thebattalion l wednesday,
october 30, 2013
l serving
texas a&m since 1893
l first paper free – additional copies $1 l © 2013 student media
CORN MAZE CLOSURE
Drought conditions shut down Snook seasonal tradition Alex Slaughter The Battalion
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ttendees used to meander through twisting rows carved into cornfields and bumped into dead ends and dark corners as stalks stretched above their heads at the “Krazy Kountry Korn Maze” in Snook. But this year the maze is nothing more than a muddy field of weeds. Owner Tabatha Wiggins said the corn maze couldn’t open this season because of the drought, but she hopes to have it open again next year. The corn maze had been well known for its theological themes and maze messages over the years. Last year, they also included something to honor their most popular customers — a “Block T” just for Texas A&M students. This year, no clever or inspiring carvings will be found in the field. Kevin Marek, senior environmental design major, said the corn maze was part of his Halloween traditions and the closure was very upsetting. “I was quite disappointed, especially when I drove out to the site because I couldn’t get ahold of the owners,” Marek said. “Seeing a muddy, plowed field was very sad. Normally, I would be a part of
Jenna Rabel — THE BATTALION
The “Krazy Kountry Korn Maze,” pictured, will not be open this year due to drought conditions.
See Corn maze on page 5
technology
Virtual files held for ransom
IT department offers virus prevention tips Aalap Ashtamkar & Homer Segovia The Battalion
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he A&M IT department sent a mass email to all students on Tuesday warning them that a serious computer virus called CryptoLocker is spreading across campus. Allison Oslund, assistant director of product strategy and communication for Texas A&M Information Technology, said CryptoLocker is a new type of virus called ransomware that locks down personal files then presents a ransom, usually around $300. Oslund said the virus is often sent out in emails disguised as a PDF or zip file. “The virus will begin to encrypt all of your personal files (documents, spreadsheets, images),” Oslund said in an email. “Once it is finished it will lock them down so that you cannot use them. Then it will present a ransom note asking for some amount of money to decrypt the files.” Oslund said paying the ransom does not guarantee file access will be restored. “Once the ransom message appears there’s nothing you can do,” Oslund said. “If you’ve opened an attachment and something doesn’t seem right, turn your computer off immediately and take it to Help Desk Central.” Antivirus software does not detect the CryptoLocker virus until after the damage is finished. Oslund said the cost of the virus can be steep.
James Sullivan — THE BATTALION
A&M defensive coordinator Mark Snyder said the Aggie pass rush was key Saturday against Vanderbilt.
football
William Guerra — THE BATTALION
“If you get this virus you will permanently lose every personal file on your computer,” Oslund said. “Worse yet, it will encrypt every folder mapped to your computer. That is, if you have a flash drive connected or are connected to a share drive, they can be encrypted as well.” Oslund said students should keep a backup of files on a flash drive or on a system that is regularly backed up. “This won’t keep the virus from infecting your computer, but will keep you from losing everything if it does,” Oslund said. Oslund said being cautious is imperative. “Be smart while surfing online,”
Oslund said. “Stick to the sites you know and avoid links that seem too good to be true. This virus may even be attached to a fake UPS or Fedex tracking information email.” Khrystyna Konopatska, an international affairs graduate student, was at Help Desk Central Tuesday to resolve her computer issues. She said as bad as her current computer problems are, the CryptoLocker $300 ransom fee would be an insurmountable obstacle. “It would be very bad,” Konopatska said. “That’s my food budget for a month. I don’t want to be without that. It’s impossible.”
alexander hamilton society
Group to discuss China as world power Panel to center on US response to Chinese ascension Ashe Matocha The Battalion
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he newly formed Texas A&M Chapter of the Alexander Hamilton Society hopes to shed light on the increasing global prominence of China for students with a panelist discussion. The society will present “United States’ Response to China’s Rise,” on Nov. 6. This event will feature three panelists — Aaron Friedberg, Princeton University professor and former deputy assistant for National Security Affairs; Christopher Layne, distinguished professor at the George Bush School of Government and Public Service; and William Norris, assistant
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professor at the Bush School. The panelists will discuss their perspective on the rise of China and the optimal U.S. response, then participate in an interactive questioning period. Amber Stotts, international affairs graduate student and co-founder of the Alexander Hamilton Society, said the goal of the questioning period is to promote interaction between students and the guest experts. “The goal of the event is to invigorate discussion among students and faculty as to what the U.S. should do in response to China’s rise,” Stotts said. “Should the U.S. let China gain regional hegemony? Should we fight with them over Taiwan? Is the ‘pivot to Asia’ the ideal response? These types of questions are important to ask and speak to how our country sees its role in the international system.” See Society on page 5
The goal of the event is to invigorate discussion among students and faculty as to what the U.S. should do in response to China’s rise. Should the U.S. let China gain regional hegemony?” — Amber Stotts, international affairs graduate student and co-founder of the Alexander Hamilton Society
A&M analyzes defensive progress, upcoming UTEP James Sullivan The Battalion
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exas A&M set a number of defensive milestones during Saturday’s 56-24 victory over Vanderbilt, answering many questions about a unit that failed to live up to expectations through the initial seven games of the season. Saturday’s statistics had no national, conference or even program historical relevance, but represented what sophomore defensive end Julien Obioha said would be the defensive standard following the win. During Tuesday’s weekly press conference at the Bright Complex, defensive coordinator Mark Snyder said his unit’s success resulted from the defensive line — in particular junior Gavin Stansbury and true freshman Daeshon Hall — and its application of constant pressure on Vanderbilt quarterback Patton Robinette. “I think a lot of [the pressure] has to do with [Stansbury] and [Hall] being very active and creating some mismatch situations with those two kids in there,” Snyder said. “With [defensive tackle Isaiah Golden] holding down the middle, I didn’t have to add blitzers. It made the world go ’round for us.” The group finished with seven sacks — doubling the team’s season total — while garnering a season-high 12 tackles for loss with three interceptions. The defensive unit held the Commodores
“[Stansbury] has a different look in his eye. He comes into meetings and he’s really bouncing around. Everybody needs ‘that’ game. He really turned it on and the ball started rolling for him.” — Mark Snyder, Texas A&M defensive coordinator
to a season-low 329 total yards, down from its average of 468 yards the seven games prior. Stansbury stood out among his teammates, making nine tackles — six solo — along with team-bests in sacks and tackles for loss. In the days following the game, Snyder said he noticed a different energy in Stansbury and hopes his performance continues into the final five games of the season. “[Stansbury] has a different look in his eye,” Snyder said. “He comes into meetings and he’s really bouncing around. Everybody needs ‘that’ game. He really turned it on and the ball started rolling for him.” As for the remainder of the defense, senior linebacker Nate Askew said he hopes to see an increase in the unit’s confidence after Saturday’s win. See Presser on page 4
10/29/13 11:12 PM