November 2012

The Food Issue
Farm fresh p 6
Cornbread chili p14
Cooking with beer p15
November 2012
A C C E N T

November 2012 | 32 | ACCENT
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November 2012
Calendar of Events
1 “A Special afternoon with Temple Grandin”
Thu UT Campus - LBJ Auditorium
1-3 ACC Arts & Humanities hosts 2nd Annual
Beat Poetry & Arts Festival
Thu-Sat ACC Rio Grande Campus
2-4 Fun Fun Fun Fest
Fri-Sun Auditorium Shores
9 ‘The HomageThat Follows’by Mark Medoff
Fri ACC Mainstage Theater, 2nd floor, RGC
10 Veteran’s Day Reading
Sat Lecture Hall, Riverside Campus
12 Student Literary Coffeehouse
Mon Austin Java, 1206 Parkway
15 Philosophy Forum Lecture Series
Thu Eastview Campus Room 8500
22-23 Thanksgiving Holiday
Thu-Fri
28 Rio Review Release Party
Wed Gallery Theater, RGC room 301
29 Honky Tonk Swing Class
Thu The Highball 1120 S. Lamar Blvd.
30 Karaoke on the Main Stage
Fri Common Interest
5
14
18
20
22
23
24
COVER PHOTO - Shaman Brown, Anelia Gomez-Cordova and Zacil Castellanos collect cu-
cumbers with Rene Valdez Oct. 20, at the Urban Roots farm in East Austin. Brown, Gomez-
Cordova and Castellanos are student volunteers in Urban Roots’ youth program.
For more photos, visit www.theaccent.org
26
27
Contents
Features
Food
Sports
Technology
Literature
Fashion
Music
Puzzles and Comics
Opinion

November 2012 | 5
Features
4 | ACCENT
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Natalie Casanova, Print
Abra Gist, Online
Ruby Piñon, Design
Vacant, Photo
Jon Shapley, Video
Era Sundar, Audio
Dana Manickvasgam, Web
Staff Photojournalists
Melissa Skorpil
Kami Bandari
Emily Hernandez
Janice Veteran
Campus Reporters
Nathan Bustillos, RRC
DC McLean, NRG
Skylar Bonilla, EVC
Caitlin McDermott, CYP
Carizma Barrera, SAC
Derek Shiekhi, RGC
Nadia Cole, PIN
Vacant, RVS
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Features & Photos
From farm to
market to table p6
Super Humanist p8
Freethinkin’ Texans p10

Photo by Melissa Skorpil • Staff Photojournalist
6 | ACCENT November 2012 | 7
Features Features
Photo by Jon Shapley • Video Editor
Castellano’s harvest — Urban Roots student
volunteer helps harvest the vegetables she and her peers
planted.
SPARK AN INTEREST — Blake Hill, a volunteer with
Urban Roots, provides instructions about planting radishes
to apprentice Grace Rosenthal and a group of visitors, Oct.
18, at the Urban Roots farm in East Austin.
Carizma Barrera
Campus Reporter
Some misconceptions about the average college
student are that they eat fast food daily, drink beer
like it’s coffee and are the world’s greatest pro-
crastinators. Although some truth can be found
in those statements, college students of the 21st
century are breaking stereotypes left and right.
Students are now choosing healthy options over
snacks and sweets, drinking the minimum daily
intake of water and getting homework and proj-
ects out of the way early to focus on contribut-
ing to the greater good of the community. Urban
Roots, an independent non-profit farm, gives cur-
rent, as well as future students at ACC the oppor-
Farm Fresh
tunity to gain life skills in leadership, responsibility
and sustainable living.
Started in 2008 by Max Elliot and Mike Evans,
Urban Roots is a human development work pro-
gram in conjunction with farming. Urban Roots
originally was an extension to Youth Launch, but
in 2011 branched out as its own program. The
program focuses primarily on farming, sustain-
ability and nutrition. Urban Roots has few adults
and at least 30 youth volunteers at any given time.
The student volunteers, who are from schools all
around Austin, can return year after year to sell and
donate produce.
The farm is located in northeast Austin, and
yields zucchini, carrots, radishes, cabbage and
much more to be sold at the Sustainable Food Cen-
ter (SFC) downtown farmers market from Octo-
ber-December and from April-August. Student
volunteers also donate what they harvest to Meals-
On-Wheels, food pantries and local soup kitchens.
Leigh Gaymon-Jones, the director of opera-
tions at Urban Roots,
says, “It’s exciting to see
young people blossom,
to see their confidence
and leadership come to
life. The program sparks
an interest most youth
didn’t know they had,
it’s their niche.”
Gaymon-Jones also
states that a positive
aspect of the program
is that youth volunteers
are able to connect with
other youth, these con-
nections might not have
Farmers’market educates
and inspires Austin youth
happened if not for Urban Roots. Some positive
outcomes include student volunteers that have
gone on to attend the Natural Epicurean Cooking
School, as well as earn degrees in Agriculture and
sustainability.
One of the many student volunteers who return
year after year is Zacil Castellanos. She is a 15 year
old at the Keep Austin Collegiate High School, and
she is currently in her second year of volunteer
work. She learned about Urban Roots when Leigh
had visited and it immediately sparked her interest.
The program has changed not only Castellanos
eating habits but her family’s as well. They now
make weekly trips to the farmers markets. Castel-
lanos says “I absolutely love this program. I will
definitely continue to volunteer in the future.”
Two of the current leaders are enrolled at ACC in
the early college start program.
Michael Sterling, a senior at East Side Memorial
High school said he is planning on finishing his
degree at ACC in diagnostic medical sonography.
Shamar Brown is in his third year of leader-
ship at Urban Roots. Shamar attends LBJ for now,
but his college plans include attending ACC and
then transferring to Baylor or Texas State. Brown
learned about Urban Roots from Communities in
School (CIS) which he also volunteers with.
“Urban Roots has changed a lot about me, it
has made me conscious of my eating habits and
improved my leadership skills,” Shamar said.
“Every weekend when I get the fresh vegetables, I
take them to my grandmother and she makes a big
feast.” Students can take advantage of the freshest
produce at the most affordable prices. There are
also many opportunities for students to volunteer
in community outreach programs that focus on
healthy living as well as sustainable living.
SUSTAINABILITY — (Top) Zacil Castellanos poses for
a photo with a handful of fresh cucumbers, Oct. 20, at the
Urban Roots farm in East Austin.
(Left) Nick Newman volunteers at the farm by planting carrots.
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Omar Lopez: super humanist
Janice Veteran
Staff Photojournalist
Abra Gist
Online Editor
Photos by Janice Veteran • Staff Photojournalist
(Top) Omar Lopez poses for an photo at the Austin AIDSWalk, October 21, at Austin City Hall.
(Bottom)Ken Johnson, member of Austin BabtistWomen, performs in character as“Ima Spinster.”
“I know it sounds
corny but someone
smiling motivates
me.”
- Omar Lopez
GET OUT – Out Youth, a Central Texas nonprofit group
that supports lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and
intersex youth, marches at the Austin AIDS Walk, October
21, at Austin City Hall.
Award winning performance –Austin Babtist
Women, an all-male comedy troupe, performs during Austin
AIDS Walk.
Volunteering and activism
bring joy to a former ACC
student
Omar Lopez helps people. All people. Even if
they only need help carrying a package or trans-
lating English posters to Spanish. His passion for
helping others is unequivocal.
This former ACC student was offered a position
at the City of Austin’s Infectious Diseases Divi-
sion, after doing the same job for free at Commu-
nity AIDS Resources and Education program or
C.A.R.E, the place where he volunteered to help
others in the community.
Lopez worked at CARE in addition to his full-
time restaurant internship, his ACC organization
memberships and his full course load while at
ACC.
How does a culinary arts student end up work-
ing for Health and Human Services?
He evaded the question on numerous occasions.
For someone so outgoing and energetic, he was
hesitant to reveal much about himself. He’d rather
talk about human rights, the fight to end the HIV/
AIDS epidemic and the struggle to mobilize a
disenfranchised population of minorities.
