February 20, 2008 Vol. 100, No. 4www.txwes.edu/rambler

The RamblerThe students’ voice since 1917

T E X A S W E S L E Y A N U N I V E R S I T Y

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In memoriumA memorial service for

professor Don Spinks willbe held from noon - 1 p.m.Feb. 22 in the PolytechnicUnited Methodist Churchchapel. All students, facultyand staff are welcome toattend and share theirmemeories of Spinks, whopassed on Jan. 20. For moreinformation about the serv-ice, contact Jessica Krizekat (817) 531-4468.

Get your vote on...early!Early voting for Tarrant

County in the Republicanand Democrat primaries areopen through Feb 29 at 32different locations. Earlyvoting allows you to vote inany precinct in your county.Texans don’t have to regis-ter as Republican orDemocrat, but can only par-ticipate in one party’s pri-mary. Make sure to bringyour voter registration cardor valid identification docu-mentation, such a a photoID, driver’s license, U.S.passport or bitrth certificate.For voting locations, visittarrantcounty.com/evote.

Crushing on Obama?Obama supporters are

hosting a rally from 11 p.m.- 2 p.m. Feb. 23 at DallasCity Hall Plaza. The groupwill be discussing canvassevents, high visibility strate-gies and other outreachactivities.

Gotta Love Ms. DaisyTheater professor Joe

Brown takes the director’schair for the Artisan CenterTheater production ofDriving Ms. Daisy, whichruns through March 1. Visitwww.artisanct.com for fullschedule and ticket prices.Reservations are recom-mended.

Curtain call!Theatre Wesleyan pres-

ents Alan Ayckbourn’s Howthe Other Half Loves at 7:30p.m. Feb. 20-23, with a 2p.m. matinee Feb. 24, in theThad Smotherman Theatre.General admission is $8, $6for faculty and staff and $4with a student ID.

Present yourself Proposals for University

College Day applicationswill be accepted until Feb.29. Contact Stan Rummel( s rummel@txwes . edu )University College Day isApril 1.

Hatton SumnersHatton Sumners

Scholarship applications arebeing accepted until Feb 25.Sophomores with at least 60academic hours completedat the end of this semesterand a 3.0 GPA are elligibleto apply.

HOT JOB opportunities@ Career Services

Web Developer, Radio ShackBilingual Case Manager, SafeHavenBilingul Clinical Counselor, SafeHavenMarketing/Promotions Coordinator, Dallas Cowboys

NEWS BRIEFS

Poetry & Love

New attendancepolicy affects all

Texas Wesleyan University recent-ly adjusted the attendance policy toadd clarification for all students, espe-cially those who are athletes or activein campus organizations.

“It holds everyone to the samestandards,” said Pamela Rast, chair ofthe kinesiology department and direc-tor of the athletic training program.

Excused absences must now gothrough the provost’s office, and pro-fessors are not allowed to implement astricter policy that that of the universi-ty.

With the revised policy in effect,students, particularly athletes andmembers of campus organizations,have to take extra steps to have anabsence declared excused.

All student absences must be madeexcused or authorized by UniversityProvost Allen Henderson and request-ed with a legitimate reason.Concerning athletes and campus orga-nizational members, organizationsponsors have to get their studentmembers’ absences approved for anevent by submitting their departureand returning times to the provostbeforehand.

This is taken a step further for ath-letes. Coaches and team sponsors haveto submit team schedules first to thefaculty athletic committee forapproval, then to the provost.

Along with the clarity in proce-dures to excuse absences for athletes

Deaton, friend dig up dinosaurs in MarmarthWhen talking hobbies, most people

think of golf, scrap-booking and cooking.However, Dr. Bobby Deaton, professor ofphysics, spends his spare time searching,preparing and studying dinosaur bones.

“I first got interested in June of 1997,”said Deaton, who took Wesleyan studentswith him to the land he had leased.

Deaton, who paid for each land leasehimself, started looking in North Dakota.

“You have to first find a site wherethere are a large number of bones,” saidDeaton who was on the search for a tricer-atops. According to Deaton, a completetriceratops has never been found at thesame site, instead, bones are collected fromdifferent sites and placed together to formwhat’s called a composite.

Between the years of 1997 and 2001,Deaton dug four different sites, excavatingabout 200 bones.

“There are still holes,” said Deaton ofthis triceratops skeleton. “I’ve only pre-pared between 30 and 50 bones.

The preparation process for the bones istime consuming and strenuous, takingbetween 50 and 100 hours each bone.Deaton’s current task is trying to get the

skull complete. According to Deaton, once the bone is

discovered, a plaster jacket is placed over iton the site. Then, an exacto-knife is used toclear off the over burden. After working allthe way around the bones, the plaster iscovered in foil and burlap to keep it safeand then flipped over.

After the bone is in a workshop, a mini-blaster is used to get the plaster off.

“You have to learn how to use a lot oftools,” said Deaton, who has since learnedto use the mini-blaster and a welder that isused to make a frame for the bones to sit onin order to construct a frame.

“It’s a huge task,” he said. “It reallytakes forever.”

During his time on the leases, Deatonworked with a young man named TylerLysom.

“Tyler was 14 when I first met him. Hehad a big blue truck he used to call ‘OldBlue,’ and he lived in the tiny town ofMarmarth, N.D.,” said Deaton.

Every year when Deaton would workout on his leases, Tyler would help him.During one of his trips out the site in 2000,Tyler made a ground-breaking discovery: adino-mummy. The dinosaur that had died in

Faculty get a change in e-mail with OutlookIf Texas Wesleyan University faculty and staff want to check their uni-

versity e-mail off campus, they traditionally log into WesNet … until thisspring. WesNet is being replaced by the new and improved Outlook WebAccess. Through this current Web-based e-mail system, Wesleyan facultyand staff can check their e-mail more easily and with more features availablethrough the system.

Like WesNet, OWA represents an abbreviated version of Microsoft’sOutlook but is much bigger and more appealing to the eye, users claim. Toboost client productivity, the new Outlook Web Access has features such assearch capabilities, document access, smart-calendar scheduling anddecreased number of clicks needed to complete tasks.

