November 25, 2014

CHRONICLE Richland Vol. XL Issue 15

November 25, 2014

Richland students: World citizens Pg. 6 Why did 75% of you stay home? Pg. 7

Paper Dolls exhibit: Pg. 5 Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com

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FEATURE

Richland student helps the hungry DORIS BROGAN

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com November 25, 2014

Editor-in-Chief

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Lewisville engineer John O’Brien has been a Richland art student for 20 years. He can be found in the pottery department on Saturdays, indulging in his artistic passion for creating ceramic bowls.

“Any artist of any sort will tell you they do it because they want to do it. What appeals to me about the pottery? I like the fact that I’m making things that you can use,” O’Brien said.

Over the years, he has literally made thousands of bowls. In fact, at one time he’d made so many bowls that he didn’t know what to do with all of them.

Leave it to an artist to find a creative solution to a problem.

O’Brien became aware of the Empty Bowls project in North Texas because Richland art instructors ask students in ceramics classes to donate some of their creative efforts to the fundraiser.

A couple of class periods in the fall semester are set aside for willing students to make bowls for the cause.

“Something just sort of clicked in my head,” O’Brien said. “I’m just going to devote a certain amount of my productive time to making stuff for Empty Bowls. I get to make my stuff, which I like to do, and I get to have something good come out of it.”

Empty Bowls is an international project developed by the Imagine Render Group to fight hunger worldwide. Artists create bowls which are donated to local food banks.

At a luncheon fundraiser, people purchase tickets for a simple lunch that includes an empty bowl. They fill their bowls with what-

ever is being served, usually soup. After lunch they take the bowl home as a memento, as well as a reminder of the many empty bowls around the world.

According to Empty Bowls’ websites, ntfb. org for the North Texas Food Bank and www. tafb.org for the Tarrant County Food Bank, a ticket that includes a bowl is $35.

Fundraisers are held in Tarrant County in February and Dallas County in March. Visit their websites for further information.

O’Brien likes the thought that he’s devoting a portion of his life energy to a worthy cause.

He’s worked out a system whereby he donates at least 100 bowls to the North Texas food bank and maybe 120 to 130 to the Tarrant County food bank each year. The rest of his efforts go toward the sale of his wares.

O’Brien estimates that he makes enough money selling his work to just about break even on the costs of clay, paints and other supplies necessary to his craft.

The ceramics department has a pottery sale every year, usually the week after Thanksgiving. This year the sale will be Dec. 2-4 in the Brazos Gallery.

O’Brien finds some correlation between his pottery passion and his job as an engineer.

“There’s a lot of technical stuff in ceramics,” he said. “I think that’s what I like about it. To make it work there’s a lot of problem solving going on.”

O’Brien says that, like any other artist, he has a need to create things. Fortunately, his need helps to feed people, as well as his passion.

“To me, it’s a win/win. It gets out there.

People use it and I get something back from it. It’s the ability to contribute to something beyond what I could probably do on my own.”

Richland art student John O’Brien creates ceramic bowls for local charity.

O’Brien works on one of his bowls to be donated to charity.

O’Brien displays a sampling of his artistic work in Fannin Hall.

-— Staff photos Blanca Reyes

CAMPUS

RLC focus on World AIDS Day JOYCE JACKSON Copy Editor

TEMM club teaches success as students push their limits MELANIE BRANDOW Editor-in-Chief

Joining the Travel, Exposition, and Meeting Management (TEMM) club opens the door for endless possibilities to explore.

There are many choices to the industry.

These possibilities include the trade show world, working for a destination management company or becoming a meetings and events planner.

Determination and the drive to succeed are the keys. The TEMM club gives students at Richland the know-how of networking with their peers who are following the same career path.

TEMM provides an environment for students to learn and develop social skills at a professional level in the workplace.

It is an extracurricular activity for students to put things into practice from what they learn in class and apply them.

Club activities are planned by students for students, like the industry showcase.

Programs are planned for students such as: volunteer programs, outreach and trips (FAM trips).

“If you want to come and find ways to connect and to learn how to bring people together or how to travel and expand your network,” Amanda Padron, community developement specialist said, “the TEMM club can help you define what markets you need to be in.”

Padron is now in the marketing chair for the TEMM club. She has been involved with the club since 2011.

