Good New Mexican Restaurant's Revised2

restaurant's

Good New Mexican Restaurant's Revised 2
I know of a great Spanish restaurant that has some of the best New Mexican food around called Serafino's. This restaurant is a little pricey but you do get what you paid for. If you go remember to try the mom's enchilada's it's the next best thing next to home cooking as you can get. If you like New Mexican food on the go fast cheap and good Federico's is the place for you. I go when ever I want a really good burrito to go. My personal favorite is the New Mexican Beef Burrito, its not only good its really good. Another good restaurant to go to is moms Mexican food restaurant. It's on the corner of menaul and San Mateo by Big Lots. it's a small family owned restaurant that serves really good food. Their salsa is especially good along with their combination plate. The food is relatively cheap and you get a good amount of food for the money you pay.

Summer Fun Pass

Searching through the official website of the duke city, I found an interesting article about a discount "fun pass" that the Mayor has created for young people staying in Albuquerque during the long school break. It came as a surprise to me that such an awesome idea is not publicized more- so I am taking it upon myself to share.
As far as the wevbiste goes, I encourage anyone to click on the link provided for other stuff concerning art museums, recreational activities around the city, marathon dates and details, transportation information, and almost any other thing you can think of happening in the good ol' 505.

So read up, link up, and if you got $13- work on your cheap dates and get discounts with this summer pass or be nice and buy one for your younger siblings.
Cheers!


Mayor Martin Chávez and ABQ RIDE Director Greg Payne are pleased to announce the return of ABQ RIDE’s popular Summer Fun Pass. The pass gives students ages 5-18 discounts on food and entertainment and provides unlimited access to all ABQ RIDE buses.

Valued at more than $200, the pass sells for just $13, and is valid from May 1 through Aug. 31. The ABQ RIDE Summer Fun Pass is on sale now.

“I don’t know if I can think of a better way to spend $13,” said Mayor Chávez. “Not only does the Summer Fun Pass offer four months of unlimited bus rides, it also gives kids a reason to leave the house and be productive with their free time.”

The 2007 ABQ RIDE Summer Fun Pass features summer-long discounts at JC’s NYPD Pizza, Paint-Ball Action Inc., Putt-Putt Golf Courses, Batter’s Edge Batting Cages, Holiday Bowl, Baskin Robbins, Cold Stone Creamery and the City of Albuquerque swimming pools. The pass also includes one-time coupons for Industrial Rideshop, Vitality Juice & Smoothies, the National Atomic Museum, Hinkle Family Fun Center, the Rio Grande Zoo, ITZ and McDonald’s.

“The Summer Fun Pass is the epitome of a win-win situation,” said ABQ RIDE Director Greg Payne. “Kids get discounts on pizza and miniature golf, while ABQ RIDE gains some young, new passengers who could turn into lifelong customers.”

The ABQ RIDE Summer Fun Pass is on sale now. It can be purchased at Albertson’s, Raley’s, and the information booths at Coronado and Cottonwood malls or from the City Treasurer’s Office or the Alvarado Transportation Center. For more information, call 243-RIDE.
James W. Faught

Get Your Clubs out this summer!

Summer is just around the corner, so what is there to do with all of your precious free time? Well if you like to go out and play a nice fun round of golf then this is a great time for you. Now that it is summer and starting to get hot as Haitis, there are plenty of deals on rounds of golf. There are a lot of deals out in Arizona mostly the Phoenix and Scottsdale area. There are deals else where like San Diego, Alabama, Hawaii, and many other places. You can get deals on a round of golf if you are out there and you just want to play one day. Also you can get deals on the weekends where you only pay one price per day your out there and it goes to your golf round as well as hotel accomodations and maybe even breakfast at the hotel. One deal offered is out in Phoenix and includes hotel stay, breakfast in the morning, and around of golf with a cart for each day that you stay there all for a low price of $152 per person. The web site that you can find these great deals is http://www.golfnvacation.com/ So get out there and get your swing on!

Staying Home?

If you are staying in New Mexico this summer, I recommend that you spend some time in nature. If you enjoy the mountains, get up there early and do as much hiking as you can before they close them for fire season. New Mexico has a vast amount of Natural Forest and Wild Life Reserve, making it possible to spend the entire summer sleeping under the stars or in a tent. I would recomend starting north and moving south as the summer progresses. Start in the Taos Mountains and spend a few nights around the Williams Lake area, at the base of Wheeler Peak (New Mexico's tallest mountain at just over 13,000 feet). Next work your way down through the Truchas Peaks and then over to the Santa Fe National Forest. You can also find many nights of wonderful camping in the Pecos Wilderness. I recomend finding your way to Hamilton Mesa, where all of the Mountians mentioned above can be seen from your tent. As the summer moves on and you've already seen the Manzanos and Mount Taylor, the Jemez and the Sandias, you could either up head north again up to Chama and the Southern San Juan Range or south to the Hila Wilderness. There is nothing better than day hiking in the mountains next to a stream when it is too hot to go outside down in the City. Disfruta Mucho! Robin Abeles

Travel Abroad this Summer

The UNM Office of International Studies is perhaps the most valuble deparment here on campus. They provide the brige between the student and educational instituions around the world. UNM has a very strong international student community, making it possible for our own students to make the leap and study in a interechange program. Many of these programs are just for the summer, and it is not too late to get invovled. There may still be money available for scholarships and grants as well. Contact the Office of International Studies at (505) 277-4032 or visit their web site at http://www.unm.edu/oips/ and click on the study abroad tab for more info. This is an invaluble way to spend your summer and maybe even a semester or a full year! Remeber, you only live once this lifetime! Peace! Robin Abeles

Summer Activity

Have time to Spare this Summer?

If you spend every summer killing time by the pool or watching TV, then you are in need of dire change. Get out and see the world, volunteer, and learn, all in one summer program! WWOOF or Willing Workers on Organic Farms is an Australian based volunteer program that teaches organic farming and easy living in exchange for your time and energy.

American or Australian, anyone mature enough and willing to work (over the age of 17 of course) can join the WWOOF program. Due to the physical and mental demands of the WWOOF experience, participants should have at least average physical fitness, and of course some cash to fly to and from. Expenses are covered once you arrive in Australia with your host family becayse working in exchange for food and accommodation is the basis of all WWOOFing. Time spent working varies according to the degree of self-sufficiency expected, for example:how busy the host is at the time of your visit and other factors - but it should average out at about a half day's work for a full day's keep.

If you are interested in the program log on to the link provided and get hooked up. All information including the logistics of the program, visa information, cost information, work details, WWOOF blogging, and even WWOOF books are available.

NOTE: If hanging out with Australian dingo's and Kangaroos is not your deal- search the site for programs in other countries like Europe, Japan, and Canada!

A Day in the Hills of Rural England

All I can say is, “This is a place to relax”. It’s exactly what comes to mind when I think of the quiet life. Here are small idyllic towns nestled amidst mammoth rolling green hills. Here are high elevation lakes that reflect a sky so blue you can’t believe you’re in Britain. Here are small family owned bakeries and bed and breakfasts and sheep wandering amongst stone walls that have covered this rural countryside for centuries.

When I look outside and see these hills, the biggest question that comes to mind is how far I could throw an Aerobee Frisbee from up there. And since I am here to relax, I intend to experiment all afternoon with that vary question. But first things first. What to eat?

Outside on the cobble street the English are starting to arrive for the weekend from the busy cities further south, but while they explore the shops and restaurants, I thread my way quickly to my favorite bakery to purchase a signature of these parts, steak and kidney filled pastry. It doesn’t sound very good, but the Scottish friend I am traveling with coned me into trying one and now I understand why the bakeries sell so many everyday.

When we’ve had our fill, Stuart and I (please imagine his name with a Scottish accent to get a more accurate feel for his character) head for the hills. Apparently the protocol around here is to stay off the farmland or incur the wrath of the local sheepherders, but the allure of some of the more remote hills is too great and we find ourselves scrambling over the stone walls and running past farmhouse windows. The climb is steep, and we refresh ourselves several times at little springs that burst from the sides of the hills. It almost sounds unbelievable as I write it, like heaven eh? When we finally reach the pinnacle, which we must share with a very stern looking ram, the experiments begin.

You don’t get to throw very often because the Aerobee is soaring absolutely ridiculous distances. I don’t know if you have ever played with an Aerobee, but if you have, you’ll know what I am talking about. Stuart and I have passed time all summer with Aerobees and more traditional Frisbees, so I must say our technique is getting quite good. Anyways, I say all that to emphasize how far the little hollow disc is going.

After a monumental toss we run down the hills at high speed to fetch it. I can’t stop laughing because Stuart is a big Scottish rugby player with a full beard and he looks so in his element charging down hills at full stride. After all, this is part of the land that his ancestors fought so hard to keep from the British. It’s a hilarious sight. Maybe you had to be there…

By Will McMullen

Destination: The Lake District, England

Flight: If you book at least a month in advance, you can purchase a round-trip ticket to Manchester for under $800. However, if you want to avoid log lay-overs and multiple connections the ticket may be a bit pricier.

