Nov. 13, 2013

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L E N D A L ECC O M M U N I T YCCOLLEGE OLLEGE GGLENDALE OMMUNITY

Volume 102, Number 4

Senator Liu Co-Sponsors Health Festival EL VAQUERO MANAGING EDITOR

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[See Online page 3]

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55% For exclusive slideshow coverage of the Armenian Culture day festivities visit: www.elvaq.com

L E N D A L ECC O M M U N I T YCCOLLEGE OLLEGE GGLENDALE OMMUNITY

By Agnessa Kasumyan

he Civic Auditorium’s doors were opened to hundreds of community members seeking free medical services during the fourth annual Glendale Health Festival on Nov. 2.

Hosted by the Armenian American Medical Society, the event was also sponsored by state Sen. Carol Liu, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the Glendale Adventist Medical Center, Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center, Glendale Healthy Kids, Northwest Glendale Lions Club, Glendale Community Services and Parks Department and the Armenian American Nurses Association.

Chairman Manvel Momjian said that the main purpose of the event was to provide free medical services and consultations to uninsured members of the community who cannot otherwise afford medical care.

Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., volunteers from these organizations, including nurses

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Photo by Jonathan Williams

RAGE IN HIS HEART: Arghisti Stepanian as Chandebise, center, strangles Anthony Carter

as Tournel, in rage while Antonieta Castillo as Lucienne looks on in shock during the Theatre Arts Department presentation of “A Flea in Her Ear.” See review on page 9 and pics on pages 6-7.

GCC Veterans Celebrate winwTheir Own Way w.elvaq .com

By Alexandra Duncan EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

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n Monday, for the first time since her deployment from Iraq, veteran and student Carol Miranda celebrated Veteran’s Day with her family.

This Veteran’s day marked an important year for Miranda as she was able to spend quality time with her family. Veteran’s Day not only commemorates all U.S. troops, but it also unites families.

The history of Veterans Day is a circuitous one. At the end of World War I, the “war to end all wars,” President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11, 1919 to be the first

Photo by Sal Polcino

official commemoration and celebration of what was then called Armistice Day. The treaty with Germany went into effect on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

In 1926, the United States Congress passed a resolution calling upon the officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on Nov. 11 and

inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples.

Student and veteran, Brian Merida, 22, celebrated Veteran’s day by taking his daughter and family to dinner and a movie theater to see “Free Birds.” Merida said he believes the government is doing everything they can to help out veterans.

“They’re always finding a way to improve their systems and help our families when we’re not there,” he said.

[See Veterans, page 10]

November 13, 2013

Stengel Field 50% for Tagged Demolition

By Jonathan Williams EL VAQUERO SPORTS EDITOR

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cross the street from the Glendale campus, sits a stadium with a field of green bermuda grass and 1,800 seats of history.

That legacy was foreclosed on Oct. 22 when the Glendale City Council voted to demolish the stadium.

Originally built in 1949, Verdugo Park Municipal Baseball field changed its name a few years later, to honor legendary Yankee outfielder and manager, Casey Stengel, a 50-year resident of Glendale.

Stengel Field has been home to the eight-time conference champion Vaquero baseball team for more than 15 years.

Community Parks and Services Director Jess Duran has been involved with the project for some time now for the City of Glendale.

“Our goal would be to work around their baseball seasons so that any work we do won’t impact their games and practices,” Duran said.

Duran said a meeting was held on Tuesday for the city staff and members of GUSD to determine the schedules of the demolition, but there is still no timetable of when this will take place.

In 2009, the city transferred around $89,000 from two different park accounts to renovate the field, rotting ceilings of the complex under the bleachers received mass amounts of water damage on the bolted foundation. Termite damage and dry rot plagued the lumber used to construct the 64-year-old facility.

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[See Stengel, page 3]

IN THIS ISSUE News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 Features/Opinion.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5 Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Lifestyle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

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NEWS

El Vaquero EDITOR IN CHIEF Sal Polcino MANAGING EDITOR Agnessa Kasumyan SPORTS EDITOR Jonathan Williams STAFF WRITERS Alexandra Duncan Aidan Rutten Ksenia Rabinovich Monica Tecson-Lopez Alexander Davis Araks Terteryan PHOTOGRAPHERS

Kathy Bakowicz Photojournalism 110 PRODUCTION MANAGER

Richard Kontas

NEWSROOM MANAGER

Jane Pojawa

DESIGN ADVISER

Charles Eastman

FACULTY ADVISER Michael Moreau mmoreau@glendale.edu (818) 240-1000 ext.5214 ADVERTISING Jeff Smith jsmith@glendale.edu (818) 240-1000, ext.5493 Send Letters to the Editor 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 elvaquero.editor@gmail.com or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5349.

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ASA Presents Armenian Culture Day

By Araks Terteryan

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

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he sounds of Armenian music, the high jumps of dancers, and barbecue smoke filled Plaza Vaquero Thursday afternoon.

The Armenian Student Association hosted the yearly celebration of his native culture.

During the event the ASA displayed its national books and posters, giving the students a taste of Armenian culture at its best. The April Bookstore provided books and souvenirs to the club so that members could sell them during the event.

The dancers from Vanoush Khanamirian dance school entertained students, faculty and staff members who joined the celebration. They danced with so much emotion and passion hat members of the audience

joined in the circle.

