February13 2013 Issue

Volume 44, Issue 7

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

It could happen anytime, anywhere Recent school shootings highlight the need for campus awareness

By Danyelle Roquemore etc4640@dcccd.edu

It’s easy to believe that school shootings are rare and won’t happen here, but with the two most recent tragedies occurring within six weeks of each other — including one in Texas — the need for heightened campus awareness is at an all-time high.

See SECURITY, page 3 ➤

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NEWS

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Put it on

Calendar February Wed

Student clubs will sell Valentine-related goods from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on Feb. 13-14 in the Pit.

Tue

“Making the Most of Your (Community) College Experience,” a program about how to succeed in and after college, will be presented by Student Life Director Judy Schwartz from 12:35-1:35 p.m. and 5:35-6:35 p.m. in L-208.

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The Annual African-American Read-in will include works written by students and staff. The event will run from 11 a.m.-12:20 p.m. in S-100.

Auditions for the musical “Hairspray” will be Feb. 19-20 from 4-8 p.m. in F-114. All auditioners must bring 16 bars they are prepared to sing.

Wed

“STOP, DROP, and DANCE! The Encore” will feature Eastfield’s Jazz Ensemble and dance students Quinesha Gardner and Xavier Hamilton. The event will be held from 11 a.m.-12:20 p.m. on the Pleasant Grove Campus.

Tue

“Post Game Rap Up: When the Season Ends and REAL Life Begins Are You Prepared?” features speech professor Courtney Brazile and athletic director Anthony Fletcher speaking about how athletes can succeed after their careers end. The event runs from 11 a.m.12:20 p.m. in C-135.

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Wed

The Art of Living Black Exhibition will feature art by professor Mary Ann Turner from 11 a.m.-12:20 p.m. in the library.

Thu

The debate “Images of African-Americans in the Mass Media” will feature professors Stacey Juhree and Glynn Newman from 11 a.m.-12:20 p.m. in the Performance Hall.

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A “Proper Use of Social Media” session will discuss the benefits to marketing your business through social media.

The event will run from 11 a.m.-12:20 p.m. in S-100.

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The Et Cetera

Power outage leads to Subway looting

“This is not the first incident we’ve had with people stealing,” she said.

“It doesn’t happen very often, but we’ve had things happen in the past. I consider it major because it’s illegal.”

Pitman said that in the past people

have walked out with chips as well as refills without paying.

Several employees were on duty when the blackout happened. They continued to serve sandwiches to customers who had cash, unaware of

what was happening behind the line.

“You don’t expect something like this to happen in college,” said Astrid Nunez, who has worked at Subway for three years.

Pitman said if students steal from the restaurant, there will be ramifications, including police action and increased costs.

“Overall, we try to keep things within reason,” Pitman said. “The way to do that is by watching our costs. If you have people taking things, it’s going to affect the bottom line.”

Pitman said Subway management works proactively, attempting to prevent theft.

“If I know something has been ongoing, I will personally find out who it is, [who’s stealing],” Pitman said.

“I’ll follow them out and we’ll have a good face-to-face talk. Normally, that’s all it takes.”

Pitman said she is always very surprised when others are dishonest, because honesty is important to her.

“I think there are a lot of honest people in this world, but there are some who are going to be dishonest,” she said. “It didn’t matter whether it was here or somewhere else, because it would have happened no matter where [the student] was.”

earlier cut-off date occurring simultaneously, Wolf saw a positive effect for administrators and students alike.

“The first few days of classes people weren’t coming late [and] we weren’t shifting people around,” she said. “We could do all of our administrative stuff earlier, which I think was better customer service to the students.”

The earlier deadline also allowed more time for students to fix their schedules and add or drop any classes prior to the start of the term.

“I think where I saw student success was that Thursday and Friday [before the first day of class] were not as chaotic for both the staff and the students,” said Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Success Michael Gutierrez. “Because it was more relaxed, I do believe that the students received better service during that time period.”

Though some students complained and said they were unaware of the change, others had no problems with the new deadline.

“Anybody who has eCampus should have known about it,” nursing student Stephanie Hamilton said. “It was all over eCampus.”

There were many late start, or flex term, classes that began on Feb. 4 to help compensate for the lower registration numbers in certain areas.

Gutierrez said administrators began planning for the zero week and the additional flex-term classes during the fall semester because they expected to have lower numbers in some areas where students have traditionally registered in the last days before the beginning of the semester.

“One area where we anticipated this the most was in music,” Gutierrez said. “For those disciplines it was a struggle because students have traditionally registered late, and they show up late and anticipate that they can still get in.”

Starting the flex term a week late in those areas allowed faculty to recruit and fill their class rosters.

Gutierrez hopes the earlier cut-off date will help prepare students for

when they begin transferring.

“Many of our students will end up transferring to four-year colleges and universities where they do have application deadlines and registration deadlines that are even sooner than ours,” Gutierrez said. “It’s a good way for the students to practice what they’re going to see at the next level.”

The student success rate tied to the new process cannot be determined until sufficient data can be gathered and analyzed.

However, President Jean Conway said research shows that students who can meet earlier deadlines tend to succeed in their courses.

“Students that plan ahead a little bit better tend to stay with their classes, tend to be prepared to do the work better than students that come one day [before] or on the same day that classes start,” Conway said. “The philosophy is that students who know they have to register by a certain day, perhaps, will be more prepared to be successful in class.”

By Anjulie Van Sickle etc4640@dcccd.edu

When the campus lost power on the morning of Jan. 30, a few students saw it as an opportunity to run into Subway and steal several bags of chips. However, their plans were thwarted when campus police officer Miqueas Figueroa arrived on the scene.

Police Chief Michael Horak said Figueroa was sent into Subway to clear the area and prevent anything from happening in the dark. When Figueroa walked in, he saw four students standing in a dark corner stuffing bags of chips into their backpacks. He then told them to put the chips back on the shelves and leave.

Although Subway management did not press charges, the incident surprised and disappointed President Jean Conway.

“I think we all believe this institution is about making people’s lives better,” she said. “[Stealing] is not an indication of somebody who is trying to make his or her life better.”

The campus Subway is a local franchise owned by Cyndi Pitman and her husband, Tim. Cyndi admits she was not entirely surprised by the situation.

odessa leeper/The Et cetera

Cyndi Pitman and her husband Tim have owned Subway for three years.

Earlier registration deadline deemed a success

By Danyelle Roquemore etc4640@dcccd.edu

The traditional process of being able to register up until the start of class was revamped this semester as the college added zone registration and an earlier cut-off date.

The last day students could register for the full spring semester was Jan. 16, almost a week before classes started.

Many students and administrators were concerned after hearing the proposal for the earlier deadline, but the change ended up being successful in terms of effective scheduling and complete class rosters.

“I initially had a negative perspective on it; I didn’t think it was going to work well, and I was very concerned that we would lose enrollment,” said Dean Rachel Wolf of the Arts, Language and Literature division. “It was surprisingly easy. … I have never in my life had an easier [registration] period.”

With zone registration and the

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Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Preparation key to campus safety Continued from Page 1

Some campuses are changing their policies and procedures in light of the Newtown and Lone Star College shootings. The Dallas County Community College District, however, is making only minor changes.

Most of the district’s procedural changes happened in 2007 following the Virginia Tech massacre, but no changes have resulted from the Newtown and Lone Star shootings.

“We have a very complete policy with regard to fire drills and emergency intruder lockdowns. We have all our mechanisms in place,” said Sharon Cook, assistant to the president.

However, the district is always looking to update policies and procedures that are already in place to ensure student, staff and faculty safety.