Lopez was born in California to Mexican par-
ents. He lived near Sonora Mexico until about age
8. Then he went to school in Arizona, but lived
across the border. His parents still live in Mexico
today.
His parents made sure that all their children
would be United States citizens by being born in
the U.S. Lopez grew up with compassionate par-
ents and though he saw a lot of poverty, violence
and misfortune in Mexico, his parents instilled in
their children the importance of helping others.
“I wasn’t at a disadvantage growing up. I had
loving parents who did all they could to provide
better opportunities for me and my siblings,” said
Lopez, “I was lucky, but they always told me to
look around and help anyone that I could.”
Lopez joined the U.S. Navy after high school
and served his country abroad for approximately
5 years.
However, that service was cut short when Lopez
was discharged under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
policy. He participated in a documentary called
“March On” and shared his experience and spoke
about being asked to leave the Navy.
“It was tough on me. I needed a change after
that whole experience,” said Lopez.
He and his former partner moved to Austin.
Lopez had heard that Texas was a great place for
bilingual spanish speaking people, so they came to
Austin to start a new life.
That’s when Lopez began ACC’s culinary arts
program and studied to be a chef. However, his
volunteer work would lead him in a different and
unexpected direction.
At the AIDS Walkathon on Oct. 21 at City Hall,
we had the chance to speak to Lopez, his co-work-
ers, fans and friends.
Lopez began volunteering at the C.A.R.E pro-
gram, which partners volunteers with HIV, AIDS
or cancer patients for the duration of their illness.
“They just recruited me right off the street. I
was getting tested and I was bilingual, so they told
me I should volunteer,”he said.
“I met Omar about 3-4 years ago, and like most
of our volunteers, he came to our training and was
matched with a patient...but Omar was differ-
ent. As the program continued I just saw him
blossom and he really got more active and more
involved with it. He just had this huge desire to
help,” said Roger Temme, Director of Volunteer
Recruiting at C.A.R.E.
Lopez’s passion and commitment impressed
his mentors and peers.
“He always has a smile on his face. He comes
from parents that
taught him how
to be an activist
even on a really
bad day,” said Lisa
Medina, Director
of Client Services
at Project Transi-
tions. “I’m a big
fan of ‘My Omar’.”
“Omar never
stops,” said friend
and C.A.R.E
co-worker, Ryan
Broussard. He has
this amazing abil-
ity to commit so fully to a cause.
He’s a great friend, a cool guy and he genuinely
wants to help people. That activist side of him
never shuts off.”
Walking around the event and talking col-
leagues, we learned Lopez never stopped being
an activist or advocate.
People constantly came up to talk to him and
he always paused the conversation to assist oth-
ers, give hugs and words of encouragement or
smile and wave enthusiastically at friends.
We asked Omar again, really though, how
does a culinary arts student end up in this line
of work? What about this line of work motivates
you?
He’s quick to say cooking and being an advo-
cate are not so different.
He does mention that he has his own personal
motivations for his overzealous activism. Re-
cently one of his family members was diagnosed
with HIV.
He makes sure to point out that this family
member is only in his early 20s. However he
reiterates it’s more than that though.
“I know it sounds corny but someone smiling
motivates me. Even in the kitchen, that say-
ing goes, ‘a way to a man’s heart is through his
stomach’. It’s not just men...I think the way to
everybody’s heart is through their stomach,” said
Lopez, “the energy and the love that you bring
into it [cooking] just
mean everything.
You prepare some-
thing for someone
and you nourish
their stomach and
their soul.”
“Even in this
new role, I’m giving
people something. I
educate, I advocate
and get them all the
resources I can.”
Lopez’s eyes look
off into the distance,
he watches as crews
clean up the tents and haul away trash after the
AIDS Walkathon. He bites his bottom lip and
murmurs that his dream is to expand his work
beyond the U.S. borders. Then he asks us to in-
clude a graphic with the list of places that ACC
students can use to seek HIV testing and mental
health. Lopez never stops.
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Silence fell over the crowd as British
evolutionary biologist and famous athe-
ist Richard Dawkins took the podium.
“[Atheists] are a major force in this
country, it cannot be ignored,” he said
from the steps of the Texas State Capitol
on Oct. 20.
The crowd erupted in cheers after
each of Dawkins’ potent assertions.
Texans from a manifold of age groups
and backgrounds gathered at the Capitol
for the free portion of the 2012 Texas
Freethought Convention. There they
listened to Dawkins and other notable
atheist and secular speakers from all
over the country and the world speak.
In America, Dawkins said, the
number of “nones,” or people who do
not claim a specific religion on census
documents, is growing. He noted that
about 20 percent of the entire population
falls under this category, and 30 percent
of US citizens ages 18-29.
This demographic aligns heavily with
college students. Secular Student Alli-
ance (SSA) Texas regional campus orga-
nizer Kevin Butler said it showed at the
convention as more than 100 students of
the SSA attended from schools all over
the state.
“Our numbers are increasing, we’re
winning,” Butler said. “We fight for
numbers because that’s what politicians
listen to.”
Butler, also a student at the University
of Texas at Dallas, said the only defining
characteristic of an atheist is his lack of
belief in any god or deity, and nothing
else. But from his personal experience,
he said, most atheists and secularists
promote equal human rights.
Before he found the SSA, Butler said
he had no idea he wasn’t the only non-
believer in his community.
“I felt so isolated,” he said. “[SSA] lets
students know they’re not alone ... we’re
in this fight together.”
Butler comes from a predominantly
Catholic family and was very religious
during high school. He has been an out
atheist for about two years.
“I began walking away from religion
my senior year [of high school] when I
came out as being gay,” he said. “It tore
me up when I went to church.”
He said he was vaguely Christian and
began to think deism, or the belief that
some type of god exists but not a specific
one, was a plausible view until he real-
ized it was a huge leap of faith to connect
any spiritual feeling to a specific god or
to the existence of a supreme being at all.
After researching and watching many
lectures, such as “A Universe from Noth-
ing” by theoretical physicist Lawrence
Krauss, he began to affirm his atheism.
Studying science, nature and sociolo-
gy was a major deciding factor in Butler’s
deconversion.
“I thought, ‘wait a second, is that what
[atheists] talk about?”
Butler said atheists in other countries
may have it even harder, such as in Af-
ghanistan where a person can be killed if
they come out as an nonbeliever. Half of
Butler’s family also doesn’t know he is an
atheist because he doesn’t feel comfort-
able telling them. This seemed to be the
case for many atheists at the convention.
“I don’t want my father to stop me
from seeing my younger brother,” Butler
said.
Notable student atheist Jessica
Ahlquist said nonbelievers don’t have
a go-to place for community or sup-
port. Ahlquist filed a lawsuit against her
public school in Rhode Island for hang-
ing a religious banner. She won the case
and received much public scorn locally
for the ordeal, but nationally she gained
attention as being a leader in the atheist
movement, standing up for the First
Amendment. She is also very outspoken
on matters of gay rights, and compares
the feelings, consequences and reactions
of coming out as an atheist to coming
out as gay.
“You risk losing friends and family
and loved ones because of it,” she said.
Many members of the University of
Texas at Austin (UT) SSA group also
attended the freethought convention,
including president Loren Bane and
former president Erick Rodriguez. Their
organization works with other local
groups and events, such as “Explore UT,”
to promote youth science education.
The group also hosts lectures on
science and philosophy and provides a
supportive community for questioning
students.
“Many young adults don’t realize be-
ing nonreligious is an option,” Bane said.
“They have never even known about it
before.”
Rodriguez said part of the reason for
having groups is to provide a safe place
for nonbelievers to discuss their views
because sometimes they are assaulted
with threats or prayers while on the UT
campus.
“[We have] received multiple death
threats from other students,” Rodriguez
said, “which the police are still investi-
gating.”
