After a two-year transition process and $1 million spent on new equipment, KFDA-TV News Channel 10 in Amarillo launched their first high-definition broadcast on Feb. 22.

KFDA-TV, a CBS affiliate, owned by Drewry Communications Group, began the transition about two years ago by beginning the swap for high definition equipment and educating staff and team members about the new technology.

“Transitioning from standard definition to high-definition is very expensive and taxing on a TV station’s engineering staff,” Randy Ray, WT director of broadcast engineering, said. “Brett McClure [KFDA general

manager] has done a great job leading his station through the process.”

They are the first local news television station in the West Texas area to broadcast in high-definition with other stations following close behind.

“The HD conversion had been bumpy, getting all the computers and other technological issues on the same page,” WT instructor and News Channel 10 early show anchor and executive producer Larry Lemmons said. “There have been hiccups, but we’re moving forward.”

High-definition will enhance the audience’s viewing experience by showing stronger details and a clearer picture of newscasts and weather reports. The weather equipment they purchased is the most extensive of all the new technology because the station believes it is an important factor in why people

watch the news. “If you simply look at the

difference between visual quality of the three newscasts you’ll understand why it’s worth it,” Lemmons said.

“West Texas A&M was the first in the Texas Panhandle to go full HD; it’s good to see a quality station like KFDA join the ranks of an HD broadcaster,” Ray said. “I know they have been working toward this goal for some time.”

the PrairieTuesday, March 8, 2011

Volume 93 Issue XIX

As state school districts are faced with losing millions in state funding for the upcoming biennium, education majors at WT are concerned with their future as teachers.

Brooke Pounds, teacher at Cisco High School, said that cuts already started and that it is already harder to find a job. She also said that for getting an alternative certification, students need an internship, but public schools will not take the risk of hiring.

“[Schools] will not take the risk of hiring more people when they are already letting people go,” she said.

Similarly, Jasmine Renteria, a sophomore

education major, works at an after school program and said that cuts are being made there too.

“[Cuts] makes it hard on teachers,” she said. “ It takes away from kids too.”

The situation becomes harder for those who want to be fine arts teachers.

“It is scarier for theater teachers because fine arts go first,” Megan Gregory, junior theater education major, said. “Art, theater and music are the first to go when school has no money.”

Junior Spanish education major, Arely Vega said that knowing that Spanish teachers are in high demand in the area makes her feel less nervous; however, she plans on going to graduate school if she cannot find a job.

WT Education majors hesitant about funding

Courtesy of media bistro.comNews Channel 10 launched their �rst HD broadcast.

Education continued on p. 2

MARIA MOLINAEditor

A 20-year-old Saudi Arabian from Lubbock was charged with attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction on Feb. 24.

FBI investigators were tipped off when the Carolina Biological Supply of Burlington, N.C. reported suspicious purchases by Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari on Feb. 1.

Aldawsari was allegedly

trying to obtain TNP, a chemical explosive that has the same destructive power as TNT. Federal agents searched his off-campus apartment and found chemicals such as phenol, beakers, flasks, a Hazmat suit, and clocks.

Investigators also searched his computer, e-mail accounts and personal diary to find that Aldawsari had been plotting to attack the U.S. for years.

“After mastering the English language, learning how to build explosives and continuous planning to target

the infidel Americans, it is time for jihad,” said Aldawsari in a journal entry.

Potential targets included reservoir dams across Colorado and California, the Texas home of former President George W. Bush and the homes of three American citizens who had served in the U.S. military and had been stationed at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. An FBI affidavit said he considered using infant dolls to hide explosives and was possibly targeting a nightclub with a backpack filled with

explosives.

