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Show World&Hation Page 20 Bible: Four-part discussions [I continued from page 1 Monday, Nov. 5, 2007 Cell phones: Changing communication standards [1 continued from page 1 that was using a textbook written by Schnider and wanting to know more. Schnider s style of teaching was another reason Szwast said she went on the trip. ; After the last session, the students traveled to Salt Lake to deliver hand-tied fleece blankets, provided by the Wyoming students, to children in a hospital, Schadegg said. In his second year as administrator, Schadegg said he hopes to have these open discussions yearly and allow students of any religion to share their ideas. "I would really like to be a catalyst for open religious discussion for atheists to the LDS faith," Schadegg said. Aggies for Christ is nondenominational and is part of the Logan Church of Christ, which uses the New American Standard Bible, Schadegg said. There are currently about 10 USU students involved in the program, but Schadegg said he thinks more will become involved after he spoke with students on the Taggart Student Center patio last week and asked them to attend some part of the discussions. The next activities Aggies for Christ will hold are 3 Thanksgiving dinner for students not going home during the holiday and a conference retreat in West Yellowstone, Mont., in December. -alison.baugh@aggiemaiiusu.edu Explosion: Students moved [• continuedfrom page 1 While it was no bomb or the fault of any student, Rich Hall was evacuated and the gas was shut off, eliminating the possible use of gas appliances or heated water, Jenson said. Temporary living arrangements have been made for the residents of Rich Hall to room in Richards Hall and Building B of the new Living and Learning Community, he said. "We're grateful we had some options available to us and we've made arrangements with Dining Services, providing meals for these students, and parking is taken care of," Jenson said. "I think we're in good shape. It should work out pretty smooth." Jenson said Building B was going to be used as a showroom this semester, but this weekend it was housing some transfer students so it couldn't accommodate all the Rich Hall residents. Otherwise they all would have been housed there, he said. Residents of Rich Hall packed what they needed and were transported to the temporary housing locations, which were furnished complete with linens, Jenson said. Dining for the students will be available at the Marketplace or the Junction while Rich Hall undergoes a state inspection of the boiler, he said. Fairbanks said the temporary change in residence doesn't bother him. "(0 just get free meals all weekend. It's a pretty sweet deal," he said. "I went from the cheapest hall to the most expensive ones." Vaterlaus said she was less enthusiastic about moving out. "It's kind of cool and exciting, but it's kind of an inconvenience just to be moved out. I can't really eat anything at the Marketplace because of allergies," she said. As far as a timetable as to when students can return to Rich Hall, Jenson said "it really depends on the state. "They come in and provide an inspection and then we'll go in and fix whatever needs to be fixed after the inspection. Then it will have to be inspected again," he said. Bell said the state boiler inspector was en route a half hour after he left. Mecham said while he doesn't have an exact estimate of when the students will be able to return, he said the earliest possible time would be Tuesday. -seth.h(a)aggiemaiLusu.edu The through electronic methods, such as text messaging, than communication through speech. Nelson wrote the outcome was positive, and more crimes were reported by teens through this method than over the phone. This serves as an example of how face-to-face communication is changing with cell phones. However, not all changes may be positive. Andrea Ruben, bank teller at Key Bank in Logan, said part of her job is communicating with the customer about their financial needs. When the customer is on their cell phone, however, Ruben said she can't do her job as well. "It's really annoying," she said. "People don't talk anymore. It's just rude they can't take a break from it." Ruben is one of many people in customer service jobs who experience this lack of face-to-face communication from their customers. But customers aren't the only ones who may avoid daily face-to-face communication. Cell phones have introduced a new trend of relationship woes, with couples commonly breaking up over the phone instead of talking in person. Clark Sessions, senior in animal science, said although cell phone use isn't a bad thing, handling relationships over a cell phone is not the best form of communication to use. He said he thinks people are more apt to use cell phones to text relationship issues instead of talking in person because talking requires interpersonal skills. Since texting eliminates the need for talking face to face, Sessions said people can instead take their time to say what they want. "It's simply that people are able to say what they want and not feel bad about it because they don't think it is something they are saying directly to (the other person)," Sessions said. "I think it's a negative thing though because a lot of people are losing those skills and the ability to relate to people. I think it's just going to get worse if people don't really foster that ability to communicate. It's the key in success in anything you do is to be able to talk to people, and it goes hand in hand with cell phone use. There's a time and a place." Wade said he views other technology devices, besides cell phones, that directly related to a social communication issue. "This is more an iPod thing than a cell phone thing," he said. "After class is over, for some