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COLLEGIAN THE CA M ERON U N I V ER SIT Y

Monday, April 10, 2006

News

Informing the Cameron Family Since 1926

Volume 79 Issue 24

Diversity brings new perspectives By Kathleen Kelly Collegian Staff

Three seconds, and it’s all over. SEE PAGE 2

A&E

Shoot ‘em up gamers reap rewards. SEE PAGE 4

Sports

One million forty-nine thousand five hundred and twenty-six people moved into the United States from July 2004 to July 2005. According to the American Census Bureau, this group included lawful permanent residents, temporary migrants, such as students, refugees and those here illegally. Cameron University shares in the benefits of diversity, with students and faculty from places as far away as Africa and Asia. Eunhee Mazza, mathematics junior, and Eric Cheng, business sophomore, fall into the latter group. Mazza came to the United States from Korea in 2000 on a student visa planning to attend language school at the University of Oklahoma. She said she found the adjustment difficult, so she ended up coming to Lawton where she had a friend. “I came to Lawton because I was so helpless,” she said. “I couldn’t drive. It was so hard to look for apartments by myself – I was not comfortable.” A resident of Seoul, Mazza earned a degree in public administration, but there were few jobs available in that field. She returned to school and earned a teaching degree. She said finding a teaching job, especially as an English teacher, was not difficult. “There are many English institutions in Korea,” she said, “and many available jobs.” When she came to the States, she found a difference between teaching the language in the classroom and speaking it everyday. “I was an English grammar teacher,” she said. “It was just (like) mathematics; subject, verb, object. But the speaking and the writing were so different. I felt like an idiot – like I was deaf and blind.” Eric Cheng came to the States as a child; at age five or six his parents moved from Korea to Lawton, where his grandmother lived. His father was of Chinese ancestry. Cheng does not know much about his grandparents’ life in China. “All I know is that they got away from the

Photo by David Bublitz

Never give up: Students Eric Cheng and Eunhee Mazza reflect the diversity of the Cameron campus. Each has overcome obstacles to get where they are today. Communists,” he said. Cheng said his parents came to Lawton for the sake of his education. In Korea birth does not automatically confer citizenship. Although Cheng’s father was born in Korea, he did not possess Korean citizenship. “I have no hope – no dream – in Korea,” Cheng said. “It’s because my father is Chinese. You get discriminated, segregated, a lot.” “For Southeast Asian people it isn’t easy,” Mazza said. “Korean job opportunities are very narrow.” Cheng said his father never sought citizenship in Korea, but now both his father and mother are naturalized Americans. “After my parents got it, I got it automatically,”

he said. Cheng speaks Mandarin, “not fluently,” he said, and Korean. He said his parents speak Korean exclusively at home, so the first four or five years of school were difficult for him. He associates Korean people with the language, he said. “When I look at Korean people I expect them to speak Korean,” he said, “so I speak Korean to them.” He said reactions vary; not all KoreanAmericans speak Korean, so they are taken by surprise. Both Mazza and Cheng discussed the

See DREAM, page 2

Cameron student coordinates aerobathon By Petulah Olibert Collegian Staff

Men’s basketball team gains head coach. SEE PAGE 6

Voices

Tired of that belly bulge, those grotesque love handles that — contrary to their name — are nowhere near lovable? Yolanda Allen has the answer to that and more. Yolanda, health and physical education sophomore and health coordinator at the YMCA, 5 SW 5th, is avidly into health and fitness. “I got involved in aerobics because my mother passed away from a heart attack at 55,” Allen said. “Since then, I’ve really been into physical fitness.” According to Allen, physical activity is important as a daily regimen because a healthy body means a healthy mind. She recommends an exercise routine and monitored diet. “Physical activity has helped me greatly,” she said. “Physically, I’m in the best shape that I’ve ever been in and it has aided me mentally too. I have a 3.8 grade point average.”

