Experience ACC gourmet on page4
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October 20, 2008
inside
Volume 1, Issue 3
ACC play “Proof” hits the stage
Students, guests bring math to life Jenessa Hernandez Staff Writer
5 What’s going on
...bailout?
cce n t AAns w er s
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find out on page
forum
2 good to know
Voter’s Guide
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The Austin Community College Drama Department presented “Proof,” a Pulitzer Prize-winning play written by David Auburn, and on Oct. 10-12 and 17-19 at the third floor Gallery Theatre. It is a story of a mathematician’s daughter who struggles to accept her inherited talent for mathematics. Shelby Brammer, ACC Arts and Humanities Department Chair, chose and directed the play. “I chose ‘Proof’ because it was something I thought I could cast, and it was a play I thought would appeal to our audiences. Beautifully written and constructed, its story is universal regarding the hopes and fears we all have about what we may have inherited from our parents,” Brammer said. The cast members consist of Emily Robinson (Claire), Hailey Tuck (Catherine), and guest artists Paul Wright (Father) and Dustin Doering (Hal). Even though some of the actors of the play are guest artists, the cast was not unfamiliar with each other. Dustin Doering is an alumnus and Paul Wright is a Math Professor here at ACC. Doering has acted in two films, “Between Floors” and “The Sno Cone Stand Inc.” “We all got along very well.
Teodora Erbes • staff photographer
Scenes from Proof, ACC’s first production of the semester from the drama department. Left to right, ACC drama student Hailey Tuck playing Catherine, Paul Wright, a full time ACC math professor playing Robert and Dustin Doering an ACC drama alumnus
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Student Government Association goes to Washington Editor-in-Chief
Representatives from Austin Community College’s Student Government Association (SGA) participated in the 2008 National Student Government Summit in Washington DC on Sept. 24-28. The event, put on by the American Student Government Association, included over 100 post-secondary schools, and over 600 students attended. This year marked the fourth annual National Student Government Summit and gave students the opportunity to attend nearly 50 workshops and 24 hours of training, and take skills learned at the summit back to their college communities to better serve them. Both community colleges and four-year universities were represented at the event. ACC students who attended the summit, 13 in all, made an effort to have a student attend each of the six workshops during each time slot throughout the day. Two Student Life staff and SGA advisors accompanied the students. For many of the students, it was their first time attending the conference. The students met with numerous U.S. congressmen, senators and aides and were taken on a congressional tour of the Capitol as well as a
tour of the House and Senate Galleries. “We actually got to see some bills put on the floor,” said Joshua Bacak, South Austin Campus Senator, referring to a bill presented by a Michigan senator concerning inspecting bridges. When news of the Wall Street bailout proposal looked like it may be coming up in Congress, the ACC team called Sen. John Cornyn’s aide to request a visit to witness the proceedings, but the bill was not presented. Among the seven senators and six executive council members that students met and talked to were Rep. Lloyd Doggett, Rep. Mike Conaway, Rep. Lamar Smith, Senior Legislative Assistant Sarah Beatty, and Cornyn’s aide Michelle Chen. Arnold Perez, 46, a culinary arts student serving his second term in SGA as an Eastview Campus senator, considers talking with Rep. Doggett the most valuable thing from his trip. Perez, who took ACC’s course in sustainable agriculture and wants to start a non-profit organization for the cause, was pleased to find in Doggett a “green” congressman supportive of sustainability. “That was my happiest moment in the whole trip,” said Perez, “because that’s my mission.” Perez felt that someone
Effective October 13 Local bus fare . . . . . . . $0.75 (Will raise to $1.00 in 2010) Express bus fare . . . . . $1.50 Adult 31-day pass . . . . $18.00 for local service Student 31-day pass . . $9.00 (only available to students under 18)
Cap Metro changes cost students more change Trevor W. Goodchild Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of Jose Aaron Hinojosa
Elizabeth Carson
Cap Metro Fares
Congressman Lloyd Doggett takes time to talk to ACC student Joshua Bacak. Joshua is a senator for the South Austin Campus.
in Washington DC heard his concerns and said the Capitol Hill people “treated us like royalty.” During the scheduled time off, SGA Vice President Adam Oliphant visited national sites and went to Arlington Cemetery where he saw the changing of the guard and JFK’s gravesite. “It was a pretty moving experience,” he
said. During round table workshops at the summit, students were able to present problems they face within student government and the group tackled the issues together. They came up with different viewpoints and approaches to addressing the concerns. For instance, when one college said they ȩȩ SGA continued on page 8
The cost of a Capital Metro monthly student bus pass will be $18 for Austin Community College students. Fares have been raised for all of Capital Metro services. In the past, student passes where $5 for a monthly pass. Under the increased fares, students get passes for $9 or half off, but the definition of student has been changed to include only students 18 years of age and under. “We made that change because it was difficult for our operators to determine who was a student. It cuts down on fraud,” Misty Whited, Capital Metro Communications Specialist, said. According to Capital Metro communication manager Adam Shaivitz, the issue of fraudulent student IDs is something they have wanted to fix for a long time, and the fare increase opened up an
opportunity to address it. College students at the University of Texas at Austin can still use their student IDs to ride the bus. The university has a contract with Capital Metro that pays for student, faculty, and staff bus and shuttle services out of the student fees paid into the college. “We haven’t established a contingency plan for ACC students, but that isn’t to say we aren’t open to sitting down and having talks about setting up something similar to what UT students have,” said Barney Sifuentez, Revenue and Fares Manager for Capital Metro. ACC does not currently have a deal with Capital Metro, but the college is “looking for solutions to its parking and transportation needs,” said Brette Lea, Executive Director of Public Information and College Marketing. “It would really be about what is feasible to ask our students to pay in fees.”
