11 29 2006

TWO TIMING

A FAREWELL TO WARDWELL

Texas State treats Bobcats fans to double dose of basketball at Strahan Coliseum

Sean Wardwell writes his final column in The University Star after six years of service

SEE SPORTS PAGE 12

SEE OPINIONS PAGE 8

DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911

WWW.UNIVERSITYSTAR.COM

NOVEMBER 29, 2006

WEDNESDAY

VOLUME 96, ISSUE 38

Grassroots campaign propels alumnus to Tennessee state senate

By A.N. Hernández The University Star Jack Johnson knocked on 4,000 doors and lost 15 pounds while campaigning for the Tennessee state senate.

His hard work paid off.

Johnson, a 1989 graduate of then-Southwest Texas State, was

elected Nov. 7 to the Tennessee General Assembly as a state senator.

“It was just the motivation to win that kept me going,” Johnson, 38, said. “I also knew it was a great opportunity to get myself out there as a candidate. I didn’t want to get to Election Day and say, ‘I should’ve done more.’”

Blood drive slated for Wednesday

AN

He will represent Tennessee’s 23rd district, smack-dab in the center of the state. It includes the southern part of Nashville in Davidson County and all of Williamson County.

Johnson, a Republican, said he was outspent by his candidates and knew his only viable chance of winning the race was

to outwork them. It was all in his “grassroots ground game.”

“I was the only one knocking on doors in the primary and in the general election, my Democratic opponent wasn’t doing it,” he said. “I think it creates a different kind of energy when you knock on someone’s door and hand them a piece of your

campaign literature. It sets you apart and when they see your commercials, they think, ‘Oh that’s the guy who came by my door or that’s the guy whose wife or volunteers came by my door.’”

Johnson beat Democrat Mary Parker with 59 percent of the vote. Election night ended with

ARTIST EMERGES

By Kara Bowers The University Star The Blood and Tissue Center of Central Texas will host an on-campus blood drive Wednesday in conjunction with Texas State. The drive will collect blood to be dispersed to 26 hospitals and facilities in the Central Texas area.

“We always need it, and we always have to be prepared,” said Nicolette Abernathy, marketing manager of the Blood and Tissue Center. “People need blood every single day here in Central Texas.”

Donation facilities will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in J.C. Kellam, Room 460.

Facilities will close for a one-hour lunch break from noon to 1 p.m.

Interested donors should register at least 24 hours prior to the drive at www. lonestardonor.com.

“If someone can’t register it is possible for them to call our office, and see if there is a time that we can specifically give them,” said Marsha Moore, Texas State director of professional development. “Or they can be what we call a walk-in, but they may have to wait a little while longer.”

On the day of the drive, donors will be asked to sign in upon arrival and have a private, confidential interview with a staff member to confirm their medical and travel history. Next, donors will receive a “mini-physical,” which includes a temperature and blood pressure reading and a finger-stick to check red blood cell percentage. Donors will then give approximately one pint of blood using sterile, disposable, one-time-use-only supplies.

Donors will be offered cookies, crackers and beverages. The donation process takes about 45 minutes to an hour.

“We ask donors to bring a photo ID and know their social security number, but they don’t have to bring their card,” Moore said. “You can’t take antibiotics 48 hours before donating. You also cannot give within 12 months of getting a piercing or tattoo.”

Donors are also required to be at least 17, weigh more than 110 pounds and to eat four to six hours before donating.

The Blood and Tissue Center aims to collect more than 55,000 blood donations per year to have blood products available for as many as 150,000 Central Texas area patients.

“People who need blood don’t plan on it. It’s an unexpected occurrence,” Abernathy said. “You just don’t know when it may be you or somebody you love.”

For more information contact the Office of Professional Development at (512) 245-2283.

Republicans maintaining a 17 to 16 majority in the 33-member Senate. Johnson said his district historically leans Republican and this close ratio is nothing new.

Bill DeSoto, associate professor of political science at Texas State, said Tennessee tends to See SENATOR, page 4

University Bookstore hosts Holiday Open House ll are invited. We “A will have food and holiday music.”

—Lauren Williams University Bookstore assistant manager of general merchandise

By Alysha Mendez The University Star

Bridgette Cyr/Star photo Jonathan Hiebert, Texas State alumnus, talks about his self-transformation as well as his ongoing personal growth as an artist reflected in his series of self-portraits that will be shown during the entire month of December at Jo on the Go. SEE TRENDS, PAGE 5

The University Bookstore will host its Holiday Open House from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday. The event will feature contests, discounts, a book-signing and a toy drive.

“All are invited. We will have food and holiday music,” said Lauren Williams, University Bookstore assistant manager of general merchandise.

Jim Kimmel, author of The San Marcos, a River’s Story, will host the book signing.

The Art & Supply department will hold a “make your own origami ornament” session.

The department will also host a gingerbread-house contest open to students, faculty, and staff. Williams said houses must be completely edible and submitted Monday to Thursday.

Judging for the contest will be done by popular ballot at 4 p.m. Thursday at the open house, with winners receiving bookstore gift cards.

“All of our family apparel is 25 percent off,” Williams said. “It’s a great time to buy Texas State merchandise for your parents and siblings.”

The Bookstore is also hosting the Blue Santa, a toy drive held each year by the San Marcos Police Department.

“You may bring in your own unwrapped toy for our toy box, or you may buy a toy from the bookstore, or you may purchase a blue ornament for $1 and we will donate the money to the Blue Santa program,” Williams said.

Students will not actually receive the $1 ornament, but they can place it on the Blue Santa tree. The toys can be packaged but should not be decoratively wrapped.

The drive will be held through Dec. 8 “We encourage students to come,” Williams said. “Also, any money they spend here. even if it is a toy, will end up going back to the school.”

Report: violent deaths, crime decreasing among Hays County teens

By Brooke Keller The University Star While Texas teenagers as a whole are more likely to have sex, drive drunk or engage in other “risky behaviors” compared to their counterparts nationwide, a report released Nov. 17 indicates the numbers in Hays County are decreasing.

“The State of Texas Children 2006,” released by the Center for Public Policy Priorities, showed Hays County teen violent crime, violent death and dropout rates have made significant improvements.

Frances Diviney, director of Texas KIDS COUNT, an organization that evaluates child well-being, said these issues are improving across the state.

“Generally what law enforcement has said regarding juvenile crime and deaths are that things have really improved across the state,” Diviney said.

The report released a compilation of data examining all 254 Texas counties, showing the dropout rate in Hays Country decreased 72.9 percent from 2000 to 2005. An overall 40 percent decrease in dropout rate was found for the state. The

Today’s Weather

Isolated T-Storms 81˚/60˚

Precipitation: 30% Humidity: 71% UV: 3 Moderate Wind: SSE 16 mph

report also showed juvenile violent crime arrests in Hays County had fallen as of 2004, with Texas juvenile violent crime arrests down 43 percent since 1996. Teen violent deaths have remained stable in Hays County, with three as of 2004, but Texas had a 17 percent statewide decrease in violent deaths as of 2004.

Diviney said the improvements may be attributed to increased community efforts to reach teens and provide them with extracurricular alternatives. These activities divert them from crime, dropping

Two-day Forecast Thursday Partly Cloudy Temp: 58°/ 28° Precip: 40%

Friday Partly Cloudy Temp: 58°/ 31° Precip: 10%

out of school and violent death.

Diviney said she still finds the statewide figures for “risky behaviors” surprising.

“Texas is a leading educator See BEHAVIOR, page 4

Monty Marion/Star photo STRAIGHT AND NARROW: In a recently released report, Hays County teens were shown to have lower incidences of participating in various types of risky behavior than their peers in other parts of the state.

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To Contact Trinity Building Phone: (512) 245-3487 Fax: (512) 245-3708 www.UniversityStar.com © 2006 The University Star

PAGE TWO The University Star

Wednesday in Brief

November 29, 2006

starsof texas state

James S. Bogard, Texas State alumnus, has been named one of six recipients of the Distinguished Alumnus Award for 2006.

Bogard, a 1970 chemistry graduate, is a researcher at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He joined the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 1979, after earning his doctorate in chemistry at the University of Texas and completing post-doctoral work at the Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois.

Bogard is president of the American Academy of Health Physics, chair of the Health Physics Society and an adjunct professor at the University of Tennessee.

While earning his degree with honors at Texas State, Bogard also served as head cheerleader. He and his father were students at the same time, with his father earning a master’s in education.

— Courtesy of Public Relations

News Contact — David Saleh Rauf, starnews@txstate.edu Texas State University-San Marcos is a member of the Texas State University System

Soothing tones WEDNESDAY Texas State Blood Drive will be held in J.C. Kellam, Room 460, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The drive will close for lunch from noon to 1 p.m. Walk-ins are accepted but appointments will be taken first.

To schedule an appointment for the Texas State Blood Drive, visit www.lonestardonor.com.

Women’s basketball will play Huston-Tillotson at 5:30 p.m. at Strahan Coliseum.

Men’s basketball will play Alcom State at 7:30 p.m. at Strahan Coliseum.

American Marketing Association presents its End-of-Semester Social at 5:30 p.m. in LBJSC, Room 3-13.1. All majors are welcome. Free food and drinks will be available at 5:15 p.m. For more information visit www.business.txstate.edu/AMA. The Intertribal Council, formerly the Native American Students Association, invites students to a Native American History Month event titled “Celebration of the People.” The event will take place 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the LBJSC Amphitheater.

