El Paisano Newspaper vol. 56 issue 6

EL

PAISANO

Tuesday March 20, 2018

RIO HONDO COLLEGE NEWSPAPER est. 1964 Serving the Rio Hondo Community

Volume 56 Issue 6

A Los Angeles St. Patrick’s Day

ALEX RODRIGUEZ/EL PAISANO NEWS

Casey’s Irish Pub held its annual St. Patrick’s Day Street Festival on Wilshire Ave. and Hope St. in Los Angeles this past Saturday, March 17.

There was green beer, green hair and green aliens on hand as DJs blasted music through the Downtown L.A. streets.

Photo story on page 4

President Trump Visits California

RODOLFO PINEDO Reporter

rodolfo.juarezpinedo2776@my.riohondo.edu

President Donald Trump visited the Golden State for the first time since being elected this past week on March 13th. It was a short visit, lasting only a day the president’s main priority was

to view several border wall prototypes that he has visions to implement. Other tasks on his agenda was to hold a rally at a Marine base in San Diego and host a fundraiser for his campaign at Beverly Hills in the evening.

The State of California has been very resistant of the policies Trump’s adminis-

tration has enforced. Earlier this year the state declared themselves a sanctuary state to show a disapproval on Trump’s immigration policies.

California is also challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed alleviation of car mileage standards. Despite being criticized of his management

by President Trump, Governor Jerry Brown sent a message of unification, wanting to build bridges instead of walls.

His trip was met with a mix of protesters and supports greeting him as he made his way to witness the eight prototype border walls that has been on the top of his administration’s list to place

since campaigning back in 2016.

The walls towered over the president as he was accompanied by agents of homeland security and border patrol. Reaching heights of 30 feet, majority of them are built with extra accessories to stand out from the comContinued on page 5

Student Leadership Shows Off For Women’s History Month CESAR GONZALEZ Reporter

cesar.gonzalez6118@my.riohondo.edu

Thursday March 15, the student leadership institution gathered in the mid-quad to set up their display called “Women & Sustainability with Alternative Energy Solutions.”

The purpose of this event was to send awareness of the different women in history who helped shape America, different trials like racism, and its effects on indigenous peoples and communities.

They also wanted to bring into the light the aftermath effects the Trump Administration gives when they

ignore certain big issues.

Several women who made a huge impact on America were also featured as well, like those who protested against the Dakota Pipeline.

Names like Lauren Howland, Eryn Wise, LaDonna Brave Bull Allard, and Jaslyn Charger are named among other women. Student leadership

member Marcy Serrano explained,

“One of the examples we had was the Dakota Pipeline,” Serrano said, “It was very real, it was basically the loudest example of what can happen when we don’t listen to these communities.” Serrano goes on to say, “The pipeline did explode, and there

were protests to stop it and the Trump Administration refused to listen to them.”

When awareness as such is brought to the attention of our own communities like that of the Dakota pipeline, it is necessary when trying to avoid the dangers that form from these different types of Continued on page 5

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NEWS

EDITORIAL:

Nationwide Student Protests: Do Their Voices Carry Any Weight & Have Any Impact Following the massive student protest that occurred last week, it’s clear to see that the youth of these days in America, are at the very least, “perturbed.”

DANTE LOPEZ- BENNETT Copy Editor

dante.lopezbennett9611@my.riohondo.edu

With heavy hearts and weary bones do they trudge on in solidarity as if their country wasn’t the only one to be founded upon debating absolutely every single hypothetical facet of life?

In March, mobilized in marching protest, like this isn’t a place where we contemplate wars like what cereal to eat in the morning and fear loss of rights as though it would leave us in a world with nothing left. Indeed, certain complexities in the scope of understanding, are akin to us trying to find a reason as to why the Alphabet falls into the order it does.

Could you imagine the sight of the majority of America’s able-bodied youth waging battle yet again, though this time, on the streets of a homeland whose guardians once did the same on foreign battlefields with the weapons now being protested, swearing that they were doing everything to protect what’s clearly fallen apart?

As it were, the sight of tens of thousands of students across the United States protesting existing gun laws was as much ironic as it was a calling to arms so that we may immediately set upon a way to hem the fabric of a nation so torn, and finally bid a farewell to arms being raised in classrooms for the wrong reasons.

Though while these states united have a name that may entail unification, as of late, they’ve only ever been resolute in mobilizing in face of conflict.

Perhaps in fashion with these newest seasons of correction, in which the problems arisen from the conduct of generations now past are being resolved, the United States of America may attempt to live up to its name at last.

And so, like students can

El Paisano Tuesday March 20, 2018

march and cry stern decrees of somber condemnation with even sterner lines drawn in the sand for drastic measures, Congress too, can act. I would imagine, that with an even heavier heart and wearier conscience, does Congress now sit on Capitol Hill with a more than adequate ability to do what their youth demands of them to.

The question now is: will they dare to do the inevitable?

As a student and one of those American young who are so often fit to be billed by elders “as the next generation of leaders,” I’d myself, regardless of politics, be hard-pressed to think of a scenario in which the leaders of today emerge victorious, as time says that the stress on their itty bitty hearts and minds can only be anatomically tolerated for so long.

Because truly, what good is wealth and power, when those demanding changes have youth, are approaching prime, and have more than plenty of time? It’s nothing to note that these newest additions to America don’t run for reelection unless it’s to the polls for the most progressive party insight that’s receptive to their views.

And so, in regards to our era’s defining wave of nationwide student protests, I’ve found that it’s often the case that two recurrent questions are asked by those in power and those seeking to be heard respectively.

Do their voices carry any weight?

Perhaps just enough of a weight on the shoulders and conscience of those in power who are reluctant to make a change so that they may at once realize the time for waiting is over.

Do our voices have any impact?

This, if ever there was, is half past time for the display of the new and improved design of the divine, innocents who are not above getting their very own hands dirty when the consequences merit it.

Young children, adults, and scholars who gladly know that words are best bonded in pacts bound by responsibility.

President Trump Fires FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe Days Before Retirement CESAR GONZALEZ Reporter

cesar.gonzalez6118@my.riohondo.edu

Deputy director of the FBI, Andrew McCabe was fired on March 18th for lack of candor and leaking information to the public and for keeping contact with a Wall Street Journalist. Just a few days before his planned retirement, McCabe was terminated by the General Attorney Sessions through his statement made towards him.

Aside from the President’s habit of informing the public through the social media app known as Twitter, Sessions gave a statement.

Saying that

“Mr. McCabe had made an authorized disclosure to the news media and lacked candor – including under oath – on multiple occasions.”

These accusations were based of the fact that McCabe had ties with a certain Wall Street Journalist in 2016.

McCabe’s actions and lack of candor according to Sessions,

“The FBI expects every employee to adhere to the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and accountability,” Sessions goes on to say, “…’all FBI employees know that lacking candor under oath results in dismissal and that our integrity is our brand.”

When the decision reached out to dismiss McCabe of his active duties as FBI deputy director, McCabe immediately had made a statement regarding his termination. McCabe said,

“The big picture is a tale of what can happen when law enforcement is politicized, public servants are attacked,” McCabe goes on to say, “and people who are supposed to cherish and protect our institutions become instruments for damaging those institutions and people.”

McCabe felt that he was being ‘singled out’ after his

past actions and the aftermath of what he witnessed after the firing of James Comey. McCabe believed that is was the president who was after him and wanted to ruin his reputation along with removing him from his current position AND strip him of his 22 years of pension for working with the FBI.

McCabe set to retire on March 19th and had announced his retirement from the bureau back in January of 2018. McCabe’s wife, Jill was involved with the Hillary Clinton campaign and had also ran for a seat in the state legislative in Virginia as a Democrat; this was what Republicans called, ‘a conflict of interest.’

President Trump fired allegations against McCabe once before back in 2016 via Twitter, questioning why Sessions did has not fired him and labeled McCabe as ‘a Comey friend.’

Comey was in charge of the Clinton investigations but was terminated shortly after he resigned the case.

The OPR or Office of Professional Responsibility wanted McCabe to be terminated for his contact with a Wall Street Journal reporter and because he had given out an unauthorized publication the news. In McCabe’s follow-up statement he described the events happening,

“The investigation flows from my attempt to explain the FBI’s involvement and my supervision of investigations involving Hillary Clinton. I was being portrayed in the media over and over as a political partisan, accused of closing down investigations under political pressure and making decisions for political rather than law enforcement purposes, “McCabe said,

“Nothing was further from the truth. In fact, this entire investigation stems from my efforts, fully authorized under FBI rules, to set

the record straight on my behalf of the Bureau, and to make clear that we were continuing an investigation that people in DOJ (Department of Justice) opposed.”

McCabe told the public that his contact with the Wall Street Journalist was not a secret and that other FBI agents had known about this which included at the time Director Comey. McCabe also made comments in which he believes that he was targeted to be part of a “larger effort” to “taint the FBI, law enforcement, and intelligence professionals more generally…”

McCabe also made statements regarding the president’s tweets, and his lawyers make notice that attacks on the former FBI deputy director have been coming from the White House since last summer of 2017.

