Vol. XXXIV, Issue 15, November 29, 2011 www.richlandchronicle.com

CHRONICLERichland

Kennedyassassination,48yearslaterPage 4 Page 6

Tipsforbuyingbooks

life in one momentPGS 8-9

WWW.TAMU-COMMERCE.EDU 903.886.5000 or 888.868.2682

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Wen, a graduate student in the M.B.A. program, feels that to truly succeed in today’s world, a person needs a lot of

different skills–skills he’s gained at Texas A&M University-Commerce.

From statistics and economics, to finance, marketing and management, Wen is confident the skills he’s learned at A&M-Commerce will be invaluable to him in the future.

One of Wen’s favorite things about the university is the friendly people on campus and in the community. As an international student, he’s especially enjoyed connecting with other students because it has taught him more about himself and his surroundings.

“In the business school, we have Indian students, Chinese students, and American students,” says Wen.

“It’s a good environment to learn about other cultures and prepare for a career in international business.”

Professors like Dr. Steven Shwiff have helped Wen find a deeper appreciation for his class work thanks to real world application.

“After Dr. Shwiff’s class,” Wen said, “I knew how to combine knowledge and theory with reality.”

Looking back on his decision to attend A&M-Commerce, Wen is glad he chose a smaller, regional university noting that he likely would not have received the same one-on-one teaching. He’s confident A&M-Commerce was the perfect choice.

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JENNA RODDYContributing Writer

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Amid the 243-acre sprawl of Richland College lie a number of hidden gems – quiet places where students can escape the daily hustle and bustle of campus life.

They are peaceful getaways, places often overlooked and underutilized because of the sheer vastness of the campus.

One of the best examples is the Horticul-ture Demonstration Gardens, which were designed and built by students more than a quarter-century ago. The gardens were dedicated on April 18, 1986.

Tucked between Sabine and Yegua halls, next to parking lots C and D, the roughly half-acre gardens are enveloped by lush trees and teeming with small creatures such as birds and squirrels. It’s a beautiful place to just sit and observe.

“Most of my classes are big and loud. I need some alone time,” said Colin Roeger, 18, an engineering major who often brings his lunch to the garden between classes on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Roeger said he noticed the area one day af-ter parking in a nearby lot. He said he hasn’t brought his friends to the gardens because they’re in class when he breaks for lunch.

“It’s a good getaway place,” said Roeger. “Everything is blocked out. It’s kind of like you’re hidden away with all the bushes.”

Tall, overhanging trees enclose the garden,

which has numerous winding paths and sev-eral benches scattered throughout.

There are at least 10 benches, including seven wooden ones with carvings from lov-ers past, and three stone seats dotting the pathways. A small fountain surrounded by a multitude of flowers stands in the center.

Nick Knight, 61, a part-time gardener at Richland, said the gardens are an eclectic mix of various holly shrubs, rose beds, live oaks, magnolias and other trees and plants.

Knight has worked mainly on the gardens for about 10 years.

Asked if he sees many people here, he said, “Not as many as I’d like to see visit the garden. I mean, we have regular visitors and some come occasionally. Some people just don’t know it’s here, I think.”

Why this peaceful little area is so often overlooked is puzzling to those who tend to it. But it’s just the type of quiet, secluded area that some students might need to focus and re-charge their batteries.

Those who have discovered it find them-selves making regular treks.

Cameron Edwards and girlfriend June Vu, both 21, said they enjoy the flowers and the squirrels that run amok. They happened upon the area one day after spotting their friends inside. And they’ve been regular visi-tors ever since.

Fadoua Hakimi, 16, Samira Elm, 17, and Abeere Hymore, 16, are all relative newcom-ers to the garden.

They said they’d frequently seen the gar-

dens as they passed by on the way to the parking lots but only recently began to stop and enjoy the scenic, secluded spot.

The lack of noisy distractions -- coupled with the gorgeous, overhanging live oaks -- add a welcomed layer of tranquility to the space, they said.

Hakimi put it plainly: “You’re able to get away.”

Contributing reporters include Angela Lao, Zach Walker and Valencia King.

Gardens provide great escape

Right: a flowery walkway leads to the garden. Below: (1) The fountain is the cen-ter of the garden. (2) An aerial shot shows the size of the garden, the center foun-tain, and benches where students can sit and relax.

Image credit Zach Walker

Image credit Angela Lao

Image credit Zach Walker

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Staff meetings: Monday and Wednesday 2 p.m. in E-020-------

Letter PolicyLetters to the editor may be edited for space. They will be edited for spelling, grammar and malicious or libelous state-ments. Letters must be the work of the writer and must be signed. For identification and verification purposes, letters also must include the writer’s classification (grade level), full name, address and telephone number, although address and telephone number will not be published.

Editorial PolicyThe Chronicle is the official student-produced newspaper of Richland College. Editorials, cartoons, columns and letters are the opinions of individual students and do not neces-sarily reflect the opinions of other individual student writers, editors, advisers or the college administration.