“It is robust, and a new way to communicate,” said Jose V. Ortega, direc-tor for the information and communication technology department.

Along with being stronger and more flexible than WesNet, it also is moresecure.

“Although WesNet was secure, OWA will surely keep confidential infor-mation from getting away from TWU,” said Gary Brunner, infrastructuresupport specialist.

Along with the desire to offer Wesleyan staff and faculty a better offcampus e-mail system, ICT’s other motive was to keep up to date withMicrosoft.

Prior to the implementation of OWA, everything at TWU was configuredwith Microsoft’s NT server. Microsoft no longer claims this server.Therefore, Wesleyan recently had to migrate to Microsoft’s new server,Active Directory. With the installment of this server, Outlook Web Accesscame into existence.

“When Microsoft gets smarter, we have to get smarter along with it,”said Brunner.

The new server will be on all Wesleyan campuses, including Burlesonand the law school, by March.

“We are one-third of the way through in implementing Active Directoryon all TWU’s campuses,” said Brunner.

SHAMEKA HYATTSTAFF WRITER

SHAMEKA HYATTSTAFF WRITER

Tyler Lysom inspects one of the findings next to BobbyDeaton, professor of physics (right). Lysom found a dino-mummy and was featured on National Geographic last year.

See Attendance, page 2

Photo courtesy of Bobby Deaton

Photos by Tiara Nugent

COLLEEN BURNIEENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

The Aries“Broken Heartsand Fresh Starts”open-mic eventdrew a healthycrowd of studentsand English fac-ulty Feb. 14.English professorKaren Hodgesand juniorEnglish majorMartin Garciawere two of thereaders duringthe Valentine’sDay event.

See Dinosaurs, page 2

News2 February 20, 2008 The Rambler

TThhee RRaammbblleerr

awaits...

Meetings every Thursday - free period - Stella Russell Hall lobbywww.txwes.edu/ramblertwurambler@yahoo.com

Cheaper textbook bill passes Congress, heads to SenateCongress has set out to aid college students by lowering

costs across the board. The U.S. House of Representativespassed the College Opportunity and Affordability Act onFeb. 7. It is part of Congress’ year-long attempt to level theplaying field when it comes to higher education.

The bill passed 345 to 58 and is now on its way to theSenate.

Along with simplifying the student-loan process,increasing the maximum Pell Grant and providing $20 bil-lion more for federal student loans, a portion of the bill isdevoted to curbing textbook prices.

Both Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., chair of theEducation and Labor Committee, and Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, worked to get the bill organized and passed through theHouse.

Brad Bauman, a spokesman for Ryan, said that the bill’sgoal is to act as a “Bill of Rights” for college students bystrengthening the nation’s higher-education programs toensure that they operate in the best interests of the studentsand their families.

“Congressman Ryan believes that we need to ensure thatevery American who wants to continue their education aftergraduating high school will be able to afford it,” Baumansaid.

Ryan sponsored an amendment to the bill that authorizestextbook-rental programs at 10 schools across the country.

“There are currently a few such programs around thenation, and costs of textbooks can typically be decreased bytwo-thirds in some cases,” Bauman said.

The bill would dramatically simplify the textbook-pur-chasing process for college students. It would set up a Website listing textbook prices from a variety of booksellers sothat students could compare prices more easily.

The act also aims to break up book packages commonlysold to students.

By individually packaging products, students will beable to purchase a particular CD, workbook or textbookrather than being forced to purchase the entire set.

“Rep. Ryan believes that college students and their fam-ilies have been saddled with skyrocketing costs in highereducation and student loan debt as a result,” Bauman said.

Sophomore Naomi Rosen thinks that the act is a greatidea but that the textbook reforms are not the answer to all

the problems associated with college costs.“It’s the wrong thing to focus on,” she said. “It’s not

going to solve the problem, but it will help alleviate costs forme.”

BRIAN HONIGMANU-WIRE/THE PITT NEWS

Courtesy of Google Images

that site had been preserved, flesh and all.According to Science News, the hadrosaur, nicknamed Dakota, was the first-ever find of a dinosaur where the skin

“envelope” had not collapsed onto the skeleton. This has allowed scientists to calculate muscle volume and mass for the firsttime. The fact that the skin is mostly intact allows for the exciting possibility that some of its original chemistry is still pres-ent.

According to USA Today, hadrosaurs were about 25 to 30 feet long and stood 6 to 8 feet tall at the hip. They lived at thesame time as the tyrannosaurus rex, in the last major flowering of dinosaurs.

With the aid of a giant CT scanner provided by the Boeing Company, technology usually reserved for testing aircraft andspacecraft parts for NASA, the team also attempted to peer inside Dakota’s preserved body and tail. The scan of the 3,600-kilogram body was of the one of the largest CT scans ever undertaken.

Some of the conclusions that have come from the new discovery include the theory that the backside of hadrosaur isabout 25 percent larger than they thought, which would allow it to move 10 to 28 mph faster than the T. Rex.

Tyler graduated from Swarthmore University in Philadelphia, and he is now working in the paleontology department atYale.

There was a National Geographic special on Tyler that aired in December. “He has become a bit of a celebrity,” said Deaton, “but he still looks 14 to me.”As for the triceratops, Deaton estimates that it will take him about another 10 years to finish the 2000 pound, 6-foot-long

skeleton.“It’s a massive undertaking,” said Deaton. “It’s a ‘many person dinosaur.’”

Dinosaurs, from page 1

Deaton has been digging since 1997, on the search for a complete triceratops skeleton. A complete skeleton has never been found,and Deaton is currently working to build a composite from multiple findings.

and student organization members, additional daysof absence, past the maximum amount mentioned inthe attendance policy, can be excused under specialcircumstances. A special circumstance can be ateam or organization advancing to the regional ornational level in athletic, fine arts or academic com-petition.

Although a lot of responsibility seems to lie onthe organizational sponsors in the revised atten-dance policy, students are still responsible for noti-fying their instructors of an absence prior to anymissed class, as stated in the attendance policy.

