhaps, seem like an obvious path for those students who know the ins-and-outs of computer programming, but what might not be so obvious is its appeal to students who do not.
But perhaps it should because, after all, games need stories with characters that operate in imaginative environments – and not everyone who is capable of thinking of a great game will also know their way around a computer.
What is nice about this program is that it teams imaginative students with those capable of giving their imagination form on the computer screen, Dewey said.
“In the spring, we’re [offering] the storyboarding class,” Dewey said. “That
would be perfect for those who like to write because they could come up with some kind of storyline.”
Additionally, once the game is designed, the program will offer instruction on how students can market their games, she added. With spring enrollment quickly approaching, Dewey is actively trying to get the word out that this program is available. Though they only have approximately 10 students enrolled in the classes so far, the prospect of producing tomorrow’s games has sparked some interest, Dewey said.
“I think once the word gets out, we’re going to pick up some more students,” she said. “We went out to one of the high schools the other day and they got all excited about it – so, I think we’re going to see an influx that leads to a larger enrollment.”
For more information, call 733-7977 or 733-7510. jpace@rose.edu
Students perform off-stage skits
Johnna Ray Editor in Chief
As the usual crowd of students gathered between the Humanities and Social Sciences buildings last week, a man came running into the crowd toward another man and woman and began yelling and cursing at them.
A fight broke out after much verbal confrontation and another student rushed to break it up. The usual buzz of voices silenced and many bystanders reached for their cell phones to call security or 911.
But before anyone could arrive on the scene, the men involved in the fight broke away from one another and walked toward the center of the gathered crowd. There, the men and women began stating that they were victims of domestic violence and provided the audience with statistics regarding domestic violence in America. They concluded with advice and hotline numbers for victims and friends or family members of victims.
These men and women are members of the RSC Drama Club and worked under the direction of Theater Professor Rick Nelson and Dr. Joanne McMillen-Stafford, counselor and director of Special Services and Student Outreach, to bring domestic violence awareness to the campus. They performed the skits, “The Many Faces of Violence,” around noon several times during the week.
“[Dr. Joanne McMillen-Stafford] came to me with the idea,” Nelson said. “Apparently, they did the skits before, but not in the past couple of years and they wanted to do something again for Domestic Violence Month.”
Domestic Violence Awareness Month occurs annually and many lectures, a poster contest, sticker sales and other activities were held throughout October at RSC to observe the month.
The reactions of witnesses varied during the approximately 10-minute-long skits - some walked away, quickly hurrying to class or simply avoiding the confrontation altogether. Others attempted to jump in and assist the man and woman under attack or call for help.
The drama students spoke with some passersby after the skit ended and passed out purple ribbons and plain sheets of paper with various abuse hotline numbers to those who were interested in receiving them.
“I’m not really like this in real life,” Chris Johnson, who played one of the boyfriends in the skits, said.
The students who participated in the event were Nicole Ferlaino as the girlfriend, Jarrett Cotton and Johnson as the boyfriends, Byron Mills and Kendra Watkins as friends and supporting actors/actresses Jennifer Arms, Josh Langer and Savanna Shaw.
“The actors conducted their own research prior to developing the skits,” Nelson said. “I had an idea of how it should go, but the students actually [scripted] the skits.”
For the YWCA Crisis Center abuse hotline, call 917-9922. jray@rose.edu
Native American Code Talkers remembered, honored
Shannon Hoverson Assistant Editor
U.S. Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.) announced Sept. 21 that he passed legislation that will award Congressional Commemorative Medals to the World War I and II Code Talkers of the Choctaw, Comanche and other tribes.
“Code Talkers … are true American heroes whose accomplishments have too long been forgotten,” Inhofe said.
“This legislation finally recognizes and honors a group of people who made a real difference in the fight for freedom during World Wars I and II. Their service on the
front lines helped propel the allied forces to victory and saved countless lives in the process.”
This legislation proposes that any Native American who served in the armed forces in any foreign conflict during the 20th Century as a Code Talker is eligible to receive a commemorative medal.
Previously, Congress had only recognized the Navajo Code Talkers. Inhofe wanted to have the service of all Code Talkers recognized, despite the fact that the majority of them had already died. The Code Talkers will be
further honored in an upcoming exhibit to be unveiled Nov. 10 at the Oklahoma History Center.
