All-Star glitz descends on Houston

SAN JACINTO TIMES
All-Star glitz descends on Houston World
e student publication of the San Jacinto College District
Vol. 23, No. 7
Chris Villegas
Staff Writer
Fashion, fun, and famous people are what come to a city that
hosts the All-Star game. The city
of Houston was chosen to host
the event this year.
Since Houston is known for
having the NASA Space Center
program, the fashion theme of
the weekend was Area 72, created by Nike. Nike made exclusive pairs of shoes for Kobe
Bryant, LeBron James, and
Kevin Durant. Following the
Area 72 theme, each of the
player’s shoes were meant to imitate extra-terrestrials. Along
with the bright shoes that most
players were wearing, Adidas
All-star jerseys complimented
the attire nicely.
Though the players looked
fashionable on and off the court,
it does not necessarily mean that
gave them a boost in their game.
Don’t believe it? Just ask Chris
Bosh who had a rough night
shooting. Before the actual AllStar game that would bring the
event to a close, many were worried how it would play out. The
rookie-sophomore game, ThreePoint Contest, Skills Challenge,
and Dunk Contest were measured as mediocre at best.
When the All-Star game day
arrived it was a whole different
story. There were many celebrities roaming the Toyota center,
spectators didn’t need a NASA
Hubble telescope to spot a star.
San Jac alumnus, Ronald Perez,
who attended the game said,
“Everyone in the building was
hyped up. It is not everyday you
get to see athletes, actors, and
singers at once. The atmosphere
was just insane.”
The game was indeed insane,
considering the dunks, shooting,
and nifty ball handling was better in the game than in the events
and contests meant to showcase
those skills.
For what it is worth, both the
East and West were actually
competing till the final minute of
play. Even future Hall of Famer
Kobe Bryant, known as the
Black Mamba, struck LeBron
James with his hard lock-down
defense to seal the win for the
West.
All things come to an end, and
Houston can look back at the
weekend as being a meaningful
moment for the city.
After all, the city held Michael
Jordan’s 50th birthday, maxed
out the capacity of the galleria,
and hosted many celebrity parties. Until the next time Houston
hosts another All-Star weekend,
Houstonians can spectate their
own All-Star, James Harden, as
he helps the Rockets make a
push for the playoffs.
News
Briefs
Pope Benedict Resigns
Pope Benedict XVI announced in a Vatican city hall
Feb. 11, he could not lead his
Roman Catholic believers any
longer. The Pope greeted
catholic masses for the last
time in St. Peter’s Square
Wednesday Feb. 27 before officially resigning.
US Supports Syrian Rebels
With the rise of the Arab
Spring protests in March 2011,
civil war in Syria still continues. The U.N. has placed the
death toll at 70,000 and urged
the U.N. Security Council to
take action. U.S. Secretary of
State John Kerry announced
Feb. 25 the U.S. would support
the Syrian rebels and a speedy
departure of President Bashar
Al-Assad.
Photo Courtesy of Ronald Perez
Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, Kobe Bryant, James Harden, and Dwight Howard discuss strategy at
the Toyota Center during the All Star Game.
Former student, professor face off at God debate
Rebeca Valdez
Staff Writer
Passion is what drove Professor Steven
Pena and Pastor Eric Hernandez to engage in a public debate. The crowd
flooded in on Feb.15 at Christian Temple
(CT) Church to hear them go head-tohead about the never-ending question, “Is
there a God?”
March 4, 2013
Professor Pena defended his beliefs
about Atheism while Pastor Hernandez
supported his beliefs regarding Christianity.
Interestingly enough, not only is Pastor
Hernandez a former student of Professor
Pena’s, but this was not the first time the
two have gone against each other.
They’ve debated several times. A member of CT Church heard them at a previous debate and invited them to speak at
the church.
The debate, moderated by Pastor Darold
DeHart, started with a brief introduction
of the two speakers. Professor Pena is a
Philosophy teacher at San Jacinto College
and author of Homo Logicus: Introduction, Inquiry, and Reflection in the Art of
Right Reasoning.
Pastor Hernandez is the Young Adults
Pastor at Fe y Poder South Houston
Church.
DeHart gave them questions centered
around whether there is a God or not.
Each debater was given a few minutes to
answer each of the questions by laying
out facts, evidence, and reasoning.
There was a short intermission allowing
the speakers some time to gather their
thoughts. During that time, audience
members could text questions they would
like Pena and Hernandez to answer.
See God on Page 4.
SJC closes Black History Month with celebrated readings
Nuclear Talks Fizzle
Six world powers - France,
Germany, the United States,
China, Russia and Britain –
gathered Feb. 26 and 27 in Almaty, Kazakhstan in an attempt to resolve concerns over
Iran’s nuclear program. They
said sanctions would be lifted
if Iran cut back on nuclear research. Although no final
agreement was reached, Iran
and the six powers agreed to
meet in Istanbul, Turkey next
month and resume negotiations in Kazakhstan April 5. Israel has hinted that they would
attack Iran’s nuclear sites if
diplomacy and sanctions do
not stop their continued enrichment of uranium.
Chavez Returns to Venezuela
President Chavez announced
Feb. 11 his return to Venezuela
from Cuba, where he was
being treated for cancer for
more than 2 months. A new
Venezuelan president may be
inevitable if Chavez’s health
declines. In his absence,
Venezuelan currency has depreciated, affecting the global
market. The Venezuelan government said Chavez was to
undergo unspecified medical
treatments at the military hospital in Caracas. Since his return, he has not made any
public appearances, reinforcing speculation that he may
step down and make way for a
new president.
