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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 5, 1996)
• March 5, i« HE BATTALION anes :ions esday Ijrch 5,1996 Aggielife Page 3 to the end,” 3 campaign.” icience major i s, said that since >ffice, Republica ugh battle to si ualifications. nst Clinton, ident and this ;’s already estab' ity.” otecting the ain issue for d budget. nteractive displays shed light on insect life in [Rachel Barry el| ([Battalion al ! i ow many Unicorn Beetles can fit into a Volkswagen Bug? the, :;ki i where at was the lave had a ters." George Edwards rsidential Studies 3 difference fromi f the candidates; ed budget,” Mar- erent methods to: to should we get, it all as to who w an since there at this point, not predict who ration, he expects, tted followers, to ry race as he did ormer President ary. ill be held to< day, March 7. mdget g the line back rhison, who is ; Senate Aran ittee. lews comes am drop in defense the current bud Dsed 1997 budget id Geren predict- )P-led Congress it total up. includes $1.1 chase of the first rotors developed Dorps bjgJBell He l Worth and Boe- division in Penn ig with further elopment money, iartin will get! $2 billion ear eral defense con; continued devel- dr Force’s newF- itical fighter, one if it is from the “Backyard tasters” exhibit which opened this end at the Brazos Valley Muse- jof Natural History and will run jough April 24. The exhibit features a series of jantic robotic insects and a dis lay of over 500 exotic insects around the world, and it of- sa glimpse into the lives of na- ic’smisunderstood pests. Elisabeth (firsley, special pts liaison the museum, ilthe exhibit offers a lique perspective for Iters. 'It’s like sudden- you’re the size a bug,” she said. | ley are anatomi- exact — you get to see how tywork.” ipairof dragonflies with 10-foot igspans hover over the exhibit, and an jjnnous praying mantis eyes visitors. Pursley said “Backyard Monsters” its exciting exaggeration to interest il educate. Their sheer size is amazing,” said, “especially when you ink about how small they tin real life.” Pursley said through a iplay called “Bug’s Eye lew,” people can into the edfersized head of and see the id 1 srld through its com- imdeyes. ‘It serves to enhance nr appreciation of their )lein our world,” she said. “It iws you a sense of what their world dike.” Through nine interactive displays. a iep visitors have the opportunity to learn facts about insects. Children can learn the difference between the thorax and antennae of an ant by taking apart a plastic repli ca of the insect and putting it back to gether. Another display allows visi tors to move a robotic insect with a re mote control. In another display, children can step into the life of a larvae by climbing into an enlarged honeycomb. ||^ But young, wingless |n creatures of the human kind aren’t the only ones getting in on the action of “Backyard Monsters.” “(Backyard Monsters) is in teresting for a big span of ages,” Pursley said. “It has a broad appeal.” Mindy Bryant, project chair for the service fra ternity Alpha Phi Omega and a senior English ma jor, said APO is helping the museum give tours to elementary school children. Bryant said the exhibit is “ab solutely amazing” and “definitely monstrous.” “Everybody thinks (bugs) are ugly, nasty, mean, useless creatures” she said. “But through the exhibit, you learn that they help with all kinds of things.” Bryant said the exhibit offers an op portunity for children to learn about in- . sects while having fun. “The more kids S.v' xS. know, the better off they’ll be,” she said. Pursley said the sev en display cases exhibit ing over 500 rare and exotic insects have been called one of the finest private collections in the world. Pursley said the museum hopes to give residents of Bryan-College Sta tion the opportunity to experience in teresting exhibits without having to Gwendolyn Struve, The Battalion First graders from Bonham Elementary School in Bryan try to locate the queen bee among a colony of live honey bees at the "Backyard Monsters" exhibit at the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History. travel far. “We really feel a strong duty to provide an opportunity to the commu nity where everyone can see