February 11, 2014

CHRONICLE Richland

Vol. XXXIX, Issue 5 February 11, 2014

Also inside: Honors Academy Shy guy guide Richlandcollege.com

Pg. 3 Pg. 5 Official Chronicle Outlets

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Richlandchronicle.com February 11, 2014

CAmPUS

Honors Academy seeks exceptional students

can still participate in extra-curricular activities. “One of the best things about the Honors Academy are our co-curricular and extra-curricular activities because we want the Honors Academy to be a full, complete program for students,” said Kent.

jonathan lee Staff Writer

“We don’t believe that Honors classes are harder; we think that Honors classes are more enriching.” — Carol Kent Staff photo Melanie Brandow

Quality Enhancement Program Director Carol Kent plans to revamp the Honors program.

ly,” said Kent. “So many of those students are absolutely ready to take Honors classes, and we hope that we’ll get many of them in our Honors Academy.” Students admitted early enough have the opportunity to receive scholarships. The Honors Academy has awarded six scholarships this semester and will award more next fall. Honors course offerings currently include the following core courses: biology 1407, English 1302, government 2305 and psychology 1301. Honors classes differ from regular classes by offering a better opportunity for students to engage with their professors and

Upcoming events

Each week, the Division of Humanities, Fine and Performing Arts at Richland College presents its Recital Series. All performances are on Tuesdays at 12:30 p.m. in the Fannin Performance Hall unless noted otherwise and are free to the general public. For more information about this series, contact Dr. Michael Crawford, director of choral music, at 972-238-6284.

Today: 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Baritone Kyle Siddons will entertain.

Today 12:30 p.m.

Sabine Hall, Room SH-117 Black History Month: “The Buck” – Financial Literacy Marcus Warr, an investment analyst for the Dallas County Community College District, will help students deal with money management.

Today: 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Brazos Gallery Reception for the Richland Faculty Exhibition The exhibition will be available from today through Feb. 28.

Today: 10 a.m.

Talk by Artist Thomas Lawson Arena Theater in Fannin Hall, Room F-102 Lawson will speak about his expansive career as a painter. In addition, he’s an artist, writer and dean of the School of Art at the California Institute for the Arts. He has exhibited paintings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City as part of the Pictures Generation Exhibit and has created temporary public works in New York, Glasgow and Madrid.

Thursday, Feb. 13: 10 a.m.

Spring Club Fair El Paso Hall Students will have the chance to join a campus club at the tables set up for a variety of interests. Stop by and check them all out.

peers in a more conversational classroom setting. As an accredited school by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, fouryear institutions recognize Richland’s Honors courses. “We don’t believe that Honors classes are harder; we think that Honors classes are more enriching, that they engage students at a higher level of learning, that they allow students the opportunity to participate in types of learning that may not be available in regular classes,” said Kent. Students who have already completed the core courses offered by the Honors Academy

“This is part of the expectation that we have for students because we feel that students who are matriculating through Richland College and on their way to transferring to a fouryear university or college will be able to have a broader experience while here and will take those experiences with them as they go on to their four-year university.” The Honors Academy has a partnership with the two-year college honors society, Phi Theta Kappa. “This last semester, if a student was a member of Phi Theta Kappa in good standing, we offered them the opportunity to come on in without having to fill out the application,” said Kent. On Feb. 20, the Academy will host a pizza party. To apply to the Honors Academy, go to www.richlandcollege.edu/honors/.

Richlandchronicle.com February 11, 2014

Do you have what it takes to become an Honors Scholar? The Honors Academy, a new program at Richland, offers an advanced curriculum. Quality Enhancement Program Director Carol Kent said, “We have had previously Honors classes to be offered, but we’re trying to revamp it and categorizing it as the Honors Academy so that students will realize they can take a whole series of courses that will provide them additional opportunities in the classroom and out of the classroom while they’re here at Richland College.” Criteria for admission to the Honors Academy require students to submit an application, maintain at least a 3.25 GPA and desire to work at a higher level of learning. In addition, the selection process takes test scores under consideration. “If your test scores aren’t quite good enough, we want to welcome you to a particular opportunity to join the program by admission by interview,” said Kent. “We feel that there are students who are out there who perhaps did not test well under certain circumstances, or maybe we have students returning to college, having been away, maybe in the military or in the workforce, and their test scores are some years old, and they would like to be admitted to the Academy.” The Honors Academy encourages Richland College Collegiate High School students to join as well. “We welcome those students wholehearted-

