4-19-2012 by DVC Inquirer

Hilarious horror?

Stop the DEA raids and legalize it already! More on page 8

“Cabin in the Woods” is another success from Joss Whedon. Page 10

Happy 4/20!

The

INQUIRER S tudent V oi ce

D iablo Val le y C ol le g e

Nickeled and Dimed HAKEEM MONTES Managing editor

Smoking fine around the corner

If you are smoking on campus next fall or spring, you may be fined up to $75. Bill Oye, the dean of student life, has authored two proposed amendments to current college district smoking policies. If the amendments are approved by the District Governing Board, the new policies would allow the district police department to fine people who smoke in undesignated areas, $25 for the first offense, $50 for the second offense and $75 for the third offense. Currently, if students are caught smoking in any other area besides the desig-

nated parking lots, they are sent to the Oye for disciplinary action. The penalty can range from a simple warning up to expulsion, depending on the nature and history of the violation. According to Chris Leivas, the vice president of finance and administration, public employees who violate college procedure are also “subject to progressive disciplinary actions.” On Jan. 1, California Assembly Bill 795 gave the governing bodies of California State University, the University of California and each community college district the authority to set the enforce-

International students have new work opportunity YUNHEE ROH Advertising manager

A little-known program could help international students get job experience that’s relevant to their majors. The Optional Practical Training Program provides international students a unique employment benefit by allowing them to get hands-on, extended experience within their field, according to Renee Savage of the DVC International Student Admissions and Services Office. According to Savage, the program can work for international students as a supplement to studying for their majors in the United States. Students who have an F-1 visa normally cannot apply for a paid job unless it’s on campus. However, campus jobs do not necessarily relate to their field of studies. The Optional Practical Training Program can change this situation by allowing them to work outside of school. The requirements for this program are two semesters of F-1 status in an academic (non-ESL) program with the educational goal of an associate’s degree or certificate.

Students completing a transfer program at DVC are not eligible for OPT while at DVC and must wait until they complete a bachelor’s degree before applying. However, students at DVC completing a transfer program are eligible for Curricular Practical Training. Despite the advantages, only 15 students have applied to this program as of summer 2011, among more than 2,000 international students who enrolled in DVC. This number stands in contrast to the much larger number of those students who actually want to work. Savage wants both programs to be more popular. Promotional examples include a workshop on OPT and its partner-program, CPT, as well. She thinks the reason why there aren’t many participating students is because right after they get the results from the universities they would like to transfer to, they usually go back to their own country until the next semester starts.

Attention Inquirer readers: our website will be converting to a new format over the next several weeks. While we move stories and photos from our old platform to our new one, some features and

SMOKE, Page 2

KARIN JENSEN / The Inquirer

Sean Donaldson, 23, lights a cigarette at DVC. Smokers are facing a possible fine in the fall.

There are more than two

Who’s funded? Campaign contributers: *

Barack Obama- Microsoft Corp, DLA Piper, Google Inc, University of California, Harvard University Mitt Romney- Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase & Co, Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse Group, Citigroup Inc Ron Paul- US Army, US Navy, US Air Force, Google Inc, US Dept of Defense Newt Gingrich- Rock-Tenn Co, Las Vegas Sands, Poet LLC, Pull-A-Part Inc, Noble Royalties

* Contributions from organizations’ PACs, employees, owners, and those individuals’ immediate families. Organization totals include subsidiaries and affiliates. Source: Center for Responsive Politics

Media shuts out alternative parties MILLIE MCCORD Staff writer

Many of you are probably trying to make a decision on who you’re going to vote for in November. Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul are still in the race, but it’s most likely going to be a choice between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama in November according to the mainstream election coverage.

A majority of voters are somewhat pleased with the option. A Gallup poll found that 60 percent of prospective voters were satisfied with a choice between Obama or Romney. But not everyone is happy. Nick Holmes, president of the Students for A Democratic Society (SdS) on campus, says, “We don’t have a good option.

PARTY, Page 2

Source-FEC and Center for Responive Politics

PERMIT, Page 2

Inquirer website to be remodeled BRIAN DONOVAN Editor in chief

ment standards of current smoking laws, which includes imposing a fine for those who violate the current laws. A 2004 law banned smoking within 20 feet of public entrances, exits and operable windows of all public buildings. Oye says the Contra College Community College Police department would “take on the responsibility of enforcing the smoking fine.” He states, “it makes the most sense since they already have a fine system in place.”

older content may be unavailable. Please contact us if you notice anything missing or any broken links. We appreciate your patience and hope you will like the new website. Contact BRIAN DONOVAN at Bdonovan@theinquireronline.com

Bookstore fails to deliver BRANDON KERSIS & RANEEM TALEB-AGHA Staff members

A month into the Spring 2012 semester, English teacher Julie Roemer complains of mismanaged book orders. “I ordered 70 books in October and three weeks in, my books weren’t stocked. Students went down to the bookstore and were told that their teacher had not placed the order,” she said. Criminal justice major Jose Giorgo, 19-years old and a student of Roemer, said, “I am falling behind my courses. I’ve inconvenienced my friend to keep me up on the material and help me order

the book online.” Campus Books employee Angela Hill points to the competitive pricing of Amazon and eBay as reason for not stocking enough textbooks. “One other buyer and I take an extensive look into the history of the classes’ last three semesters to decide upon the merits of stocking textbooks.” “It’s a dual problem. Books not arriving, books not enough of them,” says English professor David Vela. The stalls not only affected his students’ work, but even his own. “Quite honestly I’ve never been so disheartened with trying to get my students current and be able to walk with them,”

Vela says. “You know, we walk together in my class, we learn together and I can’t do it without my textbooks…” Pressured by the risk of inflated stock, Hill hopes they can find a solution in a market that continues to evolve, and points to an emerging interest in textbook rentals “We have seen textbooks rentals go up from 500 last Semester to 3,000.”

Contact RANEEM TALEBAGHA at rtalebagha@theinquireronline.com or BRANDON KERSIS at bkersis@theinquireronline.com

• NEWS 1, 2 • SPORTS 3, 4 • OPINIONS 6, 7, 8• EDITORIAL 6 •ARTS & FEATURES 9, 10 • CAMPUS BUZZ 6• CALENDER 2 • STUDENT LIFE 5 • STAFF INFORMATION 6 •

News

CALENDAR Emeritus College Lecture - Arab Spring When: Friday, April 20, 2012 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Where: Humanities Building 107

CSU East Bay Rep Visit When: Monday, April 23, 2012 9:40 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Where: Career, Employment, and Transfer Center located in the Counseling Building

Academy of Art University visits DVC When: Tuesday, April 24, 2012 10:00 a.m. - 1:00p.m Where: Career, Employment, and Transfer Center located in the Counseling Building

Theatre Insights for Tartuffe

PARTY From Page 1

Our interests are not being represented by either of the candidates.” “Neither candidate is left of center on social, economic or international issues. We are being given a choice of a conservative and a reactionary conservative,” says student John Michaelson. Barack Obama gained the support of 66 percent of college students back in 2008. After a disappointing first term he is still favored over Romney. According to Pew Research Center, 61 percent of prospective college-age voters support Obama, compared to Romney’s 33 percent. With the rising liberal-conservative polarization in Washington, more voters are identifying themselves as independent. At the end of 2011, 40 percent of voters surveyed in a Gallup poll said that they were independent or not with the two major par-

SMOKE From Page 1

Seventy percent of the revenue generated from the proposed fine When: Tuesday, April 24, would go to the college 2012 12:30 p.m. district police department to cover the cost Where: Arena Theater associated with enforcePAC complex ment. The college police Saint Mary’s College department did not respond to our request for Rep Visit an interview. The remaining 30 perWhen: Wednesday, April cent of collected fines 25, 2012 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 would go to smoking p.m.