His attorney, Michael Bromwich stated, “This intervention of by the White House in the DOJ disciplinary process is unprecedented deeply unfair, and dangerous.”

Bromwich also recognized that the process of McCabe’s termination was rushed which did not give essential timing for him and McCabe to access the time needed review and analyze the evidence which was presented against him to prepare a counter-response.

McCabe although feeling that this whole situation was conjured up against him in a personal attack still remained hopeful. He commented,

“I have unfailing faith in the men and women of the FBI and I am confident that their efforts to seek justice will not be deterred,” he goes on to say,

“You cannot stop the men and women of the FBI from doing the right thing – protecting the American people and upholding the Constitution.”

READ 023 Reading College Textbooks

Spring 2018

Open OPEN COURSE — LATE START

CRN: 36361 Tuesdays & Thursdays

3:50 - 7:00 p.m.

LR 123 Instructor: Elizabeth Serrao

Class begins on: Tuesday, April 3rd Enjoy Small Community Environment Personal Involvement & Collaboration Increase Academic Success Prerequisite: READ 022 or appropriate assessment

El Paisano Tuesday March 20, 2018

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NEWS

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION/JAKE LAURELL

Stephen Hawking Passes Away at 76 RAMON ALVARADO Editor-in-Chief

ramon.alvarado7328@my.riohondo.edu

One of the world’s most famous and greatest physicists, Stephen Hawking died early Wednesday, March 13 morning in his England home. Hawking was diagnosed with a rare disease at the age of 22 that left him in a wheel chair and took away most of his ability to speak.

Despite this, Hawking went on to live a lengthy life, passing away at the age of 76.

“We are deeply saddened that our beloved father passed away today. He was a great scientist and an extraordinary man whose work and legacy will live on for many years,” Hawking’s family said in a statement released Wednesday.

Hawking was best known for his work on black holes.

In 1976, Hawking discovered that a black hole emits energy and starts losing mass when it forms. Before this, it was believed that black holes were just empty regions in space that vacuumed everything around it.

The physicist eventually found himself being featured in shows like The Simpsons and The Big Bang Theory.

PHOTO CREDIT/TECH SPOT Diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 1963 at the rip and vibrant age of 21, and defied the odds every since.

The death of Stephen Hawking has a left a void so large that few are able to measure up to.

Hawking had become one of the most popular scientists of this generation.

Another one of the most

famous scientists of this generation, Neil deGrasse Tyson posted an image of himself and Hawking on Twitter in

remembrance.

“His passing has left an intellectual vacuum in his wake. But it’s not empty,”

deGrasse Tyson’s said in the Instagram post.

“Think of it as a kind of vacuum energy permeating the fabric of spacetime that defies measure. Stephen Hawking, RIP 1942-2018.”

Fellow star-gazers, NASA also tweeted out a message in the wake of Hawking’s passing.

“Remembering Stephen Hawking, a renowned physicist and ambassador of science. His theories unlocked a universe of possibilities that we & the world are exploring. May you keep flying like superman in microgravity, as you said to astronauts on @ Space_Station in 2014.”

Hawking lives on through his wife, his two sons and his contributions as a physicist and human being to the world.

“His courage and persistence with his brilliance and humor inspired people across the world,” Hawking’s family said in a statement.

“He once said, ‘It would not be much of a universe if it wasn’t home to the people you love.’ We will miss him forever.”

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NEWS

El Paisano Tuesday March 20, 2018

s ’ b u P h s i r I s ’ Casey ay D s ’ k c i r t a P St. al v i t s e F t e e StPrhotos by Alex Rodrigraudezo amon Alva Stor y by R

Casey’s Irish Pub, located in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles held its annual St. Patrick’s Day Street Festival this Saturday, March 17. Hundreds of people, aged 21-and-up, showed out to the festival throughout the day. The event started early St. Patrick’s Day, opening up its entrance at 6 a.m.

After 1 p.m., there was a $20 dolar entry fee but that didn’t stop people from joining in at the festivities.

There was Irish, Jameson whiskey on hand for guests who wanted a stronger kick of liquor, and Guiness beer for those who wanted to sip (or chug) through the night.

Casey’s Irish Pub had its doors open for guests to come in and enjoy a wider variety of drinks. There was a long line to get inside the pub for most of the event, however.

People were at the St. Patrick’s Day Street Festival the entire night. The festival didn’t end until 2 a.m.

The green beer served at the St. Patrick’s Day Street Festival was actually Coors Light with food coloring in it.

The green, white and orange Irish flags were a popular item at Casey’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration.

Green Boston Celtics’ attire was everywhere at the St. Patrick’s Day Street Festival.

El Paisano Tuesday March 20, 2018

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NEWS

Student Leadership Shows Off for Women’s History Month continued

President Trump Visits California continued

CESAR GONZALEZ/EL PAISANO NEWS Booths with photos and stories of successful women were set up in the Rio Hondo lower quad for Women’s History Month.

problems. Student leadership also wanted to provide information based on things that President Trump has said about climate change and the denial of it.

Since March is still Women’s History Month, the student leadership team also presented various pictures and information of different women who are involved in auto-technology and their impacts on the community; a few names of these women are Manuela Papadopol, Kathrin Winkler, Bea Perez, Arielle Bertman, and even Hillary Clinton were given mention on their presen-

tation. Another goal that student leadership wanted to reach was having actual interaction with students.

An email and event flyer that was seen posted up on bulletin boards all around campus gave word of a scavenger hunt and gave directions on how to become involved. The flyer stated, “Find Scooby Doo and the mystery gang around campus, take pictures of all and stop by to claim a prize.”

Who doesn’t love a good challenge and to be rewarded after for competing? The student leadership team had pizza boxes stacked up,

eager and awaiting different students to show up at their display tables to show the pictures of their Scooby Doo flyer which also had fun facts based on different women who contributed to alternative energy solutions.

Although many participated to receive their free slice of cheese or pepperoni pizza, free food was promised with participation while supplies lasted!

For more information on this or future events, more info is provided at studentlife@riohondo.edu or you can call 562-908-3427.

Uber Self-Driving Car Strikes and Kills Woman CESAR GONZALEZ Reporter

cesar.gonzalez6118@my.riohondo.edu

One of Uber’s self-driving cars struck and killed a woman the night of Sunday, March 18 in Tempe Arizona.

The woman’s name was not given to the public.

It seems like Uber cannot get a break! If it’s not purposefully making fake orders for LYFT, or the former head of the company making an ass of himself. Well this is no different with technology continuing to grow at a rapid pace self driving cars are becoming more and more of the future, with truck driving companies adapting this companies such as WalMart even, Uber is no different in this regard fully embracing the future of self-driving cars.

Ideally having a self driving car is a sound investment, you literally don’t have to pay them at all and don’t have to worry to much about labor laws. To be fair most self-driving car accidents most of them are because of the humans not the AI. Most cases it’s because a human cut off the AI or someone Jaywalking. But after this untimely death due to the self-driving car Uber has decided to pull it’s self-driving car in San Francisco, Toronto, and Pittsburgh.

The accident occurred on Mill Avenue and Curry Road monday morning, and the Uber was heading north when the woman was hit outside the crosswalk. She was then rushed to a hospital where she was later died from her

injuries. Reports claim that she was on a bike when the accident occurred.

“Uber spokesman had went on the record and said “We are fully cooperating with local authorities in their investigation of this incident”

Uber has also stated that there was a safety driver behind the wheel in the vehicle, during the crash. Making the driver the first known victim of a self-driving car crash.

The CEO went on twitter to send his regards to the family saying

“Some Incredibly sad news of Arizona. We’re thinking of the victim’s family as we work with local law enforcement to understand what happened,” said Uber Chief Executive Officer, Dara Khosrowshahi.

petition and minimize illegal crossing. Four of the walls are made of solid concrete while the remaining are made of other materials such as steel.

These test walls stretched down to six feet under to prevent digging, some are thick with slabs to make it difficult to cut through to the other side, and majority carry panels at the very top to minimize going over. Trump used this moment to inform the press about the importance of the wall.

“There’s a lot of problems in Mexico — they have a lot of problems over there.” “The fact is, if you don’t have a wall system it would be bedlam, I imagine,” said Trump.

The white house claims the cost of building the border wall is 18 billion but many independent calculations state it to be as high as 38 billion. Whatever the price may be congress has made no moves to make a vote to fund the wall.

Afterwards he made his way to Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar to pay a visit to a loud rally of soldiers and

warfighting domain — just like the land, air and sea. We may even have a space force,” he added. “Develop another one: We have the Air Force, we’ll have the space force.”

Currently, President Trump’s expected 2018-2019 military budget has reached the highest of any of President in office before him at a proposed 8.8 billion dollars.

Trump then wrapped up the day by attending a fundraiser in Beverly hills. Set up by the republican party, this fundraiser was intended for Donald Trump’s reelection in 2020. It was a private event, with dinner reaching 35 thousand dollars per plate. Despite California being a blue state, there is a generous population of wealthy conservatives in California, so party attendance was high.

The prototype walls are on display east of the San Diego, Mexico border and will continue to be on display.

