October02 2013 Issue

Etera

Eastfield College

Gamer Zone: A look at the game that made $800 million in one day Page 10

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Volume 45, Issue 2

Harvesters aim for return trip to New York, page 11

News

2 Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Put it on the

Calendar October Wed

2

Health Week: Basketball shooting in the gym with coach Anthony Fletcher at 11 a.m.

Health Week: Weight Room Circuit with Mike Henry in P-215 at 11 a.m A recital series featuring the Julee Walker Flute Duo wil be held in F-117 from 12:30–1:50 p.m.

Thur

3

Health Week: Soccer on Soccer fields with Dustin Stein at 11 a.m.

The Eastfield College Carnival will have a tailgate theme this year. Food, drinks, games and prizes will be available in C-135 and the lower courtyard from 11 a.m.–2 p.m.

Fri

Health Week: Volleyball in the gym with coach Anthony Fletcher at 1 p.m.

Wed

The Fourth Annual Harvester Fest Health Fair will be held at the Pleasant Grove Campus. There will be health screenings, health workshops, social services information and live entertainment from 9 a.m.-2 p.m

4 9

A Red Cross Blood Drive will be held in G-101/102.

A recital series featuring jazz harpist Cindy Hortsman will be held in F-117 from 12:30–1:50 p.m.

Thur

10

The author of this year’s Common Book, Chitra Divakaruni, will make a keynote presentation in the performance hall from 11 a.m –12:20 p.m. and from 5:30– 6:50 p.m.

Book signing by Chitra Divakaruni in G-101/102 from 12:30 –1:30 p.m. and from 4:30 p.m.–5:15 p.m.

Mon

14

The Common Book Committee will show the movie “Cloud Atlas” in C-135 from 12:30–2 p.m.

www.eastfieldnews.com

The Et Cetera

Student vandalizes performance hall

By Justin David Tate Life and Arts editor

On the morning of Friday the 13th, theater stage manager Alana Henry entered the performance hall and discovered a disturbing sight.

Props were tossed across the stage, costumes were balled up in corners and ropes were dangling from the catwalk. Someone had broken in the night before, damaging equipment and stealing costumes.

Henry felt a surge of adrenaline as she looked upon the destruction.

“It was like a mix of frustration and being scared because I didn’t know if that person was still there or if that person was still there and not alive,” Henry said.

Henry took pictures and immediately used Facetime, a videotelephone application, to show technical theater coordinator Lori Honeycutt the damage caused by the intruder.

“I was scared at first because I remember wanting [Henry] to go somewhere and lock the door,” Honeycutt said. “Secondly, I got angry, angry because someone had done something like that.”

Henry locked herself in Honeycutt’s office until she arrived. The break-in was reported to campus police around 8 a.m.

The following week, police arrested a female student connected to the

break-in. No charges have been filed, and Chief of Police Michael Horak said the incident was still under investigation at press time.

Campus security footage from the light booth in the performance hall revealed that shortly after the theater students and employees went home, a woman slipped in around 7 p.m., climbed the catwalk, played with an assortment of equipment and props, tried on numerous costumes and stayed until 3 a.m. She finally left wearing a vintage Mesquite band uniform from the costume closet.

Theater Program Coordinator Dusty Reasons is particularly fond of the stage and costuming, which is her specialty. The weekend the breakin occurred, she was getting married.

She returned to work the following Monday to news she dreaded to hear.

“It actually made me cry when I first heard the news about it,” Reasons said. “She had no reason to be up there. She had no reason to destroy. No one here had done anything to her. I don’t even know who this person is, but I take that stuff personally because some of that stuff was my stuff and some of that stuff was vintage stuff that people on campus had donated that belonged to their parents and their grandparents. It makes me really mad that someone would want to destroy them, and it makes me so mad that it was so easy

for her to do so.”

Reasons said many of the vintage costumes cannot be replaced. Those that can have been valued at a few hundred dollars.

Damage to the performance hall was minimal. The majority of the cost of repairs will go toward a new cyclorama, a 240-square-foot curtain used to project images and reflect light. Replacing the cyc is estimated to cost between $1,500 and $2,500.

Rachel Wolf, executive dean of the Arts, Language and Literature division, was relieved that the space was still in good condition and that only the cyc was damaged. She has taken this as a valuable lesson.

“The good thing that comes out of stuff like this is it brings to my attention, not just [things to take care of] going forward, but things that might need taking care of in the immediate,” Wolf said. “I would love to have a brand new performance hall, but in the meantime, we need to take care of making sure that ours is completely up to date in all of its safety and security measures.”

The performance hall was in the process of having its doors replaced with newer, updated models that would be less noisy, easier to open and more accessible to those with disabilities.

The locking mechanisms had to be removed from the previous doors,

which helped facilitate the breakin. Wolf said the break-in probably would not have happened at any other time.

“She got lucky to get in, and we were unlucky that there were other circumstances that allowed her to get in,” Wolf said.

Wolf, President Jean Conway and Facility Services Director Michael Brantley have discussed actions to prevent future incidents.

“The Police Department, Arts, Language and Literature Division, Theater and Facilities Services will play a role to ensure the performance hall is secured and safe during and after use,” Brantley said.

He said Facilities will re-key the performance hall, put locks on doors that don’t have them, and add safety doors to access ladders and catwalks to prevent unauthorized use.

“I think this is the first time this has happened in the past three years since I’ve been here,” Brantley said.

“All it takes is one time and something devastating could happen.”

Henry and Honeycutt have been reassured by authorities that the area will be heavily patrolled.

“It really can’t happen again,” Henry said. “It’s kind of like when somebody breaks into your home and you have no security system and then the next day [the NSA is] attached to your home.”

Library to display legendary rockers’ guitars

By Justin David Tate Life and Arts editor

A music memorabilia exhibit entitled “The Legends of Rock & Roll” is expected to arrive in the library Oct. 10 and remain until Dec. 12.

The exhibit will to include the guitar Carlos Santana used to play his chart-topper, “Smooth” in 1999 and a guitar used and signed by the Rolling Stones. The display will also include the famous Rolling Stones tongue and lips logo created by John Pasche and a signed photo of artist Andy Warhol.

Math instructor and art enthusiast Terrence Wickman spearheaded the hunt for interesting art after seeing other schools such as SMU having artwork and memorabilia donated to them.

“A number of folks had told me that there were things like this that were circulated to other colleges,” Wickman said. “So I contacted

Kristen Dixon/The Et cetera

Rolling Stones memorabilia

them and asked would you consider doing something like this for Eastfield College?”

