September 16, 2014

CHRONICLE Richland

Vol. XL Issue 5 September 16, 2014

9/11, a personal story: Pg. 3

T-Ducks on a roll: Pg. 5

Music recital: Pg. 2

Moon cake tradition: Pg. 7

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PETE SHANNON Staff Writer

ON FOREST SPRINGS

2

On being ‘sitarized’ in Fannin Hall Neena Sharma of Frisco came to Richland’s Fannin Hall at noontime last Tuesday to present an hour’s concert of Indian sitar music.

A sitar is a guitar-like instrument with seven main steel strings, plus 11 sympathetic or drone strings, that is often plucked while seated cross-legged and barefoot on the floor.

Sharma, petite and modest, came on stage, bowed slightly and took up a position on the square carpet that had been laid down for her.

If you’re not a drinking person, this style of music might induce you to begin.

It could easily become a means of torture, especially for people like me unwilling to work harder at understanding it.

Perhaps the reason for my discontent may lie in this music’s apparent lack of melody or theme.

Despite Sharma’s almost incoherent explanation at the end of her playing about how sitar music is constructed (“It just wanders here and there,” she said), I kept wishing she had attempted her explanation and demonstration before she performed rather than afterward.

While the strumming went on and on, I began to make some mental calculations – mainly in order to distract myself and control my impulse to cry out, “Enough! I quit.

Don’t shoot. You win. Take my money, take my house, take my car, take my children. Only

please stop plucking that incessant single note!”

I figured that at three strokes a second, she was slapping those strings around 180 times a minute or in a 10-minute piece about 1,800 times, and that was certainly enough of hearing one note to do it for me.

In her quiet explanation of several technical matters and her patient naming of the instrument’s notes during a post-performance Q and A, Sharma somehow avoided answering Dr. Michael Crawford’s twice-asked question about whether sitar music was played from some type of written score or mainly by spontaneous improvisation.

Because her overall performance was of four pieces that to me sounded essentially alike, my impression was that personal style and improvisation dominates the genre.

Like any sane South Texan, I yearned to ask Sharma if she could sing or yodel or if she knew any really good cowboy songs.

I wanted to hear what “Bubbles in My Beer” would sound like coming from that strange contraption in her lap. But she told one questioner that she’d given up singing early in her career in favor of mastering the sitar.

On Tuesday, the audience in Fannin Hall, perhaps with an awed appreciation of the extraordinary expertise required to elicit any form of music from such a complex device, or prompted by the popularity of the famous composer and sitarist, Pandit Ravi Shankar, gave Sharma a hearty round of applause.

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Staff photo Jonathan Johnson

Neena Sharma performs on the sitar during a concert at Fannin Performance Hall.

COLUMN

Image courtesy adver.blog.com / Image illustration Melanie Brandow

MUNEER WASHAH Staff Writer

“Do y’all remember where you were when 9/11 happened?” asked professor Sammy Tinsley.

A few students raised their hands to answer, but I refrained. “I remember exactly where and what I was doing at that time …

This is what you call ‘episodic memory,’” he said.

He went on to draw a connection between math and memory. “Some of you may have been too young to remember,” he added.

Tinsley was right. Some of my classmates were only 2-years-old on 9/11. I was almost 14.

The fact is, I do remember exactly where I was and what I was doing at that time.

I was in Baghdad. It was around 3:30 in the afternoon when Iraqi National TV broadcast the video of the airplanes crashing into the twin towers of the World Trade center.

I jumped up and took off running into the street. I didn’t know why, but I needed to see my older brother Omar, who like me was a freedom fighter.

He was standing by my elementary school, where Saddam Hussein’s loyalists usually hang out.

“Did you see that?” I asked. He clinched his fist and fought hard to keep tears from falling. Other people, mostly Saddam’s loyalists, were chattering joyously, but I could sense the fire in Omar’s spirit.

“It’s a terrorist attack!” Omar shouted.

“Those were innocent people.

“It’s a cowardly attack against a civilian target. Whoever did it needs to be tried for carrying out a terrorist attack against a civilian population.”

“How could you celebrate the death of in-

nocent civilians?” I shouted.

It was the first time I heard the word “terrorist” in Arabic.

As underground freedom fighters, we always referred to Saddam as “the despot” or “tyrant” and his secret service as “agents.”

Never before had I heard the word terrorist.

Omar, as a student of political science, used the term correctly.

