The Prairie Vol. 95 No. 15 by The Prairie WTAMU

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Flooding of Jones Hall means more renovations.

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January 29, 2013 • Vol. 95, No. 15

Students attend Inauguration

Brittany Castillo reporter

early 800,000 people gathered for the 57th Inauguration of the President of the United States. On Jan. 21, the anticipation of 44th President Barack Obama escalated as Washington, D.C. swelled with supporters. Floods of people crowded metro stations as early as 4 a.m., and by 7 a.m. most of the National Mall was occupied by thrilled constituents. People quickly formed huddles under blankets to endure the frigid weather of 30 degree temperatures. Around 9:30 a.m. the United States Marine Band played patriotic songs while members of the United States Congress, Supreme Court Justices, Vice President Joe Biden, First Lady Michelle Obama and their families were introduced on the foyer of the Capitol Building. Large monitors throughout the National Mall displayed live footage of each person introduced. The volume of celebratory cheers amplified as the President’s entrance neared. “Ladies and gentlemen,” said the announcer. “The forty-fourth president of the United States, Barack H. Obama.” D. C. visitors and locals roared with applause and jumped in ex-

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Superbowl XLVII picks are underway.

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Trust issues taint image of U.S. government.

PAGE 11 BrittAny CAstillo/thE PrAiriE

citement. They began to chant President Obama’s name as he waved to the crowd. Senior Public Administration major Brandy Roberts and senior Political Science major Gus Trujillo, WTAMU students interning for Texas Representative Mac Thornberry, were among the hundreds of thousands in attendance. “It was awesome to think that

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I was one out of a million that watched the inauguration live,” Roberts said. “I felt that history was unfolding before me.” Cannons were fired solidifying the Oaths of Office administered to Vice President Joe Biden and President Barack Obama. “You could hear cannons firing into the air for the world to hear,” said Trujillo. “I would have never

fEAturE

thought that I would be [there] with so many proud Americans supporting our nation’s President.”

iNauguraTioN on PagE 3

Students offer roommate advice.

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The Hunger Project feeds community JBK expansion provides new work area lAci McGee RepoRteR

he Hunger Project is a world organization that seeks to address world hunger in Africa, India and Latin America by empowering women in local communities. At West Texas A&M University, Dr. Bonnie MacDonald, head of the English, Philosophy and Modern Language department and also a Professor in Western American Literature, has begun a student organization called Feel Good. Twenty-five other universities

across the United States hold Feel Good chapter memberships and all want to “[end] world hunger one grilled cheese sandwich at a time,” according to the Feel Good website. The WT chapter hopes to set up their own grilled cheese deli on campus once or twice every month and people who get a sandwich are asked to donate what they can. The proceeds are sent back to The Hunger Project. Grilled cheese sandwiches are not the only thing being served by WT’s Feel Good chapter. Members of the organization also plan to

serve others by volunteering with Mariposa Eco Village. The chapter members hope to serve grilled cheese to the community at the opening of Mariposa’s Greenhouse, located off of Washington St. in Amarillo, according to Toby Lankford, who works for the Mariposa community land trust. “We spend so much time with our noses in books that it is nice to interact with people and show that we are more than just students,” Jacquelene Bayless, senior English major and volunteer for Feel Good, said.

WT nationally recognized Alex GonzAles RepoRteR

olleges everywhere strive to be the best, and this year U.S News and World Report recognized West Texas A&M’s online business graduate program as one of the best. WT was ranked 56 out of around 200 schools for its online graduate program. The list was composed of approximately 900 schools. Then by validation from peer schools, they identified 200 of those schools, with WTAMU being number 56. “It’s an external validation that what we are doing is respected by our peers, and outside the school,”

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Lavelle Mills, associate dean of Graduate Programs, said. “With this recognition, it not only gives value to the students, but value to the employers who ultimately hire our graduates.” WTAMU was also recognized as the fourth regional university in the West. “I think this will instantly give us visibility and credibility like never before,” Dr. Nicholas Gerlich, Hickman Professor of Marketing, said. According to the U.S News and World Report’s website, a big factor in why the online program is ranked so well was that many of the classes are recorded and

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posted online so that students can watch them anytime at their own convenience. “We want to see our M.B.A. program grow, and by ranking so high it puts us to higher standing among other schools,” Gerlich said. “I am so proud to be a student at this university, with the caliber of the professors and students here,” Virginia Moderow, graduate student enrolled in the M.B.A. program, said. “When my resume is reviewed by a prospective employer, I know that he will also know I received my degree from the highest institution possible.”