Padron first started attending events and after a couple semesters. She got into a committee and started volunteering and planning. She then moved on to the

membership committee and was on the program management committee.

There is an luncheon and silent auction held to raise money for the Richland Travel, Exposition and Meeting Management program. The TEMM Industry showcase, which hosts industry organizations such as MPI, IAEE and TEXICOM, is scheduled for fall.

The event is for professionals to come talk to students about opportunities in the industry that pertain to travel jobs, event planners, corporate planners, exhibition planners information and to answer any questions. It also helps build connections between students and industry professionals.

TEMM members go to different venues that will host students. These are in the areas of Arlington, Fort Worth, The Gaylord, around Dallas and specifically at Richland College.

When asked if presentations are nerve wracking, Padron said, “Not really. I think it comes from the experience you get used to … which is so important for students … where it’s safe … learn through trial and error.”

“You get to have hands-on training and coaching. You put on events as you become immersed in the industry and start working at industry professional level. You’re not nervous … you have enough confidence to say ‘Oh this is something I did at Richland College or TEMM club.’ You can step up and be ready to take on those responsibilities.”

Padron mentioned that anticipation is what helps students see things come together.

That’s a big element of how to attack these presentations.

Students push themselves to new limits along the way, being a part of the TEMM club to become successful.

It encourages them to have pride in their careers as a professional in the travel industry.

Image courtesy imgkid.com

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com November 25, 2014

Staff photo Melanie Brandow

Amanda Padron, TEMM club community development specialist.

World AIDS Day is observed every Dec. 1 and is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection.

At Richland, Jessica Chester is the HIV program and communications coordinator for the Women and Infants’ Specialty Health Department for the Parkland Health and Hospital System.

Under the Women’s Health and Family Planning Association of Texas (WHFPT) HIV Integration Grant, Chester, along with her counterpart, Charlotte Earle, will provide high-impact HIV services to areas of high incidence and prevalence for HIV. Chester will speak from noon to 1 p.m. Dec. 2 in Sabine Hall, rooms SH-117 and SH-118.

Free rapid HIV testing will be offered from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. as well.

About one in four new HIV infections involve youths between 13 and 24. Most of them don’t know they are infected and are not getting treatment. People can unknowingly pass the virus on to others, according to Chester.

Staff illustration Quan Tran

On your mark, get set, gobble!

The annual Richland Turkey Trot hits the ground running today at 12:30 p.m. on the south side of Gualalupe Hall.

John Stanson, intramural director, said the turkey trot is fun, free and that all participants will receive a Thunderduck T-shirt.

“The two- or three-mile run (your choice) will be at your own pace, but the top 10 finishers in each division will receive an upgraded air dry T-shirt,” Stanson said.

All participants will receive a T-shirt after they complete the walk or run.

Stanson said there will be some great door prizes, raffle style, at 1:15 p.m.

He said there won’t be any advance entries, so people should just show up a few minutes early to pick up the free T-shirt ticket.

Pictures are available of last year’s 144 participants at www.richlandcollege.edu/intramurals//.

— Joyce Jackson

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ENTERTAINMENT

Boome jamz CHARLIE VANN

Staff Writer Local hip-hop artists Boome and The Skywalkers are back with a new album. Just a year after “Space Jamz 2” was released, fans can now sit back and enjoy “Space Jamz 3.” The artists are excited about the third edition of the “Space Jamz“ album saga.

“Man, super, super excited. It’s pretty much a one-year anniversary since Space Jamz 2,” Boome said.

“Space Jamz 2” came out Nov. 19, which was also the release date of “Space Jamz 3.”

“The fans can expect something different and new. They can expect newer energy and something to carry them through this year and next year,” said Boome.

CAPTiSM, the producer and DJ on the album, considers working on “Space Jamz 3” a learning experience.

“On the other albums, I was just the DJ, and this time I definitely took a bigger role in the production and vision of this album,” he said.

The DJ/producer said fans can expect to hear more electronic vibes from his side of the music.

“This album is going to have a different feel with the electronic vibes,” he said.

The release of the new album adds to what has already been an exciting year for Boome and The Skywalkers. Boome was named rookie of the year for MrDreamz magazine and was on the cover.

And though it has only been a year since the release of “Space Jamz 2,” Boome wanted to give his fans some new material.