Allen is currently planning and coordinating an aerobathon, a three-hour activity, to be held at the YMCA. “On April 29, for three hours at the YMCA, we will host our annual aerobathon,” Allen said. “Any and everyone is eligible to participate. During the aerobathon, participants will learn step aerobics, pilates, power yoga, kickboxing and several other combinations. They will be privy to everything dealing with the YMCA and its program.” The aerobathon kicks of at 10 a.m. Participants will receive free T-shirts and water bottles and a chance to win door prizes and gifts. According to Allen, the main aim of the aerobathon is to demonstrate the many benefits of physical fitness. “Our members are able to participate in a rewarding physical activity while non-members are able to join the YMCA and see the kind of program that we offer,” she said. “The aerobathon is specially targeted toward those who don’t have an exercise program. We want to show them

Photo by Lisa Snider

Just a little longer: Yolanda Allen keeps an eye on the clock as she leads her class through various levels of intensity on stationary bikes. what we do so they can reap the benefits.” The YMCA provides each member with a health plan and a personal trainer along with the use of its state-of-the-art fitness facility for those who prefer weight training. For others, aerobics classes are held daily, except Sundays. And for Cameron students, there is a special member rate.

‘Health Care in the 21st Century’ with Dr. Elders By Joan Hagy

News Writing Student

Stymied by the proverbial fork in the road. SEE PAGE 3

Office: Nance Boyer 2060 Phone: 580•581•2261 E-mail us at : collegian@cameron.edu First Copy Free - $.25 for each additional copy Contents © The Collegian 2006

Festival VI: CU in Good Health, Cameron’s year-long celebration, will bring to campus Dr. Joycelyn Elders, former United States Surgeon General and Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Arkansas, School of Medicine. Elders’ lecture, “Health Care in the 21st Century,” will be held at 8 p.m. Thursday, in the University Theatre. This event is free and open to the public. A reception will follow the one-hour presentation, and members of the audience will have a chance to meet with Elders. The festival, funded by the McCasland Foundation and supported by the School of Liberal Arts, has focused on wellness and fitness all year long. Elders’ topic, which addresses health care in the United States in the coming decades, will assist in meeting one of the objectives of this year’s festival

by encouraging discussion of health care policy, according to Dr. Sally Soelle, Dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Festival Coordinator. “One of the most important issues we will discuss this year is how health care will be delivered in the future. How should our tax dollars be spent in terms of medical services? What health care programs do we want to see initiated or continued? Where do we hope to be in terms of caring for older citizens, poorer citizens, and children over the coming decades?” Soelle said. “We expect that Dr. Elders’ lecture will help us as we continue this important conversation.” A special panel discussion will be held at 4 p.m. on Wednesday in the Music Building Recital Hall. “A Conversation on Public Health Care Policy’ will be the focus of the discussion. The panel will include Randy Segler, CEO of Comanche County Memorial Hospital; Thomas Rine, CEO of Southwestern Hospital;

Tony Wohlers, Ph.D., professor of political science at Cameron; and Scott Street, CEO of Duncan Regional Hospital. The moderator Dr. Joycelyn Elders for the discussion is Jeff Johnson, Ph.D., professor of political science. The event is free and open to the public. An informal reception will follow the panel discussion.

News

April 10, 2006

CU student captures state judo title By Adam Calaway

The following is a special of the CU Office of Community Relations At first glance Mimi Lee looks as intimidating as a box full of puppies. Listen to her talk for a few minutes, though, and it becomes clear her sunshiny smile and lilting laugh mask a judo juggernaut. “Judo is like fishing,” said Lee, sitting in a chair that consumed her petite frame. “You know how it feels when you hook a fish? You’re like, ‘I’ve got this one.’ That’s how judo is. I can tell when I’ve got them. It’s exciting.” Lee, a physical education junior and one of Cameron University’s ROTC cadets, won the Oklahoma State Judo Championship (women’s division) two weeks ago in Tulsa. She didn’t just win; she dominated. Lee ripped through the tournament by defeating her four challengers in a combined 26 seconds. She ended one match in a blistering three seconds, another in 23 seconds. Her two other competitors forfeited.  “To me judo is about technique and timing,” Lee said. “If you have right technique and right timing, it’s all over.” Lee, who has almost 15 years fighting experience, holds a second-degree black belt in judo and first-degree black belt in

