September18 2013 Issue by The Et Cetera

Etera

Eastfield College

New coach hopes to kick-start soccer program Page 14

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Volume 45, Issue 1

TWERK IT, OR NOT Everbody’s doing it ... or at least talking about it By Gereneicia Foster Reporter

Type the word twerk into the search box on YouTube and 4 million videos appear. It seems everyone is twerking these days. There are girls and women of all ages with arched backs, hands on their knees and bouncing booties in homemade videos. There are howto-twerk tutorials and twerk teams. And there are self-recorded videos from high-profile celebrities like Beyoncé. Even men are doing it. But critics want to put a halt to the twerk movement. Schools have lashed out against the controversial dance craze. In May, 31 students at a San Francisco high school were suspended after a twerk video filmed on campus went viral. The students’ records were eventually expunged after their parents took legal action. In August, twerking was back in the news when rapper Juicy J tweeted that he would be “giving out $50K scholarships to the best chick that can twerk.” Then two weeks ago, late night host Jimmy Kimmel shocked the cyber world with a prank twerk video on YouTube titled “Worst Twerk Fail Ever.” In it, a woman attempts to twerk, falls backwards and knocks over a candle, causing her pants to catch on fire. It attracted more than nine million views in one week. The Oxford Dictionary Online added to the pandemonium by adding the word twerk to its latest

update. It is defined as “dance to popular music in a sexually provocative manner involving thrusting hip movements and a low, squatting stance.” But nothing got people talking about twerking more than Miley Cyrus’ raunchy performance at the MTV Video Music Awards on Aug. 25. Many viewers were shocked to see the former Disney star bent over in front of older male artist Robin Thicke, gyrating her hips. It quickly became the topic of conversation and was the lead story on CNN.com “I thought it was kind of inappropriate, considering she used to be Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana,” student Portia Hambright said. Cyrus isn’t the first artist to dance provocatively on stage. However, her performance was deemed inappropriate because of her popularity among her young fans. Dance instructor Danielle Georgiou said no one thinks twice when stars like Shakira and Rihanna dance sexy because they have maintained one persona throughout their careers. “Miley is trying to change her image, so that’s why we’re talking about her,” she said. “But we had this conversation about Madonna in the ’80s with her ‘Like a Virgin.’ That was shocking at that time.” While controversy swirled around Cyrus, her dance partner escaped any significant scrutiny over his own provocative performance. See Twerking, page 5 ➤

NEWS

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Put it on

Calendar September Thu

Singer/songwriter Scott Porter, who has been compared to Jason Mraz, John Mayer and Maroon 5, will be performing at 12:30 p.m. in the lower courtyard.

Fri

Write to Impress: The Ultimate Tone Tune-up, part of the Student Success Series will be presented in Library L-208 form 9 a.m.-9:30 a.m.

20 Mon

The Common Book committee will show the film “Mooz-Lum” in C-135 at 12:30 p.m.

Tues

The Service Learnng Fair will be held from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Pit. Meet agency partners and learn about opportunities to serve the community, gain vital work experience, acquire leadership skills and apply classroom learning.

23 24

Mammogram screenings will be offered to all women 35 years of age and older with or without insurance, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at E/2-A parking lot. Call 214-645-2560 to schedule an appointment.

Thur

26 Fri

A panel discussing women’s safety will be hosted by Sgt. Melissa Jacobs will be held in L-208 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. and 5:30 -6:30 p.m. EFC basketball presents a Midnight Madness preseason pep-rally and scrimmage at the gymnasium. There will be contests and prizes for students. Doors will open at 11 p.m.

October Tues

During Health Week a speaker from Baylor’s Martha Foster Lung Care Center will make a presentation in room S-100/101 from 11 a.m. – noon.

www.eastfieldnews.com

The Et Cetera

Writer inspires young men to suceed By Justin David Tate Life and Arts Editor

Earl K. Sneed was nearing the finish line of his college career at the University of Oklahoma when life threw every hurdle imaginable in front of him: troubled finances, a major breakup and the death of one of his closest friends. However, those setbacks did not keep him from crossing the stage at graduation. Today, Sneed is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter, covering the team and managing content for its official website, Mavs.com. On Sept. 4, he spoke to students as part of the Men’s Empowerment Coalition’s series of speakers encouraging minority males to fight the temptation to drop out of college. “There’s always financial stress on you to drop out,” Sneed said. “It’s going to come from your family. It’s going to come from yourself, but it’s something you’ve got to finish on your own.” Sneed’s initial vision for college during his senior year at Arlington Bowie High School was to become a star wide receiver for Southern Methodist University and one of the best track athletes of all time. Then he pulled his left hamstring. He shook it off, came back and pulled his other hamstring. Then he tore his left hamstring. He ended his senior year in high school with no athletic scholarships and a major question about his path to a college degree. After submitting his application to the University of Oklahoma only a

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Earl K. Sneed, Mavs beat writer, speaks to Eastfield students.

day before the deadline, Sneed was accepted. Then he needed to find something he could study that related to the field he loved: sports. He initially chose physical therapy, but the science courses proved to be a foreign language he could not begin to comprehend. Since Sneed enjoyed talking sports, he decided to follow in the footsteps of the reporters he grew up watching on ESPN. So he chose journalism. Sneed went through a litany of occupations to support his education, acquiring many skills. “I worked about 20 different jobs during my four and half years at the University of Oklahoma, so I can tell you how to do a lot of things,” Sneed said. “I can tell you the quality of a fine suit, because I sold suits. I can tell you how to make a nice omelet, because I worked in the cafeteria.” Sneed’s final year of school, 2006, was one of the hardest years of his life. His girlfriend, whom he considered the love of his life, dumped him. Then his 21-year-old best friend,

Paul Shanor, was shot dead at an invite-only Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity party at a local motel. Sneed struggled to finish school, especially during the month of May when Shanor’s birthday passed. In August, the beginning of his final semester, Sneed renewed his motivation to finish. He calls it “the last 20 meters of the 100-meter dash.” When he crossed the finish line, Sneed dedicated the moment to his mother as well as his best friend’s mother, who encouraged him to finish school in memory of her son. But the real work was just beginning. Sneed returned home to Dallas, a top-five media market, to get a job and be with his family. Unfortunately not many major media outlets were hiring during the recession, but he kept applying anyway. Eventually, ESPN Radio offered him a post-graduate internship. Sneed accepted and worked himself into a job working overnight at 103.3 in Dallas, but there was a new problem. “Everyone that was working there was not going anywhere,” Sneed said. “You want to have your own column at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and have your own radio show? You’re going to have to be there for the next 25 to 30 years because no one knows who you are.” So Sneed returned to Oklahoma to cover basketball and football. Eventually he decided to email Mark Cuban, billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks. He figured it was worth a shot. “What people don’t realize is Mark Cuban checks his email like crazy,”

Sneed said. “If he doesn’t have his phone on him, he doesn’t know what to do with the rest of his life. So he’s checking emails. He might not respond to you, but if you send him an email with a sappy story, he’s going to delete it. If you send an email telling what you’re going to do for him, he’s intrigued.” Sneed landed a job with the Mavericks, following them on the road wherever they go, even on the team plane. He is the only beat reporter for an official team site who flies with the team. Sneed covered the Mavericks when they won the 2011 NBA Championship, beating the Miami Heat. He was given a championship ring, but didn’t keep it. He gave the ring to his mother. Che Bunch, adjunct faculty member and co-adviser for the Men’s Empowerment Coalition, thinks that even though Sneed spoke to a crowd of young men, his message can benefit anyone. “His message was relevant for the human race, because everybody should, if they don’t, should have a dream,” Bunch said. “Everyone’s going to have obstacles and trials, and we have to know how to overcome those trials.” Sneed is the first of three speakers the Men’s Empowerment Coalition plans to bring to the college this semester. Co-advisor Jesse Brown said he is elated to see the club’s efforts after feeling alone during his own struggles in college. “I didn’t have what they have when I was their age,” Brown said. “That’s why I’m so passionate about the Men’s Empowerment Coalition.”

