Etera
Eastfield College
Living
Canvas
4 TALES
FAITH
Of LOVE mischief
AND
Adversity
Alexandria Dimellio tells her tattoo stories. Page 9
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Volume 46, Issue 5
2
NEWS
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
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The Et Cetera
Arbor Day tree planting unites campus, community By Parker Ward etc4640@dcccd.edu
PHOTO COURTESY OF LAUREN SHAFER/EFC
President Jean Conway and Janette Monear, CEO of the Texas Tree Foundation, shovel mulch onto a new river birch tree Nov. 6.
The Eastfield Sustainability Team honored Arbor Day by adding a new river birch tree outside the G building Nov. 6. “Today’s celebration and tree planting is an example of our belief in the value of trees,” said Dr. Jean Conway, Eastfield president. National Arbor Day falls in April, but many states recognize the holiday during the best season for planting trees. Arbor Day in Texas is the first Friday in November. The event included performances by the Motley Elementary School Choir and the Eastfield choir and brass ensemble. Faculty, staff and students attended along with residents of the nearby Christian Care Senior Living Community. “Trees are very important to our community and to the world,” said Student Services Coordinator Ida Stewart. “Trees provide energy, a sense of calmness and shade.” Along with the physical benefits of the tree, Stewart says it brought intangible rewards. “It represents a partnership between communities,” she said. “We had the Christian Care community come out, Motley Elementary students come out and we had the city of Mesquite.
Safety forum today By J. Gomez and Caitlin Piper etc4640@dcccd.edu
Eastfield police and administrators have changed some security procedures and plan for additional alterations in light of recent violent incidents on and around campus. Police Chief Michael Horak will lead a safety forum at 1 p.m. today in S-100/S-101. The public forum will provide details for new safety measures that have already been implemented as well as changes that are currently under consideration. Input from students, faculty and staff is encouraged. Assistant to the President Sharon Cook is concerned by the recent string of crimes, but remains confident that safety is a top priority for the college. “When you have 15,000 students and over 400 full-time faculty and staff and another 400600 that are part-time faculty, we are a community, and as a result, we want to take care of our community,” she said. “We think it’s important to foster a relationship of concern and safety and make sure that our students know it is important to us.” Eastfield student Brandon Cullen says awareness of your surroundings and resources
can mean the difference between a secure campus and a potentially dangerous campus. “Generally speaking, this is a fairly safe campus, but the way these buildings are set up could be very secure or it could be a death trap, the right circumstances pending,” he said. “Being aware of what’s around you and the services available should help keep crime down.” Student Katie Hornsby says no place in the world is truly safe, but that everyone should be actively working to make the campus secure because it is the only guaranteed way to minimize crime. “Even if they employ 10 more or 20 more policemen, they cannot be at every single inch of this campus every single time, so it’s kind of our responsibility to make sure the campus is safe,” Hornsby said. Cook says the college’s goal is to increase safety for everyone on campus. “Our number one concern is for students and staff,” she said. “Not the staff, not the students, but the students and staff. This is very unusual for us to have these incidents in one semester. This has affected all of us because we know this is not the usual and, as a result, we are doing all we can to make sure we can learn from these incidents that have occurred.
“With that, it brought three different avenues together. And the tree brought the community together to celebrate.” Billie Harding, a Christian Care resident, says trees make cities livable. “I haven’t been in Dallas very long, but I am so proud of the fact that there are so many green spaces,” she said. ”So many cities I have visited are nothing but concrete and tall buildings. And this has more parks and more trees than any other city I have ever been in.” Janette Monear, CEO of the Texas Tree Foundation, said people see trees every day, but often fail to consider their importance. Trees keep buildings cool, absorb carbon dioxide, produce oxygen, improve water quality and enhance scenery. ”When we celebrate trees, it brings them to the forefront and we remember not to take them for granted,” Monear said. The Eastfield Sustainability Team, formerly the Green Team, works year-round to improve the college’s environmental friendliness. The school uses “green” cleaning products, recycles and installed xeriscaping, a landscape techniques that reduces water needs. “I wish everyone would pick up at least on piece of trash a day,” said Dr. Terrance Wickman, head of the Sustainability Team.
TATTOO ANTHROPOLOGIST
Dr. Lars Krutak
from the Smithsonian Institute has traveled to some of the most remote places on the planet in search of body art and modiication. Come listen to him talk history, culture, and even personal experience of tattooing from tribes and people around the globe.
Refreshments provided by OSER
.ursd .ursday, November 20 11 a.m. in the Performance Hall 5:35 p.m. in S101/102 3737 Motley Dr. Mesquite, TX 75150
www.eastfieldcollege.edu
An equal opportunity institution.
