Etera
Eastfield College
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Volume 47, Issue 9
Race to the White House ➤ See pages 4-6
2
NEWS
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
PUT IT ON YOUR
Calendar February/March
Wed
24 Thu
25 Fri
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Recital series: Fingerprints, 12:30 p.m., F-117 Historically Black Colleges and Universities transfer fair, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., the Pit Club orientation, 12:302 p.m., the Pit Presentation: “Achieve Your Vision,” 1 p.m., C-105 No day classes meet. Professional development day for faculty and staff.
Mon
STEM Week: “Statistics and the Rubik’s Cube,” 10 a.m., C-135
Tue
STEM Week: Fetal pig dissection and genes, 2-3 p.m., S-315
Wed
Recital: Cindy Horstman Jazz Harp Quartet, 12:30 p.m., F-117
29 1 2
Presentation: “Diversity and Inclusion,” noon, C-237A STEM Week: Chemistry experiments, 2 p.m., second floor S building
Thu
3
STEM Week: Perot Museum planetarium, 2-5 p.m., Performance Hall STEM Week: Stargazing, 8:3010 p.m., parking lot
Fri
4
www.eastfieldnews.com
President solicits input on making campus more open
By Taylor Roberts etc4640@dcccd.edu
Campus ethnicity
President Jean Conway held a forum Feb. 11 on improving the concept of inclusive engagement on campus. During the dialogue, Conway gathered information from faculty and staff on how to honor differences among employees, students and the community. “We are a learning institution,” she said, “and we need to be learners in a way to improve this college.” Conway asked three questions of her audience: What kinds of Conway diversity do you think are at Eastfield? What are ways we welcome these types of diversity? What are ways we could improve our response to diversity? The types of diversity named included age, gender, sexuality, race, politics, language, lifestyle, economics and background. When suggestions for improvement were solicited, English professor Andrew Tolle recommended that Eastfield create a LGBTQIA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, inter, allies) support group for students. These people need a place where they can be open with how they feel, he said. The college’s Gay-Straight Alliance is no longer an active club. Others suggested adding gender-neutral restrooms, designating prayer space for worship, and additional mentoring programs would make people feel welcome on campus. Riky Silverio, a software engineering major, said he is
The ethnic makeup of Eastfield’s student body.
Black 11%
Latino 46%
White 16%
Other/ Not Reporting 27%
SOURCE: EASTFIELD COLLEGE
Latino
Black
White
JAMES HARTLEY/THE ET CETERA
Other/Not Reporting
comfortable on campus. “I don’t have a problem with diversity here,” he said. “I like it here because I like meeting and getting to know people from other places. I like learning about their culture.” Conway said that she and her administrative team would use the finding from the session to consider in both short-term and long-term planning. Some items are “immediately actionable” while others would require discussion and funding. Diversity is a “complex issue for us to solve,” Conway said. “It is up to us to respect, honor and include.”
NEWS
The Et Cetera
Briefs STEM Week promotes science, tech, math The Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Division is hosting a week of activities about issues and careers in the field. Lectures include “Statistics and the Rubik’s Cube,” “Math and Music” and “Dinosaurs of Jurassic Park.” There will also be hands-on experiments in fetal pig dissection and DNA from cheek swabs. A STEM-themed movie plays each afternoon, and a stargazing party will be held March 3.
College offers free construction courses Eastfield College is rolling out round two of its tornado relief efforts with a free, 42-hour safety and technical skills for construction certificate. North Lake College will hold a job fair to help newly certified students find employment. For information, 972-860-7114.
Water classes resume with reopening of pool Scuba, swimming and water aerobics classes will start again in March when the pool opens following repairs. Tennis class will also resume. — Compiled by James Hartley
THE HOT TOPIC
Should Obama appoint a new Supreme Court Justice to replace Scalia?
STEM Week: “History and Climate Change,” 10 a.m., C-135 STEM Week: “Dinosaurs and Jurassic Park,” 1 p.m., C-135 Financial Friday: “More than Understand Your FASFA,” 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., C-135
Correction In the Feb. 10 issue, the Et Cetera reported that news anchor John McCaa would vist the college Feb.16. His visit has been scheduled for a later date. The Et Cetera regrets the error.
Anthony Resendez Criminal Justice Major
Aaron Miller Accounting Major
Emma Moore Art Major
“I read somewhere that he wanted to replace Antonin’s spot. I think he should do that.”
“I don’t think he should have a say in it. I feel like it’s too late in his presidency. I feel like his time is up.”
“He already delegated Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. I think it should be up to the new president. It doesn’t have anything to do with Democrats or Republicans.”
Jorge Alcantar Computer Engineering Major
“I think he should go by what the people say. I say he should. I mean, he’s the current president. That’s his right as the current president.”
John Wright Dance Major
“Since he’s the president as of now, I really think he should. If you went until the next president, you never know what could happen.”
NEWS
3
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Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Impact of civil rights leaders’ language examined By Jasmine Oliva etc4640@dcccd.edu
Who was the better orator: Martin Luther King Jr. or Malcolm X? As part of Eastfield’s AfricanAmerican History Month celebration, the Office of Student Engagement and Retention held a presentation Feb. 17 titled “The Power of Words: Examining the Speeches of Civil Rights Leaders.” Students and faculty gathered to watch speech professor Courtney Brazile and Executive Dean Courtney Carter Harbour engage in a debate that analyzed the use of rhetoric in King’s “I Have a Dream” and Malcolm X’s “The Ballot or the Bullet.” Brazile and Carter Harbour elaborated on each leader’s use of Aristotle’s persuasive appeals and asked the audience to decide who between King and Malcolm X was the greatest orator during the civil rights movement. Brazile noted King’s credibility as a doctor and minister, while Carter Harbour argued that Malcolm X earned his “PhD in the streets.” While Brazile said King gained his respect through rhetoric and a peaceful approach, Harbour countered that Malcolm X “embodied” the frustration felt by African-Americans after they experienced no real change preceding the March on Washington.
“Some of them may deem Martin Luther King to be the better speaker or Malcolm X to be the better speaker, but I think that the larger picture is just to really have the students think about some of the powerful messages that both of these figures conveyed during their time,” Brazile said. Though King is still widely regarded as the most notable speaker of the civil rights movement, Carter Harbour hoped the audience would study the message of Malcolm X closely and question previous criticisms of his work. “I just hope the students will reexamine perhaps what they have heard, what they have read, particularly about Malcolm X in a different way and maybe look that these two speakers as working cooperatively and collaboratively in a way that both contributed to the civil rights movement greatly,” she said. Finance major Francisco Villanueva found himself inspired by the newfound information on Malcolm X. As an aspiring politician, Villanueva admired Malcolm X’s qualities and abilities to “speak publicly, get someone’s attention and make them believe in you.” Brazile and Carter Harbour agreed that because King and Malcolm X have many strengths and weaknesses, there is no real winner to the debate.
COURTESY OF LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X met only once when both visited the Capitol on March 26, 1964, to listen to politicians debate the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which would later pass.
“You have two different men who really have a common ground of wanting to see equality for black America but had different ways of going about it,” Brazile said. The debate was just one of the African-American History Month events that got students talking.
Forums on affirmative action and the business behind soul food were two topics explored earlier in the month. “I feel like we’re in a really great environment for learning with all of these different types of seminars and topics that faculty are willing to ex-
plore and allow students to explore with them,” Carter Harbour said. African-American History Month events continue at 10:10 a.m. today with the presentation “What Exactly is ‘White Privilege’?” in C-295 and 11 a.m. with the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Transfer Fair.