Where: Career, Employment, and Transfer Center located in the Counseling Building Last Day to Drop with a ‘W’ When: Friday, April 27, 2012 (all day) Where: Diablo Valley College Drama event: Tartuffe When: Friday, April 27, 2012 8:00 p.m. Where: Arena Theater PAC complex San Francisco State University-International visits DVC When: Monday, April 30, 2012 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Where: Career, Employment, and Transfer Center located in the Counseling Building

Police Beat April 16 Student was caught stealing from the bookstore. The student was sent to the Dean of Students on a conduct referral. Disposition: Closed April 16 Student reported that another student mad remarks about taking his life and harming other students. The Dean of Students was notified. Disposition: Conduct Referral April 12 Unknown subject(s) took a banner from the club office inside the Student Union Building. Disposition: Suspended

Thursday, April 19 - Wednesday, May 2, 2012

The Inquirer - Diablo Valley College ties. “It’s a really uneven playing field that we have to exhaust ourselves in. The Democratic and Republican Parties can start off right away and get out their message. It’s a rigged system, a totally rigged system,” says Green Party candidate Jill Stein. The current plurality voting system discourages minor parties. The candidate who gets the most votes wins all of the electoral votes of a state. Even if a minor candidate wins 20 percent of the popular vote, he will receive no delegates. In a proportional representation system a candidate who receives 20 percent of the votes would get 20 percent of the electoral votes. Belgium, Switzerland, Iceland and Denmark all have multi-party, proportional representation systems. Ballot access laws make it difficult for candidates to even get on the ballot. Democratic and Re-

70 percent of the revenue from fines would go to the police cessation education and may include the distribution of nicotine patches, as has been done in the past, according to Oye. When asked about the possible smoking fine, DVC student Sean Donaldson stated, “Police have enough rights

publican candidates are automatically put on state ballots whereas others have to persuade voters to sign petitions to get their names on the ballot. Money, as always, is a huge factor. Unless the candidate can finance his or her campaign themselves, as in the case of Ross Perot, it is next to impossible for a candidate without the backing of one of the two major parties to raise the money necessary for a successful campaign. While major candidates like Obama and Romney have corporate donors like Google and Goldman Sachs, third-party candidates get few to no large contributions. The Citizen’s United ruling that allows for unlimited corporate contributions to political campaigns further increased the role that money plays in election outcomes. Large companies use the ruling to back major party candidates who they think support their interests, leaving the

already as it is and they tend to abuse that power of the badge.” But DVC student Zbysek Trousil was not worried. He said, “I don’t smoke in other [undesignated] areas so it really won’t affect me.” The proposed fine will be decided upon by our college’s Governing Board after it has been reviewed by DVC’s faculty, staff and students. It may be approved as soon as fall or spring of the next academic year. Contact HAKEEM MONTES hmontes@theInquirerOnline. com

minor party candidates with little financial backing. The Federal Elections Commission allows for a Democrat or Republican to ask for funds in advance of an election, while third party candidates must spend their own money and hope they get the required five percent support to apply for public funding after the election. The media also plays a large part in the success or failure of presidential candidates. The attention the media gives to candidates outside of the Republican or Democratic parties is sparse. Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader was not even allowed to participate in nationally broadcast 2000 presidential debates, though he received 3 million votes overall. He called the treatment of third parties in the media a “blackout” and “political bigotry.” “Our strategy has a lot to do with alternative media,” says Jill

PERMIT From Page 1

Also, since the goal of most international students is to transfer, pursuing an Associate’s Degree comes second. However, among the students who have applied to this program, most are successful in their academic endeavors and advance to the professional world more quickly and easily. Since the procedure to achieve the working permit card through the Optional Practical Training program takes about 90 days, this time is the perfect moment to apply to be able to work during the summer.

Stein, stating that she didn’t expect the major media outlets to engage her in debates. Student RJ Baroumand says, “The majority of third party candidates are painted as nut-jobs, optimistic, childish idealists or conspiracy theorists. I view this as problematic, since it only perpetuates our problems even further, and the only way to break this cycle is to vote for a candidate who will take a stand and make a difference.” Richard Winger ballot access expert says, “The extreme disparity of the burdens placed on old, established parties versus new parties has no parallel in any other democratic nation in the world.”

Contact MILLIE MCCORD at mccord@TheInquirerOnline. com.

For more details, do not hesitate to visit the international student service office or send an email to Renee Savage at rsavage@dvc.edu Contact YUHNEE ROH at yroh@TheInquirerOnline.com

Haiku “Patient like a stone Soon I will have my freedom School ends in a month” Aiden Herrick, Puzzles and games editor

Sports

Thursday, April 19 - Wednesday, May 2, 2012

The Inquirer - Diablo Valley College

Pierson named 2011 PE Educator of the Year GABRIEL AGURCIA Staff writer

All great athletes are not without great coaches, and DVC is no different. The DVC Hall of Fame can begin making room for another coach to add to the pantheon with track and field coach Shelly Pierson winning California Community College Physical Education Health Educator of the Year for 2011. Pierson was born and raised in Lompoc, California. She was born with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a lung condition that causes periodic bronchitis and asthma flare ups. After just slight exercise she would experience terrible chest pain and sore joints and muscles. A visit to the doctor one day offered a solution to her problem. The doctor told her that endurance activities could strengthen her lungs. “My dad was a jogger so I started running with him,” said Pierson. “From there everything just blossomed.” Running went from being a solution to a passion. Pierson was recruited to run at Lompoc High. There she became far more serious about it. Female runners such as Mary Decker Laney, Ceci St. Geme and PattiSue Plum+++er were her role models growing up. She stated how she admired their strength and intelligence. “They brought strength not only to women’s running but to women’s sports in general,” said Pierson. Those influences made a serious impact on her life, as evidence of her long standing record. Pierson still holds the school’s two mile record with a time of 10 minutes, 51 seconds.

After graduating high school she enrolled at Allen Hancock Junior College in Santa Maria, California. She then transferred to Cal Poly State University-San Luis Obispo after two years of junior college, where she received a Bachelor’s Degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in sports medicine. There she also minored in biological sciences. In the mid ‘90s, Pierson was hired at Clayton Valley High to teach biology and physical education, in addition to being the head coach of the women’s cross country and track and field teams. Success quickly followed. Her women’s teams won five North Coast Section Cross Country titles and were ranked nationally in 1996, finishing second that year in the Cross Country state championship. She continued her teaching career at DVC. Pierson was originally hired solely as a teacher. She began teaching classes in sports medicine and health and fitness. But following the reinstatement of the cross country and track and field teams in 2009, DVC chose her to be the new head coach. Pierson doesn’t seem to mind the extra responsibilities. She stated that people may not know how much she truly enjoys her job. “I love working with college students and seeing them succeed. And I love seeing my students come back and give back to the school.” However, she still focuses plenty of energy on her teaching duties. She has helped complete the development of an Associate of Science degree and certificate program in personal training and fitness instruction, as well as aiding the start of a school wide wellness program and a personal training internship. All her hard work and dedication culminated

Courtesy of BRETT PIERSON

Track coach Shelly Pierson was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at a young age. Running gave her the ability to rise abover her affliction, and set the path for success in athletics. with being named the California Community College Physical Education Health Educator of the Year for 2011. She was pleasantly surprised and very honored to receive the award, but said it wasn’t something she had marked as a goal.

Shelly Pierson’s story is one of a person overcoming extreme adversity to find great success. Shelly is definitely someone that people should gravitate to. Contact GABRIEL AGURCIA at gagurcia@TheInquirerOnline.com