Meteor Strikes Earth
An unexpected fireball hit
the
Russian
city
of
Chelyabinsk Feb. 15. Reports
say about 1500 people were injured and damages are estimated at $33 million.
Scientists say that fragments
from the meteor could be
worth thousands of dollars.
Annette Moore San Jacinto Times
Crossroads to Equality was the culmination of a month-long series of events at San Jacinto College paying tribute to Black History month. The program and luncheon, hosted on Central campus Feb. 27, highlighted the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington
by featuring readings of the work of African-American writers. In addition to recitations of Maya Angelou, Eloise Greenfield, and President Barack Obama, author
and lecturer Dr. Annette Williams served as keynote speaker.
Protesters storm DC
An estimated 40,000 demonstrators gathered on Feb. 17 in
Washington D.C. to protest the
Keystone XL pipeline. It was
described as the largest climate
rally in US history.
— Briefs compiled from
multiple media sources
San Jacinto Times
March 4, 2013
Opinion/Commentary
Page 2
Minx Thinks: New York Police Department implicated in racist crime...again
Asher Minx
Department Editor
Aggregate reporting suggests a
deep-seeded fear of Muslims in the
New York Police Department, and a
history of illegal actions taken as a result.
Like all police departments, New
York’s lawmen have certain rules
they must abide by during investigations. It's a common sense, by-thenumbers sort of checklist – must be
based on reasonable suspicion, end
after a certain period of time, be subject to oversight, etcetera. It is difficult to imagine any scenario where a
reasonable department would throw
law and procedure to the wind, and if
they did, one would at least hope it
was to meet some unprecedented
challenge.
Then they would read the actual
story, sigh, and say "Man, **** the
NYPD."
Ever skirting public trust on the
heels of stop-and-frisk policies and
violence against protesters, the
NYPD are now facing a lawsuit put
forth by Civil Rights lawyers for illegally spying on Muslims. Across the
Northeast of the United States, young
followers of Islam were themselves
followed to restaurants, pubs, and
even whitewater rafting trips by a department within the NYPD’s framework called the Zone Assessment
Unit (formerly named the “Demographics Unit”).
According to an investigation published by the Associated Press, the
NYPD have secretly monitored student groups and mosques over a period of years, along with sending
undercover officers to surveil neighborhoods based on their ethnicity and
create a "human mapping program."
Complainants say the spying has created a climate of fear among local
Muslims, who now worry about an
increase in scrutiny and mistrust from
their peers as a result of the department’s practices.
“The fear is that, if at any point, you
come into contact, whether intentional or not, with someone who later
becomes a criminal, or later becomes
a suspect or terrorist, that taint can
never be scrubbed off,” Elizabeth
Dann, a law student at New York
University said.
The lawsuit began life one year ago.
Though rarely acknowledged, the
spying program has occasionally reentered the public consciousness to
familiar outrage. The NYPD and
Mayor Michael Bloomberg have defended the Zone Assessment Unit as
a necessity to public safety, citing
past bombings in Britain by Muslim
students. They also feel any harm allegedly caused by the initiative was
in actuality the result of the Associated Press disclosing their actions. In
a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, the
city said:
“This Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction because plaintiffs allegations of injury are based upon fears
and speculation neither of which satisfy the injury required for standing
(point III). In addition all of plaintiffs’ alleged injuries arose only after
the Associated Press released confidential NYPD documents and it is
that disclosure that has resulted in
plaintiffs’ alleged stigmatization.”
The latter part of this argument is essentially that questionable actions by
the NYPD, including targeted surveillance without suspicion and invasion of privacy, should remain
If the shoe fits: college tuition
hike sparks “sweet” deals
people can call it whatever they want. The idea
of having a “Sugar Daddy” isn’t really so bad.
SeekingArrangement.com is very blunt on
the subject. The people involved in these relationships are well aware of each other’s expectations and boundaries going in. They
encourage brutal honesty and argue that such
honesty can, in some cases, lead to true love.
The stigma of such a lifestyle comes from
Caty Christy
the obvious assumption that sex is the only facDepartment Editor
tor in the relationship. From what we see on
TV and in movies it just looks like a dead relaCollege is starting to get a lot more expen- tionship where sex is exchanged for money or
sive. As a result, students apply for Financial gifts or pampering. I won't tell you that kind of
Aid to help cover some
thing doesn't happen, beof the tuition costs, and
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when that’s not enough
according to some of the
you’re stuck up to your
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and beneficial. Some
Some ambitious colusers have said that their
lege coeds have taken to
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somewhat of a mentor.
Lifestyle” to pay their
All mushy feelings
tuition. The popularity
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of this lifestyle is growsimple: the "Sugar Baby
ing rapidly, with schools
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such as University of
For many students finanTexas Austin, Texas
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lington making the list
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Bill Hogan/Chicago Tribune/MCT
ment.com, the world’s
each person gives as
largest Sugar Daddy website, calls it “mutually much as they receive. It's equality at its finest.
beneficial dating,” describing the relationship And if your education just happens to be comas one where gifts or pampering is exchanged pletely paid for as a result then you're not doing
for friendship or companionship. Honestly, so bad.
classified for the general welfare of
the minorities whose rights they are
violating. Accepting this logic for argument’s sake, the department is still
defending its long-observed pattern
of guilt by association along socioeconomic lines. If you’re brown,
poor, Muslim, it is supposedly your
responsibility to convince officers
you’re not the same as someone else
who committed a felony 3 years ago,
a thousand miles away.
