Sweet Redemption for Second-year Team

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The official student publication of the Bush School of Government and Public Service

After a disappointing loss last year, the second-years were able to fight their way out of a possible duplicate of their Lot 43 defeat with a 25-15 victory over the first-year team on Sept. 23.

After starting the game on defense, the second-years switched to offense and put up the first points of the game with six. Reclaiming the field, the first-years drove it in for a touchdown. Following the trend started by the second years, the first years were unable to grab the extra point, tying the game at 6.

The first-years held the second-years to a scoreless drive to round out the half.

In the first possession of the second half, the second-years nabbed a touch-down on a close play and clinched the extra point, upping their score to 16. On the next drive, the second-years grabbed a pick and after a short stint, produced another touchdown to make the score 25-6.

Again following suit, the first-years scored, but the second-years regained

Kristin SimpsonMPIA '12

Photo by Rustin Rhone

the pigskin with just four seconds left and ran down the clock to bring the final score to 25-15.

As is typical, the end of the game was marked by a celebratory Gatorade shower bestowed upon the coach of the winning team, Brett Heil, by his fellow players.

Derek Goodwin nimbly works his way around a would-be tackler.

Embrace the Unexpected in Internships

This summer, I was an intern for the State Department at the US Consulate General in Guangzhou, China. While I was excited to go to China for the first

time, I was hesitant about interning for the State Department, as diplomacy is not one of my concentrations. But those doubts quickly disappeared after arriving in China.

I worked in the Fraud Prevention Unit, which investigates suspected

cases of visa fraud. I had great bosses that were excited to have me and wanted me to be involved as much as possible. My primary task during the summer was completing validation studies – analyzing visa fraud coming

Jon GraberMPIA '12

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P S Interning in the private sector

Language school's ethics questionable

We ask: Where were you on 9/11?

Restaurant review: Veritas

Former students reach out

9Variety is king at Austin City Limits

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See China on Page 2

The music site you should know

Republicans and Democrats swap roles, a former spy tells all, the Aggies make a surprise move, and more

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as potential networking opportunities. My duties included negotiating con-

tract terms and proprietary information agreements with Raytheon’s customers. They varied from the Department of Defense, NASA, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff Office to other defense contractors. I was part of an exciting process that brought together engineering, legal, finance, supply chain, and business development to create a proposal that fit

our customer’s needs best. My contributions were lis-tened to and I helped craft the proposals that went to our customers. There was no making coffee or cop-ies. I worked from day one with a mentor to ensure I was part of the contracts process.

Additionally, I partook in corporate educational opportunities and events to strengthen my understand-ing of the field. I felt I made the most of my summer and my future career prospects through this experience.

One of the biggest rea-sons I came to the Bush School and sought a mas-ter’s degree was to find a

job. In my experience and from listening to others, the private sector is well poised to offer the intern a full time position upon successful completion of the internship. First-years, if that is what you want, then do not discount the private sector when looking for internships. For better or for worse, the private sector will have to be considered in the internship application process.

I was extremely happy with my experi-ence at Raytheon and would encourage others to see if it is a fit for them. While this school was founded on public service, I have found that service can take many different forms.

My initial thought when asked to write about my summer internship for the Public Servant was to talk not just about the internship itself, but also how I got the internship. I believe the search and networking process is very impor-tant for first-years beginning to look for internships.

I worked in the contracts depart-mentfor Raytheon Company – Space and Airborne Systems at their Los Angeles location. The link between what I am studying at the Bush School and the con-tracts position was not initially appar-ent to me. However, with time, I came to see that analysis, strategic reasoning, and writing all came to define how well I performed my duties. I learned and refined those traits through my coursework at the Bush School. Dr. Eden’s multinational enterprise course was instrumental to me in attaining and understanding the contracts position in a large corporation.

Through an executive interview as-signment, I was able to speak with the Vice President of International Business Development at Raytheon. This contact alone did not land me the internship. Yet, when I was interviewed for the contracts position months later, that experience made me stand out as someone who was passionate and well informed about the company. My advice, then, is to even take advantage of individual assignments

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STUDENT LIFE

Internships: Don’t Discount the Private Sector

STUDENT LIFE

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Insights on Intelligence Internships

They say you’re always an Aggie. Whether your undergrad tenure was across Wellborn or around the globe, from your first day of classes at the Bush School you became a part of the Aggie Family. And that means we are bonded for life.

As your "elder Aggie siblings," graduates who have gone before you, we look back at those who are following in our footsteps with an enormous sense of pride. We love to hear stories from new students about their take on the professors, how they are handling their classes, and the careers they are planning, and we like to live vicariously through the Bush School social scene.