Spending only 22 hours in California, it is unclear when President Trump will visit the golden state once more

residents to promote the expansion of the United States military. In his speech he promised to increase funds for the armed forces, and a possible space force in the future saying, “brand-new warplanes and a national strategy that recognizes that space is a

SPRING BREAK The Rio Hondo campus will be closed March 26-30.

Classes will resume April 2.

Have a safe & fun break!

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El Paisano Tuesday March 20, 2018

NEWS

Weekly Weather Forecast: March 20-26 Tuesday 20

Wednesday

21

Thursday 22

Friday 23

Saturday 24

Sunday 25

Monday 26

70 55

65 60

65 54

63 54

69 51

65 51

70 50

Weekly Horoscope March 20-26

This is a week of romance for you ! Someone that you love is going to suprise you, so act positively to it , alright !

Anyone with the last name of Rodriguez is seriously going to mess with you. Avoid all those who go by that name.

There’s a good chance you can get sick so ready yourself for that.

Prepare your body, and try

Get your self together. Grab all your feelings of regret, put it in a bag, and get it together.

Rain will be your ally. in some sort of situation, the cold weather will help you out.

People are going to be playing games with your heart this week, so pull up and knock em, because they are gonna be in your way.

Look you best, because whatever charm you may think you have is going to fail, so rely on your connections and looks as best you can.

You are going to be a winner this week. Succeding is your fate this week, and don’t let anything stand in your way.

Do not let anyone rain on your parade. They give you hell, and you give them hell right back.

Some one is going to betray you. Keep all your eyes on your goals, and be ready for someone you care about to stab you in the back.

Patience is going to be your greatest ally, because some delicate situation is going to require it.

Ever since you left you home, someone has been watching out for you. Help them, because this person is going to be in danger !

The Division of Arts and Cultural Programs presents:

with

Christian James Hand

Tuesday, March 20, 7:30 PM @RIOHONDOARTS

PUBLICITY APPROVED REMOVE ON 03/22/18

El Paisano Tuesday March 20, 2018

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

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California Now Has its Own Net Neutrality Bill DIANA JUAREZ

Reporter

diana.juarez8805@my.riohondo.edu

Senator Scott Wiener of California introduced an amended piece of legislation, Bill 822, which would impose some of the strictest net neutrality law in the US. If passed, Bill 822 would ban internet service provider’s (ISPs) in the state from slowing down, speeding up, or blocking websites, applications or services.

Bill 822 would be the “first state-level bill that would comprehensively secure all of the net neutrality protections that Americans currently enjoy,” said Barbara van Schewick, a Stanford law professor.

“An open internet is es-

sential to maintaining our democracy, growing our economy, protecting consumers, and preserving critical health, safety and energy services.

ISP’s must not be allowed to decide who can access what websites or applications,” said Wiener in a statement.

With 14 coauthors and Schewick as active consultant, Bill 822 is said to stand on firm legal ground, something that will come in handy in the coming months since the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is trying to stop state-level net neutrality laws.

Thankfully, California is not the only state preparing legislation to protect net neutrality. New York, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Montana and more than half of the states in the Union

have taken steps to make sure the ISP’s keep to net neutrality principles.

What makes Bill 822 unique from other bills of its kind is that it takes a stronger stance against data cap exemptions, also known as zero-rating.

This means that, if passed, ISP’s would not be allowed to charge more for certain services to be used without these services cutting into customer’s data caps.

A double edged sword for some, considering that many mobile ISPs offer some sort of program wherein if you sign up for a certain package, you get free video or music streaming services without putting a dent in your monthly data plan.

Programs like those can sound great on paper, but the reality is that in doing this,

ISPs end up dictating which applications or services get the most customers and can allow for ISPs to charge more money in order to use these applications and services.

As terrible as that may sound to some, maintaining net neutrality throughout is the best way to keep ISPs from charging customers for certain kinds of content, regardless of the delivery.

A great example of what life without net neutrality is like is to look at what happened in Morocco in 2016, when many ISPs jointly decided to block voice over internet apps such as Skype, Whatsapp, etc., in order to push customers into phone plans. Or in 2005 when Telus, a telecom company in Canada, blocked access to a union website that had been pro-

moting a labor strike against Telus themselves.

In fact, we only need to look within US current history to see what happens without net neutrality. In 2012 AT&T announced that they would be blocking access to FaceTime on iPhones unless customers paid for a higher data plan. This didn’t last long since consumer advocates sent complaints to the FCC.

If California passes Bill 822, and if other states pass their own variation of a net neutrality bill, ISP’s would have no choice but to comply.

Regardless of what Ajit Pai, director of the FCC, may want to do, the power lies in the people, and the people want net neutrality.

“An open internet is essential to maintaining our democracy, growing our economy, protecting consumers, and preserving critical health, safety and energy services. ISP’s must not be allowed to decide who can access what websites or applications.”

- U.S. California State Senator Scott Wiener

Gaming Developers Now Have Access to Google Maps to Create the Next “Pokémon Go” DANTE LOPEZ BENNET

Reporter

dante.lopezbennett9611@my.riohiondo.edu

In an attempt to create the next big thing in gaming, the people at Google are allowing gaming developers to integrate Google Maps into their mobile video games.

Since the debut of “Pokémon Go,” location-based games have spiked in interest from video game studios in order to re-create the success that the Japanese pocket monsters

have obtained with mobile gaming. In order to achieve this goal, Google announced March 14 that it will release its new gaming software to studios in order to allow them easier development on their future content.

The way the Google Maps platform will work is by being divided into three parts: developers who sign up with the platform will have access to real-time mapping data, Google will launch new software development kit for the video game engine Unity, and

by Google introducing a new API, developers can create gameplay experiences around real-world locations.

“Our new Unity SDK does all of the heavy lifting.

No Google Maps expertise needed,” said product manager Clementine Jacoby.

Countless video games are being developed and sold each year, so it is difficult for the consumer to make the proper choice that will grab their attention for hours on end and have them wanting to come back for more con-

tent from the same developers and companies. With the new API software, developers will be able to create unique experiences and locations formulated from actual places around the real-world.

“With Google Maps, we can count on providing the most up-to- date location data, meaning that when new buildings or roads are built, we’ll have them in our game.

This enables us to create an immersive experience, tied to the players’ location,” said Next Google CEO Teemu

Huuhtanen.

Future video games that will take advantage of the new mapping platform are the already announced “The Walking Dead: Our World,” “Jurassic World Alive,” and “Ghostbusters World.”

“Pokémon Go” developers, Niantic, are currently working on their next location-based video game “Harry Potter: Wizards Unite” which is based off the popular books and films and will be available to play later this year.

Spotify Sued to the Tune of $1.6 Billion DIANA JUAREZ

Reporter

diana.juarez8805@my.riohondo.edu

Thanks to an arbitrary and outdated law written during the age of player pianos, Wixen Publishing is suing Spotify for $1.6 billion.

The mechanical license, a law created to protect the music industry during the time of automated pianos, is being used by Wixen to sue. Wixen claims that under the mechanical license, Spotify is legally required give a written notice to songwriters that their songs will be in the Spotify catalog.

While at the time this license was created it made sense for companies to send paper notifications to musicians, it hardly seems like the way to go in today’s day and age. On the other hand, music licensing in general has changed so much with the evolution of technology that it isn’t as straightforward as saying “this is a Britney song, therefore the money goes to Britney.”

When you take into consideration that a single song can have anywhere between one and an infinite amount of lyricists, music writers, producers, recording companies, etc., you start to realize that

it’s not just one license. Even when all the paperwork is properly filled out and a song is ready to be put on the radio or a streaming service, there is a tangled web of licensing to get through.

It’s for this reason that Spotify has third party licensing agreements that usually blanket license all the songs in the Spotify catalog.

Obviously not always, or Wixen wouldn’t be suing for $1.6 billion. A ridiculous amount considering that Spotify reported a net loss of nearly$1.5 billion just last year.

Beyond mechanical licenses, Spotify, and other companies like it, need to

scramble to figure out the easiest way to pay the people who are owed money. Something that would be easier to do if proper laws were passed for music copyrighting. Up until now, music copyright laws have had changes tacked on without there being any kind of real in depth changes to them. This is in part to do with how fast technology has changed just in the past 50 years.

A good contender would be the Music Modernization Act (MMA) that sees to create a Mechanical Licensing Collective that would act as the official middleman for mechanical licensing in the

digital services era. On top of that, the MMA would allow the Copyright Royalty Board to base mechanical rates on songs based on their market value.

But more importantly, the MMA would prevent another lawsuit like the Wixen v. Spotify debacle.

In fact, MMA is such a good idea for the music industry that the RIAA, various performance royalties organizations, the Digital Music Association, and digital radio companies all support it. We can only hope that Congress passes MMA so that we may have less outdated licensing and copyright laws for music.

