Wednesday October 2, 2019
Serving the Rio Hondo Community
Volume 59 Issue 2
Remebering Rio Hondo Professor Dr. Bruce Kermane
aspects of film. They would compare notes and discuss the pros and cons of the actors’ performances.
SAMUEL GARCIA News Editor
samuel.garcia8465@my.riohondo.edu
The funeral processions for Dr. Bruce Nassiri Kermane were held at Fairhaven Memorial Park Mortuary Thursday September 26 at 11 am. Kermane passed away Saturday September 21 at approximately 9:45 am. He taught English at Rio Hondo College for more than 30 years. He also taught English at Shahid Beheshti University in Iran, which was formerly known as the National University of Iran when it was founded in 1959.
“I miss him dearly,” said Izadi. “Brucey,” as his cousins called him, also had a sly sense of humor. Mark Currie, a family friend, noted that despite his quiet demeanor, Kermane was “quite the jokester.” During a church meeting, Kermane had made a strong statement and Currie wanted to show his support for his friend. This was years ago, when the two of them were just getting to know each other. In the Persian tongue, “Bruce” is pronounced differently than in English, so when Currie referred to Kermane as “Bruce,” the church members gave Currie a puzzled look. He looked and saw Kermane smiling mischievously.
Family and friends remember him fondly as a man with a kind heart “as big as the world” and a “very, very” sharp mind. Susan Izadi, Kermane’s cousin, saw him as her brother, as the two of them grew up together. She chuckled that he was so soft spoken, that it was sometimes difficult to hear him. Kermane was also an avid movie watcher, as he and Izadi would discuss different
KERMANE FAMILY Former English professor Dr.Bruce Nassiri Kermane passed away on Sept. 21 at the age of 79. Kermane worked for Rio Hondo for over 30 years and wrote a book called “Certain Frames of Mind”, which is still used in English courses to this day. He will be greatly missed.
“He got me,” admitted Currie.
Rio Hondo College sends its condolences to hisfriends and family.
College Campus Crashes ESTEVAN MACIAS Editor-in-Chief
estevan.macias6303@my.riohondo.edu
ILLUSTRATION BY ESTEVAN MACIAS/EPM Aggressive driving is frequent in school parking lots as class deadlines and time constraints can lead to rash thinking.
Every start of a semester outcry can be heard from the counselor office to social media and it all revolves around the same thing traffic. Specifically on campus parking garages have some of the worst reputations known to man. With high amount of students joining colleges and causing many places to be” impacted” it is no wonder that accidents happen more frequently. One out of every five vehicle accidents happen in parking lots and schools attribute alot to that statistic. These stats also don’t even cover the amount times peo-
ple will simply hit a car and leave without a response. This scenario happens very frequently as well with multiple schools surveying their student on the matter the answer came up that that 15% of students have experienced this. Not only that but 75% of students in that category stated that they had to pay for damages caused by the person that hit them because they fled the scene. So next time if your backing up just take it slow and remember if you notice a scratch that was not on your car before it was probably from the school parking lot.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
2
Lana Del Rey Gets Personal on Latest Release
ILLUSTRATION BY MEGAN DE LARA / EPM Norman F*****g Rockwell is Del Rey’s fifth studio album on Interscope Records. Before signed to a major label, Del Rey released her selftitled debut on 5 Points Records in 2008. painter, author, and illustrator who gained popularity through his depictions of the American Dream. He had a way to captivate everyday American life with a sense of humor that tended to be charming to the public. The choice on naming the album after Rockwell tends to express how personal the songs are to Rey. As the public listens to the lyrics, one may take note of how much dedication went into the record. A particular song that drew major attention is Rey’s nearly 10 minute single, “Venice B***h”: “You write, I tour, we make it work/ You’re beautiful and I’m insane/ we’re American-made.” When questioned about the long duration of the song, Rey
justified it with the idea that people want to get lost to the electric guitar that is featured in the single. The songs from NFR also allowed for there to be tension along with humor embedded into the lyrics. The song “Mariners Apartment Complex” can display how complicated humans can be. “Cause even in the dark, I feel your resistance/ You can see my heart burning in the distance/ Baby. baby, baby, I’m your man.” This song made it through production and onto the album after Rey was in a relationship where she felt like she was the “brighter light” leading the way for the person she was with. Though experiencing positive feedback from the
majority of the public, NFR came under fire by the song “Hope Is a Dangerous Thing for a Woman Like Me to Have – but I Have It.” “Shaking my a** is the only thing that’s/ Got this black narcissist off my back/ She couldn’t care less, and I never cared more/ So there’s no more to say about that.” After receiving the heat from the public, Rey addressed via Instagram what the lyrics mention. “I don’t have any songs about race of any kind. This song is deeply personal and introspective having nothing to do with anyone outside of my immediate circle of people I know personally,” Rey said. “It’s ridiculous that anyone would insinuate
anything otherwise. But what can I say people just love controversy. This is why I have absolutely nothing to do with the majority of the culture.” The lyrics containing “black narcissist” seem to only describe depression by associating it with the color. The approach that Rey took when establishing her album stayed true to what she wanted to put out. The public can understand the singer on a more personal level contributing to how well it was received. The journey that Rey took in creating and recording this album from 2016 till June of 2019 has immensely paid off.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Beta Shows Promise
not slow and where the action grinds to a halt, the gunfights in Modern Warfare 2019 feel as satisfying as ever. It is not until you get down It is not until you get down to moving aspects of the game that you find the differences in feeling. Not only can you mount onto certain in-game objects, allowing you to get better accuracy, but moving through doorways now feels tactical as ever as it seems you are given a plethora of options of how you want to approach said door. There is more freedom to ease your way into the room going in as fast as you please from a typical breach and clear speed to slowly easing your way into the room allowing you with sights up to peek into a doorway without fully exposing yourself. Some advanced movements from past Call of Dutys, like sliding, are also present , but the new game’s engine that the current Call of Duty is running on stated by Infinity Ward themselves the games maintains its buttery smooth
feeling. Due to these new updates, Call of Duty might lose some of its original fan base. That “arcadey” feel of a run a gun shooter that makes you feel like you are in Michael Bay Film has taken a somewhat backseat. It is there amongst the powerful killstreaks, and engaging gunfights, but walking around without your gun sights up will show you how unforgiving this game can be. The camping that seemed to be in every lobby made the game in 6v6 game modes during the beta event that went on last weekend and the one before that slow, hold angle fest and at times not like Call of Duty. One of the more surprising changes is all out war in the new Ground War game mode. The game mode now is 32 vs.32 players, an increase from the original 9 vs. 9, and features both aerial and ground vehicles for players to utilize. Two teams of 32 compete to capture various flags that, once captured, build points for your team across
the map. The first team to earn 200 points wins. This game mode felt unique and similar Call of Duty’s longtime competitor Battlefield. My two complaints about this game mode is how the flag points are seemingly spaced so close together. With all these changes to the Call of Duty formula, it seems like this fresh take on the game seems to be a mixed bag. Call of Duty seems to be offering a plethora of game modes for many people to enjoy: The 2v2 gunfight gamemode, the new almost Search & Destroy game mode Cyber Attack, and the new revamped Ground War.
