According to catcher Alex Ridlen (so), “Last year was kind of a rebuilding year for us, which is a good thing because opposing teams don’t really see us coming.”

Losing only four seniors from last year’s squad, the men’s baseball team came into this season with a little more swagger.

Although the team is young, it is capable of playing with anybody on any given day, and it shows. During a spring break trip to Lake Whales, Florida, the Wildcats earned one of the biggest wins in the program’s history as they dominated the No. 10-ranked Bellevue (Neb.) College 6-0 in the Warner Tournament.

However, it did not fare as well for Indiana Wesleyan during the rest of the tournament, as the team finished with a 4-8 record.

After returning to Indiana, the luck has not improved as the Wildcats dropped their next two games to IU-Southeast, moving to 4-10 overall.

If Indiana Wesleyan wants to accomplish some of its goals, then it must find some consistency soon.

According to shortstop Ben Zachary (sr), “Consistency is our biggest weakness because we are so young. It is hard to come out every game and play really well.”

Once the team finds that consistency it has been searching for, it could become a force with which to be reckoned.

A complete team consists of a talented rotation of starting pitchers and a bullpen, along with defensive and offensive skilled players. Unfortunately, IWU does not meet all these standards, but the team does excel in a few.

“Our biggest strength is our pitching and defense. We also have a deep bullpen,” said Ridlen.

After finishing near the bottom of the Mid-Central Conference last season, IWU will look to improve and learn from its mistakes in the past.

When the pre season polls were set and available, the Indiana Wesleyan men’s baseball team was selected to finish near the bottom of the eight-team conference once again.

“We were picked to finish in sixth place,” said Zachary.

The Wildcats were on a four-game slide before their homestand, but have started to turn it on as of late, winning three of its last four games.

Indiana Wesleyan plays host to Aquinas (Mich.) College on Mar. 20. The game is set for a 1 p.m. start.

Next week, the Wildcats travel to conference rival Taylor for a double-header. Look for this to be a showdown as Taylor is the reigning MCC champion.

If IWU would have won, then it would be facing a familiar foe in the final four round: the University of Saint Francis. During the regular season, Indiana Wesleyan defeated St. Francis in both match ups and would have looked for a third.

With the loss, IWU also loses four seniors: Zach Coverstone, Ryan Hetrick, Spencer Harris and Josh Williams. All four players have had outstanding careers at IWU with their best coming this year. Each of the four seniors contributed in many ways to help the Wildcats succeed throughout the last four years, with 112 wins coming during that span, which are four of the five highest-winning seasons in the program’s history. During their four-year run, the Wildcats have won three MCC championships, an MCC tournament title, an NCCAA national championship and made three NAIA Elite Eight appearances.

Although IWU lost four seniors, next year should not be a rebuilding year, as coach Tonagel will most likely look to junior forward Will Hubertz, sophomore guard Derrick Troyer, and freshman guards Aaron Martin and George Jones IV to step up. Not to mention, the incoming freshman class features some high-quality talent with post player Parker Stouffer, guard Jeff Hoskins and guard Jordan Weidner.

The Wildcats finished this season with a 25-5 overall record and look to continue the success next season.

The 1920 Gallery, which is intended as a venue for student art, opened in 2007. Currently the gallery is displaying a portion of this year’s senior art show.

According to Executive Vice President of IWU Dr. ToddVoss, “The 1920 Gallery was created in collaboration with the art department and my office to offer all students a chance to display and sell their incredible work (in a highly visible location).”

While the gallery itself will not be closing, IWU will not be renewing its contract with Apple “due to increased sales volume expectations from Apple and increased inventory requirements,” Voss said.

Initially, Apple was included in the 1920 gallery as a way to “increase traffic and sales,” Voss said. “They approached us about opening a campus store and we thought if we did, the Gallery may be the best location to do so since so many art students use Apple.”

According to Voss, the IWU Apple Store is the only stand-alone store on a college campus. Most stores at other universities are run out of another campus entity like a bookstore.

For Macbook users like Annastasia Bonczyk (jr), the campus Apple Store is nice to have around.

“It’s a lot more convenient,” Bonczyk said. “The closest computer store is 30 to 40 minutes away, so it’s nice knowing that I can bring it right here on campus and get it taken care of.”

Despite the benefits of an on-campus store, Apple’s presence is motivated by profits.

“I’m not sure how much they are committed to small school presence,” said John Jones, vice president for information technologies at IWU. “It’s a business to them. If they can’t make money at it, they’re not going to be in it.”

Although Apple will not have a concrete presence on campus, IWU students will still be able to receive an educational discount at Apple’s online store.

With the closing of the Apple store, Voss hopes to return the 1920 Gallery to its original purpose, while adding new incentives like international fair trade items and other rotating displays along with student art.

