Monday, February 26, 2007

Valentine's Day Massacre

Chrisoula Mouliatis discusses the dynamics of the Facebook-aided relationships:

Valentine’s Day is over, and Cupid is gone until next year. Some people are still celebrating because the love of their life has just made their relationship Facebook-official. Or, for those who spent the day solo, they’re celebrating the end of the day that reminded them of how obviously alone they really are.

If anyone has been on Facebook lately, they can view the new pictures being posted while they develop a nauseous feeling in the pit of their stomach. Dating is definitely not the same ball game it used to be. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, provides members with relationship options from “Single” to “It’s complicated” and they can be looking for “Friendship” or “Random Play.” If you put all of these options together with millions of college students, drama, or hilarity, will ensue.

There are many steps to get to that serious point in a relationship. First, it is meeting the person, and then talking, hanging out, dating, and finally, after some time, commitment.

What’s missing? The big factor now being thrown into play is being facebooked. Nowadays, it is as if nobody is paying attention to what really makes a relationship last because apparently the most important aspect of our love lives boils down to whether or not it’s facebook official. The stability of relationships is hovering over a very thin line, or link. There are some people out there who choose to stay in a relationship because they can’t bring themselves to end it.

Well, Ffacebook has a solution for that. The bright blue link labeled “Cancel Relationship” is readily available for those in need. Click on that link, and the next time someone checks out their News Feed, there will be a broken red heart next to some poor soul’s name.

“Stuff like that really makes relationships seem unimportant or trivial because nobody really cares how long, or what you’ve been through to be in that relationship. I feel like I’m in junior high again the way people treat their love lives over the internet. It’s like writing, ‘Do you like me? Circle yes or no,’” saidays Caroline Cunningham, freshman English major.

Another developing issue is the fact that some Aggies are not so computer savvy, and they prefer getting their information firsthand. The problem with that is Ffacebook is the first source to receive all of the breaking news.

Maybe it's the excitement of a new relationship that just provokes somebody to post it on the internet for all of the world to see, but while that is taking place, it seems best friends are being left in the dark. Not everybody is facebook- obsessed to where they check it every hour of the day to read every bit of their News Feed to see what's going on in the world. Some people just don't have access to a computer all of the time. Or , dare I say it; some people simply may have better things to do.

So, what happens to those people is they end up being completely misinformed. Such exciting events are best heard in person where a friend can really get all of the intimate details. Ultimately, friends are feeling left out, feelings are hurt, and a bruised ego will not go unnoticed for long.

Friends should always come before Ffacebook. Face- to- face conversations are much more enjoyable than wall posts. Some could argue that, but theThe point is that relationships need more substance behind them than a cutesy little heart, and friends should be the first to know. The fact that a two- year relationship is not official unless it’s on facebook is ridiculous, and one click of the mouse is all it takes to break up with someone looks just a little too convenient and cold-hearted to me.

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Ringing in the new year

Year of the Pig
Travis Holland tells how to ring in the Chinese New Year

The Chinese New Year is a 15 day celebration, and it starts today. This is the Year of the Pig, so everyone needs to make it a good one for our favorite cuddly farm animal. To do the holiday justice, you should be well prepared.

Day One: Don’t eat meat unless you want a short and unhappy life.

Day Two: Be nice to dogs and give them a double scoop of Kibbles and Bits. Today is every dog’s birthday. Married daughters should visit their parents.

Day Three: Today is not a good day to visit. Everyone will be irritable from the fried food and relationships could suffer. Steer clear of friends and family or you’ll have some seriously bad luck.

Day Four: See Day Three.

Day Five: Today is Po Wu. Shoot fireworks. Don’t cut your hair unless you want to have the worst year ever.

Day Six: Pray and resume visiting friends and family. Jam your favorite Chinese music.

Day Seven: Today is going to be busy for farmers. First, they have to display all their produce. Then they have to make a drink from vegetables. After that they have to drink it. Today is also the birthday of all mankind, so order your cake well in advance. Eat noodles if you want a long life and raw fish if you care to be successful.