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Campus vets lounge opens
By Robert Burns etc4640@dcccd.edu
BRAULIO TELLEZ/THE ET CETERA
From left, Officer Philip Wilburn, Sgt. Brandon Boney and Sgt. Kevin Levingston present the flags at the Veterans Day ceremony Nov. 11.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
“Taps” broke the unusual silence that fell in the Pit at 11 a.m. on Veterans Day. The colors were presented by soldiers in full dress regalia. Then Eastfield President Jean Conway asked veterans to raise their hands, saying they deserve recognition from the school. “They have sacrificed,” she said. “Some of them sacrificed their lives, some of them their health, in order to be sure that this country is not only safe, but that we enjoy our freedoms. “Look at the last elections. Things didn’t go exactly the way one of the parties wished it had. But we didn’t have a coup, instead we had an election, and people voiced their opinions during the elections. We are going to have a lot of changes in government. In order to do that we have to have people willing to fight for that kind of freedom.” Hal Geldon, father of biology lab tech Dana See, served in the Navy in the Philippines during World War II. “I think it is real fine,” he said of the ceremony. Education major Mary Delai said the event was respectful and appropriate. “It was perfect,” she said. The ceremony was the first of several campus events honoring veterans. The Military Veterans Place, a lounge where veterans can gather, opened the following day, Nov. 12. Conway said student veterans told her that finding one another was difficult “Without uniforms, they didn’t know who the other veterans were,” she said. “If they wanted to compare experiences and to talk about how to get on with life, they didn’t know how to do that. They wondered if they should make a club for veterans. Then I said, what if they had a place that they could come socially to … support each other.” Visitors to the MVP will find others with experiences, concerns and issues unique to veterans, said Veterans Af-
fairs coordinator Roy Rollinson. “It’s really to help the veterans have a place where they can be supported by each other,” Rollinson said. “They can converse about matters that people who aren’t in the military may not be able to relate to. It is going to be a place where they can decompress and help them move further into the transition to civilian life.” Staff Sgt. Connery Carrol said the MVP would help veterans make needed connections with one another. “Military is like the biggest fraternity in the world,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what branch of service or job you did or the rank you were, we all support each other. It is just nice to have somebody who has been through a similar experience.” The lounge is designed for school work and relaxation. Three computers line a wall, and Student Life contributed an Xbox One, which connects to a big screen TV. “I can’t wait to start using this,” veteran Jose Machado said of the room. Don Baynham, associate vice president of institutional effectiveness and economic development, donated a microwave and mini-fridge. Baynham, a veteran of Vietnam, also procured a special memento: a personal letter from former President George Bush commemorating the opening of the MVP. Baynham and the Bush family share a mutual friend. Another memento – a flag flown over the Texas State Capitol in Austin – hangs in a glass case on the back wall, and seals representing each of the military services decorate another wall. The veterans celebrations concluded with a picnic, moved inside to the Fireside Lounge because of frigid temperature. Guests munched on hotdogs, chips and cupcakes while being serenaded by the Eastfield Jazz Ensemble. Students wrote messages of appreciation on a banner that will be placed in the MVP. “I think it is really great that they doing activities like this,” said student Patrick Gales. “I think it is a very nice way to bring a nice touch to Veterans Day. Rather than it just being sad, it is more celebratory.”
How others stacked up •Men’s Empowerment Club: 53 •Phi Theta Kappa: 24 •Ke’shun Walker’s EDUC 1300: 64 •SGA: 5 The Harvester food drive ended Nov. 13 and collected almost 1,000 pounds of food. Proceeds went to Sharing Life Community Outreach and Motley Elementary. The drive also collected $100 for the North Texas Food Bank.
JONATHAN WENCES/THE ET CETERA
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NEWS
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
PUT IT ON YOUR
Calendar November
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Transfer college recruiters visit every day through Nov. 20. Swing by the Pit to receive information to help you select and transfer to the four-year college that is right for you. Socialize with students and faculty in the Faculty/ Student Mixer, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Pit. As part of the 2014 2015 common book series, Smithsonian tattoo expert Lars Krutak details the significance of tattoos throughout human history, 11 a.m. in the Performance hall and 5:35 p.m. in S-100/S-101. The Harvester Theatre Company presents “Charlotte’s Web,” based on the book of the same name, running through Nov. 23. The premiere begins at noon in the Performance Hall. Join us for a College Algebra Chapter 6 review, 1-2:30 p.m. in L-208. The Dining Etiquette Banquet, hosted by the Office of Student Life, is 7-9 p.m. in the Pit.
Fri
The Eastfield College Business Club hosts a tour of the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T stadium. Departure is at noon.
Mon
Review chapters 10 and 13 of statistics with Professor Erika Glaser in Elementary Statistical Methods: Hypothesis Testing Review, 12:30-2 p.m. in L-208.
Tue
As part of the 2014 2015 common book series, a free showing of the original “Star Wars” screens at the Pleasant Grove campus, 9:30 a.m. in PG-221.
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The Thanksgiving holiday begins, running through Nov. 28. The campus is closed through the weekend and reopens Dec. 1.
ABOUT THE COVER Student Alexandria DiMellio displays some of her tattoos. PHOTO BY JONATHAN WENCES
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The Et Cetera
Professor builds rolling robot sidekick By Braulio Tellez etc4640@dcccd.edu
Luke Skywalker had R2-D2. Joel Robinson had Crow T. Robot. Hogart Hughes had the Iron Giant. Professor David Kirk has the Kirkatron. Kirk is a computer science professor and creator of the robot many students see roaming the campus. Essentially, the robot is a portable flat-screen computer monitor held up by a configuration of metal rods, which have been welded together. It is also hooked up to a speaker system. The body rolls around on a set of tracks and is controlled by a remote control. Kirk calls the robot a virtual presence device and found the inspiration for it on a TV show. “I was watching the show ‘The Big Bang Theory’ and one of the characters [Sheldon] had built a device similar to this one,” Kirk said. “I thought it was so funny and so I wanted to build one just like it.” The professor takes any opportunity he can to use his robot on campus. This semester, he had it rolling around the lower courtyard at the Club Fair, collecting fliers and signing up for clubs. On Halloween, he cut holes into a bed sheet, threw it over the Kirkatron and had a fully functional ghost roaming the Pit. Kirk has always enjoyed creating things and honing the craft has been a life-long endeavor. “I love building things,” he said. “I grew up watching my father build things in our garage, although everything he built was mostly out of wood. I like working with tools and trying to figure out how to build stuff,
PHOTOS BY BRAULIO TELLEZ/THE ET CETERA
Above, Professor David Kirk and the Kirkatron attend Eastfield’s Halloween bash last month. Right, the Kirkatron is unmasked.
so for me it just comes naturally.” Kirk has been working with electrical components since his youth. “I’ve been building computers and working on electronics since I was able to,” Kirk said. “My first computer was a 16 keypad and four LED light computer that was just really basic. It could play some really weird games, but it had no screen.” Kirk also uses the robot in his classes but not in the way most might think. “My office is right down the hall from the lab where I teach, so sometimes when I’m in my office and need to tell the students something, I’ll roll it across the hall and relay a message through the robot,” he said. Kirk uses Skype to display his face in real time on the monitor. “A couple of times we’ve been in the lab waiting for class to start, and rather than just stepping into class, the robot will come in there, and ev-
eryone will just look at each other,” said computer science major Whitney Gillum. “I think it’s awesome.” Gillum says Kirk’s robot makes him different from other computer science instructors. “I have never seen anything like it before and it’s obviously taken a lot of work to put together, which I think is awesome,” she said. “To have a professor who isn’t afraid to do funny things like use a robot as his assistant is refreshing and exciting.” Kirk believes having an understanding of computers and a knack for interacting with students puts him in a great position. “Students want to take a computer science from a professor who actually works on projects that revolve around the subject and knows the field, not just in theory,” Kirk said. “It shows them not only that I’m excited about the subject, but that I know what I’m doing.”