Among those critical of the program
is New Jersey Governor Chris
Christie, who in 2012 made a public
complaint regarding both their secrecy and the expansiveness of their
operations. “I know they think their
jurisdiction is the world. Their jurisdiction is New York City.”
If justice is blind, we will find that
practicing a common religion does
not in fact qualify you as reasonably
suspicious, and that the law cannot be
discarded by the same people who
enforce it.
Artwork by Chris Gaviria
8-10 percenters cause discomfort
for dedicated gym goers
Monica Davila
Department Editor
They start going to the gym as
part of either a New Year’s resolution; they’re trying to shape
up for a beach ready body. They
show up from Jan. 1 to around
spring break, they’re known as
the 8-10 percenters.
8-10 percenters are those who
choose to work out 8-10 percent
of the year.
The problem is there are so
many people at once that the
gyms get crowded. It is good
for business and good they are
attempting to be healthy, but in
reality it’s a stressful burden.
Imagine a bunch of people
packed into a workout class like
a bag of marshmallows. They
slow down the class and take up
room that the people who workout year-round use to get a
more intense workout.
At weight machines the newbies just sit there texting or talking on their phone. The cardio
machines break down more be-
cause of constant use.
Most newbies like going to the
gym after work, so avoid going
between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. Try
working out at home, outside,
or at a more obscure gym.
The San Jacinto College gyms
are less popular than places
such as 24-Hour Fitness; although, they also have their
high capacity times and it is unpredictable when they are going
to be packed.
It is free if you are a student or
faculty member at San Jacinto.
It's much less distracting when
trying to study and workout.
Working out in general is not
a bad option, but attempt to do
it throughout the year and not
just for a few weeks.
CORRECTION:
An article from the last issue about forthcoming changes to the Core Curriculum
included a statement that was printed in error. The statement appeared, “Attempts to get in contact with members of the Athletic Department went unanswered.” It should have appeared, “A member of the Physical Education department was contacted for this story but declined to comment on the new course requirements.”
San Jacinto
Times
San Jacinto College
Student Publications
ADVISER
Hellen Papadacos
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Sara Quintana
ADVERTISING
Sara Quintana
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Leif Hayman
DEPARTMENT EDITORS
Caty Christy
Monica Davila
Asher Minx
Chris Villegas
PAGE DESIGNERS
Sara Quintana
Christopher Shelton
CIRCULATION MANAGER
Christian O’Connor
STAFF WRITERS
Flor Barrero
Amanda Beard
Jonathan Chapa
Naama Gouti
Keili Harrison
Jeannette Jimenez
Jason McNeely
Alex Moore
Annette Moore
Joseph Payne
Vanessa Piña
Aaron Preston
Angelica Rodriguez
Christopher Rodriguez
Rebeca Valdez
Elton Wilson
Overcrowded gyms make for unpleasant work-out experience.
The San Jacinto Times is published
five times a semester by the journalism
students at San Jacinto College Central,
8060 Spencer Highway, Pasadena, TX
77505.
Opinions expressed herein are those of
the writer and not necessarily those of
the staff, its adviser, the administration
or the Board of Regents.
The Times encourages letters to the
editor. Letters must be in good taste, accurate, free from libel, malice or personal
controversy. Letters must be limited to
200 words in length. Letters submitted
Mark Boster Los Angeles Times/MCT
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San Jacinto Times
March 4, 2013
Page 3
Lifestyle & Entertainment
Viral sensation shakes San Jacinto College
Naama Gouti San Jacinto Times
“¡Con los terroristas!” A scene of anarchy, innuendo, and interpretive dance erupted in the gym at San Jac Central Feb. 27 as cosmetology students, firefighter trainees, and even Scooby Doo took part in San
Jac’s version of Baauer’s new sensation, The Harlem Shake. The video was shot on each campus. It gave Scylla Lopez, social media coordinator, and Hollie Fulsom, event planner, the opportunity to
capture the diversity of the San Jacinto College students on all three campuses.
Musical inspiration abounds at South campus
Jonathan Chapa
Staff Writer
Music influences the lives of
both students and faculty at San
Jacinto College South.
Examining the way music influences people’s lives is a way
to see how it inspires them.
“I am a true Romantic Period
person. I love the songs of Schubert and Schumann, the Choral
Works of Mendelssohn and the
awesome
symphonies
of
Brahms and Mahler,” Professor
Jana Rader, a Music professor at
San Jac South, said. “On the
other hand I love Christian
music and I like some Country
Western and Blues music.”
Both her parents and the
schools she attended nurtured
Professor Rader’s interest in
music. She ended up making it
her life’s vocation.
Music student Michael Kyle
Hoskins said music has influenced his life ever since he was
a child and wanted to perform in
front of people. He feels the
most appealing part of music is
the emotion people feel when a
piece of music is finished.
“What are you playing and how
are you playing it; but ‘the why’
which comes after the music
stops, is the most important part
in my opinion.” Hoskins said.
“And whatever people experience because of your music is
what’s the most important”
According to Professor Rader,
the music of Brahms sooths her,
while Mahler inspires her.
“The Beetles make me nostalgic and Whitney makes me sad.
Music appeals to each person in
a different way”, Professor
Rader said.
Similarly to Hoskins, Professor
Rader reflected on the effect of
music after it stops playing.
“I have been thinking about
that for days. I believe you carry
it with you forever, the good and
the bad,” Professor Rader said.