One of the people Wickman contacted was Sherry Rooker, a social media and marketing administrator for Dan and Kim Foster, who

own six Uncle Dan’s Pawn Shops in the Dallas Metroplex.

The Fosters bought the guitars in 2012 through their pawn shops from a seller who remains anonymous.

“The general public may not associate the buying and selling of such valuable, collectible merchandise with a pawn business. However, many celebrities and collectors will borrow money using their collection as collateral or sell through a pawn shop to protect their privacy,” Rooker said.

The library will have additional materials for students to learn more about the legends involved. Librarian Kathy Carter is in the process of creating a LibGuide, a one-stop resource on various topics related to a research topic.

“We haven’t published it yet, but it’s going to have content on the history of rock and the Rolling Stones,” Carter said.

Wickman said one of the more

interesting parts of the exhibit will be the addition of a matted die cut of the Rolling Stones tongue logo.

Though Warhol did not originally design the Rolling Stones lipsand-tongue logo, he did design two album covers for the band: “Sticky Fingers” in 1971 and “Love You Live” in 1977.

“When one artist in one area of art links into another area like art, that’s pretty unique,” Wickman said.

Even though Wickman has worked closely with the project, he credits Eastfield President Jean Conway with its realization.

He’s happy to have her support despite some of his colleagues questioning what value the exhibit will bring.

“I think she deserves almost all the credit,” Wickman said. “She said, ‘Let’s pursue it.’ And a lot of folks said, ‘Carlos Santana? Boston?’

But some people don’t get the art.”

NEWS

3

The Et Cetera

www.eastfieldnews.com

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Into the Spotlight

Chavez overcomes shyness to lead student body

By Kevin Cushingberry Jr. Editor in Chief

Ana Chavez has won every election she’s been a part of since coming to Eastfield.

She has held two terms as secretary and is now president of the Student Government Association. She’s a STEM scholar. She’s in Phi Theta Kappa, LULAC, Rotarac and CAB. She even played two years of soccer for the Lady Harvesters and is a member of the Salsa Club.

Judging by her involvement, it would seem she’s a pro on the campaign trail. However, things weren’t always that way.

“When I was in seventh grade, I ran for president of my class,” Chavez said. “I lost to my friend because she was more outgoing.”

Although she wasn’t as outgoing as some, Chavez said she always knew she wanted to get involved. In elementary school she joined Girl Scouts and became co-secretary.

Then she was the freshman class secretary at Skyline High School, she was elected to the student council throughout high school, but she was uncomfortable talking to people she didn’t know well.

“I’ve always had leadership positions,” she said. “It’s just that when we would give speeches and things, I would be real nervous.”

After enrolling at Eastfield, Chavez saw an SGA flyer and decided to apply for secretary.

SGA applicants have to collect 10 signatures from the student body in order to have their name placed on any ballot. Chavez knew she had to become more sociable.

“I was still super shy,” she said. “I didn’t know anyone. I had to force myself to talk.”

Chavez got the 10 signatures and won the election.

Chavez said the 2011 SGA President Nick Hernandez helped her grow as a leader and as a communicator.

“My first year, we built a good foundation,” Chavez said. “I learned that my responsibilities were important.”

Student Life Director Judy Schwartz said Chavez contributed a lot as a new officer.

“We had a great group of leaders and Ana fit right in,” Schwartz said. “She’s friendly, she’s outgoing, and she really cares about students.”

Hernandez encouraged Chavez to reapply for the secretary position in 2012. She became the Texas Junior College Student Government Association Region II public relations representative and represented the region’s 12-member colleges at the state SGA convention in Austin.

“I met all of the SGA presidents from around our region,” Chavez said. “I saw how

they worked, and I decided I wanted to run her shell. She is now one of the most inwhere,’” Chavez said. “And I’m like ‘yeah, for president.” volved students on campus.

I’m in school. That’s what I do.’”

Chavez said her first two years at Eastfield “People tell me ‘You’re always everyhelped build her courage to run. She felt like she knew what the job would entail.

“I was campaigning, getting When I was in seventh grade, I ran for presimy face out dent of my class. I lost to my friend because there,” Chavez said. “I was going she was more outgoing.

—Ana Chavez to all my classStudent Government Association president mates asking them to vote for me.”

Last spring, Chavez was elected president.

“I was like ‘no way,’” she said. “I was so excited.”

SGA officers will attend the Harvester Leadership Retreat this weekend. Chavez said she hopes members will bond and get to know each other on the trip. The retreat will include leadership and communication workshops and instruction about parliamentarian procedure.

Chavez said SGA is focusing more on student issues this year. They are conducting more student surveys and one-on-one meetings with students. The first SGA general meeting is scheduled for Oct. 11, and there will also be an open forum for students from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Nov. 13.

SGA Parliamentarian Jesus Castillo said he has seen Chavez’s commitment to the organization.

“She’s going to push us forward as a president,” Castillo said. “Knowing her, she’s going to follow through on whatever she Kevin Cushingberry Jr./The Et cetera says. If she says ‘I’ll be there,’ she’ll be there.

Ana Chavez is serving her first term as president of the Student Government Association.

She really commits to what she does.”

After Eastfield, Chavez plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. She believes her leadership and communication skills will allow her to be successful in that field.

“When you’re involved you get exposed November 2, 2013 8am-3pm On Campus at Eastfield College to all these professionals,” Chavez said. “You build connections and networks.”

Chavez said she tries to help her friends Join us and raise money for your organization! get involved because when they’re applying All you need to bring is a table, your unwanted items and an entry for scholarships schools will want to know donation of $20 per Vendor /per Booth on or before 10/15. about extracurricular activities.

Eastfield-recognized organizations will be extended a 50% discount.

SGA Vice President Jasmine Chavez said she sees Ana as a mentor. She even decided to follow in her footsteps by choosing civil hosted by: engineering as her future major.

“I’m new to this and Ana’s advice has given me a lot more confidence,” Chavez said.

For more info. call: 469-586-6317 or 214-545-8533 The once-shy student has broken out of

Sigma Kappa Delta

NEWS

4 Wednesday, October 2, 2013

www.eastfieldnews.com

The Et Cetera

Gans encourages hands-on science research

By Karina Dunn Staff Writer

Working with a student in his microscopy lab recently, Murry Gans expected to simply analyze a flower. To his surprise, he found a thrip at its center.

The winged, half-millimeter insect would have gone unnoticed without the aid of the college’s powerful microscope. Simple discoveries like these reinforce Gans’ appreciation for research and his job as Eastfield’s microscopy lab coordinator. The position allows him to help generate interest in the microscopes throughout the community, but particularly among students.