JAZMINE MARTINEZ Reporter
jazmine.martinez7632@my.riohondo.edu
American singer Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, known to fans as Lana Del Rey, released her fifth major-label record, Norman F*****g Rockwell, or NFR, on August 30. The album consists of soft rock, psychedelic rock/ pop, pop, and folk-pop allowing for this popular singer to express her most inner thoughts. Within 14 songs, Rey was able to express love, regret, and nostalgia for relationships and her fond memories of the past. The title of the album is a homage to the late Norman Rockwell, an American
JAKE LAURELL Reporter
jake.laurell7011@my.riohondo.edu
Call of Duty has been a staple for first person shooter genre for over a decade. Every year we see an annual release for a new one game in the series, and this is one is no different. This new iteration of Call of Duty seems to change things up a lot and if we were to go based off the beta that Infinity Ward just had for this game, these changes might be a mixed bag for the players. Since Call of Duty is not the unanimous undisputed top dog when it comes to being most played or gathered most interest anymore, battle royales games, such as Fortnite or Player Unknown Battlegrounds(PUBG), have
seemingly overtook the once giant in the gaming industry. The studio that made the classic that launched, Infinity Ward, Call of Duty onto the mainstage of gaming is again at the helm of this series. And they are hard pressed to mix things up all fronts from the game going by the beta. One of the big changes coming to the iconic First Person Shooter(FPS) this year is more recoil to each gun and control over your character in terms of new options like mounting up your rifle against a ledge or wall. Every gun feels features way more recoil than past Call of Duty games, forcing players to be more accurate and mindful of their spray. Featuring a faster time to kill than Black Ops 4, where it is
“Call of Duty seems to be offering a plethora of game modes for many people to enjoy...” -Jake Laurell
Only time will tell whether this shooter can take back the crown of most popular game.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
3
Ready for Another Shot?! Creepshow Gets a TV Reboot EVAN COOKMAN Reporter
even.cookman1774@my.riohond.edu
JESUS MANRIQUEZ / EPM
The 1982 horror classic, written by Stephen King and Directed by George A. Romero, will make its return as a television series.
Local and International Artists featured in SUR:biennial Gallery
Creepshow has made its return thanks to The Walking Dead executive producer and special effects makeup artist Greg Nicotero. Exclusive to the horror streaming service Shudder, Creepshow is back in the form of a new anthology television show instead of a film. Shudder, owned by AMC, has revived the Stephen King/George Romero film series. The show premiered September 26 and is a six episode season with two segments in each episode.
Writers like Joe Hill, King himself, Joe R. Lansdale, Josh Malerman and more have joined forces to create the episodes. Actors like Jeffrey Combs, Bruce Davison, DJ Qualls and Dana Gould will make appearances throughout the series. Details for each of the episodes have been released over the past few weeks. Adrienne Barbeau, who played Billie in the original Creepshow in the segment “The Crate,” will star in “Gray Matter,” an adaptation of a King story. The series is still hosted by skeletal mascot The Creeper, just like the first
two Creepshow films (though with a slightly updated design). The reception so far has been positive. “They nailed the atmosphere,” said illustrator Trevor Henderson on Twitter. “And it was nice seeing one of my [favorite] Stephen King short stories adapted.”
“They nailed the atmosphere...it was nice seeing one of my favorite Stephen King short stories adapted.” -Trevor Henderson, Illustrator
New Season, New Obsessions: 5 Shows to Get Addicted to This Fall
ILLUSTRATION BY MEGAN DE LARA / EPM American Horror Story coming back for another run on FX Sept. 18th is a great way start celebrating the halloween season. ASHLEY SEVILLA Reporter
ashley.sevilla5141@my.riohondo.edu
ASHLEY SEVILLA / EPM
Oil painting ¿De Donde Eres? by Los Angeles-based artist Danielle Cansino, co-curated by Robert Miller and Lydia Michelle Espinoza. Cansino is one of the many artists featured in the Rio Hondo exhibit. EVAN COOKMAN Reporter
even.cookman1774@my.riohond.edu
Rio Hondo College is holding an art gallery until October 3rd. The exhibition, called SUR:biennial,“seeks to explore the complex notions of globalization and change that takes place in the ambiguous borderlands between Los Angeles and the broader ‘South,’” as stated on their website. The event showcases both local and international artists who are influenced by Mexican, Caribbean, and
Central and South American cultures. There will be many paintings, drawings and even a graffiti art piece included. The various pieces were created by people like Manuel Lopez, Danielle Cansino, Jacklin Romine and Sergio Daniel Robleto. The event is hosted at the Art Gallery in the Art building. The gallery will be open Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. In addition to students, the event is also open to the public.