As soon as those words came out of Omar’s mouth, people’s jaws dropped because they were looking at dead men.

Although Omar’s words were correct, he had blown our cover, ensuring our family a one-way trip to the Fifth Division, headquarters of Saddam’s secret service where prisoners usually end up as fish food.

Others stood waiting for the inevitable — execution on the spot by the “agents.”

But since no one in Iraq’s history had ever dared to speak their minds aloud, the agents were taken by surprise and realized they shouldn’t harass the angry, crazy men.

Within minutes other agents showed up in window-tinted cars, and Omar and I were taken to their headquarters.

I closed my eyes for a few seconds and thought of those innocent people incinerated in the Twin Towers.

I then thought of my innocent family members, who would die because of what Omar and I had said.

I started crying, not because of how I was going to end up, but for the innocent souls who lost their lives and those of my family who were going to follow.

Surprisingly, we weren’t taken to Fifth Division, but instead, we were taken to a small outpost used by the secret agents.

It wasn’t our first rodeo. Omar and I had both been jailed before for political reasons.

My first time was when I was 12 because I had questioned the authorities.

When we got there, the usual hospitality took place — torture that is. After long, slow hours of that, our hosts got tired, having used every tool of torture in their arsenal.

“Send them to the grinding machine. They belong to the Fifth Division,” one said. Both Omar and I knew that was going to happen eventually.

After waiting in separate cells where other prisoners were lying dead, the big boss came in. “Drag them to my office,” he ordered.

The boss closed the door and whispered, “Are you out of your mind? It was a terrorist attack and those were innocent people, but do you not care about your family’s fate?

You have just brought death upon your entire family.”

He was right. We made a foolish mistake, but there are moments in life where injustice is so atrocious that one can’t help but shout the truth.

He ordered his men to pull our lower molars without anesthesia and videotaped it. He then ordered us to be thrown in the back of his pickup. “I will take these traitors to the Fifth Division myself,” he said.

After arriving at a remote location, he let us out, handed us some money and said, “This is the luckiest day in your life. I am on your side and believe in your message. But if you ever speak up or cause trouble again, I’ll grind you myself.”

Omar went into hiding, and I kept a very low profile.

We came out of hiding prior to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, when we fought alongside American troops to ensure freedom for all Iraqis. We fought hard, lost family and friends, bonded with the troops and donated blood to their wounded, and they to us.

We eventually immigrated to the United States, where our youngest brother, who was only 7 in 2001, is now serving in the U.S Navy.

Every 9/11 anniversary, I remember those innocents and think of how my stance against injustice saved my soul.

As 9/11 approached with the threat of ISIS on the rise, I swore do exactly what those innocents would have loved me to do — live free, fearless, and continue to fight for justice.

Many friends called voicing their concerns and fears.

Some were planning not to send their kids to school; others were not going to work or public places.

I understand their fears, but want to remind them that evil will only prevail when we choose to allow it to do so.

If two teenagers were able to defy evil and survive, then so can you.

Those men and women died on their feet on 9/11, so that we may never spend our lives on our knees.

Al-Qaida tried to subjugate us; they failed.

And now ISIS thinks it can, but they will never defeat our spirit.

America will always stand tall, fight for freedom, and continue to be the beacon of justice for all those who long for freedom.

Instead of hiding in fear because of the threat of an attack, I went to a public place dressed in my American flag shirt, celebrating my freedom while pausing to remember those who gave their lives so that I could.

On the 9/11 anniversary, I gave Omar a hug, joked about the “hospitality” of our long-gone jailers and shared a drink with him, since we no longer have the teeth to enjoy a New York strip steak.

We must all show respect and honor the victims of 9/11 by continuing their legacy, showing the world that we are not afraid, that we – Americans of all backgrounds – will continue to fight for justice and be the beacon of peace and prosperity for all.

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com September 16, 2014

Iraqi student reflects on personal 9/11 horror

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MOVIES

Are we ‘fin’-ished with this ‘tale’?

RICKY MILLER Entertainment Editor

Dolphins rule!

I love them because of “Dolphin Tale 2,” as well as “The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” which came out in 2005.

That fun little flick had me smiling all the way through because it took a satirical tone to our planet while at the same time commenting on the status of life here on Mother Earth.

Sure, they live in the ocean blue, but as evidenced in this flick as well as the previous chapter, the mammals are very smart and highly intuitive.