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Tyler Anderson Brittany Castillo Hunter Fithen Alex Gonzalez John Lee Laci McGee Megan Moore Tori Nicholls

Feel Good is not only an organization, but also an internship course taught by MacDonald with readings about world hunger. “This class is meant to be a means

of connecting community members and community organizations with student work and study here on campus,” MacDonald said.

FoR MoRE iNFoRMATioN oN WT’S Feel Good ChApTer CoNTACT Shae Crawford at SlCrawford1@buffS.wtamu.edu

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The Prairie is a student-operated newspaper at West Texas A&M University. It functions to inform, educate and entertain readers accurately and responsibly. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the administration, faculty or staff. The Prairie verifies the legitimacy of the advertising appearing in The Prairie, but cannot be held liable for any advertising claim made in this publication. The Prairie has a circulation of 1,500 and is printed by the Amarillo Globe-News. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. -- First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Connor Woods reporter

he Students of West Texas A&M were recently introduced to the new expansion of the Jack B. Kelley Student Center. With the new expansion being opened for a little over a month, the staff and students have had the opportunity to explore what the new space has to offer, including Chance O. Haugen, director of the Jack B. Kelley Student Center. “The space is being used for what it was created for, and students are getting more creative with the spaces that are available,” Haugen said. Among the many advantages and changes the new expansion provides, one that stands out is the new space provided for students. “The biggest change is that the

students now have a place to relax. When it was just the existing JBK that was open, the food court was really packed, the commons were really packed, and when we would have big events it was worse because no one would have a place to eat,” Haugen said. Students at WT agreed with Haugen. “What I like about the new expansion is that students have more places to eat, we are not just crammed into one area,” junior Business major Corey Cude said. As students are now content, so are many people who hold events on campus with the addition of Legacy Hall. The new JBK expansion hot spot, Legacy Hall provides the technology and environment necessary to hold big events. Nicole Moore, CORE student consultant, recently used Legacy Hall for a special event

in honor of Martin Luther King. “I enjoy the technology and space Legacy Hall provides,” Moore said. “For instance, there is sound and lighting to where we can set the mood. Before we didn’t have lights and we didn’t have sound. I think the new expansion definitely draws students. I think it will be a fight to get the meeting rooms downstairs and I think Legacy Hall will always be busy and filled.” The new expansion also fosters the possibility of a rise in revenue for the university. “I can see the university bringing in slightly a little more revenue because of outside groups holding concerts and conferences,” Jose Lopez, vice president of the student body and president of the student senate, said. The new expansion is also bringing events held by WT back to the

campus, including the university formal. “The University formal, which used to be held at the civic center,

will now be held here on campus again in Legacy Hall,” Lopez said.

Cheering dwindled and the cannon echoes silenced as President Obama approached the podium for his 2013 Inaugural Address. “Each time we gather to inaugurate a President we bear witness to the enduring strength of our Constitution,” Obama said. “We affirm the promise of our democracy.” For the duration of fifteen minutes, President Obama illustrated his avowed faith in America’s future. He mentioned equality and the challenging path of the country’s course.

“Let us answer the call of history and carry into an uncertain future that precious light of freedom,” Obama said. “God bless you, and may He forever bless these United States of America.” The assembly burst into applause as he concluded his speech. Concluding the ceremony, musical artist Beyoncé Knowles sang the National Anthem. “President Obama’s inauguration was a truly remarkable experience,” Trujillo said. “It was a phenomenal [day] that displayed the power of our great democracy.”

InauguratIon from PagE 1

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Nelly’s Echo to hold free concert at WT Renovations begin after Jones Hall flood Megan Moore reporter

but in a few weeks, but listeners can listen to the two singles that he has released. His spring tour, the I Love elly’s Echo, season three You Tour, has just recently begun contestant on The Voice and consists of many different coland a self-published music lege campuses. artist, will be playing a concert on “I’ve been blessed to showcase WTAMU‘s campus on Tuesday, Jan. in several different regions,” Emok29. pae said. “Through these showcases Nelson Emokpae currently has I’ve been blessed to book at several two albums out. His third will de- colleges over the country.” Emokpae decided to embark on his music career wholeheartedly a few years ago when he quit his full time job. “Music has always been my calling,” Emokpae said. “I have always gravitated toward music. I’ve always wanted to be able to travel the world, but it wasn’t until I had this epiphany one day. I’m living the dream.” Nelson got his start in Baltimore where his manager discovered him. They met in 2007 and have had a lasting relationship since. “I met Nelson in 2007 Nelson Emokpae performs in front of an audience. when I was a Student