Bounty or motivation: a slippery slope in football

TOM RIZZA Sports Editor

“We hit (Alex) Smith right there”—[points to chin]–-’remember me.’ I got the first one. I got the first one.—[rubs fingers together indicating cash]—Go lay that mother (expletive) out.” Those are the words of former New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, taped by documentarian Sean Pamphilon, in a team meeting the night before the divisional playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers. I’m sure most football fans have heard their fair share of the rest of the speech and its chilling exposé into Williams’ maniacal intent of affecting the head, breaking ankles and taking out a player’s ACL. Football is a violent sport. Sure, hardcore fans appreciate the strategy and the immense skill that goes into winning a football game. But in the end, the spectacle of watching a group of six-foot, 250-pound men in spandex and pads running into each other at top speed is what intrigues the casual fan. It’s a fascination that’s been a part of human life for thousands of years, with the Roman coliseum and jousting standing in the fore front of my mind. We love to see people get laid out. But as spectators, we don’t like to see violence with intent on the field. This is where the

violence in football toes a fine line. I caught up with Vikings running back Dozie Iwuagwu to find out more about the difference between motivation and intent. “I’ve never dealt with it personally (a bounty system),” said Iwuagwu. “But you do hear some crazy things on the field. I remember last year we played against my old team Sierra and I heard them yelling from the side lines ‘kill that RB, eliminate that RB!,’ but I never thought they were actually going to kill me. That’s just what they say to play harder.” A lot of what Gregg Williams said is standard as a motivational tool in football; getting men riled up to go out and possibly injure someone or themselves is no easy task. Money changes the dynamic entirely. “It’s bad what you hear about the NFL these days and the money,” said Iwuagwu. “It’s a violent game, but you can’t take it too serious. You go out and you play hard and hit hard, but that doesn’t mean you try to injure guys.” There is a huge difference between motivating players to give it everything they have and giving them incentives to injure the opposition to gain an advantage. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wholeheartedly agrees, and as such has passed out the most hardcore punishment the league has ever seen. Gregg Williams, hired by the St. Louis Rams in the off-season, has been suspended indefinitely and the Saint’s head coach Sean Payton has been slapped with a season long suspension. They were also fined $500,000 and lost two second round draft picks. Hopefully, this harsh punishment will act as a fair warning to any other bloodthirsty coach that wants to destroy the integrity of what is quickly becoming “America’s game.” Contact TOM RIZZA at trizza@TheInquirerOnline.com

TOM RIZZA / The Inquirer

Vikings baseball coach Steve Ward, left, launched the PE theory 215 class last year. Rich Hamilton, right, is the intern to the Athletic Director and is among the first with an internship on campus.

Unique new class provides opportunity TOM RIZZA Sports Editor

After working for a few years in the sanitation business and not being happy with it, Rich Hamilton, a former sports management major from University of Louisville, was looking to get back into the classroom. While thumbing through the Fall 2011 course catalog, he noticed a new course being offered. “Luckily I stumbled across PE 215 Intro to Sports Management,” said Hamilton. “I didn’t know that DVC was offering some of the same courses I was taking at Louisville in 2008, for a fraction of the cost.” Last fall was the first semester that PE 215

found its way onto the DVC course catalog. Former Athletics Director and now head baseball coach Steve Ward created the class with an intent to give students interested in sports management real field experience. “We wanted to open student’s eyes to as many areas of sports management as we could,” said Ward. “Whether it’s experience in fund raising, broadcasting, sports retail, health management... we try to accommodate all student’s interest.” PE 215 has a lecture class that takes place only in the fall. In the spring, an attached internship program, PE 216, is offered to INTERN, Page 4

Rain may dampen playoff hopes TOM RIZZA Sports Editor

ALEX BRENDEL / The Inquirer

Back-up catcher Kevin O’Reilly, left, trots out to warm up the pitcher while starter Ryan Atlas, right, gears up. Teamwork is important with the compact schedule.

For many students, the late winter has thrown a wrench into the cogs of spring time revelry. But on campus, the rain and wind has been a nightmare for Vikings baseball and softball. “Well, we have had a lot of rain before,” said head softball coach Angie Goularte, “but this season is up there with one of the craziest.” Entire weeks of games have been rained out and needed to be rescheduled, providing some added stress to both student athletes and teachers. “It’s hard to get all the faculty and students on the same page last min-

ute,” said head baseball coach Steve Ward,“because students need to miss class and have to make up with teachers, as well as be ready to play.” The softball team plays many of their games as double headers, which works in their favor when it comes to rescheduling games. Goularte’s team has caught up on all their games, but is feeling the effects of the rain in a different way. “One of the hardest parts with the rain is that we do not have any indoor facilities that we can use when the weather is bad,” said Goularte. “Therefore we miss out on valuable practice time.” For the baseball team, the weather may have playoff consequences. The Big 8 is a highly competitive conference

this year, with seven of the eight teams in contention for a playoff spot. All seven teams are within a win of each other, and Ward says the rain puts DVC at a minor disadvantage. “Our field doesn’t drain as well as the rest of the fields, so a lot of our home games have been pushed back,” said Ward. But the major disadvantage is that to make up all the games, the baseball team will play a grueling seven games in the final 10 days of the season. With the playoff race as close as it is, these next seven games could make or break the Vikings post season hopes. RAIN OUTS, Page 4

Sports

Nor Cal Diving Championships Final Results - Women Place

Score

Diver Name

Team

188.55

Olivia Salvatore-King

Delta College

178.32

Paige Lampert

Sierra College

175.32

Shaynna Hockett

Delta College

174.36

Makayla Scott

Shasta College (x)

161.97

Taylor Graves

Diablo Valley College

161.04

Christy Faught

Delta College

153.93

Sarah Imura

American River College

152.97

Kassandra Gessele

Delta College

148.35

Corina Basso

Modesto Junior College

136.47

Gloria Gistand

Chabot (x)

Final Results - Men Place

Score

Diver Name

Team

277.20

Nicolas Suissa

Santa Rosa Junior College

238.80

Adam Mahan

College of the Sequoias (x)

230.10

Michael Kurrels

Santa Rosa Junior College

198.70

Jake Foell

Merced College (x)

193.60

Robert Coxen

Santa Rosa Junior College

192.15

Danny Yusem

Cabrillo College (x)

180.55

Dalton Berncich

Santa Rosa Junior College

180.35

Trevor Dutch

College of the Sequoias (x)

171.40

Kwame Stephens

Diablo Valley College

170.15

Matt Nutter

Cabrillo College (x)

Legend: (x) - non conference opponent

A strong showing for DVC women’s diving this weekend with Taylor Graves landing in the top 8 and securing an A-cut and a bid in the state championships. Kwame Stephens put in a valiant effort on the men’s side but looks

Correction

Thursday, April 19 - Wednesday, May 2, 2011

The Inquirer - Diablo Valley College

In “Conners wins Athlete of the Week” the proper spelling of the name is “Logan Connors.”

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From Page 3

those dedicated students who want real first hand experience helping coaches and sports administrative workers on campus throughout the semester. While the lecture classes teach a text, Ward also invites speakers from various fields in sports to give students an unprecedented look into their field. The speakers include CBS Sports reporter Dennis O’Donnell and Denver Broncos contract writer Mark Sullivan. “All the speakers have said the same thing,” said Ward. “Experience in internships is the most important thing when looking for a job in sports. When employers look at your resume and they see you’ve interned, that’s the difference maker.” The internship opportunity is the real crux of the class. Ward tries to be as flexible as

RAIN OUTS From Page 3

“It’s hard for the players, but you gotta do what you gotta do,” said Ward. “Some players have nagging injuries that add more risk, but other teams are dealing with the same thing. With the conference record as close as it is, it’s not a question of who is the better team. The difference in any given game at this point is whoever screws up less will win. We’ll beat each other up to see who is standing last.”

to be taking a B-cut and competing in the lower bracket. The Nor Cal swimming championships will be held Thursday, April 19 through Saturday April 21. Stay tuned for more results! Advertisement

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possible with the internships and gives the student an opportunity to choose where they want to work. Rich Hamilton has been assisting Athletic Director Christine Worsley in beefing up the DVC Athletics website and maintaining the Facebook and Twitter pages. He is also building DVC’s first athletics alumni database. Needless to say, he’s getting that valuable experience that he couldn’t get at Louisville. “At Louisville, you would have hundreds of students vying for a handful of internships on-campus, so I figured I had to be proactive about this opportunity,” said Hamilton. “I’ve enjoyed it greatly. My passion is sports. When I quit working in the sanitation field, I swore to myself that I was going to do something that I love as a profession and not for the paycheck.” Contact TOM RIZZA at trizza@TheInquirerOnline.com

The young softball team finished out the season at the bottom of their conference, but they look to build on their experience next season. The baseball team will be playing their hearts out for the next week looking for a play off birth. Follow their progress at www.theinquireronline.com and on Twitter @DVC_Athletics. Contact TOM RIZZA at trizza@TheInquirerOnline.com

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We want to hear from you! Send us your student life stories today at inquirer@dvc.edu Thursday, April 19 - Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Dramatic society shines BRIAN DONOVAN Editor in chief

