November 22, 2010 theAccent.org
First Copy Free Volume 13, Issue 5
Green Pass program renewed pg. 3 Comic Con Descends on Austin pg. 10 Peruvian fine dining on campus pg. 4 News → Events
Holy
Riverbat
New mascot makes first apperance at Northridge campus Sarah Vasquez
Life & Arts Editor
Everyone who attended the Riverbat Rally on Nov. 18 got the first look at the new mascot. R. B. Bbhoggawact, the purple bat with a green tuft of hair, made his grand entrance out of a Camaro wearing an ACC Riverbats shirt. The crowd cheered as he danced his way to the stage at the Northridge campus. It’s been over a year since the search for a mascot started. After the long process of gathering suggestions, coming up with a name, and designing a costume, ACC finally has a mascot. “This is a dream come true. We worked really hard. We put in endless hours, and to finally see it come to where we are today is very exciting,” said Avy Gonzalez, mascot search committee chair. Following the reveal, Student Life team members introduced the new Riverbat dance, the “R. B. Step” and encouraged students to join in. Tim Swain, SL assistant at Cypress Creek, helped come up with the dance. “It definitely feels great to know that we can be a part of history in the making here at ACC. I think the greatest reward is knowing that we’re doing something that really uplifts the campus and it gives back to the campus in such a way that it just makes people feel what it means to be a part of ACC,” said Swain. There is also a Student Life original song, recorded and mixed at ACC’s commercial music management recording studio, that goes with the dance by the same name. “We wanted something to encapsulate what it means to be an ACC student, and we wanted to do it in such a way that it really captures the hearts of not only the students, but the faculty and staff members here,” said Swain. Merchandise with the Riverbat logo, including shirts, hats, coffee mugs, and water bottles, is already available at ACC bookstores. “When you purchase a T-shirt or any Riverbat merchandise, it goes to ACC scholarships so it’s a win win,” said Brett Lea, executive director of Karissa Rodriguez • Photo/Web Editor public information and college marketing. Video and images from the event, including Student Life doing the “R. B. BAT-TASTIC ENTRANCE — Riverbat mascot R. B. Bbhoggawact makes his grand entrance after emerging from a police Step” are available on the Accent website, theaccent.org. escorted Camaro at the Riverbat Rally. The rally, held Nov. 18 at Northridge Campus, was the Riverbat’s first public appearance.
Arts → Literature
Writing stories that honor sacrifices made by women Writer Julia Alvarez speaks as part of ACC’s Big Read
ACC heads EAST
Art faculty, students show off their artwork at ninth annual East Austin Studio Tour Hilary Shepherd
Staff Reporter
Michael Needham Campus Editor
If this was written in the Dominican Republic during the time of President Rafael Trujillo, his government would have forced this article to praise his name. Instead, the focus will be on Julia Alvarez, who escaped the Trujillo regime with her family when she was a child. Alvarez grew up knowing that not everyone got away. Others stayed and paid the ultimate price as they stood up against Trujillo’s corruption. The Mirabal sisters did just that. “They were the ones that were the mirror image of my family,” said Alvarez. “I always felt very curious about them and how they got brave enough to do this.” What they did was give their lives for their country. On Nov 25, 1960, three of the sisters were beaten to death. Before that they had been imprisoned several times. All this happened because they refused to stay silent about the dictatorship they despised. Alvarez was intrigued by their story and wanted to write it. She decided to make the book historical fiction. Partway through the process she became worried she might offend the family of the Mirabal sisters. “In the middle of writing it I got a little scared that they would disapprove,” said Alvarez. “I tried to create
Arts → Visual Arts
For the second year in a row, students and faculty members from ACC’s art department presented their work – a mixture of ceramics, drawings, paintings, sculptures, and prints – at the ninth annual East Austin Studio Tour (EAST). The free event, which was launched in 2003, displays the artwork of more than 300 Austin artists and takes place at approximately 150 studios around the city. Over the course of two weekends, art patrons can witness live
demonstrations, mix and mingle with artists, and purchase pieces that pique their interests. 32 pieces from ACC’s art department were featured at Graphic Glass Studios, also known as Pine Street Station, on east Fifth Street. “Last year, we exhibited our study abroad students from Costa Rica and Italy, as well as our Steamroller Madness pieces,” said Julie Isaacson, art studios and exhibitions specialist and coordinator of ACC’s involvement with EAST. “This year, for a change, we selected certain
See EAST, pg. 9
Adrienne Sparks • Staff Photographer
BIG READER — Author Julia Alvarez tells audience
members at ACC’s Big Read event on Nov. 17 about her first experiences with reading. Alvarez’s novel “In the Time of Butterflies” was chosen to be the headlining book for this year’s Big Read program. characters that would be believable with the flaws of human beings. I thought they wouldn’t be happy about that. I thought about making it all fiction and actually they were the ones that asked me to keep their names as the Mirabal sisters so that their memory would not die, and people would know them. They actually convinced me that they would really welcome the story.” Alvarez published their story as, “In the Time of the Butterflies,” in 1994. Since then the book has won many
awards. Recently, it was chosen from a list of books prepared by the National Endowment for the the Arts (NEA) to be to be the headlining book for ACC’s Big Read 2010. Alvarez was very pleased to have the book picked. “It’s tremendously gratifying to have this book chosen,” said Alvarez. “It’s really wonderful to feel like the book has not died with the years, but is still being read.” Alvarez explained that she is still close with the family of the
See Author, pg. 5
Andrew Pagan • Lead Photographer
PIECE OF WORK — Local artist Janette Dorsey paints a mural outside of Graphic Glass
Studios on Nov. 15 during the East Austin Studio Tour. Dorsey said she was painting a mural of a treasure box that contains the heavens as her contribution to the annual studio tour.
FORUM
page 2
www.theAccent.org
Nov. 22, 2010
New funding method would be raising the bar too high
Chris Scott • Layout Editor
Linking funding to performance is not the solution Staff Editorial The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) is endorsing a new method of funding public universities and community colleges that would tie a percentage of funding to student success instead of the current method of basing funding solely on enrollment. This is a way to mask further cuts to higher education by not calling them cuts. Schools need more funding not less. Taking funding away from under-performing schools only lessens the resources those colleges or universities have to pay for programs to help students succeed. The solution should be better funded education at all levels.
Karissa Explains
it ALL
How to survive Black Friday Karissa Rodriguez
Photo/Web Editor
Black Friday is the Friday following Thanksgiving Day, and traditionally the beginning of the Christmas shopping season and, in my opinion, the best shopping day out of the year. This day is like fighting in a scaled-downed war where your enemies are other shoppers fighting for the best deals available. (I’m a competitive person if you couldn’t tell.) My war stories include waiting in line at a Best Buy for
nine hours in 40 degree weather for a $200 laptop originally priced at $600 and being bum rushed at Toys “R” Us and H-E-B Plus in previous years. The following is a quick guide with tips to help you learn how to survive Black Friday and walk away with the best deals. Plan Ahead Read ads for stores that come in the Thanksgiving edition of newspapers to get an idea about what sales are available this year. This is the best way to figure out which stores you want to go to and decide what you really want
Those in favor of this change believe that it will serve as an incentive for schools to improve student success rates. Besides the idea of “student success” being a vague and hard to track concept, taking away funding from community colleges is more punitive than it is motivating. Obviously cuts are going to have to be made this year. The state has an estimated 25 billion dollar deficit, but is the one area that shouldn’t be on the chopping block. In fact, if legislators really want to increase college success rates, they shoul double the funding for grade schools, make sure that no one is graduating from our high schools without knowing basic math and writing skills. Moreover, make sure that everyone is graduating from our high schools.