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R edress of Grievances Drunk driving
Jamie Carpenter Columnist
How many kids will you kill this Halloween? Austin is notorious for its legendary Sixth Street where any day can become a party day, especially among college students. It should then come as no surprise that, according to the Austin Police Department, 22 people were arrested last year for public intoxication citywide and 18 people were arrested for DUI/DWI citywide between the hours of 6 p.m. Halloween night and 6 a.m. the next morning. So, in the span of 12 hours, a total of 40 people were arrested for reasons related to alcohol. Add to these statistics the fact that, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving’s website, Texas ranks number one in all the states for alcoholrelated fatalities, and you can see how Halloween could be a dangerous time for kids who are trick-or-treating. Now, don’t get me wrong, there is nothing legally wrong with deciding to party with your friends and family on Halloween. However, it is morally wrong for people to choose their desire to have fun
over the safety of others. Out of all the nights of the year, Halloween is the night when kids are most likely to be walking down the same streets where drunk drivers may be driving. Do not put yourself in a situation where, if you choose to be drinking, you will not have a designated driver. Save the number of a cab company in your phone in case you do not have a sober ride home. Weigh the pros and cons of going out to drink, and don’t wind up driving home in a risky situation. Use some common sense. I know plenty of people will feel they have been told this, but remember, just because there is not a car accident every time you drive home drunk, does not mean that there will never be one. All it takes is one mistake that you could regret forever. In particular, Halloween is a night for kids to be on the streets, so, of any night, you should exercise a little more common sense than normal. Let’s have fun in a responsible way. Just because it’s Halloween doesn’t mean you should forget that you are an adult and your reckless behavior might have the direst of consequences.
Student
Opinion Attack Ads Karissa Rodriguez Staff Writer
Attack advertisements are an old-fashioned political tactic that needs to stop. This year, Senators John McCain and Barack Obama’s campaigns have bombarded Americans with hundreds of attack ads. The most recent tactic from McCain and his running mate Gov. Sarah Palin is attempting to portray Obama as un-American through controversial ties with Bill Ayers, a University of Illinois professor and former member of the radical group Weather Underground. Obama, in response, has attempted to link McCain’s involvement in the Keating Five scandal of the 1980’s to the latest financial crisis. These negative campaign tactics mislead Americans and do not address the important issues that voters care about and deserve to know.
Voters care about finding solutions to the problems the Bush administration has left in its wake. They look to Obama or McCain for those solutions. It is difficult for Americans to decide to vote for McCain or Obama, though, when all they hear in the media is about the latest attack ad each candidate has aired. Attack ads have proven to be a successful campaign tactic in the past, but with the digital age booming, Americans are able to see past the lies. The internet has become an important tool in this year’s election. Americans are able to utilize thousands of websites to learn whether an attack ad’s claims are true or false. When a president is elected because attack ads hurt the other candidate’s chances of winning, like the Swift boat attack ads did for Sen. John Kerry in 2004, voters are stripped of their opportunity to vote fairly. In the end, attack ads may win an election, but they hurt Americans in the long run.
Presidential campaigns have turned into tech war
The day McCain announced Sarah Palin as his running mate her Wikipedia page saw 2.4 million hits. It is apparent that in today’s technological age, a political campaign is a war fought on many fronts. In the few short hours before John McCain
announced his choice for VP, an anonymous editor named “Young Trigg” (also the name of Palin’s infant son) made 30 changes to her profile, the majority of which were favorable. The changes included references to a biography of Palin, stating she was “a politician of eye-popping integrity,” and eliminating sections about her alleged abuse of power in having her former brother-inlaw fired from his job as a state trooper. The anonymous editor also down-played her participation in beauty pageants. Wikipedia has since restricted who is capable of editing Palin’s page.
Our View Staff Editorial
Elizabeth Carson Editor-in-Chief • David Rodriguez Assistant Editor Sarah Neve Campus Editor • Alma Hernandez Photo/Web Editor • Jana Lelek Layout Editor
Leave Joe out of it, vote for the elite
Election Day is getting closer, and voters have a lot to think about such as tax increases proposed by both sides, a crashing economy, and apparently for some, finding a candidate that hunts moose and keeps an eye on Russia, like the average American. This election, the pandering from both parties to middle class voters, has become insulting. It implies that the average American can’t make an informed choice based on the issues. Americans don’t need folksy stories about the candidates’ past. No one cares if the candidate takes the train to work every day, only that once they’re there, they do their job. Vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin claims to be in touch with the average American because her and her
family spent most of their lives in middle America (Alaska). This folksy, I could have a beer with them, appeal is not new. It was, in fact, the appeal our current president ran on in 2000, and again in 2004. His approval rating is currently at 25 percent according to Fox News. Some voters are really attracted to this folksy image. They feel like the candidate will better serve their interests. History shows us that a folksy president without experience is really just someone who’s bad at the job, but who seems like a really nice guy. The president and the vice president shouldn’t be someone voters could hang out with. (Except for Dick Cheney, who seems like he’d be fun at a party.) This is one of those positions where
Student Opinion
No confidence Jonathan Sack Staff Writer
In a presidential election cycle, the citizens of our nation have a spectacular opportunity to elect new leadership into the executive branch. The two major campaigns have worked their way through the primaries and earned the support of their parties. Now the presidential debates are underway, and both candidates are eager to tell the public how their policies will affect the American people and the nation’s foreign affairs. It seems as though neither of the candidates address the issues that concern me most, or worse, neither of them has a good solution to an issue that I
letters to the editor
think is important. Both candidates voted for the controversial and unpopular bailout legislation in the Senate. I opposed this bill sternly. Neither Barack Obama nor John McCain has expressed a desire to stop the wars in both Afghanistan and Iraq. I believe in ending both wars, and bringing our troops back home would be the best policy. There are other pressing issues that the candidates rarely mention, such as torture. Sen. McCain voted for the Military Commissions Act of 2006, allowing so-called “enhanced interrogation.” On the act, Sen. Obama voted nay and spoke in strong opposition on the Senate floor. One issue in particular that neither Sen. Obama nor Sen. McCain has seemed to address is the precedent of lawlessness that has been established by the Bush administration. The Constitution clearly states the President’s duty is
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elitism doesn’t hurt. The president should be smarter than most Americans. By all means, vote for anyone that appeals to the political platforms you agree with. Don’t vote for someone because they shop at Home Depot, or grew up in a single parent home. Joe Sixpack lacks the leadership skills to run the free world. In fact, Joe Sixpack is grossly under-qualified to hold any political office. Besides being a fictitious character, he is decidedly average, performs badly when forced to interact with the media, and isn’t sure if he believes that global warming is caused by man. Smart, above average people, whose names don’t imply that they have a drinking problem, should be running the country, gosh darn it!