It’s that time of year again! When fall comes around and you just want to find a good show to watch while you’re drinking Pumpkin Spice Lattes or eating Candy Corn. Here’s a are some new shows that are premiering along with some of your favorites returning for your viewing pleasure! The Politician (Sep. 27, Netflix) The Politician is a comedy series created by Ryan Murphy featuring Ben Platt, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jessica Lange. Ben Platt stars as Payton Hobert, a student from Santa Barbra, who has known since he was little that he wanted to be President of the United States. But first, he needs to face the challenges of leading a school as student body president before he can lead a country. Raising Dion (Oct. 4, Netflix) Raising Dion is a superhero/science fiction series based on a 2015 comic
and short film of the same name by Dennis Liu. Starring Alisha Wainwright, Ja’siah Young making his Netflix debut, and Michael B. Jordan. This show is about a single mother raising her son after the death of her husband. As the days go by after his death, she starts to notice some peculiar, superhero-like abilities coming from her son. She must now keep her sons abilities a secret from the world in order to protect him from exploitation. Castle Rock (Oct. 23, Hulu) Inspired by the stories of Stephen King and his fictional town in Maine, Castle Rock is a psychological horror anthology entering its second season. Centered around King’s Misery captor, Annie Wilkes (played by Lizzy Caplan), this season is about how she gets caught in the heat of a war between clans while she is stuck in Castle Rock.
American Horror Story: 1984 (Sep. 18th, FX) Another Ryan Murphy mention made it to the list with American Horror
Story: 1984, with its 9th season already out. Returning cast members include Emma Roberts, Billie Lourd, and Sarah Paulson, along with new cast members Matthew Morrison, Gus Kenworthy, and Angelica Ross. This season is heavily influenced by classic horror slasher movies, such as the Friday The 13th franchise. A group of young aerobics enthusiasts decide they want to go work at a camp, but don’t realize until it’s too late that it’s being terrorized by a mental patient that’s on the run, Mr. Jingles. Riverdale Season 4 (Oct. 10, CW & Netflix) Back on the CW and Netflix for it’s 4th season, Riverdale is a teen drama series based on the characters of Archie Comics. Starring KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes, and Cole Sprouse, the gang is faced with even more drama and darkness that seems to plague the quintessential small town of Riverdale. From masked murders to dealing with the Southside Serpents, what will they face next? There isn’t much details yet, we will just have to see when it premieres October 10th.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
4
Doctors Without Borders Calls For More Distribution Of Ebola Vaccine EVELYN VARGAS Reporter
evelyn.vargas3749@my.riohondo.edu
Ebola has killed approximately more than 2,100 people in Congo since August 2018. This ebola outbreak was declared as a “public health emergency of international concern” by World Health Organization (WHO) on this past July, followed up with the first confirmed case in Goma, a city with a population of almost 2 million people. Doctors Without Borders is strongly accusing the (WHO) of restricting the accessibility of the Ebola vaccine in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The group’s director of operation, Dr. Isabelle Defourny, said that at least 2,000 people can be receiving the vaccine every day, as opposed to the maximum of 1,000 that are vaccinated daily at present. Defourny also called for WHO to supply a bigger amount of vaccines to the medical teams. “We think that upping the pace of vaccination is necessary and feasible,” said Defourny. Defourny also says, “WHO is restricting the availability of the vaccine in the field and the eligibility criteria and their application for the reasons that are unclear”
GETTY IMAGES Ebola is still a major health concern as more than 2,100 people in Congo died since August 2018. Up to this day the only vaccine currently being administered is rVSV-ZEBOV, which is produced by the pharmaceutical giant Merck. It is currently being used on a “compassionate bassi,” which authorizes special use of an unlicensed drug for people in extreme circumstances. The way this vaccine is distributed is by using a ring approach
that prioritizes individuals at a much higher risk of contracting infection because of their proximity to someone whom was previously infected with the virus. However, this procedure is used mainly for unlicensed drugs that require further clinical study before being mass distributed. Reports from WHO state that more than 223,000 peo-
ple have received the vaccine during the current outbreak. “An independent international coordination committee to facilitate more transparent management of the ebola vaccination program,” is being called for the establishment by Doctors Without Borders. It is believed by Doctors Without Borders that it would increase the number
of people getting the vaccine. Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO's Health Emergencies Programme, wrote in an email to NPR that this said committee could apply only to the commercially licensed vaccines. In addition, the current vaccines would still require more scientific research before being licensed.
Trojan Horse Coming After Us Again!
