March 25, 2009

El Vaquero March 25, 2009

Glendale College

Glendale City firefighter and GCC Fire Academy instructor Gil Pedroza from Engine 24A cuts battery cables while extinguishing a car fire on Mountain Street Story page 2 Photo by Alvaro Morales

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Wednesday, March 25, 2009

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NEWS

El Vaquero Glendale Community College

Brandon Hensley

PHOTO EDITOR

Jane Pojawa

STAFF WRITERS

Andres Aguila Jesse Gutierrez Claudia Anaya Amy Hirsch Troy Cornell Isiah Reyes Corinna Scott STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS

Richard Kontas Allan Beglarian Shaun Kelly Production Manager

Jane Pojawa

design adviser

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faculty adviser

Michael Moreau

mmoreau@glendale.edu (818) 551-5214

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Jeff Smith

jsmith@glendale.edu (818) 240-1000, ext. 1427

El Vaquero accepts story ideas in news, features, profiles, sports and entertainment from the public. To submit an idea or an article, e-mail the editor at editor@elvaq.com or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5349.

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Letters may be reproduced in full or in part and represent only the point of view of the writer, not the opinion of El Vaquero or Glendale Community College and its district. Letters must be signed and typed and include the full name and address of the writer. El Vaquero is a First Amendment publication.

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93

EL VAQUERO EDITOR IN CHIEF

A

Jessica Bourse

Ortiz’s girlfriend, 19-year-old Myra Flores, ran to him from the front of the school, where she was waiting for Ortiz to pick her up.

“When I came, his car was on fire,” said Flores, “but I knew he was OK because I saw him...”

Ortiz said that his Accord had never given him a problem until the incident.

After the fire was put out, a tow

By Jessica Bourse

With Alvaro Morales [Cover story]

editor in chief

SPORTS EDITOR

Car Erupts in Fire Near Campus

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’94 Honda Accord burst into flames at the intersection of Mountain Street and Verdugo Road on Monday evening, possibly the result of a faulty spark plug wire, according to the Glendale Fire Department.

The owner of the vehicle, 20year-old Robert Ortiz, was not injured.

“I just came to pick up my girl [from Glendale College],” said Ortiz, “and out of nowhere, the car started to smoke.”

Ortiz made a right turn on Mountain Street and jumped out of the car when he saw the blaze erupt out of the hood.

Glendale Fire Station 24 received the call about the vehicle fire at 6:06 p.m., said Fire Captain Mark Berg.

When Engine 24A arrived on the scene, Ortiz’s car was on the far right lane on Mountain Street, engulfed in flames.

“It didn’t take very long to put out the fire,” said Berg, “It was an engine fire.”

Firefighter Gilbert Pedroza, who is also an instructor at the college’s Fire Academy, cut the battery cables of the car, ensuring that the power was off.

truck arrived on the scene at 6:58 p.m. to tow the charred car and take the couple home.

“We tried not to smile, but it’s hard when you love the job!” said Berg, referring to the pictures taken at the scene. “All in a days work, unfortunately the car is toast.”

Jessica Bourse can be reached at jessica_bourse@elvaq.com

Photo by Alvaro Morales

UP IN SMOKE: Robert Ortiz, left, pictured with a firefighter, looks into the source of the fire that destroyed his car Monday.

Letter to the Editor Become What You Dream!

“If you had to do something for rest of your life without getting paid, what would it be?”

When you were growing up, did you ever think, “I want to be an Astronaut,” “I want to be a Fire Man,” “I want to be a Princess”…Well the princess might be a little hard to achieve; but why can’t you do what you love? I was on the train going nowhere when it came to figuring out what I wanted to do, then I stumbled on the GCC Career Center in the San Rafael Bldg.... I came across a friendly staff that set me up with an appointment with a career counselor.

This is what I’ve discovered that I would like to share with you. In the Career Center, you learn about your career interests, your personality type, and the skills you would enjoy using in the future. It’s done through career assessment inventories. These assessments are actually pretty fun, about an hour each, and there are no right or wrong answers. It’s just your preferences as a person, “What you like and don’t like.” So, I spoke with a career counselor, she set me up with some assessment tests, I took them and then I made another appointment to go over the results.

What did I find? I found that I am a logical, independent, flexible, and tolerant of a wide range of behaviors. My interests are in the performing arts, social science, and counseling and helping.

The types of jobs it suggested were translator, musician, biologist, and a photographer. I am very pleased with the results because I learned more about myself as a person, what I like to do, and the types of jobs I might like to do and be good at.

So when it comes to coming to the Career Center, don’t just think “I’m only going to get job suggestions.” No! You’re going to learn more about you as a person and that will ultimately lead you in choosing a career, new hobbies you can take up, and things you can work on as an individual. I strongly advise GCC students to take advantage of the great services offered at the GCC Career Center.

— Edgar (last name withheld by request) Letters may be reproduced in full or in part and represent only the point of view of the writer, not the opinion of El Vaquero or Glendale Community College and its district. Letters must be signed and typed and include the full name and address of the writer. El Vaquero is a First Amendment publication.

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Wednesday, March 25, 2009

3

NEWS

Board of Trustees Loses King, Plans Elections

By Corinna Scott

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

I

n response to public concerns that Glendale Community College was declaring a state of fiscal emergency Armine Hacopian said, “I want to publicly state that we [the college] are not stating a fiscal emergency,” at the board of trustees meeting on March 16.

The board member attributed this to the hard work of faculty and staff, especially to Larry Serot, former executive vice president of administrative services; Ron Nakasone, interim executive vice president of administrative services; and Audre Levy,

Glendale College president.

Hacopian also credited the California Schools Employees Association, the state senate and the budget development process.

“We’ve done a good job in preventing something like this,” said Hacopian.

Anthony Tartaglia agreed with Hacopian and said that the college is not declaring a state of fiscal emergency.

“The state continues to falter on its ability to budget properly,” said Tartaglia “And I’m seeing another $8 billion being discussed as a shortfall in a budget that was supposed to be fixed in this last endeavor and we haven’t even voted on the propositions that

College Board Tackles Big Issues

By Troy Cornell

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

A

candidate’s forum for the upcoming Glendale Community College school board elections was held Tuesday.

The forum included former board presidents Anita Gabrielian and Dr. Armine Hacopian, as well as Ann Ransford. Vrej Agajanian was not present.

In a round-robin style question and answer format, the candidates fielded questions ranging from the state budget crisis to how they would utilize their board positions to strengthen GCC and its constituent ties.

Ransford, who has been part of the college for 36 years, was given the first question of how she would help contribute to a system of checks and balances as a member of the school board.

“The role of the community college governing board is to develop policies, to establish a general direction of the college’s programs and services,” Ransford said Gabrielian followed by saying that it is the board’s responsibility to “set the policy, set the direction and have a fiscally responsible top-quality institution.... We need to make sure the buck stops with the president.”

“The board has additional

responsibilities and that is to listen to the external and internal constituencies,” said Hacopian.

“It is our responsibility to keep the doors of communication open.”

“We have some relationshipmending to do,” said Gabrielian.

“Because we are in an economic downturn, we have increased in enrollment and less faculty. We need to make sure we’re not cutting back on support services that are allowing our students to succeed.”

The next question posed to the candidates was about the school governance and how they should inform the college about budgetary issues.

Ransford responded by saying, “It is the board’s job to make some broad decisions about budget. It is up to all of the college and all of the constituents to develop the budget with some of those parameters in mind, so you have everyone as a team developing that budget.”

The candidates all agreed that before all other things, keeping student services and students their number one priority would be essential to the growth of GCC. “Making sure that we continue to support our students is going to keep us at the top,” said Gabrielian.

Troy Cornell can be reached at troy_cornell@elvaq.com

will be on our May ballot.

“The community college system has fared well and, I’m hoping, will continue to fair well.

I want to let everyone know out there that this is a stellar campus.

Everybody works together — administration, faculty and the like, to make sure we put the best product forward for the students and we will continue to do that,” said Tartaglia.

Budget cuts and canceled classes have caused concerns among part-time faculty and students this semester.

“It’s not the full-timers losing their jobs. It’s parttimers losing their jobs,” said Gordon Alexandre, faculty guild president.

Board members attended an annual business luncheon, held by the Glendale Latino Association on Feb. 26 which honored Anita Quinonez-Gabrielian, board of trustees clerk, as she was named woman of the year.

The award goes to outstanding Latino leaders for their contributions to the community and for their leadership in promoting the goals of the organization.