“You never want to say that you’re as prepared as you can be. We can always do better,” President Jean Conway said. “Every time we have an incident we have an opportunity to say, ‘Hey, what went right and what needs improvement?’”

Cook and Police Chief Michael Horak said that student, staff and

faculty awareness is a key component in keeping the campus safe.

All members of the campus community should know where to evacuate in an emergency. The evacuation map that explains this part of the emergency procedure can be found on the campus website. Another key part of the evacuation plan is to get at least 100 feet away from the building.

The new alert system which can be accessed through the eConnect menu under “DCCCD Emergency Alerts Information” also sends out notices about emergency situations.

Students and employees with an eConnect account automatically receive emails when there is an emergency, but do not receive alerts via telephone or text message unless they sign up for them by inputting an emergency phone number.

History professors Dr. Jerry Henson and Mike Noble show the video “Keeping Safe in a Campus Emergency,” which can also be found on the school’s website, during the first week of classes to ensure their students know how to react.

“One of the reasons for alerting the class and getting them to think about the dangers is that when two

or three people in the class panic and start screaming, there are people who’ll [cover their mouths],” Henson said. “[We try to] get them to think about it in advance because once you have a kind of mental plan in the back of your mind, you can keep your wits about you.”

The video explains that students should listen to and follow all instructions from the College Emergency Response Team (CERT) or first responders, such as firefighters.

If there is a shooter on campus, the procedure is to call 911 from a campus phone or 972-860-4290 so campus police can know where the call is coming from. Students and employees should stay calm and put as many walls between themselves and the shooter as possible.

Some student groups prefer a more proactive approach to school violence. Organizations like Students for Concealed Carry believe the best way to combat incidents like those that occurred at Newtown and Lone Star College is to allow licensed students to carry handguns on campus.

“Allowing licensed concealed carry would give potential attackers pause and ultimately give innocent

victims a fighting chance,” said David Burnett, the group’s spokesperson.

Even though the group believes that concealed carry on campuses would benefit students, Noble thinks that the trend will be negative.

“If the law does go into effect, I think we’ll see more instances of the violence and accidents,” Noble said.

Knowing about the campus’ procedure is important, but so is practicing them in a drill. A campus-wide police activity lockdown drill will be held sometime this semester.

“An alert will go out and we will see that everybody goes into a classroom or other areas to get locked in,” Horak said.

If an emergency were to occur, Conway wants to ensure that the campus police and CERT members are well equipped.

“We are working hard to get first responder kits for each [officer] which includes a helmet, some kind of shield and a bulletproof vest because they need to be able to have those three items, so that if something happens, [they can] immediately get those on and they can protect themselves so that they can protect other people,” Conway said.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Female civil rights contributors showcased

By Anjulie Van Sickle etc4640@dcccd.edu

Despite common belief, men are not the only ones who had a major part to play in the civil rights movement. Women also had a significant role in the effort to gain equal rights for African-Americans.

As a part of Black History Month, history professor Kat Cloer presented a lecture on Feb. 6 to discuss the roles women played in the movement of the 1950s and 60s.

“During Black History Month, it’s all about men,” Cloer said. “I wanted women to have a role. They do have a huge role, and I wanted that role to be known.”

Cloer explained that although Rosa Parks is considered to be the “mother” of the civil rights movement, she was not the first black woman who refused to give up her seat to a white man on a bus.

In 1955, nine months before the Rosa Parks incident, a 15-year-old girl, Claudette Colvin, was arrested

and jailed for refusing to give up her seat.

“It’s my constitutional right to sit here as much as that lady. I paid my fare, it’s my constitutional right,” she said following the incident.

Most are unaware of her because Colvin did not fit the profile the leaders of the Kat Cloer movement wanted. She was thought to be too rebellious because she became pregnant by a married man, and her act was completely spontaneous.

The president of the Women’s Political Council, Jo Ann Robinson, organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott in December 1955. On Dec. 5, no blacks rode buses to protest segregation. Instead, they either walked or took taxis.

The “grandmother” of the civil rights movement, Septima Clark, was responsible for securing African-

Americans the right to learn how to read and write.

“Women have stood up just as much as men have for equality,” biology major Catherine Southard said. “Even in 2013, we still don’t get equal pay for equal work. There’s still prejudice toward women, even when women have given their lives for equality, black or white.”

Other important women in the movement included Daisy Bates, a newspaper publisher and adviser for the “Little Rock Nine,” the nine black students who attempted to enroll in a predominantly white school in protest of the inequalities faced by African-American students.

Diane Nash, a half-white, halfblack young girl, was told in the fall of 1959 that if she went with the Freedom Riders she would be kicked out of Fisk University in Nashville. Despite the threat, she went.

There were many other black women during the civil rights movement who made a substantial impact on history.

“It’s very important for people to know about women in the civil rights movement, because most people know about male men as dominant roles in the United States,” criminal justice major Sarah McCay said. “It’s good to know that women are heroes also.”

Faculty and students enjoyed the lecture.

“As historians and teachers of these large classrooms, we have a responsibility to make sure that all aspects of history are explored,” history professor Matt Hinckley said. “A lot of students come into college having a limited view of what they learned in their high school history courses, as well as the myths and half-truths that society perpetuates. It’s our responsibility and our privilege to be able to explode some of those myths and dig a little bit deeper.”

Cloer said her purpose for giving the lecture was fulfilled.

“If you don’t give women a voice, we’re not going to have women heroes,” Cloer said.

NEWS

Briefs

Campus lockdown exposes flaw in emergency protocol

Police initiated a campus lockdown on the evening of Jan. 29 following the report of alleged criminal activity. DART police reported seeing a man carrying a gun and walking across the soccer fields toward campus.

Students and employees received an eConnect notification alerting them that the lockdown had been lifted but never received an alert when the lockdown was initiated. President Jean Conway said there was miscommunication between campus police and dispatch, which is at Brookhaven, about who was in charge of sending out the emergency notification.

Conway said the procedure has been clarified so that in any future lockdown both parties are aware of who will send out the emergency notification.

Small microwave fire forces evacuation in C building

The C building was evacuated on Jan. 25 due to a small food fire started in the TRIO office, located on the second floor. A personal microwave was set for a longer time than intended and left unsupervised. Although the fire did not spread outside the microwave, firefighters did arrive on the scene.

After the incident, an email was sent to remind employees that personal appliances are not allowed in offices and classrooms without permission.

Students informed about the dangers of AIDS, other STDs

Lisa Waitermon-Moses of AIDS Arms, Inc., spoke to students about sexually transmitted diseases on Feb. 7. She covered several ways HIV can be contracted and how to stay protected from the virus. She also covered syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia, which accounted for 16,848 cases reported in Dallas County in 2011. For more information, contact the AIDS Arms, Inc. main office by phone (214) 5215191 or visit AIDSArms.org.

Most campus classes canceled on Feb. 21-22

Classes on Thursday, Feb. 21, will be canceled due to staff enrichment activities. Day classes on Friday, Feb. 22, will also be cancelled due to an employee Day of Service.

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The Et Cetera

Tips for transferring

Students often plan on transferring to four-year universities after attending a community college. However, the process isn’t easy.

There are transcripts to pick up, deadlines to meet and applications to fill out. Here are five tips from transfer specialists who attended the college’s transfer fair on Jan. 29 to guide you through the process.

5. Have your transcripts ready 4. Think about applying at least a semseter in advance 3. Develop a financial plan

Transcripts are very important. These academic records will be transferred to your new school and will indicate what kind of student you are. Make sure to request your transcripts early so you have time to submit them to the universities of your choice. You can request a free copy of your transcript in person at the admissions office or submit a request through eConnect to have it mailed to you.