“I think it lives on in the memory like an old friend. I can recall time about 10 years ago
when I was filling up my car at
a gas station. The car next to me
had Eminem playing ‘I Can’t Be
Your Superman’. It was one of
the most vulgar songs I have
ever heard, but I cannot forget
it.”
Professor Rader’s fondness for
various musical genres doesn’t
extend to modern pop. “I am not
terribly impressed with most of
the music today. If you hear a
new song on the radio and you
Jonathan Chapa San Jacinto Times
San Jac students passionately practice performance music.
like it, you can bet you are going
to hear it a hundred times before
the day is over, when, at last,
you will hate it,” she said.
San Jac’s Fashion Icon Contest:
Cycle Two Winners
Christa Mayfield
Major: Music
South Campus
“I find comfort in my
style. I feel awkward in
boring clothes.”
Lincoln Hilton
Major: Business
South Campus
“For me, style has
been wearing what
makes me feel good,
and the clothes I wear
are first and foremost,
comfortable.
Photo Credit: Naama Gouti San Jacinto Times
March 4, 2013
More News & From the Cover
San Jacinto Times
Page 4
Adderall: 6.4% of
college students abusing
Amanda Beard
Staff Writer
MCT Campus
North offers free HIV testing to students,
highlights importance of early detection
HIV screenings similar to this were administered as part of a larger informational campaign.
Aaron Preston
Staff Writer
HIV screenings were a part
of a larger initiative to educate
students Feb. 12 at North
Campus, about the risks they
face living in the Houston
area.
The goal of the event was to
let students know their status,
and offer additional information regarding the issue of
Houston ranking eighth nationally in the number of HIV
cases reported annually.
“We wanted to show students the importance of getting tested and knowing their
status,” Joshua Henderson,
Administrative Assistant to
the Director of Student Life at
North Campus, said.
Students receiving the test
see the opportunity to be
tested as a way for students to
stay healthy.
“I think it's a good way to get
people that are sexually active
tested,” sophomore Orlando
Pettieway said. “It’s just a
way to be sure. My professor
made his pharmacy classes
take the test.”
Though students are given
the resource for free, a quarter
of all people living with the
disease remain unaware.
“It’s really sad that in such a
robust area we have such a
looming statistic,” former student Jennifer Woods said.
“These tests are really helpful
for a lot of sexually active students, and them being free really helps the epidemic;
especially with students who
live in Houston, because they
seem to have a larger risk factor.”
The ability to be tested on
campus is seen as a great idea
by some students, but for others, the thought of being
tested at school is overwhelming.
“It’s a great idea, but it
would be awkward to be
tested here at school in a public place where other students
can see you,” freshman Halie
Harrelson said.
“It’s a little much for a
school to offer screenings on
campus.”
Though nearly 8,000 students attend North Campus,
less than 30 students participated in the event.
“Even though such a small
number of students came, it
was an excellent turn out,”
Henderson said. “We had 20
students come to the doors immediately, which is a large
number for HIV screening.”
According to the flyer advertising the event, 1 in 90 Houstonians live with HIV. A
quarter of Houstonians who
have the disease do not know
they are infected. There are 61
clinics in the Houston area
listed as HIV testing sites.
The pressure to get good
grades and succeed leads some
students toward prescription
medications in order to keep
focus. Students tempted by a
capsule providing crystal clear,
tunnel-like vision, unobstructed
by
wandering
thoughts and daydreams, surrender to relying on a pill for
concentration.
ADHD, or attention deficit
hyperactive disorder, is characterized by the inability to pay
attention, hyperactivity, and
impulsive actions.
According to Kristin Jenkins,
from the Brynmar College student blog, “this disorder has
become a popular diagnosis for
students who claim that they
are unable to concentrate or
focus on their studies.”
American dream in mind that
working hard will reap success, students strive to do well
in a new age of international
competition. High hopes to
graduate from top universities,
to impress future bosses with a
stellar resume, while working
and maintaining a social life,
accumulates enough stress for
6.4 percent of college students
to become unprescribed users
of Adderall according to the
National Survey on Drug Use
and Health taken in April 2009.
“So many distractions and so
many pleasures” says an unprescribed San Jac student
user, who wished to remain
anonymous, coming from the
outside world that takes away
the attention needed to focus
on schoolwork. “Sometimes I
feel like I’m reading a sentence
and when I get to the end I
don’t even know what I just
read, so yeah, I’ll probably get
tested soon (for ADHD).”
Adderall’s presence on college campuses has made it socially acceptable and when
faced with the opportunity to
take a pill specifically made for
enhancing studies, 6.4 percent
of students comply. The availability of Adderall on campuses is much like the free
floating nature of pollen in the
spring, swapping from hand to
hand until it takes root and begins to flourish. After taking
root, the pill allows a student to
stay awake for hours with increased concentration.
Even though Adderall’s benefits are alluring to an overwhelmed student that is
pressed for time, the side effects are not worth the health
risks. Agreeing, prescribed
user since the age of 7, Clayton
Brown, says he “wouldn’t recommend it to a friend because
you can get addicted and lose
weight.”
Regardless of the side effects,
students continue to use
Adderall unprescribed.
After continuous unprescribed use for studies, another
San Jac student who wished to
remain anonymous recognizes
both positive and negative attributes. “Adderall is a doubleedged sword, because it’s all
downhill after the initial high.
And after a certain number of
times taking it, you start to feel
an emotional numbness,” the
source said.
