February 18, 2019 by The Chronicle

Monday, February 18, 2019

VOL. 52, NO. 9

Truth Conquers All Since 1969

CLC celebrates black history month Anastasia Gustafson

News Editor

The College of Lake County is celebrating Black History throughout the month of February. CLC has developed a list of student activities, meetings, and presentations to celebrate people of color, their achievements, culture, and memorable figures. “Here at the Multicultural Center, we celebrate all cultures and ethnicities,” Beverly Phelps, the Multicultural Center coordinator, said. “I just want to make sure that everyone is understood outside of what’s being taught in the books, the Martin Luther King Jr., the Rosa Parks, the Malcolm X; all of them.” The Poetry Jazz and

Motion Performance was held on Feb. 9, and the Panel Discussion for Lake County’s AfricanAmerican History Makers was held on Feb. 13. “It was very important because students need to know what their options are,” Phelps said. “Seeing people who look like them on a professional level, hearing their story, and how they got to where they are today,” Phelps said. “They need to see that you gotta fight through all the struggles and challenges you face.” There is still much more to enjoy this month in order to celebrate the heritage and importance of African Americans in American society. On Feb. 21, CLC plans to celebrate Black History Month by hosting, along with Deerfield High School, a

“Jeopardy-Style Game.” This will be directed with the CLC’s Black Student Union members at CLC’s Southlake Campus from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Questions will be asked on important speakers, events, and cultural aspect of the African American community. Feb. 22, CLC’s Black Student Union will be hosting the “Black History Experience” table from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Miguel Juarez Middle School, 201 N Butrick St., Waukegan. Students of all ages can come to ask questions, answer questions, and hear about the rich history African Americans contributed to modern culture, along with their unique plights and hardships they have endured throughout the era.

And finally, on both Feb. 23 and 24, there will be an “Annual Salute to Gospel” concert to celebrate African American musical culture. Starting at 7 p.m. on Saturday Feb 23, at the Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St. in downtown Waukegan, this performance will feature acclaimed musicians such as JJ Hairston and Youthful Praise, as well as Ms. Anita Wilson. Hairston is the main songwriter, the head, and director of Youthful Praise. Youthful Praise is the national choir famous for topping the charts for its worship music and urbanized gospel works. The group has won many awards, including the Billboard Music award and an American Society of Composers, Authors

and Publishers Rhythm and Soul Award. They were also one of groups to be nominated for the notorious Gospel Music Stellar Awards in 2018. Tickets can be purchased at the Lancer Zone for $26.00, but there is a discount offered to CLC students. .These events are enrichment to all of the student body just as much as they are inspiring to African American students. “One key takeaway is the knowledge [and] the understanding the rich history of all cultures,” Phelps said. “I think it’s important that we not only celebrate Black History Month, but all other cultures...because that’s what the students are,” asserts Phelps.

Image courtesy of huffingtonpost.com

Students find passion with Lancer Radio

Poetry & jazz touches the soul of CLC

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Women’s basketball team face off at conference

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News

THE CHRONICLE Page 2 | Monday, February 18, 2019

CLC partners to help students afford higher education Erin Neeson

Staff Reporter For the first time in American history, the current generation of young adult students will be faced with entering the most competitive and technological workforces on both the national and international scale in order to maintain high paying positions. Unlike previous generations where professions requiring no additional education were the norm, today’s students are met with jobs that require extensive technological knowledge, along with a secondary education of some sort. However, with the cost of tuition rising, these highly advanced jobs ranked in fields are untouchable unless one pursues the aforementioned secondary education. Community colleges, such as CLC, are dedicated

to helping students receive their higher education, but at a more affordable cost. “CLC is committed to the imperative of equity in access and success for every student in degree attainment,” CLC president Lori Suddick said. According to a nongovernmental reform movement called ‘Achieving the Dream,’ denying students access to higher education because of rising tuition costs is creating an uneducated workforce. Among four other colleges, CLC is partnering with ATD in 2019 and is committed to upholding the organization’s ideals to support student success. ATD is focused on closing academic achievement gaps with its national network of more than 220 community colleges. They also aim to stay committed to helping their students achieve their goals for acade-mic success, personal growth, and over-

ride economic opportunity. During the execution of CLC’s pledge to ATD, there will be a kickoff event in June for each of the other colleges joining to the 2019 Cohort, in which each college will start to organize their student success plans for the year and meet their ATD Leadership Coach and Data Coach. Each coach is a community college leader that has been matched to an institution in order to offer personalized advice and guidance. “Our team is excited to begin this next phase of building CLC’s culture for student success,” Suddick said. “ATD provides resources, account-ability, and access to a national network of peers forging ahead in this transformative work.” ATD recognizes the role that community colleges play in allowing access to higher education for all students regardless of the

Image courtesy of dscc.edu

fundamental inequities such as finances, race, or gender. This inspires ATD to help higher education institutions break down barriers that deny any type of student access to achieving their academic dreams. ATD believes that student equity is not a goal, but a requirement for schools. They believe that by working with community colleges, more opportunities will arise in these institutions

to achieve both student fairness and success. “The work that is done by ATD is unparalleled,” Dr. Pam Y. Eddinger, the Chair of Achieving the Dream Board of Directors, said. “When we focus on meeting students and on understanding that their unique experiences are what bring such cultural wealth to our community colleges, we do a service both to the students and to their institutions.”