Tartaglia announced that

Hacopian would be honored by the Armenian American Chamber of Commerce as business woman of the year.

Victor King, president of the board of trustees, will be handing over the gavel during next meeting as he will no longer be board president and will be leaving the board. King said it’s been an honor to serve here for the past twelve years.

“40 years ago, I moved to Glendale, this month, as a resident and I just left Glendale this month and, of course, I’m leaving the board of trustees as well,” he said.

King said he had lunch with his former Glendale High School student body president Chris Walters on March 13 and they talked about Deb Rinder, who was their classmate and is now the principal of Glendale High School.

King said that Walters is currently running for Glendale School Board.

“And that recognition was just knowing that it’s a point of immense pride to know that the city of Glendale, as part of it’s generational change and passing on the baton, entrusted certain

things to me and Deb [Rinder] and perhaps to Chris Walters,” said King.

“For these institutions to continue to grow it’s important for one generation to hand off (the baton of leadership) to the next generation,” said King.

Ovsanna Khachikian, student trustee, was absent due to a rally in Sacramento, but sent her regards through Levy. Khachikian was in Sacramento with 10 other associated students officers for an event.

Khachikian wrote: “We are participating in a rally for education organized by the California Community College Student Senate in an effort to ask state legislators for their continued support to community colleges.”

Khachikian attended a rally in Pasadena for the support of state legislators on Feb. 27 along with other officers and representatives from 16 other colleges.

The next board of trustees meeting will be held April 20 at Kreider Hall in the San Rafael Building at 5 p.m.

Corinna Scott can be reached at Corinna_Scott@elvaq.com

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Wednesday, March 25, 2009

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FEATURES

Find Trash and Treasure at Sunday Swap Meet

By Isiah Reyes

EL VAQUERO Staff Writer

C

ollectable toy cars, jewelry and many other items were on sale at GCC’s upper lot swap meet, as a variety of customers and merchants united for the day in search for either a bargain or a profit.

There was a steady pace of activity March 15 as potential buyers surveyed 70,000 square feet of space showcasing rare antiques, pottery, paintings and more. Many of the visitors, older than the average GCC student, have attended this swap meet for most of its 14-year existence.

Ted Julian, a vendor retired from working in the oil fields, stated that he does not normally sell at this swap meet, but that his family had drafted him for the day. He said the original reason his family began selling at the swap meet was to get rid of old, used items.

“That’s how it started out — to get the crap out of the attics,” Julian said.

Other vendors have attended the swap meet regularly for years and have befriended the customers.

Earl Wilson, a vendor who retired from the Marine Corps

after 21 years of service, said that he recognizes most of the people every month who stop by to check out his old books and albums.

Wilson explained the difference between Glendale’s swap meet and the Melrose Trading Post, where he is also a regular vendor.

“I go to Melrose and they’re a different clientele,” Wilson said.

“They’re a younger crowd… mostly yuppies, musicians and so-called actors. Over here the buyers are mostly older and they’re looking for real collectables.

The Melrose Trading Post is held every Sunday and averages from about 3,000 to 4,000 attendees compared to GCC’s 2,500.

“You can take a real nice piece of pottery over there [Melrose] and they wouldn’t even know what they’re looking at,” Wilson said. “Over here they do. It’s a whole different ball game.”

According to Jon Harris, who is from the community services department on the Garfield campus and program assistant of the swap meet, the reason for having a swap meet is to raise money for the general funds of the college.

When GCC sells a booth (three

consecutive parking stalls, 25 by previous weekend he attended 15 feet), the money goes directly the Rose Bowl swap meet but to the college. However, actual did not sell as much as he had profit by the vendors stays with at this swap meet. Perhaps that the vendors. was due to the O t h e r fact that older vendors, such customers are as Richard more interested Arnold, are new in pottery, or at the prospect maybe it is of selling at the because he college. Arnold sells at bargain specializes prices. in selling “I sell We d g w o o d way below pottery, which the normal has been around pricing,” since 1769.

Arnold said.

Most of his Then when pieces have a middlea single-tone aged couple color (blue wandered by being the most his collection, common) with he did not miss a white decor the opportunity symbolizing to make a sale, historical “That bowl events. goes for about “I’ve been $350, but I sell —Ted Julian, collecting it for it for $100.” swap meet vendor years,” Arnold All of said, proud of the vendors his collection (whether they which spans from simple tea cups sell once a year or all 12 times a to large bowls. “I picked them up year) are required by state law to mostly on my travels.” hold a valid re-seller’s permit and Arnold mentioned that on the pay sales tax to the State Board of Equalization on all items, new or used, sold on the premises.

However, occasional sellers (those who clear their closets and garages of their own used items) are not required to have a seller’s permit.

Being an occasional seller is how some of the long-timers became regulars at the swap meet and many of the vendors have a large collection of items on sale.

Julian’s 15-by-25 foot set-up is an example.

“Personally, I’ve been trying to sell those books,” Julian said, signaling to a pile of novels that had an elderly couple’s attention.

“Now my son, he collects these

“That airplane looks to me like a piece of junk, but [my son] wants $80 for it because it’s rare.”

toys, and these are popular.”

“That airplane,” Julian continued, pointing to an old weathered-down tin plane, “looks to me like a piece of junk, but [my son] wants $80 for it because it’s rare.”

Julian then walked over to a wooden sewing machine he owned and examined it for a bit. “I don’t even know if it still works,” he said. When asked for the price on it, he replied, “I was going to ask for $50, but if anyone offers a deal, they probably got it.”

Julian went on to discuss the origin of his items. “These silver plates are prizes my daughters used to ride horses with in the shows,” he said. “I don’t know if they’re worth much, but I’m trying to get five bucks a piece for them.”

When asked if there’s anything he doesn’t like about the swap meet, Julian responded, “I don’t like getting up early in the morning. I froze my ass off all morning long.”

Vendors are admitted at 6 a.m. and early-bird parking is $5 from 6 to 8 a.m. Preferred parking in the parking structure is $2.

The event is held the third Sunday of every month from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The next swap meet will be held on April 19.

To obtain a dealer space, applicants must pre-register by paying a fee of $40 and complete the forms no later than 12:30 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to the weekend of the event.

Registering the same day will drive the cost up to $50.

For any questions regarding the event, contact Harris at (818) 240-1000, ext. 5805. Swap meet office hours are Monday through Thursday, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Isiah Reyes can be reached at isiah_reyes@elvaq.com

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Wednesday, March 25, 2009

5

FEATURES

Study Abroad Program Travels to Italy

By Amy Hirsch

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

T

his summer, the GCC study abroad program is offering trips to both Italy and Japan.

For the trip in Italy, students will be staying in Rome and Florence while studying Italian history and culture taught by Glendale faculty. Guided tours will supplement ample opportunities for participants to experience life in Italy firsthand.

The program begins on campus June 15 to 22, prior to departure for Rome from Los Angeles International Airport on June 23, returning July 19. Included in the price of $4,999 is airfare, travel within Italy, accommodations in a hostel, apartment, or threestar hotel with daily breakfast; welcome and farewell dinners; and basic insurance.

Kim Foong Chong, director of the study abroad program,

said, “We believe it is important to create students not just of America — but students of the world — global learners. That is why we think this program is very important to GCC, because we do send students into the world and [they] do learn a lot about the rest of the world... and also they come back knowing a little bit more about themselves and about their own culture. That is something very important for students — to get beyond themselves.”

The courses taught in Italy don’t require any prerequisites and will include “Italian 048,” Italian international field studies, and “History 101,” history of Western Europe. Both are worth three units.

The instructional faculty from GCC include experts in numerous areas relating to Italian culture and history.

Flavio Frontini is a native of Italy and has been teaching

Italian language and culture classes on campus since 2000. He has participated in previous study abroad trips to Italy, in 2005 and 2007, and will be sharing his interests in music, cuisine and art while adding to participants’ knowledge in Italian language and culture.

Hazel Ramos will be teaching the history course in Italy. She has previously participated in the 2007 Italy trip as a student.

According to Ramos she will be emphasizing study of history for the period covering “Ancient Rome, early christianity, late antiquity, the Middle Ages, through the Renaissance” with particular attention to cultural, artistic, religious and architectural features of the palaces, museums, churches and ancient sites to be visited.

Participants will start their course of study in Rome.

Included in the program will be

a bus tour with visits to Ostia Antica (harbor of ancient Rome) and Tivoli (a Roman resort city) including tours of Hadrian’s Villa and the Renaissance Villa D’Este Palace.