Texas Freethought Convention presi-
dent Paul Cooper said one of the themes
of the 2012 gathering was “Get Out and
Vote” for all age groups and political
parties, especially in local elections. He
said some evangelicals in the Texas State
Board of Education think their religious
idea that the Earth is only 6,000 years
old and that humans coexisted with
dinosaurs should be reflected in how
children are taught in public schools.
Atheists strongly disagree with those
views, but are not represented on the
school board because of a lack of politi-
cal influence.
“We have to show up at the polls,” he
said. Separation of church and state pro-
tects everyone, he said, even Christians
from other denominations of Christians.
“We’re not trying to destroy religion,”
Cooper said, “we just want to make sure
that it’s kept in its proper place within
American society so that way all people
of all faiths and not of faith can exercise
their freedom of expression without
worrying about other people coming in,
telling them they have to do a certain
thing a certain way.”
Former member of the Maine House
of Representatives and notable athe-
ist author Sean Faircloth said there is a
social and political perception of athe-
ists being a shunned minority, but the
demographic is much larger than the
strong religious right is willing to admit.
“I’m hoping secular students will run
for office,” Faircloth said. “To not only
push for a say in politics, but to be the
politician.”
“I feel like the wave is cresting,” Fair-
cloth said, “[There might be] somebody
who is 22 years old now who will be an
open atheist president [in the future].”
Public Relations officer for Secular
Students at Collin College (SSCC) Liz
Dudek said SSA groups are not only a
social network for non-believer students,
but also a forum to discuss religion, poli-
tics, science and social issues safely and
freely without judgment. She said getting
secular people to vote is a good way to
balance out the conservative religious
right.
Dudek came to her group as a ques-
tioning Christian on the edge, and she
said the support she received from the
other members helped soften the image
she had of atheists, and she said coming
out wasn’t as difficult for her as it can be
for others. Her biggest trouble was grow-
ing distant from old friends.
“It was a little bit disheartening
because they were important to me for a
long time,” she said.
Deciding to come out to friends and
family can be a tough decision, Dudek
said, but it’s entirely up to the person to
weigh whether it’s worth it or not.
“Sometimes it’s hard living a double
life,” she said, “if you have to pretend for
some people.”
Outside the Capitol gates stood three
street preachers from the Bulldog Min-
istries group from Houston and Waco,
Texas. They held large signs listing their
ideals, and spoke about their religion
and against atheism to passersby and
convention attendees. Street preacher
Rick Ellis’ voice boomed over a PA sys-
tem as he read scripture aloud.
“The way to escape, is through the
shed blood of Jesus,” Ellis said. “There’s
no other escape; there’s no other way.”
Many people stopped to speak with
them, and lead street preacher David
Stokes answered queries and explained
his beliefs.
Stokes said atheists believe religion is
a very bad thing and want it eradicated
completely, and that devastates him
because he feels America is morally
declining and needs the Christian god
more than ever.
“If you study the atheist group and
their movement,” Stokes said, “[you’ll
find] they are trying to remove Christi-
anity and God from our country.”
Even though he preaches at atheist
gatherings, gay pride events and foot-
ball games, Stokes said he respects the
First Amendment and the separation of
church and state.
“The last thing I would want to see is
a denomination or a religion controlling
a country,” he said. “If you look at world
history, there’s been a lot of devastation
when any group becomes a leader. We’ve
seen that with christian groups having
leadership over countries [and] I’m not
for that either.”
Stokes said he doesn’t mind atheists
speaking out about their opinion, but
doesn’t think they should be able to file
lawsuits removing religious influence in
government.
“It’s one thing to have a belief system,”
Stokes said, “and it’s another thing to try
to destroy others’ belief system.”
Austin Community College student
Justin, who asked that his full name be
withheld for personal reasons, discussed
specific passages of the Bible with Stokes
and challenged his reasoning for his
views as well as discrepancies in the text.
He’s describes himself as an agnos-
tic or de facto atheist and came to the
convention for the speakers and the
interactions.
“I kind of liked the idea that I might
[meet] street preacher protesting,” Justin
said, “[and get to test] my on-the-fly
debate skills.”
Butler said sometimes when people
meet an atheist they think they want to
debate right there and then, but that is
not always the case. Many atheists have
no qualms with religions, especially
those who look to it for social support.
He said the major issues come from
religious-influenced prejudice and reli-
gious disregarding of science.
Justin grew up in a non-denomina-
tional Christian home and said he be-
came a nonbeliever in 2006 after reading
Dawkin’s famous book “The God Delu-
sion.” He hasn’t come out as an atheist to
some members of his family.
“There are certain people in my fam-
ily that I don’t tell,” Justin said, “some
that I knew would fly off the handle
about it.”
Justin’s advice for students: ”Figure
out what you believe, why you believe
it and analyze your justifications. If it
doesn’t make sense, you have no real
reason to believe it.”
Imagine no religionNatalie Casanova
Print Editor
(Left) Secular Student Alliance Texas
Regional Campus Organizer Kevin Butler
and (right) Texas Freethought Convention
President Paul Cooper pose for photos at
the Sheraton on Oct. 20.
Photos by Jon Shapley • Video Editor.

Photostory Photostory
Continued from p. 11
THIS PAGE FROM TOP, GOING CLOCKWISE
• Texas Freethought Convention attendees of all
ages enjoy evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins’
political jokes.
• Former Maine House of Representatives member
Sean Faircloth gives a speech on political involv-
ment.
• Dawkins discusses the religious backgrounds of the
candidates in the upcoming presidential election.
OPPOSITE PAGE FROMTOP LEFT, GOING CLOCK-
WISE
• University of Texas at Austin (UT) students Jenna
Fahle (left) and Maran Nelson (right) listen atten-
tively to each of the speakers at the Texas State
Capitol building.
• UT Secular Student Alliance president President
Loren Bane and former president Erick Rodriguez
laugh at Dawkins’political jokes.
• Texas Freethought Convention President Paul Coo-
per (left) and Atheist Community of Austin Presi-
dent and the Atheist Experience television show
founder Matt Dillahunty discuss the topic of debate
for the evening:‘should secular people support
abortion?’
• Host of the Dogma Debate podcast David Smalley
ponders the issues brought up by speakers at the
Capitol.
• Dillahunty makes his opening statements express-
ing his pro-choice stance at the abortion debate.
All photos were taken Oct. 20 at the 2012 Texas
Freethought Convention.

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Food Food
Slow-cooker cornbread chili
Recipe and photo by
Melissa Skorpil
Transcribed by
Era Sundar
Audio Editor
True brew holiday flavor
When some people think of beer,
they may think of tailgating or par-
ties of some sort. However, beer is
becoming the best known secret to
spice up cooking. There are several
new printed books and e-books out
on cooking with beer. Also, cooking
with beer will give you more recipes
than you can cook in one semester.
Sean Paxton, professional chef
and home brewer, designed the
dinner menus for the annual
Homebrewers Association’s website,
homebrewchef.com, which has
recipes and offers aide to aspiring
beer chefs.
As you may know, there are
several different types of beers on
the market. Most people know
of the ones made by the mega-
breweries that are light in color and
flavor (typically a Pilsner style), but
there are also the malty beers that
impart a different flavor. You may
or may not like to drink these types
of beers, however you will find that
when you cook with them, they
produce far different flavors to food
than their tastes as a beverage.
Beer can be used in almost every
type of cooking there is: appetizers,
soups, stews, breads, entrees, sauces,
spreads, glazes, meat marinates,
breakfast foods and desserts. You
name it, and there is a recipe for the
dish that includes beer. Used prop-
erly, beer turns the most ordinary
foods into exceptional party fare.
Beer works great as a marinade for
beef, chicken, pork, fish or seafood.
In roasting, baking or broiling, beer
is used to baste the foods or as an
ingredient in the basting sauce to
reveal a rich, dark color and high-
light gravies.
The better you know and under-
stand beer, the better the applica-
tion of beer in your meal. It is the
perfect ingredient for your meat
marinade because it is much less
acidic than wine, vinegar or citrus
juices, which are typically used in
BBQ sauces and marinades. It will
tenderize the meat without break-
ing down the texture as rapidly as
the more powerful acids. Also, the
balanced flavors in beer means that
the other herbs and spices will not
be overwhelmed by acetic notes.