Mental health services now available to all students Payton Higgins Staff Reporter The College of Lake County embraces mental health awareness with the recent official establishment of the Counseling and Psychological Services, or CAPS for short. The offices of CAPS have recently been moved and can now be found on the Grayslake campus at room A151. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CAPS differ from the notably student acquainted Counseling, Advising and Transfer Center (CATC) in that CAPS provides short-term psychological services to CLC students and staff for mental health needs, whilst the CATC handles academic, career, and transfer needs. Those seeking help or guidance in regard to mental health needs are able to take advantage of the many free services provided by CAPS, including individual and group therapy, training,

presentation, consultation, triage and urgent assessment, crisis intervention and response to urgent concerns, and delivery of psychoeducational programs. The CAPS center has a full-time clinical psychologist and a clinical social worker, as well as part-time clinicians who are trained in dealing with mental health issues. “Rates of anxiety, depression, and substance use are all increasing,” CLC psychology instructor, Martha Lally said. “Suicides are increasing, we’re seeing a 30 percent increase since 1999 in suicides. We’re having a crisis right now in terms of mental health concerns.” Mental health is a crucial part of daily life and it affects each individual in a different way, which is why it is so important to safeguard against poor mental health. A favorable approach to doing this has been applied by CAPS through what has been called ‘positive psychology’. “We focus on an

individuals strengths, rather than focusing on their deficits,” Lally said. In regards to defining positive psychology, it should be seen as a preventative measure to negative mental health, not treating mental illnesses already developed. “We want to focus on what’s going well for them,” Lally said. “We want to work with what they already have and strengthen that to

further assist them.” “We want to make sure we’re getting a sense of what could go wrong in the future and to help bolster their optimism or their perseverance so that they can overcome any stressors that might come in,” Lally said. If someone’s behavior is noticeably deviant or different than usual, their behavior is causing them some form of pain or interfering with their day to day life.

If you or someone you know needs help or guidance with a mental health need, visit the Counseling and Psychological Services center. In the circumstance that is not an option, the Lake County Health Department Crisis Phone Counseling line can be reached at (847) 377-8088 and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at (800) 273-8255.

Photo courtesy of Kevin Tellez

News

THE CHRONICLE Page 3 | Monday, February 18, 2019

Students’ big ideas compete for big bucks Caspar Badovinac Staff Reporter

The College of Lake County is excited to host its fourth annual Big Idea Competition, an event in which students are able to present their best ideas for a new business, product, or service, in order to compete for a chance to win a grand prize of $1,000, with runner-ups receiving $500 and $250. Individuals and teams of up to three students can submit their creative and useful ideas via the CLC website, along with a short video describing their idea and the demand it satisfies. The videos submitted by the students participating will be judged through a rigorous panel of CLC faculty judges who are apt in the art of business. To up the ante, there will also be other local, business savvy, business representatives to judge students’ ideas and work. Selected finalists will be invited to an amiable, friendly and fun live event where they will pitch their ideas to a panel

of judges in a SharkTank-style presentation. No financial or businessspecific planning is needed, just an idea that can address the needs of consumers. The event is sponsored by Suzy’s Swirl and CLC faculty. This student affair was created to give students an avenue through which to express their entrepreneurial creativity and showcase their ideas. With business becoming more and more prominent in the United State’s employment and consumer culture, this event is a wonderful opportunity to flex one’s enterprising skills and creativity. While CLC offers resources for business minded students through Business Management degrees and Entrepreneurship certificates, faculty are excited to present the Big Idea Competition as an opportunity for students. “Students can pitch their ideas, face tough questions, and to then go back and refine their business plan,” Venkat Krishnamurthy, the Business Adminstration Department Chair, said.

Graohic courtesy of Hope Pham

“For attendees, it is a chance to see live examples of the tough questions that investors often ask fledgling businesses that are seeking to raise money, while also allowing for the college itself to be an informal incubator for good business ideas,” Krishnamurthy said. The students’ Applications containing their ideas for the event will be accepted until Mar. 17. Further, the unique

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and exciting live event, along with its awards ceremony, will take place on Apr. 15 on the CLC Grayslake Campus. Notably, the past successful ideas have included a light-based alarm clock that can wake up one roommate at a time, and a design for an environmentally friendly shelter that both would address the common local housing need and create jobs for

those who are in need of employment the most. If you have an idea that you want to showcase, visit http://www.clcillinois. edu/businessidea for more information on application submission. All applicants are welcome, and you may have the next Big Idea, which can mean a cash payout for the most creative, non-proverbial, and passionate new businessman or woman at CLC.

THE CHRONICLE Arturo Ramirez

Health & Science

Rebecca Martinez A&E Editor

Bethany Newby Copy Editor

Anastasia Gustafson

Staff List John Kupetz Adviser

Sammie Wilkins Editor-in-Chief

Kevin Tellez

Managing Editor

Elizabeth Taylor Features Editor

Brandon Ferrara

Business Manager

Daniel Lynch Opinion Editor Hope Pham

Graphic Designer

News Editor

Contributors: Peter Anders, Casper Badovinac, Caroline Dudkowski, ZaTozia Duffie, Andrew Fine, Payton Higgins, Minha Kahn, Jason Lee, Erin Neeson, Jose Moreno, Ricardo Ochoa, Fernando Reynoso.

Features

THE CHRONICLE Page 4 | Monday, February 18, 2019

Two students find their passion in ‘bad movies’

Elizabeth Taylor Features Editor

Most students get the mass emails from Lancer Radio asking them to sign up and become part of their team. They ask students to either work behind the scenes or on the air for the station. A year ago, two friends decided to take them up on this offer. RJ Axen and Wilson Parkinson had been friends for years when they got the familiar email. Axen’s career goal of voice acting motivated him further to look into working for the radio and getting some practice behind a microphone. Having a show alone can be daunting though, so he turned to his good friend for an on-air partner. Axen further said that getting to work with his friend would be perfect because he wanted to do “something

that’s funny and stupid.” Parkinson’s version of how they got started was slightly different than his partner’s. “I got dragged into this!” Parkinson said, “To be honest, I didn’t really care for the whole radio thing, he just texted me one day ‘Hey bro, you wanna do a radio thing with me?’” After some more conversations about what they would have to do, they agreed to sign up and start their adventure together. Having no past experience with radio, they didn’t know what to do. All they knew was that they wanted to do something which would make them and their listeners laugh. Working out exactly what they would do onair did take some practice. “The first time we worked on our show, we spent three hours writing a script and then threw it away because it wasn’t coherent,” said Axen.