Gretchen Riehl, dean of science and physical education, sees the Kirkatron as a testament to possibilities of science and technology. “It shows students the creativity of science and the many things it provides us with,” Riehl said. She’s proud to have Kirk as a professor, she said, and feels more professors should try creative things like the Kirkatron. “I love it when my faculty does something creative and breaks the mold of your everyday science professor,” she said. “Anything you can do to wake up students and engage them in a different way is refreshing. If it works, do it. I encourage all my faculty to teach as creatively and as engagingly as Professor Kirk.”
Columbia ready for 4-year students at Eastfield By Ethan Newman etc4640@dcccd.edu
Eastfield and Missouri’s Columbia College celebrated their partnership Nov. 6 with a ribboncutting ceremony. Columbia, a private, nonprofit university, opened an office last month in the W building and will begin offering classes on campus in January. “The Columbia partnership with Eastfield will allow local students to receive a four-year bachelor’s degree without uprooting their life at a fraction of the cost of a state university education,” Columbia president Scott Dalrymple said. Mesquite Chamber of Commerce representatives and Eastfield administrators attended the
ceremony along with Dalrymple, who called the partnership a new era for community-centered education. “Columbia has a long history of inclusion,” he said. “We started out as a private women’s college, then expanded to accommodate military personnel returning from war. This Eastfield campus continues the tradition of making quality higher education available to all.” Columbia classes will be capped at 20 students and cost $185 per credit hour. The University of Texas at Arlington charges $1,104 for a three-hour course, or $291 per credit hour. The University of North Texas charges $190 per credit hour. Columbia’s classes for its first semester will be limited to criminal justice, business administra-
tion, human services and general studies, but more will be added in future semesters. Eastfield student Martin Chambers said he might enroll. “I was planning to transfer to another university, but since they offer everything here, there’s no need,” he said. “Why move when I can finish school from here?” Applications for the eight-week classes will be accepted Dec. 1 to Jan. 11. Admissions fees will be waived for Eastfield students. “Middle-aged adults, teenagers, it doesn’t matter if you’re retraining for a second career or just starting out,” said Beverly Morris, enrollment advisor for Columbia. “This four-year program is ideal for anyone who is looking to improve themselves.”
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The Et Cetera
Students race robots through maze for grade By Braulio Tellez etc4640@dcccd.edu
Professor Elida De Obaldia’s introduction to engineering course is stirring up competition with a race to build the best robot. The ENGR-1201 class was added to the course schedule this semester after an extended hiatus and already has students thrilled about engineering. “It’s a great class and it’s exciting to work with all of these different pieces of technology and learn how everything works,” said computer science major Djan Soeralaya, a class member and competitor. The students worked with store-bought Boe-Bot robot kits to design a robot that can maneuver its way through an obstacle course designed by Obaldia. The students are paired up into five groups, each approaching the design of the robot and obstacle course in their own way. “They have three different ways of making their way around the course,” Obaldia said. “There are these whiskers that feel around for the robot, so they detect the walls and make their
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Mechanical engineering student Dylan Martinez programs his robot to navigate its way through an obstacle course designed by engineering professor Elida de Obaldia.
way around them. “Some students are using the infrared camera and laying down black tape along the course, which the robot will then follow. The one that most of the students are using is the computer program. They have to count different factors, then tell the robot through the program to go here and turn there.” Soeralaya said programming the robots can be difficult at times, but believes it is all part of the process. “The guidebook has been a big help,” she said. “It gives us instructions on how to calculate each turn and formulas for each measurement, but at the end of the day it’s up to us to figure out the exact numbers. It’s all about trial and error and doing it over and over again.” Soeralaya and her classmates competed in the Pit onNov. 14. “Each team is going to have three trials and each one will be scored depending on how far they make it through the course,” Obaldia said before the contest. “At the end we will figure out who made it the farthest and decide on a winner.” The winning group — Syed Azeem, Jonathan Ayson and Carly Salazar — received an automatic 100 on their project, while second and third place teams received bonus points. Hotel/Hospitality
“With this project being a competition, we have the desire to make it better than everyone else’s,” Soeralaya said. “We want to be the group that wins.” Mechanical engineering major William Soto, another competitor, said this project is a great introduction for students fresh to the world of engineering. “I’m still trying to understand what programming is and how it works, and also how to gauge the movements of the robots and manipulate them,” Soto said. “But I think this is a very good example of application because you’re constructing a device that you can immediately see go to work. You’re learning how to program it and see what each command does when you tweak it a little bit.” Obaldia thinks the competition is a healthy way of motivating her students to excel in their field of study. “I want them to walk away from this class excited about engineering,” she said. “Engineering classes are very strict and require lots of mathematics and critical thinking, and so does this class, but I want them to get the feel for actually doing a project. Then they can go on and learn the hard stuff. This is what engineering is all about: designing projects and solving a problem.”
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Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Harveter Theatre Company takes on a childhood classic PHOTO COURTESY OF SIMPLY RECIPES
Acorn squash bowls are a decorative and tasty addition to your Thanksgiving table.