This “based on a true story” element is woven into the storyline almost immediately. Sawyer Natan Gambe, “The Mist,” “The Dark Knight”), the teen from the first flick, returns as does his female counterpart, Hazel Haskett (Cosi Zuelhisdorff, “Dolphin Tale”), who work on the rehab end of things in caring for the carious creatures of the sea.

Ashley Judd returns as Sawyer’s mom Lorraine as does Harry Connick Jr. as Dr. Clay Haskett, running as one of the chief operators at the Clearwater Marine Hospital.

Morgan Freeman also returns as Dr. Cameron McCarthy, who helped design the new tail for Winter, the injured dolphin. He shows up at just the right time when McCarthy breathes new life by helping Winter with a new streamlined prosthetic tail.

Also making a cameo appearance is surfer Bethany Hamilton, who lost a limb from a shark attack in real life.

The storyline in this chapter finds Winter in a bit of a rut. He really needs a mate because dolphins are not meant to live alone.

It is cute to see the pelican named Rufus running around caring for a distressed turtle.

It is also moving because director Charles Martin Smith shows a plethora of people with disabilities and their interaction with marine life.

It also shows a disabled vet and his chance to see Winter up close in the animal’s element.

I have a feeling they will be making a third chapter since the story was left open for further adventures of Sawyer, Winter and the entire lot.

This movie is all about the connections we face as people, who care for the ocean and everything in it.

Grade: B

“And So it Goes” Grade: B“Begin Again” B “Boyhood” B“Calvary” C+ “Deliver Us From Evil” C+ “Chef” A“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” B “Earth to Echo” C“Edge of Tomorrow” B “The Expendables 3” C+ “The Fault in Our Stars” B+ “Forrest Gump” (IMAX) A “Ghostbusters” A “The Giver” C “Godzilla” C+ “Guardians of the Galaxy” A “Hercules” C+ “How to Train Your Dragon 2” B+ “The Hundred-Foot Journey” B+ “If I Stay” B-

“The Identical” C“Into the Storm” C“Island of the Lemurs: Madagascar IMAX 3D” C“Let’s Be Cops” C+ “Lucy” B“A Most Wanted Man” B “The November Man” C+ “The Nutty Professor” (1963) B“Planes: Fire and Rescue” C“The Purge: Anarchy” C “Rio 2” C“Sin City: A Dame to Kill For” C“Tammy” C+ “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” C “Transformers: The Age of Extinction” C+ “X-Men: Days of Future Past” A“What If” C+ “The Terminator” A

— Ricky Miller

Image courtesy filmhdwallpapers.com

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com September 16, 2014

He r o e s i n a h a l f s h e l l : G o, n i n j a , g o !

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I have a colleague who refers to the latest big screen version of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” as a “stupid reptile movie.” It is that, but so much more.

Now this is not a horrid movie per se, but it is not for the little ones. If I were a parent and my children were under 10, they would not be seeing this movie. It is exactly what the PG-13 rating was designed for.

I was a fan of these guys (the turtles) many years ago. I was into collecting comic books and met both of the creators, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, who were autographing copies of the first couple of issues. It was at a time when my dad was coaching our soccer team.

Fast forward through the 1990s, when Americans were graced with three mediocre turtle flicks from New Line Cinema.

There was also an animated tale as recently as 2007 with the voice of Chris Evans (“Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “The Avengers”) as the voice of Casey Jones, a vigilante who befriends the troupe.

The 2014 incarnation comes courtesy of Jonathan Liebesman, who did the halfway decent follow-up to “Clash of the Titans” with “Wrath of the Titans.”

In the lead is the female actress you love to hate, Megan Fox (“The Trans

formers,” “Jennifer’s Body”). Here, she is a descendant of a scientist dad who operated on a quartet of reptiles (turtles) that just happen to be named after famous artists: Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael.

They even have a father figure, a genetically mutated rat named Splinter, who mentors the quartet.

Adding to the forced comic relief is Will Arnett (TV’s “Arrested Development,” “The Millers”) as cameraman Vernon Fenwick. He and Fox’s April O’Neill share an easygoing rapport that translates to the screen for a few mild chuckles.

Also around for the antagonist side of things are William Fichtner’s Eric Saks, a rich industrialist who always had alternative plans for the genetically altered turtles. Rounding out the villainous side of it all is a character named Shredder (Tohuro Masahume).

