September 15, 2015

Richland

CHRONICLE Vol. XLII Issue 4 Sept 15, 2015

T-Ducks flock to campus clubs Pg.2

3K Suicide Prevention Walk Pg. 3

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2 CAMPUS

September 15, 2015

Richland Club Fair a hit

El Paso Hall buzzed with activity Thursday and Friday as around 32 clubs set up tables to provide information to new and former students and recruit new members.

Familiar clubs such as the Student Government Association, Honors Academy and the Black Student Association did not miss the appointment.

New groups also joined the fair to recruit. For instance, the Students in Recovery Club. It is a group to help those who may have challenges with addictions to find a group to share fun with as well as from whom to receive support. Amanda Thornhill is the club’s president. The first meeting will be Wednesday Sept.16 at 3 p.m., location to be determined.

The Intercultural Women Society had a great response from the student community. They got dozens of new members during the two-day fair.

Richland College Programming Club (RCPC) is another new club. Its president, Ryan Moelling, wants this club to be a place where programmers can get together and help each other while having fun.

They will organize free tutoring, challenges and tech events. The club meets every Tuesday and Thursday from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Thunderduck Lounge, next to the multimedia center.

For more information visit www.dcccd. edu/SS/StudentLife/Clubs/Richland.

Staff photos Blanca Reyes

— Marta Planells

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The Club Fair gets a great response from Richland students, who were asking what the different Richland clubs offer.

Vanesa Myron presents the Black Student Association.

Clockwise from top left: Gullate Kutlyeva, HumanurTimurbanga, Selmanur Demir and Afra Betul Guven grace the Intercultural Women Society table.

The Anime Club is one of the most colorful and visited tables.

Adel Mahamed signs up for the Black Student Association after listening to the information.

Jack Fletcher, Journalism department engineer, offers information.

Left to right: Guadalupe Vitar, Nimi Patel and Mona Taleb ask for information about ALAS.

September 15, 2015

CAMPUS 3

Thunderducks walk to prevent suicide MARTA PLANELLS Editor-in-chief

The counseling center and the Office of Student Life hosted a 3K walk on campus for the International Day of Suicide Prevention Thursday, About 200 people and 40 volunteers participated, according to the organization. The tour began at Sabine Hall and finished on the Breezway, where attendees could rest and drink water. Participants released blue and yellow balloons (suicide prevention colors) over the creek as the event ended.

The message of this day is suicide should not be a taboo subject, organizers said. We must remember it exists and that people with depression or who have thought about suicide must feel safe to express their feelings and ask for help.

Lisa Smithart, Richland’s medical programs coordinator, was very proud to participate in the walk.

“It really hits home to know that anybody can be at risk,” she said.

Smithart joined the walk because she knows

someone who struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts. To her, depression and suicide are not random things,. They are chronic conditions.

“Suicide is not a taboo anymore. Talk about it, find someone that will listen, crisis counselors and advisers are willing to help. Do not give up,” she said.

Cassidy Hooker, a social work major, had a personal reason to join the walk. She experienced depression, attempted suicide, and struggled with addictions and mental health issues since she was 12. She called the walk overcoming.

“I want to be able to help others and spread the word and be able to reach people. The first thing to do that is spread the awareness,” she said.

She also joined the walk to honor her stepmother, who committed suicide 10 years ago.

Hooker said one of the most important things is having a support group. She is not part of the Richland Suicide Prevention and Depression (S.A.D.) support group, but she found help within her church.

“Find help, no matter where, no matter if it is here or outside, no matter what religion, but find someone to talk to,” she said.

Photo courtesy Paul Knudsen/Richland College

Participants of the Suicide Prevention 3K Walk release ballons as a symbolic awareness.

Staff photos Blanca Reyes

Artist Leighton Autrey spends time with Richland faculty and students talking about his art and answering questions from the audience.