The atmosphere was flourishing with tunes from the 1940’s and people dressed in attire from that time period as the Dramatic Society put together a variety show on Friday the 13th of April. The improv troupe of the Dramatic Society kicked off the show with a collaborative announcement, rapping the rules such as no cell phones and the like. The hosts were Jeremy Gallardo, who played Mr. Escalante from “Stand and Deliver,” and Andrew Morris. The first string of performers were practically all singers and it felt like a Karaoke show at the beginning. Everyone did a great job, but among the singers that stood out were Jenna Peters-Ring, Mark David and Kayo Carr. “It was amazing, it’s been four years since I’ve sang to people,” Peters-Ring said. Nonetheless, DVC Dance Club totally stole the first half of the show with a snazzy performance that had a mixture of hip-hop and swing dancing. Mark David came back in drag with the hosts to add spice to the show. After intermission, that was when the variety really kicked off. Blake Rosier from the improv troupe started a performance with prop comedy using body language like Mr. Bean then jumped to stand up comedy pulling beanies out of his crotch and committing other acts of random silliness. Delirium Ride, according to the MC’s, was the only band to perform as they gave a comedy performance simultaneously. A rapping guitar player mixed both talents together to make a unique blend that delivered. Dennis McCaffery though did an amazing break dancing performance to James Brown’s “Super Bad” with flawless movement. The show ended with a performance from Double Dimension who claimed that they were time traveling wizards from 2012, placating to the 1940’s theme. They did beat boxing and spat some verses. Their performance

put the corporate sellouts like Kayne West and Lil Wayne to shame. “I though it was incredible,” said Double Dimension performer James Udom. “I was really proud of the talent on stage and pleased to share the stage with them.” The drama students were not only doing the show to entertain, but they were selling tickets to the event that will help fundraise for the Drama Department. Eight local businesses have decided to help support the dramatic society by donating gifts for the “opportunity” baskets, in which people bought tickets in hope of winning a gift during a draw at the end of the show. Every bit of the profit went to the dramatic society. This money can be used for going to competitions. The judges who were to decide the winner of the show were Dean of student life, Bill Oye, Sam Park, VP of ICC, Carrie Wilson, Kenn Adams and Alex Guerra, the director of last semester’s student-made production, “Stand and Deliver.” After reading the drawings for the opportunity baskets, the MC’s proceeded to announce the winner, who not surprisingly was Dennis McCaffery. “I feel great, I’m glad to express myself to everyone,” said McCaffery. Though the variety was lacking at the beginning, it was the performances at the end that definitely made this variety show a success. Jessica Brown, the student director of the whole show has been working on this project since last year. “We hope that it becomes a tradition with family and community involvement,” said Brown. The show’s performers delivered that variety by mixing genres and different talents that often deviated from the 1940’s theme, but offered a pizazz and diversity that mainstream entertainment fails miserably to pull off. “They put their hearts and soul into it,” said drama instructor Ed Trujillo. “We had community support, which is a good bridge to build.” Contact BRIAN at bdonovan@ TheInquirerOnline.com

5 Sociology is

Student Life The Inquirer - Diablo Valley College

everywhere CHLOE QUINONES-CROSBY Staff writer

HAKEEM MONTES/ The Inquirer

DVC student performs an original piece titled “Ansie Seed”.

HAKEEM MONTES/ The Inquirer

DVC Student, James Udom, performs at the DVC Dramatic Society Variety Show.

MUN hosts 5th conference Turkey’s oil pipeline has exploded, leaving the rest of the world dependent on Russia’s oil. Tensions between Iran and the United States heat up over how to handle the reformation of Egypt. China destroys a United States aircraft carrier that violated international waters territorial agreements. While these events may not necessarily happen in the immediate future, preparing for such dire circumstances can mean the difference between global cooperation and anarchy or tyranny. Model United Nations gave such hands on experiences for students of DVC and College of Marin, who joined our students for MUN’s one and only home conference this semester on Friday.

MUN has a wide amount of appeal, just ask club president of general assembly Jantsankhorol Damdinsuren, whose last semester at MUN has him hoping to work for non-profit organizations. “Though MUN is aimed at educating students in international relations,” says Damdinsuren, who goes by the nickname Jants, “It’s good practice for all majors.” All members act their part, and most if not all facts are accounted for in practice negotiation engagements. These practice engagements include handling considered terrorist threats, deposition of government, and environmentally friendly alternatives to oil. Running all these events with Damdinsuren is the moderator, Lexie Williams. “In Model United Nations, it’s tough trying to calm the crowds yet still keep developments exciting,” says Williams. “To do that we have to coordinate with the crisis team effectively.” The crisis team offers news developments as resolutions are made, guaranteeing a learning atmosphere of adaptability rather than theory. These immersive procedures enable communicative skills as more of a practice than a study, letting members enjoy a truly hands on learning experience. “Since joining Model United Nations, I’ve seen an improvement in my speaking skills,” says Rey da Vila, United States del-

Join a DVC Club Today! For a List of Clubs, visit: http://www. dvc.edu/ student-life/ student-clubs. htm

Among DVC’s many clubs the Sociology Club stands alone as a forum for the social issues that affect our community and people on a global scale. The club’s goal, according to the its president Sebastian Rene, is to “enlighten all students about the field of sociology as a major and career, especially as humans that can create change for the better”. The club boasts a high level of participation with other clubs because of the wide range of issues discussed in meetings. The club, which is the first of its kind on campus, seeks to approach sociological issues from a scientific standpoint. Professor Fenno Ogutu, who teaches an Introduction to Sociology class on campus, is the club’s advisor. When asked about the club Professor Ogutu remarked “The goal of the club is to promote awareness that we have a major here ... DVC is one of the few [community] colleges that has a sociology major ... many [DVC] students transfer to other schools to [get their bachelor’s] in sociology. They’re interested in getting jobs in sociological fields”. March began the discussion on gay marriage and Proposition 8 while April began the discussion on education with topics ranging from affirmative action to the decline of ethnic studies in schools. Meetings often begin with a set topic but soon branch out and incorporate a wide range of sociological issues. Each member is able to add to the discussion by contributing their own unique sociological viewpoint.

In the last meeting members shared their favorite talks and research projects that were displayed during the annual UC Berkeley Sociological Symposium that was held over spring break. Members also discussed the statistics of the Proposition 8 vote in preparation for the upcoming panel on the subject. The Proposition 8 panel will feature topics which range from the historical context of samesex marriage to the current debats across the country. When asked why she joined the club Regina Octanez replied “Because these issues interest me. Especially the education reform and stuff like that. I want to make a difference. … everyone in here is actively trying to do good and is interested in sociology”. In the next meeting club member Tim Khousnoutdinov will be giving a presentation on the capitalization of education. The club meets every Wednesday in the Humanities building from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in room 111. Members are urged to bring in news articles on current social issues for discussion.Visit facebook.com/DVCsociologyclub to learn more about current meetings and sociology in the news. Contact CHLOE at cquinonescrosby@TheInquirerOnline.com

SEAN WILKEY / The Inquirer

Nima Zarkoub, from College of Marin speaks during the Fifth DVC MUN conference. egate who won Best Delegate at the conference, “I’ve become a better speaker overall.” Better communication builds a better community, and College of Marin’s Nima Zarkoub noted this conference as significant in building community between Diablo Valley and Marin. “We’re glad we were invited to this conference,” says Nima, College of Marin’s student representative and China delegate, “it’s important for our education to expand our horizons.” Model United Nations serves to expand horizons for future careers, and fills students with a passion for the subject. “Model United Nations has helped me realize my status as an international citizen, regardless of my origin,” explains Alexei Smirnov, DVC student and Russian del-

egate, “I’m learning to stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.” While developing these interests in students, Model United Nations still serves to bring people together and make it enjoyable. “Its really well done, in terms of accuracy,” says Adela Jones, visiting College of Marin student and German delegate, “but fun is the most important thing to incorporate.” Contact SEAN WILKEY at swilkey@TheInquirerOnline.com

Opinions

The

Buzz

Do you think that marijuana should be legalized?

STEPHEN MCEACHRAN, 18 Criminal Justice

“I don’t really care, I’ve never smoked it but its not that bad. Alcohol is worse and its legal.”

MAIYA CORRAL, 20 Theater “People in authority are scared of the affects [marijuana] has on people. It opens people up to looking at the world differently.”