Evenlyn Vargas Reporter evelyn.vargas3749@my.riohondo.edu
ILLUSTRATION BY ESTEVAN MACIAS/EPM Japan researchers are finding innovative ways on killing antibiotic resistent bacteria, paving a new way for the advancenment in medicine. EVELYN VARGAS Reporter
evelyn.vargas3749@my.riohondo.edu
Nagoya University researchers and colleagues have recently discovered a new strategy in fighting antibiotic resistance with the use of artificial haem proteins as a Trojan horse to selectively be able to deliver antimicrobials to target the bacteria, enabling the effective sterilization. This technique killed 99.9% of Pseudomonas aeru-
ginosa, a potentially deadly antibiotic resistant bacterium present in hospitals. This new strategy was developed to kill pathogens resistant to antibiotics. By hijacking its haemacquisition system to selectively deliver antimicrobials the strategy should also work for other known dangerous bacteria. This newly developed strategy was published in the journal ACS Chemical Biology. Pseudomonas aeroginosa is known to be a highly
dangerous bacterium that can cause infections in hospital settings as well as people with weakened immune systems. It also causes blood infections and pneumonia. This bacterium is one of various that have evolved a system which allows them to obtain difficult to access iron from the human body itself. In humans, iron is mostly held up within the “haem” complex of haemglobin, also iron is very essential for bacterial growth and survival. Osami Shojiof Nagoya
University, a bioinorganic chemist, with the help of collaborators recently have found a way to be able to hijack this “haem acquisition system” for drug delivery. A powder was developed, which was formed of HasA and thE pigment gallium phthalocyanine (GaPc), and when applied to a culture of P. aeruginosa was instantly consumed by the bacteria. As bioinorganic chemist Shoji and team report, “Our findings support the use of artificial haem
proteins as a Trojan horse to selectively deliver antimicrobials to target bacteria, enabling their specific and effective sterilization, irrespective of antibiotic resistance.” With the results of this strategy, researchers now aim to test it to be able to treat infections, and at the same time are working on modifying their approach for sterilizing other pathogens.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
5
Flavored E-Cigarettes Or No? EVELYN VARGAS Reporter
evelyn.vargas3749@my.riohondo.edu
A recent study done at the University of Technology Sydney has discovered that the impact of flavored e-cigarettes, suggest that some flavors may worsen the severity of diseases such as asthma. An asthma model was used to fully investigate the effect of a range of popular e-cigarette flavors, that contained nicotine as well as without nicotine. Studies show that the use of e-cigarettes has noticeably increased in the past few years specifically among younger smokers, about nine percent of 18-24 year olds in the United States are known to be current e-cigarette users. Though they are a healthier alternative to the consumption of tobacco cigarettes there is a lack of evidence in both animal studies and human data on the effects of e-cigarettes on lung function. The study results led by researchers from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), University of Vermont, USA and the Woolcock Institute of
Medical Research, Australia, have shown that some flavored e-cigarettes, including those that contain no nicotine may change how airways, affected by an allergic disease function. UTS researcher and lead author of the study, Dr. David Chapman, published in Scientific Reports said that this was the first study to be able to investigate the effects of flavored e-cigarettes with those that contained tobacco and those that did not, on allergic airways disease. “This is especially important for those with respiratory disease, who are vulnerable to the effects of smoking, the majority of e-cigarette smokers use flavored liquids but there is some evidence that flavor additives can be toxic when inhaled.” Dr. Chapman said. Researchers also found that some flavored e-cigarettes, even in the absence of nicotine can have the power to worsen disease severity. With this study, researchers concluded that caution should be taken when consuming e-cigarettes when respiratory diseases are present, for example asthma. Researchers also suggest that policymakers should consider restricting the use of e-cigarettes.
TALKSOONER.ORG IMAGES Bananas and strawberries may are healthy for you, but not so much when you smoke it.
Could Video Games Be One Cause For Recent School Shootings?
UNSPLASH.COM IMAGES/ FREDRICK TENDONG Psychologist and others in the medical field are all trying to find what mentally moves these children to commit such crimes. EVELYN VARGAS Reporter
evelyn.vargas3749@my.riohondo.edu
The majority of people are most likely to put the blame on violent video games as a probable cause of school shootings by white perpetrators than by African American perpetrators, possibly due to racial stereotypes that associate minorities with violent crime, all this according to new research published by the American Psychological Association. More than 200,000 news articles about 204 mass shootings were analyzed by researchers. Over a 40-year
period it was found that video games were 8 times more likely to be brought upon when the shooting occurred at a school and the perpetrator was identified as a white male than when the shooter was an African American male.In addition, another experiment was conducted with college students and it had similar findings. Lead researcher, Patrick Markey, PhD, a psychology professor at Villanova University, said that “When a violent act is carried out by someone who doesn’t match the racial stereotype of what a violent person looks like, people tend to seek an external
explanation for the violent behavior.” Markey also says, “When a white child from the suburbs commits a horrific violent act like a school shooting, then people are more likely to erroneously blame video games than if the child was African American.” Countlessly scientific studies have not found a link between violent video games and mass shootings, however some politicians and media coverage often cite violent video games as a potential cause, especially for school shootings. “Video games are often used by lawmakers and
others as a red herring to distract from other potential causes of school shootings,” Markey said. “When a shooter is a young white male, we talk about violent games as a cause for the shooting. When the shooter is an older man or African America, we don’t.” In one experiment, 169 college students (65% female, 88% white) read a mock newspaper article describing a fictional mass shooting by an 18-year old male youth who was described as an avid fan of violent video games. Half of those participants read an article regarding a white
perpetrator, while the other half saw a mugshot of an African American shooter their responses for those who read the article of the white shooter, they blamed violent video games as opposed to the African American in which they blamed other reasons. Blaming violent video games for school shootings by white perpetrators can be a sign of a larger racial issue where African American perpetrators are assigned a bigger degree of culpability for their crimes and actions, which can later lead to unfair treatment in the justice system, Markey said.