tae kwon do. Her judo journey began in middle school in her home country of South Korea, where she was given the option of playing softball or judo as part of a physical education course. “You have to hit a ball with a stick in softball, and I just can’t do that,” Lee said. “So I picked judo.” Lee’s fierce-but-smiling nature aided her ascent to the top of the judo ranks. Her young career was filled with countless victories and tournament championships. By the end of high school she had earned a coveted spot at Yongin University in South Korea, a college known for producing Olympic judo champions. Despite her success, Lee desired a new adventure. In 1996, her sophomore year, she became an exchange student and transferred to the California valley where she attended Santa Rosa Jr. College. She was thousands of miles from home, but her judo prowess remained a constant. Among her numerous tournament wins, she took the California State Judo Champion that year.  Lee returned to South Korea after her tenure as an exchange student, but she yearned to live in the United States permanently. In 2004, she made the jump back to the States. She moved in with a cousin in Lawton and began attending Cameron University. She quickly found herself drawn to Cameron’s award-winning ROTC program and set her life

goal to become an officer in the Army. “I just found the ROTC to be a perfect fit for me,” Lee said. “The uniforms, the format, I was like, ‘this is where I’m supposed to be.’” Two years have passed since Lee joined the ROTC program and now she is one of Cameron’s top cadets. She will graduate next May as a second lieutenant.   “I cannot say enough good things about Ms. Lee,” said Lt. Col. Jeff Finley, chair of the Cameron University Department of Military Science. “Having had no prior military experience in her life, Ms. Lee is, without a doubt, one of our hardest working cadets and possesses a sense of drive and dedication second to none. There is nothing she cannot accomplish once she sets her mind to the task at hand. Ms. Lee makes me proud to say that she is one our cadets and she is going to be an outstanding officer in the United States Army. She is credit to Korea, the United States, Cameron University and the United States Army.” Lee’s judo days are not behind her quite yet. She will compete in the national judo tournament in Houston next month. The promise of competition once again caused Lee’s happy-golucky façade to fade – if only for a second. “I’ll do fine,” she said with a confident tone, then a smile slipped back on her face and she laughed.

Photo Courtesy of Community Relations

“To me judo is about technique and timing. If you have right technique and right timing, it’s all over.” — Mimi Lee Physical Education Junior

DREAMS continued from Page 1 Both Mazza and Cheng discussed the differences between the American college experience and that of the Korean students. “We have to have a degree,” Mazza said. “Competition (for jobs) is outrageous.” Mazza said for those who don’t go to college, gangs and crime are among the few alternatives available to them. Cheng said that failure is not an option for the Korean student. “A lot of people in Korea, their happiness level is lower,” he said. “I saw many sad things with students. I saw suicide.” While Cheng is willing to keep trying until he succeeds in getting the scores he needs, he and Mazza said others give up if they don’t excel the first time. The competition for acceptance into the top universities is fierce, they said, and a degree from one of the few elite schools makes the difference in the types of jobs available to graduates. “If they don’t get the grade they want,” Cheng said, “they go out and commit suicide.” “The difference is they (non-Koreans) don’t have the pressure,” Mazza said. “The difference between kids who succeed and those who don’t is that they give up.”

“I’m satisfied with what I have,” Cheng said. “I’m thankful for what I have. I will work hard to get that extra step, but if I don’t get that extra step, well, that’s OK.” Another aspect of Korean life they discussed is the trend toward plastic surgery. “Japanese and Koreans are neck-to-neck” in the number who seek plastic surgery,” Cheng said. “Chinese people go to Korea to have work done.” “When I go into a club (in Korea) I cannot find a traditional beautiful Korean girl,” Cheng said. Mazza said when she is in Korea she is told that her cheeks are too fat or her eyes need work. “I think that’s why I married an American,” she said. “He thinks I’m beautiful.” Mazza would like to become an American citizen, but she said

that citizenship, while it would bring her benefits in terms of her education such as scholarships she does not qualify for now, would also create a problem. “We lose Korean citizenship,” she said. “We cannot be in Korea for more than three months.” Eric said he plans to travel to Korea this summer. Mazza said she has opportunities here she did not have in Korea, where the eldest son bears the responsibility for honoring the memory of the parents after they die, an important Confucian belief. Her parents made sure her brother had all he needed to succeed while Mazza worked to put herself through school there. She said her parents like her husband, who is stationed at Fort Sill, and appreciate the opportunities Mazza has in the U.S.

