The January 30, 2019 issue of The HCC Egalitarian

THE

News

EGALITARIAN The student voice of Houston Community College Since 1974

Oil rollbacks cost taxpayers • Page 3

Culture

Border wall threatens wildlife • Page 4

Sports

Patriots, Rams set for Super Bowl 53 • Page 6

Wednesday, January 30,2019 • Vol. 48, No. 1 • HCCEgalitarian.com

St. Joseph’s offers help to students, community See Page 4

Government gets back to work after record-setting shutdown Vivian Reyes

vreyes@hccegalitarian.com The Government Shutdown ended at a record of 35 days as of press time. Due to President Donald Trump wanting the government to fund a border wall, many government operations lost their funding and had to close. President Trump as we all know wants to build a wall to prevent immigrants from crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. The border as of now is separated by fences that travel for 654 miles.

The people that live outside the border have experienced years of growing security measures and illegal crossing. The ongoing situations and families risking their lives to settle in a better country

has increased the thought of wanting a wall that separates the United States and Mexico.

President Trump finds that the wall should be funded by the government. The Presidents border wall would cost $5.7 billion towards building barriers along the United States-Mexico border. The funding would also help in funding for technology to find drugs, improved border patrol and more. Since Congress won’t fund to build the wall along the border as caused the shutdown. But with the enormous amount of money it has caused many federal workers to miss paychecks. As of now about 800,000 federal workers are at risk of missing a second paycheck. This has tremendous-

ly affected the workers because most are living without pay, as well as having difficulty resting a home with no expectation of getting paid anytime soon.

Since the shutdown, it has caused airport security, parks and museums, and any form of Medicare to be completely shut down for not being funded. As for airport security, the workers are responsible for screening passengers and baggage’s. But with increasing numbers many have been calling in sick since there is no pay. Most of the security workers only have one job meaning most had to search for opportunities to cover those missing wages. As for others, some had to quit due to the financial hardship.

Washington D.C. is known for its history and famous museums. Most of the museums are government funded which means that they are temporarily closed. The Smithsonian Institution museum, for instance was affected and is currently not running. The shutdown upset many tourists because most travel to Washington D.C. to visit the museums. But since the closures it left many tourists to be very disappointed while on their trip to the historic city.

During the shutdown, many of the workers that are not getting paid are in jeopardy of a negative effect on their credit. Individuals find that there should be a reform on the credit burials to put a freeze on the

The official student newspaper of the Houston Community College System

workers that are affected by the shutdown. With most of them living on paycheck to paycheck it will be hard for them to make their minimum payments without receiving an actual paycheck. Department of Agriculture will soon be unable to inspect consumer goods due to lack of funding. As well as food stamps that may not be available for the next month. This is intensifying because most have families of their own who need help whether if it’s for healthcare or necessity reasons.

The government shutdown has shown the country that both parties need to unite and come up with a resolution for workers to resume getting paid to help support their everyday lives.

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Texas tells counties noncitizen voter report may be flawed Paul J. Weber

Associated Press AUSTIN, Texas — Officials with the Texas secretary of state’s office began calling county election chiefs Tuesday to warn about problems with its recent report questioning the citizenship of tens of thousands of registered voters, the latest example of a state backpedaling after raising alarms about potential widespread election fraud.

Local officials told The Associated Press that they received

calls from Texas Secretary of State David Whitley’s office indicating that some citizens had been included in the original data announced Friday. The state had used a database of drivers’ licenses and personal IDs to suggested that as many as 95,000 non-U.S. citizens may be on the state’s voter rolls and that as many as 58,000 may have cast a ballot at least once since 1996.

“We received a call from the state saying we should put things on hold,” said Dallas County Elections Administrator Toni

Pippins-Poole. “Some of the data that they received was flawed.

Some of the voters had already provided proof of citizenship.”

Whitley released a new statement Tuesday that didn’t provide any revised estimate of voters whose citizenship remains in question. It also doesn’t acknowledge any errors with the initial count, after his office Friday had expressed high confidence in the data that was used.

After the report, President Donald Trump this weekend went to Twitter to renew his

unsubstantiated claims of rampant voter fraud.

Nearly 10,000 names had been flagged in Dallas County. Another elections chief in suburban Austin said many of the roughly 2,000 names he received now warranted no investigating.

“There’s a significant number, at least in our list,” Williamson County Election Administrator Chris Davis said.

Texas is not the first state to question the citizenship of thousands of registered voters, and often early claims of possi-

ble illegal voting on a rampant scale haven’t held up.

When Florida began searching for noncitizens in 2012, state officials initially found 180,000 people suspected of being ineligible to vote when comparing databases of registered voters and driver’s licenses. Florida officials later assembled a purge list of more than 2,600 names but that, too, was beset by inaccuracies.