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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

El Paisano Tuesday March 20, 2018

Verizon Forced to Repair Broadband Infrastructure it Has Literally Let Fall Apart DANTE LOPEZ BENNET Reporter

dante.lopezbennett9611@my.riohiondo.edu

March 16, 2018- Verizon is set to begin working on billions of dollars of DSL broadband infrastructure it has ignored and let fall apart. As was named in a Vice motherboard article written by Karl Bode, these newest Verizon reconstruction efforts will be tasked with fixing “bad cable, defective equipment, and faulty back-up batteries,” as-well as what are known as “double telephone poles or pole stumps.” The bulk of the work will be carried out in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, two states that are rife with decrepit DSL cable lines due

to neglect and political shortcomings.

Where the world once ran on Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL), wires that transmitted data over telephone lines that required routine maintenance, today multimillion dollar telecommunications companies like Verizon rely on fiber optic cables to form the foundation of their network in the United States. Because of fiber optic cables having a stronger bandwidth and being made from a blend of glass threads, they are more superior than DSL cables for transmitting data at a faster megabits per second (MPS) rate. Residents in regions where competition amongst

providers is fierce, have come to know this technology by what Verizon refers to as its “Fios” network. However, despite the forward thinking behind using fiber optic cables in neighborhoods, there remain communities in which Verizon has only recently been held accountable for neglecting and not making good on their promises to modernize. In neighborhoods where only one cable media provider is accessible, you can imagine the frustration of residents who were livid to find that Verizon had suddenly abandoned efforts in their area to appease the interests of regions that were offering more profit.

What the Communi-

cation Workers of America (CWA) Union was able to do is gain somewhat of a victory by reaching a settlement to have Verizon make the much-needed repairs to what is already outdated technology. With a great degree of reluctance, has Verizon been made to finally fix “bad cable, defective equipment, and faulty back-up batteries” in states throughout the U.S. that qualify. Furthermore, they are to stop the circumstances that create crude looking devices known as “double telephone poles or pole stumps,” that are dangerously old logs of wood stapled in mid-air by wires.

Where utility companies routinely replace old poles

with new ones for safety reasons, they are often unable to remove the Verizon equipment that has been left on them, and so, rather than move what legally isn’t theirs, such poles sit forever and rot despite still being what residents rely on for internet and cable connection.

While many consumers undoubtedly think of infrastructure as an abstract concept that isn’t rooted in tangible materials on Earth, it is nonetheless at the mercy of human responsibility and susceptible to problems as Verizon’s hardware in certain states has proven much to the dismay of residents.

Fortnite: Battle Royale Goes Mobile LUIS GUTIERREZ Reporter

luis.gutierrez0200@my.riohondo.edu

Have you been sucked in by the massive phenomenal known as Fortnite and can’t get enough of it? Well have no fear because you’ll be able to play on the small screen now(Phone). The game just went live on IOS(Iphone), as a beta run and Android will be added later.

The news came as a surprise to just about everyone, that a full Fortnite game was coming to mobile. It seems like they are doing whatever they can to be two steps ahead of PUBG(Players Battleground Unknown) which is there main competition.

They claim that the game will be exactly the same with no cuts on the mobile version, it’ll ever be cross play and cross progression for PC and console. But that has a few people raising an eyebrow or two because PC and console

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION/ JAKE LAURELL Although only available right now for Apple devices with an invite only colde, Epic games plans to roll out the mobile version of Fortnite to Android later this year.

will have a huge advantage over the mobile players, but moblie players will still be

able to play with their friends on the go.

The hype around the

game has been at an all time high since the release of it taking the gaming commu-

nity by storm. When the final release of this app comes out many people are predicting that this will rival the last mobile hit Pokemon Go. It was no secret that everyone and there mama was playing that. To see another hit like that on mobile gaming will definitely be interesting because they are setting a new bar.

If you’re thinking to yourself “How will Epic afford to maintain these servers?” well the answer to that is simple. Much like Grand Theft Auto 5 it’s staying a float through micro transactions. Gamers love to stand out and look different from everyone else by buying different skins for characters and weapons.

As previously stated it’s going to be fun to see what the video game industry does now, because this is definitely a game changer. The question is now will other triple A titles follow in its footsteps.

Fortnites Plan LUIS GUTIERREZ Reporter

luis.gutierrez0200@my.riohondo.edu

I t seems to be that Fortnite can’t stay out of the news this week at all! If it’s not them announcing and making the game for IOS, they also manage to break a world wide record with help from a surprising guest star.

That star being the one and only Drake.

On Twitch a platform mainly used for streaming video games live, but is also used for other things such as

react videos, news whatever it may be. The top streamer that goes by the name of Ninja real name Tyler Blevins is one ranked amongst the highest players in the world as well. So it’s no secret why he is such a big deal in the gaming community. He has about 150,000 of paid subscribers, and averaging just around 100,000 current viewers.

This wednesday night the one and only Drake decided to play a few games of Fortnite with Ninja himself. Then Drake went on twitter and tweeted for the for the 5th

time in two years “Playing fort nite with @Ninja” with a link to his channel. After that the internet went by storm to watch this beautiful thing unfold.

The most surprising part of all this all happened naturally. There was no paid ads for any this, matter of fact it turns out that Drake is a fan of Ninja and Fortnite. Whenever Drake would have some down time doing God’s Plan in the music studio he would watch Ninja play. One day out the blue Drake had followed Ninja on IG and that’s how the whole thing started. They

would exchange messages back and forth talking about getting a game together.

When it was time to actually play it was pretty clear that Drake had been playing this game for sometime now.

The whole stream seemed to love it as well with almost all of them spamming “God’s Plan”. In the midst of all of this he broke another Twitch record of having the most active views with it being 500,000 people. The previous record was held by another streaming who goes by the name Dr.DisRespect who had a total count of roughly

400,000.

More and more people wanted in on this game with Ninja and Drake, so people like Travis Scott even chimed in for a few rounds. Even Kim DotCom and JuJu Smith of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had a pretty strong list of A-listers who wanted to play with him.

Overall this was just something cool to happen to the gaming community. And it’ll be fun to see how Fortnite deals with all this free press coverage.

El Paisano Tuesday March 20, 2018

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

American Idol Contestant Did Not Feel Sexually Harassed by Katy Perry OLIVIA VENEGAS

Opinion/Lifestyles Editor

olivia.venegas4091@my.riohondo.edu

American Idol’s reboot debuted this March and included a contestant that has sparked some serious division among the media.

Oklahoma native, 19 year old Benjamin Glaze stood nervously in front of the three celeb judges, Lionel Richie, Luke Byran, and Katy Perry. In the episode Glaze tells the judges that he has never been in a relationship before and has also never had his first kiss. The judges were shocked by this news and it portrayed Perry acting alone and demanding Glaze to kiss her.

It seemed harmless and fun to the viewers at home as the 19 year old went to kiss the 33 year old pop star on the cheek.

After the first kiss on the cheek, Perry complained that the kiss was too weak as it did not even make the “smooch” sound. As Glaze went in for the second kiss on the Perry’s cheek, she quickly turned her face to give Glaze his first unintentional kiss.

Glaze was stunned over the kiss and Katy Perry was all too proud of herself.

The episode which was filmed in October was edited for the viewers entertainment and as Glaze believed, did not show all of that moment.

In interviews, Glaze

clears the air and tells the media that the kiss was planned and he knew there was a chance Katy Perry would be his first kiss. He does not all feel uncomfortable about the situation and does not feel harassed by the 33 year old pop star.

Glaze believes the show took the situation out of context which allowed viewers to see it as form of sexual harassment. The media roared with outrage and demanded justice for the innocent 19 year old “victim”. The Me Too and Times Up movement stood for Glaze reassuring victims and supporters that there is no double standard when it comes to sexual harrasment.

In a public video chat interview with Talent Recap, Glaze said that if he were to see Perry again he would reassure her that he is “good” and does not see her as a sexual predator. He also revealed “one crucial part” where Luke Bryan asked him if he wanted to kiss Katy Perry and explains that he was not completely unaware of this kiss, “I walked up with the knowledge of that could happen”.

The failed American Idol contestant has appreciated the publicity he has been receiving and was glad to shed truth on the misunderstood situation.

‘Silicon Valley’ Season Five is Dropping in Hot & Fast RAMON ALVARADO Editor-in-Chief

ramon.alvarado7328@my.riohondo.edu

“The Golden State Warriors of Comedy,” Silicon Valley is set to return for season five.

HBO’s hit comedy series Silicon Valley is coming back for its fifth season beginning Sunday, March 25. Richard Hendrick’s and the Pied Piper crew are set to return and continue their attempt to create a new internet.

The last team we saw the Pied Piper team, Gilfoyle (played by Martin Starr) saved Richard (Thomas Middleditch) and the company’s existence with the help of Jian-Yang’s (Jimmy O. Yang) smart refrigerator.

Based on the few trailers that have been released, it looks like the Richard and Gavin Belson (Matt Ross) rivalry will renew in season five as they lead their respec-

tive companies.

Silicon Valley will continue on without actor T.J. Miller’s outrageous Erlich Bachman character. Miller was one of the bigger-if not biggest- names that appeared on the show.

In 2015, Miller won the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his portrayal of Erlich on Silicon Valley.

HBO announced that Miller will not be returning in May of last year, during the show’s fourth season run.