The exhibit will be called “Hidden Voices, Coded Words” and will focus on the Comanche and Choctaw Code Talkers. The exhibit will run through Jan. 15, 2007.
“All Oklahomans can take pride in [this] legacy,” Bob Blackburn, executive director of the Oklahoma Historical Society, said in an article on newsok.com, written by Max Nichols. “The Code Talkers of Oklahoma tribes not only played a tremen-
dous role in World War II; they served America when America needed them most and they proved once again that we are all Oklahomans and Americans, regardless of our individual heritage.” RSC will host a Native American celebration at noon Nov. 28 in the Raider Room located in the Student Center. For more information about the celebration at RSC, call Student Activities at 7337376. For information about the exhibit, call the Oklahoma History Center at 5225248. shoverson@rose.edu
• An estimated 50,000 or more Native Americans served in the U.S. military in World War I and II.
• Approximately 600 Oklahoma Native Americans, mostly from the Choctaw and Cherokee tribes, were assigned to the 142nd Infantry of the 36th Texas-Oklahoma National Guard Division during World War I.
• Soldiers from the Navajo, Comanche, Meskwaki, Sioux, Crow, Hopi, Cherokee, Choctaw and Cree nations took part as Code Talkers.
Joshua Pace
News Editor
With the country divided on whether the war in Iraq is yielding any benefits, as well as the policy that launched that war, most people remain united on at least one aspect of the conflict: The troops should be supported. Even now, as the Mid-Del community begins turning their thoughts to the approaching holiday season, it is, perhaps, difficult to imagine that there are a number of local men and women of the Oklahoma National Guard serving in Iraq – none of whom are enjoying the comforts afforded those still at home.
Those who have served their countries have said that the thing that gets a serviceman or woman through those difficult times are thoughts of home – family, friends and the people who miss them.
Letters from home are important because, if nothing else, the letters remind them that they are missed and that there are people who care about their safe return.
And yet, perhaps surprisingly, there are also a handful of servicemen from the Mid-Del area, even now, who never receive those letters or those hopeful, encouraging sentiments.
When Mark Edwards, city manager of Del City, heard that, he took it upon himself to make sure that each of them received a letter.
“It is difficult to imagine the impact that a letter can have on someone serving in the military,” Edwards said. “And when you don’t get one – when the mail call comes and you don’t get a letter, you start taking chances that you wouldn’t normally take. These are local boys over there, and they need someone
FRIDAY
[to write them and show they are cared about].”
Edwards learned from his daughter, Rebecca Edwards, of 11 servicemen who have never received a letter from home. Rebecca Edwards is also serving in the Oklahoma National Guard and is now stationed in Iraq.
“So I forwarded that list [Rebecca provided] to a group of friends,” Edwards said. “And I’m kind of surprised by the response it’s generated.”
That e-mail even made its way to RSC and, once it did, the student senate, 15th Street News staff and others have taken it upon themselves to make sure that each of those 11 servicemen will have a letter at mail call.
*Information courtesy of www.wikipedia.org, Smithsonian Institution and www.history.navy.mil
Soldiers offered encouragement by college personnel, community
“[I’m involved with] the HUGS Project, which is a group of volunteers that make items that we send to our troops serving in Afghanistan and Iraq,” Sidders said. “Hugs are gel-filled ties that you wear around your neck that cool you down [or warms you in the winter] and we’ve sent [more than] 1,000 of them to the troops.
“We also send care packages with items that the troops request that we think may be helpful, such as homemade jerky, Kool-Aid – that kind of stuff.”
A letter might be a small gesture, but the impact it has on the recipient can be enormous, Edwards said. Peggy Sidders, nursing professor, agrees. Sidders, who is involved in a volunteer group that sends care packages to troops overseas, said a small token of appreciation to the troops can mean a world of difference to them.
5-day weather watch
“It’s very rewarding,” she said. “This is our way of supporting the troops.”
And, like Edwards, Sidders and others know, sometimes the difference between a fatalist and an optimist is a simple word or gesture of encouragement.
