Post anything you would like to see in El Paso:

What Stores do you want?

What Restaurants do you want?

Do you want a Light Rail System?

What do you want to see done with downtown?

What would make you want to go downtown?

After much anticipation the Regional Economic Development Association has revived Regional Identity!!  Many people complain about this region but few choose to do something about it. We are here to make a difference and improve economic development in our region.

The Regional Identity (Ri) is a biweekly online magazine published by the Regional Economic Development Association. The magazine explores academic, business, and government issues in the Paso del Norte region.

The Regional Identity’s goal is to create a more active student body that engages in the issues that affect the Paso del Norte region. The magazine provides an outlet for students to voice their opinions and enables students to apply the knowledge and skills that they acquire in the classroom to the real world.

We are the voice for students in our region we are REDA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The establishment, located at 318 N. Mesa, is the realization of an idea that began in the mind of Raul Gonzalez, nick named “Rulis.” The concept behind Rulis’ International Kitchen is a twist on fine dining: express gourmet. Rulis wishes that his customers experience an elegant atmosphere combined with a “laid back attitude.” Rulis’ is a great place to enjoy a glass of wine or a delicious frothy beer. The prices are structured so that they are accessible to more than 90% of the local population. UTEP students on a budget can enjoy a gourmet meal just a few blocks away from campus.

Lately, there has been a growing trend toward higher quality food and beverage. Shows such as Top Chef, Hell’s Kitchen, and the popular Food Network have allowed anyone with a television to become a “food connoisseur”. Rulis’ has catered towards this trend by providing high quality meals at an affordable price.

The food is delicious, varied, and innovative. True to the owner’s word, despite the variety and elegance of the meals, the restaurant still manages to remain down to earth. The menu varies from breakfast to dinner.

For breakfast, one can have waffles topped with fruit that varies with the seasons. Another good option are the breakfast sandwiches, like the St. Dennis Ciabatta which consists of scrambled eggs, mushrooms, and ham in wine sauce served on a ciabatta roll.

For lunch and dinner, a great dish is the Gambas al Ajillo; an entrée made up of six tiger prawns marinated, sautéed, and served in spicy garlic-chili oil. Another option is the Patatas Bravas; a dish that consists of thick cut potatoes spiced up and served with a cilantro aioli and a chipotle aioli. Another personal favorite is the Cuban Panino; a dish that consists of grilled pork tenderloin, black forest ham, pickles, mustard, homemade aioli, and Swiss cheese on a ciabatta roll. The sides range from kettle chips to fried green beans.

Superb food is not the only thing Rulis’ has to offer. Hand in hand with the concept of elegance and a laid back attitude is the restaurant’s recent addition of wine and beer. Rulis said he wants everyone to know that “anyone can drink wine” and “you don’t have to be rich” to enjoy a glass. On that basis, Rulis’ regularly holds wine and beer tastings. Alternating every week is Wine 101 and Beer 101; two events where anyone can learn the basics of wine and beer.

Rulis’ International Kitchen invites anyone who wishes to enjoy a superb meal at an affordable price in a casual yet class atmosphere. For more information, visit their website at www.rulisik.com.

All students at UTEP are required to take Expository English Composition and Research and Critical Writing (ENGL 1311 and 1312 respectively).  ENGL 1311 focuses on the strategic use of language, rhetorical form, and authorial voice so that students will be able to inform and persuade effectively. ENGL 1312 teaches students to focus questions, use academic resources, critically evaluate materials, and shape writing to match the purpose and audience of the piece.  Business majors are required to take Workplace Writing (ENGL 3355), which teaches the principles of professional rhetoric both written and oral. The goals of these courses are broad enough in nature to aid students in a variety of courses, but when it comes to writing papers tailored toward financial analysis, a critique of theory, or article writing, after taking these courses students remain unprepared.

So now that we have identified the problem, what is the solution?

Well, like so many skills that must be acquired to be successful in the workplace, improving one’s writing skills can be done outside of the classroom. The remainder of this article will highlight ways to do so, starting with the almost archaic way of learning…reading. Two books that all students should consider reading are Strunk & White’s The Elements of Style and Deidre N. McCloskey’s Economical Writing.

The Elements of Style is a proper-use rule book that the New York Times described as a “lifeboat to both professional and amateur writers.” The book contains easy to understand rules, detailed explanations, and examples of both proper and improper usages.  It is available in a multitude of editions and sizes, including a pocket-size version at Barnes and Noble.

Economical Writing (the second edition) by Deidre N. McCloskey is a 98 page (would you expect a book with such a title to be any longer?) book containing 31 rules, which can be applied to all writing. The rules range from Rule 27: Be Concrete, Rule 28: Be Plain, to Rule 23: Around Order Switch Until It Sounds Good. Below are some rules that can readers (and hopefully writers) can put to use now.

Rule 20: Avoid Elegant Variation

Simply put, elegant variation is using many words to mean one thing. For example: “history is concerned not only with what happened but also with why events turned out the way they did.” The reader will interpret that “what happened” and “events [that] turned out the way they did” as two different things, when in fact they are the same thing.

Rule 25: Use Verbs, Active Ones

In revision the adjectives and adverbs should be the first to go. Sydney Smith wrote, “In composing, as a general rule, run your pen through every other word you have written; you have no idea what vigour it will give to your style.”