In a July 2017 interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Miller said he departed from the critically-acclaimed show because he felt that his character wasn’t going anywhere. “[Silicon Valley] has to change, it has to grow,” Miller said, “there’s something dynamic that has to happen.”

Miller went on to say “the show will do better” without

the Erlich Bachman character.

In a Hollywood Reporter cover story from March 7 of this year, the Silicon Valley team confirmed that Miller’s exit was for other reasons, and was bound to happen.

“There are a lot of different ways you can find out somebody doesn’t want to do the show anymore… and it’s not fun to work with someone who doesn’t want to be there,” Silicon Valley show creator Mike Judge said of Miller, who would reportedly show up to table-reads late and appear under-the-influence.

“They’re one of the main people and you’ve got however many crewmembers and extras and people who are [not paid as much as Miller] and they’re all showing up before 7 a.m., and then are just like, ‘Oh, OK, we’re not shooting today.’”

Even without the pres-

ence of Miller’s Erlich Bachman, season five of Silicon Valley has been highly-anticipated by comedy-heads, tech-geeks and HBO viewers everywhere. Fans of the show can look forward to more Jian-Yang screen-time now that Miller is gone.

As Silicon Valley showrunner, Alec Berg told the Hollywood Reporter:

“These guys [the Pied Piper/Silicon Valley crew] are the Golden State Warriors of comedy. So, it’s like, yeah, we’ve lost Andre Iguodala but we still have Steph Curry and Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson…”

Silicon Valley’s fifth season will bring back Richard (Thomas Middleditch), Gilfoyle (Martin Starr), Dinesh (Kumail Nanjiani), Jared (Zach Woods) and Monica (Amanda Crew), among others. It’ll air Sundays at 10 p.m. pacific time, beginning March 25.

Tommy Wiseau For The Joker?

LUIS GUTIERREZ Reporter

luis.gutierrez0200@my.riohondo.edu

I did not get it I did not get it.

Oh hi Bruce!

So Tommy Wiseau has been a busy bee lately. With the new found fame in his classic movie The Room going mainstream because of James Franco take on him and the movie that Wiseau has kinda become a household name. Wiseau has not only brought back The Room to major theatres to make a

quick buck, but he has also been in the works of a new movie Best F(r)iends.

But in the wake of all that, he still manages to keep himself more busy. On the other side of the movie spectrum DC comics have decided to make a Joker origin movie, that will be a standalone movie not connected to the DECU. And the Todd Phillips Joker movie has recently gone on the record and casted Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker.

When that news broke headlines nerds everywhere

had mixed feelings, some loved it and some hated it.

But in the midst of all that one man decided to take a stand and question the casting, that man was no one else but Mr.Wiseau himself went on Instagram and Twitter.

And posted with a quote from Twitter and screenshot from Instagram saying “Todd Phillip DM me”.

After he posted that the internet was shook with tons of people backing the idea of him being the Joker. He even posted some pretty grade A

fanart of what he’d look like as the joker. But after a few weeks of playing with that idea it kinda just fell over and everyone forgot about it.

Until today (March 12th 2018) he went public and shared an audition video of him as the Joker. It’s everything you’d expect from him.

You’ll laugh, cringe, and ball your eyes out just like The Room it’s so bad that it’s good.

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‘Fantastic Beasts 2 The Crimes of Grindelwald’ Trailer Released LUIS GUTIERREZ Reporter

luis.gutierrez0200@my.riohondo.edu

It’s been two whole years since the last time we saw Newt Scamander played by Eddie Redmayne go on some kind of high risk adventure to go and save the world. People have been wondering when we’ll be getting a sequel the the prequel that we all love.

Early this week Warner Bros decided to answer all of these questions by dropping a trailer for the next installment in this franchise.

It opens up with Hogwarts way before the events of Harry Potter takes place (Obviously) With the one and only Dumbledore but a younger version of him played by Jude Law being questioned by higher ups about Newt and his wearbouts. The trailer really gives off the impression that something big is coming, that will force them to question themselves and their beliefs.

It seems like they’re going for a more dark and gitter tone than the last one.

Newt will once again have to step up to the plate and fight the forces of evil.

For untold reasons Dumbledore is unable to do it himself. And of course he’ll be having to battle Gellert Grindelwald played by Johnny Depp, as the trailer ends it shows a unexpected surprise of the Deathly Hallow symbol in the sky. The first Fantastic Beast was more playful and cheery up until the end where the main plot unfolded.

The trailer establishes that we’ll see some familiar faces from the first one, which is awesome because the first one had an amazing supporting cast that made the movie great. Such as Dan Fogler Jacob Kowalski his best friend whos played

by Dan Fogler the last time we saw him he’d had gotten his memory wiped, so seeing how he is brought back into the limelight will be fun. And his love interest Porpentina Goldstein played by Katherine Waterston will make an appearance.

Fantastic Beast 2 is set to come out November 11th 2018.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

El Paisano Tuesday March 20, 2018

A Wrinkle in Time: Disney Gets Its Own Interstellar DIEGO CRESPO Guest Writer

Diego.crespo7264@my.riohondo.edu

Adapted from the supposedly unfilmable book of the same name, A Wrinkle in Time is director Ava Duvernay’s first foray into blockbuster filmmaking. The director has been slowly gathering a following after culminating critical and commercial success with small scale projects focusing on race and identity.

Through Selma DuVernay was able to showcase her understanding of struggles both personal and ideological during the Civil Rights Movement. With 13th, she shows how much work still needs to be done. With Wrinkle, DuVernay shows us a story of a mixed race African American child on a journey through space and time. Reese Witherspoon also turns into a giant flying leaf kaiju at one point. It’s bizarre and superficially different from anything in the director’s pedigree, but look closer and it’s brazenly clear as to why DuVernay wanted to adapt this particular story.

Following primarily a pair of young siblings on a quest to find their father, Wrinkle unfortunately requires some ironing out in its opening act. Expository dialogue sequences clue us in on the film’s larger themes, characterizations of characters and hints at a movie that may have needed a longer run time. It reminds me of Interstellar and Warcraft, two movies I enjoy to varying degrees with issues in presentation that are important to discuss. For Warcraft and Wrinkle, regardless of your feelings on the former, the two are among the most visually ambitious films put on screen in recent memory.

For Interstellar, it malignes the idea of going too into the fantasy realm with characters talking about the themes at play in the film. In lesser hands, both Interstellar and Wrinkle would drop the ball on actually showing those themes to just talk them at the audience.

Ideas and minor characters who essentially function as emotional cameos (the great Andre Holland practically shouts for more screentime), whiz by while the table is set messily for the weirdest blockbuster you’ll likely see this year. Flowers speak in color, Oprah grows to the size of Godzilla and Mindy Kaling speaks in quotes from

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION/ JAKE LAURELL Disney’s psychadelic adaption of the book of the same name is leff a homerun than it is a can’t miss experience.

our greatest contemporary authors: OutKast and Lin Manuel Miranda. The film doesn’t attempt an ounce of winking at the audience, deciding to play utter insanity straight as possible. Yet, there is a sincerity to the film that is unashamed of a movie aimed for children. It reminds me of those classic Disney Channel Original Movies that would premiere during the Summer. They were silly but you’d have a difficult time not finding a millennial who wasn’t impacted by the stories and their messages in one way or another. You’re either with the adventure or you’ll be left in the wind.

As any great fantasy tale, Wrinkle isn’t just warping reality and creating bizarre imagery to showcase a hundred million dollars. No, DuVernay takes full advantage of being the first black woman to have a budget of this size to tell a story that is driven by emotions and how they define us. Specifically, in regards to children of color and their inner struggles with identity.

Like the weird and drastically undersung emotional rollercoaster of Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 2., Wrinkle takes a story that may not be logistically complicated, but uses its waterfall of fantasy visuals to explore these stories in their most heightened senses.

Where many live-action Disney adaptations fumbled is in their lack of organic nature. The worlds they create have a plasticity to them.

Wrinkle completely turns this on its head, where the worlds are at times literally created in front of us. Everything around the characters can change and evolve. Our heroes remain strong. As does the finale, which doesn’t totally hit a home run for its emotional climax though is undeniably a powerful declarative statement for any child struggling with their own insecurities. Subtlety isn’t quite out the window but it’s left out to dry. You’ll know it when you see it.

Oprah gives the children the advice to not let anyone separate them. Together, the young heroes are resilient.

Reese “Leaf” Witherspoon gives the children the gift of their faults, because they’re not faults at all. Like the film, things which may be perceived as flaws, are not. They don’t need to be apologized for. They deserve to be embraced as part of one whole.

What better gift is there for kids who watch this movie?

El Paisano Tuesday March 20, 2018

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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A Noise Within’s Henry V Depicts a Modern Classic DANTE LOPEZ-BENNETT

Copy Editor

dante.lopezbennett9611@my.riohiondo.edu

March 18, 2018- Pasadena’s a Noise Within theatre was alive and well with an audience of all shapes and sizes trickling into its 7:00 p.m. showing for the Shakespearean classic, Henry V. Stepping into the homely theatre, it was clear to see that the crowd was in eager anticipation of the dramatics that were soon to grace the hazily-illuminated stage.

