FC Torch Fall 2009

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Torch DESTINATION UTAH, a tranquil getaway for the jaded student

FC

Race WAR

in the name of

Prejudice

Behind the

LO O K FC’s departments of

Beauty & Fashion at your Fingertips

How to be unique on a budget

Fall 2009

EXECUTIVE

POWER

NAVIGATING THE HURDLES OF STUDENT POLITICS

THE

anatonmy

of

ART An examination of the human form as the core of creativity


FC TORCH

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Fall 2009 Art Imitates Life

Go behind the scenes of art, an inside look at life modeling and the capturing of its essence on canvas. see from the point of view of the instructor, the student artist, and the model

that bares it all for the sake of creativity. By Brandon Ferguson and Tanner Fogle

Model: Tracy Osborne

FEATURES

FASHION

COSMO

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Now and then. A mother and daughters’ college journey as two students separated by 30 years. By Tricia Barnes ........... 16

High or low, your personal fashion can be attained on a limited budget. By Nathaniel Santos and Valeri Velasquez ........... 20

Spotlight on FC’s cosmetology and fashion departments as they prepare for real world experience. By Britney Bailey............ 28

Associated Students President Peter Cornett confronts the status quo with determination. By Kenny Connolly ........ 32

Continuing the Fairtytale

Discover Fashion

World of Beautification

Quest for Reform


DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

ART

Black vs. Brown

Profile of local artist Danny Barcelles. By Kevin Norris ........ 5

Fear the Budget

Coloring the World

MUSIC

Interview with rock band, York

Q & A with Julian Cisneros of York. By Kevin Norris ........ 6

LITERATURE

The overlooked story of inner city violence that claims innocent victims based on racial discrimination. By Darrell King................................................................. 36

An examination of California’s growing budget crisis. By Licette Alcantar ........ 8

Travel to Utah

A quick getaway to the scenic mountains and canyons of Utah. By Alex Avina ................ 42

fctorch.net

Book Review

ECONOMICS

On the Cover

Photograph by Tommy Van Deusen. Model: Tracy Osborne Hair and Makeup: Robert Rae & Duane Schuette

Frugal Book Buys

A how-to for college book buying on a budget. By Drue Lee............. 45 TEACHER FEATURE

The Student Single Parent

Profile of FC’s Anthropogly Department. By Tanner Fogle ...... 46

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES

Alcoholics with Honors, balancing partying and a 4.0 GPA.

RESOURCES

Meeting the needs of the enrolled single parent. By Angelique Castle. 44

A spotlight on the English bar and restaurant inspired, the Olde’ Ship. By Rebecca Breeden....... 40

Twitter, not just for scrambled eggs. Restaurant Review, a diary of local eateries.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies By Tanner Fogle ....... 7

The Student Single Parent

Places in Fullerton

Fullerton College 321 E. Chapman Ave. Fullerton, CA 92832 714-992-7134

Torch Staff

Writers

Licette Alcantar Editor-in-Chief Britney Bailey Tricia Barnes Tanner Fogle Rebecca Breeden Angeilque Castle Art Director Mousumi Islam Kevin Norris Darrell King Drue Lee Copy Editor Rebeka Nop Nathan Percy Erik Parker Daniel Rios Photo Editor Tommy Van Deusen Ronnieca Rodiguez Nathaniel Santos Valeri Velasquez Adviser Erica Winkler Jay Seidel

Photographers Cynthia Arana Raylynn Castillo Contributors

Alex Avina Danny Barcelles Austin Brown Kenny Connolly Brandon Ferguson Kristen Graza Brian Jones Sarah Marton

Special Thanks

Fulletton College’s Cosmetology Department

The FC Torch is produed every semester by Magazine Production, Journalism 135, at Fullerton College under the guidance of student editors and the advisement of Jay Seidel. Editorial and advertising content herein, including any opinions expressed, are the sole responsiblity of the students in the production class. Information published herein does not represent the position of the North Orange County Community College District, Fullerton College or any other officer or employee within.


he print media has been declared dead (like innovative British Rock). The toe tag reads “homicide, due to lack of patience”. We live in a world where newspapers like the O.C. Register have entered bankruptcy in order to maintain themselves, and usually sacred publications like the New York Times and Newsweek are by no means safe from the changing media environment. Not so long ago, it was hard to believe that a morning read of the daily paper, a cup of coffee and a smoke (God forbid) might be entirely replaced by an interweb scan via laptop and a frapaccino, but such is the reality. Being of a generation so immersed in the culture of rapid fire news (mostly of starlet train-wrecks and other “celebrity” misadventures), the idea of journalism by a journalism student has succumbed to romantic daydreams. The new media blogosphere is about as romantic as Rohypnol. These daydreams involve the intellectually proud press person roaming the uncharted wilderness finding meaning and truth in the absurd. The task of finding such meaning and truth in media content, I feel, is now up to the reader. It is hard to imagine a domestic landscape without magazines. Coffee tables would never be the same without them; replaced by kitschy knickknacks from all over the world, but somehow always made in China. It was out of genuine respect for magazines that I joined the Torch staff in my first semester. I wrote five stories and conducted my first interview while on staff. My role as Editor-in-Chief of the Torch will likely be my last act of journalism before taking the debt express train to a college for big boys and girls. I could wax philosophic about completing the circle or pushing my personal boundaries of responsibility, but I feel I have taken advantage of my surroundings and become apart of something larger than myself. Within these 48 pages is a community of creativity, worth-while not only to tell my stories but to help others to tell theirs. They of course do not need my help as the stories they write, photograph, illustrate and design speak for themselves. A community of creativity is not unlike a college of the community, providing for the needs of the whole. It is within the collaborative work that we find success; this notion provides the theme for this magazine “surviving college”. Save one that is about simply surviving, all of the stories and departments reflect in one way, shape or form, the needs or experience of students, be it money, aid, a place to have a good time, or simply music and art. Though we may begin to write the eulogy of print media, its purpose is still golden, a voice of the community, by the community for the community…college. fc