to buy. There are multiple websites online that post advertisements early. They are a great place to view ads. Going unprepared to any store during Black Friday is a big mistake that I once made and never will again. I arrived merely 30 minutes after the opening of a Toys “R” Us only to be greeted with a checkout line a mile long, and I didn’t even know what I wanted to buy there. It was a chaotic experience walking through aisles tightly packed with shoppers and empty shelves and all the good deals were gone. To avoid these situations, find out what you want to buy way ahead of time and make a beeline for it, pay as quickly as possible and get out quickly. Research before you buy The best thing about
Letter from SGA president
Guest Columnist Dear Students, This month has all been about service and commitment..... on Nov. 6, 20 members of your Student Government Association volunteered man hours at Project Build A Park. Project Build A Park is Student Life’s main service project and has been happening at Zilker Park for 9 years now. Also on Nov. 6, six members of SGA traveled to Dallas to attend the American Student Government Association (ASGA)
annual conference. President Downing, Vice President Pera, Director of Communications Hermes, and three Senators; Brandon Wetzel (Northridge), Harinder Kaur (Riverside), and Stacy Moreno (Eastview), escorted by Advisor, John Jacobs. Summing up the experience: Invigorating and empowering. During the conference, we interfaced and networked with other Student Government Associations from all across the United States. I pride myself in knowing that I am ACC! The larger universities seemed surprised by the number of students we have attending, and the organizational structure of our Student Government. During several workshops, suggested tips on improving Student Government were mentioned; some of which our SGA already had in place. One thing that I did learn is that there is always room for improvement, which we aim to do. Get ready, as we will be bringing you a New SGA this spring, implementing ideas
and concepts learned at the conference. Currently all campuses are represented by at least one Senator. This spring however, several of our Senators will transfer to their four-year schools. Elections are also coming up in the spring. Now is the best time to participate and become a voting member of SGA so that you can experience hands on what SGA does, and prepare for spring Elections. You could be a future President of SGA! In closing, I would like to invite all of you to our end of semester event – Frost Bite. Enjoy free food, activities and fun while networking with other students and SGA members. The event is hosted by South Austin Campus, December 1st from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m.. Check our online calendar of details and location of this and future SGA events. On behalf of Student Government, Sophia Downing, 2010-2011 SGA President
planning ahead is that it allows you to comparison shop and learn more about the product you want before you buy it. Don’t be fooled into buying something that’s advertised at a price that sounds too good to be true because it might actually be a dud and therefore a waste of money. When you come across an ad for an item you want, go online and read reviews for that product. Find out if it’s actually worth braving the Black Friday crowds and your hard earned money. Bad reviews are a red flag that the store is just trying to get rid of a bad product that isn’t selling well. Arrive early This perhaps is the most important tip I can give you. It doesn’t matter how much planning and research you did beforehand. If you arrive one
Budget cuts and more bad ideas are not something the already fragile Texas education system can survive right now. An idea the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is not likely to support is Rep. Fred Brown recently proposed elimination of the board in order to save money, and help streamline the process of moving from high school to college. Brown’s proposal would combine k-12 and college education oversight under one organization. This is an idiodic idea. However t here should be some changes made to the way education is managed in Texas, but eliminating the THECB isn’t one of them. The Higher Education Coordinating Board should be endorsing ideas that better fund our state’s colleges and lead to more access to education, not less.
or two hours before a store’s opening the chances are slim you are going to get what you want to buy. Make sure you double check the times stores open before you go and check out the layouts of stores before Thanksgiving. Black Friday, as silly as it sounds, is for the bravest shoppers, and they do not mess around when it comes to getting the best deals. So if you are willing to brave the crowds, remember the only way to shop on this busy day is to be prepared.
Karissa explains it all is a recurring column that focuses on providing students with advice on general topics that affect them. Want to suggest a topic? E-mail Karissa at pictures@austincc.edu
Black Friday Advice Toys “R” Us: No security, crowd rushed the doors and tightly packed aisles equaled no breathing room. Walmart: Avoid if possible. Even with a midnight opening, the great discounts found here are not worth the pushy shoppers. H-E-B Plus: Offered fantastic deals in the past, but security is lax. I love this store on Black Friday, but be prepared to scramble quickly to find the item you want to purchase when doors open. Best Buy: Hands down, the best store to shop at on Black Friday if you arrive early. The security and ticket system is great; employees allow customers to enter in intervals, and other shoppers tend to be friendlier than most.
Corrections for 11/8/10 In the 2010 Election Results graphic the star indicating the winner of the McDade ISD, San Marcos ISD and Bastrop ISD annexation vote should have been next to AGAINST. In the “Central Texas split on annexation” story it was not accurate to say that ACC had a hard time convincinng voters. The college did not campaign for annexation.
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RRC, 4400 College Park Drive, Room 2107 Round Rock, TX 78665 Editor-in-Chief....................................................................................... Christopher A. Smith Assistant Editor..................................................................................... Sarah Neve Photo and Web Editor........................................................................ Karissa Rodriguez Layout Editor.......................................................................................... Chris Scott Life & Arts Editor ................................................................................. Sarah Vasquez Campus Editor....................................................................................... Michael Needham Accent Adviser....................................................................................... Matthew Connolly Accent Coordinator............................................................................. Lori Blewett Student Life Director.......................................................................... Cheryl Richard Staff Reporters Diana Leite, Hilary Shepherd Lead Photographer Andrew Pagan Staff Designers Elizabeth Brown, Carmen Maverick Writers Odin Amador, Austin Nicholas, Caleb Wang, Jason Witmer, Photographer Adrienne Sparks, Miguel Olave ACC President Dr. Stephen B. Kinslow Board of Trustees Dr. Barbara P. Mink—Chair; Allen H. Kaplan—Vice Chair; John Michael V. Cortez—Secretary, Tim Mahoney, Nan McRaven, Jeffrey Richard, Dr. Victor H. P. Villarreal, Guadalupe Q. Sosa, Dr. James W. McGufee
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 Austin American-Statesman. 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
Nov. 22, 2010
News Briefs
Big Read 2010 to close with panel discusssion on violence
Students are invited to the closing ceremonies of the Big Read 2010 at noon on Dec. 4. The event will take place at the Rio Grande Campus Mainstage Theater and will include a panel discussion on relationship violence entitled: “The Courageous Spirit: Facing Injustice.” The Big Read 2010 started on Oct. 11 with the showing of a documentary. Since then, ACC has hosted a series of events geared toward promoting literacy.
Students to be inducted into international honor society
Students will be inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society on Dec. 4 at Rio Grande Campus in room 201. Family and friends of the inductees are invited. The current officers will be released at the ceremony, and the new officers will be inducted. Kathleen Christensen, vice president student support and success systems, will speak. There will be a reception following the ceremony in the RGC student lounge. The lounge will be decorated festively and food will be provided. “It’s really kind of heartwarming because they take the pledge and light a candle symbolizing academic excellence,” said Mary Kohls, chair of the computer information tech department.
Study shows straight ticket voting at highest rate in years
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page 3
News → The Board
Green Pass program extended
Sarah Neve
Assistant Editor
Students will continue to ride capital metro buses for free until at least August 2012. A $500,000 dollar 20 month extension of the Green pass program was approved by the board on Nov. 1. The ACC Green Pass program started as a pilot program in January 2010. Since then, more than 500,000 rides have been taken using the green pass. “It takes a little time and planning, but it becomes a decompression thing for me. if you’re the kind of person who is always running around it forces you to slow down, said Uvaldo Perales, adjunct professor in the Health and Kinesiology department The bored could have extended the program for only 12 months for $300,000 but because of the success so far they voted for the 20 month extension. One major difference between the program when it started and now is that Capitol Metro has raised the cost per ride for ACC from forty cents a ride to fifty cents. This is a result of a proposed overall hike in fares at Capitol Metro, and it shouldn’t be necessary to raise any fees to cover the new cost. The program is funded through the sustainability fee and the faculty parking passes.