Hotels: I recommend staying in the many bed and breakfasts the sprinkle the Lake Districts. These often offer a taste of British hospitality, and in my experience the hosts often go out of their way to make your stay enjoyable. A small comfortable bed and breakfast can run between 25 and 30 pounds or $50-$60.

News/ Current Events Affecting Travel: n/a

Language: English

Culture: England, and especially rural England, like the Lake Districts, has a very principled culture based on tradition. Americans are known for being loud and rude. This does not mean the English will openly look down on you or be unfriendly, but it would do no harm to make an active effort to dispel the stereotype. People’s personal space and privacy are held very precious, so be moderate in conversation.

A Day In Seattle

The best way to wake up on a groggy, sprinkling Seattle morning is to hit up any of the local coffee shops and enjoy a fresh cup of locally roasted espresso. Tons of these places are littered across the town and by simply asking a local for any suggestions you are bound to come across any great café. Joe Bar is an example of one of these great stops, with a warm atmosphere and great service.

Downtown Seattle is where so much of the action takes place. The monorail can get you anywhere that you want to go in that neck of the woods, and is much easier than renting a car or taking a cab. In this area is one of the highlights: the Space Needle. The Space Needle is to Seattle as the Eiffel Tower is to Paris, and at 605 feet, the view of the city is breathtaking. The ride up is only $10, and if you plan to dine at the top the ticket is waived. The area surrounding this landmark is filled with other great places to see and things to do, one of them being the Underground Tour.

For adventure seekers, taking the Underground Tour that takes place in Pioneer Square, you are given the chance to check out the original roadways that now can be found below the city. After a devastating fire in 1889, the city was abandoned, but later the city was simply built again on top of what was already there, creating an entire underground network. So much can be learned from this expedition, and seeing what lies below the ground is always fascinating. Pioneer Square has so much shopping, eating, and a great night life, which quickly changes any travelers attention to what is most crucial to Seattle: its art culture.

Film, theater, music, galleries, anything imaginable having to do with art not only can be found in Seattle, but it’s high-quality, popular, and simply amazing. The music scene has so much to offer that any person’s musical taste can find what it is that they desire in the city. Many great musicians have emerged out of the depths of the city, and it’s always great to be able to catch a show or two at venues like Chop Suey, Fenix Underground, and SeaMonster Lounge are places to definitely check out for a great drink and a great show. If art is more your thing, a definite must see is the Seattle Art Museum. Exhibits include both contemporary Northwest artists, giving locals the opportunity to show their work off.

Seattle is such a vibrant city with tons of places to go, coffee shops to try, music joints to check out, museums to walk through, and so much more. One day is not nearly enough to enjoy all that can be had in this wonderful metropolis.


By Carey Billings

Destination: Seattle, Washington

Flight: Airfare ranges from $300 to $600, depending on the airline you choose and how close to your departure you book the flight. United, Delta, Frontier, and US Airlines have the best deals, and always allow yourself time to shop around.

Hotels: Hotels in Seattle vary in all sizes and price ranges, and picking one just depends on the desired location and price. The Pan Pacific Seattle costs $215 per night and is in the South Lake Union area just north of downtown Seattle. The Space Needle and Seattle Center are only half-mile away, and a quick cab ride can easily take you to where all the action is. If you are looking into doing some shopping and having fun, the Sheraton Seattle Hotel is right in the middle of the entertainment district and costs $189 per night. If your budget is a little tighter, the Best Western Executive Inn Seattle Center is only two blocks away from the Seattle Center, the downtown monorail, and the Space Needle, costing $124.

News/Current Events Affecting Travel: N/A

Language: English

Culture: Performing arts are a central aspect of Seattle’s culture. The city has 29 professional theater companies, more than 80 smaller theater companies, over 80 music venues, and 18 major museums on top of a huge pool of private art galleries. Coffee is a must in Seattle, with an abundance of excellent local espresso roasters, so stopping by as many coffee joints is necessary while in the neighborhood.

One Day in D.C.

As a tourist, you’ll find PLENTY to do in Washington, D.C., especially if you’re into history. Get up bright and early to avoid crowds, and head over to the National Mall. This park links the Washington Monument and the Capitol building, and is very close to many other memorials, such as the National World War II Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the Albert Einstein Memorial. There is also the Lincoln Memorial, but check this one out after dark. Once you’ve walked all you can walk, head over to the Le Bon Café, 210 2nd St. SE, where you can grab a cheap but tasty meal.

Feel like seeing more sites? At some point in the day, it is imperative that you see the Changing of the Guard at Arlington National Cemetery. It occurs every half hour in the summer during the day, every hour in the winter, and every two hours at night in all seasons. It’s a ghostly feeling to be in the silent presence of the unknown soldiers interred in the tomb, hearing only the guard’s steps as he walks 21 paces, and the click of his heels as he turns to walk 21 more. It’s definitely something you won’t forget. While you’re in the cemetery, head over to former President John F. Kennedy’s grave. The eternal flame is very moving.

At some point during your stay, you might consider heading over to the Kennedy Center, (800)444-1324, at 6 pm. Here, musicians of all kind come to play a free (yes, totally free) hour-long concert. Who could resist free music?

This is all just a taste of what lies in D.C. There still remains the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian, and so much more. See what time permits, but don’t overdo the tourism thing either. Enjoy Washington D.C. as the Washingtonians do. Explore a little outside of the tourist spots – walk around, ride the metro. Just make sure no to ride it during rush hour, or you’ll see Washingtonians not-so-enjoying D.C.


By Melissa Freeland

Destination: Washington, D.C.

Flight: Try to plan your trip way in advance for cheaper tickets, and if you can, stay away from holidays, as they tend to make airline tickets skyrocket in price. You’ll enjoy D.C. in its off time better anyway.

Hotels: There are a multitude of hotels in D.C. Don’t mind shelling out a few bucks for the experience? Then try the historic Renaissance Mayflower, 1127 Connecticut Ave. NW (800)468-3571. In existence since 1925, this hotel was even preferred to the White House by Harry S. Truman. If you would rather spend your money on other things, try Jurys Normandy Inn at 2118 Wyoming Ave. NW (800)424-3729. The rooms are small and cozy, and you end up only spending $89 - $185.

News/Current Events affecting Travel: The recent massacre at Virginia Tech

Language: As it is the U.S.A.’s capitol, English

Culture: Tourism is a huge part of Washington, D.C., due to its myriad of landmarks and memorials. Art museums, performing arts centers, and other venues of artistic and musical interest are very popular as well.

A day in "The City by the Bay"

The sun has just risen in San Francisco, but you don't know it yet. This is because the fog that blankets the Bay Area is still nestled on the city from the night before. You wake up from a good nights sleep and decide to go enjoy some breakfast at the best kept secret in San Francisco, "Mama's on Washington Square."

By the time you finish your morning breakfast (may I suggest the chocolate-cinnamon French Toast topped with strawberries with a big glass of Orange Juice?) the fog should be lifting. The next thing to do is to go take a walk down the pier. Immediately you are greeted with the sound of seagulls and sea lions and the ambience of many street vendors setting up for yet another busy day. After all, Pier 39 is the biggest tourist attraction in the United States every year (eat your heart out Epcot Center).

There are so many options on what you can do in a single day here in San Francisco. You can take a tour of world famous Alcatraz. You can attend a San Francisco Giants baseball game (if you're really die hard you can even take a boat out to McCovey cove and catch the baseball game literally on the bay). You can go visit Chinatown and check out the jaw dropping culture in a small area of this big city.

Or you can shop.

San Francisco offers some of the best stores to shop at in the country. Whether you want to buy the typical touristy mechandise up and down the Pier, or go visit the Ghirardelli chocolate factory - there is no shortage of stores in this extravagant city.

By the time you look at your watch, you realize you've wasted a lot of time at the Pier (or at the baseball game if you chose to attend that instead) and now you have to go enjoy your nightlife.

What to do, what to do.

You can visit another part of San Francisco, the downtown area filled with clubs and bars galore. Each of which offers a very unique crowd and a great chance to dance the night away. If dancing isn't your thing (I understand being a white guy and all) or you're not a big fan of night clubs, San Francisco offers a couple of very cool late night destinations - late night coffee shops with a view of the whole city, Golden Gate bridge included.

By the time you finish whatever it is you decided to do this evening, you're really to call it a night in San Francisco, but hurry back to your hotel.

The fog is getting set to roll in, and another day in the City by the Bay is on its way.

- Brent Booher

Destination: San Francisco

Flight: Assuming you booked your flight in advance, you're likely looking at round-trip airfare from Albuquerque to San Francisco ranging at or around $300 a person. This fare could however go down significantly if you fly into one of San Francisco's sister cities on Southwest. Southwest unfortunately does not offer service into San Francisco but does offer service to San Jose (30-45 min drive to SF) and Oakland (15-25 min drive to SF). Southwest offers flights sometimes for as little as $150-160/person round trip. So it might be in your best interest to look into those options.

Hotels: San Francisco, as many major cities do, offers many hotels for tourists to choose from. If you want to really heighten your experience in the city by the bay, maybe you should get a hotel - well - right by the bay. San Francisco offers several beautiful hotels right near the world famous San Francisco Piers, putting you right at the heart of some of the cities must see places.