Consider unconventional holiday sides, substitutes SIDNEY MURILLO/THE ET CETERA
Fern Arable, played by Olivia Hester, befriends a small piglet named Wilbur, played by Ashley Vessells. Sidney Murillo etc4640@dcccd.edu
Named “the best American children’s book of the past 200 years” by the Children’s Literature Association, E.B. White’s “Charlotte’s Web” promoted the lesson of finding friendship in unlikely places. To celebrate the beloved story of a girl and her pig and his spider, the Harvester Theatre Company is preparing to perform the stage adaptation. Psychology major Ashley Vessells, who plays Wilbur the pig, wanted the lead part because this will be her last semester at Eastfield. “I’ve seen a lot of productions of it, and I was really excited to find out that we were doing it,” she said. “As soon as I found out, I decided: Wilbur. That’s the only role I want. I want to be the pig.” She says since it’s a very highenergy play geared toward children, acting needs to be exaggerated in order to send the right emotion out to the audience. “It’s tough to get the mentality of a young pig in your brain while you are a 21-year-old human,” Vessells said. Ten-year-old Olivia Hester, who plays Wilbur’s young owner Fern Arable, is no amateur when it comes to the spotlight. She also acts in plays at a local church she attends regularly. “I like memorizing lines, so I think
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, but not everyone is up for the traditional turkey and trimmings. Whether you are sick to death of pumpkin pie or just cannot stomach another bite of green bean casserole, these tasty spins on Thanksgiving favorites just might make you reconsider the classics.
→ Turkey jambalaya
Recipe from http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/turkey-jambalaya This hearty dish will inject a little Cajun spice into your Thanksgiving feast and leave you looking forward to eating holiday leftovers for a week.
→ Pumpkin lasagna
Recipe from http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/robert-irvine/ pumpkin-lasagna-recipe0.html It may seem a little odd, but you’d be surprised by how good pumpkin tastes slathered with tomato sauce and melted mozzarella. Pumpkin lasagna is simple to make and tastes wonderful, so why not give it a try?
→ Baked acorn squash
Recipe from http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/classic_baked_ acorn_squash/ These vegetarian-friendly acorn squash halves make perfect individual serving bowls and will beautifully complement any Thanksgiving dish. Prepare the squash by cutting it in half and emptying out the seeds. You can mix a variety of ingredients in your cooked squash half, such as cheese, corn, turkey or even brown sugar. It’s entirely up to you!
→ Mashed sweet potatoes SIDNEY MURILLO/THE ET CETERA
John Arable (David Stenberg) feeds gruel to Wilbur (Vessells).
it’s fun,” Olivia said. “I like getting on stage and getting the chance to act.” Rehearsals are held daily and the general atmosphere on-set is relaxed, but mindful of the responsibility of putting on a great show. Art major Zachary Cooper, who plays Templeton the rat, knows “Charlotte’s Web” is a story popular with adults and children alike, and is hoping to see a larger turnout than
seen for past productions. “Honestly, it’d be great for people to come see the hard work we put into these shows,” he said. “It’s going to be a great show and we are going to make you laugh.” “Charlotte’s Web” will premiere at noon Nov. 20 and run through Nov. 23 with a possible extension through Dec. 7. Adult tickets are $10, kids and students $7.
Recipe from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/mashed-sweet-potatoes/ Regular mashed potatoes just too buttery for your tastes? Try using sweet potatoes instead. True to their name, sweet potatoes add a touch of sweetness to any meal, though they don’t have the same appeal as a pie or bowl of candied yams. Eat them as a side dish, rather than a dessert.
→ No-bake pumpkin cheesecake
Recipe from http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/philadelphia-no-bakepumpkin-cheesecake-53064.aspx A new take on two old favorites, this rich dessert brings together the creaminess of cheesecake and the irresistible flavor of pumpkin pie. And best of all, it can be prepared without the use of an oven. — Compiled by Caitlin Piper
LIFE&ARTS The Et Cetera
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Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Dance concert in unison with common book ‘Body of Words’ features student choreography, dancers in first show By Sidney Murillo etc4640@dcccd.edu
JONATHAN WENCES/THE ET CETERA
Dancers Vanessa Gonzalez (left) and Sydnei Watters perform the dance “Femme” to a mash-up of various pop songs. The choreography was done by student Lo Goodson.
With a total of 20 two- to three-minute dances, the Eastfield Dance Company told a story of heartbreak through a performance by student choreographer and dancer Bre’anya Johnson to Nancy Sinatra’s “Bang, Bang” and a story of young love through a dance choreographed by Colby Calhoun with music by The Moldy Peaches. “A Body of Words” comes from the relationship and connections between literature and dance. The music for the concert varied from upbeat jazz numbers such as “All That and More” to alternative music by Arctic Monkeys. Calhoun, a musical theatre major and student choreographer, said the challenge of storytelling through dance comes from making everything look fluid. “Every dance is about something, and if you are busy trying to fix your leg moving here or there, you get stuck,” he said. “When telling a story through dance, it should all just be natural.” But Danielle Georgiou, dance professor, program director and lead faculty member in dance, believes “A Body of Words” has been the dance company’s best performance yet. “This really was our biggest and best show that we’ve done to date in the last three years,” she said. She gave special mention to Calhoun and student Lo Goodson. “Those two have improved the most as dancers and choreographers,” she said. Goodson, speech pathology and psychology major and student choreographer, has been dancing with the Eastfield Dance Company for
two years. She believes an audience can walk out of a show feeling an array of emotions, but only if the performers focus on relaying a story through dance. “A lot of the dances I’m in are somber, desperate, very strong emotions,” Goodson said. “When you are dancing, you are always supposed to tell a story. It’s like when you read literature. You are living inside those words. The same thing ties into dance. You’re supposed to make people feel something.” Georgiou says having new dancers every semester pushes returning dancers to work harder. “It’s really nice to have fresh bodies and fresh energy in the room,” she said. “It’s a joy to have new people come in every semester who want to learn about dance.” Georgiou choreographed two of the dance pieces inspired by this year’s common book, “The Illustrated Man.” The dance “Falling Stars” was inspired by the chapter “Kaleidoscope” and “The Last Sunset” was inspired by the chapter “The Long Rain.” “I wanted to show a different interpretation of that narrative and to explore more of the freedom of floating in space and not so much the fear of it, which the story is more about,” Georgiou said. “ ‘The Long Rain’ from my reading was a story that connected most with me and that I remembered the most, visually and metaphorically, so I wanted to put that on stage.” Georgiou said she is happy with her dancers, but would like more people to see them. “There’s nothing I would have changed in the show,” she said. “I think for the future, I say we just keep growing in advertising, getting more people out there and increasing awareness in dance and in the arts on this campus.”