Also, it is typically less expensive
than wine.
Malty beers can be used as a
replacement for liquid ingredients
such as water in cookies and breads.
Pale Ale or IPA style beers have an
up-front bitterness that works well
with items you would normally
cook with citrus juices. Instead of
lemon juice, try an IPA. Baste your
chicken in a pale ale. Have any left
over beer that has gone flat? Your
cooking doesn’t care. Add it in
there.
David Myers, chef and Austin
Community College culinary arts
professor, said he recommends
thinking about the food versus the
flavors of the beer. A beef or pork
dish can stand up to a malty beer,
but a chicken dish would be over-
powered and needs a lighter beer
such as a pilsner or pale ale. There
are many recipes where an imperial
stout or a smoked porter is used in
making a glaze or sauce for a beef
dish.
Wheeler of Rogness brewer
Dan Wheeler and his wife Laurie
said they use beer in much of their
cooking.
“The (512) Pecan Porter was
great in chocolate pecan cookies,”
Laurie said.
She said they’ve also tried using
an extra special bitters (ESB) style
beer in making caramels, Young’s
Double Chocolate Stout in brown-
ies, and have even heard of using
Rogness Yogi Spiced beer in apple
pie brownies.
“The Yogi has the winter spices
usually seen in apple pie or pump-
kin pie,” Laurie said. “Using the
Yogi instead of the liquid, such as
water, will give the foods some great
flavors.”
If you need to bring a side dish
to the adult Thanksgiving dinner,
consider a spiced up cranberry
sauce using fresh cranberries, fresh
orange, coriander, honey, sugar and
some witbier (a wheat beer mainly
brewed in Belgium and the Neth-
erlands). The witbier will bring out
the citrus, sweet and sour flavors of
the orange and the cranberries.
If your mother accuses you of
drinking too much beer, remember
that the alcohol does evaporate
during the cooking process. It’s
a science project and you are the
scientist. Craft beer is about experi-
menting with flavor combinations
— there are no rules.
Janice Veteran
The holiday season and cooler weather not only call for wardrobe changes but
menu updates as well. Nothing says warm and cozy like a savory bowl of chili.
This easy-to-prepare classic is a versatile crowd pleaser. It’s low in fat and vegetar-
ian, yet hearty and satisfying enough for meat lovers. Two types of beans provide
plenty of protein and fresh vegetables provide vitamins and minerals. Cheddar
cheese and cornbread add a touch of rich indulgence.
Here’s what you’ll need:
• 1 onion
• 1 green pepper
• 1 packet of chili seasoning
• 2 cans (14.5 oz. each) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 8 oz. package corn bread mix
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (for more flavor use a sharp rather than
mild cheddar)
• 1 tablespoon oil
• Serves 6 people with a prep time of about 5 hours using a slow cooker.
Here’s how to make it:
1. Using a sharp knife, dice the onion and green pepper into 1/4 inch pieces
then saute them in 1 tablespoon of oil on medium heat for 10 minutes until
the green peppers glisten and the onions become translucent.
2. While the onions and peppers are being sauted, dice the tomatoes into 1/4
inch pieces and keep aside.
3. When the onion and pepper mixture is finished, it will be tender and aro-
matic. At this point, place it into the slow cooker and add the chili seasoning,
diced tomatoes, and beans. Mix well. No additional cooking liquid is needed.
The diced tomatoes provide all the moisture necessary.
4. Cover and simmer for 4 hours on low heat setting.
5. Prepare the cornbread batter according to the directions on the package.
6. Drop spoonfuls of cornbread batter on top of the chili mixture in the slow
cooker and gently spread the batter so it covers the chili evenly.
7. Replace the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 30 - 45 minutes longer or un-
til a toothpick inserted into the center of cornbread topping comes out clean.
8. Sprinkle the cornbread topping with shredded cheddar cheese, cover and
continue cooking for 5 minutes longer until the cheese melts.
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Food Food
Photo by Layla Elayyadi • Photojournalist Photo by Jon Shapley • Video Editor
DC McLean
Campus Reporter
Layla Elayyadi
4 food trailers to
chase down in Austin
Coat and Thai
Price range: Cheap, under $10
1600 S Congress
Austin, TX 78704
This cute, friendly looking food truck has a catchy name and some awesome
food. Coat & Thai has a varied menu which highlights Thai foods and appetizers
such as curry dishes, noodle and rice dishes as well as vegetarian options. One
of the more popular dishes is their egg rolls which are crispy, hot and filled with
crunchy cabbage, celery and carrots along with noodles and onions. One could
say the best part is being able to dip into the perfectly balanced sweet and sour
sauce.
The next time you come to Coat and Thai be sure to grab some piping hot egg
rolls along with an entree such as, Pod Ka-Poo which is stir fried rice noodles
with eggs, green onions, bean sprouts and ground peanuts. This food truck de-
mands repeat visits to explore the many options on its menu.
Lunch specials for $5.95 are served from 11 .a.m to 2 p.m.
Stony’s Pizza
Price Range: Cheap, under $10
6th St & Red River St
Austin, TX 78701
Stony’s started in late 2007 when a father and son team from Boston pulled
this fully equipped truck up to Red River and 6th and started serving some of
the best NY style pizza in that area. As we arrived we were greeted by the son,
he went over some options (slices, pies, prices) and we elected to get a full pie.
While the pie was baking we went around to the front of the truck to watch him
and see what they were using. Options tend to be limited inside a truck, so it was
not surprising to see them using a little conveyor belt oven. He hand-stretched
some fresh dough topping it with some quality sauce (Stanislaus) and a very
heavy-handed dose of cheese with pepperoni on half. After the quick 8 minute
bake it was ready to be served. We quickly started eating it and were very happy
with the flavor. The bake you get on the conveyor is not perfect (typically lack-
ing some crunch and structure to the crust) but it did a sufficient job nonethe-
less. While it lacked the crisp or browning it was at least cooked all of the way
through. The cheese was some of the best tasting cheese we have had on a pizza
recently and the sauce was light but flowed so perfectly with the great peppero-
nis that had a nice char on them. The pizza was not perfect, but the love, appre-
ciation and attention to detail is there. Stony’s is cooking up some home runs
out of this truck so don’t be afraid to try this truck after a night out on the town.
Miguel’s El Cubano
Price Range: Moderate, $11 - $30
611 Trinity St
Austin, TX 78701
Miguel’s, named after the owner’s grandpa, has some excellent Cuban faire.
Owner Alexander Acosta’s food truck delivers Cuban style comfort food
wrapped in fresh made bollios with a generous side of traditional black beans
and rice with yuca frita. Yuca fritas are the Cuban version of a french fry, howev-
er that description does not do them justice. The yuca fritas were crispy, savory
and the perfect match for the warm sandwiches.
The El Don was the highlight of the meal and deemed their signature dish.
The cilantro garnished slow cooked Berkshire pulled pork was tender, tangy and
mildly sweet.
The delicious mojo sauce, made with citrus, garlic, oregano and white pep-
per, was served alongside the sandwich and surpisingly, the bread did not get
soggy when the sauce was added. If you’re tired of eating Tex-Mex style food and
breakfast tacos, track down this truck.
The Peached Tortilla
Price Range: Cheap, under $10
Locations vary from Downtown to South Congress
The Peached Tortilla serves a delightful fusion of Mexican and Chinese food.
The Banh Mi Taco consisted of juicy, tender and flavorful pork belly, paired with
crunchy, tangy carrot and daikon.
The Crunchy Catfish Taco was OK. It’s supposedly one of the more popular
tacos, but the fried batter overwhelmed any other flavor. It was very tasty batter,
though.
The BBQ Brisket slider was yummy! Tender and moist brisket was mixed with
peachy BBQ sauce, all barely held together by two soft and plump Hawaiian
rolls. De-lish.