Flood causes classroom relocation in F-building Liritze Pedroza-Ortiz Reporter

Flooding in Room F-114 forced several music and drama classes to relocate to other areas of campus to start the semester. Heavy rain in mid July caused a storm drain pipe to break, flooding the crawlspace under the F-building, resulting in $6,900 of water damage and leaving the room unfit for use. Scheduling became a nightmare as rooms had to be relocated to the C building and the performance hall, which was already in high demand. The changed even meant having to move a piano to the third floor of the L building.

“That room has caused trouble for everybody: facilities, the room coordinator, my dean, me. Even the district office has had to get involved,” music professor Oscar Passley said. “That’s how bad it was.” Although the water in the room was only an eighth of an inch deep, it damaged carpets, walls, lockers and sound batting, which is the fiberglass insulation that helps insulate the room. The custodial staff discovered the flood while servicing the area and alerted Director of Facilities Michael Brantley, who immediately took steps to ensure the quality of the indoor air. The air system was shut off, the area was isolated, and samples of the air,

wall, floor, and acoustical panels were tested for contamination. Some staff members were initially concerned that the flood had caused mold. However, Brantley said the tests for black mold came back negative. “It wasn’t as bad as we thought it would be,” he said. Fortunately, since it was summer, no instruments were damaged. “It’s not going to affect the quality of the performances,” music professor Melinda Imthurn said. “It’s not going to affect the quality of the classes.” Brantley said the new walls have been put up, carpet has been installed and acoustical panels are being speculated. Classes are scheduled to resume in F-114 on Oct. 1.

Brantley said plans to renovate the room later this semester were already on the table, and the flood only prioritized them. “Sometimes disasters [have] good timing,” he said. The cost for the planned upgrades is around $30,000 which includes new carpet, a speaker system and new pianos. Relocating may have been hassle to some students, but the new room will be a significant upgrade, said Rachel Wolf, executive dean of Arts, Language and Literature. “It’s an inconvenience in the short term, but it will definitely pay off,” she said. “Our priority is the classroom and the class experience for students.”

NEWS

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www.eastfieldnews.com

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Fall 2012 Fall 2013

Student enrollment numbers break record Chadney Cantrell/The Et cetera

By Kametra Nickerson-Loud Reporter

A record 14,579 students enrolled at Eastfield this semester, a 3.1 percent increase over last year and a 40 percent increase since spring 2009. Eastfield is the second-largest community college in the DCCCD behind Richland, but it continues to be the fastest growing Cedar Valley is the only other campus that shows an increase over last year’s enrollment. President Jean Conway said Michael Gutierrez, executive vice president of Student Affairs and Student Success, is a key part of the school’s success. “When he first came here, he was the vice president of Academic Affairs,” Conway said. “He worked with the faculty, with the deans to help scheduling, to be more effective and more efficient, so that we were offering the kinds of classes students wanted.” Gutierrez said he is not the only one responsible for the increase in enrollment. “The instructional deans have done a very good job of forecasting to strategically schedule classes to meet community demand,” he said.

For the first two years, Gutierrez and the deans researched and listened to the needs and wants from students. Those needs are considered when scheduling classes. “The more we had schedules students wanted, the more students signed up,” Conway said. “That also affected the reputation of the college. Lots of things happen through social media and by word of mouth. It just began to feed on itself. Students were telling other students, and they began to come more and more.” Gutierrez said that as sections fill close to the start of semester, administrators aggressively add sections where appropriate. The same strategy was applied to the student services area within the last year. This includes admissions, advising and orientation, which are also lead by Gutierrez. “We had a reputation that when students came to register, it took forever,” Conway said. “Students were standing in line for hours. Students were frustrated. Gutierrez and the people in that area said this is not acceptable and we have to change this.” To combat the problem, Gutierrez hired Kimberly Moore, director of Academic Advising and Assessment.

“She is absolutely amazing,” Conway said. “Together, [they] spearheaded the leadership.” Moore said her department contributed to the growth by being readily available and knowledgeable. “We provide [students] with tools to help them achieve their educational goals,” she said. “We do one-on-one appointments and various workshops throughout the semester.” Moore and Gutierrez also worked with other staff to introduce zone registration this year. “Zone registration is how Student Services sets up during peak registration,” Moore said. “Every major office has a check-in station to ensure students are at the right place at the right time.” Gutierrez said students no longer have a four- to six-hour wait time to get registered, and that has a significant impact on how students are served. “Although mistakes can still be made, they are minimized because students are triaged at the beginning,” he said. “We have seen frustration levels of students lowered during these times.” The growth has caused more academic programs to be added for students to choose from.

Moore said that although Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees are the most popular, students have begun to pursue many other programs. Conway noted that the Arts, Language and Literature was once an area that had not reached its potential, but now students are able to view art displays throughout campus. There are now three to four plays a year, choral and dance programs have been added. The science area has expanded with so many students, it’s running out of lab space. Additional labs are scheduled to be built late at night on Sundays. The college has also partnered with Honda and Toyota to make training accessible to mechanics on campus. Once the courses are completed, students can get a job with either company, Conway said. From Digital Imaging and College Readiness to Math and Athletics, many other programs are experiencing a surge in popularity, Conway said. “Each [division] has grown according to their own specialty,” Conway said. “Everybody has stepped up. I am pleased. I can’t wait to get here on Monday mornings. I love it.”

‘Your Amazing Story’ contest to accompany Common Book By Taylor Wallace Reporter

The new common book “One Amazing Thing” is being used in a wide range of disciplines this semester, encourage readers to find their own amazing stories. The “Your Amazing Story” writing competition and a companion art contest are also being held this month to get students involved in narrative storytelling. The top 15 submissions will be published in a booklet titled “Eastfield’s Amazing Stories.” The winners will be announced by common book author Chitra Divakaruni.

“What is your story?” said Pebble Barbero, a member of the Common Book committee. “It may be a fictional story or it may be your real story.” Among several guest speakers, Divakaruni will hold day and evening sessions in the Performance Hall on Oct. 10 to speak about her novel’s themes. Common Book committee member Amanda Preston said meeting the authors is a unique opportunity. “It’s not very often that you get to ask the author questions,” Preston said. Readers can ask Divakaruni ques-

tions and get their books signed. Along with Mountain View, Eastfield will participate in a book club event. Students will be involved in interactive reading while they share and discuss central ideas of the book. “I really like the idea that the campus is participating and I can discuss the [book] with my friends,” Ellis said. Other events include a multicampus blood drive, a campus race during Health Week and movie showings. For more information, call Barbero at 972-860-8343.

odessa leeper/The Et cetera

Nursing student Jade Oye reads ‘One Amazing Thing’ in the Library.