Along with this, students are responsible forcompleting any work they missed in classes whenabsent.

Professors cannot make stricter attendance poli-cies for their classes under the corrected attendancepolicy.

Rast said the policy provides needed unity.“We all are now on the same page, interpreting

the policy the same way,” said Rast. She also said that the clarified attendance poli-

cy will better the image of the athletic department.An athlete has to be participating in intercollegiatecompetition in order to obtain an excused absenceon specific days.

“Athletes who feel they can just miss class anduse athletic competition as a false excuse reallymake the athletic department look bad,” said Rast.

In addition, Rast said, the policy will benefit theentire student body.

“Students see that they are required to takeresponsibility for their classroom attendance,” shesaid.

Like the past attendance policy, the new atten-dance policy states students are allowed fiveexcused absences for a Monday-Wednesday-Fridayclass, three excused absences for a Tuesday-Thursday class and two excused absences for a labclass meeting once a week.

Unexcused absences that do not involve athlet-ic or organizational competition can only beexcused when illness and other emergencies are afactor. Students who accumulate an amount ofunexcused absences equivalent to the number ofdays a class meets per week in a semester can bedropped from the course at the instructor’s discre-tion.

Courtesy of Bobby Deaton

Attendance, from page 1

Not your average kissing booth

Theater professor Joe Brown and junior Matthew Whitaker run the Gay-StraightAlliance’s Kisses & Condoms table, providing protection and fresh breath to students.

Photo by Kevin Keathley

OpinionsThe Rambler February 20, 2008 3

The RamblerFounded in 1917 as The Handout

Harold G. Jeffcoat, Publisher Kelli Lamers, adviser Shawn R Poling, editor-in-chief Tiara Nugent, managing/college life editor Bryce Wilks, sports editorColleen Burnie, entertainment editor Skyla Claxton, advertising manager

Member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association.Opinions expressed in The Rambler are those of the individual author only

and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Texas Wesleyan community as a whole. Letters to the editor: The Rambler, a weekly publication, welcomes all letters.

All submissions must have a full printed name, phone number and signature; however, confidentiality will be granted if requested. While every consideration is made to publish letters, publication is limited by time and space.

The editors reserve the right to edit all submissions for space, grammar, clarity and style. Letters to the editor may be subject to response from editors and students on the opinions page.

"We are not afraid to follow the truth...wherever it may lead." -Thomas Jefferson

Address all correspondence to:Texas Wesleyan University, The Rambler, 1201 Wesleyan St., Fort Worth, TX 76105.

Newsroom: 531-7552 Advertising: 531-7582 Fax: 531-4878 E-mail: twurambler@yahoo.com

Rambler RatingsThumbs up to the men andwomen’s basketball teams forhomecoming victories.

Thumbs up to those who vote.

Thumbs down to the crazy drivers tearing down the center of parking lot aisles.

Thumbs up to students keeping up with piles ofhomework.

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That’s right, everybody. The campaign that initiatedin Dallas last year that calls for your pants to rise

above the Mason Dixon line has now launched itsefforts in Fort Worth. A resolution was passed to send amessage to those who wear baggy pants.

You might have seen bill-boards pop up in defense of thecampaign. DFW and its neighbor-ing suburbs have drawn a specialinterest to the issue. You mighthave run intohiphopgovernment.org’s billboard

stating, “Grandma says: Pull ‘em up!” Dallas City Councilman Dwaine Caraway, who

started the movement last year, agrees that sagging “isa disrespect,number one, tothemselves andthen it’s a dis-respect for allfemales.”

The driveinitially beganas a public edu-cation programagainst citizenswearing baggypants. It hassince gainedpopularity withorganizationsstriving toimprove thepublic image ofthe trendy hip-hop communi-ty.

The Fort Worth City Council recently elected to contribute, and a reso-lution for supporting the campaign was voted on late in January.According to a portion of the resolution, “the city gladly joins” this move-ment.

Is this really necessary? Is the community and its citizens worryingabout too many trivial matters and pouring its labors into futile efforts?Some might agree on that notion, saying that the ‘sag’ is just a trend, likeany other.

On the other hand, trends like these lead to misinterpretation andeventually stereotypical beliefs. Many advocates of Pull ‘em Up focus onthe fact that sagging could eventually hurt an individual’s chances ofemployment. In the technological world we live in where people are fasci-nated with displaying their life on public networks, perception becomes

reality. If you wantto wear your pantsone way, people willjudge you accord-ingly.

Jay Scroggins,Damon Wofford andChris Williams,cofounders of Hip-Hop Government,would agree thatissues like these are

affecting their culture, and something has to bedone. They realize that media attention on hip-hoppersonalities is often too negative, and there is amuch needed change. They have now started a revo-lution and have been “recognized for [their] positivecontributions to the community,” according to ChrisRichburg of allhiphop.com. Recently, Scroggins,Wofford and Williams appeared on the nationallytelevised Dr. Phil show to help take the campaignnationwide.

Following Caraway’s ways, Fort Worth CityCouncilman Frank Moss raised a concern that toomany people, focusing on minorities, have createdan unfavorable image for themselves in the publiceye just for the way they dress. Is it fair?

The stereotypes might be unjust, especially for theones who think they’re merely making a fashionstatement, but it’s an unavoidable fact that they haveto live with, and it might make them face harsh con-sequences.

The DFW area is pushing hard for the campaign—particularly in theeducational zone. They, and many others, have teamed up with Hip-HopGovernment under the slogan: One Team, One Dream, One Vote. Pull ‘emUp is desperately trying to reach out to the national and international hip-hop communities in order for them to take a firm stance addressing theirgeneration’s concerns and image.

Pull’em Up

MARTINGARCIA

Martin Garcia is a junior English major and is a staff writer for The Rambler.