Earth First! will hold its weekly meeting at 4 p.m. in Evan Liberal Arts, Room 314. For more information e-mail Bogan Durr at bd1132@txstate.edu.

The Tennis Club will meet from 6 to 8 p.m. at the tennis courts on Sessom Drive, behind Joe’s Crab Shack. All skill levels are welcome. For more information email Tennis Club President Chris Harris at ch1282@txstate.edu.

A student-led rosary will be prayed at 6:25 p.m. in the Catholic Student Center chapel.

Bible Study will be held at 7:30

p.m. in the lounge of the CSC. The Alcohol and Drug Resource Center will hold its weekly “The Network” meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. in LBJSC, Room 3-6.1.

THURSDAY The Rock - Praise & Worship will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the CSC chapel.

Correction

Simple Silent Sitting Group will meet from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Campus Christian Community Center.

Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship will hold its weekly meeting at 8:30 p.m. in Old Main, Room 320. Enjoy contemporary worship, relevant teaching and prayer. Everyone is welcome. For more information call (512) 557-7988 or e-mail mail@texasstatechialpha.com.

Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity will host a mud-wrestling contest Gordo’s. Doors open at 8 p.m. and wrestling starts at 9 p.m. Phi Sigma Pi will be in The Quad this week, signing women up to enter the contest.

An on-campus Alcoholics Anonymous meeting will take place from 5 to 6 p.m. For more information call the Alcohol and Drug Resource Center at (512) 245-3601.

Want to serve and learn about the community? Want to socialize and have your voice heard?

Join the Organization of Student Social Workers at 12:30 p.m. in the Health Professions Building, Room 234. Everyone is welcome.

Go to www.UniversityStar.com and click on contact to view calendar and Stars of Texas State submission policies.

Monty Marion/Star photo The Texas State Chorale group, under the direction of Joey Martin, associate professor of music, practices Monday afternoon in preparation of their show, which will be held 7p.m. Friday in the Music Building lobby. General admission is $2 and $1 for students.

CRIME BL TTER University Police Department Nov. 21, 4:06 p.m.

Criminal Mischief/Mathews Street & Elm Street An officer was dispatched for a report that a control gate had been damaged. A witness observed an individual move the gate arm. Upon further investigation, a student was identified as having damaged the gate. A report was made of the incident.

Nov. 11, 7:49 p.m.

Accident — Hit and Run/ Colloquium: N. LBJ Drive & Sessom Drive An officer was dispatched for a report from a student stating her vehicle had been

struck. A report was made of the incident.

Nov. 22, 12:20 p.m.

Alcohol — Open Container/ Academy Street An officer initiated a traffic stop. The passenger, a student, was found to be in possession of alcohol and issued a citation.

Nov. 22, 4 a.m.

Assist Outside Agency An officer was dispatched to assist San Marcos Police Department with a report of assault, family violence, theft and failure to identify. A report was made of the case.

Nov. 23, 12:58 a.m.

Assist Outside Agency/Interstate-35 & Exit 178 An officer observed a non-student driving erratically. The officer initiated a traffic stop and detained the non-student as San Antonio Police Department arrived at the scene. A report was made of the case.

Nov. 23, 5:37 p.m.

Medical Emergency/Bobcat Village An officer was dispatched for a report of a student suffering chest pains; the student was transported to Central Texas Medical Center for further evaluation.

Crime stoppers: UPD: 245-7867, SMPD: 353-TIPS

In Tuesday’s article “Men’s basketball drops two: Foul troubles play part in four-game losing streak,” The University Star printed that the men’s basketball team played two road games over the weekend against Arkansas-Little Rock and North Texas. The Bobcats played at home against Arkansas-Little Rock.

On this day...

1890 — Navy defeated Army by a score of 24-0 in the first ArmyNavy football game. The game was played at West Point, N.Y. 1961 — The Mercury-Atlas 5 spacecraft was launched by the U.S. with Enos the chimp on board. The craft orbited the earth twice before landing off of Puerto Rico.

1975 — Bill Gates adopted the name Microsoft for the company he and Paul Allen had formed to write the BASIC computer language for the Altair.

1990 — The U.N. Security Council voted to authorize military action if Iraq did not withdraw its troops from Kuwait and release all foreign hostages

by Jan. 15, 1991.

1998 — Swiss voters overwhelmingly rejected legalizing heroin and other narcotics.

ASG Beat ASG seeks legislative session workers The Associated Student Government is the official voice of the students at Texas State. The meetings are open to the public and held at 7 p.m. every Monday night in the LBJ Student Center, Room 3-14.1. If you would like to address the Senate, feel free and come prepared to speak during our public forum. Any interest in being a guest speaker should be directed to Amanda Oskey, ASG vice president.

All students need to mark their calendar for March 7 and April 11. These are the days students from all the universities in Texas will be heading to the capitol to aid in the discussion of tax-free textbooks and funding for higher education. It is very important we have a high number of students turn out for this collaborative initiative.

ASG is looking for hardworking individuals who want to participate in this coming year’s legislative session. There are some openings in the Sen-

ate, executive positions and in the Office of Legislative Relations.

The last meeting for the 2006 academic semester will be Monday. Senator Jeff Wentworth will be our guest speaker.

Come pick up a free T-shirt from the ASG office suite 4-5.1 in the LBJ Student Center. We have all sizes. The T-shirts are made in support of Bobcat Athletics.

— Courtesy of the Associated Student Government

San Marcos returns to Stage 1 water restrictions San Marcos returned to Stage 1 watering restrictions effective Tuesday, following last week’s lifting of Stage 2 by the Edwards Aquifer Authority because of slight increases in spring flow.

San Marcos has been under drought-management restrictions since June 19 because of the lack of rain and the decline of San Marcos springs. The springs, fed by the San Antonio pool of the Edwards Aquifer, were flowing at 100 cubic feet per second in recent days, rising above the Stage 2 trigger of 96 cubic feet per second. San Marcos entered Stage 2 restrictions Sept. 15.

Stage 1 rules have the following provisions: — Waste of water prohibited.

— Irrigation with sprinklers

allowed only one day per week on the designated weekday before 10 a.m. and after 8 p.m.

Residents’ designated days are determined by their street number.

Addresses ending in: Designated day is: 0 or 1 Monday 2 or 3 Tuesday 4 or 5 Wednesday 6 or 7 Thursday 8 or 9 Friday — Non-commercial (athome) car washing is allowed only on the designated weekday.

— Outdoor swimming pools must be at least partially covered (25% of water surface area) when not in use.

— Filling of new, decorative water features such as fountains and ponds is prohibited.

— Washing of impervious surfaces is prohibited unless required for health and safety.

— Restaurants may serve water only upon customer request.

Irrigation with hand-held bucket, hand-held hose, soaker hose or drip irrigation is allowed on any day and at any time. Customers are encouraged to reduce all other non-essential water uses.

The full text of the rules is available on the City of San Marcos website, www.ci.sanmarcos.tx.us/departments/ www. For more information or questions, call Jan Klein, Water Conservation coordinator, at (512) 393-8010.

— Courtesy of the City of San Marcos

Texas State recognized at National Hispanic Business Association conference LOS ANGELES — The National Hispanic Business Association held its 17th Annual Leadership Conference. During the awards ceremony, Texas State was recognized as the National Chapter of the Year for its exemplary student leadership and commitment to the San Marcos community, education and professionalism of its members. More that 600 Hispanic students from more than 47 universities across the nation attended the three-day

leadership conference.

This year’s event was held at the Radisson Los Angeles International Airport and was hosted by California State University and Northridge Latino Business Association. The conference provides opportunities for students to network in a series of career-enhancing activities and to learn essential information needed to launch a successful professional career.

Corporate representatives and motivational speakers facilitat-

ed a series of workshops.

The Mission of the NHBA is the development of undergraduate Hispanic business students through educational, professional, and networking opportunities to foster diversity, higher education and the improvement of the Hispanic community. Founded in 1989 NHBA now has 32 chapters in 11 states.

— Courtesy of the National Hispanic Business Association

NEWS

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

The University Star - Page 3

Poor time management adds to stress, tension Grades at stake for students balancing school, work

By Ashley Gwilliam The University Star Today’s college students might be spreading themselves too thin.

Nearly half of the college students who took part in a new nationwide survey said they do not have enough time to do their coursework, and 87 percent believe better time management and organizational skills would help them achieve better grades.

The study, financed by database software company FileMaker Inc. found 48 percent of students manage their assignments and deadlines using a handwritten calendar, and 29 percent use computer software or other means.

Matthew Blanco/Star photo Scott Janke, senior psychologist at the Counseling Center, JAMIE’S SESSIONS: Jamie Goodsell, student history instructor, writes a history timeline for a final said today’s students are having review Tuesday afternoon in a fourth floor SLAC study room. Students often find it difficult to balance difficulty managing their time. their large school load with other responsibilities such as work.

