2006 May.qxp - Our Lady of the Lake University

the
Lake Front
MAY 2006
OUR LADY OF THE LAKE UNIVERSITY, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
Sports on hold
while officials
make decision
Gloria Rodriguez
LAKE REPORTER
In recent months, the
topic of sports teams at
OLLU has become a popular
topic. There has been indepth discussion regarding
whether or not the university will adopt this program.
Currently, President
Tessa Martinez Pollack and
the Board of Trustees are
handling the final decision.
In regards to this, Jack
Hank, dean of Student Life,
said, “Everything is very
positive, things are moving
forward with the university.”
In April, OLLU was
approved to participate in
the National Association of
Intercollegiate
Athletics
(NAIA) as an athletic university.
In addition, a NAIA
team visited the campus in
March and offered positive
feedback regarding the university.
If the university does
decide to adopt a new sports
program, next year will be
dedicated to budgeting, hiring staff and fixing the necessary facilities.
If everything goes
according to plan, spring
VOLUME 16, ISSUE 4
STRING THIRY
“Everything is very positive, things are moving
forward with the university.
”
Jack Hank
DEAN OF STUDENT LIFE
2007 will concentrate on
recruitment of student athletes. Ideally, the sports program would be expected to
begin in fall 2007.
For the past eight
years, the university has had
an enrollment decline. This
athletic program strives to
enhance recruitment and
retention.
According to Enrollment Management, they are
confident that they can
recruit 25 new students to
the university with a sports
program.
School officials are
hoping that a new athletic
program will help increase
school spirit, instill new traditions,
and
improve
OLLU’s visibility not only
locally but also regionally.
There has not yet been
a date set for the announcement as to whether or not
OLLU will be participating
in NAIA, officials said.
PHOTO BY ALFREDO VALENZUELA
Guest performer Alberto Ramirez (above) was a big hit with the children who attended this
year’s Carpa Del Charco which took place April 22 in Thiry Auditorium. The Carpa, which
started three years ago, got its inspiration from the traveling Mexican carpas (tent shows)
of the 1930s.
Students OK $5 activity fee
Doug Mercado
elected new SGA
president
Gloria Rodriguez
LAKE REPORTER
PHOTO BY FABIOLA SALINAS
New Student Government Association officers were
inaugurated during the last general council meeting for
the spring semester.
Inside
To wrap up a busy year, the
Student Government Association
held elections for representatives
for the 2006-2007 academic year
on April 10-11 and the results are
in.
The
2006-2007
SGA
President is Doug Mercado. “I am
ecstatic about the year to come
and plan on having a highly productive year. I plan to bring a lot
more fun and excitement to
WHAT’S ON YOUR PROFILE?
Popular Internet site
raises concerns for
students’ future.
4
OLLU as well as support the
organizations currently on campus,” he said.
Sophomore
Class
Representatives are Marianna
Juarez and Kristen Price; and
Upper Class Representatives are
Sarah Galvan, Eden Vera and
Sarah-Jane York.
Additionally, the 2006 student activity fee referendum
passed and will add $5 to tuition
per semester for traditional students and $2 for weekend and
graduate students.
Once the monies are available,
Recognized
Student
Organizations and Chartered
Student Organizations will be
able to use these funds as needed.
LATE-NIGHT STIMULANTS
Are your late-night study
sessions harming you?
3
Results from the SGA elections showed that 75 percent of
those who voted supported the
student activity fee.
In comparison, 23 percent
did not support the student
activity fee and 2 percent
abstained from voting on the
issue.
SGA will now work alongside OLLU administration to figure out the logistics of implementing this fee. They are hoping the fund will be available by
spring of 2007.
Former SGA President
Chris Cavazos said, “I’m happy
we got student support for the
activity fee. I just hope that next
year’s officers go forward with
its implementation.”
‘THANK YOU FOR
SMOKING’
The ultimate spin on
political correctness.
8
Page 2
STAFF
editor in chief
Alfredo Valenzuela
uvalea
editors
Jennifer A. Herrera
uherrjen
Melissa Gonzalez
ugonzme
staff reporters
Julia San Miguel
usanmj
Gloria Rodriguez
urodrg
contributing writers
Marisa Rodriguez
Ann Ozuna
photographer
Fabiola Salinas
fcsalinas
advertising manager
Vanessa Duran
udurav
editorial/news
The first year of college is a
time of change, in study habits,
sleep patterns and, most importantly, in the way in which a student eats.
The “Freshman 15” is no lie.
College students use food as a
source of comfort and as a stress
reliever. However, in recent
months a change has occurred in
the cafeteria and people are slowly catching on.