Eventually, a revised list of 198 names of possible noncitizens was produced through the use of a federal database.

HCC POLICE BLOTTER (Incidents complied from HCC Crime Log available at http://bit.ly/2mhVOjj Case Number: 19-000043 Offense: Criminal Mischief Reported on: 1/24/2019 at 12:15pm Incident occurred on: 1/24/2019 at 8:00am-12:00pm Location: Stafford Campus Building: Learning Hub Description: Student’s rear window was damaged while she was in class.

Disposition: Open Case Number: 19-000044 Offense: Possession of a Controlled Substance Reported on: 1/24/2019 at 12:25pm Incident occurred on: 1/24/2019 at 12:20pm Location: Central - Midtown Campus Building: Fine Arts Center Parking Garage Description: Adult male, non-student, was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana.

Disposition: Closed Case Number: 19-000048 Offense: Criminal Mischief Reported on: 1/24/2019 at 4:00pm Incident occurred on: 1/24/2019 at 12:20pm Location: Eastside Campus Building: Learning Hub Description: Student reported his tire was damaged, and possibly slashed.

Disposition: Open Case Number: 19-000039 Offense: Theft Reported on: 1/23/2019 at 12:25pm Incident occurred on: 1/23/2019 at 12:15pm Location: Coleman Campus Building: 1900 Galen Description: Student alleged an

unidentified third party stole his money which fell out of his pocket.

Disposition: Open Case Number: 19-000040 Offense: Theft Reported on: 1/23/2019 at 1:15pm Incident occurred on: 1/23/2019 at 8:00am-8:20am Location: Central - Midtown Campus Building: J. B. Whitely Building Description: Student left his jacket in the bathroom and an unidentified suspect stole his wallet and contents.

Disposition: Open Case Number: 19-000041 Offense: Criminal Mischief Reported on: 1/23/2019 at 2:00pm Incident occurred on: 1/23/2019 at 1:15pm-2:00pm Location: Hayes Road Campus Building: Parking Garage Description: Student’s vehicle window was damaged when he was in class.

Disposition: Open Case Number: 19-000042 Offense: Criminal Mischief Reported on: 1/23/2019 at 8:15pm Incident occurred on: 1/16/2019 at 7:30pm Location: Central - South Campus Building: Willie Gay Hall Description: Parent reported her rear window was damaged on campus.

Disposition: Open Case Number: 19-000036 Offense: Other Police Activity Reported on: 1/22/2019 at 9:00am Incident occurred on: 1/22/2019 at 9:00am

Location: Hayes Road Campus Building: 2811 Hayes Road Description: Adult student in crisis was transported to the Harris County Neuropsychiatric Center.

Disposition: Open Case Number: 19-000037 Offense: Assault Reported on: 1/22/2019 at 11:06am Incident occurred on: 1/22/2019 at 11:00am Location: Central - Midtown Campus Building: Fine Arts Center Description: Student alleged she was threatened by another student in class.

Disposition: Open Case Number: 19-000033 Offense: Public Intoxication Reported on: 1/17/2019 at 5:30pm Incident occurred on: 1/17/2019 at 5:30pm Location: Hayes Road Campus Building: 2811 Hayes Road Description: Adult male, non-student, was transported to the Sobering Center after he was found unconscious on Disposition: Closed Case Number: 19-000031 Offense: Burglary of Vehicle Reported on: 1/17/2019 at 1:30pm Incident occurred on: 1/17/2019 at 12:00pm-1:30pm Location: Spring Branch Campus Building: Spring Branch Building Description: Student’s vehicle was burglarized when he was in class.

Disposition: Open Case Number: 19-000032 Offense: Assault Reported on: 1/17/2019 at 1:15pm

Incident occurred on: 1/17/2019 at 1:10pm Location: Northline Campus Building: 8001 Fulton Description: Student threatened a bookstore employee during a disturbance regarding financial aid and customer Disposition: Open Case Number: 19-000027 Offense: Theft Reported on: 1/16/2019 at 8:00am Incident occurred on: 1/14/2019 at 1:30pm Location: Eastside Campus Building: Learning Hub Description: Delayed report of a tablet stolen from the library. The property was recovered 1/16/19.

Disposition: Closed Case Number: 19-000025 Offense: Fraudulent Use or Possession of Identifying Information Reported on: 1/15/2019 at 10:00am Incident occurred on: 11/25/2018 at 8:00am Location: Eastside Campus Building: Eastside Campus Area Off Campus Description: Online student replied to a fraudulent work at home ad and surrendered personal identification Disposition: Open Case Number: 19-000023 Offense: Theft Reported on: 1/14/2019 at 12:00pm Incident occurred on: 1/11/2019 at 8:00am Location: Northeast Campus Building: Learning Hub Description: Employee’s folder and contents were stolen from the restroom.

