Eastfield Et Cetera Nov. 29, 2017

Etera

Eastfield College

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

National Champions Harvesters dominate, sting their way to first place title

See page 12 ➤

Translating books to encourage empathy See page 6➤ Volume 49, Issue 7

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Wednesday, November 29, 2017

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Dallas Promise offers tuition-free degrees

By JAMES HARTLEY Editor in Chief @JamesHartleyETC

A free-college offering is a part of a plan to increase the percentage of Dallas County residents with postsecondary degrees or certificates, Dallas County Community College District Chancellor Joe May said.

The Dallas County Promise is a tax-free plan to offer free tuition to graduates of 31 Dallas-area high schools. In order for high school students to take advantage of the program, their high schools must have committed to join Dallas County Promise.

The 31 schools invited to join the program this first year are either Texas Education Agency-approved early college high school sponsors or are partnered with a DCCCD collegiate academy. More institutions will be invited to join next year.

The Dallas County Promise will pick up the tuition costs left over after students apply for financial aid

and scholarships, even if they do not receive either. The scholarship will cover costs up to three years or degree completion, which ever comes Joe May first.

May said the Promise is part of an effort to combat growing poverty rates in Dallas County. Despite Dallas having one of the fastest growing economies in the nation, May said low levels of education keep many Dallas area residents from pursuing a rewarding career.

“A big part of our population is being left behind from that, particularly those from minority backgrounds,” May said. “Those whom English is not their primary language and those who did not graduate from high school are being left behind.

While we have growth on one hand, we also have accelerating poverty on the other growing at a rate [that is] third only to Detroit.”

The DCCCD has a goal of having 60 percent of Dallas County residents educated with degrees or certificates from post-secondary institutions by 2030.

The Dallas County Promise will play a role in achieving this goal, May said.

Hunter Hunt, chairman of the DCCCD Foundation, which is funding the Dallas County Promise as well as various scholarships available for students, said during a Board of Trustees meeting the foundation is excited about how the program will reshape Dallas County.

“This is something that has really galvanized us and energized us in ways that I think will be very helpful to a number of students and people across Dallas County,” Hunt said.

“The Foundation board is incredibly supportive of the 60 [percent] by [20]30 goal that y’all have. It is absolutely critical to the businesses, the non-profits, the people represented by the foundation. There’s a strong belief that the success of Dal-

las County, in many ways, is going to be determined by the success of the DCCCD.” The Promise program is based on the America college promise to provide free college to all Americans.

The plan died with the Obama era, prompting DCCCD officials to look for a way to make college more accessible to the community.

The Promise also takes points from a promise program in Tennessee, which May said has had success.

Mentoring, financial assistance and retention will all be a part of the Dallas County Promise program.

“It is a scholarship and it is last-dollar tuition, but it is much more than that,” said Pyeper Wilkens, chief of executive initiatives for the DCCCD foundation. “Success coaching in our district … is really being developed right now as we speak. With navigators that we are putting in place, the whole new redesign of student services that help students stay engaged and stay in college once they’re here.

And then career pathways.”

Career pathways will help students find jobs once they are out of college by making sure they are working toward their future careers from the start of their college careers.

Other programs the district hopes will help them reach the 60 percent by 2030 goal include Rising Star, Level Up and the early college high schools.

Dual credit offerings outside the early college high school partnerships is also growing, allowing homeschoolers and students attending high schools without an on-campus presence to get college credits during their high school careers.

Students must take a pledge to apply to a DCCCD college, apply for financial aid through Free Application for Federal Student Aid or the Texas Application for Student Financial Aid and register for classes by specific dates. Students will also have to provide information like a Social Security number, date of birth, home address and information about race and gender in their pledge.

College reaffirms dedication to eight-week terms

By JAMES HARTLEY Editor in Chief @JamesHartleyETC

Eastfield’s plan to move to 80 percent eightweek terms by next fall is still going forward, and administrators now hope to see as many as 50 percent in spring 2018.

Mike Walker, interim vice president, held a forum Nov. 16 to discuss the transition to eight-week terms and the reasoning behind it.

Walker said the biggest motivator behind the change is the 11 percent success rate at Eastfield.

“I can’t sleep at night because of that,” Walker said. “We can’t just do nothing.”

Students take an average of five years to complete a two-year degree at Eastfield and leave with an average of $14,000 in student debt, Walker said.

He believes the move to eight week terms will decrease both figures, pointing to the success of other institutions that have made the switch.

Walker said he does not know of any student surveys conducted to determine if students want the program.

Durene Tezock, president of the Plant Based Nutrition Club, said that after doing research she does not believe that eight-week terms will best serve the Eastfield population.

Tezock expressed concern about how eightweek terms will impact students who work or

have family responsibilities.

Walker assured Tezock that the flexibly of hybrid and online classes will help with problems such as these.

“Let’s say you learn better in a lecture environment,” Tezock said. “I understand that there will be hybrid and online classes, but what about the students who feel they learn better in a classroom environment?”

Walker said that hybrid classes may be the only option for some students.

He said that while offering half eight-week and half 16 week sounds nice it is not possible because of room scheduling.

Even with the technical assistance necessary for scheduling thousands of classes each semester, Walker said, it still takes a lot of effort from college employees to make the schedules work.

A lot of questions continue to go unanswered. It is unknown which courses will remain in the 20 percent of 16 week offerings, how weekend courses will work and where the space to contain the expected increase in enrollment will come from.

While college President Jean Conway said in September that financial aid would likely be one of the easiest parts of the transition, Walker said at the forum that they still have not figured out how financial aid will work.

Sonya Battle, an administrative assistant, said while some students are apprehensive about the changes, for many institutions across the nation this is simply the way many classes

ET CETERA FILE PHOTO

Students will be spending more time in class each day and classes will last half a semester under a new eight-week term format. Administrators hope an eight-week format will remedy low success rates.

are done.

“We have Columbia College, I go there and we have eight week classes,” said Battle, a former Eastfield student. “It’s happening more often than you might think. It’s not something new.”

It is believed that some skills classes, like instrument courses, will remain 16 week terms.

Tezock expressed her concern that the change may be too nearsighted.

She worries that increased transportation costs, trouble scheduling classes with jobs and difficulty retaining information may have a negative impact on student success.

“That’s a very fair comment,” Walker said. “I

completely disagree with you, but it’s a very fair comment. I don’t think it’s nearsighted at all because we’ve been looking at it for over two and a half years. We’ve done a tremendous amount of research.”

Kathleen Launius, associate dean of the Office of Student Engagement and Retention, said students should express their concerns or needs regarding the transition to eight-week terms to the Student Government Association.

She said that if students need more access to tutoring, extended campus hours to work on projects or any changes in student services that Student Government Association would advocate for those changes.

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Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Every year families gather and celebrate with food and gifts. While some have it all, there are others who do not have that much. For these less fortunate ones there are organizations to help out and make lives better. Whether you want to donate time, items or money, there’s a way to be charitable during the Christmas season.

— Compiled by Jesus Ayala Reputable organizations

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Melodie Stairs, management major, gets math tutoring from computer science major Luis Pulido. Tutoring services are expected to become more crowded with the approach of finals. Students are advised to get help with their studies ahead of time.

Tutoring services may be harder to find near finals

By ALDAHIR SEGOVIA Graphic Artist @TheEtCetera

With finals approaching, students may find it difficult to get personalized tutoring from oncampus services at the Tutoring Center, director Cindy He said.

While the number of students preparing for final exams increase, more are turning to the center for help, forcing tutors to work with more than one student at a time, she said.

The assistance won’t be as easily accessible either compared to at the beginning of the semester. Students need to find what resources are available to them on and off campus Finals typically vary depending on the subject and professor. For instance, math finals are mostly comprehensive whereas English classes usually have essays as their final exam grade.

Other classes separate the midterm and final by having both exams cover the material taught in each half of the semester. This changes the way you study.

“The writing center helps me out a lot with so little time given to help,” said Lorenzo Perez, a business management major. “The more input I can have on my writing the more I will improve.”