An interesting and humorous take on revision, but as McCloskey shows Smith should have followed his own advice: In composing [of course it’s composing: that is what we’re talking about, you dunce!], as a general rule [what would be the point of any other?], run your pen through every other word you have written [of course writing: again, that’s what we’re talking about; and in any case, what else would you run a pen through? Your finger?]; you have no idea what vigour it will give to your style [for goodness sake, how often do you have to repeat that you are talking about style?].

This leaves the much more concise: “Run a pen through every other word; you have no idea what viguor it will give.”

Economical Writing places a large emphasis on editing, which in my opinion is the most undervalued step in the writing process. Professors from schools such as the University of Chicago, UCLA, and Harvard praise Economical Writing for its broad applicability, simplicity, and wit. The book is available on Amazon.com and at most other online book retailers.

After reading about good writing, how about putting some writing together? A lot of the time, the best way to improve a skill is by using it. Starting a blog is easier than ever now. Don’t feel like you can come up with new content on a continual basis? Try joining a blog, here is a good place to start your search.

Many students feel it is their university’s responsibility to teach the skills necessary to be successful. Warren Buffet, one of the most respected figures in the business world, strongly advocates communication skills. The Oracle of Omaha, who took courses in verbal and written communication following his MBA, has taken proactive steps to place pressure on universities to teach students better communication skills.

Since UTEP sits right at the border between Mexico and the United States, it is no wonder that it draws its students from both sides of the border.  Oscar Chavez, a computer science major, lives close to campus yet frequently travels across the Rio Grande to visit family.

“As I lifelong El Pasoan with strong ties to Juarez, the only thing that makes me feel I am visiting a foreign country when going to my grandmother’s house in Juarez is the waiting time at the bridges,” Chavez said. “Even though the day-to-day violence was enough of a deterrent from visiting my family often, the waiting lines only add to the problem of trying to get to and from Juarez in an efficient manner.”

Though commuters might feel otherwise, the Customs and Border Protection agency believe properly checking every vehicle entering the country is essential to maintaining the nation’s security.

Officer Ruben Jauregui, a Public Affairs spokesperson for the Customs and Border Protection, referred to the bridge waits as an “unfortunate circumstance”, yet feels nothing is more important than keeping our country safe from outside threats.

“Since 9/11, our department has increased our vigilance along the borders, and thorough car screenings is only one of the many steps that we have taken to prevent not only another terrorist attack, but to inhibit illegal drugs from entering the country.”

Jauregui stated that unlike other locations along the US-Mexico border, commuters in our area actually have a choice as to which port of entry is most suitable for them.

“In San Diego for example, there is only one port of entry with 24 lanes, and everyone must enter through this port even if it diverges them from their destination.  In our metro area, we have 3 major international bridges spaced out across the city, allowing drivers to ultimately decide which is most suitable for them.”

Jauregui added that the recent increase in violence in Juarez has not altered the Customs and Border Protection agency’s operations, and he also has advice for UTEP students who travel frequently to Cd. Juarez.

“I would suggest that by comparing traffic on the bridges at different times of the day and week, students can plan ahead and make their frequent commutes less stressful than they already are.”

“The Fed is the single most pervasive problem affecting every American, every age, race, and every socioeconomic status in the same way. It burdens us with tyrannical excesses of a small, elite class of people who view themselves as superior and intend to rule rather than serve,” said Matt Sistrunk, organizer of the group protesting in front of the El Paso branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Sistrunk, a West Point graduate and former Army Captain with 11 years of service, said he started questioning certain “status quo belief systems” in 1996, and has been active in working to enlighten the masses and to mobilize them to bring America back to the people by restraining government with constitutional rule of law ever since.

Although the Federal Reserve has been around for almost a century, Sistrunk, the other protestors, and those involved with the End the Fed movement do not think the Fed is necessary for economic stability. “That’s a lie. They create the crisis they claim they’re protecting us against. It’s an example of creation-reaction-solution. They create a problem, get a reaction, and install a prepared solution. They create slavery through the control of money supply. The government gives them the power to counterfeit money, something that if you and me did, we would go to jail.” The sentiment that the Federal Reserve has an ulterior agenda seems to be a unifying concern for members of the “End the Fed” movement. The introduction to a magazine posted on endthefed.us as educational material to be redistributed by group members says that “the Federal Reserve Bank and its owners are bringing to a conclusion the planned implosion of the financial economy of the United States.”

Despite all of the provocative language, Saturday’s protest was very peaceful. Federal Reserve security commended End the Fed’s orderliness and cooperation. “Oh yeah, the leader, he’s really good at keeping everything calm and in order.”

“This is completely peaceful,” iterated Sistrunk, “We want to achieve heightened awareness. We want to mobilize action. We want to equip people with the informational tools needed to affect their spheres of influence.”

End the Fed wants to abolish the Federal Reserve, but they think it will take several steps to get there, starting with an audit of the Federal Reserve’s records. “That’s the first step, auditing the fed. That falls under HR1207 which currently has [55] cosponsors. This audit will give a detailed look at the Fed, and it will uncover all of their secrets. Americans will no longer tolerate the Fed’s presence. The Fed is absolutely criminal.”

Besides their nationally based goals, the El Paso Campaign for Liberty Meetup Group has some plans locally as well. “We want to build a political machine made of people who support the constitution. We don’t want to fall into the typical paradigm of divisive politics,” Sistrunk said enthusiastically “We want anyone who loves our constitution. We’re looking into electing a few guys into city council and maybe a sheriff in 3 and a half years.”