“to take care that the laws be faithfully executed,” yet Bush has ignored sections of over 750 laws enacted since 2000, according to the Boston Globe article, “Bush Challenges Hundreds of Laws.” How will the next president execute the laws? This should be a major platform issue. Are these two gentlemen the only options for the leadership of our nation for the next four years? There are more than ten third-party or independent candidates in the presidential race. With all the attention and money given to the
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Democrat and Republican presidential candidates, it would be foolish to expect a third-party candidate to win, but will I throw my vote away by voting third-party? Morally, I cannot vote for either senator since I disagree with both platforms, and find both unqualified for the job. When I cast my vote, I will vote for a third-party candidate as a method of voicing my opinion that neither mainstream candidate is worth electing. I will be voting no confidence.
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OFFICE OF STUDENT LIFE RGC, 1212 Rio Grande St., Room 101.1 Austin TX 78701 Editor-in-Chief.............................................................................................. Elizabeth Carson Assistant Editor............................................................................................ David Rodriguez Photo/Web Editor......................................................................................... Alma Hernandez Layout Editor............................................................................................................Jana Lelek Campus Editor.......................................................................................................Sarah Neve Accent Adviser........................................................................................... Matthew Connolly Accent Coordinator..............................................................................................Lori Blewett Student Life Director....................................................................................... Cheryl Richard Writers Rebekka Puig, Jonathan Sack, Christina Chapman, Jamie Carpenter, Trevor W. Goodchild, Olivia Palmer, Tanya Brooke Roese, Shane Yount, Jenessa Hernandez, Sarah Saker, Rose Robinson, Lauren Reed Photographers Jonathan Sack, Hanlly Sam, Stephen Hooker, Esther Garcia, Teodora Erbes, Sarah Saker ACC President Dr. Steve Kinslow Board of Trustees Ms. Nan McRaven– Chair; Ms. Veronica Rivera—Vice Chair; Dr. James McGuffee—Secretary, Dr. Barbara P. Mink, Allen Kaplan, Mr. Jeffrey Richard, JOhn-Michael Cortez, Tim Mahoney, Raul Alvarez All rights reserved. All content is the property of Accent and may not be reproduced, published or retransmitted in any form without written permission from the Office of Student Life. Accent is the student newspaper of Austin Community College and is printed by the Texas Student Publications. Accent is published biweekly. ACC students may submit articles for publication in Accent to RGC’s Office of Student Life Room 101.1; e-mail articles to accent@austincc.edu or fax submissions to 223-3086. ACC does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, political affiliation or disability. Accent offers ACC’s faculty, staff, students and surrounding community a complete source of information about student life. Accent welcomes your input, as well as information about errors. If you notice any information that warrants a correction please e-mail accent@austincc.edu. Individual views, columns, letters to the editor and other opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Accent.
News
October 20, 2008 • Accent
Fire cadets compete in Buda Austin Community College’s Fire Academy cadets participated in the 51st annual Buda Fire Fest on Sat., Oct. 4 during a two-day event at the Buda City Park. According to ACC’s newsroom, the fire cadets competed against local fire academies “in a wide range of skills-based activities including stair climbing, hose hoisting, hose dragging, forcible entry, and the Rescue Randy drag.” There was also a TERC USA extrication challenge in which 5-person teams competed in their ability to rescue people from car crashes. Over 100 Texas firefighters competed for cash and prizes in the Ultimate Firefighter Challenge. The Buda Fire Fest also had a kids firefighters challenge, an International Bar-B-Que Cookers Association cook-off, a free leadership conference, a fine arts festival, and live music.
Foreign policy experts lead discussion panel ACC is hosting a free foreign affairs discussion panel in collaboration with St. Edward’s University’s Kozmetsky Center on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. at Eastview Campus. The theme of “Foreign Policy Challenges Facing the Next President,” will address the question, “What would you say if you had ten minutes to talk with the next president?” The four leading foreign policy experts on the panel are: Cynthia Arnson, Director of Latin American Program, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and former foreign policy aid, U.S. Congress, 1977-89; Philip Brenner, Director of United States Foreign Policy Field, School of International Service, American University, and former staff, U.S. Congress; Joseph T. Eldridge, University Chaplain, American University, and Founder/Executive Director, Washington Office on Latin America, 1974-86; William M. LeoGrande, Dean of School of Public Affairs, American University, and former staff, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives. Organizers hope this will give them the opportunity to understand the complex issues facing the next presidential administration, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, nuclear proliferation, and the global financial market. The panel will also address the unique challenges the next administration might encounter.
us se nate
pr eside nt
Candidate
Education
Iraq
“Every area of federal spending can and should be cut.”
Reform public education system by shifting responsibility from government to parents.
Supports an exit strategy that does not include a publicly released timetable
John McCain, Republican
Will cap the top tax rate at 35% “and phase out the Alternative Minimum Tax.”
“Simplify Federal Financial Aid; Consolidating programs will help simplify their administration.”
Winning is the main goal, failure is not an option.
Barack Obama,
Will instill a Making Work Pay tax credit that claims to “completely eliminate income taxes for ten million Americans.”
“Creating the American Opportunity tax credit… will ensure first $4000 of college education.”
Claims he will immediately end the war upon taking office
“Supports...eliminating obsolete federal programs and questionable subsidies… and reversing tax cuts that benefit a select few.”
Passed House Bill 1403 giving in-state tuition rates and “financial assistance for certain immigrant children”
Winning is the main goal, failure is not an option.