Lisa HellierStaff Writer

Lubbock continued on p. 3

Krystina MartinezCopy Editor

FBI law enforcement foils terrorism plotS uspec t wa s S audi A rabian student from Lubbock

News Channel 10 marks history in area H D t ra n s i t i o n f i n i s h e d a f te r t wo ye a r s

Student Body Elections Results

President: Brandy Roberts

Vice President: Nick Goettsche

Formal King and Queen

King: Zane Crownover

Queen: Jordan Welch

Courtesy of businessinsider.comKhalid Ali-M Aldawsari was charged with attempted use of weapons of mass destruction.

The price of fuel has taken a huge jump in the Texas Panhandle. As gas prices have jumped daily, some experts predict this is only the beginning as political instabil-ity continues in the Middle East and North Africa.

John Hofmeister, former president of Shell Oil, said to CNN that he predicts we will be paying $5 a gallon by 2012 because of global demand.

The higher gas prices are already affecting food and cotton producers.

”Demand is high with a price increase at $1.70,” Trent Finck, a cotton farmer from Tulia said.

Finck said that the demand for cotton will greatly in�luence the prices of clothing and other retail products.

“Oil prices affect not only diesel cost, but also chemical and fertilizer costs,” he said. “[Oil prices] also affect ginning costs due to high electricity costs to run the gin.”

The West Texas Western Store claims to have a 20 percent increase in clothing prices due to the jump in cotton prices.

“The Cinch brand has a 17-20 percent increase in price of denim jean and cotton shirts and will probably increase more than

that throughout the year,” Terry Martin, store owner, said. “Instead of buying a cotton shirt for $54.50, consumers will be paying $61.95 a shirt.”

Students at WT are concerned about the increase in food, clothing, and fuel prices and how it will affect them.

“I’m kind of poor so I won’t be able to buy anymore clothes and eat as much good food,” Jessica Bartel, agricultural communication student, said.

“[Going to graduate school], I will get a better possibility and be more qualified to get a job,” she said.

Nathan Gregory, junior theater education major, said that job markets are bad all over, not only in the education field.

“I am not worried anymore than an engineer is of being an engineer or a lawyer is of being a lawyer,” he said. “Every career is getting cut.”

Another aspect that concerns students is the common thought that teachers are overpaid.

“What teachers make is one dollar a student,” Vega said. “We don’t only baby sit, but educate.”

“In the perfect world, teachers will be as respected as lawyers,” Nathan Gregory said. “As education majors, we know our job is more important and we are willing to get the lowest status.”

What inspire these students to pursue a degree in education despite the low pay are the children

they will be teaching.“You don’t go into education because it is

just common to do,” Nathan Gregory said. “You go because you care of kids you will help in the future and you get the opportunity to mold people.”

2 the Prairie

The Prairie Editorial Sta� 2010-2011

Editor- Maria MolinaAssistant Editor- Katelyn GarrityManaging Editor- Randi Hudson Copy Editors- Krystina Martinez & Eva Harder

The Prairie is a student-operated publication at West Texas A&M University. It functions to inform, educate, and entertain readers accurately and responsibly. It does not necessarily re�ect the opinions of the administration, faculty or students. The editorials that appear on these pages represent the opinion of the Prairie editorial board. The views expressed by other columinsts are the writers’ opinions and do not necessarily re�ect the board’s views. Advertising rates are available upon request at (806) 651- 2410 or at theprairiemail@yahoo.com. WTAMU Box 60754, Canyon, Texas 79016. The Prairie has a circulation of 1,500 and is printed by the Amarillo Globe-News.

Web Editor - Georgia RomigFaculty Adviser- Butler Cain

FRANKIE SANCHEZGas prices have been increasing daily.

Education continued from p. 1 !"#$%&'&()**+,--".&/01.,-23.,34"+&5#%.!"#$4!/5672,.8-+,9:+332;<.

=-#>)02,.8-+,9?8+>

Fuel cost a�ects WT students Experts predict prices to keep risingSami RebasStaff Writer

Courtesy of teacherportal.comTeachers get a lower hourly rate per child in comparison to other children-related jobs.