So after some failed attempts to plan exactly what they would talk about, they decided to take a more free form approach. “We tried going by script and it just wasn’t organic enough so we just decided to go with whatever we wanted to speak about,” added Parkinson. During their show, they pick a topic or two and dive deep, having conversations, making jokes, and discussing whatever especially tickled them that week. During the past year of their show, they have developed one signature segment: movie reviews. Most fans choose to discuss films which brought them great joy or stirred up some new emotion in them and had a great effect on them, this team likes to take a different approach to reviewing movies. “The most consistent little

thread for our show is going to the theaters at least once a month to see a movie that we know will be absolutely dreadful,” said Axen The pair will look at local theaters or online for movies with bad reviews or which they simply want to experience. One could question why they put themselves through seeing a movie and going into lengths discussing it when they found it to be so terrible. “If it’s a bad movie you can go into lengths about how it was so poorly done that it was comical,” Axen said. Making their listeners laugh through critically analyzing objectively bad movies does set them apart from other movie reviewers, but that’s not the only reason they continue the segment. “In a sick way, I genuinely enjoy the experience of watching these

Photo courtesy of Lancer Radio Facebook Page

movies,” said Parkinson. They have now spent two semesters together onair taking down bad films. Axen and Parkinson plan on continuing the show until one of them transfers or they run out of bad movies to review, which they are skeptical of ever happening. Their show can be heard Thursdays from 2 p.m until 4 p.m on Lancer Radio.

Minha Khan and Rebecca Martinez at the Writing Center Valentine’s booth

Marissa Barnette, Jacob Cacioppo, and Miguel Quiroz at the Student Government Association Valentine’s bake sale

CLC celebrates Valentine’s Day 2019!!

A&E

THE CHRONICLE Page 5 | Monday, February 18, 2019

Poets and musicians touch the ‘soul’ of CLC Rebecca Martinez A&E Editor On a night filled with poetry and music, an array of poets performed with saxophonist Tim Cunningham, who played some arrangements with his band all the way from St. Louis, Missouri. Poetry and Jazz in Motion, an event sponsored by CLC’s Black Student Union, took place at the Grayslake Campus on Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. Joel Chmara, a Communications instructor, opened the show with an insightful piece about his teaching in relation to CLC’s diverse demographics and pop culture. Cleverly sarcastic and amusing, Chmara’s poem remained compassionate, even while making jabs at the invention of reality T.V.. Moe Mentum and Odyssey performed next, in a moving reflection on many topics, like, spirituality, equality in relationships, and

the corrupt U.S. prison system. The best way to describe Moe Mentum and Odyssey was electric synergy; their individual cadence played incredibly well off each other. An interwoven phrase through their performance, “Beautiful lover, always caring and kind, I hear the sounds of my people, in the back of my mind; Black,” left an unforgettable impression upon the audience. The following poet, Deana Dean, shared a couple of poems concentrated in Black women’s empowerment and motherhood. Her first poem, “If You Were Here” discussed the painful death of her mother, and the grieving process of a daughter. This poem caused numerous tears in the audience; Dean’s ability to convey a traumatic life event in such a raw way felt almost surreal to listen to, it was a shared moment of visceral empathy. Awthentik read a series of poems entitled, “The

Poems You Have When Company Comes.” Some of Awthentik’s work derives strongly from her Westside of Chicago upbringing, regarding her pieces about the 1968 Chicago riots following MLK Jr.’s assassination, to stories of abuse. However, a resounding message in Awthentik’s poems is Black women excellence; one of her last poems examined the unjustly designated role of women in society, referencing primordial goddesses, mother nature, and even arguing for equal pay. Awthentik’s voice was refreshingly honest, and validated what can be a harsh reality for some women. The final poet of the night, Phenom, who works frequently in Chicago art programs for the youth, performed a mixture of poetry and songs. Big on audience participation, Phenom would ask the crowd to sing along to some lyrics, and even had a moment

Saxophonist Tim Cunningham Photo courtesy of Rebecca Martinez

for positive affirmations at the end of his set, reminding us all to be conscious and respectful of one another. Phenom’s performances incorporated both hip-hop and reggae sounds, while his lyrical content was full of love for his community, amidst criticism against gang violence and police brutality. Saxophonist Tim Cunningham played two sets, with songs ranging from covers of Bruno Mars’ “That’s What I Like,” Adele’s “Hello,” as well as his own music, like “Manchester Rd.”. Cunningham played his

instrument effortlessly, and with a skilled band supporting him, his sound was undeniably smooth and soulful. Poetry and Jazz in Motion promoted a night of sharing stories, starting dialogues, and used the power of music as a healing and freeing component to honor many local Black creatives during Black History Month. Proceeds from the event go towards the Holly S. Graham Scholarship, in honor of the 2007 alumna.