Disposition: Open

Wednesday January 30, 2019

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Oil, gas rollbacks come with high costs for taxpayers Virginia Grant

vgrant@hccegalitarian.com Donald Trump kept his promises and rolled back regulations on the oil and gas industries.

Companies involved in the extraction, use and distribution of oil, gas and coal will save billions of dollars in compliance costs, and the American people will pay the price. Matthew Brown of the Associated Press analyzed eleven important proposed regulation changes, the industry benefits and social costs in two articles published on January 27, 2019. The affected regulations range from resource extractions and refineries, through transportations safety, and even fuel efficiency standards. The oil and gas resource exploitation sector will no longer have to respect earlier safety standards resulting in billions of dollars in lowered costs. Americans will have to pay the price for these industry savings, either directly or indirectly, as Brown’s articles illustrated.

Resource Extraction Eliminating the 2016 Environmental Protection Agency rule to reduce methane flaring will save the industry $380 to

$484 million from 2019 to 2025.

Virtually eliminating the Interior Department’s 2016 “waste prevention rule” to reduce flaring on public and tribal lands will result in industry savings of $1.4 to $2.1 billion dollars between 2019 and 2028. Eliminating the 2016 EPA regulations will release 380 thousand tons of methane, 100 thousand tons of volatile organic compounds 3,800 tons of hazardous air pollutants. Rolling back the Interior Department’s regulations will release and additional 1.8 million tons of methane and 800 thousand tons of volatile organic compounds. The released toxins will cause premature deaths, heart attacks, respiratory problems along with other health problems and reductions in visibility. The industry will save $102 to $339 million in relaxed flacking related water contamination standards. While this means an increased risk to water sources the estimated cost of the damages was not published.

Off-shore drilling received a boon in relaxed safety and equipment inspection standards. The industry will save an estimated $92 to $131 million by no longer adhering to requirements for third-party safety

Steve Helber/AP File Photo Firefighters and rescue workers work along the tracks where several CSX tanker cars carrying crude oil derailed and caught fire along the James River near downtown in Lynchburg, Va. As the Trump administration rolls back environmental and safety rules for the U.S. energy sector, government projections show billions of dollars in savings reaped by companies will come at a steep cost: increased premature deaths and illnesses from air pollution, a jump in climate-warming emissions and more derailments of trains carrying explosive fuels. equipment inspections and an additional $693 to $946 million with greater flexibility in safety and equipment standards. The administration claims this will not impact safety and environmental protection or increase the risk of accidents; critics say it will.

These standards were enacted to prevent another incident like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill that (Pallardy) reports as costing over $60 Billion in recovery costs, penalties and fines.

Refineries and Transportation Refineries will save $89 to

$110 million by no longer have to respect the 2015 EPA reporting standards for toxic air pollution from refineries. The administration does not expect any appreciable emission increases.

However, communities will be at greater risk as they will not be alerted to take mitigating actions. Rail transport of hazardous fuels will be more dangerous as the implementation of advanced electronic brakes is halted; a savings of $375 to $554 million for the industry at a conservative government estimate of $117 million to our citizens.

Texan among dead in Kenya attack Vivan Reyes

vreyes@hccegalitarian.com A terror attack in a Kenya hotel has killed many innocent souls including an American CEO who survived the 9/11 attack. Men armed with weapons and explosives bursting into a hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. The attack killed at least 21 people, and an undisclosed number of injuries. Family and friends are still left without word of those who were left unaccounted for since the selfless act.

During the attack, more than 700 people were evacuated to safe areas to escape the mass terror attack. Among those are 18 Kenyans, one Briton, one American and one African American.

Surveillance footage from

Khalil Senosi/AP Photo Civilians flee as security forces aim their weapons at the buildings of a hotel complex in Nairobi, Kenya. Extremists launched a deadly attack on a luxury hotel in Kenya’s capital Tuesday, sending people fleeing in panic as explosions and heavy gunfire reverberated through the complex. A police officer said he saw bodies, “but there was no time to count the dead.” the hotel provides the moment an attacker set off a suicide vest in the entrance of the hotel. The vest leaving behind clouds of smoke as people fled for their safety. As the gunman attacked the complex, an unknown amount of people were trapped in various parts of the building. Security cameras also showed at least three men dressed in dark clothing and their faces uncovered. A So-

mali Islamic militant group AlShabaab admitted fault for the attack. The reasoning behind the attack was due to President Donald Trump’s 2017 decision to make Jerusalem the capital of Israel. President’s Trump’s decision, the Al-Shabaab militants have targeted military bases, luxury shopping centers and a University College.

Among the people killed was an American who survived the

9/11 attack. Jason Spindler, 40, who attended the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas in Austin. The Americans family was affected tremendously since their son was close to death during the 9/11 attack. His mother, Sarah Splindler stated in a recent interview that her son “was trying to make a positive change”.