“This year’s Culture Day was a huge success and it was an honor for me to host it,” Ani Chivchyan, the president of the ASA GCC said. “I’m so proud of our executive team and all our volunteers. Everything turned out great – we had such a fun time,” she said.

DJ Vahe entertained guests throughout the event, playing diverse music from his homeland.

Hungry guests stood in line to try the famous Armenian barbecue made by students during the event, the smell of which captivated the surrounding area.

Additional food such as salad, humus, and lavash were donated by local Armenian restaurants and stores.

GCC president David Viar was also present at the event. He was impressed by the celebration.

“It is my first time seeing this,

Photo by Araks Terteryan

CULTURAL FESTIVITIES: The Armenian Student Association presented displays, information booths, food, dancing and music on Thursday.

and it is very exciting,” said Viar.

“I really liked the event.”

The next major event to be sponsored by the ASA will to be held in April, in remembrance of the Armenian Genocide. Interested

students can attend the weekly meetings held on Thursdays at 12:20 p.m. in LB 220.

Araks Terteryan can be reached at terteryanaraks@gmail.com

Campus Construction Update

By Araks Terteryan

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

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s construction of the new College Services/Lab building continues in the next few weeks, the next step will be a retaining, shoring wall, which will be used to hold the soil from sliding down the hill and provide an opportunity for the college to make use of an area which would not normally be usable.

“The shoring system being placed is a system used throughout the industry, which is called a soldier pile, tieback and lagging system,” said Karl Aldridge, the project manager. “The system consists of placing soldier piles (structural steel beams) at a depth of 65 feet into the ground and encasing them with concrete

and then placing what’s called tiebacks, which are horizontal beams back into the slope to hold the hillside from moving over the next 200-plus years as designed,” he said.

The next phase to create this shoring system is to excavate down into the area and place what’s called lagging (treated wood) that holds back the soil on the hill, stabilizing the parking structure above and the future building below. In this way a highly enforced concrete wall is being placed in front of the shoring system to allow the building to be built in front of the newly constructed structural wall.

Aldridge said that the next phase will be the relocation and installation of the underground utilities, including power lines,

Photo by Manvel Kapukchyan

CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES: The retaining wall is currently being built in the College Services/Lab building project.

followed by the excavation and placement of the foundation of the building. This will occur over the winter session, in

January and February of 2014.

Araks Terteryan can be reached at terteryanaraks@gmail.com

Veterans Day Has Special Meaning to Many [Veterans, from page 1] In 1938, congress passed an Act that officially made Armistice Day a legal holiday nationwide. It wasn’t until 1954 that President Dwight D. Eisenhower changed the holiday from celebrating the end of a war to honoring all of the US veterans for their great contributions, patriotism

and willingness to sacrifice for the common good, renaming it Veterans Day. Many vets don’t know the benefits that come along with being a veteran and many of those that do, prefer not to ask for help out of pride.

As for advice she would give fellow vets, Miranda said, “Speak up. Don’t keep it to yourself.

You’re never alone.”

In 1968, a confusing law combined some holidays and moved others, including Veterans Day, to the closest corresponding Monday. The idea was to create a three-day weekend and not to interrupt the work week. After 10 years of protest by the Veteran’s Administration and others, Veterans Day was changed back

to Nov. 11, regardless of the day of the week on which it may fall.

Alexandra Duncan can be reached at alexandran.duncan@gmail.com

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NEWS

Glendale Health Fair Offers Services and Information [Health fair, from page 1] and doctors, provided free medical advice and screenings, including breast and cervical cancer tests, hearing and vision tests, blood pressure level screenings and flu shots. The line to get flu shots, administered by the L.A. County Department of Public Health, was the most crowded, stretching all the way across the foot the auditorium’s stage.

Were it not for the volunteers from the different organizations and hospitals, the event would have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to Momjian.

“We have volunteers that have been coming in every year,” he said. “There is more energy, more excitement, and there is always a new group of volunteers coming each year to help out. They know the importance of the health festival and they want to be part of it.”

Representatives from Glendale Memorial Hospital provided information programs available to the community, such as the cardiac fitness center, the women’s center, which provides family planning guidance, free pregnancy tests and prenatal care

among a number of other services, as well as the senior services program, available to individuals over the age of 50 for free.

Previously held at the Pacific Edison Community Center, the festival had to be moved to the Civic Auditorium in order to accommodate the growing number of participants. Daniel Cedeno, a Communications Deputy for Liu, said they anticipated a much larger crowd this year when preparing materials for the event. Liu’s office, which is part of the committee that puts the event together, provided free healthy cookbooks in Spanish and Photo by Manvel Kapukchyan English, California landmark coloring books, informative HEALTH FESTIVAL: Hundreds gathered for free medical screenings and consultations on Saturday, Nov. 2. Flu shots brochures about Alzheimer’s were administered by the L.A. County Department of Health. disease and food mats with nutritional information for Care Act, more commonly more affordable while informing Obamacare, was also present kids. known as Obamacare. Otherwise, the public of the different types at the festival, aiding in health Liu said another important individuals face paying a tax of coverage programs and education outreach efforts. issue at the festival was spreading penalty. standardized healthcare plans For more information regarding awareness of preventive Under Obamacare, which was available, according to the U.S. healthcare plans, visit www. healthcare and informing signed into law in March 2010, all Department of Health and Human individuals that everybody is states must have health insurance Services. required to have health insurance marketplaces, which are Covered California, a health by next year, as a result of the organizations designed to make insurance marketplace and Agnessa Kasumyan can be reached at Patient Protection and Affordable buying health care easier and the state’s interpretation of agnessakas@gmail.com

Future of Stengel Field Still Up in the Air, Demolition Pending [Stengel, from page 1] Stengel field was red tagged by the city in 2011. The clubhouse, once decorated with the red and gold, is now locked behind a faded green door.

