Thursday,
Page 4
The Battalion
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SiU
Eric Pechacek, a
sophomore
kinesiology major
from Boerne, Tx,
practices his kick that
he used to earn his
second-degree black
belt in tae kwon do.
MARYMACMANUS/The Battalion
Aggie finds strength,
discipline in martial art
By JENNIFER SALCE
The Battalion
He is not a karate kid and he is
not Bruce Lee, but Eric Richard
Pechacek knows his tae kwon do.
Pechacek, an A&M sophomore
kinesiology major from Boerne,
Texas, volunteers his time and ef
forts as a trainee instructor at Bri
an Roger's Tae Kwon Do USA in
Bryan. Pechacek teaches Songahm
Tae Kwon Do, a style of tae kwon
do with nine degrees of black belt.
Pechacek said what makes tae
kwon do different from other
martial arts is the unique style of
kicks performed. He said the
kicks are more powerful and
sometimes considered flashy.
When Pechacek entered his
first tae kwmn do class four years
ago, he said his main goal was to
gain the physical benefits of the
art. Pechacek said that he, along
with many other students, want
ed to be more flexible, stronger,
have a higher heart endurance
and be able to defend himself.
"Now, having achieved those
physical goals, 1 have learned and
value highly that the mental at
tributes of tae kwon do are very
important," Pechacek said.
He said becoming actively in
volved in tae kwon do can give
you a higher level of mental
awareness. Pechacek said the art
will increase your self-confidence
and self-discipline.
"Tae kwon do teaches you to
have self-control," Pechacek said.
"The sensation of being able to
control your entire body is really
a great feeling."
Pechacek said the art is very
aerobic and does not require a
tremendous amount of strength to
be effective for self-defense. He
said the techniques will become
second nature.
"If you know the movement
and technique, you are maximiz
ing your strength and reducing
your opponent's strength,"
’ Pechacek said.
Pechacek, a member of the
American Tae Kwon Do Associa
tion (ATA), attended an ATA state
tournament last September in Col
lege Station. He won first place in
sparring and second place in form.
Sparring in martial arts refers to
fighting with no intent to kill.
Chief instructor at Tae Kwon Do
USA Brian Roger said, "Eric is very
talented as far as his training goes."
In 1991, Pechacek had the honor
to attend the ATA World Champi
onship in Little Rock, Arkansas.
He received first place in form and
second place in sparring.
Pechacek said he believes his
learning has accelerated because of
his commitment and ambition. Af
ter a year and half of tae kwon do
classes, he received his first-degree
black belt. Last week, he received
his second-degree black belt.
Pechacek said he has dedicated
part of his life to learning the art.
He has acquired approximately
half the hours needed to attend
certified instructor camp.
Rogers said, "He is like a nat
ural and will make a good in
structor one day."
Although A&M pulls him in
many directions, he still sets high
goals for himself.
"I want to be a third-degree
black belt certified instructor by
the time I graduate," Pechacek
said. "It is going to be hard, but I
think I can do it."
Tae kwon do’s history
By JENNIFER SALCE
The Battalion
Tae Kwon Do, an ancient mar
tial art that originated in Korea,
focuses on the use of the hands
and feet.
Chief instructor at Tae Kwon
Do USA Brian Rogers said the
style of instruction he teaches is
called Songahm Tae Kwon Do. It
was founded in 1983 by grand
master H.U. Lee, who holds a
ninth-degree black belt.
Rogers said the lower level stu
dents concentrate on the use of
the hands and feet. Upper level
students focus on weapons train
ing, which requires a great
amount of coordination.
Rogers said the Songahm
style uses modern training teach
ing methods.
"We try to focus on positive re
inforcement, rather than the pun
ishment techniques that is prac
ticed in Korea," Rogers said.
Austin, San SLntonio (auncfi festivaC weekend to ceCebrate state s diversity
By MARGARET CLAUGHTON
The Battalion
This weekend is a festive one for central
Texas. Both the Texas Folklife Festival in San
Antonio and the Austin Aqua Festival will oc
cur this Thursday thru Sunday August 5-8.