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Wednesday, November 19, 2014
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The Et Cetera
Life, Illustrated Students tell their trials and tribulations through the art on their skin Stories by J. Gomez Photos by Jonathan Wences
A
lost daughter’s name. A pirate ship anchoring a woman to sobriety. Father and son lions separated by a rift – and death. The word of God. These images mark the bodies of Eastfield students and faculty– details of their lives etched into the canvass of their skin. They commemorate transition, triumph, faith, love and loss. Their bodies are their journals. In this year’s common book, “The Illustrated Man,” by Ray Bradbury,
tattoos on the body of a nomadic character narrate eighteen different stories. Anthropologist Lars Krutak of the Smithsonian Institution will speak Nov. 20 at Eastfield about the significance of tattoos in cultures around the world. Dozens of Eastfield students and employees told their tattoo stories to digital media adviser Dave Danforth for a photo exhibit accompanying Krutak’s visit. Here are four of their stories.
The faithful servant Thomas Small is a Dallas native and criminal justice major in his first semester at Eastfield. When Small is not in school, he serves as a DART police officer. He wants to be a canine officer with the Dallas Police Department. Small had his sleeve — a tattoo or collection of tattoos covering a person from shoulder to wrist — started prior to his second deployment with the Army as a mechanic in Qatar, near the border of Saudi Arabia. His sleeve, the Bible verse Revelation 19, details the second coming of Christ. “The Bible has been a pretty big part of my life,” he said. Small approached his tattoo artist with the Bible verse, and his artist took the words and painted an ornate, colorful piece of art. Small said the tattoo captures “Christ coming out of the gates of heaven, riding a white horse and treading the winepress. “As the end of times nears, he and God will reclaim the world for good,” he said. Small said his faith gave him strength to make it through intense moments in his life. “I have had several instances where I could have been seriously hurt,” he said. “I have chased people with guns, suspects across the highway and God was always there. He has always had me thinking ahead so I won’t get myself hurt, reminding me ‘Hey, I need to do this,’ or ‘I need to do that in order to make sure I make it home to my wife safely.’ “God has been that one constant thing that has remained true.”
The cover-up artist For most of their history, tattoos have been permanent. Technology makes it easier now for people to change their minds. But some still erase unwanted body art the old-fashioned way — with elaborate and more appealing artwork. Jessica Ivey, who will earn degrees in business and accounting next month, separated from her second husband about six years ago. In a moment of spontaneity, she decided to tattoo her new boyfriend’s name on her shoulder. “It was fun at the time and the fact that my ex hated it made it icing on the cake,” she said. But when she wanted her former brother-in-law to finish her first tattoo, a Bettie Page on her shoulder, “he refused to finish work on the Bettie Page until I had the name of my boyfriend removed.” On Sept. 25, Ivey’s former husband died. “We were not together, but were legally married still,” she said. “We had our first son at 18, then a daughter, and so we were very much still connected. The idea of having another man’s name on my shoulder just didn’t seem as funny anymore.” She visited a few tattoo shops and every artist suggested she get flowers, which she considered too “girly.” Finally, an artist suggested a koi fish. “I think ... tattoos are like a timeline of your life.” she said.
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The wild child The collection of tattoos on Cosme Gallegos Jr. details the life of a free spirit fueled by constant movement and tempered by experience. Back at Eastfield after two years in the Air Force, Gallegos plans to transfer to the University of North Texas for a bachelor’s degree in communications. Growing up, he often got into trouble. His first tattoo was a cheeky apology to his mother. On the inside of his lip, he branded the words “Kiss Me.” On his ribs are the words “Pain is weakness leaving the body,” a phrase he first heard from his wrestling coach, a military veteran, in high school. “This phrase really stuck with me and got me through some rough times,” Gallegos said. “When you’re hurting, that’s fine. Just let it go. You may be hurting, but you’re going to get through it.” Gallegos said his Samoan-style arm tattoo illustrates the distressing moments in his life, pieces of his personality and the importance of family. Seven trapezoids represent car accidents he experienced. Circles signify his family. “Three circles to represent my mom, sister and dad,” he said, “and the fourth circle to represent those who will revolve around me, those who I have yet to meet.” Another set of triangles symbolizes the direction of his life. “Endless movement, a set of arrows that means to not look back,” he said. “Wherever you go, just keep going forward.” The arm piece flows onto Gallegos’ chest, depicting a turtle and his astrological sign, Taurus the bull. “Bulls are sturdy and can be stubborn, family-oriented pack animals,” he said. “Like a bull, I am gentle when left alone and don’t like to be bothered.” Like the Taurus, the turtle surmises a philosophical belief built into his character. “I’m like a turtle, I’m relaxed, I am free,” he said. “Just take it slow, don’t rush into things, and just think about it before you act.”
"A riot of rockets and fountains and people in such intricate detail and color that you could hear the voices murmuring small and muted from the crowds that inhabited his body.” —The Illustrated Man
Memoirs of triumph, overcoming By Alexandria DiMellio As we get older, the memories of our past fade as we get wrapped up in the present. I’ve experienced so many things in my lifetime that have shaped me into the woman I am today, and for me, tattoos are a constant reminder of that journey. Titanium Rib When I was born, my biological mother put me up for adoption and I was adopted into a family where I was the youngest child. Up until I was 17, I felt completely alone in the world. I finally got the chance to meet my biological mother and it
turned out that I had three beautiful little sisters. The youngest of the three is named Dacey, who was born with scoliosis so severe that she is unable to stand straight, grow normally or breathe without help. She goes in for back surgery twice a year. On her rib cage, doctors have installed titanium rods that they adjust and replace to match her body as she grows. She will endure this surgery twice a year until sometime between the ages of 16 and 24. I chose to get the image of a rib cage with a metal rod tattooed on my body as a way to raise awareness for what Dacey goes through. She is 7 years old now and has many years of surgery ahead of her. Yet she is a strong little girl and a fighter. She knows she can win this battle. The Pirate Ship For five years, I fought a huge battle with drug addiction. My life went from that of a normal American teenager to someone fighting for everything, including her life. When I hit rock bottom, I decided it was time to get clean. After I completed rehab, I got a new tattoo. I wanted something to remind me of the battle I won. I chose a pirate ship with a giant anchor at its base.