“My parents are happy for me,” she said. “America is my dream come true. I love learning.” Cheng said his family is Christian so his parents do not adhere to Confucianism. Still, he

takes his responsibilities toward his family seriously. “I am the only male offspring on my father’s side of the family,” he said, “so I have to carry on the family (traditions).”

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Voices Our Voice

April 10, 2006

The split on immigration is among Dems, too

The conventional wisdom that immigration reform splits the Republican Party is correct, but less understood is that the issue does the same thing to the Democratic coalition, too. Part of the reason for this misconception is that the Republican intra-party fight is much more public. Since Democrats hold neither the White House nor Congress, they are less in the media spotlight. And these days, with Bush’s lousy poll numbers, the Democratic game plan is to keep quiet and let their political enemies hang themselves. But a survey of voter attitudes toward various immigration proposals shows that self-identified Democratic voters have similar divisions on the issue to their GOP brethren. And the opposition of the AFL-CIO to “guest worker” legislation advocated by many

Democratic leaders shows this schism. Simply put, the split in American politics over immigration is sharpest along socioeconomic lines. The more educated and affluent people are, regardless of political afiliation, the less they are inclined to see the need for immigration reform solely to toughen laws and beef up security. That’s the message from a Quinnipiac University poll of almost 2,000 U.S. voters released in March. The size of the sample – almost double the typical 1,000 person national sample – allows analysis of differences along socioeconomic and political lines. On virtually every immigration question, Democrats are less likely than Republicans or independents to back “get-tough” measures. But on most questions the differences along party lines are smaller than

they are within members of the same party. When asked if legal immigration should be kept steady, increased or decreased, 32 percent of Republicans and independents and 35 percent of Democrats favor the status quo. But analyzing the numbers by party and education shows a different story. Among Republicans with a high school degree or less, 30 percent want to keep immigration at its present level, as do 34 percent of similarly educated Democrats. Yet, 41 percent of both Republican and Democratic college grads feel that way. Overall, 21 percent of Republicans and 26 percent of Democrats want an increase in immigration. But that 5 point split is less than half the 13-point gap between Democrats with high

school educations (18 percent) and those with college degrees (31 percent). The Republican intraparty split is 5 points – 17 percent among the least educated and 22 percent among the most educated. Asked whether Congress should change the law to make it easier for illegal immigrants to become legal workers, the same pattern appears. There is a 7-point difference in support between Democrats and Republicans – 44 percent to 37 percent. But among Republicans the gap in support between those with a high-school diploma or less and a college degree or more is 12 points – 30 percent to 42 percent. Among Democrats, the difference is 22 points – 36 percent among those with high school education compared to 58 percent among those with college degrees. Presumably, the politicians understand these differences more

Immigration law and the immigration fear

Bira is a journalism freshman from Brazil and is a staff writer for The Collegian. Bira has enjoyed his first eight months in the United States and plans to live happily ever after wherever he ends up. He purports not to know his final destiny.

KRT News Wire

THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY

COLLEGIAN

was watching the news a few days ago, and I could see the illegal immigrant issue being brought up two or three times. I know that a lot of reasons make people want to cross the United States frontiers from other countries, but enough is enough. My process to come Bira Vidal here took two years of my life, and I had to spend so much time trying to improve my English proficiency that I literally did not fully enjoy my last two years before coming here. Between tests and exams, I still had to find time to have private English lessons and to study English grammar and linguistics almost two hours a day, but it was a time of my life well spent. The whole point is not that I had to learn English, but how illegal immigration interferes with the situation of international students. I come from the country considered number two when it comes to illegal immigration. Brazil has so many people trying and dying to cross the border because the American media pays a big role with all the marketing of the American way of life. What many people do not realize is that there are many prices to pay to come to the United States with an illegal status. The first price to pay is the discrimination. Illegal people do not have the same rights as legal immigrants, especially if something bad happens to them. The salary of most jobs you can have as an illegal immigrant does not pay as much as a low salary of a poor American. And the truth is that illegal immigrants live constantly worried about the future and fearful about police actions and deportation. So, why do people still want to come here and stay with an illegal status? I think people still believe in the myth that in America you can go to bed poor and wake up as a wealthy and rich person with everything you ever wanted materially. I am really proud of my country and of people who risk their lives looking for a better future, but I cannot agree with such action. I followed the steps, laws, rules and tests just to be here, and I cannot support illegal immigrants and their jobs, but I have to applaud them for their courage and dream power. To finish, I just want to show that immigration in America is not a bad thing, but it must be a topic that interests Americans like any other concerning social issues. Illegal immigration and illegal employment among immigrants are problems that will not be solved in a few days, but it will take time and efforts both from the population and from the government. The first week I came, I heard a phrase I will never forget: America is a big melting pot. I agree with this, but we have so many groups and no or hardly any interaction among them that the illegal immigrant situation in society will always be a “water and oil ‘in the melting pot’” issue.