Capitol Metro has raised their fares in the last few years. It now cost $1.00 per trip, or $2.00 for a day pass. Perales, who started at ACC in 1989, said that the Green Pass definetly lead to more bus rides. “I wouldn’t even take the bus if i didn’t have the pass,” said Perales. There can be a downside to taking the some buses. “There are certain lines I wouldn’t take. it can feel creepy, I worry about my student sometimes, it’s gotten much better now though. There is more of an awareness I think about the bus stops and they are monitored better,” said Perales. Certainly some routes are more popular than others. Based on the tracking of green pass use that Capitol Metro does, 85 percent of Green Pass rides are on a group of popular bus routes many of which are downtown. Students and staff use the Green Pass because they don’t have cars, or to avoid parking on campus which can be difficult at times. “I don’t have a parking pass. I don’t really agree with that whole thing. I work there, i’m not paying to park on campus,” said Perales. “To me its a convenience and I don’t need it. I park on the street the days I drive to work,” said Perales. Usually I can just take the bus and it drops me of right at 3:50pm, my class starts at 4:15pm. It’s perfect.”
Total Green Pass Issued in 2010
Total Green Passes issued in 2010
ACC’s Center for Public Policy and Political Studies (CPPPS) released a study that indicates the Nov. 2 gubernatorial election had the highest amount of straight ticket voting in 12 years. Straight ticket voting occurs when a voter picks candidates on a ballot according to what party the candidate is affiliated with. The study shows that nearly 58 percent of the ballots contained straight ticket votes. In a statement issued by ACC, CPPPS director Peck Young explained why this might have happened. “This year’s election was highly nationalized. When that’s the case, we see more straight ticket votes,” said Young. “Voting straight party is about voting a brand, and Texas voters showed their preference for the Republican brand.” CPPPS will be releasing a fuller report on this subject in December.
Spring - 5,691
Summer - 2,591
Nominations for Who’s Who candidates due this month
Applications for the 2010-2011 Who’s Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges are due by 5pm on Tuesday, Nov 21. The national organization commemorates students who have shown significant achievement in both scholastic and community environments. Eligible contestants must be currently enrolled at ACC and must have completed a minimum of 30 credit hours at the beginning of the spring 2011 semester. Students must also have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA and be in good standing with the college. “Students have to show strong leadership in their classes as well as outside the college in their communities,” said Aaron Hinojosa, ACC student life coordinator at the Round Rock campus. To nominate a student, visit ACC’s student life website.
Fall - 5,715
Student founded literacy program to host book drive
News → Education
ACC sets goal for 50 percent more completed degrees or certificates Austin Chamber backs ACC initiative Sarah Neve
Assistant Editor Earlier this month it was reported on the Austin American-Statesman education blog that the Austin Chamber of Commerce would be working to improve the student success rate of students who complete college and earn a certificate or degree at ACC by 50 percent. The chamber won’t actually be working toward the goal. That goal is part of the Closing the Gaps goals ACC submitted to the Higher Education Coordinating Board earlier this year. The Chamber is publicly supporting ACC for setting this goal. “It’s going to be an internal process within ACC. ACC made a commitment to raise their student success rate in the next ten years,” said Drew Scheberle, senior vice president of education and workforce development. Closing the Gaps is a statewide initiative ACC elected to participate in. “This is a meaningful
departure in higher education. They are setting institutional goals, whereas most schools just sort of keep doing what they’ve always done,” said Scheberle. ACC is one of the biggest providers of workforce training in Austin, but there has been some concern that there aren’t enough people completing degrees to keep up with the needs of the state. “Among other things, Closing the Gaps says that Texas will not have enough people in and graduating from college to maintain our current economy and success,” said Mike Midgley, the vice president of workforce education and business development. The goals ACC has set for itself don’t just include increasing the rate of degree completion. Student success is measured in different ways at ACC. “We do want students to earn degrees and certificates, but it depends on what they came here intending to do,” said Midgley. “If you look at our 2020 goals, we would like to be up 50 percent from where we are today, but our mission is twofold. It’s completion rates and graduation, as well as transferring students to a fouryear university.”
90,000 80,000
Bus Ridership
Clubs at ACC will have a chance to earn $100 toward a party by donating children’s books to the Silver Star Children’s Literacy Project. On Dec. 8 the clubs will present their books to Travis County Sherriff Greg Hamilton. The group was founded by student Avy Gonzalez who is currently the president. The project was derived from the Center for Student Political Studies, said Gonzalez. The group is also in collaboration with ACC’s Big Read. “The difference between a toy drive and a book drive is that two weeks after they open their toys they are broken and thrown away,” said Gonzalez. “The shelf life on books is a lot longer than toys. We want to get children’s books into the hands of children.”
2010 Student/Employee Green Pass Ridership Totals 2010 Student/Employee Green Pass Ridership Totals
70,000 60,000 50,000
77,953 76,108
green 65,244
60,996
pass
40,000 30,000
48,216
34,823
27,464
20,000
38,913
10,000 0
Jan.
Feb.
March
April
May
June
July
Aug.
Graphs by Chris Scott - Layout Editor
News → Facilities
October lead test reveals that lead still found in RGC water Christopher A. Smith Editor-in-Chief
The October lead test results for the water at Rio Grand Campus are in and there is still lead in some fountains and sinks according to the report posted on the ACC Environmental Health, Safety and Insurance website. The sampling was conducted on Oct. 3. A total of 12 water fountains were tested as well as six water sources in the Simon’s cafeteria. The report states that six water fountains and one sink in the cafeteria tested with lead levels above the level of no known or expected risk to health but below the EPA Action Level. No more tests are currently scheduled according to Rebecca Cole, the executive director of environmental health and
public safety at ACC. In an e-mail, Cole stated that the only way to fix the problem is to remodel the building. The Rio Grand Campus remodel is part of the Campus Master Plan, but there is currently no timetable for when the remodel will happen. In the report, Baer Engineering, the firm hired to collect the samples, continued to recommend that water sources in the main building be labeled as non-potable and that drinking water be supplied to the building. Until the campus is remodeled the fountains will remain off and bottled water will be provided for students to drink and for Simon’s Cafe, according to Cole. The report also states that it might be possible to place in-line filters into the drinking
fountains and on water supply taps in the cafeteria. In her e-mail Cole said the college would “evaluate this alternative.” “We would need to do more investigation of cost comparison between the filters and providing the bottled water,” said Cole. According to Dr. Juan A Salinas, an assistant professor in the department of psychology at the University of Texas in Austin, even low levels of lead can cause cardiovascular problems as well as some mental and behavioral problems. The lead levels on the campus were still below the Action Level set by the EPA. Cole said the college decided to shut down the fountains as a precaution.
Lead Survey Report Highlights: -Second floor fountain, near room 228 notes: “Sample was turbid and dark in color. Black Particles were visible.” -Third floor fountain, near room 328 notes: “Sample was turbid and dark in color with slight red hue.” The Lead level at this fountain was 0.0134 mg/L, only 0.0016 mg/L below the EPA Action Level. -Baer Engineering recommends labeling all water sources as NON-POTABLE. The report also states it could be possible to install in-line filters into the drinking fountains and in the Simon’s area. The entire report, with notes from the Accent editors, are available at theaccent.org/interactive.
CAMPUS LIFE page 4
Calendar of Events Veteran’s Peer to Peer Group
Nov. 22, 29, Dec. 6, 6 p.m. Cypress Creek Campus in Bldg. 2000, Room 2221 All veterans are invited to help further develop a veteran’s association at ACC. The group meetings will last for one hour and will be directed by an OEF/OIF Combat Veteran. Thanksgiving Holiday
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Nov. 22, 2010
Arts → Food
Culinary student showcases his Peruvian menu at EVC
Nov. 25 – 28. All ACC campuses All ACC campuses will be closed during the Thanksgiving holiday break. MOvember Event Nov. 29, 7 p.m. Rio Grande Campus Students are invited by the Student Government Association (SGA) to a cancer awareness event. There will be a health screening, free food, live music, and a mustache growing contest. Café con Leche Nov. 30, 6:30 p.m. Del Valle High School Students and parents are invited to talk about attending college. There will be refreshments served. The meeting will be offered in both English and Spanish. Those interested must register at: http://www.austincc.edu/support/sro/ cafeconleche.php The Rio Review Publication Celebration Dec. 1, 7 p.m. Rio Grande Campus Gallery Theater ACC’s student literary journal, the Rio Review, is having its release party. The journal will include poems, prose, screenplays, interviews, and artwork by students. The event is free and open to the public. Student and Faculty Holiday Art Sale Dec. 2, 9 a.m. Rio Grande Campus, Bldg. 3000 Art from students and faculty will be available to purchase at this year’s holiday art sale. Those wishing to sell their work will need to pay a $25 booth fee beforehand.