The preparation that is necessary on campus for exams are located in the library whether it’s the library services or tutoring services.

“Teamwork is a big component in life and this is a team that helps our community grow by helping our students succeed in whatever goal they have,” He said.

If the resources aren’t sufficient, the students

Plan it Out Tutoring Hours Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Friday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

can exercise their resources by seeking that information from the service areas at the library entrance.

“When I came to the Tutoring Center I was able to know how to prepare myself better for math exams” said Jesus DeAvila, a biomedical engineering major. “Every time these aneurisms build up from looking at my syllabus, I get my study game on and by the time midterms and finals come up I’m without a worry.”

The stress is not something that can be eliminated, but it can be moderated by allowing time to prepare for exams by studying and memorizing material.

The Tutoring Center is a teaching environment that encourages students to be successful in their studies and life outside of school.

“The percentage of people who go from rocks to diamonds with these resources we provide is about 80 percent,” He said. “Students also have to care to help themselves and not fully rely on us because yes we can teach them everything we know until our faces turn blue, but they have to put in their efforts as well.”

•Child’s Play Charity A video game charity, Child’s Play has been helping children with toy and video game donations. Donations can be made through hospitals’ Amazon wish list or with cash donations. childsplaycharity.org •Toys for Tots Foundation Toys for Tots provides children in need with a new toys to experience the wonders of Christmas. Donations can range from dropping off a toy at their drop off locations, money donations or even a vehicle. toysfortots.org •Salvation Army Tree Angel Angle Tree gives children whose parents are incarcerated a gift and also helps those in prison to rehabilitate themselves through Christianity. Donations can be made online at DFW malls, local churches, organizations and other companies. dfwangeltree.com •Action Against Hunger Action Against Hunger helps battle hunger in 50-plus countries with more than 35 years of first responding to emergencies. Donations include one-time donation, monthly donations, cars or stock. actionagainsthunger.org •Fisher House Fisher House provides military and veteran families homes located in major military bases close to hospitals, free of charge. The foundation also helps military children with scholarships. Donations can be made online. fisherhouse.org Donating your time •The Stewpot Help feed the less fortunate at The Stewpot. The Stewpot operates seven days a week, serving more than 500,000 meals each year. The organization enlists the help of about 1,200 volunteers to accomplish this feat.

TheStewpot.org/volunteer •Texas Scottish Rite Volunteer with one of Texas Scottish Rite Hospital’s 65 different departments, from guiding tours to working in the children’s library. Volunteers are ages 18 and older and must no longer be in high school. tsrhc.org/get-involved/volunteer Religious organizations Local religious organizations like churches often have ways to give during the Christmas season. Contact your local religious congregation and see if they have any opportunities to give, either time or money.

Donations are often needed to help feed families, help make financial ends meet and make sure kids get gifts for Christmas.

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Wednesday, November 29, 2017

PUT IT ON YOUR

Calendar Wed

29

November

SGA silent auction, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., the Pit Recital series: Jazz Ensemble, 12:30 p.m., F-117 Stress Busters: Activities to promote pre-finals stress reduction, 1-3 p.m., C-135 Common book film screening: “The 33,” 10:15 a.m., Pleasant Grove community room and 1 p.m., G-101

Thu

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Stress Busters: Activities to promote pre-finals stress reduction, 11 a.m.1 p.m., the Pit and C-135 SGA silent auction, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., the Pit Fall Dance Concert, 7:30 p.m., Performance Hall

December Fri

1

Stress Busters: Reduce finals stress by being hypnotized, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Performance Hall Popcorn Friday, 11 a.m.1 p.m., the Pit Fall Dance Concert, 7:30 p.m., Performance Hall

Mon

Final exams start

Tue

Winter Pops Concert: choral and vocal performances, 7:30 p.m., F-117

Fri

Eastfield and all DCCCD offices close at 5 p.m. and remain closed through Jan. 2

4 5

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Student Veterans Club of America fundraising, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., the Pit

January

Wed

Last day to register for spring classes that start Jan. 16

Mon

Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, campus closed

Tue

Spring classes begin

10 15 16

ABOUT THE COVER

THE VOLLEYBALL TEAM CELEBRATES THEIR NATIONAL TITLE. PHOTO BY JULIO VEGA.

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The Et Cetera

Connecting with common values

Lecture links miners, students by shared virtues

By JAMES HARTLEY Editor in Chief @JamesHartleyETC

Basic virtues of scholarship, success, person-centeredness, stewardship, innovation, collaboration and diversity all played a role in the successful rescue of 33 Chilean miners trapped underground, according to ambassadors from the Chilean consulate in Dallas.

The ambassadors spoke at Eastfield’s Pleasant Grove campus during a common book event that challenged students to find values that connected them with the characters of the book, “Deep Down Dark.”

“Deep Down Dark,” the common book for the 2017-2018 academic year, tells the true story of 33 miners who were trapped in a Chilean mine from Aug. 4, 2010, to Oct. 13, 2010.

Carolina Selvidge, incoming consul to the consulate, and Horacio Marull, outgoing consul, said the two major themes in the common book are the human condition and the human spirit.

Selvidge said the virtues listed, which she took from Eastfield’s core values list, highlight some important parts of the human spirit.

“With the human condition, there’s a give and take,” Selvidge said.

“We give time to our community. We take the resources we need to survive. In the case of the human spirit, we have a chance to step away from our individuality and maybe find things that we have in common.”

Selvidge said that the human spirit played a large role in the success of the rescue mission, and that Eastfield’s core values embody the human spirit.

By finding a common personality trait with the characters of the book, students can begin to relate to the situations, Selvidge said.

Marull said that the book also

does a good job of placing readers in the setting.

The descriptions of the desert, the mine, the people and feelings were very accurate.

“It happens in this long and narrow country that is the southernmost country in South America,” Marull said. “I am from that area, so I can tell you from firsthand experience what it is like to live in a place like that. … Everything is so very well described in the book.”

Hector Tobar, the author of “Deep Down Dark,” is a journalist and was the only author allowed by the miners to interview and write a book about their experiences and those of the rescue teams and families.

Javier Olguin, director of the Pleasant Grove campus, said he hopes more events and activities like the common book event will come to campus because they are easy for Pleasant Grove students to attend.

“The majority of our students are working adults,” Olguin said. “Most of our students are females with families. I would say a good 70 percent of them. So it’s hard for them to linger on campus after classes.”

Olguin said events like the common book lecture allow professors to incorporate the event with classes so students can get involved.

“I want to be able to incorporate student services, academic services with community outreach, which means that a better way for us to serve our students is to be a part of a larger festival, community oriented approach,” Olguin said.

The common book allows this to happen, he said.

Anatomy of ‘Deep Down Dark’

Collapse that trapped miners for more than 60 days

Phoenix capsule used to rescue the miners

Miners trapped 700 meters down in a 50 square meter space

MANUEL GUAPO/THE ET CETERA

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Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Theater digs into themes from ‘Deep Down Dark’ Far left and above, Joseph Martinez and Deaveyoon Murphy perform in “Northside Hollow” on Nov. 17.

Martinez plays Euegene Pluhardt, a mineworker who gets hurt after an explosion.

Murphy plays Marshall, a first responder who finds Eugene. Throughout the play both characters develop a relationship while stuck under the collapsed mine. Left, Eugene’s former wife, Kath, played by Giavanna Ramos, visits him under the mine and offers him comfort. The performance ties into the common book, “Deep Down Dark.”

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Publisher puts the ‘lit’ back in literature

By MACKS PREWITT Life & Arts Editor @MacksPrewittETC

A slight breeze blows through the open door of the Deep Vellum bookstore. The store is narrow, but the ceiling is tall and the shelves almost reach to the top. Two women sit at the front desk having a conversation over coffee as customers browse the shelves. Soft indie music sets the atmosphere, making it easy to get lost in the mountains of literature.