Students encounter the traditional stress of young adulthood sibilities. It is a lot different be- vides some structure, provides classes. She studies between along with new types of stress ing someone in your late teens boundaries and makes more classes and on Saturdays but their parents did not have, such and early 20s today,” said Sarah clear when they need to do their said she sometimes feels stressed as rising tuition costs, a rapidly Watson, pre-mass communica- school work,” Janke said. “A lot juggling work and school. changing job market and an tion junior. of people work and carry a full “The thing that affects my overflow of accessible informaBetween 10 and 19 hours of load. For some it is a choice, grades is procrastinating. When tion. work per week could contribute and for some it is not. However, I get home from work, I am tired “I have to pay the bills. If my to more time spent studying to the trend with working 20 plus and I don’t want to study. There parents paid for everything, I yield a higher GPA, according hours is that it will hurt your have been times when I haven’t wouldn’t work. We have the to a study by the Journal of Col- GPA.” gone to class because I am tired technology our parents didn’t lege Student Retention: Research, Samantha Rutledge, finance from work,” she said. have that makes it easier for Theory, and Practice. junior, works 30 hours a week Janke said with more students us, but we have more respon“Working part-time pro- and takes 15 hours of advanced working than before, time man-

agement is important. Ideas on how to manage time are nothing new.

“The beginning of the semester, get out your syllabi and plot out what is coming,” he said.

“Get a scheduling device, such as a paper calendar where you can see a month at a time, and organize it so there aren’t any surprises. Routine is also important.”

Janke suggests using the often-wasted pockets of time between classes.

“A common mistake many students make is underestimating the amount of time a given task will take,” Janke said. “Properly estimating the amount of time tasks will take will make you feel more in control of your time.”

A study by Research in Higher Education magazine found stress and poor grades have less to do with time management and more to do with perceived control of time. Stress can result from a person’s perception of events, so feeling in control can lower stress levels, heighten individual problem-solving skills and raise greater well-being.

The study emphasized the need for counselors to create strategies to help students manage their time better and increase perception of control over time.

Janke said the way stress is handled is important.

“If I perceive the path I have to do that is due next week as scary and hard, does that call me to work at it now or to avoid it?” he asked. “What is stressful to you might not be stressful to me.”

Pope’s visit to Turkey peaceful

By Matthew Schofield McClatchy Newspapers ANKARA, Turkey — Pope Benedict XVI called for an authentic dialogue between Christians and Muslims and praised his Turkish hosts Tuesday as he began what’s surely his most controversial journey since his elevation to lead the world’s one billion Roman Catholics in April 2005.

The pope did not directly address the anger he set off in September when he quoted a Byzantine Emperor as saying in Islam, “You will find things only evil and inhuman, such as (the prophet Muhammad’s) command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.”

It was clear those words weren’t forgotten. Ali Bardakoglu, head of Turkey’s Religious Affairs Directorate, bluntly told the pope at a joint appearance Western leaders were distorting Islam’s message as a religion of peace.

“Prejudices are nourished

mostly by historical fears and concerns,” said Bardakoglu, who in September accused the pope of “having hatred in his heart” for Muslims. “The establishment of universal peace is based on the fact that we, men of religion and religious institutes, should not be the slaves of such prejudices, nourished by such fears and concerns, and we should act with common sense.”

Benedict XVI sat on the stage next to Bardakoglu and didn’t react to the statement.

He did retract comments he’d made as a cardinal in 2004, when he openly and frequently opposed Turkish membership in the European Union, saying he now favored it. He signed the Golden Book at a memorial to modern Turkey’s founder, Kemal Ataturk, as a goodwill gesture. He noted his pride to quote Ataturk by writing, “Peace at home, peace abroad.”

Later, he tried to calm Muslim anger in remarks to diplomats at the Vatican Embassy

and said, “I wish to reiterate my great esteem for Muslims, encouraging them to continue to work together in mutual respect to promote the dignity of every human being and the growth of a society where personal freedom and care for others provide peace and serenity for all.”

The pope said the purpose of his trip was “dialogue, brotherhood and reconciliation” after a tumultuous period in Christian-Muslim relations. Muslim sentiments, along with the pope’s September comments, have been bruised by European efforts to ban Islamic religious dress and the rejection of Turkish membership in the European Union.

The pope’s visit drew little attention in a country in which fewer than 100,000 people are Christians and fewer still are Catholic. Unlike Pope John Paul II’s trip here in 1979, no wellwishers lined the route, jostling to catch a glimpse of the leader of the world’s largest organized religion.

Bush plans to help Iraq with growing violence problem

By William Douglas McClatchy Newspapers RIGA, Latvia — Tuesday President Bush said he intended to press Iraq’s prime minister for a plan that would stem growing sectarian violence. He said he would press for a strategy to sustain Iraq and enable it to govern itself.

The president blamed the escalating violence on an al-Qaida plot aimed at fueling sectarian fighting on the eve of his initial meeting with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Jordan. He placed responsibility for ending it largely on al-Maliki’s shoulders.

“No question it’s dangerous there, and violent,” Bush said at a news conference in Tallinn, Estonia, with Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, “and the Maliki government is going to have to deal with that violence, and we want to help them to do so.”

Tuesday the president gave no sign of a Washington boiling with expectations about the new Democratic Congress and blue-ribbon bipartisan commission pushing him toward a plan for phased withdrawal from Iraq. He again vowed that U.S. troops will stay until the mission is complete. He shrugged off talk of negotiating with Syria and Iran for help calming Iraq.

His remarks about al-Maliki came before his arrival at Riga where he’s attending a two-day North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit. NATO’s agenda centers on improving the organization’s ability to battle 21st-century security threats, but most of the talk in Riga has

involved deteriorating security in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Iraq has recently experienced the worst bloodshed since U.S.led forces invaded in March 2003. Last week’s bombings killed at least 160 people and wounded more than 200. More than 3,700 Iraqis were killed in October — the highest monthly death toll since the war began.

The spike in violence prompted Kofi Annan, U.N. secretary general, to say Iraq is close to

civil war. Many independent authorities say it’s already civil war.

Bush rejected the conclusion.

He blamed Iraq’s worsening violence on al-Qaida.

“You know, the plans of Mr. Zarqawi was to foment sectarian violence,” he said. The late Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was alQaida’s leader in Iraq until he was killed by a U.S. air strike in June. “The Samarra bombing that took place last winter

was intended to create sectarian violence, and it has. The recent bombings were to perpetuate the sectarian violence. In other words, we’ve been in this phase for a while.”

Bush promised to be flexible with his Iraq strategy, changing it as conditions there change, but he vowed U.S. troops will stay as long as necessary.

“There’s one thing I’m not going to do: I’m not going to pull our troops off the battle-

field before the mission is complete,” he said during a speech at Latvia University’s Grand Hall. “We can accept nothing less than victory for our children and our grandchildren.”

He framed the stakes as a struggle throughout the Middle East between forces of terrorism and freedom and warned if terrorists win, they could pose “a mortal threat to Europe, America and the entire civilized world.”

NEWS

Page 4 - The University Star

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

SENATOR: Johnson preparing for formal swearing-in ceremony CONTINUED from page 1

have a Republican majority.

“Tennessee is one of the states in the southern conservative tradition that since the 1980s have been fairly hostile to Democratic candidates,” he said.

DeSoto also noted Johnson’s anti-abortion, pro-gun attitudes as typical to the conservative Republican attitude. He said it was exciting for the university to have an alumnus in a leadership role. DeSoto’s party politics class studies the history, organization, voting trends and elections of political parties in the United States.

“I think it’s very interesting,” DeSoto said. “Johnson is one of 33 Tennessean state senators, so he’ll definitely have an impact.”

The 2005 census information shows the 23rd district is predominantly white adults in their late 30s. The district and

the surrounding area is a major healthcare center. Its growing economy boasts a booming music tourist trade and a nearby Saturn automobile plant that provides jobs opportunities for young professionals.

“We have a very affluent and strong economy with a lot of growth opportunities,” Johnson said. “We have a lot of young professionals and middle age professionals and lots of business coming in.”

Johnson said he isn’t sure where his love of politics came from. At then-Southwest Texas State, Johnson was active in leadership roles. He was president of the Residence Hall Association and parliamentarian of the Associated Student Government.

“My parents were really politically active. They certainly voted,” he said. “Although it wasn’t discussed, it was pretty clear my parents were Republi-

can. I remember I went with my mother to vote, and I sat there and watched her mark her ballot for Reagan and Bush and by then I was old enough to learn the value of voting.”

Johnson moved to Nashville in 1991. He was involved in local and national elections and led the 2004 Bush/Cheney re-election efforts in mid-Tennessee.

Now, Johnson is a senior vice president with Pinnacle Financial Partners in Nashville.

Johnson and his wife, Deanna, have three children and he hopes his political lifestyle will inspire his kids to be involved with their communities.

“I hope that they will grow up and share my life’s passion for being active in community.

I hope that they will want to be active and involved,” he said.

“It’s an adventure for them.”

Linda Kollmann, president of the Williamson County Repub-

lican Career Women, said the organization supports Johnson.

The 60-woman group is comprised of area teachers, judges, commissioners, attorneys and doctors.

“He got out there and he knocked on those doors. He listens and he’s in touch with the people,” she said. “He is one of the best people to serve that county, and I think he will do a great job.”

Johnson will be sworn in Jan. 9, 2007 in a formal ceremony at the Tennessee State Capitol. His four-year term also begins that day, and he can’t wait.

“My wife and I gave this campaign 110 percent and it’s very exciting to see our hard work pay off,” he said. “Now the campaign’s behind us, and I am looking forward in these next four years in the Legislature to getting some things done for the people of Tennessee.”

Photo courtesy of www.johnsontnsenate.com MAKING THE ROUNDS: Jack Johnson, then-Southwest Texas State alumnus, campaigns during his run for a seat on the Tennessee state senate.