If there is one thing that any team knew coming into this season, it was that when they played the #24 WTAMU men’s basketball team they were going to be in for a tough game. This trend continued on Mar. 5 when the Buffs took on #7 ranked Central Oklahoma in the semi-�inals of the Lone Star Conference tournament in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

WT fought back from a 14 point �irst half de�icit to send the game into overtime. Unfortunately for the Buffs, the upset wasn’t in the cards as they fell just short losing 66-63 in double overtime.

The �irst half was all about runs for both teams. WT opened the contest with a 7-0 run at the 18:11 mark of

the half. UCO then responded with a 16-1 run which saw them claim a 16-8 lead with 10:50 left before halftime. It looked as though the Bronchos were going to pull away from the Buffs as their lead grew to as many as 14 points in the �irst half. But, thanks to some clutch shooting the Buffs were able to chip away at the lead and go into the locker room for halftime only down by eight points at 28-20.

Buff nation started to believe a comeback was in the cards when the second half got under way. WT closed the gap to seven points at 30-23 with 19:19 left in regulation. However, UCO seemed like they had all the answers and weren’t letting the Buffs get any closer. It took some time but the Buffs got within one point with just over 10 minutes left in the second half. From that point

on it was a struggle for the Buffs to get over the hump to tie the game or take the lead. Their patience was rewarded however, just in the nick of time. Senior Jacquiese Holcomb’s layup with eight seconds left on the clock tied the game at 54-54 to send it into overtime.

In the extra session UCO took the early initiative and held a 60-56 lead with 2:30 left. WT fought back and got within one at 60-59 with 59 seconds left. UCO managed to make one free throw with nine seconds left before senior Joe Mincey drove the length of the �loor and drained a jump shot to tie the game at 61-61 and send it into a double overtime.

Cold shooting was the story of the second overtime. The Buffs kept getting good looks; the problem was that they weren’t falling. WT pulled to within three points at 66-63 with

34 seconds remaining. However, two late looks from three point range went begging and WT saw its LSC tournament run come to an end in double overtime by the score of 66-63.

Leading the scoring on the night for the Buffs was senior Jacquiese Holcomb with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Junior Lionel Foster also recorded a double- double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Senior LaDarius Hall also scored 10 points on the night.

WT’s overall record now stands at 23-6. The Buffs will now await word from the NCAA to see what seed they are in next week’s South Central Regional tournament. It is expected they will be traveling to Joplin, Missouri. The of�icial announcement will be made on Mar. 6 at 9 p.m.

the Prairie4Spo

rts

Matt WatkinsStaff Writer

Lady Buffs dominate doubleheaderLady Bu�s winning streak continues another week

Buffs fight but fall in double overtimeEvan GriceStaff Writer

The WTAMU Lady Buff softball team opened impressively day one of the Lady Buff invitational. They began by defeating the Washburn Lady Blues 9-0 in the morning game. WT would follow up with a 15-0 win over the Eastern New Mexico University Zias. Both games ended after the �ifth inning due to the run-rule.

WT grabbed a quick lead against Washburn when junior Kim LeComte stole second base and proceeded to score on a throwing error, giving the Lady Buffs a 1-0 lead. The Lady Buffs extended their lead to 5-0 in the third when senior Christie Russell hit a two run single to right �ield. LeComte put the game away in the fourth with a two run homerun to dead center, bringing the score to

9-0. Junior Shelby Cockrell improved her record to 8-1, giving up no runs on �ive hits with two strikeouts in a complete game effort.

“Kim LeComte’s homerun into a 30 mph wind was huge for us,” Head coach Kevin Blaskowski said. “Shelby Cockrell was outstanding in the circle. Our offense was opportunistic and did a great job at scoring runs.”