News/Current Events Affecting Travel: The only possible affect is California's high gas prices, but really.. high gas prices are no longer exclusive to California.

Language: English.

Culture: San Francisco has a very unique culture in its city. The city itself has a variety of Asian cultures (the bulk of which are seen near Chinatown), and well it is also well known for its prominence in the gay community - which is a pretty unique culture in itself.

A Day In Montreal

The metropolis of Montreal is where my and so many others’ hearts belong. So much life exists in every inch of the city, and I can’t help but feel giddy and anxious every time I wake up in my hotel room. The city is so big with so many museums, shops, cafes, and anything possible to do, see or experience that I constantly to fit as much possible into each day.

As I step out of the elevator of my hotel, I walk straight onto the main street. In the distance I can here music, and I know that its one of the many music festivals that they hold in the downtown district. I long to go and check out the bands that are playing, but decide to stick to my schedule. As I stroll along the street I pass so many cafes that it’s hard to choose which one to stop in, but I finally settle on Café République. I treat myself to a great omelet, and decide to continue on my day.

My parents told me that one of the musts of Montreal is to take a horse-drawn carriage ride through the narrow cobblestone streets in Old Montreal. As I stand in the middle of the plaza trying to decided which guide standing patiently with their horse to choose from. A young woman waves to me and offers me a tour, which I then take, grateful that my decision was made easy. I learned so much from the tour about the history of all the churches, the history of the city, and a lot about the culture and current issues that the province is going through. The ride took a couple of hours, and afterwards decided to stop by the Museum of Fine Arts.

The Musee des Beaux-Arts was what the sign read on the outside, and I felt excited that I was learning and starting to pick up a little French. I noticed that the building was made up of an older 1912 building, and a more modern 1991 building, and once inside I learned that the two were annexed together by an underground pathway. The more time I spent in Montreal, the more underground pathways I began to find. The museum was filled with great contemporary, international, and Canadian exhibits, and feeling the crunching of time I ran through as much of it as I possibly could. After running through much of the museum I decided to get lunch, and stopped by a restaurant that had been recommended to me earlier by my guide.

Not to far from the museum was the Alto Restaurant, a cute little Italian pizzeria. The food was great and well priced, and definitely hit the spot. After lunch I knew exactly where I wanted to go. I was told of the Underground City, which is made up of a extensive web of subways, restaraunts and stores.

The winters are harsh in Montreal, and one of the best ways to deal with the cold is to create an underground city, which I got a complete kick out of. I spent hours exploring all the stores, stopping by a café for a quick drink, and continuing on to see all that there was to offer.

My grand finale to my trip was to see a performance of Cirque du Soleil, which I had been dying to see ever since I missed a traveling show that came close to where I had been living. After my wild adventure in the underground I reemerged and ran to the hotel to change. I made the show just in time, and was delighted by the performance. The show was filled with acrobatic sequences in which dancers did tricks in the air and mesmerized the audience with their poetic performances.

After Cirque du Soleil I decided to get a late bite to eat at Ristorante Cavalli, which to much of my delight had a great atmosphere with live music, but to much of my disappointment left a fairly large dent in my wallet. After a few drinks I finally retired back at my hotel room, feeling quite content on my eventful and fun-packed day.


By Carey Billings

Destination: Montreal, Canada

Flight: As with any trip, it is important to book a flight well in advance to save money that you may wish to spend other places. Tickets cost around $600 per person, and by shopping around better deals are sure to be found.

Hotels: Many hotels varying in quality and price range are located close to the heart of the city. The Omni Mont-Royal Hotel, located in Montreal’s Golden Square Mile district of downtown, is surrounded by shops and is a quick walk away from the Museum of Fine Arts. With the four stars, the rooms range from $123 to $181 per night. If your budget is tighter, the Lord Berri Hotel is situated near the Old Montreal part of downtown, and is a steal at $89 per night with 3 stars.

News/Current Events Affecting Travel: N/A

Language: Quebec is mainly a French-speaking province, but many of its citizens are bilingual. Many rumors make the people in Quebec seem biased towards non-French speakers by ignoring or being rude to them, but this is completely false. Be sure before you leave to learn some basic words that may help with your travels, such as “Je suis perdu” – “I’m lost,” “C’est combine” – “How much is it?” and “Où se trouve” – “Where is…”

Culture: Traveling to Montreal is much like traveling to a European country, yet its still located in North America. The city is nicknamed as “the city of a thousand steeples,” as a great number of old churches litter the area, all of which have beautiful architecture and interior design. Old Montreal, or Vieux-Montreal, is a must see for any traveler, as it is filled with cultural landmarks, museums, boutiques, cafes, and great restaurants. There is so much to see, ranging from Montreal’s Museum of Fine Arts (Musee des Beaux-Arts), the Blodome of Montreal, the Underground City, the Montreal Insectarium, the Biosphere, and Mont Royal. With Canada’s largely immigrant population, every cuisine imaged is available, and beer is a definite Canadian specialty.

One Day in The BK

Every morning I wake up here, it immediately enters my mind that “I am in Brooklyn”. That’s one of the things I love about this city, it is always exerting its presence in your mind. No matter what you are doing, there is always a part of your mind recalling this fact. Maybe it’s the pervasive noise of cars, and helicopters, and people on the street, or the smells; lattés here, pizza here, curry here. I think it’s the energy. You can’t make it here unless you are a “go getter”. This city is absolutely filled with energy, you can almost feel it in the air, and I would be the first to admit it is one of things that is so addicting about NY and especially Brooklyn.

The first thing I like to do when I hit the streets in the morning is head around the corner to the Brooklyn Bread Co. This small bakery/ coffee shop on street level is full of Italian American culture. Everyone in here has a name like Tony “Big Boy” Baldino or Christopher “Tootie” Mariano. You can’t buy this stuff! Everyone knows everyone. It’s like I walked on the set of Sopranos. And if you know how to interact, you are quickly synthesized into the neighborhood. It wasn’t but a couple months here before I had picked up a Brooklyn accent and the girl at Brooklyn Bread Co. knew my order to the “t”.

After my bacon and egg frittata and a stack of pancakes it’s time to hit the neighborhoods. This is one aspect which differentiates me from the locals. A lot of these people spend almost their entire life in a ten block area. Me? I wanna see what’s out there. From the Italian speaking streets of Carroll Gardens I head to Fort Greene, one of the many black neighborhoods in Brooklyn. You change neighborhoods so fast here, that if you don’t know what to watch for you will have passed through five different ethnic areas in a thirty minute walk without even having realized it.

Today, like many days, they are having a street festival in Fort Greene. The Caribbean steel drums radiate through the streets. I stop at a famous cup cake shop, where I wait what would be considered a ludicrous amount of time for my pastry. But trust me. You haven’t had these cupcakes.

I have to have my order exactly right before I get to the counter; otherwise, I will quickly evoke not only the wraith of the line behind me, but also the cashier. You are welcome to enjoy Brooklyn, and if your smart no one will bother you, but you absolutely cannot get in these people’s way, or waist their time. And that’s why I love them. You gotta respect their hustle….


By Will McMullen

Destination: Brooklyn, NY

Flight: If you book in well in advance, and depending on which airport, you can purchase a round trip ticket for under $300.

Hotels: Unlike Manhattan, hotels can sometimes be hard to come by according to where you stay in the Burroughs. The Days INN on 39th St. in Brooklyn is a good value if you want to get the real Burroughs experience. Nestled in the Greenwood area, this inexpensive hotel offers rooms for as low as $135/night, but I would not recommend it for the inexperienced traveler who might wanna pay the NY premium for a location more conducive to visitors.

News/Current Events affecting Travel: N/A

Language: Brooklyn is an extremely diverse area, and I am sure you could find a neighborhood that speaks any language, but of course we are still in America, so your English will do fine. Just Remember the Brooklyn slogan, “Faagetaboutit”

Culture: Brooklyn is one of the most diverse cities in the United States and is a hot bed for culture, but in order to experience it, you’re going to have to hit the streets, and explore neighborhoods. If you are a less experienced traveler, or want to see the generic NY images you see on the post cards, stick to Manhattan. The real NY is not forgiving, so you got to be on your p’s and q’s. However, this being said the whole image of a mugger waiting around every corner is a gross exaggeration. If you have some level of street smarts, you’ll do ok. Rely on local advice. These people have often been in the same neighborhoods for many generations and they know their areas like the back of their hand. Contrary to popular opinion, NY is not made up of angry guarded people, and they will talk to you, but absolutely do not waist their time. Time is money in this bustling city, and people guard theirs very closely. Other than this, get explorative (keeping caution in mind) and find out why Brooklyn is so rewarding. And don’t be fooled by exteriors. The faces of buildings in Brooklyn are very deceiving, the most exclusive clothing stores or restaurants sometimes have rough graffiti covered exteriors. That’s just the way it goes here.

The Seven Cities

So summer is approaching, and with it, The season for travel. If you haven’t decided on a vacation yet, we are offering you our advice. In each of the seven articles we will post over the next week you will find a general overview of a different city, followed by a day in the travel log of a UNM student who has been there. We’ve included everything you need to know to get an idea of where you might want to go to experience a little culture and little fun before returning to school next Fall.