Programmer at Stevenson University in Baltimore,” Joe Enste, Nelson’s manager, said. “I was booking a local music series for our campus and found him playing at a local coffee shop in Baltimore city. From the moment I saw him perform, I knew there was something special about him.” The concert will be held in the JBK Legacy Hall with an all new sound system and lighting system to enhance the experience. “I love Legacy Hall. It is the most beautiful, spacious room,” Stephanie Brackett, assistant director of Student Activities, said. “This is the first concert we’ve done here and I can’t wait to put that sound system and lights to work.” The free admittance is a benefit to not only the students on campus, but also to the rest of the community as well. “It is free to anyone. It’s a good way to get Canyon High students on campus and possibly recruit new students,” Brackett said. “It’s a good opportunity for a lot of different

Hunter FitHen reporter

TAMU Residential Living is continuing to repair and restore what was damaged in a flood that affected Jones Hall dormitories over Christmas break. “Over the Christmas break, on either Wednesday or Thursday, there was an officer at Jones that notified me that there was water coming out of the building,” Jon Behrens, senior director of Residential Living, said. “When I arrived at Jones, university police were already on the scene, and we began to look into just what had happened. It seems that before

Photo Courtesy of Manager Joe Enste

students had left for the holiday, they had turned off their heaters. This normally would have had no issue on the water pipe system in Jones, but we also found that some students had left their window ajar by mistake, letting in lots of cold air. As some of the rooms in Jones got colder and colder, the water in the pipes froze, causing them to bust open, and start flooding.” Every floor of the building, from the fourth floor down was affected by the water, which leaked into rooms, under doors, and into hallways, eventually spreading through much of the building. Carpet in the rooms and throughout Jones was ruined but was quickly replaced by WT Residential Living.

he College of Nursing and Health Sciences at WTAMU has recently made headway in the National Council Licensure Examinations. NCLEX is a test that determines whether or not a nursing student gets to be a licensed nurse. This past testing period from Oct. 2010 to Sept. 2012 increased to a 95.95 percent success rate, a first for nursing baccalaureate graduates at WT. Dr. Helen Reyes, the Department Head of Nursing at WT, praised the staff and

students of the department for the increase. “I am very pleased with the faculty and staff in the Department of Nursing for implementing a number of changes to the program which have collectively contributed to the outstanding NCLEX results,” Reyes said. “I could not be more proud of the nursing students. Due to their dedication, diligence, preparation and long hours they have performed well in their classes, in their clinicals and the NCLEX results proved it.” For freshman Nursing major Sidney Morgan,

preparations for the NCLEX exam will be steady and diligent. “I will study really hard and take it one day at a time,” Morgan said. Other students suggested preparations for an examination like the NCLEX begin with organization and dedication. “I would make my study plans for a whole month,” Misael Tambuwum, freshman Music Composition major, said. “I have to be organized as well as make a commitment to my study schedule.”

few people whose rooms were so damaged that they simply moved to another room. I knew the most important thing in all of this was to reach out to the students as quickly as possible, and let them know that there was a problem, and that it was going to be fixed.” Everything should be fully restored by next week, according to Behrens. The Residential Living staff is preparing to prevent incidents such as this from happening in the future. Some students said they appreciated being notified of the problem and being assured that it would be taken care of. “I think now that things have been repaired, there shouldn’t be

much to worry about,” Austin James, senior Business Management major, said. “Newer pipes and keeping an eye on things seems like it would be the best solution.” Other students are pleased with Residential Living’s efforts and the overall job done by Blackmon Mooring and the other various contractors. “I didn’t have anything damaged, but a couple of my friends had rooms that got well taken care of,” Brady Sanders, sophomore Environmental Science major, said. “I think they did an awesome job exchanging carpet, cleaning and painting after they had fixed everything.”

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phoebe Sinclair reporter

“After we had taken a look at the situation, that night we called Blackmon Mooring and had them begin repairs and replacements on things,” Behrens said. “We then brought in contractors to replace a few things such as sheetrock, insulation and carpet. By Friday, I personally called every resident whose room got wet, and told them what had happened, and explained that some of their property may have been damaged, and may have been moved to another location because of repairs. By the time residents showed back up to campus, the majority of them were able to move right back into their rooms, with new carpet on the floor, and everything fine. There were a