“We want undergraduates to actually have a real research experience,” he said.

Over the past year, Gans has used his passion for nature and science to show students the value of field work. By placing an emphasis on research, he hopes to instill a genuine appreciation for science.

Through a new independent research class taught by Gans, students gain the experience needed to work in the field, an option not

said one of his favorite parts of the class is preparing for future research programs.

Though the opportunity to perform research is not defined in the curriculum, Gans and Executive Dean Gretchen Riehl of the Science, Physical Education and Athletics division intend to create an environment where students gain real research skills. They want students to perform the work of true scientists.

“Research is really one of the more powerful ways to engage students in science to get them to focus on it,” Riehl said. “The focus is on Kevin cushingberry Jr./The Et cetera the skills.”

Murry Gans guides student Sindy Sathyan in the microscopy lab.

Gans finds the research process typically available in community the lab and the impact it has on exciting, but not in the textbook colleges. their future plans. sense. He said hands-on experience Gans said his work is fulfillMicrobiology major Jared Young yields the best results. Not even ing and he admires the college’s said working with the microscopes90589 Gans knows what will happen in emphasis on learning and self-im- can open doors to new opportuniso students are forced to Thethe Et field, Cetera provement. ties. Earning a competency certifi- look at the bigger picture and break 1/4 pg 5.1 x 5.25 “Eastfield’s commitment to en- cate for microscope gives students it down.

Next Put 3 issues gaging students is phenomenal,” he credibility in the field. simply, Gans said field work said. “It’s unprecedented. Everyone “You can take that knowledge pmcis a process of discovery. here has a goal to better their lives.” anywhere,” he said.

“In research, we kind of do it Gans’ students have learned Adam Woodall, who is working backwards — putting students about the importance of complet- on an advanced manufacturing/ in the field where they observe ing hands-on research projects in mechatronics technology degree, things,” he said.

N AT I O N A L U N I V E R S I T Y

While knowledge is gained in the classroom, Gans said field work helps students to be more self-motivated and self-empowered.

Biology major Sindy Sathyan said there is another payoff.

“Getting to potentially publish a paper, that’s what we do this for,” she said. “That’s what science is built on.”

For Gans, however, an appreciation for the unseen beauty of the world is at the heart of his job.

“I’m always fascinated with the different varieties that life comes in,” he said. “These insects are out competing, surviving. It is quite remarkable.”

With the belief that life exists not as a static system, Gans said he considers it a privilege to pay attention to the changes and variety offered by all species.

Looking back on the days when he first started to photograph insects and flowers, Gans said he still never goes anywhere without a miniature magnifying glass.

“I always have a magnifier because my world is tiny,” he said. “I stop [to observe specimens] all the time.”

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The Et Cetera

www.eastfieldnews.com

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

PG campus simplifies book-buying policy the same place where they pay tuition.

“If the student decides that they are ready to pay for the book, [the cashier] can ring up In a matter of minutes, Jesus Chepille the book and … sell it to the student right slipped his money into the window slit, there on the spot,” he said. walked a few steps to the right and took the An inventory of books is kept in a closet textbook from the cashier. on campus. When more books are needed, a There was no waiting, no hassle and, best list is sent down to Spann, and the books are of all, no driving across town to the crowd- delivered to the Pleasant Grove campus. ed bookstore on the main Previously, the bookcampus. store only allow a twoDue to time and week window at the betransportation issues, the ginning of the semester Pleasant Grove campus for students to buy their began selling textbooks The students are happy, books. Students in flexout of its business office faculty are happy, staff are term classes had just one this semester. happy. . . Everybody is happy. day, Spann said.

The new system was Those who did not —Javier Olguín piloted last spring for Pleasant Grove campus executive director have money for books on continuing education those dates were forced classes and in July for ESL to drive to the main camclasses. Business office pus bookstore at a later employee Tatiana Velez date or order online. said this is the first semester that books for all “It wasn’t working very well,” Olguín said. classes are being provided on campus.

“We know that the students, in order to sucA committee that included Eastfield Presi- ceed, need their books.” dent Jean Conway, Pleasant Grove Executive Having the books on campus has saved stuDirector Javier Olguín, bookstore manager dents the 17-minute drive to the main campus, Erica T. Spann and eFollet District Manager which can be a big help considering the high Joseph D’Antonio decided to create a more ef- price of gas. ficient system for Pleasant Grove students to “I live near [Pleasant Grove], and somepurchase their textbooks. times we don’t have money to go over there,” “I am happy with this new system,” Spann journalism major Carolina Catalan said. said. “There are no disadvantages. … StuAlthough the new system is convenient for dents can purchase their books whenever most students, some have had problems with they need them.” certain books not being available on campus.

Olguín said the process is more efficient “They have more variety on the main cambecause students can now buy their books in pus,” said criminal justice major Stephanie

By Liritze Pedroza-Ortiz Staff Writer

Odessa Leeper/The Et cetera

Students wait to purchase books from the Pleasant Grove business office.

Cruz, who had to buy books on the main campus. “I think it’s a hassle to have to go all the way over there yet go to school here.”

So far textbook sales are strong at Pleasant Grove, according to a recent analysis.

“In the [first three weeks] of September we sold just over 150 books,” said Pleasant Grove business services coordinator Emile Kue. Spann said the analysis showed that overall

bookstore revenue has increased from $1,500 to $6,000 during the same two-week period due to the new system being implemented.

Although the change has meant an increased workload for some Pleasant Grove employees, Olguín said it is paying off.

“For our students’ sake, it’s worth it,” he said. “The students are happy, faculty are happy, staff are happy. ... Everybody is happy.”

THe Hot Topic

How do you feel about mature content in video games?

Abraham Lozano

Andrea Vasquez

Joshua Sowell

Dulce Medina

Darnell Pinckney

Miguel Segura

“If I had kids, I wouldn’t let them play until they’re 13 and in middle school, because that’s when everything goes down.”

“I don’t really think it’s that bad if you’re the appropriate age. ... Some video games have too much exposure to mature content, killing people and all kinds of stuff.

It’s just not a good example.”

“It depends on the person that plays. A lot of people automatically think that mature games are violent.”

“If you’re trying to educate yourself on things that are important in the world, you’re going to see mature content. As long as you’re of age or your guardian believes you to be mature enough to play that game then that’s on them.”

“I believe it is acceptable to have mature content in video games. The only problem is when it comes to parents purchasing these games for minors and being uneducated about the games.”