After leaving Rome, the group will proceed to Florence and tour the Medici Chapel, the Duomo and Santa Croce Basilica. Additional day trips will include walking tours of Assisi and Ravenna, both important in Roman and Renaissance history.

“Trips are unchaperoned,” said Foong Chong, “the instructors and director are there to make sure that students have the right accommodations, make sure logistics and learning are taken care of — it is up to the students to take care of themselves… we make sure that students are participating in the learning and study part of the program.”

There are currently 18 students registered for the Italy trip. The

minimum number of students required to enroll, 18, has already been met.

According to Foong Chong, there isn’t an official deadline to register.

“There is none as it is determined by flight availability,” said Foong Chong, “If students are interested, they need to contact me as soon as possible.”

Previous GCC study abroad program trips have included Australia/New Zealand, Fiji, Bali, Tahiti, Argentina, Greece, England, France and Czech Republic, as well as Italy.

This summer, another study abroad program will be traveling to Japan, emphasizing study of Japanese language with a prerequisite of prior knowledge of basic Japanese.

The group will arrive at Kyoto, Japan on June 20, where [See Study Abroad, page 6]

History of Opera Is Told Through 1704 Bass

By Troy Cornell

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

O

n a quiet Saturday afternoon, the sounds of a peaceful, timeless instrument soothed opera lovers and opera newcomers alike.

David Young, the principle bass for the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra, spoke at the Brand Library on March 14 and conveyed his message through his 305-year-old bass, an instrument which has played its way through the beginnings of opera in the 16th century.

A self-proclaimed “caretaker” for his precious bass, Young played excerpts from Wagner’s Ring and works by George Frederick Handel in an intoxicating hourlong insight into the world of opera from a bassist’s point of view.

Young, who was first lured into music by the flute, was led down a slightly different path when he was a 6-year-old boy growing up on a farm near Chicago.

“I went up to my teacher and said ‘I want to play the flute.’

She looked me, she looked at my hands and said ‘Oh no, you’re the bass player— go over there,’” said Young.

“It wasn’t before long when I was mowing her lawn, washing her windows and taking lessons at her house. I was hook, line, and sinker for it.”

The bass, more often than not, gets overshadowed by its smaller, more energetic cousin, the violin.

However, the bass has been the main instrument in setting the scene for some of William Shakespeare’s most memorable scenes.

In the opera version of “Othello,” the bass played a vital role as a mood setter in the last act, which saw Othello at the peak of his madness, enter Desdemona’s bedroom and proceed to take her life.

Although opera and opera music as a whole does not have the following of the likes of Lady Gaga or Bruce Springsteen, there are still many fans who cherish the beauty and liveliness of the genre and who help the music to live on and from these people, Young suggests, one can learn much about a genre of music that has done battle with time itself.

Young and the rest of the LA Opera can be found at the Music Centre’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion at 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. Young is there

practicing every Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Currently the L.A. Opera is playing music from Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen,” (The

Ring Cycle) ], including “Das Rheingold” and “Die Walkure.”

Performance times, dates, and tickets for “Das Rheingold” and “Die Walkure” can be found on

the L.A. Opera Web site at www. laopera.com.

Troy Cornell can be reached at troy_cornell@elvaq.com

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FEATURES

Police Cadets Patrol Parking Structure

By Andres Aguila

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

I

t’s 1 p.m. and for many of the students here at GCC, it’s the end of the day. Many walk passed the student center and head toward the elevators that transport them to the parking structure, where their cars await.

The parking structure has been open since the 2007 fall semester, and since then it has been watched over by the GCC police department, but more particularly by the police cadets.

According to the campus police department, there have been zero motor vehicle thefts in 2005, one in 2006, and three in 2007.

While the statistics are encouraging, an unidentified person was recently caught trying to get into a student’s vehicle earlier this month.

The police said a witness had seen the person trying to lift the door handle of the car.

Campus police then showed up, but did not make an arrest.

The investigation was then forwarded to Paul Schlossoman, head of student activities, for review, but could not reveal any information.

So do students actually feel that the parking structure is a safe place to park their cars?

“It’s pretty safe, they just need to make another structure” said Artack Ayvazyan, a 22-year-old accounting major. “Luckily I haven’t had any problems.”

Avyazyan usually parks across the street from campus and occasionally in the Civic Auditorium lot.

“Right here it’s darker and less safe. I’d assume that the parking structure would be safer,” said Ayvazyan.

When asked about the cadets who patrol the parking structure, Ayvazyan seemed astonished to know that there were actually cadets walking around in the parking structure because he had seen never seen one before.

The cadets get 34 hours of training and six months of on-thefield training. Not only do they patrol the parking structure, but they also issue parking citations and assist police officers when there is an emergency response.

“They really help out,” said Police Captain Nidal Kobaissi, “although some people don’t think so.”

One student who feels this way is Felipe, a criminal justice major in his early 20s, who would not disclose his last name.

Felipe, who parks his car in the parking structure for most of the day, had gotten his Honda symbol stolen from his car while attending classes at the college.

“The cadets are probably looking out for tickets, but not about safety,” said Felipe, in concerns to the safety of cars.

Other students, such as Mike Timo, a 20-year-old biology major, believe that the parking structure is very safe.

“It’s really [safe],” said Timo.

Travel [Study Abroad, from page 5] they will study for five weeks at Kyoto Gakuen University.

Three course will be offered: Japanese 102, Japanese 103 and Japanese 048.

Japanese 102 will be taught

by GCC professor Shihoko Tatsugawa, while Japanese 103 will be taught by a local Japanese professor from KGU. The price is approximately $3,000, including airfare, accommodation, transfers and passes for public transportation.

The price excludes college fees, meals, taxes and travel insurance.

Currently, 37 students are enrolled in the trip to Japan.

“There is no deadline,” said Foong Chong, “but when we reach 40 students, we will close enrollment to the program.”

Next year programs are being considered for Bali, possibly South America, and again Japan.

Those interested may find further information and application at www.glendale. edu/studyabroad.

Chong’s office is located at AD145-C. He may be reached at studyabroad@glendale.edu or by calling (818) 240-1000 ext. 5718.

Amy Hirsch can be reached at amy_hirsch@elvaq.com

“Glendale is too safe!”

And much like other parking facilities, crime is always going to occur.

“You’re always gonna have those people trying to break in someone’s car,” said Christy Timmons, a 19-year-old English literature and theater major.

No matter where a person may park their car, there is always the possibility that the vehicle will not be in the condition that it was left when the person returns.

Furthermore, unlike other parking facilities, there is a cadet station in the parking structure to help keep an eye out on things.

While statistics show the number of motor vehicle thefts have slightly increased since 2006, Kobaissi says that “overall things are smooth” at GCC.

Andres Aguilacan be reached at andres_aguilacan@elvaq.com

Challenged Athlete Encourages Others

By Claudia Anaya

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

A

n injury occurred during birth, where the nerve that controls the shoulder, arm and hand are torn away from the spine, called brachial plexus palsy. Doctors told Paul Fejtek’s mother that he would have little or no use of his right arm.

With the help of his mom, Fejtek learned that “regardless of the obstacles that you have recently faced in life, everything is possible as long as you have courage, commitment and passion.”

He took listeners on a journey with the wisdom he shared on Thursday in the J.W. Smith Student Center in his presentation, “Scaling the Mountains of Adversity.”

The Center for Students with Disabilities presented the event, which was held at noon.

Fejtek explained how courage, commitment, and passion have helped him to reach part of his goal to climb the seven summits; the highest mountains on the seven continents to help support the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) and those with physical disabilities.

Fejtek has successfully climbed five of the seven highest mountains peaks in the world.

He is on his way to reaching the goal that 229 people in the world have reached; to have climbed all of the Seven Summits.

“You’re on a plane headed towards to your favorite vacation destination. As you climb higher and higher, you peer out the window — everything looks so small down there. The cars, the freeways, the buildings — all but disappear, along with the noise of traffic, the troubles, your responsibilities that you’ve just left behind,” said Fejtek, painting a picture

to his listeners.

“You’ve now reached your cruising altitude of 29,000 feet.

As high up above everything as we are, the belly of our plane can actually scrape the tip of Mount Everest at this altitude.

“You look out the window, as you gaze across the horizon, you watch the sun slip away beneath the clouds. You wonder, you wonder to yourself why did they have to charge me $50 to check my luggage?” Fejtek said jokingly.