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The grand ole show down Lady Buffs SoftballEastern New Mexico defeats Buffs, 71-57 Season Preview Keltin Wiens KWts sports Director

ere we are again; another Super Bowl is upon us. This year, it’s Super Bowl XLVII. (That’s 47 for those of you whose Roman numeral knowledge may be a little rusty.) The previous 46 Super Bowls have all been very popular and very big events, but I don’t think that there will be another one quite like this one. Why? This party is full of great stories. First, there’s the matchup: the Baltimore Ravens versus the San Francisco 49ers. Digging back through a little history, this is a matchup of two of the classic teams in the NFL. The 49ers have been in the NFL since 1950, or when Harry Truman was president. The Ravens used to be the Cleveland Browns until the late Art Modell controversially moved the team from “C-Town” in 1996 and the team became the filler of the empty hole caused by the departure of the Colts to Indianapolis in 1984. Both of the 2012 versions of these classic teams have their very own

story lines that give pundits fits about who to predict. For the Ravens, the compelling story is two-fold. First, back in September, Modell, who helped define the modern NFL, passed away. This led to the team wearing patches on their jerseys in his honor. Second is the story of the last remaining original Baltimore Raven, Ray Lewis. Unquestionably the best linebacker in NFL history, Lewis tore his triceps earlier in the season before announcing at the end of the regular season that he was coming back for the playoffs and will retire at the end of the season. For 17 years, Lewis has been the emotional leader of the team and now, with his retirement on the horizon, the team is now playing off of emotion, helping the Ravens to improbable road wins in Denver and New England. The 49ers have their own set of interesting stories. One of them is, of course, quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The second-year player out of Nevada has helped the young quarterbacks take the NFL by storm. After gaining the starting

job over Alex Smith in the middle of the season, his excellent play at the end of the season and in the postseason, he has taken the 49ers from Super Bowl hopeful to Super Bowl participant. Kaepernick’s 181 rushing yards against the Packers in the Divisional round probably helped too. Finally, the coaches are going to steal the show. For the Ravens, it’s John Harbaugh; for the 49ers, their man is Jim Harbaugh. The brothers, separated by a little over a year (John is the older), will be the first brothers to meet in the Super Bowl. During this Super Bowl week, much will be made of how the two will interact with each other while they are in New Orleans. But when Super Bowl Sunday,gets here, all the stories will be forgotten and it will be time to play the game. So who will win? As much as I love Ray Lewis and his story and the Ravens’ effort to rally around him, I think his career ends in a loss. That’s right, I’m picking the 49ers, 28-24.

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MAtt WAtkinS SportS reporter

Matt WatKins sports eDitor

he WTAMU Lady Buffs softball team is preparing to take the field for the 2013 season in which they hope to return to the glory of the 2011 team that captured the Lone Star Conference tournament championship. The No. 9 Angelo State Rambelles are the preseason favorites to win the LSC, but WT is hoping to prove the preseason rankings wrong, yet again. The Lady Buffs were picked to finish third in the LSC behind the Rambelles and the Texas Woman’s Pioneers. WT got 181 points in the poll that determined LSC preseason rankings, with zero first place votes. The Lady Buffs will also enter the season ranked eighth in the South Central Region and unranked in the NFCA Coaches’ Poll. WT finished 2012 with a 35-18 overall record and were 16-11 in LSC play. The Lady Buffs will hope to get rid of the bad momentum that they ended the season with last year.

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WT dropped three of their last four he WTAMU Buffs games, including an LSC Semifinal basketball team played host loss (11-3) to the No. 1 seed and to their biggest rivals, the then No. 10 ASU. The Lady Buffs are hoping to find Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds, new stars after losing star pitcher on Jan. 26 at the First United Bank Marci Womack and outfielder Kim Center in Canyon, Texas. Poor LeComte. Sophomores Robbie Dailey shooting doomed the Buffs, even and Allie Cranfill along with senior despite a halftime lead, in a 71-57 Adriana Garcia are candidates to loss. The Greyhounds started the fill those roles. Dailey led the team with a .408 batting average in 2012 game by building a 13-16 lead over and Cranfill led the team with 19 WT with 11:13 to play before the homeruns, 55 RBIs and 114 total half. Several fouls and turnovers by bases. Garcia finished 2012 with a ENMU led to a 16-8 Buffs run that 6-2 record and 5.19 ERA, second- gave WT a 29-24 lead going into the lowest ERA and second in wins locker room. Redshirt senior Mason White led behind Womack. WT will look to improve on an the Buffs’ offense with nine points 8-8 record away from Canyon. The in the first half. Senior Donald Sims Lady Buffs were 23-7 at Schaeffer went into the break with eight points Park and 4-3 at neutral sites. The for WT. The Buffs were 12 of 27 from softball season will begin for WT in the field for 44 percent in the first half. “We have to shoot the basketball Las Vegas, Nev. when the Lady Buffs take on Western New Mexico in the Desert Stinger Invite. First pitch is Feb. 8, at 1:30 p.m.