Early registration and orientation for many universities starts in May. This gives students the chance to get the classes they want before they begin to fill. The road to transferring to a larger school can be much smoother if students think about registering early. “If you get everything in early, it gives you a chance to get admitted early and meet with an academic adviser,” University of Texas at San Antonio transfer specialist Tricia McElligott said.

The average cost of attending a public university in Texas during the 2012-13 school year is more than $21,000, so it’s best to get your financial aid and loans taken care of in advance. Fill out your FAFSA and apply for as many scholarships as possible. Then focusing on what classes you can take will become much easier. “Make sure you actually have your finances planned out,” said Chad Fogle, assistant director of student recruitment at Dallas Baptist. “People are concerned about the cost, so if you’re going to transfer, finish your application file and get everything turned in early.”

2. Find out which of your credit classes will transfer 1. Set a long-term goal for yourself

You could be taking classes that might not be transferable, so research the degree plans for the universities of your choice. Most universities accept the core curriculum courses from DCCCD colleges, meaning transfer students will not be required to take any additional core classes. However, this may not be the case with other courses, so make sure you know where you stand.

Make sure to visit different campuses to see what each has to offer, academically and socially. This can help you make a more informed decision. Meet with advisers who can help guide you through the transfer process and choosing a degree. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and do plenty of research. Another statistic to remember: Research shows that students who complete their associate’s degree before transferring are more succcessful in earning their bachelor’s degree at a university.

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The Et Cetera

Horak promoted to police chief

By Anjulie Van Sickle etc4640@dcccd.edu

After working in district police departments for nearly 20 years, Michael Horak is now chief of Eastfield campus police. He was sworn in at the beginning of the spring semester after one year as acting chief.

“I had built a great command staff,” Horak said. “The year I was acting chief, it was running smoothly, so the transition from acting chief to chief has been really good.”

Horak said assisting the student body helps improve the community.

“By protecting outside and protecting inside, [the students] can focus on their educational endeavors,” Horak said. “That way, they can be successful and go back out and also help the community.”

Last year, the SGA worked with the campus police department on risk-management issues due to students’ concerns about campus safety.

“We have a police department that cares and wants to keep us safe,” Director of Student Life Judy Schwartz said. “They’re dedicated, and we have

ana nunez/The Et cetera

New police chief Michael Horak came to Eastfield in 2007.

a police chief that will listen. It’s a reciprocal relationship, and I think it’s a wonderful thing for campus police and SGA to work together.”

SGA president Cristal Aldrete said she has enjoyed working with Horak.

“It’s always fun to talk to him, because he says so many things that make you think and feel very proud to come to Eastfield,” Aldrete said.

“You feel very safe because he’s always working with his officers.”

Horak said one of his career highlights was helping coordinate security when President Barack Obama spoke at Eastfield in fall 2011.

“Not many acting police chiefs have the ability to be the officer in charge with Secret Service when the president of the United States is

here,” Horak said. “They even sent a letter to Dr. Conway about how all the officers worked as a team and how it was very successful.”

During his time in command, Horak has made several changes to improve the department.

“I like to be progressive,” he said.

“I want to make sure we meet needs of the department.”

Before 2010, each of the college’s police cars had individual designs, which made it difficult for students to identify them as belonging to campus police. The cars had simple designs, such as “Eastfield College” on the side and nothing else. Now they are all alike.

“Just from the input from the students and faculty, they feel more comfortable when they see the [new cars], because there’s no doubt they’re police,” Horak said.

In the past, the officers’ uniforms were also inconsistent. Now they have been changed to identical Class A uniforms.

“When the chief put that structure in, it helped us perform our mission better,” Lieutenant Timothy Elling-

ton said. “The officers were clear on their mission, so in that case, the student got the same type of hands-on approach from each officer.”

Officers’ badges have been updated and also are identical. They are in the shape of stars with five points.

“The officers know it as five points of light,” Horak said. “You have accountability, credibility, honor, integrity and pride. Accountability and credibility are what I wanted to establish. I wanted the officers to have those. The honor, integrity and pride come from the criminal justice side.”

According to Ellington, faculty and staff have been behind the department throughout all the changes.

“The support from the employees we work with has been outstanding,” he said. “They support the department, the mission and the officers.”

After 20 years, Horak said he still enjoys his job.

“I like the environment I’m in,” he said. “I like what I do and the command staff that I have. It’s like a family, but they know when business is business.”

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Losing weight, gaining confidence

Hernandez changes habits, boosts self-image

By Ginny Morris etc4640@dcccd.edu

Esteban Hernandez was frustrated with being overweight.

He had started multiple workout routines in an effort to lose weight, but never finished. He was beginning to become concerned about his future health.

“I would look in my kitchen and say, ‘Oh, that’s not right. I’m not supposed to eat this, I’m not supposed to eat that,’” Hernandez said. “I was getting tired from work too easily. I didn’t want to grow up being one of those people who are really lazy. I just want to stay active.”

Instead of choosing the easy path of complacency, he decided to change his life.

Last summer, Hernandez started to make some major changes in his lifestyle. The digital imaging major decided he needed to completely change his eating habits and make time in his busy schedule to exercise every day.

“I’m the type of person that’s always on the run, whether it’s for work or school,” Hernandez said. “So I’m always eating fast food — at least, that’s how it was before. I had to cut all of that out.”

Hernandez bought a gym membership and began using the treadmill and elliptical for at least an hour and a half every day. He walked

Odessa Leeper/The Et cetera

Lose to Win weigh in winners Esteban Hernandez and Amy Ross show off their muscles and slimmer bodies.

around the college track when he was on campus to get more exercise.

Hernandez quickly began to see his efforts pay off. Between June and the end of August, he lost 43 pounds.

While registering for his fall classes, Hernandez saw a sign for the Lose to Win contest and decided to sign up. The contest, which spanned the fall semester, offered iPads to the male and female students who lost the largest percentage of their body weight. The thought of an iPad provided extra motivation as he headed into the toughest part of his weightloss program.

“I knew the theory of the more you weigh, the faster it is to lose your

weight,” Hernandez said. “During the months of June and July, I had pretty much lost the majority of the quick weight. Everything else is hard to lose.”

After deciding he had to cut out fast food, he realized he needed more variety in his diet. Hernandez checked out books from the library to find new recipes and get more information about a balanced diet.

“I was packing lunches more, even though it took a little more time out of my day to make them,” Hernandez said. “It was worth it in the end because it was healthy.”

Digital Imaging Program Director David Danforth said the change

in Hernandez during the contest was very noticeable, and it wasn’t just weight-related.

“Before, he was quiet, and you could tell he seemed tired a lot,” Danforth said. “After he did this whole thing, you could see that he had energy, and he seemed happy — just really, really happy. He would smile a lot more. You could see a confidence that really went along with it.”

As Hernandez entered the fall semester, staying on his diet became even harder. He had to resist candy around Halloween and fight the urge to eat a large Thanksgiving dinner.

His family supported him by making him a special, healthy Thanksgiving

dinner. He managed to follow his diet, and had a healthy meal of lowfat turkey, chicken, salad, mashed potatoes and fruit salad.

Hernandez’s weight-loss efforts had to fit in around a busy schedule.

In addition to his schoolwork, he works in merchandising for the Dallas Mavericks. He plans to graduate from Eastfield this spring, then go to Chicago to explore his future.

“I’ve been to Chicago about four times, and every time I’ve been there I love it even better,” Hernandez said.

“There’s so much stuff to do. You won’t get bored, and there’s so much art to look at. ... So I figure, why not try to look for a school out there and move? It’d be a fresh start.”