“Even though we are disappointed that Apple could not adjust their expectations for us, we are equally excited to continue the gallery with some fresh new concepts and offerings,” Voss said.

Several bills have been passed through this one-party political system, but right now I want to focus on the current health-care legislation that is in committee; however, I want to make it clear that in no way am I tagging this bad politics all on Obama. I know that his intentions are good, and as of right now there have been a lot of promises made to many congressmen that the bill will change to better suit the American people after it has been voted into law.

To be honest, I am not upset at all that there is a current health-care legislation. The stories that many Americans have gone through due to this current system is heartbreaking, and change—positive change—is a necessity for this facet of American life.

Most Americans want health-care reform. The National Coalition on Healthcare estimates that insurance premiums are currently rising five times faster than inflation, making it increasingly harder to pay the minimum costs to be provided for medically. There is no hiding from that fact, but I do not believe that what the majority party in Congress and what President Obama are trying to push through is worth it.

What I am upset about is the compromises, the small wavering that has occurred in both houses of Congress just to get a bill passed that has the title of “health care” written on it.

I am not alone on this either. According to the most current Rasmussen poll, 55 percent of the Americans polled would prefer that Congress scrap the health care plan and start over.

For instance, in 2009 the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the U.S. population is about 304 million people. According to a recent Center for Disease Control poll, only 47 million people do not have health insurance in America.

If this health-care legislation gets passed as is, the government will have to provide for most of the American people, and if you do not have a plan, you will be fined until you get one.

According to the president’s budget package, for all 304 million Americans, health care will cost nearly $2 trillion. But if we only provide for those who can’t afford any insurance, it will cost the federal government approximately $800 billion.

How would we afford it for all 304 million Americans, when we are already seeing our generation further in debt than any other American generation?

But the 47 million who have no insurance are not the only problem. The rising premiums and unrealistic costs are problems too.

According to a recent CBS News poll, hospital costs are going up more than 11 percent, major insurance companies across the nation have raised their premiums by an average of 25 percent and the cost to provide new services and drugs is more than $1 million every time they are discovered.

America needs reform, but I ask that we do something about the standard, make-our-congressman-happy bill, that is about to be passed. We are not babies who need to be force-fed our life in the morning by an over zealous government. It is time we stick to the facts, and not let a law get passed that will be detrimental in the long run. Let’s start over, gain more hope and work together for “positive change.”

The concert featured performances by beat-boxer Trevor Heyd and bands Desert Neighbor and Mazatlan: The Band. A total of $150 was raised that night, and donations will be accepted until Easter break.

Hannah Brunner (jr), who organized the concert, became excited about PLC’s work in Iraq after visiting the organization’s Web site.

“The reason I think I’m drawn to Preemptive Love is because it’s based in Iraq and it’s this problem that’s in Iraq,” said Brunner.

“[Americans] maybe haven’t made things so great in Iraq … [funding heart surgeries] is almost like making amends.”

She added, “It’s like [we’re saying], ‘I’m sorry this is going on, that this is the way that it’s being solved. But we’re here for you and we’re not afraid to be here with you.’”

According to PLC’s Web site, the prevalence of heart disease among Kurdish children in Iraq may be due to Saddam Hussein’s chemical attacks on the people group. Other factors include intrafamily marriage and malnutrition. Whatever the cause, many Kurdish children are born with heart defects.

“I want people to be informed and know that this is a really unique situation and this organization meets that specific thing,” said Brunner.

Jeremy Courtney, PLC’s founder, said that it’s important to be aware of the situation in Iraq, to get the word out about the organization, intern with them (on campus or in Iraq), but most importantly: give.

“I’m sure there is something profound I could say here, but I’m going to cut to the chase: GIVE YOUR MONEY,” Courtney said. PLC’s Web site, www.preemptivelove.org, offers links to donate, T-shirts and hand-made shoes for sale, and all fund life-saving surgeries.

Courtney and his family moved to Iraq with plans to work for a different non-governmental organization, until they saw hundreds of children in their city dying, waiting for heart surgeries that were only available outside Iraq, he said.

“The likelihood that U.S. foreign policy in the 1980s precipitated the use of chemical weapons by Saddam Hussein against the Kurds, and that those chemical weapons are a factor in the high incidence of birth defects–and the reports that U.S. weapons in Iraq since 2003 may be causing similar side effects in newborn children–fill me with a sense of responsibility and joy-filled duty to make things right,” said Courtney.

If it hadn’t been for the plight of just one child in need of surgery, which led Courtney and his team to thousands of children in similar situations, they might not have stayed in Iraq, he said.

“Iraq has beaten us up, beat us down, contributed to the deterioration of various friendships, and revealed major character flaws in all of us,” said Courtney. “We’ve been threatened and blackmailed. We’ve been safe and we’ve been in danger. But at the end of the day, I would trade it in for a more comfortable, predictable life!”