JOYCE JACKSON Copy Editor

A reception for the “Urban Feast” exhibition by Leighton Autrey on Sept. 8 focused on eight of his large, biblically themed pieces. He discussed how he became an artist to produce these spiritual works.

Autrey, 31, a Dallas artist originally from Waco, now has a studio in Deep Ellum. He was formerly a Major League Baseball prospect drafted by the Seattle Mariners but evolved into a painter.

Brazos Gallery Art Director John Spriggins said Deep Ellum is an area that’s still growing.

“Autrey has a nice, huge space so he can make these gigantic paintings that you guys are

seeing,” Spriggins said.

Autrey said being an athlete has helped his art career. He has been creating visual art full time for about four years.

“I kind of stumbled into art being a full-time artist. It’s an awesome career. It’s a lot of fun.

It’s hard. It’s a grind, but I really thoroughly enjoy it,” he said.

Autrey said he minored in two-dimensional art but didn’t get a bachelor’s degree in it.

“I’m just a local guy, never thought I would be doing this, but here we are,” he said. “My art has gone all around the world. It’s been shown at the London Olympics and the Super Bowl.

I got a few pieces in Australia right now being shown.”

Autrey said he first came up with the idea of biblical images when he started drawing.

Then one thing led to another. He got into an art show and sold one of his pieces. Then he sold another and now, eight years later, he never thought he would be here creating large, spiritual pieces like the ones in the Brazos Gallery.

“If it wasn’t for my faith, I wouldn’t be here doing what I’m doing,” Autrey said. “It’s all real stories. I always wanted to make biblical art something different, something bold. I absolutely love it.”

Autrey said when he was going through tough times, the Scriptures helped him get through them. That’s where the content comes from, but the process is mostly contrast.

“What I do is build all these canvasses myself. I start with a white canvas. I go crazy with the crazy background colors,” he said. “Then I have a general idea of the image I want to do.

Sometimes I use Photoshop to get images and

manipulate them. I print them out. I do the colors in the background and let them dry. Then I add and take away until I think it’s done. Then I just walk away.”

One of his pieces titled “Undertow,” an aerosol and oil on canvas, relates the story of Moses parting the Red Sea. “It’s been done millions of times. When I do this Scripture, I always do a flip on it. I wanted to flip on the power of what happened.” Autrey said. “The sea was split. The horses and chariots are all around. It was a powerful image in my head. It’s one of my favorites.”

Another piece titled “Used,” an aerosol and oil on wood, tells an Old Testament story about saving the children of Israel, with red roses in the background.

“I think roses are pretty,” he said. “They’re easier to paint. I tried to make it a flat image.

You can see what it is and move on.”

“All of these pieces in here, these are all hand-built canvasses. I build them from scratch.

I measure them. I cut them. I made everything from scratch, and I’ve stretched them myself,” Autrey said. “It was a lot of hard work, but a canvas like that costs about $600. I can make it for $80. As an artist, you’ve got to be resourceful. Use what you have.”

Autrey also spoke about the importance and difficulty of getting people to stop and look at art in this age of smartphones and tablets.

“That’s what I try to do with my art, is to grab your attention,” he said. “If I grab your attention for one minute, I think I’m successful as an artist, bottom line.”

Autrey’s “Urban Feast” Exhibition will be on display through Friday.

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‘Urban Feast’: Colorful visions of biblical themes

4 ENTERTAINMENT

September 15, 2015

A “Woman in Gold”

A pleasing flick for the spiritually minded RYAN DERENBECKER Staff Writer

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“War Room,” a faith-based drama about a family rediscovering the power of prayer, was the second highest grossing movie on its opening weekend, and topped the charts the following week.

Curiosity got the better of me, so I went to see it.

The movie opens with Miss Clara (Karen Abercrombie), the wise little old lady in the film, comparing battle planning to how we plan our daily religious routines.