Hernandez has been a model student and is exceptionally selfmotivated, adjunct Digital Imaging instructor Randy Presson said.

“I’ve been impressed with him in that he goes for contests, where a lot of students don’t want to put out the extra effort,” Presson said. “He’s been a very confident student, anxious and hungry to learn. ... He’s always been one of the better students I’ve had.”

Although he lost 67 pounds between June and December, Hernandez has continued working out and is still slowly losing weight. He lost 24 pounds, which amounted to 11.22 percent of his body weight, during the Win to Lose contest.

The end of the contest didn’t signal the end of Hernandez’s new routine.

His ability to motivate himself continues to serve him well as he looks forward to graduation and beyond.

“I’m still working out,” Hernandez said. “Even though I won the iPad, I’m not really satisfied yet.”

Ross sheds 39 pounds with motivation from her husband

By Sidney Murillo etc4640@dcccd.edu

People don’t always eat to satiate hunger.

Often they choose to eat for pleasure, taste or simply to relieve boredom.

Those was once the case for Lose to Win weigh-in winner Amy Ross. Then she decided it was time to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

“I’ve always been overweight my whole life,” Ross said. “Within the last 10 years, it’s gradually been getting worse. I’ve gone on diets here and there, but it’s hard to sustain it.”

Ross began her journey at 170 pounds. At this point, she said she dreaded going shopping for herself.

Now, at 131 pounds, she enjoys feeling her

clothes getting baggier.

And she is looking forward to buying new clothes.

“The numbers are great,” Ross said, “but I really notice my sizes. I was a size 14, and now I’m a size 10 going on to an 8. That’s the most exciting feeling when I’m shopping for clothes.”

The motivation from her husband, Randy Ross, was essential for her success as female winner of the Lose to Win competition. Together, they decided that they were going to change their daily habits.

“There would be days where I wasn’t motivated but he would be,” Ross said. “I would say something like ‘I just want to eat a hamburger,’ and he would say, ‘What? Don’t eat a hamburger; we are going to eat a salad.’ Or sometimes I

didn’t feel like going for a jog, but he did.”

Ross said having a partner with her made things much easier than if she was working alone.

The couple began their weight-loss efforts prior to the Lose to Win competition. The iPad she won was simply a bonus.

“We decided together to lose weight,” Randy said. “We both had already lost around 30 pounds before the contest. I told her to try [the Lose to Win competition] out as a motivator.”

Both Amy and Randy said that losing weight has made improvements in their overall mood.

Campus counselor Jeff Quan said losing weight in a healthy manner like they did also helps improve mental and cognitive behavior.

“Regular exercise can contribute to overall

health,” Quan said. “Exercise brings oxygen to the brain, which helps our brain function better, improves memory and releases endorphins, which are the natural painkillers that our body can produce. And, eating healthy gives our bodies the capabilities to better process nutrients.”

Ross said setting an example for her daughter is her greatest goal in life. She wants to show her that food doesn’t have to be the focal point of your life.

“My whole life, I felt like my weight was out of my control,” Amy said. “I have an 8-year-old, and I remember how I was when I was her age.

She is at a normal weight where as I was a bit heavier. I want to show my daughter that eating doesn’t have to be out of your control.”

ROUND TWO Obama wins second term, prepares to fight Republicans on key issues

By Billy Dennis Jr. etc4640@dcccd.edu

The soaring rhetoric of inauguration day has given way to partisan politics again as President Barack Obama and the Republican Congress prepare to go head to head over key issues. Obama may have won another election battle, but how he maneuvers the political minefield during his second term will likely determine his legacy.

Obama was officially sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts in a private ceremony in the Blue Room of the White House on Jan. 20. The president repeated the voluntary portion of the oath, “so help me God,” hugged the first lady and eldest daughter Malia, then turned to Sasha, his youngest, and said, “I did it.”

Obama’s inaugural address articulated a progressive vision for the country.

No longer tethered by the chains of a re-election campaign, the president asserted a series of liberal and progressive ideas on a number of issues ranging from climate change to gay rights.

“Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law, for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well,” Obama said, marking the first time a president has mentioned the word gay in an inaugural address.

The president’s vision for the next four years was a call to arms for liberals and progressives alike, a call that will be met by a rededicated Republican Party geared up for a fight. The fight will be waged on a few key issues that will be explored in the upcoming issues of The Et Cetera.

Gun Control

In the wake of the devastating mass shooting in Newtown, Conn., Obama unveiled a series of new policies on Jan. 16 aimed at reducing gun violence.

The policy proposals included requiring criminal background checks on all gun sales, including private sales, banning assault weapons, limiting ammunition magazines to 10 rounds and strengthening penalties for gun trafficking.

Obama also signed a laundry list of 23 executive orders ranging from the nomination of an ATF director to improving incentives for states to share information the criminal and mental health histories of

prospective gun buyers.

However, the president said the most important changes will depend on Congressional action.

“They need to bring these proposals up for a vote, and the American people need to make sure that they do,” Obama said.

A recent Gallup Poll suggests that Americans are firmly behind the president’s latest proposals. The poll found that 90 percent of respondents were in favor of universal background checks on all gun sales, and 60 percent supported reinstating and strengthening the ban on assault weapons.

While most experts do not believe the assault weapon ban has any chance of being passed by Congress, others disagree.

“I think the time is right,” history professor Mike Noble said. “Even though, personally, I was not in favor of gun control, my attitude has changed a little since the events that have recently happened [in Newtown], and I think the country does need effective gun control legislation.”

Will Congress and the president find common ground before American amnesia sets in and the Newtown tragedy becomes just another footnote in America history?

Immigration

The president recently made his case for immigration reform to the America people, touting the cooperation of the so-called Gang of Eight, a bipartisan commission in Congress that includes four Democrats and four Republicans.

The Gang of Eight released its plan for immigration reform on Jan. 28, agreeing that any immigration reform plan should have in it a pathway to citizenship for undocumented workers, more border security and a fair legal system.

Obama said he was encouraged by the proposals, and hopes to build on them.

“The good news is that, for the first time in many years, Republicans and Democrats seem ready to tackle this problem together,” he said.

The next day the president gave a speech that laid out his vision for immigration reform. The plan echoed many of the proposals made by the Gang of Eight.

First, he wants to continue to strengthen border security. Second, there would be a crackdown on em-

ILLUSTRATION BY JONATHAN WENCES DESIGN BY CHRIS GUERRA-YANGER

ployers who hire undocumented workers. Third, the plan would create a path to earned citizenship, meaning undocumented workers would be required to pay their taxes and a penalty, move to the back of the immigration line, learn English and pass background checks. Fourth, any plan should streamline the legal immigration system.

However, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a member of the Gang of Eight, criticized the president for opposing a requirement to secure the border before providing an earned path toward citizenship.

Other “gangs” have come up with sensible legislation on issues from banking to health-care reform but those proposals were derailed by the fringes on either side. How long before the polarization in Washington sets in yet again?

Climate Change

After a long hiatus, climate change was back in the president’s stump speech.

“We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that failure to do so would betray our children and future generations,” Obama said.

An issue that once enjoyed bipartisan support has almost become as divisive as healthcare and gun control. It started in 2006 with Al Gore’s documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.” The documentary made the case that not only was climate change happening in real time, but that it was caused largely by mankind.

This became a rallying cry for liberals and progressives. A number of highly polarizing figures embraced climate change, from Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi to the Hollywood elite.

Conservatives refused to embrace what they now called the liberal agenda. This is partly because the significant government regulations that are needed to affect a serious reduction in carbon emissions play on the Republican Party’s disdain for big government. Cap-and-trade, which was once held up as the free-market solution to reducing carbon emissions in America, is now derided

by the Right as the cap-and-tax.

