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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 13, 1994)
July 13, 1994 QUADRICEPS TENDON CRUCIATE LIGAMENTS PATELLAR TENDON in body. It ? to hold it is a tear of lur and the 'The Battalion fer back in said. “If ined then n with in- iaff here i can play re all edu- i physiolo- I strength said. its nto onor A dozen inference original league’s July 29 need the 9s Tues- soxne of coaches long the i include like Sin- iristian ly. Rice Maegle, receiver cM line- >rough, Tommy lineman former Royal. onored Houston Wilson cas and h D.X. ,erback former Dutch” Wednesday QPINION Page 5 Cooking skills light fires of creativity in world’s kitchens FRANK STANFORD Columnist E ven though many of us will say they know how the world and humankind came about, there is still a great deal of interesting and heated debate on the subject. But for me, the most fascinating and useful aspect of man’s emergence from the trees was his discovery of cooking. Because we know that early humans ate meat raw, we can only wonder how the first chef got his job. We now know cooked foods are longer-lasting, safer from bacteria and easier to digest than the alternative, but how were these benefits discovered? I like to think a bunch of cavemen were sitting around a big fire one night having a good time and gnawing on bloody water buffalo carcasses. They set their leftovers too close to the flame and went off gallivanting. The cavewomen were supposed to clean up, but in disgust at the men refused to do so and went to bed with headaches. The next morning the frustrated, hungover and hungry cavemen devoured the shrunken, dried-up, chewy meat in what I call the first equivalent of a cold pizza breakfast experiment. All were amazed that even cold, cooked meat was tastier, created fewer barfing sprees and made them more regular than the raw stuff. The men communicated to the women through hieroglyphics to take time off from gathering each day and cook the food. Shopping eventually replaced gathering, but this is basically the history of cooking up until the ’60s. Nowadays, almost all males and a rapidly increasing number of females are turning to pre-packaged microwave meals and restaurants for food. Eating out certainly has become a large part of most people’s weekly budgets. That’s a heavy financial bummer unless you own some kind of eatery. And why is this a bummer?! Because you’re missing out on a very recreational, artistic and utilitarian activity. Cooking will also save you big dollars while you eat better food. But maybe you don’t really know how to cook anything? Or, it’s a pain in the neck and takes too much time? Nonsense. Most people - especially young adults - are just plain unskilled in the kitchen. Like with most stuff we stink at (i.e., math, golf), fear of failure keeps us from getting better. And guys, you must also develop an interest. You’ll be glad you did. I first became intrigued by the art of cooking as a serdor in the Corps. In order to live in a manner as unmilitary as possible, my roommate and I wood-paneled the entire room and equipped ourselves with a large and a small refrigerator, a microwave, an oven, a two-burner stove, a food processor and a fully functioning wet bar with liquor cabinet and electrical appliances. The idea was to bring back as much leftover food from Duncan as possible to be reheated at our convenience. Soon we began to get brave and actually go grocery shopping. A couple of weeks later I threw a tuxedo on a freshman and sent him Most people are just plain unskilled in the kitchen. Eating out has become a large part of their weekly budgets. Cooking will save you big dollars while you eat better food. to invite a couple of girls over for a homemade, full-course shrimp Creole supper with wine, candles and a movie. As my pet finches chirped sweetly to the music, we successfully violated nearly every housing, Corps and University regulation that evening. It all happened in Dorm 7 and I shall never forget it. I was also hooked. When I moved into an apartment, friends would frequently bring over groceries and booze to have a little party while I enjoyed making dinner for everyone. Often, the dinner lasted the entire evening, and still only cost about four bucks a person. I wound up managing one of the best restaurants . in town and in a year found myself on a yacht in the Caribbean assisting a real chef from whom I learned a great deal. When he left, I took over for a few months. A couple of years later I was able to get a job as a private chef for a family in Dallas. I lived in , their servants’ quarters, did their shopping and prepared their meals. Somehow I even pulled off a dinner for 50 teachers and a lunch for 80 policemen. What’s so ridiculous is that many of my peers look upon this skill with amazement. I never took a class. I don’t use recipes. I didn’t learn from my mother. It’s nothing but practice, the desire to learn and the enjoyment of creating something your very own. For every perfect dish I’ve prepared. I’ve learned from one that would make a roach hurl. It’s trial and error. Just go