The anchor reminds me daily that I have cast my life where I want it to and will not let anything move me. It is a beautiful reminder to never stop fighting for the treasures in life. Never stop fighting for success. Never stop fighting for self-love. And most importantly, never stop fighting for sobriety. Jason Voorhees I love scary movies and slasher films. Since I was a little girl, I would gather around the TV with my family on Halloween and watch all sorts of different horror movies. I got Jason Voorhees to remind me of these moments. I plan on having a horror film theme tattooed on my entire leg. I started with Jason because “Friday the 13th” was the first slasher film I ever saw. To this day, my family still gathers around and watches these movies, and for some reason, this tattoo has made me appreciate those little moments even more. Everything about who I am, what I have done, what I have seen and where I have been is all wrapped up into beautiful images that embrace my body.
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LIFE&ARTS
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
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‘Five Nights’ sequel skimps out on scares By Caitlin Piper etc4640@dcccd.edu
When I first heard that “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2,” sequel to the wildly popular independent horror game released in August, was going to be released several months ahead of schedule, I was cautiously optimistic. I greatly enjoyed the first game, despite its faults, and the sequel promised more plot, more scares and more murderous animatronics. However, I didn’t think it was probable for a one-man development team to build a functional game from the ground up in the three months since the release of the first “Five Nights.” If anything, it seemed like developer Scott Cawthon was overeager to push out a sequel after the surprise success of the original. “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” definitely delivers on its promises of more plot and more enemies. It also addresses some of my biggest gripes concerning the first game, and is much more visually appealing and detailed than the original. I just wish it was actually scary. “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2,” like its predecessor, places you in the role of the new night guard at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, a combination family pizzeria and arcade in the vein of Chuck E. Cheese’s. The pizzeria has undergone some major renovations recently, most notably replacing the original Freddy Fazbear band with an entirely new set of singing animatronics. These new bots are sleek and cutesy, not smelly and decrepit like the old band members, who are
left to rot in the back room as spare parts. The animatronics can get a little strange and may wander into your office since it has no doors, but you should be fine as long as you throw on an old Freddy head to disguise yourself. While “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” shares some game mechanics with its predecessor, namely checking your security cameras and your immediate surroundings for any nearby animatronics, it plays quite differently. Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza can now afford to keep the power on all night, so you can use your cameras and lights as often as you like — though you will have to conserve your flashlight battery in order to scare off the original Foxy the Fox, who is quite sensitive to light, but will not fall for your Freddy disguise. And since there are no longer any doors around you, you cannot stop anything from waltzing right into your workspace. There are also several more animatronics this time around. In addition to the original cast of four and their replacements, you also have to keep an eye on a living statue that will temporarily disable your lights if it gets inside your office and a sinister marionette that will automatically kill you if you do not keep the music box in its starting location wound. Compare that to the five seen in the first game, and things get hectic quickly. While this makes for a much more challenging game, it also makes things considerably less
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Freddy Fazbear and friends torment another security guard in the surprise hit’s sequel.
frightening. One of my chief complaints with the original “Five Nights” was the contrived power and security door systems and the fact that they literally ran on batteries, but now that the sequel has eliminated them, I realize just how crucial they were in building atmosphere and tension. When the player was forced to conserve power, they were forced to stand still and leave themselves vulnerable to attack. The desire to check their surroundings with battery-sucking light and cameras was constant, but if you wanted to survive the night, you were forced to sit on your hands for seconds at a time and listen to the booming footsteps and demented laughter of the approaching animatronics, hoping they weren’t just outside the doors you couldn’t afford to close.
That sense of urgency just isn’t here anymore. With almost a dozen different enemies after you at all times, the game never allows the player to just sit back and revel in the atmosphere. It’s just constant noise, and after a night or two, I became completely desensitized to it. Regardless, I thought there were a few good changes between games. “2” features a plot twist that is genuinely surprising and naturally ties it into its predecessor, as well as a few short, disturbing mini-games reminiscent of early Atari games that appear randomly after death and build up the backstory. Despite my criticism, I believe “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” succeeds fairly well as a source of entertainment. But it fails miserably as a horror game. I hope Cawthon continues making games, but this is definitely not his best work.
Jon Stewart directs compelling, gritty ‘Rosewater’ By Parker Ward etc4640@dcccd.edu
How would it feel to live in a free country where you have the option to do as you please, but then immediately have those rights stripped from you when you publicize what the government does not want the masses to see? This is the question posed by “Rosewater,” a film written and directed by “The Daily Show” host and comedian Jon Stewart, which stars Gael Garcia Bernal, Kim Bodnia, Dimitri Leonidas and Haluk Bilginer. The film is the directorial debut of Stewart. He adapted the film from the 2011 memoir of Maziar Bahari, an Iranian-Canadian journalist. Bahari was covering Iran’s presidential election in 2009 when he was taken into custody and tortured for 118 days under accusations of being a spy. His memoir, entitled “Then They Came For Me,” was written al-
most two years after he was released. The movie begins with several men dressed in business clothing coming into Bahari’s (played by Mexican actor Bernal) mother’s house, where he is staying while covering the elections. He is promptly arrested, and as the men are taking him away, we are shown flashbacks leading up to that arrest, including his departure from London and his pregnant wife Paola (played by Claire Foy), his affiliation with the popular magazine Newsweek and him filming violence in the streets of Iran around the time of the election. Because of this footage, Bahari has been arrested and put into solitary confinement. While there, Bahari must meet with a “specialist” known only as Rosewater, played by Bodnia, who accuses him of being a spy.