Checkmate
The Office of Student Engagement and Retention hosted a chess tournament in the Pit on Feb. 16 as a part of the series recreational festivals. Students competed against each other in rounds of chess. Left, Daniel Strope moves his king in hopes of recieving a stalemate, having all his other pieces eliminated. Right, a chess player thinks through his next move.
PHOTOS BY LUIS GONZALEZ/THE ET CETERA
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NEWS
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
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Partying up the primaries
The Et Cetera
Presidential hopefuls jostle for delegates en route to Texas By Parker Ward etc4640@dcccd.edu
A still-crowded field of five Republicans and two Democrats remain in the race for the White House as it prepares to pass through Texas on Super Tuesday. Following the Feb. 20 Republican primary in South Carolina, Jeb Bush, who drew only 7.8 percent of the votes, dropped out. Remaining Republican contenders include businessman Donald Trump, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and neurosurgeon Ben Carson. Front-runner Trump has won two contests so far, the South Carolina and New Hampshire primaries, and Cruz took first in the Iowa caucuses. Results of Feb. 23 Nevada caucus were not available at press time. On the Democratic side, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has two caucus victories in Nevada and Iowa while Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders claimed victory in New Hampshire. They face off next Feb. 27 in South Carolina. Government professor Glynn Newman said it can be difficult to evaluate the candidates when there are so many. “You can really begin to evaluate a lot easier on two than six,” he said. “There are too many variables. It’s like statistical analysis. You got to try and weave out the variables that don’t matter, but they still are in the sample, so they kind of matter. ” Sixteen states including Texas will vote in primaries on March 1. Early voting is open until Feb. 26. Texas has open primaries, so voters can vote in either party’s election and do not have to register as party members. They can change their party or candidate allegiance in the November general election. Primaries and caucuses help the political parties in each state choose delegates to represent them at the national conventions over the summer, where presidential nominees will be selected. The parties have 1,779 delegates up for grabs March 1. Whoever wins the majority of these Super Tuesday primaries is going to have the edge over other candidates, government professor Stacey
Jurhree said. Texas does not normally vote this early in the primaries, but the date was moved up to give the state more sway in the candidate selection process. Texas also holds power because of its number of delegates, which are based on population. There are 252 Democratic delegates and 155 Republican, which are divided between candidates based on vote percentages. Though unlikely that one candidate could win them all, government professor Glynn Newman said that winning a large amount in Texas could cause a candidate’s campaign to take off. “Texas this time is the rocket boosters on the space shuttle,” Newman said. The Texas delegates “are the ones that thrust you into orbit.” Both professors said they believe Trump will get the Republican nomination. Newman predicts Clinton for the Democratic Party nomination, while Jurhree sees Sanders winning. While Sanders is leading the popular vote, Clinton has an edge with her 502 delegates compared to Sanders’ 70. Clinton has support from superdelegates, comprised mainly of party leaders and elected officials who can choose their candidate. Newman said that Clinton will still have obstacles to overcome if she wants to win. “Hillary has baggage,” Newman said. “She needs to make her junk profitable. Benghazi is her junk. She has to make her junk look good. She needs to make her junk look like bling-bling.” Jurhree said just one thing could defeat Clinton if she were to win the nomination. “The only thing I can see beating a Hillary Clinton team is a Donald Trump and Ben Carson team,” Jurhree said. “If you have a black conservative on the ticket, it will split the vote.” Computer information technology major Joshua Lemma believes that Sanders has what it takes to be a good president. “I feel like he’s the only one who knows what he’s doing,” Lemma said. ”The other [candidates] are just talk, but he’s the real deal.”
Hillary Clinton (D) Former secretary of state, 68, lives in Chappaqua, New York Education: Graduated with honors from Yale Law School; earned bachelor’s in political science from Wellesley College, 1969. Experience: Secretary of State, 2009-2013; U.S. senator from New York, 2001-2009; first lady of the United States, 1993-2001; first lady of Arkansas, 1979-1981, 1983-1992. Platform: Wants to make community college free and proposes lowering interest rates on student loans. Wants to end sexual assault on college campuses by providing support to survivors, installing preventative measures and reforming the justice system for college transparency and offender prosecution. Her stance on LGBT equality has evolved since the 2008 presidential race and she now declares that “gay rights are human rights.” Supports Obamacare and government regulation of pharmaceutical drug prices. Pro-choice. Fun fact: Won the Grammy award for Best Spoken Word or Non-Musical Album in 1997 for her narration of the audio book “It Takes a Village.” — Compiled by Andrea Carrizales
ALEJANDRA ROSAS/ET CETERA FILE PHOTO
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks Nov. 17 at Mountain View College.
Bernie Sanders (D) U.S. senator from Vermont, 74, lives in Burlington, Vermont Education: Earned bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Chicago, 1964; attended Brooklyn College, 1959-60. Experience: U.S. Senate, 2007-present; U.S. House of Representatives, 1991-2007; mayor of Burlington, Vermont, 1981-1989. Platform: Wants to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2020. He also wants to invest $1 trillion in infrastructure. Seeks to make tuition free at public colleges and universities by imposing a tax on Wall Street speculators. Fun fact: Was arrested as a college student at a civil rights demonstration in Chicago. — Compiled by Victor Martinez
NEWS
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The Et Cetera
www.eastfieldnews.com
Wednesday, February 24, 2015
Say what?
“
It is the time for truth. It is the time for liberty. It is the time to reclaim the Constitution of the United States.
“ JONATHAN WENCES/ET CETERA FILE PHOTO
Ted Cruz (R) U.S. senator from Texas, 45, lives in Houston Education: Graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School; earned bachelor’s in public policy from Princeton University, 1992. Experience: U.S. Senator, 2012-present; private practice attorney, 2008-2012; solicitor general of Texas, 2003-2008; adjunct professor of law at University of Texas, 2004-2009; associate deputy U.S. attorney general, 2001; policy planning director at Federal Trade Commission, 2002-2003; domestic policy adviser for former President George W. Bush, 1999-2000; clerk for the chief justice of the United States, 1996. Platform: According to his website, tedcruz.org, Cruz promises to return power to the states and defend the Second Amendment, secure the border, bolster national security, support the nation of Israel and move the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, defend religious liberty and the First Amendment, defend life starting at conception and pursue lower tax rates for businesses. He opposes same-sex marriage and the Affordable Care Act and wants to eliminate departments like the IRS, the Department of Education, the Department of Energy and the Department of Commerce to lessen the involvement of the government in state’s affairs. Fun fact: Won a national debate championship for Princeton University. — Compiled by James Hartley
Marco Rubio (R) U.S. senator from Florida, 44, lives in West Miami, Florida Education: Graduated cum laude from University of Miami School of Law, 1996; earned bachelor’s in political science from University of Florida, 1993. Experience: U.S. senator, 2011-present; speaker of the Florida house of representatives, 2006-2008; member of the Florida house of representatives 2000-2008. Platform: Wants to secure the border, modernize the military and defend the Second Amendment. Proposes to make the Financial Aid application less complex and establish a repayment plan for college loans based on the individual’s salary after college. Opposes same-sex marriage and supports the pro-life movement. Fun fact: He attended Tarkio College in Missouri on a football scholarship, but later transferred to the University of Florida. — Compiled by Andrea Carrizales
JAMES HARTLEY/ET CETERA FILE PHOTO
Above left: Businessman Donald Trump holds a rally Sept. 14 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Sen. Ted Cruz speaks at the Oct. 18 North Texas Presidential Forum at Plano’s Prestonwood Baptist Church.