After the speech and the title screen, the focus shifts to a family appearing to be living the American dream. A closer look reveals the family relationships are fading because of a lack of connections. Then Elizabeth Jordan (Priscilla C. Shirer) meets Clara, who senses something is missing in Elizabeth’s life and tries to help.

“War Room’s” popularity likely is due to it featuring themes that resonate with audiences, like faith, family and the struggles of daily life. As would be expected in a movie with these themes, there are plenty of touching moments where Elizabeth reconnects with her husband Tony (T.C. Stallings) and daughter Danielle (Alena Pitts).

This results in a fairly predictable plot as Abercrombie’s Clara plays a little-old-lady version of Yoda guiding Elizabeth’s Luke Skywalker through her redefined life. While this predictability may turn off some moviegoers, it probably won’t be a problem for most, since inspirational movies often follow a similar story structure.

The cinematography is simple, yet effective. The resolution of conflict through dialogue rather than action sequences renders fancy camera work and special effects unnecessary. Director Alex Kendrick clearly understood this. Aside from one transition sequence that was jarring and unsuited for the situation (an outdoor shot of a house to make an hour pass by quickly), it achieves the ideal subtlety that helps viewers forget about the camera and lets them immerse themselves in the movie.

“War Room” is better than most would expect from a faith-based movie, but it’s still intended to examine the relationship between people and their faith and inspire a new generation of Christians. Many non-Christians will have little to no interest in watching this movie. If you’re interested in a movie centered around prayer and God, “War Room” makes for solid, yet unspectacular, viewing.

Grade: C+

B

“Mad Max: Fury Road”

B+ “Ant-Man” “McFarland, USA” “Avengers: Age of “Mr. Holmes” Ultron” “Infinitely Polar Bear”

B “Cinderella” “Ex Machina” “Focus” “Furious7”

“Jurassic World” “Max” “Terminator: Genisys” “Trainwreck”

B“5 Flights Up” “Aloha” “Blackhat” “Chappie” “The Cobbler” “Danny Collins” “Dope” “Entourage” “The Forger” “The Humbling” “Inside Out” “Little Boy” “Love & Mercy” “Maggie”

“Magic Mike XXL” “The Man from U.N.C.L.E” “Mission Impossible: Rouge Nation” “Pitch Perfect 2” “Shaun the Sheep Movie” “Southpaw” “Spy” “Tomorrowland” “The Water Diviner” “What We Do in the Shadows” “Wild Card”

C+ “Adult Beginners” “The Clouds of Sils Maria”

“A Walk in the Woods” -- The outdoorsy Robert Redford teams up with Nick Nolte (“48 Hrs.,” “Cape Fear”) in this story about old friends hiking the Appalachian Trail together. It also stars Oscar winners Emma Thompson (“Sense and Sensibility”) and Mary Steenburgen (“Melvin and Howard”).

“Everly”

A“Kingsman: The Secret Service”

“American Ultra”-Jesse Eisenberg (“Zombieland,” “The Social Network”) is Mike Howell, a small-town stoner who is reactivated from his humdrum existence when he tries to leave town with his girlfriend, Phoebe (Kristen Stewart, who is actually very good in this).

B+

“The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out of Water” “Taken 3” “Ted 2” “Welcome to Me” “While We’re Young”

“Dead Rising Watch Tower” “The Duff ”

“Pixels” “San Andreas”

“No Escape” -Owen Wilson and Lake Bell (“What Happens in Vegas,” “Over Her Dead Body”) star in this intense flick wherein their family must face a vicious coup in Thailand. Also stars Pierce Brosnan (“GoldenEye,” “Mama Mia!”). I won’t be adding this to my collection.