Local governments attempt to re-fashion a generation’s image

Courtesy of Google Images

Iremember the homecomingfestivities at my high

school. My fellow students atFort Worth’s own SouthwestHigh School were moreexcited about homecomingthat prom, and theweek of events preced-ing the big game anddance had even thenonconformists joiningin on pajama day and

other crazy activities ... every single one ofthem pointless, juvenile and altogetherlame.

Oh, the memories of homecoming. Groups like the drama club and the cheer-leaders and the spirit team all relishedpajama day, crazy hair day, face paint day,spirit day and whatever other “fun” themesplanners would come up with. All thegroups even stayed hours after school oneday to decorate homecoming doors.

Did anyone actually think that wearingpajamas to high school would somehowcreate instant fun? What about crazy hairday? Seriously? As if public education inTexas wasn’t enough of a joke, just addsome pajamas.

I remember making this argumentwhile I was still in high school, heck, evenback in middle school. I figure, if you wanteverybody excited, hold a pep rally during thelast period of the day.

You not only get the kids out of class for anhour (high schoolers love that), but you actuallygive them something fun to do, as opposed togiving them permission to attend class withouteven changing clothes.

That was all I had to say about the subject,until those pointless events came back to hauntme on the campus of Texas Wesleyan University. I could deal with a homecoming game. We col-lege students have matured somewhat since ourhigh school days, but a good homecoming game

is nothing to scoff at. But crazy day (Feb. 11),described by Student Life as a day to wear paja-mas and funny glasses?

Some students, usually those who live oncampus, already come to class in pajamas. I’mnot even going to discuss the “funny glasses.”Even worse, students were encouraged to comeby the Student Life office in their absolutely

crazy pajamas to get their picture taken. For what, exactly? Is someone compiling a

photo album of students in their sleep clothes?This bothers me a little bit. It’s very To Catch APredator, if you know what I mean.

Then came spirit pep rally day (Feb. 14),calling for students to get crazy and cre-ative with their pride for Wesleyan’steams, followed by sports teams day(Feb. 15), when students were supposedto wear hats or jerseys from their favoriteteam, which turned out to be the onlysports or homecoming related eventsbesides the game.

Snaps to whoever Xerox-edthese two events, although I never sawone student who participated in either. Homecoming week culminated on Feb.

16 with a slew of events, including thecoronation of the king and queen (Wow.We have these in college?), announce-ment of the spirit paddle contest winner(Wow. Just a big, sarcastic wow.) and ablack light party in Stella Russell Hall.(Were felt posters and mind-altering sub-stances provided?)

At least I have an opinion aboutthis issue. Every student I talked to eitherdidn’t know or didn’t care about theevents, as they barely registered on stu-dents’ radars. Maybe those students real-

ize their ages. After all, we are all in college,soon to enter something called the real world(sans pajamas, I might add).

And maybe someday, some members of ourhomecoming planning committee will realize thestudents surrounding them aren’t children.

SHAWN R.POLING

Shawn R. Poling is a senior writing major and is theeditor-in-chief for The Rambler.

Homecoming lameness lives on through college

Courtesy of Google Images

College Life The RamblerFebruary 20, 2008

Let’s face it, cartoons are awesome.When I was a kid, I would wake my

brother up on Saturday mornings, securea big bowl of sugar-coated cereal andtune in for my weekly cartoon fix. Itwas, as they say, awesome. But I didn’tjust get a sugar fix and bleeding eyeballson Saturday mornings, I also got an edu-cation.

Shows like G.I Joe taught me that“knowing is half the battle,” and evenHe-Man threw in a moral lesson at the

end. Looney Tunes introduced me to classical music fromthe likes of Grieg and Wagner, as well as the 1812 Overture(complete with cannons!). OK, not all the cartoons of mychildhood harbored such noble intent: The Smurfs taughtme that walking around without a shirt is the only way totravel (unless you’re the only girl – then you have to wear adress), and Dino-Riders taught me the vital skill of ridingdinosaurs for military gain.

Still, I think the cartoons we had then were of betterstock than what’s available now. And why is that? Have wenot evolved? Didsociety notprogress? Whyare many of thecartoons I grewup with (NinjaTurtles,Transformers,etc.) beingremade into newand “improved”versions? Are thewriters of todaynot as creative asthose back then?Is this just anexample of popculture recycling itself?

When I was a kid, we didn’t have cable. (“We caneither have cable or we can eat,” my dad said to me. Iwould’ve opted for the cable.) Cable also wasn’t as preva-lent as it is now. Today everyone I can think of has cable.It’s like a cell phone – you just assume people have one.

In the year 2008, we live in a progressive society wherehomosexual unions are legal (in some states, though I

wouldn’t hold your breath for Texas) and a person who isnot a white man has a chance at the presidency. In this timeof enlightenment and infinite choices of cable channels,why are the cartoons so lame?

OK, notevery one ofthe cartoonsout now isawful. SpongeBob is prettygood, but I’mstrained tofind manymore that Icare for. Theonslaught ofanimatedshows thatriddle the air-waves now isdepressing tome. If you’re

into Amine, more power to you, andI understand that the genre has itsshining stars (Cowboy Be-Bop isn’tso bad), but, for the most part, the

stories are lame, the dialogue overtly expositional, and thecharacter exchange is artificial and exaggerated.

Again, this is not to say that cartoons of the late ‘80sand early ‘90s are flawless and devoid of any of the abovementioned faux paus; it is only my opinion that today’smass produced, over-saturated animation market lacks acertain charm.

Will this half-hearted approach to cartoons have any

effect on the children of today? Will the next generation’sview of cartoons be tainted by the cartoon experience oftheir youth? Will they cease to see cartoons as awesome?

Admittedly, there is a bit of “good ol’ day” syndromekicking in, but I remember the art being morecarefully considered, stories more lovinglycrafted, time spent watching them more cher-ished. When I was a kid, cartoons basically onlycame on during Saturday mornings, there wasn’ta 24-hour Cartoon Network (not one I hadaccess to anyway), nor were there TiVos or theInternet.