Donald Trump (R) Entrepreneur and real estate developer, 69, lives in Manhattan, New York Education: Earned bachelor’s in economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, 1968; attended Fordham University. Experience: Trump took over his father’s real estate firm in 1971 and renamed it the Trump Organization. His company has built properties all over the world, many of which bear his name. He was the host of the long-running reality TV show “The Apprentice,” on which contestants vied for a job with Trump. He has written 16 books, including the 1987 best-seller “The Art of the Deal.” Platform: Trump’s political loyalties have varied over the years. He supports conservative causes, including protecting the Second Amendment right to own guns. He has promised to wage war against Islamic State terror groups and to build a wall on the border to stop illegal immigration. He has also vowed to create jobs and stop the outsourcing of American industrial jobs. He abhors political correctness. Fun fact: Trump is the only presidential candidate with his own board game. “Trump: The Game” was launched in 1989 and discontinued shortly after due to poor sales and reviews. — Compiled by Gabriel Flores
”
— Ted Cruz (R)
The powers that run this country — corporate America, Wall Street, large campaign donors — are so powerful that no candidate alone can bring about the transformation that working families and the middle class need. What we are saying is that millions of people have to stand up, have to fight back and make it clear that the government of the United States belongs to all of us.
”
— Bernie Sanders (D)
“
I will do everything I can to heal the divides — the divides economically, because there’s too much inequality; the racial divides; the continuing discrimination against the LGBT community — so that we work together and, yes, finally, fathers will be able to say to their daughters, ‘You, too, can grow up to be president.’
”
— Hillary Clinton (D)
“
Both of my parents were born into poor families on the island of Cuba. They came to America because it was the only place where people like them could have a chance. My father was a bartender. And the journey from the back of that bar to this [presidential debate] stage tonight, to me, that is the essence of the American dream.
“
”
— Marco Rubio (R)
We have to have a wall. We have to have a border. And in that wall we’re going to have a big fat door where people can come into the country, but they have to come in legally.
”
— Donald Trump (R) ABOUT THE COVER
HILLARY CLINTON, BERNIE SANDERS, TED CRUZ AND DONALD TRUMP ILLUSTRATION BY MATTHEW ROHAN
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News
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
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The Et Cetera
Expert holds STEMinar to discuss political polling It determines how people feel about the particular set of candidates running in an election, and in some cases can determine if a presidential candidate is allowed to participate in televised debates. In the first Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math STEMinar of the year, titled “Statistical Analysis in Political Polling,” political science professor Harold Clarke from the University of Texas at Dallas spoke about the history behind polling and how people are doing it today. Although Clarke has been polling with various organizations since the 1970s, he currently works with international internet-based market research firm YouGov, creating public opinion surveys. He also does research with the Bill Gates Foundation to see how the foundation can help with foreign aid. According to Clarke, polling has become
By Parker Ward etc4640@dcccd.edu
During election season, news outlets are reporting on different polls every day. Every year, thousands of polls are conducted to gauge public opinion about candidates and policies through a randomly selected group of people. Popular media has taken such a liking to polling that in 2012, the Five Thirty Eight blog made headlines during the presidential election by correctly predicting how every state’s would vote for president. Not every poll is perfect, however. Statisticians leave some margin for error due to things like social desirability bias, where some say what they believe to be politically correct for fear of backlash. Now, polling has become an integral part of the political system.
POLL NUMBERS
easier over the years due to the increasing number of tools available to him. “For the kind of work I do, what helps is the Internet,” he said. “Not only for gathering the data, but also communicating with other scholars so you can move so incredibly quickly. “Polling used to be quite slow. They would either do it face-to-face in someone’s home, or they would do it out on the street corners. That took a long time. Today with the rise of the Internet, you can do a national poll in an afternoon.” Clarke said the first place to look to test the accuracy of the poll would be the website of the polling organization or “polling house.” From there, you can study the methodology used in the poll. The polling industry covers everything from the popularity of Beyoncé to public opinion of long hair on men. However, Clarke warned that some political polls are made to mislead voters.
What are they saying?
Who’s in the lead?
Candidate support based on an average of recent polls collected by Real Clear Politics
How registered voters are describing presidential candidates’ ability to be president in percentages 11
20
8
20
Ted Cruz Marco Rubio
4
John Kasich
1
Bernie Sanders
9
Poor
Terrible
14 28
16
24
22
percent of people believe that most elected officials put their own interests before that of the country’s
18
17
2/10
Americans ages 18-29 who are following the 2016 presidential race closely
percent of Americans believe that ordinary people could do a better job solving problems compared to elected officials
3/10
Americans who are following the 2016 presidential race very closely
SOURCE: PEW RESEARCH CENTER, GALLUP, RAMUSSEN REPORTS
16.0
2
Donald Trump
12
64
percent of likely voters who believe America is going down the wrong track
51
20.6
20
10
28
Voter ID
55
14 31
16
Republican
30
13
10
7
18
21
Voter ID
17
34.2
5 15
19
32
Don’t know
38
33
12 11
12
20
Hillary Clinton
74
Average
Percent
Donald Trump
Good
percent of U.S. voters believe in building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico
Ted Cruz
Marco Rubio
Democrat 47.6
42.0 Percent
Great
“Sometimes polls are done deliberately by candidates or parties to make themselves look good or make their opponents look bad,” he said. “I tend to discount any polls done by a political party or candidate because they may be biased.” Clarke believes that Gallup produces some of the best polling content. Some students enjoyed the nuance of information gained from the STEMinar. “The information was really helpful and useful, stuff I really never knew,” computer science major Michael Davis said. Statistics professor Erika Glaser said the STEMinar took a subject that the vast majority of people dislike — math — and showed how it can be interesting. “You can do statistics in science, you can do statistics in social sciences,” she said. “It’s just endless. What I really like is that even though it’s math, it’s applicable to any field.”
40
Hillary Clinton
Bernie Sanders GRAPHIC: PARKER WARD/THE ET CETERA
Life &Arts
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Wednesday, February 24, 2016
A BOOK TO CONSIDER
‘Native’ highlights black minority struggles, hatred
AHMED ASHOR/THE ET CETERA
English professor Larissa Pierce donated a quilt gifted to her by friends to the library exhibit for African-American History Month.
Quilts represent history By Jennifer Sanmiguel etc4640@dcccd.edu
In celebration of African-American History Month, Eastfield is exploring heritage passed down through the art of quilting. Eight faculty and staff members donated quilts to the display, which runs in the library through Feb. 26. Courtney Pickens, student development and leadership coordinator, said she planned the exhibit because of the tradition of quilting in her own family. “It was something that we all share,” she said. “Whatever race, we all share in the histories of our families. We all want to tell the stories. I definitely wanted to bring that kind of light here to Eastfield.” Pickens said she hopes visiting the exhibit will spark an interest in researching family history. Quilting in many cultures was a way to bring the family together and share their history. For African-American culture, this was a way to keep their stories and communication alive for generations when they were not allowed to write, Pickens said. Vivian Davis, rehabilitation specialist for the Disability Services Office, donated a large quilt made by her grandmother titled “The Circle of Life.” The art and tradition of quilting was passed down through many generations, Davis said, and her grandmother kept a book filled with inherited stitch patterns. Davis remembers growing up playing under the quilting frames with her younger family members while the women sat above quilting and gossiping. “It brought my family together,” Davis said. “That’s how you found a lot out about your family. You know, just what’s going on. It’s more like oral history. They would be talking about World War II,
just stuff that happened, and a big flood in Mississippi or that blackout in World War II. Gretchen Riehl, executive dean of science, technology, engineering and math, said quilting was not a tradition in her family. But her grandmother crafted the “sunburst” quilt that she donated. Her grandmother made the original design, but died before finishing the quilt. The family sent it to an Amish community to be completed traditionally. Pieces of fabric came from family clothing. “If you ever talk to someone who grew up in the Depression, they used everything,” Riehl said. “They didn’t like to throw stuff away. My grandmother had this leftover fabric, and she didn’t want to dispose of it because you could use it. … So I think that quilt really came out of that.” The quilt was passed down to Riehl because she is the only granddaughter in the family. She considers it a treasured heirloom and plans to give it to one of her stepchildren. The quilt donated by English professor Larissa Pierce was gifted to her by two close friends: Hazel Hunter and Gloria Moore. Moore was Pierce’s mentor, and they now share a mother-daughter relationship. Moore introduced her to Hunter. Moore and Pierce chose the fabrics for the quilt and Moore asked Hunter to assemble it. Pierce describes Hunter as a “whiz” in creating and crafting. Hunter turned a vintage wedding gown into a cocktail dress with a matching scarf for Pierce. Pierce said she treasures the two women, especially Moore, and friendship symbolized by the quilt. Quilts “hold on for so long, and even in their most ragged state, they’re still so beautiful,” she said. “This quilt was not from a person who was my supervising teacher when I did my student teaching. At this day, she is more of a mother to me.”