An agreement was reached in September of this year between the Glendale Unified School District and the city as to how the construction of the new facilities will be built and paid for. If no progress is made in the next five years, a new agreement will have to be negotiated.

In October, the city council had not yet come to a conclusion on the future the field and had not announced dates for demolition of the old bleachers, only a tentative timeframe for the temporary bleachers to be constructed.

A memorandum of understanding between the City of Glendale and the GUSD has been set up for the next two years, ending in September 2015. The city will take care of

the demolition and temporary bleachers while the city will take care of the reconstruction project for about $350,000 to $450,000.

When the bleachers are erected, it is up to the community to raise money to build a permanent facility.

So far, GUSD has no funding available for the construction of a new field.

Potentially, citizens of Glendale would be looking at a $5 million to $8 million price tag to rebuild the stadium.

The school district and coaches will meet to schedule who will use the field and what times it can be made available.

Patrons from GCC, Crescenta Valley High School and Glendale Little League all have access to the field. Crescenta Valley has priority in front of the two other groups.

The Vaquero baseball team begins its season in the spring.

This may conflict between the Crescenta Valley team and the Glendale Vaqueros. GCC uses the field to practice and host other teams in conference play.

Crescenta Valley High School

held countless graduations at Stengel from 1956 to 2011. Seniors would stand in rows on the bleachers during the ceremony The city deemed the seats unsafe and Crescenta Valley had to find a new location to hold the yearly ceremonies for the senior class.

Bryan Longpre has led the

community charge to save Stengel Ballpark. Longpre is a former Crescenta Valley Falcon and a CSUN graduate.

Longpre said he and other community members would like to get a fundraising campaign setup to raise money for the Stengel field renovations.

“They need to see the vision for what we are trying to do or else I don’t think people would be willing open up their pockets,” he said.

Longpre also hopes that Major League Baseball and the Stengel family will get involved considering Casey Stengel is a former resident of Glendale.

Longpre retired from the minor leagues in 2012.

“We [the community] want to have definite plans and definite ownership,” said Longpre.

Longpre said community

members from Crescenta Valley and Glendale are waiting for the “politics” to conclude so a plan of action can be taken.

Glendale City Manager Scott Ochoa approved both actions in the September and October city council meetings to rehab Stengel.

Ochoa said that the city of Glendale is very supportive of the project and elected to take a step back and allow the community and the GUSD to handle operations.

Ochoa also said that he is very pleased with the way business was handled and believes the community will be able to raise big money for the rehab process.

As for now, the fate of Stengel Field lies in the hands of the city and Glendale Unified School district. However, a tentative date of February is suggested for the demolition to commence.

Jonathan Williams can be reached at haxial.jonathan@gmail.com

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FEATURE

Coach Starts His 35th Year With Vaqs

By Jonathan Williams EL VAQUERO SPORTS EDITOR

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s Brian Beauchemin enters his 35th year coaching Vaqueros Men’s basketball the 2013-2014 season is going to be much different.

It’s not the nine new freshmen or a fresh newspaper cutout to join the many that decorate his office.

It’s something more. Coach Beauchemin will be inducted into the California Community College Men’s Basketball Association Hall of Fame class in 2014.

After Beauchemin received a call from Steve Coccimiglio, the chairman for the Hall of Fame Committee, his first reaction pick the phone back up and call his wife Kathy.

“She started crying and, of course, I had to make believe I wasn’t emotional,” Beauchemin said.

Typically, you need to be

retired from coaching to be inducted. After 53 years of coaching basketball, retirement has been a question for Beauchemin in the past.

“When [coaching] feels like a job, that’s when I’m not going to do it anymore,” he said.

Beauchemin added with a smile he would retire if the team went winless this season, radiating his keen sense of humor.

In 34 years as the Vaqueros’ head coach, Beauchemin racked up over 500 wins – the most by any coach in program history - and ranks sixth in wins among all coaches in California Men’s Community College basketball.

Beauchemin’s 35th year is filled with anticpation.

Gor Plavchyan will return after an impressive freshman season.

Plavchyan averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Vaqs starting 6-foot-7 inch big man. Plavchyan was All-Conference last year.

Jonathan Williams can be reached at haxial.jonathan@gmail.com

Photo by Jonathan Williams

MAKING HISTORY: Brian Beauchemin draws up a play in his office next to the many plaques to show all the accolades as men’s basketball coach at GCC. The basketball, top right, marks 500 wins as a head coach.

Sammy Darling is back in the lineup after a year off. Darling, a sophomore, was unable to play

after a registration issue with the school last season. Darling played on Beauchemin’s team two years ago.

“I worked on my strength and endurance,” said Darling about his long offseason.

Other notable players include sophmore Emerson Castaneda.

The wing guard averaged 10 points alongside Plavchyan as the leading scorers. Sophomore post/forward Nick Kahn has Beauchemin’s nod as most improved.