“You wonder to yourself how many amazing things there are in this world — all the places to see, things to see, things to do, cultures to experience, and then you think maybe there’s people out there that need my help,” said Fejtek.

“If only I had the time, if only I had the money. If only I wasn’t in this wheelchair, why am I here? What’s my purpose? Why do I have so many obstacles to deal with?” said Fejtek.

He brought up the thought of what people would attempt if they were not afraid. What goals people would pursue if they knew for a fact that they would not fail.

And if people knew that they wouldn’t be criticized for trying.

Courage, as Fejtek said, he has best heard described is “not the absence of fear, but instead courage is the ability to act in spite of your fears, fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of criticism.”

Fejtek often talks to people about his mountaineering adventures and has people telling him that they could never do it “Why not?” asked Fejtek.

He explains that these people are in perfectly good health with both arms and legs.

“Why can’t they climb a mountain or pursue other big goal or challenge that really requires pushing beyond their perceived limitations?” asked Fejtek.

Fejtek finds pleasure in

reaching outside his comfort zone to pursue his goals. He finds that when he reaches the top of each summit, everything is possible.

“I encourage each and every one of you to take that step out of your comfort zone and pursue your goals, whether it’s applying for that job you really wanted or trying out for that particular sports team or even asking out that cute girl in your morning class. I mean what’s the worst that could happen? When on a mountain the worst that could happen is plummeting a thousand feet to your death,” said Fejtek.

By asking a girl out on a date, there’s a possibility that she might say yes, Fejtek said.

On Sept. 8, 2008, he climbed his fifth mountain, Cartensz Pyramid on the Oceania continent.

Commitment and persistence, Fejtek said, is what was key in climbing Cartensz, the most technically challenging of all the summits.

Because of lack of gripping strength on his right arm, he went to practice in an indoor climbing gym in Orange County.

Finding that the difficulty was more than he thought, he came up with the idea of what he calls “the hook,” a coat hanger hook attached to a wrist brace for carpel tunnel designed for better gripping ability.

“The third ingredient for success, at least in my opinion, is passion,” said Fejtek.

“Remember when we stepped out of our comfort zone earlier to ask that girl out for a date. What drove that? Passion. You have to be excited, enthusiastic.”

Fejtek closed his speech by quoting Mark Douglas, “achievement of your goal is assured the moment you commit yourself to it.”

Claudia Anaya can be reached at claudia_anaya@elvaq.com

www.elvaq.com

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

7

FEATURES

Festival Commences Persian New Year

By Amy Hirsch

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

T

here was a festive Persian New Year celebration at the GCC campus on March 12.

The holiday is known as Nowruz, which means “new day.”

Nowruz is celebrated in Iran, Afghanistan, neighboring former Soviet republics, and in various countries and cities worldwide, including Los Angeles, where a large community of Persian immigrants reside.

It occurs on the first day of the vernal equinox, as the sun is directly over the equator and spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere, with celebrations continuing for the next 13 days.

As the festivities began on a warm, sunny morning, the air was filled with sounds of Persian music played by DJ Alex. There were many people circle-dancing to the fast-paced songs. All were having a good time and more people kept joining in.

According to the event coordinator, Dr. Paris Noori of the department of Academic

Counseling, “This has become the biggest annual cultural event for the college community.”

Speakers addressing the crowd included college president Dr. Audre Levy and members of the college Board of Trustees, Dr. Armine Hacopian and Anita Quinonez Gabrielian.

Dave Weaver, Glendale city councilman said, “It’s great when different cultures come together.”

During the event, a variety of booths and tables displayed various features of Persian culture. Included were jewelry, handicrafts, rugs and pastries.

One table showed examples of Persian calligraphy.

There was a display of Persian miniature paintings by the artist Badri Borghei. On another table were items for sale such as necklaces and beaded pillow covers in a rainbow of colors.

A traditional tea house was also represented.

The event was sponsored by the Persian Student Association.

The club’s Web site, www. glendale.edu/persianclub,

presents a detailed explanation of various aspects of the holiday.

Nowruz was celebrated as early as 650 B.C. by the Zoroastrians inhabiting Persia at that time. Over the years, holiday traditions continue to be observed by most cultural and religious groups later living in the area formerly known as Persia (now Iran) including both the Muslim majority and the immigrant Christian Armenian community now prevalent in Glendale.

Traditions include Khaneh Tekany or spring cleaning, important to prepare the home for the visit of spirits of deceased relatives. Hospitality is provided with fragrant flowers and spices.

On the last Wednesday of the year, small fires are set up in a row and everyone lines up to jump over them in a ceremony known as Chahar-Shanbeh Suri, representing the giving up of paleness (illness or sadness) to the fire while getting back warmth and energy.

A special table known as Haft-Seen is placed in the home containing seven symbolic edible

items beginning with the letter S: Sabzeh (sprouted wheat for abundance), Senjed (a fruit for love), Seeb (apple for health and beauty), Sohan (a sweet for plant roots), Serkeh (vinegar for natural medicine), Sumagh (crushed sumac berries for the spice of life) and Seer (garlic, for health).

Since it is a season of rebirth and a new beginning, it is a tradition to buy a new outfit.

Noori recalled her childhood in Iran: “We put on new clothes and shoes – everything was new, we would get so excited.”

Families dress in their new outfits on New Year’s Day. They celebrate for 12 days by visiting family and friends. The youth visit family members, including their elders. As part of this custom, people exchange gifts and the host offers a variety of cookies and fruit to the guests.

The Nowruz celebration provided an opportunity for people of varying cultures to participate in an ancient tradition which can be appreciated to this day.

[See related photos, page 16]

Amy Hirsch can be reached at amy_hirsch@elvaq.com

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

‘Once Upon a Mattress’: New Twist on an Old Tale Story by Claudia Anaya Photos by Shaun Kelly

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rowing up, little boys dream of becoming superheroes and little girls dream of being princesses.

After a few years, reality hits but doesn’t take away a person’s fascination for magic, love, and whale-size dreams.

“I thought it would be fun for everybody to live in that world for awhile,” said Melissa Randel.

“It’s not logical and it’s playful. I think I liked the idea that there was a test to being princess, a lot of little girls wanted to be princesses.”

The Glendale College departments of Dance, Music and Theater Arts this month presented “Once Upon a Mattress,” a musical comedy based on the fairy tale “The Princess and the Pea.” The production, directed by Randel, featured live music, dancing, delightful acting, and incredible singing in the main auditorium.

The story that first opened on Broadway in 1959 begins with the Minstrel, who was played by Joenhel Cayanan, who tells of the original story of “The Princess and the Pea” but says he knows the real story because he was there.

The King, played by Aren Soulahian, is under a spell placed by Queen Aggravaine, played by Leisna Ozno, until a mouse devours a hawk.

Meagon Ligons, 25, theater, thought that Soulahian did an amazing job. “To have a character that has no lines but to be so physical and so entertaining, it’s just really fun to watch.”

As the stage lit up and bright colors began to show on stage, described by Randel as “eye candy,” the Queen Aggravaine, played by Leisna Ozno, was seen testing princesses to see if they were good enough to marry Prince Dauntless, played by Jacob Lopez.

The Queen’s “princess test” is as follows: first, she tires out the princess by putting on a ball with fast-paced dancing. Second, the princess is given a potion, causing sleepiness, which leads to the third part of the Queen’s plan — the pea. A tiny pea would be placed under 20 heavy mattresses to test the

Upperleft: QueenAggravaine, played by Leisna Ozno plotting on a difficult test for the princess.

Larkin, played by Ashley Zabala and Sir Harry, played byAndrew Pantazis in the musical number “In a little While.” “Once Upon a Mattress” cast in opening number, “Opening for a Princess.”

Top right: Princess Winnifred, played by Jessica Young and Lady Mabelle played by Iris T. Hill in the musical number “Happily Ever After.”

princess’s sensitivity — how? Only a true princess could feel a pea under 20 mattresses.

As the princesses fail the test, the rest of the kingdom, except for the queen, is disappointed since no one can get married until Prince Dauntless gets married.

Sir Harry, played by Andrew Pantazis, went off to find a true princess after finding out that his girlfriend Larkin, played by Ashley Zabala, is pregnant and may affect his position as a knight if they have a child out of wedlock.

Sir Harry returns with Princess Winnifred, also know as “Fred,” played by the talented Jessica Young, a bold and rough princess from the marshlands who captivates the prince immediately and is disliked by the queen just as much.