We understand that two years might be too short a period to have the time of your life, and the uncertainty of life beyond graduate school can be unnerving, but we encourage you to

get all you can out of your time at the Bush School. Do the extra work. Go to the happy hour socials with your classmates. It makes all the difference.

We are proud to be Bush School graduates and look forward to growing our ranks with every passing year. We want to do everything in our power to help you get there and succeed after graduating.Each individual success of Bush School graduates increases the value of all of our degrees; it is in all of our interests that you succeed in all of your endeavors after graduation.

That is why we would like to introduce you to a new program we are starting this year—The Dialogue Program.

The Dialogue Program connects current and former students who have similar skill sets, career paths, and/or interests. Current students looking for advice on their career path are introduced to a former student who will offer advice and insight about life after the Bush School. The time

commitment is minimal and the Dialogue Program is not meant to be a formal mentoring program. This is a forum for you to seek career guidance, and perhaps give you some new ideas about how to achieve your own goals. More than just facilitating a dialogue with current students, the FSN hopes that the counsel you receive will propel you on your own career path, which in turn gives you a story to tell a future Bush School student. We encourage you to take advantage of the Dialogue Program and other FSN opportunities as they arise.

The FSN had a wonderful time meeting the (now) second years during their internships, and we look forward to meeting the first years this coming summer. No matter your class or program, we are proud to be a part of your Bush School family. Feel free to contact your SGA representatives or the FSN directly if you want to be involved in the Dialogue Program. We look forward to hearing from you!

Chadwick KorthMPSA '12

This summer, I did my internship at the National Geo-spatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). NGA is a part of the Department of Defense and is one of the sixteen agencies that make up the U.S. Intelligence Community.

The agency is responsible for the imagery, geospatial, and targeting analyses associated with supporting U.S. national defense and disaster relief operations. While the NGA’s headquarters are located in Washington, D.C., I was assigned to an imagery analysis position within the Analy-sis and Production Directorate at NGA’s office in St. Louis.

Throughout the course of the summer, I was able to co-author several intelligence products and write many short remarks associated with the region I tracked. I was grateful for the level of responsibility entrusted to me; I was chal-

lenged to grow professionally and was able to learn more than just the basics of imagery analysis. By the end of the summer, I was performing the same tasks as the entry-level analysts in our office.

I also had the opportunity to travel to both the National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) and Washing-ton, D.C. for work-related trips.

One thing that surprised me this summer was the high level of interagency cooperation I witnessed – our branch worked on a daily basis with other intelligence agencies such as the CIA, NSA, and NASIC to collaborate on prod-ucts and share insights and information. These partnerships gave me the opportunity to learn how other intelligence agencies function and how beneficial interagency coopera-tion can be.

For more information about NGA, please visit www.nga.mil.

By the Bush School FSNExecutive Board

The Public Servant 2011-2012 Staff List

Casey Braswell, Editor-in-ChiefThomas Buchanan, Copy EditorJeremy Twitchell, Layout Editor

Section Editors: Student Life: Kristin Simpson and

Paige EricsonLocal: Alyssa Johnson and

Courtney BurgeOpinion: Courtney Rottman and

Jessica YeoThe Radish: Calen Caple

Entertainment: Victoria LinkStaff: Joe Aguiar, Andrew Bobo, Casi Buch, Chase Carter, Ashley Herron, Richard Luna, Nicola Mallik, Debe

Nwanze, Rustin Rhone, Ashley Spradlin, Lindsay Taylor, Katie White,

Rachael Young

The views expressed in this publication are those of Bush School students, not necessarily those of the George Bush

School of Government and Public Service.

“I was extremely happy with my experience at

Raytheon and would encourage oth-

ers to see if it is a fit for them. While this school was founded on public service, I have found that service can take many different

forms.”

Kara FillmanMPIA ‘12

Beyond the Bush School: Life in the Former Student Network

out of the notoriously fraud-ridden city of Fuzhou. Additionally, I created a PowerPoint presentation on fraud trends in student visas from Fujian Provence that was shown at a multina-tional fraud prevention meeting.

The highlight of my internship experience was observing Foreign Service Officers and Regional Secu-rity Officers conduct fraud interviews and traveling to on-site interviews in Guangzhou and Taishan City.

In retrospect, my intelligence classes at GBS proved invaluable in understanding how the investigations and questioning of visa applicants are carried out. I also realized that there are a variety of careers and opportuni-ties in the State Department – beyond jobs related to diplomacy.