The people of my generation (which maybe a little older than the average reader’s gener-ation…I’m 28 for point of reference) havegrown up, and we’ve taken our love of cartoonswith us. Today, a plethora of animated showsaimed at an adult audience exists in mainstreamculture. Shows like The Simpsons, Family Guyand Aeon Flux are specifically targeted at an

adult audi-ence, anaudiencethat grewout of itsSaturdaymorningcartoonsbut is stillhungry foranimation.

Whileanimationis seen as alesser formof art (even

in writing communities, writers of animated series are notcovered in the Writer’s Guild), I feel like the tide is turning.The generation of people who grew up watching and lovingcartoons have never lost that love.

Hopefully, with the help of new blood and series likeThe Simpsons (running 18 years and counting), animationwill be granted the dignity it deserves and retain that digni-ty with the emerging generation.

From accessories and shoes to denim and Ts, the ‘80s can be seen in almost all facets offashion today. Straight-legged jeans, slogan tees, leggings, “door-knocker” earrings and bigglasses are popular. Eighties babies have taken the trends of theirbirth era and given them a modern feel.

Depending on the look one might want to create, mixing andmatching new and old fashion from thrift stores, boutiques andstores around the world will bring any look up to date.

Men1. Aviators by Fashion Eyes, $3, eBay.com Sunglasses can turnfrumpy into flashy, and,like the past, the biggerthe better. Aviators havealways been around andusually pop in and out ofmainstream fashion.2. Jacket by Heritage,$27, Forever XXI Fromthe popular, ‘80s-inspired Members-Onlyjackets to sequined, col-orful and polyesterbombers, jackets andhoodies are still in stylewith bright colors andintricate patterns.3. Rock & Rollnewsprint tee byHeritage, $18.90, Forever XXI Screen and logo tees were extremely popular during the ‘80sand, in fact, have never really disappeared. A great tee can showcase personality and make apair of jeans pop.

4. Scarf, $2, thrift stores self-sufficiency Bandanas in various colors and designs wereextremely popular in the ‘80s. Today, along with bandanas, scarves have become hot acces-sories. Add a splash of color or spice up an outfit with a simple neck scarf or bandana.5. Black, straight-leg jeans by Heritage, $31.90, Forever XXI Like ladies’ denim, guys have

a variety of styles and washes avail-able. Textured and patterned jeansare also popular.6. Chuck Taylor All-Stars, $39.99,Footlocker.com With a variety ofcolors and designs, Chuck Taylor’scan be paired with many things. Ifthese don’t fit one’s style, NikeDunk’s are a great substitute.

Women1. Dark Horse T-shirt, $25, Milk Bar boutique T-shirts are meant to becomfortable and are very unforgiving if the fit is not right. Make surethey’re not too tight or too big.2. Mini “door-knockers,” $4, Express Chunky, gold earrings were so ‘80sand are making a comeback today. These earrings can be worn with any-thing and add a splash of flavor to any outfit.3. Red, patent leather clutch, $10, Forever XXI Big bags really make astatement but are not for everyone. A clutch is perfect or a night out on the

town or to tone it down a bit.4. Bangles in various styles, $4.50, Forever XXI Back then it was bright rubberbracelets and lots of them; today bangles are the new twist. From chunky to skinny,they add to an overall look, but are not meant for every occasion. They should only beworn with casual dress or when going out.5. Sweetheart jeans by Old Navy, $25 Color is back, and the brighter the better.

Denim now comes in a variety of colors and washes. Great jeans are a key part of an outfit,and although skinny and straight are in, go with what works for your body.6. Black, patent leather pumps by Sam & Libby, $40, DSW These semi-flat, pump-styleshoes can be shown off with a cuffed or skinny short jean. Return to those Flashdance daysby adding a pair of leggings or leg warmers.

DANIELLE MEADOWSUWIRE/THE LANTERN

CHUCKFAIN

Chuck Fain is a junior writing major and is a staff writer for TheRambler.

Cartoons from the average college student’s gen-eration -- including Looney Toons, Ninja Turtlesand the Smurfs -- offered more edification thando the typical cartoons of kids today.

Knock, knock ... the totally rad ’80s have returned

Modern cartoons lack lessons and cultural florish

Courtesy of Google Images

Hatton Sumners scholarship offers more than just monetary support to recipients

Applications are now available for students to apply forthe Hatton W. Sumners Scholarship, but if you want toapply, there’s no time to lose. Feb. 25 marks the cut-off forthis prestigious grant.

Scholarship grantees will receive $3,500 per semester inconjunction with previously-bestowed institutional scholar-ships. Award money cannot, however, exceed tuition costs.

In addition to the monetary benefits, Sumners scholarsare encouraged to attend formal luncheons in Dallas, hostedby either the Hatton Sumners Foundation or the NCPA, withguest speakers such as Gen. Tommy Franks, author LindaChavez, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Supreme CourtJustice Clarence Thomas. An annual four-day leadershipconference in Austin also lands on scholars’ schedules.

Senior business major Megan Krause was awarded theHatton Sumners scholarship in the spring of ’06.

“The highlight of my involvement with Hatton Sumnershas been having the honor to listen to and even meet thespeakers at the luncheons and the conferences,” she said.“Not many students are able to have the opportunity to lis-ten to the speaker we have. It is also exciting to listen to thespeakers and their various viewpoints. It not only opens ourminds to new ideas, but it also allows us to understand someissues more clearly.”

Qualifications are few in number, but rigid. Althoughpreference is generally given to students who are majoringin political science, pre-law, history or those planning toteach in the field of social studies, there is no restriction ofmajors.

According to the university press release, “studentsfrom other program areas who have high academic achieve-ment (cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater), have completed 60academic hours by the beginning of the fall 2008 semester,are involved in activities and exhibit leadership and a strongsense of community responsibility will also be considered.”

Additional eligibility criteria are stated in the applica-tion form, which is obtainable from the financial aid office.Students transferring into Texas Wesleyan are also qualifiedto apply.

In addition to the application form, students must turn ina photograph, official transcript, professional resume and anessay addressing personal background, life experiences andfuture ambitions.

Selected applicants will be interviewed by the SumnerFoundation trustees April 7.