Young’s emotionally charged performance “Shy” and “Happily Ever After” were the most memorable of all the musical numbers, causing loud applause from the audience.

Charlene Lacambra, 18, undecided, thought that Princess Winnifred was “pretty funny.”

Queen Aggravine decides to put Winnifred to the test

After the dance, the princess goes to bed and begins to count sheep because is unable to get comfortable and go to sleep.

As Princess Winnifred is counting sheep, she steps out of her room, suggesting to the queen know that she should move the bed to the torture chamber because she couldn’t sleep all night.

After everyone cheers that the princess passed the test, the queen is upset and is told by Dauntless to “shut up.” The curse on King Sextimus is broken since the “mouse” devoured the “hawk.”

Dauntless, the quiet prince, the “mouse,” finally speaks up against him mother, the “hawk.”

At the end of the play it’s shown that underneath the mattress were swords and other weapons that disturbed the princess’ sleep, which were taken out by the people that wanted to help the princess including Larkin.

Winnifred was able to sleep after all of the items, including the pea were taken out.

The king speaks, the queen cannot and everyone except the queen lives happily ever after.

The next production of the season is “Boy Gets Girl,” a suspenseful psychodrama directed by Jeanette D. Farr that will be playing on April 3 through May 16.

The fall production still to be cast is Streetcar Named Desire.”

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Wednesday, March 25, 2009

www.elvaq.com

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

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Feel the ‘Bro-mance’ with ‘I Love You, Man’

By Andres Aguila

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

W

hodini, a hip-hop group from the’80s, once sang, “Friends, how many of us have them?”

Well, as far as it goes for Peter Klavin, played by Paul Rudd (“Knocked Up,” 2007) he doesn’t seem to have that many – guy friends, that is.

Klavin does have friends, but they all just happen to be female in the new comedy “I Love You, Man.” When it comes down to his relationship with his fiancée Zooey, played by Rashida Jones (“The Office”), he is set and ready to go with the wedding, except for the fact that he doesn’t have best man.

With that, he sets off into the world of “man-dating” in search of a best friend to call his own.

After several obstacles and honest mistakes, Klaven comes to meet a laid back and truly blunt guy by

the name of Sydney Fife, played by none other than Jason Segel (“Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” 2008) who not only fills the spot of best friend, but helps give Peter that confidence that he truly needs in his life.

They hit it off instantaneously – jamming to some Rush songs, hanging out in the “man cave,” and even taking on (or at least attempting to) Lou Ferrigno (“The Incredible Hulk,” 1977).

Both Rudd and Segel, who are two of the few actors in Vanity Fair’s “Comedy’s New Legends” group, did great jobs portraying a modern day Cheech and Chong relationship, without any of the drugs, but with plenty of laughs.

Fans are sure to enjoy the rest of the cast as well, including Jon Favreau (“Swingers,” 1996) and Andy Samberg (“Saturday Night Live”).

The setting of the movie takes place in Los Angeles, and the film displays many great locations the city has to offer, such as The

Grove and Venice Boardwalk.

The movie is directed and written by John Hamburg (“Along Came Polly,” 2004), along side fellow writer Larry Levin (“Dr. Doolittle 2,” 2001).

It deals with the very real subject of friendship – a man needing a best friend he can depend on. The movie deals with the problem a man faces when he loses his friends to either a better half, kids or even just by drifting apart. It’s about being able to find that one friend you need as much they need you.

It crosses the boundaries by being a one of a kind “bro-mance” movie, which is a romantic comedy movie blended with the awkwardness of falling in love with a “bro” instead of a woman, but all in good humor.

And just like when watching a romantic comedy, the storyline is predictable yet very fresh and funny.

From the various scenes of Segel’s character wearing Ugg

‘RUSH’- ING INTO LOVE: Peter (Rudd) and Sydney (Segel) rock out to their favorite band in “I Love You, Man.”

boots, to the hilarious billboards of Rudd’s character plastered all over the city, “I Love You, Man” is funny from beginning to end, providing a down-to-earth movie

that mature audiences can enjoy.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 Andres Aguila can be reached at andres_aguila@elvaq.com

Don’t Bother to Enter the ‘Last House on the Left’

By Jesse Gutierrez

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

Revenge, violence and inappropriate language are major elements for a mediocre horror slasher film, unfortunately those are all the negative qualities possessed by new film “The Last House on the Left.”

The film is a remake of the 1972 film by the same name. The film is directed by newcomer Dennis Llidas (“Hardcore,” 2004) and produced by Wes Craven, who also directed the 1972 film.

The movie starts by showing two detectives who are escorting a criminal to the police station.

However, they are stopped by three criminals who then proceed to brutally murder the police by strangulation.

The movie really gives no lead-in. It really starts off with brutal violence and foul language but it only gets worse from there.

Meanwhile, Mari Collingwood (Sara Paxton, “Aquamarine,” 2006) and her parents Emma (Monica Potter, “Along Came a Spider,” 2001) and John (Tony

Goldwyn, “American Gun,” 2005) are arriving at their cabin in the mountains for a family vacation. After settling in, Mari tells her parents that she is going to hang out with her friend, Paige, at work.

The two girls are abducted by the criminals shown earlier in the film. Both of them are hurt badly in there struggle with the killers and both left for dead in the forest.

By coincidence, the killers stumble across the Collingwood’s house and ask if they could stay in the guest house. Here comes the twist — Mari reappears at the house and her parents decide to take revenge on their uninvited house guests.

The twist gives a little bit more to a movie that is overall very predictable and pretty much follows the basic outline of so many other horror movies before it.

In a movie filled with so much vulgarity, there are some brief shining moments of goodness.

The soundtrack does a great job building the suspense in

scenes they may have other wise been very boring. For example, when the murderers find Mari’s home, an otherwise boring scene of them sitting on the couch was enhanced with foreboding music.

Another positive this movie brought to the table was good casting. Potter was great in the role of Emma Collingwood, Mari’s mother. You could almost feel her pain when she found her brutally injured daughter on the porch of the house.

The performance by Paxton as Mari is impressive — every grunt, grimace and cry of pain made you really feel what she was going through at every point during her very long ordeal with the ruthless murderers.

The special effects in this movie are not great but they are good enough to get the point across. One of the best effects in the movie is when the head of one of the murderers is stuck in a microwave and it explodes.

As far as the directing goes, it is not bad but it is apparent that newcomer Dennis Lliads has a lot to learn still. Something else

that could have been improved upon is the script — with so much cursing, it is hard to even get the sense that the characters are capable of holding coherent conversations.

Even though there are some highlights, including an exploding head, there isn’t enough to save this film from its terrible and very predictable story line.

Not only is the violence and most of the language inappropriate and disgusting,

it constantly crosses that border of being distasteful, which most of it is.

Obviously, this is not a movie for children but adults should steer clear of it as well.

My rating: 2 stars out of 5.

 Jesse Gutierrez can be reached at jesse_gutierrez@elvaq.com

REVENGE: After Mari was left for dead, her parents cope in their own way.

www.elvaq.com

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

11

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Two Players, One Evil, Lots of Intensity

By Isiah Reyes

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

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rab a shotgun, lock the doors and turn off the lights, because with the release of “Resident Evil 5,” it’s time to remember what fear really feels like.

But is “Resident Evil 5” scary at all?

The “Resident Evil” series, best known as the grandfather of the survival horror genre in the videogame world, has generated tons of zombie-loving fans since its introduction in 1996 and with each addition to the series.

After the success of “Resident Evil 4” (awarded Game of the Year by IGN in 2005), high standards were expected for the release of the fifth installment.

As with any Resident Evil game, the story is just as crucial as the scare-factor to determine how well it is received by its fans.

After appearing in the first “Resident Evil” game and “Resident Evil: Code Veronica,” Chris Redfield makes his triumphant return in Africa as a North American Division member of the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance (B.S.A.A., created to combat biohazard threats worldwide).

He meets up with Sheva Alomar, a West African Division member of the B.S.A.A., and together they attempt to track down Ricardo Irving, who serves as a black market seller of bioorganic weapons for the TriCell Pharmaceutical Company.

But before they can get deep into their investigation, the local people of the Kijuju Autonomous Zone (a region in West Africa) begin attacking the duo.

To make matters worse, aside from the Majini (human beings infected with the Type 2 Plagas), Chris and Sheva have to face-off against “The Executioner,” a man wielding a very powerful, giant axe who is able to tear down walls with a simple swing.