The Lady Buffs’ bats did not cool down a bit in game two against the rival Zias. Junior Meghan Brown had �ive RBI in the �irst two innings, a two run triple in the �irst and a three run double in the second, which gave WT a commanding 7-0 lead. The Lady Buffs would add �ive runs in the third and another in the fourth to seal the 15-0 victory. Junior Marci Womack picked up the win (7-0) giving up no runs on three hits with three strikeouts.

“Our offense exploded in this game,” Coach Blaskowski said. “Meghan Brown had a pair of big hits and six RBI. She did a great job at the plate.”

The Lady Buffs will look to

have repeat performances against Washburn and ENMU on Saturday, March 5, as the Lady Buff invitational continues. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. against the Lady Blues.

Rough season ending for WT men’s basketball

Casey Henderson slides to reach the base. KATI WATSON

T he second day of the Lady Buff invita-tional proved to be quite historic. WTAMU began the day with a 6-2 victory over the Washburn Lady Blues. The Lady Buffs made history in two ways later in the day, though. WT’s 15-2 defeat of the ENMU Zias gave head coach Kevin Blaskowski his 500th win, while ju-nior Kim LeComte hit for the first cycle in Lady Buff history.

“It’s a great feeling to get my 500th win, espe-

cially with this team,” Coach Blaskowski said. “They are very special to me and I look forward to many more wins with them.”

The Lady Buffs struck first against Washburn when freshman Mallory Wyatt walked with the bases loaded to make it 1-0. Junior Kristina Myles followed up with a sac fly in the fifth, giving WT a 2-0 advantage. The Lady Blues answered with a two run homerun by Alex Zordel off of junior Shelby Cockrell in the sixth, tying the score 2-2. A two run single by senior Kaitlyn Witte gave the Lady Buffs the lead back at 4-2. An

RBI single by Myles would give WT the 6-2 final score.

The Zias proved to be no match for the Lady Buffs’ hot bats. LeComte began the game with a three run homer in the first to put WT up 3-0. LeComte extended the lead to 7-0 with a two run triple in the second. ENMU got on the board with an RBI single by Tessa Fioritti, making it 7-1. In the fourth inning, LeComte completed her cycle and the scoring with a two run single giving WT the 15-2 win.

“Kim’s cycle is an awe-some achievement. She hit all four balls hard and

it was great to share it with her on the same day I got my 500th win.” Head coach Kevin Blaskowski said.

The Lady Buffs are set

to travel to San Antonio to play a doubleheader against St. Mary’s, Thurs-day, March 10. The first pitch will be at 4 p.m.

Lady Bu�s Kassey Hendersen and Kimberly LeComte round the bases.

the Prairie 5

Matt WatkinsStaff Writer

History made at Lady Buff yard

Matt WatkinsStaff Writer

Blaskowski wins 500th, Kim LeComte hits for the cycle

Bu�s split doubleheader with CameronWT takes two of three games of the weekend against Aggies

KATI WATSON

WTAMU played a doubleheader March 5, against the Cameron Aggies. Cameron dominated the Buffs in game one, winning 14-2. The Buffs would return the favor in the second game, 16-6. WT took two of the three games versus Cameron across the weekend to become 16-3 overall, and 7-2 in the Lone Star Conference.

The Aggies started game one by jumping out to an 8-0 lead by the fifth inning. WT’s only offense came in the bottom of the fifth when senior Trey Horn hit a two run double to

left field. Cameron answered by scoring six runs in the sixth to make it 14-2. Junior Irving Camacho dropped to 4-1 after giving up eight runs on nine hits.

The Buffs would come back with a blowout of their own in the second game. The Aggies would take a 6-5 lead into the bottom of the sixth. WT responded by scoring six runs in the sixth and five more in the seventh. Junior reliever Chad McLin got the win, 3-1, giving up two runs on four hits in one inning.

Up next for the Buffs is a doubleheader against Oklahoma Panhandle State, March 8. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.

KATI WATSONThe Bu�s get an out at �rst base.