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MOVies

Best date-night movies for valentines Ricky Miller Entertainment Editor

Richlandchronicle.com February 11, 2014

Here are some romantic flicks meant for sweethearts and others excited about Valentine’s Day. “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (1961) Prior to directing “The Pink Panther” films, director Blake Edwards helmed this tale of socialite Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn). It is significant because it was based on the novel by Truman Capote, who also wrote the true-life story “In Cold Blood.” George Peppard (TV’s “The A-Team,” “The Blue Max”) played Golightly’s love interest Paul Varjak, who finds there is more than meets the eye when it comes to Holly and her guarded life. Grade: A“Good Will Hunting” (1997) I actually went on a press junket to New York City for this when it was originally released in 1997. The movie is about bromance, tortured souls, lifelong friendships and the one that almost got away. Both actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck received Oscars for penning the screenplay, as well as supporter Robin Williams. Also significant to the story are Minnie Driver (“Circle of Friends,” “Sleepers”) and Stellan Skarsgård (“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,” “Ronin”), who plays a teacher aiding Will. Grade: A

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“Before Sunrise” (1995) Director Richard Linklater composed what would eventually become a trilogy in this tale of vacationers who eventually end up married in this story of true love. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy play the couple the movie follows. Grade: A“Reality Bites” (1994) Ben Stiller’s sophomore effort as director finds him focusing on friends (Ethan Hawke, Steve Zahn, Winona Ryder and Janeane Garofalo) and their segue into the real world after their college graduation. Austin plays a major backdrop. Grade: B+ “Notting Hill” (1999) If ever there was a part tailor made for an actress, Julia Roberts’ turn in “Notting Hill” would be that movie. She shares a great onscreen chemistry with Hugh Grant. “Notting Hill” is also significant because it delves into the predicaments facing the handicapped in everyday real-world scenarios. Grade: B+ Other recommended romantic tales include writer Cameron Crowe’s directorial debut “Say Anything ...,” “Crossing Delancey,” “Mystic Pizza,” “When Harry Met Sally ...” “Love Actually,” “Joe Versus the Volcano,” “Brokeback Mountain” and Crowe’s “Almost Famous,” which included the late Philip Seymour Hoffman’s stellar role as music critic Lester Bangs.

Image courtesy wikimedia.org

Paul Varjak (George Peppard) and Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) kiss in the rain in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”

OPiNION

Fun facts about Valentine's Day BLANCA REYES Staff Writer

“Be my Valentine.” Sound familiar? Yes, since the beginning of the year for some. If you are like me, however, and I have no idea where all this love came from, you may be surprised by these five fun and historical facts. According to www.sheknows.com these are some interesting and funny facts that we should know.

2. The lovely “X” symbol: Have you seen or used this mark as proof of your love? It comes from medieval times. It was a kissing symbol in that time used in a letter as proof of sincerity. 3. In the Middle Ages, young men and women used to draw names from a bowl to see who would be their Valentine. They clipped the names to their sleeves for an entire week, so everybody could see it. 4. Chocolate. On Valentine’s Day: It’s almost impossible not to eat this delicious temptation, right? We are not the only ones. Casanova (known as the world’s greatest lover) ate chocolate to make him virile. 5. Although 73 percent of people buy flowers on this day, they apparently, are not the ones who receive more valentines. They are adorable teachers, followed by children, mothers, wives, sweethearts and pets. Now that you know a little more about this day, go have fun and enjoy it with your loved ones.