buy some food, throw it in a pot with olive oil and tomato sauce and start cooking. P.S. - When your roaches start trusting you again, you’re getting better. Frank Stanford is a graduate philosophy student ... One giant leap for mankind’ Space exploration opens doors to understanding unknowns of universe ANAS BEN-MUSA Guest Columnist F ootprints in the dust — a mark of conquest, of succeeding and of traveling “where no one has gone before.” But these particular footprints are not on earthen dust. Mankind had to travel over 4 million miles to plant them. A place of “magnificent desolation,” as one explorer, Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, described it. Poignant words that reveal how America and the world are still in awe and fear of this barren satellite, a symbol of the unknown - the new frontier. And this new frontier, the solar system, is only a minute part of an infinitely vast galaxy and universe. Yet, we have little knowledge of our own solar system, much less the Milky Way galaxy or the cosmos beyond. 20, 196 Armstrong takes manual control of Eagle On final approach looking out his windows, Armstrong sees that the computer-chosen landing site is a large crater covered with large rocks. He takes control and picks a new landing site. Armstrong’s new flight path The 86-inch probes on three of the lunar lander’s footpads touch down, flashing a green light on instrument panel; engines are shut off. But 25 years ago, one country decided to explore past the boundaries of our world. Eventually, more than a dozen of those explorers traveled to a desolate chunk of rock called the moon that had been circling this planet for billions of years. Looking back, historians wonder and ponder the reasons for such a tremendous endeavor. Some believe in the idealistic notion - “because it’s there” - while others realize that competition, the Cold War, fueled the space race. That race that evolved over 500 years ago in Spain, when a man named Christopher Columbus asked Queen Isabella to fund an expedition to the Far East. The journey was risky. Some officials at the time considered it suicidal. But, the thought of profitable new trade routes was too tempting. Spain desperately needed to fill its treasury after a long and arduous war against Muslim invaders. To be the first European kingdom to establish these routes meant exorbitant wealth. Spain, like the United States, decided it wanted to be first. Trade routes were not the reason for America’s decisions in the ’60s, but being “out there” meant that Americans would be the first to. study our universe, the first to exploit and harness anything we learned and the first to look down on our world from outer space and say, “We did it.” “In the eyes of the world, first in space means first, period: second in space is second in everything,” said Lyndon Johnson, vice president at the time. And we did it ... not once, but six times. The first mission to the Moon was Apollo 11 in 1969 and the last was ■ Being "out there" meant that Americans would be the first to study our universe and the first to look down on our world from outer space and say, "We did it." Apollo 17 in 1972. Over the course of a decade, the United States spent over $25 billion dollars to accomplish a goal President Kennedy had set out in his first year of office: “... landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth. No single space project will be more important to mankind or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish.” Our goals for space exploration have changed today, but the expense hasn’t. Which makes it so much harder to convince the nation of the necessity of space exploration. The race has changed again. It’s not about being first anymore, or being the best. Rather, it’s embracing and accepting what we don’t know. We have the ability to to learn and understand the universe and the small part we play in it. Begin to realize the infinite possibilities. It is a time, as Buzz Aldrin said, “To renew our commitment to the exploration of the solar system, a challenge that can bind nations, inspire the young, advance science and ultimately end our confinement to one vulnerable world.” Let us make this commitment for one simple reason: “It’s there.” Anas Ben-Musa is a senior journalism major Mail Call Orientation leaders' efforts deserve praise For quite some time I have admired the success of the orientation programs at Texas A&M. Students become familiar with the University, traditions and meet their new fellow Aggies. The Orientation Leader Program at A&M is by far one of the most outstanding in the state. This Past week four of A&M’s Orientation Leaders came to Texas A&M University at Galveston to help with our orientation. The impact they had on our new students and orientation leaders was tremendous. I really appreciate Bonnie Bejarano- Sanders for sending Aisha, Chris, Jaqui and Sandra. They did a fantastic job! To all of the OLs, I want you to know what a tremendous role you play in the lives of our new students. Thank you. Gig ’em. Edward B. Williams Class of ’89 Homosexual acts pose threats to health, spirit