C

“Monsters: Dark Continent” “Monkey Kingdom”

C “Big Game” “Fantastic Four” “Get Hard” “Hitman: Agent 47”

“It Follows” “Minions” “Mortdecai” “Paper Towns” “Seventh Son”

“Good Kill”

“Insidious: Chapter 3” “Survivor” “Insurgent: The “Turbo Kid” Divergent Series”

C“The End of the Tour” “Escobar: Paradise Lost” “Fifty Shades of Grey” “The Gift” “Hot Pursuit” “Hot Tub Time Machine” “Joe Dirt: Beautiful Loser” “Jupiter Ascending” “A LEGO Brickumentary” “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2”

“Police Story: Lockdown” “Poltergeist” “Project Almanac” “Self/Less” “Strange Magic” “True Story” “Vacation” “The Wedding Ringer” “Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death”

D

“The Boy Next Door” “The Lazarus Effect” “Lake Placid vs.

Anaconda”

D“The D-Train” “Ouija”

“Straight Outta Compton” -- This film chronicles the early days of the controversial music group NWA and the rap and hip-hop world in the early 1980s. From director F. Gary Gray, who helmed the funny urban comedy “Friday,” with Ice Cube in 1995.

B

“Superfast!”

“Transporter Refueled” – Sorry guys, no more Jason Statham, rather Ed Skrein, from TV’s “Game of Thrones.” It also stars Ray Stevenson of “The Punisher: War Zone” and Paul W.S. Anderson’s update of “The Three Musketeers.” In that, he was Porthos. Warning: Do not pay full price. Wait for the discount house.

C

SPORTS 5

September 15, 2015

Staff photos Blanca Reyes

Ishon Smith, top, and Ochuko Overo learn wrestling techniques at Richland to prepare them for upcoming matches.

Wrestling returns to Richland with class BLANCA REYES Photography Editor

Every semester, Richland tries to offer a variety of educational experiences to its students. A good example is this fall’s new wrestling class.

According to wrestling instructor Bill Neal, one of the first sports at Richland in 1972 was wrestling. Not only was it one of the original sports offered here, but wrestling was responsible for Richland’s mascot Möbius Thunderduck. At that time, every sport team had its own mascot.

“In 1984 the school decided to have one mascot, and they liked it,” Neal said.

Although in the beginning nobody thought a Thunderduck could be a tough opponent, the team was a success. Neal said the team was one of the most successful squads in Texas.

“Seven of the first 10 years, we won the state championship. We were the only twoyear school wrestling,” Neal said.

According to Neal, the wrestling team had to be dropped because all of the two-year colleges in Texas and Oklahoma stopped wrestling.

“We were the last school in Texas to have wrestling at that time,” Neal said.

This previous success is one of the reasons Neal is championing the wrestling class, which is open to both men and women.

“I like the sports that are more physical,”

sophomore Yuritza Arriga said.

Arriaga said that she has always been competitive, so as soon as she heard about the class she decided to enroll in it.

Neal said the response from the students

Tala Ebusad, right, and Yuritza Arriaga work out as part of wrestling class.

has been so good his short-term goal is the class be approved as a club and after that, maybe one more official sport that Richland offers.

“Richland has had wrestling prior and it was very successful,” Carter Bedford director of student programs and resources said.

Bedford said last year the idea of restoring wrestling as a sport was presented to the Student Government Association.

“There was not enough funding to do everything that was proposed,” Bedford said.

Bedford said if there is enough student interest, there may be a possibility of doing a club or even making wrestling an official athletic sport.

Bedford said it is too early, however, to think about at this point.

“My whole goal and dream was wrestling in college,” freshman Dustin Dasham said.

According to Dasham, he started wrestling in his first year in high school. Although, in the beginning, he was doing it more for self-protection. Wrestling became a lifestyle for him.

As a senior in high school, Dasham was a regional and state qualifier.

“There is not another sport that teaches discipline like wrestling,” Dasham said.

Freshman Keila Gomez is another of the experienced wrestlers in the class. Gomez is planning to major in education and later become a wrestling coach.

“People don’t know the actual hard work that, I guess you can say, goes on behind the scenes. … You have to be extremely dedicated and passionate to be in the sport,” Gomez said.