“I think it doesn’t have to deal with the game developers creating adult content in the games. It’s more on the adults buying the games and who they are allowing to see it.”

NEWS

6 Wednesday, October 2, 2013

www.eastfieldnews.com

The Et Cetera

NEWS

Scholars seek solutions through storytelling Briefs

By Justin David Tate Life and Arts Editor

Students filled G-101 on Sept. 17 to engage in a scholarly discussion about storytelling.

“Origins of Storytelling and Why It Matters” featured two speakers, English instructor Sean Sutherlin and visiting philosophy scholar Dr. Andy Amato, who each gave a brief history of storytelling and its importance. The event was part of the Common Book, “One Amazing Thing,” a novel that tells the stories of nine unique people.

“Life is a series of problems that we must confront and overcome, and as soon as we knock one down, another one pops up,” Sutherlin said. “So how do we deal with a problematic life? One of the ways we do that is through story.”

Sutherlin said story is a way of analyzing imagined scenarios where alternative solutions to a problem can play out without the real-world consequences.

To drive the point home, he brought up American psychologist John Garcia and his taste aversion experiments during the 1950s. In the experiment, Garcia gave a group of lab rats water that had been treated with radiation. The radiation made the rats nauseous, which made them avoid the water the next time it was offered.

Sutherlin believes these rats were using their thoughts to compose a tale of what could happen if they were to drink the water that made them sick.

“In their minds, their tiny little rat minds, they had created a narrative,” Sutherlin said.

“They had created a little proto-story, an imagined scenario, a hypothetical situation: Something that wasn’t real, but something that they interacted with as if it were real in order to solve a real-world problem.”

Amato opened his portion of the talk by asking the students in the audience a question: Are you free?

The room remained dead quiet. Amato looked

Odessa Leeper/The Et cetera

Students listen attentively to Dr. Andy Amato.

around and then asked again while encouraging students to respond.

Some said they were free because they didn’t have to be in college but chose to pursue a degree.

Others said they weren’t free due to work and family obligations and expectations from others to do well in college.

This led to a discussion of “Oedipus Rex,” an ancient Greek tragedy about a man who tries in vain to avoid a disturbing prophecy.

“It was prophesied that he would murder his father and sleep with his mother, marry her and have babies,” Amato said. “That’s like a reality TV show.”

Oedipus would eventually, unknowingly, fulfill the prophesy he sought to avoid by running away.

Amato believes students are writing their own lives as they live them. Everyone is an author who, while not in control of every event in the story, can redirect his or her narrative down any chosen path.

Event organizers Amanda Preston and Amanda Pagel said they put together the discussion to challenge students. Pagel, an English professor, believes Amato achieved that by inviting the audience to apply the stories being discussed to their own lives.

“That’s connecting it to reality, not just in the realm of the philosophical and things that are [abstract],” Pagel said. “It’s bringing it to application in my life and how can I live in a manner that is telling my narrative, my mythology, my dream, my story?”

Although dance instructor Danielle Georgiou found the presentation enjoyable, she said one particular form of storytelling was left out.

“Before words were even in their existence, we had a visual language,” Georgiou said. “You had cave painting and you had dance.”

Georgiou, who is good friends with Sutherlin and Amato, hoped the two would cover how ancient generations of hunter-gatherers passed on information through dance.

“The men would dance out these stories to show their kids, ‘Soon you will become a man, and you will be doing this, and this is what it looks like,’” she said.

Georgiou said sometimes movement is a better way to express emotion in a story than the written word. Those who find thick books intimidating may be able to discover an alternative way of ingesting the story that could help them understand it better.

“I really think that putting it into a non-oral way, a non-written form, is one of the best ways to understand something,” Georgiou said. “Paint it, draw it, sculpt it, dance it, act it, because you actually get to embody it.”

Three new SGA officials elected to serve for fall semester Three SGA officials for the Fall 2013 semester were elected into office on Sept. 26. Joselyn Briseno was voted in as secretary, William Gleichman was selected as public relations officer, and Selena Ollervides was voted in as senator.

Campus hosts annual carnival to raise money for scholarship fund On Thursday, the Eastfield Carnival will be held in room C-135 and the lower courtyard from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tickets will be available for purchase and can be traded for food and game tickets as well as prize drawings. There will also be a silent auction. Other items will also be available for sale in the country store. Proceeds go toward scholarship funds.

Theater auditions for ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ set Auditions for the Theater Department’s winter show, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” will be held on Oct. 21-22. For more information, contact Dusty Reasons, theater program coordinator, at dreasons@dcccd.edu.

Free symphony concerts and transportation for DCCCD students The Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO), Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and Dallas County Community College have formed a new partnership that enables students to attend free concerts with free transport at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. Called the “DSO Express,” future concerts will be available to all colleges in the district.

Virtual Career Library now available for job seekers Students and staff can now log on to a Virtual Career Library to access more than 6,000 digital pages of information regarding career guidance. This includes digital career books, career advice videos, employment news, job data cards and occupational videos. The new library can be accessed online at www.eastfieldcollege.edu/careers.

Students are engaged in a discussion about “Oedipus Rex” with Professor Sean Sutherlin.

Odessa Leeper/The Et cetera

— Compiled by Caitlin Piper

Life&Arts

The Et Cetera

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www.eastfieldnews.com

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Porter entertains campus crowds

By Kristen Dixon Staff Writer

Scott Porter isn’t the biggest name in the music industry. He isn’t on billboards and hasn’t been signed to a major record label. But he’s just started.

The 26-year-old singer-songwriter performs at college campuses all over the U.S. and is finishing a 4,000-mile tour.

On Sept. 19, Porter brought his unique sound to Eastfield’s courtyard. Dozens of students and staff members showed up to the campus courtyard to hear a 90-minute concert.

“He’s talented, and we’d really like to get him back sometime if possible,” said graphic design major Miguel Gaitan, a member of the Campus Activities Board.

Porter said not having a label is working for him right now. He has sold music to people from all over the world with the assistance of iTunes and YouTube.

This is a time when musicians can get their name out without having a recording contract. Of course, Porter said he is not opposed to signing a deal if the situation is right.

“It’s kind of the age of the unsigned artists because of the Internet and iTunes,” Porter said. “I’ve sold records in 20 different countries, so you don’t necessarily need [a label].”

Porter has only been playing and writing music for nine years. He started when he was 17, the summer after his junior year in high school, when he picked up his dad’s old guitar.

After hearing “Good Riddance”

by Green Day, Porter said he was inspired to learn how to play the song.

He took his first steps toward becoming a musician and taught himself how to play the guitar.