Will Evans, the founder of Deep Vellum Publishing and its bookstore, walks briskly inside and immediately and almost imperceptibly changes the atmosphere from a lazy Tuesday afternoon to a productive one.

“Why is this right here?” Evans yells playfully. “You can’t see it when it’s sitting right on top of this one.”

Evans stops talking long enough to walk over to a center display table and illustrates his point to Christina Rodriguez, the general manager, for letting a book block the view of another one.

“Well, maybe that’s because someone was looking at that one and set it there,” Rodriguez replies.

Evans walks over to the front desk and talks with his assistant Tanya Wardell. In spite of standing a couple inches shorter than his assistant, Evans’ personality and presence seems to fill the entire bookstore.

Evans is not only a publisher and bookstore owner, but he’s also a literary translator. Originally from North Carolina, Evans said that his interest in translated literature stemmed from one significant moment.

“In ninth grade, I accidently read a Russian novel,” Evans said. “It was for world literature and I had to write a book report on a book not originally written in English, and I thought ‘how am I going to read it if it’s not in English?’ And that was the first introduction I ever had to the concept of translation.”

After reading Maxim Gorky’s “The Life of a Useless Man,” Evans became interested in Russian literature. When he got to college, he decided to take a course on 19th century Russian literature and translation and ultimately changed his degree to Russian culture.

Then Evans was given the opportunity to be the tour manager of his friend’s band and manage the sale of their merchandise. He started working in the music industry booking bands, splitting five years between Los Angeles and Austin.

He later decided to attend graduate school at Duke because it was closer to where his wife was attending law school.

It was at Duke that he translated the Russian novel, “Fardwor Russia.”

During the translation process he became aware of how few books were translated for publication in America.

“In America there are 300,000400,000 books published every year,” Evans said. “And of those less than 3 percent are translated, but that includes everything published like children’s books, cookbooks, new editions of the classics. For new translations of literary works, it’s like 0.1 percent, 300-500 books a year.”

When reading the blog of Chad Post, the man who runs Open Letter Books, another independent publisher whose books Deep Vellum carries, Evans was inspired to start a publishing house and publish translated books.

“My wife got a job offer in Dallas so we moved here and I looked around and there were no literary publishing houses and no independent bookstores selling new books,” he said. “So I started Deep Vellum Publishing as a way to build a literary community around translation.”

Wardell, who has been working with Evans for more than a year, first found out about Deep Vellum and its owner through an article that mentioned the publishing house and immediately she knew she had to be a part of it.

“Will is my idol, I guess,” Wardell said. “He is someone I deeply respect.

He’s done a lot for Dallas, the literary arts community in Dallas and the international community. One of his main drives is making literature accessible to everyone.”

Evans sees the current American publishing scene as a problem that can be fixed through publishing translated literature.

“Of all those books published in the U.S., they’re all American authors

JESUS AYALA/THE ET CETERA

Will Evans, the founder of Deep Vellum Publishing, is also the co-founder of the Dallas production company Cinestate.

and they’re all in English, and it’s a perfect metaphor for the system we have in the U.S. today,” Evans said.

“We are not engaging the rest of the world. We think we are the best and we have no idea what the rest of the world feels about anything. Literature is a way of delving deep into the conditions that effect humanity and it’s a way to artistically render that.”

Evans said translated literature can help readers find a connection with someone from anywhere in the world if only translation was more prominent.

“When you read literature, not only does it develop the capacity for empathy as the reader, but it also teaches you different facts, histories and the way that other people from different parts of the world see reality,” Evans said.

Evans’ goal of creating an interactive community around literature, translation and its authors is being realized. He signs international authors to Deep Vellum Publishing and translates their work through the American Literary Translators Association, a group founded at the University of Texas at Dallas in 1978 that

“

“Literature is a way of delving deep into the conditions that affect humanity and it’s a way to artistically render that.”

— Will Evans Publisher

specializes in literary translations.

He then distributes these translations through Deep Vellum’s bookstore.

“We’ve brought 12 of our authors to Dallas,” Evans said. “Twelve of our 23 authors. We also take them to New York, which is the capitol of the literary world, and then we bring them down here.”

As general manager, Rodriguez has a soft spot for the Deep Vellum titles and for Evans’ passion for the literary world.

“Will is probably one of the best persons I’ve met, ever, in the world,” Rodriguez said. “He’s the best dude.

He’s just very charismatic and makes you care about what he cares about.

He has an energy that definitely tran-

”­

scends to everybody.”

Not only does Evans translate books, sign authors and publish their books, he is also working on starting a book of his own.

“I tried writing, but then I started studying Russian literature and I didn’t think anything I would do could compare to the glory of Russian literature,” Evans said. “Now I’ve got some stories I want to tell so, I’ve started writing for the first time in a long time.”

Charismatic and a little on the talkative side, Evans is carving out a stronghold for translated literature, from which he intends to change perspectives and change the world, and he’s doing it all right here in Dallas.

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The Smooth Operator pie, which pairs sweet chocolate with a salty pretzel crust, is one of Emporium Pie’s signature selections.

Dive into the Emporium for mouthwatering pies

By MACKS PREWITT Life & Arts Editor @MacksPrewittETC

How much would you pay for a slice of delicious heaven?

This is the question I am confronted with every time I find myself standing in front of the cave-like entrance of Emporium Pies’ Deep Ellum location.

The black, blue and red floral mural on the wall and its symmetrical neon sign beckon all to come inside and enjoy some of the best pie you have ever tasted.

Emporium Pies is a boutique dessert shop originally located in the Bishop Arts District of Dallas. There are now also locations in McKinney and Deep Ellum.

The Deep Ellum location is at 2708 Main St., and the McKinney location is located at 107 S Tennessee St. Founded by Megan Wilkes and Mary Sparks in 2012, Emporium sells specialty pies that have attracted a cult-like following.

Despite this reputation, they are still a relatively hidden novelty.

The Deep Ellum location is unknown even among the most knowledgable pie connoisseurs as it has only been open for a year.

The aesthetic of the Emporium in Deep Ellum blends right in to the grunge style of business fronts that mark the historic district.

The muted mural and white seating within the entrance hide a bright and cheery atmosphere on the inside.

Emporium does everything right in terms of food service. They have comfortable seating as well as a polite staff.

Their locations are clean and the atmosphere is lifted to new heights by the soft music that fits the little pie shop perfectly.

Emporium has several pies they serve all year long as well as seasonal specials.

Their all-star year-round cast includes the Lord of The Pies, a deep dish apple pie with a cinnamon crumbled top that is the reason a la mode was created.

The Smooth Operator, a French silk chocolate pie with a pretzel crust, is also an undisputed fan favorite.

At first I was hesitant to give this one a try, but once I did I was hooked.

The combination of sweet and salty makes it irresistible.

Other pies available right now include The Buttercream Gang, The Nannerz, The Drunken Nut, The Nutty Honey and, just in time for the holidays, the Drop Dead Gourdgeous.

They also have specialty pies celebrating certain holidays that aren’t widely seen as “real” holidays.

National Star Wars Day on May 4 is celebrated with a Java the Hutt pie.

Emporium serves coffee from local Dallas coffee shop Cultivar, a top-notch coffee shop, to chase down their amazing pies.

The downside to Emporium is that it is expensive.

One slice of pie is $6 and whole pies range from $30 to $40.

It might seem outrageous to think a single slice of pie carries that type of price tag, but as a fellow broke college student I can say this is worth every penny.

Even coming in and getting a slice to go is worth it.

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

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Well, that just happened...

2017 is almost over, but it’s a bit hard to believe it was real The bumpy ride that is 2017 is winding down.

We’ve had ups – Beyonce had twins – and downs – multiple mass shootings. Mother Nature unleashed her fury with Hurricanes Harvey, Ike, Maria, massive wildfires in California and earthquakes in Mexico (twice), Iran and Italy. A female superhero ruled the summer box office, and “Game of Thrones” retained its death grip on fans.