© Richland Chronicle 2011

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Over 150 Texas college journalism awards since 2000

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El Paso Hall, Room E-020, 12800 Abrams Rd. Dallas, 75243Newsroom: 972-238-6079 E-mail: chronicle@dcccd.eduAdvertising: 972-238-6068 E-mail: advertise@dcccd.edu

Fax: 972-238-6037

MEETINGS & POLICIES

COVER AND FONTS

STUDENT MEDIA LEADERS

CONTACT INFORMATION

AWARDS

STUDENT MEDIA STAFF

FALL 2011 ISSUES

STUDENT MEDIA ADVISERS

Cover Page Photo

Certain fonts are provided by the following:http://www.nymfont.com - http://www.bvfonts.com

Rebecca BanksTerry Blend

Mary ChannellAdam CrouchSean Dunbar

Tannia GarciaMary Jane Higginbotham

Benjamin Guthrie

ON THE COVER

Esther ChoErica EdwardsJack Fletcher

David GoodloeTim Jones

August 16August 23August 30September 6September 13September 20September 27 October 4 October 11

Photo credits:

Laura GarseaTBADacota TaylorAdrien MerlissTBATBACarla DavisTBATBATBAJoyce JacksonTBATannia GarciaMary Channell

Julio Nieto

Scott JacksonJohn KosankeJulio NietoDennis Q. LyJoe StumpoPatricia VillacinTimothy Potter

Steve NovielloJames RaglandLarry RatliffMarshall Siegel

October 18October 25November 1November 8November 15November 29December 6December 13

Julio Nieto

Hands of Carmara Burns and Aileen Donahue from the play ‘Waving Goodbye.’

Dealey PlazaTextbooks Julio Nieto

All performances are free to the public on Stage in the Richland CafeteriaConcert Schedule is tentative and subject to change

Symphonic Instrumental Concert 1:Wind Symphony, String Orchestra, Chamber Ensemble

Tues. Oct. 25, 2011, 7:30 p.m.

Richland Guitar EnsembleTues. Nov. 8, 2011, 7:30 p.m.

Richland Jazz Showcase:Jazz Combo, Lab Band, Jazz Singers, & Jazz Ensemble

Tues. Nov. 15 , 2011, 7:30 p.m.

Symphonic Instrumental Concert 2: Wind Symphony, String Orchestra, Chamber Ensembles

Tues. Nov. 22, 2011, 7:30 p.m.

Richland Evening Jazz Ensemble:Directed by Phares Corder

Thurs. Dec. 1, 2011, 7:30 p.m.

Richland Choral Concert: Chorale, Chamber Singers, Gospel Choir

Fri. Dec. 2, 2011, 7:30 p.m.

Student Composer’s Concert: Works composed by students of Dr. Paul Bonneau

Tues. Dec. 6 , 2011, 7:30 p.m.

World Beat Concert: Richland Percussion Group [RPG], Steel Bands & World Drumming Esemble

Thurs. Dec. 8, 2011, 7:30 p.m.

Go to www.richlandcollege.edu/music for latest updates.Call Derrick Logozzo at 972.238.6254 for information.

Richland College Music DepartmentFall 2011 Evening Concert Series

Janet Petri has always made an effort to keep her priorities straight and stay on top of her schoolwork.

While her peers wait until the last minute, fretting over what classes to take for the fol-lowing semester, pre-nursing student Petri usually has her courses prepared in time for the registration period and is rewarded with slots in the classes of the college’s best pro-fessors.

Although Petri’s advanced preparations have benefited her in many ways, they have backfired in one important aspect.

“I wasn’t able to save on my books at all by purchasing them ahead of time online,” Petri said.

The cost of college textbooks is always a thorny issue. Students try their best to use re-sources such as the Internet and used book-stores to keep them from lining up in the college bookstore to purchase an overpriced copy of their required textbooks.

Petri signed up to take an Intro to Psychol-ogy course during Summer I. Once she was registered, she looked up to see what text-book she needed and, like most students on a budget, searched for her textbooks online and used counterparts instead.

“I usually check alternative sources because books purchased online and books that are used are always much cheaper, but I learned that you have to be very, very careful,” Pe-tri said. “My psychology book was $110 at the bookstore and I found it online for $73. However, my professor changed the book at the last minute.”

Petri did not end up saving because not only was she unable to return the book she found online, she still had to purchase a copy of the new required textbook from the book-store.

Even seasoned college students like Petri

Books still a problem for studentsPATRICIA VILLACINStaff Writer

make small errors that result in unpleasant consequences. Although her experience this past summer frustrated her, she said she is now more knowledgeable in the area of book buying and has offered a few tips.

Consult with professorsLack of communication with her profes-

sors before the semester commenced was the main reason Petri ended up spending so much on books. It is important to coordinate with professors by calling or sending them emails asking them to confirm the books posted on the eCon-nect site.

Many books come with online access codes. A sub-stantial num-ber of courses, however, do not require the use of the codes. By asking your professor ahead of time, you could be saving an extra $50 by not purchasing the code.

Search for the right resourcesAlthough she had to pay more than ex-

pected during the summer, Petri says that online and used bookstores are still good re-sources for finding more reasonably priced textbooks.

The online providers she frequents, like Al-ibris and Chegg, have flexible policies. Many online book providers have also started pro-viding rent options for customers.

“Online providers are excellent resources, but you have to familiarize yourself with things like their return policies before making your purchase,” Petri said.

Neebo, one of the largest textbook suppli-ers, also opened a location on Walnut Street near the Richland campus before the fall se-mester began.

“I usually check alternative sources because books pur-chased online and books that are used are always much cheaper, but I learned that you have to be very, very careful.” -Janet Petri

According to its website, Neebo offers “savings of up to 55 percent off the price of new books on every textbook rental and up to 25 percent on every used book purchase.”

Don’t rely too much on eBooksPetri does not use eBooks as an alternative

to hard-copy textbooks. She says she does not like the idea of read-

ing her text on a computer screen and having her subscriptions expire at a certain time.