Later in the game, after finding a specific data file, the mission adds the sub-plot of Chris’ determined search for his supposedly dead partner Jill Valentine, who was a playable character in the original “Resident Evil” and “Resident Evil 3: Nemesis.”

The story continues on and

answers a few more questions related to the “Resident Evil” timeline.

As for the approach of the game, the style of “Resident Evil 5” is very similar to the style of the fourth game, in that it is much more of an action-oriented game as opposed to the earlier games in the series.

The difference in the first three games is that they were famous for having extremely limited ammunition, over-complicating puzzles and they actually created a true sense of terror.

In “Resident Evil 5,” expect to shoot swarms of enemies “Rambo-style” while picking up boxes upon boxes of ammunition.

It is not necessarily a bad thing, but the term “survival horror” should no longer be associated to the series.

Another thing that “Resident Evil 5” takes from the fourth game is the use of the camera angle. The point of view for the player is positioned over the shoulder instead of with the use of fixed-camera positions.

However, unlike “Resident Evil 4,” the new use of item management can either be a plus or minus depending on how you like to play the game.

In the new game, only nine items can be carried at a time regardless of their size. This eliminates the use of the status screen popping up every time a new item is picked up.

The plus side of the new item arrangement is that it is easier to choose what weapon to equip on the fly (just assign it either left, right, up or down).

Also, the game doesn’t pause when you access your inventory, which is a new component. You don’t want to be looking through it in the middle of a fight.

The down side is that you can only carry nine items (in

BLOCKBUSTER SEQUEL?: Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar aim at the unknown horrors presented in the fifth installment of the Resident Evil franchise.

“Resident Evil 4,” you could carry as many as 50 items because smaller items took up less space in the player’s inventory).

Although to make things easier, you can switch items with your partner, Sheva, throughout the game.

Speaking of partners, the entire game can be played with two people through online co-op or offline co-op. This is the first time that a “Resident Evil” game can be played with more than one person (not counting the “Outbreak” s p i n - o f f series). Finding someone to play with online is fast and easy, assuming a good internet connection is available.

H a v i n g two characters exploring and blasting things at the same time is not new, as it was in “Resident Evil Zero,” but that was a single player game.

In “Resident Evil 5,” having someone else to play along with adds for much more intense moments, such as the common scenario where someone says,

You can either beat the game in a few short hours or constantly see the infamous “You are dead” screen permeating your TV.

“Hey, cover my back while I pick up that green herb,” and someone else responding, “I would… if that crazy chainsaw man wasn’t trying to kill me!”

The AI partner in single player has its flaws though. For example, Sheva usually drains handgun ammo like there’s no tomorrow and there aren’t that many commands available for her (besides telling her to follow or wait). But despite these minor discrepancies, the inclusion of a second playable character is highly welcomed.

In terms of weaponry, there is the return of the handgun, shotgun, magnum, assault-rifles, sub-machine guns and grenade launcher. A few new weapons have been added, such as proximity bombs, a stun rod and electric rounds for the grenade launcher.

With all these weapons, the game should be a breeze, right? Well, depending on what difficulty setting you set the game to, you can either beat the game in a few short hours or constantly see the infamous ‘You are dead’ screen permeating your TV. The environment in any game is important to how the game is played. Since this game takes place entirely in Africa, the environment of the game is very Savannah-like and most of the game takes place in daylight, so the dark eerie atmosphere from previous games is almost nonexistent.

So in response to the question, “Is ‘Resident Evil 5’ scary at all?”

That answer is no, not nearly as much as the previous games.

Moving onto the controls, again, this can either be a positive or a negative depending on whether or not you’re a “Resident Evil” veteran. The positive aspect of the controls is that they are similar to the original “Resident Evil,” so long-time fans of the series can quickly get accustomed to them. The negative aspect is that the original “Resident Evil” was released in 1996, so it can be very archaic and outdated.

For example, in the original “Resident Evil,” the player was not allowed to shoot and walk at the same time. The player also could not reload and walk at the same time. So in essence, the controls were very “tank-like” in that the player was restricted in movement. But at the time it was not a big deal, because the only enemies that continuously appeared were slow-moving zombies who rarely appeared in groups.

Now in “Resident Evil 5,” the player still can’t walk and shoot at the same time. The player still can’t walk and reload at the same time. That would be fine, but now the player is pitted against hordes of fast moving Majini enemies who have crossbows and use gun turrets.

The old tank controls are not necessarily a problem, but they may scare away any newcomers to the “Resident Evil” series who are used to the first-person [See Game, page 12]

12

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

www.elvaq.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

‘Idol’ Star Makes Comeback With Smart Beats

By Jesse Gutierrez

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

K

elly Clarkson is back. After her disappointing third album, “My December,” she returns with her new album, “All I Ever Wanted,” which is sure to be a commercial success.

The first single off the album is “My Life Would Suck Without You.” Despite being a near rewrite of her last hit “Since You’ve Been Gone,” it proved to be the perfect first single with its catchy chorus and dance-inspired beat. The song topped the digital download charts moments after it was released.

In some cases, the first single off of an album may be the only hit, but that is not the case with this album. The second track, “I do not hook up,” is about taking a relationship seriously and not

careers. Clarkson definitely breaks that mold. Though she did not write all her songs, the songs she wrote really strike a chord on an emotional level, such as passionate ballad, “Already Gone.”

Clarkson made smart choices when picking the people she collaborated with on this album, such as current popsensation Katy Perry, super producer Kara DioGuardi and Sam Waters, formerly from the band Color Me Badd.

When the album begins to feel like a typical poprock album, it switches up with the punk-inspired song,

“just hooking up” for one night.

The song has a vintage Clarkson pop-rock feel, with lyrics that will be stuck in your head well after you listen to the album and a beat that will keep you moving.

As always, Clarkson does not just stick with the fast-paced pop-rock songs. The third track, “Cry,” is a passionate power ballad about going trough a painful break up. This song really shows off Clarkson’s impressive vocal range, as well as her abilities as a composer.

For most pop stars, songwriting is not an important aspect of their

From one track to another, this album just shines

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her awesome vocals, which are very reminiscent of a young Ann Wilson from the band Heart.

Clarkson shows her versatility with the track “If No One Will Listen,” a piano ballad which shines in every aspect: vocally, musically and lyrically. Clarkson sings, “If no one will listen, I will still be here…” which is something many listeners can relate to: knowing someone cares.

“Don’t Let Me Stop You” is a stand-out track about leaving a relationship. Clarkson sings, “If you’re looking over your shoulder, then you don’t need to be with me…. Don’t let me stop you if you wanna leave. Baby, you can leave.” This track should be the next single if the record label is smart.

From one track to another, this album just shines whether

you like a nice dance-pop song, a powerful pop-rock tune or even a passionate ballad. Clarkson gives you little bit of everything, making this album a great step-up from “My December.”

Clarkson has proven herself to be the most successful “American Idol” idol winner-turned-artist.

She’s a strong force in the pop music genre, and her new album “All I Ever Wanted” reinforces that.

“All I Ever Wanted” is a musthave for any Kelly Clarkson fan or any pop genre lover. Even those who don’t like pop will find themselves singing the lyrics and humming the melodies.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 Jesse Gutierrez can be reached at jesse_gutierrez @elvaq.com

‘Resident Evil’ [Game, from page 11]

shooter games where the player can shoot, strafe, jump, and do more all in one motion.

In terms of the visual aspect of the game, it seems that the series has made a clear transition into HD. Facial expressions on characters are realistic, guns blazing everywhere look sharp and the background makes it fell like you really are in an outdoor safari setting.

Also, the cut-scenes are a real winner when it comes to the graphical output this game can deliver. For example, seeing Albert Wesker dodge bullets was questionable, but seeing him do it was aweinspiring. In addition, there are no major differences between the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 version of this game when it comes to graphics.

The sound in this game is good, but nothing special.

The voice acting is slightly annoying at times and the soundtrack is forgettable.

Although no one can mistake the familiar “Vrooom VV-VROOOM!” sound of a

chainsaw. That’ll send shivers up anyone’s spine.

In the end, “Resident Evil 5” is definitely a game to pick up if an action-horror game suits your fancy, but longtime veterans of the series may miss the good old days of ammo conservation and puzzle solving that have long passed its prime.

One more thing to mention, this game doesn’t really do much to advance the series in terms of storyline and it didn’t feel like surpassed it’s predecessor of “Resident Evil 4.” That being said, it’s still tons of fun and worth playing. And isn’t that the reason why we all picked up this time-consuming habit anyway, because it was fun?