Something funny to note is that some of the evidence used against Bahari is a comedic interview he participated in for “The Daily Show.” As Bahari’s imprisonment gets longer and longer, the interrogations begin to take their toll on him both physically and mentally. The movie portrays a rather interesting relationship between Bahari and Rosewater. At first we can see that Bahari is obviously scared and confused while Rosewater maintains all of the control when they speak. As the story progresses, however, we see a shift in Bahari’s mindset. He sees just what Rosewater wants from him and begins to almost toy with the man who was supposed to break him down. The movie’s cinematography is fantastic. While the political riots and violence are happening in the streets, many of the shots are very immersive, and it almost feels as if you are actually standing next to Ba-
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Gael García Bernal stars as Maziar Bahari, a journalist held captive and tourtured in Iran, in Jon Stewart’s directorial debut “Rosewater.”
hari. However, the most important shots come from the scenes where Bahari is being interrogated. They are simplistic and portray things such as the fear in Bahari’s eyes and the frus-
tration in Rosewater’s, which are also a testament to actors’ skills. This story of triumph is very compelling. It’s beautiful, yet gritty cinematography and stellar acting make it a must-see for moviegoers.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
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Nov. 20 Nov. 21 Nov. 22 Nov. 25 Nov. 26
Basketball at Tomball JC Basketball at North Harris JC Basketball at Tomball JC Basketball vs. Paris JC Basketball vs. Texas Wesleyan JV
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three days. The next home game is 7 p.m. Nov. 25 against Paris Junior College.
The fourth-ranked Eastfield Harvesters basketball team is off to a 7-0 start after a 112-91 home victory over El Centro on Nov. 14. The explosive Harvesters have already surpassed the 100-point mark in scoring four times in seven games and are now averaging 106 points per game. The most recent game was close for a while, with Eastfield holding a slim 54-49 lead at the half. However, coach Anthony Fletcher’s “spring and execute” offense wore down El Centro in the second half, outscoring the Chaparrals 58-42. The Harvesters went on a 12-1 run with about three minutes remaining to close out the win. Freshman guard Danzel Whitemon, who has been a big key for the Eastfield offense in the early season, shot 13-for-18 from the field and finished with 29 points, nine rebounds, three steals and two blocks. “We have to win on the glass, get out in transitions and do all of the little things,” Whitemon said. “We run a lot in practice and should be able to outrun anybody.” Freshman forward Youseff Kaoud continued his strong play with 25 points and 11 rebounds. “I am [playing] my role, basically rebounding and getting them the ball to score,” Kaoud said. Sophomore guard Walter Bell was also in double figures, tallying 15 points and six rebounds. When asked about the team’s slow start, Bell said the Harvesters didn’t take a good approach to the game in the first half. “We took them lightly,” Bell said. “We did not expect them to be that close at half-time. We have to play better defense, slide our feet and work on our free throws. Free throws are hurting us right now.” Freshman guard Majycal “Magic” Howard ended the night with 25 points and seven assists, hitting three of his five 3-point attempts and going 8-for-8 from the free-throw-line. Sophomore guard Paris Yerry came off the bench to add eight points, and reserve freshman forward Chadd Dansby grabbed nine rebounds. Although the 21-point victory was the Harvesters’ closest game this season, Fletcher said there is still room for improvement before district play begins in January. “We have to be mentally there, from start to finish, and come out and play ‘our’ game,” he said. Eastfield was scheduled to take on Southeastern Oklahoma University at press time. The Harvesters will travel to Tomball Junior College on Nov. 20 for the first of three road games in
Eastfield 84, CYM Prep 62 Three starters scored in double figures as Eastfield rolled to a 22-point home win over CYM Prep on Nov. 5. Whitemon led the Harvesters with 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting, while Devincent Brooks had 15 points and Bell added 10. Donald McBride and Earnest Matthews both scored nine points off the bench. Eastfield 127, Victoria College 97 The Harvesters shot 51 percent from the field and 74 percent from the free-throw line, improving on their accuracy in their first two games and posting their highest point total of the season in a home victory over Victoria College on Nov. 7. All five starters and two reserves scored in double figures. Eastfield 120, Victoria College 90 In his second start of the season, guard Matthews scored 21 points — all on 3-pointers — as the Harvesters dominated Victoria College again Nov. 8 at Eastfield. Matthews was 6-for-11 from the 3-point line in the game. Eastfield had six players in double figures. Kaoud and Whitemon both finished with double-doubles as Kaoud registered 14 points and 22 rebounds and Whitemon had 16 points and 10 rebounds. Howard added 17 points, while Bell had 16 points and Brooks contributed 13 off the bench. Eastfield 109, Texas Wesleyan JV 70 The Harvesters shot 54 percent from the field, 50 percent from the 3-point line and 71 percent from the free-throw line in a 39-point runaway against the Texas Wesleyan University junior varsity on Nov. 10 in Fort Worth. Yerry came off of the bench to lead Eastfield in scoring with 20 points. Brooks added 17 points, while Bell was 6-for-8 from the field, including 3-for-3 from 3-point territory, to finish with 16 points. Kaoud and Bell both had nine rebounds. Eastfield 98, Mid-American Christian JV 66 After leading by only nine points at the half, the Harvesters outscored Mid-American Christian’s junior varsity 58-35 in the second half to keep their perfect record intact. Kaoud had 16 rebounds, equaling the total of the other four starters combined. — Brad Watkins contributed to this report
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Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Harvesters unbeaten, rank 4th in nation By Tony Neese etc4640@dcccd.edu
7 p.m. 7 p.m. Noon 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
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Freshman forward Youssef Kaoud tips a basket in the Harveters’ 127-97 victory against Victoria College on Nov. 7. Eastfield defeated Victoria again the following day.