NEWS

4 Wednesday, September 18, 2013

www.eastfieldnews.com

The Et Cetera

Dean of Social Sciences retires after 35 years By Kevin Cushingberry Jr. Editor In Chief

In the fall of 1978, Dr. Richard Cinclair applied for a position that was then called division chair. Cinclair got the job, started on the first day of September, and enjoyed a five-decade career, which ended this month. Dr. Jerry Henson, the only other man to hold the dean of Social Sciences position, said he remembers the beginning of Cinclair’s career. “My first task as Vice President of Instruction was to hire a new Social Sciences chair,” Henson said. “Dr. Cinclair applied for that position. I saw in him the values I was looking for. I liked the way he thought and the things he valued, and I thought they fit Eastfield.” As the college progressed, so did the Social Sciences division. With the division’s growth came new disciplines for Cinclair. “My division was a lot smaller when I started, it was just social science,” Cinclair said. “Since then we’ve added philosophy, religion, child development, business marketing, economics and criminal justice. It’s almost doubled from the size that it originally was.” Those who work under Cinclair said one reason the Social Sciences division grew so much under him was Cinclair’s ability to be

Kevin cushingberry jR./The Et cetera

Dr. Richard Cinclair has worked as an educator for more than 35 years at Eastfield.

flexible and adjust throughout the years. “With the faculty here I’ve always tried to operate off of a pretty simple philosophy and that is to never say no,” he said. “I try to encourage people, not discourage.” History professor Jane Penney has taught under Cinclair for 35 years. “He was a great leader because he took the responsibility of making the faculty’s job easier,” Penney said. Cinclair said his family played a large role in his career at Eastfield. “My wife teaches full-time ESOL at

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

Brookhaven,” Cinclair said. “We have four children. Rick is an attorney, my second son David is a veterinarian. They both live in Plano, and my third son is an anesthesiologist in Austin. Then we have an adopted Korean daughter who is married to a soldier, and they live in Florida. They all have doctorates and are very successful in their professions. And now we have grandkids. Our oldest grandson is a freshman at Texas A&M College Station.” Cinclair said he enjoyed his time at Eastfield, and that it was rewarding. However, he began to realize he wanted to pursue other endeavors, while continuing to teach online. “About 15 months ago, I told Michael Gutierrez, my boss, that I was thinking about [retiring],” Cinclair said. “As soon as I said it to him, then I began to seriously consider it.” Cinclair said there were a number of things he wanted to do that required more time than he could give. “I’m going to be a volunteer with Austin Smiles, a bunch of doctors that go to Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, in particular, and they do cleft palate surgery,” Cinclair said. “I’m an antique collector; I’m going to get back into that at a different level. I’m going to work with the Homeowners Association. I’ve even thought about doing hospice work with elderly men. People tell me I’m really

good with working with people.” Cinclair said he has traveled extensively and plans to continue. “If somebody had told me 20 years ago that I would walk the streets of Moscow, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Bejing, I would have said ‘You’re crazy,’ but I have,” he said. “We’ve got a trip for 2015 where we would go from Istanbul to Barcelona on an ocean trip. We like to travel, but probably our favorite thing right now is going to the national parks in the U.S. We’ve been to almost all of them west of the Mississippi. America is a real bargain to travel in. I’m going back to pheasant hunting. I grew up in South Dakota. I went last year with my youngest son, and this year I’m going with all three of my boys.” Cinclair shared a piece of advice with Mike Walker, who has taken over as dean of Social Sciences. “I told [Walker] he should choose a word, something that he would like to do,” Cinclair said. “I told him one of my favorite words is impact; and that is what I wanted to make, and I think that I have.” Henson said Cinclair’s impact has been immeasurable. “He, in my view, is among the very small number of people who had an [enormous] influence on the direction of Eastfield College for 35 years,” Henson said.

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Explore a wide range of college majors, degrees, and certificate programs. Talk with faculty and other professionals about classes offered, potential careers, and how to get from Eastfield to your future. Bring your student ID to register to win gift cards to Starbucks, Kohls, Old Navy, Target and Subway. Drawings occur every half hour. Refreshments will be served.

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NEWS

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Wednesday, September 18, 2013

NEWS Twerking continues to spark conversation Briefs Continued from page 1

Physical therapy major Richard Swinton believes women shouldn’t be viewed critically when twerking, especially if men are dancing with or behind them. “That’s kind of like a double standard,” he said. Despite the recent controversy surrounding Cyrus’ performance, twerking is far from new. The term was coined in the 1990s New Orleans bounce music scene when DJ Jubilee recorded his song “Do the Jubilee All.” Since then, it has been mentioned in dozens of popular dance songs, including Beyoncé’s “Check On It,” Ying Yang Twins’ “Whistle While You Twurk,” and French Montana’s “Pop That.” Twerking arose from the traditional West African dance “Mapouka,” which literally translates as “the butt dance.” It was performed at religious and celebratory ceremonies, but was later forbidden in the Ivory Coast because it was considered too vulgar. But once it was introduced in the United States, it took the dance scene by storm. “We’ve seen it in hip-hop, rap and R&B videos for decades,” Georgiou said. “It’s only now getting a lot of attention because of the way it’s being screened. But I don’t think that it’s anything for us to be frightened by at all.” Because of its sexually suggestive nature, some wonder if the dance is appropriate for children. “It depends on what ages,” engineering major Eric Edwards said “If my daughter was too young, I probably wouldn’t want her doing that.” Speech instructor Courtney Brazile said “twerking is open to interpretation,” and he can see why parents might be concerned if they saw their child posting

“

We’ve seen it in hip-hop, rap and R&B videos for decades. It’s only now getting a lot of attention because of the way it’s being screened. But I don’t think that it’s anything for us to be frightened by at all. —Danielle Georgiou Dance Instructor

twerking videos online. “I think that it is the parents’ role to engage in meaningful communication with his or her child to help the child make better decisions about what they post and different things that they participate in,” he said. Others, like psychology major Maria Garcia, argue that twerking is inappropriate because it sexualizes women. “Women are not just used for sexual pleasures or the sexual needs of seeing them do something that way,” she said. “Women are much more than that.” Georgiou said twerking is a sensual dance, and she doesn’t see anything wrong with it. “It’s provocative,” she said. “But it’s not degrading or disgusting at all. It is literally the movement of your hips and pelvis in a circular motion. That’s all that twerking is.” Though not opposed to twerking as a dance or a form of expression, Brazile cautions students to think about how they present themselves publicly. “Just be cognitive and aware of some of the consequences when you display certain dance moves,” he said.

”

DCCCD employees receive 1 percent raise On Sept. 3, the DCCCD board of trustees approved a new budget that included a 1 percent salary increase for the majority of the district’s full- and part-time employees, excluding senior administrators. An additional 3.3 percent salary increase will be given to adjunct faculty.

Eastfield among top military-friendly schools Eastfield has been added to the 2014 Military Friendly Schools list, which honors the top 20 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools in the country that embrace and support military service members, veterans and military spouses as students. Compiled by Victory Media, a media entity responsible for helping transition military personnel into civilian life, only 1,868 institutions of higher learning were placed on the list.

2013 Employees of the Year honored The college’s top employees of the Year were honored during Fall Convocation on Aug. 22. Awards were presented to the following employees: Tania Marin, Professional Support Staff Employee of the Year, part-time; Marilyn Turner, Professional Support Staff Employee of the Year, full-time; Heidi Bassett, Jean Sharon Griffith Student Development Leadership Award; Courtney Carter-Harbour, Administrator of the Year Award; Jeff Quan, Innovation of the Year Award; Dr. Florence Cox, Excellence in Teaching Award for Adjunct Faculty; and Dr. Cindy Castañeda, Excellence in Teaching Award for Full-Time Faculty.

Boldon named Employee of the Quarter Administrative assistant Johnetta Boldon of the Campus Police Department has been awarded the Employee of the Quarter Award. Boldon was awarded a temporary personal parking permit as well as a place on the Employee of the Quarter wall plaque.