(If only George would finish the next book!) Alter-

native facts entered our vocabulary, and the Oscars flubbed awarding its biggest prize. Protestors surged into city streets and airports, and women flooded the internet with #metoo. For a few moments in August, we all looked skyward as the moon outshined the sun. Oh, and a new president took office.

Most iconic memes

Here’s a look at some noteworthy things that we witnessed in 2017

Weirdest, craziest and dumbest fake news

• Steven Hawking accused of sexual misconduct No, the wheelchair-bound super scientist was not accused of sexual misconduct.

The weird part: the website that published this story, SitSetDigital, is not known for publishing fake news and the story was not marked as satire, according to Snopes.

• A judge ruled that CNN is fake news CNN has had a few slip ups lately. Like employees secretly recorded admitting that their reporting on a Trump-Russia connection was faulty at best.

Or broadcasting an animation of bump stocks, using an AR-15

fully equipped with a scope, grenade launcher and a suppressor, but no bump stock. But those slip-ups don’t make them fake news. Nor did a judge proclaim them as such.

• FBI raids CDC for data on vaccines and autism on Trump’s orders Vaxers across the country rejoiced when they found out that Trump had ordered the FBI to raid the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to collect data linking vaccines to autism.

But just like the idea that vaccines can cause a child to be on the autism spectrum, this news story was fake.

— Compiled by James Hartley

akeNews

• Gorillaz, “Saturnz Barz” This music video includes the usu acters from the band with an update graphics.

The video starts out with the ters getting to a house they discove haunted.

The graphics in the video are gre although random, there is still a stor

Memorable sports moments •Houston Astros win World Series After Hurricane Harvey devastated many parts of Texas’ largest city, the entire state came together to help the Houston rebuild. To top it off, the impact left by Astros winning baseball’s ultimate series gave the city something to celebrate in the midst of recovery.

•U.S. men’s national team fails to qualify for World Cup Soccer has grown substantially in the U.S. for the past several years.

New teams have joined Major League Soccer in recent years, and more are expected to follow.

Yet all this “growth” failed to help the men’s national team, which finished fifth of six in its qualifying group and missed appearing in Russia next summer.

The team’s absence will reportedly cost FOX some $425 million in TV rights, according to Forbes.

•Super Bowl LI The Atlanta Falcons looked like they were on course to win their first ever Super Bowl, leading 28-3 in the third quarter.

Tom Brady, however, brought New England to victory, producing the largest ever Super Bowl comeback and winning in overtime. The Patriots won their

Best music videos

• Kendrick Lamar, “HUMBLE” This song and video became an hit. It’s one of those few music vide actually deserved the praise for its i ing camera angles and creativity wit Definitely a must-see. fifth title.

Brady won his fourth MVP award. And the “blew a 28-3 lead” memes commenced.

— Compiled by Julio Vega

• Maroon 5 ft. SZA, “What Love This video features artists Adam and SZA traveling through a d world.

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Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Top Trump tweets

• Salt Bae When this man seasoned his meat in the most flamboyant way possible, the world procrastinated for weeks.

It’s hard to tell if we all benefitted from this massive waste of time.

• Blinking guy The age-old adage that actions speak louder than words needs to literally be thrown in the trash.

I mean who even are you if you actually voice your disbelief instead of using this grade-A meme.

• It I’m now scared of storm drains that house clowns who will give me all I’ve ever wanted.

But we were all given a few minutes of chuckling before the existential crisis sunk back in.

— Compiled by Macks Prewitt

• Trump vs CNN, July 2 Tired of CNN’s disrespectful act of reporting on things he does, Donald Trump took control and found a gif.

We open with the CNN logo photoshopped on loser Shane McMahon’s head. Then, out of nowhere, the marvelous golden locks swoop in like a blur and completely nail the clothesline. The only thing that this video lacks is an audio dub of Rachel Maddow stubbing her toe on the side of the bed.

• HUMBLE, Nov. 11 The Obama administration really let Kim Jong UYn get away with way too much.

Not only did he get the nukes that go boom and are bad, but he also has the audacity to disrespect American leader-

ship. He called our Donnie “old.” Trump did the right thing by tweeting what he could’ve said but didn’t say. It’s a really mature move by Donald. But not too mature, you know, because he’s not old.

• That Fateful Night, May 31 The icon, the legend. That night changed my life. No, I’m not talking about election night.

Or that one time I saw Alex Jones play with a fidget spinner for two solid minutes. No, that night, at exactly 12:06 a.m. our highness tweeted that magical word.

I think COVFEFE is actually an acronym that stands for Can’t Overcome Vladimir’s Fantastically Enlarged Forearms, Eleanor. Who’s Eleanor? Who the hell cares?

—Compiled by David Silva

Beauty trends that need a makeover • Bling waterlining Although Instagram has pretty much desensitized me to makeup artists putting weird stuff on or around their eyeballs, I draw the line at “bling waterlining.” This trend began when a makeup artist put a small gold chain along her waterline. Since the trend began, everything from earing backs to safety pins have been used on or around the waterline. Sacrificing one’s eyeballs for an aesthetic feed on Instagram isn’t impressive. It’s crazy and you should get help.

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www.eastfieldnews.com

The creativity and graphic design is spectacular, starting off with a talking deer and hyper-realistic dinosaurs throughout the settings.

— Compiled by Yesenia Alvarado ILLUSTRATIONS BY MANUEL GUAPO/THE ET CETERA

• Horrific eyebrow trends Horrific eyebrow trends include the highly popular wavy brows, braided brows and every Instagram model’s favorite, the humongous block brows. Complete with a strong concealer highlight and framing.

But you know what’s not be-

ing framed? That’s right. It’s your face.

• Contouring with knives, tacos or other weird objects Nothing gets the job done better and faster than a contour brush and the right flick of the wrist. We’re already throwing

countless hours of our lives away getting the perfect winged eyeliner and doing a cut crease. Why make it that much harder for us to get ready because we’re over here using a freaking banana to contour?

— Compiled by Caroline Ceolin

10

LIFE&ARTS

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

www.eastfieldnews.com

Jingle your bells with these holiday activities As stuffed as you are from your Thanksgiving dinner, it’s time to prepare yourself for the next big holiday of the year.

That’s right, it’s Christmas time.

It’s the time of the year to spread love, joy, cheer and to spend time with family and friends.

But are you conflicted with what to do for this holiday year?

Well, there are plenty of things you can do in the Dallas area.

Here are my top five favorite things to do this holiday month.

— Compiled by Bryan Perez

The Et Cetera

Bringing new life to campus

THE

High

➤ Six Flags Over Texas’ Holiday in the

Park Times vary Days vary through Jan. 7 Tickets start at $64 Sixflags.com Holiday in the Park is back for select days beginning Nov. 17 at Six Flags Over Texas.

Light shows and other holiday activities will take part in addition to the amusement park’s usual rides and games.

Winter wonderland has lovely and very cheerful activities that will encourage the holiday spirit. ➤ The 12 Days of Christmas at Night

Featuring 500,000 Lights 6-9 p.m.

Days vary through Dec. 30 Tickets $10-$20 Dallasarboretum.org The 12 Days at Night exhibition opens back up in the evening hours at the Dallas Arboretum’s garden.

With 500,000 lights across the garden and a 30-foot-tall tree, this display is sure to bring warmth to the hearts of many.

Evening tickets must be purchased in advance and are only valid for a specific night, so be sure to plan ahead. ➤ Dallas by Chocolate

6:30-10 p.m.

Nov. 24 through Dec. 30 Tickets start at $43 Dallasbychocolate.com Dallas by Chocolate offers beautiful arrangements of Christmas lights.

Enjoy the spectacle while indulging in hot cocoa and premium chocolates.

The Chocolate and Sips tours start off with visits to top local dessert venues before continuing on to showings of extravagantly decorated neighborhoods.

Tours usually last three to four hours. Other

YESENIA ALVARADO/THE ET CETERA

holiday light tours include a taco and margarita tasting with pizza and chocolate added to the experience.

The tours are held every evening with the exception of Christmas Eve and Christmas. ➤ Enchant Christmas

5-11 p.m.