Jason had been working with international companies for

Forced Sales Automobile fuel efficiency standards will be frozen after 2020. This will increase emissions by 961 million tons of carbon dioxide and 1.7 million tons of methane with the resulting expected increase in premature deaths, health problems and greenhouse warming effects. This will also force Americans to pay an unseen subsidy to oil companies in the form the additional 79 billion gallons of additional fuel needed to run their inefficient cars.

a few months trying to form business partnerships in Kenya. This selfless act was tough on the families of those killed and injured because their loved ones were just innocent souls enjoying their stay in Kenya to help those in need.

Kenya is known to have a high population that live under the poverty line. Many don’t have access to basic necessities such as clean water, food, clothing and more. Which is why many travel to Kenya to help those in need of all the resources we receive very easily.

Among all the problems the world faces, terrorism remains the world’s highest issue. Terrorism is violence acted among masses of people to attract fear of a certain thing or person. Over the year’s terrorism has become an over occurring problem in public areas and has become a target to many schools as well. The world feels at fear every single day because many innocent people die due to a ruthless act. This is important because it shows that the world needs to have higher protection in protecting the people that live within a certain country.

It is scary to imagine that at any given time a terrorist attack could happen in the blink of an eye. In all, the world needs higher protection in protecting the innocent.

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Culture

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St. Joseph’s offers help to community Virginia Grant

vgrant@hccegalitarian.com St. Joseph Clubhouse is located at 3307 Austin Street in Houston Texas, just down the block from Houston Community College. Their grounds start on the north side Holman Street across from the Heinen Theater and run down Austin Street to the neoclassical mansion that serves as the clubhouse. It is a member driven psych-social program for adults with any mental-health diagnoses. The program focuses on the abilities of its members rather than their disabilities. As a member of Clubhouse International the emphases is on building community with education, work and by helping each other. Several members are students or alums of HCC and there is room for many more.

Many of the students here at Central Campus may have

noticed the white mansion on Austin Street and the gardens that reach down the east side of the street to end at Holman Street across from the HCC Central campus. At the clubhouse there is minimal staff, who function more as advisors, educators and advocates; the members meet every day to plan activities and share the day-to-day work; everyone contributes. The gardens are planned maintained by the members. Members help prepare the noon lunch. In the communication unite Libby Cluett helps members produce signs, badges and the newsletter. Members also post to social media, (and Libby is always looking for help with that).

Members also use the computers to look for jobs, create resumes and study. The grand 1902 white house and gardens are the main part of St Joseph’s campus, and there is also an art

Image courtesy of St. Joseph’s Clubhouse studio, wood working shop and metal working shop. These facilities are available under competent supervision.

The advocacy and assistance extends beyond the clubhouse walls and St Joseph staff and volunteers also help members secure the benefits, care and assistance they need and deserve.

There are transitional employment opportunities and people who will assist with benefits programs and sometimes provide transportation to appoint-

ments. Support also comes from other members who can offer the solutions that worked for them. Sometimes the best help you can get is just knowing you are not alone.

Clubhouse membership is free; all you need is proof of any mental-health diagnosis, such as a counselor’s evaluation or a doctor’s diagnosis. Students interested in membership can visit St. Joseph Clubhouse at 3307 Austin Street, or call 713523-5958. St Joseph’s has a lot to

offer members, free lunch every day at noon, supportive friends, computers, library, advocates, studios and workshops. HCC students have a lot they can give back; every student is a teacher, and you never learn alone quite so well as when you teach someone else. For a student struggling with a disability, fighting anxiety or depression, just not having to do it alone can be the greatest gift … and that is one that cannot be given without also being received.

Border wall threatens endangered species, butterflies Virginia Grant

vgrant@hccegalitarian.com Marianna Treviño-Wright who is the Executive Director of the National Butterfly Center in Mission, Texas, testified before the Committee on Natural Resources on January 16, 2019. The 100-acre sanctuary is privately owned by the non-profit North American Butterfly Association. Although focused on butterflies this nature preserve is a carefully maintained environment for many other birds and animals, some of whom are threatened or endangered. Treviño-Wright also addressed other detrimental effects that will affect the Rio Grande community if the proposed structure is installed as planned.

Treviño-Wright’s testimony began by recounting from July 20, 2017, nine months before the Congressional vote to fund more border wall construction. On that date contractors from TIKIGAQ Construction, an Alaskan Contractor arrived to cut trees, mow brush and widen a road.

Border Patrol and Customs & Border Protection initially denied an affiliation. Since that time the media and Congress have argued that the project was “levee system Improvement” a designation that would allow demolition and construction to proceed by exploiting an easement for flood control across private property and

obtaining funding without terming it border control. Since the March 2018 Consolidated Appropriation Act was approved the land, environmental, and archeological surveys, as well as the property appraisal were completed. A contract was awarded to SLSCO on October 31, 2018 for $145 million or $24.17 million dollars per mile.