SPORTS
6
Men’s Soccer: Rio Hondo Falls To Chaffey JESUS MARQUEZ Reporter
jesus.marquez1625@my.riohomndo.edu
The Rio Hondo men’s soccer team fell at home against Chaffey College 4-1 on Friday, September 27. A red card in the second half for The Roadrunners The Roadrunners had fell apart when Rio player Omar Pineda got a red card for a hand ball inside the box. Rio were down to 10 men and conceded two goals after Ivan Diaz scored a penalty for the Panthers. Rio Hondo didn’t start the game the way they would’ve wished for. Chaffey took the lead just 10 minutes into the first half thanks to Chaffey forward Daniel Alvarado. This was Alvarado’s fifth goal in eight games this season with The Panthers. The Roadrunners continued to suffer Chaffey’s good football and dangerous attacks and nearly doubled their from a free kick, but it hit the crossbar. Rio Hondo got back in the game after forward Federico Hurtado notched his fourth goal of the season
right before halftime. After a struggling first half for both teams, Chaffey took complete control of the game in the second period. The Panthers owned the possession of the ball and prevented The Roadrunners from playing their game. Things got more complicated for Rio Hondo in the 62nd minute after midfielder Omar Pineda got sent off for clearing the ball with his hands, leaving his team down to 10 men. Forward Ivan Diaz stepped up to the penalty spot and scored his 10th goal of the season giving The Panthers a 2-1 lead. Down to 10 men, Rio Hondo were forced to fall back for the remaining of the second half. Meanwhile, the visitors were allowed to play their game more calmly. Chaffey College took advantage of their extra man on the field and doubled their lead in the 75th minute when forward Marco Rodriguez took advantage of a defensive mistake from Rio Hondo. The Roadrunners tried their best to defend for the remaining
JESUS MARQUEZ/EPM Rio Hondo midfielder Axel Almaraz dribbles the ball through the midfield, looking for an attacking opportunity. minutes, but also continued to look for one chance on goal that would put them back into the game. But it would be The Panthers who found the back of the net in the 89th minute. Chaffey would score their fourth goal through midfielder Carlos Benito-Hernendez, who dribbled past the defense and ‘rocketed’ the ball into the net. Rio Hondo goalkeeper Jafet Salgado made contact with the ball, but was unable to
prevent the final goal . After the game, Rio Hondo head coach Orlando Brenes spoke about his team’s performance and the penalty that changed the game. “ Yeah it was a hand ball... it was the penalty,” said Brenes. “But the goalkeeper should have made that save first before the defender.” This was Rio Hondo’s second defeat in a row at home after losing to Desert 3-2 two weeks ago. It hasn’t been a good preseason for
The Roadrunners, so far they’ve obtained a record of 3-5-2, where they have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their games. Rio Hondo will face off against San Bernardino Valley on Friday, October 4 before visiting LA Harbor for their first conference match a week later.
Volleyball:Unexpected Start SAMUEL GARCIA News Editor
samuel.garcia8465@my.riohomndo.edu
Friday September 27, the Lady Roadrunners fell to the visiting Vikings of Long Beach City College 3-1. Both teams came into this matchup on different ends of the spectrum. Rio Hondo came in hoping to snap a three game losing streak, which included a 3-0 pasting courtesy of the Lancers from Pasadena City College. Meanwhile, Long Beach was riding a three game win streak, having just swept Mt. San Antonio College 3-0. It was a tale of two halves for the Lady Roadrunners. They kicked off the first set with a 3-2 lead, but soon after Long Beach tied it at three points, they took a 4-3 lead and never looked back. From then on, it was a Sisyphean game of catch up for Rio, one that continued into the second set. But, despite facing the possibility of being swept two weeks in a row, the Lady Roadrunners came into the third set determined. They
MICHAEL MARTINEZ/EPM Alliah Trujillo sets up team mate Sierra Smethurst for a spike against Long Beach. Trujillo recorded 39 assists in the match. Smethurst led the team with 13 kills. commandeered a 5-0 lead and never lost the lead. The Vikings did tie it up at 10, but were only able to score eight more points after that, losing the set 25-18. The fourth set is where Rio showed off their grit. With multiple lead
changes, it was an intense type of affair. With the set tied up at 25, Rio could not fend off a last minute surge by Long Beach, losing the set 27-25 and dropping the match 3-1. Despite the loss, the Lady Roadrunners had a few stand
out performances from their players. Sophomores Nicole Vasquez and Sierra Smethurst led the way with 10 and 13 kills, respectively. Contributing to the cause, Aliah Trujillo chipped in with six service aces and 39 assists. The loss drops Rio’s
record to 6-5 on the season and 0-2 within the South Coast Conference. Next on the agenda, Rio Hondo will travel to East Los Angeles College and take on the Huskies. That matchup will take place on Wednesday, October 2 at 6 pm.
SPORTS LAFC Draws In Minnesota
Sports Editor
jesus.manriquez9661@my.riohomndo.edu
Los Angeles Football Club grabbed a point on the road after drawing 1-1 with Minnesota United. LAFC’S forward Carlos Vela’s record tying goal put the Black and Gold ahead in the second half but it wasn’t enough to win the match. Following a 3-1 victory against Houston Dynamo last Wednesday and clinching the MLS Supporters Shield, given to the best regular-season record, LAFC looked to get closer to the New York Red Bull’s record for most points in a MLS regular season, which was set in 2018. In a match were all eyes were on Vela, it was forward Bryan Rodriguez who took the show with his man of the match performance. The 19-year-old Uruguayan came close to scoring his fifth goal of the season, but the crossbar denied him twice, once in each half. The first half ended scoreless with LAFC controlling the
31 Goals
possession of the ball, like in almost every game, but having trouble finding those spaces in the final third. Meanwhile, Minnesota relied on a strong defensive style, looking for a counter attack that could give
them an attacking opportunity. LAFC played really well throughout the
whole match, most of the game was played in Minnesota’s
final third.Although Los Angeles had good ideas in the final third, but the execution
wasn’t the best. Mainly becauseMinneso ta’s defense wouldn’t allow them to find a clear opening. It wasn’t until the 70th minute when Vela found an opening with a curled shot from the righ side ofthe box, put ing LAFC ahead and scoring his 31st goal of the season, tying the record for most goals in a regular MLS season. Minnesota answered back quickly, just five min utes after, Minnesota center back Michael Boxall would tie things up with a header from a freekick. Los Angeles are on
top of the Western Conference with 69 points, followed by Minnesota with 53. LAFC will receive Colorado Rapids at the Banc of California Stadium on Sunday, October 6. A win from Los Angeles would allow them to tie the record for most points in a MLS regular season.