First-years looking for internships, cast a wide net during your search. If you’re offered an internship that may not be ideal, don’t turn it down imme-diately. It may surprise you how much you will grow to like it.

ChinaFrom Page 1

OPINION

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OPINION

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SEC Move Was the Right One to Make

Language Schools Exposed

9/11 Has Become This Generation's "Where Were You?" Moment

On September 11, 2001, I hopped off my morning bus. I remember heading to a portable and hearing everyone talking about an attack on the World Trade Center. The only WTC I had ever heard of was the one in Dallas, so I flipped out, thinking my dad was hurt. Turns out (a) I suck at directions, because he was working in Grand Prairie, and (b) there was a WTC in New York City. Then I learned some men from Pakistan or Afghanistan had attacked us, they were angry, but I didn’t know why. I had heard of Afghanistan only because I had played Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?

I remember the first time I finally shed tears about what happened, not including when I watched footage of the towers falling and men and women giving up hope, jumping to their deaths to avoid being engulfed by the inferno.

The first time I wept was in 2008, when I was living in Caen, France. The museum in my city had a special exhibit on 9/11. As I came around the corner into the exhibit, I was blown away by the amount of memorabilia the French had amassed. The museum had two stories filled with pictures, videos, firemen helmets, and various other things. When I saw a butcher paper banner of elementary kids’ handprints and messages of hope on there, I lost it. I just sat down on a bench and wept in the middle of the museum.

That was a turning point for me and my desire to work in the Middle East. I had already been released from the USAF, but this set off a fire in my soul. If we hadn’t caught bin Laden by the time I graduated from college, I was going to re-enlist. I wanted to protect my nation. I graduated in May of 2010, but decided to return to

Baylor to audit a course in terrorism and one in intelligence and covert action.

On May 1, 2011, justice was served. — Courtney Burge MPIA 2013

Where were you?On 9/11 I had organized a prayer

gathering at our junior high school's flag pole. A girl came up to me and asked if we could pray for a tall building in New York which a plane had crashed into. I said yes, even though I didn't have a clue what she was talking about, because it sounded like a horrible accident.

The events of 9/11 did influence my decision to study economic development, because the rich-poor gap has given terrorist groups a foothold in rallying followers to hate all that America stands for. My goal and hope for America is to proactively assuage the suffering in these regions of exploitation.

— Sarah Saunders MPIA 2012

I remember being asleep in my bed when my brother burst into my room and told me terrorists had crashed a plane into the World Trade Center. It was my second week of high school and as a young teenager, I did not know what to make of the event. My parents had been sent home from work early because they worked in high-rise buildings in downtown Los Angeles, and it was believed that at least one of the planes was headed toward L.A.

September 11 remained so vivid in my memory that many years later when I was pursuing my Bachelor's degree, I decided that everything I worked for would be to obtain a position as an intelligence analyst to ensure that nothing of this nature occurred on American soil ever again.

— Jessica Yeo MPIA 2012

On the morning of 9/11, I was a freshman in high school, in third period gym class, just outside of Washington, D.C.

We saw the smoke rising from the Pentagon in the distance. Like most of my 14-year old peers, I struggled to make sense of everything. Ten years later, that desire to understand the world is still very much a part of me, and led to my decision to study International Affairs at the Bush School.

— Rachael Young MPIA 2013

I was in pre-algebra class when I first heard about the attacks. My initial thoughts were fear for close friends and family members who were in the military.

Reflecting back, I am so proud of those who have served and are serving in the armed forces, of President Bush and the difficult decisions he had to make, and of our nation for standing up for what was right, even when it was not popular.

— Anonymous

I was at the UNESCO HQ in Paris doing an internship when I received an email from my friend. Since she lived near the WTC, she witnessed the tragedy on the way to her university. I remember some people were blaming Palestinians for the attack, which was of course not true.

The next morning, I arrived at the UNESCO HQ to find that a huge security equipment apparatus had been installed and people were standing in long lines to go through a security check. The guards searched people's bags, though with smiles and apologies. September 11 changed everything and there was tension and mistrust among the people.

— Anonymous

The Aggies are heading to the SEC! So what does that mean?

In College Station, football is king. So it would be natural for the Aggies to join a conference where football is as equally beloved. Luckily, the SEC fits the bill.

Football is a religion in the southeast. Want proof? Twenty-three years ago my mother carried me up 77 flights of stairs to watch her alma mater, Florida, take on Mississippi State — she was nine months pregnant. I was born three days later. That kind of thing just does not happen in the Pac-12.