Eastfield journalism major wins Telemundo scholarship Journalism student Maria Yolisima Garcia was named the Dallas County Community College District recipient of the Telemundo Hispanic Business Scholarship for journalism majors. She received a $5,000 scholarship. — Compiled by Caitlin Piper

November 2, 2013 8am-3pm On Campus at Eastfield College Join us and raise money for your organization! All you need to bring is a table, your unwanted items and an entry donation of $20 per Vendor /per Booth on or before 10/15. Eastfield-recognized organizations will be extended a 50% discount. hosted by:

Sigma Kappa Delta

For more info. call: 469-586-6317 or 214-545-8533

opinion

6 The Et Cetera

Keturah Jones

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

Students beware: Piggy-back ride at your own risk

Dude, I forgot my pencil. Can I borrow yours?

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 Reporters Billy Dennis Kristen Dixon Karina Dunn Gereneicia Foster Maria Garcia Emma Hahn Keturah Jones Kametra Loud Marjory Morales Liri Ortiz Taylor Wallace Photographer/Videographer Arica Hill Pablo Ortega Cartoonists Jonathan Wences Alex Hernandez 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.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

OUR VIEW

College is a stepping stone: take seriously, come prepared The majority of college students are adults — that’s common knowledge. What fewer people seem to realize is that as adults, we must be responsible for our actions. However, far too many students are caught up in what is often their first taste of true independence to focus on the academic aspects of college life. Some, as you’ve surely seen, can’t even be bothered to prepare themselves for class with the most basic supplies. We’ve all been there — we run out of scantrons before an important test or forget to pack some extra notebook paper for a lecture-heavy class. We ask to borrow something from a classmate, but it’s no big deal. Things happen, and most people understand. But many students don’t even try to come prepared. They ask for a pen or pencil in every class, or bring nothing with them but their phone. They don’t make an effort to buy or even borrow a textbook. They rely solely on the generosity of their classmates to get by in the classroom and often

suffer academically because of it. This is an institution of higher learning. We are all here to improve our futures, whether by gaining valuable experience in our chosen fields or by working toward a degree. How can some students ever hope to improve themselves if they aren’t even willing to bring the most basic school supplies? How would they cope in a working environment? A student’s level of personal responsibility, work ethic and independence are all crucial factors in the working world. They can determine whether or not he or she is hired or able to keep a job. This is especially true in the modern American job market, where competition is fierce. Just ask yourself: If you can’t even be bothered to come to an hour-long class with a writing utensil, how can you expect to survive an eight-hour workday? If you aren’t willing to prepare yourself with the most basic of tools, how can you ever hope to earn a degree?

The concept of piggy-back rides never made much sense to me. It seemed lazy for a person to jump on my back and rely on my strength and hard work to carry them where they wanted to go. Why couldn’t they stand on their own two feet and walk like everyone else? There are people who live by piggybacking off others. They like to watch others do the hard work, then piggy-back on their success. Those types of piggy-back rides are no fun for the person who is doing all the work. There is nothing more frustrating than working hard on something only to have someone else take credit for your work. I remember doing a class project once where I did all the work and the rest of the group members just signed their names. I got an A for my work, and they got an A just for signing their name. It seemed wrong and unfair. I was frustrated because I did all the work, but also because I let it happen. I wanted to be like the little piggy who cried “wee, wee, wee” all the way home. Throughout life, you may encounter someone who likes to piggy-back. They lack responsibility and accountability for their actions and tend to rely on others. They are capable of doing the work, but are too lazy or perfectly comfortable with someone else carrying the load. You can always confront them and try to resolve the problem. However, if that doesn’t get them off your back, get the courage to fight back. Make others responsible for their own weight. Never let anyone piggy-back on your success. Make them be accountable for their actions. I warn the person looking to jump on this piggy’s back: Jump at your own risk, because this piggy’s back has been oiled.

opinion The Et Cetera

Save a life—speak up for bullied individuals

There is so much more to bullying than just the words and actions used against another person. Bullying can affect someone’s entire perspective. This is exactly what happened to someone very close to me. In 2009, I was in high school. I had friends and goals. So did Hunter Layland. His dreams were different than mine, but they still deserved a chance at being realized. But that never happened. Hunter was 15 years old. He was on the football team and had the biggest, kindest heart I have ever known. And he was bullied. As a child, he had been run over by a car, and he had hearing problems and scars on his face as a result. But he never let that stop him from joining the football team or becoming a part of my life. We were becoming friends. Not best friends, and maybe not even great friends, but there was potential for us to become better friends. He was my homecoming date that year. It wasn’t a date, and we weren’t going to become a couple, but we were going together and we were going to look great. Weeks before the dance, everything changed. One day at lunch, he was sitting with his teammates joking, laughing and just being guys until words that could never be taken

Kristen Dixon

back were spoken. “If I had a face like yours, I’d shoot myself,” one of his teammates said. At 6 a.m. the next day, Hunter took a gun and ended his life. All the pain he went through day to day — the insults, the bullying — became too much for him. Because of someone else’s careless words, Hunter is gone forever. One of the worst parts of his suicide was that he was still bullied at school. People used his death as part of a joke. I think about him all the time. I think about how maybe I could have done something to change what happened. Do not be a bystander when someone is being bullied. Take the time to tell someone to stop being cruel. Let the bullied person know that there is somebody who cares. We should all reach out and find the words to fight back for someone who can’t fight alone. Stop the violence. Make a difference and be the change I couldn’t be.

www.eastfieldnews.com

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

The problem lies in us, not social media It seems that we can hardly go a day without hearing someone mention a social media website, whether it’s the half-audible remark of a passing stranger or an in-depth debate on the effects of technology in our psychology class. It’s clear that our society has a love-hate relationship with sites such as Facebook. We post the most trivial things on our wall for our friends and family to see, eagerly anticipating feedback on our trip to the grocery store or our blurry, poorly lit photos of our home-cooked meal. Yet a sizeable chunk of the population fears that we are growing more shallow and disconnected from the world than ever before. Yes, the ongoing social media craze has brought to light a number of issues we would much rather pretend never existed. We’ve grown dependent on the approval of others for the most unimportant things. Popularity is measured in clicks, likes and shares. We measure our worth by our number of online friends. But is it really as bad as we think? Do the cons of social media really outweigh the pros? Far too many people view the rise of social media as the fall of meaningful relationships. Consid-

Caitlin Piper

er the story of 82-year-old Yvette Vickers, a former B-movie star and Playboy playmate who spent her last months in front of her computer, conversing with fans on social media sites. Her body was found months after her death in late 2010 not by a concerned friend or family member, but by her horrified neighbor, who noticed that she hadn’t left her home in some time. Rather than focus on the sad fact that Vickers had died alone and had gone undiscovered for some time, various news publications instead targeted her time spent on Facebook, turning her tragedy into a crusade against social media. They confused Vickers being alone with her being lonely, and turned her death into something it was not. We mourn the death of real relationships while acting as if shallow relationships never existed before social media, or even before Facebook. MySpace, despite being extremely popular among tweens, teens and young adults in the early 2000s, never experienced the same

amount of backlash that Facebook is currently battling. Although no one likes to admit it, we thrive on the feedback and attention of others, no matter how insignificant or brainless their comments are. Shallow and pointless it may be, but is it really harming us in the long run? Social media does not weaken relationships — it merely exposes them as what they really are. If someone can’t be bothered to talk regularly with their friend or relative on a computer at practically any time of the day, who’s to say that they would through other means? The world is at our fingertips. We can chat with a man in San Francisco just as easily as we can practice our Mandarin with a woman in Beijing via Skype, all without ever leaving the comfort of our own homes. We need to stop treating social media and the Internet as if they are digital boogeymen intent on destroying our capacity to hold meaningful conversations with other people. Our ability to learn and reach out to our fellow man is now stronger than ever. Correlation does not equal causation. We as individuals are to blame for most of the faults of social media, not the websites themselves.