BEN SIEBEL Staff Writer

One of the first things I noticed as a guy at Richland College was that there are many lovely ladies on campus. With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I thought I would ask around to see how they would like the guys to step up and tell them how they really feel. Essentially, I went around trying to find the most attractive young women who had the most experience having guys approach them throughout their lives. I did my best to not come off as a weirdo, randomly asking deeply personal questions to total strangers. Honestly, I thought most girls would turn down my offer to interview them and put their opinions in the article, but every girl was very willing to help. These attractive girls were glad to spell out how they would like guys who had interest in them to present themselves. The survey I sent the girls who participated was pretty thorough, asking questions that told me how guys have treated them in the past and how they would like to be approached. Of the five girls who answered the survey, three were single and three were originally from Dallas. One of the questions I asked was where they were from. If they were from here I wanted them to summarize how guys from north Texas treated them, and if they were from somewhere else I wanted them to compare how guys treated them at the place they were from compared to how they were treated here. I thought the girls from outside north Texas would notice that Texas is full of Southern

gentlemen, but the consensus was that there are sweet guys everywhere just like there are jerks everywhere. One girl said it really depends on with whom you surround yourself. I also asked the girls how they would rate their appearance on a scale of 1-10, essentially asking what they thought of themselves physically. All of them considered themselves above average, so they were at least aware that they were attractive. But it was clear that I wasn’t going to get them to admit that they considered themselves good looking. When I asked the girls what guys rated them on a scale of 1-10, I got mixed answers. Three of them could care less about how guys rated them, while one girl said she had been rated from 6-9 and the other had been rated as low as a 7 and was “a little pissed about it.” So, these girls know they look good, but at the same time they don’t see the beauty that everyone else sees. To gauge how often these girls were approached by guys, I asked them how many guys approached them in a week and the consensus was about twice a week. I followed up by asking them about how many of those guys would they consider advancing the relationship. One of the girls who wasn’t in a relationship said, “It depends on how aggressive they are and if they possess the qualities I want in a man, as to whether I consider progressing the relationship.” Another single girl said, “Honestly, not many. Most guys just like to comment and compliment girls for fun, which is fine. Not very often do I get approached by a guy who seriously wants a relationship.”

Based on those answers, I can safely tell you that the women of Richland aren’t expecting you to come on so strong that you ask them out after barely meeting them. I would recommend instead that you separate yourself from the rest of the pack by giving a couple of genuine compliments and come off as kind as possible. If you just met her, set up a get-together at school in the coffee shop. You haven’t earned her number after talking for 10 minutes. Make her feel comfortable around you so that she looks forward to your next encounter. Then I asked the ladies how they would like a guy to present himself, ideally. The keywords that every guy should know before trying to win a girl over are sincerity, respectfulness and genuine interest. The last one is very important. A girl can tell if all you want to do is make out, simply by the location of the first date. For example, the oh-so-typical movie theater. Girls, if somebody asks you out to a movie theater, it means he doesn’t want to hear you talk. Let’s just put it that way. Another tip is to not shower them with compliments, because that can be considered pushy. And keep in mind, she probably gets that from every guy who hits on her. As long as you treat her like a lady, being friendly and confidently making your intentions clear, you should be fine. Another tip is that you should come off as confident in your mission as possible, while avoiding sounding arrogant. The girl will more likely respond favorably if you show confidence in yourself.

Richlandchronicle.com February 11, 2014

1. It began with a death in the ancient Roman Empire! Claudius II, 270 A.D., did not want men to marry during wartime because he thought that single men were better warriors. Depite this imperial order, Bishop Valentine celebrated secret weddings until he was executed on Feb. 14.

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CAmPUS

Follow me and do as I do PETE SHANNON

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Editor-in-Chief Layout Editor Sports Editor Entertainment Editor Radio News Director Copy Editor

Kisten S. Chetty Lora Advincula Blanca Reyes Ricky Miller Carla Davis Joyce Jackson