A few months later, he wrote his first song, “Pain,” which was about a failed relationship with a girl.

Shortly after, Porter started putting song covers on YouTube to get noticed.

Porter’s music began attracting attention, and he began booking gigs. Now he tours all over the country playing his music in front of crowds big and small.

“It was awesome,” Porter said. “I

Scott Porter plays for a crowd in the lower courtyard.

get an adrenaline rush getting up in front of people. It’s hard to explain, but it’s cool to have everybody show up to a place and want to support and listen to something that you’ve been working hard on for a large part of your life.”

With all that adrenaline coursing through him, he got up on stage and watched as everyone sang along to the music. Porter said the crowd’s

reaction made him feel like he was connecting with the audience.

“You feel like you’re on a pedestal, to some extent,” Porter said. “To watch people’s faces as they react to something you’ve worked hard on in a good way gives you an indescribable feeling.”

When Porter played on Eastfield’s small outdoor stage, he felt a good vibe from the crowd. One of the stu-

Kristen Dixon/The Et cetera

dents who attended the show made a connection with Porter’s music.

“He’s really great,” student De Leon Salvador said after the concert.

“I actually play the guitar as well, so I can tell when someone is good.

I would like to be able to play with someone like him.”

Porter said being a musician is a full-time job. He travels to all his venues on his own. There is no tour

bus or private jet, just his car.

Porter travels constantly. His tours cover 1,800 miles to 4,000 miles from his home in Chicago.

“I get paid to travel around and play my guitar, and I’m so grateful I get to call music my job,” Porter said.

When he was younger, Porter said he thought he would be a basketball coach.

His father and sister are both basketball coaches, and Porter played high school and college ball.

But for now, Porter said he wants to play his music, write songs and let people hear what he has to say.

He records his music with Andrew Kremer in St. Louis, Porter’s hometown.

He pays out of pocket for everything he does, including travel and production expenses. Making music and touring is his livelihood. “[That] is why it’s really important for people to buy my CDs and buy my songs on iTunes,” he said.

“Word of mouth is key because that helps me out so much. I don’t have a record label that can pay for marketing.”

Porter’s music is mostly pop-rock, but he does work in other genres.

During his Eastfield performance he played covers of several songs, some of his originals, and even rapped to Usher’s song “Yeah.” His sound ranges from country to poprock and even rap.

His latest single is “Marry That Girl,” which he wrote to surprise his sister at her wedding with a special performance. In it, he tells his brother-in-law to take care of his sister. The song was a hit with several students in the crowd.

“He’s really talented,” Gaitan said. “[‘Marry That Girl’] was my favorite.”

Some in the crowd preferred his rapping skills to his country vibe, but most students seemed to find something in his music they could relate to.

Porter said he enjoyed performing at Eastfield and would like to come back.

“This has been the best show of the tour,” he said. “The whole production crew, the camera people, the turnout, even the scenery was awesome. I couldn’t have asked for a better show today.”

Life&Arts

8 Wednesday, October 2, 2013

www.eastfieldnews.com

The Et Cetera

Br eaking Dow S

ince its debut in January of 2008, AMC’s hit show “Breaking Bad” has taken the country by storm. Millions watched the pop-culture phenomenon as it came to a shocking conclusion.

Set in Albuquerque, N. M., the show stars Bryan Cranston as Walter White, a middle-aged high school chemistry teacher who learns that he has inoperable lung cancer. His days numbered, he struggles to provide for his pregnant wife Skyler (played by Anna Gunn) and teenage son Walt Jr. (R.J. Mitte), who is afflicted with cerebral palsy.

Desperate, Walter forms an unsteady alliance with Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), a former student who has since turned to cooking crystal meth.

With Walter’s knowledge of chemistry and Jesse’s experience in the drug trade, their high-quality meth, noted for its unique blue hue, quickly catches the attention of both the cartel and the DEA. The latter proves especially problematic, as Walter’s brother-in-law Hank (Dean Norris) is a seasoned DEA agent who has been trailing Jesse for months.

Over the course of five seasons, Walter’s morality steadily deteriorates as pride and greed overtake him.

Adopting the name Heisenberg, he works his way to the top with increasingly brutal and underhanded methods.

In celebration of this Emmy award-winning show, we’ve chosen our favorite moments, narrowing it down to one moment per season. But be sure to tread lightly — there are major spoilers ahead.

Se1

4 Emmy Nominations /

Wins

Bryan Cranston begins his streak of three consecutive Emmy wins in the Outstanding Lead Actor category.

Most Shocking Moment Walt strangles Krazy 8 to death with a bike lock. To his credit, Krazy 8 tried to lodge a piece of a broken plate into his neck.

Evil Rating

3

Se2

Walter White, talking to his wife Skyler White

Wins

Bryan Cranston wins again in the lead actor category.

Most Shocking Moment

Walt watches Jesse’s girlfriend asphyxiate on her own vomit and does nothing to help her in order to convince Jesse to go to rehab and get back to cooking meth with him.

Death Toll

“I am the Danger.”

5 Emmy Nominations /

Evil Rating

175

Se3

Most Shocking Moment

Walt commands Jesse to kill G Boetticher, a karaoke-loving scientist and budding met cooker, in order to preven their buyer Gus Fring from replacing them.

Death Toll

Evil Rating

Life&Arts

9

The Et Cetera

www.eastfieldnews.com

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

wn He isenberg 13 Emmy Nominations /

Se5

‘Bad’ wins Outstanding Drama Series for the first time after three previous nominations in this category, Anna Gunn wins Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for the first time after a nomination the previous year.

Most Shocking Moment

Walt calls Uncle Jack and his hit squad to protect him from an unknown vehicle approaching his buried money. Inside the vehicle is his DEA brother-in-law Hank Schrader and Jesse working together. Walter tries to call off the attack, but Uncle Jack shoots DEA agents and carries Jesse away to cook meth for the rest of his days.

Evil Rating

Se4

13 Emmy Nominations /

Wins

Aaron Paul wins Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama series again.

Most Shocking Moment

Walt poisons Brock, Jesse’s surrogate son, in order to get Jesse to help him blow up rival Gus Fring via a wheelchair strapped with a pipe bomb.

t

Gale g th nt m

26 Death Toll

Wins

Brian Cranston wins for a third year in a row in the Outstanding Lead Actor category, Aaron Paul wins Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.

Evil Rating

“Some straight like you, giant Death Toll stick up his ass, all the sudden, age what, 60?

He’s just gonna break bad?”