At a December 18, 2018, meeting eight representatives of Border Patrol, Customs & Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security working with the Office of Border Wall Management estimated construction would begin in February or March of 2019. This means the habitat destruction will commence during spring nesting season. Although many of the affected species are fundamental to North and South American ecosystems a waiver of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act was granted along with 28 federals laws. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department determined only five percent of the original vegetation remains in this fragile environment; home to endangered, threatened and protected species such as the Ocelot, Jaguarundi, Texas Tortoise, Texas Horned Lizard, South Texas Siren, Texas Indigo snake and Peregrine Falcon.

USA Today called the National Butterfly Center “the butterfly capitol of the USA.” This is not surprising as the 100-acre preserve is the largest native plant botanical garden in America.

Virginia Grant/The Egalitarian A proposed border wall along the United States-Mexico border threaten several endangered species of animals, along with disrupting migratory populations of butterflies.

PBS Nature used the National Butterfly Center as the backdrop for its documentary “Sex, Lies and Butterflies.

National Geographic has also filmed at this location. Unlike many other conservatories, the center provides the native plants needed to nurture butterflies through all phases of their life cycle. Plants that provided shelter for eggs, food for larva, strong twigs and branches for cocoons and nectar plants for adult butterflies. The naturalized landscape is planned to provide shelter and food for migratory birds and animals as well. This is vital as the migratory flyways converge at this narrow bottleneck between continents. The cement and steel structure would trap smaller butterflies and birds like the pigmy owl who cannot fly over the 30-foot structure.

Wild things are not the only ones

who would suffer with the planned border wall; American citizens, especially farmers would be devastated by losing their access to the fresh waters of the Rio Grande. The agricultural business of the Rio Grande Valley contribute more than Seven Billion Dollars a year to our economy. There are almost Two Million people in Cameron and Hidalgo who rely on the river, its canals and water treatment facilities in the delta. As our resources are stretched further and further, and we face health issues like the recent lettuce recall, it makes no sense to waive the very laws designed to protect our water supply. Border security is important, but not at the cost of destroying the very country we are seeking to protect.

Wednesday January 30, 2019

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Smollett alleges racist, homophobic attack Don Babwin

Associated Press

CHICAGO — A cast member on the hit television show “Empire” alleged he was physically attacked by men in Chicago who shouted racial and homophobic slurs, police said Tuesday.

Police did not release the actor’s name but a statement from Fox, which airs “Empire,” identified him as Jussie Smollett, 36. Authorities said they are investigating the alleged attack as a hate crime. Smollett is black and openly gay.

According to a police statement, the actor was walking near the Chicago River downtown around 2 a.m.

Tuesday when he was approached by two men who shouted

at him, struck him in the face and poured an “unknown substance” on him before one of them wrapped a rope around his neck.

Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said that when officers first came in contact with Smollett, he still had a rope around his neck. While being interviewed by detectives, Guglielmi said Smollett told them that the attackers yelled he was in “MAGA country,” an apparent reference to the Trump campaign’s “Make America Great Again” slogan that some critics of the president have decried as racist and discriminatory.

The police spokesman added that the two men were wearing masks. Investigators have not found any surveillance video or witnesses from which they can

put together a description of the offenders, he said.

Smollett was able to take himself to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. He was last reported in good condition.

Guglielmi also said the FBI is investigating a threatening letter targeting Smollett that was sent to the Fox studio in Chicago last week.

The hourlong drama “Empire” follows an African-American family as they navigate the ups and downs of the record industry. Jamal Lyon, Smollett’s character, is the gay, middle son of Empire Entertainment founder Lucious and Cookie Lyon, played by Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson, respectively.

Twentieth Century Fox Television and Fox Entertainment

Evan Agostini/Invision/AP File Photo Jussie Smollett, a cast member in the TV series “Empire,” attends the Fox Networks Group 2018 programming presentation afterparty in New York.

Chicago police have opened a hate crime investigation after a man the department identified as a 36-year-old cast member of the television show “Empire” alleged he was physically attacked by men who shouted racial and homophobic slurs.

Police wouldn’t release the actor’s name, but a statement from the Fox studio and network on which “Empire” airs identified him Tuesday as Jussie Smollett.

released a statement Tuesday in support of Smollett. “The entire studio, network and production stands united in the face of any despicable act of violence,” the

statement read.

“Empire” co-creator Lee Daniels also voiced his support for Smollett in an Instagram video.

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Sports

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Rams, Patriots ready for Super Bowl collision Joey Garcia

jgarcia@hccegalitarian.com The New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams will fight it out Sunday in Atlanta in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium at 5:30 p.m. to see who gets bragging rights to the United States’ most prestigious prize, the Vince Lombardi trophy.