Miguel Olave • Staff Photographer
Payment Deadline
PREP WORK — Culinary Arts students Johnny Black (left) and Garret Werley (right) slice fish to prepare a ceviche dish before
Dec. 3, 5 p.m. All campuses Students that have registered for classes and have not yet paid will be dropped at this time. Students are urged to pay before the deadline. Students that register for classes after Dec. 3 will have until Jan. 7 at 5 p.m. to pay for their classes.
Bistro 3158 presents international dinner
Fall Choreographers’ Showcase
Hilary Shepherd
Dec. 3-4, 8 p.m. Rio Grande Campus Mainstage Theater Students are invited to an event hosted by ACC’s Big Read. Students from the Creative Writing and Dance Departments will be performing. Students from The University of Trinidad and Tobago will also be present. There is a suggested donation of $5 for students and $10 for the general public. The Big Read Closing Ceremony Dec. 4, 12 p.m. Rio Grande Campus Mainstage Theater Students are invited to a panel discussion on relationship violence entitled: “The Courageous Spirit: Facing Injustice.” This will be the final event for this year’s Big Read celebration. Phi Theta Kappa Induction Dec. 4, 1 p.m. Rio Grande Campus, Room 201 Students are invited to watch as their peers are inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. Kathleen Christensen, vice presidents student support and success systems, will speak. The ceremony will be followed by a reception. Regular Registration Ends Jan. 12, 5 p.m. All campuses Students must complete their registration for the spring semester 16-week classes before the deadline. Students wishing to increase the probability of adding a class should register as soon as possible.
a Nov. 11 dinner service at Bistro 3158 located at the Eastview Campus. Black and Werley are both students in the International Cuisine class where students study classical cooking skills associated with the preparation and service of international cuisine.
Staff Reporter
It’s an hour before hungry diners start pouring into room 3158 at ACC’s Eastview campus, eager to please their taste buds with the mouthwatering, five-course meal that will be served to them by students of ACC’s culinary arts program. The kitchen is buzzing. Six chefs – students of the International Cuisine class – are running around in floppy white hats and stained chef coats making last-minute adjustments and preparing for a busy evening. One of them, David Morris, is putting the finishing touches on a tray of desserts. It’s “his” night, meaning each of the dishes offered on tonight’s Peruvian-focused menu were researched, chosen, and created by him. And tonight, he’s in charge of the kitchen. “I want to become a professional chef, and going through culinary school is necessary to do that,” he said. Since 2000, Chef Brian McCormick’s International Cuisine class and the Dining Room Service class, which is led by Anise Schiff, have organized
the Bistro 3158 dinners. Held on Thursday evenings, the program gives culinary arts students the opportunity to utilize their knowledge from previous classes to create entire meals from scratch. International Cuisine, which includes six to eight students each semester, serves as the final class before culinary arts students graduate and receive their associates degrees. “I heard really good things about the program here. I knew a lot of basic cooking stuff before taking the class, but I’ve learned a lot of new techniques,” said Morris. “Students are designing the menus, doing research, coming up with recipes, balancing them financially, training their fellow students on how they want it presented, and deciding what they want it to look like. It gives them a sense of pride that they designed it, they managed it, they produced it, and they served it to the public,” explains Chef Brian McCormick, the professor of International Cuisine. “They get to be creative, authentic, and make all the decisions. I tell them my job is their advisor. The only veto power I have is in the financial
Miguel Olave • Staff Photographer
PERUVIAN DESERTS — A completed desert dish awaits
service during a Bistro 3158 dinner event. International Cuisine students created Peruvian-themed dishes on Nov. 11.
sector. But otherwise, if they want to do something – even if I think they’re crazy – they can do it.” As a facet to this semester’s theme of railroad dining cars, tonight’s menu is named after the Peruvian Central Railroad, and includes authentic dishes like torrejas de yucca, vegetarian croquettes served with Aji pepper sauce, and the national dish of Peru, ceviche, which is marinated sea bass. At six o’clock, Bistro 3158 opens its doors to the public. Slowly, around 40 guests fill up the dimly-lit room and dine on
Morris’ creations. “I feel like I got slammed tonight,” he said, in response to the unusually high number of guests present. “I think I did alright, though. I really enjoyed doing the Peruvian meal because it’s food I’ve never encountered before. It was completely new to me,” he said. The nine-course finale of this semester’s Bistro 3158, titled ‘Napa Valley Wine Train,’ occurred Nov. 18. Next semester’s dinners will begin in early to mid February according to Chef McCormick.
Nov 22, 2010
www.theAccent.org
Community → Riverside
Pumping iron for r bench press prize r
page 5 | Campus Life
Opinions from the students and staff at Riverside
“What OPINIONS do you think about ACC’s new mascot, the Riverbat?” Interviews and photos by Diana Leite
Cecilia Salazar
Chris Nelson
Jeremy Almaraz
“It’s different. I have never heard of a Riverbat before. I’d like to see it more often around campus, not just a person in the outfit, but in posters around campus too.”
“Do we even have sports team? I was wondering why do we have a mascot if we don’t have any teams competing.”
“I have heard about it and it’s cool. But if it was the Vicious Riverbats, that would be better. The point is to intimidate other teams, isn’t it?”
Josh Crow
Adriana Messer
Dawnaway Lucero
“It’s all right. I mean, I haven’t thought about it a lot, but I guess a mascot is pretty cool.”
“It is kind of lame, but it’s Austiny.”
“I think it sounds pretty cool.”
Surgical technician major
Pre-nursing major
Engineering major
Andrew Pagan • Lead Photographer
HEAVY LIFTING — Student Steven Wilson bench presses 215 lbs. during a bench press competition held at Riverside Campus on Nov. 16. Wilson was the winner of his weight class.
Kinesiology students, faculty compete in ACC weight lifting competition at Riverside Campus Caleb Wang
Staff Writer
Both anticipation and nervousness were high in the weight room at the Riverside Campus on Nov. 16. More than fifteen people in the room were warming up and quietly talking to each other. This day was when the annual ACC Bench Press Meet was being held, and students from all seven campuses who came to compete were in high hopes of winning the championship. “I feel nervous and excited to finally be here to compete; I came here to improve myself,” said Laura Motal, an ACC student. Most of the competitors were students in weight training classes who were encouraged by their instructors to compete. “I came here because of the extra credit opportunity given by my weight instructor, and I also wanted to know how far I could go,” said Orlando Rosales, an ACC student who came all the way from Northridge Campus. Students were asked to sign in and show their student IDs when they arrived at the event. Only ACC students and staff could participate. “We had people from Texas State University or non students come in and try to compete, but we had to say no to them because this event is for ACC faculty or students only,” said Roy Ramos an ACC Kinesiology instructor and founder of the competition. The competition was divided into nine different weight classes for men and six for women. For men the weight class started at 114-133 pounds. The heaviest weight class was the 275 – 300 pound class. For women the weight classes started at the 99 – 113
Bench Press Meet Winners Men’s Division Winners: Weight Class
Contestant
Max
114 – 133 lbs..........Steven Wilson.............250 134 – 148 lbs..........Thierno Bah.................225 149 – 165 lbs..........Juan Rodriguez...........250 166 – 181 lbs..........Daniel Gonzalez.........255 182 – 198 lbs..........Ramiro Espinosa........360 199 – 220 lbs..........Melesio Veldanez.......280 221 – 242 lbs..........Ralph Ortega...............345 243 – 274 lbs..........Josh Brettschneider....320 275 – 300 lbs..........Xavier Edwards...........305
Women’s Division Winners:
99 – 113 lbs...........Laura Motal...................75 114 – 133 lbs..........Angie Nichols...............85 134 - 148 lbs..........Tina Nieto.....................85 149 – 165 lbs..........Kelsey Dahl.................100 221 – 242 lbs..........Julie Nanyes................115 243 – 274 lbs..........Jennifer Jackson............90
Sonography major
Accounting major
Nursing major
Arts → Visual Arts
Art sale to showcase faculty, student work
pounds class and went up to 243 – 274 pound class. Those who placed first through third in each weight class received trophies with their ranks on them and everyone else who competed were given participation trophies. The trophies were sponsored by Jamie Stewart, the head of the Kinesiology department. “This Bench Press Meet is an opportunity to reward those who work out as well as provide ACC students a chance to let their stress out through friendly competition,” said Ramos.