Litigator Running Mate- Wayne Root
Senior Senator of Arizona Running Mate- Sarah Palin
Democrat
Junior Senator of Illinois
Rick Noriega, Democrat
Texas Representative, fourth term
John Cornyn, Republican
Incumbent, elected in 2002
Democrat 10th Dist., near NRG, HBC
Economy
Bob Barr, Libertarian
Larry Joe Doherty, Attorney
Matt Finkel Libertarian
Finish Carpenter
Michael T. McCaul Republican Incumbant
25th Dist., near SAC, PIN, EVC, RVC, HBC, RGC
The City of Austin Solid Waste Services has started a new residential recycling program called Single Stream Recycling. Beginning this month, Solid Waste Services will distribute new 90 gallon wheeled recycling carts to residential customers. The carts are similar to the garbage carts used currently, except they are blue. Single Stream Recycling allows customers to place all recyclables in one bin without sorting them. Paper, cardboard, glass, aluminum cans, and plastic numbered 1 through 7 may be recycled in the carts together. Styrofoam and disposable plastic grocery bags cannot be recycled under the Single Stream program. The carts will be collected every other week along with regular garbage pick-up. The bi-weekly collection schedule reduces the number of collection trucks, lowering the cost of the recycling program. Collection trucks automatically lift and empty recycling carts, reducing the risk of injury to city Solid Waste Services employees.
For information on where and when to vote in Travis county, visit www.co.travis.tx.us/county_clerk/election/default.asp
21st Dist., near CYP, PIN, RGC
Recycling program reduces costs and confusion
Early voting Oct.20 - 31 General Election Nov. 4
ho u se
On Oct. 2, the Austin City Council voted to expand zoning at the Rio Grande Campus’ parking garage adding space for an additional 90 parking spots. The city has now given Austin Community College permission to raise the height of the structure from 60 to 75 feet and reduce the restricted zoning on the front and side of the garage from 10 to 3 ft. Rezoning will now allow another level and put the structure at seven stories. Newly approved additions will put the garage at a capacity of 543 spots. The changes will still allow a 10 to 15 ft. wide sidewalk along Shoal Creek Blvd. and 9 ft. of sidewalk along 12th St. The parking garage is also set to include a new bookstore on the first level and is looking for completion by Fall 2009.
Voter’s Guide
us
RGC Parking garage update: City agrees to more spaces
w w w.t h e A c c e n t. o r g
Lloyd Doggett
Low taxes and minimal govern- “…co-sponsored and voted for ment regulation the College Cost Reduction and Access Act. ”
Would like to obtain victory.
“...work to create insurance systems that let all Americans share the risk of catastrophic healthcare costs.”
“Create more opportunity through higher education.”
An advocate to “end the war in Iraq.”
“Drastically reduce taxes for low income, middle income, small businesses and the self employed”
“Streamline the educational system and allow for more local decisions”
“...I will continue leading the fight for our national and border security.”
“Supporter of policies that have led to the creation of over 2 million new jobs in the last twelve months.”
Democrat
“…fought tax loopholes that favor special interests at the expense of taxpayers.”
George L. Morovich
“Simplify the tax system by implementing the Fair Tax.”
Incumbent
Republican
“...I will continue leading the fight for our national and border security.” “I strongly supported the College Cost Reduction Act”,which passed Congress in Sept. 27, 2007.
Jim Stutsman Libertarian
“...record increases in funding for Veterans Administration, increased incentives for home ownership among veterans.” “Our international relationships should minimize the need for a military presence in other countries.”
Cattle rancher “I stand for strict constitutional government...”
“I stand for strict constitutional government...”
“I stand for strict constitutional government...”
“It is not fair to punish those who create jobs with high tax rates”
“...a generous financial aid “...freedom isn’t free; it system is essential to providing demands a price.” access to a higher education.”
“Cut and simplify” taxes across the board. Endorses Fair Tax proposal H.R. 25
Advocate of research programs Advocates immediate in universities withdrawal
Retired Military
Lamar Smith Republican Incumbent
James Arthur Strohm Libertarian
Technical writer
Candidate texas railroad commisssioner
To Be Brief
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Energy Stance
David Floyd
“Advocates Green Libertarianism (Free Market Environmentalism)”
Mark Thompson
Fought for reforms such as “expelling the oil and gas lobby from the process...and improving public safety.”
Libertarian
Democrat
Disabilities rights advocate
Michael Williams Republican
“Oil will fuel our cars...for a long time to come. Yet, there are national security, economic and environmental reasons to devolop alternative and attainable transportation fuels.”
Incumbant
The Accent offers this guide as a starting point for exploring the positions of the candidates on the 2008 ballot. Voters are encouraged to do their own research and to vote for the candidate whose positions most closely matches their beliefs about the issues.
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CampusNews w w w .t h e A c c e n t. o r g
Culinary classes create affordable gourmet meals Bistro 3158 opens doors, serves food from around the world
Bistro Events October 9: Le Burgundians of France October 16: The Isans of Thailand
Review
Sarah Neve
Campus Editor The culinary program’s student-run restaurants reopened for the first time this semester on Thursday, Oct. 9 at the Eastview Campus. An impressive display of traditional French foods was on the menu for the opening. The program is headed by Chef Brian Hays, who teaches American Regional Cuisine, the class that puts on the lunch events for Le´ Bistrette, and Chef Brian McCormick who teaches International Cuisine, the class that puts on the dinners at Bistro 3158. The theme this semester is simple, rustic, traditional bistro-style recipes. Students in the American and International classes run the restaurants as a lab. The restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner on select Thursdays through the end of November. The French themed menu on opening night was created by Chef McCormick. All future menus will be designed by students based on culinary research they have done on different regions. The cohesion from one dish to the next was attention catching. It felt like it was wellconnected and thoughtfully planned out. The first course was ham covered in a light, creamy, white wine sauce and stuffed with sauteed mushrooms, whereas one of the entrees was a classic beef dish braised with Burgundy, and the mushrooms in that dish
made it feel connected to the first. The classroom-turneddining room was also relaxed, with different colored table cloths and a courtyard entrance. Besides the amazing food, the student involvement was impressive. In the small dining room, as many as six students in black slacks and blue button-down shirts hovered near the entrance. They watched the three tables in the restaurant and jumped at the chance to remove plates as soon as they emptied. The water glasses were never more than halfway finished. At times, the sheer number of people waiting on one table felt a little overbearing, but this problem will likely fix itself as the restaurant gets busier and the students have less time to focus on each table. Probably the most impressive thing about the program is the ingredients. The meat, whenever possible, is produced by the meat fabrication class, and the coffee is roasted and delivered the next day from right down the street. The ingredients are purchased weekly. They try to do everything possible on campus. The portions were good, the food was fantastic, and the price was unbeatable at $19.25 per person for a four course meal with a drink. The Eastview Bistro 3158 is a great opportunity to try gourmet foods from all over the world for less then $20, while supporting the culinary program.
