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Thursday, October 1,1998 -Page 10 End Note IN THE FISHBOWL We try it before you buy it: Better Than Ezra's Afeature spotlighting staff and students at WMC new release How Does Your Garden Grow? "I love my students-they're my babies, BY SHAWN SPRAGUE However, as in every good modern rock "declares Line Supervisor Cecelia Bowens. Staff Writer group, the drummer is just as important in Known familiarly to staff and students as bringing the songs to life. McNabb fills this "Celia," Bowens has been a beloved fixture Modern rock today is many things for role for Better Than Ezra, keeping the beats in Glar for 33 years, serving up jokes and many people. Groundbreakers Nirvana and fresh and potent. Drummond adds a supple smiles with the mashed potatoes. Pearl Jam formed the stem of modern rock, bass to the mix. Bowens says that she chose her profes- which in (he last decade has produced nu- "One More Murder" is the strongest song. sion because she likes being around people. merous differing offshoots. H is a subtle blend of etecrronica and alter- Students especially make her day: "I just Now we have mixtures of ska, native, expressing the group's stance against like to serve ... andjoke with you all. I'll say electronica, hip-hop, swing, punk, and gun violence: "Don't worry the rain will anything to get you to talk." techno which all somehow blend together on wash the chalk marks from the ground." The Westminster native loves to sing and our favorite rock stations. Griffin describes (he apathy that many garden. She admits that, yes, she is fre- quentlv serenaded with the ' " New Kind of Low" starts as a insane punk escapade, and then suddenly breaks down into an fractured electronic drip Paul Ostazeski is easy to spot in a crowd. The sophomore chemistry major is al- It has become more and more difficult to people have regarding violence: "Don't mean ways attired in a colorful Hawaiian shirt and discern the standard from the experimental, a thing, you get accustomed to the sound." is often pursued by the victims of his many the old from the new, the stem from the The last two tracks. "New Kind of Low" pranks. branches. and "Waxing or Wanfng?" are also strong. Ostazeski is strong in his beliefs about In their new album, How Does Your Gar- "New Kind of Low" starts as a insane animal rights, which led him to change his ~,BetterThan Ezra finds a fertile punk escapade, and then suddenly breaks major. "I was bio/pre-med, then one day I middle-ground to create their sound. down into an fractured electronic drip: a defi- realized ... 1 don't like ripping into things that Better Than Ezra, comprised of Kevin nite favorite for all you bi-polars out there. never had a chance to live," he says. Griffin, Tom Drummond, and Travis Aaron "Waxing and Waning" is a pleasant song, Ostazeski is from southern Maryland and McNabb, still relies heavily on basic guitar, taking a simple melody and providing a re- thought about attending UMBC before fi- piano, bass, and drums to gel the job done. freshing end to the album. nally deciding on coming to the Hill. However, they have also branched out, Overall, How Does Your Garden Grow? He was a member of his high school bas- implementing cascading string arrangements manages to incorporate everything you like ketball-team and also enjoys playing the pi- and wild electronic elements to up the ante. about electronica, without going overboard As usual, Griffin is the creative force be- on effects or neglecting the music. It is nei- In his spare time, Ostazeski can be found hind the music, writing every one of the ther excessively experimental nor generic, running with his suitemate Diane or shoot- album's fourteen tracks as well as playing and is a satisfying listen throughout. ing bad guys in his favorite Super Nintendo guitar and providing the vocals. Rating: 3 112 stars game, "Goldeneye." It's all G'reek to me: WMC's fraternities and sororities BY RICH SIMMONS the purple cow, and their traditional symbol Assist(Jnt Features Editor Each new academic year, the arrival of first-year students brings a plethora of new is the torch. Phi Alpha Mu can be found liv- Gamma Beta Chi faces eager to learn about and become part of "college life" on the Western Maryland ing on the second floor of ANW. Their The "Betes" as members of Gamma Beta campus. There are many facets to our community here on the Hill, including various brother fraternity is Gamma Beta Chi. Chi are known. are part of the oldest frater- clubs and organizations. But perhaps no part of college life for Western Maryland stu- nity to exist at Western Maryland. Founded dents is as fixating, intriguing, or just-plain puzzling as our own Greek system. This