The Texas Folklife Festival, sponsored by
the Institute of Texan Cultures, has celebrated
Texas' cultural heritage for over 20 years.
More than 30 ethnic and cultural groups from
all over the state are represented displaying
their unique foods, crafts, music and stories .
The Texas Folklife Festival offers an education
al and fun cultural exchange to all it's patrons.
In the process, proceeds from the festival go to
support the individual ethnic groups and the
Institute. In fact, the individual groups re
ceive 77 percent of the profits from food and
beverage sales.
Entertainment at the festival includes a two-
man Irish instrumental and vocal combination
from Fort Worth, "Celt 'n' Stuf," Gulf Coast
Scandinavian Dancers from Angleton, and
cowboy musician Dusty Britches. Crafts rang
ing from woodcarving to beekeeping will be
on display as well.
The Texas Folklife festival is held on The
University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures
at San Antonio's Hemisfair Park in downtown
San Antonio.
Admission to the festival is $6 in advance
and $8 at the gate. However, Friday, August
6, from 12-1 p.m. a special price of $2 will be
charged. Children 12 and under will be admit
ted free.
The festival will run from 5-11p.m. Thurs
day, August 5, noon-midnight Friday, August
6 and Saturday, August 7, and noon-9 p.m. on
Sunday, August 8.
The 1993 Austin Aqua Festival will also be
held August 5-8 and 11-14.
Daily attractions include:
• August 5 - Aqua Festival Land Parade at
6 p.m. beginning at Austin Highschool and
marching down 1st Street.
• August 5-8 and 11-14 - Captain Barton's
Cove, a creative environment of story telling,
magic and puppeteering for children ages 12
and under.
• August 6 - Aqua Smash, a dance for teens
under 18 at the City Coliseum beginning at 7
p.m.
• August 7 - Texas Triple Threat, competi
tion for cyclists, runners, and rowers. Ama
teurs and professionals are welcome to partici
pate. For more information cyclists call (512)
335-3829, runners call (512) 472-3254, and row
ers call (512) 472-0700.
Small Fry Fishing Derby, Children can
fish in the waters off Festival beach.
• August 8 - Bass Fishing Tournament, top
10 teams compete on Town Lake for the City
Championship beginning at 6 a.m.
• August 12 - Austin children's choir will
The Korean Folk Dance will perform at the
Texas Folklife Festival, to celebrate the
state's diverse cultural heritage.
perform at Concordia Lutheran College begin
ning at 4:30 p.m.
• August 13 - Aztec Mask Exhibition, a dis
play of the works of elementary students at
Las Manitas Cafe beginning at 6 p.m.
• August 14 - Zilker Park Criterium, an ama
teur cyclist race over 1.3 miles. For entry fees
and registration call (512) 454-7400 or 331-1266
evenings.
Aqua fest Archery tournament, lo
cated at Austin Archery Club Range begin
ning at 8 a.m.
Much of the festival will focus on live
music, building on Austin's reputation as a na
tional live music center. Over 70 live acts will
perform this year as part of the nightly musical
themes featuring rock, rhythm and blues, jazz,
country and gospel.
Theme nights include:
• August 5 - Hometown Heroes, featuring
Austin's local talent.
• August 6 - Lone Star Ladies, featuring
top women performers in Texas.
• August 7 - Lone Star Stars, featuring
Texas based artists.
August 8 - The Gospel according to Texas,
gospel music from Texas.
• August 11 - Texas unplugged, featuring
acoustic acts.
• August 12 - Axes and Saxes, featuring in
strumental standouts.
• August 13 - Texas Homecoming, featur
ing artists who have left Texas.
• August 14 - Lone Star Legends, the truly
great Texas artists.
The Aqua Fest Fireworks Extravagan
za will be held Saturday night over Town
Lake.
Admission is $7 for adults, $1 for children
August 5,8,11, and 12. Adult tickets will cost $8
on August 6,7,13,14. College students showing
a 1993 Student I.D. from any Texas College or
University will receive $2 off admission.
T hursday, August5,19!