Author likens book to child continued from pg. 1 Mirabal sisters. “The book has been translated into 13 languages. Every time that it is translated I take a copy down so that they can have a copy,” said Alvarez. “They have a library in the room where the girls used to live where they have all the books. This is a way that they can know what has happened with the book so far,” said Alvarez. For those reading the novel for the first time, Alvarez does not wish to prescribe what they should specifically take from the book. Instead, she explained what she hopes a reader will
bring to the book. “The basic thing that I hope for is for a reader who will read it passionately,” said Alvarez. She explained how putting a book into the world is like delivering a child into the world. “I just realized that once you write a book it’s like when your kids grow up and you let them go,” said Alvarez. “You have to let them become who they are. It’s like my books that I write. I put everything I have into them – my time, everything I know, all the talent I have – and the rest is done by the readers who bring it to life with their imaginations.” On Nov. 17, Alvarez came
to the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center for a reading. The event was in collaboration with ACC and the Big Read. The audience listened as she explained her first experiences with reading. “I felt like the print lifted and the writers were saying that I could enter and that I was welcome in there,” said Alvarez. She is currently working on a nonfiction book about Haiti. “I’m just learning as I write what the book is going to be about,” said Alvarez. “When I finish all these readings I will be able to get home and work on it.”
Diana Leite • Staff Photographer
HANDS ON — Fine Arts major Chris Long molds a ceramic bowl while he works at Austin
Museum of Art-Laguna Gloria on Nov. 16. Long has attended and showcased his artwork in the annual ACC Holiday art sale the past two years and uses the art sale to market his work.
Seventh annual ACC community holiday art sale to be held at Rio Grande Campus Austin Nicholas
Staff Writer
There will be an opportunity for members of the ACC community to sell their art at the seventh annual Holiday art sale on Dec. 2 at the Rio Grande Campus in Building 3000. “There is a lot that goes into the selling of art, other than just making it. Presentation and how you portray the art to the public is important as well. This event is a great opportunity to find out what works and what doesn’t when selling art,” said Julie Isaacson, an ACC Arts and Exhibitions
specialist. Staff and students alike can attend and showcase their artwork for a booth fee of $25. The proceeds from the booth fees go toward the Steve Kramer Scholarship fund for Art students at ACC, but the money from any art that is sold goes directly to the creator. This is the seventh student, faculty art sale and, according to Isaacson, in past years up to 20-30 artists have showcased their art at the event. Chris Long, a Fine Arts student at ACC, has attended the event for two years and noted how much of a community oriented
atmosphere there is at the event. “Having the opportunity to market my own work to my fellow students and staff has been a great experience,” said Long. “The Holiday Sale gives me a chance to sell my art to students in the community, as well as an opportunity to meet other cool artists and get exposure of the things I create.” In order to reserve a spot, artists can contact Julie Isaacson by Tuesday, Nov. 23 at jisaacso@austincc. edu.
Campus Life | page 6
www.theAccent.org
Shih-Yu Hwang is an Austin Community College professor in the Commercial music management Department and a master’s degree candidate at Texas State University in music and composition. He entered ACC just after high school and stayed in the college for three and a half years. He transferred to the University of North Texas, where he received his Bachelor of Arts. After his graduation, he was invited to teach at ACC and started his master’s program at Texas State University. He intends to keep teaching and help to improve ACC’s music department. I did not graduate from ACC, but I was here for three and a half years in the music program before I transferred to the University of North Texas (UNT) in Denton, north of Dallas. There is where I went to finish my bachelors. I was following the music associates program. I was getting some music classes out of the way to get my bachelor’s degree at UNT. I wasn’t going to get an degree (at ACC) because all the classes were transferable, and I was going to move on. I wasn’t going to stop here at ACC.
Nov. 22, 2010
Learned What I’ve
Shih-Yu Hwang
Diana Leite Staff Reporter
David Jones, who is the head of the music department and Geoffrey Schulman, who is the head of the commercial music management department, are my bosses now, but they are more friends than anything. They were always encouraging me when I was a student at ACC. The great thing about the program is that all the teachers are patient and understanding with the students here, which is not always the case at a big university. All the classes here, like in high school, are getting bigger and bigger, but most of the music classes have anywhere from 20 to 25 people per class, sometimes less, so they are very intimate. The teacher knows you, whereas in a four-year university I was in a class with literally 300, 400 people, and the teacher would teach and leave. We would only interact with the teaching assistant. Even though we are paying money for the teacher, we wouldn’t be getting any interaction with the teacher. While I was up there (at UNT) every time I would come back for the holidays with my family, I would come by and visit. I was maintaining the relationship with Geoffrey Schulman and David Jones and other instructors I had class with, and then when I moved back, they knew I was looking for work, and they actually offered me the job I have now. I just fell into the job because of the people that I knew here (at ACC). I teach the applied guitar lessons on the commercial music management side, so it’s a oneon-one lesson with students I am getting my master’s in music and composition at Texas State. I feel comfortable with its price. After I get my degree I plan to teach more classes on the music side. I want to help to expand the music program even though we are kind of limited with the space we have here. I want to figure out a way to improve because all our classes get full really quickly. There is a big demand for it because ACC is the hub for a lot of transfer students to four-year colleges, and a lot of students want to transfer, so there are areas that I feel like we can expand, and that is what I plan on doing. The teachers here have a background in or are still in the profession they are teaching about, so they can guide students in how to get a job in this field and what it’s like to work in their respective fields. For example, in the commercial music management program, all the teachers that teach audio engineering or song writing are still working in their fields, so they give the students the real impression of what it is like to work in the industry. Teachers here are more realistic about what is going on and help the students figure out what kind of jobs are available in the market once the students finish their programs. I came here straight from high school. I had a couple of guitar lessons and that was it. I just started taking music classes, and I figured out that music was something I was in to. In two years, even though I guess everybody is supposed to finish (ACC) in two years, I decided I did want to major in music in my four-year education, but I didn’t realize what I wanted to do afterwards. During my third year here (at ACC) I really prepared to do my audition and transfer to the University of North Texas. Then, when I was leaving, I decided that I wanted to go to graduate school. Nobody really tells you what to do. Once you graduate, you have to figure it out yourself. So I kind of fell into it. I didn’t plan it.
Andrew Pagan • Lead Photographer
MAKING MELODIES — Shih-Yu Hwang, a Commercial Music Department professor, takes a break from working in a recording studio at Northridge Campus. Hwang currently teaches in a commercial guitar class where students can receive private instruction based on skill level.
In the commercial music management department we do recordings with bands big and small. I help set up their recordings. Those are side projects that I don’t expect to make a living off of, but that I am in to and that could help me if I decide to work in the music industry in the future. Being versatile is very important. The more you know, the more different types of work you can do, the more sources of income you can get. It is hard to make a living from just one source of income because music is not a 9 to 5 job. You have to have at least 2 or 3 jobs. A lot of teachers here are not content with just teaching. Music is an art, you have to get creative. I like this place a lot, I think highly of this place because I have seen how the teachers here give students one-on-one attention. In this department, we do care about the students, not just because we have smaller classrooms, but because teachers go out of their way to make sure students are getting a good education here.