For almost a year Apple’s iPad has reigned, claiming the pinnacle position of tablet-device technology. Now Motorola is coming out with the Xoom, a competitor that some critics say could challenge the iPad dominant status.

First making its debut on a Super-Bowl commercial and then released to the public on Feb. 24, the Xoom wants to be known

as a true contender for the tablet-computing throne. WT, however, students and teachers aren’t so certain any company or product can contend with the Apple mantle in this niche.

“Microsoft came out with the Zune to compete with the iPod, and where is it now?” sophomore broadcasting major Wilson Lemieux said.

Yet some critics say Xoom shows promise.

“I consider [Xoom] the �irst truly comparable competitor to Apple’s hit iPad,” the Wall Street

Journal’s Walt Mossberg said.

Critics �ind head-to-head results include some give-and-take. The Xoom is bigger, having a 10.1-inch diagonal screen compared to the iPad’s 9.7-inch, making the Xoom more ideal for typing. However, due to the Xoom’s dimensions, it is not as easy to read. The Xoom can surf the web faster than the iPad, but has a smaller battery life. Tech personality Robert Scoble, while impressed by the Xoom’s capabilities, points out its lack of support

in apps compared to the iPad.

“There aren’t any apps that are designed for it yet. I have three “secret” apps that will be out soon, but three goes against, what, 30,000-plus for iPad?” Scoble stated on his website.

One key difference that could keep the Xoom from gaining popularity is its price tag of $800 for 32 gigabytes of memory, Wi-Fi, 3G and a two-year plan with Verizon. Motorola has announced that cheaper versions will be available as well as 4G

support, but it hasn’t said when those promises will become reality. The iPad 2, which has a March 11 release date, offers all of those features with a $499 starting price. Engadget editor-in-chief, Joshua Topolsky, has gone so far as to say the Xoom should have been worked on longer before being released.

“[The Xoom] outclasses the iPad in many ways. Still, the end-user experience isn’t nearly where it needs to be,” Topolsky said on Engadget’s website.

the Prairie6

JES ROSKENSStaff Writer

Entertainment

Motorola’s Xoom vs. Apple’s iPadMotorola tries to outdo Apple with Xoom

Adele releases her second recordS i n g e r / s o n g w r i te r ’s n e w a l b u m i s a h i t

United Kingdom born singer/songwriter Adele releases her long-awaited second album and continues on her journey of bringing soul and R&B to a new generation in a truly meaning-ful way.

At 21 years old, Adele channels blues, jazz, and soul into her work. Somewhere between Janis Joplin and Patti LaBelle, Adele delivers a powerful, heartbreaking performance compared to someone twice her age.

Adele’s new Album, 21, sets a new standard for all singers who are used to having auto-tune and an engineer to �ix the problems needed to sell records. As soon as you press play, Adele shows us that her age has no bearing on the power that comes from her voice.

“Rolling in the Deep” was the �irst sin-gle released off of 21. The song begins with a simple guitar strum and vocals that impart a sense of urgency. Then slowly, as the song builds, a kick drum enters the foray that can be felt deep in

your chest. Then things really explode. Backing vocals and guitar come in and we truly see what Adele brings to the table. A song of loss and the struggle to �ind the strength needed to move forward; you can feel the emotion that pulses through your speakers.

Adele is also adept at breaking a song down into its basic parts and still creating something that allows us to feel exactly what she felt when she wrote it. “Turning Tables” is a perfect example of this. Adele lets us know what it takes to let go of something you truly love using only piano, strings and of course, her passionate vocals.

Along with “Rolling in the Deep”, “Someone Like You” has already reached number one in the UK and with good reason.

“Someone Like You” is a back and forth conversation that Adele has with her self. It’s the narrative of the give and take which comes with the realization that a signi�icant other has come and gone and moved onto something new. How does one truly move on without having the regrets that come from let-ting something so great go? She never tells us where her heart lies, because she

can’t. When a person has a profound effect on your life, part of him or her will be with you forever and that’s what Adele is trying to say.