BEHAVIOR: Culture, boredom, Hays County Area Food Bank location contribute to risk-taking to benefit from radio marathon CONTINUED from page 1

in abstinence,” Diviney said.

“This raises the question, ‘Is this the best thing we need to be promoting if our kids are having more sex than the rest of the nation?’”

A 2005 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey found Texas teens are engaging in more alcohol-related activities and having sex more than other teens nationwide.

52.5 percent of Texas teens had sexual intercourse versus 46.8 percent of youth nationwide.

The study found 29.6 percent had engaged in heavy drinking versus 25.5 percent nationwide, and 15.4 percent had driven a vehicle under the influence versus 9.9 percent nationwide. 37 percent had been a passenger to someone who had been drinking versus 25.5 percent nationwide.

Diviney said the Texas statistics for alcohol-related behaviors, including drinking underage and drinking and driving, may be higher because of 18 and 19-year-old students attending colleges and universities where these behaviors are sometimes higher.

Russell Yazbeck, physics

freshman who attended high school in Frisco, said numerous factors contribute to these numbers, but a growing population and economy, as well as parents working more hours, are among the most significant.

“I would say the number-one reason is lack of time spent by parents representing themselves to their children as respectable role-models rather than being workaholics, for lack of a better word,” Yazbeck said. “The problem comes in when both parents are working 40 to 80 hours a week. Where is the time for the children? Children start making decisions on their own with little to no supervision and then the rest follows.”

Others say a cultural issue native to Texas may contribute to the higher numbers.

“It’s kind of the ‘cowboy’ thing to do. You grow up with a family that drinks, so we drink,” said Kim Morrison, biology sophomore.

Some say a lack of better options leads to drinking.

“There’s nothing to do in Texas. I grew up in Lubbock, and there was nothing to do, so they drink,” said Michael Mason, computer science sophomore.

Everett Romano, pre-psychology freshman who has lived across the United States but spent his teen years in Texas, said regional differences are a major factor in higher risk behavior percentages for teens.

“It’s based on the region and the area you are in,” Romano said. “Like in Southern California, it’s close to Mexico and there is a lot of drugs and easy access to alcohol. In Utah, there’s nothing. In New York, there are a lot of drugs because it’s close to Canada. Region plays an extremely good role in alcohol and drug use for people.”

Romano, who attended high school in Hays County, said local efforts to stop teens from risky behavior activities seem to have increased.

“From my experience and talking to people, I’ve noticed that the police have been taking drugs and alcohol extremely serious,” Romano said.

✯FYI For more information collected by the report log on to http://www.cppp.org/ kidscount.

By Alex Hering The University Star Texas State’s student-run radio station, KTSW 89.9 FM, hosted a 24-hour radio marathon Tuesday to raise money for the Hays County Area Food Bank.

Brian Shelton, KTSW promotions director and mass communication senior, said this time of the year there is a necessity to donate food to families in need.

“Everybody needs a good Christmas meal, right? I think that’s what we are doing here — mostly just helping out people who need it,” Shelton said.

“Every 89.9 minutes that our DJs are on the air, our three sponsors will donate $10 to the cause.”

Sponsors include D’Blazios Pizza, the Shelton Family, the Beasley Family and Red Robin, who will donate food directly

to the Hays County Area Food bank.

Dirk Adams, co-owner of D’Blazios Pizza, said the restaurant has been donating food to the Hays County food bank for four years.

“We do this with KTSW every year. We have also donated food directly to the food bank in the past,” Adams said.

KTSW expects to raise about $500 after 24 hours on air, Shelton said.

“If we stay on the air for the full 24 hours, we will have raised about $500 which will provide over 3,000 pounds of food to the Hays County food bank,” he said.

Evan Hilliard, English senior, and Jayce Beasley, the two DJs who took the job, refer to themselves as the “wild stallions” on air. Beasley said the charity will provide a large amount of food for families in the Hays County area.

“We are doing this for charity and for the Hays County food bank. We are getting money for Christmas meals for those who need them,” Beasley, mass communication senior, said. “$10 buys 83 pounds of food and that adds up to a lot. 83 pounds will feed a family for a week.”

To add to the total donation to the food bank, KTSW will host a food drive Thursday at the LBJ Amphitheater. Free pizza will be provided, as well as free CDs and live music by The Lonesome Heroes.

“We are asking people to bring in any donations on Thursday, Nov. 30 to Saint KTSW’s Food Drive at the LBJ Amphitheatre from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” Shelton said. “We are going to have Santa there, so you can take pictures with him for a $2 donation and get it printed out on a postcard to send to your mom.”

The 24-hour radio marathon will end 8 a.m. Wednesday.

Visit www.UniversityStar.com for all your Texas State and local news.

TRENDS THE UNIVERSITY STAR

billboardcharts THE BILLBOARD 200

ROCK

COUNTRY

INDIE

1. The Game Doctor’s Advocate 2. Akon Konvicted

1. Tenacious D The Pick of Destiny (Soundtrack) 2. (+44) When Your Heart Stops Beating

1. Keith Urban Love, Pain, & the Whole Crazy Thing 2. Sugarland Enjoy the Ride

1. Jim Jones Hustler’s P.O.M.E. (Product of My Environment) 2. Tamia Between Friends

Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - Page 5

Trends Contact — Maira Garcia, starentertainment@txstate.edu

exhibit ARTdisplays

seniors’ works

By Maira Garcia The University Star They’re out to prove that they have accomplished something that took time, patience and plenty of clay, film and tubes of paint.

Art seniors exhibited their theses Tuesday night in Galleries I and II in the Joann Cole Mitte Art Building. The theses are the end result of two semesters in the seniors’ area of concentration including: studio art, digital photographic imaging and art education.

Mary Mikel Stump, the gallery curator, said students are required to do the last two semesters in their area of specialization, known as thesis semesters. “… They might isolate a set of issues that they’re interested in and exploring in the artwork they’re producing. It’s an intense exploration of that specific set of issues, ideally,” Stump said.

For Kelly Skinner, whose concentration is painting, her work was a collection of memories from her past.

“I try to draw on images from my experience growing up in East Texas,” she said. “They’re all nature-based themes.”

Skinner’s thesis included four paintings: Branches, Egret, Pines and Arrangement #1. She explained that her thesis shows an evolution from her previous style of painting.

“I used to paint more realistic and more refined. But then, I decided suddenly to with an expressive route,” Skinner said.

Her works incorporate greens, blues and maroons in the background, which shape white objects. The use of shadow is present in her work.

Stump said the thesis exhibit is a chance for professors and others alike to see what students have produced during their thesis semesters.

“The faculty here in our design department want our students to have the experience of showing that work, and then we like the luxury of being able to see what it is those students have generated, just like the exit review,” Stump said.

Furthermore, the thesis exhibition is a chance for students to understand what goes into planning and preparing an exhibition.

Stump said there are many issues that go into deciding the arrangement of a work such as what it takes to hang the work and light the work.

“It gives them a general idea of what goes on in an art exhibition.

Cotton Miller/Star photo LONG TIME COMING: Studio art senior Elena Velasco’s ceramic sculpture Hours will be featured in Joann Cole Mitte Art Building Gallery II along with other senior thesis displays.

A lot of those things you wouldn’t necessarily know looking at the room,” she said. “I think it helps them to know what’s going to happen to their work when they submit it for exhibition.”

Elena Velasco, whose concentration is ceramics, had different decisions to make from those hanging their works on the wall. Velasco’s thesis, called At Home in the Moment, consisted of three main sculptures that occupied the center of Gallery II. “I had the idea before I came into the semester of what I wanted to do,” she said. “It was nice to come into it with the idea in mind.”

Velasco’s thesis was inspired by nature, life and the philosophies of Henry David Thoreau. In her artist statement, Velasco says her sculpture consists of three parts: “Reflection,” “Wake” and “Hours.”

“Reflection” consists of a two pairs of arms washing over a sink.

“Wake” is a bed constructed of metals, earth, pencil cacti and cloth.

“Hours,” her smallest pieces, is 24 fists in a circle.

Velasco said her thesis took up much of her time but was satisfied with what she had and what she had learned.

“I wouldn’t know how to calculate all the hours,” she said.

Stump said students amass a lot of pieces throughout the semester.

“They develop such as large body of work in their thesis exhibitions that the other part of it is going through the choosing process, the editing process of which pieces out of that body of work best represent what they’ve done,” Stump said. “They don’t get to show everything they’ve done. You have to get the impact from the pieces you pick.”

Jo on the Go features new exhibit, alumni art

By Leah Kirkwood The University Star

Beginning Friday, visitors to Jo on the Go will find somber monkeys, colorful abstract designs and rotund Santa Clauses peering down at them from the walls.

The next installment of local art will be displayed at the coffeehouse for the month of December. The exhibit features pieces by three artistically different Texas State alumni.

Jonathan Hiebert’s art will cover the main wall of Jo on the Go. His works are combinations of pastels, acrylic paint, colored pencil and gold and silver leaf.

“Right now what I’m doing are these strange little portraits,” Hiebert said.

“Some of them look like re-imagined Renaissance portraits, and some of

them look like science fiction.”

The portraits are a continuation of Hiebert’s Past Lives, Future Visages that explored reincarnation. The subject of his art has shifted over time to include monkeys.

“I started out doing self-portraits,” he said. “I got tired of painting myself, so I reached out. “ Many of Hiebert’s works are inspired by Russian icons and depict people and monkeys in front of gold halos.