Follow Directions

As our week of tips for student, and other life, survival wraps up, we here at UNMGoBlogYourself want to remind you to follow directions in order to do well in your classes. take care!

Student takes off pants


A student is taking his final exams. He takes his seat in the exam hall, stares at the questions and then in a fit for inspiration takes his shoes off and throws them out of the window. He then removes his shirt, pants and socks.
The teacher, alarmed, approached him and asked what is going on?

"I am only following the instructions -- the test paper states, answer the questions in brief.''

How to survive, almost anything

Sra Myra has given us an insider's view on how to survive just about any situation here. As students, any situation is possible, and the more prepared for them we are, the better off we'll be. Dive in, it's time to swim with the sharks!


Holiday Survival:How to Fend Off an Unwanted Kiss

On Arrival

1. Carry a present, coat, hat, or child in front of you as you enter.

2. Extend your free arm in a wide arc and move into a hug position.

3. If the greeter leans in to plant a kiss, use the head-and-shoulders maneuver. Move your head toward the kisser, then at the last moment, rotate your shoulders, throw your arm around, and bury your head in the kisser’s neck.

Under the Mistletoe

1. Find the mistletoe. As soon as you arrive, determine the location of the mistletoe. Check the lintel over doorways and hanging lights, which often obscure the mistletoe.

2. Establish alternate routes. Avoiding the mistletoe is the best defense. Plan your comings and goings so that you do not pass under the mistletoe.

3. Employ evasive maneuvers. If the mistletoe is hung in an inescapable location and someone is approaching, be prepared to use counter-measures:
• Keep walking, as if you didn’t realize you were under the mistletoe.
• Carry a drink or plate of food at all times, and quickly take a sip or bite as the person approaches.
• Sneeze, cough, or scratch your nose just as the person moves in. When they hesitate, turn the attempted kiss into a friendly hug.
• Move rapidly and place a preemptive, glancing kiss on the person’s forehead or cheek, thereby avoiding a more serious kiss.

4. Make up a mistletoe-related fib. When fleeing from the would-be kisser seems too rude and other defensive tactics won’t work, create a new mistletoe custom that would preclude the kiss:
• “This mistletoe has no berries! That’s bad luck!”
• “That’s not real mistletoe, it’s plastic! How tacky—we can’t kiss under that!”
• “Can you believe they put up mistletoe? Who believes in that anymore?”

Be Aware

• Portable mistletoe—a sprig attached to the end of a curved stick—is not valid mistletoe and does not invoke the kiss tradition. (You might also question why you are attending a party with someone who would attempt the “mistletoe-on-a-stick” trick.)

• Do not attempt to avoid a mistletoe kiss by claiming that you are not Christian. The custom of kissing under mistletoe is not specific to Christianity and is observed in many religions and countries.

IF ALL ELSE FAILS, GET A QUICK CASE OF HALiTOSIS.



Travel Survival:

How to Survive a High-Rise Hotel Fire

Always treat a hotel fire alarm seriously, and exit following hotel procedure. If the fire is nearby, use the following procedure.

1. Feel your hotel room doorknob with the back of your hand. If the doorknob is hot to the touch, go to step 2 and then skip to step 5. If it is not hot, follow the steps in order.

2. Partially fill the bathtub with cold water. Soak towels, washcloths, bedsheets, and blankets in the water. If the water is off, use water from the toilet tank. Put a wet washcloth over your mouth and nose and a wet sheet or towel over your head.

3. Open the door.

4. If the hallway is smoke-filled, get as low as possible—one to two feet above the floor. Make your way to an emergency exit. Never use the elevator.

5. If the door or doorknob is hot, do not open the door. Wedge wet towels in the crack under the door to keep smoke out.

6. Try calling the front desk or rooms on other floors to check on conditions in other areas.

7. Turn off fans and air conditioners that could draw smoke into the room, and open the window slightly. If the fire is on a floor below you, smoke may enter the room through the window, so keep the opening narrow. If the fire is not below you, open the window a third or halfway.

8. Make a tent of wet towels and sheets at the window. Do not build the tent if smoke is billowing into the room. Hold or attach one side of the towel or sheet to the window and allow the other side to fall behind you, so you are protected from smoke and are breathing outside air. The towels should help to cool the air and make it easier to breathe.

9. Signal rescue personnel with a white towel or a flashlight. Wait for rescue.

10. If the air in the room is getting worse, breathing becomes difficult, and no rescue is forthcoming, try to kick through the wall into the adjacent room. Closets are the best locations to try to break through. Sit on the floor of the closet, and knock on the wall until you hear a hollow sound. (Wall studs are normally spaced 16 inches apart.) Use both feet to kick through both surfaces of drywall. You may survive by using this as a breathing hole, or you may need to continue breaching the wall until
you can escape into the next room.

11. If you cannot breach the wall, go to a window and look at the outside of the building. If the rooms have balconies that are close together, consider climbing to another balcony on the same floor. If there are no neighboring balconies, you can tie bedsheets together and climb to a balcony directly beneath yours. Use square knots (the first step in tying your shoes, done twice) and lower yourself one floor only. Consider this option only as a last resort, and only do it if you are attempting to
escape an immediate danger or to reach rescue personnel.

Be Aware

* Ladders on fire trucks usually reach only to the seventh floor of a high-rise building. Consider booking a room below this level.

* Poolside or courtyard rooms are likely to be inaccessible to ladder trucks, even if they are below the seventh floor. Consider staying in a streetside room.

* Upon check-in, make sure the hotel has smoke detectors and fire sprinklers.

* Count the doors between your room and the nearest fire exit. This will help you get out safely if smoke reduces visibility.

* Keep your room key where it can be found in the dark.

* Never jump from a height of more than two floors or you risk death.


Here is a few tips from the site to wet your pallet:

Dating & Sex Survival

How to Sober Up Fast

1. Avoid pills. Do not take ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or
aspirin just before, during, or after drinking.
Acetaminophen may cause liver damage in conjunction with
alcohol. Ibuprofen can cause severe stomach irritation.
Aspirin thins the blood, which may exacerbate a hangover.

2. Drink lots of fluids. Dehydration from alcohol can be
treated with water, sweet juices, or sports drinks. Orange
juice and tomato juice contain potassium, which will help
overcome the shaky feeling of a bad hangover.

3. Take vitamins. A good multivitamin or Vitamin B complex
can be used to combat vitamin depletion.

4. Eat. Starchy food like bread, crackers, rice, or
pasta break down into sugar, which speeds absorption of
alcohol into your system. A spoonful of honey (which is
high in fructose) helps to quickly burn off any remaining
alcohol in the stomach. Listen to your body’s cravings: If
eggs sound good, eat them. If something spicy sounds
better, eat that. There are no right or wrong things to
eat; just take your food slowly and in small amounts.

5. Rest or sleep for as long as possible.

6. Repeat steps 2 through 5 if you wake up with a
hangover.

How to Prevent a Hangover:

* Eat before you begin to drink and snack while drinking.

* If you do not eat, coat your stomach with a full glass
of milk.

* Pace yourself and drink water between drinks.

* Drink clear liquors. Some spirits are higher in
congeners (impurities) than others; red wine, brandies
(including cognac), and whiskies usually have more than
other types of alcohol. Generally, the clearer your
spirit, the fewer impurities, and the less severe the
hangover.

* Champagne and mixed drinks made with carbonated sodas
allow for faster alcohol absorption; they should be sipped
slowly.

* Know your limits. In most states, a Blood Alcohol
Content (B.A.C) of .10 means you are legally drunk and
some states now use the stricter .08 B.A.C. For most
average-size adults, this can mean as few as two drinks in
an hour.

* Don't mix your liquors. Each spirit has different toxins
that must be processed by your liver. It is best not to
overload it.

* Before going to bed, have a snack of a banana or cheese
and crackers.

* Keep water beside your bed and drink it if you awaken
during the night.

Extreme Survival

How to Fend Off a Shark

1. Hit back. If a shark is coming toward you or attacks
you, use anything you have in your possession of a camera,
probe, harpoon gun, your fist to hit the shark's eyes or
gills, which are the areas most sensitive to pain.

2. Make quick, sharp, repeated jabs in these areas. Since
sharks are predators and will usually only follow through
on an attack if they have the advantage, making the shark
unsure of its advantage in any way possible will increase
your chances of survival. Contrary to popular opinion, the
shark's nose is not the area to attack, unless you cannot
reach the eyes or gills. Hitting the shark simply tells it
that you are not defenseless.

How to Avoid an Attack:

1. Always stay in groups because sharks are more likely to attack
a solitary individual. Do not wander too far from shore.
This isolates you and creates the additional danger of
being too far from assistance.

2. Avoid being in the water during darkness or twilight
hours, when sharks are most active and have a competitive
sensory advantage.

3. Do not enter the water if you are bleeding from an open
wound or if you are menstruating a shark is drawn to blood
and its olfactory ability is acute.

4. Try not to wear shiny jewelry because the reflected
light resembles the sheen of fish scales.

5. Avoid waters with known effluents or sewage and those
being used by sport or commercial fishermen, especially if
there are signs of bait fish or feeding activity. Diving
seabirds are good indicators of such action.

