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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (May 5, 2000)
ATTENTION MUSICIANS: Auditions for the University Symphonic and Concert Bands are happening now! For information or to schedule an audition please contact: Dr. Tim Rhea Adams Band Building 845-3529 trhea@tamu.edu CONGRATULATIONS RYAN WHITE ro r k & t I ADM Ryan White is a graduating student in agricultural engineering. Leaving Texas A&M University in July, Ryan will begin his new career for Archer ■ Daniels Midland Company. Ryan will be working in soybean processing in Decatur, Illinois. ADM is the world’s largest agri-pro cessing company and is based in Decatur, Illinois. ADM is continuing to expand throughout North America as well as in China, Europe and South America. ADM processes corn, soybeans and other oil seeds and produces high fructose corn syrup, citric acid. Vitamin C, Vitamin E, TVP' , veg etable oil, lecithin, ethanol, as well as hi any other products. Ryan found out about ADM s career opportunities from career services and scheduled an interview with ADM. He interviewed in Decatur, toured production facilities, and was then hired as a production assistant. Ryan will begin training for a period of six to twelve months. During this time he will work with different tech nicians and engineers as well as learn about the entire process of production at the plant. He wanted the chance to have hands-on experience. Ryan is eagerly awaiting his new career at ADM. ' We look forward to Ryan joining us. WELCOME TO ADM J C 1 j -~ll -m fv’ Mj ff MCAT Better Scores, Better Schools Over 100 hours of extensive preparation. ' Rt i|, hf i f (>< s\9' > . \ jf Procrastination is nice, but rarely worth the $100. I ■ ! i ■> Call today. yrtie ( Princeton v —Review 979,696.9099 j 800.2REVIEW I www.review.com V* *9, !:? N i- vC B>ec<niAS€ esjeyycv^e. wttt c«nwvev<5>v. graduation special Show your Student ID and receive <loff SH your haircut HH www.supercuts.com 1519 Texas Ave. S. 696-1155 SUPERCUTS As hip as you want to be. NATION Page 10 THE BATTALION Friday, May 5. Cinco de Mayo, Mexican holiday turns into U.S. fiesta SAN DIEGO (AP) —Americans will toss tortillas and down shots of tequila Friday in honor of Cinco de Mayo, par tying with a fervor that leaves many Mexicans scratching their heads in wonderment. Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday, but a minor one. It marks a May 5, 1862, victory by a small army of Mexican patriots and peasants over stronger French forces, but it’s not Mexican independence day — a common misconception among Cinco de Mayo partyers in the United States. In the United States, it’s become the Latin version of St. Patrick’s Day — largely because makers of beer, chips, salsa and tequila promote it heavily as a reason to party. “When Mexicans first come to the United States and somebody mentions that they’re all excited about some Cin co de Mayo festival, they say, ‘What?’ ” said Carols E. Gra- cie, president of a marketing firm in Burbank that specializes in Hispanic American consumers. “It would be like,Canadians making a big deal out of the Boston Tea Party," she said. “It’s a non-event made into a big deal by marketing.” In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is marked with sober battle re-en actments and political pro nouncements. Since the 1960s, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a major event in Hispanic-heavy Ameri can communities because of a push by Chicano activists who wanted a Mexican cultural event celebrated in schools. But the marketing aspect of the holiday has become undeniable. Margarita sales will double Friday at an El Tort Mexican restaurant in San Diego, where general manager Jacob Rivera is organizing a tortilla toss — a chance to win free meals by lobbing a com tortilla into a sombrero. Rivera, who can't recall celebrating Cinco de Mayo dur ing his childhood in Tijuana, is good-natured about the par ty, seeing it as a chance to tell his mostly non-Mexican pa trons a bit about history. “When Mexicans first come to the United States and somebody mentions that they're all excited about some Cinco de Mayo festival, they say, 'What?' " — Carols E. Gracie marketing firm president Cinco de Mayo is the biggest day of the year for avoca dos. Americans will eat 17 million pounds of the stuff, or 34 million avocados, mostly as guacamole, according to the California Avocado Commission. Super Bowl Sunday comes in second. Sales also will jump for Jose Cuervo, the world's top-sell ing tequila, said Steve Goldstein of UDV North America, the brand’s importers. The company is dispatching a “Tijuana Taxi” to bars and restaurants in the Los Angeles area; throwing a block party with concerts and a “pub crawl” in Chicago; giving away T- shirts in New York; and dropping a “margarita bar” into the waters off Miami's South Beach in what is being billed as the “Sink-0 de Mayo.” * While some Hispanics feel Mexican culture warrants a holi day that promotes history more than hangovers, others welcome the merrymaking. Maria Gisela Butler, a Chicano history' professor at San Diego State University, said she used to ask students to list five things they knew about Mexico. Common re sponses were tacos, graffiti, crime or drugs, she said. Cinco de Mayo may promote superficial concepts of Mexico, she said, “but at least it’s something positive.” Richard Griswold del Castillo, chairperson of the university’s Chicano studies department, added that the day honoring a “mi nor miracle” in Mexican history has resonance for today’s Mex- ican-Americans. “It showed valor and courage*of the Mexican people light ing against a foreign invader,” he said. “For the Chicanes in the United States, the same thing has existed for about 150 years, where the Mexican people have fought to preserve their cul ture, their language in the face of overwhelming odds.” And besides, he said, “America is famous for commercial izing stuff. 