According
to
Chief
Communications Officer Susan
Schleicher, OLLU is taking steps
to have healthier food options
available to those who dine in the
cafeteria.
Schleicher said that she
believes that the OLLU community should “have choices in the
cafeteria.”
Her hopes for this healthy
eating style are gaining more
attention due to recent events
involving
President
Tessa
Pollack.
According to Schleicher, the
reported breakfast incident
occurred during a morning-long
event at which 150 faculty and
staff were in attendance. Food
being served consisted of breakfast tacos, muffins, scones and
“fatty sugary kinds of things.”
Schleicher also added that there
was a small fruit tray at the
breakfast.
In these situations, Sodexho
acts as a catering service. The
person in charge of the event
places an order for Sodexho to
cater and that is how Sodexho
falls into the mix.
Later, the president voiced
her concerns about the type of
food being served to the
President's Executive Council.
Kay O’Donnell
odonm
press
San Antonio Press
The opinions published in The
Lake Front are not necessarily
those of The Lake Front staff
or the faculty, staff, administration or student body of Our
Lady of the Lake University.
The Lake Front publication
strives to inform, entertain and
communicate with The Lake
and its surrounding communities. Advertisement information
is available upon request.
The Lake Front is published
monthly during the academic
school year. The Lake Front
newsroom is located in the
University Wellness Center
(UWAC) in Room 105.
Contact information:
The Lake Front
Student Publications
Our Lady of the Lake
University
411 S.W. 24th St.
San Antonio, TX 78207
(210) 434-6711, Ext. 2445
[email protected]
[email protected]
SOUNDING OFF
Healthy choices?
adviser
Submission requirements:
The Lake Front accepts letters
to the editor for publication on
the Opinion page of this newspaper. Letters should have the
author's printed name, signature and contact information.
Unsigned letters will not be
published. Letters can be submitted in person or by mail
and become the property of
The Lake Front. The editor
reserves the right to edit letters
for libelous material, grammatical errors, space constraints, and/or offensive language. The Lake Front does
not discriminate because of
age, sex, race, ethnicity,
national origin, disability or
sexual orientation. “Letters of
the Editor” is intended to
serve as a public forum for
issues related to The Lake
community.
May 2006
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ALFREDO VALENZUELA
POLICE BEAT
Moye Building
March 2
Injured Person Report
An officer was dispatched to
the Moye Building for an injured
person report. Upon arrival the
officer met with the complainant, a
Resident Student, who stated he
had a small bump on his groin
area. EMS was notified. EMS
transported the complainant to
Santa Rosa Hospital. Nothing further reported.
Parking Lots
March 18
Information Report
An officer received a call via
the emergency phone patch from
SAPD dispatch stating a stolen
vehicle may be on University
Property. The officer did a sweep
of the parking lots but did not find
any vehicles matching the description of the stolen vehicle. Nothing
further reported.
Sueltenfuss Library
March 20
Incident Report
An officer responded to the
Sueltenfuss Library on report of
two students performing indecent
acts in a group study room. Upon
arrival the officer met with the suspects, Resident Students, who
admitted to performing indecent
acts in the library group study
room. The suspects were escorted
out of the library and a report was
submitted to residence life for disposition. Nothing further reported.
Worden School
March 23
Information Report
An officer was dispatched to
the Worden School for a report of a
threatening message left on the
classroom chalk board. Upon
arrival the officer met with the
complainant, a Faculty Member,
who stated she did not feel the
message was meant for her
because no one knew she was
going to teach there. The officer gathered her information.
Nothing further reported.
Providence Road
March 30
Motorist Assist
An officer was dispatched to Providence Road
for a vehicle unlock. The officer
What do you think of
the changes to the
cafe menu?
The council is responsible for
planning events such as the one
referenced above.
The choices of tortillas and
biscuits may not be the healthiest
food items to consume, but for
many OLLU breakfast eaters
these are the essentials of having
a well-balanced meal even if it
may result in health concerns in
the future.
“We talk about educating the
whole person but we have not
done a very good job at that in
our cafeteria,” Schleicher said.
Here’s a few other things to
consider: OLLU is in San
Antonio, a city known for its flavorful food and expanding waistline.
In fact, we hold a special distinction for our food consumption as a city. Men's Fitness magazine ranked San Antonio in 12th
place in their yearly “Fattest
Cities in America” survey
released in January.
San Antonio is gradually
slimming down but the city is still
notorious for being one of the fattest and least fitness-friendly
cities in the country.
Part of the reason for this
bad reputation can be traced
directly to the types of food
the city is known for.