6. Use extra caution when waters are murky and avoid
showing any uneven tanning and brightly-colored
clothing as sharks see contrast particularly well.

7. If a shark shows itself to you, it may be curious
rather than predatory and will probably swim on and leave
you alone. If you are under the surface and lucky enough
to see an attacking shark, then you do have a good chance
of defending yourself if the shark is not too large.

8. Scuba divers should avoid lying on the surface, where
they may look like a piece of prey to a shark, and from
where they cannot see a shark approaching.

9. A shark attack is a potential danger for anyone who
frequents marine waters, but it should be kept in
perspective. Bees, wasps, and snakes are responsible for
far more fatalities each year, and in the United States
the annual risk of death from lightning is 30 times
greater than from shark attack.

Joshua Bell in concert, in the Subway

Not having to do with our theme for the week, I still thought this article was of utmost importance to those interested in cultural study, particularly American Culture. This article depicts the choices we make as Americans in regards to art and culture through a very simple and interesting experiment. ENJOY!!!
Robin Abeles

Pearls Before Breakfast - washingtonpost.com

Poker Face Tyler

Home work can done more efficiently with breaks. Our reporter Tyler Swisher has submitted his favorite pastime while relaxing from a hard string of school work. Enjoy! And don't loose your student loans in the process!

If you like to sit down and play some poker, then I have a great site for you. If you like to play but can't always find a partner, try this internet poker site. It is free and very easy to down load on to your computer. It has all types of poker games you can choose from. They have limit and no limit Texas Holdem, Omaha, and Seven Card Stud. There are lots of different types of games so you are not limited to playing just one kind. If you like to play in tournaments, they have Texas Holdem tournaments where you can play with 10, 27 or 45 people included. Playing for money is also an option, but not required.
Another tournament they have is a 25 cent tournament. It happens every night at eight o’clock and there are about 2000 or more people from all over world who play. So the next time you need a short break from studying, I suggest Poker Stars.

http://www.pokerstars.net

Water is Key to staying healthy.

by Bernadette Bush

Water Anyone?

How does an individual maintain good health? Hydration is essential for a well-balanced body. On average, drinking eight-eight ounce glasses of water per day is a good rule. Experts agree that soda and coffee is not a daily replacement for water. Sure, sports drinks such as Gatorade will improve body function but water is essential and best. (You may disagree but beer is not a sports drink). Cell and organ functions depend heavily on water for functioning. The key is knowing your own body. If you are an athlete, eight-eight ounces of water daily may not be enough to replenish your body. Some of the signs of dehydration include a dry mouth, dry-itchy skin, headaches, dizziness, fatigue and diminished concentration. Benefits of good hydration include good brain functionality and improved muscular and cellular functionality. Great health starts with great hydration; so drink more H20!. For more information, contact the National Institute of Health, www.nih.gov/

Headphones, Good or Bad for your hearing?

Do Headphones increase hearing loss?

With the rapid rate that digital music players are selling, headphone use seems to be as casual as talking on ones cell phone. People seem to be jamming out tracks from their favorite artists all day long, which I am guilty of taking listening pleasures to the extreme. Almost everyone who owns a digital music player will tell you that they can be very addictive at all times.This is a wide epidemic that I’ve noticed around campus especially. So what’s all the fuss about these players then?
The portability and convenience of an mp3 player has driven just about everybody out to buy one. What about those appealing white ear-buds that seem to be hanging from the ears of just about everyone. There is nothing wrong with my I Pod right?
That statement may seem to hold truth to the masses that walk leisurely with white ear-buds all day long, but I’ve gathered some facts on headphones that will surely make listeners more cautious when considering how to listen to music. The vastly popular white headphones may be a bit more dangerous than anyone would seem to care about.
For instance, lets consider the time period we listen to headphones. I listen to headphones for a good hour and a half to two hours at the most. I see many people who enjoy full day listening experiences opposed to just when your working out.The tricky part is that there is no way to tell until you actually start having symptoms. Ever heard of noise-induced hearing loss? This is losing the ability to hear higher frequencies, evidenced by ear ringing and trouble hearing in noisy situations. So, if your ears seem to be ringing more than usual, it is possible that you have damaged your ears due to headphones. Also, leaving noisy concerts with your ears ringing is an obvious sign that you have damaged your ears according to doctors.
Early Walkman user's suffer from tinnitus, which is an internal ringing or buzzing in the ears.
So are headphones all to blame when hearing loss occurs? Mostly yes although there are many other factors to consider when hearing loss occurs. In fact, hearing damage from headphones may be more common than that of loud speakers or worldly sounds: busses, trucks, people, etc. This is because headphones like the ipod ear-buds are placed directly into ones ears and most of the time blasting at high volumes. Put that in combination with long hours of listening and you may be in trouble in years to come.
Recently, I was researching a website called, “headwize” and I found out some interesting details that have to do with the hearing process. First, sound travels down the ear canal and causes the eardrum to vibrate. Then, inside the middle ear, a bone attached to the eardrum vibrates with the eardrum and propagates sound waves through the middle ear by way of two other ear bones, which amplify the sound. This means that in-ear buds like the popular white headphones are sending through massive amounts of waves, which can be harmful due to the amplified sound by our ear bones. Furthermore, exposure to impulsive or impact noise should not exceed 140 db peak sound pressure level. Apples I pod have a volume setting that exceeds 115 db, which would seem to be harmful if listening for long amounts of time. High volumes are a factor that I will stress because it too puts stress on the ear especially over long periods of time. Keeping your music player’s volume to a minimum low to medium setting seems to be the way to go avoiding higher levels of volume.
Earmuff style headphones appear to be safer than in-ear buds.In-ear buds are placed snuggly into the ear and can boost the sound signal by as much as six to nine decibels. Again, this is because ear-bud style headphones give off a more intense sound being that they are placed firmly into the ear. If you aren’t aware, muff style headphones are the ones, which usually have some sort of headband to keep them on. I would confidently say that muff style headphones are safer as well as more comfortable. Additionally, muff style headphones aren’t placed directly into the ears but rest on them instead. Limiting headphone use to an hour a day and at levels below 60% of the maximum volume is a smart setting for your mp3 player.
Limiting use, appropriate sound level settings, and earmuff headphones are key to preventing hearing loss. So, there is nothing wrong with having a digital music player as long as you manage one well with those three simple rules. Nobody wants to be victims of noise-induced hearing loss or tinnitus right? Well, then keep volume below 60% of the max, limit use to one hour and a half max, and get rid of your white ear-buds for some fresh new earmuffs. We can all enjoy our music without any worries if we follow the best possible steps for our hearing health, so don’t toss out your I Pods just yet.



Joey Sanchez

Deal News DUDE!

Our man in the field sent us this report this morning: dealnews is great for poor college students.

If you’re a poor college student like I am this is a good
site for you. It has lots of different items to choose
from and great deals on all of these items.
http://www.dealnews.com

Tyler Swicher

College Rules

On the first day of college, the dean addressed the students, pointing out some of the rules:

"The female dormitory will be out-of-bounds for all male students, and the male dormitory to the female students. Anybody caught breaking this rule will be fined $20 the first time. Anybody caught breaking this rule the second time will be fined $60. Being caught a third time will cost you $180. Are there any questions?"

One student raised his hand and asked, "How much for a season pass?

HOW TO SURVIVE UNM guerrilla style

I'm sure you have seen these so called college survival guides before. There those that tell you not to procrastinate and to study hard; but this one is different. This survival guide will tell you how to get away with turning stuff in late and how to get free stuff on campus. In fact, this whole week we will be focusing on Student Survival Tips. So listen up cause this is the first edition of: College Survival 101 GUERRILLA STYLE

How to get free Sh#!-
1. If you need free coffee, grab a glass of joe at Mesa Vista Hall. In the 2nd floor, there is a hidden computer lab to your left that brews until 12 pm everyday. The coffee is good and they even provide tasty individual creams to sweeten your morning brew.
2. If you need a NEW YORK TIMES newspaper for free, make friends with a journalism major student. Journalism majors have a code to access a blue bin east of the SUB (in front of Mesa Vista by the flyer post) that has NY Times Daily Newspaper. Everyday the Times is dropped in, and if your lucky, you can walk by and catch the bin open and have some reading for your free cup of coffee.
3. If you need free condoms, you can go to the student health center. If your too embarrassed to go to the Drug Store to buy them or just don't like the Planned Parenthood styles, go to the Student Health center and pick up a "brownbag" of name brand condoms at the pharmacy up stairs on the second floor.
4. If you need free parking, get sneaky. So we all know parking is difficult around UNM and worse off campus. If you stay more than 45 minutes at Frontier, the meter Nazi's ticket your car! But here are a few tricks to avoid citations for your wagon. Save a ticket or steal an envelope from a ticketed car. If you have to park in A lot because you are running late for class, slip the "ticket" under your windshield wiper and hope the citation guy with the fanny pack skips your car. If you have class later
than 3 pm, park in the lots that charge hourly or daily rates. Someone most likely was there already and paid the fee for the whole day, so your in the clear if you park later in the day because they usually check the lots from 12 to 2 pm daily. The final tip is that the Parking Stucture Closes at 11pm. You can leave for free after that.
5. If you need free printing- LOBOLAB is usually packed, and we all know the library charges a ridiculous rate, so get familiar with computer labs for each department and go print out your stuff there. Almost every building has it, there are several in Mitchell hall, one on the first floor in Dane Smith, and one in the Anthropology building. Usually paper is readily available and people don't bother to ask if your a major in the dept.