October 30: The Kriols of Belize
November 6: The Ashkenazi of Russia and Eastern Europe November 13: The Basques of Spain November 20: Italian Pilgram’s Thanksgiving finale Cost: $19.25 per person Dress code: Business casual Location: Eastview campus Building 3000 Room 3315,3158
Lunch: 11:30-1:00 p.m. Dinner: 6:00 p.m -7:15 p.m. Reservations: Online or by phone 223.5176
www.austincc.edu/hospmgmt/bistrobistrette.htm
Left: Lunch is served. Students Patric Smith (Left) and Preston Pruett prepare lunch for guests at Le’ Bistrette at Eastview campus. Le’ Bistrette is run entirley by culinary arts, hospitality management and meeting & event planning students. Unlike the dinner, they serve American fair, the also offer their menu for pick up orders.
Opening menu features traditional French Cuisine
Jambon a la Crème de Saulie Fresh sauteed mushrooms, stuffed into a thick slice of ham, slowly heated, topped with a white wine cream sauce. Beouf a la Bourguignonne The original braised beef, slowly simmered with Burgundy’s best red wine, topped with pearl onions and mushrooms
Salad de Tomates Simple dish of tomatoes, onion rings, dressed with lemon vinaigrette.
Le Coq au Vin de Pays Chicken simmered in a white burgundy, brandy, carrots,onions and celery. Garnished with Burgundy’s favorite vegetables: onions and mushrooms
Mousse aux Apricots Apricots chopped and puréed and mixed with fresh whipped cream, and topped with crystallized lemon zest
Above: Keeping a watchful eye. Maria Rankins prepares Beouf a la Bourguignonne as Professor Brian McCormick keeps an eye on the dinner service. Bistro 3158 will be open for dinner almost every Thursday until November 20th, each week a new menu will be exibited. Left: Tia Mcwaters prepares food for diners on opening night. Mcwaters menu was featured on Thursday Oct. 16. She based her menu on the Isans of Thailand
photos by Sarah Saker . Staff Photographer
October 20, 2008 • Accent
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Skaters still use old hangout near RGC
Campus Briefs
Students learn how Phi Theta Kappa can help future The Austin Community College’s honor society met for orientation Saturday Oct. 11. Phi Theta Kappa was founded 1918 and boasts more than 2 million members in more than 1,200 chapters in all 50 states. Phi Theta Kappa officers kept students entertained with bingo and a raffle for Phi Theta Kappa T-shirts, coffee mugs, or key chains. Officers of Phi Theta Kappa were introduced, and an advisor, Mary Kohls, gave an informative talk on how membership increases students’ acceptance into universities from ACC. “When I applied to the university of my choice, the admission counselor immediately focused on Phi Theta Kappa,” Stephanie Griffith, a former member, said in a video. “She told me without looking any further in my application packet those three words told her everything she needed to know about me.”
Build a Park registration now online, musicians still needed
Hanlly Sam . Staff Photographer
Skater John Delamater practices his skills in the parking lot on Shoal Creek and 12 St., this is where a new skate park is scheduled to be built. th
New skate park construction at a standstill Christina Chapman Staff Writer
The City of Austin through the Austin Recreation Center at Shoal Creek plans to build a skate park adjacent to the parking garage that ACC is building for the Rio Grande Campus.
While construction for the parking garage has begun, construction on the skate park is at a standstill. “City Council just keeps pushing it back,” said Jake Nunn, local skateboarder and No-Comply skate shop co-owner.
Skateboarders, however, continue to use the space near the RGC parking lot for practice and recreational use. The skate park will provide a service to skaters in the area, since there are no other skating venues in central Austin or near RGC.
At least three indoor skate parks provide a spot for skateboarders in north Austin. Skatepark of Austin is located in north central Austin at Rutherford Rd. Austin Skatepark has two locations: Ramp Ranch Skatepark in Liberty Hill and Capital Skatepark in Round Rock. An outdoor skate park is located at Mabel Davis District Park, located off I35 near St. Edward’s University. The Mabel Davis skate park, opened in 2005, boasts Austin’s first skate park, according to the City of Austin website. The new outdoor skate park and BMX bike course, to be located where the current temporary RGC parking spots are ,will cover 30,000 sq.ft. on an acre of land. New Line Skate Parks, a Canadian firm that has designed over 100 skate parks worldwide, has provided the project design. Construction was expected to start this Fall.
The office of Student Life and the Austin Parks Foundation are sponsoring Project: Build a Park. The event will take place rain or shine on Nov. 8, 2008, and last from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. There will be two shifts. The first starts at 8:00 a.m., the second at 11:00 a.m. The first 100 students to show up for each shift will receive a T-shirt. Students can register on the Student Life website. All participants should wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, as well as close-toed shoes. Any students interested in performing live music for the workers should contact Adam Pfluger at apfluger@austincc.edu.
Ten students to become Diversity Ambassadors Speak Out!, the second annual Diversity Outreach Student Conference, organized by John Jacobs and ACC Student Life Assistants from all campuses, is a conference focusing on politics and culture. This conference gives students the opportunity to develop political arguments and bring awareness to cultural diversity. Ten students will be selected to become Diversity Ambassadors by Jacobs and a Student Life team. These students will help the program spread diversity awareness to each campus, by speaking to groups, and helping put on future diversity conferences. The event will be held at the Eastview Campus on Oct. 24 and there is an early registration fee of $15 which includes breakfast and lunch as well as guest speakers participating in group discussions. Late registration is $20.
Student clubs to celebrate halloween, recruit members
Student Life is sponsoring Club-O-Ween, an event that will allow clubs to recruit interested students. There will be food, games, and literature discussing the clubs’ motives. The event is Oct. 30 at all campuses, from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. There will be a contest for best costume, as well as best decorated club table. Student Life is providing the prizes. Club participation and events may vary by campus.