Hiebert is a San Marcos native, but resides in Austin. He runs a mobile decorative hardware business out of his car, which he named as a source of artistic inspiration.

“Once I started the company, suddenly everything in my life got really creative,” Hiebert said.

This is Hiebert’s third exhibit at Jo

“A

ny art form is a mode of expression and it is just a way of getting my point across; I like to do so in a meaningful, fun and whimsical way whenever I can.”

— Kim Kafka Jo on the Go featured artist

on the Go, but the works on display next month will be new to the venue.

“I’m hoping that everything in this show will be new work,” Hiebert said.

Alumnus Christopher Paul is also slated to show art at Jo on the Go next month.

“My work lately has been abstract, relief and collage,” he said.

Paul plans to display five to seven

mixed media and acrylic pieces on the wall nearest the coffeehouse entrance. “(My art) relies heavily on color — the subtlety of color,” he said. “There’s not a lot of form and more texture.”

Paul is a San Marcos resident who works as a graphic designer in Austin.

Alumna Kim Kafka is spreading holiday spirit in San Marcos with her

Christmas-themed oil paintings on display at Jo on the Go in December.

“What I’m putting in new are the Santa paintings. I’ve got a baby’s first Christmas that’s got a stork and a Santa on it,” Kafka said. “It’s all going to be Christmas-y, and I’ll probably have about eight pieces.”

Kafka is a teacher at Lockhart High School and jazz vocalist. She is scheduled to perform at the Sights and Sounds of Christmas festival this weekend.

Kafka said she takes a similar approach to both art forms and does not stress over perfect pitch or perfect visual perspective.

“Any art form is a mode of expression and it is just a way of getting my point across; I like to do so in a meaningful, fun and whimsical way whenever I can,” she said.

The Onion plants a seed in Austin

By Jason Buch The University Star

Area men and women will now have the opportunity to read a print version of the humor newspaper The Onion.

This month, The Onion began printing in Austin. Thursday will mark the release of its fourth issue in Austin and that night Emo’s Austin will host the paper’s launch party.

Heather Frankovis is The Onion’s city manager. She is the paper’s local publisher and is also involved in advertising. Frankovis

said The Onion will be a good fit for Central Texas.

“People in Austin understand The Onion is a very specific product you can’t get elsewhere,” she said.

The Onion is divided into a “news” section and an arts and entertainment section. The “news” is entirely satire, lampooning politics, social problems in the U.S. and around the world and pop culture. Frankovis said the paper’s satire content is generated at its headquarters in New York.

However, a significant portion of coverage in Austin editions of The

Onion’s arts and entertainment section, called the A.V. Club, will be locally generated. Because Austin draws so many touring acts, some of that content might end up on the A.V. Club’s Web site.

“We’ll have national people coming through here, so some stories that run in the paper will get picked up nationally,” she said.

The Austin edition of the A.V. Club includes cinema listings, a calendar of events — with picks from the editor — and local feature articles.

The man behind Austin’s A.V.

Club, Sean O’Neal, said he has been a long-time Onion reader.

O’Neal is the paper’s city editor and personally generates most of the A.V. club content.

O’Neal said he began reading The Onion in 1996 but had never considered working for the publication. He said persistence and dressing appropriately landed him the job.

“This year I was floating between various temp jobs and freelance writing gigs when my girlfriend forwarded me an ad See AUSTIN, page 6

Image courtesy of The Onion

TRENDS

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

The University Star - Page 6

Pam and Kid Rock call it quits our months is not going to “F give them any real claim on each other’s assets.”

By Jo Piazza New York Daily News

Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock had four different wedding ceremonies, but it has taken the pair only four months to call it quits on the actual marriage.

Anderson’s rep Tracey Nguyen confirmed to People magazine that the former Baywatch beauty filed for divorce Monday.

“It wasn’t a happy Thanksgiving,” Nguyen said.

Anderson confirmed the divorce on her Web site Monday, writing: “Divorce, Yes it’s true.

Unfortunately impossible.”

Anderson, 39, and Rock — whose real name is Robert Ritchie, 35, both filed separate divorce petitions Monday, citing irreconcilable differences and giving different dates for the separation.

Anderson’s papers said the couple separated before the Thanksgiving weekend on Nov. 21, while Rock said they separated on Nov. 26.

Anderson and Rock first started tying the knot in a much publicized “celebration ceremony” aboard a yacht in St. Tropez,

—Lois Lieberman Blank Rome partner

France, on July 29, where the bride wore a skimpy bikini. Elton John, Cindy Crawford and other celebrity pals were on hand as witnesses. They formalized the union when they returned to Los Angeles in a private ceremony at the Beverly Hills courthouse.

The couple also married in Nashville, Tenn., and Rock’s hometown, Detroit.

Anderson has hired famed celebrity divorce lawyer Neal Hersh, whose clients include Kim Basinger, Halle Berry, Drew Barrymore and Denise Richards.

Even though there was no prenuptial agreement, legal experts say the duration of the marriage rules out any major money issues.

“It was only four months, so I’m not thinking there will

be anything substantial. Four months is not going to give them any real claim on each other’s assets,” explained Lois Lieberman, a partner in the matrimonial group at Blank Rome.

Earlier this month, Anderson suffered a miscarriage. It would have been her and Rock’s first child together.

It was the second time that Anderson and Rock had tried to make their relationship work.

The pair dated from the spring of 2001 to the fall of 2003. They got back together this year.

In the interim, Anderson reunited with ex-hubby rocker Tommy Lee after she was diagnosed with hepatitis C. This was Rock’s first marriage.

Anderson’s marriage to Lee ended in divorce in 1998. Anderson and Lee have two boys together, Dylan, 8, and Brandon, 10.

AUSTIN: Onion job elevates city manager out of temp positions CONTINUED from page 5

from The Onion looking for a ‘city savvy editor,’” O’Neal said in an e-mail. “After several rounds of interviews, dozens of nagging phone calls and e-mails full of flattery and baldly desperate appeals, I got the job. I believe the reason given was that I was not as well dressed — or old — as the other candidates. Thank God I didn’t wear a tie that day.”

O’Neal’s life before The Onion could be fodder for one of the paper’s satirical articles about young urbanites working jobs they don’t like.

“I scraped by at office temp jobs and by working as a clerk at Vulcan Video right up to the

day I was hired,” he said. “In fact, I walked out on a customer, in the middle of a transaction, to take the phone call telling me I got the job. I wrote regularly, for free, for Webzines like PopMatters and Urban Pollution, as well as a few print magazines and newspapers for money — not a lot of money, but enough to keep my spirits up and to buy the occasional pack of cigarettes.”

O’Neal also played in a few bands, somewhat successfully.

“In the past, I’ve also been a booker for a couple of unpopular clubs, the world’s worst waiter and the world’s worst Apple technical support representative,” he said.

O’Neal’s story brings to mind

The Onion’s Dec. 6, 2000 headline, “Hard Day’s Work Fails to Yield Sense of Job Well Done.”

Frankovis said the paper prints about 50,000 copies in Austin.

She said there are no plans to bring The Onion to San Marcos.

✯FYI The Onion launch party featuring Soundteam, IV Thieves, Eugene Mirman, Lemurs and Tacks, the Boy Disaster, begins at 9 p.m.

Thursday at Emo’s outdoors.

It is a free show.

Photo courtesy of www.myspace.com/cuteiswhatweaimfor EMO-RIFFIC: Cute Is What We Aim For, a band on Fueled by Ramen Records, has been pushing big record sales with their debut album, The Same Old Blood Rush With a New Touch, despite working with a name they don’t particularly like.

Cute Is What We Aim For draws emo fans

By Michael Deeds McClatchy Newspapers BOISE — Before you lift a hand to smack the latest emo buzz band for its nauseating name, please allow Cute Is What We Aim For singer Shaant Hacikyan to explain.

“Dude. We hate it,” insists Hacikyan, who became the band’s elder statesman when he turned 20 recently. “We hate the name with a passion.”

What — really?

“We started this band in my bedroom with a computer. We didn’t expect anything to come of it,” he said. “I didn’t expect to be a signed band, let alone put out a record and tour the world. Hopefully, we’ll change the name down the road.”

If Hacikyan didn’t sound so sincere, it would be easy to dismiss his response as coy public relations aimed at clueless adults who don’t have MySpace friends and LiveJournal accounts. But considering that the Buffalo group formed less than two years ago, the story seems plausible.

Hacikyan says he came up with the band name as an homage to his friends. And

that Cute Is What We Aim For didn’t even set out to be classified as emo, a genre dictated by young fans, pierced fashions and lyrics that often take a slant on high-school life.

But there’s no turning back now.

Cute Is What We Aim For won a battle of the bands on LiveJournal months after it formed. Before the end of the year, it had signed to hot emo label Fueled By Ramen, which has churned out million-selling bands Fall Out Boy and Panic!

At The Disco.

The kicker is that Cute Is What We Aim For’s debut, The Same Old Blood Rush With a New Touch, offers considerably more spark than typical emo fodder. The band’s goal, Hacikyan says, is to create “power pop with intellectual lyrics.”

Hacikyan, who says he hated English class, turns out to be an observant, sassy lyricist. Cute Is What We Aim For succeeds on clever tracks such as “I Put the ‘Metro’ in Metronome” and “The Curse of Curves,” on which he laments “I want someone provocative and talkative/But it’s so hard when you’re shallow as a shower.”