Film Reviews
The In ml of the Him Sim' com to Li
A new perspective on cop thrillers
Sean Connery(John Connor, left) and Wesley Snipes is Web Smith
in "Rising Sun," a action thriller set in L.A.
By JACQUELINE AYOTTE
The Battalion
"Rising Sun"
Starring Sean Connery and Wes
ley Snipes
Directed by Philip Kaufman
Rated R
Playing at Cinema III
"Rising Sun" definitely rises
above the norm of cop murder-
mystery movies. Amazingly,
this movie entertains without
cheap violence.
What makes this film differ
ent is that it explores the dis
tinctive business world between
the United States and Japan.
Sean Connery stars in the
film and also serves as the exec
utive producer. Connery said,
"The story has all the things 1
find interesting in a movie;
strong characters, a culture clash
and a topic that is significant."
"Rising Sun" provides a
new twist on mystery, a new
twist on culture clashes, with a
dash of sex in the beginning
that plants the seed of mystery.
Police Lt. Web Smith (Wes
ley Snipes), a liaison officer
with the Los Angeles Police De
partment investigates the mur
der of a woman in the board-
room of a Japanese corporation
in L.A. Smith is paired up with
the strange and intelligent De
tective John Conner (Sean Con
nery) who is rumored to be un
der the influence of the Japanese.
Smith and Conner clash in
personality and culture. Never
theless, they make one heck of a
team. As each scene unravels,
Connery and Snipes display riv
eting performances.
Connery plays the perfect
intellect who knows how to I
handle the Japanese. While
Smith may handle the game dif
ferently, Snipes' flawless perfor
mance enables the tough guy
routine to shine through im
pressively.
As they get closer to solving
the mystery, they continue to
learn secrets from both sides of
the business world. Whether it's
learning the powerful ancient
Japanese mysteries of the pastor
discovering technological secrets
of the future, the secrets eventu
ally close in on them.
With Connery "cast" as the
role of John Conner in Michael
Crichton's novel and Snipe's en
ergetic way of acting, "Rising
Sun" leaves all other cop
movies in the dark.
ilti limit' ‘llohiii llomi - Iko hi Hollis... ’
Elwes’English accent isiT
Cary Elwes stars as Robin Hood
By JOHN BAYLESS
The Battalion
"Robin Hood - Men In Tights"
Starring Cary Elwes, Richard
Lewis and Roger Rees
Directed by Mel Brooks
Rated PG-13
Playing at Manor East III
Mel Brooks has missed the
mark again with his latest com
edy, "Robin Hood - Men In
Tights." Sometime in the past
several years. Brooks lost his
knack for creating truly hilari
ous films. The result is
mediocre work like "Men In
Tights," — good for a few
laughs, but lacking the punch of
his other works like olazing
Saddles" or "History of The
World Part I."
Brooks pulls out all the stops
in his parody of the Robin Hood
legend. His Robin Hood (Cary
Elwes) swims back from the
Crusades just in time to see the
King's men repossess his manor
house and tow it away. But
Brooks isn't done putting his
own spin on the story yet.
Robin's merry men include a
Muslim exchange student
named Ahchoo (Dave Chap
in Mel Brooks' "Robin Hood."
elle) and a blind man (Mark
lankfield), in addition to the
regulars Little John (Eric Allan
Kramer) and Will Scarlett
(Matthew Porretta).
Richard Lewis stars as
Prince John, and performs
quite well as the sniveling,
vain usurper. Roger Rees, bet
ter known as Robin Colcourtin
"Cheers," is hysterical in his
role as the tongue-tied sheriff
of Rottingham.
Some parts of this film were
really amusing - the parts that
were in the previews. While a
few other scenes are hilarious,
many fall completely flat. In
one scene. Brooks spoofs "The
Godfather" with Dom DeLuise
in a cameo appearance. Al
though DeLuise's mumbling
speech was identical to that of
Brando, the scene dragged on
far too long.
Maybe someday Brooks will
be able to match the success of
"History of the World Part I" or
"Blazing Saddles," but not with
"Men In Tights." Even though
Cary Elwes, unlike some other
Robin Hoods, "can speak with
an English accent," it still isn't
enough to save the film.
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