ACC foundation welcomes five new members to the Board of Directors Christina Chapman Staff Writer
The Austin Community College Foundation welcomed five new board members to the Board of Directors on Sept. 25. Mark Clayton, Scott Flack, John Hernandez, Corby Jastrow, and John Henry McDonald joined 21 other board members already serving. Board members come from different areas of the job force in Austin such as health and business, and have a “genuine interest in higher education and developing future leaders,” Anne Schubert, Operations Coordinator for the Austin Community College Foundation said. According to the ACC website, board members guide fundraising efforts for scholarships and other projects. They meet with prospective donors, utilize their connections within the community to make people aware of what ACC offers students and the different needs that ACC has, and review and approve scholarships that students have applied for. According to Kersta (K.C.) Caliz, Communications Coordinator for ACC, all of the new Board of Directors
New board members
Mark Clayton
Scott Flack,
Corby Jastrow,
members are leaders in the community. Clayton is senior vice president of strategic planning and development at St. David’s HealthCare. Flack is an experienced real estate marketing and leasing professional with Live Oak Gottesman and has been affiliated with several public service organizations. Hernandez is a real estate broker in Austin and served on the ACC Board of Trustees from 2002-08, serving as its chair the past two years. Jastrow is co-owner and
John H. McDonald
John Hernandez
vice president of Prominent Title, LLC, which represents a number of the largest underwriters in the nation. McDonald is the president and founder of Austin Asset Management Co., a 20 yearold financial planning, asset management, and investment firm, and he hosts the financial news feature, The Finance Guy. Since the Austin Community College Foundation’s beginning in 1991, over $5 million has been raised to help ensure access to higher education for students and support college programs.
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A n issue?
Celebrating diversity
cce n t AA n s w er s
What’s up with this “bailout”
?
Mortgage and mortgage-backed securities have been thrown around a lot, what is the difference between the two?
A mortgage is a lone from a financial institution that covers the amount of a house, lets say, so you do not have to pay the full amount out of pocket. Instead the mortgage covers the house and you pay back the financial institution little by little until your house, interest and the fees are paid off. A mortgage-backed security is, according to slate.com, when your lender (of a mortgage) sells your, and hundreds of other mortgages, to a company, like Bear Stern, which, in turn, uses the monthly payments received to pay off investors who have bought chunks of the mortgages. This allows the lender to lend mortgages to more people and not have to worry about its customers paying the bills.
What does the bailout cover? Mortgages or mortgage-backed securities? It covers both, as long as you received your loan between Jan. 1, 2005 and July 31, 2007. But experts think that mortgage-backed securities and whole home loans will take up most of the money, while companies that are past the point of saving will be ignored. The logic behind this is to put as much money into as many companies as possible, instead of putting a lot of money into a small amount of companies.
How will the Treasury know what to pay? They have not worked out all the details on that yet. But Businessweek.com says “the less it [the Treasury] pays, the lower the cost to taxpayers, and the greater the potential upside as the market recovers. But the less the government pays, the smaller will be the impact in recapitalizing the banks’ weakened balance sheets.” So there has to be a careful balancing act between making sure they are not over paying, and not buying so low that no one will want to sell.
How do you know if you are eligible for the freeze on your interest rate? First you have to be living in the house that has the mortgage. If you can afford a high interest rate after the reset, you will not qualify for the five-year freeze. On the flip side, if you are currently close to foreclosure with your interest rate, you, also, will not qualify. The bailout is ultimately designed for is those of us who, in the future, could run into foreclosure problems if the interest rate is raise sharply.
What about other debt, such as credit cards or car loans? They are not out of the question, if the Treasury feels that it is necessary and able to take on more debts than they will try to recover those debts too.
Will the money spent on the bailout every get recouped? Yes, it will. Since mortgages are still worth money, and in some cases, more than what the government will put into them, thus the mortgage-backed securities are worth a good amount of money, so whenever the mortgages-backed securities are bought up the money will go back to recover what was spent. The Accent wants to help students debunk the mysteries about the issues and activities that commonly come up in college life. If there is an issue you would like the Accent to look into email us, and we’ll help make sense of it.
Teodora Erbes • staff photog
Austinites enjoy food, music, and dancing at the 76th Annual Mediterranean Festival celebration at the St. Elias Orthodox Church. This Greek dance is known as Tsamiko. This is one of the many festivals and events that celebrates the rich diversity of Austin.
Local Mediterranean festival brings food, fun to Austin Elizabeth Carson Editor-in-Chief
Austinites gathered together to celebrate the 76th annual St. Elias Mediterranean Festival at St. Elias Orthodox Church on Friday and Saturday Oct. 11-12 from 6 p.m. to midnight. The festival entertained visitors with food, cocktails, ethnic music, and dancing. Music was performed by Greek
t e l e v i s i o n : p r e s i d e n t i a l d e b at e s Obama most fit after Oct. 7 debate
Matthew Thompson Staff Writer This presidential debate on Oct. 7 was a very pivotal point for the McCain campaign, after falling behind significantly in the polls.
McCain did fine, but it is evident that Obama succeeds in a debate forum. Obama came across more realistic and authentic, while McCain referred to the audience as his “friends” over and over, and expressed a positive mindset about the future of the country. Maybe Obama’s lack of experience in U.S. politics will benefit him; maybe he’s slightly less tainted or corrupt than most experienced U.S.
politicians. However both candidates stretched facts, Obama when talking about McCain’s spending plans, and McCain when accusing Obama of plans to “attack Pakistan.” Nevertheless, John McCain is a national hero with some good plans concerning energy and the economy; but this debate has reassured me Obama is the most fit to tackle major issues at this time.
October 15 too little too late for McCain
Sarah Neve Campus Editor The third presidential debate on Oct. 15 started out as Senator John McCain’s best. However as the debate
continued, McCain lost his footing, especially when Obama set the record straight about his involvement with Bill Ayres and ACORN. A noticeable body language issue will also hurt the McCain campaign. When Senator Obama was talking, McCain would roll his eyes and fidget around like a bored toddler. Obama always looked presidential. Obama’s
performance was dull, and rehearsed in the beginning, but got stronger near the end. McCain would have benefited from reserving his aggressive and well executed attack until the end of the evening. McCain is trailing in the national polls and in the swing states, his performance will get him a small bump in points, but it wasn’t good enough to help him catch up.