LIFE & ARTS Nov. 22, 2010
www.theAccent.org
page 7
Arts → Games and Tech
Gamers compete, play demos Jason Witmer
Staff Writer
8-bit music, reminiscent of early “Zelda” and “Mario Bros.” video game soundtracks, filled the air as local game enthusiasts attended SXSW’s ScreenBurn and The Austin Chronicle’s second annual Game On Austin event on Nov. 16. Game On Austin played host to a night of video game demos and tournaments from local video game companies at the Mohawk, a music venue on Red River Street. Upon entering the venue, gamers were greeted with a giant projector displaying 8-bit videos on the stage in sync with the music which was provided by local programmer Party Time! Hexcellent!. Next to the stage, Tek Republik, Austin’s only public gaming center, provided four Xbox 360s and let gamers play various games such as “Halo: Reach” and “Dead Rising 2.” Across from Tek Republik, arcade cabinets filled with Xbox Live Arcade games gave gamers
the opportunity to experience the old school arcade feeling on new school games “’Splosion Man” and “Comic Jumper.” On an upstairs deck, Dannobot Games showcased their game “Opposites” which turned out to be surprisingly addicting. The game is basically “Tetris,” just played horizontally. An abnormal feature about “Opposites” is that the controllers people used to compete head to head, or rather “chest to chest,” were embedded in the chests of female mannequin bodies. “Opposites” is available on Xbox Live Arcade. Local Austinite Christie Lara demoed “Opposites” and other games at the event. “I’m not a big gamer, but I’m having fun trying out the games here,” Lara said. In Mohawk’s green room, Game Over Videogames, a retail video game company, brought classic video games for people to play like “Donkey Kong” for Super Nintendo and “Mario Kart” for Nintendo 64. Game On Austin wasn’t just about showcasing video games.
A heated tournament took place upstairs for the recently released game “Star Wars: Force Unleashed II.” Competing Padawans battled in multiplayer matches late into the night making this booth a crowd favorite to watch. ACC student Thomas Lloyd won first place in the tournament and took home a copy of the game signed by the developers. Lloyd, who is in his first semester at ACC, plans to choose a major in ACC’s game development program in the near future. The new multiplayer addition to “Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II” was developed by Red Fly Studio who hosted the tournament at Game On Austin. The game is very much reminiscent of Nintendo’s “Super Smash Brothers,” but with Jedi training. At the end of the night, gamers gathered around the stage for a raffle where the grand prize was a wristband for the upcoming ScreenBurn showcase during next year’s SXSW.
Arts → Lifestyle
Coffee press pleases Accent newspaper staff
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Feast
Nov. 22, 7 p.m. Alamo Drafthouse Lakecreek Yes! The last Harry Potter movie is finally here! At least the first part of it is. Watch the movie while you eat one of the magically delicious appetizers made especially for Potter fanatics at the Alamo Drafthouse. Don’t forget to bring your wand.
Ballet Austin’s Production of The Nutcracker
Karissa Rodriguez •Photo/Web Editor
UNLEASH THE FORCE — ACC student Thomas Lloyd “unleashes a force of lightning” while practicing for a “Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II” video game tournament hosted by local video game developers Red Fly Studios.
Arts → Movies
Terrorism comedy delights audience
Nov. 23, 2 p.m. The Long Center for the Performing Arts Enter the dreamworld of Clara, and watch as she defeats the Rat King with the help of her Christmas present, the nutcracker. The music of Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky will be performed by the Austin Symphony Orchestra. The Nutcracker is a traditional delight for the eyes and for the ears of all ages.
Cirque Dreams Illumination
Nov. 23 to Nov. 28, 3:00p.m. The Long Center for the Performing Arts Since 2002 Cirque Dream has performed in theatres, theme parks and it was the only show of its kind to ever perform on Broadway. Enjoy this acrobatic wonder.
The Santaland Diaries
Hard to assemble portable coffee maker makes smooth, desirable drink
Nov. 26, 8 p.m. ZACH Theatre Laugh until you cry with the real-life story of David Sedaris, an ex-Macy’s Elf “Crumpet” during the busiest time of the year.
The Paramount Theatre Presents: A Tuna Christmas
Sarah Vasquez
Life & Arts Editor
Thursday nights, when the latest issue of the Accent newspaper has to be ready for print before the Round Rock Campus closes, it’s a marathon to get the paper looking and written just right. The fuel that keeps the editing train running is a lot of coffee. So it was a no-brainer for the coffee-drinking Accent editorial staff to review the Aeropress, a portable coffee maker that claims to make the “world’s smoothest, richest brew.” Stanford University engineering lecturer and famous Aerobie sports product inventor Alan Adler invented Aeropress when he was disappointed with home brewed coffee. After trying several coffee makers, Adler decided to study coffee brewing to find the ideal conditions. At first glance, the Aeropress looks simple to assemble but without the instructions, it isn’t. There are extra pieces that are used for funneling the grounds or holding the filters. However, users won’t know that unless they go to the website, aerobie.com/products/aeropress.htm. Preparing the coffee is very similar to using a french press where you apply pressure to the mix of coffee grounds and water in a container. However, the Aeropress uses micro-filters so coffee particles don’t seep through the filter, producing a smooth drink. It took less than 10 minutes to make coffee through the Aeropress. Applying the pressure to the coffee takes no more than 30 seconds. The majority of the waiting time was from preparing the hot water. The first round of coffee made through the AeroPress resulted in immediate “wow” and “that’s surprisingly good.” The coffee was smooth and there wasn’t much acidic taste to the
Fortnight Forecast
Photo courtesy of Drafthouse Films
Four Lions movie puts hilarious take on sensitive subject Adrienne Sparks Staff Writer Karissa Rodriguez • Photo/Web Editor
COFFEE PRESS — Life & Arts Editor Sarah Vasquez tests out the Aeropress coffee maker by applying pressure to a mix of water and coffee grounds to make a cup of coffee. drink. But the second round of coffee didn’t have the same results. This was because after the espresso shots were made, we mistakenly separated the double espresso in two separate cups and then added water to fill them up. This resulted in very watery coffee. And sadly, the editors who were served these drinks are the more intense coffee addicts on the staff. So based on that, they were quick to dismiss the Aeropress. The Aeropress is retailed for $30 and doesn’t require plugging in a machine. It is easy to clean and store. Although you will have to find a stove or something else to heat up the water, it’s a fairly easy gadget to use.
Four Lions centers around five (yes five, despite what the title implies) Muslims living in London who radicalize and formulate a plan to commit massive jihad during the London Marathon. Even though two of them have completed terrorist training with disastrous results, they manage to bumble through and carry out their plans. The movie presents a hilarious take on the very sensitive and controversial subject of terrorism. Although the men excel in attitude and drive, their follow-through is positively imbecilic. The men know their explosives and procedure, but they can not seem to pull off either
successfully. With all the humorous antics and quick, witty dialog, it is very hard to remember that the movie is about terrorism. Not that it is a bad thing. Four Lions gives the world a chance to laugh at a subject that has had many living in fear since 9/11. This movie also marks director Chris Morris’s first feature film. While, it has received mixed reviews, its success in making the audience laugh far outweighs any plot inconsistencies or slow moments. While Four Lions is the perfect definitive of dark comedy, this movie will have people in stitches. Try to look past the heavy situation presented in the movie and focus on the goofy antics and light, fast-paced dialog.
Nov. 28, 7 p.m. The Paramount Theatre The original Broadway cast and comedians Joe Sears and Jaston Williams star in this play with an old character. This two-man act will take you into a tiny Texan town full of crazy people. Laugh at how similar those people are to your grandparents in this comical Christmas special.
Zoolander Quote-Along
Dec. 2 and Dec. 9, 7 p.m. Alamo Drafthouse at the Ritz An empty-headed male model, a international assassination plot and awesome lines bring this quote-along for people who think that Derek looks “really, really ridiculously good-looking.”
Movember Gala
Dec. 2, 8 p.m. The Highball To celebrate the end of Movember, it’s now time to celebrate the fundraising efforts during November and thank the men who grew facial hair for the men’s cancer awareness with a Gala Parté.
Cheese, Please!
Feel the beat Music tweets Various Artists A Tribute To Os Mutantes: El Justiciero, Cha, Cha, Cha’ Latin artists come together to tribute the Brazilian rock band from the late ‘60s. The covers are almost as cool as the original.