Pirates face new sharing penalties
Leif Hayman
Editor-in-chief
In an attempt to rein in Internet piracy, opponents of
illegal file sharing and
American Internet service
providers formed the Center for Copyright Information (CCI).
The new Copyright Alert
System (CAS) allows content owners who identify
unauthorized peer-to-peer
file sharing to send the evidence to service providers.
Once an Internet service
provider receives a complaint from a content owner
they will send a maximum
of six warnings to the accounts owner. If file sharing
continues on the account,
the Internet provider will
begin manually slowing the
user’s Internet speeds or
redirecting their homepage.
The user must then contact
their service provider or enroll in a “copyright education program” before their
service is fully restored.
The program went into effect on Feb. 25.
Since the rise of Napster,
the Recording Industry Association of America and
the Motion Picture Association of America tried
many different tactics to
stop piracy permanently.
Changes to legislation and
legal actions have not been
effective. Pirates always
God
Continued from Page 1
Pena argued that fear was a
reason he doesn’t believe there
is a God.
“At the bottom of it all, at the
bottom of supernaturalism, at
the bottom of religion, at the
bottom of karma, at the bottom of rubbing rabbit’s feet,
believing in leprechauns, and
seem to circumvent any
new impediments.
Until the CAS, copyright
owners’ only option was to
file a lawsuit against violators. In 2007, the Recording
Industry Association of
America filed a lawsuit
against a woman who allegedly downloaded 24
songs. If bought on a service like iTunes, the 24
songs would have cost
about $24. The lawsuit is
seeking $222,000 in damages and is awaiting
Supreme Court review.
“Our goal is to alleviate
confusion and help Internet
users find legal ways to
enjoy the digital content
they love,” the CCI said.
A recent study from the
American Assembly, a
group affiliated with Columbia University, found
that peer-to-peer users purchase about 30% more digital music than their
non-peer-to-peer counterparts.
The monetary loss to the
music industry has increased in the last few
years. According to data
collected by the Guardian,
this can be described by a
shift in consumer demand.
While music profits have
dropped, video game profits have nearly quadrupled.
Between 1999 and 2008,
spending on games, music,
DVDs, and rentals com-
bined almost doubled.
Veteran Internet pirates
are prepared for the new
program. BitTorrent users
simply need to route their
traffic through one of the
many proxy services to stay
hidden.
elves, and tooth fairies, and Jesuses and Allahs and all of it,
is fear. Fear is the oxygen of
religion,” Pena said.
As a counterpoint, Hernandez argued, “I would say perfect love casts out all fear. He
is trying to imply that the reason I believe in God is because I’m afraid, but I can say
the same thing about him. He
is an Atheist because he fears
of a God that will judge him
one day and that will hold him
accountable of everything he
does.”
Hernandez used morality as
one of the reasons he believes
there is a God.
“I would definitely say
morality is grounded only in
God. I’m not saying an Atheist
cannot be moral. I’m saying
without God, there is no basis
for morality,” Hernandez said.
In his closing statement,
Pena said, “There was a very
intelligent man a long time
ago who said this, and I guess
this is a summary of what I believe, he said, ‘a single kind
act that touches somebody’s
heart is worth a thousand
heads bowed in prayer all day.’
I believe that.”
Members of Hernandez’s
church and Pena’s students
both attended the debate.
Over 400 people showed up
to the event and more than 70
people watched it on
Livestream.
MCT Campus
March 4, 2013
8 DAYS A WEEK
North
Monday, March 4
• Green Team Meeting, 1:30 p.m., N2.103
• Robotics Club Meeting, 3 p.m., N7.261
San Jacinto Times
SJC Tech wizards offer
free computer repairs
Page 5
Around Campus
8 DAYS A WEEK
North
Monday, March 18
• DeVry Transfer Recruiter, 2 p.m., N12 Lobby
• Robotics Club Meeting, 3 p.m., N7.261
Tuesday, March 5
Tuesday, March 19
• Men of Honor Meeting, 12 p.m., N6.108
• Webb Society Meeting, 1:15 p.m., N7.108
• UH Transfer Recruiter, 9:30 a.m., N12 Lobby
• Rotaract Club Meeting, 1 p.m., N12.215
Wednesday, March 6
Wednesday, March 20
• Houston Fire Department Employment Recruiter,
10 a.m., N12 Lobby
• Army National Guard Recruiter, 8 a.m.,
N12 Lobby
• Lectures with LatinKnows, 10 a.m., N1.103
• Financial Aid Workshop, 10 a.m. & 6 p.m., N6.108
• Men of Honor Meeting, 12 p.m., N6.108
Thursday, March 7
• Men of Honor Meeting, 12 p.m., N6.108
• Anime Club Meeting, 2 p.m., N9.133
• PTK Meeting, 4:30 p.m., N13.208
• New Student Orientation, 5 p.m., N1.103
• Art Gallery Opening, 6 p.m., N1.106
Friday, March 8
• Math & Engineering Club Meeting, 10 a.m., N8.251
• Robotics Club Meeting, 1 p.m., N2.219
Saturday, March 9
• No Scheduled Activities
Sunday, March 10
• No Scheduled Activities
Monday, March 11-Sunday, March 17
Central
• Spring Break - No Classes
Monday, March 4
• Logos Meeting, 11:30 a.m., C14.212 A/B
Tuesday, March 5
• Bongo Ball Mania, 9:30 a.m., North Courtyard
• TSEA Meeting, 1 p.m., C20.261
• English Club Meeting, 2 p.m., C14.212 A/B
• NSCS Meeting, 3 p.m., C1.233