Though published in 1940, the story of “Native Son” by Richard Wright could resonate with young African-Americans today. Wright is considered one of the most influential African-American writers of the 20th century. “Native Son,” his first novel, was a critical and commercial success. ‘ It sold 315,000 copies in three months after being published, was a Book-of-theMonth Club selection and was translated into French, German, Italian, Dutch and Czech. Plot The novel follows Bigger Thomas, a young black man who finds himself at the edge of insanity after he murders a young white woman in a moment of panic. The story takes place on the urban streets of Chicago at a time when blacks were still segregated from the social and economic lives of the city. This story was based on Wright’s own experiences within the Chicago slums. It was also partly based on the case of Robert Nixon, a Chicago African-American given the death penalty of the electric chair in 1938 for murdering a white girl. Biographical influences Wright was born in 1908 on a Mississippi plantation and saw all four of his grandparents enslaved. When he turned 5, Wright’s father deserted his family. Food was scarce, and Wright starting drinking alcohol at age 6. He started school late and never graduated high school. He experienced mental and physical abuse by racist employers. Hardships such as these helped him write his books: “Uncle Tom’s Children” (1938), “Native Son” (1940) and “Black Boy” (1945). All of these books exposed some of the psychological thoughts and impulses that blacks in America felt living under Jim Crow laws and practices. Wright experimented with communism but later disavowed the movement. He moved to Paris in 1947 to escape discrimination he and his wife suffered because they were an interracial couple. He died at 52 from a heart attack. Review It is important, especially for the sake of African-American History Month, that people all over the world know the lasting impact “Native Son” has had within American society. Wright’s novel brought out the hatred, fear and violence that proves to be capable of destroying culture in America.
COURTESY OF HARPERCOLLINS
This is a story that questions what exactly it takes for a human to reach such a breaking point. Wright wants his audience to understand that what happens to Bigger Thomas is the consequence and reality of what hatred does to a person’s mind. It is a story that spells out the nightmares of what it meant to be black in a nation that struggled to find the real definition of freedom and equality. Bigger Thomas was faced with a challenge that left him in a state of desperation. His life had been affected for so long by the horrors of racism that he created a general idea of the world as a whole, in his mind. Legacy In recent years, critics have found fault in Wright’s work, calling his characters onedimensional and his depictions of black life too harsh. One of his protégés, James Baldwin, wrote in 1949 that Wright’s work was more social protest than literature. But the criticism has not tarnished his legacy. “No one, before Richard Wright, had exposed with such emotional power the oppression faced by negroes in America. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Richard Wright’s books helped to lay the ground for the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s,” Milton Moskowitz wrote in the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. —Compiled by Jamiah Sandles
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LIFE&ARTS
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
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Bridge of Spies This collaboration between the Coen brothers, Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks proves to be a powerful film. Based on the 1960 negotiations for U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers, the Cold War setting could have made for an uneventful spy movie, but Spielberg allows the emotion to bleed through the screen. Hanks’s powerful performance as the complex and burdened lawyer of an accused traitor makes for an excellent Spielberg-Hanks matchup, and the Coen brothers’ signature screenwriting shines through several characters.
THE GOLD
Brooklyn Directed by John Crowley, the film tells the story of a young Irish woman (Saoirse Ronan) who immigrates to Brooklyn and quickly falls in love. However, her life in Ireland catches up to her, and she finds herself stuck between two distant worlds. This historical period drama does an excellent job capturing the 1950s setting, with top-notch costume and set design. However, the film suffers from a sedated tone and a familiar tale. It’s perhaps the least known of the nominees and for good reason, as it doesn’t jump out of the screen with passion.
Spotlight The film follows the Boston Globe news team that uncovered the Catholic church’s molestation scandal in 2001. This film flows perfectly through every individual reporter’s assignment and subplot to build a story full of depth and class. Director Tom McCarthy takes a multilayered and hardfought piece of investigative journalism and breaks it into compelling journeys taken by the Spotlight team (Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Brian d’Arcy James).
Illustrations by Jonathan Wences
The Et Cetera
In anticipation of the 88th Academy Awards set for Feb. 28, Et Cetera writer Hunter Cave, life & arts editor David Silva, news editor James Hartley and intro to cinema professor Dusty Thomas sat down to discuss their love for movies and the biggest award of the night: Best Picture. This is a short summary of their thoughts on the Oscar heavyweights. The full video blog can be seen on the official Et Cetera YouTube channel: The Et Cetera. —Compiled by David Silva
The Revenant Based on Michael Punke’s novel of betrayal and revenge, director Alejandro G. Iñárritu presents the experiences of frontiersman and fur trapper Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio). Glass is abandoned by his fellow fur trappers after he’s mauled by a grizzly bear, and after he witnesses his half-native son’s murder, committed by John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy). Glass sets out on a long and bitter journey to find Fitzgerald. DiCaprio’s passionate performance contrasts Hardy’s treacherous villain, and the two are paired with Lubeski’s stunning and poetic cinematography that drives this film to its Oscar nomination. However, the lack of a strong motive and character development can make the film appear as mere spectacle. The beautiful scenery does not seem to be enough to elevate the film. James’s picks: Will win: The Revenant Should win: The Revenant David’s picks: Will win: The Revenant Should win: Spotlight Hunter’s picks: Will win: Spotlight Should win: The Big Short
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The Big Short “The Big Short” features an all-star cast including Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt. However, the film is elevated by director and writer Adam McKay’s ability to tell a story that could have easily been a snooze fest. Based on the Wall Street actions that led to the 2007-2008 financial crisis, the film is a funny, easy to understand and overall satisfying tale.
Mad Max: Fury Road Director George Miller’s fourth Mad Max film is set in a future desert wasteland. It follows Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) as he joins forces with Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) to escape from a powerful cult that controls water and gasoline. The visual and sound effects add to the film that delivers the post-Apocalyptic world the early Mad Max films led up to. Ultimately, the effects cannot support the weak plot. The movie seems out of place in comparison to the other heavy hitters, at best being a fun shoot-em-up adventure.
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The Martian Based on Andy Weir’s novel of the same name, “The Martian” follows the story of Mark Watney (Matt Damon) after he’s pronounced dead and left to struggle to survive on Mars. The film also takes the audience behind the scenes of NASA’s various attempts to find Watney and return him home. Damon’s performance soars in what could have been a cliché search-and-rescue drama, adding a fun and confident element to the majority of the film. Director Ridley Scott stays true to the majority of the novel, and the special effects and scientific accuracy earns it its Oscar nod. However, it doesn’t seem to hold up to the grandeur of the other nominees, experiencing certain inconsistencies in pace and humor. Also, the cast seems to overcrowd some aspects of the film, making Scott’s consistency with the novel a bit of a backfire.