“At this point, I’m old school,” Petri said. “I really like reading my chapters in bed at night. It’s good to actually have s o m e t h i n g to refer to. I don’t have my computer with me all the time and I don’t have things like iPads. That’s

not to say that I won’t end up using them in the future, but I’m a nursing student and it’s important for me to keep my textbooks for future reference.”

With the fall semester coming to an end, Petri may already be prepared for registra-tion. This time, however, she will make sure to follow her own advice in order to avoid last summer’s mishap.

“It was a lesson learned,” Petri said.Contributing reporters include Chau Nguyen,

Devin Joseph and Mary Chanell.

Students are advised to check multiple sources before purchasing textbooks.Image credit Julio Nieto

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Help for easing pre-exam stress RebeCCA bANkSStaff Writer

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Classes burn the midnight oil

With two weeks left in the Fall 2011 semes-ter, students may have a difficult time manag-ing their time with work, school and personal affairs.

All these factors can contribute to students getting stressed and overwhelmed.

“Everyone has stress. It’s just how we per-ceive and deal with it that can be damaging or, we are getting through it OK,” said Richland counselor Karen Cuttill.

Richland’s Counseling Center offers a free relaxation group. It’s available every Thursday from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in El Paso Hall, Room E-081. The group starts with yoga and then demonstrates other breathing relaxation techniques.

Students unable to attend the yoga session in the afternoon may take a yoga class Thurs-day evenings. The class is free and runs from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Room E-076.

“Physical activity is the best way to relieve stress. Students can go to the meditation room, several gardens, labyrinth and walking path. Although many may not know it, these things are intended to relieve stress,” said Cuttill.

The gym offers a $20 monthly fee for stu-

Midnight classes are taking after-hours learning to a whole new level.

It’s a new trend with community college campuses and it’s one that could eventually arrive at Richland.

According to USA Today, the program started at Bunker Hill Community Col-lege in Boston.

Classes that are offered include psychology and economics. The classes begin at midnight and end about 3 a.m.

The only problem the program faced so far was students who thought they were signing up for a course at noon and were unable to transfer out.

At first, the program may sound ridiculous to students who are tired enough after a long day of work and school. But for many, this is a stress-relieving option.

Multiple jobs take up most of the hours during which conventional classes are of-fered. This leaves many students who have inflexible work schedules left with little or no options for in-person class time.

Online courses are usually the solution to time management issues. But many students argue that online courses are not the best op-tion, and many find themselves more success-ful in lecture classes rather than with those taken online.

Some students are night owls by nature and stay up playing video games and roaming

Facebook through the depths of the night. In this case, midnight classes are a productive option.

“I’m up late most of the time, so I’d hon-estly be all for this,” said Richland student Drew Bramlett.

Others agree that while they wouldn’t sign up for the classes, overall it is a refreshing op-tion for time-strapped students.

“I think this would be a great idea for stu-dents who could function from 12 to 3. How-ever, I am not one of those people,” said psy-chology major Catherine Boynton. “I think it’s great, though, and it’s nice to see that some colleges are accommodating those of us with jobs and a hectic schedule.”

Others, like Richland student Abbey Stryk, said that they wouldn’t be able to succeed at such late hours.

“I would not want to take a midnight class. Even though I would be awake, I don’t be-lieve I would comprehend anything from the class.” Stryk said.

There may be students who are willing to take the courses, but finding a professor will-ing to teach that late may be a challenge.

Currently Richland does not have any plans to offer the midnight courses, but that doesn’t mean learning is unattainable for those with difficult schedules.

“At this time Richland does not have any plans to offer classes that start later than 8:30 p.m.” Donna Walker, associate vice president of enrollment management and Richland Col-legiate High School superintendent said.

“The college has increased the number of

distance learning classes offered each semes-ter. This allows students who need a flexible schedule to continue pursuing their educa-tional goals.”

Although there are no steps being taken now to integrate midnight classes on campus,

LAURA GARSeAeditor-in-Chief

dents. It’s free if a student takes a physical education class.

Students who would like to talk about their stress are able to talk with one of Richland’s certified counselors in E-082. The counsel-ors can help students with techniques to re-lieve stress and better manage their time. The Counseling Center also offers free personal counseling for relationships, anxiety and oth-er concerns that may cause stress.

The Office of Student Life will offer free massages to students Dec. 12-13 from 9 a.m. to noon. The massages will take place in the student lounge.

Cuttill said the best way to handle stress is to take care of one’s self. It is important to get enough rest, nutrition and remember to take time for yourself to have fun.

Editors note: For the night class schedule visit www.richlandchronicle.com

it isn’t impossible for them to be offered one day.

Registration for the 2012 spring semester is now under way, and it is recommended that students register as soon as possible, especial-ly in case of potential schedule conflicts.

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FEATURE

An event that shocked the nationLAURA GARSEAEditor-in-chief

Standing on the grassy knoll, staring at that infamous X, it’s hard not to imagine the shock and chaos that occurred on that spot in Dealey Plaza the day that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

Even for someone who wasn’t born when the horrific event occurred, it stands out as a historic and solemn day.

However, for those who are old enough to remember hearing the news, the Kennedy shooting certainly warrants a “where were you when” moment.

It was 48 years ago, on Nov. 22, 1963, that Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shots that killed President Kennedy as he rode through downtown Dallas.