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Senior Kennon WaShington conteStS enMU Shot. Matt WatKinS/the Prairie

pretty well and that just didn’t happen tonight,” Head Coach Rick Cooper said. Ineffective shooting helped the Greyhounds make the second half one long run. ENMU outscored WT 25-14 in the first 11 minutes of the second half to take a 43-49 lead with 9:09 remaining in the game. Things wouldn’t get any better for the Buffs as the Greyhounds would outscore them 47-28 total in the second half, with WT shooting 12 for 33 for 36 percent, two for 11 for 18 percent from three-point land and two of five for 40 percent from the line in the half. “They just beat us. They had a better game plan and were better coached,” said Cooper. Sims led the Buffs’ offense with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while White finished with 14 points and sophomore Tez Dumars ended the night with nine points. WT totaled 24 for 60 for 40 percent from the

Ravens headed for the Super Bowl victory tyLer AnderSon SportS reporter

It’s that time of year again, my friends. Super Bowl Sunday is this Sunday, celebrated as an unofficial American holiday, complete with finger foods, multi-million dollar commercials, and football. Yet this year is bound to be one for the ages. It’s a case of a battle between brothers, coaches John Harbaugh versus Jim Harbaugh. A case of the old guard versus the new kids on the block. The aging yet vaunted Ravens defense against a youthful and unpredictable 49ers quarterback in Colin Kaepernick. And above all, the last game of a Hall-of-Famer’s legendary career, also known as Ray Lewis’s “Last Ride.” However, as evident by this article’s title, I’m predicting the Ravens to win the Super Bowl. Even though some may predict the 49ers to take the bowl, like any devil’s advocate, I will state reasons why Baltimore will prevail in the end

of this classic gridiron battle. First and foremost, the Ravens are a team on a mission and are easily the team of destiny this postseason. While their postseason run began with an easy home date against Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts, their road trip to Denver was far from smooth. Quarterback Joe Flacco had to connect on big passes to overcome not one, but two spectacular special teams plays by the Broncos. However, it was the Broncos that failed to put away the Ravens, who used a Peyton Manning interception in double overtime to escape the Mile High City with a 3835 victory. Then, it was traveling to Foxborough to take on Tom Brady and a favorite to return to the Super Bowl, the New England Patriots. Despite falling behind quite early in their rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game, 13-7, the Ravens stormed back to handle the Patriots with stout defense in a 28-13 win. If that is not a magical run for the purple and black clad Ravens, then I

could not tell you what is. Second and finally, it’s all about the play of Joe Flacco and the Ravens defense. While the Ravens showcase a brutal rushing attack in Ray Rice, Flacco has been nothing short of elite when it came to his play this postseason. He’s not only nearing Joe Montana levels of great play in the playoffs, but Flacco has thrown for eight touchdowns and had no giveaways thus far. With Ray Rice, it’s easy for Flacco to go play-action on a defense all day with plenty of protection, taking only four sacks during the playoffs. As for the defense, they haven’t been as intimidating like in past years, such as their 2000 Super Bowl run. They are still a force to be reckoned with though. Led by a retiring Ray Lewis, the hardhitting Bernard Pollard and the ball hawking Ed Reed, the Ravens have only four touchdowns in postseason play. Also, Lewis is leading the NFL in tackles and provided a spark of inspiration, and inspired teams win

championships. Classic example: look at the John Elway led Broncos of 1998. Although Kaepernick and the zone-read offense of the 49ers may challenge the Ravens, they may be one of the few units to at least contain such an exciting offense. The game itself will be a great game, without a doubt. Both teams like to begin fast and heavy to wear each other’s defenses down before setting up for deep routes and play action for big plays. The first sign of how the game will break down is to see which defense disintegrates first, and with experience on their side. I must lean toward Baltimore. It will also be the beginning of a great career for Kaepernick while signaling the end of the Ray Lewis era for the Ravens. Overall, my (ever so humble) prediction is that the 49ers and Ravens make Super Bowl 47 legendary by being the first Super Bowl to go overtime, before the Ravens prevail by the score of 34-28. However, sometimes you cannot deny destiny, whether one is sick of it or not.

floor, three of 18 for 17 percent from beyond the arch and six of 13 for 46 percent from the free throw line. The Buffs are now 12-6 overall and have a 4-6 mark in the Lone Star Conference. This was also the fourth-straight year WT and ENMU split the regular season series. The Buffs return to action on Jan. 29 when they travel to Abilene to take on the Abilene Christian Wildcats, who WT lost to 58-59 in Canyon earlier this season. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