The Banana Nutella Wontons are a fun twist on a classic dish. Who doesn’t
like chocolate and bananas? A little more banana and more filling in each won-
ton would have been great, but it was still a tasty treat!
Photo by Jon Shapley • Video Editor Photo by Jon Shapley • Video Editor

18 | the ACCENT November 2012 | 19
Sports Sports
Photos by Jon Shapley • Video Editor
Play ball – Trey Gowan poses for a series of portraits, Oct. 20, at the
Austin Recreation Center. Gowan said he hopes to play basketball for the
University of Texas at Austin.
Natural
born
leader
Josh House
Staff reporter
Trey Gowan knows exactly what he wants — to be a
leader on and off the basketball court— and he’s doing
everything in his power to make it happen.
Gowan hones his leadership skills at Austin Com-
munity College as a member of the Student Government
Association (SGA). He represents and works on behalf
of his fellow students as the Rio Grande Campus senator.
SGA Vice President Carlos Charles said Gowan has shown
leadership through service by volunteering to organize and
run an upcoming charity event that involves
collecting socks for the needy.
“He said, ‘I want to collect socks. I’ll
handle the business and all that stuff. ”’
Charles said as he recalled his conversation
with Gowan. “He’s always making sure he gets
school work done, [too]. “[He’s] actually being
a physical leader as well; leading by example.”
Gowan’s affinity for leadership is also re-
flected in his passion for basketball.
“I really want to walk on at the University
of Texas (UT) and be a leader on the basket-
ball team ... and wear burnt orange,” he said.
Gowan didn’t say he wanted to make a
name for himself by putting
up big numbers or getting
highlight reels. He said his
goal is first and foremost to
become a leader. This line
of thought is reflected in his
choice of role models.
Gowan said he looks up
to professional basketball
players Larry Bird and Tim
Duncan. The two players
are known not only for their
production on the court, but
for their tough mentalities
and “no-diva” attitudes.
Although Gowan is in-
spired by Bird and Duncan,
his goal of playing Division I basketball began
when he was a child and was shaped by his
mother, Michelle Kirby, who played basketball
in high school and went on to play Division I
at Clemson University on a full scholarship.
Gowan credits his mother with giving him
his start in basketball.
“I started playing when I was really young.
My mom used to put me outside with the dirt
and the ball,” he said.
Mother and son spent hours on the court
together and were very competitive.
“In eighth grade Trey was about the same
height as me — 6 feet 1. By the time he was in
10th grade he was 6 feet 7 and started dunk-
ing on me,” Kirby said. “Trey has a really big
heart and when he does something, he does it
will full thrust.”
Kirby said her son is training hard to
prepare for the UT tryouts, a process that
Gowan admitted would be challenging.
However, he said he’s definitely up for the
challenge.
Gowan said his training regimen includes
bulking up on a protein-heavy diet, working
hard at practice and train-
ing at the gym four times
a day. and said he believes
that hard work beats talent,
when talent doesn’t work
hard.
Chris Braden, manager
of the Train 4 The Game
fitness center where Gowan
works out, said that Gowan
works his butt off and trains
hard and diligently.
As Gowan focuses on
physical preparation, he
still remains dedicated to
his studies and and respon-
sibilities to SGA. He said
he’s focused on being successful on and off
the court.
“I’m just putting in my all and going hard
all day,” he said. “Hard work beats talent,
when talent doesn’t work hard.”
Discipline and leadership are traits that
Gowan said he developed while in the Air
Force.
“I know it takes a lot of hard work,” he
said, “and if I keep it up, I think I got a real
shot at it.”
“Hard work
beats talent,
when talent
doesn’t work
hard.”
- ACC student
Trey Gowan

Technology Technology
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Tech 101: Sam-
sung Galaxy Note
Nathan Bustillos
Campus Reporter
You have a major pa-
per due for class, you can’t
remember the due date and
you have lost your syllabus.
You frantically try to contact
the professor, classmates —
anybody, but no one answers
their email or phone. What
can you do?
The Samsung Galaxy Note
can be a big help as it com-
bines the ease and conve-
nience of a smartphone with
the functionality of a tablet
PC.
The recently released
Galaxy Note includes a
task scheduler, which in-
corporates a calendar and
spreadsheet program to keep
track of important dates and
schedules. Students can use
it to take notes as well. With
the included S Memo app
and the stylus, it is easy to
write directly into the device.
Its 5.3-inch screen provides
ample space to write on.
One of the benefits for
many Austin Community
College art students is that
there is an app that is very
similar to Adobe Photoshop,
which allows users to edit
photos and other images to
create high quality design
elements that can be used for
print or other media.
The photoshop equivalent
for the Galaxy Note 10.1 can
achieve the same high qual-
ity imagery as the original
Photoshop.
In terms of the Galaxy
Note’s technical aspects,
users can enjoy a 4G LTE
network which allows In-
ternet browsing at speeds
as quick as any smartphone
or laptop computer. With
the 1.4-gigahertz dual core
processor, websites, images
and video load very quickly
and smoothly, giving the user
seamless interaction with all
of the Galaxy Note’s features.
Images, notes, and other files
can be exported into a desk-
top or laptop computer with
USB 2.0 support.
As with any mobile device,
price point can be a down-
side for college students.
However, the Samsung
Galaxy Note is available from
T-Mobile and AT&T with a
two-year extension of a cur-
rent mobile phone contract.
In the alternative, the Galaxy
Note is available on Amazon
and by other online vendors
ranging from $300 and $500
without a mobile phone
network.
This is where the price
point may come into play.
Some users may not want
to be tied down to a new
contract with their mobile
provider and would then be
subject to the purchase price.
Unfortunately, with a $500
price tag at most, it may be
out of reach for many college
students, especially if they
are on a budget.
Another factor that some
users may not like is the size
of the device. The Galaxy
Note was designed to be sim-
ilar to a smartphone in terms
of size and convenience, but
is slightly bigger than an
iPhone or some other large-
screen device.
The Galaxy Note faces
competition for the student
market from many other tab-
let PC equivalents with much
larger screens without having
the bulk and thickness of
some laptop computers, but
it could be a good investment
for many college students.
‘New Super Mario Bros
2’game takes a 3-D trip
down memory lane
Familiar characters and breathtaking environments
provide gamers with a fun twist to a beloved classic
Joey Galvan
Staff Reporter
Nintendo fanboys can re-
joice as “New Super Mario
Bros. 2” is released for the
Nintendo 3-DS. Nintendo
is hoping to attract loyal
customers of the Mario
franchise and catch the eye
of new gamers as well.
Mario, as a character,
evokes powerful memories
in anyone who grew up
with a Nintendo system in
their household.
He is a welcoming icon
used by Nintendo whenever
they release a new console
or game title the company
believes in. In the sequel to
“Super Mario 3-D Land”
they continue to avoid
tarnishing his image by put-
ting out a product worthy
of the iconic plumber.
The game’s objective
beautiful in its simplicity:
get as many freakin’ coins
as possible and defeat some
familiar enemies in the pro-
cess. Attain large amounts
of coins to acquire more
lives and special Yoshi coins
to unlock special items to
aid your quest. The amount
of gold coins thrown at you
is ridiculous as it is not
uncommon for a player to
rack up over a hundred lives
with a little persistence.
The environments in
“New Super Mario Bros.
2” are breathtaking much
like those in its predeces-
sor with levels bearing
a strong resemblance to
previous Mario titles span-
ning almost every Nintendo
console.
You don’t have to go far
to find familiar territory.
The current desert levels
look strikingly similar to
the game’s older incarna-
tions in the original Ninten-
do Entertainment System
(NES) system and are
rampant with angry cactus
littered upon quicksand.
Most of the levels look
like they have appeared in
some previous fashion of a
Mario release which is an
important nostalgia factor
for players. The biggest let-
down after beating the eight
worlds is that it can be done
so quickly.
It’s not that the levels are
too easy per se, but rather
that the title ends abruptly
and could use some addi-
tional content to provide a
higher factor for replay.