I did not loathe this movie like the previous chapters of the story. Of course, there are quite a few scenes with the turtles’ favorite food group – pizza.

As I said earlier, this one is not for the under-10 set …12 and up you’re probably safe.

The comic book stylings are very juvenile, but be warned, the endgame here is dark and foreboding.

Grade: C — Ricky Miller

Image courtesy nebezialdeviantart.com

SPORTS

T-Ducks: Soccer tournament champs

Men’s Soccer

BLANCA REYES Photography Editor

Tuesday Paris Junior College 7 p.m.

Friday Western Texas College 7 p.m.

Sept. 24 Mt. View College 7 p.m.

Sept. 26 Paul Quinn College 4 p.m.

Staff photo Blanca Reyes

Richland’s Luis Camejo, left, steals the ball from a Northeast Texas Community College player Thursday.

want to fight for the NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) championship which is going to be held in Herkimer, N.Y. Nov. 13-16.

The Thunderducks were scheduled at press time to play two games at home this week. The first one today (Sept. 16) at 7 p.m.

against Paris Junior College. The second one is scheduled Friday (Sept. 19) at 7 p.m.

For more information about the schedules, players and results visit www.richlandcollege. edu/menssoccer, email head coach Sean Worley at SWorley@dcccd.edu, stop by Guadalupe Hall, Room G-116 or call 972- 238-6243.

Fearless Super Bowl predictions revealed GABRIEL FLORES Staff Writer

The Seattle Seahawks and their rising star, Russell Wilson, will face off with three-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady and the sustained excellence that is the New England Patriots on Super Bowl Sunday in February.

That’s my prediction anyway.

Coming off their first title in franchise history and the domination of legendary PeytonManning and the Denver Broncos, Seattle will once again make the treacherous trek through the NFC. Fueled by a ravenous defense permeated with All-Pro players like Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas, the team will have a shot at repeating as Super Bowl champions, which would make them the first back-to-back winners since the Patriots in 2004 and 2005.

Incidentally, this year marks a decade since the Patriots were last crowned as champs.

As I see it, the 10-year drought for Brady and the Patriots will finally come to an end.

Although Seattle is superior defensively, there is something inside me that refuses to believe the first-ballot Hall of Fame player and coach tandem of Brady and Bill Belichick will allow themselves to fall short of a third ring, especially with Brady approaching 38 and retirement looming.

The Patriots have won their division every

Sept. 27 Murray State College 7 p.m.

The X factor for me is not only the coachyear since 2002, made the AFC championship game seven times and participated in the big ing expertise of Belichick, but Brady’s command of the field. game five times in that same 14-year span.

Last year’s Seahawks embarrassed an overExperience is key.

Another underestimated factor is the road. inflated Denver offense.

The Broncos, despite their offensive prowBoth teams must travel to reach University of ess, were fairly one dimensional and Phoenix Stadium for Super Bowl XLIX. inept defensively.

Although I believe Seattle possesses This year’s Patriots mirror the the most talented roster in the NFL Broncos in their offensive fire and the best chance to hoist the power. Unlike Denver, however, trophy, they also may have the the Patriots have a solid running toughest time getting there. game with Steven Ridley and a more To say the NFC is loaded with traditional passing strategy focusing talent is an understatement. on short and intermediate passing to San Francisco, New Orleans their tight ends, shortening the field and and Green Bay are just a few of the controlling possession time. obstacles they may face in the NFC If there is a soft spot in the impenetitle race. There are also very talenttrable Seattle defense, it’s the linebacker ed mid-level teams like the Arizona core.

Cardinals, Chicago Bears and the New England matches up well statisPhiladelphia Eagles that on any tically with the Seahawks. day could pull off an upset in the The game will come earlier rounds. down to two things; who The AFC, can avoid mistakes, though taland coaching. ented, offers I could very well be only the DenImage courtesy superbowlebestbets.com completely wrong with ver Broncos this pick. But one thing I and possibly the Indianapolis can be certain of is that this year’s Super Bowl Colts as serious challengers.

The Seahawks may very well be the best in will be historic; either Brady’s last hurrah (and the NFL, but the best team does not always a fitting end of an era) or the birth of a dynasty and the preverbial passing of the torch. win.

Women’s Soccer Sept. 23 Brookhaven 4 p.m.

Sept. 26 Cedar Valley 4 p.m.

Sept. 27 Murray State College 4 p.m.