In the southeast, wedding ceremonies are scheduled around home football games, children know the principles of a zone blitz before they turn five, and newborns are named after heroes from football lore. My son’s name will be Timothy Tebow Heil — seriously.

In short, the Aggies will fit in beautifully with the SEC’s borderline-unhealthy obsession with football. What some call the “cult-like” nature of the Aggie faithful is something only an SEC fan could truly embrace and understand.

But while A&M and the SEC are a cultural match made in heaven, Aggie fans want more; they want to win – and win big. It’s no secret that the SEC is a powerhouse

Brett HeilMPIA '12

conference on the gridiron. The last five championship trophies reside in the halls of SEC programs and since 1997, the SEC has captured half of the NCAA’s Division I football titles. Joining a conference of the SEC’s caliber will undoubtedly yield positive benefits for A&M in terms of fanfare and revenue, but will A&M be a more successful football program in the SEC?

Recent history suggests the answer is no, at least in the short-term. In the past decade, A&M has gone 0-6 versus

SEC opponents, losing by a combined score of 237-128. Furthermore, in recent years, the Aggies have struggled to keep up with SEC teams on the recruiting trail. Based on the recruitment rankings compiled by the Rivals network (the nation’s premier recruiting website), the Aggies’ last three recruiting classes have placed 22nd, 17th, and 27th nationwide. When averaged, those numbers are good enough to make A&M the third-best recruiting team in the Big 12 – but would place them ninth in the SEC.

Recruitment rankings are not the final say, but when you consider the fact that the last four national champions — Auburn, Alabama, Florida, and LSU — all regularly finish in the top five of Rivals’ rankings, you realize that they hold a significant degree of predictive value.

But in spite of the potential near-term pitfalls, conference See SEC on Page 10

This summer I had the opportunity to do a language immersion program in a foreign country. I was able to develop my language skills while experiencing a new culture and making friends with the natives. However, I must admit that the business of language schools left a sour taste in my mouth.

I say business because these schools are just that — businesses looking to profit as much as they can from anyone willing to pay. Now, don’t get

me wrong—I loved my school, adored my teacher and grew leaps and bounds in my speaking ability. But while I was there, I learned the inside scoop about the business from my homestay mom, and that inside scoop sickened me.

The class sizes at my school were small, allowing for more individualized attention. However, I found out that even if a teacher has multiple students in a class, that teacher still gets paid the same amount. For example, if a school charges $300 per week for tuition and a teacher has three students in a class,

then that teacher is paid a fraction of the $300 (for one student’s tuition), while the owners pocket in excess of $600+. If these students are there for an extended period of time, you can see how the income of the owners could rise substantially.

Homestays, on the other hand, are generally a bit cheaper than tuition and usually include two meals a day, plus laundry services. When compared to the cost of a hotel room in the United States, this rate is a bargain. But when you are a poor graduate student in a

Anonymous Contributor

See Schools on Page 9

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he RadishT Bringing you the finest in

investigatory journalism since today

Former Spy Shares Real Story Behind Operation

Students of the George Bush School of Government and Public Service flock to classes held by Professor James Olson to hear his cloak-and-dagger stories and to get glimpses of what life was like for this former Clandestine Officer of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. In this rare opportunity, we are privileged to hear from the spymaster himself what really went on behind the scenes during the most pivotal operation of his career.

According to Professor Olson, “The X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X.” They attempted to X X X X X X X X X X without being detected by the X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X took X X X X X X X X X X to a safe house

located in X X X X X X X X X X. X X X X X X X X X X X X X v X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X special relationship X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X XX X X X.

“We knew it was heating up when the X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X.” X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X.

After X X X X X X X X X X, claiming, "X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X exfiltration of X X X X X X X X X X. X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X plau-sible deniability X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X.” Then, X X X XX X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X. X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X unofficial cover X X X X X XX X X X. He confirms that, “X X X X X X X X X X X X X Gawande X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X.”

Casi Buch and Rustin RhoneMPIA '13

Romney, Perry Stir the Tea

Hoping to clarify the guidelines of propriety, a group of leading Tea Party activists gathered last week to discuss etiquette, the tea trade deficit and the proper role of lemon wedges.

More importantly, however, VIPs on the guest list said they are also using recent events to identify a new host for future tea parties.

Though normally marked by their decorum and pleasant small talk about the affairs of the day, the most recent Tea Party gathering saw lapses in man-ners unlike any the movement has seen since its grassroots formation in 2008 in response to society’s generally declining social mores.