Can the federal government and the private sector come to a consensus before it’s too late?

Appointments

One of the biggest fights thus far has been the confirmation hearing of Chuck Hagel as secretary of defense.

The former Vietnam War hero served as a Republican in the Senate from 1996-2008 and still considers himself to be a conservative, but he no longer has the support of his party.

In 2008, Hagel released his book, “America: Our Next Chapter,” in which he was critical of George W. Bush and called the Iraq War one of the biggest blunders in U.S. history. Hagel has opposed the war since it began in March 2003.

A tremendous amount of money has already changed hands in an effort to block Hagel’s nomination. A recent ad by Americans for a Stronger Defense made the claim that, “Barack Obama’s nominee for secretary of defense wants America to back down.”

Hagel’s detractors say he endorses deep cuts to the defense budget and that he drastically wants to reduce the nation’s nuclear arsenal. But what will likely be the toughest thing for Hagel to explain is his recent comments about Israel.

“The Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here,” Hagel said. “I’m a United States senator. I’m not an Israeli senator.”

This might be a problem for Hagel inside the Beltway, but many outside the influence of Washington lobbyists agree with him.

“Chuck Hagel brings up a very good point: If we didn’t support Israel, we would not be as hated throughout the world, and he’s right,” Noble said.”

I’m not a fan of [Israel] having so much influence on our government and foreign policy.”

Will Chuck Hagel find the allies he needs in Congress to be confirmed and take over our military’s top leadership position?

10 The Et Cetera

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

OUR VIEW

Early registration helps improve overall efficiency

Award-winning member of: • Texas Intercollegiate Press Association • Associated Collegiate Press • Texas Community College Journalism Association

Eastfield College 3737 Motley Drive Mesquite, TX 75150 Phone: 972-860-7130 Fax: 972-860-7646 Email: etc4640@dcccd.edu Editor In Chief Danyelle Roquemore Managing Editor Anjulie Van Sickle News Editor Billy Dennis Jr. Opinion Editor Caitlin Piper Life & Arts Editor Sidney Murillo Sports Editor Kevin Cushingberry Jr. Photo Editor Odessa Leeper Online/Social Media Editor Miguel Padilla

Copy Editor Enrique Morales Staff Writers Claudia Guerra Chanel Jimenez Jason Samuel Ginny Morris Chris Chandler Timothy Jumper Keturah Jones

OUR VIEW

Photographers Ana Nunez Raul Carrington Cartoonists Joelle Goosen Armon Reynolds Jonathan Wences Graphics & Layout Chadney Cantrell Alex Kennedy Braulio Tellez Student Publications Manager Lori Dann Faculty Adviser Caitlin Stanford Editorial Policy The views expressed on the opinion pages and other opinion pieces and cartoons in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of The Et Cetera, Eastfield College or the Dallas County Community College District.

Letters to the Editor Letters must be typed, signed and include a phone number. Letters will be edited for profanity and vulgarity, Associated Press style, grammar, libel and space when needed.

The content will remain that of the author.

Letters must be 250 words or fewer. Letters may be delivered to Room N-240 or emailed to etc4640@dcccd.edu First Amendment Right Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

We all pay when you commit campus crimes

A group of four students was caught by campus police after attempting to pilfer several bags of chips from the on-site Subway restaurant during the power outage on Jan. 30.

Despite their selfish actions, Subway’s management did not press charges after the students were told by a police officer to return the chips.

While cases like these are infrequent on our campus, this is not the first time someone has attempted to steal from the restaurant.

It’s rather disheartening to hear about occurrences like these, particularly at an institution of higher learning.

The entire purpose of attending a college or university is to make improvements to your life, and committing petty theft is doing just the opposite.

In addition, when you steal from the campus Subway, you are not stealing from a faceless corporation, but from a privately owned establishment.

Tim and Cyndi Pitman are the husband and wife team who currently own the restaurant, and they have been providing meals and jobs to Eastfield students for three years.

Would-be robbers should also realize that there are

other consequences for their actions besides police involvement.

A store that is losing money due to theft may be forced to increase its prices. While the owners do try to keep costs reasonable for the benefit of their customers, they still have to pay their employees and maintain their restaurant.

No store manager can do this when customers are stealing from them.

Theft of any kind is not to be taken lightly. Though charges were not pressed against the thieves in this particular instance, this might not be the case for thieves in the future.

Regardless of what you may or may not think, we all pay for the consequences when you steal from the college. With the constant threat of having your phone stolen or your car broken into in the parking lot, it is difficult to feel like your possessions are safe on campus.

When you commit a campus crime, you are not only harming your reputation, but harming the employees and customers who will have to deal with the mess you have left behind.

Is an 89-cent bag of chips really worth all that trouble?

Spring registration ended Jan. 16, a full five days before the first day of classes. Unlike previous semesters, students no longer had the option to register just before the start of class.

While change is often difficult, we believe that doing away with lastminute registration was for the best.

For one thing, it significantly cuts down on the number of classes cancelled on the first day, leaving students scrambling to find replacement courses. Last-minute registration also made it difficult for instructors and administrators to gauge the number of students who would be in each class on the first day of the semester.

When classes are cancelled due to low enrollment, it places a significant amount of stress on both the professors, who now have less work than expected, and the deans, who have to cancel classes on the busiest day of the semester. With an earlier registration deadline, both groups are given more time to adjust.

The change also discourages procrastination, which is a dangerous trait for a college student.

Of course, the earlier registration deadline does make things more difficult for students who receive financial aid. With less time for the payment to arrive, some students are placed at a disadvantage before classes even begin.

The change could also have been more widely publicized. Even after an email announcing the earlier deadline was sent to students district-wide, many remained unaware.

Some students do not have internet access or do not check their email daily, so other forms of communication, such as flyers, automated phone messages or texts would have been quite useful.

Regardless, the deadline change made registration much more efficient, and enrollment for the semester increased to more than 14,000. While there are still some flaws to the earlier deadlines, critics must realize that these rough edges will smooth out over time.

OPINION

11

The Et Cetera

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Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Love doesn’t cost a thing — or does it?

By Keturah Jones etc4640@dcccd.edu

It seems like just yesterday we were filling the malls and running up our credit cards for Christmas, and now Valentine’s Day is already here.

As I walk the aisles of Walgreens and gaze at the candy hearts, giant teddy bears, boxes of chocolate and those annoying stuffed animals singing “Love Shack” and “Crazy in Love,” I begin to wonder what the value of love really is.

Is it a holiday that validates our undying love for that special person, or is it just another shopping spree?

Unfortunately, I can’t say that I have had the pleasure of ever actually celebrating Valentine’s Day.

Keturah Jones

If love is measured by how much money we spend, then all I have to show for it is a card, a ring that turned my finger green and a promise of dinner that never happened.

Does that mean I was loved less?

Perhaps our view of what love is has been tainted by television.

I was watching the reality show “Braxton Family Values,” and Toni Braxton was asked if people should marry for money or love. Her

response was that you should marry for financial security and teach yourself to love that person. Shocked by her answer, I envisioned Cupid standing in the unemployment line with a cardboard sign stating, “Will work for love.”

I can recall one relationship where they guy didn’t have the looks of Denzel Washington or the finances of Donald Trump, but he loved me. It didn’t matter whether or not he bought a card with a Hallmark label on the back. It was his words inside that made me love him, and I knew he loved me.

Reality shows, movies and music videos depict love as something that is easily bought.