The CD, which burst from the gates as Fueled By Ramen’s fastest seller, has moved more than 70,000 copies since June — mostly, it appears, to teenage girls enamored by four guys who are barely out of high school themselves.

“In this music, it pretty much seems that every fan is a teenage girl,” Hacikyan said, before adding somewhat incredulously, “I don’t know how there’s that many of them.”

But Hacikyan isn’t assuming hordes of hotties will be in the crowd a couple of years from now.

That isn’t how emo works.

“The trend is to make a splash and then you fade away,” he says. “And I don’t want that, but I’ve got to be prepared for it so it’s not such a horrible crash.”

Which is part of the reason that Cute Is What We Aim For hasn’t changed its name, he said. Yet. But he’s thinking that shortening it to Cute would be an improvement.

“I’m not sure,” Hacikyan says. “We’ll see how it turns out. I mean if we tank in a year, there’s no point.”

TRENDS/DIVERSIONS

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

✯Star Comics

The University Star - Page 7

Lime.com teaches healthy living, environment

By Jeffery D. Hooten The University Star It is increasingly important to consider the consequences of consumer actions and strive for the best way to keep a healthy balance with the natural world.

As more people join in the search for excellent living, it has also become apparent how time-consuming a healthy and environmentally friendly lifestyle can be.

For this reason, many Web sites have sprung up to connect people to resources for living in a more environmentally friendly way.

Lime.com is a site that has taken this one step further by incorporating television, radio, podcasts and mobile Internet into its arsenal.

C.J. Kettler, CEO and founder of Lime.com, described Lime as a lifestyle brand focused on “greener” living.

Green living is living in a more sustainable, energy efficient, natural and healthy manner.

Kettler said she started Lime as a reaction to her own struggle to find the healthiest way for her family to live their daily lives.

“I’m a mom of three girls,” Kettler said.

Lime.com includes a plethora of articles regarding topics such as insomnia, yoga and the benefits of organic milk.

Lime.com also provides local resources for several cities throughout America, and it recently included Austin as one these cities.

Kettler explained that Austin was selected to be included on the Web site because the community is actively involved in earth-conscious lifestyles.

“We looked at what some of the greener cities

“E

veryone wants to live better or feel, at least, like the option is in their hands..”

— Jessica Galle psychology freshman

were,” Kettler said.

Taylor Powell, international studies senior and president of the Texas State Chapter of the National Association of Environmental Professionals, said that sites such as Lime.com target the young-professional crowd that desires to live in a healthier way.

“It’s a good starting point,” Powell said. “In the end it’s the person who decides to live healthy.”

Powell said that it is very important for people to not only consider the health of their bodies, but also s consciously changing the way they live to ensure the health of their surroundings.

“It’s everyone doing little things,” Powell said.

Powell also said that people should be aware of their ability to make changes in their surroundings by using their consumer purchasing power. People can buy things that are made in an environmentally friendly way, buy less overall and recycle to make a positive impact.

Jessica Galle, psychology freshman, said she frequented sites such as Lime.com in the past.

“Everyone wants to live better or feel, at least, like the option is in their hands,” Galle said.

SU DO KU Complete the grid so that every row, column, and 3-by-3 box contains every digit from one through nine inclusively.

Yesterday’s solutions:

© Pappocom

Yesterday’s solutions:

OPINIONS THE UNIVERSITY STAR

onlineconnection For events going on over the break, check out Not fit to print and Writing headlines, making deadlines, the Web logs of The University Star’s editor in chief and managing editor at www.UniversityStar.com.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - Page 8

HELP for the HOLIDAYS Opinions Contact — Emily Messer, staropinion@txstate.edu

THE MAIN POINT

I

t’s that time of year again. Regardless of what you celebrate — Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or nothing at all — a few things are always the same. One of those things is the Spirit of giving always rings true this time of year spirit of giving.

It’s all well and good to give friends, family and acquaintances gifts. Bear in mind, though, not everyone will be getting PlayStation 3s or iPod nanos. Some of the less well-off members of society have enough problems to deal with — keeping warm and finding a meal, for instance. It’s critical to keep the notion of community service on your mind when you go out and shop this holiday season.

Community service has many faces, but most come in the form of volunteerism. A few hours at a hospital can mean a world of difference for patients unable to be at home with their families.

Most people don’t have a moment to spare, what with gift buying and giving, driving to and fro and trying to organize get-togethers and parties. Still, any donation helps. Clothes that you may have outgrown, for instance, can keep those in need warm until the temperature rises.

Things get tight around this time of year for other parts of the community, too. The San Marcos Animal Shelter is always looking for volunteers. The shelter welcomes those wanting to work with animals (feeding, cleaning and grooming) or willing to do clerical work in the office. Give them a ring at (512) 393-8340.

The Sights & Sounds Christmas is an annual event that brings just that to San Marcos. It doesn’t build itself, though. Volunteers are needed for construction, decorating, tear-down and other labor. More information is available at www.studentaffairs.txstate.edu/svc/.

Gift wrappers are needed for the San Marcos Police Department’s Blue Santa program. The event collects donated toys, which SMPD officers then distribute to children in the community. Even if you lack the time to donate a few hours, donations are always welcomed. Drop the SMPD a line at (512) 754-2270 if you are interested.

Students With Alternative Transportation also needs an abundance of volunteers at this time of the year. SWAT helps ensure those students who have had too much to drink get home in one piece. If you want to get in touch with them, dial (512) 805-7928.

Even tossing a few coins in the Salvation Army’s omnipresent red buckets can go a long way. And if you’re really feeling the need to give (and a little bold), reach out to a homeless person with some clothes, food and conversation. If that’s too forward, try visiting the Salvation Army and help serve food to the homeless. The homeless are at the top of list for people in need.

Remember: It’s not as important what you do, as long as you just do something.

601 University Drive Trinity Building San Marcos, TX 78666 Phone: (512) 245-3487 Fax: (512) 245-3708

The Austin American-Statesman didn’t see fit to print my letter-to-the-editor response to columnist John Kelso’s mention of an obscure Web site’s view that Texas State students are the best in Texas at raising heck and dodging the books.

So I will repeat here my defense of the students I’ve come to know in my brief tenure as lecturer in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

As a lecturer for nine years in the University of Texas School of Journalism, I knew how seriously many UT students take their studying, but frankly, did not know what to expect in San Marcos.

I found out when I suggested during my first class that regular reading of a local daily newspaper and The New York Times would enhance their potential far beyond their university days.

When I strolled into class the next time it met, it seemed that almost every student had toted along a New York Times and was engrossed in its content. That continues today.

I’ve also taught at SMU, American University and George Washington University and I rank the ambition and intellectual instincts of Texas State students very much on par with those schools, the appealing distractions of the nearby Hill Country notwithstanding.

There may have been an era, decades ago, when the beer keg and ballgame were more important at Texas State than academic accomplishment. But I bear witness that those days are long gone and I plan to yank John Kelso out of the Pink Poodle Lounge and motor him down here next semester so he can set right the cheap shot from CollegeHumor.com.

University should offer more night classes for students

Justin Jackley/Star illustration

State ethics ruling flagrantly enables bribery

The University Star

Kelso wrong about Texas State students

Bob Mann School of Journalism and Mass Communication lecturer

The Main Point is the opinion of the newspaper’s editorial board. Columns are the opinions of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the full staff, Texas State University-San Marcos Student Media, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Texas State UniversitySan Marcos.

The Texas Ethics idiot box and let the Commission ruled people we elect worry Monday that any about it. They’re honTexas official who est people, anyway. receives cash as a gift Sorry if I laid it on can satisfy discloa little thick there, but sure laws by simply give me a break. They reporting it as curSEAN WARDWELL can list it as “currency” rency, and nothing without specifying Star Columnist else. the amount. Call me That official does not have crazy, but one would think a to specify the amount. commission that has the word Please re-read the preceding “ethics” in it would presumparagraph then join me below ably have some of its own. I this sentence. guess I would be wrong there, Yeah, that’s just great. It’s though. not like we need that informaThe justification the ethics tion or anything. Really, it’s commission used in this ruling cool. I could care less who is that the law is hazy on the donates to whom in this state. definition of description, so it I don’t need to know and had no other recourse than to neither do you. I’m too busy rule as it did. There was little watching Dancing with the to no discussion before the Stars to research matters of vote either, so we really got public integrity. I’ll just work our money’s worth. my little job, watch my little The idiocy of this ruling is

Letters to the Editor

staggering. Public integrity was one of the top issues for voters in the last election. Voters are tired of corruption.

However, the ethics commission just gave lobbyists carte blanche to hand over wads of cash to lawmakers. Currency is about as nonspecific as it gets.

It’s not that a loophole was opened here. They decided to open a freeway underpass.

The legislature is responsible for making ethics laws. It will be interesting to see what they do with this. Option one is to correct the problem and pass the strictest ethics laws possible. Option two, the more likely option, is to do nothing in the knowledge that nobody is really looking anyway. Bar’s open, boys.

I wish I could be shocked by this, but I’m not. We might get some public integrity laws that

Editor In Chief...................................Jason Buch, stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor.........................Emily Messer, staropinion@txstate.edu News Editor..............................David Saleh Rauf, starnews@txstate.edu Trends Editor....................Maira Garcia, starentertainment@txstate.edu Photo Editor...................................Monty Marion, starphoto@txstate.edu Sports Editor..................................Chris Boehm, starsports@txstate.edu

look good but leave all sorts of ways to manipulate the system. And why will they get away with that? Primarily because the public is too stupid and lazy to do anything about it. Once again the system has failed and it is our fault.