than the journalists who have created the incomplete conventional wisdom. But the implications of the numbers should not be lost on anyone thinking about running for political office. The demonstrations in recent weeks, orchestrated by groups opposing legislation that would beef up border enforcement and make it more difficult for those without documents to work or stay in the United States illegally, obscure the widespread public support for such steps. That is obviously one of the reasons why the prospects for any real change in U.S. immigration policy becoming law this year are slim. But another is that the schism the issue creates in American politics is on both sides of the political aisle. – Peter A. Brown

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Managing Editor - Lisa Snider News Editor - Sarah Warren Copy Editor - Kathleen Kelly Asst. Copy Editor - David Bublitz A&E Editor - Joshua Rouse Sports Editor - Christina Frye

Newsroom Staff

To go or not to go; that was the question

hroughout my childhood, I feared the fork in the road — that time when I would have to make a decision about which path to take and change my life. During my senior year in high school it seemed as though I had no motivation, but truthfully I just didn’t want to make my own decisions. Do I go to the photography school in California? Or do I stay in Lawton just in case something happens with the band I play in? Could I leave my family and my then-boyfriend behind? I decided to take a year off from school to get everything into place. I hoped something would just fall into my lap. Sarah Warren Summer was over; I ended up enrolling at Cameron early for fear that if I didn’t go to school now, I never would. At Cameron I became involved with the journalism department. Even though it wasn’t my major of choice, I began working on the newspaper and really enjoyed it. At the same time, the band started recording a CD and playing more shows. Everything seemed to

be working out, until this past semester. I moved out of my parents’ house; I began doubting my choice in my major; my high school relationship fell apart, and the band soon followed suit. Everything that I had built a foundation on crumbled, leaving me to try and stay together. Then the band’s drummer, Beau, and I met an awesome musician and friend, Mike. Mike asked us to go to Houston to start a band. Every time we talked to Mike on the phone he asked about Houston and every time I froze. Beau was all on board, but I had my doubts. The fork in the road was staring me in the face waiting for me to pick a path. For months Beau and I listed the pros and cons of leaving. I literally had them written down. I stood at the fork, undecided. Then one day I talked to my newspaper adviser. He told me that moving to Houston was a great opportunity and that everything here in Lawton would still be here if I ever decided to come back. I got the “you don’t want to look back and say ‘what if ’” speech — and it clicked. I finally made a move. See you in Houston! Sarah is a journalism junior and the news editor for The Collegian. She plays a mean bass and offers backup vocals for her next band.

SGA Election Results

Results of the Student Government Officer elections for the 2006-07 school year were announced Thursday. Marcos Rivera will serve as president, Jeff Wozencraft as vice president and Ryan Alley as treasurer.

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Christopher Keller

News Writing Students

James Norris, Blake Red Elk, Joan Hagy

About Us

The official student newspaper of Cameron University, The Cameron Collegian is available each Monday during the year. It is printed by the Times Record News in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Letters Policy

Letters to the editor will be printed in the order in which they are received and on a space available basis. The Collegian reserves the right to edit all letters for content and length. Letters should be no more than 250 words. Letters from individual authors will be published only once every four weeks. All letters from students should include first and last names, classification and major. No nicknames will be used. Letters from people outside the Cameron community should include name, address and phone number for verification. Letters can be sent by regular mail or email to collegian@cameron. edu, or they may be dropped off at our office - Nance Boyer 2060.

Our Views

The opinions expressed in The Collegian pages or personal columns are those of the signed author. The unsigned editorial under the heading “Our Voice” represents the opinion of the majority of the editorial board. The opinions expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily represent those of Cameron University or the state of Oklahoma.