them as opposed to driving to Houston or Dal las,” she said. “Our primary goal is to provide an educational opportunity for the whole family that is fun and exciting. “So the people who live here don’t have to go elsewhere for quality fami ly-oriented entertainment that is edu cational, as well as exciting, interest ing and fun.” Looking into the colossal eyes of a praying mantis and stepping into the shadow of an enormous black widow spider tends to put humans in their place, Pursley said. “It gives you a really good idea of what you are up against,” she said. Japanese symbols, icons convey artists’ views of humanity, nature Sub Salad) airs Center rsity 691-2276 , Night News Editor life Editor Sports Editor o Editor CH, Graphics Editor phics Editor mela Benson, Eleanoi r Pace, Danielle Ron- ia Wiggins Barry, Kristina Buffin, r, James Francis, Libe & Alex Walters; Pag! tephanie Christopher, gner: Jody Holley axter, Rob Clark, Erin , Elaine Mejia, Chris & Kieran Watson ly Angkriwan, Amy Cory Willis & Evan Deluca, Jody Holley, ohn Lemons, Jennifer rd & Chris Yung y, Mandy Cater, Am- as A&M University in of Journalism, one: 845-3313; Fax: ■ endorsement by The >, call 845-2696. For in 015 Reed McDon- lay. Fax: 845-2678. tudent to pick up a sin- 3r, $40 per school yeR r r or American Express, Friday during the fall le summer sessions 5<M University. aid Building, Texas Gwendolyn Struve, The Battalion ink print (left) by Akiko Ishii and "Etiolation," a dyed silk piece by Rokugoh Harada are on display at ^Expressive Iconography" exhibit at J. Wayne Stark University Center Galleries. 'lohn LeBas Battalion i merican audiences now 1 have a unique opportuni- *.ty to view Japanese art :as A&M. Expressive Iconography: the ‘of Akiko Ishii and Rokugoh W will be displayed in the J. : )te Stark University Center ijsries through April 14. -atherine Hastedt, registrar ^curator of the Stark Galleries, •Ithe artists have developed a : |te system of iconography to ^ their works. tanography is a symbol sys- tlike our alphabet,” she said, ^led this show ‘Expressive ■lography’ because I was odby how each artist ap- ■ 5 thed their art.” 1 press release says Ishii and :; ada, both contemporary ^ese artists, use “traditional Ms and abstract images to 'ey deep meanings about hu- E%and nature.” ii creates traditional characters with callig- capturing phrases and * a ges from poems and an- Japanese stories. said art is best expressed i'ts imperfections. ' i s most attractive when im perfect or fragmentary elements leave room for imaginary perfec tion in the mind of the observer,” Ishii said. “Art should possess something which appeals strongly to the humanism of the spirit be yond national or racial bounds.” Many of Ishii’s works are haikus, 17-syllable poems, and wakas, 31-syllable poems, written in large characters on paper scrolls and folding boards. Ishii spent years studying her art un der a master, and such poems are traditional practice media for cal ligraphy trainees. One piece, featuring a waka by Priest Dogen, admires the beau ties of the four seasons and reads simply, “Blossoms in Spring, Cuckoos in Summer, Moonlight in Autumn and Snow in Winter.” Ishii also expresses several pas sages from the “Tale of the Heiki,” an ancient Japanese poem. For one of these works, Ishii wrote a passage from a famous Heiki chapter about Buddha’s temple: “Sounds of the chime at Buddha’s temple sang the fragility of life ... Arrogance, like a dream in a spring night, cannot last long. Haughty people also die out even tually like dust in the winds.” Several pieces also came from the Kojiki, dated A.D. 717 and considered the oldest history book in Japan. Ishii also uses her art to over step “national and racial bounds.” In a simple language comparison display, Ishii created two separate but similar ink-on-paper pieces. One reads “ABCDEFG.” The oth er, “I, Ro, Ha, Ni, Ho, He, To,” is the Japanese equivalent of the first seven English letters. Harada’s ultra-modern work primarily consists of geometric shapes dyed on silk. “She was inspired by looking through a microscope at things around the house, like dust,” Hastedt said. Two of Harada’s comparable pieces, “Pebble” and “Bubbler,” consist of 16 circles within 16 squares. The former is