“Receiving the HS Scholarship meant more than what Iprobably am able to say,” said Krause. “Not only has theinvolvement been beneficial, but the overall scholarship hasallowed me to finish my education here at Wesleyan. Fromreceiving my degree at Wesleyan, I hope to further pursuemy education and give back to the community one day.That is something I have planned to do for many years, andthe HS has allowed me to pursue my goals.”

TIARA NUGENTMANAGING EDITOR

There is only one language in the world of sports,and it consists mostly of the word “win.” But don’t tellthat to junior Carlos Chiu. His bilingual abilities havelanded him a job for the upcoming summer Olympicsin Beijing., just a back-up plan in case he’s not compet-ing in them.

Chiu, a top table tennis player, was born and raisedin Mexico City, but his parents are both from China.He speaks four languages fluently, including Chineseand Spanish, which is an asset to the Mexican OlympicCommittee.

He was contacted last semester with news that thecommittee would like to send him to China to help curethe language barrier.

In December he traveled to China as a translator, helping with preliminary communica-tions concerning security and facility evaluations among top representatives from both Chinaand Mexico. Chiu was offered a job for the summer and plans to go back for the games,which begin Aug. 8.

This isn’t the first brush with the Olympics for Chiu, who was an alternate for LatinAmerica’s table tennis team in Athens in summer 2006.

“At tryouts I had to be one of the best in Mexico, and then in all of Latin America. Outof 100 final guys, six made it. I was number seven.” Chiu said.

He added that many places recruit players who have no ties to that particular country andare just trying to win at any cost.

“Many countries in Latin America recruit players from Asia who are professionals andpractice several hours a day. That’s impossible for someone like me who works and hasclasses to keep up with.”

This time around, Chiu is worried that training for the Olympics would take away fromschool work, and the international business major is committed to earning a degree and mov-

ing on to graduate school. After obtaining a master’s degree, Chiu would like to stay inAmerica and work for a few years before returning to Mexico to start his own business.

“Tryouts are next month, but I don’t know if it’s going to happen this year,” Chiu said.“Maybe if I am playing really well at the right time and it won’t mess with academics.”

Wesleyan’s table tennis coaches scouted Chiu when he was in high school at a tourna-ment in Florida. He said that coming to Wesleyan offered him the unique experience ofstudying in America and getting a scholarship to play his sport.

“At first, my dad wanted me to play as a kid, and I didn’t like it. Then I improved andstarted to enjoy it. Now it has taken me around the world and paid for some of my educa-tion.”

Regardless of Chiu’s playing status, his Olympic experience is sure to be memorable. Hewill get to experience things like the “Bird’s Nest” (Beijing National Stadium), which is astate-of-the-art facility that will host many of the events, including the opening and closingceremonies.

According to china.org.cn, the stadium features a retractable roof, can hold up to 100,000spectators and cost the equivalent of $500 million U.S. dollars to build. That’s a bargain,compared to the new stadium in Arlington, a comparable facility that is currently projectedto cost over $1 billion by 2009.

Not everyone can go to China with Chiu, but he would welcome company from anyWesleyan student at a much closer location.

“Anyone who goes to Mexico City can come by and eat a meal at one of my father’srestaurants,” Chiu said. “I know all the places to go for a good time.”

Food, good times and the glory of athletic competition. Just a few things you can under-stand without knowing four languages.

SportsThe Rambler February 20, 2008 5

Log on to:www.ramsports.netfor the latest game

information andprofiles of your

favorite WesleyanTeams and Athletes

Quick Quotes"I think NASCAR wouldbe much more excitingif, like in a skating rink,every 15 minutes some-one announced it wastime to reverse direc-tion."

- Jeffrey T. Anbinder

Feb. 21*2 p.m. Baseball vs.Cumberland

Feb. 22*10 a.m. Softball vs.University of Science &Arts of Oklahoma

*1 p.m. Softball vs.Oklahoma BaptistUniversity

*3 p.m. Softball vs.Rogers State

Feb. 23*Noon Baseball vs.William Woods

Feb. 24*12:30 p.m. Baseball vs.William Woods

Feb. 25*2 p.m. Baseball vs. UT-Dallas

*5:30 p.m. Women’sBasketball vs. Huston-Tillotson

*7:30 p.m. Men’sBasketball vs. Huston-Tillotson

Feb. 26*2 p.m. Baseball vs.Oklahoma City

*denotes home game

Upcoming Events

Sports BriefsRams move to 10-2 inconference play; beatSouthwestern Assembliesof God on homecomingFeb. 16The basketball team movedto 10-2 in conference playafter a 75-64 win overSouthwestern Assembliesof God. Kennith Gober ledall scorers with 20 points.

Lady Rams run over LadyLionsFeb. 16The women’s basketballteam took a conference awin over SouthwesternAssemblies of GodUniversity, 81-71. KimGatling led the way with 20points, 6 assists, 5rebounds and 4 steals.

Rams sweep Bulldogs Feb. 14The baseball team swept adoubleheader from JarvisChristian College, takinggame one 4-2 and gametwo 4-0. Pitchers JaysonRachuig and Joey Evanspicked up wins on the day.

Awards and HonorsFeb. 12Kennith Gober was namedconference player of theweek in men’s basketball,his second recognition ofthe season. Pitcher JaysonRachuig nabbed the pitcherof the week award in base-ball after his performanceagainst Lubbock Christian.

BRYCE WILKSSPORTS EDITOR

Carlos Chiu is in his third season asa member of Wesleyan’s table ten-nis team. He barely missed out onrepresenting Latin America for the2004 summer games in Athens.

Second time around Carlos Chiu’s paddle already made him an Olympic

alternate. Now another skill can take him all the way.

Photos courtesy of Carlos Chiu

Carlos Chiu wentto Beijing over theholiday break withthe MexicanOlympicCommittee. He wasput to work as acommunicator andtranslator, butfound time to seethings like BeijingNational Stadium,or the “Bird’sNest” (picturedbehind him). Thestadium is a state-of-the-art facilityand will host sever-al events this sum-mer.