Another thing OLLU
has against it is its location
-- located in the heart of
the West Side, it is hard to
drive around area streets
without being tempted by
a taco place. If a person
can turn down a good taco
then that itself is willpower.
The bottom line is that
Sodexho is doing its part in
trying to curb the OLLU
community from becoming
another obesity-related statistic.
And by offering healthier
choice, the university as a whole
will benefit.
met with the complainant and had
him fill out a waiver form. The
officer attempted and was successful in unlocking the vehicle.
Nothing further reported.
Convent
March 30
Sudden Death Report
An officer responded to
McCullough Hall for a death
report. Upon arrival the officer
met with the McCullough Hall
Registered Nurse who gave him
the victim's (a Sister of the
Congregation
of
Divine
Providence) information. Nothing
further reported.
ANDY TREVATHAN
senior
“I do not think the president has any business to
tell me what’s healthy.”
MARK GONZALEZ
senior
“It shouldn’t be up to anyone to decide what the
students should eat.”
JASMINE HARRIS
junior
“I personally think it’s a
good change.”
SEAN GAINES
freshman
“I think people don’t
know about it, but I don’t
think anyone should have
the right to tell you what
to eat.”
Main Building
March 31
Incident Report
An officer was dispatched to
the TV Studio via the emergency
phone patch for a suspicious person report. Upon arrival the officer met the complainant, a
Commuter Student, who stated she
was being watched by a suspect
and it made her feel uncomfortable. The officer met with the suspect, a non-university member,
and issued him a Criminal
Trespass Warning. Nothing further reported.
The POLICE BEAT is provided by
Campus Police. Events and dates are accurate according to police reports taken by onduty officers. Names are withheld
for the privacy of The Lake
community.
PHOTO BY
ALFREDO VALENZUELA
news
May 2006
Page 3
Stimulants to stay
awake can be risky
Lack of sleep, energy drinks cited
as potential health concerns
Jennifer Herrera
EDITOR
The life of a college student is hectic to say the least.
Pulling an “all nighter” is common for any college student,
but the avenues which a student takes to stay up all night
may prove to be risky.
Not only can sleep deprivation be dangerous to a person’s health, but taking an
excessive amount of certain
medications to stay awake,
such as prescription medication, caffeine pills or other
over-the-counter stimulants,
can possibly be deadly.
A study published in 2002
in the Johns Hopkins NewsLetter stated that “one in five
college students are turning to
prescription drugs to defeat
tests and papers.”
The prescription drugs of
choice for college kids are
Adderall and Ritalin, to name a
few. Ritalin is known among
the college crowd by the names
Vitamin R, and Viagra for the
Brain.
These days, the temptation to use energy drinks as an
aid to curb a person’s sleep
cycle is gaining mainstream
attention. A trip to your local
grocery store will reveal a variety of stimulants that any college student can buy, such as
the caffeine alertness pill
Vivarin, and energy drinks
such as Red Bull, AMP, Rock
Star, and SOBE No Fear.
“They (energy drinks)
taste nasty and half of them
don’t even work,” sophomore
Annie Martinez said.
But for some students,
energy drinks are not their
preference — instead of stimulant drinks they resort to stimulant drugs.
Junior Josie Miller doesn’t believe the hype that stimulant drugs are known for
although she states that they
have some effect on a person,
the aftereffects are more telling
than anything else.
“They make you really jittery and when they wear off
sometimes you may pass out,”
Miller said.
Director
of
Health
Services Sarah Gormican stated that having a caffeinated
drink can give a person a suitable amount of caffeine needed
to stay awake longer than
drinking an energy drink which
keeps a person up for extended
hours. The latter is also an
unhealthy choice for college
students.
“It’s better to have a Coke
than a No-Doz,” Gormican
said.
When it comes to students
overdosing on stimulants, the
numbers do not appear to be
high here on campus.
“In the two years I have
been here, I have only seen a
few (cases),” Police Chief A.J.
Sandoval said.
When such a situation
does occur, campus police have
certain procedures to follow.
“Our basic responsibility
is first-responder care to
ensure the person or victim
receives the proper medical
attention,” Sandoval said.
The most common symptoms a victim of stimulant
overdosing suffers from are
high blood pressure, irregular
heartbeat, anxiety and confusion.
The caffeine alertness aid
Vivarin states on its Web site
that one pill contains the same
amount of caffeine present in a
cup of coffee. Therefore, if a
student takes more than the
recommended dosage, it may
result in a hospital visit.
Sandoval advises students
against taking stay-awake pills
because he believes medical
evidence has proven that there
are some dangers in taking the
drugs.