Room Brie Larson’s breakthrough performance makes the risky and existential plot of “Room” a grounded and even relatable experience. Based on the Emma Donoghue novel of the same name, the film takes the audience inside the room in which a woman and her son have been held captive for five years. After finally gaining their freedom, the film focuses on the boy’s first experiences in the outside world. Director Lenny Abrahamson keeps a steady pace in the early claustrophobic setting and creates a colorful and complex world that Larson and newcomer Jacob Tremblay’s characters break into.
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A short look at Oscar animation With the Academy Awards coming up this Sunday, a lot of hype has been centered on Best Picture and the acting categories. While they are very significant awards, there are many “lesser” categories that, unfortunately, don’t get the attention they deserve. I had the pleasure to watch all five nominees for Best Animated Feature at The Magnolia Theater in Dallas. Each short is listed below along with its runtime, a basic description, my thoughts and my rank as far as who I think deserves the award. I highly recommend that you see these shorts and develop your own opinion of these cartoons before the winner is announced. — Compiled by Hunter Cave
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“World of Tomorrow” (17 minutes) In Don Hertzfeldt’s “World of Tomorrow,” a little girl named Emily is brought hundreds of years into the future by an adult clone of herself. The clone then tells Emily about her memories growing up and how the future has changed. This is Hertzfeldt’s first digitally animated film after years of using sketch paper and experimental photography. Despite the simplistic character designs, “World of Tomorrow” incorporates many traditional sci-fi themes including cloning, consciousness, memories, death, time travel, immortality, love and technology. It draws heavily from Kubrick films such as “2001: A Space Odyssey” and does so gorgeously. I have never seen a film incorporate so many ideas and visuals in such a short amount of time without seeming cluttered. It is smooth, streamlined and never feels boring. This is, without a doubt, Hertzfeldt’s best work. Hertzfeldt was previously nominated for his animated short film “Rejected” in 2001. “World of Tomorrow” is available on Netflix. “Sanjay’s Super Team” (7 minutes) Sanjay Patel’s “Sanjay’s Super Team” is about a little boy who struggles to relate to his traditional, religious father. Bored by his father’s Hindu customs, the eponymous Sanjay daydreams of the gods Durga, Hanuman and Vishnu as a superhero team. Pixar’s computer-animated film draws heavily from Hindu culture and the recent trend of superhero movies. This is probably the most personal short film Pixar has ever produced, being “based on a (mostly) true story” of Patel’s early childhood and his struggles with his cultural identity. I respect Pixar for allowing a film that incorporates the religious themes, though I don’t feel like I learned much about Hindu culture as little Sanjay did. Nevertheless, the focus is more on the relationship between Sanjay and his father, and it does it extremely well with beautiful animation, sound and color. “Sanjay’s Super Team” accompanied Pixar’s 2015 film “The Good Dinosaur.” “Bear Story (Historia De Un Oso)” (11 minutes) Gabriel Osorio Vargas’s “Bear Story” is about a grown bear who reveals his past to a baby bear by means of an automaton machine. Gears whirl and motors spin as the contraption details how he was captured by the circus and managed to escape. Vargas’s film undeniably has a simple and charming form of storytelling. The mechanics involved within the machine often create interesting effects, such as seeing a city move farther away in the distance or a circus tent being built from the ground up. The animation of the two real bears can seem a bit stiff and more robotic than the actual robots, but that is a nitpick. “We Can’t Live Without Cosmos” (16 minutes) Konstantin Bronzit’s “We Can’t Live Without Cosmos” tells the story of two best friends in a Russian space program who dream of soaring among the stars together. This was an interesting short in that I don’t quite know what to say about it. I enjoyed it, and the animation was clean and the story was nice. However, I often found certain plot points too predictable, lessening their emotional impact. Nevertheless, the humor of the film and the chemistry between the two main characters are really well developed, and well worth the watch. Bronzit was previously nominated to the animated short film category for “Lavatory - Lovestory” in 2009. “Prologue” (6 minutes) Despite having the shortest runtime, Richard Williams’s “Prologue” depicts a violent battle between two Athenian and two Spartan soldiers. A warning for male nudity and violence urged parents to leave the theater with their children. Williams’s hyperrealistic sketches intensify the graphic nature. He uses colored pencil to incorporate sweeping camera movements and close-ups throughout the controversial film. I really wanted to like this film. It has stunning animation — probably the best out of all the shorts — and I felt the backbreaking effort it took to bring this project to life. It’s gorgeous, but lacking in substance. If Williams animated something that told a story or captured a more interesting moment, it would easily win. However, I never really felt the purpose behind the film. I left the theater wondering to myself, ‘That’s it?’ and felt that it was missing something to truly leave an impact on me. Williams previously won an Animated Short Film Oscar for his rendition of “A Christmas Carol” in 1973. He also won a Visual Effects award and a special one-time Animation Direction award in 1989 for his work on “Who Framed Roger Rabbit.”
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BITTER FILMS, PIXAR ANIMATION, PUNKROBOT ANIMATION, MELNITSA ANIMATION AND ANIMATION MASTERCLASS
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Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Theatre Co. takes you down the rabbit hole By Devon Rice etc4640@dcccd.edu
The Eastfield Theatre Co. is going “entirely bonkers” to prepare for its performance of “Alice In Wonderland” at the Texas Community College Speech and Theatre Association OneAct Play Festival at Tarleton State University. “It’s not a traditional representation of ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ ” director Dusty ReasonsThomas said. “It’s actually presented as a group of kids at an orphanage in an attic. They have many random items, and they are reenacting ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ ” Lewis Carroll’s 1865 novel “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” has spawned many retellings. The story of a girl following a rabbit down his hole and her encounters with the peculiar characters inhabiting Wonderland has remained popular with adults and children. Reasons-Thomas said she wanted to choose a show that had not previously been staged at the competition. “The script is very unique,” she said. “It … has very detailed stage directions. The hardest part was taking the script and putting our own
spin on it.” The tech department also faced challenges with the set. “The play takes place in an attic, and it’s a little hard to demonstrate that,” stage manager Iris Hernandez said. “You need to have an imagination to see how the audience is looking into an attic on the stage.” The cast and crew had limited time to prepare. “We still need the rehearsal time, and getting to perform before we go will help,” Reasons-Thomas said. “Last year, we got snowed out on show nights, so weren’t able to perform, and that makes a big difference. This time, I think they will do really well getting the chance to perform it four times before going to competition.” Reasons-Thomas said the group has grown close through the intense preparations. “We have veteran actors who have gone with us to the festival before, and we also have many new students who have never gone,” she said. “Last year, everyone in the play had been to the festival, so it’s exciting to know more than half this year will be going for the first time. And
half of them haven’t even performed a play with us before, so it’s a very interesting dynamic. The veterans are taking a good leadership role.” Catherine Elaine Christenson, who plays Alice, said she struggled to understand the character at first, but as rehearsals continued, she began to relate to her. “Dusty told me the other day that I was the tomboy version of Alice,” she said. “I’m not afraid to get down and dirty. I’m curious and full of awe and wonder. I would say we have a lot in common.” Hernandez said the hardest part of managing the show was keeping open communication with the cast, director and tech department. “You just have to make sure everyone knows what’s going on,” she said. Christenson expects the hard work to pay off. “I can’t wait to see what we’re capable of once everyone knows their lines,” she said. Take a trip down the rabbit hole with the Harvester Theatre Co. at 7 p.m. Feb. 25-27 and 11 a.m. Feb. 26. Tickets cost $7 for children and students and $10 for adults. The Feb. 26 morning show is free for students.