Thousands of people lined the streets and hundreds stood and witnessed two bullets strike the president, going through the back of his head and his throat.

The film of Kennedy grabbing his throat and Jackie grabbing him and then being

pulled from the car, covered in blood, are shocking images that haunted the nation.

Less than two hours later, after Kennedy was pronounced dead, Vice President Lyn-don B. Johnson was sworn in as the new president.

The media had a large role in breaking the story of the assassination.

Since network television was in its young prime, stations were sometimes too quick to report any news they heard. Many stations made erroneous reports, such as that Jackie Kennedy had been injured.

Others reported that the assassination was a conspiracy while the Warren Commission determined that Oswald acted alone.

Today, tourists from all over the world come to visit Dealey Plaza. Some just to get a picture on the X, others to pay tribute to a president whose death caused U. S. citizens to pause.

To find out more about the assassina-tion, visit the Sixth Floor Museum, 411 Elm Street in Dallas, where photographs, films, tours and interactive programs are offered for visitors.

Visitors to Dealey Plaza take turns standing on the X to get their picture taken where John F. Kennedy was shot.

Images credit Julio Nieto

Shots fired from the corner window of the Sixth Floor Museum killed President John F. Kennedy on the X, bottom left, as he rode through Dealey Plaza on Nov. 22, 1963.

My least favorite track is unquestionably “Kid Nothing And The Never-Ending Na-ked Nightmare.” The tempo and unbefitting screamo inserts make for an awkward sound overall. I can’t decide what this song is trying to be, and I don’t think it can either.

“Papercuts Chronicles II” is a great pur-chase for fans looking to relive the feeling from Gym Class Heroes’ earlier music. But if you’ve only heard radio singles from the album, don’t expect the rest of the songs to follow suit.

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REVIEWS

Image courtesy Fueled By Ramen, Decaydance

Matt King’s (George Clooney) life seems to be falling apart. Things don’t seem to be looking up as his wife is in a coma from a boating accident and she may have been hav-ing an affair.

Without her help Matt isn’t quite sure how to raise his two girls. He even admits to being the “back-up parent.” In the midst of selling his ancestor’s land, King goes to search for his wife’s secret lover.

“The Descendants” is a beautiful movie from co-writer/director Alex-ander Payne. The story is nothing if not compelling as each character comes across as a relatable hu-man being.

You can’t help but feel every little thing that Clooney’s character is going through. Luckily, there’s this perfect blend of comedic genius to go along with this depressing tale.

Clooney’s performance in “The Descen-dants” is obviously nothing short of what you’d expect from him, exceeding expecta-

Gym Class Heroes looks to continue its style of unique hip hop beats with “The Pa-percut Chronicles II,” its latest album.

The band has seen a lot of success in the past few years, evident from the numerous collaborations with other artists in recent works.

This album doesn’t have any real defining features, with its only real mainstream suc-cess single being “Stereo Hearts.” This song is a great piece. Its popularity has caused it to dominate the airwaves recently. If only the rest of the tracks matched this success.

The album does sport a fun element re-peated from the prior album, “The Papercut Chronicles,” with an opening and ending us-ing Microsoft Sam.

However, this idea loses its charm after hearing it a few times. The main content of this album does have some better songs, but it can be hit and miss.

“Life Goes On” is a refreshing track, with a smooth chorus by guest singer Oh Land balancing the rap elements. “The Fighter” is another song like this with upbeat lyrics, pac-ing and chorus.

SCOTT JACKSONStaff Writer

A tale of brillianceTIMOTHY POTTERStaff Writer

‘The Papercut Chronicles II’differs from hit singletions and giving one of the best performanc-

es of his career.How this man gets better every time he’s in

front of a camera, I’ll never know. The man is a master of his craft and “The Descendants” is a showpiece for Clooney’s career.

The child actresses playing King’s two girls are some of the best I’ve ever seen. Shailene

Woodley, who plays the teenage daughter, gives the best portrayal of a teenage girl. She’s just one of those troublemaker teenagers who wants nothing to do with her parents and gives a realistic performance all around. Woodley makes it hard to believe that she was reading lines from a script. I can tell she’s go-ing to be a star one day.

At first glance, this movie doesn’t seem like it’s anything special. Not until you are in the theater witnessing its brilliance will you fully understand how great “The Descen-dants” is. The way these

characters are developed turns this story into an interesting ride.

It’ll make you laugh, it’ll make you cry but most of all, it will make you forget it’s just a piece of fiction.

Images courtesy Fox Searchlight Pictures

Wii Motion Plus takes ‘Skyward Sword’ to new heights

All right “Zelda” fans, another install-ment has come out. The “Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword” gives players full motion control with the Wii Motion Plus that synchronizes each movement exactly with Link, the hero.

In “Skyward Sword,” players finally get to see the past relationship with Link and Zelda at Hyrule when they were childhood friends. Of course something goes terri-bly wrong and the fate of the world is in

MARY CHANNELLGaming Editor

Link’s hands once again. This latest edition is filled with new dungeons, puzzles and enemies.

Ganon is not in this “Zelda” game. Instead you get a creepy sexualized demon named Lord Ghirahim. Also, instead of using a horse or a dog to take players to their destinations, this time they’ll get to use a bird to fly between sky-based envi-ronments!

To find out Link’s distant past and to save the world from an evil entity, you should check out “Legend of Zelda: Sky-ward Sword.” It’s available exclusively in the Wii platform.