“It is important to realize that determinism does not imply events occur in spite of our actions. Some events occur because we determine them,” author Paul Davies once wrote. “The soldier who behaves recklessly on the battlefield in the face of a hail of bullets while thinking ‘if my number is on it, no precaution will avert death,’ is a fatalist.” jpace@rose.edu
Sidder’s group is strictly made up of volunteers and the materials they send are either donated or purchased by members, she said. But like the letters, she believes they have an impact on those to whom they are sent.
Screenshots provided by EILEEN DEWEY
FEATURES/PUZZLES
How to... Cast a vote responsibly; fulfill civic duty
Shannon Hoverson Assistant
Editor Election
Day, that’s right, it is that time of year again and soon voters will be pouring out to vote for their chosen candidates.
But what do you do if you have no idea for whom to vote? Some probably just close their eyes and say “eeny, meeny, miny, mo,whichever person wins this game gets the vote.”
Let’s face it; this is not the best way to choose someone to be your voice in government.
First, you need to learn about who is running – what do they stand for and how are they going to help their constituents?
Go online and see if any of the candidates have official Web sites and if they do, read what they have to say.
Also, pay attention to the news. Right now the media is full of who is running and where they stand on the different issues. This can help you to decide the best candidate for the job. In addition, you can look
Sudoku
Each smaller square, called a cell, is to be filled in with a numerical figure from 1-9. These numerals are not to be repeated within horizontal or vertical rows or within a large square, referred to as a 3 X 3 block. Logic and the process of elimination are key to solving these puzzles.
at what ads they are putting out. Are they resorting to mud slinging and attacking their opponents rather than highlighting what they can do for you?
If so, you might want to rethink your decision to vote for them. Bad mouthing the other candidate just means that he or she doesn’t have
anything really positive to offer and they are trying to turn public opinion against the other person.
Once you know who the candidates are, you need to make a choice. Some people simply vote straight ticket – voting for all the candidates in the party in which they are registered, regardless of whether or not the person will be a voice of the people.
person for the job. You have the power, with your vote, to make a difference.
shoverson@rose.edu How to...
Being a Republican, Democrat or even running as an Independent doesn’t always mean a candidate is the right
Remember, voting is a privilege and a duty. Most countries don’t even let their citizen’s vote for the leaders of government. You owe it to yourself to make an informed decision when you go to the polls. So, when you step out on Nov. 7 to vote, do so with the knowledge of who you are voting for – know your candidate and vote accordingly.
Raider Response
The Raider Response question posed on Oct. 13 was “What characteristics or qualities should a “good” professor have?
Raiders responded to the question as follows:
Best qualities of a teacher: Passion for his subject tempered by learning; commitment to the life of the mind and respect for, and love of, students; and a desire to share knowledge with others. – Carl Sennhenn, English professor and coordinator for the RSC Honors Program.
Be passionate about the subject you teach; foster respect in the classroom; be clear and consistent in your expectations of students – and smile! – Jerri Cachero, Educational Services coordinator, Academic Affairs
I expect my professor to be able to talk at my level in order for me to understand and reach their level and I also expect my professor to understand that I’m no longer in high school and I may need to miss several days due to work or life’s little emergencies. I also expect them to be friendly and act like they care about my degree and helping me achieve my goals through my degree and life. – Scott Evenson, criminal justice major
A “good” professor imparts knowledge but more importantly, offers his or her understanding and skill to help students discover how to learn for them. This guidance is not about the power of authority but, rather, generosity of mind. Its rewards for the student may be subtle – not necessarily spelled out under “Course Objectives” – but they are nonetheless concrete and durable rewards.
Over time, teachers and students inevitably part and move on with their lives, but a student who has learned to apply knowledge purposefully has a priceless acquisition that will serve him or her far beyond the classroom experience. – Dr. Debbie Ingle, English professor.
Responses to this week’s Raider Response question must be received no later than noon Monday, Nov. 17. Replies may be e-mailed to the editor in chief, Johnna Ray, at jray@rose.edu
deflating it a bit before you explode.
Taurus April 20May 20... The planets are going to fall out of alignment and cause a bad day for you. I advise you to just stay at home with the blinds drawn.
Gemini May 21June 20... They say everyone has a doppelganger; yours is going to try and take over your life, beware.