reason, some students put their iPods on and just listen. This makes not enough socializing in the halls or enough face-to-face interaction." Growing up before the Internet became such a part of people's lives, Wade said he was grateful when the opportunity for e-mail came about. "It was good because I was shy," he said. "I found it much easier to communicate in that way. I can stop, pause, collect my thoughts and revise before hitting the send button." Consequently, Wade said there is a certain amenity there where people don't have to deal with faceto-face communication. "(Technological know-how) is a valid skill and something students should have, but not at the expense of an equally, if not more important, skill which would be the face-to face communication," he said. Missing out on face-to-face communication isn't the only thing avid cell phone users can miss. Charles Waugh, professor in USU's English department, said people are missing out on the world around them when they are constantly on the phone. "This can be simply sad or pathetic," he said in an e-mail interview. "(Sad) in the instance of missing a beautiful sunset or the sounds of a flock of sandhill cranes flying overhead or it can be tragic when someone is so engrossed in their phone conversation that they forget they are driving and wind up hurting other people." CELL PHONE ETIQUETTE Thou shalt turn off the cell phone in public places, wrote Dan Briody, author of the article "Thou Shalt Learn and Abide by the Ten Commandments of Cell Phone Etiquette." In his article, Briody states basic guidelines for cell phone use. Some of his cell phone com- IS TEXTING CHANGING THE WAY STUDENTS SPELL? Phil Wade, English teacher at Logan High, said he has noticed a small increase in texting affecting the way students spell. Til see a little bit of the'JK' in their writing, some of the little smiley faces and such," Wade said. "There are a lot of lowercasing issues, for example the capital'!' in a lot of cases." Wade said students who have incorporated common texting words and symbols into their written work are particularly made up of ninth graders. However, Wade said he wants to teach his students writing with texting style is an audience issue. "It totally depends on your audience," Wade said. "If you want to be really informal, that's fine if you are writing your friend. But if your audience is a teacher or a parent or a scholar of some nature, there are certain expectations for that audience." The article "Wan2tlk7: Everyday Text Messaging" states commentators suggest the use of shortened words will have an adverse effect on the spelling abilities and the language of the user. A study published in the article reported a single letter is dropped 15 percent of the time in a text message (i.e. using "ritten" instead of "written"). The study also reported wrong letters are replaced by the phonic sound of the letter, for example, typing the word Tone" instead of "phone." This practice was recorded happening 25 percent of the time during the study. Wade said he sees texting as a legitimate thing for students to do. And some teachers and college professors, he said, use texting as a way to be quick communicators with each other. However, understanding what audience is receiving that message will help maintain professional and personal relationships in the right ways, he said. "As an English teacher, I am conveying a particular image and it's part of my image to punctuate correctly," he said. "It has made me more aware to type correctly." ~bnttny.jo@aggiemailusu.edu mandments include not dialing while driving, not speaking louder on the cell phone than on any other phone, and not subjecting others to cell phone conversations. The paper "Welcome to the always-on world" states the use of cell phones is creating a shift in human relationships "from episodic to always-on." P.E. Agre, author, writes this always-on world presents new challenges such as understanding a possible addiction to technology and learning to deal with constant interruptions. This new world, although a world of freedom, Agre states, is also a world of forces that constantly rearrange relationships to their liking. Official social rules concerning cell phone etiquette differ from place to place, however, and some public places are still rushing to regulate usage. Places such as schools, however, usually provide more constant cell phone usage and etiquette rules. Wade said one part of Logan High's current cell phone policy means no cell phone can be on during class. Although the school is still in the process of working out a new policy, Wade said there are some teachers who want to take cell phones away completely, partly due to teachers being worried about students cheating. Also, having phones on in class or other public settings can be a distraction. "I don't agree with that," he said. "I like the current policy. As long as the teacher is up front with the students, then (the policy) is typically not a big deal." Waugh said he does not have an official cell phone policy for his university class. "Most students realize it's rude and disruptive when their phones go off in class and scurry to them off if they've forgotten to do so in advance," Waugh said. "It would probably just be more polite for everyone to keep their phones silent and then call people back from some unobtrusive place. It seems rude when two people are having a conversation and one suddenly starts talking to the person on their phone instead." everyone** Talked -flbout fill year! a.s m Mor< in mm Store WIN lie lit Jtr$ Em m ^9^SP w M H^I^HUB! JSSM J» ft* *» r F L* Sate Prices. Gouci ^>6"* * j/&6s. L-Youd (j^n ivu r^jcJi.i^Git Oufiy. Excludes Prior Purchase, Special Oiders, arid Layaways. iorrv No Holds. Mus* Brinq ID or Verification & "~h^ PiiLilir.. This Sale VER l* p ^ |