6.How to get away with late assigments.
"Email" the document- here's a good one: Go to the web and download openoffice.org With this program documents created in the text format are usually saved as an .odt file, rather than a regular .doc file. Most computers cannot open an .odt file unless they have the open office program. If you are desperate for time on an assignment, make a fake .odt file with the title of your assignment, send it to your professor (assuming he or she won't be able to open it) to get yourself legitimate time.

DISCLAIMER: Now abusing such tactics results in a loss for all, so practice moderation PLEASE. Remember, its only bad if you get caught- so don't get caught!

just a few useful websites

I once heard a statistic that the average American spends about two or more hours daily in front of the computer. I remember thinking, “Wow, I don’t even spend this much time on the computer in a month!” Although I still don’t enjoy sitting in front of my computer, I do it more frequently than I have in the past. I learned to derive pleasure out of exploring the Internet for interesting sites, and compiled some sites perhaps useful or just interesting for UNM students.
First of all, if the Internet is going to be utilized from a laptop, access must be found. Free wireless is the way to go for students, but the usual coffee shop you end up at is beginning to feel a little stale. There are hundreds of spots in Albuquerque alone that provide free wireless, and many of them are listed on www.wififreespot.com or www.switchboard.com. Along with the listing is included the address and phone number of each location. Did you know that you can sit in the Albuquerque Sunport airport and get on the Internet?
There is a plethora of information too big to explore thoroughly, and for those students who don’t exactly know the path they will take after school, library.colostate-pueblo.edu lists many useful career websites. There are a few that pertain only to individuals searching for a career in Colorado, but most of the sites are resources that expand to all states, with some international resources as well. For those looking for jobs in music, media and film, www.grapevinejobs.com appeared fairly accommodating for the wants and needs of these people.
If you are like me and are stalling your graduation from college because you don’t know what you want to do, there are several websites offering free personality tests. One site, www.whohasjobs.com offers free personality tests specifically designed to offer insight about the most suitable career for your type. Other sites offering these tests are these: www.humanmetrics.com, www.actualme.com, www.similarminds.com and www.jobsearch.about.com. If you just want to take a personality test without being told you should be a waste-disposal manager, web.tickle.com offers a test just for fun.
So some of these are, “ho-hum, I’d look these up for fun on a rainy, sad Monday” sort-of websites. But there’s a whole world for discovery on the Internet. A weekend hike or camping trip can be found online at www.explorenm.com, or you can bake some French pastry to impress your guests (as long as you don’t try to pronounce the name of it) with the help of www.epicurious.com. Perhaps you just want to know how to… change your oil, cut your own hair, or ask a guy or girl out. Hundreds of “How to” articles on www.ehow.com answer those nagging, “how to” questions. And if you are bored or stressed to the max, www.homestarrunner.com offers all the insight I’ve ever needed through the free “counsel” of wise sages.

What is the best city in America to find a job and settle in?

One of the questions I feel young college graduates need to know the answer to is “What is the best city in America to find a job and settle in.”

“USA Today” wrote an article about the top ten cities in American luring young professional people into their community. Some of the communities named include Pittsburgh, Richmond, Memphis, Tampa, Indianapolis, Baton Rouge, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Tallahassee, and Fresno. Other cities named in a separate article included San Antonio and Austin, Texas. These cities are launching web sites, organizing summits, staging arts and music festivals and investing in glitzy promotions specifically to lure young professionals. Metropolitan centers such as San Francisco, New York, Seattle, Atlanta, Washington and Boston have never had difficulty attracting young professionals until now. There is little appeal in the labor force in large cities. Big companies are looking into smaller cities to mobilize such as Intel Corporation has done with Rio Rancho, New Mexico. According to a census, two-thirds of the 50 largest metropolitan areas had fewer young adults in 2000 than in 1990.

If you are seeking a professional position in a city such as becoming a school teacher, a good location may be dependent upon affordable housing. Such cities as Rio Rancho, New Mexico and Fresno, California would be excellent choices. A new medium priced home in Rio Rancho is $208,000. In Fresno, California, the medium priced home is $335,000. The starting salary for a school teacher in Rio Rancho, New Mexico is $35,000 annually. In comparison, the starting salary for a school teacher in Fresno, California is $42,000.

A college graduate may run the risk of selecting a job without properly researching the housing in the area. One of my children has a Masters Degree in Chemical Engineering. He works for an excellent company in Thousand Oaks, California and is compensated well for his profession. My son will never be able to purchase a home in Thousand Oaks. The medium priced home averages 1.1 million dollars. As much as I love my son, I will never be able to lend him the sizeable down payment required to purchase a home near his job. Many of his co-workers commute one and a half hours to their job, just so they can own a home.

There are other factors to consider such as the cost of living. A perfect example is San Jose, California and Austin, Texas. A salary of $50,000 in Austin, Texas has the same buying power that a salary of $76,263 has in San Jose, California. In other words, the cost of living in San Jose, California is 52.5% higher than that of Austin, Texas.

I am well aware that a good percentage of the students attending UNM are not native Albuquerquians and plan to return to their hometown after graduation. In the event that a graduate is considering accepting a job in a part of the country they are not familiar with, researching housing and the cost of living can be valuable information.

With all the facts set aside, my husband and I pick Honolulu, Hawaii.

What Theater is best for you

I am what some people call a movie fanatic, i love all types of movies from independent, to mainstream blockbusters. Being a person who has seen a lot of movies i picked up the best places to watch movies. The theater i frequent allot for all types of movies is Century 24 which have fairly comfortable seat but with a ticket price of 9 dollars and no student discounts and not to mention the snack bar prices a night at the movies can really hurt your wallet. For More bang for your buck on main stream movies i found that Winrock 6 Theater located at 201 Winrock Center NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110has nice comfortable seats with a ticket price of only 8 dollars with military or student ID.A good place for independent films is High Ridge 812921 Indian School NE with an Adult price of about 8.25 with student discount. A good place to watch movies when you are low on cash is Cinemark Movies 8 4591 San Mateo Blvd. Ne Albuquerque, NM. with a ticket price of about 2.00 dollars with the exception of 1.00 dollar Tuesday. The only real problem with this theater is that they show movies that have already been in theaters for a couple of months and are close to going to DVD. So it is up to you on what theater is good for you i just gave you my favorite spots i found the overall best deal so go out and enjoy.

learn to yodel

If you need one more reason to escape to the mountains, learning how to yodel is valid, especially if your spouse, roommate or mother prohibits yodeling in the home and even the neighborhood. It doesn’t feel right to camp without at least once throwing your voice across a canyon and receiving a satisfactory reply from the peak on the other side. Appropriate garb for this opera may be found at your local REI or other outdoor outfitters. Yodeling receives passing glances, but it is an art form in some parts of the world.
Franzl Lang offers a “degree” in yodelology from his website at www.yodelcourse.com for those who believe they have the voice, or lungs for yodeling. There is no need to fly across the ocean to pursue yodeling dreams in the Swiss or Bavarian Alps that frequently transmit the thunder of the mountain song. If neighbors don’t recognize the importance of your practice, gently remind them of this to temporarily settle their unrest: the yodel, first called “Juchizn”, was the form of communication between neighbors long ago. Never mind that they were a mountain-peak away from each other and that you and your apartment neighbor basically share the same space divided by some plaster-covered cardboard.
Lang generously lists music notes and tips for beginners all the way to the advanced to practice. Audio recordings are included as well, and headphones are recommended. A great place to practice is the shower, but the author of www.geocities.com/viennaonline recommends the middle of Königsee Lake in Berchtesgaden, Germany, probably on a boat. If the work for Lang’s certificate requires too much work, this website also offers a crash course in yodeling. Have fun in the mountains.