Former Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson said, “It is not the function of the government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error.” By that standard, we are not doing a very good job. We fail in our responsibilities because we have grown politically lazy. There is no way around that accusation.

We worry about the wrong things and ignore things that actually matter.

So I’ll put away the sarcasm for a bit and beg you to prove

Copy Desk Chief................................Bill Rix, starcopychief@txstate.edu Design Editor..........................Michael E. Perez, stardesign@txstate.edu Systems Administrator.............Chris Jeane, starsysadmin@txstate.edu Webmaster...........................Ryan Johnson, starwebadmin@txstate.edu Advertising Coordinator......................Jodie Claes, starad1@txstate.edu Advertising Sales Manager....................Lindsey Lee, atlas@txstate.edu

me wrong. The phone number of the Texas Ethics Commission is 1-800-325-8506. Call them and tell them what a lousy job they have done. Tell them they have abused our trust. There is no way that ruling is right. They just passed the buck to the legislature.

God only knows what they will do with it.

That does not mean we can’t watch them, though. They need to be watched. Politicians are like children. One moment they are clamoring for attention, saying how great they are, but the moment your back is turned, they run off with the cookie jar. Don’t let them.

Aside from that, have a good holiday and a great new year.

Take care, Bobcats.

Sean Wardwell is a communication studies junior

Account Executive...........................Jackie Pardue, jp1271@txstate.edu Account Executive.....................Esmeldi Sanchez, es1225@txstate.edu Account Executive.....................Jonathan McCoy, jm1751@txstate.edu Publications Coordinator..Linda Allen, starbusinessoffice@txstate.edu Publications Director..............Bob Bajackson, stardirector@txstate.edu Visit The Star at www.UniversityStar.com

There seems to be fewer available classes for students who need to be able to attend school in the evening. The classes offered are very limited and are not suited for working students.

From my experience in class registration, Texas State offers most mandatory classes in the fall. However, most meet within the same period, therefore limiting enrollment in these desired classes.

Many of the courses offered in the evening are classes that are available online and through distance learning. A possible solution lies in offering mandatory and lower-division courses through distance learning, therefore allowing more upper-division courses to be offered in the evening.

I understand that many professors do not want to meet much later in the evening, but with the rising cost of tuition just to attend college, the majority of students must find work. Most employers are willing only to hire students with some daytime availability, which leaves students with very limited choices in arranging class schedules.

It is up to students to bring this matter forth to university officials, faculty and staff. I appreciate your awareness of this issue, and hope others will take part in finding an adequate solution.

Alberto Martinez accounting junior Think you have something to say?

Log on to www.UniversityStar. com and click on the letters link to read old letters and submit new ones.

The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University-San Marcos published Tuesday through Thursday during the fall and spring semesters. It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a distribution of 8,000. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung.

Copyright November 29, 2006. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The University Star are the exclusive property of The University Star and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the editor in chief.

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Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - Page 9 Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - Page 33 FOR RENT

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All classified ads are charged 20¢ per word. Ads may be emailed to starclassifieds@txstate.edu.

Check your classified ad for accuracy. Any changes must be made by the second day of publication.

The deadline for all classified ads is noon two business days prior to publication. Classified ads must be paid in advance unless credit has been established. Refunds will only be given when a classified ad has been paid by credit card. The Star reserves the right to refuse, edit, and discontinue any classified ad at any time without prior notification. Classified ads will be edited for style purposes. Classified ads that do not note heading, will be put under the appropriate heading. All classified ads are published free, on-line at www.universitystar.com. Since this is a free service, posting is not guaranteed. While The University Star attempts to screen ads for misleading claims or illegal content, it is not possible for us to investigate every ad and advertiser. Please use caution when answering ads, especially any which require you to send money in advance.

E-mail eds at starclassifieds@txstate.edu Email Classifi Classifieds starclassifieds@txstate.edu

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GARAGE SALE

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WANTED USED CARS, TRUCKS, VANS. Any condition, running or not. If you have something to sell please call Willis Mitchell. (512) 353-4511.

All advertising deadlines for The University Star have passed for the Fall 2006 semester.

Our next publication will be Tuesday, January 16, 2007. The classified ad deadline for this issue will be Wednesday, January 10, 2007.

Currently we are not selling ads strictly for on-line publication.

Page 10 - The University Star

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Wednesday, November 29, 2006

SPORTS

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

The University Star - Page 11

CLASSIC: Putnam, Leffingwell coming off strong games last week LOOKING FOR A LANE: Junior guard Joyce Ekworomadu searches for a path to the basket during Texas State’s victory over Texas-Pan American Friday.

The Bobcats play Huston-Tillotson 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Strahan Coliseum.

Cotton Miller/ Star file photo

CONTINUED from page 12

things.”

The women have been successful on the defensive end in the early going of the season, allowing just less than 60 points a game, second best in the Southland Conference. The squad is also holding opponents to just less than 41 percent shooting from the field, good for third in the league.

The Bobcats will look for a rebound performance from scoring leader Joyce Ekworomadu, who is coming off a career-worst 0-for-12 shooting performance Saturday against University of Missouri-Kansas City. She finished the game with a season-low three points to go along with five

rebounds, but still leads the team in scoring, averaging 18 a game.

“Joyce didn’t shoot the ball how we’re accustomed to but she did other things well and took care of things she could control,” Fox said. “You can’t always control the ball going in the basket but she ran the floor, guarded the ball and rebounded well and those are the things we expect from her.”

Ekworomadu’s teammates Erica Putnam and Ashley Leffingwell are coming off strong performances in the CenturyTel Classic, each scoring in double figures both contests. Leffingwell was named to the all-tournament team following back-to-back nights of clutch free throws in the finals seconds of both contests to seal Texas State victories.

Mark McGwire’s reputation, Hall of Fame chances down the drain

By Bob Klapisch The Record HACKENSACK, N.J. — Those who’ve been doing the morality wrestle with steroids have finally reached Judgment Day. The 2007 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot is out, and with it the litmus test for the ages: Does Mark McGwire, the first chemically enhanced home run hitter to reach Cooperstown’s doorstep, belong?

Not a chance.

Not until Big Mac confesses to his crimes of the syringe, which taint every one of his home runs after 1995. Not until McGwire answers the questions put to him before Congress in 2005, when he had the audacity to say, “I’m not here to talk about the past.”

Not until McGwire stops hiding — where was he last month when his Cardinals were winning the World Series for the first time since 1982? — and explains to America how he hit more than half his career home runs after the age of 32.

Only a fool continues to deny the link between steroids and McGwire’s second life as a home run hitter. In his first 10 seasons, Mac hit one homer every 16 atbats — good, but nowhere close to getting him in the room with the likes of Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle. But the very next year, McGwire, suddenly as big as a laboratory monster, cut his long-ball ratio in half, going deep one out of every eight at-bats.

By the time he was catching and passing Roger Maris’ single-season home run mark in 1998, McGwire was crushing them out of the park at the rate of one every four at-bats, which is virtually impossible — even in Little League.

The debate isn’t whether Mc-

Gwire was juicing his way into the history books; of course he was, the same way Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro were and Barry Bonds is now. The only question is whether their achievements deserve to be honored at Cooperstown. The answer is easy enough, since the Hall of Fame ballot instructs voters to consider a player’s character. Given that mandate, judging McGwire is easy.

What does it say about a man’s competitive character if he’s willing to use illegal pharmaceuticals to (secretly) make himself stronger, unnaturally improve his bat speed, give him greater focus and concentration and thus allow him to wait longer on pitches before deciding when to swing?

What kind of man allows a nation to fall in love with his pursuit of history, knowing it was phony all along, at precisely the time baseball needed a savior? You want the definition of a good guy? Try Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn, superstars who’ll be elected in January on the first ballot. They’ll make it because of the old-fashioned virtues of talent, hard work and perseverance. While we’re at it, the invitation to Cooperstown should be extended to deserving candidates like Goose Gossage, Bert Blyleven and Jim Rice.

But not McGwire, not Sosa or Palmeiro, and not Bonds, either, assuming he isn’t in jail in the next few years for tax evasion or perjury. These men represent all that was synthetic about the game since the late 90s, a dark age that ultimately smeared everyone. That goes for the fans who became addicted to baseball as a form of glorified batting practice, to owners who knew their clubhouses were rife with steroids and did nothing, and to reporters (myself included) who glorified the McGwire-

Sosa duel in the summer of ‘98.

It was fun; it was dramatic; it was sentimental (we can all remember McGwire hoisting his son into the air after the recordsetting home run); and it made for a great story. And we all bought into it, even as the signs of deceit were everywhere.

Turns out it was all a con. Big Mac might not have technically broken baseball’s rules by using steroids before the commissioner outlawed it, but he sure violated the spirit of fair play. Suddenly, the champion of America’s pastime turned into one of its all-time weasels.

Now the burden rests on him. Unless McGwire admits he defrauded baseball out of its single-season home run record, he has no chance of getting elected — not on the first, second or 10th year of his eligibility. McGwire’s home runs will be regarded as darkly as the bets placed in the 1919 Black Sox scandal. Stripped of those jacks, McGwire is no Hall of Fame candidate.