1 guess it’s a sign of success when you're being com mercialized, too.” Four students charged for frat death WATKINSVILLE, Ga. (AP) Four University of Georgia freshmen who survived a car accident that killed another student during a fraternity prank were indicted Thursday on charges of vehicular homicide and involuntary manslaughter. A grand jury indicted the dri ver, David Penn of Marietta, and three surviving passengers in the March 30 death of Ben F. Grantham III of St. Simons Island. Vehicular homicide carries up to 15 years in prison; invol untary manslaughter can bring up to 10 years. Penn and the surviving pas sengers were pledges of Alpha Tau Omega; Grantham, 20, was a full member. Authorities have said the pledges traveled from Athens into rural Oconee County on March 30 with Grantham handcuffed and perhaps blindfolded in the cargo hold of Penn’s sport utility vehicle. Troopers estimate that Penn reached speeds of 45 mph or more before losing control of the truck and careening off the rural gravel road. “This is based on the boys causing Ben Grantham's death by driving recklessly. As tragic as it was, it shouldn't have happened?' — Flarry Gordon District Attorney University officials have said Penn was driving up to 90 mph. Tests of Penn’s blood alcohol level were negative. Also indicted were Stephen Ashley McNally of Richmond, Va.; Gregory Scott Lakas of Lawrenceville, and Robert Walter Dailey of Dalton. i Penn’s lawyer did not return messages seeking comment. It was unclear whether the oth er students had lawyers who could edmment on the case. District Attorney 11307 Gordon said the case was a prank among friends that turned tragic. “This is based on the boys causing Ben Grantham’s death by driving recklessly,” Gordon said. “As tragic as it was, it shouldn’t have happened.” Since the accident, the frater nity has voted to dissolve its char ter. Penn was suspended from the university for a year and 11 other students implicated in the prank but not directly involved in the acci dent have faced sanctions in universi ty conduct court. News in Brief Microsoft to ash judge to intercc REDMOND, Wash. (AP)-|| crosoft Corp. may ask a fedeil judge to throw out the Justia Department’s plan to breakij the company, arguing that! government improperly bS its proposal on evidence I wasn't presented at trial,! cording to people close tol antitrust case. Microsoft objects to statements of five outsidee perts in the plan submitted^ U.S. District Judge Thomasf field Jackson of Washington D.C., by the Justice Departs and 17 states, accordingtod sources, who spoke on coin tion of anonymity. The software company i tends those experts address issues that were not brought^ in the nearly yearlong trial. On April 3, Jackson ruledd Microsoft had violated stateaoj federal antitrust lawsbyusip monopoly power in personi computer operating systems: crush rivals. The governmr then asked the judge to break! 1 - crosoft into two rival compantej Microsoft must respond!) May 10. and the sources saw filing is still being drafted.Hi company has already saidiU then ask for substantial delays' the proceedings before hearrc are held. Jackson’s planscallt hearings on May 24. Kovacic added that if Jacks!' does not honor Microsoft’s!: quest to toss the government remedy entirely, he would have:; allow Microsoft to have aneqti chance at rebutting the ne. claims, possibly including aero;; examination of the government experts and providing expertte timony of its own. Student admrtsfe killing landlady SAN FRANCISCO (AP;-’ 27-year-old college studenta| legedly told police that heieef his landlady, dismembered body and discarded the pa' , throughout the city. Vadim Mieseges was arret ed at a San Francisco-areami after he tried to hit secunij guards with a wooden dowel,pi lice said. Later, he “suddenl blurted out” that he had kill® the woman with whom he sha% an apartment, police DepL; Chief Richard Flolder said. E Police said he led investigated to at least three locations, inelni ing Golden Gate Park, where a' man torso was found Wednesdi Police did not.disclose whetfi other body parts were found. Forensic tests will detemr- whether the torso belonged: Ella Wong, 47, from who§ Mieseges sublet a room, poC said. A family member of Won! reported her missing April 30,1 ■ v ' ■ v ... ‘A ‘;’Y v''*•'• V,V'• .V V *'.**V- v A"' w ... .»•' The Following Locations will be Open to Students for Finals Study: Sterling C. Evans Library & West Campus Library Open May 4 and May 7-9,2000 8;00 pm - 2:00 am Complimentary Starbucks® Coffee and hot chocolate provided by Sterling C. Evans Library and Department of Food Services Food Service locations open late Thursday, May 4 and Sunday, May 7 through Tuesday, May 9, 2000. /MicroAge] Pancake & Pajama Party Sunday, May 7 Commons Dining Center 9:00 pm - 1T.00 pm and Duncan Dining Center 10:00 pm -12:00 am Complimentary pancakes and beverages will be available Common Market Open each day during finals 7:15 am -12:00 midnight for school supply needs Commons Dining Center Open 8:00 pm - 2:00 am Complimentary Starbucks® Coffee and bevrages will be available Duncan Dining Center Open 8:00 pm - 2:00 am Complimentary Starbucks® Coffee and bevrages will be available Hullabaloo Open until 8:00 pm Complimentary Starbucks® Coffee will be available 4.00 pm to close Rumours Open until 2:00 am Complimentary Starbucks® Coffee will be available 8:00 pm to close Stone Willy's Open until 1:00 am for late night pizza T yOAA- Authorized PROMETRIC TESTING RilsiMiJdirgl • Microsoft Office User Specialist Approved Curriculum • Experienced Trainers • State-of-the-Art Facility • Satisfaction Guarantee • Pleasant Learning Environment • Free convenient parking Offering classes in Word®, Excel® PowerPoint®, and Access® DAY CLASSES 9:00 - 4:00 p.m. May 8: Intermediate Access‘97 Intermediate PowerPointt Intro Access ‘97 Intro Excel ‘97 Intro Word ‘97 Intro Excel 2000 Intro Access 2000 Mi Call (979) 846-9727 for more information or register online at www.MicroAgeCS.com /MicroAge 1400 University Drive East • College Station,TX 77840 (979) 846-9727 • www.MicroAgeCS.com