Best places to find underground music here in Albuquerque

If you are interested in underground music such as hip hop or rock i know of a few places that can help you find the hard to find music that you have been looking for. The first place i found that has a wide selection of; mix tapes, instrumentals , and hard to find both rock and rap albums is a place called Krazy kat's Located on 9012 Central SE . Another place that i like to go to find allot of underground albums is LA Underground located on 2000 Central right across from UNM . LA Underground deals mostly with underground hip hop artist's such as Dell, Immortal Technique, Atmosphere is just a couple examples of the many other underground artist's and albums they sell in the store.A place that i like to visit that may be surprising to some is Hastings. Hastings has a pretty good selection of all types of music that can be hard to find, but the catch is that every Hastings music section is different and you may find yourself visiting allot of the other Hastings store before you may find what you are looking for. Another Place to find allot of rare rock Cd's is Charley's Records located at 7602 Menaul Boulevard Northeast, Albuquerque, NM 87110. So now you know where to go to find the CD you are looking for why are you still sitting around.

the best bars to attend

Ever been sitting with Friends on a Friday night and can't decide on what to do or where to go. well this should help you on what bars in the Albuquerque area are good ones to go to. One bar that is good to go to for cheap drinks is mougsys on Louisiana and Monte. This bar has cheap drinks, but the down side is that the bar is small and only has a few pool tables with no darts or music. Another one you can attend that's more like a laid back environment with relatively cheap drinks is uptown on Louisiana and uptown. Every Friday they have drink specials and cover bands. It owned by one guy so the bar is pretty much laid back and has allot of regulars attending. it's good to just go and hang out. but if you have a date or want to go to a fancier bar go to the fox and hound. The fox and hound is on Jefferson by pf Chang's It's a little pricey unless you go on Tuesday for two dollar pint night. but upside next to be being expensive is that they have good food and lots of TVs to watch. so, if your a sports fan that's the place to go. they also have a good amount of pool tables, darts, checkers, and arcade sports games. So, i would recommend it for dates or if you want to go some where to do something besides drinking.

Mmm...Mmm....Elephant Bar: A Resturant Review

Here at UNM students really get used to the college lifestyle. We enjoy late nights, serious procrastination, cheap food, and more than anything cheap pints. As we progress though maybe it is time to explore ways outside of cheapness. I understand that money is always an issue
among people our age, however sometimes it is necessary to spend that money, or perhaps have it spent on you. There is a plethora of good places to eat for a cheap buck, but what else is out there? How about when your parents come to town and want to take you out…will really want to recommend the same pizza joint across the street that you ate at four times this week already? Or how would like to impress that new significant other that you met in your English class last week? Do you really think he/she wants another burrito from the two dollar burrito stand? Sometimes class is necessary. So where is the best place to go? While Albuquerque has a number of fine dining and ethnic restaurants to choose from I find that the Elephant Bar gives the perfect impression.
The Elephant Bar is on Louisiana just past Indian School. It is mere hop onto the freeway from UNM, and in a few minutes you will find yourself in the beautiful new Albuquerque Uptown. If you find yourself waiting for a table at the Elephant Bar you have a number of different ways to spend your time. Enjoy an exotic drink at the bar while you wait, sit out in the patio and watch the shoppers go by in the crisp Albuquerque spring time weather, or perhaps you might even explore the new shops in the complex yourself.
Once you find your way to a table just sit back and enjoy the safari like décor, and some of the best trained waiters in Albuquerque, may I recommend you be seated with Andy, he has been the best waiter I’ve had there yet. You might find yourself full after the incredibly tasty appetizers, a number of which you’ll have to choose from, but don’t stop yet, the meals and the desserts are even better.
So when you are looking for more than just the local pizzeria, or have a certain someone you want to impress, come check out the new Elephant Bar, it’s great food, class, and an intriguing atmosphere. It beats the serve yourself joints we college students tend to flock to, without
that High Finance price.

Good luck fellow diners!
Lauren

Where to find Good Music

This, I believe, is a great research question, because music is timeless. Mickey Hart, a drummer for the Grateful Dead wrote a book, “Songcatchers: In Search of the Worlds Music”, in which he explores the music of nations far and wide, with hopes to preserve the worlds music. The broad points of view and incredibly wide ranges of music open doors to the reader, expressing music as; something more than a taste, something more than the capitalistic empire it is here in the United States, something that does not just have a history, but is a history. This book intrigued me. It became clear that there is something very human about music. I know this cheesy phrase sounds like I’m merely putting together words that sound "good", but allow me to explain: Every person enjoys music, not merely because there is a need to fill what would be silent space, but that no space is silent, and since conception, since the rhythmic beat of our mothers’ hearts in the womb, we have a desire to compile the sounds that surround us into something with a beat, a rhythm, a harmony, even if just in the most pure form, music is human.

Now, I mentioned before that music in the United States is in the form of capitalism, it is an industry. This point can not be argued, and I am not about to advocate that it is a bad thing. Capitalism makes America work, people desire to have music, other people produce that music as a good, and sell it, then turn a profit, and hopefully proceed to use that profit to create more music…and so on and so forth. It works-everyone gets what they want. Until of course the buyers find a way to collect that music for free. This is a problem for music as an industry; a problem for the artist, for the record labels, and even for the local record shop owner. However, it may have more than just the obvious benefits for the listener. Decades ago the Grateful Dead performed concerts and allowed people to bring tape recorders on long poles, known as tapers, to collect the music of the show. It was never outlawed, and in fact supported by many in the industry; every concert gave every song a new sound to share with others (damn hippie’s right). However, now the price of “sharing” music comes with a criminal charge.

So how can we today benefit from this spontaneous form of music sharing, that opens our ears to new sounds, that helps us find our favorite beats, rhythms, and harmonies, without emptying our pockets, but still supporting music as an industry? I found one great place, via, none other than, our profound World Wide Web. It’s called Pandora. The site allows you to type in the artist, the song, or the album that you are in the mood to listen to, and then the compilers create you a radio station based on the most basic forms of music applied in your selection. It is called the Music Genome Project. It explores, studies, and even pairs you up with other people’s radio stations to find the most music out there. You grade the music; you tell them if a song or an artist belongs, on the station you hear it on, or somewhere else. I am, and forever will be an advocate for purchasing albums, because I think something precious, that someone worked very hard for, is lost, when we pick and choose the songs we listen to, rather than hearing the entire album. But, Pandora opens listeners up to new music, new artists, and new albums to purchase.

Performance Anxiety

Do you suffer from Performance Anxiety? Exactly what is this unpleasant malady? Performance anxiety, commonly known as stage fright, is a very normal human reaction. There are simple ways to assess if you suffer from this debilitating condition. Do you get an immediate rush of fear when you learn you have to give a class presentation? Would you rather be the person giving the eulogy at a funeral or be the corpse in the coffin?

Some of the symptoms associated with performance anxiety include repetitive thoughts, dry mouth, sweaty hands, cold hands, shaky hands, blushing, tight throat, nausea, nervousness, fast pulse, shaky knees, trembling lips, rapid heart beat, dizziness, tunnel vision, panicky feelings, a stomach ache, fear of losing control, feelings of embarrassment, chest tightness and the unpleasant realization of things going to hell real fast.

There are all kinds of remedies to treat performance anxiety such as relaxation exercises, preparation training, hypnosis and prescription medications. About thirty years ago, the drug of choice to treat stage fright included a Benzodiazepine called Diazepam, also known as Valium. Today, a blood pressure medication classified as a Beta Blocker called Propranolol, known as Inderal is favored. A half tablet of a 10mg dose of Inderal can be swallowed thirty minutes prior to the scheduled performance to alleviate anxiety symptoms. In recent surveys, over twenty-five percent of professional musicians across the nation take Inderal to enable them to perform and can attest to the effectiveness of the drug.

Performance anxiety is addressed in two excellent books. In the first, A Soprano On Her Head, Eloise Ristad offers wonderful techniques to improve performance. In the other, Confident Music Performance, Barbara Schneiderman discusses various methods of performance preparation. For any person who wants to pursue a career in a performance, you really need to read one of these two books. For someone who suffers from performance anxiety, reading these two books could be indispensable.

What is the best city in America in which to find a job and settle?

One of the questions I feel young college graduates need to know the answer to is “What is the best city in America in which to find a job and settle?”

An article appeared in USA Today discussing the top ten cities in America luring young professional people into their community. Some of the communities named include Pittsburgh, Richmond, Memphis, Tampa, Indianapolis, Baton Rouge, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Tallahassee and Fresno. Other cities named not included in the top ten were San Antonio and Austin, Texas. These cities are launching web sites, organizing summits, staging arts and music festivals and investing in glitzy promotions specifically to lure young professionals. Metropolitan centers such as San Francisco, New York, Seattle, Atlanta, Washington and Boston have never had difficulty attracting young professionals until recently. Big cities no longer have the same appeal to young professionals because of numerous unpleasant urban issues including traffic, crime, pollution, and outrageous housing expenses. Many corporations are setting up operations in smaller cities such as the Intel Corporation has done in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. According to the US Census Bureau, two-thirds of the fifty largest metropolitan areas had fewer young adults in 2000 than in 1990.

If you are seeking a professional position in a city such as becoming a schoolteacher, a good location may be dependent upon affordable housing. Such cities as Rio Rancho, New Mexico and Fresno, California would be excellent choices. A new medium priced home in Rio Rancho is $208,000. In Fresno, California, the medium priced home is $335,000. The starting salary for a public schoolteacher in Rio Rancho, New Mexico is $35,000 annually. In comparison, the starting salary for a schoolteacher in Fresno, California is $42,000.

A recent college graduate might easily accept a job without properly researching the availability and cost of housing in that location. One of my children has a Masters Degree in Chemical Engineering. He works for an excellent company in Thousand Oaks, California and is compensated well for his profession. However, he would have great difficulty affording a home in Thousand Oaks. The medium priced home averages 1.1 million dollars. As much as I love my son, I will never be able to lend him the sizeable down payment required to purchase a home near his job. Many of his co-workers commute one and a half hours to their job, just so they can own a home.