“Resident Evil 5” is rated M for mature and is available for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 for $59.99.

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

 Isiah Reyes can be reached at isiah_reyes@elvaq.com

www.elvaq.com

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

13

SPORTS

Hall of Fame Honors Athletic Alumni

By Brandon Hensley EL VAQUERO SPORTS EDITOR

S

teve Moore would have preferred his success in life to have come from his own initiative.

Instead he said, speaking at Glendale College’s Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony Saturday night, “My whole life has been about just damn luck.”

Moore was one of six inductees into the 2009 Hall of Fame class, held in the J. Walter Smith Student Center on campus.

Moore was an All-American wide receiver for the Vaqueros football team in 1967, and went on to a lengthy coaching career in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills from 1978 to 1989.

“When I had a chance to get my first coaching job I took advantage of it, but it was flat given to me. I wish that people could say, ‘Well, he earned it.’ I didn’t earn it. Somebody bet on me,” he said.

During his speech, Moore got contemplative. “What if I didn’t have the ability to grab a ball, and yank it out of the air and go run with it? What happens to those kids? I’m wondering a little bit

about the kids that could have made it if somebody had given them a chance.”

He ended his speech with some advice: “Reach out and grab somebody and take them by the hand, and give them a damn chance. They might surprise you.”

Moore was presented alongside his 1967 teammate and fellow All-American wide receiver George McGowan, who became a Canadian Football League legend, and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2003.

“The foundations that we built in this city [Glendale], and coming back here...it’s been a gift. I mean that. It’s like a Christmas gift,” said McGowan, who was also a teammate of Moore’s at Glendale High School.

Former cross country sensation Jeff Nelson was the other athlete inducted. Nelson was the individual state champion in 1980, and was part of the squad that won the team title that year.

His high school record in the twomile of 8:36.3 stood for almost 30 years.

Nelson thanked his teammates, coaches, and competitors through the years. His wife Kathryn coaches track and field at Saugus

Photo by Shaun Kelly

MASTER AT THE MIKE: Harry Hull, President of the Glendale College Foundation Board of Directors, was the master of ceremonies for GCC’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

High School, and his son Alec and Elizabeth are runners in that program. He was asked afterward by master of ceremonies Harry Hull who would win in a race between everyone in his family.

“My kids,” he replied.

The 1978 women’s volleyball team was inducted as the

Photo by Shaun Kelly

TEAMMATES TO LEGENDS: George McGowan, front, and Steve Moore, right, were inducted into GCC’s Athletic Hall of Fame. They were both All-American wide receivers for the Vaqueros in 1967.

outstanding team for this year. The `78 Lady Vaqs won the Western State Conference title and finished fourth in the state. Their coach, Diane Spangler, introduced the players at the podium and each one received a commemorative plaque celebrating their season.

“The girls worked really hard, both in the gym and the weight room, did everything we asked of them and more. And as a result we just had really good results and it was a really exciting time for volleyball here at the college,” said Spangler.

Tony Spino received the Pillar of Achievement for his service as student trainer for GCC from 1968 to 70. Spino was a trainer for the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks from 1975 to 79, and has been a trainer at UCLA for 35 years. He has been a member of 25 National Titles teams during his career at UCLA. During his speech, Spino, seemingly in shock the whole time, took off his medal and placed it around his presenter Bill Gallagher, a member of the Glendale College Foundation Board of Directors. Spino said that this award belonged to him, and recalled how Gallagher’s family took him in when Spino first arrived at Glendale.

“Because of them I’m where I’m at today, and I’ve never forgotten that,” Spino said.

The last inductee of the night was Dr. John Davitt, who received

the award for Meritorious Service. Davitt, whose name is on the administration building, was the Superintendent/President of Glendale College from 1985 to 2006. During his tenure, the tennis courts on campus were built and Sartoris Field was renovated, among other milestones.

“It’s a unified aim of the trustees, the administration, the faculty, the students, the staff, all of us pitching in together to make something happen,” Davitt said of the progress made during his time.

Speaking on the college’s current architectural design, Davitt made it a point to thank Bill Taylor and Jim Spencer, the contract manager and designer responsible for the look.

“The reason this campus looks so unified is because we had one architect, and we decided on the Spanish Mission architecture with the arch, and all of our buildings reflect that.

So it’s not like you go to some campuses and it looks like 20 different people drawing 20 different styles of architecture to make the college. Here, we stuck with one, and I think it’s paid off,” Davitt said.

GCC started its Athletic Hall of Fame inductions in 2002.

Brandon Hensley can be reached at brandon_hensley @elvaq.com

14

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

www.elvaq.com

SPORTS

Lady Vaqueros Write Off Hancock

By Brandon Hensley EL VAQUERO SPORTS EDITOR

W

hen told of her tennis team’s recent struggles against the Western State Conference, sophomore Meldia Hacopian was quick to stop and offer a defense.

“Well, it was against two top teams,” she said, speaking on the Lady Vaqs losses to Ventura

and Bakersfield over the last two weeks.

But with a dominating win over Allan Hancock on Tuesday, Glendale gained their second straight win and moved a game over the .500 mark at 7-6. The win also evened their conference record at 5-5.

The Lady Vaqs swept their singles matches and lost only one

doubles match for an 8-1 victory over the Bulldogs, which barely took more than two hours to complete. With the win, Glendale swept the season series over Allan Hancock, having previously beaten them 9-0 on Feb. 24.

Hacopian called the match “practice” for what’s in store in the week ahead. Glendale wraps up its regular season Thursday against Santa Monica, and next week against Cuesta.

Hacopian easily dispatched Maty Martinez in singles play, 60, 6-0, and teamed with Monique Palmera in doubles to defeat Joanna Toombs and Jennifer Francisco, 8-0.

The Bulldogs, who are still winless on the season, captured

their only win in doubles when Sophia Apadaca and Francesca Sanchez beat Veronica Sandoval and Aline Nicoghosian, 8-6.

Despite the easy win, Vaqs head coach Terry Coblentz was quick to dismiss the idea of any team entering a match overconfident.

“Respecting your opponents goes a long way,” she said. “I wanted to keep our competitive edge in this one.”

She did, however, acknowledge the convenience of playing the Bulldogs at this point in the season. “It certainly came at a nice time.”

The Lady Vaqs had dropped four straight WSC matches before beating Santa Barbara last week, but Coblentz wouldn’t use the

word “struggling” to describe her team’s state.

“I don’t think we were struggling. We played as hard as we could. The teams we were playing against were very, very good. And it just goes to illustrate the strength of the Western Conference,” said Coblentz.

Sitting in fourth place in the conference, the Lady Vaqs probably won’t make the playoffs, even if they were to win their last two games. Individual tournaments begin in mid-April, giving Glendale something else to look forward to.

Brandon Hensley can be reached at brandon_hensley@elvaq.com

Vaquero Sports Summaries Scores

Photo by Rich Kontas

RAISING HER GAME: Sarah Aguilar helps the Lady Vaqs crush Allan Hancock College 8-1 Tuesday afternoon.

Baseball March 12: Deafeated L.A. Valley 13-10 March 14: Lost to Canyons 14-4 March 17: Lost to Canyons 6-3 March 19: Defeated West L.A. 12-10 March 21: Lost to West L.A. 6-4

Men’s Tennis: March 11: Lost to Riverside 8-1 March 13 Defeated Albion, MI 7-2 March 17: Defeated Bakersfield 9-0 March 19: Defeated Santa Barbara 5-4 March 20: Defeated Glendale, AZ 9-0

Softball: March 12: Lost to L.A. Valley 10-1/Lost to L.A. Valley 2-1 (DH) March 17: Lost to Mission 13-0 March 19: Lost to Canyons 7-0/Defeated Canyons 4-3 (DH)

Women’s Tennis: March12: Lost to Bakersfield 8-1 March 17: Lost to Bakersfield 7-2 March 18: Defeated Santa Barbara 8-1 March 20: Lost to Glendale, AZ 7-2 March 24: Defeated Allan Hancock 8-1

Upcoming Events Baseball:

Thursday: vs. L.A. Pierce at GCC* 2:30 p.m.

Saturday: at Bakersfield 6 p.m.

March 31: at Bakersfield 6 p.m.

April 2: vs. Mission College at GCC* 6 p.m.

April 4: at Mission College 6 p.m.

April 7: at Mt. SAC 2p.m.