Thursday, April 19 - Wednesday, May 2, 2012

The Inquirer - Diablo Valley College

Editorial Fund cuts kill newspapers Thanks to budget cuts, you might lose your source of information about budget cuts. Paul McLeod, the adviser to the student newspaper at Los Angeles Harbor College, sent an email to members of the Journalism Association of Community Colleges, or JACC, that said the college had cut the basic newswriting class for Fall 2012. In addition, McLeod said that The Harbor Tide, the student newspaper, had its $3,500 printing budget cut in February, “leaving a couple dozen frustrated student journalists up in the air as to why they are in a newspaper class if there’s no money to print a paper.” McLeod, who received the title of Educator of the Year in 2009 from the California Journalism Education Coalition, said that if the basic newswriting class was to be cut and if the paper had no printing budget he would not return to the school in the fall. “It is very difficult to generate advertising revenue there and a lot of fund-raising would be required to operate a student newspaper,” he said in an email. “In my mind, I am not hired to fund-raise. I am hired to teach journalism.” That is lenient compared to

Graphic Illustration by JACK DILLON

what happened in other schools. In Riverside, Norco College had its newspaper program eliminated entirely. According to an article by Johnny Herber for the Norco Voice, the program was canceled for next semester, which will force journalism students to transfer to other colleges to finish their program. At Los Angeles Pierce College, things aren’t as bad – yet. Adviser Jill Connelly wrote in an email that a proposed budget would cut all funding to supplies and contracts for the Roundup,

their newspaper. This means that the paper would not be printed and their student-run radio station, KPCRadio, would be cut. These are just recent examples of a downward spiral. Mary Mazzocco, the president of JACC (and the adviser of our student paper) gave a few more examples: “Last fall, the Ventura Community College District eliminated the print budget. Shasta College eliminated its journalism A.A. and stopped printing the student paper this semester. Finally, two other advisers in the Bay Area

have told me that they have been told that their printing budgets may be reduced, especially if the November tax measure does not pass.” Holy crap. It should be pointed out that, except for Norco College, the journalism program as a whole wasn’t cut in most cases. Just the print budget. However, even cutting the print budget is bad. A recent Washington Times article by Daniel Jackson reported that the print editions of student newspapers are still popular

on college campuses. In addition, Jackson refers to a survey done by the marketing company Re:fuel, which stated that 60 percent of all college students have read their school paper. Of those people, 88 percent of them had read one of the five most recent issues. The Re:fuel survey noted that “students said that reading their campus paper in print...was just the easiest way to stay current on school happenings.” Think about how much you know about the construction project in our quad. If we’ve been doing our job properly, you should know quite a bit about it. If you also know about the recent decision to only allow students to retake classes three times, that was our doing as well. If the Inquirer didn’t run a print edition, would you have known about those things? Maybe, but it definitely would have been more difficult for you to learn about it. By running print editions, student newspapers do a valuable service to the student and local communities. Cut the print edition and you’ll lose not only the forum for students to express themselves but also a valuable source of pertinent information.

Letters to the editor

DVC Model UN offers activities ELIZABETH WRIGHT, 19 Graphic Design

“I don’t think so but if it becomes legal, they should at least tax it like everything else.”

PAUL GENNESSON, 17 Accounting

“I think it should be [legal]. Alcohol can be legal, I can’t see why weed can’t. The affects aren’t that bad.”

DANE CAMPBELL, 23 Biochemistry

“It should be legal. Alcohol is legal, [marijuana] is not as bad.”

Interviewer & Photographer: DANIELLE BARCENA

For many years the Diablo Valley College Model United Nations (DVC MUN) Club has been an active part of the campus community. I have been the advisor of the Club and enjoyed working with the members for the last two years. I sent the following message to members of the DVC Model UN Club when they began the new semester. “It is a pleasure for me to be the advisor of the DVC Model UN club. The members of this club are devoting their time and efforts to learn more about the work of the United Nations, its specialized agencies as well as international and global questions facing the world. They have prepared studies, draft resolutions and other documentation.

Conferences were organized at DVC by the members of the Club. I attended with the members of the Club a number of conferences organized by other universities in California. I am proud to state that our students who participated in these conferences demonstrated excellent understanding of international questions and the rules of procedures, and contributed to the deliberations of these conferences just like other students including those from Ivy League universities. I called the members of DVC MUN Club ‘the dream team’. On April 13, 2012 DVC MUN convened its 5th Home Conference, and invited all DVC students to participate as observ-

ers. The agenda included the questions of international trade; lands, waters and borders; international security including cyber security, ethnic tensions, environment and energy and the expansion of democracy. Participating students were organized as a part of a World Trade Organization summit and debated these questions. DVC MUN is continuing in its cooperation with all MUN in the United States, and particularly in California. An invitation to the annual University of California Los Angeles Model United Nations Conference to be held April 19-22 was received. A delegation from DVC MUN will participate in that conference. The agenda of the conference includes the

War on Drugs, the United States Debt Crisis, the North Korean Food Crisis, the Russian Revolution, the Cyber Warfare and Intelligence, the 19th Century European Diplomacy and Star Wars. Our students will once again demonstrate their determination to learn and to contribute to these academic activities. I may further state that in my discussions with my colleagues in the Political Science Department, I have found that there is an agreement among all of us that the members of DVC MUN deserve all our appreciation and support.” In remembering my days at the United Nations as a diplomat and as member of the Center Against Apartheid, I have always

had a nostalgia and fondness for the organization. In my second career as adjunct professor here at DVC I have found great joy and pride in listening to and advising our DVC students as they debate and discuss international issues and world crises. I invite all students majoring in political science as well as students interested in world affairs to join the DVC MUN Club. They will learn about international questions, drafting resolutions and writing situation papers, and will have the opportunity to participate in conferences held at DVC and other colleges and universities. Dr. Amer Araim, Department of Political Science

International student safety is a concern It is not rare to hear stories about international students getting robbed among the community, but unless people live near DVC, they do not know about it. For instance, my friend told me that he had been robbed by three guys when walking on the way back to Northridge Apartments after his 10 P.M. class in the fall of 2010. Not only were his backpack and cell phone taken but he was also physically injured in this incident. Cases such as these bring up my desire to raise awareness towards international students’ safety on and around the campus.

Most of the international students who attended DVC live near the campus such as Camelback and Northridge apartment communities as many do not have an American driver’s license. However, a lot of the international students come to America on their own, which means that they are not familiar with the environment and have no one to ask for assistance. Therefore, campus safety became an important issue for international students. In order to promote international students’ safety, I boiled the situation down to three main issues and came up with ideas to improve

them. First, DVC needs to provide more police patrol on and around the campus. If DVC has a dangerous environment, it will affect school’s reputation and parents’ decisions on choosing schools for their children. Second, there should be more cameras around the campus, such as in the parking lots and the neighborhoods. Third, the school should pay more attention and keep in contact with international students on a regular basis. The school should also make sure that international students know where to get assistance when needed or

when they have some kind of conflict. There are already ways on campus to avoid any kind of dangerous possibilities. There’s a campus police department located between the Engineering Building and Music Building. You can talk with the instructor you trust or the student dean office and they will assist you with difficulties you have. Still, it is necessary to avoid any kind of dangerous situation. People should take the longer route and walk next to the main roads instead of taking short cuts when it is dark. You should also have someone that you trust

to walk with to your car after night class since you never know who parks next to you. You should also have your phone close to you so if anything happens you could get help immediately. You should also take out all your valuable items out of your car, especially if you do not park in a garage. Hopefully international students and everyone else can enjoy the environment on and around Diablo Valley College. Chieh-En (Ann) Shih, Student

Want to have a letter to the editor published? Please send your letters to bdonovan@theinquireronline.com and jkesler@theinquireronline.com.