PhiMu in 1922 with Greek letters. the Betes were article is designed as a brief primer for the uninitiated into the history of the American Phi Mu, the country's second oldest so- originally a literary society. Their official college fraternity and sorority system. and as a basic guide to the ccllege-recoguized rority, was founded in 1852 at Wesleyan Fe- fraternity colors are red and blue, and their Greek organizations on our campus. male college from the Philomathean Soci- fraternity flower is the red carnation. They The uniquely American institutions of the collegiate fraternity and sorority prob- ety. Phi Mu originally existed on Western associated themselves with the Phi AlphaMu ably have their origins in the student societies of colonial times. These societies usually Maryland's campus as Delta Sigma Kappa, sorority in 1941 to establish the link that both had particular functions, such as being literary or religious clubs. The first of these founded, but not officially recognized, in organizations enjoy today. The Betes can be secret societies 10 use Greek letters for its identification was Phi Beta Kappa, which is 1924. Phi Mu's colors are rose and white, found living on the third floor of ANW. now an honor society, in 1776. The first all-female secret society to use Greek letters their mascot is the lion, and their flower is was formed from the Adelphean Society in 185I and is currently known as Alpha Delta the pink carnation. They can currently be Alpha Gamma Tau Pi. found living on the fourth floor of McDaniel. Originally known as the Bachelor's Club, The following is a list of the local and national fraternities and sororities that are and -recognized by the college in 1924 as recognized by Western Maryland College, and a brief description of who they are. For Phi Sigma Sigma Alpha Gamma Tau, the "Bachelors" offi- understandable reasons. some organizations allow differing amounts to be known about The "Phi-Sigs" were founded in 1913 at cial colors are blue and white. The members them to non-Initiates, depending on how they see fit. Many thanks to Betsy Chimock Hunter College in New York, with the local of Alpha Gamma Tau live on the fourth floor and tbe members of these Greek organizations for their assistance in compiling this chapter chartering in I981. Phi Sigma Sigma of Blanche Ward Hall. information. has existed here first as the W.W. Club, founded in 1922, and later as Sigma Sigma Phi Delta Tbeta Signia Phi Epsilon ternational Fraternity. Known as the "Skulls" Tau. Phi Sigma Sigma's official colors are The first of three national fraternities to Sigma Phi Epsilon was originally or "Phi-Kaps", Phi Kappa Sigma was blue and gold, with mascots of the skunk and be established on campus, Phi Delta Theta founded at the University of Richmond in founded in 1850 on the campus of the Uni- the sphinx. Their flower is the American was formed in 1848 at the University ofMi- 1901. The Maryland Delta Chapter of the versity of Pennsylvania. The official colors Beauty Rose. The Phi-Sigs brother fraternity ami. The Maryland Beta chapter of the or- "Sig-Eps" was officially chartered in 1983 of Phi Kappa Sigma are black and old gold, is Phi Delta Theta. They can be found on the ganization was founded at Western Maryland here on campus. The symbols of Sigma Phi and some of the fraternity's symbols include third floor of Blanche. College in 1971. The organization'S presence Epsilon are the "Balanced Man" and the the Maltese cross, and the human skull. The on campus dates back to 1923 when they heart, which signifies brotherly love. Their official flower of Phi Kappa Sigma is the Alpha Nu Omega were known as the Black and Whites and ran colors are purple and red, and they can be yellow chrysanthemum. The Skulls can be Alpha Nu Omega is the newest sorority the school's newspaper. Later the Greek let- found living on the third floor of ANW. found on the second floor of ANW. at Western Maryland College, founded here ters Pi Alpha Alpha were adopted. The Phi in 1979. The "Omegas" official colors are Phi Kappa Sigma Delis' official colors are blue and white, and PhiAlphaMu baby blue and white, and their mascot is the their official flower is the white carnation. The most recent addition to Western The "Phi-Alphs" are the oldest existing panda bear. The Omegas can be found liv- They live on the second floor of Blanche Maryland's pantheon of Greeks, .cbartered sorority on campus, recognized in 1926 by ing on the first floor of Blanche Ward Hall. Ward Hall and their sister sorority on cam- at Western Maryland in May of 1998, is the Western Maryland. Phi Alpha Mu's official pus is Phi Sigma Sigma. Delta Eta chapter of Phi Kappa Sigma In- colors are purple and white, their mascot is