Girl Problems Girl Problems Grammy-winning producer Charles Goodan plays fun little synthetic rhythms and simplistic melody while Nick Weber raps smoothly about girls.
Summer Camp Young Synth-pop duo will take you back to the ‘60s. Despite minimalist rhythm and melody, this album is good enough to dance to under the disco ball.
Bruce Springsteen The Promise Veteran rocker releases an album that is still lost in the ‘90s with its cheesy piano melodies. Just buy one of the old Springsteen albums.
Poison Nothin’ but a Good Time: The Poison Collection Perfect for those who know Bret Michaels from reality TV, this collection of glam ballads is an awesome soundtrack for dates.
Stereolab Not Music With eerie vocals and fun synthetic instrumentals, Stereolab brings experimentation back from the ‘60s, but it’s cuter. Perfect music to dance to.
Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. Whole Foods Market – Lamar Join other turophiles at the Wine Kiosk at Whole Foods for good cheese, wine and beer, and try something new.
Austin Figurative Gallery Life Drawing
Mondays, 7 p.m. United States Art Authority Have you ever painted or drawn with a live model? Now you can try your hand at it. For $5, a model will pose for 15 minutes.
Chitlin Circuit Soul Night – East Side
Wednesdays, 8 p.m. The Victory Grill Enjoy the Harringtons while they pay tribute to classic soul and funk masters, going through all the rhythms and rhymes. Free beer while it lasts. If you have an event you would like us to include in future issues, please send us a tip on the Accent website, tinyurl.com/accenttip.
page 8 | Life & Arts Arts → Music
www.theAccent.org
Nov 22, 2010
: Growing up in the Austin scene
College Sou nd
17 year-old establishes self in city’s music culture Sarah Vasquez
Life & Arts Editor
Zoe Cordes Selbin never thought she would see the Descendents perform a live show. It had been almost a decade since the pop punk band had previously reunited but on the last night of the fifth annual Fun Fun Fun Fest, Selbin finally had her chance. “It was just a pipe dream, and to be able to sing along and pump my fist to ‘Everything Sux’ was magical,” said Selbin. Selbin is also the operations coordinator for Transmission Entertainment, an independent music booking, promotions, and media collective that puts together the music festival. When Selbin is not working with the company organizing festivals and shows around town, she’s also an Austin Community College student as part of the Early College Start program. This program allows high school juniors and seniors to earn college credit before their high school graduation. Yes, that means that Selbin is also a high school student. After the original Sunday headliner, Devo, had to cancel their appearance weeks before the festival because guitarist Bob Mothersbaugh sustained a hand injury, Graham Williams, Fun Fun Fun Fest and Transmission Entertainment founder, successfully booked the Descendents as the lastminute replacement. While enjoying the reunion
from one of the last three headliners that weekend, it was also a bittersweet end for Selbin. “Sunday nights (after the festival ends) are surreal because you put your life into this festival and all of the sudden, it’s like oh, it’s done,” said Selbin. “It’s this crazy mix of I’m really stoked. I can sleep now. This is great, and also wow, it’s done.” Selbin started working in the music business when she was 12 years-old, but she always knew she wanted to work with music. And, with the support of her family, music has always been a part of her life. “My dad has always loved music. He was always taking me to shows when I was little like kids’ shows or Austin City Limits. I was nine when I really got into music. I always liked it, but that’s when I really started persuing it as something more,” said Selbin. “I was 11 when I went to the first show ever that I picked, and it was Yellowcard at Austin Music Hall.” While most parents would be hesitant to let their children attend music shows in some of the notoriously grungy music venues downtown, Selbin’s parents were a bit more relaxed because of her older sister. “She’s six years older than me, so she paved the way of going to shows and showing my parents that she wasn’t going to get killed in a ditch somewhere,” said Selbin. “It was really all my older sister because she chaperoned me and she
Karissa Rodriguez • Photo/Web Editor
RENAISSANCE GIRL — 17-year-old student Zoe Selbin takes a break from studying to be interviewed and photographed at the Rio Grande Campus on Nov. 11. In addition to being an ACC student, Selbin is a high school student and an operations coordinator for Transmission Entertainment where she utilizes the skills she learned from a life spent in the music industry. would take me to shows that I wanted to go to which is really nice of her because we didn’t agree on music at all.” Even though Selbin has now established her place in the music industry working with Transmission Entertainment and Youth Spin, a radio show on the community radio station KOOP 91.7 FM, the 17-yearold runs into situations where people are quick to dismiss her abilities because her age.
However, Selbin doesn’t let this bother her. “I just have to keep talking to them and prove to them that I’m not just a little kid, and I think they can see as I continue talking to them. ‘Ok this girl’s legit. She knows what she’s talking about.’ But there are people who totally discredited me because of my age,” said Selbin. “I would like to say I’ll have the last laugh.” “Also, I’m in touch with
the teenage market. That’s the market that everyone wants. It would be ridiculous to not take advantage of someone who is actually completely immersed in that market.” During her interview and spotting her all over the festival grounds, Selbin came across calm and collective for someone who has to balance classes between two schools as well as her jobs. “I think if you talk to some
of my best friends, you would know that sometimes I do kind of lose it,” said Selbin. “But it’s moments like seeing the Descendents that really make it worth it.” College Sound is a recurring feature. If you’re an ACC student and a musician, please contact Sarah Vasquez, Life & Arts Editor at editor2@ austincc.edu.
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Accent captures fun at 5th annual festival Sarah Vasquez
Life & Arts Editor
All photos by Karissa Rodriguez • Photo Editor
Transmission Entertainment pulled off another Fun Fun Fun Fest by actually providing all the fun, and the Accent multimedia team was there to document the event with pictures and video. Enduring three days of inhaling dust and squeezing through the crowd and the photo pit, the Life & Arts Editor and Photo Editor came back to the newsroom with over 2,000 photos and over 20 hours of video to produce recaps of multimedia for readers to enjoy on the Accent website. Instead of photos of the actual bands, the photos below focus on the fans to show just how much fun, fun, fun there really was. For more photos and videos of the bands and interaction at Fun Fun Fun fest, head to theaccent.org.
� FUZZY FAN —
A fan cheers for Dominique Young Unique , the 18-year-old hip hop artist. Unique performed on the blue stage Saturday evening, impressing the crowd with her blend of hip hop and dance music. Unique was 12 years old when she made her debut in Tampa, Florida.
▲SURFING THE CROWD — A Fun Fun Fun Fest attendee crowd surfs on top of his boogie board during The Casualties’ set on the black stage. The performance on Sunday evening brought a punk rock experience with a wall of death and a Ramones cover.
▲PICTURE PERFECT — A couple shares a
laugh during Nortec Collective’s set on the blue stage. The group incorporated iPads, an accordian and a trumpet to create a dance party experience.
▲TAKING IT ALL IN — The crowd at the orange stage watch as Os Mutantes performed on Saturday evening. The ‘60s Brazilian band was one of the highlights of the festival.
▲ DANCING TO THE BEAT— Two attendees dance as
Dominique Young Unique takes the blue stage on Sunday evening. Some festival goers wore costumes during the festival.
Nov. 22, 2010
www.theAccent.org
Life & Arts | page 9
EAST is a new experience for student, professor continued from pg. 1 faculty. Each of the 16 faculty members then chose a student to exhibit alongside them, so it was half faculty, half student.” For both beginning and advanced art students, the experience of featuring their work to the public was “very, very exciting,” said Chris Long, a sophomore art major who showed six ceramic dishes. Long, who plans to travel to Taiwan this summer to study ceramics, hoped that observers of his pieces saw them as both expressive and functional. “I would like people to see them and think, ‘There’s a lot work in this. I enjoy looking at this. This is functional and I can use this. This is also a work of art. I can enjoy this for what it is, and it helps me get a task done, that task being eating or drinking,’” he said. But the opportunity to present at EAST wasn’t just thrilling for students. It was the first time Bethany
Cobb, adjunct assistant professor of art, showed her work at EAST, though she had participated in the event as an observer in previous years. Cobb presented a life-size graphite drawing of a woman, a piece she created in Scotland. “I was working on a series of drawings of people when they were waiting. Usually, I would catch people waiting at a bus stop. I catch them when they’re just sitting in that moment, not busying themselves,” she said. Cobb, who plans to continue her “waiting” series with people in Italy and Austin, displayed her drawing alongside Paige Davis, a first-time drawing student of Cobb’s, who chose to feature a self-portrait made from charcoal. “I could tell that she had some really strong talent, and I could also tell that she really loved it. It was great to see her coming into this world of art and really just diving in,” said Cobb.