He said that the main reason people take them is to
“enhance their performance,
but it actually contradicts that.
It does not enhance, it actually
creates problems.”
He urges students to prioritize their work load and seek
“good quality resources” such
as
Health
Services
or
Counseling Services.
PSE program gives students added assistance
Ann Ozuna
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
This time of the semester, it can be
hard to find a quiet spot on campus to
study. However, the lab in the TRIO
Program office is one of the few areas
where a student can work undisturbed.
The lab is often used by students
such as Sara Vela, a senior, who will be
graduating next May. Soft-spoken and
diligently at work, she types away on the
computer.
“I couldn’t have done it (succeeded
in college) without the help of PSE,”
Vela said.
Project Student Excellence is a federally funded, student-support service
program. Many students such as Vela
are first-generation college students;
this program can help with the transition from high school.
“I was unsure when I graduated
from high school, however, PSE helped
me adapt to the university life.
Opportunities were presented that
allowed me to explore the campus,”
Vela said.
As part of PSE, students are
required each semester to participate in
at least two on-campus or off-campus
events.
“Attending the McNay Museum
with other participants of the program
helped me interact with other students,
otherwise I would have just kept to
myself,” she said.
There are many social activities
that play out during the semester, cultural events, monthly meetings, semester study breaks, semester open houses,
and participation in community organizations or projects.
Although Vela can be described as
a traditional college student, there are
others in the program that are not.
STUDENT EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
in
OLLU's Human Resources Office
Beginning this Summer
Students love working in HR
"I've been working in HR since I was a freshman. It's
friendly. I've learned to improve my customer service and
telephone etiquette, and how to have fun while still keeping a professional attitude. I really like working here."
- Robert Castillo, OLLU Junior
For more information, stop by the Student Employment Office,
Walter Center, room G23, or contact Michele Gutierrez in the HR
office, extension 2344, email: [email protected].
Lawrence Henderson, a transfer student, credits the advisors for a smooth
transition.
“The only time I see my academic
advisor is so I can get a signature. Other
than that, I just see my PSE advisor. I
feel it is a more personal and sincere
connection,” Henderson said.
Likewise, Vela said she looks forward to meeting with Yvette Madrigal,
project specialist, and her advisor.
“I feel it is easier to work with
Madrigal. I can always locate her if I
need to see her, unlike my advisor, she
is always in her office. Last semester, I
had a different advisor, but I never saw
her either,” she said.
The program’s other services
include academic advising and planning, tutorial services, workshops,
career counseling and exploration,
assistance with graduate school, scholarship, grant assistance, and the com-
puter lab.
Scholarships were helpful as well
to Vela who received one last semester.
“It really helped me. I received $500,”
she said.
After graduation, Vela plans to
teach high school students, but looks
forward to coming back to work on her
master’s in education.
She said she really never thought
about graduate school until she was
exposed to PSE.
“I would tell first-generation students that they need to look into this,
because PSE has helped me stay on task
these past four years,” Vela said.
According to Rita Beck, PSE assistant director, out of 180 eligible spots
for PSE students there are only four
spots still available this year. “Tell anyone you know, who might be interested,
to stop on by and fill out an application,” Beck said.
news
Page 4
May 2006
Popular site could cost you that job
Julia San Miguel
LAKE REPORTER
MySpace is all over the place — at
home, in college computer labs and
even in public libraries. But did you
know if you have a MySpace profile
your chances of getting a job upon graduation could be jeopardized?
Launched in January 2004,
MySpace.com has more than 46 million
members and the numbers continue to
increase daily. The majority of MySpace
members are high school and college
students. But do these students know
that what they post on MySpace could
cost them a job or admittance to their
dream college?
“I don’t believe that MySpace
should affect whether or not a potential
employer hires you, because basically
it’s a place to express yourself. Freedom
of speech and expression shouldn’t be
used against you,” said junior Melissa
Morales.
Some employers, however, don’t
have the same view.
Thanks to the popular search
engine Google, employers can now
“Google” future hires. What they sometimes find isn’t always pleasant, including inappropriate photos posted on
social networks and personal Web sites
along with boasts of promiscuity, drug
use and binge drinking.
Photos, hobbies, blogs and personality are available for all to see when
you have a MySpace account.
One Texas community college, Del
Mar, recently banned the use of
MySpace on campus, reportedly in
response to slow Internet speed.
Officials said the site’s heavy usage on
the campus computer system was tak-
PHOTO BY FABIOLA SALINAS
Many students are devoting more and more time to creating MySpace accounts and maintaining their pages.
ing up a significant amount of bandwidth.
