Adventures in Bus Riding

Digging For Gold

Shopping at a thrift store is not like going
to a department store - it is work. 

             As the cost of living continues to rise, thrifting is no longer a trend – but a lifestyle. 

The shopping bug struck on a lazy Saturday morning. Sophomore student at the University of Texas at Austin and self-proclaimed fashion guru Dara Oke rolled out of bed in a vintage denim vest, an American flag tank top, frayed red shorts and black combat boots to take on the racks in the streets of Austin. Her long stride and six foot slender frame glided gracefully to the racks at various hole-in-the-wall clothing stores. She eyed intricate designs on hangers looking for a unique piece to add to her personal collection.

Thrift stores located on Guadalupe are hot
spots for UT student thrifters.

The racks were crowded. There was no guarantee that she would find anything in her size. She was overwhelmed. The accessories were easier to locate. She struts over and examines each piece for quality and flaws, and assess for usefulness. Her senses are overloaded. She moves through the aisles to the belts and slips one on over her outfit. She handles the scarves and experiments in front of the body length mirror in-between the aisles. Handbags take their place on her long arms - assessed for comfort. The disorganization, the lack of size selection and diversity, the sheer amount of time it takes to wade through the racks at the used clothing store – Dara is thrifting.

Fashion blogger Alicia Johnson says thrifting is the term used when someone goes shopping at a thrift store.

Thrifter Chris Petes says "There’s nothing
like wandering the aisles of a thrift store,
idly letting my fingers brush the racks of
sweaters, feeling for wool and cashmere
and fuzzy angora.

“Thrift store shopping became quite popular about two years ago although thrift stores have been around forever. It used to be frowned upon to wear second-hand clothing and now it’s almost worshipped,” says Alicia.

With the cost of living continuing to rise, even the normal discount stores may begin to feel like a strain on your budget. Textiles and Apparels Major at UT, Jade Ware, says some shoppers find better deals at thrift stores.

            “Thrifting for clothes isn’t exactly easy. Unless you have become adept at eyeballing your size, you have to try everything on,” says Jade.

Thrifting lures a variety of different audiences. Bargainers, treasure hunters or whatever you want to call it, thrifting is one shopping behavior that is taking over the streets of Austin.

T-Shirt, shorts and black wedges -Dara Oke
usually tries to piece outfits together
for less than $15.

“I have recently realized just how much of my closet is composed of thrifted items - let’s just say that it is way over 50%,” says Dara.

Thrifters say they not only wish to save money, but it is also an easy way to recycle and reduce their footprint on the earth.

Socially speaking, thrifting is a lesson in the treasures a culture tosses and the junk people keep. It provides cheap, local access to a variety of styles from many eras and trends related to alternative dress styles that are not widely available in certain areas or are only found at more expensive specialty shops.

Dara Oke loves to dress up her thrifted
outfits with unique accessories.

Dara’s advice for thrifting is to always start with an open mind, to see items for their potential rather than as they are, to never forget the accessories, and to always remember to know your colors and sales.

Most of all, Dara says she loves not paying full price for things and introducing people to the beautiful world of thrifting. “Thrifting helps you recognize your own beauty, one outfit at a time.”

Where's My Vote?

With 41 days until Election Day, both parties are working hard to get potential voters registered — but only if you are the right kind of voter.

In a protest over a YouTube film which demonstrators feel insults Islam, more U.S. Embassies continue to be attacked. With over 15 Americans under attack, you would think that would be the front page story, or you would think that it was the stock market index closing hundreds of points down on its worst day of trading in years, or the proletarian riots that are breaking out somewhere in the world, or any of the statements made today by the Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney or statements made by President Obama himself – but it is not. Tonight’s leading story is about a woman named Jane Doe. Jane Doe is an 82-year-old resident of City, State, and has been voting for the last 64 years. This year she was told she can’t. A new law in Texas requires residents to show a government issued photo ID in order to vote. Jane Doe does not have a driver’s license because Jane Doe does not have a car. Jane Doe does not have a passport – her days of traveling and adventure ended long ago. Her state of residence is not alone.