Ready or not...

Get on the floor

Freshmen contributors needto step up for softball team

Texas WesleyanUniversity’s softball teamis preparing for a season toremember. They’ve beengetting ready for months,and they’re currently put-ting their skills to the testas the season opens.

Ashley Tarrant, afreshman exercise sciencemajor, described the teammembers as workingtogether very well.

“We’re really strong,”the pitcher said. “We meshtogether well and get alongwell because we are herefor the same reason.”

Tarrant added thathead coach ShannonGower hasw o r k e dthe teamhard sinceA u g u s ta n de n c o u r -aged play-ers to takethe off-s e a s o nvery seriously.

Because there are somany new freshmen on theteam, Tarrant said they arestill learning each other’stalents in order to worktogether as well as possi-ble. These younger playerslook to seniors like BrookeMcNabb, a senior chem-istry major, to show themthe way.

“There is a mix ofreturning players and thenew talent that Coachrecruited. Every year, wekeep getting better and bet-ter talent-wise,” McNabbsaid. “That’s the biggestthing that we’ll see.”

McNabb, Ariel Raley,Lindsey Molinar andElizabeth Brady are theseniors leading the groupof new players, and theupperclassmen aren’t pre-pared to be stagnant intheir final season.

McNabb saw actionmostly at first base lastyear, but she has startedout in center field this year.

“I am a utility player,

meaning I can be put any-where,” McNabb said. “Idon’t pitch or catch, but Idon’t have a set position inthe outfield or infield.”

That will surely helpher spot on the team.

“Because everyone onthe team is so talented,finding a starting spot foreach individual will be dif-ficult,” McNabb said.

Gower will be respon-sible for sorting the deckand guiding and coordinat-ing the young team.Deciding who pitches andwhen to make changes willbe one of the toughestaspects.

“The pitching is differ-ent,” McNabb said. “Eachpitcher has different quali-ties. Depending on what

team weplay, thatd e t e r -m i n e sw h opitches.”

The so-f t b a l lteam isl o o k i n g

for suc-cess but taking their time,as it will be a process thatneeds to run the course.

“We have all the talentto go far if we stay deter-mined and work hard atpractice,” McNabb said.“There’s no telling how farwe can go. I want to go allthe way to nationals. Thatwould be my dream to fin-ish my senior year with abig win like that.”

Raley, third basemen,is also hopeful about theprimarily young team.

“The team is facing alot of difficulties to prepareus for the games that actu-ally count,” she said.“Hopefully our commit-ment will enable us to havea successful season.”

The uncertainty isn’tgetting anyone down.

“I’m not worried,”Raley said. “I think we’lldo great. If we a have a badday, we’ll make up for it.Our team is dedicatedenough to pull thingstogether.”

KEVIN KEATHLEYSTAFF WRITER

Photo by Kevin Keathley

Sophomore theater major Chris Hatcher (left) and sophomore athletic training major JoakimSoderbaum are two of the students who have taken an interest in floorball. The upstart leagueconducts practices on Wednesdays from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. in the Sid Richardson Gym.

“I’m not worried. I thinkwe’ll do great. If we a havea bad day, we’ll make up forit. Our team is dedicatedenough to pull thingstogether.”

– Ariel RaleySenior third baseman

Freshman pitcher Cami Riley is just one of several youngplayers that will contribute to the softball team this season.

Photo by Kevin Keathley

Once every twomonths I treat

myself to some reallyexpensive seafood. I’mnot talking DaddyJack’s (I might have todrop out of college toafford that bill), but,instead, the moderate-ly pricey Pappadeauxseafood restaurant ismy personal seafood

poison. My best friends and I pile in, each

forking over enough cash for a variety ofappetizers, entrees and desserts. It’s a littlepeace of heaven on earth, and, gosh darn, Ithink I deserve it.

But while my companions and I enjoyour ocean-flavored feast in the glossy andatmospheric dining room, what exactly isgoing in behind those mysterious, ever-swinging kitchen doors, emblazoned withthe stern message EMPLOYEES ONLY?

Unable to venturepast those doors andinspect the operationourselves, Fort Worthresidents’ only optionwas to check the city’sWeb site for anextremely short,extremely temporary, ever-changing list ofrestaurant inspections records. If you everwanted to see your favorite restaurant’sreport card, you’d have to know exactlywhen it was last inspected, after which youhad a short time to find it online.

Now, thanks to a new change on FortWorth’s official Web site, you can find thepast inspection records for many of FortWorth’s many restaurants, forever! Thenew feature is already very extensive, buthas yet to add some smaller chains andindependent restaurants.

The new feature seemed great when Ifirst learned of it. But did I really want toknow all the dirty secrets hiding in thekitchens of my favorite eateries? After alittle logical thinking, I felt it was thesafest option to check in on them, even ifit meant possibly giving up Pappadeaux’sgiant plate of crawfish.

Pappadeaux, as it turns out, fared pret-ty well in past inspections. In last year’sinspection, the seafood restaurant receiveda total of 20 demerits. I’m not exactly surehow good or bad of a score that is, buttheir score paled in comparison to that ofupscale downtown Fort Worth giant Reata.

The majority of Pappadeaux’s demer-its were from improper hand washing and

mislabeled chemical containers, not tomention minor problems with heating andcooling, which were fixed on-sight imme-diately.

Before I wandered into Reata’s inspec-tion information, I briefly thoughtPappadeaux’s might be one of the “badones,” but Pappadeaux’s 20 demeritsbecame miniscule when I saw Reata’swhopping 44 demerits from their 2007inspection.

Their list of problems is long, includ-ing improper food temperatures, cross-contamination, insufficient sanitizationhabits, broken plumbing, unavailable man-ager/handlers certificates, inadequate light-ing in various areas including refrigerators,stocking unusable canned goods, and thelist goes on.

Looks like along with your $30brownie and $25 tamale, you will get afree side of contamination and a compli-mentary glass of pure gross. Cheers!