‘Everything is awesome’ five years later for movie sequel Jason Lee

Staff Reporter Well, it’s a sequel five years in the making.“The Lego Movie” was surprisingly a fantastic movie, and one of the best of 2014. It’s an extremely high bar to reach, so how far did this sequel go? “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” follows Emmett and his friends five years after the events of the first film, and their battle against the Duplos. The voice acting is again great, especially Chris Pratt and Elizabeth Banks. Pratt again manages to capture the hilarious, charismatic, and optimistic personality of Emmett, and he’s easily likable as a result. Pratt also plays Rex Dangervest, a pretty enjoyable character that is a hilarious amalgamation of Pratt’s previous roles as characters in other films. Although his character

does get pretty predictable towards the end, he’s still very enjoyable for his role in the plot. Banks is also fantastic again as Lucy/Wyldstyle, carrying a good amount of charm and sassiness. Her backstory here is fleshed out more, which serves for some great character development and surprising yet enjoyable revelations about her. Will Arnett does great again as Batman, bringing back the more sarcastic and arrogant version of the character from the first film. Although he’s enjoyable on screen, his arc and romance with Queen Watreva Wa-Nabi is cheesy and unneeded, it ends up feeling out of character for even Batman. Stephanie Beatriz does well as General Sweet Mayhem, having a sort of predictable but decent role here. Charlie Day, Nick Offerman, and Alison Brie

again do pretty good as Benny, MetalBeard, and Princess Unikitty. It seems like they don’t have as much to do here rather than conform to the world of the Duplos, and that’s disappointing considering I thought they were kind of underdeveloped in the first film. Speaking of the real world, its role here is much more prominent here than in the first one, and it works very well. Creative and interesting, it also manages to teach us lessons on the values of friendship and sharing, as well as spending time with the most important people in your life before it’s too late. As for the animation, it doesn’t disappoint. The film brilliantly has Legos and Duplos bring the world to life, especially with the great direction and bright color aesthetics. Just like the first one, this film had a lot heart and the ending of the film is

extremely touching. This movie overall is the very definition of a great animated sequel, and if a third one does happen, I’m totally down. Given how major of a

role Legos played in my childhood, I’m happy with how these films have turned out thus far. For now, everything is still awesome.

Image courtesy of Age of the Nerd

A&E

THE CHRONICLE Page 6 | Monday, February 18, 2019

Black history celebrated among different media Minha Khan

Staff Reporter This month the United States will be celebrating its 42nd annual Black History Month. A holiday pioneered by author and scholar James Baldwin, who believed that if the history and culture of African Americans was ignored, it would eventually be completely lost to history. The importance of supporting and celebrating black history and culture is just as important now as it was 42 years ago. To this day, racism and erasure of African American history is a major issue in the United States. To honor the month and

fulfill James Baldwin’s hopes when he conceived the celebration of African American history, CLC students can take part in various activities on or off campus. One option taking place on Thursday, Feb. 21 from 12-1:00 pm is the African American Trivia Bowl at the Southlake Campus Atrium. The Trivia Bowl is sponsored by the Black Student Union and will also feature prizes for winners. Another way to celebrate black culture is attending the Genesee Theater Salute to Gospel in Waukegan on Saturday Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. Aside from attending these events there are many other ways for us to learn about

African American history and culture. TV shows and movies such as “Dear White People”, “Insecure”, and “Chewing Gum” portray the black experience in the modern day in a comedic but also poignant and truthful way. Musicians such as Joey Bada$$, Kendrick Lamar, and Janelle Monae all speak on race in their art. Listening to their albums is a great way for people to learn about black culture. Another great way to celebrate black history is to attend one of the numerous events taking place in Chicago this month. A free screening of the movie “And Still I Rise”, a film about poet Maya Angelou will be taking

Image courtesy of mayaangeloufilm.com

place at Seward Park on Feb. 23 through the Chicago Park District. Austin Town Hall Park will also be hosting their own Black History Month Program on Feb. 20, free to the public, and including music, dance, and theater

in celebration of black excellence. The plethora of free programs and events in honor of Black History Month should inspire the celebration black history and culture.

‘Alita: Battle Angel’ stuns audience with CGI effects Peter Anders Staff Reporter ‘Alita: Battle Angel’ is a cyberpunk science fiction action film starring Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein, Jackie Earle Haley, and Keenan Johnson. Based on the manga of the same name, and directed by Robert Rodriguez, it was released in theaters by 20th Century Fox on February 14, 2019. ‘Alita: Battle Angel’ is a very

mixed bag. At times it is a true marvel to behold, while other parts are downright baffling and almost embarrassing. The end result is a product that is visually incredible, yet narratively inconsistent. But, the weakest parts of ‘Alita: Battle Angel’ are the script and the pacing. The script toys with some interesting themes such as the value of identity and the abuse of power. It does have a problem juggling all of the characters that inhabit this world, often failing to develop them well or

even at all, making it difficult to care about them. However, the motion capture technology on display with Alita herself is incredible. Granted, it is a little unsettling at times and crosses over into the “uncanny valley”, but it nevertheless is at the point where it blends in well to the world around it. Salazar gives an outstanding performance, managing to have some emotion but not too much emotion to lose the point that she is not entirely human and is trying to discover her inner humanity.

The benefit of having so much CGI throughout is that it basically turns the movie into a cartoon with some real actors thrown in there, which allows for a lot more creativity in the staging and filming of them. It truly feels like an anime/ manga brought to life in live action, especially with all the crazy moves and fights the characters have. Considering how long this movie has languished in development hell and the multiple delays it has suffered (this was originally supposed

to come out on July 20, 2018), it is almost a miracle that ‘Alita: Battle Angel’ is as decent as it is. It has a great cast and some solid direction, with compelling action, worldbuilding, and visuals, but it is brought down by some bad pacing and an inconsistent script. Still, ‘Alita: Battle Angel’ is without a doubt the best live action anime adaptation done by a Hollywood studio, and if you are a fan of the source material, you are likely going to adore this film.