He added, “God is using Iraq to change me … whether or not he ever uses me to change Iraq.”

Syswerda is a professor and conductor with a degree in musical composition. He said the story for “Where Fortunes Lie” is what took the most effort in the last year and a half.

“Everything about it is original, which is scary in one sense,” he said. “You don’t base it on a novel or a play or anything. That’s a little bit daunting.”

Syswerda previously worked on a musical with former colleague Dr. Raymond Miranda, but after Miranda left IWU, the project was eventually abandoned, said Syswerda.

“[But] we’re still great friends,” he said. Another inspiration lay in Syswerda’s love for “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” particularly the concept of the Golden Ticket. Syswerda wondered what a modern-day Golden Ticket might be.

“As I was thinking about it,” said Syswerda, “I drove to a gas station, and they had a sign out that said ‘$30,000 Powerball Winner Here.’ And part of me is thinking, ‘That makes no sense,’ But yet it draws people in.”

Syswerda eventually decided that a modern-day story would be too limiting. Instead, he settled on the Great Depression. In “Where Fortunes Lie,” the Golden Ticket is the fortune cookies from a restaurant run by Chinese immigrants. When the fortunes start coming true, the town goes crazy. The restaurateur’s daughter is especially caught in the drama.

“One of the leads, James Fisher, played by sophomore Tim Thompson, has a great story to tell,” said Aaron Miller (fr), who plays man on the street 1/patron 1. “His female counterpart, a Chinese girl named Chen Mei Ya, is played by senior Sarabeth Maksut, who is amazing.”

Michael Johnson (so) plays Chen Mei’s grandfather, Lu Chao Ru. Kelsea Webb (sr) plays James’ grandmother, the town “celebrity,” said Miller.

“She sings a powerful set that will bring tears to your eyes,” he said.

“The music’s very strong, I’ve heard that from the start,” said Syswerda. “Getting the story to match, that took a lot of work. … It’s definitely stronger [now].”

Syswerda credited director Dr. Kurt Edwards with many helpful suggestions.

“This is something that Dr. Edwards has helped me identify, is the fact that story is king, and so every change that we’ve made

has been for the sake of the story,” he said.

Syswerda is also grateful to Dr. Greg Fiebig for designing the stage and lighting and working to give the scenes the right “look.”

“Those guys brought in their strengths and helped [the musical] look better than I could have ever made it,” Syswerda said.

The Hinds Research Fellowship enabled Syswerda to dedicate more time to his project. In December 2008, a “screening” of the music was performed in a recital room at the Phillippe Performing Arts Center. The university Theatre Guild decided the show was worth pursuing. Auditions were opened not only to the entire university, but to high school students as well. The show also features one elementary school student, Syswerda’s son.

Showings are in the PPAC on March 18-20 and 25-27 at 7:30 p.m. with 2 p.m. matinees on March 20 and 27. Tickets are $6 for students and younger, $10 for IWU employees and $12 for adults.

But I can’t.

See, everyone has those certain “taboo topics” of discussion that they avoid at all possible. For most people, it’s religion, politics or abortion. For me, it’s music piracy. People talk about it way too much; we’re beating a dead horse.

Last July, however, my very favorite band, Thrice, finished recording their most recent album, planning to release it in October. By late July the album was leaked over the Internet. This crisis caused Thrice to release an electronic version of their album on iTunes in early August with the hardcopy available in September.

This frustrates me for two reasons. One, you don’t mess with my Thrice. I don’t care who you think you are – you do not, under any circumstances, steal from Thrice. (Heh, excuse this outburst, please.)

Secondly, Thrice didn’t release their album in July for a reason – they weren’t done with it. By hacking and leaking, you are stopping the artist from perfecting his masterpiece. It’s as if you read my column before my editors had a chance. Piracy not only literally robs the artist of the money he deserves for his creation; it robs him of the respect his fans should give him.

With that being said:

How many of us have burned CDs, mixed tracks or whole albums?

How many of us have filled flash drives with mp3s to share with our friends?

And how many of us “borrow” music from the library by renting CDs and downloading them to iTunes?

My friend Jacque is so adamantly opposed to any level of music sharing that she won’t even listen to a mixed CD.

My friend Todd got locked out of Huntington University’s Internet server for having downloaded too many albums, movies, TV series and computer games.

I want so desperately to find a happy medium where not only my wallet is full, but my conscience is clear as well. So I turn to the apostle Paul.

He’s the guy who said that “everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial.” I like this verse because it lets me justify bad behavior. As long as it doesn’t “master” me, all’s well.

But Paul is also the guy who said that “he who steals shall steal no longer.” So should the question become whether or not file-sharing is considered stealing? Or, to what extent does it become stealing?