The Bible’s definition of love is in 1 Corinthians 3:4. The verse defines

Playing the gender card won’t win you any games I was 7 years old when I received my first game console — a used Nintendo 64 which, even back then, looked like it had seen better days. It had quite a few scuff marks and a controller port which refused to connect, but I spent a lot of time with it regardless.

Since then, I’ve been steadily building up a game collection spanning multiple genres and console generations. As far as I’m concerned, it’s money well spent.

Whether I want to experience a rich, engaging story with likeable characters or just blow stuff up, I always go to video games to relax after a long day.

Over the years, I’ve met several amazing people, both male and female, who shared my love of games. Gender never mattered when we were shooting at each other in “Goldeneye 007” or laughing at each other’s expense when one of us fell off the map in “Super Monkey Ball.”

We were just there to have fun, nothing more.

With experiences like these, I will never understand why some female gamers choose to call themselves “girl gamers.”

Ladies, if you like to play video games, more power to you. They’re a lot of fun and just as legitimate a form of entertainment as films or books.

But there’s no reason why you should wear your gender like a badge when playing.

Pinning labels on yourself like “girl

Caitlin Piper

gamer” or “gamer chick” feeds the common misconception that female gamers are a rarity.

You are telling the gaming community that you should not be judged by your gaming ability, but by your gender.

You are telling others that you should be treated differently just because you are a part of a supposedly male-dominated subculture.

You are acting as if being female and having a love for video games are mutually exclusive, and that your status is something to be celebrated.

It’s not.

There is no harm in taking pride in who you are, but it can only go so far before it starts to become obnoxious.

Acting like your status as a “girl gamer” is something new and unique just makes it harder for the gaming community to take you — and female gamers as a whole — seriously.

No one calls themselves a “guy artist” or a “reader chick,” so why should gender be an issue for gamers?

love as patient and kind. It does not envy or boast, and it is not proud.

Webster defines love as strong affection for another.

Not once in these books is love expressed as something based on the amount of money one has.

Is it possible for someone to force him or herself to love someone?

Can love be bought?

I remember, some years ago, someone asked me whether I preferred to be happy and poor or rich and miserable. I felt that whether rich or poor, if I loved someone, I would follow him wherever he went.

So I answered that I would choose happiness over wealth.

I believe money can become a factor in any relationship, but it’s a matter of how much importance we

put on it.

With the right person, a single rose can have the same impact, if not greater, as a dozen roses. A single kiss to the forehead can be as lasting and memorable as a fancy dinner and a night on the town.

Even though that ring turned my finger green, I wore it proudly every day like it came from Tiffany’s. That ring was a symbol and it represented the love we had for each other. I knew in my heart that, if he could have, he would have bought me the biggest diamond in the world.

Whether rich or poor, love is love, and no holiday can put a price on that.

Love should be measured by our actions, not the transactions of our credit card.

You owe it to your mind to read more responsibly Food fuels the body. Make eating good food a habit, and eventually you will begin to feel healthy and happy with yourself.

Eat nothing but McDonald’s, on the other hand, and you will end up feeling as groggy and gross as the heavily processed fries you eat.

The same goes with what people put in their minds.

Some people believe any kind of reading is important, but I disagree. Reading just anything shouldn’t be the goal. Filtering the good stuff from the bad stuff can make a big difference between a healthy mind and a not so healthy mind.

Go to any grocery store and you will see People, InTouch, OK!, The National Enquirer and Us Weekly in the most prominent places in the check out lines. These magazines are all guilty of peddling celebrity gossip and news to the hungry but homely minds of so many people.

The cover story of Us Weekly for January is about Bethenny’s issues with her divorce and fight for her apartment.

I’m sorry, I’m still trying to figure out who Bethenny is and why the hell her business matters to me.

Sadly, according to Stateofthemedia.org, in 2011, Time magazine national circulation dropped 0.5 percent while Cosmopolitan rose a healthy 4.6 percent.

I’m not saying that everyone should become dry-bran-eating-politics-debating old men, but giving in to the celebrity gossip isn’t going to feed your mind what it needs.

Thanks to the growth of technology, there are now different mediums to not only write, but also

Sidney Murillo

receive news five times faster than 20 years ago, and it’s still growing. This actually levels the playing field for aspiring writers to get their stuff out there, which is kind of nice.

Being able to read a mother’s blog about her experiences with going back to school after seeing her son off to Harvard law is just as inspiring and brain food worthy as a feature on marine life in the science section of Time online.

Recently, I was reading a Vogue magazine while I was at a salon getting my hair cut. The article was about a woman named Arwa Damon who was so inspired to pursue journalism that she traveled all the way to post-9/11 Iraq to report for CNN. Her friends told her she was insane for pursuing her dreams in a disastrous front. Her hunger for truth and genuine journalism was greater than her fear. This has got to be a reason to be optimistic about the future for magazines.

While it is the responsibility of a writer or journalist to provide unbiased and accurate news and good storytelling to the public, it’s also the responsibility of the public to look for the good stuff. So put down your gossip magazines and read some real news.

12 The Et Cetera

www.eastfieldnews.com

‘Food’ art takes over galleries

Running toward a ‘Safe Haven’ of love

By Billy Dennis Jr. etc4640@dcccd.edu

By Chanel Jimenez etc4640@dcccd.edu

The art department kicked off the semester with “Food,” the second exhibit in its “Fast Food Nation” series that is tied to the common book.

“I like the idea of taking the title of the book and breaking it up into those three areas, not necessarily addressing the idea of fast food but addressing those three themes,” gallery director Iris Bechtol said.

The exhibit in the H-100 and F-219 galleries features seven artists: Alison Starr, Hannah Hudson, Stephen Lapthisophon, Cynthia Mulcahy, Robert Hamilton, Tom Sale and Erik Tosten.

“What I really want [is for students] to think about the ways we relate to food in our daily lives,” Bechtol said. “What are other ways that we can think about how food permeates our lives? We eat so we can live, but there are so many other things surrounding food that are just as important to consider.”

Sale, who has raised chickens and cattle of his own, displayed six watercolor paintings of animals and the raw food they produce. The idea for the pieces came when Sale and his wife took some of their chicken to a slaughterhouse.

“My wife has miniature cattle, and we love these animals,” Sale said. “We’re not vegetarians, but we don’t eat our animals. These are pets. When we took them to the slaughterhouse and we saw what that was like, it horrified us.

We couldn’t do that anymore.”

Each of the animal parts in Sale’s display was painted on the backs of old book covers.

“When you’ve got that big piece of pork there, you’ve got to think about that as flesh,” he said. “When you see it as bacon on a hamburger, you don’t stop to think about it. It’s kind of unprocessed, which is pretty horrifying.”

Hudson, a third-year graduate student at UT Arlington, brought a piece consisting of four table legs but no table top. On the floor, between the table legs, a white text reads: “We ate all of our meals together. We stopped eating at the table when he died because we couldn’t look at his empty placemat.”

“This started out as me being frustrated with people not using the table,” Hudson said. “So

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Ana Nunez/The Et cetera

One of Tom Sale’s watercolors features a piece of uncooked bacon.

many important things happen around the table … and it just doesn’t get used very much anymore. It was very sad to me.”

Sitting at the table, Hudson adds, helps people learn social skills, and bond. When people stop sitting together, they stop forming the same bonds.

Viewers at the exhibit can also get a glimpse of the Seventeen Hundred Seeds Project, a public art project produced by Hamilton and Mulcahy that took place from March to June in the heart of Oak Cliff.

Now the gallery houses the project’s driedup Aztec Sunflowers and a collage of 16 mounted photographs.

“This piece was brought to the exhibit to address the disconnection between food production and consumption,” Bechtol said. “We no longer farm for ourselves.”

Mulcahy said the project helped bring the community together.