Images courtesy IGN.com, Skattertech.com

Preview:

JOYCE JACKSONStaff Writer

Images credit Julio Nieto

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THEATER

Sometimes it takes a devastating event to force us to sample a slice of life.

That’s the case with 17-year-old Lily Blue as she struggled to come to terms with the unexpected death of her father, Jonathan, in Richland’s production of “Waving Good-bye” by Jamie Pachino, which ended its run on Nov. 19.

The play, set in a broken-down loft home in New York City, gave the audience a glimpse of what the teen’s life is like after she lost her father in a mountain-climb-ing accident.

The challenging lead role of 18-year-old photogra-pher Lily went to Aileen Donahue; yet no one would have suspected that it was her first role on a stage.

Donahue was outstanding as the lost teen who clashes with her mother, pours out her feelings to a young male friend and tries to launch her own career as an artist in the pro-cess.

The audience immediately got the mes-sage that “Waving” would be a serious drama from the minute Donahue stepped out on the Arena Theatre stage.

The small theater was perfect for the plot and the somber mood of the characters. Lily stated, “How do you tell the story of a life? In one moment? How do you explain some-one important? Record them so people will know?”

From that moment on, Lily’s answer was

‘Waving Goodbye’ -- a solemnto take photographs to freeze special people and moments in time. That’s what she did throughout the play with a camera, which suggested her upcoming art work.

The art department -- specifically Jennifer Rose, Vicki Mayhan and Jim Stover -- pro-vided some paintings and beautiful red-and-blue forearms and hands and reflected the continuous hand imagery in “Waving.”

While “Waving” centers on Lily, the play weaves in and out of the past and present us-ing flashbacks.

Lily’s sculptor mother, Amanda, is 19 and 37 and her husband, the deceased Jona-

than, is 25 when they marry and 43 when he dies. Amanda made a sculpture of Jonathan’s fore-arms and hands when Lily was 10, which was an im-portant element of the play.

Director Nic McMinn and the drama tech staff created a convenient setup for Jonathan to appear in flashbacks in a number of scenes – he’d just climb down from the top of the loft, interact with the characters and then climb back up to disappear again until the next scene.

As a elusive specter, Christopher Frater as the dead Jonathan didn’t need to have as much spark as a living character. Frater pulled off the gloomy role quite well.

Wearing blue jeans and a plaid shirt, there was no need for him to look anything but real, as Lily remembered him.

Some of the most potent scenes in “Wav-ing” concerned Amanda, played by Alex Drago as she and Lily argued over past events. McMinn could not have chosen any

Christopher Frater (Jonathan Blue) and his wife, Amanda (Alex Drago) disscuss their past life together.

two women with better chemistry for their roles.

Both were petite with light brown, long hair and could have passed for mother and daughter in real life.

Pachino’s plot touches on the mother-daughter conflict with examples of poor par-

enting. At the heart of the conflict is the neurotic

Amanda, who as a mother wasn’t there for Lily when her father fell off a mountain to his death five months earlier. Amanda, who was in Israel, learned two weeks later on the In-ternet that he died. Lily feels very much alone

Carmara Burns (Boggy) and Aileen Donahue (Lily) share a kiss.

“Sometimes I dream my father falls and I can’t catch him. Sometimes my father dies because I’m too insig-nificant to break his fall.” -Lily

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9Christopher Frater (Jonathan Blue) looks on at his daughter Aileen Donahue (Lily).

and resents Amanda for not being there for her. She believes her mother didn’t want her to be born, was fearful that one day Jonathan would die and leave both of them and that she is more interested in her art work and career than she is in her.

As Lily struggled to accept her father’s death, she stated in one scene, “Sometimes I dream my father falls and I can’t catch him. Sometimes my father dies because I’m too insignificant to break his fall.”

Pachino offers a glimmer of hope, though, with two other characters. The first is Perry Marshall, a New York art gallery owner and longtime friend of Amanda’s, and H. Bogsworth Barry, or “Boggy,” an 18-year-old male friend of Lily’s.

Sasha Restrepo plays the enthusiastic Per-ry, who continually gives advice to Amanda and Lily. Perry, who’s overprotective, plays the mediator between mother and daughter. Perry offers Amanda a job selling some of her sculpture.

Since Jonathan didn’t have any life insur-ance, she’s behind in her mortgage and al-most broke. Lily follows suit by also wanting to work in Perry’s art gallery.

Perry encourages Amanda to talk to Lily, who just wants to be noticed and acknowl-edged as a person, since she’s almost an adult.

Carmara Burns plays the comic role of Boggy, which balances out the seriousness of the drama.

As far as romance is concerned, there didn’t seem to be much chemistry between him and Donahue, which is what his charac-ter was working toward.

Burns made the audience laugh, however, with the way he posed ridiculous riddles in certain scenes, such as, “Why were the two blood cells so unhappy? . . . because they loved in vein.”

The final touching scene, prompted by a satellite phone call from Jonathan, again al-lowed Donahue to shine.

Facing the audience in the spotlight, Lily speaks with her father while he is trapped and dying in a crevasse on a mountain. There is no escape. He knows he will freeze to death soon.

Yet Lily pleads with him to try to live, knowing there’s no hope. Anyone who has lost a loved one had to feel her pain.

“Waving Goodbye,” a thought-provoking drama, will be remembered for its teen hero-ine, who longs for significance.

It’s what everyone strives for, but the play captures the innocence of youth and how one young person deals with tragedy.