I find myself wrestling with this a lot – what are we to do about the grey areas in the Bible? If something isn’t banned in the Ten Commandments or warned against by Jesus, Peter or Paul, does that make it permissible? Is it OK to cuss? Is it OK to watch R-rated movies (after IWU graduation, of course)?

And at the same time, is such behavior acting out of rebellion or as a way to connect with our unsaved brothers and sisters?

I assume this column will end with more questions than it started with. Because part of me knows that if music burning is really stealing, than I am guilty. But as a fallen human being, I so desire to find a loophole in the system, to find a way to justify my sinful nature.

For those of you who stay away from torrents and CD burners, I commend you. Honestly, I wish I could think more of the musician’s loss of money rather than how much money I’m saving. In time, I hope, I’ll get to that place.

Continue the conversation online at my blog: http://broken-downpoetry.blogspot.com.

in the Philippe Performing Arts Center. Themed around the slogan “Men on a Mission,” Mr. Wildcat is a show that allows male students at IWU to express their sense of style, show off their talents, and answer questions on the fly.

More than 100 male students were nominated this year, a number that was eventually brought down to the top 35 nominees. After the top 35 were set, each nominee was required to interview for a spot on the top 10 for the competition. The final 10 contestants are Nolan Moblo(fr), Michael Matti(fr), David Peters(so), Dale Calvert(so), Matt Kukulka(fr), Davy Chinn(jr), Cory Sprunger(jr), Josh Rodriguez(sr), Ross Hessel(sr), and Jason Stephens(sr).

According to Rachelle Ponist, who is student directing the event as her senior project, this years show will have no shortages of entertainment between the contestants and the band from Anderson University.

“[Mr. Wildcat] really just allows students at Indiana Wesleyan to enjoy some laughs while watching their friends on stage,” said Ponist. “It’s really going to be a fun time.”

There are three different stages for the competition to determine which nominee will get the crown. The first stage will be undercover disguises, giving IWU a glimpse into the candidate’s lives of being a “secret agent.” The second stage will be an opportunity for each nominee to showcase a special talent that he has. The third and final stage revolves around formal wear, as well as incorporating a question and answer period.

“Each nominee will be scored on charisma, personality, and their ability to answer questions in a clear and solid manner,” said Ponist.

In order to keep the show fair, prominent figures from around campus have been brought in as judges. The panel is made up of five total judges including President Henry Smith, Teresa Smith, Dr. Wilbur Williams, Jessica Lamphier and Marilyn Williams from Baldwin. President Smith will also be crowning the winner of Mr. Wildcat and bestowing him with his cash prize of $60.

The show will be hosted by two IWU icons, G.B. McClanahan and Shawn Clark, who believe the competition will be a success.

“Mr. Wildcat is a really fun event” said Clark. “As a host, I just hope to add to that entertainment value. I look forward to seeing everyone there!”

This is only the second year for the Mr. Wildcat competition, which is a fundraiser for the Public Relations Student Society of America. PRSSA is a student organization that provides students with practical knowledge and experience in the field of public relations. Its mission is to develop Christ-centered public relations professionals with excellent academic preparation, character, and leadership.

Tickets for Mr. Wildcat will be sold up until the night of the show in the mallway for $3, as well as being available for purchase at the doors on March 23.

“This is a population that we haven’t been able to serve… it will add a level of diversity to campus as far as the married status,” said Hill. “These students will be closer to campus and more involved. It’s a new experience and opportunity—It will be more work for the campus but will serve a population that hasn’t been served as well.”

There will be close to 20 units devoted to married and family housing, and each unit consists of two apartments that include two bedrooms, a bathroom, a combined kitchen dining area and a living area.

Before this opportunity was implemented, the only options for married and family housing were locations off campus.

“For married couples, a huge benefit to living on campus will be the cost savings. It’s not cheap by any means but compared to the bills you have to pay, they will pay just one price,” said Hill. “They will get Internet and the university will pay all utilities; they will just have to pay for cable.”

By living on campus, the students will still be eligible for their financial aid, but that opportunity is not available off campus. Another beneficial element of married and family housing on campus is the program aspect that the resident director and assistant resident director hope will help form a supporting community.

“Married and family housing is an opportunity to minister to people that we haven’t been able too, like young married couples and single parents. It’s going to provide them with love and support that they might be lacking,” said ARD for the future housing, Trent Grable. “I hope the outcome provides a steppingstone for people to formulate in an academic institute so when they leave IWU they don’t leave that support. They will have the encouragement to stay with God that they can take on with them.”

The apartments will be remodeled and ready for residents by August 1, 2010.

To apply, students need to be in the upper-level division, have at least 60 credits, or be at least 21 years old. Those interested may contact Director of Housing Melissa Sprock to fill out an application.