Day Eight: Sleep off Day Seven and have a family reunion.

Day Nine: Make your best offering to the Jade Emperor. Continue sleeping off Day Seven.

Day Ten: Today invite everyone you know to dinner, and feed them the best, most expensive food you can.

Day Eleven: Repeat Day Ten, but do it even bigger.

Day Twelve: Day Eleven x 2.

Day Thirteen: By now everyone is tired of the good food. Eat only rice and mustard greens.

Day Fourteen: Prepare for tomorrow’s blowout party.

Day Fifteen: Today is the lantern festival. Decorated lanterns will be everywhere, and people will run through the streets in paper dragons. This is also the Chinese Valentine’s Day, so cards and flowers may be expected of you.

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Mardi Gras

The 20th is Mardi Gras.

Forget the tests. Forget the homework. Forget your professors.

The 20th is Mardi Gras.

If you plan on going crazy this year, try to do it in New Orleans. They've got their PR guys going full force on trying to bring some life and cash to the city. It's been a year and a half since Louisiana got rocked by Katrina, and since some of you are going to get wasted anyway, you might as well help out our neighbors to the east and party there.

Katrina costs the nation $84 billion. Put some of your alcohol money back into the system. Paint New Orleans red.

Try to get back safe, too.

Thursday, February 8, 2007

How I roll

Some of you may have noticed some changes on the opinion page. Some of you have voiced your concerns. Some of you more civilly than others.

There is method to the madness, people. I wasn't put in this position to piss you off; I leave that to my writers. I'm here to entertain and inform you — and to bring you back to the page time and time again.

Believe me when I say that more people are reading the opinion page than any other time in recent history. I'm proud of the page, and proud of my writers that made the page what it is.

But change does not happen overnight.

Does the page need more serious columns — more "hard-hitting" opinions? Yes, of course it does. I agree with those that say we need more serious topics on the page. It will happen. Three days an entire semester does not make. Relax with the red-alert "this is the worst opinion page in the history of the free world" attitude.

All I care about is making my readers happy. You are my readers. This page does not exist without your support, and the opinion page has got more readership now than I can remember it ever having. For that, I thank you guys.

However, I get a lot of e-mails asking for us to form opinions on stuff that the students "really care about." We've solicited you guys for ideas on what to cover before. Remember when we asked to send in the five most important things that bother/concern you at Texas A&M? We would have loved to turn that into a full-blown, week-long storyline.

Problem is, only four people responded. Don't tell us to run stuff you want to hear if you're not gonna tell us what that is. If this new style really offends you, then pick up last year's Battalion. That's not how we're going to do things here from now on. Ask yourself this — do you really want to hear about the Iraq war or latest in healthcare legislation every single day? If you do, pick up a Washington Times. We're a little more creative here. This is a college paper, and is thus open for experimentation. I know many people fear change, but change happens.

I've got two paid spots open for opinion writers. If you hate the opinion page, come change it.

Monday, February 5, 2007

Beat them at their own game

If you had told me before the game that Texas would score 82 points on us, I would've laughed in your face.

They did, and we still took it. Hung a century mark on their broken horns.

Given our mode of play, and how it favored the UT style of up-tempo offense all night long, it's nice to blow out the (supposedly) 25th best team in the nation when it's all said and done. Perhaps those analysts critical of our offensive punch will shut up for a while. We pushed it just as well as they could, and we did it in constant foul trouble.

Let's not forget how the refs were doing their best to make it a fair game. Kirk and Jones both foul out, and while Dickie is busy giving our eulogy, we show Texas just how deep our bench can be. Davis took up the slack when he had to, and Sloan puts up double digit points. We've answered two questions tonight: What about foul trouble? What about offensively explosive teams?

We've got the bench, and we can be just as explosive.

I know this is gonna sound silly, but it's almost like Gillispie saw how his team was running it's ass off, and seeing an opportunity to show the world what we're made of, he let them keep going. When we had to play D, we did, and we did it with ragtag rotations of people who kept coming in and out.