Students with MySpace accounts
might want to ask themselves if the
information they make available
through the Web site is something they
would want prospective employers to
view.
People who use MySpace often say
that they frequent the site because they
get in contact with old friends or to network with future employers.
“I think MySpace could be a good
way to network yourself, because there
are thousands of other users surfing
the
Lake Front
We are now
accepting
applications.
Positions Available:
*Reporter*
*Photographer*
*Designer*
*Ad Reps*
Drop by UWAC 105
for an application.
the voice
voice of
of the
the students
students
the
MySpace who may run across your profile, check you out, and bam, there you
go,” said Morales.
Your MySpace profile could work
to your advantage if… you clean it up.
“MySpace should be something
that is personal and it shouldn’t be
taken seriously,” said Claudia Duran, a
student worker at Career Services.
“MySpace should be a hobby and your
personal life; it shouldn’t be a factor in
getting a job.”
Cleaning up your profile doesn’t
mean erasing your personality. But, try
to delete comments containing profani-
ty, sexual innuendo and anything you
think employers might find offensive.
“I don’t think MySpace is such a
big deal. People who have never used
it are the ones exaggerating about it.
It’s not a negative Web site,” said
Morales.
MySpace has swept the nation
and continues to grow everyday.
Students might feel that their profile
is whom they are and future employers have no right to use it against
them. But, beware of the consequences when blogging about last
night’s party. It could cost you.
May 2006
Page 5
Page 6
community news
May 2006
C.A.M.P. offers hope for children
Marisa Rodriguez
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Children with disabilities
can do anything that any other
child can do and the Children’s
Association for Maximum
Potential sees to it that they
can.
According to the National
Dissemination Center for
Children with Disabilities,
approximately 5 million children have special needs ranging from autism to cerebral
palsy.
What began as a routine
camp physical soon turned into
an idea of taking children with
special needs camping.
Janice Bobo, director of
development at Children’s
Association for Maximum
Potential (CAMP) at Lackland
Air Force Base, said the idea
for CAMP was based on an 8year-old named Matt who visited Dr. Chris Johnson for a
physical for camp.
At Matt’s next visit, Dr.
Johnson asked about camp.
Johnson learned that Matt was
not allowed to attend camp
because of his medical problems. Matt had problems with
kidney disease and had had
medical procedures done.
Bobo said Matt was devastated that he could not attend
camp because of his disability.
With that in mind, Johnson
along with other doctors and
nurses from Wilford Hall
Medical Center, decided to
take 32 children with special
needs camping in Hunt, Texas,
in April 1979.
“There is no reason why
any child with disabilities
should not go to camp,” Bobo
said.
The makings of CAMP
CAMP provides the children with the same experience
as any other camp.
“They still manage to do
everything you would do in
camp,” said Bobo.
Despite the rain that came
down that weekend, Bobo said
campers never lost their enthusiasm.
“What we do is take the
children that other camps
won’t take. We have children
on ventilators, tube feeding,
and chemotherapy,” Bobo said.
Annually, CAMP provides
a camping experience to
approximately 1,800 children
with and without disabilities.
“We outgrew our grounds
in 1988 and purchased 55 acres
in Center Point, Texas,” Bobo
said.
The age range for campers
is 5 to 22 years old. Bobo said
campers often come back as
adults to volunteer.
“So many of them as they
grew up said we still want to
come back,” said Bobo.
CAMP also provides a
camping site at which siblings
who are not disabled can have
a camping experience with
their disabled sibling. This
area is called the “Sibling Site.”
The “Sibling Site” is separate from the CAMP grounds,
but it does allow participants to
spend time with their brother
or sister.
“They can still share a
camping experience with their
disabled sibling,” said Bobo.
She said the “Sibling Site”
takes siblings from 3 to 13
years old.
During camp, siblings and
the campers are split up into
five tribes according to age
groups. The five tribes are
Cherokee, Apache, Mohawk,
Pawnee, and Sioux, which if
the first letter of each tribe is
put together, it spells out
CAMPS.
Siblings not only participate at the sibling site, but they
also have a chance to become
counselors.
Suzanne Reily sends her
children to camp. Her son
Jeffrey, who is autistic, is a
camper and her daughter
Danielle is a counselor.
“It takes a very special
type of person to come in and
work with children,” Bobo
said.
Bobo said the program
has approximately 330 volunteer counselors ranging from
14 to 65 years old.
“Being able to tap into the
college age is great, but our
average age is 15,” said Bobo.
The
counselors
go
through training to learn how
to give the campers the best
possible experience.
“The campers’ safety is
our number one goal,” Bobo
said.