Image courtesy of IGN.com

A&E

THE CHRONICLE Page 7 | Monday, February 18, 2019

‘Black Panther’ dominates Academy Awards with seven nominations

Fernando Reynoso Freelance Contributor

The 91st Academy Awards are just around the corner and “Black Panther” is up for seven nominations which include Best Picture, Best Original Song (“All the Stars” by Kendrick Lamar, SZA, Mark Spears, and Anthony Tiffith), Original Music Score (Ludwig Göransson), Best Costume Design (Ruth E. Carter), Best Sound Mixing, Best Production Design (Hannah Beachler and Jay Hart), and Best Sound Editing. Director Ryan Coogler (Creed) takes on the journey of the Black Panther in the hero’s first stand-alone film with themes like, loyalty in one another, bonds between family, the power in unity, as well as incorporating African cultures. Chadwick Boseman (Marshall) returns as T’Challa, the Black Panther, along with an all-star cast such as Michael B. Jordan (Creed), Lupita Nyong’o (Queen of Katwe), Angela Bassett (Bumblebee), Forest Whitaker (HowIt Ends), and more. After the events in Captain America: Civil War, T’Challa (Boseman) returns home to the hidden kingdom of Wakanda to take up the mantle of the king after his father, T’Chaka’s (John

Kani) death. An old enemy, Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis), resurfaces after a heist with the help of someone from Wakanda’s past that was kept secret but returns to challenge the throne and threaten the world. T’Challa faces the struggle of both king and protector of Wakanda and choosing to share their resources with the rest of the world. “Black Panther” is the 18th Marvel film that started with Iron Man (2008) and shows no signs of stopping for more dramatic, humorous, and action-packed superhero films. Yet “Black Panther” is the first Marvel film to carry such high hopes and grand influence towards the black community who have not seen a representation of culture, and gender equality like this. All carefully constructed by the brilliant mind of Coogler and with such wellrounded characters given life by the talented cast, “Black Panther” has given a voice in Hollywood and heroes to look up to. We all saw the spark that came from Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” through Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker, and later, after Ledger’s tragic passing, received the Best Supporting Actor award.

Image courtesy of marvel.com

Now that spark has become much brighter with “Black Panther’s” seven nominations that are paving the way for more superhero films to be taken seriously enough for the Academy Award spotlight. “It’s a big accomplishment for superhero movies to be nominated for an Oscar because it shows that they

are being made better” CLC student Melissa Tinajero said. The creators of these characters and stories, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, were champions for all generations that grew up with the struggles of adolescence and the hardships of social issues, then and now. As T’Challa’s (Boseman)

final words in the film, “Now more than ever the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth. More connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe.”

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Opinion

THE CHRONICLE Page 8 | Monday, February 18, 2019

Healthcare is a moral issue, not just an economic one Daniel Lynch Opinion Editor The Democratic primary campaign is well underway. Over the past few years, the consistently top-polling issue for Americans is healthcare. A majority of the presidential candidates are all supporting some form of Medicare for all. The idea began seeing widespread support among the Democratic Party as a way to guarantee affordable healthcare for every American in the 2016 presidential primary. This is in stark contrast to the solution of the Republican Party which involves providing all Americans with “access” to healthcare. Which is

an underhanded way of saying “people already have access and the fact that they can’t afford it doesn’t matter.” However, we should examine what Medicare for all would mean and what different candidates mean when they use that buzzword and give citizens the tools they need to determine if a proposed plan will meet their needs. Principally what voters should seek if they want affordable healthcare for society is a single payer system, which means that people would pay into their taxes to fund a healthcare system that is available to everyone. While that sounds like it’ll cost more, you’ll effectively stop paying your current health

insurance plan making the new cost cancel out with the old, all while expanding the insurance pool to reduce costs. Virtually all of these plans involve the government having more force in setting drug prices for America, right now this is primarily done by private companies which allows for massive price inflation. The current debate between competing politically left healthcare plans involves the divide between the idea of keeping employment sponsored health insurance or eliminating it. The idea behind a pure Medicare for All sponsored by someone like Bernie Sanders is that if you eliminate

employee insurance you can eliminate people paying premiums and maximizing the number of people enrolled which would reduce overall costs for all. There are also plans that would allow people to buy in to Medicaid and Medicare while still allowing people to keep their employer sponsored insurance offered by senators Jeff Merkley and Chris Murphy. The reason being that private companies are given subsidiaries in order to provide their workers coverage. This is advantageous to companies because it allows them to be competitive in what they can offer employees. This can also be technically advantageous

for the recipients because they could be gifted with good healthcare plans. But this essentially pulls people out of the available pool to fund healthcare for people who aren’t able to acquire higher level jobs. Essentially, a classist differential of who should be allowed the most affordable healthcare. The overall issue here is not only an economic one, in providing the best prices for Americans, but also a moral one. We have to decide if the profits of private industry is more important than lowering prices for all Americans. Emphatically, we should stop cruelty of prioritizing off people’s sickness that exists within our current system.

Wall will only close America off to the world Ricardo Ochoa Staff Reporter The biggest promise of The President’s 2016 presidential campaign can arguably be the wall that would be built along the United States southern border. This wall would prevent illegal border crossing by migrants and the supposed drug overflow coming into the U.S. through the border. The President’s request of $5.7 billion to begin construction of the wall has been denied by Majority leader Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi and Senior Senator, Chuck Schumer. This lead to the longest running government shutdown in American history. If house democrats cannot come to an agreement with The President, he has threatened to call for a national emergency at the border. Given that The President ran strong on tough immigration policies and stronger border security this might determine whether re-election happens in 2020. It’s understandable why he might be pushing strong on the wall. In reality though, is building this wall along the border something

that will benefit Americans? “We can’t have people pouring into our country like they have over the last 10 years,” the President told the Voice of America in an interview. The reality is that the amount of illegal border crossing has gone down subsequently since the year 2000. According to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, illegal border crossing went from over 1.5 million people in the year 2000 to just over 1 million in 2005, its highest point since. The amount of illegal crossing then declined to under 500,000 migrants in 2018. The Department of Homeland Security has also reported that more than 600,000 people that are living in the country undocumented have overstayed their visas from legal ports of airport entry. Another claim the president makes is how the wall will stop an overflow of illegal drugs from entering the country. According to an IntelAgent of the Drug Enforcement administration, most drugs are coming in through ports of legal entry to the U.S and the majority of illegal drugs are not coming from Mexico, but are being flown in from Colombia instead.