Women’s Volleyball Sept. 25 Northlake College 7 p.m.

Sept. 27 Howard Community College

11 a.m.

Southwestern Christian College

1 p.m.

Ranger College 2:30 p.m.

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com September 16, 2014

Richland’s men’s soccer team joined some of the best teams in the country at the annual Tom Bichy Memorial Soccer Tournament in Rockville, Md. Sept. 5-7.

The Thunderducks took first-place honors and also logged their seventh victory in a row.

The first two games were dominated by the T-Ducks, 5-2 and 2-1.

The championship game featured Richland against Mt. SAC (Mt. San Antonio College) of Walnut Calif.

The game ended with an 0-0 tie. At the end of overtime they were tied, 1-1.

The Thunderducks were awarded the championship because of their first two strong wins.

After the T-Ducks came home, they took on Northeast Texas Community College and lost, 2-1.

Richland overtook Northeast during the first half, but the Eagles got their second wind and held off the T-Ducks.

According to midfielder Jose Sanchez, the team was distracted with all the victories and the championship, but they will use that defeat to improve and be ready for the conference games.

Sanchez said that it was better to be grounded now and fix the problems instead of later when every game is crucial if they

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CAMPUS/FEATURE

Faculty excellence and innovation awards DORIS BROGAN Editor-in-Chief

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com September 16, 2014

Excellence in Teaching awards were announced at the faculty convocation on Aug. 19 in Fannin Performance Hall.

The 2014-2015 Innovation of the Year award went to the Richland Virtual Oral History Project headed by history professor Dr. Clive Siegle, team leader. The project consisted of over 1,200 virtual interviews of eyewitnesses to the John F. Kennedy assassination and local civil rights leaders.

Interviews were recorded with the cooperation of the Sixth Floor Museum.

The recordings are only available in the Richland language lab and at the museum.

Siegle said, “Was I delighted? Heck yes, I was delighted … It was not only about us. It was about the Sixth Floor Museum. It was about building partnerships … even within the school.

This could not have happened unless the language lab had the vision to help us out with this.”

Siegle previously won this award as creative director for a project that developed a history textbook.

He said, “I’m trying desperately to think of a third one [winning project].”

Other team members were: Susan Wehe and Natalia Vargas, Richland language center; Michelle Navarro, Ronald Romanchek, Caitlin Anderson, Kam DeLeon and Dr. Ambronita Douzart, history department; Peter Huynh and Don Partin, educational computing; Dan Briggs, information technology; Jeremy Haldeman, audio/visual technology; Stephen Fagin and Krishna Shenoy, Sixth Floor Museum.

6

Stephen Levine, STATWAY and academic adviser I, was the recipient of The Jean Sharon Griffith Student Development Leadership award.

Levine was proud of the fact that he won an award for which anyone on campus was eligible.

“He said, “My special focus is assisting people in discovering and bringing forth their cherished life dreams … cheerleading them on to succeed.”

Melanie Pruit won the Excellence in Teaching award for associate faculty.

Her journey at Richland has taken her from part-time tutor to adjunct DWRI instructor to her current role as an instructional specialist at Richland Collegiate High School.

“Winning an award for teaching is quite a humbling experience because teaching isn’t just what I do, it’s who I am,” Pruit said.

She credits her students with being her best source of inspiration “who help me achieve my own dream each and every day.”

Other Excellence in Teaching award recipients were: Dwight Riley, associate dean, School of Engineering, Business and Technology, Administrator of the Year; Meggan Mills, School of Business, Engineering and Technology, adjunct faculty; Chuck Laterza, continuing education adjunct faculty; Kimberly Wilkins, full-time professional support staff Employee of the Year for 2013-2014, Richland College Garland campus; Gayle McAllister, part-time professional support staff Employee of the Year for 2013-2014, world languages, cultures and communications; faculty service employees of the quarter for 2013-2014, Terrick Tu, first quarter; Anthony Buckley, second quarter; Luke Luu third quarter; Laureano Hurtado, fourth quarter.

Copy Editor

Liz Nguyen has been dancing since she was 3 years old. She started with basic ballet, tap, jazz and gymnastics until she got to middle school. Her family has supported her love of dance through the years.

Now at 20, Nguyen hopes to major in biology and transfer to SMU in the spring, with a minor in dance. She has previously taken dance classes at Richland, but this semester she’s taking some online classes here.