The ratio of counselors to
campers is 2 to 1 to give the
best possible experience for
the children.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE C.A.M.P. PROGRAM
Children with disabilities get a chance to experience camping and other outdoor activities through
the assistance of the Children’s Association for Maximum Potential (CAMP).
“We wouldn’t be able to
run without them,” said Bobo.
The original goal for
CAMP was to provide children
with special needs the opportunity to do activities that other
children do.
“Everything is adapted for
the camper to make sure they
accomplish the task. For a couple days out of the year they
just could be kids like any other
child,” said Bobo.
Programs within CAMP
Over the years, CAMP has
expanded to provide various
other programs relating to
respite services.
Respite weekends is
another program instituted by
CAMP.
Respite weekends
allow parents to rest from the
around-the-clock care needed
for their children while their
children, both disabled and
nondisabled are riding horses,
swimming, canoeing and
making arts and crafts.
“It is difficult for parents
to do it (care for a disabled
child) on an on-going basis,”
said Bobo.
Another opportunity for
rest is a parent’s night out.
“Parents bring their child
to the Lackland facility so the
parents can have a date,” Bobo
said.
Parent’s night out provides a service care of children
from infants to 14 years old
from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on
Friday nights.
Another night out opportunity is a teens’ night out.
Bobo said they take the
teens — ages ranging from 1421 — out for a few hours to give
them time for socialization.
“Socialization opportunities are extremely beneficial,”
Bobo said.
CAMP also provides educational programs for the family. One program is Delivery of
Chronic Care or Project DOCC,
which teaches about chronic
illness and how it affects the
family and the greater picture,
the community.
“It takes medical residents and partners them with
families with children who
have special needs.”
This program helps both
sides understand the reasoning behind their decisions in
the care of the child.
“It helps physicians
understand and makes them
think twice before giving their
prescription. It’s a great interchange,” said Bobo.
The program offers disability awareness training to
help people become more
aware of disabilities.
Bobo said, “Disabilities
are sometimes not visible.”
There are five training
components in this program:
panel presentation, home visit,
parents interview, school visit,
and community resource briefing.
These sessions, Bobo said,
helps ensure children get the
attention they might require.
The goal is to help parents
become advocates of chronic
care and to help residents experience the ongoing care and life
of families and their children
with special needs.
Forum helps CAMP kids
Another educational program, just for the kids, is the
Texas Youth Leadership Forum
(YLF).
CAMP takes 30 children
with disabilities ranging in age
from 16-22 years old to conference that will allow them to
experience interaction with delegates in Austin.
Bobo said the children
grow through the week and create plans for moving into adulthood, going to college, getting a
job, becoming independent and
become productive members of
society by being advocates for
people with disabilities.
Some activities the children are involved with are
mock hearings for advocacy, a
talent show, and giving testimonials in front of the Austin
public.
“It’s great to see the transformations that take place during the week,” Bobo said.
Pencil yourself in
The Lake Front is looking for an editorial cartoonist.
Interested individuals must have proficient drawing skills, be a
self starter, dependable, and adhere to deadlines. Will be
responsible for editorial cartoons, Baby Pan Comic and other
projects.
For more information contact Fred Valenzuela
(210) 434-6711 ext. 2445 or come by UWAC 105.
**The Lake Front is an equal opportunity employer.
entertainment
May 2006
Album driven by
satire, politics
Alecia Moore, aka Pink, is
back and striking down all pop divas in her
way.
Pink’s latest album, “I’m Not Dead,” starts
off with a hilarious spoof of paparazzi princesses.
“Stupid Girls,” is a devilish song talking
about, well, “stupid girls” in their itty bitty tees
carrying their itty bitty dogs. This track is definitely a jab at socialites such as Paris Hilton,
Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Ritchie.
However, that doesn’t stop the beats on
the song from fusing well with the
funny lyrics.
The 14 tracks on “I’m Not Dead”
are all a step up in the music world
for Pink. She started off as an R&B
pop artist trying to break away from
the mold of pop music. Pink has succeeded at being the rebel of the pop
class.
“Dear Mr. President” is a daring
unplugged song about politics and where
Pink stands on controversial issues such as
same-sex marriage and the No Child Left
Behind law. The Indigo Girls sing back-up
vocals on this track.
“I’m Not Dead” is full of aggressive sound
and real lyrics. Pink is back and ready to take
on the world.
Julia San Miguel
lake reporter
Rating:
Television’s favorite
elephant on exhibit
Library complements the museum’s works
EDITOR
with 30,000 volumes of research materials
that are always open to the public.