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Editor’s Note : Eulogy By Tanner Fogle Editor-in-Chief

Photo Credit: Tommy VanDeusen


ART thoughts; thoughts that sometimes are too intense for me to verbally communicate. They build up inside of me so much that I have to release them. “I try and express my thoughts on a blank canvas or on the fret board of my guitar.” Also using the occurrences of everyday life as his stimulation Barcelles adds that, “the novels I read, the movies I watch, the women I meet, and the small little things that I encounter on a day to day basis help play a significant role in what I create.” His artwork and music isn’t only used as a therapeutic method to control the demons that fill his mind. Barcelles has become a regular merchant at the Venice boardwalk, using its cultured atmosphere and ease of presentation to expose his artwork to the world. “I get a lot of people coming up to me [in Venice] asking me to explain a certain piece. I usually try to refrain from giving a detailed answer, I’d prefer for my art to not be plagued with my thoughts. I want people to freely interpret my art. Plus I feel that art tends to be over analyzed and some explanations are far

Coloring the A profile of local artist and musician, Danny Barcelles.

from an artist’s true intention.” Barcelles’s entrepreneurship doesn’t stop at the Venice boardwalk. He and local artist Mikey Baltiera have also recently started an online gallery, www.creativeoriginalabstract.com, where they both have their artwork and music free for interpretation. His only problem is the apprehension he has towards letting his creations go. “I feel like I become too attached to some of my paintings. A sickness comes over me at their departure; it’s almost as if I lost an extremity. However, I know in this current economic climate that it’s going to become inevitable for me to sell them off if I want to become a self sufficient and successful artist.” Looking towards the possibilities of the future he continues, “I know I will create art for the rest of my life. This is truly only the beginning for me. I want to color the world.” While that is truly an ambitious endeavor, Barcelles certainly has the talent and artistic vision to become this generations next Salvador Dali. fc

World

Photo by Kevin Norris

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t’s about time Daniel Barcelles’s voice is heard. After 15 years of perfecting his skills in the art and music movement he is finally ready to shed his “starving artist” label and find prosperity in the culture that he loves so much. Barcelles Pulls influence from the underground hip-hop and psychedelic rock music scenes, zombie-horror movies, and the artwork of Salvador Dali. This 22 year old Corona native sculpts, draws, and paints pictures that depict the culture and conflicts of a fantasy world inhabited by wild beasts, living architecture, and lucid dreams. While Barcelles’s detailed and absorbing artwork is his main focus, it’s also his love for playing music that helps fuel his life. Transcending the labyrinth of melodic instrumentation, his cerebral guitar playing coincides with his artwork so much that at times it feels like they are both part of a parallel universe. This revealing universe displays the many facets of his personality. “My art and music reflect my deepest

By Kevin Norris

Artist Danny Barcelles displays his artwork at Venice Beach, CA.


MUSIC

By Kevin Norris

Q &A

Photo by Alex Avina

Julian Cisneros serenades the packed crowd at the Slidebar in Fullerton

With Fullerton College’s Julian Cisneros, frontman of indie rock band, York.

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inding a balance between serving tables, completing his education, and fronting the progressive rock band, York has been a difficult and grueling task for 22-year-old Fullerton College student Julian Cisneros. I sat down with the shaggy-haired Southern California native for an intimate conversation about his unique band, influences, and the daily struggles of trying to juggle all his future aspirations. What is York’s back-story?

We all grew up in Corona. Johnny and David started it back in 2001 playing the eighth grade talent show and jamming with friends on the side. Later down the road, I was asked to jam along. Current members include Johnny Adams (Drums), David Volbeda (Lead Guitar) and me (Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Keys). All the members in the band contribute in many different ways. The songwriting mostly consists of David and I. Johnny, on the other hand, handles the business and merchandise portion.

With so many bands popping up what makes you guys unique? If you had to be categorized, what would you

Fall 2009 / 06

be comfortable with?

Simply put, we have a very solid foundation where the drums and bass pound a rhythm, somewhat choppy, but definitely grooving. Over the rhythm section, you have David filling the spaces with his lead guitar, which I’d describe as bold, melodic, technical, yet tasteful. Filling out the rest of the sound-scape are the vocals, rhythm guitar, piano and synthesizers. I usually tell people we exist somewhere within the Alternative Rock genre. Is there a specific interpretation you wish a listener to receive when he/she listens to your new EP for the first time?