“This year alone we have done over 100 shows with ‘Space Jamz 2’ and ‘Space Jamz 1’. We’ve played those songs over 100 times in performances. So it was kind of time to give the fans something new. Newer music, better music,” he said.

For next year, Boome added that over the past year they have been going through different experiences, and that it was time for them to put their experiences into the music and get it out there to the fans.

As far as what singles from this new album have already been getting buzz, both “Loonatics” and “Drunk Astronaut” have gotten good feedback.

Boome and The Skywalkers have set a big goal.

“A goal of ours is to make that XXL Freshman cover next year,” Boome said. “It’s just a big deal for hip-hop. We deserve it. The hard work we put in should be showcased on that cover.”

For more updates on Boome and The Skywalkers check out the Boomemusic.com website.

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com November 25, 2014

Boome and The Skywalkers’ new album

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Ricky’s Take

Dumber than ‘Dumber’

Staff illustration Isai Diaz

RICKY MILLER Entertainment Editor

Sure, it might be a mere 20 years, but the dimwits of the overrated comedy “Dumb and Dumber To” return in this unnecessary follow-up that has knuckleheads Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey, “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,” “The Truman Show”) and Harry Dunne (Jeff Daniels, “Speed,” TV’s “The Newsroom”) facing predicaments involving a long-lost daughter.

To me, the original “Dumb and Dumber” was just plain annoying. The characters were inane. The humor felt forced, like someone force-feeding nasty pea-infused gruel down your gullet. I did not really laugh because I did not think it was that funny.

I’m not a pessimist, but just give me someImage courtesy @Kiddclo

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“Citizenfour” — Interesting and compelling documentary following whistle-blower Edward Snowden and his case that went before the United States Supreme Court. Grade: B“Rosewater” — Jon Stewart directs this based-on-a-true-story biography of a Newsweek reporter (Gael García Bernal, “Blindness”) accused of being a spy in Iran. C+ “The Homesman” — Hilary Swank is Mary Bee Cuddy, a single woman who gets the idea to accompany three women cross country while also joined by ne’er do well Tommy Lee Jones as George Briggs, who was

thing to laugh at. Sure, the blind kid petting a dead parakeet in the original was supposed to be laughable, but I thought it was just mean.

My favorite dumb comedies are “Caddyshack,” “Ghostbusters,” “Office Space,” “Raising Arizona” and the underrated “Quick Change.”

An amusing addition to the sequel is Kathleen Turner’s Fraida Fielder, who has to explain the birds and bees to Lloyd and Harry, who did not understand how one makes a baby.

Also fun to watch is Rachel Pelvin’s Penny because she has a certain allure that amuses because she is so darn stupid. To call her a bimbo would be an insult to bimbos.

I will say this. If you’re going to spend your hard-earned cash on an idiotic comedy, do not see this flick. Wait until it goes to the dollar theater or discount house. That is all it’s worth!

Grade: C-

on the verge of being hanged in this Old West tale directed by Jones. B“The Sound of Music” (1965) — Revival screening of Robert Wise’s Oscar-winning tale of the Von Trapp family’s flight fromw Nazis in Austria during World War II. Tuesday only at the Magnolia Theater. ANEW TO VIDEO “Nightbreed: The Director’s Cut” — After years of waiting, Shout Factory released a director’s cut of Clive Barker’s feature about a fictional place called Midian where monsters live and all past transgressions are forgiven. In this flick, the monsters are the good guys. Man is evil. B+

CAMPUS/ FEATURE

Paper Dolls: A transformation of real women Copy Editor

A reception for the Paper Dolls exhibition Nov.12 focused on silhouettes of a number of women from a variety of ages, cultures and socio-economic backgrounds.

Brazos Gallery Director John Spriggins’ display was an exploration of how cultural influences, especially the media, affect women.

Spriggins said in order to create the female silhouettes, he became interested in how women develop their self concept and self-image.

He first thought about those things that creep into a person’s head to create low self esteem.

He then started asking questions to women so he could create this particular body of work.

“Now I am 100 percent man, you know, through and through, and I know nothing about being a woman,” he said.

Some people asked him, he said, how he could possibly have a body of work about what it means to be a woman. He told them, “because I’ve done my research, I’ve done my homework.”

Spriggins said the topic concerned him be-

#Alexfromtarget

While many teens become famous for their talents and posts online in social media, few get famous from doing their everyday job.