Photo courtesy of mic.com

Clearly the wall will have no effect on stopping any criminal acts. Criminals have, and will, find their way around. The construction of the wall is crucial to the president’s chances at reelection in 2020. This was one of his biggest promises on the campaign and it was one that energized his base exponentially. According to a poll by CBS, only about 41 percent of Americans still approve of the wall. This includes 70 percent of Republicans. The majority of American still feels like this wall is unnecessary. The president

wants $5.7 billion to start the construction of the wall. With a budget that big, Americans believe that money should be used to fund different resources. The city of Flint Michigan estimates that just $55 million dollars can will fix all the damaged water pipes in the city. This is 103 times less than what the president is asking for. The National Priorities Project said that 1.4 million Americans can be provided with quality medical insurance with $5 billion. If The President cares the least bit about the environment, NPP also said

that The Environmental Protection Act can be given a 60 percent raise. If, as a country, we’re going to be talking about keeping Americans safe, we ought to ensure they have clean air to breathe and clean water to drink. Talk about keeping Americans safe. How about making sure they have clean air to breathe. The facts say that it is not necessary, and if we want to put $5.7 billion to work, there is way more we can do to help Americans than build a wall.

Health & Science

THE CHRONICLE Page 9 | Monday, February 18, 2019

Procrastination can lead to more than bad grades Katrina Topacio

Staff Reporter

Procrastination is a common phenomenon that is mostly prevalent among adults and university students. Procrastination can be defined as the deliberate act of delaying an assignment, task, or course of action for the simple reason that you do not want to do them. While procrastination might not seem like a terrible vice, it can greatly affect our lives by increasing stress levels, worsening grades, and negatively impacting our

health. According to a study done by the Association for Psychological Studies, people who habitually procrastinate on a daily basis are more likely to suffer from serious health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease or hypertension. Researchers from the study claim that the stress incurred from putting off important tasks or assignments can lead to “negative psychophysiological impacts on the body which increase our vulnerability for illness.” As such, chronic procrastination can lead to a

“range of stress-related health problems such as headaches, digestive issues, colds and flus, and insomnia.” So then why do we procrastinate? Research shows that procrastination is linked to “behavioral, genetic, and neurological traits. These include impulsivity, difficulties regulating emotions, and problems with motivation,” as stated in an article by the University Health News. Most people tend to think only of short-term goals, not wanting to work on something that may not be

Graphic courtesy of qz.com

due until several weeks later. It becomes difficult to stay motivated and so they seek out other tasks for the sake of distracting themselves. Another factor of why people procrastinate lies within their very genes. A journal from the National Institutes of Health has found that procrastination is partly heritable and is linked to people’s impulsivity. Daniel E. Gustavson, a doctor of Psychology and one of the researchers for the study, stated that such impulsive tendencies are firmly ingrained within us as an instinctual survival response from early humans (hunters-gatherers). Thus, he described how people’s impulsive tendencies makes “modern-day humans highly susceptible to succumbing to temptations without much consideration for long-term goals, resulting in procrastination.” The enormity of a task ends up being ignored while we choose to satisfy our shortterm goals instead. Fortunately, there are several ways in which we can combat procrastination. One strategy is to think of the deadline in terms of days rather than in weeks or months. An assignment due in fourteen days will prompt

you to act rather than thinking it is due in two weeks, and so on. Another good practice is to make a list of all of your goals for tomorrow, next week, next month, and even for next year. Acknowledging your goals helps you to become more mindful of them. Also, lessen the distractions around you. By silencing your phone and putting in a place where it isn’t immediately accessible, you will be less prone to reach for it whenever a notification pops up. The same goes for the television and other electronics. The best way to get things done is to work in a quiet environment. Lastly, try to think more positively. Don’t think ‘I don’t have enough time,’ but rather, have the mindset that you can start some of your assignment today, even if it’s something as simple as brainstorming ideas or planning out the steps of how you will complete it. Be positive, have confidence, and most importantly, stop making excuses. So next time, save yourself time and choose productivity over procrastination. Your future self will no doubt be grateful towards the choices you make now.

Brain transplants soon to become a reality Andrew Fine

Staff Reporter

Having your brain transplanted into different bodies for an immortal life might seem interesting but it titers more on edge of being “unethical.” Back around the 1900s, both doctors and scientists never thought humans would see the day of a kidney transplant, but yet it happened. So could brain transplants be next? “There are a number of very difficult obstacles that would need to be overcome to allow such a transplant to work,” Shane Jones, Biology Professor at CLC, said. “Not only are there a number of anatomical and physiological hurdles, but

there are many psychological and ethical issues that would need to be addressed as well.” Not only would the necessary procedure require the reconnecting of the many blood vessels in the Central Nervous System back to the brain, but it would be extremely risky for a surgeon to perform. According to Stanford University Neurosciences Institute, a brain transplant wouldn’t be possible due to the immune response. In this case, it would be a new brain which would “lead to a full blown immune response and death might follow.” “The medical problems with a brain transplant are overshadowed by the ethical problems,” Bob Remedi, Anatomy

and Physiology and Environmental Biology professor said. “Since ‘personhood’ is housed within the brain, removing a brain from a healthy body to allow for a new one to be transplanted is essentially murder of the brain associated with the donor body.” One thing that would make brain transplants remotely possible is to have the ability to connect nerve fibers from the transplanted brain to the native spinal cord. Although it seems far fetched at the moment to have a brain transplant, it doesn’t make it impossible for the future. With technology improving every single day, the medical technology that will emerge in the future is unimaginable.