Nov. 24-Dec. 31 Closed some Mondays and Dec. 24 Tickets start at $21 enchantchristmas.com The Lone Star State is about to get a lot brighter with the opening of Enchant Christmas. Find your way through the world’s largest light maze with your family and friends and help Santa find his missing reindeer.

Then, take a photo in front of the largest Christmas tree in North Texas.

Want to get a little more adventurous? Skate on an outdoor skating pond in Central Park.

You can also explore food trucks and local vendors or sit back with your favorite drink and enjoy live entertainment. ➤ Downtown Wanderland

11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays Nov. 30-Dec. 16 Free events.downtowndallas.com/downtown wanderland The holiday begins in Dallas with Downtown Wanderland.

Explore the season long rotating pop-up shops and enjoy photos with Santa.

Throughout the Christmas season, Downtown Dallas will be stunningly lit with holiday lights and arranged with beautiful décor. The best thing about this event? It’s free.

College officials, including President Jean Conway, plant a tree on Nov. 9 in the Lower Courtyard. The tree was planted in celebration of Arbor Day, an annual tradition. The Arbor Day Foundation has recognized Eastfield as a Tree Campus USA for three straight years.

NOW HIRING

DALLAS FIRE-RESCUE

The Dallas Fire-Rescue Department is hiring Fire Rescue Officer Trainee 1 Apply online at dallascityhall.com and select “Find a Job.” To qualify, you must be from 18 to 35 years old and have 45 semester credit hours with a 2.0 GPA OR have four years of active military service with an “honorable discharge.”

The starting salary range is $47,000-$49,000 a year.

For information, go to www.dallasfirerescue.com or call a recruiter at 1-800-510-FIRE.

LIFE&ARTS

11

The Et Cetera

www.eastfieldnews.com

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

MOVIE REVIEW

‘Disaster’ towers as Franco’s magnum opus

By DAVID SILVA Digital Managing Editor @DavidSilvaETC

In a Hollywood-era, and fall season, in which recreating old subject matter is the only sure way to get asses in theater seats, James Franco and Seth Rogen are likely to turn the holiday movie season on its head by recreating old subject matter with “The Disaster Artist,” a biographical comedy-drama about the making of the best worst movie ever made: Tommy Wiseau’s “The Room.”

You couldn’t have predicted it if you tried.

The thought of pairing Franco and Rogen’s usual low-effort stoner-comedy filmmaking with Wiseau’s incoherent creation seemed like a dream that was destined for failure.

Even in an alternate-dimension, who would have thought the “Pineapple Express” crew would not only plunge headfirst into recreating Wiseau’s infamous persona and succeed, but that they would also have the guts to release it in the middle of “Justice League” and “The Last Jedi?”

The film’s main source of inspiration, aside from “The Room” itself, is “The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Film Ever Made,” a biographical book written

by Wiseau’s friend and supporting actor for “The Room” Greg Sestero, who in the film is played by Franco’s brother Dave.

The film kicks off in the subtlest, yet most unusual, of ways. An array of Hollywood Alisters sit down to speak about their love for “The Room,” with the comments ranging from “It’s super strange and enjoyable” to “It’s a Shakespearean masterpiece that changed the cinematic landscape as well as my life.”

The deliveries in this scene are hilarious and ridiculously blur every line between what is serious and what is comedy, what it means to simply enjoy a terrible movie or to be truly

COURTESY OF A24

“The Disaster Artist,” which tells the almost-unbelievable tale of the worst Hollywood movie ever made, stars James and Dave Franco.

inspired by its audacity.

The balance of the movie’s contrasting elements are carried out consistently throughout the film and undoubtedly becomes its best attribute.

Franco, who produced, directed and stars as Wiseau, insures the film is not only about the sheer lunacy that was filming “The Room,” but that the story is carried by Wiseau and Sestero’s roller coaster of a friendship.

Ultimately, both men were chasing the same seemingly unreachable Hollywood dream.

Both of them seemed to lack what it took to make it big, yet both have an unrelenting passion for cinema.

We relive their persistence time and time again in the first half of the film, from the San Francisco acting workshop they meet in, to their early push into the business when they ar-

rive in Los Angeles, and, after months of rejection, in the decision to make their own movie.

What ensues after is truly a circus.

The movie flaunts skillful filmmaking on most, if not all, fronts. The tight script and close-up shot selection are behind the film’s seamless balance between the ridiculous and the sentimental.

The cinematography is sleek and the editing is generally steady and subtle, both big departures from the typical Franco-Rogen style. They also offer, despite a few slow transitions, a more grounded feel to the film.

These elements keep the Franco brothers’ impeccable chemistry and comedic delivery at the center of attention. Dave portrays a nervous and often sheepish Sestero. As the everyman, we see a journey through ambition and the general goodness he fosters bleed through

the screen, attaching us to him every step of the way.

James’ portrayal of Wiseau may be the farthest the actor has gone outside of his acting range, and he does a remarkable job.

There is a moment or two when his mannerisms are more James Franco than they are Tommy Wiseau, but this is salvaged by his spoton accent.

Surely, we’ll hear Academy Award talk surrounding his performance.

For a movie centering on a catastrophic film set, the cast behind the endlessly frustrated cast and crew of “The Room,” which include the likes of Rogen, Josh Hutcherson, Zac Efron and Hannibal Buress, they seem to have had the time of their lives making this movie. They try to hold everything together despite Wiseau’s antics, the crew is the voice of normality to help measure the director’s volatile absurdity.

This film was my most anticipated of the year, and it does everything a film like this should do. A24 has yet another hit on its hands, one that is sure to please the masses and may even give the relatively young company its second Best Picture nominee in a row.

It makes sense for this film to be creating the splash that it’s making. The movie itself, and its pitch perfect marketing strategy is a breath of fresh air.

It plays into the absurd real-world comedy that Marvel can’t fully tap into. Unlike our binge-worthy TV shows and favorite galactic opera, the film’s joy is in its train-wreck of a main character and its celebration of failure as success.

So grab your spoons and serve yourself a tall glass of Scotchka, because “The Disaster Artist” deserves your attention and all the praise it gets. Also, stay for the post-credit scene.

Everything you need to know to enjoy the worst film ever made With ‘The Disaster Artist’ set to release in December, there’s bound to be a surge of people asking ‘What the hell is ‘The Room?’ ” You might have heard “The Room” is the best worst movie ever made, but you can’t imagine how your refined taste could possibly enjoy something considered to be so bad.

Yet, the dreamy Franco brothers are making a movie about it so you’re going to want to know what the heck is going on.

But how do I watch this movie? Do I watch it with friends? Do I need to be drunk? What’s with the spoons? Consider this the quick guide with the bare essentials you need to have in order to enjoy your very first viewing. ­— Compiled by David Silva

➤ Many Friends

You can’t watch this movie alone without it being a complete bore fest. If you don’t have any friends or if none of your friends have seen “The Room” before, look up local theatres for watch party screenings. There, you’ll be able to enjoy it with a nice mix of people. Most movie parties include props and an easy guide. ➤ Booze

You don’t necessarily need to be drunk to enjoy the film.

Being drunk might even hinder you from taking it all in.

But having a drink or two might help you loosen up and get you in the interactive spirit.

COURTESY OF TPW FILMS

➤ Props

Here are a few props you want to have for the film listed by importance:

Plastic Spoons — This is a must-have. There is a ton of artwork in Johnny’s apartment and nearly all of them have a spoon of some sort.

Is this some type of metaphor? Who cares? Yell “Spoon!” and throw the plastic spoons at the screen or at your friends every time you see one on screen.

Footballs — There are a few scenes in the film that have Johnny terribly throwing a football around with friends. Maybe this was to show that he’s an all-American guy. Either way, have a few footballs around (preferably soft ones or even inflatable ones), and when those scenes happen toss them around.

Scotchka — In the film, the female lead See How to survive, page 16 ➤

Sports The Et Cetera

Nov. 29 Dec. 9 Jan. 3 Jan. 8

Basketball vs. North American University 7 p.m.