Take 16-year-old Alex Lee from Frisco, for example. He’s a hard worker living his normal life and working at his part-time job as a bagger at Target.

One day while working his shift, Lee met a girl about his age who took pictures of him.

This girl’s Twitter handle is @auscalum. Little did Lee know how this would end, never knowing about the picture she took of him bagging groceries. When he returned home that night Lee got on Twitter as usual to check his notifications, but this time was different.

The photo of him at work went viral under the hashtag #Alexfromtarget. Lee suddenly had 300,000 Twitter followers within 24 hours from his new-found fame and had inspired many spin-offs, such as Kieran from T-Mobile and Steve from Starbucks.

Lee was later interviewed by talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

Lee and his family have been offered countless advertising deals and sponsorships. Television, movie and modeling agents want to meet him. He now has over 730,000 Twitter followers.

Fired from his part-time job at Target due to unwanted publicity, Lee now has a kickstart to a new job, being the newest Internet phenomenon to go viral.

—Jonathan Johnson

Spriggins said the magazines, text and images come from piles of magazines that he purchased or that were given to him and each one has a theme.

“The idea of paper dolls,” Spriggins said, “is that the media [and] society has all these different things that they force onto us, that help shape who we are, how we see ourselves.

You spend the majority of your life trying to deflect those things … you know, the more you’re a part of this society, the more and more you’re exposed to what other people have to say about who you should be.”

One colorful silhouette contained a grave with a headstone, flowers and magazines.

“You see these images of ghosts,” Spriggins said. “This is where all that negativity goes to die – the gravesite. So those words that you see – fear, low self concept – those things are memorialized … all the negative things that effect us are there, whether it comes from the media, whether it comes from our family members, friends, people that we’ve encountered or people that we don’t even know.”

Paper Dolls will be on display in the Brazos Gallery through Wednesday.

We are definitely living in the Information Age, which some people may think is great.

But in Stephen Karam’s contemporary comedy, “Speech & Debate,” online chatting causes some real complications among three high school teens.

Director Gregory Lush said, “I was looking for a modern contemporary play that spoke like our students speak. This play talks about a lot of subjects that we tend to be really uncomfortable with and that we don’t like to talk about.”

“Speech” dwells on several controversial issues related to teen life: abortion, pregnancy, religion, homosexuality, sexual misconduct and political scandals.

The plot concerns three teenage misfits, Howie, Diwata and Solomon, coming together at North Salem High School in Salem, Ore. They try to form a speech and debate club so that they have a voice in discussing contemporary issues that are important to them, because all of the adults in their lives are shutting them down.

Carter Brown plays Howie, 18, a new transfer student and a gay teen who trolls online chat rooms for prospective partners and unexpectedly stumbles upon a sex scandal. His main goal is to establish a gay/straight alliance club at school, but he’s not having much luck.

Janette Sanchez plays Diwata, 17, head of the Speech & Debate Club, who maintains an online video blog and imagines herself as a Broadway musical star, in spite of continuously being rejected for specific roles.

Solomon, 16, played by Johnny Blanford, is a nosy student newspaper reporter for Salem’s high school paper longing for that big story. He struggles with his homosexuality, which doesn’t become apparent until the end of the play. Also, he readily investigates some

there’s actually a full dance number in it.”

“I love that it doesn’t try to solve any of them,” Lush said. “It really doesn’t take a side.

It just kind of presents them. But, the play is absolutely for mature audiences.”

Lush said the play is about the three teens finding their voices.

“Ultimately, the show is a journey of discovery as these young people kind of make that transition from a teenager to being a young adult,” he said. “It’s about their growing pains on that journey.”

“Speech & Debate” will run at 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday through Saturday in the Arena Theater in Fannin Hall, Room 108. For more information call 972-238-3733.

--Joyce Jackson

‘Speech & Debate’: A touching tale of teen misfits political aspects to the play which involve the mayor, the high school drama teacher and a sex scandal because of the hypocritical lifestyle those in power lead.

Bridget Condra plays two roles, as a teacher and reporter Jan Clark for The Oregonian newspaper, who is interested in doing a story on how the threesome came together.

All four actors are Richland drama students.

Condra was last seen in Richland’s production of “Frog and Toad” and Blanford in “The Nerd,” last semester. Both have been in other RLC productions as well.