A&E

April 10, 2006

Guns blazin’

Courtesy Photo

Rebel band with a cause: Nine Inch Nails played in Oklahoma City as part of their national tour with Saul Williams. Visual effects served as counterpoint to the provocative lyrics, eliciting a range of audience reaction.

Photo by Josh Rouse

Erik Harris and Michael White play the ‘House of the Dead’ arcade in the Student Union. Harris and White won PAC’s recent ‘Halo 2’ tournament and received $50 each.

Winners enjoy sweet victory By Josh Rouse Collegian Staff

On the virtual battlefield, there can be only one victor. And to the victor go the spoils. On the “Halo 2” battlefield, education freshman Erik Mitchell and computer information systems freshman Michael White are proven victors, reigning as champions of PAC’s recent “Halo 2” tournament. The twosome beat over 50 people at the tournament, to take home $50 each. They were part of a team of four and played in the “minor objective” category, which consisted of games like “capture the flag” and “assault” on assorted “Halo 2” maps. Best friends Mitchell and White have been playing “Halo” since it first came out in Nov. 2001. “I went to play ‘Halo’ at a friend’s house and loved it,” White said. Until “Halo 2” came out, Mitchell and White played at LAN parties. Mitchell and White were the duo to beat at the parties and consider themselves completely different people when they strap on headset and take the controller in their hands. “We’re nice guys but when we’re playing ‘Halo,’ we’re beasts,” Mitchell said. The turnout at the tournament surprised both Mitchell and White. They thought “Halo 2” was not the game of choice for Cameron. “We never thought there were that many people who played ‘Halo’ here,” Mitchell said. Mitchell and White are still avid “Halo 2” players on Microsoft’s online platform, Xbox LIVE. Mitchell, whose online gamer tag is “ICanMakeAMess11,” is ranked 29 out of 50 on Bungie Studios’ ranking system. The common understanding is the average

rank is 25. White, or “Michae1 White” as he is known in gaming circles, is ranked 32. Both Mitchell and White say their rank would be higher were it not for the endless onslaught of cheaters who have invaded “Halo 2.” “There are so many cheaters that it is hard to level up,” White said. These cheats can completely incapacitate a player. The “modders,” as players have come to call them, can fly through the air and shoot with unbelievable accuracy. But Mitchell and White have found a way to bypass them and are now on their way back up the charts. Both Mitchell and White are dedicated “Halo” players. Mitchell has played six thousand ranked games since the stats were erased in 2005. White has played about 400 total ranked games. When Halo was released, Bungie Studios was relatively unknown outside of Macintosh gaming circles. White thinks “Halo” has become so popular because of its depth. “Anybody can play ‘Tetris’ and be good,” White said. “But not everybody can play ‘Halo’ and be good.” Mitchell thinks the rivalry is what keeps “Halo” so popular. Bungie Studios’ stats page indicates there are an average of 750,000 games a day with 300,000 players. At any given time, there are 75,000-100,000 players on “Halo 2.” According to the Xbox Web site, it still remains the most played game on Xbox LIVE, even after the release of Xbox 360. While Mitchell and White may not be legendary on the large scale “Halo 2” universe like players like “Ogre1” and “Str8 Rippin,” they have cemented their names in CU “Halo” history by winning PAC’s “Halo 2” tournament.

A&E Briefs ‘Prince of Peace’ The annual Easter pageant at the Holy City of the Wichita Mountains will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Holy City. For more information, call 429.3361. Leslie Powell Foundation and Gallery There will be a Lunch Bag Lecture at 12:15 p.m. April 20 at the Leslie Powell Gallery. For more information, call Nancy Anderson at 357.9526.