Folk Musicians Stavros and Maria, and Middle-Eastern Chanteuse Zein Al-Jundi. For a $5 entrance fee, festival-goers enjoyed the sights, sounds, and smells of Lebanese, Palestinian, Greek, Eritrean, and Romanian food. Cooks served gyros, baklava, rolled grape leaves, and mici at outdoor stands. A Mediterranean marketplace was set up, as well as a
Kids’ Oasis area. Dance demonstrations brought a lively atmosphere to the event. With Austin Community College’s Diversity Outreach Student Conference on Oct. 24 approaching, the long-running Mediterranean Festival is just one of many Austin events that give students a chance to enjoy the various cultures that make Austin diverse.
October 20, 2008 • Accent
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e n t e r ta i n m e n t live music
reviews m ov i e s
Repo! The Genetic Opera hooks fans in Rocky Horror style with wild songs Sarah Saker Staff Writer
Mike and the Moonpies deliver Lone Star drenched honkey-tonk performance Lauren Reed Staff Writer
Mike and the Moonpies recently recorded a much anticipated live EP entitled “Catalina” at the Troubadour in Lockhart, to be released Christmas day 2008. The album features guest artists, Joey Thompson of The Archibalds and Steve Malone of Frank Smith. With various artists often joining the band for live performances fans can always expect an original and inventive show. I caught their show at
Flipnotics Sept. 27, and it was a damn good time. The show included some of their original work, a few covers and a lot of Lone Star. The combination of The Reverend Jeff Elliot on the fiddle and Burton Lee on the steel guitar and lyrics like, “I drink whiskey and she drinks wine… “, they stay true to their Texas honkey tonk roots. Front man Mike Harmier teased the audience as they called out requests for covers, and with another whiskey shot and an audible grin, he played the opening notes of “Folsom Prison Blues”. Then they went
straight into Upcoming the fast, Shows: rhythmic Hole in the melody Wall: of a song Nov. 2, 11pm entitled “The Stubb’s: Country” Nov. 20, 8pm. that draws you in instantly and almost always gets the crowd up and dancing. I don’t know if it’s their wide sphere of influence, the camaraderie of the band, or the rock undertones in combination with the genuine country feel, but they keep their audience coming back for more.
album
Sarah Vasquez Staff Writer
When judging a book (or in this case, a CD) by it’s cover, my initial conclusion to what Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s, “Not Animals” was going to sound like was another artsy, folksy experimental band that would drone me to sleep. In fact, listening to this 12 track album was quite enjoyable. With the inclusion of the violin and lap steel, some songs do call to mind a country style, but not enough to ward off those who do not normally listen to that genre. This band seems to love surprising their listeners. With song titles such as “Holy Cow” and “Real Naked Girls”, one would think
they would be more uptempo but they are in fact the opposite. Truth is told, “Not Animals” consists of completely mellow indie rock songs. This is a great cd for relaxing or driving around a scenic route. The soothing voice of vocalist Richard Edwards, accompanying the melodic piano and violin occasionally create a lullaby ambiance. Some of the other songs like “Pages Written on a Wall” and “A Children’s Crusade on Acid” provide energetic
courtesy of Sony BMG
Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s deliver more than so-so CD with “Not Animals”
breaks. The album was released by Epic records on Oct. 7 and is one of Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s two recently released albums. The other, “Animal” is only available on vinyl and online.
video games
“Star Ocean,” Famicon RPG staple hits U.S. shores Shane Yount Staff Writer
The original Star Ocean was only available on the Super Famicom (Japanese Nintendo gaming system). A decade later a fully revamped edition with a graphics overhaul, extra characters, and fully voiced dialogue will reach American shores Nov. 21. Star Ocean: First Departure follows childhood friends Roddick, Millie, and Dorne as they keep their hometown safe from intruders, when a strange disease that turns people into stone spreads across the entire planet. Now the trio must travel to the past to save the present. The best factor of this game is the exciting battle system, which features four characters moving about freely
in a 3D plane. You can only control one character at a time, but you can direct others to act accordingly, via various tactics. Characters can equip special attacks and magic spells to use in battle and items can be used by opening up a simple in-battle menu. As usual in role playing games, characters receive money, experience points, and skill points after battle. Upon learning enough skills, various abilities like cooking and writing can be learned. Utilizing this innovative item creation is vital to completing the game. The voice acting and the score are both impressive and the graphics style of 2D sprites (drawings that move across the screen) in colorful environments is aesthetically pleasing. Although the storyline is not particularly mind-blowing,
courtesty of Square Enix
a fast-paced battle system paired with excellent item creation makes Star Ocean: First Departure a surefire hit for RPG fans. This game is quite possibly the best RPG to be made available for the Play Station Portable.
Photo courtesy of Lionsgate Films
the fans’ favorites. During the screening almost the entire audience shouted along with the “Zydrate Anatomy” song. “Looking up from my beer, I couldn’t help but think that it was weird and completely ----ing cool [that] these fools are singing the songs!,” screenwriter, Terrace Zdunich said during the Q&A after the screening. The US premier was at Austin’s Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar, Sept. 19. Originally only one screening was scheduled during Fantastic Fest, but due to the ticket demand, a second midnight screening was scheduled for the same day. “[The] fans were dressed up as characters from the movie. Not one, or two, or even ten… more like thirty-forty. Now, what makes this all the more jaw dropping is, this movie has not yet been screened for
public consumption. This is not out, in the mainstream’s attention,” Director Darren Lynn Bousman later said on his blog about the Austin premier. The fans are what ultimately drove the film, and since Repo! was unlike most horror movies, Lionsgate had turned a cold shoulder and wanted to send the film straight to DVD, but the fans would not allow this. During the screening of the film a young fan was passing out blue glow sticks that mimicked the Zydrate drug, with ‘repo-opera.com’ hand written on them. Get your advanced tickets and don’t miss the film that is unlike any other.