The Patriots are probably the most controversial and hated NFL team in the last 10 years.

Originally from Los Angeles in 1994 the Rams from 1995 to 2015 were known as the St. Louis Rams. And in 2016 the franchise moved back to its original home in Los Angeles on the search for Super Bowl glory.

The Patriots, who have qualified for the playoffs since 2009, are giving their quarterback Tom Brady “G.O.A.T” (greatest of all time) status. No quarterback has been to the Super Bowl more times in that last 10 years than him. Brady has a lengthy record with 270 wins, 60 loss-

es, he also has 70,514 passing yards, 517 touchdowns, and 171 interceptions and has been to the Super Bowl nine times (10 now with Super Bowl 53) and won five he looks to add number six if he beats the Rams. The player has been with the Patriots since he was drafted in 2000 by the Patriots as a sixth-round pick … sixth-round!

As much as some people would hate to admit (such as myself ) you have to give credit where it’s due, and Tom Brady is one heck of a QB. Then there’s Los Angeles Rams QB Jared Goff, drafted in 2016 as the first overall draft pick, he has put up a record of 24 wins and 14 losses, with 9,581 passing yards, 65 touchdowns, and 26 interceptions.

Though not as experienced as Tom Brady, Goff and the Rams will attempt to show the world that they too can take out Goliath. The Rams ended the 2018 NFL regular season with a record of 13 wins and three losses.

David J. Phillip/AP Photo Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, left, shakes hands with New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick during Opening Night for the NFL Super Bowl 53 football game Monday.

The Rams has also got a history in the Super Bowl, though small compared to the Patriots the Rams while they were St. Louis have gone to the Super Bowl twice and won once also while in Los Angles they made the Super Bowl only once but lost, now they head into their fourth appearance in their history. The Rams defense will be under a lot of pressure since the Kansas City Chiefs defense

failed to stop the Patriots in overtime giving up two third and long passes ending the game 37-31.

But that doesn’t mean there is no pressure for the offense since they barely scraped a win against the New Orleans Saints with the help of a controversial no-call pass interference from the referees in the dying minutes of the game.

After Rams cornerback Nickell

Robey-Coleman rammed into Tommylee Lewis causing an outrage within the Saints fan base, that game ended 26-23.

New England is undoubtedly one of the strongest team’s in the NFL today and ones not to be reckoned with.

My final predictions for this match will have Los Angeles upsetting the New England Patriots like the Philadelphia Eagles did in last year’s Super Bowl.

Elis’ status with Dynamo in question

NBA fines Davis $50K over trade demand

Joey Garcia

NEW YORK —Anthony Davis’ agent let everyone know he wants out of New Orleans, and now it will cost his client $50,000.

The NBA fined the Pelicans star because of his agent’s comments that Davis won’t sign an extension and wants to be traded.

The league office said in a written statement released Tuesday evening that Davis violated a collectively-bargained rule prohibiting players or their representatives from making public trade demands.

The NBA said the fine is for statements that were made

by Davis’ agent, Rich Paul, on Monday in an intentional effort to undermine the contractual relationship between Davis and the Pelicans.

Davis is under contract with New Orleans through the end of the 2019-20 season.

He was drafted by the Pelicans with the first overall pick in 2012 after winning an NCAA national championship with Kentucky and has been named an All-Star the previous five seasons.

However, the Pelicans have made the playoffs in only two of his six full NBA seasons and won only won playoff series, sweeping Portland in the first

jgarcia@hccegalitarian.com With the 2019 season of Major League Soccer nearing this May and the CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) Champions League starting next month, the Houston Dynamo may have run into a bump with star with international star and designated player Alberth Elis. The forward has 21 goals and 14 assists in 56 games played with the Dynamo during his two seasons so far here, becoming Houston’s key player.

Elis came from rival league Liga MX in the 2017 season on loan from club Monterrey Rayados and quickly made a name for himself resulting in the Dynamo bringing him on a full transfer as a designated player. The player has attracted European interest as of late with rumors stating that Scottish giants Celtic Football Club were interested and offering $6M (USD) for the player.

“I’ve spoken to coach. I asked him to help me out, to let me go because I really want to go to Europe.” He said during an interview with hosts on Honduras’ talk show Deportes TVC “Yes, the bidding team is from Europe… it’s a first division team

Image Courtesy of Houston Dynamo Alberth Elis (left) goes one-on-one against defender DaMarcus Beasley during a training session. and it is the biggest team in that country.”

It was later confirmed that it was not Celtic and that they had lost interest in the player some time ago.