“I want to be a doctor but, until recently, Gina [Sawyer] said I needed to do something with dance,” Nguyen said. Sawyer, a dance professor in the School of Humanities, Fine and Performing Arts, sent out an email for open auditions at 8&1 Dance Company in Dallas.

Nguyen, along with five other dancers, auditioned for a spot at 8&1, which she didn’t get. Instead, she got an apprenticeship under the direction of Jill Rucci, founder and artistic director.

“She [Rucci] said I needed more work on my technique,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen also had to submit a head shot, a résumé and short dance combinations in front

Photo courtesy Katheryne Phillips

Liz Nguyen lost out during an audition but gained an apprenticeship.

of the professionals under Rucci and her assistant director.

While Nguyen was really happy about receiving the apprenticeship, she said she was sad for her friends because they didn’t get one.

Rucci has eight company members at 8&1, professional dancers, some of whom travel with different dance conventions or teach around the metroplex. Nguyen will work under the professional dancers and will get cast for certain dance numbers.

Nguyen will work under the professional dancers and will get cast for certain dance numbers.

CHRONICLE STUDENT MEDIA LEADERS Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief Photography Editor Entertainment Editor Copy Editor

Melanie Brandow Doris Brogan Blanca Reyes Ricky Miller Joyce Jackson

ON THE COVER Right: Thunderduck soccer player 24, Tyler Graft. Top left: 9/11 reflection. Middle: Neena Sharma, sitar player.

Bottom: Moon cake.

Melanie Pruit explains her role as an instructional specialist.

COVER AND FONTS

Image courtesy wordpress.com (top left).

Staff photos Isai Diaz (middle), Ashling Han (bottom), Blanca Reyes (right).

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

STUDENT MEDIA STAFF Jonathan Johnson Isai Diaz Muneer Washah Jo Nguyen

Pete Shannon Ashling Han Gabriel Flores

STUDENT MEDIA ADVISERS

Staff photos Melanie Brandow

Dr. Clive Siegle is always happy to share stories about the Sixth Floor Museum.

Dance student thrilled with apprenticeship JOYCE JACKSON

Richland

Nguyen said she will also be performing in Richland’s dance concert, “Moonstruck” in November.

Her favorite type of dance is a “tie between contemporary and stylized jazz.” “It’s the song, the dancer and the movement coming into one,” she said. “It’s a lot more emotion.”

Nguyen’s dance idol is Misty Copeland, a soloist with the American Ballet Theater.

“She started dancing when she was 13 or 15, very late for a ballerina. She’s in New York. I feel like every ballerina should know who she is,” Nguyen said. Nguyen said she practices about two hours a day, mostly because of the apprenticeship and that she practices to keep good technique.

“Nguyen clearly communicates our purpose here [at Richland] in getting students connected with the community. Life performance, choreography and teaching opportunities,” Sawyer said.

So, it serves our purpose in the dance program in getting our dancers transferred into real In getting an apprenticeship, Sawyer said, “Nguyen is placed in a position to study with a quality company [8&1] and to make connections in the professional world. And the exposure she will get through this apprenticeship will give her a strong foundation for all future endeavors in dance.”

Terry Blend Erica Edwards Jack Fletcher David Goodloe

Tim Jones Steve Noviello Larry Ratliff Marshall Siegel

August 19 August 26 September 2 September 9 September 16 September 23 September 30 October 7

October 14 October 21 October 28 November 4 November 11 November 18 November 25 December 9

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 150 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: richlandchronicle@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

CAMPUS/CULTURE

Upcoming events

Student spotlight Editor-in-Chief

Wilton (Will) Eversley, 43, is currently working to complete an associate of science degree and plans to pursue a career in the information technology field, specifically as a Cisco Certified Network Administrator (CCNA).

Attitude is important to Eversley. When he first received a diagnosis of end stage renal disease, he said, “At the beginning, I was very depressed and stressed about finding out that I was a kidney disease patient.” He knew he needed to find a more positive outlook.

“You have to keep your spirits up in the face of adversity,” Eversley said. He emphasized the importance of family when living and coping with his disease. “What affects you affects them as well,” he said. Their support has been essential to his success in dealing with the disease.

Dialysis consumes a large chunk of Eversley’s time each week. His kidneys are no longer capable of cleaning his blood, so the blood cycles through a dialysis machine to remove impurities. He has to have the procedure done three days a week and it takes over four hours each day.