For more than 50 years, the McNay Art
Founded in 1950, the McNay was the
Museum has brought San Antonio some of the first modern art museum in Texas where it
most influential work of the 19th and 20th cen- continues to house some of the finest prints
turies.
and drawings in the Southwest.
Named after the late Marion Koogler
With acclaimed artists such as Cézanne,
McNay, this museum is nestled between Alamo Picasso, Gauguin, Matisse, O’Keeffe, Cassatt,
Heights and Terrell Hills and sits upon 23 and Hopper, the McNay draws in visitors with
acres that include exquisite fountains, rolling its refined culture and serene atmosphere.
lawns, and a Japanese-inspired garden com- With a collection of more than 14,000 objects
plete with a fishpond.
in contemporary art and modern sculpture, the
In addition, the McNay Art Museum McNay offers a variety of art to local enthusiasts.
Currently, an exhibition spotlighting literature’s as well as television’s favorite elephant, Babar, is
turning heads at the McNay. As
Babar turns 75, the McNay is honoring him by showcasing art inspired by
Exhibits:
him.
Through July 16
Century of
A
:
es
tiv
ec
rsp
“Babar’s Museum of Art” is a colPe
n
America
on
Permanent Collecti
lection of 35 works on paper consistPaintings from the
ing of preliminary sketches and
Focus Gallery
illustrator Laurent de Brunhoff’s
Through June 4
19th Century
Feminine Beauty in ns Gallery
original watercolor. The show will
itio
.
Asian Special Exhib m of Art
200 West Jones Ave
run through May 14.
seu
Mu
o
oni
Ant
San
Another highly lauded exhibition
is “Villa America: American
:
its
Exhib
Through June 18
Moderns,
1900-1950,” which
“Fire in the Belly” local university
showcases
more than 75 paintm
fro
Featuring work
ings
selected
from the Curtis
.
nts
de
stu
Galleries, Inc., acknowlThrough June 19
“Solamente Salma” yek paintings by
edged nationally as
A series of Salma Ha bert Rodriguez
one of the greatest,
Ro
George Yepes and
116 Blue Star
lex
mp
Co
privately
held collecs
Art
r
Blue Sta
tions of American art
collected over the past
30 years. Works by
famed American artists
such as Georgia O’Keeffe,
John Steuart Curry,
Grant Wood and Andrew
Wyeth are on display
until June 4.
For more information on the McNay Art
Museum, existing and
future exhibitions, visit
their Web site at
www.mcnayart.org.
Melissa Gonzalez
Page 7
MUSIC
CALENDAR
MAY
6
11
16
20
28
30
Ministry
Rev. Co.
Sevendust
Tiesto
Bury Your Dead
If Hope Dies
DJ Miss Lisa
Halifax
Sunset Station
Sunset Station
Cowboy's Dance Hall
White Rabbit
Club Antro
White Rabbit
JUNE
2
9
9
17
20
23
30
Nine Inch Nails
Bauhaus
Sammy Hagar
Flickerstick
Rascal Flatts
Beck
Slayer
Lamb of God
A Flock of Seagulls
When In Rome
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Jack's Patio Bar & Grill
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
The Backyard (Austin)
Freeman Coliseum
The Sanctuary
JULY
2
7
8
11
23
28
29
Vans Warped Tour
Lynard Skynyrd
3 Doors Down
Poison
Cinderella
“Ozzfest XI”
Faith Hill/Tim McGraw
Def Leppard
Journey
Kelly Clarkson
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
AT&T Center
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
O N A L E X H IB ITT S
A D D ITT IO
BOX
MUSIC
GUIDE
LATIN
HIP-HOP
POP
ROCK
ALTERNATIVE
ELECTRONICA
entertainment
Page 8
May 2006
‘Smoking’ reminds us all to laugh
Melissa Gonzalez
EDITOR
In indie director Jason Reitman’s “Thank You for
Smoking,” Nick Naylor, the chief spokesman/top spin
doctor for the Big Tobacco Corporation, morally
struggles between being a role model for his son and
leading a successful career advocating cigarettes.
The satirical “Thank You for Smoking” takes a
look at the life of one of the most prized and hated
men in America, a spokesperson for the cigarette corporation. With all the media attention and governmental backlash toward cigarettes, a film has finally
dared to cross that line.
Though smoking has been apparent in film, it
often has been attended to subtly, as pointed out by
this film. “Thank You for Smoking” exposes cigarettes
for the positives and negatives that they embody,
allowing both smokers and non-smokers alike to see
the inanity behind all forms of commercialism and
what society truly deems as “bad.”