THe Hot Topic

Do you prefer online or lecture classes?

Emmanuel Oghakpor General Studies

Brittany Masariegos Associates in Science

Josue Contreras General Studies

Duke Ibezim General Studies

David Guzman General Studies

Bailey McLerran General Studies

“I like lecture classes because you get to talk to teachers one-on-one and get more help. Online is just not enough.”

“Lecture classes because it is a lot more social. You get to interact with people, it’s a lot easier, and you won’t be in one spot all alone.”

“It depends on what kind of class it is because if I really need help on the subject, then I really need a lecture class or a professor.”

“I like lecture classes because I learn better and I get that one-on-one chance with the instructor compared to online where I’m basically teaching myself.”

“I prefer lecture classes because I’ll end up forgetting the online class. I base myself on the schedule of the class so I know when things are due.”

“I like lecture classes because I like to hang out with people and get to know people. If I’m in an online class I feel kind of lonely and I get really distracted easily.”

opinion

8 Wednesday, September 18, 2013

www.eastfieldnews.com

American myths debunked

The Et Cetera

Delusions of

By Billy Dennis Opinion Columnist

The upcoming 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy has conspiracy theorists focused on Dallas again. Here are four of the biggest, and craziest, conspiracy theories of the past five decades.

The Kennedy assassination

Theory: All of the various conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy have one thing in common — Lee Harvey Oswald was not the lone gunman. Most consider Oswald to have been a patsy set up by the U.S. government. The collaborators include, but are not limited to, the CIA, FBI, Secret Service and Dallas Police Department. They also say the “kill shot” came from the grassy knoll in front of the motorcade, as opposed to the Texas School Book Depository. Evidence: The physical and circumstantial evidence points directly at Oswald firing all three shots. All rounds recovered were from a Carcano 6.5 mm rifle owned by Oswald. The coroner’s report said all wounds on the bodies of Kennedy and Gov. John Connolly were consistent with rounds coming from the rear and at an angle consistent with the sixth floor window of the Texas School Book Depository. History professor Mike Noble’s take: “I don’t agree with everything the U.S. government does, but we do not kill U.S. presidents. The conspiracy theorists discount the 99 things that say Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone gunman and focus on the one thing that’s cloudy.”

9/11 was an inside job

Theory: The airplanes that crashed into the towers would not have been enough to bring down the World Trade Center. Rather, they were destroyed by a controlled explosion orchestrated by elements within the Bush administration and the upper echelons of the U.S. government. Conspiracy theorists also believe the terrorists were scapegoats used by the government to lead the nation into war. Evidence: All evidence points to the airplanes causing the collapse of the World Trade Center. The two planes were large and carried a full load of fuel. Experts say the planes weakened the buildings, but it was the massive amount of burning jet fuel that weakened the steel to the point where the floors pancaked onto one another, bringing down both buildings. The terrorists involved in the attacks all

had ties to Al-Qaeda, and nothing suggests the U.S. government was involved. Government professor Cindy Castañeda’s take: “While I think it is always prudent to keep a close eye on government activities to ensure that Americans’ civil rights are not violated as they have been in the past, such as in the interments of Japanese Americans during WWII, it is unthinkable that our government would be behind this tragic event in our history. This theory is ridiculous.”

The moon landing was faked

Theory: Conspiracy theorists say the moon landing was actually shot inside a movie studio in Hollywood. They point to the absence of stars in the dark sky and the flag planted on the moon appears to be blowing in the wind, even though there is no wind on the moon. Evidence: There is overwhelming evidence that Apollo 11 landed on the moon in 1969. There were tens of thousands who saw the rocket take off from the launch pad. No stars were visible in the pictures because they were taken during the day. The sky is dark because there is no atmosphere to refract light. The flag appears to be blowing in the wind because it

had an internal support structure to make it visible in photos. History professor Matt Hinckley’s take: “How many people working for NASA, working in Congress, working for government contractors … would have to be paid off to keep quiet all these years? You’re talking billions, if not trillions, of dollars. All the effort it would take to maintain that level of conspiracy — you might as well just land a man on the moon.”

Obama’s fake birth certificate

Theory: Theorists claim that President Barack Obama’s birth certificate was faked or doctored to allow him to run for president. They say in 1961 African-Americans were called “Negros” and not African-Americans, and the birth certificate says Obama’s father was born in Kenya, East Africa, a country that didn’t exist until 1963. They also claim the birth certificate has the wrong name of the hospital where he was born because Kapiolani Maternity

& Gynecological Hospital didn’t exist in 1961. Evidence: All of the evidence refutes the claims made by the theorist. In fact, nowhere on the birth certificate does the term “AfricanAmerican” appear. This is place for race of father that simply says African. The Kapiolani Maternity & Gynecological Hospital where President Obama was born retained that name from 1931-1971. There simply is no evidence to suggest that the birth certificate has been “doctored” in any way. Government professor Cindy Castañeda’s take: “This theory was given some steam by President Obama’s reluctance to release his long-form birth certificate. But even when he did release it, the ‘birthers’ refused to believe it. Which just goes to show, that even in the face of evidence, ignorance can prevail.”

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f Conspiracy

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Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Conspiracy theories are the refuse bins for logical fallacies By Billy Dennis Opinion Columnist

Every time I hear someone repeat a conspiracy theory, it makes me question my stance on torture. Be honest, whom would you rather waterboard, 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed or billionaire birther Donald Trump? Conspiracy theories allow many people to feel more in control. It’s simply more comforting to imagine some grand conspiracy was behind the assassination of President John F. Kennedy than to accept the fact that one lone man, Lee Harvey Oswald, was able to assassinate the leader of the free world. A recent study at the University of Kent in England shed new light on the minds of conspiracy theorists. It found that factual details were far less important to conspiracy theorists than their belief that secret and powerful forces are controlling everything. The study also found people who

believed Osama Bin Laden is still alive were just as likely to sign on to the theory that he was already dead at the time of the raid, a sort of SchrÖdinger’s Cat approach. I have seriously studied the Kennedy assassination since 2003 and have read a stack of books on the subject taller than I am. I’ve also made countless trips to Dealey Plaza and to the Sixth Floor Museum’s research room to educate myself further on the assassination. During a recent trip, I overheard a gentleman saying there must have been a second shooter positioned on the grassy knoll because after the shot the president’s head snapped back and to the left. This is a common misconception. I explained to him that, according to Nobel prize-winning physicist Luis W. Alvarez, a bullet approaching the speed of sound transfers little resistance to the head as it enters the skull. However, upon exiting, the bullet pulls with it bits of brain matter and skull fragments creat-

ing a jet blast effect that sends the head in the direction of the shooter. His response: “That actually makes a lot of sense, but I still think there must have been a second shooter.” Christopher Hitchens called this the “exhaust fumes of democracy,” a result of a large population with unlimited access to large amounts of information that is often wrong or misleading. The more often we hear a story, the more likely we are to believe it. This is known as the illusion of truth. This is how extreme rightwing talk show host Alex Jones keeps his audience on the conspiracy dole. He uses the airwaves to propagate his conspiracy-driven nonsensical ramblings. “No matter how you look at 9/11,” Jones said, “there were no Islamic terror-

Illustrations by Jonathan Wences

ists involved. … The hijackers were clearly U.S. government assets who were set up as patsies like Lee Harvey Oswald.” Jones’ statement might be funny if not for the 11 percent of the U.S. population who buy into his madness on this issue. What can you do to prevent this from happening to you? For one, stop believing all the crazy forwarded e-mails and Facebook posts. Other than that, the best was to guard against conspiracy theories is to follow Occam’s razor, which states that the simplest of competing theories tends to be the one that’s correct. In a conspiracy theory, information that is often wrong or misinterpreted is unnecessarily multiplied in order to reach a conclusion that most closely resembles their worldview. This intellectual paralysis is due to over-analysis. Other than the minds of the people who believe and repeat them, there is nothing simple about conspiracy theories.