“It’s the hard work from everyone. Throughout the whole year.” - Carlos Vela
BRAYAN ALTAMIRANO/EPM
10 Assists
LA In The MLS
JESUS MANRIQUEZ
7
LA GALAXY: Zlatan Can’t Do It All JESUS MANRIQUEZ Sports Editor
jesus.manriquez9661@my.riohomndo.edu
The LA Galaxy lost 4-3 at home against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Sunday, September 29. A tough match where Los Angeles had to trail three times throughout the match and a last minute counter attack secured the win for the Whitecaps. Vancouver center back Doneil Henry opened up the score in the 19th minute from a corner, the center back dove for the ball by the second post and somehow managed to put it in with his chest. Galaxy forward and top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic tied things up just three minutes later, after a great individual play from forward teammate Cristian Pavon left the Swede for the tap in. It was Ibrahimovic’s 29th goal of the season, only two behind cross town rival Carlos Vela. The Swedish superstar has ripped the MLS with 50 goals in 54 games since
his arrival. But it would be Vancouver forward Theo Bair that would give the Whitecaps the lead once again right before halftime with a soft placed shot that went past the Galaxy keeper. Los Angeles forward Uriel Antuna tied the Galaxy in the 58th minute with an exceptional volley, after a pass from his Mexican compatriot and midfielder Jonathan Dos Santos. But the LA Galaxy continued to suffer in the back, Whitecaps striker Tosaint Ricketts took advantage of the poor defensive marking from the Galaxy’s center backs and scored his first goal of the season with a header. Ibrahimovic would step up once again for the Galaxy, but this time with an assist to midfielder Chris Pontius, who would score the goal that
seemed to seal the game in the 86th minute. But a counter attack in the 93rd minute of play, Michaell Chirinos taped in the goal that would give Vancouver their 8th win of the season. Los Angeles Gal axy fell to fourth place in the Western Confer ence and will face off against Houston Dynamo on the road Sunday, October 6, on Decision Day.
“It’s up to us to handle things in Houston.”
29 Goals
- Chris Pontius BRAYAN ALTAMIRANO/EPM
6 Assists
OPINION
8
Photoshoots in Cemeteries – Really? the final resting site of their loved ones. The photoshoot seemed like a desperate attempt to be different, and of course it worked. Hundreds of likes, dozens of adoring comments…but what if the tables were turned. I know I personally wouldn’t want anyone doing something like that to the gravesite of a loved one. So what makes any of us the exception for the sake of a photograph?
MEGAN DE LARA A&E Editor
megan.delara9233@my.riohondo.edu
I’m all for people being unique, if there truly is such a thing. It seems like we all have to fight to have some sort of identity these days, something that defines us, something to call our own. In the end, whether we admit or not, none of us want to be ordinary. The question is at what point is too much, too much? As a teenager, I was all into all things spooky: skulls, jack-o-lanterns, fake blood, wearing black, horror movies. I don’t know why, but all that just seemed more appealing to me, more so than anything else. But even as a teenager all dressed in black, one thing I never understood was the fascination with taking pictures in cemeteries. I didn’t see the point. I didn’t think it was edgy or artistic, nor did I think it was adventurous (“OMG, you snuck into the cemetery at night?! Ahh!” No.). Maybe it was just me being a rebel within rebellion, defying what was considered cool within my own “alternative” community. Fast forward to the present, though, and I still feel the same way.
“They aren’t a playgrounds... We should respect these sites, not use them for entertainment.” -Megan De Lara ILLUSTRATION BY MEGAN DE LARA/EPM Cemeteries are places for mourning and respecting the dead so what led children to think it was a place for their instagram as well? I still don’t think these individuals look edgy or artistic. In fact, they aren’t cool. It doesn’t boost their goth status. And, if anything, I think their actions can be borderline disrespectful. Recently, during one of my I-have-nothing-better-todo-than-browse-Instagramfor-an-hour moments, I came across something that triggered me tenfold: a maternity shoot in a cemetery. Yes, you read that correctly. A mater-
nity shoot. In a cemetery. Are. You. Serious. Not only that, but one of the pictures taken was of the soon-to-be-mom with her other three children playing on a gravesite, two of them running around a tombstone while one sat on top of it. Not to mention, the mother’s caption read, “baby bats waking the dead until their brother arrives” just made the photo even more cringe-worthy to me.
These are gravesites of people who have passed away Are we forgetting this? They aren’t playgrounds, tombstones aren’t swing sets. We should respect these sites, not use them for entertainment, branding, or Instagram likes. The idea of a child running arorund ‘waking the dead’, seems a little more than off putting. I cant help but think of the mourning family members and friends, who want to believe that this is
Aesthetically speaking, I understand why these burial grounds attract models and photographers. Some of the locations are absolutely beautiful. But they aren’t studios made to be used at our leisure – these are places where people come to mourn, it is intimate and should be respected, and we should do so. There’s always a common ground, and we can agree to disagree on a lot of topics, but It is never a bad idea to respect others, and teach our kids to do so too.