Lyrically speaking, I’d want people to have the perspective of someone moving forward in life, and experiencing all that comes with personal development. Each song represents some form of personal struggle, and its movement toward a positive solution. When writing new material, do you feel the pressure to be Original, or do the styles of your songs just come organically?

We would definitely agree that it is hard to write a brand new tune and not have it sound like the same old story. Keeping a fresh and sharp outlook on our creativity in the moment really helps us avoid those common instincts. Being that you guys are students, how do you manage to tour, write, record, and promote with such a hectic schedule?

Because each of us is busy with other commitments in life, we delegate certain roles to each member of the band. We also organize days where we meet and keep each other accountable to the tasks at hand. If you really want to make it, you have work harder than everyone else around you, especially if you want to make it as a band. As far as songwriting goes, each member of the band will compose a song or two and bring it to the band when we have practice. I think that is the easiest way to maintain the momentum of our creativity amidst the business of life. As far as touring goes, we’re just not there yet, key word yet! Where can people find your music, and what are your future plans for live shows?

We plan to play a show twice a month locally until we can afford a southwest tour. For the most part, we want to remain local as we build a following, which I think is the most important part. We can either play a show each week and exhaust our fans and ourselves, or be smart and decide which shows are going to benefit the band the most. Therefore, each month will be different. People can currently find us on Myspace at myspace.com/ yorkaudio. We are also in the process of getting ourselves on iTunes. So, if you like what you hear on myspace, add us and keep an eye on that bulletin board. Also, one could come out to a show and purchase a hard copy of the EP. fc


LITERATURE

By Tanner Fogle

“…we are each commanded by His Majesty to defend Hertfordshire from all enemies until such time as we are dead, rendered lame, or married.”

Pride & Prejudice &

ZOMBIES

t some point in your educational career you will be instructed to read Pride and Prejudice, might I suggest this alternative? Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a reanimation of a long dead corpse that reaches a hand through the dirt with the full intention of scooping out your brains, and changing your perception of antiquated chick literature. The classic novel from Jane Austen which is universally slathered over (like fresh brains) by romance obsessed women and girls everywhere has been remade into a dude friendly action adventure. How does one go about making this obsolete instruction manual of long dead (or undead) courtship practices palatable to a modern audience? Easy, interject the walking undead and/or blood thirsty Ninjas. This book has both; however the zombie’s get title billing. Make no mistake, you are reading Austen’s novel complete with sophisticated lyrical prose. However, the story has been augmented, or more to the point punctuated, by Shaolin Kung Fu and zombie mayhem. These alterations are courtesy of co-author Seth Grahame-Smith. The premise remains the same, following the woes and trials of five sisters of the modest class in their attempts to win husbands and greater status. In this version the young women are skilled marshal artists versed in the delicacies of dispatching Satan’s hordes

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of “unmentionables”. Don’t feel left out ladies, all of the finery you fell in love with in the original retains its splendor, including fancy balls, grand estates and impossibly romantic misunderstandings. There will be little in the way of surprises as PPZ follows the original right up to the ending. What you are reading for are the slight alterations of scene and character that take place with the new ingredient of a world where a zombie attack is a common occurrence. For instance, Elizabeth “Lizzy”, our hero, is an uber dealer of righteous death and protector of the scenic countryside of Hertfordshire, as well as the acerbic daughter of the Bennet family. The action in the book is entertaining and includes showdowns not unlike the Dread Pirate Roberts vs. Inigo Montoya of The Princess Bride. An example of this dueling can be found in the battle between Elizabeth and her soon to be betrothed Mr. Darcy as a kind of violent foreplay. The zombie scenes are gruesome, over the top and a lot of fun. In fact, fun seems to be a reoccurring component in this work as there are scenes and ideas that simply make you smile, such as the fate of the deceitful Mr. Wickham. If you have yet to tackle Jane Austen’s opus in the form of an assignment it might be soon coming. I would suggest as an enjoyable alternative this fantastic hybrid of pop culture and literature. fc

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T E G D E H U T B EAR wn o r B n i t s u A by n o i r t a t a n r a t lc s A u e l t l t I e By Lic


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n recent years, the various bodies of higher education have been presented with a series of rigorous obstacles brought about by economic woes existing at both state and federal levels. Although the United States government is presently tasked with bridging the budget gap said to stand at $1.3 trillion, California has been brewing it’s own share of financial difficulties since 2000. alifornia has been wrangling with a massive budget deficit standing at a staggering $26 billion for years. Although Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has put forward an air of certainty as to the state’s ability to solve the deficit, state Controller John Chiang recently announced that next year’s deficit will, in actuality, be $1 billion higher than the state anticipated. News only just emerging after Gov. Schwarzenegger and the state legislature conceded to a budget plan just this summer. After experiencing a prolonged impasse, CA legislators shaped a budget plan that aimed to temporarily weather budgetary concerns by slashing funding across state programs. Adding to public discontent already felt at the state’s failure to speedily present a working budget plan, the state also slashed funding reserved for education. Affected were the K-12 classes, community colleges and universities. In total, spending cuts established 20% less funding for schools compared to last year. his has left community college administrators scrambling to meet new budget expectations by choosing to scale back school services, cancel courses, and furlough staff members.