The controls in this
release are of A+ caliber.
Often, controls in the
game can severely limit the
player’s experience by prov-
ing too difficult for average players
to learn, which may result in them
abandoning the game in frustration.
If you have played the first few Ma-
rio releases for the Nintendo Enter-
tainment System, the control scheme
should seem ideal.
It adapts the controls from previ-
ous games like “Super Mario World”
for the Super Nintendo and is so
simple a novice could
quickly pick it up. The
simple joy of being
able to achieve maxi-
mum speed and attain
flight through use of
your raccoon tail is not
a hard feat, nor should
it be.
The 3-D in this
game is incredible.
Nintendo pushes the
envelope of what the
3-DS is capable of and at times the
immersion can become intense. I
recommend breaks be taken to avoid
motion sickness. The action takes
on a completely new dimension and
plays one of the most intricate roles
in making this release worth pur-
chasing.
Two players can play together and
basically trade use of the console be-
tween levels. Not many gamers have
a 3-DS, so finding someone with the
handheld console in addition to this
game can prove rather daunting, but
it is ultimately worth it.
The same problem exists with the
Streetpass function of the console.
Streetpass works when the 3-DS is
in regular or standby mode with the
two consoles trading in game items
depending on which games you have
set up to participate in this function.
It is recommended that this
function be tried in crowded areas
like shopping malls in hopes of the
consoles recognizing the signal of
another player which would then
trade off the items automatically.
Not only is standby mode an
extreme waste of battery power, the
notion of hooking up with another
player outside of a Nintendo related
event seems highly unlikely.
Coin Rush is a playable mode
with three random levels from each
world with an objective of acquiring
as many coins as possible under a
lowered time limit.
If you die or run out of time, you
cannot move on to the next of the
three levels which con-
tain more coins than
regular in-game levels.
You get to keep the
coins you get in this
mode and use them
in the normal game
mode. Coin Rush
is a lot of fun, but I
recommend playing
after beating the game
and looking for more
content.
As expected from Nintendo, “New
Super Mario Bros. 2” is a solid re-
lease. It is loaded with nostalgia from
characters, enemies and decadent
levels from previous Mario games
in vibrant colors upon a wonderful
control scheme.
This game is recommended to
anyone that is a fan of 3-D gaming or
loves Mario based releases.
DYNAMIC DUO — Nintendo’s‘New Super Mario Bros 2’game for Nintendo 3DS is jam-packed coin-
grabbing good fun. The‘coin rush’mode focuses collecting as many coins as possible.
Photos courtesy of Nintendo Co., Ltd.
“The game’s objective beautiful in
its simplicity: get as many freakin’
coins as possible and defeat some
familiar enemies in the process.”
FAMILIAR FACES — Nintendo brought
back several of their classic characters
including friends and foes.
Photo courtesy of Nintendo Co., Ltd.

November 2012 | 23
Fashion
22 | ACCENT
Literature
Mary Browder
Editor-in-Training
ACC creative writing students get‘lit’-
erary at the coffeehouse
“How do you explain
to a six-month-old that
we were scared, inex-
perienced and that his
condition was tearing
us apart?” said Austin
Community College
student Kayla Peav-
ler at ACC’s October
Literary Coffeehouse at
Austin Java. With the
help of a microphone,
Peaver’s soft, wavering
voice pierced through
the attentive silence —
the heavy silence of an
enthralled audience. She
spoke evenly, persever-
ing through the story
with a mother’s patience,
occasionally quivering at
points of genuine pain.
“My husband blamed
me — he was very me-
ticulous when it came
to fault. I didn’t take
enough care of myself
when I was pregnant,
too much walking, not
enough rest, I saw all
that red meat you ate.
I snuck a glass of red
wine once. He told me
Matthew would never
be normal, that without
hearing he’d never grow
up to be the son he al-
ways wanted. A son just
like him.” she said.
Peaver alternated be-
tween lifting her manu-
script for occasional
glances and signing
the parts of the story
where she was address-
ing her son. Her story,
titled “Little Rabbits,”
described the challenges
and frustrations of a
hearing mother with a
deaf and possibly men-
tally disabled toddler,
particularly after the col-
lapse of her marriage. Yet
there were also moments
of deep tenderness.
Among the most moving
points in her story was
her slow, patient finger-
spelling and mouthing of
each sound in the word
“mom.” The story cli-
maxes with the mother
losing her patience and
breaking a dish, a shard
of which inadvertently
cuts the small child.
After she immediately
takes him to the hos-
pital to treat the result-
ing superficial wound,
Child Protective Services
removes Matthew from
her home. Despite the
apparent heartbreak, the
story ends on a brighter
note: Matthew is adopted
as the mother begins to
come to terms with her
inability to give him the
life and care he needs.
It wasn’t until after her
readings that several au-
dience members realized
the piece was fiction. It
was easy to assume that
the piece was creative
nonfiction, or at the very
least semi-autobiograph-
ical short fiction. Peavler
is 23, and could very well
have been a teen mother
now rail-thin from the
passage of time and
years of grief. She is not
a creative writing major,
but nobody in the room
would have guessed it.
Indeed, this second-
time Coffeehouse reader
majors in American Sign
Language (ASL). Her dy-
namic facial expressions
and emotive vocal tone
were not only powerful
components of her per-
formance, but reflective
of an empathy that is
essential to her studies,
work and eventual career
goals.
“ASL interpreta-
tion is different from
other kinds of language
translation. Interpreters
aren’t like machines, and
good interpreters need
to be able to emote and
express their human-
ity,” she said. “The deaf
community is all about
relationships, whether
that’s within a family or
between students, teach-
ers, friends or anyone
else.”
Peavler takes these
relationships seriously
— she is also a member
of ASL Friends Unite
(AFU). Her off-campus
work with AFU helps her
keep strong ties within
the deaf community
while she is studying.
While most students
plan to complete an as-
sociates degree within
two years, Peavler has
taken fewer classes over
more semesters.
“I want to graduate
with a 4.0...and I will,”
she said with a smile to
match her certainty.
This performance
— her second at the
monthly Coffeehouse
events— was less about
her personal writing
than it was about her
desire for total immer-
sion within the deaf
community. Peaveler has
high ambitions and big
plans for her life after she
earns her interpreting
degree at ACC. She plans
to apply to Gaullaudet in
Washington, D.C., which
is the largest deaf univer-
sity in the nation.
“The school only ac-
cepts about 15 hearing
students any semester.
So that’s a lot of competi-
tion,” said Peavler.
Next month’s Liter-
ary Coffeehouse is on
November 14, and will
also be held at the same
Austin Java location
on 1206 Parkway, near
South Lamar Boulevard
and 12th Street.
The housekeeper’s shriek
reverberated through the garden
as she swiftly swatted her broom across the screen door,
shredding a cobweb to sweep into the trash.
Hours later, spying the water colored sky,
the spider, no larger than a child’s pinkie nail,
ascended a piece of her mangled web.
Its tatters tangled around dust bunnies,
strung around bottle caps and earwax-crusted Q-tips.
She tunnelled through a heap of cigarette ash
and emerged from the wastebasket indoors.
She scaled a series of shelves to its highest corner
and settling above the faded spines of forgotten books
Silk emerged from her back, glittering
in the moonlight streaming through the study window.
As she collapsed in her cradle of iridescent thread,
the spider couldn’t help but marvel at her good fortune.
Literary Corner
For consideration, send submissions to editor@austincc.edu.
Creative writing by Austin Community College Students
The Perseverance of Poetic Justice
by Elizabeth Rausch
THE PEN IS MIGHTER — Kayla Peavler poses for a photo,
Oct. 18, at the Rio Grande Campus.
Fashion Forward
Texas weather is throwing
this fall season for a loop with
its warm temperatures. But
November has finally arrived
and a cool breeze is waiting to
make its grand entrance and
give the “go-ahead” for ea-
gerly anticipated cold weather
fashion trends.