Editorial Board

Staff

EDITOR IN CHIEF Brian Donovan MANAGING EDITOR Hakeem Montes ONLINE EDITOR Andrew O’Connor-Watts NEWS EDITOR Brian Donovan OPINIONS EDITOR John Kesler SPORTS EDITOR Tom Rizza ARTS & FEATURES EDITOR Christa Balingit PHOTO CHIEF Mike Alfieri BUSINESS MANAGER Dalila Abdelhadi ADVERTISING MANAGER Yunhee Roh COPY EDITORS Raneem Taleb-Agha, Tim Khousnoutdinov DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Alex Brendel PUZZLES & GAMES EDITOR Aidan Herrick

STAFF WRITERS Gabriel Agurcia, Danielle Barcena, Pablo Caballero, Brandon Kersis, Millie McCord, Ian McShea, Melissa Natividad, Chloe Quinones-Crosby, Lorena Rojas, Ashley Rose, Sean Wilkey PHOTOGRAPHERS Sara Berkson, Karin Jensen DESIGNERS Kellyn Borst, Jack Dillon, Brian Donovan, Millie McCord INSTRUCTIONAL LAB COORDINATOR Ann Stenmark ADVISER Mary Mazzocco

THE INQUIRER Diablo Valley College 321 Golf Club Road, H-102 Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 The Inquirer is published Thursday mornings during the school year by the journalism students of Diablo Valley College. All unsigned articles appearing on the opinions page are editorials and reflect a two-thirds majority opinion of the editorial staff. All signed columns and cartoons are the opinions of the writer or artists and not necessarily those of The Inquirer, Diablo Valley College or Contra Costa Community College District.

• Phone: 925.685.1230 ext. 2313 • Fax: 925.681.3045 • Email: inquirer@dvc.edu • Website: www.TheInquirerOnline.com • Printed Every Two Weeks •

Thursday, April 19 - Wednesday, May 2, 2012

The Inquirer - Diablo Valley College

A stupid assumption RANEEM TALEB-AGHA Copy editor

arlier this week I was fooling around on Google when I found myself typing “community college students.” Take a guess at what was first up on the list of search suggestions. Give up? “Community college students are stupid.” That’s right. Apparently, that’s what the rest of the world thinks of us; I can’t say I’m surprised, really. I remember in high school when everybody was exploring colleges and asking each other who would apply to what school.

Every time I answered “community college” I was met with a condescending look, a scoff, a smirk. “Oh, really? Well, I’m going to go to a real college.” Look, I get it. Most Wall Street businessmen probably didn’t spend the early days of their higher education taking classes at a junior college. Neither, I bet, did most high-ranked politicians. But George Lucas and Tom Hanks sure did, the latter of which went to Chabot College in Hayward, not too far away. Sarah Palin went to community college too--although I’m not sure she does much to defeat the stereotype.

If anything, community college students are smarter. Not only do we avoid wasting time and money taking standardized tests all throughout high school, but according to the Statewide Career Pathways project, we also (excluding textbook and boarding costs) save up to $5,000 compared to a student who attends a CSU for four years -- around $20,000 compared to a four-year UC student. No need to feel bad about myself, in that case. Contact RANEEM at rtalebagha@ TheInquirerOnline.com

Democracy imperfect

TIM KHOUSNOUTDINOV Copy editor

In the early days of the American experiment, Benjamin Franklin said that those who sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither. This man, who died over 200 years ago, had a remarkably keen eye for the dangers of such a new society especially when regarding the encroachments on liberty that the developing American system was already beginning to show. In fact, even before the founding, prominent American men argued over what kind of system to create and maintain, with one side caring more for an open and inclusive society, and the other strongly vying for more centralized power and control. This second group believed that such a route would be necessary for guaranteeing the stability of the country. It is unclear how aware they were of the war that their fellow countrymen had just fought against the British to seize freedom from the jaws of empire but the guiding direction became clear after several years of tense

economic and political interaction. In those days, the elites were the ones with decent access to educational resources and intellectual exchange with the laypeople largely not being capable enough or free from other duties to decide the best direction for society. However, fast forward to the present and those dangerous patterns of development clearly show the damage that has been done. Personal and public liberties have been sacrificed for the supposed greater cause of the state. Anyone who can read and think independently can and will eventually recognize the drawbacks of such a plan continuously perpetuated by unjust or ineffective leadership. Furthermore, the fallacies of the arguments commonly given reflect the poor state of affairs within our capitalist expansionist system. Hegemonic rule over the world, however, also requires constant vigilance over controlled territories, which prompts an unending growth of imperial intentions and actions on America’s part. This comes at the cost of the freedom and autonomy of foreign people as well as the citizens of the controlling state entity. With the experiment of Amer-

ica yielding successfully to the ideas of American superiority and later American exceptionalism, the vision of the ideal life within the country has been sacrificed for the good of the empire. All around, both major and minor changes have been taking place, evolving from the containment and control mentality of the Cold War into something very hot and corrosive to the health of the individual. As these changes towards security and stability take place, even the exalted Constitution becomes more of a symbolic document that is open to interpretation. The flood of differing values from the distant controlling interests of society will continue to seek their capitalistic and imperial ends even if it means dissolving older values and liberty itself. This is a dangerous prospect; one that requires close examination and resistance from a united front of concerned and contemporary-minded individuals. People must remember that liberty allows choice and opportunity but going down the road of security only adds distrust, subversion and restrictions on a free society. Contact TIM at tkhous@TheInquirerOnline.com

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I am an advocate for democracy. Very few political systems offer levels of fairness and freedom comparable to that of a democratic system. That said, democracy in America is a joke. The American bipartisan system could be called a playpen version of democracy. Our candidates provide an illusion of choice as the result is the same no matter what we choose. Despite this bleak outlook of mine, there is hope. Within us voters is the power to make a real change. However this power is negated because the majority of those eligible to vote choose not to. I began to think heavily on the concept of democracy in the wake of the recent ASDVC elections, where a dismal 738 voters out of the 22,000 students that make up the DVC student body showed up to vote. For several years now, ASDVC has provided those who vote with a ticket for a free hot dog to encourage students to participate in the democratic process. To satisfy a suspicion I had, I wandered around campus and asked every student who would stop to talk if they had voted and if it was done for the free hot dog. Most people said that they hadn’t voted and were not even aware elections had taken place. Of the people that voted, the majority told me they had submitted randomly filled or even blank ballots in order to get a hot dog, a handful told me they voted for their friends and two students told me they did it “for the cuties.” Clearly there is a severe disconnect between the student body and the student government. But this is a community college election. So what? Why does it matter? Well, if you don’t prac-

This puts you, as a voter and as a politically conscious citizen, in the frustrating position of having to know which candidate, if any, is representing your best interests. I’m not going to tell you who I’m voting for in November. I’m also not going to take the time to pick apart presidential candidates for you. They all have skeletons in their closets, and it’s your responsibility as a voter to find them out and find a politician you can live with and maybe even like. According to the statistics of the 2008 elections, roughly half of those eligible to vote chose not to. That’s almost a hundred million people not using a power readily at their disposal. That’s your power. Don’t let it go to waste.

American Security

-).8

AIDAN HERRICK Puzzle & Games editor

tice, how are you ever going to get good at something? With the 2012 debates going on unceasingly and the elections looming, it seems that now would be a time as good as any to understand what it means to participate in an election, to know how to compare a politicians’ promises to their actions and to know who or what a politician really represents. Fortunately for their financial backers and unfortunately for us, politicians are rarely (if ever) called out on their rhetoric. I can remember the 2000 presidential election when those who voted for Ralph Nader were said to have wasted their vote or to have somehow stolen votes from Al Gore, which demonstrated a large problem in American democracy. In a democratic system, a vote cannot be wasted. The idea that any candidate has a better or worse chance than any other is an inherently undemocratic idea.

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Opinions

Thursday, April 19 - Wednesday, May 2, 2012

The Inquirer - Diablo Valley College

The war on marijuana BRIAN DONOVAN Editor in chief

ack in 2005, Canadian researchers from the University of Saskatchewan discovered that high doses of cannabis actually stimulated brain cell growth in lab rats. The same researchers also confirmed that most other drugs, including legal ones like alcohol and nicotine destroy nerve cells in the hippocampus. Their discoveries are published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. I can attest to that personally.

“If you want to imagine a world without marijuana, don’t listen to all of those Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame records and don’t listen to any rap music.”