WT Lady Buffs Win

John Lee SportS reporter

he Lady Buffs basketball team improved to 11-9 on the season with their 70-43 win on Saturday over the Eastern New Mexico University Zias. It was their fifth straight win. With a 30-24 lead at halftime, the Lady Buffs outscored ENMU 40-19 in the second half to defeat the Zias in front of the largest crowd of the season at FUBC. ENMU fell to 3-16, being swept by West Texas A&M. The Lady Buffs were led by junior Devin Griffin with 14 total points and four rebounds. Freshman Danielle Logan and sophomore Chontiquah White had 10 points each, while White also had six rebounds. As a team the Lady Buffs made 42 percent of their field goals in the first half and 60 percent in the second half. The Lady Buffs also made 66 percent of their three-point shots in the first half and 42 percent in the second half. The Zias were led by freshmen Nelsha Peterson and Jordyn Cooper, who each had 11 points. The Zias shot for 37 percent on field goals and 38 percent on three-point shots. The Lady Buffs return to the court tonight, Jan. 29, at Abilene Christian University at 5:30 p.m. In their last meeting, the Lady Buffs fell to Abilene Christian University 81-76 on Nov. 28, 2012.

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GAMES

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Gaming offers cheap, free ways to play G Preston thomas rePorter

aming is a pastime that many students keep with them as they move into college life. Finding time between class and studying to unwind and escape the pressures of homework, deadlines and exams can buy enough extra sanity to get through the week. Unfortunately, college comes with its own set of financial pressures that ultimately take priority over lesser aspects of your budget, and with new releases running from fifty to sixty dollars there is little room left for a new game after tuition and fees. “It’s hard to get any games on an RA budget,” says junior Nursing major Tyler Gilliland. “I might get a new game every three months, probably longer.” While some may be content to stick with their current library, in

some cases the community of a game may change with the release of a new installment in the series. “When a new multiplayer game comes out, the population switches over,” Tyson Garner, freshmen Mass Communication major, said. “This situation often leaves gamers with a once popular game turned to an empty wasteland. Many students find themselves without the time or money to invest in gaming. I play less and less every semester and the more I get involved… I think I’ve bought one game since I’ve been in college and it was $25.” Fortunately, all is not lost for the penny-pinching college students of 2013. There are many options for stretching every last dollar of a budget and re-opening doors previously closed. Patience is the first key item in the college gamer’s tool belt. New releases are tempting, but just one can suck the last few drops of

life out of an already anemic budget. Instead of immediately pouncing on the latest titles, students might be better served biding their time. Depending on the performance of the game, it may be anywhere from a few months to a few years before there is a price drop; within that time prospective buyers can do research on the game, read reviews, and even borrow the game from a friend to find out if it is truly worth their investment. “I won’t buy a game if I have access to it elsewhere,” sophomore Computer Science major Chelsea Ball said. “One big way to save is networking.” For those looking to add a new game to their collection between big releases, the bargain bin at WalMart or Game Stop can hold the occasional gem in its depths. Students willing to do a little digging on the Internet can find a plethora of well-

designed games at low prices, or even completely free. The indie gaming market is booming, small development teams can use the Internet to push out their own titles at a much cheaper price than major developers, and frequently gamers can find titles with more quality and craftsmanship than many games with massive teams and budgets behind them. Social gaming and websites hosting a plethora of games developed in Flash are extremely common. Games ranging from simple puzzles or clones of popular board games to full blown epic role playing games can be found in a browser and played completely for free. Thanks to the Internet, a gamer could find high quality gaming experiences throughout the semester without spending a cent. For the PC gamer there are many options for acquiring new games.

Physical copies can still be found in stores, but digital distribution is quickly becoming the new norm, providing games from the smallest indie team to the largest publishing companies to be downloaded directly onto computers and laptops everywhere. A number of websites offer the option for direct download over physical copy, but in the arena of digital distribution Valve Software’s Steam has become one platform to rule them all. Users create an account and download the free program, giving them access to a huge variety of games through the Steam Store along with a complement of social features, such as a friend’s list and instant messaging, achievements, and a community hub for each game. One of Steam’s biggest attractions is the frequent sales and free weekends.