38

Jesse Pinkman talking to Walter White

28 Death Toll

7 Emmy Nominations /

Wins

Compiled by Justin David Tate and Caitlin Piper Layout and Graphics by Yolanda Ramirez

Evil Rating Good

Evil

LIFE&ArTS

10 Wednesday, October 2, 2013

www.eastfieldnews.com

The Et Cetera

Players wreak havoc in ‘Grand Theft Auto V’

By Caitlin Piper Opinion Editor

Released on Sept. 17 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, Rockstar’s “Grand Theft Auto V” is the latest entry in their controversial “Grand Theft Auto” series. Like its predecessors, “V” is a fun, often chaotic adventure with a heavy dose of pitch-black humor. However, the changes made to the classic GTA formula are not without their problems.

Set in present-day Los Santos, a fictional city that will be familiar to fans of “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas,” the game follows the intersecting stories of three men.

The characters include Michael, a middle-aged thief living in Los Santos with his family; Trevor, Michael’s former accomplice; and Franklin, a young, ambitious repo man struggling to escape his past as a street thug. After meeting, they attempt to pull off a number of escalating heists.

Despite the increased emphasis on plot and character development, “Grand Theft Auto V” is still cut from the same cloth as the other entries in the series. Players are free

to wreak havoc on the streets with minimal repercussions or complete a wide variety of side missions, and they are rewarded for various acts of violence throughout the game.

However, Rockstar’s attempts to alter the series formula present a few problems. Unlike previous games, where both the violence and characters were over the top and borderline cartoonish, “V” seems to be trying out a more realistic approach to storytelling, which clashes with the mood of the average gameplay session.

It’s difficult to feel for the protagonists when they are lamenting their lives as criminals in a cutscene only to fire a missile at a busy intersection or stab a stripper to death moments later when gameplay resumes.

There are also a few questionable and sometimes frustrating changes made to the gameplay itself.

Despite having an open world as one of its main selling points, “V” does not allow players to fire weapons in certain areas, and it restricts certain actions and abilities to each of the three playable characters,

Gamer Z ne

such as buying certain pieces of property.

On top of this, the framerate has a nasty habit of dropping when there is too much action on the screen, particularly in the Xbox 360 version. This is a major problem in a game where chaos reigns supreme and there is so much to see and explore.

Regardless, “Grand Theft Auto V” still lives up to the hype. Despite their mistakes, the developers at Rockstar know how to make a game with lasting appeal, and their attention to detail and twisted sense of humor will keep gamers entertained for years to come.

Their attempt to mix up the stagnating formula is certainly admirable, even though they failed.

Despite this, their missteps are regularly overshadowed by gameplay that is both consistently hilarious and, more importantly, fun.

courtesy of Rockstar Games

Sports

The Et Cetera

Oct. 2 Oct. 4 Oct. 4 Sept. 24

Soccer vs. SW Adventist Soccer vs. Mountain View Volleyball vs. Vernon College Soccer vs. Brookhaven

www.eastfieldnews.com

6 p.m.

4 p.m.

6 p.m.

4 p.m.

11

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

ON THE REBOUND

Harvesters shooting for another chance at title

By Kevin Cushingberry Jr. Editor in Chief

After finishing last season as the national runner-up, the Eastfield Harvesters are a brand new basketball team.

Six players from last year’s squad earned scholarships to four-year universities. One player earned first-team all-American honors, and the other five gained regional recognition.

Point guard Kendrick Fugett hopes to lead Eastfield to a title.

Photo by Yolanda Ramirez

Those six players weren’t the only ones who received scholarship offers.

Andrew Maxie, the Region V Freshman of the Year, and a first-team all-Metro Athletic Conference selection, signed a letter of intent to play for MidAmerican Christian University alongside former teammate Semar Farris.

However, Maxie decided to return to the Harvesters for one more season.

Tulsa coach Danny Manning sent Maxie a handwritten letter after he received Freshman of the Year honors in March. The letter has worked as

an inspiration, but has also drawn attention to the sophomore forward.

“It’s a pressure on me,” Maxie said. “It’s only preseason and my name’s out there. The expectations of me are higher, so I feel like I have to work hard to be ready.”

Last year, Maxie and former teammates Brock Hunter, Mike Love and David Bonner spent countless hours playing together and formed a strong bond. Maxie said it’s been tough without his basketball brothers.

“It feels kind of empty because the whole squad is gone,” he said. “But I have a chance to be more of a leader this season. I’m a captain, so it’s my role.”

At the beginning of August, Maxie didn’t know who his teammates were going to be.

However, by the time the first day of school came around, the captain began to have a good feeling about this year’s team.

“When I saw [freshman forward] Ricardo [Artis], I was super excited,” Maxie said. “I loved the energy I saw in him during the summer.”

Another newcomer wore an opponent’s jersey just last semester. Sheldon Yearwood, who transferred from Paris Junior College in August, scored 16 points against the Harvesters last season in a 100-97 Eastfield victory.

As the team has come together over the last month, Eastfield coach Anthony Fletcher said a handful of players have shown they can contribute to the,program. Artis is at the top of that list.

“I’ve never been in the playoffs or on a winning team my whole life,” Artis said. “So to be a part of a winning program, I’m just excited and ready to get the season going at the jamboree.”

The Mullins/Mitchell Jamboree on Oct. 4 will be Artis’ first game playing for Eastfield.

Several players who were redshirted last season will get their first opportunities in a Harvesters jersey as well. One of them, Kendrick Fugett, is projected to be the starting point guard.

“It was tough [having to redshirt],” Fugett said. “But I saw the team make it all the way to New York, and that made me work harder.”

Fugett said he has become more aggressive and learned that sometimes the team may need him to score more than they will need him to pass.

“I’m going to be a leader,” Fugett said. “I can talk to all the players. I pick up on their personalities better than other people do.”

Fletcher said the Harvesters are thinner at point guard than they were last year, which may open opportunities for some true freshmen recruits.

Fletcher said freshman point guard Ray Washington, who was an all-state performer last season at University High School in Waco has been competitive in preseason practice.

Fletcher said it’s rare for an 18-year-old player straight out of high school to make his roster. Point guard LaDaniel Marshall was the only true freshman on last season’s team.

“At this level, I would say a lot of high school kids aren’t ready,” Fletcher said. “I love transfers. They’ve already been in a college program. They’ve been broken in already.”

Fletcher said many freshmen are redshirted because they need to become more mentally mature or they lack the physicality it takes to play college basketball.

Maxie said after his strength dwindled in the postseason tournament, he knew he needed to come back stronger. He adopted a strength-and-conditioning regimen during the offseason.