This fall the wrestling class will be competing in Arkansas and Oklahoma this fall.

“The kids can go to what is called open tournaments where you don’t represent your school, you represent yourself,” Neal said.

For more information about the wrestling class, stop by Guadalupe Hall, Room G122 or call Neal at 972-238-6267.

Ishon Smith got an unexpected surprise a couple of months ago when he discovered he had won a $500 Bill Neal Scholarship at Richland. He got the news from Terry Grayson, his coach at Frisco Centennial High School.

Smith said Grayson was like a mentor to him because he told him about life, how God had blessed him and how he was on a good road. He still stays in touch with Grayson.

Smith, 18, had only been wrestling for two years and competed at the high school state championship. Originally from Flint, Mich., he moved to Frisco his sophomore year with his family, but never had any previous experience in wrestling.

“But ever since, like I started wrestling, I have just been liking it,” Smith said. “It was either wrestling or football, so I decided to do something different. I did wrestling.”

Smith said he started boxing when he was 14. Now, though, in his first semester at Richland, he’s able to use the scholarship money at the bookstore. He’s also taking Neal’s wrestling class, as well as other sports classes with Richland coaches John Stanson and Louis Stone.

Smith said he eventually plans to major in mechanical engineering and transfer to Michigan State University. So far, though, he likes the Richland campus for its free tutoring, among other things.

“People around here are nice, like really cool people,” he said. “It’s a really big community college.”

Smith takes wrestling quite seriously. He said when he’s in a match, it’s just between him and his opponent.

“It’s a team sport, but it’s more one on one.

Then if I lose, it’s on me,” Smith said. “I can’t get mad at nobody. If I get mad, I can just get mad at myself.”

Smith said one of his favorite wrestlers is Jordan Burroughs.

Burroughs is an American, World and Olympic champion in freestyle wrestling who is from New Jersey.

Smith’s dream for the future is to own his own business in the engineering field or an auto shop and to have a family and children.

Neal said Smith was selected for the scholarship by him and other emeritus students who contribute to the scholarship annually.

“I found him through his high school coach, who wanted him to go on to school and start getting an education,” Neal said.

“Since it looked like we were to be able to start with the wrestling class, this was a good place for him [Smith] to be with an interest in that.”

Neal said Smith excels at wrestling because of his body strength, length and his attitude.

“He’s basically just a good, all-around kid,” Neal said.

Neal said the Bill Neal Scholarship is awarded once a year to a student who is involved in athletics on campus, particularly if he wants to go into the field of physical education.

— Joyce Jackson

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New moves mean new opportunities

6 CAMPUS

September 15, 2015

Bobbin’ and duckin’ and all that jazz PETE SHANNON

CHRONICLE STUDENT MEDIA LEADERS

Staff Writer

Fannin Hall was the site for the Richland fall faculty jazz recital on Sept. 8 A familiar septet of jumpin’ and jivin’ music professors performed to bursts of wild applause and hollering coming from an enthusiastic audience. On stage were professors Phares Corder, trumpet; Ron Jones, saxophone; Brad Williams, piano; James Driscoll, bass; Steve Peterson, trombone; Derrick Logozzo, drums and Dr. Michael Crawford, vocalist.

While audience members tapped their toes in time, the lively instrumentalists crouched, swayed and wove their way through seven numbers from the traditional jazz repertoire including three old standards by McHugh and Fields, Cole Porter, and Ray Noble. Amid this torrid turmoil, Crawford came on stage to smile and croon a joyous version of “If I Ruled the World” by Bricusse and Omadel. Then Corder and Williams teamed up to render a duet of Noble’s “The Very Thought of You.” At various times all of the performers took a turn carrying a solo part.

Jazz players, of course, do not read from conventional musical notation, but instead rely on “lead sheets” to help coordinate their presentations. They also cue each other with head nods or shoulder bobs when it comes time to pass off the featured theme to another player.