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Pitch Perfect is perfect Juan Paiz rePorter

itch Perfect and the Pitch Perfect Soundtrack has many rave reviews. The Pitch Perfect Soundtrack was digitally released on Sept. 25, 2012, and physically on Oct. 2, 2012. Julia Michels and Julianne Jordan, music supervisor on movies such as Valentine’s Day, Mr. & Mrs. Smith and the Bourne Identity, collaborated as the music supervisors to produce the music soundtrack. This musical comedy features a cast consisting of Tony-nominated Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson (Bridesmaids), Skylar Astin, Anna Camp (The Help), Brittany Snow (Hairspray), Ester Dean, Alexis Knapp, Ben Platt, and Adam DeVine. Pitch Perfect follows the storyline of the Barden Bellas, an all female college acapella group from Barden Univer-

sity, trying to return and win the International Championship of Collegiate Acapella, or ICCA. Mickey Rapkin’s novel, Pitch Perfect, was roughly adapted to create the film. The soundtrack features songs by Rihanna, Jessie J, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus and Bruno Mars that are performed by the movie’s cast. Three songs from the Pitch Perfect Soundtrack have charted on the Billboard Hot 100: “Cups” by Anna Kendrick, “Bellas Finals” by The Barden Bellas and “Riff Off” by The Barden Bellas, The Treblemakers, and the BU Harmonics. People shouldn’t expect the exact music used in the motion picture to be on the Pitch Perfect Soundtrack, though. In fact, people should expect more. “We were trying to make sure the film sounded authentic to the setting of where they were, but the soundtrack

was different,” Harvey Mason Jr., six-time Grammy Awardwinning American songwriter said in a Huffington Post article. “We had a little bit more time and could make something that people want to listen to. You’re doing two different jobs when you’re doing the movie versus the soundtrack. With the film, you’re worrying about the environment you’re in. With the soundtrack, you just want to make it sound cool.” Pitch Perfect gets the stamp of approval from some of the WT music majors most likely because of the authenticity of the movie and the music. “I love the characters, I love the script, I love the music, I just love everything about it,” Johanna Balboa, freshman Music Education major said, “From a music perspective, it was impactful.”

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10 FEATURE

January 29, 2013 | theprairienews.com

WT students offer roommate advice Rebekah St. claiR RepoRteR

he word “roommate” may intimidate someone who has never had to live with another person with the exception of their immediate family. Learning to live with a roommate is an adaptation that many have questions about, but rarely ask for advice on how to keep the peace with a new roommate. College students often live in dorms with a person they have never met before. The idea of living with someone with no previous connection can cause anxiety. Natalia Elsik, senior Wildlife Biology major, tries to ease the angst that comes with a new roommate. “Strangers make the best of friends,” Elsik said. “If you room with someone you’ve never met before, there are generally less fights because a bond is built with them. Knowing someone beforehand can ruin a friendship.” The idea of sharing a space with someone can be extremely unnerving. “It’s definitely an adjustment, but try not to sweat the small stuff,” Mattie McAlavy, senior English major, said. Making arrangements with a roommate in order to maintain a level of respect and understanding

can benefit both students, whether one has some type of health issue that needs attention or a simple bed time agreement, according to junior English major Clint Elsik, [Natalia Elsiks’ husband]. “There should be a mutual respect regarding bed time,” Clint Elsik said. “As long as one person extends this courtesy, the other should as well.” Roommates communicating can create a harmonious environment. If one roommate is upset and does not state what is wrong, the other cannot take measures to correct the problem, according to McAlavy. “I don’t know how much I can stress communication. If something is on your mind, the unspoken problem cannot be resolved,” she said. For instance, a messy roommate for someone who tends to keep their room neat might find it hard for the clean one to properly communicate their issues. An agreement can be set in place in order to ease the tension between the roommates as soon as they meet, Natalia Elsik suggested. Even when some roommates have a relationship where they talk regularly, fights can still happen. “Keep in mind your roommate is human too,” McAlavy said. “ It’s hard sometimes, but life is hard sometimes.” Fights sometimes get heated

and create unwanted tension. At times, it may get to the point where a person wants to scream in order to get their point across. However, if possible, the roommates can attempt to calm themselves before continuing the argument. “When in a fight, whoever starts it or whatever starts it, just take a

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break when you are both starting to get angry so you are calm when you continue the discussion,” Natalia Elsik said. The communication to settle the fight might be easier when the parties involved are not in a screaming match. Although a person may not be