Life&Arts

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Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Meta-studio celebrates faculty artwork

By Justin David Tate etc4640@dcccd.edu

A yam adorned with mouse ears cuddles to a yam-woman with a gun. Next to it, a large network of plants and greenery gives way to a painted jungle. Across from that piece is a mixture of horror and fantasy come to life in ceramic mold, as creatures with birds attached to their brains and misshapen eyes peek around the F-219 Gallery. This is the work of the Art Department’s instructors, and it is only half the show at the Meta-Studio exhibit. The rest of the art from the minds of four completely different instructors hangs in the H Building. Gallery Director Iris Bechtol believes the college needs to have an annual exhibition of instructor art to show that its faculty are also professional artists, not just instructors. One of these professionals, Ryder Richards, a new art appreciation instructor has a piece in H entitled “Connected: Laacoon.” The work is composed of nude male figures with bulging muscles made from gunpowder and acrylic paint. Richards first fell in love with the idea of using gunpowder in 2009 when he witnessed guns made with floral patterns engraved in the pistol grips. These floral patterns were once a part of his work, and now the gunpowder itself has become a part of his work that tries to reflect both beauty and violence. “This high level of craftsmanship that is on these deadly weapons that are engraved with beauty,” Richards said. “It’s sort of the contradiction inherent in that, and maybe in some ways how our culture aggrandizes violence and packages it up as this amazing beautiful thing.” Another new instructor with a completely different style is Eric Stevens. His work is small and uses pitch black to surround bright colors such as pink, yellow and blue. Two works, displayed side by side, are titled “Failure 16: Canberra is Where” and “Failure 17: Weeping Yellow.” Both evoke a confused emotional response from long-time art appreciation instructor David Willburn.

He doesn’t comprehend their titles and therefore begins to form his own conclusions about the work after deeper reflection. “They’re titled failures, and I don’t know why because I haven’t spoken with Erica about where those titles come from,” Willburn said. “And I don’t know if I necessarily want to, because I think I’m kind of enjoying my meaning that I get from those pieces.” A group of three young male students walk into H and notice drawing instructor Kathy Windrow’s “Dance of the Whippoorwill, Dance of the Weasel.” It is an installation of multiple Myrtle Beach tree branches with red and blue acrylic paint hanging from the ceiling. The students, Evan Uresti, Paul Gales and Chris Uresti walked through the branches as if exploring a hanging forest. When they approach Richard’s “Connected: Laacoon” piece and learn that the figures were drawn with gunpowder, they each let out a collective, “Wow!” before pressing their noses to the work to further dissect it. While the male students were impressed with Richard’s work in particular, Bechtol said she enjoyed the “goofier” works of the upstairs gallery. The biggest example of the kind of goofy work she was drawn to recently was the “CaYammity Jane and the Yamster” sculpture made from two yams grown in Windrow’s office, one adorned with ears and a cutout of Calamity Jane, a Western legend. One of the pieces Willburn said he found most intriguing from the upstairs gallery in the F Building was “Black Shapes of Lumpy Space” by Bechtol. The work is composed of a projected image of black dots along with some pink and red. The image flickers and is in a dark corner that allows the light of the projector to illuminate brighter and more obviously, even from outside the gallery. “The reason that I enjoy it so much is it’s like a magnet,” Willburn said. “You can’t walk by the upstairs gallery without looking into it. It like pulls you through the gallery as you’re moving toward that sparkling projection. And that is good curating, the way that artwork is arranged

Kevin Cushingberry jr/The Et cetera

At top, artist Ryder Richards shows off his piece ‘Connected: Laacoon.’ Bottom left to right, ‘Suspicious Birdbrow’ and ‘Tillandsias’ by Linda Gossett.

within a gallery to encourage you to move through a space in a very specific way.” Overall, the space is filled with

works that show off the diversity of the art staff. Willburn said he just hopes students see it. “We don’t just teach it,” Willburn

said. “We’re out there making it and doing it and showing it, talking about it. I think that’s important.” The exhibit ends Sept. 27.

LIFE&ArTS

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

www.eastfieldnews.com

The Et Cetera

Five cool treats to beat the heat As fall semester begins, the weather outside still screams Summertime. Here are ﬁve places that are sure to keep you cool during this Texas heat wave.

TC Shaved Ice Located just off the intersection of Garland and Kingsley, this shack has more to it than a cool-looking umbrella. TC Shaved Ice — more commonly known as TC is a favorite. It proudly serves up to 30 flavors, all with very unique names and tastes. The ice is shaved down to powder and is topped off with as many at two flavors at a time. A cup of TC shaved ice costs $1.50. If you have some extra cash laying around and are looking to cool down a bit, TC Shaved Ice certainly delivers. TC Shaved Ice also offers a wide variety of other desserts including a spicy fruit cup dubbed Rusa. Check out: Knockouts: a cup of your favorite shaved ice and a scoop of ice cream.

Yumilicious Recognized for their self-served frozen yogurt establishments, Yumilicious has several locations around Dallas. Yumilicious offers exotic ﬂavors, one of them being the “Habanero,” which is sure to deliver a kick in the palette. They also offer a wide variety of toppings, such as cheesecake bites and sour gummy worms. Check out: Seasonal flavors coming soon! Maria Garcia/The Et cetera

Yumilicious has many delicious frozen yogurt treats to tantalize your taste buds.

 TCBY TCBY just opened a new location in Town East

and hopes to open its doors to surrounding areas soon. One can get scoops of several whimsical flavors, including Cotton Candy, Rainbow Cream and Psychedelic Sorbet. They also have many healthier options such as their dairy free Silk Chocolate Almond frozen yogurt. Check out: Honey Vanilla Greek frozen yogurt.

Paciugo Located in Town East Mall, Paciugo offers an alternative to ice cream as gelato in many different flavors and is served various different ways. Whether you prefer a piccolo cup of Hazelnut Soy or a hearty Grande cup of Bubblegum, Paciugo. Paciugo also has something for the coffee aficionados customers. Their italian roast coffee, which can warm just about any brainfreeze. Check out: Like their page on Facebook for special offers!

Pinkberry Cereal is usually meant to be eaten in a bowl with milk Saturday morning cartoons. Pinkberry challenged this by adding Cap’n Crunch and Fruity Cheerios to their topping bar. Pinkberry, another self-serve frozen yogurt lounge, gives its customers different flavors. Pinkberry has recently launched their greek yogurt bar. Check out: Fresh fruit toppings with a mix of cereal for an extra crunch. — Compiled by Maria Garcia

Dallas rapper Topic impresses crowd at Club Dada By Justin David Tate Life & Arts Editor