A closely knit space no doubt, those in command of the lights had little to no room for error undoubtedly.

With each of the casts’ expressions magnified, an ample visual engineering effort made in-depth performances of this Shakespearean tale quite amplified even amongst a Noise Within’s very mini-

malist theatre design. In ways that work to inspire wonder, there was what appeared to be a stone stepped wall with pronounced groves that is utilized as a focal piece of the setting throughout the performance to make the audience feel as though they themselves are very much a part of Henry V’s valiant effort to wrest control of a France he deems to be his by ancestral claim.

Upon entering the theatre’s main auditorium it’s clear to see the extent to which Producing Artistic Directors Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez Elliott have gone to make for an experience that substitutes grandeur for functionality and full-blown immersion. The space is intimate, and accommodates the positioning its audience seamlessly. With a meticulous display of lighting equip-

ment adorning the ceiling overhead, the play itself was expertly cast adding to the conscious effect that each of the actors was hoping to imbue in the minds of the audience.

Of Conscious effects, and passionate portrayals indeed, was Rafael Goldstein in a riveting portrayal of the British King Henry’s trials and tribulations. Often sauntering across the stage in a show of swaggering force, Goldstein’s Henry was a stellar take on the medieval King despite his contemporary garb that consisted of skinny stonewashed denim, bulletproof vests, and outerwear that would not have been out of place in a John Varvatos Catalog. His portrayal, and lines finetuned to the humor of today’s times in moderation (tennis balls for instance) made for an overall portrayal of the

king as one that was uncharacteristically Shakespeare, though unique and resonant nonetheless. This is an impressive fact considering that the cast was decked out in all black throughout the majority of the entire production .

Perhaps equally as impressive was Erika Soto’s humorously witty depiction of the charming queen consort of England, Catherine of Valois. In a show of investment that’s best said to be captivating, Soto appeared poised and readily astute for handling the intricate feelings of a character to whom both warring sides had an interest in protecting.

Often times she, along with Goldstein, made for a sweetly enchanting tale of love following the carnage that had seen many of the recurring cast members kill one another in a battle just moments

before. The scenes of battle in particular, appear to have been meticulously choreographed and made for fierce displays of sword-hammering-shield-clanking ferocity that made spectators more than happy to applaud before the final act. Together with Kenneth Merckx and Frederica Nascimento’s fight choreography and scenic design respectively, was the Shakespearean tale able to pull its weight and make for an all around satisfying experience well worth the money and two hour runtime.

You can catch William Shakespeare’s “Henry V” from February 4 to April 6 for the remainder of a Noise Within’s spring production showcase. Student rush tickets are available for $20 at the Pasadena theatre’s box-office window.

Tomb Raider’s Double D’s : Deliberately Simple and Delightfully Fun NOAH GARCIA

News Editor

noah.garcia3720@my.riohondo.edu

If you Ignore the Video Game origin, and the previous rendition of the character; 2018’s Tomb Raider is a film that wouldn’t normally garner a lot of public attention. No matter what this film tries to do, not only will it be compared to Angelina’s Jolie’s Run as the character, but the precedence of excellence set up by the two recent video games ( games that have been generally well received).

Aside from these hanging reminders of ‘what could be’, This Iteration of the Tomb Raider is a solid action film

that may not be ambitious, but succeeds as a standard action flick.While being ambitious is not always a great idea, this film doesn’t really take any chances. Thee color palate is bland and rough, the cinematography is basic and the story isn’t any sort of grandiose piece of art.

All of this though, is easily forgivably because of the cautious steps it’s taking to reintegrate this franchise back in the movie medium.

This film is a standard film to help audiences re-establish their relationship with Tomb Raider’s Lara Croft, and since it’s been so long it will be tricky to separate this film from the aforementioned

other works.

The movie spells everything out for the audience, so although the plot and character points are easily decipherable, watching all of it play out is still exciting and engaging. The movie moves so quickly so as to try to push you over it’s mistakes but the faster we’re pushes, the bigger the bumps in the road are: let’s forget about a lot of the movie and go back to thinking about how cool and jacked Alicia Vikander is.

Angelina Jolie’s Tomb Raider was so stylized and memorable that the film is very tempered when establishing this new Laura Croft.

It’s a slow but specific build

of characterization That the actor, Alicia Vikander, does fantastically well with a character that takes a bit of time to be likeable and leans a lot on the actor to do so.

While the rest of the cast does fine, Daniel Wu’s Lu Ren is Fun, Immediately likeable does well next to Vikander Lara Croft. The both of these characters have lost their fathers and dealt with it in different ways, one being total denial of their grief and the other obsessing over it.

Tomb Raider is a fun action adventure film that doesn’t try hard and succeed where it counts.

Speaking on the translation from video game fran-

chise to the big screen, Tom raider is transfered well, as it gives the ridiculous high action of a video game with the basic frame of an action movie. While the plot has the similar overarching details, they diverse at the big picture, where the movie focuses more on Laura and her struggle rather than some of the concepts and character introduced into the game: and it works out fine.

The Tomb Raider Movie is one that does well to mimic its modern day video game counterpart as well as to bring audiences a standard but fun origin film .

Miley Cyrus is Accused with Infringement JAIME APARICIO

Reporter

jaime.aparicio2474@my.riohondo.edu

Jamaican performer and songwriter Michael May is accusing Miley Cyrus of song infringement on his song “We Run Things.” May, who performs under the stage name Flourgon, claims that Cyrus’ song “We Can’t Stop” hits more than 50% of infringement and similarities.

In the song “We Run Things,” the lyrics of “we run things, things no run we” is similarly sung by Cyrus in the form of “we run things, things don’t run we.” May’s hit single which was originally released in 1988 topped the Jamaican charts at number one.

When speaking on the supposed originality of Cyrus’ material, May stated that Cyrus “owes the basis of its chart-topping popularity

to and its highly-lucrative success to plaintiff May’s protected, unique, creative and original content.”

When approached for any comments, a representative for miss Cyrus and RCA records had told Variety that both parties don’t wish to discuss the matter at the time of questioning. Along with co-producers Mike Williams, Pierre Slaughter, and Theron and Timothy Thomas, Cyrus

is also a credited writer for her song “We Can’t Stop.”

With the lawsuit against Cyrus, May also wishes that all future releases of “We Can’t Stop” be halted until the dispute between the two artists is resolved. Copy infringement and sampling material from other artists is nothing new to the industry.

A few well-known instances that have occurred in the music are that of Ice Cube’s

“A Good Day,” MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This,” and Vanilla Ice’s “Ice, Ice Baby,” that were sampled from The Isley Brothers, Rick James, and Queen respectively. Only artist Vanilla Ice has been accused of infringement in the past with him claiming that the rhythm and beat used for “Ice, Ice Baby” was original.

“Cyrus owes the basis of its chart-topping popularity to and its highly-lucrative success to plaintiff May’s protected, unique, creative and original content.”

- Song writer Michael May

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El Paisano Tuesday March 20, 2018

LIFESTYLES

“Just Focus and Keep Aiming” JOSE AHUMADA

Reporter jose.ahumada7466@my.riohondo.edu

The greatest challenge that we can ever face in life is, well, basically life itself and staying motivated throughout everything it throws at us.

Some of those challenges could be passing classes for school, getting promoted at work, choosing what we want to do with our lives, or just about any other goals we want to accomplish.

It is all part of the journey we all take in life, but at the end of it all you just need to keep pushing towards the goal that you are trying to achieve. Life is not going to stop for anybody and the sooner you realize that, the sooner you will want to work toward your goals.

One of the things I wish I did when I first started attending Rio Hondo College was to take school seriously.

I also wish I didn’t slack off with my grades.

Unfortunately, life does not come with an instruction manual and I failed some classes and got held back.

I was also just going to school only to go without really knowing what I wanted to do. Sure, I said I was majoring in journalism, but even then I was not too serious about it. I also realized I was at community college for a long time while most of my friends were graduating or doing other interesting things in life.

Sure enough, I became depressed and unmotivated in life because I felt like a failure for not finishing community college sooner.

Now, I am back on track with my grades, writing for the school newspaper again, and will be transferring to Cal State Long Beach in the Fall of this year to work on my Bachelors in journalism.

Sure, it took longer than

Reporter

daniel.campos1604@my.riohondo.edu

In an everyday world, we wake up and before we can fully open our eyes; our phone screens are unlocked and ready to go.

Whatever lights you up, whether it be news or a “like” from your favorite crush, we are up and running to the pace of a computer. More than ever, we are setting multiple alarms and adding extra shots of espresso to get us going.

Stop, take a look around, remember when you used to be ready to go about your day without all of that? The more we rely on technology and caffeine, the higher our tolerance and the lower amount of time we have for ourselves.

Those ten perfumes or colognes on our dressers?

Where’s the individual you once thought you were?

In an effort to tone it down a notch, we can take a look at the minimalist lifestyle our inner- being craves.

Stop worrying about the

J.K. Rowling, the creator of the Harry Potter books, was a broke and depressed single mother who was writing her novels while studying and later on made a living off her books which have now been adapted into films.