I can't wait to face Texas and Kansas in the Big XII tourney.

One-and-one

Need to make more than half of your FT's if you want a chance.

Intervene now

9:24 PM

Back to Kav-a-loo-skas. At least keep it consistent Vitale.

Digger's got it right

Amazing how two nights ago, all we heard about was how Acie is clutch. Now he's the best guard in the nation?

Time for everyone to get on the Law bandwagon.

Big man, or biggest man?

A-c-i-e spells B-M-O-C

There's another commentator in here?

9:01 PM

Dickie finally gets the name right. About to have to schedule a pronounciation intervention.

Superstar allowance

Guess you can elbow people in the gut when you're the darling of the free world.

Three's vs. FT's

We are getting absolutely killed at the stripe.

18 to 2 advantage. Texas is cashing in their Salvation Army checks tonight.

Thanks be to the basketball gods that we're lighting it up on the 3's. 7 for 11.

Man to man vs. zone

If Texas keeps that zone up, we'll be picking them apart from the outside all night long.

If A&M keeps that man to man up, we'll be fouling all night long.

Is it wrong?

That every time I see Barnes, I want to off-the-heezy him?

Think we're juiced?

Twelve minutes

7/10 from 3-pt land.

What happens when you go national

The same plotlines are brought up over and over.

Expect to hear stuff about Law's near-transfer, his big shot vs. Texas, and how we sucked three years ago.

Make 'em count

Finally get to the line, and Jones bricks the first one.

Stop. Fouling. Please.

Kirk's giving up six inches to Durant, and it shows.

Three fouls in ten minutes.

These refs must think this is a tea party. Let them play please.

Push it around

Durant praise count: Up to five

We're finally pushing the ball around. Keep the ball movement going.

Ugly?

Worst looking court in the nation, mister Forde?

Not when Acie Law is on it.

Gillispie and pace

Gillispie looks snazzy tonight, with his matching jacket and tie.

The team looks snazzy tonight, playing Texas's pace and winning.

We should slow it down a bit though, We need to slow it a bit though. Lock it down with a ten point lead.

White-out, for real

8:17 PM

I know it's a white-out, dude, but put the shirt back on, please.

Dickie praise count

Up to two. "Best perimeter player in the nation."

Uh, no. Have you seen Marlon? Oh wait.

Deaf Dickie

8:13 PM

All Vitale can apparently hear is his own voice.

Two minutes into the game, and we get a Kav-a-loo-skus.

Someone slap him over the head. There's no -loo in there.

Wait, he does what?

Good ol' Dickie.

"Durant can score."

No shit.

"Acie is good in the last five minutes."

No shit.

Tip-off prediction: Kav to Law.

The Law's in front

espn.com — I mean durant.com — front page. Law in front of the golden child from Texas.

Durant, times two

Forgot to mention, I'll be blogging this from TV

7:49 PM
-------

Cut to Reed, and to Durant. Sigh...

Game blog tonight - A&M vs. UT

I'll be blogging the game tonight real-time, limited only by my inability to type like someone with two arms.

6:49 PM
-------

In the Syracuse v. UConn game - the announcers mention how badass Durant is.

An hour before Durant's downfall, and ESPN is already fawning over their basketball Messiah.

Sunday, February 4, 2007

His picture is in the dictionary

I was going to set this spot aside to complain about students who are pawning off their tickets for mounds of ill-gotten cash, but after our win over Kansas, I can't find the heart to whine about anything.

Fact is, Billy Gillispie is so dominant, that "dominating" should be the only verb associated with the man.

He doesn't wake up in the morning - He's just done dominating his bed.

He doesn't check the weather before leaving for work - He dominates the remote, and then studies how to best dominate the most favorable route to work.

He doesn't eat breakfast - He dominates the most important meal of the day.

He doesn't leave for work - He dominates everything from point A to point B from the comfort of his car.

Guys, that Kansas win is the biggest win in school history, in my opinion. Who would've thought the first team to snap Kansas's home dominance against the Big XII South would be Texas A&M?

