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A cartoonist’s attempt at column writing

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Hello there, Optimist reader! The editors have decided that it wasn't punishment enough to force you to read my comics. So now you must endure the horror that is my writing. Congratulations! I can't promise that this will be painless, but I can promise that it will be short, so try to take some solace in that. First off, my name is Evan Marks and ... [Read More…]

Lance Armstrong gives up fight

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The man who beat cancer. That's what comes to my mind when I think of Lance Armstrong. Armstrong has become an American hero not only because of his status as a decorated cyclist, but also because of his perseverance in overcoming one of the most life-threatening illnesses of our time. At age 25, after his second Tour de France win, Armstrong ... [Read More…]

You don’t have to do everything to do something

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We hear about poverty almost every day here at Abilene Christian University. We hear how children die and how we can and should help them. We hear about it so much, that we become immune to what we are told. It's not that we don't care; it's just that it no longer affects us. The organizations that come to speak are often daunting. They require a ... [Read More…]

Abilene live music scene needs new life

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The music scene in Abilene is alive, but ill. Upon arriving in Abilene, students hailing from larger cities with flourishing music scenes are generally shocked at the sparse selection of live music here. For those that don't want to listen to the live background music of Lucky Mule Saloon or Midnight Rodeo, there are few options outside of an ... [Read More…]

Division move won’t bring immediate change

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The move to Division 1 will literally be a game changer. Goodbye, Angelo State and Tarleton. Hello, Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin. It will be exciting to see ACU moving on to bigger and better things. To see how we measure up to these new schools. To be able to put a D1 school on our resumes. To be out of the same division as McMurry. It's ... [Read More…]

Born to be wild(cat): keeping the tradition

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You might say I was brainwashed into coming to ACU. From the very beginning, I had "Future Wildcat" stamped on my passport of life. Yeah. I was "that kid." The one whose parents and grandparents had gone to ACU. The one who grew up going to the homecoming parade and Sing Song every year. The one whose grandfather served on the Board of Trustees. ... [Read More…]

Anniversary a reminder of creation story

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"James Arthur Slater founded the Optimist in 1912." I've heard that statement so many times and said it so often over the past 25 years, it's easy to overlook the true and full story. In the summer of 1912, Jesse P. Sewell was named president of the Campbellite-founded Christian college in Abilene – the fifth president in seven years. He knew ... [Read More…]

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