January 29, 2013 | theprairienews.com

U.S. trust issues “

completely comfortable with the The terrorist attacks in Bengidea of living with a roommate, it hazi on Sept. 11, 2012, that can be possible to have a decent claimed the lives of four brave relationship with a roommate and Americans -- Chris Stevens, Sean to live comfortably with one as long Smith, Tyrone Woods and Glen as they communicate and respect Doherty -- are part of a broader each other. strategic challenge to the United States and our partners in North Africa. Today, I want to offer some context for this challenge and share what we’ve learned,” Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Wednesday, Jan. 23, to open her testimony of the Benghazi attacks to the Foreign Relations Committee. Of course, what followed soon after Sept. 11, 2012, should come as no surprise. The American government faced harsh criticism for lack of defense in Benghazi. Why wern’t American facilities in Benghazi better protected? Where was our military? These questions are common after any and every attack of American entities around the world. For the committee, this particular hearing was more than an update of the investigation of a terrorist attack. It’s not just an attack on American facilities in Benghazi that makes the issue controversial enough for a hearing such as this. After all, there is a long list of previous attacks on American facilities elsewhere in the world, as Clinton pointed out herself, listing off the Tehran attacks in 1979, Beirut in 1983, American emRebekah St. ClaiR/ the PRaiRie bassies in East Africa in 1998, “and Roommates Victor Parra (senior) and Matthew Molinar (sophomore) enjoy dinner at Wendy’s. too many others.” Terrorist attacks will happen so long as there are terrorists. It’s when a government attempts to lie to the people about the attack that backlash is bound to occur and it was at this point committee members began to hound Clinton. “We were misled that there was supposedly protests and that…an assault sprang out of that and it was easily ascertained that, that was not the fact and the American people could have known that within days,” Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) said to Clinton. Clinton responded with an immediate rebuttal. “With all due respect, the fact is we had four dead Americans,”

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she said strongly, waving her arms. “Was it because of a protest, or was it because of guys out for a walk one night who decided they’d go kill some Americans? What difference, at this point, does it make?” At this point in the investigation, it doesn’t make a difference. At some point in the future, it will. Clinton said people have accused the administration of misleading Americans, but that “nothing can be farther from the truth. Was information developing, was information fluid, would we reach conclusions later that weren’t reached initially?” Probably so, but she missed the point. The point is the American people were given wrong information by the American government. This could have been an attempt to lie to the American people, or perhaps it was the administration jumping the gun too quickly and sharing information that hadn’t been confirmed yet. According to a Dec. 12, 2012 CNN poll, 56 percent of respondents said President Barack Obama was not misleading about the Benghazi attacks. In a Dec. 13, 2012 Fox News poll however, 48 percent thought the administration did try to cover up the truth while 42 percent did not. It is unclear, and may never be clear, if the American government misled the American people. It wouldn’t be the first time though. Of course, it wouldn’t be the first time the American government was down right wrong about an issue, either. Either way, the relationship between the American government and the people has been scarred. The terrible handling of a terrorist attack can be forgiven. No government is perfect. But the sharing of wrong information, even if it’s believed to be true, is not only unethical from a journalistic standpoint, but on a political one as well. Ultimate trust in the government is gone (has it ever been there?), and it will take much longer than the investigation of a terrorist attack to build that trust again.

opinion 11

QuesTion of The Week

“Do you think there should be more or less gun control?” “There should be more people control. The guns are not the issue. The person who pulls the trigger is at fault. The country should sweep high crime areas and remove guns from there first. However, the government does not want to fix the problem. They want to take the easy way out and try to change laws for the law abiding instead of the law breakers.”-- Tim Harleson “Ultimately, more or less gun control will have minor results. In the end, guns are just tools and, like any tool, it depends on how it is used. Unfortunately, if someone is planning on doing something awful they will do something awful regardless of the amount of gun control. There is a plethora of other options out there for someone to cause harm and chaos with. As the old saying goes, there is more than one way to skin a bobcat.”-- Tim Thor

The Prairie will be asking a Question of the Week every Tuesday through Facebook and Twitter. Reply to our Question of the Week post on Facebook or use the hashtag #ThePrairieAsks on Twitter to respond. Student responses will be printed in the next edition of The Prairie.

PHOTOS

January 29, 2013 | theprairienews.com

This Week in Photos: Dodgeball and MLK Alex MontoyA & thoMAs Koenig Photo editor & PhotogrAPher

Sinead Everett (foreground) and other seniors give the rules.

MLKâ€™s National Memorial statue displayed at the Legacy Hall on Jan. 5.

Martin Rodriguez (junior) signing up for team brackets for the Silent library game.

Students gathering to watch the Dodgeball tournament held on Jan. 24.

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Many of Kingâ€™s quotes were displayed on stepping stones.

Haley Benedetti (freshman) getting whipped cream put on her head.

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