ON THE COVER

Staff Writer

If you’ve ever tried to master a musical instrument, you know some of the pitfalls that can arise. You try to do what your teacher tells you and you practice diligently, but somehow that silly contraption always avoids behaving as well as you wish. What noises emerge never quite get around to sounding as melodious as they should, no matter how hard you try. In essence, what you’re attempting to achieve in a gradual way is reordering your muscles to make unnatural acts seem normal. And, if you’re like me, that’s a tall order. But what was beautifully demonstrated on Fannin Hall’s stage Feb. 4 during the spring instrumental faculty recital was that constant practice actually does pay off, and what Richland’s music teachers tell you is not only, “Do as I say,” but, “Do as I do.” Ten of them brilliantly walked the walk and talked the talk for a little more than an hour, as their rapt pupils and assorted other music lovers watched and listened in awe. Leading off the program were professors Derrick Logozzo on marimba and vibraphone, and Joe Lee on steel guitar in a performance of Ralph Towner’s “Beneath an Evening Sky,” a musing, sensuous piece that reminded one of a golden sun sinking into a limpid, tropical sea. All that was missing were some tall frozen mai tais with a slice of orange and those little bamboo-umbrella swizzle sticks. Sharon Dueby, clarinetist, followed with an absolutely enchanting rendition of Willson Osborne’s famous bassoon adaption titled “Rhapsody for Clarinet” in which she demonstrated the immense power of rests to punctuate the many phrases of flawless runs and trills at both ends of that reed’s range. Matthew Croft on French horn came next. He and faculty pianist stalwart Linda Irwin performed “Intermezzo” by Brigham Young University’s Lawrence Lowe, a too-brief piece that educed some gorgeous tones that drew gasps of appreciation from many in the audience, but especially from the brass players in the crowd. Repeating a piece they recently played at a local public forum, professors Jordan Kuspa on cello and Boriana Savova on piano then teamed up to execute Astor Piazzola’s “Le Grand Tango,” a grand tour of this classic dance form many an intriguing modernized version. The cheers rattled the rafters. A more sedate number followed, a quiet and respectful arrangement by conductor Cliff Colnot of the favorite hymn, “Amazing Grace,” carried out by Deuby and Logozzo. This piece was dedicated to the memory of Joan Crawford, recently deceased wife of Richland professor, Dr. Michael Crawford. Then to remind everyone that jazz can also be considered a classical form, Ron Jones on tenor sax and Brad Williams on piano came on stage to put on Bill Dobbins’ lively “So-

STUDENT MEDIA LEADERS

Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Beatles with a Valentine’s Day spin.

COVER AND FONTS Cover illustration by Lora Advincula Certain fonts are provided by the following: http://www.nymfont.com - http://www.bvfonts.com

STUDENT MEDIA STAFF Melanie Brandow Jonathan Lee Doris Brogan

Raymond Thomas Pronk Pete Shannon Ben Siebel

STUDENT MEDIA ADVISERS Terry Blend Erica Edwards Jack Fletcher David Goodloe

Tim Jones Steve Noviello Larry Ratliff Marshall Siegel

Spring 2014 ISSUES

Staff photo Melanie Brandow

Zo Manfredi, left, Boriana Savova, center, and Jordan Kuspa wow the audience with a performance of Rachmaninoff’s “Trio Elegiaque.”

nata” duet. This was basically jazz, but with an intricate score that made everyone’s eyes and ears pop as the two teachers traded solos and showed their stuff. But the final number, to this reviewer’s mind, was the icing on the cake. The trio of Kuspa, cello, Zo Manfredi, violin, and Savova, piano, emphasized what a rich offering of talent is available among the music faculty at Richland. Their playing of Rachmaninoff ’s “Trio Elegiaque” was not just marvelous, it was spectacular. Two things were impressive about this recital. First, it was especially stimulating and inspiring to see and hear such a wide selection of modern musical works so ably performed. Although, of course, Rachmaninoff was a familiar composer, the others were all less wellknown. If part of a superior musical education is to expose students to the current creative world as well as to the past, the Richland faculty is collectively demonstrating an admirable awareness. Second, when you catch a cadre of superb players and teachers like these, especially such fresh and talented ones, making magic with an unlikely conglomeration of wood, metal, and ivory, it makes a struggling music student want to dash immediately to the practice room and give the latest assigned jury piece another shot. Although the chances of sounding anywhere near as perfect as these folks is obviously out of reach, it is challenging to keep exploring the possibilities within oneself.