Cancer June 21July 22... Trouble with your microwave is going to interfere with your addiction to popcorn. Now is the time to purchase a new one – or get over your obsession.
Leo July 23-August 22... The celestial voices are in an uproar this week – you might want to appease them by leaving lots of chocolate on your front door step.
Virgo August 23September 22... Something you thought was lost forever is going to turn up unexpectedly this week. Who knows, you might actually get all of your socks back.
Libra September 23-October 22... The garden gnome living in your rose bushes is going on strike this week – he will demand better manure and less bugs.
Julie Farris
Contributing Writer
The Prestige (based on the novel by Christopher Priest) is a dark, complex film that opens during turn of the century London. At this time, magicians were regarded as the ultimate entertainers, and Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale did not disappoint. However, I was surprised at the violence and intensity in this movie.
It begins with a drowning, and through a series of flashbacks, journal entries, and voice-over narration, the violence never stops. It is subtle in its gritty twists and turns and in the end this movie will get into your head and under your skin.
Director Christopher Nolan takes competition to a ferociousness that knows no bounds, and adds a splash of science fiction to give it that, “Twilight Zone” kind of feel.
Two archrivals, Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) try to outdo and ruin each other – trick-by-trick, showby-show. Sophisticated and outgoing, Angier is a born entertainer who becomes completely obsessed with a trick – “The Transported Man” – that hard-core purist, Borden, creates. The two lead characters are flawed and hard to like. However, I found the intensity and hatred that flashed in these two actors’ eyes hard to resist. After the murders, injuries and suicides, the obsession comes to a head when Angier meets scientific innovator, Nikola Tesla (David Bowie). But even utilizing the fantastical new powers of electricity and futuristic ideology isn’t enough for these magicians. Even when one comes out a likely winner, it is not enough.
Raider Response Question No. 5: What is your favorite holiday memory? or hand delivere
Scorpio October 23-November 21... Remember, giving advice may be an uplifting experience, but when it backfires, you might want to move out of state.
Raider No. 5: What is your
‘Prestige’ offers ‘magical’ intrigue, twists, turns
The lives of everyone around them hang in the balance as Borden becomes farther removed from his wife Sarah (Rebecca Hall) and daughter Jess (Samantha Mahurin), and Angier removes himself from
other – which I found wickedly clever. The magicians’ conflict is narrated by magic trick designer, Cutter, (Michael Caine), who describes the three parts of a magic trick (the Pledge, the Turn, and the Prestige), asserting that the audience must participate in the trick.
everything while he searches for the solution to Borden’s ultimate trick.
Director Christopher Nolan, who already took three movies to blockbuster status – “Memento,” “Insomnia,” “Batman Begins” – gives us yet an-
Cutter mentions that a trick, no matter how well put out will seem obvious once you know how it was done. But, for the trick to work, we, the audience, must want to be fooled. This movie is just like that, if you go in looking for the trick, you may miss the intrigue.
There are so many twists and turns, flashbacks within flashbacks, that your eye wanders off the truth, and focuses on the anger, violence and hatred these competitors’ archrivals are putting out there.
As the movie closes, after
murder, injuries, and suicides, one ends up dead and the other in the hangman’s noose, but all is not what it seems.
“The secret,” instructs Borden, “impresses no one. The trick you use it for is everything.”
They both believe they have discovered the truth, the true meaning of what a magician is, but they are ever fooled, as each believes he is the more original magician.
“Are you watching closely?”
With this question the viewer is invited to participate.
This was a good movie that has an ending that will make you go back and wonder what you missed. Like a magic trick that is revealed, the truth is obvious once the secrets are revealed.
This movie is very good and well put together, but go to the bathroom before you arrive, or you will miss something. farrisnj@yahoo.com
Crossword
Sagittarius November 22-December 21... The astral climate is forecasted to be chilly – stock up on celestial earmuffs and cosmic booties to keep your astral plain warm.
Capricorn December 22-January 19... Your lumbar zone will give you trouble this week, try focusing your Chi and drinking tons of herbal tea.
Aquarius January 20-February 18... Because everything blew up last week, the psychic voices tell me they are giving you a break. Nothing bad will happen for at least the next few minutes.
Pisces February 19-March 20... Beware the return of the purple monkeys! They are angry about those bananas you took.