Wednesday, March 6
• Anime Society Meeting, 1 p.m., C15.215
Thursday, March 7
• WEBB Society Meeting, 7:30 a.m., C2.224
• PTK Meeting, 11 a.m., C1.230
• College Republicans Meeting, 12:30 p.m.,
C14.212 A/B
• N2L Meeting, 1 p.m., C14.212 A/B
Friday, March 8
• SGA Meeting, 11:30 a.m., C1.155
Saturday, March 9
• Martial Arts Club Meeting, 10 a.m., C18.117
Sunday, March 10
• No Scheduled Activities
Monday, March 11-Sunday, March 17
South
• Spring Break - No Classes
Monday, March 4
• SOS Brigade Anime Club Meeting, 3 p.m., S10.112
• Mixed Martial Arts Meeting, 8:30 p.m., S21.120
Tuesday, March 5
• Student Bible Fellowship, 12 p.m., S6.196
• SGA Meeting, 2:30 p.m., S11.228
• Game Enterprises Guild, 3 p.m., S8.1062
Wednesday, March 6
• GSA Meeting, 2:30 p.m., S9.250
• EDG Meeting, 3 p.m., S13.274
• SOS Brigade Anime Club Meeting, 3 p.m., S10.112
• Writer’s Block Meeting, 3 p.m., S9.214
• ESOL Meeting, 4 p.m., S8.1014
• Geo Jac’s Meeting, 5:30 p.m., S7.148
Thursday, March 7
• SVA Meeting, 2:30 p.m., S8.2066
• Game Enterprises Guild, 3 p.m., S8.1062
• Class Act Players, 6 p.m., S15 Green Room
Friday, March 8
• Mixed Martial Arts Meeting, 9 a.m., S21.105
• NTHS Soccer Fundraiser, 10 a.m., Soccer Field
Saturday, March 9
• No Scheduled Activities
Sunday, March 10
• No Scheduled Activities
Monday, March 11-Sunday, March 17
• Spring Break - No Classes
Thursday, March 21
Jorge Medina repairs the heat sink assemblies on a laptop.
Christopher Rodriguez
Staff Writer
Once they quit working,
headaches occur. The machine
that handles important papers,
files, and pictures of cats, has
died. Fixing a computer, whether
it's a virus or a hardware problem, can be expensive. San Jacinto Central students majoring in
network and desktop support
look at the computer and fix the
problems it’s having for free.
The magic happens in room
C3.162, under the supervision of
Mike Kent, professor of Computer Information Technology for
six years. The assistants in the lab
are majoring in Networking and
Desktop Support under the direction of Kent.
The lab repairs computers of
students, faculty, and staff. All
the labor is free. If the computer
has a virus they will get rid of it
at no cost. If the computer requires a part, the client is responsible for providing the part. The
lab assistants will tell them were
to find the part on the internet
and, once they order it, the lab assistants will put it in for free. The
lab currently does not repair
Macintosh Computers.
"We'll usually recommend a
couple of links off the internet,
we'll find a place that has it and
look at the user reviews to make
sure you're not getting ripped
off," said Professor Kent. "We've
Christopher Rodriguez San Jacinto Times
done cracked screens, hard
drives, added memory to computers, replaced laptop keyboards
and heat sink assemblies."
Viruses appear on most computers the lab repairs. They will run
several anti-virus programs to
clean the viruses. The lab also
gets rid of any unnecessary programs that bog the computer
down so it can run more efficiently.
"My advice is if you download
‘free movies’ or ‘free software’
you're going to get some bonus
software,” said Professor Kent.
“The bonus software is known as
viruses. I can't tell you how many
computers I've seen come in with
torrent software and there just
riddled with viruses. You get
what you pay for; the people that
run those torrent sites are just
dangling the movies and games
as bait to get the viruses on your
computer. We do a lot of cleaning
of viruses, sometimes it’s so bad
we have to wipe the hard drive
out. It's pretty rare, most of the
time we can clean it off without
having to reinstall the operating
system.”
The lab assistants took multiple
semesters of PC Hardware, a required class for the degree.
Inside the room, Kurt Porter,
head lab assistant said he was
glad to see one computer leave.
"There was a virus that made a
partition to hide itself on the hard
drive, so unless you did a com-
plete format it was always there
no matter what you did and it
took me a while to figure that out.
It was just a little 4 MB partition
on the hard drive, which is nothing considering a CD can hold
700 MB. I've had it on two or
three computers," Porter said.
"The assistants are well experienced and show good judgment,"
said Kent.
The computer being repaired
does not need to be a certain age
to be fixed. The lab will sometimes get six or seven year old
computers that experience a
major hardware failure. If a
major hardware failure occurs,
that part can cost around $300,
whereas, you can buy a decent
laptop for around $400. The lab
will help you transfer your data
from the old computer to the new
one.
"My students are getting valuable experience and they can put
it on their resume that they've
done six months of computer repair, 20 hours a week - desktop
support, common issues - and the
students that bring their computers in are getting their computers
fixed so they can succeed in college, so they can work on their
classes. It's a win-win," said Professor Kent.
The lab opens at noon, Monday
through Friday. The client can
just explain to the assistant what's
wrong and they will take it from
there.
Robotics Club builds smart fun
Jason McNeely
Staff Writer
The Robotics Club is the place
to be for those looking to learn
how to build and program robots.