An offer from Turkish club Fenerbahçe S.K. has arrived. Not only have they entered a bid for the player, but Elis also followed the club’s Instagram and Fenerbahçe center-back Diego Reyes (since that got out, he has unfollowed them). Fenerbahçe who are currently in the round of 32 in the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) Europa League, the competition bellow world acclaimed UEFA Champions League, and despite Elis calling the club “the biggest team in that country” Fenerbahce have not qualified for the Champions League since 2008 and have not won their league since 2014.

Two weeks ago, Elis made a visit to Turkey for what was possibly contract negotiations. In an interview with Victor Araiza, he

stated that everything will be the same and that he will report with the team and that in the coming days he will announce if he is not ready to play in the preseason.

Since his return from Turkey he has been in preseason training, everything seems normal but that does not stop Fenerbahçe fans from commenting on his Instagram posts, saying “Come to Fenerbahçe” followed by a yellow and blue heart (The team’s colors are yellow and blue).

And on Tuesday, January 22nd English Championship side West Bromwich Albion has approached the Houston Dynamo for the player, no price tag is known yet, but he might receive a starting bid of $6M (USD) seeing as (rumored) Celtic and Fenerbahce bid (also rumored) $6M. Teams in Europe seem to have it out for the Honduran international, which could be bad for Houston’s MLS and Champions League run.

round last season before falling in five games to champion Golden State in the second round.

Davis has averaged 29.3 points and 13.3 rebounds per game this season, but has missed the past four games with a sprained left index finger while the Pelicans have fallen to 22-28 heading into Tuesday night’s game at Houston.

Had Davis been committed to remaining in New Orleans, he would be eligible this summer for a five-year, roughly $240 million extension with the Pelicans that would have kicked in beginning with the 2020-21 season.

In previous years, Davis had professed his affection for New Orleans. But Davis has also said that his NBA salary is secondary to winning — a clear sign to Pelicans management that they could not take re-signing him for granted if they failed to take concrete and successful steps to surround him with a cast of players who would make New Orleans a contender.

When healthy, the Pelicans have looked formidable in short spurts, but injuries have exposed their lack of depth and cohesion as they’ve slipped near the bottom of the Western Conference through the first half of this season.

@HCC_Egalitarian

Commentary

Egal•i•tar•i•an (adjective) aiming for equal wealth, status, etc., for all people 3517 Austin; 303 Fine Arts Center; Houston TX 77004 Phone: 713.718.6016; Fax: 713.718.6601 Adviser: Fredrick Batiste

SPRING 2019 EGALITARIAN STAFF Editor-in-Chief............................................................ TBA News Editor................................................................ TBA Sports Editor.............................................................. TBA Culture Editor..............................................Ana Gonzalez Photo Editor............................................................... TBA Social Media Mgr....................................................... TBA Staff Writer..................................................... Joey Garcia Staff Writer.................................................. Virginia Grant Staff Writer................................................................. TBA Staff Writer................................................................. TBA Staff Writer................................................................. TBA Staff Photographer..................................................... TBA ——— The Egalitarian has been the official student newspaper of the Houston Community College System since September 1974.

The Egalitarian is published bi-monthly, every other Wednesday except during holiday breaks.

Print circulation is 4,000 copies per issue and distributed to selected HCC campuses in the Houston, Spring Branch, Alief, Katy, North Forest and Fort Bend areas. Comments and contributions are always welcome.

Deadlines for contributions and advertisements are one week before the issue print date.

The Egalitarian is written and edited by students of Houston Community College. This publication does not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, interests, attitudes and tastes of the Board of Trustees, HCC administration, faculty, staff or students.

Opinions and editorial content of The Egalitarian that are unsigned do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Egalitarian staff or adviser. The Egalitarian reserves the right to edit any submitted material for grammatical errors, offensive language, libelous materials and space constraints. It may also refuse any advertising that does not adhere to the HCC mission.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

The Egalitarian staff consists of HCC students who must complete all tasks required to produce the newspaper, which serves all campuses of the HCC System. We want all students from all majors to contribute. However, we must follow our submissions policy in order to operate under our limitations of time, energy and staff.

All staff and contributing writers must be currently enrolled students at Houston Community College. The Egalitarian interacts with contributing writers via e-mail and telephone.

Visiting The Egalitarian will not help contributors get published, only quality work will.

Publication priority is given to staff members and assigned articles, and verbal commitments for assignments will not be accepted or recognized.

Press releases, story ideas, news tips and suggestions are always welcomed.

Any student interested in joining The Egalitarian staff may request more detailed information regarding story length, topics, style, etc., by e-mailing The Egalitarian Faculty Adviser Fredrick Batiste at adviser@hccegalitarian.com.

Wednesday January 30, 2019

The Egalitarian www.HCCEgalitarian.com

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Notebooks vs. laptops: the battle for note-taking

M

an, times have changed significantly in the past few years. Technology has evolved, from taking notes on notebook paper to taking notes on a reusable Rocketbook and/ or on a laptop/tablet. These days, many students now have a variety of ways to learn thanks to technology.