Richland

Editor-in-Chief Online Editor Photography Editor Entertainment Editor Copy Editor

Marta Planells Joe Stumpo Blanca Reyes Ricky Miller Joyce Jackson

ON THE COVER Photo illustration Blanca Reyes / Isai Diaz

COVER AND FONTS Certain cover fonts are provided by the following: www.nymfont.com - www.bvfonts.com

STUDENT MEDIA STAFF Chronicle file photo

Brad Williams performing in a Spring 2014 concert.

From the audience’s perspective, it all appears as a casual musical conversation in which each instrument chimes in with a slightly individualized improvisation on a common theme. The whole becomes an informal version of a seminar in sound.

But no matter how laid back the outcome, Richland’s music faculty is always a pleasure for the eye and ear. You can never quite appreciate what the players may be feeling at a given moment until they step forward to spontaneously

express themselves. Then you can see how each one has his own ideas about how the song should go.

For newcomers to Richland, or in case you didn’t already know it, there is a free, one-hour concert in Fannin Hall at 12:30 every Tuesday, which is open to everyone on campus. Just show up and take a seat. Future programs this fall will include additional musicians ranging from guest soloists to performances by various other Richland faculty and students.

Isai Diaz Abraham Igene Quan Tran Bertille Eya Maffo

Vincent Leal Diana Bonilla Melanie Brandow Ryan Derenbecker

STUDENT MEDIA ADVISERS Erica Edwards Jack Fletcher David Goodloe

Steve Noviello Larry Ratliff Tim Jones

Karin Matz

ISSUE DATES

September 15 September 22 September 29 October 6 October 13 October 20

October 27 November 10 November 17 November 24 December 8 December 15

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 Over 170 Texas college journalism awards since 2000 CMA Newspaper of the Year Finalist, 2014 1st Place – TCCJA Overall General Excellence, 2014 2nd Place - Pinnacle College Media Award, 2014

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CONTACT INFORMATION

El Paso Hall, Room E020, 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 for fall semester: Monday and Wednesday at 2 p.m. in E020

Staff photo Joyce Jackson

Quick, before he sees us everyone GOOSE!!!!!

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 2015

OPINION 7

September 15, 2015

Upcoming Events Tuesday 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Music recital ongoing series Guest presentation: 2Tone – Jazz Harp Fannin Performance Hall

Wednesday

The dark side of Star Wars merchandising?

JOE STUMPO Online Editor

When the teaser trailer for “Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens” debuted last November, a friend of mine, Michael Frazer, commented on his Facebook page how it brought back memories of when we all played with Star Wars action figures and toy sets while in grade school between 1977 and 1983, when the original trilogy came out.

“Reminds me of spending our $20 vacation allowance on action figures,” Mike wrote. “Of course my Darth could fly. He had a cape.”

On Sept. 4 at 12:01 a.m., in what was being promoted by retailers as “Force Friday,” fans both young and old descended upon Toys R’ Us, Target and any stores open that early to get dibs on the newest Star Wars action figures and Lego sets as the countdown draws near to the Dec. 18 opening of “Episode VII.” The quote from the “Force Awakens” trailer, “There’s been an awakening. Have you felt it?” was an understatement as I browsed through the Target aisle at one store 10 hours after the unveiling to find my hopes of getting my hands on a 6-inch figure of villain Kylo Ren, female bounty hunter Captain Phasma or First Order Stormtrooper dashed.

There wasn’t even a BB-8 figure around (aka the soccer ball droid) to snag.

“I’m surrounded by grown men in the Star Wars aisle,” said Angela Bardis, a friend of mine who commented on Facebook when she was at Target later that day. “Is this the new Tinder or Match? Jedi mind trick … these are not the single men you are looking for.”