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“Even students who took precaution against the complications attributed to the start of a new semester were not immune to the budget cuts.” Adam O’Connor, director of budget and finance, summarized how Fullerton College has been affected as a result of the budget cuts, “The college cut back a significant number of classes this year amounting to reductions of approximately $2.5 million. In addition all operating budgets have been reduced for a total of $472,000. The district eliminated 22 faculty positions from our campus and we also have eight additional staff position vacancies on hold.” uffice it to say, students are now bearing the brunt of the funding cuts. Even students who took precaution against the complications attributed to the start of a new semester were not immune to the budget cuts. Grace Kang, a sophomore majoring in Computer Illustration is one of these students. Kang described her experience of securing and consequently paying for the classes she had applied for. To later learn that although she had already paid for her classes, she too would be held susceptible to the increase in tuition costs and compelled to pay for the difference. “It’s not the kind of money I’m used to paying”, Kang said, adding, “It’s inconvenient”. Toni DuBois, Vice President of student services is skeptical in attributing student woes solely on the backs of Fullerton College administrators. In reference to the increase from $20 to $26 in

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tuition fees, she pointed out that CA legislators determine community college costs. Kang also described various accounts of how students had signed up for classes, and, assuming they would still be available, purchased all of the necessary books to accompany them, only to find out they were cancelled. DuBois addressed this issue by stating, “It was necessary to reduce the course offerings for the Fall 2009 semester because of the reduction in funding coming to the district from the state. Each of the division deans met with faculty members and strategically selected the courses that were cut. These were very difficult decisions because all of the course offerings originally scheduled for Fall 2009 were good. Courses with historically lower enrollment were eliminated and in some cases when five sections of a course were previously offered only four sections are now offered. Nearly 500 more students are attending FC this fall than Fall 2008. With fewer course offerings, classes are more crowded and the fill rate of the classes (the percentage of students in the class) compared to the available space has increased significantly.” lthough UCs and Cal States have experienced the more severe of the budget cuts, the steps they have taken in order to overcome the issues may offer negative consequences for community colleges. Students intimidated by tuition costs in Cal States may opt for community colleges instead. These students, flooding into community colleges as a last result, are leading to higher admissions and greater demand for classes that are currently beyond capacity. fc

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FC Torch / 09


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he circumference of the classroom speckled with paintstained, high-front-stools, colored the mosaic of students, instructor and subject preparing for class. Tablets of paper and charcoal instruments were unpacked and positioned as the life model disrobed. Stepping onto the carpeted platform, the young man sat completely naked on a stool, his arms behind his back. A group of young men and women surrounding him quietly gazed on, rendering life on paper. The very beginning of artistry is conceived in the introductory courses of life drawing. Marciano Martinez is one of three the instructors for the life drawing courses. He views nude drawing as an essential element of art instruction. “All the elements of art are here in this particular class, a love of drawing and the love of the human figure, to see how similar we are, and that we come from the same human source,” Martinez said. Martinez’s approach to the class is to first teach the techniques of doing a gesture, where you draw very quickly the form by moving your hand in con-

tinuous strokes. The second is to do a silhouette, what he describes as a “defused ghostlike image”. As students begin to understand the figure, the muscles and skeleton, Martinez has them incorporate all the elements into a single rendering. “In my project, I do a line drawing, a shaded drawing and a foreshortening drawing (looking at the figure lying down, straight on, using a perspective element that is towards you). Everything that you do from now on will require you to understand these techniques, whether it’s storyboarding for the film industry or cartooning. It’s the basics of human form,” Martinez said. The students first start with basic structure and movement of the body for the first set of five-minute sessions, referred to as warm-ups. They return to the subject to add further detail during the ten-minute sessions. As Chalise Gadson, a first-year graphic design major describes, the instructor circles the room observing his students pausing to demonstrate proper technique and application of line-work and shading. “If we do not understanding the structure, he will draw over the paper and correct it,” Gadson adds, “It’s difficult at first and it takes a little while to get it down.”

Art imitatin


ng life

By Brandon Ferguson & Tanner Fogle, Photographs by Tommy Van Deusen


Five-minute sessions of poses are captured by the beginning life drawing class.

A charcoal sketching by first year art student Antoinette Sun, she does not do faces.

ask them if I can work on their paper, you think you can see it until you start drawing. I have to draw from their position; it takes a long time for a person to really see that form,” Martinez said. The life drawing class is free of requirements and open to all with the desire to learn the art of the human form. “Hopefully, they would have taken a basic drawing class first, but at this point it is not required. Instead they go through the gestalt method of dropping yourself into the total emersion of drawing and becoming a professional artist,” Martinez said. Antoinette Sun had never taken an art class before this semester. She describes the course and individual class progression. During the onset of the course the instructor “…briefly discuses the basics, the outline, the structure, the fundamentals,” Sun said. “You have to do a quick ‘scratch’ (the gesture drawing) before you would do a

“I

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full figure. For the rendering, you just have to squint your eyes and focus on the muscles. Eventually it forms into a complete picture.” All three of the levels of classes, beginning, intermediate and advanced, are taught simultaneously. “We observe the other, more advanced, students to see if we can catch something that they are doing so that we can add or improve our work,” Gadson said. Like any class found in the spring and fall schedule, the course work follows its benefactor’s home. The homework comes in the form of handouts featuring the musculature of the body utilized for the purposes of replication and study. The separation between the echelons of classes is, in many ways, dependent on the focus of the instructor. One instructor may emphasize the greater detail of the anatomy; muscles, bone, and fingers. For the advanced classes, Martinez encourages his students to be expressive in their work; to see themselves in the art they construct to achieve an emotional connection. “With the more advanced students, they will begin to have a special interest, they become self-motivating,” Martinez said.