When I was a child I was diagnosed with Pervasive Development Disorder. After many years of exposure to cannabis, my social skills, motor skills, critical thinking and creativity have improved exponentially. While DVC and personal experiences had much to do with that growth, I wouldn’t have had the ability to learn at the required pace or been able to manage the stress associated with college without it. The American Association for Cancer Research has found that marijuana helps to slow down tumor growth in the heart, brain and lungs considerably. So why is the federal government wanting to exterminate this substance from our lives? To paraphrase Bill Hicks, if you want to imagine a world without marijuana, don’t listen to all of those Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame records on 107.7 The Bone and don’t listen to any rap music. Practically all of our society’s modern music has been influenced by marijuana and a pleth-

CHRISTA BALINGIT Arts and Features editor

Courtesy of CHRISTOPHER THOMAS / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

ora of psychedelics. The DEA and the Obama administration are focusing on the wrong solutions to our nation’s drug problems. The drug problem stems from the prescription drugs, which kill more people than traffic accidents according to the LA Times. Instead of impeding on state and local government jurisdiction, Obama should instead focus on weeding out the corruption in the FDA and regulate the phar-

maceutical industry better. Turn the drug war on big pharma, decimalize and regulate illegal hard drugs and legalize marijuana to cut the funding to the source of chaos in Mexico. That is how the people will win the war on drugs rather than become the victims of it. What we have right now is a war on people. Contact BRIAN at bdonovan@ TheInquirerOnline.com

Smoking fine is excessive JOHN KESLER Opinions editor

I don’t smoke but the persecution of smokers makes me want to burn through an entire pack. A proposed amendment to the Student Code of Conduct would strengthen the campus ban on

smoking and allow police to fine violators $25 the first time, $50 the second, and $75 the third. This treats smokers like second class citizens. I know many people who smoke and are aware of the health risks inherent in inhaling smoke from a burning rod filled with harmful chemicals. However, they’re not going to stop because of bans like this. All this serves is to screw over a group of people while health nuts pat themselves on the back for doing a fine job. Despite my assertion, I can

Media wrongly judges innocents

understand the basis for the ban. Dr. Stanton Glantz, the director of the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at UC San Francisco, was quoted in an ABC News article from 2005 as saying, “When you make workplaces, public places, restaurants and bars smoke-free, people smoke less. They sell fewer cigarettes.” Additionally, Dr. Glantz states that they have “consistently found that you get a 30 percent drop in cigarette consumption when you make a workplace smoke-free.”

Obviously DVC isn’t a workplace but a smoking ban would have a similar effect, since making it harder to smoke would surprisingly produce less smokers. I also entirely understand that smoking is not healthy. Still, it’s not going to wipe out smoking entirely and it will just serve to torment people who can’t stop smoking. The rules we have in place are fine right now. Don’t get burnt up about it. Contact JOHN at jkesler@TheInquirerOnline.com

We all know that media can make a powerful impact on how we think. On April 7, a 17-year-old boy was speeding down Treat Boulevard in Concord when he lost control of his Escalade and crashed into a family who were out on a bike ride, killing 41-yearold Solaiman Nuri and his 9-yearold daughter Hadessa. The 17year-old also crashed into a fire hydrant and a building. Any fatal accident involving a minor is big news. The fact that a minor was also the cause of the accident is even bigger news. The media has a reputation of playing judge when it comes to cases like these. There are many stories where the media has zeroed in on and decided amongst themselves who was guilty. This incident is no exception. On April 9, Claycord wrote the following in an article regarding the incident, “Before killing Solaiman Nuri and his 9-year-old daughter, Hadessa, the suspect was allegedly caught speeding down Treat Blvd, according to witnesses.” This statement doesn’t sit well with me. By stating “before killing”, the article gives readers a feeling that it was intentional. There are too many cases where the media will go out and pass judgment before the law does. Claycord isn’t the only outlet accused of doing this. The media

often condemns the accused before they are found guilty. Back in 2006, three lacrosse players were wrongly accused of raping a student at a party. Nancy Grace, who has been criticized before for her comments, said, “I’m so glad they didn’t miss a lacrosse game over a little thing like gang rape.” The three players were later cleared of a crime but Grace never formally apologized. To make such an accusation while a case is still being investigated portrays the accused in a way that may not be valid and could affect the rest of their lives. An example of this behavior comes from Claycord’s coverage of the accident. In a post published on April 8, the article said that the suspect “called himself ‘Race Fox’ on social media.” A nickname is hardly evidence that the collision was done consciously or is even relevant to the story at this point. Pictures of the accused’s Facebook page are posted right next to the article as if it’s some type of evidence. The media should realize its influence and take care to not pass judgment until the accused are proven guilty, especially if the case involves a minor. Try to refrain from accusing them of a crime until the legal system does its work. Otherwise, their name will always be associated with that. What we read online, in the newspaper or see on T.V. can easily alter our opinion. It’s time media went back to reporting facts rather than personal opinions.

Contact CHRISTA at cbalingit@ TheInquirerOnline.com

Arts & Features The Inquirer - Diablo Valley College

Thursday, April 19 - Wednesday, May 2, 2012

MIKE ALFIERI / The Inquirer

Adam Afshar and Shayam Maharay play an eclectic set together in the first act of the “Our Voice 2012” on Friday April 14. The show helped to raise money for DVC Music Industy Studies Programs by highlighting the talents of students and teachers in the music classes.

DVC students share their voice

Faculty member Danny Carnahan played some folksy tunes with cute, and sometimes funny lyrics. From rock to rap to classical Indian music, Quite different from Carnahan’s happy DVC music students and faculty alike rocked tunes, duo act Adam & Shayam brought a the house at “Our Voice 2012” on Thursday, little diversity to the stage, sitting on a carpet April 12. Using original pieces and drawing and using their skills on the sitar and tabla to inspiration from a similar event held during form beautiful and soothing classical Indian the fall semester, this concert melodies, or ragas. featured a variety of DVC artists The connection between “I love it. I seeking to raise money for the the two students was evident, Music Department at DVC and love perform- as Shayam managed to keep spread awareness for the cuts that ing in general.” the audience entertained with have been devastating the differmind-blowingly fast tabla beats ent programs it offers. as Adam tuned his instrument ~Dontae Blinks “No one in our department while performing. has ever done this before...I know Sitting at a weathered piano that it takes $30,000 - $35,000 a and playing some catchy tunes, semester to run our program and Regina Martin impressed everybody with her our budget is something like a thousand dol- original melodies, including one song written lars.” said Ashley Pearson, one of the many for her mother. students who volunteered to organize this However, she wasn’t the only female soloevent. “My professors worked extremely hard ist who captured the audience that night― to write grants to keep it running.” whether it was Erica Cullen’s sorrowful R&B, One program that this money keeps going Diane Amar’s jazzy numbers, or Nikki Bautisis the Music Technology Center, which, as ta’s soft acoustic tunes, the ladies had a strong MC Christophe Carington put it, “caters to a presence in the show overall. variety of careers as well as music production, Things got heated up as Camille Zapanta audio engineering and music.” performed a sexy song titled “Sunday MornThe show was also selling raffle tickets to ing Breakfast,” followed by some smooth luxurious prizes, including a $200 spa gift cer- lines from rapper Michael Pittman. tificate, proceeds from which went directly to Pittman even managed to show off a bit of the music program at DVC. his comedic freestyling talent nearing the end Despite a late start and a less-than-full of his performance. house, the show wasted no time in providing In addition to providing entertainment for entertainment. the audience, “Our Voice 2012” gave unique RANEEM TALEB-AGHA Copy Editor

experiences and opportunities to the performers themselves. “I guess I’m in it for the experiences.” said Zach Mondlick, 19. Mondlick played the drums for a variety of acts, including “Ma’Rock N’Roll,” a group that brought a fusion of Middle Eastern-inspired guitar riffs with good old rock n’roll. “I love it...I love performing in general. It’s just so fun ‘cause these people, I’ve performed with them before so I know pretty much everyone,” said Dontae Blinks, 21, also known as Mistah Blinks. “Everybody’s so positive.” Blinks wrapped up the concert with a fun remix of Rihanna’s “So Hard” as the entire group of performers danced light-heartedly on stage. The concert also brought students out of their comfort zones. “I did something, it’s actually pretty interesting. I usually play classical music and in this concert I was able to play rock n’ roll kind of stuff.” said Adam Afshar, 23, of Adam & Shayam. In addition to his main act, Afshar also accompanied several others, including Ma’Rock N’ Roll and Diane Amar. “It was actually a really good experience,” Afashar said. “Now that I’ve done it I’m glad I had. I met all these people, had a lot of fun... It’s a great experience to be able to see what DVC has to offer.”

MIKE ALFIERI / The Inquirer

Cameron Coulter belts out a tune for the crowd during her set in the second act of the show on friday night, April 14.