Is there some correlation between homosexuals trying to gain acceptance in the military and at Texas A&M University? Do homosexuals care about the safety and health of soldiers and students - or do they want to re cruit and prey upon them? Acceptance in the U.S. military and a university with a military history would be major steps in gaining accep tance for their lifestyle. Research at the University of Indi ana showed a high correlation of promiscuous sex with suicide, illicit drug use and other criminal activity. It is no wonder that homosexuals and bisexuals are more prone to suicide and drugs! Their most defining practices, sodomy and sadomasochism, are harmful to the body and degrading to the soul. The rectum is not a strong enough muscle to withstand intercourse; the intestine is designed for absorbing nu trients, not sperm and pathogens; and eating feces and urine are unsanitary means of contracting disease. A high rate of promiscuity among homosexuals and bisexuals corre sponds with a high rate of infection with AIDS, HIV, hepatitis and dis eases that constitute Gay Bowel Syn drome. According to numerous physicians, including Montieth and Day, homosex ual behavior is a sexual addiction, is unhealthy and should remain illegal. The majority of our Texas legislators agreed and retained the Texas statute against sodomy. Do our military personnel and uni versity students need to have an ille gal and unhealthy lifestyle pushed upon them and the institutions of which they are a part? No - the result will be death. To paraphrase an old saying, “Now is the time for all good men (and women) to come to the aid of their country,” return to abstinence until (heterosexual) marriage, fidelity in marriage, stand up for right, and against wrong. Susie Carter, microbiologist Austin The Battalion encour ages letters to the editor and will print as many as space allows. Letters must be 300 words or less and include the au thor's name, class, and phone number. We reserve the right to edit letters for length. style, and accuracy. Address letters to: The Battalion - Marl Call 013 Reed McDonald Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843-1111 Fax: (409) 845-2647 The Battalion Editorial Board Mark Evans, Editor in chief William Harrison, Managing editor Jay Robbins, Opinion editor Editorials appearing in The Battalion reflect the views of trie editorial board. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of other Battalion staff members, the Texas A&M student body, regents, administration, faculty or staff. Columns, guest columns, cartoons and letters express the opinions of the authors. Contact the opinion editor for information on submitting guest columns. T^DITORJAL Alcohol purchases Indictments obscure failures in A&M policy co, The most unfortunate victims of the recent crop of indictments against Texas A&M officials seem to be the defendants accused of tamper ing with government documents by describing alcohol purchases as “food and beverages.” Reports in The Battalion today seem to show that those employees were singled out - inadvertently or not - from among many Uni versity officials who have followed the same practice for decades. A large part of the fault for this problem must lie with University policy, which does not provide guidelines for a proper way to process bills for alcoholic beverages. The result ing confusion was complicated by the behavior of the University’s fiscal office. A Texas A&M Sys tem internal audit found evidence that the fiscal office regularly processed and paid undetailed “food and beverages” charges, and only re fused payment on vouchers and re ceipts including the word “alcohol.” Unfortunately, and apparently unknown to many University em ployees, making such changes on state documents violates the law. Employees attempting to seek guidance from the University admin istration to make alcohol purchases were referred to other departments that had already discovered how to “dealing with” the dilemma. This contradictory unwritten rule encouraged the employees to change the documents in order to be reim bursed. While it is true that individuals are responsi ble for their own ac tions, the fiscal de partment must take responsi bility for the u monetary policies of this univer- sity. As long as employees are left to decide how to imple ment undocu mented poli cies, Texas A&M can expect legal and ethical scandals that ques tion its institutional in tegrity. It is not any em ployee’s place to play fill-in-the- blanks with A&M policy or state law. Hopefully, Texas A&M will show enough foresight to plan for future delicate, bureaucratic procedures like alcohol purchases. The Universi ty and the System form a huge fi nancial organization and cannot be run like a backwoods country store. 1876- \WEI—CONE TO SIU6-ATORE irs My pury to inform you WAT IF YOU CARRY DRVC-S YOULL SHOT DEAD iNSTAMn-y, ANy P0£N0C-/?APH y OR IMPROPER "MA- TFRlAt." AMP YOu'll BE TORTURED And SEIYTTV jail . OH, AMO HAVE AMICE DAY BECAUSE IF YOU DOnj't.... 0 Cl E7; ’O (7. 0 Page 3 us' >f Aunt the e her ave orical ters ox- ie and yor of to i mu ill’s smi- LEE-