Many of the cri-tiques were direct-ed at Tea Party newcomer Rick Perry, who has captured the enthusiasm of many of the movement’s staunchest et-iquette experts, but has also run afoul of the party’s other aspiring hosts.

Unconfirmed reports said many of those potential hosts were incensed at Perry for forgetting the cinnamon-rai-sin rye loaf that first-timers tradition-ally bring to their first tea party.

Other criticisms leveled at Perry tar-geted his perceived lack of etiquette, particularly those from would-be host Mitt Romney.

“Look at how he is drinking his tea,” Romney said when asked to iden-tify his biggest concern with Perry. “His pinky isn’t even extended – look at it down there, cozied up to the other digits near the bottom of his cup, like hogs in the mud.”

Then, in a momentary lack of procedural behavior that stunned the crowd and hinted at the swirl-ing undercurrent that lies beneath the movement’s glassy surface, Romney

shouted at Perry from across the table: “You sir, are a cur!”

Perry dismissed the criticism.“My uncle Reginald once sustained

second-degree burns from dropping a cup of Spiced Chai into his lap,” Perry said. “Five fingers on the cup may not be the establishment’s way of doing things, but given the option between insider fashion and safety, I will al-ways err on the side of safety.”

The rising feud between Perry and Romney was not the only distraction.

Sarah Palin, who three years ago hosted the original Tea Party, has been suspiciously absent from the head

table at recent par-ties, though she has made her presence known by circling the party, making strange outbursts and occasionally whipping a scone at one of the host candidates.

“In all truth, it has become quite distracting,” potential host Ron Paul said, ducking to narrowly avoid one of Palin’s errant tea biscuits. “There’s plenty of room at our table for civil dialogue, and she’s welcome to partici-pate. This lurking beyond the hedges act can be quite discomfiting, for us as individuals as well as whole of the guest list.”

Other potential hosts, however, have studiously avoided the fray.

Sipping on a cup of warm Earl Gray and lost in a fond reverie, aspiring host Newt Gingrich said he was mostly at the party for “something to do.”

“And they have Earl Gray,” he added. “I realize it hasn’t really been relevant since the ’90s, but what can I say? I’m old-fashioned.”

Potential host Michelle Bachmann said that regardless of who is chosen, it is crucial that future tea parties be more appealing, “so that we can finally show up that damn kegger up the street.”

Jeremy TwitchellMPSA '13

Republicans, Democrats Flip-flop on Entitlements

John TravisMPIA '12

In a surprising turn of political events, the Democratic National Party, in order to counter growing popular support of con-servative Republican presidential candi-dates, have decided to shift their political stance to a more right-wing, anti-taxation, small government agenda.

Former Democratic National Commit-tee chairman Howard Dean praised the switch, saying, “This is exactly the move I wanted to make when I was running things. We need to beat those Republicans at their own game!”

The party, using its control of the Sen-ate, will now begin proposing massive cuts to entitlement programs, such as Social Se-curity and Medicare, along with a series of tax cuts that will “bring American workers off the streets and back onto the assembly line.”

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor publicly lambasted the Democrats for abandoning millions of Americans to a future of abject poverty and increasingly poor healthcare. In a public address yester-day on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial he said, “The Republicans are the party that freed the slaves and helped give equal rights to all Americans. We will stand up and fight for the rights of every American to have life, liberty, and proper health-care!”

Former vice-presidential candidate and Tea Party leader Sarah Palin restarted her national bus tour in support of the news.

She made her first stop last night in Punx-sutawney, Pennsylvania, a town mostly known for its Groundhog Day celebra-tions.

She announced to a bewildered crowd of people exiting a movie theater that she “would fight tooth and nail for the aver-age Joe’s rights to healthcare and retire-ment so that Americans can continue to be strong in the face of adversity just the way Punxsutawney Phil stands up to the dark shadow below him!”

One member of the crowd said that he was really excited to have been there to witness Palin’s announcement.

“It’s not often you get to see a future Daily Show clip live and in person. I can’t wait to get home and watch how Jon Stew-art tears apart that incoherent rambling.”

Finally, in an effort to keep things Fair and Balanced, FOX News has announced that it will be laying off its entire political commentary team and will be adding new commentators in support of the now-con-servative Democratic Party.

In other news, in an amazing show of bi-partisanship, the Senate has unani-mously passed a bill to cut congressional pay to the United States minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said it was a great victory for the Democrats, as it both cuts spending and hits those Republican bastards where it hurts — in their wallets.