The arrival of a new season
excites many in ways that
promote splurging at the mall
or sneaking in some online
shopping during class, but
breaking the bank is not the
answer.
“I love that I get to add
more elements to my sum-
mer clothes without having
to do so much shopping,”
ACC student Natalie Rees
said. “Cute tights, little sweat-
ers and leg warmers are my
favorites that help make the
transition to colder weather
more tolerable.”
There is no need to pay full
price for the current trends
that are often advertised in
magazines and displayed on
billboards around town. Look
at what is already hanging
in your closet, and make it
work.
A major staple in any cold
weather wardrobe is leather
riding boots, which made a
debut on last fall’s runway
and have returned this year
with a vengeance.
Although Ugg boots
shouldn’t have too much
competition here, the grow-
ing leather fad just might
have America’s favorite
sheepskin and suede duo
backed into a corner.
But, don’t worry Aussie
lovers. While riding boots are
a great choice for date nights
and rainy days, comfy Uggs
are loyal companions for er-
rands, laundromat visits and
long days on campus.
ACC student Millena Justa
said, “I love scarves, riding
boots and oversized sweat-
ers! The hot weather makes it
impossible to wear my comfy
fall outfits because it becomes
uncomfortable. Can’t wait
until it’s finally chilly!”
As for the male audience,
keep it fresh, casual and com-
fortable.
Guys look great when they
style accordingly and suc-
cessfully match prints and
patterns.
ACC student Tomas Lober
said, “The thing I like about
fall is getting to wear sweats,
but other than that there
is not much change in my
outfit.”
Sweats and sport shoes
definitely work. An athletic
look is attractive year-round
and gives the impression of a
physically fit dude.
In order to extend the
use of favorite pieces from
summer, add light layers, and
to make the most of your
budget, hold off on any major
shopping until Black Friday.
Look forward to all the
Thanksgiving season has to
offer. Dust off the boots and
beanies, then get out there
and strut your stuff!
Caitlin McDermott
Campus Reporter
Caitlin McDermott
Campus Reporter
Derek Sheikhi
Campus Reporter
The gentle waves in her hair
define the look as relaxed and
feminine. Soft tones throughout
her ensemble stand out against
the brown leather belt and grey
boots. Her single pearl necklace
and bracelet are classic 1950s-
style accessories that add sophis-
tication to the overall mix of her
attire.
Since her high-waisted skirt
has a raised hem, Schill said she
chose to wear knee-high boots
to complement it for a more
conservative look. Overall, she
has a great look from head to toe
that can easily transition from a
day on campus to a night out in
Downtown Austin.
Mora’s glasses are the first
thing anyone should notice
about his outfit; they are funky
and different.
A full beard makes him look
like an ACC professor. He looks
professional yet comfortable in
his button down shirt, but by
rolling up the sleeves he defines
the look as casual.
Black, straight leg, skinny
jeans look awesome on Mora
and the way they sit on his
hips and legs makes them look
custom-tailored, and the red
laces on his brown leather shoes
grab for attention - once again
demonstrating a funky style.
The canvas messenger bag is an
attractive, updated take on a ‘90s
design.
Each accessory and piece of
clothing flows together and cre-
ates his style: unique, funky and
ready to take on a day of classes.
“My style is just fun!”
- ACC student Samantha Schill
Photos by Ben Meyer • Photojournalist
“I like fashion, but I
don’t base my decisions
off of other people.”
- ACC student Ivan Mora
Schill’s outfit is light, airy and
carefree. Her translucent, creamy
coral skirt flows and gently accen-
tuates her look already feminine
look. Her delicate look is created
by her long, wavy red hair, a subtle
strand of pearls, a fitted sleeveless
top and knee-high, leather boots
that show just a smidge of leg.
Samantha’s locks and casual
skirt have a fairy-like quality to
them, but her brown leather belt
and double buckle gray boots
add structure and keep her look
grounded in the real world while
still adding spark of drama to an
otherwise laid-back look.
Her bright turquoise nail polish
contrast the soft, gentle colors of
her ensemble, and really pop out.
Her look is feminine and carefree,
but exciting and unique, as well.
Mora’s look is laid-back and
comfortable, but uses unexpected
colors and patterns to catch the
eye. His Polo glasses are similar
in color to his hair and beard, but
their tortoiseshell pattern sparkles
in a way that makes you look
twice.
His Cole Haan shoes are a
muted, grayish-brown with red
laces that add twist to an other-
wise simple shoe. Mora’s skinny
cut Joe’s jeans are a great fit for
his build and have an attractive
modern wash.
The faintly-striped, light blue
Banana Republic shirt is day-time
friendly and creates a pleasant
contrast with his dark features.
With natural materials and pat-
terns, Mora has just the look of
someone who wants to be com-
fortable and stylish yet stand out
in a tasteful, understated way.
Student style spotlight

Music Music
Check out
our top 4
to look
for in
November
The Carper Family – Bluegrass/Country
Formed back in 2010, The Carper Family is a trio of talented singers and
string picking musicians that combine old country sounds with bluegrass and
swing tunes. Melissa Carper [vocals, bass], Beth Chrisman [vocals, fiddle] and
Jenn Miori [vocals, guitar] form the group, and this “family band” is an absolute
gem to see live. All the ladies have fronted their own bands at one point, how-
ever they combined their talents and use their skills to give a contemporary twist
to old time and bluegrass music by adding swing elements to the genres. Their
lyrics are up to date.
While most of the songs are narratives about love, heartache and longing, they
use an older style of music to share their modern-day tales.
Each singer has her own unique vocal range, and they each take turns soloing
on original songs. Their three part harmonies will have you slow dancin’ and two
stepping across the dance floor while their memorable lyrics charm their way
into your heart and head. They are known for their intimate performances that
keep audiences longing for more. They play consistently in Austin and the sur-
rounding areas. A few good tunes include “Come See Yer Ol’ Daddy”, “Who R U
Texting 2nite” and “My Baby Don’t Like Me.”
Upcoming shows
Nov. 8 from 7-9 p.m. for the “Carper Dog” Release Party at Honky Tonk Hot Dogs
Nov. 9 at 9 p.m. at the White Horse
Nov. 15 from 6:30-9 p.m. at Central Market Westgate
Visit www.carperfamilyband.com for more information.
Phranchyze – Hip Hop
Local lyricist, Phranchyze keeps it smart, hilarious and live. Many ask, where is the
Austin Hip Hop scene? Look no further, because Phranchyze is keeping it alive and
strong. His beats are original, eclectic and he refrains from using that overproduced
sound that dominates the mainstream hip hop and rap scenes. He rose up through
the battling circuit and made a name for himself, receiving national recognition.
Afterwards Pranchyze decided to take his flows and put them to music.
Phranchyze reps Austin love in a ton of his songs. Watch his videos and you’ll see
him rollin’ all over the Austin area. Yet he’s more than just an Austin artist reppin’ his
city. He pokes fun at the whole industry, including himself and has some clever ob-
servations about life, people and making music. Yet he keeps it weird with his unique
vocals and quirky lyrics and rhymes.
Some of his songs are completely off the wall but they’re refreshingly smart and
articulate. His style reminds me of old Outkast and Eminem but toned down with
that laid back Austin attitude that we’ve all come to know and love. Nevertheless his
musical stylings are still unique and indigenous to an Austin hip hop sound that’s
definitely trying to make its presence known in the hip hop scene. Be sure to check
out his latest albums and mixtapes on his website. My personal favs included “Dolo”
off of “The Black Larry Bird” and “Exodus” and “Big Money” off of his latest album,
“Phranye West.”
Upcoming shows:
Nov. 7 at the Triple Crown in San Marcos, Texas
Nov. 17 at Stubbs
Visit www.phranchyze.com for more information.
Kay Leotard – Psychedelic Grunge Rock
Kay Leotard’s music is a sexy psychedelic trip for your ears. Kristina Boswell
[guitar, vocals], Mirna Hariz [bass, vocals], and Pink [drums] form this dreamy
trio and they are just as good live as they are on their recordings. If you like re-
verberating guitar riffs, haunting vocal harmonies and feeling like you have trav-
eled back in time to the era of the flower children, then you should have a listen.