Basketball vs. North American University 1 p.m.

Basketball vs. Trinity Valley CC 4 p.m.

Basketball vs. New Mexico JC 2 p.m.

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12

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

‘They let nothing get in their way’

Volleyball team brings home Eastfield’s first women’s national title

By JULIO VEGA Senior Staff Writer @JulioVegaETC

Eastfield led Harper in the fourth set; match point to the Harvesters. Outside hitter Kerstin Fredrickson dug the ball from a Harper serve to setter Kalli Caddell, who set it for outside hitter Keishla Reyes toward the left side of the court.

Reyes said she knew what was about to happen.

“When she set me, I thought, “Let’s go. I’m getting this point,’ ” she said.

Reyes gave the ball a hard hit for the kill. It bounced off the hands of the blockers and out of play, giving the Harvesters their first ever national title. Following the kill, Reyes threw her arms in the air in triumph and joined the rest of the team. Tears poured down every face as everyone jumped, cheered and hugged one another. Middle blocker Payton Costlow said the victory meant everything to the team and they had their sights set higher after last year’s thirdplace finish.

“This year coming into it, we knew it was possible,” she said. “This was our goal all along, and actually achieving that goal is amazing and breathtaking. We knew we could go there. It was just a matter of doing it.”

The Eastfield volleyball team became the first women’s team in school history to claim a national championship. Four of the men’s teams have won titles: basketball in 1997 and baseball in 2001, 2006 and 2011.

Since the first national rankings came out in mid-August, Harper never dropped from the top spot while Eastfield started as No. 3. Over the course of the year, the Harvesters dropped to No. 4 before jumping to No. 2 in the last poll heading into the tournament. “Ever since the first poll came out, since Harper was at first, our entire goal was to beat Harper,” Caddell said.

Players said teamwork and a positive attitude were crucial to getting as far as they did. Reyes said they dealt with many problems throughout the season.

“We faced a lot of adversity, which I think helped us,” she said. “Certain team members giving us issues, people getting hurt and everything that happened truly prepared us for that last game.”

In the National Junior College Athletic Association DIII championship match, Eastfield bested defending champions Harper College of Palatine, Illinois in four sets (25-21, 22-25, 25-21, 25-17).

In the first set, Eastfield took an early lead.

Harper kept the score close and finally took the

JULIO VEGA/THE ET CETERA

The Harvesters celebrate the moment they captured Eastfield’s first women’s sports national title. The Harvesters were undefeated in regular conference play, not dropping a single set until playoffs.

lead 19-18, but the Harvesters reacted by winning six of eight points to take the set.

The second set saw both teams battle through the first half and neither team took more than a two-point advantage.

Harper broke the deadlock by scoring four straight and leading 18-14 and not giving up the lead to win it.

Eastfield responded in the third set by scoring four consecutive points and winning 10 of 15. Harper did close in on the Harvesters’ lead, trailing by one point on three occasions, but Costlow got three straight kills at the end to win the set for Eastfield.

The final set opened up with a long rally that ultimately went in Eastfield’s favor. They held on to the lead and never looked back, winning six of the last nine to close the match.

Coach Brandon Crisp said the feeling was “surreal” but said he finally feels relaxed after the season’s conclusion.

“They let nothing get in their way. They came in as No. 2 seed and took out the No. 1 seed,” he said. “Now that the season’s over with, I can finally take a breath and a sigh of relief that we got it done.”

Setter Naisjah Rivera said it’s a satisfying feeling that “other people at school know and congratulate us for it.”

Costlow said she appreciated how the school stood behind the team, with the Office of Student Engagement and Retention holding a watch party on the first day of the tournament Nov. 11 in the Pit. “It’s just really cool knowing that the whole school supports us,” Costlow said. “Even students and how staff is letting it be known, hanging signs and buying shirts. It’s awesome.”

The team qualified for the national tournament after dominating their conference by winning all their regular season matches, and dropping just two sets in the Metro Athletic Conference tournament.

Once there, they swept an undefeated Jamestown (3-0) in the quarterfinals and Central Lakes (3-0) in the semifinals to advance to the final for the first time in team history.

The team finished the season with a 27-7 record, winning the final 19 matches of the season. In that time, they dropped only three of 60 sets played. They also lead the nation in pointsper-set won with 16.7

“It was a goal that we had set in mind but I never pictured that we could actually do it,” Reyes said about winning the national title.

Reyes was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, racking up 15 kills, 14 digs and two service aces the championship match.

Throughout the tournament, she tallied 33 kills, 22 digs and 16 service aces and finished as the nation’s leader in service aces with 118, 21 more than any other player.

“Without [my teammates] I wouldn’t be the player that I am today,” Reyes said. “The fact that I got it, it’s a pretty cool feeling, that’s for sure.”

Caddell and Costlow were named into the All-Tournament Team. Caddell finished with 100 assists at nationals and had the fourthhighest tally in the nation with 968 assists.

Costlow finished with 30 kills in the tournament and 232 for the season.

“Kalli did a great job running the offense, finding the hitters and keeping our offense running very well,” Crisp said. “I thought Payton was on fire because she did a good job hitting and was strong. I think all of our girls could have been on that team.”

SPORTS

13

The Et Cetera

www.eastfieldnews.com

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

PHOTOS BY JULIO VEGA/THE ET CETERA

Left, coach Brandon Crisp tears up as he addresses his team after their national titlewinning game.

Top right, the team cheers for Crisp as he receives an award for coaching after the

Harvesters claim the national title. Crisp led the team in a perfect regular conference season, not dropping a single set.

Bottom right, the team sits down for a banquet before the tournament began.

of the Tournament award for leading the Eastfield team to national glory.

Sophomores Alyssa Tomlin, Faith Faulkner, Fredrickson and Costlow end their careers at Eastfield with third and first-place finishes at the national tournament.

Crisp said it’s difficult to lose such “phenomenal” players who were vital to the team’s success.

Middle blocker Alex McPherson said with

“When I got hurt that game, I was crying and I just felt like a big failure to the team,” she said. “I felt like I disappointed them. But Payton, Kalli and Faith all came up to me and told me, ‘We’re going to get this one for you.’ Seeing them win without me was one of the biggest pleasures I got all season.”

Caddell and Costlow said the team’s first win was significant to everyone.

“I think it means so much more knowing

the title, the team “leaves a legacy” for years to come. Costlow said the team’s success this year will contribute to success in the future.

“For us as a team to go all the way, it’s a big deal for recruits for the next coming years because they’re gonna know they have to live up to that now,” Costlow said.

Reyes recalled when she was injured in the conference tournament semifinal Oct. 27, she felt the team’s unity.

that we come here just on passion.” Caddell said.

Costlow said that being a junior college athlete only demonstrates their commitment to the team and to the sport.

“We don’t get money [from scholarships] and we weren’t good enough to go DI at a university,” Costlow said. “We’re basically here because we love volleyball. It’s just awesome for that to be so powerful that we went all the way.”

opinion Etera Award-winning member of: • Texas Intercollegiate Press Association • Texas Community College Journalism Association • Associated Collegiate Press • College Media Association

Eastfield College 3737 Motley Drive Mesquite, TX 75150 Phone: 972-860-7130 Email: etc4640@dcccd.edu Editor in Chief James Hartley Digital Managing Editor David Silva Life & Arts Editor Macks Prewitt Design Editor Manuel Guapo Asst. Design Editor Bryan Perez Photo Editors Yesenia Alvarado

Jesus Ayala

Senior Staff Writer Julio Vega Staff Writers Jonathan Aguirre Kathryn Higgins Samuel Farley

Alejandra Pena Caroline Ceolin Karol Kilgore

Senior Staff Photographers Lesley Reyes Photographers Dan Luna Narely Martin

Niels Winter

Graphic Artists Aldahir Segovia Sean Watkins

Jesse Lay

Editorial Assistant Marie Garcia Advertising & Marketing Keturah Hill Publications Adviser Elizabeth Langton Digital Media Adviser Sarah Sheldon 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.