Darling said that the team’s goal is to win league and earn a trip to the state tournament.

With only four players returning from last year’s Vaqueros, GCC has to develop a team with only two months to spare. Glendale started practice at

the beginning of the fall semester with 35 players versus the 13 on the current roster.

“I feel like this group has paid attention to detail,” said Beauchemin about the upcoming season.

The Vaqs officially begin conference play on Jan. 8 against West L.A. on the road. The Wildcats are in the same situation as the Glendale, with only two returners and nine new freshmen this upcoming season.

In regards to the Hall of Fame, coach said, “Coaches don’t make the hall of fame, teams, players and your support groups do.”

Jonathan Williams can be reached at haxial.jonathan@gmail.com

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To join online forums, discussion boards, comment on articles, and add events to the calendar

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OPINION

Sleazy Bosses Take Advantage of Whiny Interns

By Agnessa Kasumyan

EL VAQUERO MANAGING EDITOR

W

orking long hours, volunteering for menial tasks that veteran employees do not want to bother with and grabbing coffee for grumpy employers are all rites of passage for unpaid interns seeking to establish themselves in their chosen fields.

However, in recent months, several major corporations, including Fox Searchlight Pictures and Condé Nast, a mass media company which owns magazines like Vogue, Gentleman’s Quarterly and the New Yorker, have been slapped with class-action lawsuits demanding compensation for unpaid interns.

For those serious about being a professional in any given industry, it is common knowledge that interns work to gain experience rather than a salary. With bills to pay and student loans looming over their shoulders, however, working without compensation can be more than frustrating.

In a fragile economy, many employers and corporations have taken advantage of interns trying to impress their bosses by having them do clerical work, perform entrylevel jobs or make coffee runs.

In June, federal judge William Pauley ruled that Fox Searchlight Pictures failed to meet minimum wage laws when two interns, Eric Glatt and Andrew Footman, were not compensated for their work, which included tasks like getting lunch for other employees, according to the Los Angeles Times. Furthermore, Pauley stated that under the Fair Labor Standards Act the two interns were wrongly classified as unpaid

interns when they should have been classified as employees by the company.

Pauley’s ruling may seem like a step in the right direction when it comes to workers’ rights; however, Glatt and Footman’s victory left many wondering if unpaid internships will still be an option for those willing to work in exchange for experience rather than pay.

After Glatt and Footman’s lawsuit was filed in September 2011, over 20 similar cases with interns claiming unpaid wages arose, according to ProPublica, a nonprofit investigative j o u r n a l i s m corporation.

On June 13, former interns for Condé Nast publications the New Yorker and the W Magazine, Lauren Ballinger and Matthew Leib, filed a lawsuit against the media company for getting paid less than $1 an hour. In the wake of the lawsuit, the publications giant terminated its internship program.

The New York Times reports that the law firm representing Ballinger and Leib’s case, Outten & Golden, settled a claim by former unpaid internts against the “Charlie Rose” show last December for $110,000.

As a result of these recent lawsuits, Harper’s Bazaar, a women’s fashion magazine, does not accept interns if they are not eligible to receive college credit, according to USA Today.

In a statement released by UWIRE on October 28, Jeffrey K. Brown, a partner in Leeds Brown

Law PC, a firm which filed lawsuits against companies like MTV and Sony Music, argues that college students who agreed to be unpaid interns or work in exchange for academic credit still have the right to claim wages.

At GCC, students can receive course credit for internships; however, in a more limited capacity.

For example, one of the reasons the school no longer offers cooperative career education, under which students essentially worked in

exchange for college credit in their major fields, is because many used the program to qualify for financial aid, according to Rory Schlueter, the Business Division Chair.

Schlueter was also offended by employers and studios taking advantage of free labor through unpaid interns and receiving tax credit while evading hiring union employees, calling it use of an unethical tactic.

In many ways, unpaid internships are a double-edged sword — on the one hand, interns gain valuable experience and network with potential employers. On the other hand, they risk being taken advantage of by employers who know that unpaid trainees are likely to perform

any task they are assigned to with the hopes of landing a permanent job or gaining experience to boost their resumes.

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, interns are not entitled to wages during the course of their internships, nor are they guaranteed jobs at the end of their cycle. However, certain guidelines exist in order to prevent interns from being overworked and protect hired aemployees from losing their jobs as a result of unpaid internships. For example, interns are entitled to minimum wages and employment status when employers displace existing employees with interns who work over 40 hours a week, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Though interns should be willing to go the extra mile in order to receive the best possible training and maximize potential job prospects, employers should not take advantage of eager and determined interns. It is only fair that employers are held accountable when they fail to meet fair labor standards and compensate interns for work they should be paid for, as it can minimize corporate exploitation in the future.

The lawsuits should not be reason for corporations and businesses to completely eliminate internship programs, as they provide valuable experience and training for students and interns trying to learn more about their field and if their chosen career path is the right one.

At the same time, existing and future interns should not jump on the bandwagon of internship lawsuit victories by demanding pay for work that is just part of the internship experience — work that is defined by the Fair Labor Standards Act. If an intern wants to perform extra work, that is to their benefit — they should not sue when they volunteered for experience that works to their advantage.

Working hard on the way to the top is just a part of life.