Michael Jordan, one of the greatest basketball players of all time was cut from

and you will get to where you want to be. Make sure you don’t give up and it will be alright.

Some examples of successful people who had rough paths include Robert Downey Jr, the actor who portrays Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films, who was an ex-drug addict and had issues with the law in the past. He is now one of the most respected actors in the film industry.

his high school basketball team.

These are just a few out of the many examples of people who have failed many times before becoming successful.

One quote that I have always found inspiration from, even though it is from the fictional character, the Green Arrow from DC comics is “An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward.

So when life is dragging

“Don’t worry about where you are right now.”

How to Battle Anxiety from an Insider’s Perspective DANIEL CAMPOS

most, but now I know I want to get my Bachelors in journalism and make a career out of it when I graduate.

Just remember that success does not come overnight and it is going to take time.

You might even fail at first.

Believe me, I know.

At the end of it all, everything is going to be okay

person next to you and begin to present yourself in the best way you possibly can. When we crave more, look to less.

Don’t rely on outside influences; although it’s great to be influenced, we must remember we cant look like the models in the magazine because the models in the magazine don’t even look like the models in the magazine.

Quit looking for what doesn’t work and begin to search for what does, chances are you’ve had highlights in your life that you look back to with a smile.

Start s with hot water and lemon and build from there in the morning., Rrestart your body and mind and begin to rid it of the toxins it’s trying to excrete. If you’re like many of us in the economic crisis and can’t afford a gym membership, take a walk paced to the beat of your own drum.

Add tea to that lemon water. A few days down the line, you’ll begin to notice your body reforming its natural love of life itself.

you back with difficulties, it means that it’s going to launch you into something great. So just focus, and keep aiming.”

Just keep on trying and don’t let anyone stop you from achieving your goals.

At the end of the day, you shouldn’t care if people look down on you because of where you are in life. People usually don’t even care after a while so just enjoy the journey. You will get there if you keep trying.

Life will be full of setbacks and failures, but who doesn’t fail? Like writer Stephen McCranie said, “the master had failed more than the beginner has even tried.”

Don’t be afraid to fail. Be afraid that you never actually tried.

Don’t worry about where you are right now. Like Green Arrow said in his quote, “just focus, and keep aiming.”

Open Mic Nights in Montebello MICHAEL KHURAIBET Digital Editor-in-Chief

michael.khuraibet1864@my.riohondo.edu

On the first Wednesday and third Friday of every month, a modestcoffee shop at the corner of Montebello and Whittier Boulevards hosts a showcase of local talent for its customers.

The Daily Brew Coffee Bar in Montebello holds an “open mic,” a variety show where people perform music, poetry, and comedy. Last Friday, I attended as both a guest and a performer.

When you walk into the Daily Brew, the atmosphere is cozy and dimly lit. The Wednesday show is considered the “workshop,” where performers rehearse new material. Its audience is much more casual (and perhaps more open) on Wednesdays.

Friday, on the other hand, is considered the “showcase,” after the material has been refined.

The Daily Brew hosts invite performers to share a message of “peace and love,” which most commonly takes the form of poetry. Poets addressed a wide range of topics from heartbreak and loss, to dissatisfaction with the current social climate. One poet compared courting someone in person versus online, saying “I really like you,” in reference to social media.

Many of the performers share deep, profound material. Others are more lighthearted and open to being received at least partially in

MICHAEL KHURABEIT/ EL PAIASNO NEWS

The Daily Brew in Montebello host a safe and suppotive open mic night for all kinds of performers.

jest, but still personal.

A singer performed a song called “Glenn,” which opens with running into an ex-boyfriend with his new girlfriend at a taco shop. The song is charming, even when it’s revealed the singer hopes her ex is left broken-hearted.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I am a big fan of standup comedy. As a result, I brought friends to watch me perform. I was the only comic for the night, so the audience was keen on the change of pace and dynamic. Even when some of the jokes became a little edgier, the crowd was still receptive. After I left the stage, one of the hosts said, “Some of those made me cringe, but in a good way,” before inviting me to perform next time.

Even members of the Daily Brew staff got up on stage to perform, including the owner, Terry. He performed

a cover of a song featured in the movie, “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” A further testament to the supportive nature of the crowd, Terry and audience members bantered back and forth between verses.

The night concluded with the hosts of the show inviting performers to share links to their social media platforms on a white board, in order to gain more recognition; I gained one follower on Instagram as a result.

At first, the thought of performing something you’ve written for strangers is a terrifying prospect. However, a place like the Daily Brew, where support for fellow artists thrives, is a place where anybody who has an idea in their heart is welcome to perform it. In doing so, you’ll hear supportive snaps of encouragement from audience members, or, if you’re a comic, a few laughs.

El Paisano Tuesday March 20, 2018

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OPINION

The FBI Agent In Your Webcam is Not The Only Imaginary Entity To Fear DANTE LOPEZ-BENNETT Copy Editor

dante.lopezbennett9611@my.riohondo.edu

I think that perhaps everybody’s scared. Can you truly say that tape has never been over your webcam?

Today, webcams are now seen as invasive threats. Truly, if the FBI were Roko’s henchmen and a Basilisk anything but mythological, could hefty middle-aged men be watching our secrets? kept and archived? Definitely! In reality, my agent check and protec, pervs and attac!

Surely, all the memes today run Mariana deep like the Trench’s, where volumes of secrets, and realities government could only hope will never be seen remain.

Be it that the unearthed FBI scandals now “perhaps” past me and you, remain, the organization’s really shadowy reputation persists. Believe if you will in human decency and a organization with the world at their fingertips, where surveillance is especially the goal, like the FBI, not abusing power. Wasn’t it the FBI at once, who believed it true that MLK, with blacks and all their freedom fighting threatened white America’s status quo?

Vans, wiretaps, and webcams.

Way before jurisdictions and before wilderness explorers like Daniel Boone, was it perhaps the FBI who you could say were mentally as much present, live and well, mapping life out in America.

In today’s age where a history of our world conveniently lies online, without privacy and demonstrates irony as online is increasingly where people communicate candidly.

Silicon Valley is a valley unlike others undoubtedly.

Despite technological advances and its penchant for progressiveness, name one place that doesn’t abide by law. Give anybody the infallibly perpetual scope of power, platforms of social media, to people, and see fake facades run rampant.

Standards are unfortunately expected of others publicly; however, beauty is seldom displayed like in private.

Government heels to no freedom. In regards to such a realization, Las Vegas’ strip and every midnight club suddenly seems naive. Regardless of promises and what ethics government touts, remains one elusive question.

Is anybody today wholeheartedly the advocate for the degree of narcissism to which we now celebrate?

You, as someone today, should know that people become characters online often acquainted to egotistical ideas with a perverse worldview.

Forever, will it be remaining that people are a species paranoid of stranger things.

Nevermore content to believe that their privacy is valued.

Truly, as twitter today depicts technology as how

humor evolves, shedding light like streetlights on injustices, a program is probably in the works to develop ways to monitor us in otherwise intimate moments.

Which is more probable, you desperately trying to move away from media and seeking sovereignty, or cash abiding legislation that begins to surrender rights?

To all paranoid of rule that’s tyrannical, almost everything that you see around, is monitored. What you often choose to be contemplative of and vigilant about is humorous.

And furthermore, if you remember a peaceful time that police didn’t encourage assimilation, I reckon that is

short-lived.

Americans have only been paranoid, truly ever only looking to really be safe without quantifying objectively, costs that the 9/11 attacks had. Depths of America’s psyche, to this later day which haven’t settled as you and I adamantly must convince government to stoop not to fear, so that politicians’ legislations that infringe upon our survival cease. But anyways, is life without suspicion feasible?

Perhaps you tape over webcams as if Roko’s Basilisk could be kept in check and the Mariana Trench’s secrets could never be unearthed.

Perhaps you really believe in a world where the FBI

wasn’t at it with their white vans way before Daniel.

Perhaps you mentally live life in a world without irony, where Silicon Valley, despite its name, doesn’t give perpetual platforms to fake standards of beauty like heels in a strip club.

Regardless, what remains, is the degree which you should become acquainted with forever remaining a stranger to privacy as technology evolves, streetlights program the ways in which you move, and cash begins to rule everything around you.

Be vigilant and remember that assimilation is only ever really quantifying the depths to which you must stoop so that survival is feasible.

PHOTO BY JAMES SPENCER/ EL PAISANO NEWS

Many internet users have been questioning if there is such thing as personal privacy.

Nobody is Required STOP to be Out for You SCHOOL VIOLENCE DANIELLE ANZURES Reporter

danielle.anzures8473@my.riohondo.edu

In the bustle of Hollywood, a need for knowledge on public figures of all types is getting to a point where there’s no longer respect for people’s privacy. No one is required to tell you anything that they don’t wish to share.

Whether it’s about their family, spouse, past partners or sexuality; it’s their choice on whether they wish to disclose it.

Engrave this in your brains, no celebrity is obligated to share any personal information that they don’t want to share. If you try to force something out of them when they explicitly stated they did not want to talk about it then that’s shameful.