The bill is expected to swiftly pass through the House, where Republicans are excited to push Democratic representatives below the poverty line.

Aggie Football Taking its Talents to NFC South

Richard J. LunaMPSA '13

In a surprise move, Texas A&M Athletic Director Bill Byrne an-nounced Wednesday that the football team will not be joining the Southeast-ern Conference as originally thought.

Instead, the team will be joining the NFC South division of the National Football League.

“After we decided to leave the Big 12, we started to really examine our team and where it is we feel we should be playing,” Byrne said. “We figured, ‘Why stop with the SEC?’ So I chal-lenged our staff to dream bigger.”

That’s when Byrne said an ad-

“You, sir, are a cur!”

— Mitt Romney, addressing Rick Perry

See Aggies on Page 9

ministrative assistant in the athletic department contacted NFL League Commission Roger Goodell regarding the possibility of adding A&M to the league. After a 10-minute phone con-versation, Goodell was ready to fax over the paperwork to make it official.

“I don’t know what the conversa-tion was like; you’ll have to ask our assistant about that,” Byrne said. “I looked over the fax and, sure enough, it has Mr. Goodell’s signature on it, so you know the offer is good to go.”

When asked about the big move to the NFL, A&M Head Football Coach Mike Sherman was optimistic about his team’s chances.

LOCAL LIVING

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“Well we have two games each against Tampa Bay and Carolina on the schedule every year, so that’s four automat-ic wins right there,” Sherman said. “Looking ahead at next year, we play against all the teams in the NFC West. So already that’s eight wins I can guarantee for next season.”

Walk-on Redshirt Freshman Jack Krueger says it’s a dream come true to play in the pros.

“Here I thought I never would get the chance to make it to the NFL,” Krueger said. “All those kids growing up who called me small and slow will now have to eat those words when they see me on the same field as Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.”

As far as other A&M teams making the jump to the pro-fessional ranks, Byrne said more could be on their way.

“I’ve been in talks with NBA Commissioner David Stern about our women’s basketball team joining the Atlantic di-vision in the Eastern Conference,” Byrne said. “Right now the talks are positive and I’ll quote Stern on this one, he said, ‘Hey, right now—anything is better than the Nets.’”

AggiesFrom Page 7

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ENTERTAINMENT

My First Impressions of B/CSAshley Herron

MPIA '13

In August, I arrived in College Station both sweaty and cranky after a two day-drive. They were two very long days.

I pulled a 5x8 U-Haul trailer behind my 15-year-old Honda Ac-cord , requiring me to drive sans air conditioner to keep the engine from overheating. Once I finally cooled down, I began to take stock of my new surroundings.

Sweltering heat? Check. Enormous pick-up trucks? Check. But the combination of heat and

humidity that continually fogged over my glasses took me by surprise. After wiping down my eyewear, I headed

out to get acquainted with my new home.

Despite hauling a trailer full of goodies across the country, I was still in need of items for my apartment. My starting place was a function of my budget constraint: BCS thrift stores. Below, I’ve summarized places where you can find a trove of secondhand treasures:

• Goodwill — 2704 Texas Ave. S., College Station. Smaller than expect-ed, limited selection .

• St. Vincent De Paul Society — 300 N. Main, Bryan. Small selection, mainly housewares.

• Alice’s Attic — 424 N. Main, Bryan. No air conditioning, so go later in the day.

My second stop? Food! Some Ags who have been around longer than me provided helpful insight for scheduling my restaurant patronage:

• Rosa’s Taco Tuesday — Three tacos, rice and beans for $3.69.

• TGI Friday’s — Half-price ap-petizers after 10 p.m.

The physical trip to College Station was only the first step of the journey. Now we’re moving past first impres-sions and establishing ourselves in this new community (while also tunneling out from the mountain of work we’ve been assigned).

None of us can predict how well we will manage , but at least we can all enjoy Taco Tuesday in the mean-time!

Veritas Provides Ideal Dining for Special Occasions

Danielle MenardMPIA '13

My second weekend in College Station ended with an unexpectedly lovely meal at Veritas Wine & Bistro. Coming from foodie cities such as L.A. and Philly , I was admittedly doubtful about the cuisine I would find in Texas.

Yet my doubts were blown out of the water after Sunday night. This proudly all-Aggie-staffed restaurant was very quiet on a game night, but no one could accuse them of dis-tractedly checking the score, as the service was impeccable.

Equally impressive was the food. Self-proclaimed French-American-Asian cuisine blended harmoniously to produce an opening course of fresh asparagus cream soup unusu-ally topped with sweet balsamic vinegar and crispy onions. While I adore balsamic vinegar, I must admit I never thought it would taste so good on top of my soup.