Above Students of Marciano Martinez life drawing course capture the essence of human anatomy. Below For the longer 10 minute sessions the students add further detail and shading.

"because people are just so different. Things that I learned in life drawing, I continue to apply in my paintings now." or an advanced student like Amdre Martenez, who is now separated from the course by two semesters, life drawing remains a valuable experience. “The class is much more interesting then just painting, drawing or still-life,” said Martenez, “because people are just so different. Things that I learned in life drawing, I continue to apply in my paintings now.” The nude models for Fullerton College are contracted by professional modeling agencies, whose participation is arranged through the arts department. The participation of these nude models, of course, adds an element of sex that attracts controversy. “You go to a bar and you get aroused. This is totally different,” Martinez said, adding, “There is no possible way to get information looking at a mannequin that you can get from looking at a real live model. It has nothing to do with nudity; it’s a form, a life form.” Though Martinez explains that in his 40 years of

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teaching, he has never encountered an instance of student immaturity, according to some of his protégés, initially, it’s difficult not to be aware of the gravity of the situation. “At first, it was a little weird because you’re like, gosh, there’s a naked person in front of me,” 22-yearold art student April Eriksson said, “But then you’re like ‘Oh crap, I’ve got to draw’...then after that it’s no big deal.” Student Candice George said of her first experience drawing a live model, “It was different. It takes a couple of minutes to get past the fact that this person is nude.” For Jennifer Fabos Patton, age 40, organizer and producer of the modeling collective known as Gallery Girls, and herself a nude model, developing the courage to pose in front of a class was a process years in the making. According to the crimson-haired beauty with the penetrating blue eyes, she started by modeling privately for the Bohemian artist Jirayr Zorthian before moving on to art school. But even with FC Torch / 13


some experience under her belt, she said it was an American painter. initially intimidating experience. The Guest Artist Program, which is traditionally “The first time was a little shocking. There were a feature of large endowment colleges, has become at least 25 students in a classroom,” Patton said. She successful enough to encourage emulation by other explained that because of the class size, two models community colleges such as Pasadena City. A were used, with each placed at opposite ends of stipulation of the contract with FC requires that the the room. ‘artist in residence’ donate the art they produce in class “That made it a little more comfortable because I had to the school. A simple charcoal or sketch rendering by somebody else to actually look at and see what she was a guest artist often increases beyond the value of their doing and see that she was comfortable,” Patton said fee. Pastel drawings by Raul Aguiano that were donated adding, “Once you start, you’re not looking at yourself to the college were estimated to be worth $25,000. The and you kind of forget you’re naked.” Guest Artist Program suffered for a time as California Though he views the usage of nudity and art budget matters began to deteriorate. Funding for the instruction with a matter-of-fact perspective, instructor program was lost only to be rescued by community Martinez said his mother, who was deeply religious, members through donations. initially resisted allowing him and his brother to draw nude models when Instructor Javier Alvarez displays his finished product on they were in high school. the walls of the life drawing class “(She said) ‘they’re to inspire his students. going to go look at sexy figures.’ Then, finally, our priest went to talk to her so she would let me go,” Martinez said. Though Patton said her husband of six years has never expressed disapproval or jealousy as the result of her chosen profession, she said she has encountered romantic advances from students, as well as instructors, in the past. She explains, however, that it’s not entirely unexpected and doesn’t necessarily progress to a physical stage. “There’s Being the genesis of artistic merit, success stories definitely an intimacy because you’re somehow are abundant within the realm of life drawing bonding with each other and creating this art. You’re education, to name one, a former student of Martinez, creating something out of this relationship between you Justin Sweet went on to create a cover for National and them.” Geographic magazine. The process of learning through the life drawing “Most artists, most instructors here, started drawing class may begin with the instructor but, it carries over the model when we were 15 or 16, so we have been into the world of professional artists as well. Once a doing it all of our lives. Every one of us wants to year, for four to six days, students can observe an artist continue drawing the human figure even if we are not in residence in order to advance their technique. Guest selling. It’s something that we basically do for ourselves. artists have been given limited retainers by FC since the Hopefully, we will plant the seed for students to do the 1970s; beginning with Wayne Thiebaud, a renowned same,” Martinez said. fc Fall 2009 / 14


Be a Part of Something Big ...And Use Your Spanish! Be a Part of a New Online Publication

Want to utilize your Spanish language ability and be a part s something new? Enroll in JOUR 196 and be a part of Fullerton College’s Spanish Language online publication - La Antorcha. There are no prerequisites and you don’t have to be a journalism major. You just have to be interested in exploring the Spanish speaking community. You will learn the basic skills to write, edit, photograph and stream video for an online publication. You can cover: news, sports, entertainment, politics, fashion, culture, technology, or anything else. A whole new world is waiting for you. Enroll today!