Nine Inch Nails bare teeth in OKC By Jessica Lane Collegian Staff

Nine Inch Nails performed on March 28 at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City. Opening for the band was rapper-poet Saul Williams. Nine Inch Nails’ music varies between stormy industrial rock and evocative piano led ballads. They played songs from all of their previous four fulllength albums such as: “Head Like a Hole” and “Something I Can Never Have,” from “Pretty Hate Machine,” “Happiness in Slavery” and “Wish” from “Broken,” “March of the Pigs” and “Closer” from “The Downward Spiral,” and “Slipping Away” from “The Fragile.” They also played several selections from “With Teeth,” their new album that the 2006 tour is promoting, including the singles “Every Day is Exactly the Same” and “The Hand That Feeds.” They also performed songs from soundtracks such as “The Perfect Drug” from the movie “Lost Highway” and “Burn” from “Natural Born Killers.” The show began with the band surrounded by three walls of translucent white cloth. The stage lights pulsated through the fog within the enclosure to the beat of the music. The musicians’ silhouettes wavered at odd angles with the lights. The translucent cloth was raised, curtain-like, as the band launched into “Terrible Lie.” The band was energetic, with the guitar and bass player thrashing about while still managing to deliver the precise crunch that Nine Inch Nails is known for. After playing several favorite hits the purpose of the curtain was revealed. As the drums began the song “Eraser,” the cloth lowered again and the lights dimmed. A film of cells dividing was projected onto the cloth. An xray view of rabbits, birds, and other animals transitioned into a slow-motion segment of what was either a mating dance or fight between two apes. This progressed to images of smiling couples, then anguish as the song became more aggressive. More monkeys and mayhem ensued on the screen during the song “Right Where It Belongs.” A kaleidoscope view of waltzing couples and images of war moved to the lyrics “What if all the world around you isn’t quite what it seems…” A clip of George W. Bush dancing with his wife provoked boo’s, cheers, and laughter from the audience. The film ended with an ape capturing a bird, which also brought mixed reactions. This seemed to demonstrate the substantial room for interpretation that Nine Inch Nails often provide in their music. The projector show ended with “Beside You in Time.” The screen was filled with a peaceful likeness of moving water. At the song’s crescendo the water turned to static and the curtain lifted. Trent Reznor, the band’s front man, creator, and only official member had little to say between songs, only interjecting a polite “thank you” here and there in varying degrees of vigor. Nine Inch Nails ended their show with their first popular single, “Head Like a Hole,” an appropriate ending for this paradoxical band.

Biffle triple threat: composer, singer, guitarist By Blake Red Elk

News Writing Student For one Cameron student, it took only four minutes to become a star. On March 30, the Programming Activities Council (PAC) held its third annual “Cameron Capers” talent show in the Shepler Mezzanine. This year’s event, though small in terms of the number of contestants, was not short on talent. PAC co-chairman Frank Myers said, “This was an extremely talented group and

I am glad we got to showcase some of the best talent on our campus.” Eight different acts competed in front of an audience of 150 for the $100 grand prize and the right to call themselves champion. This year’s champion was Allen Biffle. He has competed twice before. “I was totally surprised when they called my name,” Biff le said. “There were a lot of great acts this year.” Performing an original song, “My Baby Girl,” and playing acoustic guitar, Biff le’s heartfelt performance helped take him to

victory. “The song meant a lot to me because I wrote it for my little girl,” Biff le said. Rounding out the top three performances of the night were Brenda Mahan’s vocal performance of “In The Presence Of Jehovah” and Cassandra Lott’s dramatic dance interpretation. Myers said, “This group of contestants were a great representation of the talent here on campus and you could tell each group wanted to win.” Biff le agreed. “It was obvious these acts put

in a lot of time and practice to do as well as they could,” Biff le said. “I was really impressed.” Biff le, a regular at singing competitions across the state, was stunned by his victory at Cameron Capers. “There were two awesome acts, and I expected either of them to win,” he said. “When they were called to third and second place, I just didn’t know what to expect.” When he heard his name called as the winner, Biff le was in a state of shock. “I was like, ‘What?’” Biff le said.

In its third year, Cameron Capers is seeing more and more talented acts come through. “Cameron has so many talented individuals,” Myers said, “and we would like to see even more people compete in the future.” It is not just the competition the makes this event so important to the campus. “I really feel this is an awesome opportunity for CU students to express what they can do and to do it in front of their peers,” Biff le said. “I’m just glad I had the chance to get on stage and do what I love to do.”

April 10, 2006

The Back Page

April 10, 2006

Over 300 ROTC cadets from Cameron University, Texas Tech, Texas Christian University, Tarleton State University and the University of Texas participate in the annual Joint Field Training Exercise. The cadets practice squad-level infantry tactics in a supervised setting.

Photos by David Bublitz