For the main course, I chose to stick a little closer to the American side of the cuisine, with the black angus rib eye steak, seasoned in an espresso and roasted garlic rub. Again, espresso and roasted garlic? Who would have imagined such a mix of classic ingredients on a steak? It was exceptional and all paired with a fabulous French Burgundy. After all, this is a wine bar AND bistro. The sommelier knew her

wine, and when we asked for a light French Burgundy, she produced just the thing.

Overall, Veritas combined above-par food, wine and service with an elegant atmosphere. The only hitch to this great culinary offering proves to be the price. This restaurant comes under the category of “special occasion only” –anniversaries, getting that coveted paid summer internship, passing the language exam or, as for me, when your wonderful parents come into town and want to treat you.

So for all my fellow graduate students, keep Veritas in mind for an exceptional culinary experience.

foreign country for an extended period of time with no summer financial aid, the price becomes magnified.

More than halfway into my stay, I found out that the homestay families contracted with my school only received about 2/3 of what students were actually paying.

This angered me because my homestay mom was cleaning my room, doing my laundry and cooking for me while the owners received a generous commission fee for doing nothing more than setting my host mom up with a student.

Additionally, the owners would sneakily raise prices on their website, but not raise the payment to the families.

I would have gladly paid my homestay mom and my teacher the full price because they were truly magnificent individuals who taught me so much and who made my stay in the country so pleasant. But to find out that such kind-hearted, honest individuals were being gypped by the owners was frustrating and put a damper in my otherwise enjoyable summer.

SchoolsFrom Page 4

Concert Review: Austin City Limits

A few weekends ago I fulfilled a dream of mine by attending my first Austin City Limits Music Festival, known by its fans as “ACL.” Over the past ten years of ACL’s existence, its stages have been graced by bands ranging from those that only the most hip of hipsters have heard of to big names such as Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Pearl Jam and this year’s draw, Stevie Wonder.

With eight different stages to choose from and more than 130 artists every year, the festival has something for (nearly) everyone. Festival-goers can expect to hear everything from indie rock to hip hop to country.

Bands Seen: Nas & Damian “Jr Gong” Marley, Santigold, Coldplay, Kanye West, Young the Giant, City and Colour, Iron & Wine, Fitz and the Tantrums, Cut Copy, Stevie Wonder, Grafitti6, The Head and The Heart, The Airborne Toxic Event, Broken

Social Scene, Fleet Foxes and Arcade Fire.

Favorite performance: Santigold. Santigold’s music is difficult to pigeonhole into a particular genre. It is part indie, part hip hop, part electronica, part dub, part New Wave, and part weird (but in a good way). Judge for yourself. Santigold and her dancers had a ton of energy and were very entertaining to watch. You cannot listen to her music and not have a dance party. Recommendations: “Creator” and “Go!”

Favorite new musical discovery: Young the Giant. An indie rock-pop band from Irvine, CA. High energy performance, great riffs and catchy tunes. Recommendations: “My Body” and “Strings.”

Best fans: Arcade Fire. Now this may be because this was one of the headliners and I had gotten myself wedged in fairly close to the stage, but the Arcade Fire fans seemed to be the most hardcore, singing and dancing along to every song. For those who

Photo by Jessica Yeo

don’t know Arcade Fire, they are an indie rock band from Canada famous for using a bevy of instruments, including glockenspiels and French horns. Recommendations: “Keep The Car Running” and “Rebellion (Lies).”

Best harmonies: Fleet Foxes. Hands down. Their harmonies have See ACL on Page 10

Jessica YeoMPIA '12

BCS !

October Intramural Schedule

10/5: Soccer, Softball, & Men's Basketball at 7:45 p.m.10/7: Co-Rec Basketball at 8:30 p.m. & Flag Football at 9:45 p.m.10/19: Soccer at 9:45 p.m.

The Public ServanT | 10

this wonderful ethereal quality that leaves the listener mesmerized. They belong to the folk-indie rock genre. Recommendations: “Blue Ridge Mountains” and “White Winter Hymnal.”

Most interesting: Iron & Wine changing up their songs to include a brass section. Their music is generally extremely slow, folk rock. I love Iron & Wine’s music, but I liked that they adapted their set to suit the festival crowd, which needed more upbeat songs. Recommendations: “Boy With A Coin” and “Sodom, South Georgia.”

