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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 21, 2004)
Spring Into Action...Serve! Volunteer Opportunities Fair January 27 & 28 10a.m. to 2 p.m. MSC Flagroom Sponsored by: Department of Student Activities Volunteer Services Center http://vsc.tamu.edu 'MSC S-Cwetent leadership Training *Worl?shop presented by MSC Human Resources January 24 9am - 2pm University Apartments Community Center Registration forms are found and can be turned in the MSC room 216T. Registration deadline is January 21st by 5:00pm. Questions, call Lindsey Wilson - 979-845-1515 This training is required for any MSC Leader position before taking office. 2001 ( aitiiHis Willi 4 Uream Week Tuesday, January 20th ioam-l2pm. Rudder Fountain Kickoff Celebration 12pm-1pm, Stark Gallery Kickoff Speech 2pm-4pm, Evans Library Room 106 Lecture and Discussion: "Diversity, Colleglality, and the Scholarly Environment at Texas A&M" Wednesday, January 21st 12prr>-1pm, Rudder Fountain MSC Town Hall: Lunch Box Concert 11:30am-1pm, Rudder Fountain MSC Literary Arts Committee: The World's Longest Poem 5pm, Rudder 502 MSC E.L. Miller “A Cultural Look at the History of Technology” Thursday, January 22nd 11:10am-12:25pm, Harrington 204 A History on Perspectives of "Race" Lecture by Dr. Sheets Athreya 11:10am-12:25pm, Blocker 160 Cultural Relativism Lecture by Dr. Cynthia Werner 11:30am-1pm, Rudder Fountain MSC Literary Arts Committee: The World's Longest Poem 12pm-1pm, Rudder Fountain MSC Town Hall: Lunch Box Concert 12:45pm-2pm, O&M Building 210 African American Folklore Lecture by Dr. Tom Green Fur More Information 5pm-10pm The Association of Former Students: Southwestern Black Student Leadership Conference (SBSLC} Registration 7pm, MSC 201 MSC CIA: American Voices Friday, January 23rd 10:20am-11:10am, Blocker 102 “North American Indians before Columbus” Lecture by Dr. Alston Thomas 12pm, Duncan Dining Hall Southwestern Black Student Leadership Conference (SBSLC) with Speaker Bryon Baine SBSLC Variety Show 7:10pm - Comedian; 7:45 - Slam Poet; 8 :20pm - Step Africa 10pm, MSC MSC Aggie Nights: “Campus with a Dream” Sponsored by MSC ALOT, MSC FISH, MSC Hospitality and MSC LEAD 10pm, MSC Flagroom MSC Town Hail: Hlo Hod Contest Sunday. January 25th 2pm-6pm. MSC Flagroom MSC Open House with Entertainment Saturday, January 24th 1:30pm, Rudder Auditorium Southwestern Black Student Leadership Conference (SBSLC) - Keynote Speaker Nikki Giovanni 2:45pm-4:00pm Student Leader Forum: SBSLC delegates and TAMU student leaders session (Invitation Only) Please ( nutnd the Memorial Student Texas AiV \t University Monday, January 26th 9an>2pnn, MSC Flagroom Viewing of “Eyes on the Prize” 4pm-7pm, Rudder Auditorium MSC Town Hall: Showtime at the Apollo Auditions 7pm, Bush Presidential Conference Center Campus with a Dream Keynote Speakers: Mr. Fred McClure and Dr. Betty Miller r (Rcccotlon Fnllowlna) Tuesday, January 27th 7.30pm, Rudder Auditorium MSC OPAS: '‘Cafs’ Wednesday, January 28th 7:30pm, Rudder Auditorium MSC OPAS: “Cats" Center ill HI.V 1515 Better Ingredients • Better Pizza ednesday Sped 10 __ Wednesday, January 21, 2004 natiI THE BATTalJ Cingular offers to buy AT&T Wireles 2-Topping - By Harry R. Weber THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ATLANTA — Cingular Wireless has tired first in a poten tial bidding war to buy AT&T Wireless, offering more than $27 billion cash for a deal that would create the nation’s largest cell phone company. AT&T Wireless’ board of directors received a formal offer from Cingular over the weekend, several sources with knowledge of the situation said Tuesday on condition ot anonymity. But three other wireless com panies have also contacted AT&T Wireless to express strong inter est in buying the company, one of the sources said. It was unclear how formal an overture has been made by any of those suitors — Vodafone PLC of Britain, NTT DoCoMo of Japan, and Nextel Communications ot Reston, Va. The Cingular offer includes a premium over AI&I Wireless closing market value on Friday of $9.99 per share, or $27 billion, another of the sources said. However, with shares of AT&T Wireless rising 40 cents to $10.39 on Tuesday, padding last week's 20 percent gain driven by takeover speculation, a prospec tive buyer may need to exceed the company’s new market value of more than $28 billion. In addi tion. any buyer would also need to assume AT&T Wireless' debts, which totaled $6.1 billion at the end of the third quarter. Officials from AT&T Wireless and Cingular declined to com ment. AT&T Wireless’ board of directors w as expected to wrap up a previously scheduled meeting in Florida later Tuesday. Analysts did not expect a deal right away with so many parties showing interest. While AT&T Wireless has struggled with the industry’s price wars and the huge invest ments needed to expand and upgrade its network, rivals are envious of the company’s large base of business customers, who tend to buy higher-priced calling packages and premium services MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY I THURSDAY FRIDAY j SATURDAY SUNDAY I LARGE I-TOPPING $C 99 • pu/only 2 LARGE I-TOPPING $12" ■ pu/delivery I EX-LARGE 2-TOPPING $ I0. 