The venue is empty at 7 p.m. Aug. 29. Only a bartender and lady at the door are present at Club Dada. A rapper and his associates sit on stage going over a setlist for the rapper’s hip-hop performance that’s set to begin at 10 p.m. Sporting a complex cumulus cloud of black hair, bordered by a green scarf wrapped around his forehead and a purposefully subtle wild scruff of facial hair, one of the hottest local rappers in Dallas sits on stage awaiting his sound check. His name is Topic and he’s a perpetual earlybird, not yet a victim of the kind of success that leads betterknown artists to show up 40 minutes to an hour late as that night’s headliner would eventually go on to do. Topic was there to open for legendary founding member of the Ultra Magnetic MCs, Kool Keith. Topic’s set was only meant to last for an hour, but due to Kool Keith’s tardiness, Topic was able to extend his

set into a two-hour extravaganza of energetic call-and-response sessions and mellowed confessions of emotional truths, such as his mother not accepting his work. By the time Kool Keith showed up a few hours later, the audience had fizzled down to a handful of inebriated patrons at the bar barely aware of Keith’s presence. The audience filled the once empty venue by 10 p.m. Pumped and ready for whatever may come, many did not know what to expect. Topic kicked off the evening with the energetic “Supa Cool,” a breezy, catchy tune highlighting the day of a penny-pinching kid on the grind. “My phone is off/ I think I lost my wallet/ It’s hard to keep a smile/ but I still got it.” Topic tends to dwell on the struggles of the everyman, endearing himself to an audience of 20- and 30-somethings paying off college loans while juggling rent, utility and phone bills. The humble artist reserves his braggadocio for the topic of his

rhyming prowess and intense hustle in the studio in songs, such as “Broke.Black.King.Rap.” “Featherweight to heavyweight/ ‘Bout to buzz in every state/ I don’t f--- with everybody/ Lyrically I segregate.” He often breaks from performing to discuss his journey as a musician and how he came to form a team of artists and musicians known as the Team From Nowhere. This prompts said team to leap onstage from the audience to join in dance, chants and freestyles. His ability to engage and surprise continued throughout the show as he backflipped offstage. Later, he ran from one end of the stage to the other dancing and trading playful kicks and punches with his album designer and friend Joonbug, a Dallas artist best known for his absurdist cartoon album art. Where Topic most touches his audience is when he sits on the edge of the turntables to deliver personal songs where Topic renders a hall of

once-jumping, half-drunk concertgoers into sobered, intense listeners. “Noid” begins with an ominous low piano key being struck repeatedly before Topic’s quivering voice begins rhyming as if his mouth is full of splinters, each long enough to lodge itself through his heart and out through his tongue. He removes one with every line he manages to get out. “The ones close always hurt the most/ You plan a suicide, they’ll f--around and bring the rope.” “Noid” covers the desertion of stagnant friends to achieve success and the backstabbing nature of the music industry. Before Team From Nowhere, Topic was part of a movement that “didn’t move much so I had to go on and move it/” as mentioned and described in the song. The failure of once strong relationships and bonds nearly brings the Dallas native to tears, yet he makes it to the end. He then tells the audience he’s had enough of “sad s---” before

delving back into something to get hands in the air. His limbs toss and flail as the bass rattles and fans contort their faces while bringing their hands to their mouths and collectively coughing the phrase “ooh” in reaction to his lyrical depth. It’s astounding to witness. There’s a reason Topic opened for both multi-platinum selling R&B artist Erykah Badu in July and current hip-hop heavyweight Kendrick Lamar on Halloween last year. His creativity is boundless and ranges from the angry verbal and lyrical ju jitsu of his 2013 EP entitled “Time to Feed the Birds: Stories of Dead Kings” to his laidback everyman 2011 classic debut, “Finally Confident.” His sophomore album, “Be Good & Do Well,” comes out in November, followed by a tour. If he can match the energy and rawness of his performance at Club Dada, he’ll be touring internationally for a long time to come.

LIFE&ArTS

12 Wednesday, September 18, 2013

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Theater Department prepares for new journey By Emma Hahn Reporter

90589 The Et Cetera 1/4 pg 5.1 x 5.25 Next 3 issues pmc ‘Hairspray’ the Musical was a rousing success last spring.

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Think Fast. Think FedEx. Interested in a fast-paced job with career advancement opportunities? Join the FedEx Ground team as a part-time Package Handler.

The Theater Department is taking on a new direction. Unlike years past, theater program coordinator Dusty Reasons, will not be directing any of the shows this season. Instead, Reasons has called in professional directors from local theaters. Lori Honeycutt, technical theater coordinator, said this change is just another way the theater program is growing. “In 2010, Dusty came and we created a theater department,” she said. “And it’s been growing by leaps and bounds [ever since].” Alana Henry, a student who serves as a stage manager, said she is looking forward to working with the new directors. “This first production, ‘You Can’t Take It With You,’ is going to be directed by Brad Jackson, a professional director from another theater company,” Henry said. Jackson is currently working in The Undermain Theater. He has been involved in professional theater for many years, both directing and acting. The new directors might intimidate students, but Honeycutt believes it will be an excellent experience.

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“I think theater gives you a well-rounded education,” she said. “It helps you in pretty much every aspect of education.” Henry agreed, and said the directors understand the students lack experience. “[Jackson] knows that he’s not dealing with professionals, and that he’s dealing with students, and so he has a very open mind,” she said. Henry encouraged everyone to audition for the upcoming shows. “I would say go for it, because doing theater … gives you a new view of the student body,” he said. The shows planned for this season include: “You Can’t Take It With You,” which starts Oct. 17; “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” “Violet Hour,” and “Fiddler on the Roof.” Both Marissa Walden, president of the Harvester Performing Arts Society, and Honeycutt showed great interest in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” because it will be an all-faculty show. The first show, “You Can’t Take It With You” will show Oct. 18, 19, 25, 26 and 27. For ticket information, contact the business office in advance or purchase tickets from the box office the day of a performance.

Miguel Padilla/The Et cetera

The Et Cetera attended the red carpet premiere of “Winnie Mandela” at the International Faith and Family Film Festival on Aug. 31 at the Omni hotel in Dallas. Reporters had chance to interview one of the lead stars, Jennifer Hudson, who played Winnie Mandela. We asked what she did to prepare to play the role and asked to share her experience of working with Terrence Howard, who played her husband Nelson Mandela.

Q: What did you have to do to get ready to play Winnie Mandela? A: I spent four months in South Africa. I just wanted to just be absorbed and be like a sponge there and learn the costumes and their ways, their dispositions, their reactions. Q: How was it playing with Terrence Howard? A: Terrence is amazing. He is an awesome actor, and I don’t think I could have had a better Nelson Mandela. He was always right there with me, challenging me, pushing and raising the bar at every chance. Q: Do you recommend that people to see the movie? A: Oh definitely.

-Marjory Morales

Sports

13 The Et Cetera

All-American

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Volleyball sophomore sets her sights high

By Kevin Cushingberry Jr. Editor in Chief

After leading her team to the Region V championship game last October, and earning all-American honors after the season, outside hitter Cynthia Martin was anticipating what her sophomore year would have in store. Then Martin got a call from her coach, Audrey Glasscock, saying she was taking another job just two weeks before two-a-days. The co-captain, who had hoped to make nationals with the coach who pushed her more than any in her past, would have to adjust. It wasn’t going to be easy. “We found out pretty last minute,” Martin said. “We thought she was going to be here. We were all pretty upset.” Since Glasscock resigned from her position as head volleyball coach in July, Martin and the other three returners from last year’s squad have been on an emotional rollercoaster. “I feel like this year, being sophomores, she would have been on our butts more,” Martin said. “She would have wanted us to lead more. With coach Glasscock, practice was real intense. If we made a mistake, she made sure we went back and made it up, but that’s what I wanted.” Glasscock told the team she had a new assistant coach coming in, but she didn’t know if they would have a head coach for the 2013 season. Caitlin Smith, who is 23 and spent the past four years playing volleyball at Cal Poly, first met with the team on Aug. 5. “I was expecting to learn a lot from Audrey, how she runs her program, how she runs practice,” Smith said. Smith officially became the Lady Harvesters’ new head coach in August, and had just a short period of time to get acquainted with the team before the first game. “In the beginning, I just had to let them play, and let me get an idea of them as players and them of me as