Sea parte de una nueva publicación en línea ¿Quiera utilizar su capacidad de español y ser una parte s algo nuevo? Aliste en JOUR 196 y sea una parte de la publicación en línea de la español de la universidad de Fullerton - La Antorcha. No hay requisitos previos y usted no tiene que ser un comandante del periodismo. Usted solo tiene que estar interesado en la exploración de la comunidad de habla hispana. Usted aprenderá las destrezas básicas para escribir, para corregir, para fotografiar y para fluir el vídeo para una publicación en línea. Usted puede cubrir: noticias, deportes, hospitalidad, política, manera, cultura, tecnología, o todo lo demás. Un nuevo mundo entero le está esperando. ¡inscribese hoy!!

Class: JOUR 196 When: Mondays, Wednesdays Time: 2-3:50 p.m. Where: Room 722A


Tricia Barnes at age 6 next to her returning student mother Rosemary James. Photo taken by Liz Riley in 1979.


“The experiences of a ‘mature’ student three decades ago contrast sharply with those of today.”

continuing

f a i r ytale the college

The legacy of the returning student is passed from mother to daughter. Rosemary James was a mother, a wife, an employee and a student. Tricia Barnes remembers her experiences as the daughter of a ‘mature’ student and links the similarities and differences of their lives.

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or 30 years, a copy of The Torch yellowed in a sidetable of my childhood home. I remembered the photo shoot that featured my mom and me, but had never read the actual article penned by Rosemary James, my mother. Her story, written in 1979 and titled “My College Fairy Tale,” sent me in search of a hidden identity. Could my mother possibly have been more than just my parent? As I began looking at both the literal and literary picture of her as a “mature” student, I saw a familiar image reflected in her story.

The original photo captures a cute kid sporting the ubiquitous 1970s shirt and some trendy yarn hair bows. That kid is the six-year-old me. The studious adult in the shot is my mom. I am currently the age that she was in the photo, forcing me to examine where she was then and where I am now. The parallels are startling: we both returned to college in our mid-thirties, attended Fullerton College, and wrote for the magazine. Thirty years of differences separate the stories of these two “mature” students, but, like all mother-daughter comparisons, the similarities are impossible to ignore.

by Tricia J. Barnes

FC Torch / 17


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y parents pursued their college degrees in different, non-traditional trajectories. Dad earned his degree by taking classes at night while working full-time during the day. My mother was unaware of scholarships that could have financed college, and instead chose work, marriage, and family. After we moved to California, she resurrected her education by pursuing an A.A. in Journalism at Fullerton College. Then she matriculated to Cal State Fullerton to earn a B.A. in Communications. I recall her graduation seemed very important to my parents, but I didn’t understand what the fuss was all about. I didn’t realize my mom struggled to maintain the sometimes competing identities of mother, student, wife, and individual. I certainly didn’t appreciate her talents or her drive. As her kid, I just wanted Mom to make my jelly sandwiches. Because both my parents achieved their college dreams the hard way, their kids chose the traditional route. My brother followed in my mom’s Cal State Fullerton footsteps, whereas I craved the individual attention of Chapman University. I took summer classes at Fullerton College to graduate in four years. At the end of that hard slog, I had a shiny new degree in English Literature, but no real job prospects. One of the myths of growing up is that once a college graduate has a diploma in hand, the rest of his/her life Fall 2009 / 18

Continuing the College Fairy Tale should be clear. It was pretty muddled for me. I needed a break from four intense years of college, so I joined the rat race of real employment. After a year away from academia, I entered Chapman’s graduate program with a tentative goal of emerging an English teacher. But the price tag, along with the prospect of a career that I may Tricia Barnes now, occupied with not even like, led me the advancements of technology, including her Mom via web cam. to become a gradschool dropout. Back in the workforce, I enjoyed my job, but missed the challenge of school. Eventually, I suffered the infamous job-related injury, which ended my career. My body had been hurt, but my mind - though dormant for over a decade - still clung to life. I needed to get back into the writing groove, so 30 years after my mother had walked these leafy paths, I was again a student of Fullerton College. The experiences of a “mature” student three decades ago contrast sharply with those of today. My clearest memory of Mom’s college experience is her dragging me along to newspaper class. I recall sitting underneath a huge drafting table set with clippings of “The Hornet” raining down around me. Modern students take the “cut” and “paste” commands on their computers for granted. Not many people realize there was a time when people physically cut with scissors and pasted with glue. My memory of that room is crowded with the flying litter of newsprint amid the distinctive smell of rubber cement.