In order to climb the ladder of success, so to speak, everyone has to start at the bottom — internships, even unpaid ones, are a great way for students to get their foot in the door, receive training for future jobs or prove themselves to potential employers. As long as employers comply by fair labor standards, there should be no reason for all unpaid internship opportunities to end.

Agnessa Kasumyan can be reached at agnessakas@gmail.com

WANTED: Letters to the editor.. .

WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND?

Campus Comments Would you accept an unpaid internship?

Meleeneh Hairapetian 18

Rez Ligad 30

Valen Russo 21

Environmental Science

Real Estate/ Graphic Design

Computer science

“Yes so I can write it on my transcript. Even if I didn’t get paid, it’s an investment.”

“In this economy, no. It’s already hard to make a living, imagine doing it for free. At least make it a decent wage.”

“Yes. Internships are a way to get trained and be prepared for the job you’re going into.”

Lillie Atkinson 25 Biology “Yes, because it’s a good way for networking and to meet new people.”

­­— Photographed and compiled by Kathy Bakowicz and Kristine Tuzon

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THEA

a flea in

Her

ear

FRISKY BUSINESS: Clockwise from center, Anthony Carter as Tournel and Brittany Coleman as k e Raymonde beg Arghisti Stepanian as Poche to forgive them after finding the two at the Frisky e w l C Pussy Hotel together. Tayler Burgard as Camille face palms out of frustration. Aldo Padilla as a n fi t GC Don Carlos Homenides de Histangua wields a pistol in rage, suspecting his wife, Lucienne, of a cheating. Lexie Laundy as Antoinette fools her husband with her quick wit.

Photos by:

Jonathan Williams

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

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Review

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12 Years a Slave May Sweep the Oscars

By Alexander Davis EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

F

rom living the good life as a master violinist in New York to becoming enslaved and sold to a plantation in the South, one man never lost the will to live.

British film director Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave” follows the story of Solomon Northup, a freeman, kidnapped and forced into slavery.

“I don’t want to survive; I want to live,” says Northrup, played

by Chiwetel Ejiofor (“American Gangster,” 2007).

In pre-Civil War New York, Solomon is approached by two men who promise to pay him handsomely if he performs in their traveling musical show.

While the men celebrate the deal with drinks, they drug Solomon.

He awakens to find himself shackled at the wrists and ankles and confined to a holding cell.

After he is badly beaten in the makeshift jail, he is told that he is a runaway slave named Pratt who has been caught. He insists that

he is a freeman named Solomon, but that only gets him another beating, McQueen (“Shame,” 2011) does an excellent job portraying the contrast between freedom and enslavement. Unlike other films that focus on slavery, such as Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained,” McQueen’s film does not rely on antics and unrealistic action scenes. The dialogue and body language of every character allows the film to draw the audience in with little action or music.

Arguably the strongest scene in the film comes after Solomon is sold to a cotton plantation. He openly disagrees with a slave overseer, who immediately decides to hang him. Solomon is left with a noose around his neck while standing on his tiptoes. He is left there for hours while other slaves work in the background, unwilling or unable to help him as he struggles for air.

The skills of cinematographer Sean Bobbit (“Hunger,” 2008) are on full display in this scene

and the film as a whole.

While Solomon struggles for air, the camera stays fixed on him, the scene lasts for about two minutes without cutting.

The angle of the camera allows the audience to see slaves working around Solomon, trying their best to ignore the horror happening in front of them.

Authenticity is a Photo courtesy of 20th Century Fox major factor in the success of the film. The MASTER VIOLINIST TO SLAVE: Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) enjoys fine scenery and costumes dining in New York before his enslavement in the South. show an accurate delivers a solid capella style music provides the 2005) representation of life on a slave audience with an insight into the performance as Mistress plantation. More importantly, culture of slaves. They are forced Epps,who is wildly jealous of a nothing seems staged. to perform back-breaking labor female slave name Patsey played There are numerous scenes in and are routinely humiliated by Lupita Nyong’o (“In my which slaves are whipped. The by the whites for entertainment Genes,” 2009) Misstress Epps reactions of the characters are not purposes, but they still stay strong believes that Patsey and Master overly dramatic, but their body and stick together by joining each Epps are having an affair, which language and facial expressions other in song. causes her to treat the slave girl say more than enough.

The film features a number with cruelty.

Very little music is played prominent actors, including Brad The film is at times very throughout the film; however the Pitt (“Inglourious Basterds,” hard to watch, as intense scenes slaves are often shown singing 2009) who plays a Canadian of slaves being whipped and songs as they work in the fields. A carpenter and abolitionist who ridiculed by their masters’ forces befriends Solomon during a the audience to confront the evils construction project despite of slavery.

The major accomplishment is Solomon’s mistrust of white people, as they often earn his that despite the graphic scenes, the audience is unable to turn trust only to betray him.

Michael Fassbender’s away.

Rated R for violence, cruelty, performance as a cruel slave master named Mr. Epps is worthy some nudity and brief sexuality of an oscar nod for supporting and runs for 134 minutes.

5 out of 5 actor. Fassbender (“Prometheus,” 2012) plays a deeply troubled slave owner who drinks heavily and often beats Solomon and other slaves for little or no reason.