Graphic courtesy of Numaan Elamin

Health & Science

THE CHRONICLE Page 10 | Monday, February 18, 2019

Miracle case gives hope for a potential HIV virus cure

Arturo Ramirez

Health & Science Editor Humans are exposed to germs, infections, sexually transmitted diseases, viruses, and all kinds of bacteria that affect many peoples’ lifestyles. Unfortunately, there are incurable autoimmune diseases, cancerous cells, mental disorders, sexually transmitted diseases, and so many other devastating conditions that alter many lives significantly. Some people are born with HIV, even though it is typically spread through sexual intercourse; moreover, it can be spread through bodily fluids and open skin wounds. The immune system is a system of organs that specifically helps the human body fight infections. The immune system consists of tonsils and adenoids, lymph nodes, the spleen, the appendix, bone marrow, and other organs. According to Alice Park, author of the article “There Is No Cure for HIV-but Scientists May Be Getting Closer,” there is no cure for HIV. There have been notable cases of animals and humans being cured from HIV, and there are countless efforts put into research for finding a cure. In any event, there are drawbacks and issues

surrounding treatments and finding a cure for HIV. According to an online collection of Opposing Viewpoints, there have been many unsuccessful attempts at curing more than one person using the same procedural technique. A man named Timothy Brown was cured from HIV/AIDS after switching out his old immune system with a new one. Brown received a bone marrow transplant, and so this new immune system began to successfully do its job by wiping out any diseases or illnesses that Brown had. After this case, no other medical professionals or researchers have had success in repeating the process. In the article “HIV/ AIDS,” it mentions the causation and transmission, treatment of HIV/AIDS, impact of HIV/AIDS, education and prevention, testing, partner notification, and issues surrounding treatment. In reality, the article states that some people are not following through with keeping their HIV status in check; likewise, due to lack of budget, research and efforts towards finding a cure or vaccine for HIV may not meet its goals. Then again, the article points out some drawbacks that are commonly found

in regards to HIV/AIDS; namely, some people noted that notifying partners that were possibly “exposed” to HIV/AIDS is not effective, and treatments do not always help those whom are taking it accordingly. All in all, the article advises that the cost and low budgeting towards HIV/ AIDS causes struggles for those whom are working strategically to eliminate the virus, or keep it under control. “The AIDS Cure” is an article written by Apoorva Mandavilli, and it observes different methods that were used in order to cure people from HIV/AIDS. There are downfalls towards curing all of those with HIV, and that is because the resources and expenses to do so are at large. “Even among intractable diseases, AIDS is particularly challenging,” Mandavilli said. It’s challenging due to its devastating impact on targeted cells. The virus buries itself in its victims DNA; thus, the person’s DNA prints and inherits this virus into the body for good. “There have been many attempts in finding a cure, and no luck or cure has been found during my medical professional experiences,” David K. Hansen, Certified Registered Nurse

Anesthetist specialist in McHenry, IL. said. Hansen graduated in 1975, totalling over 43 years of experience in anesthesia and other medical applications. Once the virus enters and lives in someone’s DNA, the cells are exposed to a predicament that keeps your body from being healthy biologically. “All we could do is suppress the virus for now,” Hansen said. Brown’s case gives medical professionals an understanding of a new approach towards eradicating the virus. Coming back to the article, “The AIDS Cure” by Apoorva Mandavilli, she states that HIV transmits itself into DNA, eventually attacking the immune system. Brown had “developed an unrelated case” of acute myelogenous leukemia, and because HIV attacks and weakens our immune system, this allows people to become more susceptible to other infections, diseases, and other kinds of illnesses much like Brown was. For this purpose, she discusses in the article that Brown received a bone marrow transplant, and this would allow him to receive a “new” immune system, for that would eventually eradicate the HIV virus out

Photo of HIV Particle

of his body. As aforementioned, Brown’s case was attempted numerous other times, but without great results. Still, this gives people an understanding of new possible techniques to eradicate the virus when given the right and appropriate approach. Finally, antiretroviral treatments have been effective towards keeping the virus from spreading. There is a notable case of a baby being cured from HIV. A baby was given antiretroviral treatments at birth, and after a few years the baby had tested negative for the virus. Mandavilli states that a baby was treated early and given antiretroviral drugs starting at birth. It is suggested that this early treatment caused the virus to not fully develop and cause further harm to the baby; simultaneously, the immune system was able to act on “controlling” the virus from spreading. Doctors and nurses advise those who engage in sexual activity to consider taking antiretroviral treatments/ drugs. This is because antiretroviral could save your life, and it will help people from spreading the virus around and keeping it in check.

Photo Courtesy of www.sciencephoto.com

Sports

THE CHRONICLE Page 11 | Monday, February 18, 2019

CLC baseball hopes strong recruiting means a Series run Jose Moreno

Staff Reporter With its season on the horizon, the College of Lake County’s baseball team will strive to improve from last season’s 23-30 season record. The team is looking to improve from a 10-11 record in Skyway Conference play as well. Head Coach Heath Cummings has much insight on the team’s aspirations come the end of the season. “It is a big year for us,” Cummings said. “We’re looking on going to the playoffs in Sectionals and Regionals and hopefully make a run towards the World Series.” Recruiting for this upcoming season has proven fruitful for the team, highlighting different players’ attributes as fans come to watch and support

them. “It is a strong class we have this year. It’s the best recruiting class I’ve had here in nine years,” he said. “We have 32 guys, which is a heavy class as far as athletes goes. It should be a fun year.” Cummings shared what the team has been working on prior to the start of the season. “We have a fall baseball season and we practice in the fall months. The players conditioned, they work with a training coach throughout the season,” he said. “They have been practicing hard by putting a lot of work in the weight room. The guys are really focused on what needs to take place this year.” Cummings also highlighted team strengths and what could be points of momentum for the team as a whole. “I think we are strong in every category,” he said.