“I was gone all summer, back home in Odessa,” Maxie said. “I got a trainer. I was working with him every day.”

Maxie, who weighed 163 pounds when the team returned from New York in March, now weighs 182.

He said getting back to New York motivated him to get in the weight room.

“Just so my body could withstand the whole season,” he said. “When it comes down to a dog fight, my body has to be prepared.”

Artis said he has faith he will finally experience his first trip to the postseason this year.

“We’re going to go back to New York for sure,” Artis said. “Coach isn’t going to accept anything less. Nobody is going to accept anything less.”

opinion

12 The Et Cetera

Etera

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Emma Hahn

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

Adopting pets saves lives

Editor In Chief Kevin Cushingberry Jr. Life & Arts Editor Justin David Tate Opinion Editor Caitlin Piper Online Editor Miguel Padilla Design Editor Yolanda Ramirez Photo Editor Odessa Leeper Staff Writer Billy Dennis Kristen Dixon Karina Dunn Gereneicia Foster Maria Garcia Emma Hahn Keturah Jones Kametra Loud Liritze Pedroza-Ortiz Photographer/Videographer Arica Hill Pablo Ortega Cartoonists Alex Hernandez Jonathan Wences Graphics Chadney Cantrell Advertising Manager Yolanda Ramirez Student Publications Manager Wendy L. Moore Faculty Adviser Lori Dann 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.

The Et Cetera is published every two weeks— except December, January and summer months—by a student staff. Each member of the college community is entitled to one free copy of The Et Cetera. Additional copies are available in Room N-240.

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 considered for publication must be 250 words or fewer. Letters may be delivered to Room N-240 or sent 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.

OUR VIEW

Campus trash disposal should not be so hard

We pride ourselves on being a green campus. We have special stations for filling empty water bottles, numerous recycle bins and even a small wind turbine.

With dozens of recycle bins scattered across the college and a student body of more than 14,000, we have the potential to recycle thousands of cans, bottles, newspapers and containers every day.

However, a glance inside most of these bins will reveal something else entirely: Most are filled with either misplaced trash or recyclable material.

For the convenience of both passers-by and cleaning staff, the majority of the college’s recycling bins are directly connected to trash bins in a shared container. One side is clearly marked for recycling, while the other is meant for holding food and other types of waste.

Despite this effort, many people throw trash into the recycling bins and recyclables into the trash bin.

Getting rid of trash and recyclables isn’t difficult.

The college has gone out of its way to provide its students and employees with a number of explicitly marked containers.

So why aren’t we capable of separating the last bites of our Subway sandwich from an empty cola can?

Consider this: The average American produces around 4.5 pounds of trash every day. This amounts

to around 1.5 tons of solid waste from every person each year.

If we were more willing to cut down on the amount of items we throw away every day, we could make a significant difference in these statistics over the course of a year.

The environment isn’t the only thing we are affecting when we don’t dispose of our trash properly, either.

When we fail to properly dispose of recyclables or trash, not only are we wasting perfectly good recyclables by covering them with food and contributing to a growing number of landfills, we are also disrespecting the hard-working custodial staff on campus.

Few people stick around long enough to see them empty the bins. It’s shocking to see just how many recyclables go into the trash can, and vice versa.

This can slow down their work, making a simple task needlessly complicated and preventing them from completing other tasks.

We’re no longer in grade school. We shouldn’t have to be told not to throw half-chewed pizza crusts into the recycling bin and plastic bottles into the trash, and yet we do it anyway. The text on the bins couldn’t be more clear.

Is it really so difficult to follow basic directions, especially ones that are so obvious?

My best friend has bad breath. He is furry and cute, and he loves to chase squirrels. Yes, my best friend is my dog Toby.

I got my dog about six months ago from the Mesquite Animal Shelter. His owners left him there because they didn’t have time to care for him. He was matted, dirty and sad at the shelter before I adopted him as my own.

His story could have ended tragically. If I hadn’t adopted him, who knows what would have happened?

Many dogs today have a similar story. They get lost or abandoned and sit in the shelter waiting for someone to adopt them.

People tend to adopt the cute puppies. But many other dogs never get noticed. They are trapped in their cages day and night, with no sunlight or fresh air.

For many, this is the last home they will ever know. They will never be adopted because they are considered ugly or old, or they are sick or disabled. Even cute, healthy dogs are euthanized because of shelter overcrowding.

Fortunately for Toby, he was pretty young, 4 years old, and he was good looking.

But the trauma of the previous couple of days made him miserable. He hung his head in his kennel as if ashamed of himself. His heart was broken. His family, his pack, left him.

But Toby was perfect for me. And after a few weeks in his new home, he became a spunky, happy, squeaky toy-loving dog. He was groomed and bathed and looked so much better.

Toby’s story had a happy ending. He is safe, loved, cared for and snuggled daily. But what about the other dogs in that shelter? Will they live for a few more miserable weeks and then die a lonely, heartbreaking death?

These dogs depend on you to finish their story with “happily ever after.” Whether big or small, happy or sad, ugly or cute, these dogs need help.

If you need a constant friend, consider adopting a dog from a local shelter instead of purchasing one. Dogs are the most loyal creatures I know. Toby spends his days right beside me.

He needs me. I know that for sure. But I also know that I need him even more. I saved his life, and he changed mine.

13

opinion The Et Cetera

www.eastfieldnews.com

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Superheroes don’t need capes to make a difference

My dad was a strong presence in every room he entered. With a booming laugh and tall stature, he was a gentle giant, bear-hugging everyone at least three feet off the ground with each introduction.

Billy Ray Tate was a Baylor Bears defensive end in the early 1970s. Those Bears were a team of superheroes on campus, best known for being the first Baylor team to defeat the Texas Longhorns in more than 17 years.

He made history and then made us — me and my two sisters. He became our superhero.

He made a family of smart kids who learned about discipline, character and kindness by watching him practice what he preached.

Dad took care of those around us by feeding and welcoming strangers into our home. He was assistant pastor of the Church of Revelation in South Oak Cliff for 19 years, advising and raising a new generation of men and wom-

Justin Tate

en who learned to love life so much more than they did before they met him. These men and women have gone on to create stable families and raise beautiful children.

It was through his living example that I learned how to be a man. His steps in faith and understanding led the way.

Dressed in his DART bus driver uniform — black hat, dress shirt, black pants and jingling keys — he would race me home when I was

younger. His laugh, a joyful roar that was infectious to all who heard it, echoes in my memory now. Back then, it told me everything would be all right.

Then, in 2001, he suffered a stroke.