books
Saramago’s vision brings transparency to the nature of man with modern allegory Lindsay Preston Staff Writer
“Blindness,” a novel written by Portuguese noble laureate Jose Saramago, is a brilliant and compelling portrayal of the dark chaos and greed both within and outside of society. The story begins as an anonymous city is inexplicably stricken with an epidemic of “white blindness”. In an attempt to contain the ailment, the government orders the city’s blind citizens quarantined within an empty mental hospital, abandoning them to their fear and confusion. Among the hospital’s inhabitants, one woman secretly retains her power of sight, and through her eyes we watch as the previous social order rapidly deteriorates and a brutal, new hierarchy emerges. “Blindness” presents a familiar allegory, in which a myopic, self-serving, and cruel humanity is exposed once the quelling habits of social convention are stripped away. It is reminiscent of truths explored in Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”, Camus’ “The Plague”, or more recently, in McCarthy’s “The Road.” “Blindness” is unique because of the strength of its metaphor: sight as awareness, combined with Saramago’s unusual literary
courtesy of Harvest Books
Lauren Reed • staff photographer
Mike and the Moonpies perform their post-ACL show at Flipnotics. From left to right the members are Preston Rhone, Kyle Ponder on drums, Mike Harmier on lead vocals, and Burton Lee on steel guitar..
During Repo! The Genetic Opera, the year is 2056; the world is plagued with an epidemic of organ failure, and body counts are so great that cities are being built on top of the dead. Then one man, Rotti Largo (Paul Sorvino, The Soprano’s), steps up to save the world with GeneCo, his biotechnological company that mass-produces body parts. Repo! premieres at select theatres nationally Nov.7 and re-premieres at Alamo Drafthouse, South Lamar on the same date. Nathan Wallace (Anthony Head) is the best Repo-Man, a legal assassin who is employed by GeneCo. Wallace plays a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde character, completely lovable and trusting one minute, then the next he is ripping someone apart to get an organ that belongs to GeneCo. The plot thickens as it is discovered that Largo is dying, and the fight is on for his wealth between his children; Amber Sweet (Paris Hilton), a Zydrate and surgery addict, Pavi (Ogre, the lead singer of Skinny Puppy) who is more beauty than brains, and Luigi (Bill Moseley, House of 1000 Corpses) who cannot control his temper. Largo is disgusted with all of them, so he comes up with a sinister plan to make everything he has worked for fall into the right hands. In order to accomplish this, he must wait for the Genetic Opera. The musical masterpieces of Joseph Bishara fall perfectly in place with the plot and the actors do an amazing job performing the songs. Watching Repo!, I never thought the little girl from the Spy Kids films would have such an amazing voice, but it is the songs that are becoming
style. The reader’s experience of disorientation and anxiety is augmented by the author’s signature lack of traditional punctuation, lengthy run-on sentences, and Saramago’s refusal to refer to any characters by name. The protagonist, known only as “the doctor’s wife,” is alone in watching events unfold as the powerful few control limited resources in order to systematically exploit the vulnerability and desperation of the (seemingly) powerless.
It is not a stretch to think that Saramago, well known for his commitment to leftist politics, may mean to critique an indifferent capitalistic system, as well as the futility in identifying a person’s character or significance with their social station. In “Blindness,” Saramago challenges his readers to bear witness to the extremes and capabilities within our own nature, and to be guided by conviction, compassion, and awareness.
w w w .t h e A c c e n t. o r g Accent • October 20, 2008
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Guest actors add experience to “Proof”
Quick shot
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Dusty, Emily, and I became good friends. Emily is in my drama class. Paul and I were both in a film directed by Shelby called ‘The Flea Circus’,” Tuck said. Paul Wright, who plays the mentally unstable father of Catherine, is a member of the Actor’s Equity Association. Wright has been in several plays, including Brammer’s production of “Our Town”. He also has many film acting credits which include “Friday Night Lights,” “Prison Break,” and “Walker, Texas Ranger.”
“Paul Wright was the first person I met at ACC when I was first hired in 1995. I directed him in a production of ‘Our Town’ at the AFLCIO Headquarters, and he also appeared in my film “The Flea Circus”, which I shot this past year when I was on sabbatical from my job as Drama Department Chair,” Brammer said. “I would say that Paul was very influential to all our performances, he was always the one wanting to take it to the next level,” drama major, Tuck said. Tuck’s own performance
was discussed by the audience throughout the intermission. “I saw the play at the State Theatre about three to four years ago, and it was comparable to the performance at ACC, and I thought that Hailey [Tuck] did a wonderful job she was very convincing,” Luke Bilberry, owner of 12th Street Books said. Brammer said, “We like to hire guest artists for our productions that bring experience to our drama students. Students learn a lot about how a professional actor operates, prepares, and performs.”
SGA Washington trip inspires ideas for ACC innitiatives Sarah Saker • Staff Photographer
Alejandra Martinez, ACC’s Spanish Media Specialist, prepares in front of the Rio Grand campus to shoot a television segment for “Despierta Austin,” which is produced by Univision. Martinez appears regularly on the show to promote ACC programs and resources to Austin’s Spanish speaking community.
SGA JUMP
Congressman Lamar Smith poses with members of ACC’s student government. 13 ACC students were in Washington D.C. for the National Student Government Summit on Sept. 24-28. ȨȨ continued from page 1
were having trouble keeping students at events they put on, ACC students suggested that they make the events more family-focused to help retain the participation of students with family needs. The round table workshops dealt with the four major issues that colleges said most affect them: textbooks,
parking, the rising cost of tuition, and residence halls. As a result of the round tables, Oliphant hopes to present a new idea to ACC of possibly having a student textbook exchange each semester, in which students can “leave the bookstores out of it” and lower students’ textbook costs by sharing with other students and discussing with teachers whether older versions might
suffice. “The round tables were beneficial,” stated Joshua Bacak who most appreciated the solidarity shared with other students with the same issues and goals. “We were allowed to communicate freely with other community colleges and colleges alike. I have no doubt this is the best tool ACC could’ve provided SGA.”