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Prejudice in any form should never be tolerated
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Eastfield College 3737 Motley Drive Mesquite, TX 75150 Phone: 972-860-7130 Fax: 972-860-7646 Email: etc4640@dcccd.edu Editor In Chief Braulio Tellez Managing Editor Caitlin Piper Photo Editor Jonathan Wences Life & Arts Editor Sidney Murillo Staff Writers Robert Burns Andy Carrizales Karina Dunn Juanita Hernandez Stephen Klehm Ethan Newman Courtney Schwing Parker Ward Design Jasmine Oliva Dora Trejo Photographers Guillermo Martinez Cartoonist Matthew Rohan Contributors Clay Gibson J. Gomez Tony Neese Brad Watkins Advertising Manager Jessica Villarreal Student Publications Manager Elizabeth Langton Faculty Adviser Lori Dann Editorial Policy The views expressed on the opinion pages and other opinion pieces and cartoons in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of The Et Cetera, Eastfield College or the Dallas County Community College District. The Et Cetera is published every two weeks—except December, January and summer months—by a student staff. Each member of the college community is entitled to one free copy of The Et Cetera. Additional copies are available in Room N-240. Letters to the Editor Letters must be typed, signed and include a phone number. Letters will be edited for profanity and vulgarity, Associated Press style, grammar, libel and space when needed. The content will remain that of the author. Letters considered for publication must be 250 words or fewer. Letters may be delivered to Room N-240 or sent to etc4640@dcccd. edu. First Amendment Right Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Hug a tree. Save the earth. OUR VIEW
Safety measures on campus are invaluable At least three violent crimes have taken place on campus this semester. An employee was charged with sexually assaulting a student, a man was cut with a box cutter after a fight broke out at a DART bus stop and an intruder attacked two campus police officers after attempting to break into a room late at night. Additionally, a campuswide warning was issued early in the semester after a woman was found severely beaten in an alley three blocks away. Crime is generally low at Eastfield, but this string of violent offenses so close together has put the campus community on edge. We certainly appreciate the efforts of our campus police to keep the college secure, and administrators have scheduled a safety forum for Nov. 19 to announce procedural changes in light of recent events. We look forward to hearing their plans and suggest these measures to increase safety. At the time of publication, all outside doors on campus are locked at 11 p.m. Since the latest classes let out at 9:05 p.m. and the computer lab closes at 10 p.m. most days of the
week, we suggest locking doors at least a half hour earlier to lower the possibility of a campus intrusion. Installing more outside lights and emergency phones around campus can also protect people in emergencies. Keeping one or two police officers stationed in high traffic areas can cut down on crime. Of course, students, staff and faculty can also take measures to keep themselves safe all hours of the day. When travelling to your cars, we suggest going in groups of at least three people. If possible, always park under a light. We also strongly encourage all who visit campus on a regular basis to program the district police phone number, 972-860-4290, into their phones. In onsite emergencies, the district police will be able to respond more quickly than city police, making it a preferable alternative to 911. Keeping track of the bright red emergency phones around campus will also be useful in an emergency, as any calls made will go directly to the campus police dispatch. We can never take enough precautions when it comes to crime on campus.
For several years, I hated men. You wouldn’t know it if you were around while I was growing up. I was a bit of a tomboy and identified a lot more easily with boys my age than other girls. I spent most of my time outside, cursed, spit, roughhoused, played an unhealthy number of violent video games and never felt particularly comfortable in feminine clothing. But I often felt that I didn’t have a reliable male authority figure in my life. My father, though I knew he loved me, was often away from home for work, and to this day I struggle to connect with him on an emotional level. He was a terrible listener and horribly stubborn, and I honestly wasn’t any better. Male teachers were few and far between, and the other men in my family were either hundreds of miles away, strung out on drugs, dead or very close to dead. As I got older, I began to drift apart from most of my friends, some more abruptly than others. The few that stuck around were rude and abrasive, constantly insulted me and could never keep their hands to themselves. My relationship with my father devolved into one long argument. By the time I was 12, I rarely left my bedroom and was diagnosed with clinical depression and severe social anxiety not long before I graduated from elementary school. Even if it was mostly teen angst, I felt completely alone. After I entered middle school, I began to believe the men in my life were the sources of all my problems. By the time I was in high school, I convinced myself that all men, no matter how kind they seemed to be, were abusive by default. That wasn’t the end of my bigoted anti-logic, though. Through some extensive mental acrobatics, I managed to determine that all men were subhuman unless they were nice to me, and only me. I still cringe at how self-centered I was and am astounded that I somehow managed to maintain friendships despite being so insufferable. By the time I was 16, I had grown quite vocal when it came to my hatred of men, and my friends, male
Caitlin Piper
and female alike, were rightfully fleeing in droves. I was confused and hurt, but I never bothered looking within myself and instead blamed them for our ruined friendships, something that I regret to this day. It took a kick in the teeth from reality to bring me back down to Earth. One offhand comment from my little brother marked the start of my realization that I was the one at fault. I’m sure my past self would have appreciated the irony. One Friday night, he asked why I wasn’t going out with my friends anymore. I didn’t answer, but it was clear his words had stung. It wasn’t an immediate epiphany like you see in the movies. I wasn’t calling my friends back the next day, the next week or even within the next month. I’ve always been a very stubborn person, and it took a lot of tears and a lot of painful self-reflection for me to even begin to admit that I was the one who was being a hateful moron. Not all of my friends came back. I can’t say I blame them. Nowadays, I try my best to treat both men and women with the respect they deserve. My old demons occasionally rear their ugly heads when things get difficult, but I’m usually able to keep things in check when my friends aren’t already pointing out my hypocrisy in their beautifully unsubtle ways. I’ve had people tell me that a hatred of men is preferable to a hatred of women. I strongly disagree. I can sympathize with many of these people to some extent because I have a personal understanding of their thought process. But bigotry is still bigotry no matter how you spin it, and hating an entire group because of a few bad apples will only lead to more pain for everyone involved.
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Wednesday, November 19, 2014
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Zek and Slik By Matthew Rohan
Sudoku
Trivia Bits
A) Butterflies B) Dinosaurs C) Dioramas D) Flowers 2. This California city is named for somebody from Assisi, Italy, so it makes sense that it has Assisi as a sister city. What city is this?
A) Los Angeles B) Oakland C) San Diego D) San Francisco 3. If you’re flying into Keflavik with a seat in a first class section called Saga Class, what airline are you flying on? A) Aer Lingus B) Cathay Pacific C) Icelandair D) Japan Airlines
Trivia Answers 1. A; 2. D; 3. C
1. Nicole Kidman has lepidopterophobia. What is she afraid of, so much so that even a walk through the American Museum of Natural History couldn’t cure it?
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Wednesday, November 19, 2014
we’re always in 8 places at once. commerce | corsicana | Dallas | McKinney Midlothian | Mesquite | rockwall | online You’re closer than you think.
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