Most exciting: Stevie Wonder. Do I really need to elaborate? Recommendations: “Sir Duke” and

“Living for the City.” Recommendations for future ACL-goers:

• Book your hotel room in May or find a friend living in Austin to stay with.

• Walk/take bus/take shuttle to get to ACL. Do NOT attempt to bring your car in.

• BRING: an umbrella (good for both rain AND sun); sunscreen; a hat; plastic/Ziploc bag for valuables you don’t want getting wet if it rains; folding chair so you can rest in between sets (the days are LONG); hand sanitizer and TP (for port-a-potties); bathing suit (for girls); and cash for food, drinks and bus fare.

The Public ServanT | 11

ENTERTAINMENT

CROSSWORD!

ACLFrom Page 9

ENTERTAINMENT!

ACROSS 1. The mascot of Texas A&M 5. "About to" go somewhere, for a Texan (with an apostrophe)6. The best state in the Union, y'all!8. What you NEVER say to an Aggie11. The ___________; where you might go two-steppin'13. What collapsed Nov. 18, 1999, prompting a school remembrance day14. If you don't have a date to Midnight Yell, you might be SOL for this tradition!16. The Bush School's first dean (don't miss this!)

DOWN2. How you kill a horned frog

3. Yankees call it soda; Midwesterners call it pop

4. That sound annoying freshmen and sophomores might

make prematurely

7. Where A&M will be headed in July 2012

9. One of A&M's official colors

10. Nectar from heaven for Southerners

12. Traditional greeting from an Aggie

15. The student section, but it only makes sense in football

1. 2.

6.

14.

7.

11. 12.

5.

8.

3. 4.

9.

13.

10.

16.

15.

realignment also brings long-term hope. Joining the SEC may allow A&M to start reeling in many of the top in-state recruits that so often go to Texas or Oklahoma. If this happens, the Aggies would undoubtedly become a consistent contender on the national scale.

Overall, and perhaps most importantly, TAMU has made a bold statement about the future of their football program, a statement Aggies everywhere should be excited about. As CBS commentator Gary Danielson says every Saturday before kickoff, “The road to the national title goes through the SEC.” Welcome aboard, Ags!

SECFrom Page 4

Spanish Javier Acosta T, W 5-6 Room: 1061

Spanish II Ramon Gonzales M, W 6:15-7:15 Room: 1022

Spanish II José M. Rocha T, Th 5-6 Room: 1106

Spanish III Adrian Calcaneo M, W 6:15-7:15 Room: 1061

German II Mariah M. Bastin T, Th 5-6 Room: 1022

German III Mariah M. Bastin T, Th 6-7 Room: 1022

Russian Aselle Kuspangaliyeva T, Th 4:30-5:30 Room: 1070

Russian II Aselle Kuspangaliyeva T, Th 5:30-6:30 Room: 1070

Chinese II Jennifer Olson T, Th 5-6 Room: 1022

Chinese III Wenrui Liu (Evelyn) W, F 12:30-1:30 Room: 1061

French I Nesrine Mansour M, W 5-6 M: 1106 / W:1063

French II Nesrine Mansour M, W 6-7 M: 1106 / W:1063

French III Nesrine Mansour T, Th 6-7 Room: 1106

Japanese Geoffrey Shaw Sterh T, Th 5-6 T: 41st Club / Th:1063

Indonesian Margaretta Adrienne Email mauricioc@tamu.edu for more info.

FLCS Discussion Group Schedules

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THE BACK PAGE

Declared one of Time’s 50 best websites for 2011, 8tracks.com offers a fresh new perspective to online radio services.

Unlike Pandora, which uses algorithms to select songs based off your preferences, 8tracks offers a more communal approach that allows users to upload a minimum of eight songs — hence, 8tracks — and to share them as their own personal "mix."

In a world that is rapidly being dominated by social media, 8tracks is on the forefront of social music sharing, allowing users to follow people with similar tastes and providing a collaborative approach to entertaining its users, whether it is in the office or studying in the library.

Registration and use of to the website is free and uploading songs to the website is completely legal, as 8tracks handles all of the legal fees associated with sharing the media. Once users register, the site is fairly easy to navigate. From Disney to Dub-Step, Country to Indie, 8tracks offers something for everyone, so log on today and share your musical tastes with the rest of the 8tracks community.

SUDOKU

8tracks.com: If You Don't Have it, Get it

Ashton CooperMPIA '12

PSO served at the Brazos Valley Food Bank on Saturday September 17. Several students came out to help this great local non-profit. In two hours, we made 108 family emergency boxes and 312 food bags. All of the students had a great time.

PSO Update

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