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.

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.

14 www.eastfieldnews.com

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

OUR VIEW

DCCCD commits to free college Education is one of the most notable determining factors in a person’s future success. According to a Pew Research study released in May, 40 percent of employed millennials have a college degree. In order for Dallas County residents to effectively compete in the job market, they must have post-secondary degrees.

Often times, the largest barrier that keeps high school graduates from attaining post-secondary degrees or certificate is money.

The Dallas County Promise program holds the potential to reduce the 17.9 percent poverty rate in Dallas-Fort Worth to unprecedented levels by offering free education to area high school graduates, all without spending one taxpayer dollar.

Influenced by America’s College Promise, which died with the Obama era, and the Tennessee Promise, which has seen positive results, the Dallas County Promise is one of the best chances our area has to educate a vast number of students and residents.

The Promise is a last dollar program, meaning students have to apply for federal and state financial aid, scholarships and any other financial assistance available before being awarded Promise money that draws from donations and investment interest instead of taxes.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 29.1 percent of Dallas County residents age 25 or older held bachelor’s degrees or higher as of 2015.

We believe the Dallas County Community College District’s goal of having 60 percent of residents educated with post-secondary degrees or certificates is a noble one, and that the Dallas County Promise may be the biggest determining factor in the success of that goal.

Everyone should be behind the Promise. An increase in the number of college-educated residents could mean lower unemployment in the Dallas area and a more prosperous economy.

The only major problem that has been raised with the Tennessee Promise, which inspired the Dallas Promise, is that it does not aid nontraditional students working in blue collar fields.

But the DCCCD’s Level Up program addresses that, giving non-traditional students a chance to return to school without worrying about tuition.

By using the DCCCD Foundation’s donations and investment returns to pay for student’s tuition, it can help jumpstart higher numbers in residents who are better prepared to go into the workforce and have a

JESSE LAY/THE ET CETERA

better career for themselves.

With the outstanding academic resources, solid teaching, and the number of degrees offered by the DCCCD, students at participating schools should take advantage of the Dallas Promise.

This program has the potential to allow students to leverage their free education for careers and open up social movement in Dallas, closing the gap between rich and poor.

For this reason, more high schools should be urgently working to secure a place in the program in these upcoming years. Not working to find a way into this program is a disservice to the students.

We applaud the Dallas County Community College District for finding a way to create a free college option without gouging taxpayers or dropping the quality of the education offered at DCCCD colleges.

on the side she just came from.

The problem with syndromes is that they represent patterns that perpetuate themselves to no end. Dr. Jennifer Kunst, a clinical psychologist, wrote in Psychology Today, “Troubles in life come when we believe the myth that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, … feeling that what we have cannot ever be good enough.”

Think about it: No one person has it all — financially, materially, educationally or otherwise. No individual has it all together mentally or emotionally and the list goes on.

We are all works in progress. We are all at varying stages and levels in our human development and even in our accumulation of the accoutre-

ments of workplace success. That’s life.

But when we learn to accept and value who we are and where we are in life and when we learn to appreciate and be grateful for the things we have, we just may find our journey has us standing in greener pastures than we thought.

And as we nurture and cultivate our inner selves, our personal growth can expand our educational, vocational or life horizons.

Kunst calls this a “pivotal spot” in our journey.

“We must bust the myth that we can have someone else’s life,” she wrote. “No. We only have our own.”

— Karol Kilgore is a staff writer and a psychology major

Embrace your life instead of envying others You may have heard of “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence” syndrome. The phrase is used to describe the perception that who we are or what we have is somehow less than or not as good as others.

For example, Laura says, “I’m always stressed out because I’m always so strapped for cash. If only I could have a job like Amanda’s. She drives a great car and I’m sure she never has to worry about gas money.”

To Laura, life is better on Amanda’s side of the fence.

She assumes that Amanda never stresses because she makes enough money to drive a nice car and keep it sufficiently fueled. Laura may never imagine that Amanda’s high-paying

Karol Kilgore @TheEtCetera

job is stressing her out because it demands a lot of her time and energy.

Amanda could be wishing for a less stressful job and a more minimalistic lifestyle like Laura’s.

She may not realize the stress Laura feels when she can’t afford the things she needs. Each may not realize how good she has it until she gets a chance to be on the other side of the fence.

And now the grass looks greener

OPINION

15

The Et Cetera

www.eastfieldnews.com

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Gun control won’t stop criminals from killing After mass shootings in Las Vegas and Sutherland Springs, Texas, America is resuming the national debate on gun control.

Democratic leaders such as Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California have proposed a new assault weapons ban for 2017. I do not support this bill because it is a blatant attempt to violate the Second Amendment by passing too broad of a legislation, which will be ineffective and leave the American people disarmed.

To understand what is being banned, the first thing to ask is what is an assault weapon? Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines an assault weapon as any of various automatic or semiautomatic firearms. In the gun community, it’s not a real term.

So then what does the 2017 ban propose? The ban includes all variants of AK’s and AR’s along with some handguns and shotguns. The ban also includes bump stocks, which act as a modification that allow semi-automatic rifles to fire faster.

The reason why bump stocks are receiving so much attention is

because several of the Las Vegas shooter’s guns had bump stocks on them.

It is important to note that Jill Snyder, a special agent at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, has stated in previous interviews related to the Las Vegas shooting that “Bump stocks simulate automatic fire, but do not actually alter the firearm to fire automatically.”

Yet, Democrats seem fixed to capitalize on these modifications as they push for further gun control.

The main verbal assault coming from the pro-gun control camp is that inaction cannot continue in this country. I agree wholeheartedly that inaction is bad, but I cannot bring myself to support a ban that is simply not going to be effective.

Gun owners know that the bump stock modification can be replicated without an actual bump stock.

I spoke to a local gun clerk who walked me through the process of making a gun fire faster without a bump stock.

He told me that if you know what you’re doing and have the right

Don’t let fear keep you from visiting Israel.

The Middle East is all over the news, and we’re constantly being bombarded with information warning us of how dangerous and unstable the entire area is.

Israel itself has been made to seem like one of the most dangerous places on earth.

A professor who was going with my group as a guide knew many of us might have some fears or our families might be worried.

So, he shared what his thoughts were on the matter by saying, “Israel is dangerous, but it’s as dangerous as any other place you could visit.”

Scott Bridger, the program director of Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry and associate professor of global studies and world religions at Criswell College, lived in the Middle East for 20 years so his word helped ease some of our fears.

Our first destination was Haifa, a city in the north with a population of nearly 300,000.

Once I arrived, every single expectation I had was shattered.

Not only was it beautiful but we all felt extremely safe.

Yes, it feels ancient or poor compared to the U.S., but only on the outside of some buildings.

Their architecture and design is very similar to that of Mexico, except Israelis have a lot more firstworld commodities.

The fear mostly went away the second day, and by the third I had forgotten why I was ever worried.

I quickly realized that the only reason I was afraid was because of what I’d seen on television.

Most of the people there either speak English very well or know some English. Haifa was a blast. Being more influenced by the U.S. than the rest of Israel, it was very liberal.

If you want to visit Israel and still feel like you’re in your backyard, I’d recommend Haifa or Tel-Aviv.

If you asked me if you should visit other cities, that would still be a definite yes.

Nazareth was a lovely little town with a couple of very interesting museums, my favorite being Nazareth Village, which is a recreation of first century Nazareth (biblical times).

I know the place most people want to know about is Jerusalem, and it was amazing.

Samuel Farley @TheEtCetera

gun, you can modify it to fire faster regardless of a bump stock.

Another contributing factor is if a person regularly trains with a firearm, they can increase their reaction time and trigger speed.

The end result is that banning modifications to guns is not a solution. That is why Democrats want to ban these guns out right.

Unfortunately, Feinstein’s plan to ban these guns is not going stop people from committing crimes with guns. What it will do is stop law abiding citizens from owning them. Fully automatic weapons are extremely hard to possess because they’re expensive and require an almost spotless record.