Lush said he defines “Speech” as a serious comedy in that it brings up very serious issues, but it’s funny in the way that it treats them.

There’s music, there’s all kinds of singing,

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com November 25, 2014

JOYCE JACKSON

cause he wants to raise his daughter the best and then created the images. way he can, along with his wife, Alishia, who “This is a collage project. The colorful also attended the reception. backgrounds are all enamel paint. Those col“I came up with lage images that you’re the concept about seeing there are cutout four or five years paper,” he said. “One of ago,” he said. He the things that I wanted created a series of to make sure I did is that 10 questions about I didn’t identify who every one of the indithey [the women] were.” vidual silhouettes.

Spriggins said he “There were actuwanted everyone to be ally 20 in the series, able to identify them as but only 13 are in the real people, not “some gallery. They are peofictitious Photoshopped, ple that I’ve encounair-brushed made-up tered through work, person, but real women. through relationships “Those real women and friendships that have feelings. They have I’ve had over the ideas. They have emoyears,” Spriggins said. tions. They have hopes.

“I interviewed them They have dreams. They and asked those queshave failures,” SprigStaff photo Isai Diaz tions.” gins said. “They have all Spriggins said he John Spriggins and his favorite art piece. kinds of things – they’re next photographed the women, turned the human beings, and so the scale of them is imphotographs into silhouettes, blew them up portant.”

Staff photo Melanie Brandow

Carter Brown, left, plays Howie to Jonette Sanchez’s Diwata during “Speech and Debate.”

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CAMPUS

Richland leadership: Take it from the top

Vice president describes challenges the college faces

Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief Layout Editor Photography Editor Entertainment Editor Copy Editor

Editor-in-Chief

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com November 25, 2014

This is the fourth in a series of articles about the Richland leadership team.

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“How do we go about being innovative in our teaching and learning strategies when resources are continuing to decline?”

— Dr. Blankenbaker

Blankenbaker considers the second challenge for Richland to be the ability of students to test out of developmental math.

Students are currently allowed to repeatedly take the college-level math assessment test for a fee of $10 per test. Unfortunately, some students retest until they score high enough to skip the developmental math program and advance to a college-level math class.

Many of Richland’s math professors think the students would be better served by completing the developmental math courses.

The third challenge for Richland poses a question not easily solved.

CHRONICLE STUDENT MEDIA LEADERS

DORIS BROGAN

As Richland’s vice president in charge of faculty development and relationships, curriculum development, educational issues and educational mandates from the state, Dr. Zarina Blankenbaker talked about the three broad challenges facing Richland today.

“One is the changing demographics of our students,” she said. “They come to us less prepared and with greater need for resources.

About 34 percent of our students are considered in poverty and one out of three is also defined as in need of financial assistance.”

Blankenbaker said 65 percent of Richland students come from diverse backgrounds, which has compounded problems with recently prescribed mandates from the state legislature.

Changes to the entry level placement scores for college readiness have caused more students to be judged “college ready” than in the past. Based on entry level criteria for English 1301, students are being placed in courses for which they may not be ready.

“And the same with mathematics,” Blankenbaker said. “Students are placing in college level mathematics that professors feel are not quite ready.”

She said this semester “has been a semester of challenge” because the new state mandates created a greater need to help connect students with the necessary resources to be successful.

Richland

Melanie Brandow Doris Brogan Kisten S. Chetty Blanca Reyes Ricky Miller Joyce Jackson

ON THE COVER Top: Richland citizens of the world. Bottom left: Almost empty midterm polls. Right: Paper Dolls exhibit.

COVER AND FONTS

Staff illustration Quan Tran (top), Image courtesy/Staff illustration gannett.cdn.com/Melanie Brandow (bottom left), Staff photo Isai Diaz (right).

Certain cover fonts are provided by the following: http://www.nymfont.com - http://www.bvfonts.com

STUDENT MEDIA STAFF Jonathan Johnson Isai Diaz Charlie Vann Pete Shannon Audrey Morton Kimendran Chetty Raymond T. Pronk

Ashling Han Gabriel Flores Yolmar Gonzalez Quan Tran Alexander Taylor Kim Sanders Muneer Washah

STUDENT MEDIA ADVISERS Terry Blend Erica Edwards Jack Fletcher David Goodloe

Staff photo Isai Diaz

Tim Jones Steve Noviello Larry Ratliff Marshall Siegel

ISSUE DATES

November 25

December 09

Dr Zarina Blankenbaker is Richland’s vice president in charge of faculty development.

