the
Prairie
Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011
The sTudenT newspaper of wesT Texas a&M universiTy
Partly Cloudy 25°F | 16°F
Volume 94, Issue XIII theprairiewt
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Financial crisis creates Twelve junior colleges attend talking points at WTAMU livestock contest on campus ashLey hendriCk sTaff wriTer
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tudents met with business professionals in the WTAMU Legends Lounge on Nov. 30 for the Global Financial Crisis seminar to discuss the crisis’s impact on global and local scales. “It’s very important that we discuss these things and understand what’s happening,” Dr. James Owens, WT department head of accounting, economics and finance, said to the crowd of students. Students diligently took notes as business and finance professionals explained and analyzed the financial crisis that has caused a firestorm of economic debate all over the world. One of these professionals, Dr. Dale Duhan, professor of Business at Texas Tech University, explained most of the financial problems today are caused by people spending more money than they have, leading to debt. “A lot of the problems that we’re seeing around the world, whether it’s currency issues and national environments or local issues like the housing markets…they’re rooted in the grow-
ing popularity of living beyond your means,” he said. Dr. Owens took a more global perspective on the issue and raised facts about how deep in debt the United States is compared to other countries. According to Dr. Owens, Ireland owes 95 percent of its gross domestic product, while Italy sits on 119 percent and Greece hovers around 143 percent. The bigger the percentage, the larger the debt. “Before you get too proud,” Dr. Owens said. “The United States, as of this morning, cleared 100 percent. We now owe more then we earn in a year.” Even though most of the seminar focused on the world’s economic atmosphere, Pat Ware, vice president of Amarillo National Bank, evaluated the issue on a more local level. “The one thing that’s hurting us is the drought,” Ware said. “Since we’re not getting water from above, we’re looking toward our aquifer and water has become the most important topic among all of our farming, ranching, dairy and feed yard customers.”
Crisis story continued on p. 3
“The great thing about livestock judging, is that it’s a learning activity giving students limited information, making a decision, and defending that decision in a convincing way,” said David Lust, a WT Animal Science professor and contest superintendent. “It’s a fantastic skill set that’s transferable to anything you do in life.”
ryan sChaap sTaff wriTer
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n Dec. 3, WTAMU hosted the Junior College Livestock Contest. The contest helps prepare junior college students for larger competitions as well as having the opportunity to recruit new students to WT. Twelve junior colleges attended the contest from six different states, consisting of around 150 contestants. The grand champion was Redland Community College in Oklahoma. The first part of the contest consists of the students judging groups of four animals or classes to rank the animals that have the most desirable characteristics. There is an official committee that also ranks the animals so that the students can be scored based on how they compare to the committee. The second part of the contest is a two-minute oral presentation where students give reasons why they picked the animals they did in front of an official.
Photo by Ryan Schaap Maral Otabachian shows a bull for the students to judge.
Livestock story continued on p. 5
Jordan Fry’s conclusion to her three-part series on international students at WT will be online Dec 7. Be on the lookout for it!
The Wesley Foundation will host Dead Day Dance
BriTTany CasTiLLo sTaff wriTer
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n Dec. 7, The Wesley will host a dance party to celebrate the end of the fall semester. Sophomore Filiberto Alvarado Jr., majoring in Electronic Media, will be
InsIde
running the sound board and hosting the event. “‘Dance ‘Til Dead Day’ is one of the Wesley’s biggest events of the fall semester,” said Alvarado. “The Wesley understands students have finals coming, so we give an opportunity to have fun before hitting the books.” The Dance Day bash will be in the basement of the Wesley Foundation
enTerTainMenT:
sporTs:
news:
Men’s basketball wins game against Javelinas
Students’ academic requirements for Financial Aid eligibility.
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Check the answers from the Nov. 29 issue of The Prairie. Page 7
from 9 p.m. to midnight on Wednesday, and everyone is welcome to join. “It’s open to all students, the more people, the merrier!” Reilly Downes, a junior Musical Theatre major, said. “It definitely builds community on campus, making a safe place where people are free to put their dancing shoes on and kick their cares away.” Wesley supporters, as well as stu-
dents like freshman Theatre Performance major Jessica Morrow, look forward to the gathering to relieve stress. “It makes for an escape from studying and doesn’t pose much of a time management issue,” said Morrow. In addition to music and fellowship, the Wesley will provide free food and drinks.
CaMpus Life:
feaTure:
Renaissance Feast was held Dec. 2 at the Alumni Banquet Hall.
Students do marketing research for Las Vegas performer Terry Fator.
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