There are lot of reasons a team goes on a 17-4 run to finish the game off as winners, but mental toughness is the most paramount. This team does not quit. Period. Five down, ten down - it doesn't matter.

I'm convinced that even if the gaping maw of Hell erupted in midcourt to swallow all human life, Gillispie would have kept his team focused, and our all-American candidate would have still drained that shot.

Saturday, February 3, 2007

Scoreboard!

You know what happens when you fight the Law...


Acie Law is the King of Clutch

ACCCCCIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE LAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wait a second. Hold on.

ACCCCCIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE LAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday, February 1, 2007

Fanning the flames

I said this once and I'm gonna say it again:

If Monday's game against UT is the first game you're attending, then you don't deserve to go. There are undoubtedly Aggies out there who have been screwed over by this lottery thing. There are now undoubtedly Aggies with a ticket who shouldn't be allowed in the building.

For you fair-weather fans: Our new-and-improved basketball program is in its infancy, and it needs support. Stop pretending that your presence at only one game equals fandom. It does not. Billy G. wants people at every game. Where have you been?

For those of you whining about student seating — Face it. Our basketball spirit isn't even close to Duke's, or Kansas's, or Kentucky's. You don't get more seating until we fill up non-conference games. Why would the athletics guys spend craploads of money on a program that the students have shown only lukewarm enthusiasm for thus far?

For those of you who have attended all (or most) of the games this season: I salute you. If you didn't get a ticket, then I'm pissed off for you.

Any fair ticket-pulling plan that wants to draw more people to non-conference games has to involve rewarding those who have attended all (or most) of the games. I don't care if you have a legitimate excuse for missing them, those who made the commitment to every event still deserve precedence over you.

And the fact that this is not the current system is the only thing I fault the athletics department for.

Was the UT ticket pull screwed up? Yeah, but athletic programs and procedures don't change overnight. None of you could probably have done any better, so grow up and recognize the growing pains. Be thankful that we have this problem, 'cause I bet 98 percent of you didn't give a damn about Aggie basketball two years ago.

So there was a communication breakdown. It happens, especially when you have several thousand people all jostling for the same thing while hearing conflicting messages about what is going on. From the mail calls I got, you'd think everyone from George Bush to communist martians were responsible for the fiasco. I've even heard people blame The Battalion for releasing the ticket-pulling information to the public. Good Lord people, are you not happy without blaming someone?

Maybe we can get an excessive whining clause added to the Aggie Code.

This is how the world ends

So Chris (the multimedia editor) and I were out reporting on the ticket pull mosh pit last night. He did all the important stuff, and I followed him around like a pet chimpanzee. We may have talked to you. You may have been drunk.

Anyway, there are two things that really irked me about the whole stampede.

TS apparently decided to further its plan to absorb all the money in the world by posting parking ticket guys in the trees. I swear I saw them spring from the bowels of the Earth to strike at people parked in the bike lane. TS should just build treehouses for their ticket-robots and order them to jump on passing cars. That would solidify their reign of terror.

By the way, if you were one of the guys Chris and I saw argue with the TS dude over a ticket, thanks for the laugh. I assume you guys are freshmen; you'll eventually come to realize that only the tears of a baby seal can persuade a TS guy from sticking you with a citation.

Also, Chris and I ran into a few students who hadn't attended a basketball game so far this season. Apparently they thought they deserved a ticket even though they hadn't supported the team since the start of the season.

To those people: I sincerely hope you have to watch the game at home.

The season doesn't start with UT, and it doesn't end with UT. I'd like to think Billy G. would have some choice words for those of you who think that sitting out 95 percent of the season and freaking out over one, not-so-important game is how to show your spirit.

You want more student seating?
You want more respect for your team?
You want to shake off the image of a bandwagon student body?

Then you need to fight tooth-and-nail for every single freakin' ticket you can get, no matter the opponent. Texas isn't the only obstacle in our way to college basketball dominance.