“It could have been any crop, but once this crop reached its peak, it would draw everyone to the field, which is surrounded by houses and businesses,” she said. “[The community was] really curious about what was happening in their neighborhood.”

The food exhibit will run through Feb. 15.

The “Nation” exhibit concludes the series, running from March 4 to April 5. A reception will be held on March 8 from 6-9 pm.

“It’s not necessarily patriotic,” Bechtol said.

[It focuses on what] it means to be from somewhere.”

The romantic thriller “Safe Haven,” set in sleepy seaside port of Southport, N.C., follows young Katie as she tries to evade her troubled past.

Katie, played by Julianne Hough (Footloose), winds up on a bus trying to outrun a manic cop in hot pursuit of her. Her disguise: a hoodie. Is it me, or does every woman on the run seem to be wearing a hoodie?

I thought the movie played well. Katie’s desire to reinvent herself touched me in a personal and profound way. We’ve all wished we could escape whatever troubles haunt us. Katie’s ability to reassemble herself in order to find work, love and make Southport her home makes her the perfect protagonist in a love story.

Katie’s disguise works, and she manages to escape the relentless cop bearing down on her. She decides the view is just right in Southport, so she attempts to put down new roots.

She rents a little house in the countryside and meets her new best friend Jo, played by Cobie Smulders (“How I Met Your Mother”).

One might be tempted to write “Safe Haven” off as another tawdry Nicholas Sparks love story, and in many ways it is. However, this one is directed by Lasse Hallström (“Chocolat” and “Cider House Rules”), whose at-ease style of filmmaking tends to draw out great acting performances.

Katie ends up in the one place in town that sells groceries, the general store. The store is owned by Alex, played by Josh Duhamel

(“Transformers”), a recent widower with two small children. Alex is in love with the mysterious stranger from out of town at first glance.

By this point, I was enamored with the onscreen chemistry of Hough and Duhamel, and found myself keeping pace with the cadence of their lines and the coy glances they exchange.

The children as well as the beautiful scenery just fades into the background as these two unlikely soul mates rediscover romance.

The only thing that broke the trance-like state I was lulled into was the return of relentless cop, Kevin, played by David Lyons (“NBC’s Revolution”). Kevin becomes increasingly unhinged, and begins to take unnecessary and unlawful risks to zero in on his prey, Katie.

Katie and Alex are blissfully happy until Alex discovers a wanted poster for Katie listing murder as the offense. Enraged, Alex casts Katie away. In tears, she says goodbye to Jo, who pleads for her to stay, and leaves town. But, Alex, sensing more to the story, tracks Katie down before she has time to get out of town.

They reconcile just in time to welcome another stranger to town.

I was stressed out when I watched this movie. I was looking for a 90-minute reprieve from constant demands of school. This movie provided an escape from my life and my troubles, if not my deadline.

If you’re looking for a movie, you will love “Safe Haven.” However, if it’s a film you’re after, stay away because this is not a film.

For me, it was a movie night.

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LIFE & ARTS

13

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‘Halo 4’ is one big bore

The

Hidden Gem

By Timothy Jumper etc4640@dcccd.edu

The Boiling Crab 10560 W Walnut St. Dallas 75243 (972) 272-7086

By Kevin Cushingberry Jr. etc4640@dcccd.edu

A little after 3 p.m. on weekdays, the parking lot outside The Boiling Crab begins to fill. If the overflowing crowd doesn’t testify to the quality of the food inside, the aroma will.

Two neon signs in the front window flick on. One announces “OPEN.” The other reads “Louisiana Crawfish,” just one of the many items for sale.

The tables near me were covered with food. It looked like seafood, and it smelled like seafood, so I had to taste it.

My mom ordered a fried shrimp basket with Cajun fries ($10) and my grandma chose half a dozen oysters with Tabasco, saltines and horseradish ($8) I ordered two pounds of crawfish with corn and potatoes ($5 a pound because it’s Mardi Gras season). The waitress asked how I wanted my food

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Kevin Cushingberry Jr./The Et cetera

Two pounds of Rajun Cajun crawfish and corn from The Boiling Crab.

seasoned — Rajun Cajun, lemon pepper or garlic butter. I chose Rajun Cajun XXX. Unlike Wing Stop’s atomic wing sauce, The Boiling Crab’s XXX seasoning isn’t so hot it kills the flavor; it’s just right. You only live once, so why not try something on the fiery side?

After I took my first bite, I knew the place was legit. I traded my mom a couple crawfish for a shrimp. When our waitress came to ask if we needed refills, my mom asked for a pound of crawfish. She and my grandma split it with the Whole-Shabang seasoning, which is a mix of all three spices

they use. They also offer King, Snow, Blue and Dungeness crab legs (market price).

Later, I went to The Boiling Crab alone and surprised my grandma with a to-go cup of gumbo. When she saw the gumbo in the fridge, she said, “You went by yourself?” I explained that sometimes after a stressful day at school, I need somewhere to go to get my thoughts together, and The Boiling Crab is one of my havens.

Maybe I like The Boiling Crab because I fit in with the atmosphere, but then again, maybe it’s just the crawfish talking.

Join us for Preview Friday!

Designed with you in mind, Preview Friday allows you to mingle with other transfer students and learn about: • How the transfer process works • Financial aid and scholarship opportunities • The Comet Connection tuition guarantee • Campus life You’ll also have the chance to talk one-on-one with an advisor in your major. Choose the date you’d like to attend: Feb. 15, 2013 Mar. 22, 2013 Apr. 26, 2013 May 10, 2013

RSVP at utdallas.edu/ enroll/events. Directions to the UT Dallas campus available at utdallas.edu/directions.

REGISTER NOW May 24, 2013 Jun. 7, 2013 Jun. 28, 2013 Jul. 12, 2013

Be you 1337 or n00b, I welcome you to The Gamer Zone.

Let’s be honest, video games rule.

But one of the biggest problems a gamer can have is knowing which games are awesome fun and which ones leave you feeling like you’ve dumped all your time and money into a black hole.

That’s where The Gamer Zone comes in. I’m here to tell you about some of the biggest titles.

Now, I know what you want: a game with a great story, dynamic characters, a fast pace to keep you on your toes, boss level graphics and, of course, some rockin’ multiplayer.

Allow me to tell you where you won’t find all of that: “Halo 4.” Yes, the fifth installment of this franchise left this player pretty bummed.

The campaign was fairly dry and, after a couple of hours, players feel like they just keep doing the same thing over and over again.

Although one can always max the difficulty for a challenge, players really just spend all their time in a cycle: Run, gun, run some more, gun some more, lather, rinse, repeat.

Gamer Z ne The

The only action players perform besides shooting at things is occasionally pressing a button to activate machinery. After a while, this gets pretty stale. Pair this with a fairly uninteresting story, and you’ve got a recipe for hours of boredom.

As far as the multiplayer goes, I did enjoy some of the different match types, but Halo multiplayer hasn’t changed. New weapons and maps are added, but it still feels pretty much like its predecessors.

The game has one saving grace: Spartan Ops. This downloadable mini-campaign series is a breath of fresh air when it comes to Halo. With its interesting story and well-considered layout, it’s almost as if there was more effort put into this sideshow than there was in the main event.

Hardcore Halo fans will enjoy this game, but I was not impressed.

ON DECK AT EASTFIELD Feb. 13 Feb. 15 Feb. 16 Feb. 22

Basketball vs. Cedar Valley Baseball vs. Clarendon Baseball vs. Clarendon Baseball vs. Brookhaven

7 p.m.

2 p.m.

Noon 2 p.m.