If there were any winners in this mad grab for the coolest Star Wars toys, it was Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump who was seen holding his action figure of Kylo Ren. “I had to body slam a 9-year-old to get it, but no one was going to stand between Trump and his Kylo Ren figure on ‘Force Friday,’

Trump said. OK, I am lying. That was the spoof Mad magazine did but given how “The Donald” has been getting away with offending everyone and still his poll numbers continue to rise, the idea that he body slammed a kid to get his action figure doesn’t seem that far from the truth.

“It will all end Dec. 19,” said another friend of mine, Patrick Keith, whose comment about Force Friday’s financial success didn’t evoke excitement. It was his way of saying that if the movie fails to bring back memories of the original trilogy, the toys won’t matter.

Keith may have a point. The father of “the force,” George Lucas, created both a good and bad thing with the release of “Star Wars”

“I browsed through the Target aisle at one store 10 hours after the unveiling ...

There wasn’t even a BB-8 figure around to snag.” in 1977. Director Steven Spielberg is as much to blame, given how “Jurassic Park,” “E.T.” and the Indiana Jones films have themselves become products of toy marketing. The “Star Wars” trilogy tapped into a gold mine that proved studios aren’t the only ones who can profit from a blockbuster, but also toy companies such as Hasbro, Lego, Sideshow Collectibles, Hot Toys and fast-food franchises.

Macquarie Securities analyst Tim Nollen was quoted in an article on money.cnn.com saying “The Force Awakens” merchandise could generate $5 billion in sales in 2016 while Disney, which now has the “Star Wars” franchise, could bring in about $500 million in licensing and retail revenue.

I have gotten to the point of questioning whether the studios and filmmakers truly care about giving audiences a great story today.

Or is their focus more on selling toys, especially when it comes to the bad taste Lucas left “Star Wars” fans with the prequel trilogy (1999-2005) giving us Jar Jar Binks, laughable dialogue, a lot of blue screen computer-generated special effects and well-choreographed lightsaber duels?

“The first film and ‘Empire’ were about story and character, but I could see that George’s priorities were changing. I could see where things were headed,” said Gary Kurtz, producer and second-unit director of “Star Wars” (1977) and “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980), who said in a 2010 interview in the Los Angeles Times how things changed with “Return of the Jedi” (1983).

“The toy business began to drive the Lucas film empire. It’s a shame. They make three times as much on toys as they do on films.

It’s natural to make decisions that protect the toy business, but that’s not the best thing for making quality films,” he said.

Obviously such negative commentary isn’t going to keep devoted fans from recalling their childhood memories. But instead of investing their week’s allowance like Mike Frazer and I did as kids three decades ago, today we’re throwing away our monthly paychecks on Star Wars toys, regardless of the bills. Seeing images of upcoming 12-inch figures from Hot Toys, which run between $200 and $500, 6-inch figures from Hasbro (despite horrible paint jobs) and Lego sets, the past several months have gotten me uttering the words of Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone from “The Godfather: Part III” (1990), “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!”

Whether I truly get back into Star Wars collecting as a result of the new movies is something not even Yoda can answer. To quote the green, pointy-eared Jedi master, “Always in motion the future is.”

Nevertheless, it will be hard the next few years to resist what might as well be called “The dark side of movie merchandising.”

Thursday 11:30 a. m. to 1 p.m.

Constitution Day contest Cafeteria stage, prizes awarded Free to students, faculty and employees

Monday 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Hispanic heritage event: Latinos Shaping a Nation Sabine Hall, Room S118

Sept. 25 - Oct. 18 State Fair of Texas begins For events, go to

www.bigtex.com.

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Image courtesy The Associated Press

Fans rush to a midnight madness event at the Disney Store in San Francisco recently, during Force Friday kick off combined with the launch of merchandising for “Star Wars: Episode VII-The Force Awakens.”

7 p.m.

Reagan Library, Simi Valley, Calif.

Second Republican presidential primary debate Ronald Reagan Presidential Library (1st Democratic debate Oct. 13 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas)

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8 September 15, 2015