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ost of the huge differences between 1979 and 2009 have occurred in technology (see sidebar). Earlier this year, one of my professors played a YouTube video of “World Destruction” by Johnny Rotten and Africa Bambaataa. That act would have been impossible in my mom’s student days. In 1979, teachers did not waltz in with laptops, plug into a port, and download media from the Internet. Laptops didn’t exist. The Internet didn’t exist. YouTube didn’t exist. ( I’m pretty sure Mom’s interest in the Sex Pistols’ lead singer didn’t exist either.) While the differences between our two generations are glaringly obvious, some similarities exist between Mom and I as “mature” students. We are both a bit nerdy, loving the rush of a good grade. We also share a perfectionist editorial bent, being especially harsh on our own work or each other’s. I read Mom’s article with a highly critical and grudgingly admiring eye. As a daughter, I smile at the nostalgic scenes. As a writer, I struggle to separate the author from my parent. I get drawn into the cadence of her words, the images of the story, then stop short when she uses a comma differently than I. Similarly, in reading my work, Mom will commend it in one breath and point out a grammatical error in the next. After my mother earned her degree, she tried out several different career paths. She was a freelance writer for Orange Coast Magazine, a public relations officer for Cypress College, and assisted the V.P. of communications for an aerospace company. Eventually, she found a career that fulfills her marketing skills and social-butterfly personality; Realtor. I am now embarking on my own path that will (hopefully) help me develop into a freelance writer. The subjects that interested my mom vary from mine, but we both still feel the creative pull of writing. Looking back, I see the tricky balance beam on which I teeter. I admire my mom as a student, as a writer, and as an individual, but I want my own identity separate

Continuing the College Fairy Tale from “Rosemary’s daughter.” Sometimes I relish the similarity of our gifts and skills, other times it irritates me. Her article has reassured me that she went through the same struggles of finding herself, through school and through life. But, like many other daughters, I want to walk my own path, not follow in my mother’s footsteps. By getting a small glimpse inside her experience as a “mature” student 30 years ago, I have gained some insight. I can appreciate and respect the path that she walked and even possibly learn from it. By recognizing the footsteps she has placed before me, I can feel a bit more confident in choosing to walk slightly off her beaten path. fc

Then and Now 1979 Pay Phones Typewriter Carbon Paper Webster’s Dictionary World Book Encyclopedia Sony Walkman Mimeograph Cash Projector movie reels Overhead Projector Film Photography Negatives Flash Cubes Analog TV No remote control 9 Channels Fold-out Map Making real friends NoDoz, Cocaine Simon, Atari

2009 Cell Phones PC or Mac Wireless Printer Spell-check Wikipedia Mp3 players Download Debit cards DVDs PowerPoint Digital Photography Memory stick Flash drive Satellite TV TiVo 900 channels GPS Facebook, Myspace Redbull, Adderall Wii, Xbox 360 FC Torch / 19


DISCOVER

FA S H I


By Nathaniel S a Photographs b ntos & Valeri Velasquez y Kristen Graz a & Sarah Mart on

ON


I

f people are asked why they go to college, they are going to give you different answers. For the ones who have been enrolled at a private school their whole lives, it’s networking. For the ones who have gone through the public school experience, it’s to further their education and get a career. For the ones who are older and affected by the recession, it’s for a better job. No matter what the reason is, college serves a deeper purpose to many, a place to discover who they are.

Whether it is dabbling in theatre or experimenting with business, “Who am I?” is often in the back of one’s mind. For people who are a little more clothes-minded, the “Who am I?” often spawns another selfconscious question: “What do I want to wear?”

or the body-conforming shorts/ pants are simply immobilizing. “If these fashions don’t work for me, what will?” That’s where personal style comes in. There is a difference between fashion and style. Fashion is what’s on the runway, in the magazines, and in the stores. Style is how it is interpreted. A woman might see a trendy leather jacket in the window of a store. In this window display, the jacket is paired with a pair of black skinny jeans, a black and white striped shirt, and a pair of patent leather stilettos, giving the jacket a rock ‘n’ roll/punk edge. The woman, however, purchases the jacket and pairs it with a vintage, white lace dress and a pair of black ballet flats. The jacket still looks r o c k ‘n’ roll, but paired with such girlish, dainty pieces, it now looks

“...women and men are showing up to class in looks that are as practical...as they are fashion forward.” At Fullerton College, women and men are showing up to class in looks that are as practical and comfortable as they are fashion forward. For women, the popular look is a type of neo-bohemian, a look that includes printed fabrics, voluminous/tight proportions, and a great bag. For men, the look is a sort of “American Apparel chic,” which consists of tight shorts and skinny jeans, worn-out sneakers, and a plaid flannel shirt. One might see these looks in their classrooms and think, “I could wear that!” only to discover that prints make them look like an area rug Fall 2009 / 22

more romantic and ladylike. The woman took an of-the-moment trend and made it fit her own personal style.