By the end of the play, Pachino gives the audience the satisfaction of knowing that

Alex Drago (Amanda) and Aileen Donahue (Lily) try to comfort each other over a broken sculpture of Jonathan’s forearms and hands.

Images credit Julio Nieto

Alex Drago (Amanda Blue) reminisces about her hus-band Jonathan in a picture.

slice of art imitating life

Lily has learned how to be without her fa-ther and has improved her relationship with her mother – which shows that if two people

will learn to communicate and work through their problems, they can achieve success.

Carmara Burns (Boggy) and Aileen Donahue (Lily) embrace during an emotional scene.

THEATER

JOYCE JACKSONCopy Editor

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Award-winning scenic designer Randel Wright visited the Richland campus earlier this month.

Wright’s PowerPoint demonstration showed off his best work to aspiring drama students.

Drama Department Chair Andy Long, who attended and took part in the discussion, said Wright has been named the best scenic de-signer in Dallas/Fort Worth and is director of design at the Dallas Children’s Theater.

Wright has made a living in Dallas design-ing theatrical scen-ery and other ap-plications of that craft.

One important element he attri-butes to his suc-cess isn’t what he would call “legiti-mate theater,” but “agenda theater.”

“Agenda theater is a form of enter-tainment that di-minishes the standard definition of live the-ater in favor of the production of work that fits a certain agenda,” Wright said. “Now that might be just pure fluff in amusement park shows. That might be business communica-tion in an industrial show. That might be a religious celebration in a church. These are all forms of entertainment in theater. Agen-da is paramount over the standard definition of theater because it must accomplish the purposes of that agenda.”

There’s a little bit more money and op-portunity in agenda theater, Wright said, and he admits to doing pretty well in it over the years.

Wright informed the audience how Dallas musical theater evolved.

He said the Dallas Summer Musicals began with Charlie Meeker, who managed the Ma-jestic Theater part of Interstate Theaters, a large movie chain across the Midwest.

“I don’t know exactly how, but the idea of this outdoor summer musical at Fair Park in the band shell got started,” Wright said. Meeker agreed to run the musicals.

“Charlie Meeker came up with this idea be-fore anyone else in the country did,” Wright said. “He wanted to get shows on stage here in Dallas quickly, after they opened on Broadway, even if it was two or three years after the show opened in New York.”

Meeker would hire one well-known star, an actor with a marketable name, Wright said, get a few supporting actors from New York and hire the rest locally.

Next came Peter Wolf, a New York de-signer who did the first season.

“Wolf dazzled the audience with this scen-ery,” Wright said. “The summer musicals be-came a huge, huge hit – and very successful

financially because of this formula that Char-lie Meeker put together.”

Wright said eventually Meeker’s formula started evolved and summer musical orga-nizations all across the country copied it because it was a money-making operation. Tours started and soon thereafter, New York started doing the same in the early 1980s.

Wright said that everyone then wanted to work in theater at the Dallas Summer Mu-sicals. Auditions were huge. Hundreds of dancers and singers showed up. It was a big event.

“My main point was that Charlie Meeker and Peter Wolf – they did something that was brand new to this area and to the nation, re-

ally,” Wright said. This was happen-ing at a time when Neiman Marcus was becoming known and oil money was flow-ing into Dallas.

“This environ-ment is what even-tually created this glamorous Texas mystique. It’s big-ger in Texas. It’s

larger than life. It’s more extravagant than you could imagine,” Wright said.

Wright worked with Wolf, learned how he pitched the idea of a concept and finally de-cided to branch out on his own by forming a company identical to Wolf’s.

After a decade, Wright began to see the-atrical plays not as productions but as litera-ture. It was a turning point for him.

“When I saw it [a play] as literature, then I began to be able to have philosophical points of view about the play or maybe psychologi-cal points of view about the characters,” he said.

“Once I was at that level, then I was able to come up with concepts that had some-thing to say about the work that was very notable. From that, I developed what I say today, which is that I try to find notable ex-pressions of literature.”

A few years ago, Wright challenged him-self by taking some creative writing courses.

He recalled how he as a child enjoyed lis-tening to Jane Goodall and her amazing rap-port with chimpanzees.

He met Goodall for an interview, pursued writing about her and eventually discovered that no one had ever written anything about her for the theater.

“I was a scenic designer but somehow or other, I found another way to take that same creative process and channel that into another skill,” Wright said. “I think we can all do that.”

As a result of Wright’s creative efforts, he has continued work on the Goodall project. Long is working with Wright and others on it to workshop a new play in his Acting II and III classes and, at some point in the future, it will be done at Richland, he said.

Creative scenic designer finds success

Image credit Joyce Jackson

Randel Wright (left) and Andy Long compare notes on a PowerPoint demonstration for a discussion on scenic design.

“I was a scenic designer but somehow or other, I found another way to take that same cre-ative process and channel that into another skill.” -Randel Wright

JOE STUMPOColumnist

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A few weeks ago, while working out with my fitness trainer, I heard a song on the radio for the first time this year titled “Pumped Up Kicks” by the American pop group Foster the People.

Granted, I am not much into what the younger-than-40 generation listens to today, but I thought the song had a good beat to it and was the kind of tune people might dance to at a nightclub.

“Pumped Up Kicks” is one of those songs that blends something really familiar with something that’s very modern,” the band’s vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist Mark Fos-ter said in an interview with Billboard maga-zine.

“It’s a song where you could lie on the couch and listen to it or you can get up and dance around the room to it.”