Illustration by Corinna Scott

PITCHING AT POLTERGEISTS: Who’s on first? Not anyone from Barstow or Santa Monica softball, which cancelled games against GCC due to not having teams. Maybe now the struggling Lady Vaqs will have no trouble annihilating the opposition if they continue to play nonexistent teams.

Softball: Thursday: vs. Bakersfield College at GCC** 1/3 p.m. (DH) April 2: at Cirtus 3/5 p.m. (DH) April 4-5: Ventura Tournament TBA April 7: vs. L.A. Mission at GCC** 2:30 p.m.

Men’s Golf: March 30: at DeBell Golf Course April 6: vs. Ventura at Saticoy

Mens Tennis: Thursday: at L.A. Pierce 2 p.m.

Friday: vs. Fresno CC at GCC 12 p.m.

April 2: vs. Ventura at GCC 2 p.m.

Track and Field: Friday: Western State Conference meet #4 at GCC 2 p.m.

Women’s Tennis: Thursday: vs. Santa Monica at GCC 2 p.m.

March 31: at Cuesta College 2 p.m.

* = Baseball home games played at Stengel Field ** = Softball home games played at Glendale Sports Complex, 2200 Fern Lane.

For more information visit: www.glendale.edu/athletics/

www.elvaq.com

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

15

Calendar On Campus events Heritage Language Speakers — Sponsored by ACE and presented by Patricia Hironymous.

Thursday from noon to 1 p.m. in SF 102. For more information, contact Leticia Estrada at (818) 240-1000, ext. 3001.

Transfer Center — Representatives from UC Irvine and UC San Diego will be on campus Wednesday to answer questions for transfer students from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. SR 2nd floor. For more information, visit www.glendale. edu/transfercenter or call (818) 240-1000, ext.5442.

Transfer Day Fair — Representatives from different universities

will be on campus to provide information about the educational opportunities available at their campuses. April 1 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the San Rafael Plaza.

For more information, visit www. glendale.edu/transfercenter or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5442.

Evening Transfer Fair — Representatives from different universities will be on campus to provide information about the educational opportunities available at their campuses. April 1 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the San Rafael Plaza.

For more information, visit www. glendale.edu/transfercenter or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5442.

Career Center — The Career Center presents “Successful Interview Strategies.” This work-

shop focuses on essential resumewriting principles, formats and content. Thursday in the Career Center from 2 to 3 p.m. All are welcome. For more information, call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5407.

Career Center — The Career Center will be holding a job fair on April 8. The fair will be held at the San Rafael Plaza from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students should bring updated copies of their resumes.

For help with resumes, call the Career Center at (818) 240-1000, ext. 4507.

clubs Philippine Cultural Organization — Club meetings are held every Thursday from noon to

1 p.m. in CS 177. All are welcome to join.

from noon to 1 p.m. in Kreider Hall. Open to the public.

AGS — The Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society will hold a book sale starting Monday. AGS meets every other Thursday in LB 222. To join AGS fill out a Spring 2009 application and attach an unoffical transcript with. Applications are avaliable at www.glendale.edu/ags

“Sex” — In honor of Women’s History Month, speaker Dr. Jessica Gillooly will discuss women and sex. Tuesday from 10:15 to 11:45 a.m. in SR 116. Open to the public.

lectures Women’s History Month Lecture Series: “Women’s Survival Strategies in Economic Hard Times” — Panel discussion with Victoria Buresch, Hazel Ramos and Fabiola Torres. Thursday

staff workshops “Turnitin” — Fabiola Torres presents Turnitin, a plagiarism and grading tool. Today from noon to 1 p.m. in SB 162.

“WAC/RAC: Creative Writing Assignments” — This workshop will help professors teach research and writing skills. Friday from 1 to 3 p.m. in AD 252.

Around Town events PhotoFest09 — Long Beach City College, 4901 E. Carson St., Long Beach. The Photography Program at Long Beach City College will host the 2nd annual PhotoFest09. The event will feature four days of photography related lectures, seminars, and hands-on workshops. The festival is free and open to the public. April 1 through 4. For more information, including a full schedule of events, visit www. lbccphotofest.blogspot.com or call (562) 938-4353.

2nd Annual Armenian Cultural Festival — Woodbury University, 7500 Glenoaks Blvd.

Hosted by the Woodbury Armenian Student Association. The festival will feature live music, dance groups, activities for children, vendor marketplace, food vendors, seating and dining areas, and more. April 5 from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit armenianfestival.stver.com or call (818) 624-2427.

exhibitions Between Memory and Oblivion — Museum of Latin American Art, 628 Alamitos Ave., Long Beach. This exhibition features

work from Argentinean artist Claudio Mollina. General admission is $9 and $6 for students with I.D. Now through May 3.

Museum hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.molaa.org or call (562) 437-1389.

Micronautics: The Photographs of David Scharf — Pasadena Museum of California Art, 490 E. Union St., Pasadena.

This exhibition features the images of David Scharf, a pioneering scientist and Emmy-winning photographer in the field of scanning electron microscopy for the last 30 years. Now through April 12. Admission prices are $7 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. Museum hours vary. For more information, visit www. pmcaonline.org or call (626) 568-3665.

Shell-Shocked: Expressionism after the Great War — Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. This exhibition presents more than sixty prints, drawings, posters and books from the museum’s Robert Gore Rifkind Center for German Expressionist Studies.. Now through April 19.

Admission is $12 for adults and $8 for students with I.D. Children 17 and under are free. Museum

hours vary. For more information, visit www.lacma.org or call (323) 857-6000.

Tales in Sprinkled Gold: Japanese Lacquer for Europe Collectors — The Getty, 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles. This exhibition presents examples of Japanese lacquer objects from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Now through May 24.

Admission is free and parking is $10 per car. Museum hours vary.

For more information, visit www. getty.edu or call (310) 440-7300.

Exceptionally Gifted: Recent Donations to the Norton Simon Museum — Norton Simon Museum of Art, 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. This exhibition is in celebration of the gifts and the collectors who have generously contributed to the Norton Simon Museum’s collections in recent years. April 11 through August 31. Admission is $8 for adults and free for students with a valid I.D. Museum hours vary.

For more information, visit www. nortonsimon.org or call (626) 449-6840.

dance Ballroom Glitz — Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd. Crown City Dance presents a night of ball-

room dancing. Directed and choreographed by Christian Perry.

Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25. Discounted tickets are available for students and may be purchased at the box office. For more information, visit www.alextheatre.org or call (818) 243-2539.

This show features members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Tuesday at 8 p.m. Ticket prices vary. For more information, visit www.laphil.com or call (323) 850-2000.

theater

Meditations for a Happy Life — Shoseian Whispering Pine Teahouse. 1601 W. Mountain St. The Kadampa Meditation Center California presents meditation classes Tuesdays from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. with instructor Ryan Thomson. Admission is $12 per class. For more information, visit www.meditateinla.org.

“The Rehearsal” — A Noise Within at 234 S. Brand Blvd. presents the classic by Jean Anouilh.

Directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott. April 11 through May 24.

Ticket prices and showtimes vary.

For information, visit www.anoisewithin.org or call (818) 240­-0826.

comedy “Rudy Moreno’s Latino Comedy Showcase” — The Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena. The Latino Comedy Shocase is famous for discovering new Latino talent as well as hosting many celebrity drop-in sets. Tonight at 8 p.m. Admission is $12.50. For more information, visit www.icehousecomedy.com or call (626) 557-1894.

music Chamber Music — Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave.

wellness

Sahaja Yoga — Pasadena Library, 285 E. Walnut St., Pasadena offers free meditation classes every Wednesday at 7 p.m. All are welcome. Use the rear entrance.

For more information, including other locations, visit ci.pasadena. ca.us or call (626) 641-1444.

Free Health Clinic — Open Tuesdays 6 to 8:30 p.m. On a first-come, first-served basis.

Located at 134 N. Kenwood St., third floor, room 330. No job-related physical exams will be offered. For more information visit www.glendaleclinic.org or call (818) 243-2105, ext. 202.

Compiled by Tina Hagopian

16

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

www.elvaq.com

VAQUERO VIEWS

Nowruz Starts the New Year Right [See related story, page 7]

–Photos by Allan Beglarian

HAFSTEEN: Arax Manvalian of Edi’s Services provides the traditional Persian setting, the “Haftseen,” during the Persian New Year celebrations at Glendale College on Thursday, March 12, 2009.

SPECTATING: People gather at Plaza Vaquero for the Persian New Year,

CELEBRATION: Dr. Paris Noori, sponsor of the Persian Club and master of ceremonies.