Alexander Davis can be reached at davis.alex60@yahoo.com Sarah Paulson (“Serenity,”

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Wednesday, November 13, 2013

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

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Review

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A Flea in Her Ear Charms Audience

By Alexandra Duncan EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

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n opening night of “A Flea in Her Ear” there was an authenticity amidst the low lighting, the idle chatter and “Fly Me to the Moon” playing in the background that created a jazzy ambience in the mainstage auditorium.

Multicolored lights cast geometric shadows on the royal purple curtains of the stage and a well-chosen collection of swing music played on a loop.

“A Flea in Her Ear” is a new version of Georges Feydeau’s Farce by David Ives and directed

by Matt Foyer. The play takes place in France during the 1960s and follows the “flea” in Raymonde Chandebise’s (played

by Brittany Coleman) ear that makes her believe her husband, Victor Chandebise (Arghishti Stepanian) is cheating on her.

With the help of her childhood friend, Lucienne Homenides de Histangua (Antonieta Castillo),

Raymonde concocts a letter from a fictional admirer. Once he receives the letter, Victor believes the letter to be for his friend, Romain Tournel (Anthony Carter).

Misunderstandings occur at the hotel and the drama escalates into one exciting chase scene complete with Victor’s doppelgänger, Poche, a man with a horrible speech impediment and a pistol-wielding Spaniard.

“A Flea in Her Ear” is a farce that entertains with physical comedy, naughty humor, and hilarious mix-ups. Matt Foyer directs it excellently and on opening night, the play ran smoothly. Foyer’s own splash of style in the play is evident especially when he added seductive little dance numbers into the scenes and other details such as the double pelvic thrust into Ferraillon’s (Kyle Tristan Chua) stage direction.

The chase scenes of the play were well orchestrated, effective and fun especially as we see characters running in and out of

Emmy Winning News Producer Answers Tough Questions

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Photo by Kathy Bakowicz

hree-time Emmy-award winning news producer, writer and performer Cole Kazdin spoke with students and staff last Thursday in Kreider Hall. A three-time Moth GrandSLAM winner, Kazdin started with a performance of “Memorial Under the Sea,” a story about her experience as a celebrant at her friend’s funeral.

Afterward, Kazdin spoke about her experiences producing documentaries, news and feature stories, including a documentary on George Harrison, and then answered questions from the audience.

English teacher Angela Morales is a fan of the Moth series.

“She was very easy to listen to and so funny,” she said.

El Vaquero and the Journalism Club will present Tim Rutten, biographer and former L.A. Times reporter, on Dec. 5.

the doors, becoming trapped on a revolving bed and colliding into Olympia (Marla Macarr), the wife of the owner of the Frisky Pussy Hotel.

Arghisti Stepanian, who played Victor Chandebise and Poche, was especially impressive as he only had moments to change in and out of costume as well as in and out of the mindset of different characters.

It was evident that the play was well rehearsed by the actors.

The challenging role of Camille, a character who for most of the play is unable to pronounce consonants, was brought to life by Tayler Burgard. Burgard played Camille flawlessly and it was a wonder that some of his words could be understood despite his lack of consonants. Aldo Garcia Padilla who played Don Carlos

Homenides de Histangua was especially entertaining and was perfectly cast for his role. His spanish accent - the cause of hysterics amongst the audience was spot on.

There were some moments during the play when the actors had a mouthful of lines and words were hard to hear in the case of Carter and Coleman, but otherwise, the actors were heard clearly.

Lighting design by Bosco Flanagan left the stage visible when needed and dimmed lights when necessary. There was one instance at the beginning of the play however, when the lights over the audience did not dim slowly into darkness until a few minutes after the play. Besides that, the warm lighting during the first and last scenes matched

up well with the scenes at the Chandebise residence and props reflected well on the location.

The set created by Guido Girardi was an architectural work of art. The working stairs, doors and the rotating bed added to the wonderful design done. The costume design by Royce Herron hit its target with the 1960s era of the play set in France.

All of the elements of the production came together splendidly, resulting in a charming, hilarious and must-see play. It has some adult themes and language and runs for approximately two and a half hours. The play runs Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Mainstage Theater.

Alexandra Duncan can be reached at alexandran.duncan@gmail.com

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Wednesday, November 13, 2013

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SPORTS

Cross Country Headed to State Finals

By Jonathan Williams EL VAQUERO SPORTS EDITOR

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ross country is on its way to yet another State Final.

The GCC men’s and women’s cross country teams sealed a trip to the state meet with top 10 finishes at the Socal Championships on Friday.

Women’s cross country finished second behind Orange Coast.

Elizabeth Nelson placed fourth in the individual competition with an overall time of 19 minutes flat.

Glendale’s Alejandra Quintero finished 26th, a near 20 spots behind Nelson.

It marks the ninth time the women’s team have been ranked top three in the state and the eighth time they have reached the state finals.

The Vaqueros, shortly after, finished seventh among the

competition. Men’s front runner Daniel Marin led the Vaqs with an individual time of 21:34.1.

Glendale was without one of their top runners Enrique Ramirez due to a foot injury. Ramirez placed third in the Western State Comference finals back in October.

Both the men’s and women’s cross country teams will put it all on the line at the California Community College Athletic Association Cross Country Championship on Nov. 23 at Woodward Park in Fresno.

In 2012, the men’s and women’s teams came in a close second at the state finals.

The Lady Vaqs came off an eighth straight WSC title. The Vaqueros captured a fifth straight WSC title since 2008.