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Micah Cavender, left, and Victor Deterra rehearse for a one-act version of “Alice in Wonderland.”
MUSIC REVIEW
Kanye’s ‘The Life of Pablo’ falls short on delivery By David Silva etc4640@dcccd.edu
One cannot review a Kanye West album without first identifying the era of Kanye West nearest to their hearts. I remember listening to West’s “Yeezus” for the first time back in the summer of 2013. It was an album I couldn’t fully process on one run-through, so I turned to various reviews to help me define what I had just listened to. Unfortunately, the music world was just as torn about the album as I was. From all these talking heads, I found that many rated the album not on its possible artistic merit but instead on an alleged inability to match the message or sound of a previous project. Some fans love a certain era of West’s music so much that they cling to an album and hope the next release will resemble “old Kanye.” I can’t say I miss the “old Kanye,” because it wasn’t until the release of the 2010 masterpiece “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” that I was introduced to the music extravaganza that is West’s discography. With the gospel and soul-oriented samples in “The College Dropout,” the orchestrainspired “Late Registration,” the electronic “Graduation,” the synthetic and Auto-Tuned “808s and Heartbreak,” the maximalistic “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” and minimalistic “Yeezus,” West has continued to push the boundaries of hip-hop and crafted albums that are perfect cutouts of his present state of mind as an artist and an individual. Knowing this, I awaited the release of “The
Life of Pablo” aware that I would not hear MBDTF again. Knowing that West is at a different stage in his life than he was when he released his previous work, I was anxious to hear what this new album had in store. After multiple single releases, fashion shows, botched G.O.O.D. Friday song-a-week releases, name changes and a last-minute delay, West dropped the album exclusively on Tidal, Jay Z’s subscription-based streaming service. I swallowed my pride, got a 30-day free trial and took a listen. The opening track “Ultralight Beam” exceeded any expectations I had with powerful choral vocals and hard-hitting production. The perfectly featured vocals of The-Dream, Chance the Rapper and Kelly Price make for a polished and masterfully orchestrated song. A mix and match of samples, artists and tempos dominate “Father Stretch My Hands Part 1,” “Part 2”’ and “Famous.” The album’s early tracks are unique and monumental, and this raises the stakes for the rest of the album. “The Life of Pablo” hits its first speed bump with “Feedback,” the first track of the album that features Kanye without a featured artist. Although the use of a microphone’s feedback for initial instrumentation is creative, West doesn’t build on the concept, leaving the track to grow numb and repetitive after a few bars. West’s lack of potent lyricism doesn’t help this
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Kanye West has announced that “The Life Of Pablo” is exclusive to Tidal, Jay Z’s streaming service.
track’s attempts to be daring and aggressive. Another passable track is “Highlights,” which features West singing way more than he should. He sounds smooth and comfortable as he raps over the lively rhythm, taking shots at Ray J in the process, but his Auto-Tuned voice doesn’t keep up with superior vocalists TheDream and El DeBarge. The album picks back up with the brash “Freestyle 4” and the skit “I Love Kanye,” in which West playfully responds to the “I miss the old Kanye” crowd. The rest of the album is varied in its style and artistic measure. Tracks such as “30 Hours” and
“Fade” are otherworldly in their instrumentation and poise. However, tracks like “Facts,” with its inarticulate lyricism, only remind you of how badly you want to listen to the next song or go back to “Ultralight Beam.” The album is sprinkled with star-studded guests, with Kid Cudi on “Father Stretch My Hands Part 1,” The Weeknd on “FML” and Andre 3000 singing back-up vocals on “30 Hours.” The album shines with the featured artists’ talent and West’s ability to place them perfectly on a track. In fact, the album reaches its weakest points when Kanye is rapping or singing by himself. “Wolves” is the best example of that. The original “Wolves,” released at West’s Yeezy 2 fashion show, featured rhymes by Vic Mensa and vocals by Sia. West’s vocals are unable to capture the range and power of Sia in the final album version. Overall, “The Life of Pablo” is a fairly experimental and lively album that will fit nicely in West’s discography. However, the brilliance of the majority of the tracks is brought down when West places himself alone or in the driver’s seat of a track’s vocals. West recently announced that the album will never see a wide release and will only be accessed through the $20-per-month Tidal streaming service. Aside from the ridiculous inconvenience this creates for fans, West, Jay-Z and the Tidal brand are placing the success of their overpriced streaming service on an album that is loosely promising at best.
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Eastfield headed to national tournament By Brianna Harmon etc4640@dcccd.edu
Chase Fletcher climbs a ladder toward the basketball goal, his father, coach Anthony Fletcher, following close behind. Chase uses scissors to snip away the last pieces of the net. This was a new experience for 6-year-old Chase, but not for his father. Fletcher has cut down three nets after games that sent the Harvesters to the national tournament, including the day Chase was born -- Feb. 27, 2009. Eastfield won the Metro Athletic Conference tournament with an 83-68 win over North Lake on Feb. 20, which advances them to the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III championship tournament in Loch Sheldrake, New York. This will be the third appearance in four years for the Harvesters. “I wanted his name to be Champ,” Fletcher said. “My wife didn’t agree, so the closest thing I could get was Chase. I wanted it to be something I could share with my son, and I think he has been a big part of that, especially if you’re superstitious. There have been a lot of championships since he was born.” Eastfield held the lead against North Lake the entire game, starting with an 8-0 run. The Harvesters’ biggest lead was 4329 with 1:26 to play in the first half. Two time MAC player of the week shooting guard Tre Anderson led the way for the Harvesters with 22 points and four rebounds. “I feel like I was a spark,” Anderson said. “Somebody has to step up on the team. I fed off my teammates and how they were going at it. When I feed off them, they feed off of me and we get rolling.” Anderson also played a key role for Eastfield’s defense. His assignment throughout the tournament was to guard the opponent’s leading scorer. Anderson’s goal this season was to make it to New York. “It hit me that we were going to New York the day I signed here,” Anderson said. “The grind doesn’t stop because we are going to the top.” Freshman shooting guard Zack Duncan felt like he couldn’t miss a shot. Duncan was standing with his hands in the air in defense when an opponent hit him in the face with an elbow. He bit his lip, opening a gash. He continued to play but left the game with five minutes to play to get stitches. “My adrenaline was running so much that I didn’t feel it,” he said. “The pain wasn’t really that bad until I had to get the stitches.” Before leaving the game Duncan followed Anderson’s lead with 21 points and six rebounds. “I never played for anything this big before,” he said. “Being able to go up there and play for the school and possibly win the whole thing and have a banner up, then come back 30 years from now with your kid to show them is something special. Honestly, I’m really looking forward to it. It’s going to be a great experience.” Shooting guard Din Androk, who came into the game with a torn meniscus and a partial ACL tear, was able to clock some minutes in the game before reinjuring his knee. Ed Williams, who is ranked third in the nation in 3-pointers and averages 16 points a game, only scored nine in the championship game but added nine assists and eight re-
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Zack Duncan drives to the basket against North Lake. Duncan left the game to get stitches.
bounds. “If I’m not hitting shots, my teammates have to hit shots,” he said. “I was trying to get them the ball more. They were scoring; I wasn’t. I was fine with that.” The Harvesters lead the nation in points scored (2,978), points per game (102.7), and field goals made per game (38). Eastfield’s defense also stepped up, holding North Lake to 12 points less than its season average. The Blazers, who were playing without injured starting guard P.J. Escobar, were also outrebounded 39-27. Harvesters forward Danzel Whitemon sacrificed his body the entire game by diving for loose balls. He finished with seven points and seven rebounds. “They were giving their bodies up for their teammates,” Fletcher said. “That is something they really bought into the last week or two.” The NJCAA tournament will be held March 10-12 at Paul Gerry Fieldhouse in Loch Sheldrake, New York. “This is what we try to do every day of the year is try to get there,” Fletcher said. “It is just a great feeling that you work your tail off and then kind of get a reward. It’s very exciting. I’m happy for the young guys on the team.” Manning slam-dunked the ball the final second of the game to solidify the win. “I wanted to make sure the fans have fun and enjoy seeing us play our last game here at Eastfield,” he said. Manning said it likely won’t hit him that he is going to New York until he gets on the plane. “We expect to come back with a ring,” he said. “We are going to go out there and have fun. A lot of us haven’t been, so we want to go sightseeing.”