“How do we go about being innovative in our teaching and learning strategies when resources are continuing to decline?”

Blankenbaker asked.

Richland’s educational initiatives are currently funded by a $1.2 million grant which will end next October.

Blankenbaker said she will have to work with both of her vice presidential colleagues, Dr. Tony Summers and Ron Clark, to think of ways to augment student success action plans and seek other grants to effect student success rates.

“Richland is a member of LEAP Texas, which stands for Liberal Education for America’s Promise,” Blankenbaker said.

Texas is a member of the American Association of Colleges and Universities.

The purpose of AAC and U LEAP initiatives is to enable students to graduate with “skills abilities and knowledge that help them be successful and help them become more vocally competitive, so there are student learning outcomes that employers have said are important to them,” Blankenbaker said.

Richland is modifying its educational program to be more aligned with what employers at the national level are saying students need to be globally committed.

Course contents are merging with skills and abilities students need to develop as whole

human beings capable of functioning in a work place environment.

“What Richland College is wanting to do … is develop a whole student … to be responsible global citizens; personal responsibility, social responsibility, teamwork, communication, critical thinking, quantitative reasoning skills, etc.,” Blankenbaker said.

Student demand has driven the increase in online courses. Care is taken to insure that online and campus courses are of equal value.

For example 16-week course is on par with a four-week, five-week or 10-week course.

A study in a developmental writing course several years ago showed that students taking a short-term summer course did much better than developmental students in a 16-week course. This resulted in a modification in the entire developmental writing program to five-week courses and none longer than eight weeks.

Blankenbaker considers Richland to be privileged to enjoy such a rich diversity.

“The diversity exists not just with our students, but with our faculty and with our staff,” she said, “and I think that creates a symbiotic relationship.

“Part of what we want to do at Richland College is focus on helping our students thrive in a diverse environment that is reflective of the environment of the world.”

AWARDS

ACP Pacemaker Winner, 2000, 2001, 2007 ACP Pacemaker Finalist, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007 ACP Online Pacemaker Finalist, 2007, 2008 1st Place - TIPA Sweepstakes, 2005 3rd Place - TIPA Online, 2005 & 2006 CMA Newspaper of the Year Finalist, 2014 1st Place – TCCJA Overall General Excellence, 2014 Over 170 Texas college journalism awards since 2000

CONTACT INFORMATION

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

Staff meetings: Monday and Wednesday 2 p.m. in E-020 Letter Policy Letters to the editor may be edited for space. They will be edited for spelling, grammar and malicious or libelous statements.

Letters must be the work of the writer and must be signed. For identification and verification purposes, letters also must include the writer’s classification (grade level), full name, address and telephone number, although address and telephone number will not be published.

Editorial Policy The Chronicle is the official student-produced newspaper of Richland College. Editorials, cartoons, columns and letters are the opinions of individual students and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of other individual student writers, editors, advisers or the college administration. © Richland Chronicle 2014

OPINION

Apathy, anger, frustration – threats to our freedom

Upcoming Events

DORIS BROGAN Editor-in-Chief

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

Richland String and Chamber Ensembles Fannin Performance Hall, Room 102

Staff illustration Quan Tran

productive actions.

Both sides play dirty politics and as a result, negativity has infected the whole political process. Americans have been beaten down, battered senseless with the constant barrage of negativity. We’ve seemingly been rendered defenseless.

But, wait a minute. We’re Americans, aren’t we? We can and should muster our reserves and fight back. All it takes is some initiative.

I would venture a guess that every person reading this article has a computer, or at least has access to one. Every computer has a web browser with a search engine. Contact information for every public servant is available online. Remember, elected officials are supposed to be public servants, rather than self-serving mud-slingers who obscure and distort facts for political gain.

Write to your senators and congressmen.

Let them know that you will no longer vote

for any politician who indulges in negative partisan campaign advertising. Demand to know where they stand on issues. Demand indepth discussions of the issues that concern our country. Most importantly, demand an end to fear and smear campaigns.