Like the late Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab,” whose opening line, They tried to get me to go to rehab. I said, “no, no, no,” I could not get the lyrics out of my head for a few days after she passed away in July.

I soon found myself singing the chorus lyrics of “Pumped Up Kicks” and I didn’t feel the least bit guilty about it, although I am sure some of you might find the lyrics disturbing. They go like this:

All the other kids with the pumped up kicks

You’d better run, better run, outrun my gun

All the other kids with the pumped up kicks

You’d better run, better run, faster than my bullet

Even as I write this column, I can’t stop singing those lines to myself.

If I had shed any disgust over the song’s lyrics, my reaction would have been the equivalent of that scene in “Easy A” (2010) where, despite calling Natasha Bedingfield’s “A Pocket Full of Sunshine” “the worst song ever!” Olive (Emma Stone) winds up singing it to herself several times one week-end while doing her nails and taking a shower.

When my trainer told me the lyrics from “Pumped Up Kicks” had to do with a mall shooting that happened a while back, my only question was, “Which shooting?” If there was any controversy surrounding this song I know I would have heard about it, much like the controversy that plagued rock artist Marilyn Manson after Eric Harris’ and Dylan Klebold’s killing spree at Columbine High School in April 1999. It was argued that

Manson’s music, along with violent movies, influenced the two shooters.

Trouble is, I couldn’t find much proof while searching the Internet that the lyrics of “Pumped Up Kicks” had any connec-tion to any violence nor did I find it to be about the December 2007 Westroads Mall shooting in Omaha, Neb. where 19-year-old Robert Hawkins killed nine people, including himself.

The only connection I could find with this song is the person’s name mentioned in the lyrics. His plan was to go postal as “Robert.”

‘“Pumped Up Kicks’ is about a kid that basically is losing his mind and is plotting re-venge,” Foster told Spinner UK in a quote on songfacts.com.

“He’s an outcast. I feel like the youth in our culture are becoming more and more isolated. It’s kind of an epidemic. Instead of writing about victims and some tragedy, I wanted to get into the killer’s mind, like Tru-man Capote did in “In Cold Blood.” I love to write about characters. That’s my style. I really like to get inside the heads of other people and try to walk in their shoes.”

I suppose I would have felt differently if the group’s 2011 music video of the song, which boasts 24 million hits on YouTube’s VEVO channel, actually told a four-minute story about a kid plotting revenge. What is shown, however, are clips of the band mem-bers having fun in and out of the recording studio.

The difference between the way I listen to music and what others might do is I listen to songs in hopes of being entertained. I don’t look up the lyrics from various bands to see if they are referencing drug use, sex and vio-lence and then decide whether or not those

What’s wrong with violent lyrics?

songs are appropriate to listen to.Hearing people analyzing a hit song’s sup-

posedly dark lyrics makes me want to repeat the comment that Nick, the cynical drug-dealing character William Hurt played in “The Big Chill” (1983), said to his college buddy Sam (Tom Berenger) while watching a movie.

“You’re so analytical,” Nick says. “Some-times you just have to let art flow over you.”

Songs like “Pumped Up Kicks” don’t nec-essarily influence some disturbed individual to go on a killing spree. Chances are the per-son harboring those thoughts was already screwed up mentally long before he ever heard the lyrics.

To quote one woman’s comment I read on the “Pumped Up Kicks” Facebook page, which has over 11,000 likes on whether or not listening to this song will cause her to go off the deep end one day, she wrote, “I love it! No change in behavior yet.”

Image courtesy collegemagazine.com

Foster the People is an American indie pop band from California. Their hit song “Pumped Up Kicks” has consecutively topped the charts.

Image courtesy Columbia Records

COLUMN

OPINION

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SANDRA CLARKFURHANA BARNEYMEG MILLARContributing Writers

Whether you’re a transition student with dual enrollment, a freshman just out of high school or a more mature student attending college after many years in the “real world,” you are in grave danger of a new epidem-ic; the Freshman 15 or a variant called the Freshman 40!

Yes, with your new sedentary lifestyle of lectures, studying long hours and perhaps no parents watching what you’re eating and no state-mandated standards on what is offered at the school cafeteria, you and your class-mates may suffer from excessive weight gain and other health hazards.

With limited funds, limited time and per-haps limited information about how to eat a well-balanced meal, it is little wonder that students have difficulty making good food choices. But is it impossible to get your de-gree or certificate without sacrificing your waistline or your health?

We spoke with several students in the lunch area about these issues and learned that Richland College actually had a tradi-tional cafeteria at one time. According to Ron Gorman, an art major and older student returning for his fourth degree, “When I first started here in the 1990s they had a tradition-al cafeteria-style cafeteria, where you could go in and get an entrée and it could be pot roast, or meatloaf or vegetable medley, with a wide variety of sauces, and you could plan your own meal.”

What Richland campus offers now is Sub-way and a few food items in the bookstore; mostly candy, granola bars, sodas and juices.

Most students expressed a desire to eat right, but had trouble finding food on cam-pus that was both convenient and nutritious. Business law major Chris Anuwe told us, “Sometimes if it’s more convenient to grab something fast, I’ll grab something fast, but

Is it possible to eat right at Richland?most of the time, for the most part, I like to eat healthy. I tend to eat a lot of nutrient-rich food, diet supplements with minerals and vi-tamins and try to eat organic food.”