21 is Adele’s second album with Columbia records and can be found in stores as well as in iTunes.

***All of the songs mentioned in this article can be heard on KWTS 91.1, as well as on the KWTS website: www.wtamu.edu/kwts

DANNY GROSSKWTS MUSIC DIRECTOR

Adele Courtesy of idolator.com

7the PrairieEntertainment

Bring your correct answers to the puzzles to the Fine Arts Complex Room 103 and win a $10 iTunes card.

Can you finish first?

Kaleb Dale, winner of the �rst iTunes gift card.

The Men of E.X.Clusive, who incorporate charity work and a step team into their non-Greek fraternity,

won against other WTAMU organizations in the We Bleed Maroon competition. The event was not about stepping but rallying up a crowd. The contest was based on which team could host

the most successful men or women’s basketball game by helping to recruit an audience and encourage crowd participation.

“We got to go to the game and pass out basketballs, t-shirts, and just get the crowd pumped and excited,” Men of E.X.Clusive founder, Ben Abiola said. “[The win was] something small but at the same time big, and it was really fun.”

Abiola said that the Men of E.X.Clusive are going through some changes this year and building onto their organization by rebuilding their step team and incorporating

even more charity work into their fraternity. The members are continuing the transition into becoming a fraternity and want to work on creating a good image for themselves.

They will continue to participate in charity events and do community service throughout the year. The group will host the upcoming Women’s Appreciation Banquet at the Virgil Henson Activities Center ballroom at 8 p.m. on March 23. Anyone is welcome to come to the free event, where food and entertainment will be provided.

“The group is unique to our campus and it

is great that they are making community service a major component of what they do,” junior Equine Business major Katie Morton said.

The Men of E.X.Clusive Steppaz, led by president Oliver London, will start their competition season at the end of March.

The group, originally created by Abiola and some friends in 2007, has given male college students the chance to bond while using their skill to influence, entertain and help the community.

“It’s really about the brotherhood. It’s been fun. It’s been great.

8 the Prairie

Men of E.X. Clusive win ‘We Bleed Maroon”Organiza t ion steps up par t ic ipa tion in charit y

Courtesy of Ben AbiolaMen of E.X. Clusive

Lisa HellierStaff Writer

On-campus parking is a problem, but junior sports and exercise science major Omar Garcia will not have to worry about parking for the next two weeks. Garcia is the current winner of the student body president’s parking spot.

“Having my own spot is going to make my life a lot easier,” Garcia said.” I recently stopped driving to school because I was wasting so much gas driving around looking for parking.”

Student body president Tim Vela came up with a unique idea to help with WT’s parking problem.

“I decided to give away my student body president parking spot because I ride my bike to school, so I have no need for a parking spot,” said Vela. “Instead of leaving the spot empty, I figured I could raise money or raffle it off.”

Winners receive a special parking pass that allows them to park in Vela’s parking spot for two weeks. Vela’s spot is located right next to the JBK on the east side.

Omar Garcia is the third winner of Vela’s parking spot. The first parking spot was won through a random drawing. The second spot was a raffle from students who donated six cents to the six-cent initiative for the

Unicef Foundation through Circle K. The third spot was raffled of at this past week’s CORE roundtable meeting.

The next chance to win Vela’s parking spot will be after spring break. Students can have numerous entries at a time in the parking spot raffle to increase their odds of winning.

“I’m not 100 percent sure how we are going to give out the next parking spot,” said Vela. “But I’m hoping to raise money for the people who lost their homes in the Panhandle due to the fires. I thought this would be a great way to give back to WT students and help out the community.”

Student wins student body president’s parking spotNext chance to win two-week spot will be after spring breakKati WatsonStaff Writer

FRANKIE SANCHEZReserved parking for the student body president is in front of the JBK.