The club is still fairly small, as
the school just registered them
this past fall semester. Many of
these students share an interest
in calculus and physics, but also
have an aptitude for design.
According to club secretary
Stephanie Zendejo, members
like to play games with the robots computed through Java.
“We have challenges that include controlling your robot
through a maze,” she said.
“We have two types of programs. The NXT lego kits that
include motors and TETRIX that
is a lot of metal but also made
out of legos.” said club member
Carlos Martinez.
“NXT has been used to solve
Sudoku problems,” added Zendejo.
Meanwhile club President John
Nemac indicated there is a competition in his club’s future plans
called the First Tech Challenge.
Although the competition is only
limited to students of grades 712, club officials and advisers
sponsor it. The event is on
schedule to be held at San Jac
Central campus on Friday,
March 8. It is called “Ring It
Up” and is open to the general
public.
The participants are asked to,
“take the rings off stands, then
put them on other stands,” said
Nemac. He also stated that the
club hopes to have their own intramural version of the challenge. “We’re not quite to the
level of that so we’re going to
stay with just us,” he said.
In order to communicate with
the robots, the students must use
a programming language called
C++. This language is the most
common language found in
computers today.
The club meets every Wednesday at 3 pm in room C20-320, in
the Frels building.
Save a pretty penny at campus salons
Annette Moore
Staff Writer
San Jacinto College Cosmetology Departments’ have salons
and spas on all three campuses.
They are open to the public and
to students, and prices are reasonable.
On Central campus, the costs for
salon services start at: Haircuts,
$8;
Hair
color,
$15;
Highlights/lowlights, $20. Spa
prices start at: Pedicures, $12;
Manicures, $8; Facials, $15.
The students don’t play with
curling irons all day; they learn
the importance of chemistry and
electricity when becoming a cosmetologist. Students gain knowledge about the length of time a
chemical should be applied, what
tools create a certain look, and
what can help prevent damage.
The income generated from the
salons and spas go towards purchasing tools and products for the
cosmetology department. Additionally, the students are able to
accept tips from their clients.
Antienne Wilson is a cosmetology student at San Jac South.
This is her third semester in the
cosmetology program. She is
graduating in May at the age of
20 with a certificate in cosmetology.
As a teen, she dreamed of being
a teacher until her mother bought
her younger sister a mannequin
head. She fell in love with it, cut
its hair off, and started thinking of
all the different ways she could
make this doll look even better.
Following her parent’s advice
that cosmetology should be a
hobby, she signed up for core
classes during her first semester
at San Jac. She knew that doing
hair was her passion. The following semester, her sister encouraged her to sign up for the
cosmetology program. There was
only one spot open.
“I can’t see my life without
doing hair. I wake up and go to
sleep thinking about hair,” Wilson said.
All of her energy and attention
is focused on her becoming a professional in cosmetology. During
her last semester, Wilson is learning how to get a job, how to get
ready for an interview, and how
to strengthen social interaction
with clients.
For more information and
scheduling appointments call
281-476-1818 Ext. 1818.
• Anime Club Meeting, 2 p.m., N9.133
• PTK Meeting, 4:30 p.m., N13.208
• New Student Orientation, 9 a.m., N1.103
• Art Gallery Opening, 6 p.m., N1.106
Friday, March 22
• Math & Engineering Club Meeting, 10 a.m., N8.251
• Science Club Meeting, 12 p.m., N8.201
• Robotics Club Meeting, 1 p.m., N2.219
Saturday, March 23
• No Scheduled Activities
Sunday, March 24
Central
• No Scheduled Activities
Monday, March 18
• Logos Meeting, 11:30 a.m., C14.212 A/B
Tuesday, March 19
• TSEA Meeting, 1 p.m., C20.261
• English Club Meeting, 2 p.m., C14.212 A/B
• NSCS Meeting, 3 p.m., C1.233
Wednesday, March 20
• Anime Society Meeting, 1 p.m., C15.215
Thursday, March 21
• WEBB Society Meeting, 7:30 a.m., C2.224
• PTK Meeting, 11 a.m., C1.230
• College Republicans Meeting, 12:30 p.m.,
C14.212 A/B
• N2L Meeting, 1 p.m., C14.212 A/B
Friday, March 22
• SGA Meeting, 11:30 a.m., C1.155
Saturday, March 23
• WEBB Society Meeting, 7:30 a.m., C2.224
• PTK Meeting, 11 a.m., C1.230
• College Republicans Meeting, 12:30 p.m.,
C14.212 A/B
• N2L Meeting, 1 p.m., C14.212 A/B
• Martial Arts Club Meeting, 10 a.m. C18.117
Sunday, March 24
South
• No Scheduled Activities
Monday, March 18
• SOS Brigade Anime Club Meeting, 3 p.m., S10.112
• Mixed Martial Arts Meeting, 8:30 p.m., S21.120
Tuesday, March 19
• CoMeTrY Presentation-’How to Land a Dream
Job Before Graduation,’ 11:30 a.m., Student
Center Atrium
• Student Bible Fellowship, 12 p.m., S6.196
• SGA Meeting, 2:30 p.m., S11.228
• Game Enterprises Guild, 3 p.m., S8.1062
Wednesday, March 20
• GSA Meeting, 2:30 p.m., S9.250
• EDG Meeting, 3 p.m., S13.274
• SOS Brigade Anime Club Meeting, 3 p.m., S10.112
• Writer’s Block Meeting, 3 p.m., S9.214
• ESOL Meeting, 4 p.m., S8.1014
• Geo Jac’s Meeting, 5:30 p.m., S7.148
Thursday, March 21
• SVA Meeting, 2:30 p.m., S8.2066
• Game Enterprises Guild, 3 p.m., S8.1062
• Class Act Players, 6 p.m., S15 Green Room
Friday, March 22
• Mixed Martial Arts Meeting, 9 a.m., S21.105
• PTK Meeting, 1 p.m., S8.2028
Saturday, March 23
• No Scheduled Activities
Sunday, March 24
• No Scheduled Activities
March 4, 2013
San Jacinto Times
Page 6
Sports & Fitness
Former San Jac coach makes Raven Mascot:
Rich in Texas history
College Baseball Hall of Fame
Alex Moore
Staff Writer
Former San Jacinto College and
current Rice University head baseball coach Wayne
Graham was immortalized on June
30, 2012, as he was
inducted into the
College Baseball
Hall of Fame.