colored with browns and beiges and the latter with blues and grays. “She uses the bright colors be cause she’s very interested in color theory and how different colors re act with each other,” Hastedt said. Hastedt said people should take advantage of this chance to view Japanese art through the Galleries’ open visitation and scheduled tours. “This is the first time we’ve had Japanese art here,” Hastedt said. “Providing a glimpse into the iconography of this Asian culture, the show represents a rare oppor tunity for American audiences to view their work.” Partners ride in style in Cowboy Limo By Tab Dougherty The Battalion T exas has an attitude all its own, which is why Debbie and Stephen Hanel took a truck, stretched it and made the Cowboy Limousine. “We wanted to start out with a truck simply because it’s Texas, and I think it’s very suitable,” Stephen Hanel said. “It’s very unique.” Started in August 1995, the Cowboy Limousine has enjoyed considerable success. “We’ve been very satisfied,” Stephen Hanel said. “As far as starting a new business and getting it going, we’ve been very pleased with the response.” The Cowboy Limo features all the comforts of a normal limo, including a privacy divider, a television and VCR, a stereo with a 10-disc changer, air conditioning controls for the back, facing couches, a cellular phone, an ice com partment and a bar. In addition to normal lim ousine features, the Cowboy Limo has some thing that only a truck has. “It rides as well as a car limousine, and you’re sitting higher,” Hanel said. “One of the big fea tures that I like in a truck limousine is it has a flat floor, and it doesn’t have the big drive shaft coming up in the middle of the floor, so people are more comfortable in it, and it has more headroom than a car limousine. You can see better out of a truck. You can enjoy the ride and enjoy the view of what you’re seeing as you go by better than you can in a car.” Hanel said these extra features make the Cow boy Limousine an enjoyable alternative to the normal car limo. “It’s the only one in the country,” he said. “It’s the first, and I’m sure there will be more. I really hope there will be. I’d like to see more limousine trucks because my customers that use it love it. I’ve had customers that have ridden in both the car limousine and the truck limousine, and they like the truck limousine better.” Renee Metoyer, a sophomore psychology major, said she enjoyed riding in the Cowboy Limousine. “At first, I had my doubts, but it was one of the best times I had,” Metoyer said. “It was very comfortable and convenient. I’m sure I’ll ride in it again. Hanel said it is impossible to go anywhere without attracting strange looks from people. “Everywhere you go, everybody wants to look at it,” Hanel said. “It’s just a lot of fun to ride in — to be in. People like the attention they get when they’re in it because people are staring at the truck. It intrigues people.” Stephen Hanel said he has made many trips to the Houston Rodeo, and the Cowboy Limo is very convenient for his passengers. “It holds six people comfortably,” he said. “They (riders) don’t have to worry about parking. If they want to drink and have a good time, they don’t have to worry about driving. It drops you off and is there waiting when you come out. They can have as much fun as they want, and they don’t have to worry about driving and traffic.” Ml of this positive response has encouraged the Hanels to expand their rental service, and they plan to make more Cowboy Limos. Matt Sanders, a sophomore general studies major, said he could not believe there was actual ly a truck limo. “When I finally got in it,” Sanders said, “I real ized how much more than a normal limo it was.” Hanel said that when he tells people he owns a truck limousine, they cannot envision what it looks like. “They think, ‘Well, it’s just an old truck that they did something to,’ but this thing is as elegant as any car limousine,” he said. Hanel said he enjoys the stares and attention his Cowboy Limo receives and he wouldn’t have it any other way. “I just felt like in Texas, a limousine ought to be a truck,” Hanel said. Dave House, The Battalion The Cowboy Limo, a stretched Ford F-350 pickup truck, is owned by Debbie and Stephen Hanel.