“Obviously pitching is key for any successful program and we have 18 pitchers this year. We have guys that are going to help us out in the bullpen.” “As far as defense goes, it is probably the best defensive class I have had since I have been here,” he continued. “We have a pretty strong hitting group as well, I think we are going to be able to swing the bats.” Cummings is confident in the ability of his players and does not foresee any weaknesses for the team; however, it is very much in their mindset and how they carry themselves based on different situations. “We are focused on what we need to do this spring. The energy levels are really high and I don’t see a weakness towards this program at all,” Cummings said. “We have eight returning sophomores, and we have strong freshmen class that will help out in

different roles.” In the offseason, the team has been practicing at Player’s Edge, a baseball/ softball-specific training facility with batting cages and other equipment, in Mundelein, Illinois. When they aren’t at Player’s Edge, they are at the Libertyville Sports Complex, or at the CLC gym and weight room. Taking their spring trip down to Florida will bring much energy to the atmosphere. “The energy is always high at the beginning of the year, but I think this group of guys has a totally different mindset and they are competitors,” Cummings said. Players who will hopefully be standouts for the season include Kyle Waller, a returning All-Conference and All-Regional player; Danny Yates, a returning sophomore pitcher; and

Steven Mogges, a transfer center fielder from SIU. In terms of last year’s season record, Cummings believes that it is not reflective of what the group is capable of, and neither is the comparison of the team dynamic. “That record is pretty deceiving,” he said. “Just for the fact that we were 23-21 at one time, and we lost our last nine games at the end of the year due to injuries.” “We were so short staffed that we had to play 15 games in 11 days towards the end of the year,” Cummings continued. “As far as looking back at last year and this year’s team, there is no comparison.” With the potential and the talent that the team has this year, there are many ways that the Lancers can strive for success, challenge opponents in all aspects of the game, and reach their ultimate goal.

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EXPLORE NIU

Monday, February 18, 2019

Truth Conquers All Since 1969

VOL. 52, NO. 9

Five CLC women run the court against a conference Sammie Wilkins

Editor-in-Chief CLC’s Women’s Basketball continues to be the epitome of perseverance as the team consisting of only five players take on their final few games of the season. Despite the limited number of players, the girls and Head Coach John Bongiorno have been working hard and pushing themselves to continue being a tough opponent for their competitors. “We started off real well this year, 8-0, and then we had some injuries and lost two girls,” Bongiorno said. “We are down to five now and since then we are struggling a little bit, but the girls are playing hard every night. That is the most important thing a coach can ask for.” While the girls are working hard, there are limitations to what they can do with just five players. “The biggest problem is

Photos courtesy of Samantha Wilkins

not the game, we condition a lot,” Bongiorno said. “It’s not being able to have reps in practice. It tends to show sometimes at various portions of the game, and that’s probably the biggest obstacle we face while only having five.” During a typical basketball game, players are allowed to sub into the game at any moment to relieve those who have been in the game for a while. This is not the case for sophomore Shay Ericson and her teammates. “We definitely could do better, we definitely could have a better record than we do right now, but it’s the fact that we only have five,” Ericson said. “We gas out really fast, but we are trying our best and the outcome of the game doesn’t go how we want it to sometimes.” The team has a current record of 13-11, with a conference record of 1-7. But considering the difficulties the team has faced thus far, they remain

positive and hopeful. “When we aren’t winning games as we were earlier, it’s a bit of a burden,” Bongiorno said. “But two years ago we didn’t even have a program here. Last year we won six games, and this year we already won 13. That’s a seven game improvement.” In comparison to previous years, the record wasn’t the only aspect that improved. The bond among the team has grown and further developed this season as well. “Last season it was just Hannah and I who returned, and we had five then as well,” Ericson said. “This year we had a bunch of new girls come in and we all bonded together instantly and the connection hasn’t stopped.” “There are games where we snap on each other, but by the end we all come together and say, ‘Look you did good, but here is what you did wrong and this is what you need to work on,’

and we move forward from it,” she continued. “We have a really strong bond with the team.” Freshman Camille Cuevas also said the connection between one another is a strength of the team. “Honestly, we just work well together,” Cuevas said. “We are such good friends off the court, it just pours out onto the court. We care about each other. I don’t want to be selfish, so I am doing it for my team.” The bond between the players has only grown as the season progressed, and the hardships they faced together only expedited the progress. “It pulled us together because we know it’s just us five,” Freshman Alyz Ballenger said. “We need to lean on each other and care for each other; it’s not like we have anyone we can call up.” “We have very good team spirit,” returning player Hannah Raupach said. “We

are there for each other and just play well together.” Despite the hard times and the exhaustion the players face at times, the girls love what they do and remain dedicated to the sport and their team. “I like leaning on your teammates. You know they care about you,” Ballenger said. “Even if you personally have a bad game, you can still feel good about it if one of your teammates have a good game.” The team spirit the five athletes collectively share, including freshman Taylor Feltner who wasn’t able to comment, is evident and their successes are proof of all the hard work they put in everyday. “When we beat Kankakee it was a close game,” Ballenger said. “They killed this team last year, so it was nice to go in there and get a win. Their stadium was packed and we had no fans there. “When we finished, it was silent. It was great.”