Their latest release “Witchuals” will put its spell on you and have you hitting the
repeat button on your MP3 player or iPod. They put a teaser on their bandcamp
site so only two songs are available for download. The full album will be released
mid-November.
While the sound is reminiscent of that ‘60s psych sound, it is a bit heavier and
distorted on some of the tracks like ‘90s grunge, so it is not all daisies for these
ladies. The tunes are mellow yet rockin’. The vocal harmonies between Hariz’s
sultry deep vocals and Boswell’s sugary sweet soprano are amazing. At times
Boswell’s notes rival an operatic singer. After performing at South by Southwest
2011, they have been riding the wave of Austin’s music scene and recording new
cuts. You have to listen to “Rolling”, “When I Call” and “Yell It High”.
Be sure to check out their bandcamp site and live YouTube videos or even bet-
ter, just go see a live show!
Upcoming shows:
Nov. 16 at 9 p.m. at Hotel Vegas
Visit www.kayleotard.bandcamp.com for more information.
The Nouns – Blues/Punk/Garage Rock
The Nouns have been and will hopefully continue to be one of the best live
shows that Austin’s Punk/Rock scene has to offer. They look surprisingly tame,
but their vintage garage blues-rock sound is high energy, loud and fun. This Aus-
tin three piece is sure to get you dancing and pumped for a night of fun. Their
sound is good ol’ rock n’ roll fused with blues inspired riffs, punk energy and the
lo-fi recordings seem to have stepped straight out of the ‘70s punk scene.
Is that Joe Strummer’s voice singing the lead vocals? Nope, but it’s so damn
close you almost can’t tell the difference. Travis Beall [guitarist, vocals] sings
with raw scratchy vocals but he can still carry a tune as he howls into the mi-
crophone before engulfing it into his mouth. This dude does not hold back. He’s
wild and free and seems to represent what all those old-timers were so worried
about when rock n’ roll first played on the radio.
Nick Stout [drummer] and Chris Rodriguez [bass, vocals] keep it tight and
steady yet they aren’t afraid to party with Beall and follow along his path of
utter reckless rebellion. You could listen to it on their bandcamp site…but you
couldn’t possibly understand their musicianship until you see it live. Songs to
check out include “What Did You Do with my Girlfriend?”, “Malibu”, and “Way
You Walk”.
Visit www.facebook.com/thenouns for more information.
Abra Gist
Online Editor
Photo courtesy of George Brainard Photo by Jon Shapley • Video Editor Photo by Jon Shapley • Video Editor Photo by Jon Shapley • Video Editor

November 2012 | 2726 | ACCENT
Puzzles and Comics Opinion
Era Sundar
Audio Editor
Using email is one of the most
popular Internet activities performed by
American adults.
The 2011 Pew Internet and American
Life Project reports that 92 percent of
American adults have experience using
email — that’s pretty much everyone. A
smaller but still significant 61 percent,
use it every day.
These results hold true across the
board. According to the study, daily
email use is popular with everyone, from
18-year-olds to grandparents, and blue
collar workers to executives.
And email isn’t just for personal chit
chat. Because of its speed and accessibil-
ity, it’s become the preferred mode of
business correspondence.
However, just because most people
know how to use email, that doesn’t
mean they do it well.
Jennifer Lazarow, a training consul-
tant with the Professional Development
Center at the University of Texas at
Austin, said email is relatively new to the
business world. Because it’s been on the
scene for less than 20 years, people are
still figuring out etiquette and protocol.
Although letter writing was taught
regularly in schools, modern courses
on email writing are not as prevalent.
Lazarow, who teaches email workshops,
said the tone of an email is easily misin-
terpreted, so it’s better to err on the side
of formality.
“Start with Dear Mr., Miss or Ms.,
and if you don’t know their gender, use
both first and last names,” she said. “I’ve
never heard anyone complain that they
received an email that was too formal.
It’s usually the other way around — too
casual.”
Lazarow said it is best to let the recipi-
ents’ responses dictate the tone. If they
answer using your first name, then first
names are acceptable in future corre-
spondence.
When ending an email, Lazarow
said always sign off with “Thank you,”
“Regards” or similar closing and include
a signature block that lists your first and
last names and contact information.
Lazarow is not a fan of typing in all
caps or using emoticons, and suggests
keeping paragraphs short. After three
lines of text,
it is difficult
for the eyes to
keep track, she
said. And bul-
let points are a
good alterna-
tive to long
lists.
Lazarow
said complaints or rants about cowork-
ers — or anyone else, for that matter —
should not be sent in emails.
“It will get back to them, and it makes
you look bad, rather than that person.”
Suppose you commit the unthinkable
and send an obnoxious email that’s of-
fensive or hurtful — then what?
At quickanddirtytips.com, Richie
Frieman said, “Take the blame. People
will respect you more for honesty than
trying to [weasel] your way out of it.”
Frieman offered this example apology,
“About that message — it was wrong...
It was just a very poor choice of action.
Hopefully you will accept my sincerest
apology.”
Extreme faux pas aside, there are
certain practices that should be carried
out to respect time constraints, especially
in the work environment.
Vinu Yamunan is an information
technology (IT) consultant who deals
with a high volume of emails daily. He
said getting to the point quickly is a
must.
“If you want something to be done,
state it in the first few lines of the
email,” he said. “Don’t expect people to
read all the way to the bottom of a long
email.”
Yamunan
also cautions
against being
a company
spammer.
“Copy” people
on a need to
know basis
and choose
“reply all” only when everyone in the
chain needs to be kept in the loop.
When simply saying thank you, “Just
send it to the person directly,” he said.
One of Yamunan’s pet peeves is
when subject lines don’t reflect the
content of an email. When subject
lines are used correctly, they can help
busy people respond to emails quickly
and efficiently.
David McMurrey, department
chair of business and technical com-
munications at Austin Community
College, said the subject line should
include a clear, concise description
of what the email is about and what
action is required.
When corresponding with a profes-
sor or classmates, it’s a good idea for
students to include the class name
and course number in the subject
line. This makes the email easily rec-
ognizable in a crowded inbox.
Overflowing inboxes are common,
and attempts to respond to everyone
often result in emails being written
in a hurry. For this reason McMurrey
said it’s important to check for the
things that spell-check can’t catch —
before pressing the send key.
“Proof for clarity and emission of
words such as not,” he said. “There is
a big difference between I am going
to fire you and I am not going to fire
you.”
Because everyone is so busy, it’s not
always possible to respond to emails
right away. It is best to acknowledge
the receipt of an email and give an
estimate as to when you might be able
to reply.
There are times, however, when
email is not the best form of commu-
nication.
“If it takes more than one round
trip to resolve the issue or if tones
become hostile, break the email
chain and make a phone call,” Yamu-
nan said. “If the phone call does not
resolve it, get everyone in the same
room and work it out.”
Whether corresponding by email,
phone, traditional letter or in person;
courtesy, respect and professionalism
are essential.
“... just because most
people know how to
use email, that doesn’t
mean they do it well.”
Across
4. Blue veining cheese
9. Julia Child’s Burgundy
12. dark, milk, white
13. edible paste put on foods
16. baked dish made of pastry dough
18. A gourmet with excessive refinement
19. Thanksgiving sauce or jelly
20. Horn of Plenty
Down
1. chicken, duck, turkey
2. green tree nut
3. cured pig meat
5. Canned, marinated hearts
6. “In ____ Veritas”
7. brewed beverage with a distinct aroma
8. A very thin pancake
9. twice baked biscuit
10. aficionado of food and drink
11. “____ night” or palm fruit
14. orange, gourd-like squash
15. Distilled alcohol flavored with cream, fruit,
herbs, flowers or spices
17. end of the meal
Abra’s crossword corner: Bon Appétit
Abra Gist
Online Editor
Wild Timez
Comic by Megan McKay • Staff Artist

November 2012

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