Cynthia’s the type of player where if she wants to make a play, even if she breaks her leg doing it, she’s going to make the play. —Jordan Taylor

Co-captain

a coach,” Smith said. “It allowed me to sit back and see who works well together, who’s competitive, who’s a leader and just kind of looking at it with fresh eyes.” Although they haven’t been together for long, Smith has already seen the talent that made Martin an all-American last season. “I think Cynthia is definitely a leader on the court,” Smith said. “She plays well all around: hitting, defense, kills, digs. She’s been consistently leading all of the categories. Her consistency will be vital to our success.” Smith said Martin’s experience plays a big part in her ability to lead. “She’s not very vocal, but she leads in how she plays,” Smith said. “She sets a good example for the girls. She demands the court when she wants to get that kill.” Co-captain Jordan Taylor said Martin’s ability to step up during big moments will be key for the Lady Harvesters’ success. “We’re really counting on her,” Taylor said. “We’re going to have to play big and we’re going to have to play our roles.” Tangela Fuller and Cecilia Valadez are the only other returners this season and they plan on leading by example. “We’re going to put our foot down,” Taylor said. “We’re going to

ArICA HILL/the Et cetera

Sophomore hitter Cynthia Martin, #8, hopes to break Brookhaven’s streak of five straight championships.

take care of business and we’re going to go to nationals.” Martin said although she received recognition for last year’s play, she knows leadership is a new responsibility. “I felt like I could have done way better,” she said. “I could have played way better, and I plan on playing way harder this year than I did last year. Our goal is to win our region.” Her co-captain said Martin deserved every accolade she got be-

cause she never leaves an ounce on the court. “Cynthia’s the type of player where if she wants to make a play, even if she breaks her leg doing it, she’s going to make the play,” Taylor said. Taylor also admires Martin’s work ethic in the classroom. Martin earned a 4.0 GPA for her freshman year at Eastfield. “Cynthia is very organized,” Taylor said. “The rest of us will be like ‘We’re fixing to go to the pool,’ and

Cynthia won’t even roll with us. She’s about business.” Martin said her maturity in the academic world has grown during her time at Eastfield, and she knows her good grades will be beneficial to her future. “I plan ahead when I’m going to study,” Martin said. “If something does come up and I can’t do my homework, I’ll stay up late to do it. If I have something to do, I’m going to get it done.”

sports

14 Wednesday, September 18, 2013

www.eastfieldnews.com

The Et Cetera

Women’s soccer coach looks to rebuild program By Kevin Cushingberry Jr. Editor In Chief

Two years after graduating high school, Dustin Stein found himself coaching the same players who were his opponents just years before. “I was 19 years old as the head coach of a high school program,” Stein said. “They had never made the playoffs in school history.” Stein said although the team struggled when he got there, they progressively improved and achieved success. “We got dominated that first year because I played freshmen to build their skills,” he said. “I stayed there for three years, ended up making the playoffs my second year, and my third year we were ranked No. 1 in the state and made it to the state semifinals.” Stein said he hopes to apply his rebuilding experience to the Eastfield program. “I don’t have a single girl on the roster from last year,” he said. “There wasn’t a recruiting class coming in, so I got here in July with nothing.” The process of compiling a team from nothing was challenging for Stein, and he had to take whoever he could. “Some of our girls were walking down the hall wearing a soccer shirt and I grabbed them,” he said. “Next thing they know, they’re on the team.” Stein didn’t have to recruit all the girls on

Some of our girls were walking down the hall wearing a soccer shirt and I grabbed them. —Dustin Stein

Soccer coach

his own. Flyers were posted around the campus and on the school website. Some players found him and asked to play. “I was on my way to get my ID card for school, and right there in the computer lab there was a sign that said ‘Soccer: contact Dustin Stein,’” said freshman Chasity Turner. “I was just like ‘Wow, I should definitely call in to that and see what’s going on.”’ Stein said he has an understanding of the complex balancing act that goes along with college athletes, including work schedules. “They’re balancing full time school, and now a huge soccer schedule,” he said. “We’ve had several that thought they wanted to play but they realized the work and backed away from it.” The grind of college soccer is not new to Stein. He played one year for Southwestern Christian University and another for Southern Nazarene University. “We have some girls that can play,” Stein

said. “I’ve told all our girls I just need effort.” Even though this season has been difficult, Stein is keeping the girls engaged. “I tell the girls that their goal should be to convince me to not bring in 30 more girls next season,” Stein said. Turner, who Stein said has been the best player in each of the team’s games, said she believes the team can find success. “I think this soccer team will be able to progress to the point where it’s something Eastfield is known for,” she said. Freshman Patricia Nava said she didn’t get much playing time in the soccer program at Horn High School, and enjoys the chance to showcase her ability and grow within the Eastfield soccer program. “I kind of like being part of a rebuilding project because we want to do better,” Nava said. “We’re trying our best, pushing each other and telling each other we can do it. We’re not giving it up.”

kevin cushingBerry Jr./The Et cetera

New women’s soccer coach Dustin Stein has failed to win a game through his first five contests, and the team has yet to score a goal.

ACHIEVE Here, I’m with students like me who want challenging courses that prepare us for the future.

student, biology — transfer Leke Olokowere

YOU’RE INVITED TO TAKE A TRANSFER TOUR

Wrapup The Et Cetera

15 www.eastfield.com

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Short Thoughts

Gamer Z ne

‘Blacklist’ breaks

Courtesy of ubisoft entertainment

out of the shadows

By Caitlin Piper Opinion Editor

Although it is both a solid entry in the series and an all-around exceptional game, “Splinter Cell: Blacklist” — released on Aug. 20 for the PC, Wii U, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 — may disappoint fans of the previous “Splinter Cell” games with its more action-oriented approach to gameplay. However, if one is willing to look past these changes, the newest entry in the Sam Fisher saga is sure to entertain fans and newbies alike. Taking place mere months after “Splinter Cell: Conviction,” players once again assume the role of American field agent Sam Fisher, who is struggling to prevent a new terrorist organization, known only as the Engineers, from carrying out a series of attacks. The Engineers have left the U.S. president with an ultimatum: if U.S. troops are not recalled from various locations around the world by a certain time period, a string of escalating attacks — referred to as “The Blacklist” — will take place on U.S. assets. Gameplay is almost nothing like previous entries in the series. The “Splinter Cell” of old required expert timing and precision from the player. It was almost like a series of puzzles disguised as a stealth-action game, and the formula could lead to a lot of trial-and-error. Your mission was to move through an area undetected, and leave absolutely nothing behind.

With “Blacklist,” it is now no longer a death sentence to be seen by an enemy in the middle of a mission. Fisher is considerably more adept with firearms than his previous incarnations. This isn’t a bad thing, however, as the new gameplay mechanics are polished to a mirror sheen. Controls are responsive, enemy AI is cunning and missions are fastpaced and fun. New to the series is a mechanic called Killing in Motion, which allows players to highlight targets for swift destruction while moving, though traditional stealth fans will be happy to know that players can also earn points for moving through a level unseen. Returning to the series are the Spies vs. Mercenaries multiplayer matches. There is also the added option to join another player either online or offline in two-player coop. These missions are surprisingly enjoyable and well-designed. The multiplayer deathmatch mode is especially fun, even if it feels a bit out of place in a “Splinter Cell” game. Despite the changes to the series’ formula, “Splinter Cell: Blacklist” is both fun and challenging, and is highly recommended to action and stealth enthusiasts alike. Hardcore fans of the series who are unwilling to look past the differences and judge it as its own game will be missing out on a lot.

The Et Cetera

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

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