At this moment according to the National Conference of State Legislators, 31 states have proposed or already adopted the same voter id laws that have disqualified citizens like Jane Doe from the one fundamental thing we all do as Americans. Studies from The Brennan Center for Justice estimates that roughly 11 percent or nearly 34 million people do not have government issued photo ids and will be disenfranchised this November 6. Why? To crack down on what some politicians voice as the terrible problem of voter fraud. Governor Rick Perry of Texas who previously entered the Presidential Primary Race this year is serious about cracking down on the problem, “Making sure that there is not fraud, making sure that someone is not manipulating the process that makes all the sense in the world to me.”

Voter fraud is such a huge problem that during a five year period under the Bush Administration when 196 million votes were cast according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of cases of voter fraud reached – 86. Not 86,000 but 86. As a percentage of votes cast, that number is - .00004 percent. This could be seen as a solution without a problem, but instead, it is a solution to another problem. Certain political parties have a hard time getting particular groups of people to vote for them; things would be a lot easier if those groups were just not allowed to vote at all. According to the National Conference of State Legislators, 31 voter id laws were proposed by a particular group of political party legislators’, passed by the same party whom controlled the state houses and signed into law by that same party’s Governors.

Now while the previous case of Jane Doe may be a fictitious character sensationalized by media outlets and syndicated programming, it is a real issue affecting minority groups, the elderly and college voters; many of whom are not even aware of the fact that the U.S. elections are hindering their rights and turning into a criminal enterprise.  Here is what you need to know. The federal court struck down the Texas law that would have required voters to show government-issued photo identification before casting their ballots in November. The court said the law “would hurt turnout among minority voters and impose strict, unforgiving burdens on the poor by charging those voters who lack proper documentation fees to obtain election ID cards.” Government officials called the Texas’ voter-identification law “the most stringent of its kind in the country.” Governor Rick Perry and supporters are attempting to appeal the decision to the United States Supreme Court.

While the appeal is waiting to be filed, many college students are speaking their minds on the issue. UT Student Government Representative Jordan Metoyer says, “College students were an integral demographic in the 2008 election, a fact that may change entirely if some lawmakers get their way.” Many students agree with Jordan. Cortney Sanders, a junior Government major at the University of Texas at Austin says this is just another way to keep marginalized groups from the poll. “This is a disenfranchisement to all college students, especially those of color and who are out of state.” While law says you just need a birth certificate and $23 to pay for a photo id, Cortney says “this is just like the illegal poll tax and that is just wrong on every level.” As college students, both Jordan and Cortney say that their likelihood to vote is largely based on the time required to enact their right; any obstacle that adds a burden to students will negatively affect their chances of voting.

One proposed solution for college students is absentee ballots. However, student deputy voter registrars like Cortney say it is not the best thing especially for college students. If you are a college student looking to vote in the upcoming election, Cortney offers her advice by encouraging students to “register and vote where your school is since that is where you typically reside for about 10 months out of the school year.” The deadline to register to vote is October 9. Travis County Tax Office Director Tiffany Seward offers her advice to college students registering or looking to vote in the upcoming election. “The first thing college students must do is determine where they want to vote. Students may vote at their home address, and if they decide to exercise this option, they should contact that state or county to request an absentee ballot. Students who prefer to vote in Travis County on Election Day must register at their new address by October 9. Because students tend to move often, they should check their voter registration status before the deadline.”

While there is no evidence of significant levels of voter impersonation — the sort of fraud that would be addressed by ID requirements — the argument is that this issue is going undetected. Proponents for the voter id bill say these laws are constitutional methods of preventing voter fraud, restrictions needed to prevent fraud. Voter impersonation fraud is rare and proponents for the law contend that the restrictions are a veiled effort to suppress turnout by legitimate voters such as students, the elderly and minorities.  These are voters who are less likely to have a photo ID card and who tend to support a particular political party.

Welcome to my journalism blog. I was once told that journalism is a tool for discussion and difference, particularly for people of color. While other journalist or reporters may case awards, fame, or a Pulitzer Prize, I aim for social change. If you asked me what  I wanted to do when I was younger I would say the same thing I want now - to be a reporter, a storyteller. I observed inequalities in society at a very young age. I am drawn to broadcast journalism because it allows expression of emotions powerfully and often spontaneously. Welcome to the world of new media and how I view it through my looking glass.