The Et Cetera

BASKETBALL

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

BASEBALL

Teamwork makes the dream work

Harvesters aim for World Series déja vu

By Jason Samuel etc4640@dcccd.edu

By Kevin Cushingberry Jr. etc4640@dcccd.edu

It’s rare when a team can distribute points equally throughout its starting lineup. Such a team has to be composed of selfless individuals who have one common goal: winning.

Thanks to their team-first mentality, the Harvesters have accomplished that feat this season.

Led by sophomore point guard Semar Farris’ 15.5 points per game, each of the starters is averaging double figures in scoring.

The Harvesters’ trust in one another has grown with each passing game. Some of the players, including starters Farris, Andrew Maxie and Mike Love, have never played together before this season.

“We had some good pieces, but they helped complete the team to help us win, and that’s what we needed,” said sophomore shooting guard Demarcus Metcalf.

Metcalf is shooting 43.8 percent from behind the arc and 51.2 percent overall in conference play. He said he gains confidence with each shot he makes.

“I’ve just been taking what the defense gives me,” he said. “Every time a shot goes in, it’s like the goal gets bigger.”

Metcalf, who didn’t see much playing time last season, said this year has been more enjoyable because team goals come first.

“Last year it was more individuals who wanted their stats,” he said. “This year we’re willing to share the ball to get the win. That’s what it’s all about.”

Coach Anthony Fletcher agreed that team chemistry has been one of the Harvesters’ keys to victory.

“This is the best passing team I’ve ever had,” Fletcher said. “They’re a very unselfish group, and they like each other. I think that’s the biggest key to chemistry and passing the ball. They like being around each other, they trust each other and they’re willing to sacrifice for each other because of that.”

Maxie, the only freshman starter, is averaging 15.6 points per game in conference games, second only to Farris’ 23. He testified to the importance of each MAC game.

“There’s a bump in intensity in conference,” Maxie said.

“As long as we stay focused as a team, it’s going to come easy on the court. We’ll keep doing what we’ve done all season.”

Eastfield is undefeated and has a win over every team in the MAC, and Farris has been a big key to that success.

Hes been contributing more on offense as the season progresses and has continued to lead the team on the defensive end. He leads the team in scoring, assists and steals.

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Raul Carrington/The Et cetera

Sophomore guard Demarcus Metcalf scores two of his 10 points in the last moments against Richland.

Coming into the season, Farris needed just 23 steals to become the school’s all-time leader in steals. He has achieved that goal, but still isn’t satisfied.

“I’m going to keep trying to separate myself from the pack,” he said, “make it harder for the next player that comes through” Eastfield will need Farris to be at his best in their final two conference games against Cedar Valley on Feb. 13 and Richland on Feb. 16. Although they have a win over each team, both games were decided by just six points.

“We need to continue to share the ball more,” Farris said. “If we continue getting good shots and forcing our opponents to take bad shots, then we can get W’s.”

In their most exciting game all season, Eastfield defeated arch rival Richland 86-80 on Jan. 26 following a war of words between players on Twitter. The game was tied with less than five minutes to go, but the Harvesters were lifted by key free throws from Maxie, Metcalf and team captain Brock Hunter.

For the Harvesters, there’s less than a week left to prepare for the challenges of the postseason. Fletcher said the team must show the ability to fight through that adversity in order to accomplish the biggest goals.

“The biggest thing is keeping their eye on the goal,” he said. “They have to be hungry. They can’t get satisfied or think they’re better than they are. You want to have a little swagger, but you respect your opponents and understand that they’re aiming for you. They’re trying to come and get you, and you have to be ready. If you’re giving 110 percent, even if you make a mistake, good things can happen.”

Baseball coach Michael Martin is eager for his team to repeat its 2011 national championship run. Last year the Harvesters won the MAC conference, but fell short of their goal of repeating as national champs.

“Our expectations are to be in the postseason and win every year, but we have to play really good baseball at the end,” Martin said.

The Harvesters have won their conference three years in a row, but they lost in the district tournament last year, leaving a bad taste in their mouths.

Despite losing several key players, the Harvesters were ranked No. 8 in the NJCAA preseason national poll.

“We have only about six or seven returning players,” Martin said. “We have to see what the new players are capable of. We have a talented team, but we have to see what kind of chemistry we have.”

All championship teams have an identity, but the Harvesters are still finding theirs.

“We have good hitting, good defense and great depth at pitching.”

Martin said. “We have to see the new players perform.”

Great things are expected out of returning pitcher Miguel Saavedra, who was a closer for the team last year. He stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 194 pounds.

Saavedra had problems with arm tenderness last year, but Martin said he is expected to be at full strength this year.

Another key player is Mike Fredebolling, who played second base last year, but is making a transition to third base this season. Fredebolling suffered a broken wrist in the fall and could not play the second half of the season, which was a huge loss for the team.

Because of the Harvesters’ past success, the expectations and confidence of the team are high. If they win another MAC title, it would only

Odessa LEEPer/The Et cetera

Freshman pitcher Matt Terrones throws in the Harvesters first game of this season against UTD.

be the third time in school history that the team has won four consecutive conference championships.

“We really don’t go through the schedule circling games, but other teams probably circle Eastfield on their schedules,” Martin said. “We expect to be the conference champs every year, and that’s our first goal.”

Confidence comes from leadership, and Martin’s confidence seems to have rubbed off on many of the players.

“We are bringing the ring back to Eastfield,” freshman pitcher Matt Terrones said. “We are hungry. The only pressure is for us to get better.”

The season began Feb. 1 when the Harvesters beat the University of Texas at Dallas 18-3. They followed that up by splitting a doubleheader with LeTourneau.

The Harvesters believe that success will be a common theme throughout the season.

“I look forward to every game,” Terrones said. “I feel we can win every single one, all the way to the championship.”

15 The Et Cetera

www.eastfield.com

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Jonathan’s World By Jonathan Wences

GAMERZ By Armon Reynolds

SUDOKU

TRIVIA

1. What is a group of whales called?

2. What band name was originally used by Linkin Park?

3. What was the first domed stadium in the United States?

4. What was the name of actor Mark Wahlberg’s band that broke up in 1993?

5. What was Mr. Spock’s blood type?

6. Six national flags have flown over Texas, more than any other state.

Name them.

7. What role does Warwick Davis play in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”?

8. What sport awards the Norris Trophy each year?

Answers 1. A pod; 2. Xero; 3. The Astrodome in Houston; 4. Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch 5. T-negative 6. Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States and the United States 7. Professor Flitwick 8. Hockey

It Could Be Worse By Joelle Goosen

16

The Et Cetera

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

M

Class of 2014

MEET MICHELLE

ichelle, a biology pre-med student from Plano, TX, chose to attend Texas A&M University-Commerce because of acceptance into the Regents Scholars Program.

An active member of the campus community, Michelle traveled to Costa Rica with the Regents Scholars last May, joined the Student Government Association, the Student Healthcare Outreach Society and participated in the Miss Black and Gold Scholarship Pageant.

“A&M-Commerce has made me more openminded,” Michelle said. “The Regents Scholars Program has allowed me to see just how many opportunities were lingering before me.”

Michelle’s favorite class at A&M-Commerce has been anthropology, which taught her about different world cultures, and showed her life from different points-of-views. The class made Michelle aware of the new social norms and customs that may arise with any future endeavor she may pursue.

After graduation, Michelle plans to attend medical school in hopes of becoming a dermatologist, and eventually opening up her own practice.

SCAN THIS QR CODE To learn more about Michelle, watch her video profile and learn how Texas A&M University-Commerce can change your future.

WWW.TAMUC.EDU • 903.886.5000 or 888.868.2682 A Member of The Texas A&M University System