Andrew Pagan • Lead Photographer
▲ INSPIRED ART — ACC art instructor Bethany Cobb talks about her inspiration for creating artwork. “Once I hit pencil to paper, I can feel that energy,” she said. Cobb teaches Drawing I and Intro to Visual Arts at ACC’s Georgetown Center. ▼ SHARED SPACE — ACC’s art faculty and students exhibit their work at Graphic Glass Studios, which is owned by Austin artist Rejina Thomas. The art department will once again use Thomas’ studio for next year’s East Austin Studio Tour.
Andrew Pagan • Lead Photographer
▲ ON DISPLAY — Bethany Cobb’s artwork for EAST, an Andrew Pagan • Lead Photographer
Arts → Games and Tech
Disney Epic Mickey twists classic characters, places Mouse to star in Wii exclusive video game Karissa Rodriguez
Photo/Web Editor
“Disney Epic Mickey” aims to change how everyone views the iconic character Mickey Mouse by allowing players to engage long-forgotten Disney characters as Mickey in a world designed to resemble Disney World with a dark twist. The action-adventure game, developed by Disney Interactive Studios’ Junction Point, debuts on Nov. 30 and is exclusive for Wii consoles. It features Mickey Mouse armed with only a paint brush and thinner battling blot creatures who have taken over the alternate Disney World setting aptly named the Wasteland. In “Disney Epic Mickey” the Wasteland was created by Yen Sid, a powerful sorcerer as a place for Disney’s forgotten or rejected creations such as Oswald the Rabbit, Mickey Mouse’s brother and the Wasteland’s first inhabitant. The main plot of the game revolves around Mickey’s discovery of the Wasteland in his bedroom mirror and is very reminiscent of Disney’s Fantasia movie. On his first encounter with the Wasteland, Mickey inadvertently uses Yen Sid’s magic paint to create a monster known as the Blot in the game and flees the Wasteland. The Blot, angry at Mickey, then begins to destroy the Wasteland and begins a war against the Wasteland’s hero Oswald that rages on for years. Many years after Mickey’s first encounter with the Wasteland, the Blot finds Mickey in the real world of the game and drags him back into the Wasteland in an attempt to steal his heart. No creature in the Wasteland has a heart. Mickey has a powerful heart, so the Blot wants it for himself. After Mickey escapes from the Blot he discovers that he is
Photo courtesy of Disney Interactive Studios
responsible for the devastation that has ravaged the Wasteland. Mickey then goes on a mission to save the Wasteland from the Blot and right his wrongs. “Disney Epic Mickey” gives players the unique experience of being able to walk around well known, albeit twisted, Disney locations and discover characters and places created in real life, but rejected or forgotten by Disney. The game is unlike any game created before because players are given the opportunity to create and alter their world utilizing Mickey’s paint brush and thinner. Disney demonstrated this game feature earlier this year at E3 and showed how the player can use paint to build bridges where needed and can use thinner to erase walls and ceilings that are in the way. This feature of the game takes the open world concept found in many video games today to a new level. Normally, in open world games, players are restricted to the world maps created by game developers. Another feature of the game includes the player’s ability to ultimately determine the outcome of the game through the player’s actions through the concept of “Playstyle Matters.” “Playstyle Matters” means that the actions you take in the game will have consequences. For example, in quest challenges, the player is given two options on how they can
complete the challenge. There is a “bad” or “good” choice and those who complete the “bad” choice will have a darker gameplay experience and players who choose to make “good” decision will experience a happier ending. Not only are the worlds the player can explore fun and innovate, but even how players travel between worlds are as well. Players travel through 2d side-scrolling levels based on classic cartoon shorts like Steamboat Willie. Characters that players encounter in the game are both familiar and unfamiliar such as Donald Duck who in the Wasteland is a robot created for Oswald. Enemies are both wellknown characters like Captain Hook and new characters created from paint blots like Spadooshes who are large sleeping enemies that explode if awakened. “Disney Epic Mickey” will also be available in a collector’s edition in addition to the standard edition. The collector’s edition will include a five-inch “Disney Epic Mickey” figurine, a Wii console skin, remote faceplate and a bonus behindthe-scenes DVD. “Disney Epic Mickey” re-imagines everything we know about the beloved and fun-loving Mickey Mouse and throws it out the window by creating a darker Mickey capable of destroying the world he’s meant to save.
eight-foot-tall graphite drawing, hangs in the Graphic Glass Studios on east Fifth Street. “This is a piece I did in Scotland,” Cobb explained.
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page 10 | Life & Arts
www.theAccent.org
Nov 22, 2010
Austin izardComic Con orld
Mario and Yoshi Who: Oscar Garza Why: “I work for Red Fly Studios which makes games for the Nintendo Wii so that’s why I dressed up as Mario and his little buddy Yoshi.”
Ginny Weasley Who: Jessica Davis Why: “I’m a big fan of the Harry Potter series because the books are great. They are really well written and the movies are even more awesome.”
Diana Leite Staff Reporter
Austinites of all ages entered the Austin Convention Center to be greeted by iconic celebrities like the original Hulk, Lou Ferrigno, Billy Dee Williams who played Lando Calrissian in Star Wars Episode V and VI, and Ernie Hudson who played Winston Zeddemore in the Ghostbusters movies. Wizard World Austin Comic Con had a shaky start on Nov. 12 as celebrities were texting and comic book artists were drawing in their sketchbooks because the attendance was scarce. After school and work let out, people eventually filled the convention center to embrace their geekiness. Wizard World, a production company, hosts Comic Con tours around the country to bring comic book artists and celebrities from sci-fi and fantasy movies and TV series to their fans. Inside the corridors of Austin’s first Comic Con, it was filled with comic book racks and shelves full of action figures. Fans were especially excited to attend Q&A sessions with actors from their favorite series, like Walter Koenig, who starred in the Star Trek original series and seven Star Trek movies as Pavel Chekov, the Russian USS Enterprise navigator. Koenig is an actor, teacher, and director. In 2008, at the age of 72, he wrote a sci-fi thriller script that added writer to his diverse titles. Despite his accomplishments, most of the fans asked him questions during his panel about his Star Trek character. He talked about the origin of his character in the Star Trek series, saying that he was chosen to star in the series because of his resemblance to Davy Jones, lead singer of popular ‘60s rock group, The Monkees. He also told the audience about the influence his role as a Russian navigator had on a society that was still divided by the iron curtain. “Chekov is from a different culture. He is from Russia. The purpose was to uncover the feeling that (in the Star Trek series) we were living in a time when people of all races, ethnicity and belief systems could work together,” said Koenig. This event lacked the bigger names Wizard World presents in long-running events in other cities. But enthusiastic fans of all things fantasy and sci-fi flooded the event with some costumes that were over the top and some costumes that looked like they were just taken from closets, consecrating Austin’s first Comic con, the geek event of the year.
AB Sidekick girl Who: Austin Books and Comics’ employee Danni Danger Why: To promote the local comic book store. Local costume and vintage shop Lucy In Disguise With Diamond created the outfit.
Predator Who: Wyatt Price Why: “He has a cool mask and face.” Price met Brian Steele, who played Bezerker Predator in Predators at the convention. He liked meeting Steele because “he’s seven feet tall and bigger than my dad, and he also played in Underworld.”
photo illustrations by Photo Editor Karissa Rodriguez and layout by Layout Editor Chris Scott