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Anthony Fletcher and his son, 6-year-old Chase, cut down the net after the Harvesters won the division championship.
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The Harvesters celebrate their Region V championship. They finished conference with an 8-2 record.
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Wednesday,February 24, 2016
‘Quiet leader’ Scruggs brings needed consistency to baseball team By Brianna Harmon etc4640@dcccd.edu
Growing up watching his father risk his life as a police officer, Connor Scruggs learned many lessons about leadership. Scruggs is a sophomore third baseman on the Harvesters baseball team and has played a key role in the team’s success. Head coach Michael Martin describes Scruggs as the “silent leader” of the team. “He is not so much vocal, but if you sit and watch our practices or a game, he is a kid you will notice,” said Martin. “He is relentless. He leads by example every day he comes out here. There is no bigger compliment that I can pay you to him than that.” Scruggs said that to be a leader, you have to lead by example. When Scruggs is on the field, he doesn’t say much, he keeps to himself and gets his work in. Scruggs wants to inspire his team members to go out and work hard everyday like him. “I want them to take after me,” he said. “I play hard; I want them to notice that. I want to instill working hard into them. Coach Martin and Coach Travis Graves, they preach every day coming and giving your best and working hard.” In the baseball community, everyone plays with or against one another at some point in their career. Scruggs' father, David, played with Martin on the Dallas Scorpions select team when they were teenagers. Martin’s father, George, coached the team. David Scruggs said that was some of the best baseball he has ever played. “A lot of stuff I learned was from Michael’s dad, George,” he said. “It was just great that I could pass some of that knowledge on to my son at a younger age than I got it. It was kind of like laying the foundation for him to see if he wanted to pursue that sport.” After the season, Martin and David Scruggs, who lived in different cities, lost contact. David Scruggs had no idea that Martin was the coach at Eastfield. “When I found out Connor was
playing at Eastfield, it was just a little research when I looked at the Eastfield baseball program. I kind of went, ‘What? I recognize that name,’ and then I looked at his picture and I knew who it was,” David Scruggs said. “So I emailed him to just touch base with him and just told him what a small world it was.” Scruggs is working on getting an associate degree in science. He said he would like to do something in kinesiology or become a firefighter if that doesn’t work out. “I want to give back to the community,” he said. “If I wanted to be a coach, I would give back to the players like the coaches help me — helping the community or helping young players develop.” Scruggs’ desire to help the community dates back to watching his father as a cop while growing up. His father, who lost his leg in an off-duty car accident, has worked for the Garland Police Department for almost 30 years. But for now, baseball is the only thing on Scruggs’ agenda. He wants to make it to the national tournament. “I want to keep playing baseball,” he said. “Baseball is my whole life. It is what I’ve done ever since I was little.” Scruggs said one of his favorite memories playing at Eastfield was his first collegiate home run. It was at the end of the season, and it helped the team win the conference championship against North Lake. The Harvesters were ahead 3-2 with no runners on with Scruggs at the plate. The Harvesters needed insurance runs to guarantee a win. Scruggs worked himself into a 0-2 count, taking a pair of fastballs down the middle. “The coaches would probably get mad at me for that,” he said. Scruggs continued to fight at the plate and got himself back to a full count. The next pitch was another fastball down the middle. Scruggs turned on it and drove it to the left center field gap. “My teammates were excited. Parents after the game were excited. It was a positive atmosphere,” he said.
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Conner Scruggs has a .917 fielding percentage and 18 putouts so far while at third base for the Harvesters this season.
Martin said the team needs consistency, and Scruggs brings that to the team. “He gives you that every day,” Martin said. “He bounces around in the middle of the lineup. It just kind of depends who is swinging the bat hot, and he has been.” Scruggs is hitting .366 with a .490
on base percentage and 14 RBIs in the 13 games the Harvesters have played since Jan. 30. Shortstop Casey Maack said Scruggs is his best friend on the field. “Just being on the field with him is awesome, just seeing his passion to the game,” Maack said. Maack agrees with Scruggs’ moth-
er, Amy, that on the field Scruggs is quiet and straight to business guy, but off he is very energetic. “At home he is not quiet,” Amy Scruggs said. “Only when he gets away from home, unless he knows them real well, will he show his real self. At home he is an aggravator. He picks and he will not be quiet.”
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Wednesday, February 24, 2016
OUR VIEW
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Obama should appoint justice to replace Scalia The sudden passing of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who served as the conservative pillar of the Supreme Court for more than 30 years, has only widened the rift between the two sides of the American political spectrum. In a needless bid for power, the vocal right is up in arms about the Constitutional requirement that President Obama nominate Scalia’s successor. Within hours of Scalia’s death, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he should not be replaced until after the 2016 presidential election, senselessly fighting a nomination that has yet to be made. While this is hardly the first time members of the Senate, right-leaning or otherwise, have threatened to block nominees, McConnell and his supporters’ refusal to even discuss it is especially egregious. In contrast, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, is open to a hearing despite also believing that President Obama’s successor should be the one to select a nominee. McConnell claims that the American
people should have a say in the nomination, but this goes against everything the Constitution has to say about the selection process. Article II, Section II states that the president “shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court.” The Senate, not the citizens, are responsible for the final vote. The idealogical makeup of the Supreme Court means many cases could easily deadlock in 4-4 votes. Ties leave lowercourt rulings in place. Landmark cases such as Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, a challenge to affirmative action in college admissions, should not be decided by lower courts. By refusing to cooperate, McConnell and those he represents are going against the Constitution they claim to uphold. They are within their rights to criticize a candidate once he or she has been selected, but the country cannot afford to have its Supreme Court tied up in a pointless power struggle.
The United States has always been a leader in the world. We are one of Mickey the largest world powers Smith for a reason. We have always accepted those who flee from war-torn and poverty-ridden countries and taken in those who wanted the opportunity to make something more of themselves. Throughout and after the Vietnam War, the U.S. took in almost 800,000 refugees fleeing the conflicts in Southeast Asia. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, the U.S. took in Irish refugees escaping famine. We have always been there for those in need, and another time has come for us to do the same. In the case of today’s Syrian refugees who are fleeing from a brutal civil war, I believe we should give these people a safe haven where they can build real, successful lives. Lives such as Shadid Khan’s, who started as an immigrant from Pakistan but rose in America to become the owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Another example would be Vinod Dham, an immigrant from India, who worked for Intel to create their first flash memory chip. These are but two examples of immigrants who changed their lives for the better after coming to the U.S. Most of these people seeking refuge are men, women and children wanting better lives for their families — lives that shouldn’t require them to always watch their backs and fear for their lives. It is our duty as a leading world power to stabilize the situation that has arisen in the eastern hemisphere. With the amount of people flowing from these Middle Eastern countries, Europe has called for help in resettling those who have lost their homes and their ways of life. The U.S. began by taking in only 1,500 Syrian refugees, but I believe that President Obama is taking a step in the right direction in welcoming more to our country. Just as throughout the 20th century when we took in those fleeing their countries that had fallen into turmoil, I think that taking in these people could yield some kind of reward. It would be another step forward for the U.S. in strengthening our country and our reputation as the land of the free. We should take these people in because of our contribution to the declining state of the Middle East. The crisis in Syria with the rise of the Bashar Al-Assad regime is partially the fault of the U.S. which destabilized the area with the war in Iraq. This is just part of the aftermath. The most common argument against this is that these refugees may be extremist enemies who seek to destroy our country, but the screening process we have in place would weed out those who were a true danger to our country. The U.S. will only take in those who intentions are truly to better their lives. We are more than just this fear of those foreign to us. We should assert ourselves as the humanitarian force we once were. As Americans, we always claim that the U.S. is the best country in the world. It’s time for us to prove it by saving those who need us now.