His career average is 35 points lower than Rice’s, not to mention his 826 fewer hits and 37 fewer RBI. Even Steve Garvey hit for a much higher average — .294 to .263 — and had more hits — 2,599 to 1,626. If neither Rice nor Garvey is in the Hall, how can anyone with a conscience justify voting for McGwire?

Not even his army of sycophants in St. Louis is quite as convinced anymore. Immediately after McGwire’s appearance on Capitol Hill, a Missouri congressman moved to have the slugger’s name removed from a stretch of Interstate-70 named for him after the ‘98 season.

“I don’t think (McGwire) deserves a name on the highway if he can’t be forthcoming about his involvement with this issue,” Rep. William Lacy Clay

said then. The Missouri legislature never followed through, but Mac has had enough sense to altogether avoid St. Louis in the past five years. According to friends, his life has been reduced to playing golf within the confines of his gated community in Arizona.

Perhaps McGwire intends to hide forever. Maybe he will, thus rewriting his legacy: The silence of the scam.

LEDGEND OR LIAR?: Former St. Louis Cardinal Mark McGwire appears at a March 2005 hearing by the House Government Affairs Committee examining steroid use in major league baseball. McGwire’s questioned drug use may compromise his admittance into the Hall of Fame.

Chuck Kennedy/KRT

SPORTS THE UNIVERSITY STAR

teetime The men’s golf team announced its spring schedule Monday, highlighted by the chance to host April’s Southland Conference Tournament. The Bobcats served as co-hosts last year in Kingwood. This year’s league championship will be played at Comanche Trace in Kerrville from April 16 to 18. Texas State plays five tournaments next semester, starting with the UTSA Intercollegiate Feb. 19 to 20.

Wednesday, November, 29 2006 - Page 12

Sports Contact — Chris Boehm, starsports@txstate.edu

Women’s basketball on roll going into Wednesday’s game

By Gabe Mendoza The University Star

Cotton Miller/Star file photo BASKET BOUND: Junior guard Brandon Thomas (5) drives to the basket against the University of Arkansas-Little Rock Nov. 22. The Bobcats come off a four-game losing streak to play Alcorn State 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Strahan Coliseum.

Home healing Bobcats look to end losing streak against Alcorn State

By Nathan Brooks The University Star The Bobcats aren’t nervous about Alcorn State’s visit to Strahan Coliseum tonight, and not because of the Braves’ 0-6 record to start the season.

“We’re not worried about Alcorn State,” said Coach Doug Davalos. “We’re worried about us. We need to improve in every aspect of the game.”

Texas State has struggled in a number of areas so far this season, turning the ball over 22.1 times per game, surrendering 87.8 points per game and allowing teams to shoot 52 percent from field.

Despite the early problems that led to a 1-4 start, Davalos feels his team is learning from each game and improving in the process.

“This is definitely a learning experience,” Davalos said. “We’re learning from wins and from losses.”

The Bobcats are also learning it takes a consistent effort for 40 minutes every night to finish out games.

“We’ve realized after watching the tape, we should have won those games (against Arkansas-Little Rock and North Texas),” Davalos said. “We’re tied with North Texas at halftime, we’re ahead of Arkansas-Little Rock at the half. It’s not whether we can play with these guys, because we’re in games. We

just have to be more consistent.”

Of all the factors currently plaguing the team, Davalos feels consistency is the key to getting the Bobcats back on track.

“If we change o ur approach and attack each possession the same, we’ll be fine,” Davalos said. “We can’t be content with one good possession and then take the next one off.”

Texas State also can’t be content with is the fouls situation this season. The Bobcats are allowing opponents to shoot an average of 41.6 free throw attempts per game.

The coaching staff applauds aggressive fouls and hustle fouls, but said the team is allowing opponents too many free throw attempts this season.

“We’re going to get fouls with the aggressive style of play we have,” Davalos said.

“But right now we’re fouling as a last line of defense, and we can’t have that.”

The Braves are averaging 54.8 points per game this season, while shooting just 32.1 percent from the field.

The fact that they have been without their leading scorer Delvin Thompson the last two games only makes things worse for Alcorn State. Thompson leads the offense, averaging 14.5 points per game to go with 4.8 rebounds. It is unknown whether Thompson will be available Wednesday.

The Braves are coming off a 90-59 loss to Baylor Monday.

his is definitely “T a learning experience. We’re learning from wins and from losses.”

- Doug Davalos basketball coach

The Bobcats have lost four straight games after falling 95-77 to North Texas Saturday.

“As long as we’re learning and not repeating the same mistakes over and over again, and making mistakes we can continue to correct, we’ll be OK,” Davalos said.

The Bobcats have approximately one month remaining before Southland Conference play begins.

“Our goal is to be ready to be a conference championship contender (by Jan. 4),” Davalos said. “I don’t care what our record is, I just want us to play our best basketball when the postseason is on the line. That’s what we’re working for and this game is a step in that direction.”

Women’s basketball will get back on the court at 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday at Strahan Coliseum to face off against Huston-Tillotson University.

The Bobcats are coming off back-to-back wins this past weekend in the CenturyTel Classic tournament at home. Coach Suzanne Fox said the team can’t let its guard down after two close wins.

“We have to go out and do the things we do every night, and that’s guard the ball, block out and rebound and hopefully we can get a W,” Fox said.

After consecutive road losses to Big 12 forces Texas and Texas Tech in the past two weeks, the Bobcats have enjoyed playing at home with a lighter schedule before hitting the road again. Texas State will follow Wednesday’s matchup with a Tuesday showdown with Schreiner. The team will continue with a couple midDecember road games against the Miami Hurricanes and

Texas-Pan American, who the Bobcats narrowly defeated 62-59 Friday night.

The Lady Rams of Huston-Tillotson will come into town with a 1-2 mark, having lost to the only NCAA team they have faced so far this season. They were defeated by Division II Henderson State University 88-57 Nov. 15, and must now face their first of three scheduled contests against NCAA Division I teams.

The Lady Rams, from Austin, play out of the Red River Conference in the NAIA, an athletic association for smaller schools.

Even with facing a smaller program, Fox said she is not about to overlook anyone at this point in the season, and looks for her team to stay sharp on both sides of the ball.

“Anyone who comes in here, we have to play our A-game against,” Fox said. “No matter what name is on the front of the jersey, whether it’s Texas or Huston-Tillotson, we have to play our game and take care of See BASKETBALL, page 11

NFL Network may equal death of free football T h i s T hanks g iving, we saw the future of the NFL. No, not Tony Romo. I’m referring to the addition WILLIAM WARD Star Columnist of a third T hanks g iving game.

Traditionally, the Lions and Cowboys are the two teams allowed to host the two Thanksgiving games, but this year the league went back to former Thanksgiving host Kansas City for a meeting with division rival Denver in the evening, bringing the total to three games. What was interesting about this game, other than the usual great rivalry between the two teams, is that the game was broadcast on the NFL Network — not CBS. This may not seem like a big deal to anyone here in Texas.

We saw our Cowboys game, and that’s all that matters, for now. The problem is that the Kansas City–Denver game may have been the beginning of the end of the NFL as we know it.

By broadcasting the game on the NFL Network, the NFL has attempted to force the hand of fans who want to see this game but who don’t live in the Denver and Kansas City markets.

Most cable providers don’t provide the NFL Network as part of their normal package.

Why would the NFL want to broadcast it’s own games instead of receiving the standard truck full of gold from CBS, NBC, FOX or ESPN? There are several reasons. The easiest reason to understand is money. The networks make a ton of money off advertisers who want to be seen during NFL games. If the NFL was the broadcaster, then it’d get to keep that money, which would more than make up for the money they make selling the rights to a network.

The more sinister reason is because once the NFL is the sole broadcaster of it’s own games, in-game analysts will no longer be free to criticize the league for it’s mistakes. Bryant Gumble famously almost lost his job with the league as an NFL Network personality for criticizing the league while appearing on

HBO. The sport ceases to be objective when it is providing its own game analysis.

All the disapproval on air about new rules to protect quarterbacks wouldn’t exist on the NFL Network. The NFL can’t have its puppets talking bad about the company now, can it?

This is how it starts, people.

First, it’s this Thanksgiving game. Maybe in a few years, it will be the wild-card playoff games. Before we know it, we’re ordering the Super Bowl live on Pay-Per-View. This is what has been set in motion. Anyone who thinks the NFL doesn’t have a grand vision here is naïve.

The NFL has already used broadcast rights as leverage before. The acclaimed ESPN original series Playmakers upset the NFL so much they told ESPN to pull the plug or they would be jeopardizing future broadcast rights of games and highlights.

Pay-Per-View killed boxing.

Plain and simple. It took the sport to all-time levels of disinterest. It’s why Pride Fighting and UFC are catching up.

They offer the sport on basic cable channels. By increasing the monetary commitment required just to watch games (God forbid actually attending), more and more blue-collar and low-income fans are alienated.

The contracts for the networks and ESPN end between 2011 and 2014. The deciding years will come before that. Either the NFL will start talking about renewing the contracts, or you’ll hear that the NFL just created NFL Networks East, Central, Mountain, Southwest and Pacific.

As we tumble blindly towards a future with Pay-PerView football, moon colonies and rocket cars, it’s important to keep things in perspective. If we simply allow things to happen on the course that the NFL wants them to take, then we’ll wake up one day in a different sports world.

I don’t want to have to tell my children that I remember when you could watch football on television for free. Do you?

William Ward is a political science junior