50 pu/delivery I LARGE 2-TOPPING & 2 liter drink $1 I 99 I • pu/delivery PICKYOUR SIDE LARGE 2 TOPPING AND I SIDE 78 pu/delivery 12. FAMILY SPECIAL I LARGE SPECIALTY I LARGE 2 TOPPING 99 $ 16/ ANY LARGE SPECIALTY 99 $ II. IMorthgate Post Oak Square Center 601 University Dr. 100 Harvey Rd., Suite D 979-846-3600 979-764-7272 Rock Prairie 1700 Rock Prairie 979-680-0508 Sunday: 1 1 a.m. - midnight Monday - Wednesday: t 1 a.m. - 1 a.m. Thursday: 1 1 a.m. - 2 a.m. Friday & Saturday: 1 1 a.m. - 3 a.m. Cingular makes an offer to acquire AT&T Wireless Six to five? A successful merger would combine the No. 2 and No. 3 wireless carriers in the nation and shrink the top players from six to five. 8.2% T-Mobile 8.3% Nextel 10.4% Sprint 14.7% AT&T Wireless Market share of 1 8 V U.S. subscribers 1 ; Other \ 24.3% Verizon 15.8% Cingular 'As ot December 2003 SOURCES The Yankee Group; Aasooated Press such as wireless Internet access. “This is going to take a while,” said Patrick Con tack, a telecommunications analyst with Guzman and Company in Miami. “Vodafone is not going to let this go without a fight. And it they try to fight. NIT DoCoMo \s ill try to block them.” Cingular, jointly owned by SBC Communications and BellSouth, still doesn’t own spec trum in several key U.S. markets. A deal with AT&'l Wireless, which uses the same cellular technology, could help fill in many of those gaps, while cutting costs for the merged operation. NIT DoCoMo, a rival to Vodafone in many countries with an eye on expansion, already owns 16 percent of AT&T Wireless and has two rep resentatives on the U.S. compa ny’s board. Vodafone already owns 45 percent of U.S. market leader Verizon Wireless. But as one of the world’s biggest cell phono companies, the British firm is said to be dissatisfied with set tling for such a passive role in a market as crucial as the United States. Verizon also uses a differ ent cellular technology than Vodafone, while AT&T Wireless uses the same standard, making its network an easier fit for any international services Vodafone might sell its subscribers. Nextel, meanwhile, doesn't have a high-speed vsire- NEWS IN BRIEF less Internet service to ofifl sizable base of business! tomers, a competitive tage that AT&T Wirele addressed with a $300 upgrade to its network, A merger between and AT&T Wireless uouldi tlie combined company in top slot in terms of U.S. i share, while an agreement! Nextel would create a i close in size to No. 1 V But a deal with eithen also slim the field of \s ladess carriers from sit [sossibls easing the fiercet tilion sparked by a new rule that lets customers carriers without losing phone numbers. Atlanta-based Cingular a rently the nation’s | ss ire less carrier w ith voice and data Verizon, based in NT. has 36.0 million! while AT&T Wireless with 21.9 million. All oft lies were calculated; of September. Cingular, w ith annual r of about S15 billion, adding customers steadi. several quarters, helping the earnings of its nies. BellSouth release! fourth-quarter .uk! yi mgs on Thursday. AT&T Wireless, toe I Redmond. Wash., has annua j enue of $16.5 billion, j Fox's 'American Idol' a big winner in season debut LOS ANGELES — Fox’s “American Idol" hit impressively high ratings notes in its third sea son premiere. The talent show drew 29 million viewers Monday, the best start for any series in the 2003-04 season, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research figures Tuesday by Fox. Fox also enjoyed a solid debut for ’ Obnoxious Fiance.” a reality series that c after “American Idol." The new watched by 19.6 million viewers. Final figures for both series, which help# win the night among total viewers as advertiser-coveted younger ones, will L able Wednesday. The Vintage House at Messina Mof WlNKRY & RkSORT * Introduces Three Great Weekday Events Enjoy three special menus served in the mos ROMANTIC RESTAURANT IN THE BRAZOS VaI.IT'i Winery Wednesdays The best Wednesday evening you can imagine...our reniarkabL Vineyard Cuisine served with a vineyard view and live romantic guitar. This memorable evening is only $49.95 per couple, plus tax and gratuity. Romantic Thursdays Every Thursday evening from 5 to lOpm, the Vintage House offers a new, special menu just for couples. You’ll love everythi' including the price. Enjoy the linest Vineyard Cuisine for only $49.95 per couple plus tax and gratuity. Fridays: Aggieland „ Steak & Shrimp Special Every Friday evening, get the perl eel aged ribeye and the freshest Gulf shi imp...combined to make this delicious evening the highlight of your week... just $59.95 per couple, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations oi more information, please call 778-9463, ext. 31 Orcheckoutwww.inessinahof.com. The Vintage House 4545 0u> Reliance Road • Bryan TX USA Only Tkn Minutks From Campus