Jonathan Williams can be reached at haxial.jonathan@gmail.com

Vaqueros Plucked By Condors

Photo by Bryan Ramos

ONE MORE: The GCC Women’s cross country team strikes a victory pose at this years Socal Championships.

Vaquero Sports Summaries Results

Photo by Kathy Bakowicz

QUICK FEET: Raimond Baghoomian, right, turns the corner around an Oxnard defender, left, in the Glendale loss to the Condors Friday night.

By Jonathan Williams EL VAQUERO SPORTS EDITOR

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lendale’s men’s soccer team suffered a 5-0 loss to the Oxnard Condors last Friday night at home.

The Vaqueros played without their starting goalie Cristoffer Hansoon after he suffered a broken hand. Backup goalie Christian Chavarra took the defensive reigns.

Glendale lost two players to injury during the match.

Defenseman Jose Catalan had to be helped off the field by the Vaq’s training staff.

The Vaqueros came out strong until the Condors flew away with the match. Oxnard struck early with a goal off the crossbar in the

first 10 minutes of the game.

The second half was hard fought and physical.

Players on both teams challenged each other. Bodies were collided during viscous slide tackles. Three yellow cards were handed out to both teams.

Oxnard came into the match with the best record in conference, having won eight straight.

GCC is second to last in the conference and dropped to 3-15 overall.

The Vaqueros will face Citrus College at home on Friday, the final game of the season.

Jonathan Williams can be reached at haxial.jonathan@gmail.com

Men’s and Women’s Cross Country: Friday — Socal Championships

women — finished second

men — finished seventh

Women’s Soccer: Nov. 1 — beat Antelope Valley 1-0 Nov. 5 — lost to Canyons 1-0 Friday — beat Valley 1-0

Women’s Volleyball: Nov. 1 — lost to Antelope Valley 3-1 Wednesday — beat West L.A. 3-0 Friday — lost to Citrus 3-2

Men’s Soccer: Nov. 1 — lost to Santa Monica 6-0 Nov. 5 — lost to Moorpark 5-2 Friday — lost to Oxnard 5-0

Women’s Golf: Nov. 3-4 — WSC Finals at Santa Barbara placed 10th Nov. 10-11 — Socal Finalsat Santa Barbara placed 19th

Football: Nov. 2 — beat L.A. Valley 28-11 Saturday — beat Santa Barbara 24-17

Photo by Seneyda Rodriguez

Upcoming Events Kristine Tuzon can be reached at

Men’s and Women’s Cross Country: Nov. 8 — State Championships at Fresno 10 a.m.

ktuzon342@student.glendale.edu Women’s Golf: Sunday-Monday — State Championships at Tracy TBA

Women’s Volleyball: Wednesday — at Santa Monica 7 p.m.

Football: Saturday at Pierce 7 p.m.

Women’s Soccer: Friday — vs. Bakersfield 7 p.m.

Men’s Soccer: Friday — vs. Citrus 5 p.m.

For more information see: http://www.glendale.edu/athletics/ For more information visit: www.glendale.edu/athletic

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Wednesday, November 13, 2013

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Calendar Campus Events ELECTIONS Candidates Forum — Prospective new student government representitives will hold a question and answer forum on Monday from 11:30 to 1:30 p.m. in front of the bookstore.

Fall 2013 Voting — Polls will be open on both Nov. 19 and 20 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in Plaza Vaquero.

Swap Meet — Upper campus parking lot Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free and open to the public. For information, call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5805.

EVENTS Flag Football — The GCC Travelers Club will host a flag football competition on Thursday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the football field. A cash prize will be given to the winning Laser Tag Fundraiser — Compete in laser tag to raise money for the Hawak Kamay Filipino Club at Jungle Zone. Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 826 N. Glendale Ave. Tamale Sale — Tamales will be sold on Nov. 18 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Plaza Vaquero Proceeds go to create scholarships for SPARK members.

Club Competition — The GCC

Travelers Club will host “Battle of the Fittest.” In the event, clubs will compete in tug-of-war, egg races, three-legged races and an inflatable maze. The competition is Nov. 26 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at Plaza Vaquero.

International Students Festival — Celebrate Education Week with music and dances on Thursday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in Plaza Vaquero. Sponsored by International Students Association.

Alumni Welcome Back Mixer — Food, entertainment, and a cash bar will be provided. Free and open to the public. Hosted by GCC Alumni Council and Superintendent/President David Viar.

Thursday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Student Center. RSVP at www.glendale/edu/Alumni.

LECTURE Science Lecture Series — “Observing Infrared Light from the Ground, Space, and in the Air: How Infrared Astronomy Has Opened Our Eyes.” Speaker is Dr. William B. Latter, Project Manager for operations of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). Free.

Thursday from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in CS 177.

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JFK Lecture — Mike Eberts will retrace how the electronic media (particularly television) reported events on the day Presi-

dent John F. Kennedy was assassinated on Nov. 22 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at Kreider Hall.

Cultural Diversity Lecture Series — “What Does it Mean to be White?” with philosophy instructor Steve Bie and faculty and student panel speakers. The lecture is on Nov. 21 at Kreider Hall. 12:20 p.m. Free and open to the public.

MUSIC Jazz Guitar and Vocals — The performances will be led by directors Claire and Byron Delto.