Regardless of party affiliation, insist on public accountability. Insist on laws that make voting easy and available to all qualified American voters. Insist on bipartisan cooperation for productive problem-solving. Insist on progress instead of stalemates and empty ultimatums.

Pour your anger and frustration onto keyboards across America. List your demands and insist that they be met. Then take those demands into the voting booth and put your votes where they can make a difference. It takes effort to effect change. Complaining won’t do it.

Wednesday 10:30 to 12:30 p.m.

Talent show in the cafeteria Prizes, free food and drinks Sign up in the Office of Student Life

Thursday/Friday Thanksgiving holiday Campus closed

December 2

Noon to 1 p.m.

World AIDS Day Jessica Chester from Parkland Hospital speaks Sabine Hall, Room SH-117/118 Dec. 2-4 Clay Club sale Reception: Dec. 3, 5:30-7 p.m.

Brazos Gallery, C-140

Student Media gives thanks

“I’m thankful that I can spend this holiday with my husband and his family and for all the freedoms that we enjoy in this country.” - Joyce Jackson “My friends here at the newspaper and for my family that loves me.” - Isai Diaz “I’m grateful for the paper and all the people I have been able to know and work with.” - Terry Blend “The opportunity to spend time with old friends and family and see new lives emerging into what they will become.”

- Larry Ratliff “The experiences and hardships I’ve been through thus far in my adult life and for my family and friends who have helped me through it all.” - Melanie Brandow “I have a happy healthy son who is my reason to open my eyes every day, good friends and school” - Blanca Reyes “The health and well being of my wife and son.” - Jack Fletcher “The time I spend with my brother Christopher as well as my furry friends Spunky, Fuzzy and Sadie as well as my family, friends and the never-ending tapestry of movies I get to review.” - Ricky Miller “My family and girlfriend.” - Quan Tran “Family and friends, without whom, nothing else much would matter.” - Tim Jones

“For lots of things; my love of words and the many exceptional books I’ve read, as well as the many I have yet to read, but most of all, I’m thankful for my friends.” - Doris Brogan “For my sweet children and the strength of their hearts.”

- Kim Sanders “For the support from my family, friends and girlfriend.”

- Charlie Vann “For my parents.” - Antina Sneed “A country that’s war-free, for safety and security.” -Muneer Washah “The year’s challenges and opportunities and the people colleagues and students alike - who have graced the path.” - Erica Edwards “My radio show.” - Raymond T. Pronk “The virtue of patience.” - Kisten S. Chetty “For the job I have.” - Kimendran Chetty “Having a job!” - Alexander Taylor “For my family, my friends and for my accomplishments so far.” - Yolmar Gonzalez “For my success in college so far.” - Jonathan Johnson “The opportunities I’ve been given, with this new chapter of my life” - Audrey Morton “For a day off.” - David Goodloe

December 4

12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Dance Jam Festival – students perform Outdoor breezeway between Lavaca and Fannin Hall

December 8-11

Final Exams

December 9

Last Issue for the Chronicle for fall semester

December 9-10

Free massages Student Lounge

December 24 – Jan. 1

Campus closed

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com November 25, 2014

The failure to vote is an insult to every brave American who has proudly worn the uniform of any branch of the U.S. military. Such apathetic behavior should be unthinkable.

Yet, a Veterans Day headline on an opinion page of The New York Times declared voter turnout in 2014 to be the worst in 72 years.

Some will attribute the headline to lies by the liberal press. Others will yawn and go back to their iPhones, iPads, selfies and who-cares attitudes without bothering to read the article.

Well, I’ll tell you who should care. Anyone who’s lost a loved one in any war to defend our freedoms should care. Every mother, father, wife, husband, son and daughter whose loved one is deployed around the globe should care. I think you get the idea. Everyone should care.

According to the Times, the overall national turnout average was 36.6 percent. In California, Texas and New York, the three largest states in the country, less than a third of registered voters bothered to cast a ballot.

That goes way beyond pathetic. It’s absolutely tragic.

For me, the most disturbing statistic in that article was the one concerning younger voters.

Only 13 percent of those who were registered to vote actually bothered to do so. College students, that means you.

Sometimes I think complaining has become our favorite national pastime. Finger-pointing and apportioning blame have replaced more

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Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com November 25, 2014

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More sense for fewer dollars.

You’re closer than you think.

TAMUC

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