Lying in a hospital bed, tubes tracing his body, his laughter was suddenly drowned out by a breathing apparatus.

Superman had succumbed to diabetes. But in true Superman tradition, he fought back and recovered.

The sun’s rays did not recharge his powers.

It was the hands of God, moved by the prayers of hundreds of those he deeply affected, that enabled him to walk into church one Sunday morning as a healed man.

He didn’t come back with all his physical abilities or his quickest mind, but he was still sound, wise and strong enough to walk into service, preach, lay hands and continue God’s

work for another decade.

In August, he died of a sudden heart attack.

When I found him that Saturday afternoon, I knew he was gone. I called the paramedics. I texted church members to pray, but how could I ask him to come back to Earth? He was already dancing his way through Heaven, probably bear-hugging Ray Charles and Martin Luther King Jr. My dad did a lot while he was here. He became a father figure for a slew of young men who never had fathers. Several of them called him “Uncle Billy,” even after they were 40.

I want to continue spreading my father’s love through my own actions. I want my children to see me as their superhero, too.

If Dad proved anything in his existence, it’s that supermen don’t need capes and tights to fight for something meaningful. They just need the desire to do so.

Mental health is serious business People should separate church, fact “Oh my God, I just can’t stand looking at that centerpiece being crooked. This is totally going to set off my OCD.” “Don’t worry, I just lose my cool sometimes. I’m probably just a bit bipolar.”

I’m quite sure that most of us have either heard or said some variation of these two phrases at some point. In reality, though, these are very serious mental illnesses that completely engulf the way a select group of people function in their day-to-day lives.

I’m not sure people understand what all is involved with these disorders. For the people who have to deal with these conditions on a daily basis, they are the pinnacle of seriousness.

The stigma of mental illness has lessened since the American Medical Association (AMA) started accepting them as legitimate disorders with the passing of the Community Mental Health Act in 1963. The act removed many mentally ill patients from state hospitals and brought them to community mental health facilities, increasing their visibility.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, sufferers of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder have to deal with “thoughts and rituals associated with OCD [which] cause distress and get in the way of daily life. Performing such rituals is not pleasurable. At best, they produce temporary relief from the anxiety created by obsessive thoughts.”

The very nature of the disease is obsession.

OCD is something that controls a person’s focus to an all-consuming degree. It is not appropriate to consider crooked centerpieces in the same league as someone who is compelled to wash their hands to the point of bleeding because their brains won’t let them stop.

That said, OCD has triggers and is one of the more manageable disorders. Bipolar disorder, on the other hand, is dangerous and unpredictable.

Bipolar disorder tends to show up in people

Trenton Blackshear

during the early stages of their adult lives. It appears at least half of the time before age 25.

Bipolar disorder manifests itself as episodes of mania and depression.

Some people who misuse the term are trying to use it to excuse their temperamental nature. The NIMH describes bipolar as “a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. Bipolar disorder symptoms can result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance and even suicide.”

Being easily agitated doesn’t mean someone is bipolar. Some people are just not nice people. Sometimes people just have a bad day.

Bipolar disease is all about extremes. Bipolar people can have week-long highs where everything speeds through their minds, only to be followed by a month-long depression where they can’t be bothered to think about anything.

It pains me to see people so casually going about labeling themselves bipolar without being able to fully understand the pain, emotional discomfort and flat-out unpredictability of not knowing whether they will be able to smile today or not stop smiling Mental disease is a very serious concern.

If something is troubling someone, there is nothing wrong with getting checked out.

Going to school is hard enough. Students have enough stress just trying to figure out who they are going to be. We have got to take care of ourselves physically and mentally.

The biology classroom remains the last great hope against the powerful forces of religious indoctrination.

Our children’s education is being threatened by a small yet dedicated group of troglodytes in Austin trying to sneak creationism into biology textbooks.

Creationism now goes by the name of intelligent design. It has been renamed and repackaged in order to get around a Supreme Court ruling that said it was illegal to teach creationism because it promotes one religion over another.

Now it simply forgoes mentioning God. I have never begrudged anyone for his or her own personal religious views. Frankly, it’s none of my concern.

But when the sanctity of the classroom is threatened with religion, then the gloves must come off.

Those who have been led to believe that evolution is just some hunch, assumption or best guess that science has for explaining life have been seriously misguided. Odds are, it was on purpose.

Evolution is not some recondite thirdworld science struggling to just get by. It is the foundation for everything we see in the natural world.

Everything in nature can be explained though evolution, and without it, nothing would make sense at all. It is an absolute fact of science.

The crux of the problem comes from a lack of understanding of the word theory. In terms of our everyday speech, we define theory as meaning something tentative or speculative, an assumption. This is not how the word is defined in science.

In science we define a scientific theory as a comprehensive, well-substantiated explanation of the facts. The theory of evolution is a fact, as secure in science as any other.

To deny evolution is to make known your

Billy Dennis

lack of education. To even question the theory of evolution would be wrong.

If the creationists get their way, and teachers are forced to teach creationism alongside evolution, it will not stop with biology. They’ll soon begin to make challenges to geology, cosmology and physics.

Creationists believe the earth to be less than 10,000 years old, making such outlandish claims as dinosaurs and men living together. I like to call this “Flintstone” logic.

I have no problem with people continuing to believe in a personal god. I’m sure they get a great deal of comfort from that belief, and it would be wrong to deny religion to those who need a little extra reassurance.

It just should not be taught as a scientific theory in biology. For one, it not a scientific theory, it’s a religion. Actually, I think myth or superstition is more accurate.

They don’t even teach creationism at some Christian universities.

Baylor University, a Baptist institution, refuses to teach alternatives to evolution because they cannot be tested.

College students have a duty to educate themselves on matters of science if they want to be taken seriously.

Thomas Jefferson said, “Question with boldness even the existence of a god.”

Students should not go through life without questioning their faith or their god. It’s time to take charge of your own education.

Wrapup The Et Cetera

14 www.eastfield.com

Short Thoughts BY ALEX HERNANDEZ

Trivia Bits As the defeated presidential candidate might guess, what Irish county includes the scenic Dingle Peninsula, where Irish is still the main language?

A) Kerry B) Kennedy C) McCain D) Romney

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

The Dingle Peninsula is in Kerry County.

Trivia Answer

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

The Et Cetera

15

16

The Et Cetera

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Mane Event

PREVIEW DAY

Register at www.tamuc.edu/ManeEvent

8:30 am-2:00 pm

October 19, 2013 TAMUCAdmissions

@TAMUC

@TAMUC

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