Messi Is The FIFA Best JESUS MANRIQUEZ Sports Editor jesus.manriquez9661@my.riohondo.edu
F.C Barcelona forward Lionel Messi was named The FIFA Best Men’s player of the year on Monday, September 23rd. The Argentine was chosen over Liverpool’s F.C center back, Virgil Van Dijk, and Juventus’ forward, Cristiano Ronaldo. It was a surprise for many, Van Dijk was seen as the most favorable after the wonderful season he had. Van Dijk won the Champion’s League and had recently won the UEFA Men’s Player of The Year Award, which is given to the best player of the season in European competitions, where he beat both Messi and Ronaldo. But, time after time we continue to learn it takes more than other earned titles, and in this case, Messi rightly deserves this award. Even though he did not win club’s biggest competition like the Champions League, and lost The Copa Del Rey final, Messi was the best individual player last season.
ILLUSTRATION BY JESUS MANRIQUEZ/EPM Messi has continued to prove himself with multiple awards and accolades that he truly deserves the title as the FIFA best Many people like statistics and need them to be convinved, and if we look at them Messi led, or was in the top three in almost every attacking category in Europe. First of all, Messi was the ‘Pichichi’ (top scorer) in La Liga with 36 goals in 34 games. He was also tied for first place for the most assists in La Liga, most chances created, most free-kick goals,
goals outside the box, etc. Because of his 36 goals in La Liga, Messi also won his sixth European Golden Shoe, given to the top scorer IN Europe’s top domestic leagues. For many years now, Messi has been criticized for not carrying his team on his back in the Champions League. In the last eight years, Messi has only won one Champions League title. Back in 2015 he
won the champions league title and he was also the joint-top scorer. Last season, Messi was one of the few Barcelona players who took a step forward in order to win the Champions League. Messi was the competition’s top scorer with 12 goals, third in assists, and was involved in 73% of his team’s goals in the knockout stages. Unfortunately for Messi, F.C Barce-
lona was eliminated in the semifinals by Liverpool F.C at Anfield. Messi was also the player with the most man of the match and player of the week awards by UEFA. The argument many use against Messi is that he “failed his team when it mattered the most” in the Champions League, and with Argentina in the Copa America, where they were eliminated in the semifinals by their host, Brazil. Many people in the world of soccer believed that Van Dijk or even Ronaldo should have won the award. Van Dijk was crucial to Liverpool’s success in the Champions League, reached the final of the Nations League with his country The Netherlands, and was named the Premier League’s Player of The Season. Meanwhile, Ronaldo won the league and Italian super cup with Juventus and won the Nations League with Portugal. If The Best was given to the player who won the most important titles, then sure Van DIjk or Ronaldo should have won it. But the award is given to the best player of the season, and that was undoubtedly, Messi.
OPINION
9
Why We Shouldn’t Support The Mukbang Trend
ILLUSTRATION BY ASHLEY SEVILLA/EPM As people mostly get to see the fun and excitement to be had during a Mukbang not alot know about the truth of what happens when the video ends. ASHLEY SEVILLA Reporter
Ashley.sevilla1234@my.riohondo.edu
There are a lot of trends that are going around YouTube constantly, and to be honest with you, I am all for it, most of the time, that is. Some of these trends are actually pretty hilarious and creative. But, of course we can not all agree on that. It’s true, in fact, some of these viral challenges across social media have led to bigger issues.At this point, we have seen so many ridiculous challenges. Most causing real harm to the general public, like the Tide Pod challange. Or we could even recall one of the most recent challenges, where people were running around filming themselves opening and tampering with products at grocery stores, which resulted in arrests and felonies for those who got the most attention. The biggest problem with dangerous challenges going viral is the audience it reaches. The reality is there are millions of people of all ages watching this content and blindly recreating these challenges. Although, there are some viral challenges that I enjoy watching, there are some that really just rub me the wrong way. One of the largest content trend on Youtube right now is the Mukbang. In my opinion, the mukbang is a trend that’s been going around YouTube that I view as being extremely
useless and toxic, and no one is talking about it.The Mukbang, originated from South Korea and it directly translates to “eating broadcast” in Korean. It became popular in 2014 by a Canadian blogger who co founded the YouTube show, Eat Your Kimchi. When viewers start watching these videos, they say that it’s a very pleasurable experience for them. They love the ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) component of them, with the sounds emitting of chewing and slurping almost tangible through their earphones. Other viewers have also said they just enjoy the content of watching their favorite YouTubers eat and talk about their everyday lives, or a variety of different topics. Viewers have also said that it curbs their appetite as well as relieves stress. But, is this really a healthy mindset to have while watching content? I don’t think so. As I progressed with watching these videos, I became a little bit perplexed with how complex and almost disturbing the effects of watching these simple videos are to the psyche without the viewer even realizing it. I almost became a fan until I realized what this is actually doing to us and what kind of unhealthy, consumerism culture it is creating. The bigger issue is the fact that there are millions of children watching these videos and learning unhealthy eating habits from them too.We already are deep into this kind of culture, with
brands and advertisements bombarding us on a daily basis from all corners of our waking life. I first started noticing the problem with the unhealthy patterns these Mukbangs promoted, when I saw a video by a famous Mukbanger by the name of Nikocado Avocado. He buys gluttonous amounts of fast food such as, Taco Bell, Mcdonald’s, Burger King, and even 7-Eleven. He also occasionally dibs into the King Crab and copious amounts of Nuclear Noodles. Avocado always starts off his videos with him singing his unique jingle that he’s created. Then, he lays the food out in a fashionable matter. After, he chows down and talks about whatever is going on with his day or what’s on his mind at the moment. Simple enough, right? It seems innocent and almost even fun watching him eat all of this delicious, greasy food. But then, I started noticing that he often buys so much food that most of the time, it sadly goes to waste. He makes little comments in some of his videos saying how he buys too much food, but then he saves himself from disgruntled comments afterwards saying that he saves them for his family and friends, but there’s really no proof of that. I think that most of these Mukbangers actually throws a majority of their food away. Some of these Mukbangers, like HunniBee ASMR, create the food to look like iphones and brand name shoes.