Asjad Azam, who’s an undecided major, said that he makes food choices based on taste and nutrition, but, “If something tastes really good but I know it’s bad for me, I try not to eat it.” When asked if he considers the food pyramid when making dietary choices, Azam said, “No, I have all the foods incor-porated into my diet.” He then admitted that he eats only three servings of vegetables daily while the RDA is 4-5 servings.

Several students pointed out that most of what is available in the vending machines and in the bookstore is junk food. Subway offers greasy pizza (and you have to order a whole pizza, not just a slice), cookies and sandwiches on starchy breads. They do sell sliced apples (no longer fresh and partially oxidized), yogurt, fruit juice and tea. A frozen avocado can be purchased, but allow thaw time.

Boredom with the limited lunch options is an-other concern. Sophomore nurs-ing major Elizabeth Bustamonte said, “I’ve been coming here for a while, and eating at Subway every day doesn’t really make me happy. I mean, I’d like to have more varieties of foods, like some universities offer, but I know it’s a community college.” When told that Richland used to have such a cafeteria, she expressed surprise and said she wished they would bring back the full-service cafete-ria.

Surprisingly, we discovered that all of the students we randomly polled actually wanted to eat healthily. Most knew that they should avoid junk food, fast food and sodas and should eat more fruit, vegetables and home-cooked meals. But many didn’t know exactly what or how much they should be eating. That’s understandable, given that the food pyramid changes occasionally.

Where most people go wrong is in not eat-ing enough vegetables and whole grains, fill-ing up on starches or empty calories instead. The food pyramid is a good basic guide, but each person must customize it for them-selves. Religious dietary restrictions, allergies, finances, personal values and genetic ten-dencies need to be taken into consideration. Also, since most foods are grown in mineral and nutrient-depleted soil, it is necessary to be aware of possible nutrient deficiencies.

Nutritionists tell us that meat and dairy consumption should be very limited or eliminated because of health dangers from synthetic hormones, as well as the danger to

your colon and digestive tract caused by the length of time it takes meat to digest. Highly processed foods can also create a weaker di-gestive tract making it harder for the body to process and release toxins.

Researchers point out that more than enough calcium and protein can be obtained from eating plenty of vegetables, especially the dark, green varieties. What everyone seems to agree on is, we need to eat more fresh vegetables and whole grains.

Whatever diet you choose, it should be your conscious choice based on factual in-formation, not on the options the marketing masters at the food counter place in front of you.

The consensus is that breakfast and lunch are the primary problems. While a rare

student or two claimed they eat eggs, toast and juice for breakfast on a daily basis, the overwhelm-ing majority of students we spoke with admitted to eating a single piece of fruit or skipping breakfast entirely.

This is a big mistake. There is a direct correlation between eating a hearty and nutri-

tious breakfast and a high GPA according to the research. Diets deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, like those found in salmon, kiwis, and almonds, have shown in studies to be linked to attention deficit disorder, or ADD, as well as dyslexia and depression. Students who wish to improve their learning skills, as well as memory, need diets complete with omega-3 as well as folic acid that can be found in spinach and orange juice.

Lunch is a challenge that can be overcome with a little planning. Students often resort to the convenience and cost effectiveness of fast food. Over-consumption not only causes an adverse effect on studying, but can also lead to health problems.

Many students pack a good sack lunch from leftovers at home along with fruit and fresh carrots and celery or salad. Depending on your schedule, you might be able to eat a late breakfast of slow-burning proteins (eggs, for instance), which will give you physical and mental energy for five-plus hours so that you can make it home for a late but nutritious lunch. If you do find yourself on campus hungry with nothing to eat, you can go for a granola bar (at the bookstore), some yogurt, an apple or special order some vegetables at Subway.

A poor diet can also be the culprit leading to a weaker immune system. The easy fast food choice for a meal is a quick fix for hun-ger, but a decision that affects the heart. Re-fined carbohydrates and trans and saturated

fat as found in most fast food are the leading causes of inflammation of the heart. Left un-treated, this will lead to heart disease. Select-ing the fast food option for any meal can lead to inadvertent overeating, since most meals come in oversized combos.

Overeating can cause you to be sluggish, which can lead to “revving” up by eating a candy bar from the vending machine. This is not a long-term solution because the candy bar’s sugar will cause a short energy burst, followed by more sluggishness.

Unless you want to spend a fortune on endless candy bars to fuel you and don’t care about the dangers of obesity, you might want to investigate another way to energize your body.

Self-medicating with Red Bull, Adderall and caffeine or gum are not good options, either. Most energy drinks like Red Bull con-tain the same amount of caffeine as a dozen soft drinks and can result in nervousness, anxiety, tremors, rapid heartbeat and, in rare cases, death.

Unless prescribed by a doctor, Adderall is illegal and dangerous because you can easily overdose, and it often has adverse effects. Caffeine has been linked to breast cancer, dehydration and stress. The sugar-free gums are sweetened with Aspartame, which has been proven to damage the brain. Is that re-ally what you want?

Most students want to eat a nutritious, well-balanced diet. It isn’t easy to do on this campus, given the challenges students face. It will take some effort. You will have to want to be healthy badly enough to take a few simple steps to plan ahead and perhaps change your eating habits. The first and most important step, of course, is to make a choice. Will you choose the pleasures of short-term convenience or the pleasure of long-term health?

It’s entirely up to you.

KJ Anderson enjoys breakfast before class.Images credit Sandra Clark

Chris Anuwe eats a vegetable Subway sandwich.

Ron Gorman samples pizza and soda for lunch.