After the 1986 Firearm Owners Protection Act was signed by Ronald Reagan, all automatic firearms made after that date became illegal to the

general public.

Citizens can legally own automatic firearms, but they must predate the 1986 act. The gun must also be sold by a class 3 FFL dealer who is licensed by the ATF to sell these kinds of weapons.

Because these guns are so rare, they are sold at extremely high prices ranging in the thousands of dollars, so gun owners in general don’t own these weapons. The push to ban the AR-15, which is a semiautomatic civilian rifle, is not going to help prevent mass shootings because the weapons that Democrats fear so much are already regulated.

The real question I believe is not if we have enough gun laws, but rather are officials following protocol to keep guns out of the wrong hands?

Devin Kelley was the shooter at the church in Sutherland Springs.

He had a history of domestic violence for which he was courtmartialed during his time in the Air Force. The Air Force failed to follow existing laws when they did not put Kelly into an FBI database.

James Mattis has ordered the Pentagon’s inspector general to investigate how the military is doing with updating data bases on violent offenders in the armed forces.

But rather than focus on these issues, Democrats seem to think that simply prohibiting assault weapons will solve our problem.

The simple truth is that criminals will always find a way to get their hands on weapons.

Broad bans like Feinstein’s are not common sense gun control. It’s simply control.

The way forward for our nation is to create a culture that is educated about guns and active shooter situations. Instead of feeling threatened by guns, people should know how to use them properly to protect themselves and others.

America should refuse the narrative that gun owners are simply raging red necks who want to shoot stuff up. Our Second Amendment is important because it allows people to protect themselves.

— Samuel Farley is a journalism major and a staff writer

So, the Shabbat elevator stops at every floor.

If you’re a tourist, make sure you know which ones are Shabbat because it wouldn’t be good to get on the wrong one and have to wait.

The first people we met there were in Old City, which is the area that holds the market and the famous Wailing Wall.

The Old City is sectioned off into quarters.

There’s the Muslim quarter, the Jewish quarter and a small Christian quarter.

During a tour we took to see the ground level of the Western Wall, the tour guide warned us about going into the Muslim quarter.

Typically, Americans are afraid of entering the “horrifying” Muslim quarter, which is a shame.

What the tour guide said was something to the respect of, “I’d be careful of going in there” to a room full of Americans (and some Canadians). Our professor ignored the guide’s warnings and we went into the Muslim quarter to eat.

The food was delicious and in that quarter we had what I would call a small feast.

The table was laid out with hummus, falafel, Shawarma and Kofta, Everything smelled really good and tasted even better.

I thought I knew what good hummus was until I had it there. When you go, be sure to order the hummus at any restaurant.

Many of the people in the Middle East tend to speak louder and most have no sense of personal space.

It may seem odd at first, but you’ll eventually get used to it.

We visited every quarter in the Old City and shopped from all of them.

Once you accept the cultural differences it becomes an amazing time.

Our professor had friends living there and they invited us over to share a meal after their fasting.

We did things that normal tourists don’t usually get to do.

If you see everyone, even with their differences as people first, you won’t miss out on the full experience. Don’t let the bad you hear about people keep you from visiting an amazing country.

— Dan Luna is an accounting major and a staff photographer

Israel is more beautiful than most people imagine it Dan Luna @TheEtCetera

It’s a beautiful combination between the old and the new, with some Western influence that does not drown out the local ambiance.

Jerusalem is not as liberal as Haifa, which basically means that some sections are divided into religious sections.

But no, if you’re a woman and you wear short sleeves or shorts they won’t spit on you or beat you.

The way the locals see it is, if you aren’t Muslim then you don’t have to follow their customs.

Same with Jews. They won’t get mad if you use a regular elevator instead of the Shabbat elevator.

The Shabbat elevator is one or two elevators in hotels that run the Shabbat way, which is automatically.

On the Sabbath, a practicing Jew is not supposed to work. That includes making fire, such as a spark from pressing the button.

Wrapup The Et Cetera

16 www.eastfieldnews.com

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

How to survive ‘The Room’

Sus Comics By Aldahir Segovia

Continued from page 11 makes the atrocious decision of mixing a tall glass of scotch with a tall glass of vodka. You really don’t have to do this to yourself, but what good is alcohol if you can’t make terrible decisions with it? ➤ Cues

This is perhaps the most interactive part of watching the film. When mistakes or inconsistencies happen throughout the movie, yell out at the screen in response. This is especially hilarious when these things happen over and over again. There are many cues I do not mention below. Hell, there are enough things to yell that you could go the entire movie without taking a breath. Here are some of the best.

“Hi Denny!” — Whenever our boy Denny comes walking through the front door (and he does it a lot) yell out “Hi, Denny!” and the appropriate “Bye, Denny!” There are a lot of times that Denny shows up for only a second or two. When this

happens feel free to say, “You Just Got Here, Denny!”

“Close the Door!” ­— Denny and nearly everyone else who walk in through the front door have a bad habit of not closing the door. At first this seems like an innocent mistake, but once you focus on it, it feels like you’re calling out a federal crime.

“Go! Go! Go!” — There are a couple of panning shots that go across the Golden Gate Bridge that seem to get longer and longer the more they happen. Yelling this helps hype up the anticipation and by the time the last pan happens, it’s pretty much a contest to see which one of your friends can keep going longest.

“Who are you?!” — In another truly artistic turn, halfway through the film, some of the film’s characters are replaced by completely different actors that don’t even look like the original ones from earlier scenes.

There’s even a couple that at some point give the main characters advice without even being introduced. At this point the movie is so ridiculous, it’s just a joy yelling at the screen.

MOVIE REVIEW

‘Coco’ takes your heart of stone then smashes it

By BRYAN PEREZ Assistant Design Editor @BryanPerezETC

Disney-Pixar comes together to produce a visually stunning animation that tells the story of a boy who is restricted from music.

The story is inspired by the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead, commonly called by its Spanish name Dia de los Muertos.

Twelve-year-old Miguel has a passion in his heart that he just can’t part with. On his journey to prove himself, he and his dog, Dante, find themselves in the colorful land of the dead.

The animation in Coco is absolutely extraordinary, the colors are prominent and the details well executed.

The comedic standpoint of the film was actually quite surprising, especially with the smart aleck comments that were made. It also came with a full on roller coaster ride of emotions.

The movie is set in the fictional Mexican village of Santa Cecilia, where Miguel’s family, a long line of shoemakers, is not fond of music or anything music related.

Miguel’s great-great-grandfather left his

family to follow his musical dreams resulting in every generation after banning music within the family.

Despite his family’s feelings towards it, Miguel wants to become a musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz, a well known singersongwriter and film star who died in an unexpected accident. The freak accident had the audience laughing hysterically.

Because of the ban, Miguel isn’t allowed to enjoy music unless it’s in secret. When Miguel attempts to participate in a talent contest using a guitar he hid from his family, his grandmother finds and destroys it, which causes him to run away.

Miguel goes to de la Cruz’s mausoleum to steal his guitar to use in the contest.

While in the mausoleum, Miguel strums the guitar, which causes him to become cursed.

Nobody in the living world can see him except for Dante.

Miguel then runs around the cemetery, where he encounters family members in the afterlife. They agree to help him return to the

CURTESY OF DISNEY-PIXAR

Miguel’s dead relatives help him escape back to the land of the living.

world of the living.

The songs are well done. The catchiest is “Un Poco Loco,” which Miguel sings at a competition in the land of the dead in hopes of meeting Ernesto de la Cruz.

Overall, the fact that Pixar put in so much work to make sure this movie accurately portrayed the Mexican culture makes it that much

better. The characters themselves sure look like they are of Mexican ethnicity.

All in all, this movie was a fantastic look into the Mexican culture and the Dia de los Muertos holiday. It represented the culture well and is an outstanding movie for all ages.

Coco was released in Mexico Oct. 27 and will be released in the U.S. on Nov. 22.