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Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Zek and Slik By Matthew Rohan
COURTESY OF A24
Anya Taylor-Joy stars in ‘The Witch,’ the winner of the Best Director award at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.
MOVIE REVIEW
Fear radiates from screen in new horror classic ‘Witch’ Tarryn Lingle etc4640@dcccd.edu
The Adventures of Rocky Awolishus By Ariel Paulson
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Robert Eggers’s debut film “The Witch” is an absolute bone-chilling experience sure to haunt you far beyond the closing scene. The film is set in 1630, showing the daunting events William (Ralph Ineson) and his family encounter after being excommunicated from a devout colonial plantation over a religious conflict. The family settles near a dark forest that reeks of something evil lurking beyond the trees. The family is struggling to simply survive in the wilderness when William and Katherine’s (Kate Dickie) newborn baby, Samuel, suddenly vanishes during a game of peek-aboo with the oldest child Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy). An unknown red-cloaked person, assumed to be the witch, is seen running through the woods with the baby, leading to one of the many disturbing and uneasy scenes to watch. The family is devastated by the unexplainable disappearance of their youngest child, starting the slow paced build-up of diabolical events. After Samuel is taken, the family is challenged with a failing crop, which threatens their chance of survival. The oldest son Caleb (Harvey Scrimshaw) is desperate to keep the family alive and together, so he sets out to hunt with Thomasin.
He splits from his sister and disappears, leading to the first evidence of darkness that is attacking the family. Witchcraft accusations threaten the family’s ability to stick together, ultimately destroying them. The first half of the movie is incredibly slow and boring because it focuses on the family’s hardships of a failing crop and missing their child. Don’t give up on this movie, however, because the latter half is filled with terrifying and haunting scenes. The movie is not one with cheap scares, but rather calculated scares that warrants your fear. Quick glimpses of the witch intensify the fright associated with her, plaguing the audience with uneasiness. Mark Korven’s musical score is vital to making this a haunting tale. The perfect cohesive match between the raw string sound and eerie vocals sets a sinister tone. Each horrifying scene matched perfectly with music. This enhances the fear tremendously, gluing you to your seat with your hand over your eyes. The final scene is the perfect ending to the chilling movie: disturbing, frightening and shocking. “The Witch” will become the nightmares you fear, and you will never want to play peek-a-boo again.
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Wednesday, February 24, 2016
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The Et Cetera
Campus celebrates Chinese New Year By Tiffany Aragon etc4640@dcccd.edu
Eastfield College celebrated the Year of the Monkey on Feb. 8 by bringing Chinese lion dancers to campus. Students from the White Lion Kung Fu martial arts school danced in traditional costume while Eastfield students and staff “fed” the lion red envelopes for good luck. The lion dance symbolizes the movements of the river spirits, said master Johnny Lee of White Leopard Kung Fu, which also has a dragon dance team. The longer the dance lasts, the more luck it will bring to the community. “Martial arts students can only do the lion dance,” he said. “They have a ceremony where they dance to the ancestors of the school to remove evil spirits.” Chinese New Year celebrates the turn of the lunisolar calendar and falls on the new moon between Jan. 21 and Feb. 20. The 15-day holiday has been recognized in San Francisco since the 1840s, making the United States the second country to celebrate the Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival. “I think it’s important we acknowledge and embrace various cultural celebrations,” Eastfield social media coordinator Lauren Shafer said. “It was a thrill to listen to stories, myths and traditions.” The Chinese lion dance originated from a legend involving a sea monster with the body of an ox and the head of a lion called a “Nian,” or Year. At the beginning of each lunar year, the Nian would attack a village. The villagers began to wear red robes and make loud noises to intimidate the creature, successfully scaring it away. Facilities department employee Beth How-
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Allison Hunter’s art, projected Feb. 11 on an G building wall, focuses on the study of animals and the effects humans have on them.
Artist displays ‘video bomb’ By Stephanie Romero and James Hartley etc4640@dcccd.edu
ALEJANDRA ROSAS/THE ET CETERA
The White Lion Kung Fu martial arts school dances for students on Feb. 8.
ard, who helped organize the event, said superstitions of the holiday include wearing red to bring good fortune. “We have to clean the house before the new year and sweep out all the bad vibes from the past year,” she said. Traditional food also has a meaning. Dumplings are a good fortune treat and long noodles promote a long life if not cut. The holiday ends with the Lantern Festival on Feb 22. Those celebrating the event go out at night carrying decorated paper lanterns. In many places, the Lantern Festival is often advertised as the Chinese equivalent of Valentine’s Day.
The Student Government Association (SGA) invites all students, faculty, and staff to join us March 1st and March 2nd! March 1st – ‘Super Tuesday’ Voter Registration Drive! In partnership with OSER and 97.9 The Beat, we will be holding a voter registration drive! A Deputized Voter Registrar will be available to register voters! 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Courtyard March 2nd- Join the Conversation “I am Eastfield” Student Forum on Diversity and Inclusion 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. G101 and 102 Contact secretaryeastfieldsga@gmail.com for more info.
Visual artist Allison Hunter projected her “video bomb” art, a guerilla-style video of still shots and illustrations paired with a soundtrack, on the side of G building on Feb. 11. The “video bomb” piece covered the ivory wall to the right of G building. The parking lot was near empty, and the night was quiet. As the video began, the audience was presented with a city soundscape followed by animations from her previous photographs and experiences. Urban scenes and animals were featured as well. The ambience was quiet as the virtual soundscape immersed the audience. Many of Hunter’s projects include compilations of photographs, videos and animations. Her main focus though, is animals. Her study of animals helps her “examine the effect that humans have,” she said. “If we examine the way we treat animals, it’s one way we can figure out how we treat each other,” she said. That’s one reason for her interest in zoos, and comparing those who mistreat animals to those who seek to help them. Besides her love and interest of animals, Hunter uses urban areas and public landscapes to project her work. “By projecting outside into monumental structures, … I saw a dramatic change in the visual impact of my artwork,” she said. “The audience looked like ants next to it. … Ants with cellphones taking selfies.” The public projection allowed a sense of connection between the environment and the audience. In her eyes, there are no boundaries “framing the art.” “It was great to see her enthusiasm and passion,” student Cristian Barbalena said. “She really goes out of the box with her representa-
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Allison Hunter gives an artist lecture on Feb. 4 in G-101.
tions of nature. Although it takes a certain kind of audience to really appreciate her work, she leaves it really open to interpretation so that anyone can get into it.” Hunter will return to campus March to install another known piece of hers, “Zoosphere,” which involves video projections of animals in a dark, maze-like setting. Hunter says “Zoosphere” is a piece “where the animals are free and the people are lost.” “Zoosphere,” which first appeared in Houston, will be on display in the H gallery from March 3 to April 28. The opening reception will be held 6 p.m. March 3. The gallery is made up of video projections and audio that depict animals trying to survive in a human world. The projections are cast on the walls of the gallery. The videos primarily show the animals in natural habitats.