Naylor, played by Aaron Eckhart, is an extremely confident smooth talker who can convince even the
most committed that cigarettes aren’t really that bad,
they’ve just gotten a bad rap. With an extensive and
logical rebuttal to all of society’s questions and concerns, Naylor’s personal ethics is the only thing that
can prevent him from making it to the top.
Naylor’s son, Joey, played by Cameron Bright, is
a bright-eyed elementary school student with no
apparent dreams, but after going a few rounds with
his old man and picking up some tricks of the trade,
he finds comfort emulating his father’s argumentative
style and shows signs of walking in his footsteps.
With a contemporary message and style to
match, “Thank You for Smoking” is a breath of fresh
air from the other films at the box office. It defies the
PHOTO COURTESY OF FOX SEARCHLIGHT
Katie Holmes and Aaron Eckhart star in ‘Thank You for Smoking,’ a film about political correctness and the
often-sticky issue of smoking.
laws of conventional film and forces audiences to see
vices from the other side of the spectrum: tobacco,
alcohol and firearms representatives are people, too.
“Thank You for Smoking” delivers exactly what
the title entails: cigarettes, with the history, statistics,
propaganda, and success wrapped up in a neat little
box ready for media scrutiny or praise.
Take them or leave them, “Thank You for
Smoking” reminds audiences to take a step back and
simply laugh.
Rating:
Is now the right time for ‘United 93’?
(U-WIRE) SOUTH BEND, Ind. Paul Greengrass' “United 93,” which
recently opened across the nation, preempts other 9/11 themed films like
Oliver Stone's “World Trade Center.”
The film is projected to perform well
both critically and commercially, as it
has been received positively in prerelease screenings.
“United 93” is particularly notable
because it is the first major fictional
film based on the events of 9/11. Prior
media coverage was primarily documentary in nature, including slanted
non-fiction like Michael Moore's
“Fahrenheit 9/11.”
From “Titanic” to “Schindler's
RATING
GUIDE
BOX
FILM COMMENTARY
List” to Greengrass' own “Bloody
Sunday,” historical tragedies are a cinematic staple. Yet never has the event
been as close to the American people as
9/11, and perhaps more importantly,
9/11 was a recent event. Unlike most
films based on historical events,
“United 93” arrives less than half a
decade from the tragedy itself. This
raises an important question: Is it too
soon? “United 93” lacks the advantage
of time and history given to most cinematic depictions of real-life events.
The movie's official Web site
(www.united93movie.com) claims that,
“the time has come for contemporary
cinema's leading filmmakers to
dramatically investigate the
events of [9/11].” But is it truly time
for such an investigation? Is five
years enough? There are those
for whom the event is still a
very real and very fresh
experience, and
DON’T
BOTHER
MEDIOCRE
in light of America's continued involvement in the Middle East, the consequences of the event are still left unresolved.
The other important question is
this: What are the filmmakers trying to
achieve? The shock of the tragedy of
9/11 gave way to unified heroism and
unbridled patriotism.
Greengrass, in the “Director's
Statement” on the official Web site,
speaks of the “courage and endurance”
of the men and women involved in 9/11
-- is “United 93” thus a film about
heroes, or is it, as the trailers lead us to
believe, about ordinary people? The
easy answer, of course, is that it's both - a film about ordinary people who
became heroes. Such a depiction is in
and of itself extraordinary, especially
since the official Web site describes the
flight as “one of the most heroic legacies
of [incomprehensible tragedy].”
Such a statement raises another
question: If the tragedy of 9/11 is still
incomprehensible, if its meaning has
not been sorted through by time and
understanding, is it really appropriate
for filmmakers to be depicting such
events?
DECENT
Some may feel uneasy due to the
fact that the media seems to have
cashed in so quickly on this tragic event.
“United 93” is a feature film with a relatively small, but not unsubstantial
budget ($15 million). It will undoubtedly make a lot of money in its theatrical
release, and then in DVD sales.
What was so striking about the
media reaction to 9/11 was the respect
and taste Hollywood showed -- films
and television programs were delayed
or had the Twin Towers digitally
removed. For instance, a “Spider-Man”
trailer featuring the World Trade
Center was pulled from theaters.
Yet here we are some five years
later, and between Stone's film and
Greengrass' film, it seems that
Hollywood has returned to the tragedy
with full gusto. Is it appropriate? Is it
respectful? The quality and depictions
of the films themselves will contribute
much to the perception of Hollywood's
9/11, but only time will tell. And though
Hollywood may believe the time is now,
it remains to be seen if the time is right.
WORTH
YOUR $
Brian Doxtader
The Observer (Notre Dame)
CLASSIC