Crunchy ASMR creates her food to look like glittery artistic masterpieces. Both are perfect distracting, target methods for shameless advertisements from different companies such as Vans or Crayola. Now some of you may not care at all. But to me, this trend not only promotes wastefulness, but it also promotes and can trigger unhealthy eating habits, from under eating to overeating, in susceptible viewers, as well as overspending on food that’s really just not good for you. That money that you are spending on processed food or even insane amounts of the same food, could be used for something of vigorous sustenance. Instead of watching these trends for hours and hours on end, read a book or go for a walk in fresh air. Learning balance is the key to living a happy life, this trend does not teach us this at all. Instead, it’s teaching us nothing but gobbledegook filled with mushy cheese and crab legs, creating a culture deeper into consumerism than we already are. I understand that not all Mukbangs are like Avocados, there is a wide variety of these shows, from ASMR to Food Talk Shows. But, a majority of them do buy copious amounts of food and who knows what they are doing to the leftovers afterwards. We don’t know if they are actually telling the truth when they say that they don’t waste it. Either way, the underlying current of these videos I feel
are very toxic and I hope that you take this into consideration the next time you take a look at one of these videos for yourself.
ESTEVAN MACIAS/EPM
10
NEWS Rio Hondo College Hosts Fall Transfer Event
SAMUEL GARCIA News Editor
samuel.garcia8465@my.riohondo.edu
Monday September 23, Rio Hondo College held it’s Fall Transfer event in the lower quad of the campus. Representatives from different universities were in attendance, from state colleges like Cal State Fullerton and UC Davis to private schools like Hope International University. These representatives fielded numerous questions, such as admission requirements, majors, and housing. Students are encouraged to attend the event and ask as many questions as they can. “Students should take advantage of this event. They need to make sure they ask questions about their major. Also, it is important that they have planned out a transfer process and there’s no better opportunity than this,” said Alaine Rodriguez, a Transfer Center associate from Rio Hondo College.
BRAYAN ALTAMIRANO/EPM The transfer fair is a great way to get direct answers from any school that people are looking into.
When asked why students should attend this event, Brandon De La Torre, a sophomore at RHC, believed that while it’s easy to look up information online, attending events like these awards students “way more details.” Another student by the name
of David Bermejo, a sophomore, benefited from this event because he was able to ask questions and clarify his concerns. Marcela Rodas, a nursing major, noted how competitive her major is and how helpful these events are. She advises her fellow students to also seek a counselor for guidance. “This is a great way to take advantage since schools come here, and there’s no cost in asking questions.” While different universities have different GPA requirements, most require a 2.5 GPA or higher. Students, however, are encouraged to earn as high of a GPA as possible. Karen Preciado, a Cal State University Fullerton advisor, stated that students looking to apply are encouraged to apply with a 3.4 GPA because “it does get competitive.” Remember that if you can’t make it to a transfer fair the transfer center is a resource you can always visit on campus. They will always try their best to get all your questions answered about transferred out Rio Hondo and into whatever school you are planning on attending.
LIFESTYLES El Paisano Newspaper Editor-in-Chief ESTEVAN MACIAS
11
Young Activist Leading Enviromental Crisis KATHERINA O’BRIEN Lifestlye Editor
Katherina.obrien6215@my.riohondo.edu
News Editor SAMUEL GARCIA Opinion Editor KIANA ARVIZU Lifestyles Editor KATHERINA O’BRIEN Sports JESUS MANRIQUEZ Sci.&Tech ASHLEY SEVILLA A&E Editor MEGAN DE LARA Photo Editors ASHLEY SEVILLA KATHERINA O’BRIEN Advisor WENDY CARRERA
16 year old, Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg is not afraid when addressing some of the world’s most powerful people. She has become known globally for her environmental campaign. A year ago, she began striking from school each Friday to protest climate inaction, to giving a speech to thousands of people in New York, at the Global Climate Strike. She brought her message inside United Nations Headquarters with the question, “How dare you?”. Visibly frustrated with her audience and holding back tears of anger, she continued
“You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words and yet, I’m one of the lucky ones,... people are suffering, people are dying.”
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ILLUSTRATION BY ESTEVAN MACIAS/EPM Greta Thunberg has spoken At climate rallies in Stockholm, Helsinki, Brussels London, and more advocating for the same thing change. The Global Climate Strike, came just before the United Nations for the Climate Action Summit where Thunberg was going to be speaking. Greta has become an increasingly influential figurehead and voice for youth climate angst and activism. Her determination
to persuade global leaders to take climate change seriously. Since she no longer flies because of the aviation industry’s high carbon emissions, she was offered the opportunity to travel to the US on a zero-emissions boat. She accused them of not doing enough to help fight climate
change and for continuing to ignore scientific evidence. In just a few months, one beginning with weekly sit-ins outside the Swedish Parliament, became a prominent individual, speaking to millions of people about global issues worldwide.