According to the city of Fort Worth, a“bad” score would be 30demerits or more.Although in the past ascore was subtractedfrom 100 to come upwith a passing or failing“grade,” it is nowimpossible to fail a

health inspection. Instead, if an eatery receives 30

demerits or more, the business is requiredto begin corrective action immediately(with inspector still present), 48 hours isgiven to begin repairs that can’t be doneimmediately, and is subject to an inspec-tion within 24 hours.

From looking at piles of scores, it’splain to see that it’s impossible to get aperfect score, and I was hard pressed tofind any restaurants I knew of that had lessthan 15 demerits from their last inspection.

The one amazing surprise I had waswhen looking through the scores of localrestaurants. Wesleyan’s neighbor, FlashPoint Boogie Burger, had by far the bestscore I saw (six demerits in 2007). I can’tremember another restaurant that had lessthan 10.

Although I’m sure some restaurantowners are less than happy with this Website, I believe it can do nothing but providebeneficial information for the citizens ofFort Worth.

You can find Fort Worth’s onlinehealth inspection reports at www.fort-worthgov.org/applications/Health/.

After taking on theworld of NASCAR,

ice skating and newsmen, Will Ferrell makeshis debut as a semi-probasketball player in thenewest movie in his com-edy line-up, Semi-Pro.

The plot follows thestory of the Flint Tropics,a Michigan team thatJackie Moon (Will

Ferrell) owns, coaches and plays for. Theteam is last in the league and soon finds outthat a merger has been negotiated to take thebest four teams to the NBA. It then becomesMoon’s mission to get his team to win andattract a crowd in order to win a spot withthe NBA.

Ferrell’s characterbrings the perverted jokes,enthusiasm and enduringquality that fans havecome to expect. Moon,who earned all of hismoney on his hit song, Love Me Sexy, is across between a ‘70s disco star and basket-ball player.

The change agent in the movie is Monix(Woody Harrelson), a washed-up benchwarmer who used to play for the Celtics andhas returned to Flint to chase the “one whogot away,” Lyn (ER’s Maura Tierney).Encouraged by the Tropics best player,Clarence Coffee Black (Outkast’s AndréBenjamin), Monix steps up as coach of the

team and gives the Tropics a chance to makeit in the big leagues.

Although Ferrell’s character is aredressed version of his other movie rolls, themovie supports his high energy and humor.And, while many scenes feel a lot like aromping frat party, the plot is decent andactually inspiring. Following the typicalsports movie formula, the down-and-outTropics, amid hilarious and outlandish pro-motions, find their new grooooove whenMonix returns and gets them to actually playa game.

One of the highlights of the film is see-ing Ferrell decked out in ‘70s garb and jam-ming to the tunes of the disco era. The movieevoked many laughs from the audience filledwith college students and press writers.

The movie was decent, muchbetter than Blades of Glorybut certainly not asquotable as Anchorman. Iheard someone in the the-ater say, “a little Will goesa long way,” and I think I

agree. For fans of the high-energy, dirtymouthed, lovable Will Ferrell, the movie willbe just what you hoped for, and the soundtrack is not bad either. If you’re looking forsomething new, or a stretch in Ferrell’s act-ing, don’t waste your money.

The show opens in theaters nationwideFeb. 29.

Entertainment6 February 20, 2008 The Rambler

On Campus:

* Broadway Boot Camp: LawSone building, all day.

* How The Other Half Loves:Thad Smotherman Theatre,7:30 p.m.

On Campus:

* How The Other Half Loves:Thad Smotherman Theatre,2:30 p.m.

Off Campus:

* Open Mic sponsored by FortWorth SongwritersAssociation, The Rig SteakHouse: 7 p.m to 11 p.m.

* Open Nine Ball Tournament:Rustys Billiards, 8:30 p.m.Tournament fee is $10.

Off Campus:

* DVD releases: Beowolf,Goya's Ghosts, Silk, 30 Daysof Night

* Writers Workshop: SaginawPublic Library, 9 a.m. to 11a.m.

* Dinner & A Movie: FerreRistorante & Bar, 4:30 p.m. to6:30 p.m.

TTHEHE

WWEEKEEK

AAHEADHEAD

On Campus:

*Baptist Student Ministry: SidRichardson Building, noon,free lunch served

* How The Other Half Loves:Thad Smotherman Theatre,7:30 p.m.

20

To submit an event forthe calender, e-mail

twurambler@yahoo.com.

Wednesday

On Campus:

*The Rambler staff meeting:Stella Russell Hall lobby,12:15 p.m.

*Methodist Student Movementmeeting: Poly UMC, noon,free lunch served

* How The Other Half Loves:Thad Smotherman Theatre,7:30 p.m.

21Thursday

On Campus

* Gay Straight Alliancemeeting: B17 basement ofthe library, 12:15 p.m.

* How The Other HalfLoves: Thad SmothermanTheatre, 7:30 p.m.

* Movie releases: Be KindRewind, Vantage Point,Witless Protection, TheSignal, Posession

22Friday

26Tuesday23Saturday 24Sunday 25Monday

SSeemmii-PPrroo ddeelliivveerrss aa FFeerrrreellll ccllaassssiicc

COLLEENBURNIE

SHAWN R. POLING

Colleen Burnie is a senior English major and isthe entertainment editor for The Rambler.

Shawn R. Poling is a senior English majorand is the editor-in-chief for The Rambler.

For fans of the high-energy,dirty-mouthed, lovable WillFerrell, the movie will be justwhat you hoped for.

Photo courtesy of google images

Fort Worth’s downtown roof-top restaurant The Reata was given a bad review for stockingunusable canned goods despite the upscale and uptown fare.

Online inspection reports aid patrons Web site shows scores

Photo courtesy of google images

Reminiscent of his Old School days, Ferrell’s enthusiasm and foul language in Semi-Pro offersfans another movie with a new sport. Cat got your camera?

get it back and work for the Rambler!

meetings every Thursday during free period in Stella Russell Hall

twurambler@yahoo.com

Looks like along with your $30brownie and $25 tamale, youwill get a free side of contami-nation and complementaryglass of pure gross. Cheers!