Tickets are $10 and $8 for students and seniors. Nov. 23 at 7:30 p.m. in the Auditorium Mainstage Theatre. For more information call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5829.

Applied Music Recital — Conducted by Beth Pflueger. Featuring GCC student vocalists and instrumentalists. Free. Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the Auditorium Mainstage Theatre.

GCC Jazz Big Band — The performance will be directed by Craig Kupka. Tickets are $10 and $7 for students and seniors. Nov 24 at 4 p.m. in the Auditorium Mainstage Theatre.

THEATER “A Flea in her Ear” — A new version of Georges Feydeau’s farce written by David Ives pre-

sented by the Theater Arts Department. Contains subject matter not suitable for children. Auditorium Mainstage Theatre. Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m. and Nov. 17 at 2 p.m. Limited seating. Reservations strongly recommended.

No late seating. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $12 for students and seniors. For more information visit www.glendale. edu/theaterarts or call (818) 2401000, ext. 5612.

Auditions — Auditions for the Theatre Arts Department’s spring production of Rachel Sheinkin’s “The 25th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee” will be held on Nov. 20 in the auditorium lobby from 7 to 10 p.m.The musical will open April 3, 2014. Visit www. glendale.edu/theatre for more information. Call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5618 to schedule an appointment.

HEALTH Flu Shots — Flu shots are available for credit students and staff.

Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Health Center $15 cash.

Nicotine Anonymous — Nicotine Anonymous Group meetings sponsored by the GCC Alcohol/ Drug Studies Program are held every Monday through Dec. 9 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in CR 231. For more information con-

tact Jessica Gillooly at (818) 2401000, ext. 5471.

PLANETARIUM Afternoon with the Stars — Students and staff can attend a free lunchtime program highlighting the planetarium’s features. “Red, Orange and Blue stars?!%?$# What???” will be presented on Monday from 12:30 to 1 p.m. in CS 257. For more information visit www.glendale.edu/planetarium or call (818) 240-1000, ext.

5275.

MEETINGS Board of Trustees Meeting — The seventh meeting of the year is on Monday at 5 p.m. in Kreider Hall. For more information visit: www.glendale.edu/boardoftrustees.

MOVIES Friday Flix: — A screening of “American Beauty” this Friday. A 1999 drama directed

by Sam Mendes and starring Kevin Spacey. On Nov. 22, “JFK,” a 1991 drama directed

by Oliver Stone and starring Kevin Costner will be shown.

Mike Petros will facilitate a discussion after the films. Snacks and drinks are encouraged.

Free at 12:30 p.m. in SG 334.

Around Town HOLIDAY Thanksgiving Dinner — On Nov. 28, Union Station will host Thanksgiving Dinner-in-the-Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Central Park in Pasadena. This event feeds thousands of homeless men, women, children, and lowincome families. Those interested in volunteering are encouraged to bring a suggested $10 donation.

For more information visit www. unionstationhs.org/event/dip.

“A Christmas Carol”— An adaptation of “A Christmas

Carol” from Nov. 29 to Dec. 23 will be performed at the Sierra Madre Playhouse at 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd, Sierra Madre. The play will be infused with carols and dancing. Ticket prices start at $28 and for showtimes and tickets, visit www.sierramadreplayhouse.org

PLAYS Shakespeare Adaptation — The California Shakespeare Ensemble will perform “Shakespeare’s Villains” on Sunday at 8 p.m. at Old Pasadena’s Lineage Performing Arts Center. The play features

Macbeth, Shylock, and Tybalt.

Tickets cost $20 and admission with a copy of the adapted script costs $35. The doors will open at 7:30 p.m. at 89 S. Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena. To purchase tickets, visit www.brownpapertickets. com/event/448617. For more information visit www.californiashakespeare.org.

nual Three Stooges Big Screen Event at the Alex Theatre. Nov. 30 from 2 to 4:30 p.m. and 8 to 10:30 p.m. at 216 North Brand Boulevard. Tickets are $12.50 For more information, call (818) 754-8250 or visit www.alexfilmsociety.org.

COMEDY

“David Hockney: Seven Yorkshire Landscape Videos” — LACMA. This project features a film created with 18 cameras The film is displayed in a multiscreen grid. Runs Sunday through January 2014. Ticket prices and

The Three Stooges — The Alex Film Society presents a rarely seen 1933 Three Stooges short.

“Hello Pop” will be shown among five others at the 16th An-

EXHIBITIONS

hours vary. North Piazza, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. For information, visit www.lacma.org or call (323) 857-6000.

Art Exhibitions — PMCA. Exhibitions include “Sam Francis: Five Decades of Abstract Expressionism,” “Ignite! The Art of Sustainability,” and “Somewhere in Between: Los Angeles.” 490 E. Union St., Pasadena.

Runs through January 2014. Visit www.pmcaonline.org or call (626) 568-3665.

Compiled by Eric Bourse

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Wednesday, November 13, 2013

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LIFESTYLE

Armenian Student Club Hosts Cultural Day in Plaza Vaquero

Photo by Sal Polcino Photos by Manvel Kapukchyan

ARMENIAN CULTURE FESTIVITIES: Plaza Vaquero filled with students and

staff who watched the Vanoush Khanamirian dance school perform to tunes by DJ Vahe on Thursday. Armenian barbeque(khorovatz) was also served. For exclusive slideshow coverage visit: www.elvaq.com.