There are other factors to consider such as the cost of living. A perfect example is San Jose, California and Austin, Texas. A salary of $50,000 in Austin, Texas has the same buying power that a salary of $76,263 has in San Jose, California. In other words, the cost of living in San Jose, California is 52.5% higher than that of Austin, Texas.

Many of the students with whom I am acquainted at UNM are not native New Mexicans and upon graduation plan to return to their home to seek employment. In the event that a graduate is considering accepting a job in an area of the country with which they are not familiar, researching housing and the cost of living is paramount information.

Alternative health and exercise outside Johnson center

College students have crazy lifestyles. We work, we study, and lord knows we play until all hours of the night. Keeping healthy is important though, no matter what we are busy with. The means to exercise are sometimes hard to come by, so we’re here to offer some help. While the campus facilities are cheap and close, they may not always work for you, so we’ve explored some alternatives to Johnson Center, and provided other information to help you along.

Most people in America today are not that interested in exercise. It is easy to be deferred when you are not quite sure how to start or what to do. Or you may not want to exercise alone. Despite these reasons exercise and losing weight decrease your chances of getting many cancers, reduce your stress levels, and improve your overall health and body. It can also increase your levels of endorphins, a chemical released in your body that makes you happy. It is suggested by doctors that you get at least thirty minutes of exercise three times a week. Once you make it routine, increase your weekly workout time for greater improvements. If you do this, your bodies will thank you years from now.








So you decided that you are ready to start improving your health by exercise, so now what? Johnson Center on campus is convenient and cheap; however it has its problems. Specifically it’s often overcrowded, because many students have similar schedules so we often end up at Johnson at the same time. Johnson is also inconvenient for students who don’t live on campus, it is easy to get bored using the same machines, and their hours are limited on the weekends when you have the most time to go. Problems like these make it very hard to find the motivation to go work out right? Well that is why we are going to share plenty of great alternatives to Johnson for getting healthy that will be move convenient to your schedule. You will still be able to get the same great results! Are you ready to begin getting healthy?

For simplicity, many people find ways to exercise at home. Find a nice walking path, or a hike that you could take once a week. If you need more motivation there are many available videos, books, and even free pamphlets that can explain good techniques, and help to keep you motivated. Also, never forget to check out the web, but always double check your information. I would suggest checking out websites like Amazon or Barnes and Noble. They both have tons of fitness videos and books. The nice thing about looking for these online is that there are also tons of customer reviews for each book and video so you can see what other people think of the product before you invest your money.

The Internet can also be a great resource for you to find groups to join. Weight Watchers for example is a great motivator for people who have trouble staying the track losing weight, and offers great company. Locally you might check out a group called Road Runners, which brings walkers, joggers, and runners of all levels together for exercise support. Gyms outside of those on campus can be far more convenient, and also offer a number of classes to motivate you!

Everyone has different goals for what they want to accomplish with their bodies. Some people just want a class with great cardio, to improve their heart and system. Other people just want to tone their muscles and increase flexibility. Then there are the people who want to lose weight by a combination of cardio and strength training. Gyms have a great variety of classes that they offer, and they are usually included in your membership fee so you might as well take as many as you can. The best classes to take are Pilates, kickboxing, cycling, yoga, aerobics classes, and dance classes.

Good luck to you all hoping to create an exercise routine personal to your lifestyle. Remember that campus facilities are great, but don’t give up if it isn’t working for you. Always explore other alternatives, and stay the course!

Are you looking for a way to make extra cash?

If you are like me, the typical college student, you probably find yourself struggling to make ends meet each month. What if I told you that I know an easy way to make up to $260 extra bucks each month, sounds pretty nice huh? This easy way to make extra money each month is to donate plasma for only about two hours a week. Plasma, simply put, is basically the water in your blood. Plasma is used in many medical situations like to help heal burn victims or used to make a lot of medications. Because plasma is used in so many medicines, it is in high demand. There are two places near campus that you can donate plasma at. One is called Yale Blood Plasma, and is located about a block up from Yale and Central. The other place is called ZLB Plasma and is located about a block up from San Mateo and Central. You can donate up to two times a week at either place. You are only allowed to donate at one location or the other, not both locations at the same time. Both locations pay $40 the first two times you donate, after the first two donations though; the Yale Plasma location pays more each week. If you decide that you want to donate, give yourself about 4 hours for the first time. When you go for the first time you NEED to have a social security card, a state issued ID and a piece of mail addressed and postmarked to you in the past 30 days. If you are missing one of these things you will not be allowed to donate. The first time you go in it takes about 4 hours because they have to do a long physical on you to make sure you are healthy enough to donate. Each time after that it only takes about an hour, twice a week. One day each week you will make $20, and the second time you donate you will make between $22-37 depending on what your weight is.

This adds up to between $200-260 a month if you go both times each week. Doing this two hours of work each week can easily add up to paying for things like car insurance or your food each month. Because this process is taking a lot of water out of your blood it is very important to stay hydrated. This means that the day before you donate you need to drink a lot of water so you don’t get dehydrated or sick. It is important to start drinking a lot of water the day before you donate, not the day you donate because it takes your body time to get the water absorbed in your system. If you do decide to start donating plasma, I think you will find that the two hours a week is well worth the large amount of extra money you can make each month to help ends meet!

Different ways to whiten your teeth...

A person’s smile says a lot about them. You can tell when someone is upset, or genuinely happy by the smile on their face. When you meet someone for the first time and they have a nice smile on their face, you are very likely to think that they are a very friendly person. Because people are judged by their smile, you want to have the best smile possible to show off to people. One way to quickly and easily brighten your smile is to whiten your teeth. Whitening your teeth is a fairly simple procedure where you put chemicals on your teeth and they work to lighten and remove the stains on your teeth to reveal a white smile. There are many different options to whiten your teeth that range greatly in price and length of time to whiten. If you can afford it, there are procedures your dentist can do that only take about two hours to get dramatically whiter teeth. This procedure can cost up to $500 so it might not be a good option for everybody. If you cannot afford a procedure that expensive, there are many different take home whiteners you can buy at the store. A popular version you can buy at the store is called Crest White Strips. These are clear strips that you stick on your teeth twice a day for thirty minutes. You can buy a pack that lasts for 7, 10, or 14 days. These packs can cost between $20-40. They can give you very much whiter teeth. Some people complain of extreme teeth and gum sensitivity. There are also complaints that the strips do not stay placed on your teeth very well. Most people do agree though that their teeth were a lot whiter after use.

Another new and popular teeth whitener is the Aqua fresh Whitening Trays. Unlike the strips that stick to your teeth, these trays are filled with the whitener and form to the shape of your teeth. This takes away the worry about them sliding off like the strips. People have said that these trays gave them very dramatic results in only three days.






There were complaints with the trays that if you did not have really strait teeth then the trays did not fit well and did not get a good grip on your teeth. It costs about $38 for a 7-day supply of the trays. If you do decide you want to whiten your teeth, make sure that you use all the strips or trays in a row until the pack is gone to get the best results. If you do experience some sensitivity in your gums or teeth, I have found that taking Tylenol or aspirin helps take away some of the pain. Also try to avoid liquids that cause stains on your teeth like dark soda or coffee. If you must drink them, try to drink them with a straw and avoid having them make contact with your teeth. If you do invest in a whitening kit and follow the tips I gave you in this article then you should be well on your way to having a bright white smile that people are envious of!

Need an extra boost with your classes?

Do you feeling like you are having trouble understand a few of your classes? Do you understand your classes but there are just homework problems you could use a little extra help with to complete? If you are lost in any of your classes, or just want a little boost in your work then CAPS is the place for you. CAPS stands for the Center for Academic Program Support at UNM. They offer tutoring for many subjects and levels at UNM. They offer tutoring in such subjects as Math, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Economics, Psychology and even English. These tutoring services are free for you, the fees have already been paid for with your tuition fees, so you might as well take advantage of a service you already paid for. I go to tutoring up at CAPS a few times a week and find it very helpful. If you stop in the drop-in lab they have, which is located behind the Pizza Hut in the SUB from 6-9, you have the chance to work with other students in the same classes you need help in, or you can get one-on-one help from very qualified tutors.







This is Zimmerman Library where CAPS is located on the third floor.

If you feel that you need even more one-on-one help, you can go up to the third floor lf Zimmerman library and make an hour or half-hour individual appointment. These can be very helpful because it will just be you and a tutor so you will get plenty of time to get any questions you have explained, or they can even try and re-teach you a chapter from your book. I have found that going to tutoring at CAPS has really helped my understanding of my math class. I am able to get help understanding homework problems or even whole concepts. It is also nice having kids from the same class to work with so we can try and help each other understand the concept. I have also found that the action of going up to CAPS and getting tutoring help is just the motivation I need to get myself started on my homework because it forces me to start working on my homework and not wait till the last minute when it is too late to get help. So please, if you have a class that you are finding difficult, or just a class you would like to get ahead in, go up to tutoring. I think you will find that you will have a better understanding of your class and will feel more confident about what you are learning. Don’t wait till it’s too late to save your grade, go up and see a tutor and keep those great grades!