Contact RANEEM TALEB-AGHA at rtalebagha@TheInquirerOnline.com

Cabin Fever From Page 10

As I mentioned before, the writing is excellent. Whedon and Goddard serve up a script that works as a slasher film but also as a parody of slasher films. It’s also delightfully manipulative: whenever things get too lighthearted and funny, something horrible happens and vice versa. In an interview with British GQ, Whedon said that he and Goddard did not like how horror was turning into torture porn and that “they were becoming this extremely nihilistic and misogynist exercise in just trying to upset you, as opposed to trying to scare you.” This explains part of the movie’s genius as it ignores most of the last decade of horror films such as “Saw” and “Hostel.” Instead, it consciously borrows from classic horror films like “The Evil Dead” and “Halloween” while adding the clever postmodern spin of having the characters harassed by not only the monsters but the workers as well. I also enjoyed how the movie was shot in a traditional style as I am sick of the “found footage” cinematography of films like “Paranormal Activity” or “The Blair Witch Project.” In fact, I don’t recall any sort of handheld camerawork as well which is also a plus. The casting was also effective. Since “Cabin in the Woods” plays with the familiar archetypes of slasher films (such as the jock and the smart guy), Goddard did a good job casting gorgeous people who completely fit

those roles. In particular, Chris Hemsworth’s performance is really good and believable as a hunky sociology major while Fran Kranz’s role of a very perceptive stoner will lead to a great career as a character actor. The other actors are not stellar but serve the movie well. Bradley Whitford and Richard Jenkins play the workers Sitterson and Hadley respectively, and each get a few laughs through the use of deadpan comedy. However, I was distracted by Whitford’s resemblance to Harvey Keitel in “Reservoir Dogs.” The special effects are actually pretty good as well since several of them are done with practical make-up effects. One monster in particular who has a circular saw blade in his head (and is definitely a parody of Pinhead from “Hellraiser”) looks really gruesome. The computer generated monsters don’t look that bad either. They look way better than the Muttations from “The Hunger Games.” Despite my warnings, you’ll probably still enjoy “Cabin in the Woods” if you read this far. The writing and casting lead to a film so well crafted that even if you know one of the twists, you’ll still have fun. Contact JOHN KESLER at jkesler@TheInquirerOnline.com

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Arts & Features

Thursday, April 19 - Wednesday, May 2, 2012

The Inquirer - Diablo Valley College

CABIN FEVER ‘Cabin in the Woods’: a rarity of its own kind JOHN KESLER Opinions editor

abin in the Woods” is unique: a horror comedy that manages to be scary and funny. Honestly, the less you know about this movie, the more you’ll enjoy it. Stop reading this and go see it. Now. It’s great. Are you still reading this? Well, be warned, many minor spoilers are ahead. “Cabin in the Woods” is the directorial debut of Drew Goddard, best known for writing 2008’s “Cloverfield.” This movie was co-written

by Joss Whedon, the mind behind “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Firefly.” Already this indicates that the movie is in good, creative hands. “Cabin in the Woods” follows a group of five college students who decide to go on a trip as well as a group of workers who seem to be doing some experiment involving the students. Eventually horrible monsters show up and begin to kill the students, an event that the workers have some involvement in.

CABIN FEVER, Page 9

Courtesy of Lionsgate

Marty, who is played by Fran Kranz, uses his telescoping bong to fight off evil monsters. “Cabin” was filmed in 2009 but was not released until earlier this year.

Lauren Conrad’s new book lacks originality CHRISTA BALINGIT Arts & Features editor

Courtesy of Arthur King

Riva England’s comic was one of many that was entered in the comic contest.

Comic contest allows students to illustrate CHRISTA BALINGIT Arts & Features editor

Comics have a story to tell, but so do the students who create them. The 2nd annual James O’Keefe Prize for Graphic Literature was scheduled to take place on April 18 from 1 to 2 p.m. Students who entered the contest had to come up with a piece of work in the form of a comic. Student Riza Cruz, who was one of the few winners, did her first comic as an entry to the contest. “It’s given me experience,” Cruz said. “It opened me up to entering contests. It taught me to accept criticism.” Her art comic was about her own experience in trying to figure out what she really wanted to do with her life. Cruz found out about the contest through her best friend and decided to give it a go. The comic took her a couple of months to perfect. “Adam Bessie and my brother helped me out,” Cruz said. “They gave me a few suggestions.” Professor Bessie, who also helped contribute to make the show a reality, said that a lot of winners are new to having their art seen by the public. “The contest isn’t about training future comic artists,” Bessie said. “It’s about allowing them to be creative.” The contest is in honor of the late James O’Keefe, who pioneered the English department’s class on graphic novels. “He was like a mentor to me,” Bessie said. “This

is a way to pay James back for what he gave to me. I mean, I get to give my students a good opportunity and do what I love at the same time.” When first looking at a comic strip, it’s easy to think the process of putting it together would be simple. Student Nick Pino, another winner, went over the process it took for him to come up with his comic. “You definitely want to have a story and characters,” Pino said. “You want ones that you care about in mind. You want the images in your head. Plan out the rules and reason behind the universe you are about to create. Once you got that done, write it. After planning out the imagery, pencil it, add the text, ink it, then scan it and copy it so that you don’t lose the original copy.” For students, the process is fun but takes hours of hard work. For those who helped make the contest a reality, it takes just as much work. “After James passed away, we wanted to keep the creative spirit alive,” Bessie said. “This is a cross collaborative between the English and art department. It really is a great thing for students.” Dore Ripley, a professor at DVC and another chair member of the contest, said all the entries this time around have been awesome. “This is a really unique thing that DVC does,” Ripley said. “It’s an original type of contest. The project is beneficial because it helps students become more concise in their thoughts and ideas.” Contact CHRISTA BALINGIT at cbalingit@TheInquirerOnline. com

When listing off the many talents of Lauren Conrad, “author” should not be one of them. I can say this with certaintly after reading her newest book, “The Fame Game.” The new book is the first of a trilogy that follows four girls—Kate, Madison, Gaby and Carmen—as they star in a reality show and try to make it in Hollywood. “The Fame Game” is also a spin off from Conrad’s first trilogy called “L.A. Candy.” Madison, is given her own reality T.V. show in the second book series. Conrad isn’t a novice to the complications of the benefits and consequences of reality T.V. She’s starred in two reality shows herself (“Laguna Beach,” “The Hills”) until she ventured off to become an author and fashion designer. After reading this book, I’m convinced reality T.V. and fashion is a better fit for Conrad. Courtesy of Harper To be fair, the book is better than I expected. They are given problems with simple and It’s interesting to read about reality T.V. quick solutions. from a previous reality star’s point of view. Conrad attempts to build a world in which It’s as if Conrad is giving away some of the her characters experience complicated issues. secrets that come with this type of show. The way it’s presented, though, is with such Conrad said in an interview that “the most fun for me is being able to tell all the little ridiculousness that the solution seems obvious.One example is when Kate starts to date tricks that people do in the media.” a boy named Luke. The writing itself isn’t poor When gossip tabloids spot quality. There just isn’t anything “The way it’s prenew or original about it. It’s sim- sented, though, is Carmen and Luke, who are given lead roles in a romance plistic and straight forward. movie, the tabloids are quick with such Conrad lacks the ability to write report that the two are in in a way that is unique. ridiculousness to a relationship. It’s doesn’t motivate you to Carmen and Luke both keep flipping to the next page. It’s that the solution agree to not deny it since easily predictable. seems obvious.” it would help both of their The characters also seem to careers, leaving Kate in an lack depth. awkward situation. Rather than having them develop, Conrad To anyone else, this would hardly count as writes them as flat and one dimensional. Madison plays the girl who will do anything a “situation.” Most would respond the same way: dump and everything to become and stay famous. Gaby takes the role of the girl who is gull- the guy. Conrad’s novel isn’t terrible, it just doesn’t ible and doesn’t exactly know what is going offer anything new. on half of the time. Her clothing line, though? The It girl, Carmen, was raised by a famous That’s another story. family and seems to have it all: looks, talent and a humble attitude. Contact CHRISTA BALINGIT Kate plays the homely girl who is just trycbalingit@TheInquirerOnline. ing to make it with the help of her music. com