Cooking has become an active interest of Eversley’s because of his illness. Diet is a key

T u

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

Fannin Performance Hall s F-102 d Ensemble 75 will perform. a y

Staff photo Melanie Brandow

Attitude is important to information technology major Wilton (Will) Eversley.

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W e d n e s d a y

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Career Reality Fair El Paso Hall.

T h u r s d a y

7 to 8:45 p.m.

Foreign Film Series Sabine Hall, SH-118 Movie: “Camille redouble,” English subtitles Free admission.

11 a.m. Sabine Hall, SH-118 Judge William F. Sanderson Jr. speaks on the Constitution.

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18

Moon cakes balance life like a full moon rising ASHLING HAN Staff Writer

Sept. 8, the Mid-Autumn Festival on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar, is the second most important festival in China.

This is my first semester taking classes at Richland. I have been here for 16 months.

It is the second time that I have been away from my mother and my family. Chatting with them online and getting messages from friends reminds me of home.

(JingYeSi -- poet) “I raise my head. The splendid moon I see. Then drop my head.

And sink to dreams of thee - my fatherland, of thee!”

It is a very famous poem in China that expresses my feelings deeply at this moment.

It’s important to the Chinese because it’s like their version of Thanksgiving.

The festival is associated with the moon.

The Chinese people give thanks to it.

Two thousand years ago, the ancient Chinese observed the movement of lunar effects of the changing seasons for agricultural

purposes. Then they focused on Aug. 15, the time the moon is brightest, to express their thanks and celebrate the harvest. The tradition still continues.

No matter how busy they are or how far away they live, family members will be together to celebrate and enjoy watching the moon at night and eating some good food.

In China, moon cakes are extremely popular. Everybody buys them. Most of them are round, symbolizing the reunion of family.

Symbolism is important in China so round is a perfect shape and it resembles a circle – for the balance of life, just like the full moon.

After I left my country, I realized that the Mid-August Festival is also popular in other Asian countries.

Vietnamese students, however, describe their moon cakes a different way. They don’t know what Chinese moon cakes look like.

So the Vietnamese students and I went to a popular Chinese restaurant, Jeng Chi Restaurant in Richardson’s Chinatown on Greenville Ave. There, we saw the whole moon cake making process.

The owner, Yuanhai Teng, who is a nice gentleman and over 70, told us he has made moon cakes, most of his life.

To him, moon cakes are not just food, but they inspired him to recall his youth and family traditions.

So he is very careful about the quality of moon cakes.

First, he bought ingredients from different regions for the best flavor and freshest taste.

He imported sweetmeats from Brazil, and jujube from North China.

It requires a person with a lot of experience, because it is then based on timing and temperatures.

The filling is the most important part.

Cooking mashed jujube and stirring it for five hours; beans would be mashed for eight hours -- all steps to preparing the ingredients. It may take some time, but it’s worth the effort.

The next step is to wrap the various fillings in flour skins, after measuring the skin’s weight.

After baking, the moon cakes are ready to eat.

I think Teng is making moon cakes similar to other Chinese food, which takes patience in the process. Because Mr. Teng loves what he does, he wants to continue the tradition and cares very much about the quality of them.

He knows most Chinese people are always looking for moon cakes for the Mid-Autumn Festival because of their importance.

Staff photos Ashling Han

Yuanhai Teng is very careful about the quality of his moon cakes.

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com September 16, 2014

DORIS BROGAN

component of his success, so he monitors his food and liquid intake carefully. He has become an avid fan of TV cooking shows and appreciates their tips on the various herbs and spices available to replace the salt that he is no longer able to include in his diet.

As a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Eversley was stationed at Camp Pendleton where he performed administrative duties prior to his deployment in Kuwait as part of Desert Storm. He appreciated his time spent in the military. “They give you the tools to succeed and it’s up to you to utilize them,” he said.

After his discharge from the Marines, Eversley worked in logistics as an assistant supervisor for a shipping company.

He’s very proud of his son Trent, 18, currently a freshman at a community college in Fort Worth.

Eversley is pleased that they are both going to college at the same time.

All the members of Eversley’s family have graduated from college.

He is the exception. That might have had something to do with his decision to spend his time wisely while awaiting a transplant and return to school.

Eversley’s attitude is “instead of wasting time, I can go ahead and get something accomplished,” because according to his philosophy, “it’s never too late to get an education.”

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Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com September 16, 2014

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