I’m 28 years old. I fall under the small percentage of college students who still write notes on an old-fashioned notebook.

In fact, I have a habit of buying a bulk of spiral notebooks that go on sale for about a dollar for every 10 of them, and use them whenever I need to. I have a drawer full of pens and pencils, because you have to be prepared, right?

This semester, I am taking two classes; the final two I need to graduate. I have noticed a drastic difference between the two of them when it comes to technology, and how my professors feel about them. It’ll be a while to get used to one thing or the other.

I don’t like to call out people, so we will call my professors A and B. Professor A prohibited technological devices in class, saying that it’s a huge distraction to her lectures. So, she added in her syllabus that a spiral notebook and a pen is required in class. For this class, as I did get a Rocketbook Executive notebook for

Christmas, I figured that it would help me with the class tremendously.

I’m not complaining. I didn’t mind the hand cramps.

I sometimes had to ask the professor to repeat what they said so I could jot down the important information on it.

Ana Gonzalez I even had to ask myself what the heck did I wrote on that day, because sometimes my handwriting is not stellar.

Professor B, however, was the complete opposite. He encouraged laptops, tablets, cellphones, and etcetera. He understood the technology and how it improved students.

For every class so far, I was able to bring my power-hungry gaming laptop to take notes.

It’s easy, and quicker than writing on paper. Professor B emphasized that as long as you are not playing Fortnite, you can take notes on your laptop

or tablet.

However, my mind is at the same wavelength as a cat. Anything that pops up in front of me, such as an instant message notification, an email, or even a warning to restart my computer due to an update, distracts me from the lecture.

Even a simple “Someone has liked your post on Facebook” distracts me, because my mind would be like “let’s see which post!” and it just goes downhill from there.

Of course, the simple way to prevent such distractions is to not connect your computer to the Internet, unless you use Google to search for more information on your professor’s lecture, then that’s understandable.

According to various studies, including one by Mueller and Oppenheimer, it turns out that taking notes by notebook and pen is more beneficial than taking notes by laptop. Students performed better on exams and quizzes, and have a higher GPA. They also have improved memory when it comes to retaining information.

Of course, every student is different when it comes to how they learn in class, whether they are audio, visual, or kinesthetic learners.

Technology has its way of preferences when it comes to taking notes and passing your classes. Good luck, students!

Measles outbreaks raise concern Houston Chronicle

A

measles outbreak health advisory issued last year by the Texas Department of State Health Services is a reminder that this state is walking down a dangerous path by issuing too many waivers to parents who don’t want their children to get immunization shots required to attend school.

Texas is one of 18 states that allows waivers of school vaccine requirements based on parents’ conscience or personal beliefs. Last year nearly 57,000 students claimed a non-medical exemption from taking otherwise mandatory shots to attend school. Houston, Austin, Fort Worth and Plano all rank among the top 15 metropolitan areas in the nation for vaccine exemptions.

Many of these waivers were granted at the request of parents who still believe the debunked theory that childhood immunization may cause autism or other disorders.

Despite scientific evidence that the theory is just plain wrong,

Texans for Vaccine Choice has successfully lobbied the Texas Legislature to kill any bill that would make it more difficult to get a vaccine waiver.

The state issued a measles advisory after six cases were confirmed in Ellis County, south of Dallas. The advisory noted that one person with the disease went to the movies at a Waxahachie theater last January. It takes 10-12 days for measles symptoms to show. What if a child at that movie theater wasn’t vaccinated? What if that child went to school not knowing he was contagious.

That’s how easily an outbreak can spread.

A public health emergency was declared Jan. 18 in Washington state, where 26 measles cases have been confirmed since the month began. The outbreak was mostly confined to Clark County, Washington, where almost a quarter of all public school students are not vaccinated.

Officials said 19 of the 23 cases had never received a measles vaccine. Eighteen are children 10 years old or younger.

For most people, measles

means a blotchy skin rash, a runny nose, maybe a cough — but the disease can be fatal.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the last measles death in the United States was recorded in 2015. Worldwide, however, the disease kills more than 100,000 people a year, most of them children with no access to the vaccine that could have saved their lives.

Texas needs to clamp down on the number of vaccine waivers this state is granting. Legislators swayed by “preservation of personal liberties” groups like Texans for Vaccine Choice forget that every freedom has its limits. That is especially so when it comes to protecting the lives of vulnerable children.

“Children have a fundamental right to be protected against deadly childhood infections, just like they are entitled to be placed in a car seat or a safety belt,” said Dr. Peter Hotez, head of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development. That shouldn’t be so hard for legislators to understand.

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Wednesday January 30, 2019

The Egalitarian www.HCCEgalitarian.com

@HCC_Egalitarian