When it’s pertaining to

someone coming out in the lgbtq community it should be their choice on it, even if that means no one gets to know about it outside of the people they choose to share it with.

Yes, it’s great when public figures are out and proud, but it’s also great if they keep it to themselves. Most in the lgbtq community will tell you that outing someone is one of the worst things you can do to someone.

It’s awful when someone loses that right to come out, or not, on their own terms regardless of whether it’s happening to a celebrity or a friend or family member.

In some cases it’s not safe to come out, there are people out there who would hurt them if they did came. Some lgbtq people live with others who would hurt them if they

were to find out.

Even if it is safe for them to come out or even good for their lgbtq community it’s their choice that matters at the end. If you take away that choice then you need to work to reevaluate yourself.

To those who manage to make their forced come out a positive experience that is great and for those who didn’t that’s fine too. And to those unfortunate few who thinks it’s fair game to do this to others I can only hope that with time you will change and grow as a person.

For anyone out there who needs someone to talk to about their sexuality or gender identity you can find someone at the LGBT National Youth Talkline at 1-800246-7743.

BECOME A

Brown Beret Advisor CONTACT

David Sanchez - (323) 691-0543 Moses - (323) 406-0972

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El Paisano Newspaper

OPINION

The Spanish Language is NOT Dying OLIVIA VENEGAS Opinion/Lifestyles Editor

olivia.venegas4091@my.riohondo.edu

Editor-in-Chief

RAMON ALVARADO

News Editor

NOAH GARCIA

Opinion/Lifestyles Editor OLIVIA VENEGAS

Sci.&Tech/A&E Editor JAKE LAURELL

Photo Editor

JAMES SPENCER

Copy Editors

SARA HARDING DANTÉ LÓPEZ-BENNETT

Advisor

WENDY CARRERA

Reporters

JOSE AHUMADA BRAYAN ALTAMIRANO ANAMARIA APARICIO JAIME APARICIO DANIEL CAMPOS IGNACIO CERVANTES DARRIN CURTIS GILBERTO ESPANA MADELYN GASTELUM CESAR GONZALEZ LUIS GUTIERREZ RUDY JUAREZ PINEDO ALEX RODRIGUEZ SABRINA TORRES

3600 Workman Mill Rd. Whittier CA 90601 (562) 692-0921 EXT. 3345

A Congressionally Recognized Publication

El Paisano Tuesday March 20, 2018

My childhood and home life was mainly centered on traditional westernized cultural values by only speaking English and ignoring Mexican traditions.

Although, I may not look Hispanic I identify myself as thusly regardless of others judgment. My family threw away their Mexican culture even though their parents did not agree with it. My parents believed they were giving my brothers and I a better life by doing so, and like my abuela’s and abuelito’s, I disagreed.

Every moment I am exposed to mexican traditions or spoke to in Spanish outside of my family, I have an overwhelming sense of being an outsider. An outsider lost in between claiming to being latina but not knowing much or practicing my own culture.

My father refused to teach my brothers and I Spanish because, to quote my father, “We live in America and not Mexico”. Which made me a Mexican that did not know Spanish. So many times I am criticized for not knowing Spanish and some would even say that it is hispanics like me that is killing the language and the culture.

For while, I believed this too. I believed without the

proper representation the culture would fade away since those coming to America may throw away their culture like my own parents did. Also, I believed that racial hate crimes would influence an individual’s reinforcement of their non-native culture especially because of the current political climate.

The president gained support from the motto of “build the wall” which targets Hispanics and immigrants. Trump has reinforced the stereotyped image of the “lazy” or “criminal” mexican into his supporters opinions, creating hate. Trump’s campaign gave a voice to the angry white americans that believe “their” country is being taken away from them.

The obvious animosity from the White House and the supporters convinced me that this was affecting hispanics adaptation to their own culture and language.

After research, I discovered that I was wrong. Spanish is the second most spoken language next to English.

According to an article titled Language Use in the United States in 2011, “Some languages showed remarkable growth since 1980, while others declined. The largest numeric increase was for Spanish speakers (25.9 million more in 2010 than in

via AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY REPORTS Spanish has been the second most spoken language in the U.S. since the 1980’s.

1980.”

Most parents realize the value of raising their children bilingual and sharing the culture. Within that same article, the author concluded that the representation of hispanics and Spanish speakers in the media have risen as well.

Westernized culture has not created shame among hispanics but have created an even stronger force by making Spanish the second most spoken language in the U.S. since 2011.

Although the U.S. remains predominantly English

it has decreased as “English only” meaning that there are far more bilingual individuals today than there was in the past 40 years.

While I was fortunately wrong, it is wrong to be self-satisfied that Spanish being the second most spoken language without your doing.

The use of the Spanish language has risen without my own doing. My Spanish is quite weak and as an adult this is my own fault now but there is no time like the present to fix that and to also learn about my culture.

El Paisano Tuesday March 20, 2018

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SPORTS

Rio Baseball Falls to Long Beach City College RAMON ALVARADO Editor-in-Chief

ramon.alvarado7328@my.riohondo.edu

NOAH GARCIA/EL PAISANO NEWS Rio Hondo outfielder Lucas Rocha went 2-for-5 and scored a run in Saturday’s game against the Vikings at The Jungle.

The Roadrunners battled the Long Beach City College Vikings at The Jungle Saturday, March 15. Rio jumped ahead early on but were unable to hold the lead, falling to LBCC, 5-4.

Rio got on the board in the very first inning, thanks to right-fielder John Sabajan and first-baseman Luis Aguilar.

With a couple singles, Sabajan and Aguilar were able to drive in left-fielder Nick Ybarra and Steven Mendoza, respectively.

It was a two-point lead after the first for Rio, but they

weren’t ahead for long.

In the top of the third inning, LBCC right-fielder Steven Delgado and second-baseman Raul Gonzalez found themselves on base with Reese Berberet coming up to bat. The third-baseman, Berberet smacked a ball from Rio pitcher Jake Gaudet.

Berberet’s smack resulted in a home-run, driving Delgado and Gonzalez in, and giving LBCC the 3-2 lead.

Later on, in the sixth inning, Vikings’ first-baseman Mark Stanford was able to hit a home-run of his own. This time a two-run homer off of Roadrunner pitcher Edmundo Fernandez.

Stanford’s home run increased the Viking’s lead to three, at 5-2.

It wasn’t until the seventh inning that the Roadrunners got on the scoreboard again.

Nick Ybarra hit a two-run home run but it wasn’t enough to spark a rally.

Neither team scored after that, and the LBCC Vikings earned the 5-4 victory over Rio Hondo. The loss dropped the Roadrunners record to 8-13 on the season.

Rio will move on and play three games this upcoming week. They battle LA Harbor Tuesday and Thursday, and Bakersfield College Saturday at The Jungle.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

El Paisano Tuesday March 20, 2018

Tuesday March 20 I’ve Picked a Major, Now What?....................................................... Rio Hondo........................................................................................................9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Time Management........................................................................... LR 101..............................................................................................................1 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Disney Internship Information Session........................................... SS 350...............................................................................................................3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Rio Women’s Tennis vs Mt. SAC....................................................... Rio Hondo........................................................................................................2 p.m.

Rio Baseball vs LA Harbor................................................................ LA Harbor........................................................................................................2:30 p.m.

Rio Softball vs Cerritos..................................................................... The Jungle at Rio Hondo..................................................................................3 p.m.

Wednesday March 21 2018-2019 Leadership Academy Apllications Due............................ LR 206..............................................................................................................9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Preparing for your Classroom Presentations................................... LR 101..............................................................................................................9 a.m. - 10 a.m.

Thursday March 22 Surviving Group Projects and Effective Communication................ LR 101.............................................................................................................. 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Picking a Major is Major................................................................... Rio Hondo........................................................................................................2 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Rio Women’s Tennis vs Fullerton..................................................... Fullerton..........................................................................................................2 p.m.

Rio Baseball vs LA Harbor................................................................ The Jungle at Rio Hondo..................................................................................2:30 p.m.

Rio Softball vs Chaffey..................................................................... The Jungle at Rio Hondo..................................................................................3 p.m.

Friday March 23 Spring/Summer Staff Development Grants Due.............................. LR 206..............................................................................................................8 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Free Tax Preparation........................................................................ Administartion of Justice Building..................................................................9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

New Faculty Success Seminar.......................................................... LR 128..............................................................................................................10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Rio Women’s Beach Volleyball vs Desert and Mt. SAC..................... Granada Beach.................................................................................................9 a.m.

Rio Women’s Swim and Dive vs Cerritos and El Camino................. El Camino........................................................................................................12:30 p.m.

Saturday March 24 Rio Softball vs Fullerton and Southwestern..................................... Fullerton..........................................................................................................10 a.m.

Rio Baseball vs Bakersfield............................................................... The Jungle at Rio Hondo..................................................................................1 p.m.

SPRING BREAK

Rio Hondo Campus Closed March 26-30 GET NOTICED! PLACE AN AD IN EL PAISANO! Call (562) 692-0921, EXT:3345

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