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CONTACT INFORMATION El Paso Hall, Room E-020, 12800 Abrams Rd. Dallas, 75243 Newsroom: 972-238-6079  E-mail: chronicle@dcccd.edu Advertising: 972-238-6068 E-mail: advertise@dcccd.edu Fax: 972-238-6037

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Feature

JOE STUMPO Staff Writer

I have often heard that if you sing to yourself it means you are happy. I don’t know exactly if that’s true, but for the past few weeks now I have found myself trapped inside a “Yellow Submarine” singing Beatles songs to myself. At times I was off either searching for “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” or taking that “Magical Mystery Tour.” Sometimes, I’d feel like I wanted a “Revolution.” When having H&R Block do my taxes, I couldn’t get the lyrics to “Taxman” out of my head. There is a reason for this. While Americans every year look back on “Yesterday” recalling such somber anniversaries as 9/11, Pearl Harbor, Oklahoma City, the Newtown and Aurora massacres, the Titanic disaster and most recently, the JFK assassination, finally there is an uplifting anniversary: the 50th anniversary of the Beatles coming to America. It began with their arrival in New York on Feb. 7, 1964. On Feb 9, the Fab Four made their first U.S. television debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” which drew 73 million viewers. I am not going to waste newsprint regurgitating the past. If you want to read about the Fab Four’s arrival in America, read Rolling Stone. I wasn’t born in the early ‘50s so I don’t know

what it was like to go through an event as traumatic as President Kennedy’s assassination in November 1963, yearning for something, anything positive to look forward to a mere three months later with the arrival of four British musicians from Liverpool. Instead of paying attention to the documentaries that will air this month about the Beatles, I celebrated in my own way watching the band’s movie debut in “A Hard Day’s Night” (1964), which was both a clever mixture of British comedy and documentary. 
I was amazed watching these four mop tops acting so naturally in front of the camera without making their performances look like they needed coaching. 

 First is John Lennon, the practical joker and smart aleck who often calls his manager (Norman Rossington) a swine. The minute he finds out the train station is swarming with girls, Lennon asks jokingly if he can perform surgery. 

 Paul McCartney is the polite one who answers every question reporters ask him with either the comments, “I like to keep Britain tidy” or “Actually, we’re just good friends.” 

George Harrison, on the other hand, is the opinionated one, always speaking his mind in situations even when he is not solely involved in a project. 

 Finally there’s Ringo Starr, the sensitive one who gets the most fan mail and hates it when

other people touch his drums. To my surprise, I wasn’t too far off in describing their characteristics. According to IMDb. com writer Alun Owen, they created their stereotypes saying, “John Lennon is a smart-ass, Paul McCartney is cute and sensible, George Harrison is quiet and shy and Ringo Starr is dim-witted and sad.” The story is like a day in the life of a classic rock band as the Beatles prepare for a television concert where the audience consists of no one but giddy school girls (not a single male member of the audience can be spotted). The film, shot entirely in black and white, not only spawned a half-hour rock ‘n’ roll sitcom two years later on NBC titled “The Monkees” (1966-1968) but made it possible for future filmmakers to create imaginative music videos for other successful bands and recording artists. 
 Prior to the performance, the band frequents nightclubs where their No. 1 hits like “All My Loving” and “I Wanna Be Your Man” are played as the Beatles run around in open fields like kids. 
 
Watching the group smile and sing over the loud cries and cheers of adoring fans in that packed, small auditorium, I can understand why the Beatles didn’t perform that many concerts in the United States after the initial wave of Beatlemania. They wanted the audience to hear their voic-

es over all the commotion. 

 This is where the real joy of “A Hard Day’s Night” comes in, though; hearing the soundtrack that includes, along with the film’s title song, “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “If I Fell,” “Tell Me Why,” “She Loves You” and “I’ll Cry Instead.” They are songs that one friend of mine, Greg Hehn, called “feel-good hits.” Songs you can dance to, he said, but they are lyrics without much meaning. Hehn said he thought the band’s later works he heard on “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” (1967), “Abbey Road” (1969) and “Let It Be” (1970) were some of their best and showed how much the group matured. Those hit albums, though, came a few years later when the four were no longer the handsome, innocent looking, clean-cut gentlemen from Liverpool you see in this film. As they got older and their hair grew longer, the outfits changed and so did their attitudes. 

 The rest is history as the band’s personal and creative differences would eventually cause their breakup in 1970. 

 Seeing them run freely throughout England’s yards and kidding around with each other in this movie, however, I had the notion back in the Fab Four’s early days that being a Beatle was as much a joy for them as it was for the fans who embraced their music 50 years ago this month. Images courtesy deviantart.net and vietint.net

Richlandchronicle.com February 11, 2014

Celebrating Beatlemania

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Richland Chronicle ad. Size 10.125 x 11.5 – black and white

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