Graham started
coaching at San Jac
in 1981 where he
led the San Jacinto
College
Gator
baseball team to an
unprecedented run.
In 1984, Coach
Graham put San
Jac in the national
spotlight
with
seven consecutive
Photo Courtesy of San Jacinto College Marketing Department
50-win seasons. Wayne Graham led San Jacinto College to five National Junior College World Series championships during his
This began a junior tenure at the helm of the baseball program.
college
dynasty
under
Graham.
Rick Greenspan said of Hall of Fame in Lub- Rice Owls athletic web- be where I am today had
Though San Jac lost the Graham, "His accom- bock, Texas.
site, "It's a unique event it not been for some of
championship game in plishments at San JacThis isn't Graham's and I appreciate the the things I learned
1984, the team went on into were legendary on first trip to a Hall of honor very much, at a while playing at San
to perform a "three- their own merits."
Fame; in fact, he is al- time like this you think Jacinto College."
peat" during the 1985He took over the base- ready a member of three about who helped get
The 18th ranked Rice
1987 seasons. Aiming ball program at Rice others: the Junior Col- you there,” Graham Owls started their basefor four in a row, they University in 1991 and lege Hall of Fame in said.
ball season on Feb. 15.
lost in the championship led them to a College Colorado Springs, ColCoach Graham is in his They began a three
game again in 1988 but World Series Champi- orado, the Texas Base- 31st season as a head game series with the
that made San Jac base- onship in 2003.
ball Hall of Fame in coach with an overall seventh ranked team in
ball come back even
Coach Graham has a Fort Worth and the record of 1,496-474 at the nation, the Stanford
stronger with back-to- tremendous impact on Texas Sports Hall of the collegiate level. He Cardinals. They went 2back championships in the game of baseball at Fame in Waco.
played a big part in 1 during the weekend,
1989 and 1990.
the community college
When Coach Graham building the San Jac and with their only loss
According to the Rice and division one levels was informed that he Rice programs. Major coming in a one run
Owls athletic website, which earned him a trip was voted into the Hall League pitcher Andy game, a solid start to the
Director of Athletics to the College Baseball of Fame, he told the Pettitte said “I may not season.
Keili Harrison
Staff Writer
Rallying against a Raven might
not seem threatening; but this
band of birds has the help of a
mighty history on its side. Upon
choosing San Jacinto College, a
student becomes a part of the
epic adventures surrounding the
institution.
Engaging in its intriguing past
creates a chance for students to
take pride in the school. San Jacinto College offers just that kind
of opportunity. Rich with 50
years of community college history, San Jacinto College also alludes an episode of famous Texas
history.
The Raven mascot’s significance goes beyond a blue tailed
bird.
According to the Texas State
Historical Association, San Jacinto College was given its name
because of its close vicinity to
the San Jacinto battlegrounds.
The Battle of San Jacinto,
fought April 21, 1836, was the
decisive battle in the Texan Revolution when Texans fought for
freedom against Santa Anna and
the Mexican army. Made famous
by his brave leadership and a
roaring battle cry, “Remember
the Alamo,” General Sam Houston led the Texan army through
an 18 minute long battle, ending
in Texan victory.
Houston led an astounding and
accomplished life. After joining
the army at the age of 20, where
he thrived, Houston assisted the
government in Native American
affairs. Additionally, he studied
law and later entered public office. From there, his ambition led
him to earn the titles Nashville
District Attorney General, Governor of Tennessee, and U.S.
House Representative.
After retreating from Tennessee
politics, Houston moved to Texas
where he began to ease back into
military life. In 1835, Houston
was appointed Major General of
the Texas Army, where he led his
group of men through battles of
major defeats and major victories.
By creating a friendly alliance
with the Native American people, Houston gained support during his lead, aiding the Texan
triumph.
According to Frank Krystyniak,
director of Sam Houston State
University’s Office of Public Relations, Houston’s strategic compassion began when he was just
a boy, as his adopted Cherokee
father gave him the nickname,
“Colonneh,” meaning, “The
Raven.”
According to the San Jacinto
College website’s “Through the
Years” timeline, on October 15,
1961, the San Jacinto College
board members agreed upon the
Raven mascot to honor Sam
Houston, his brave efforts, and
his outstanding leadership that
helped grant freedom to the
Texas people.
Set in the official San Jacinto
Seal, the Raven not only represents the Central Campus and its
athletic program, but the entire
institution in its originality.
Representing the Raven mascot
herself, volleyball player, Jacie
Pullig, said, “I am very proud to
call myself a San Jac Raven, not
only because of the great athletic
success it represents, but also for
the pride worthy, historical significance within the name.”