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he late (and great) Yves Saint Laurent once said, “Fashion is fade, style is eternal.” Every season, there are those trends (cowboy boots, anyone?) that seem to come and go as quickly as gasoline. Although cowboy boots are a thing of the past, some can still get away with wearing them because they wear it their way. Those people might even find cowboy boots so appealing, they wear them everywhere with everything. Suddenly, cowboy boots are not just a trend, they’re a wardrobe staple. Wardrobe staples are the articles of clothing that seem to “go” with

everything and are worn repeatedly without regret. They are also the building blocks to personal style. Wardrobe staples are different for everyone. They’re the heart of the closet, as they are usually the favorite pieces. For Sam Vincent Gutierrez, whose personal style is sixties Americana (think Mad Men), staples mean white dress shirts, tailored trousers, and neutralcolored cardigans. “My look is more elegant and masculine,” Gutierrez said. When the wardrobe staples are discovered and established, one can start to determine how they want to dress, as they already have some great personal pieces with which to play. As the pieces are being

played with, an important question comes to mind: “Who (or what) inspires me?” Style inspiration can come from anywhere and everywhere. It could be on the street or in a magazine or on television. The best part of inspiration is that there is no limit to how much of it you can have. When inspiration is found, it can then be adapted to the wardrobe. One could see an outfit that consists of a blue top, leather pants and gray ankle boots in the pages of a tabloid. The look is inspiring.

Model Bridget Beverdge sitting on top of Fullerton.


Model Bridget Beverdge 30 feet in the air, looking fabulous in a red jumpsuit from American Vintage.


“Personal style is always a work in progress. Things change, and people change. Personal style changes right along with them.”

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ven though they don’t own the exact clothes as the person in the picture, they could wear clothes that are similar, but with a personal twist. The blue top is substituted with a blue cardigan with a loose white t-shirt underneath. The leather pants are traded for high-waisted leather shorts. The gray ankle boots are replaced by gray knee-high boots. This is the fusion of personal style and inspiration. As the staples and the inspiration continue to develop and thrive, new pieces can be added to the wardrobe. These new pieces, however, don’t need to be important “backbone” pieces like the staples. They can be anything, as long as they bring something new to the closet, whether it be drama, whimsy, romance, etc. Have fun with it. After all, fashion should be fun. Maybe one day, those white silk harem pants might feel right to put on. Maybe the next day, that leopard coat is correct. It’s important to have a wide range of clothes, just like it is to have a wide range of genres and artists in an ipod.

It gets boring to wear the same tops and bottoms all the time. By having an array of different clothing styles, many different choices can be made. Clothes can really say something, but sometimes, accessories can really speak volumes. Whether the accessory is a ring, a necklace, a hat, a bag, a pair of shoes, a belt or sunglasses, it can make or break an outfit. Accessories are a great way to personalize basics. Pair a basic black t-shirt with a chunky jeweled necklace and voila! The t-shirt goes from Hanes to Haute. “I love accessorizing a plain outfit with bold accessories like earrings, necklaces, and belts,” said Anna Flores, who describes her own personal style as “boho-chic with a splash of pizzazz.” Accessories, like Anna’s earrings and necklaces, allow one to show personal style easily. They are things that are added to the outfit to further showcase ones’ tastes and personality. Personal style is always a work in progress. Things change, and people change. Personal style changes right along with them. It’s always a work in progress, as people learn more and more about themselves everyday. Maybe those plaid shirts and tight skirts everyone is wearing are not right. There are a million other articles of clothing out there that are right. FC Torch / 25


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ow that you have an idea of what “look� or trend may work for you personally, you are now free to discover fashion. Here is a guide on where to buy, and how to save a little money in the process to find your personal style. One of the ways you can save money is to be creative. Likely, the big trend this fall into winter will be a leather jacket. That new leather jacket may run you any where from hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on the brand. To save a little cash I would go with the Faux Leather jacket. You have a wide selection from stores like Forever 21 to Urban Outfitters. The range of a Faux leather jacket can be anywhere from $40 to $120. If you sign up for the newsletter to either of these stores you can get discounts online that will save you money and gas. The best investment would be buying black. This is a color that never goes out of style and you can never have enough little black dresses. You should play with textures of different black garments. Like for instance getting a black panicle skirt that has a puckered surface texture that gives you a deeper look. In this economy, there should be no shame in going to your local Goodwill or thrift shop. You can find some interesting things there that have never been worn by their previous owner. Fall 2009 / 26

True

fa is wi you

You may discover that black textured skirt for only $4.95, saving yourself cash to spend on more important things, like food. Vintage is Another way to gain your own personal style without

looking like everyone else. Vintage is a great way to save money, but hard to find an item that no one else will have. A great place to visit would be American Vintage in downtown Fullerton.


ashion ithin urreach

They have a lot to choose from with out all the chaos of most vintage shops. They also have clothing items that have been altered and modernized, as well as affordable. If you hate shopping, but know

more or less what looks good on you, most likely you are an online shopper at heart. If you love old and new clothing I would recommend www.shopnastygal.com. It’s very fashion-forward and affordable.

Ashley, FC’s superwoman, scales wall to display clothes and accessories from American Vintage.

These are just a few places you can try to find your own personal style. Personal style is your own, so shop everywhere. Try on everything, and save as much as possible. fc FC Torch / 27


M ov i n g i n t o t h e p rofessi o n a l wo r l d of Beautification

1

class at a time. By Britney Bailey photographs by sarah marton &kristen graza

ith tuition on the rise, the W job market getting smaller, and employment qualifications

becoming higher, many students are desperately searching for alternative methods to cut costs without sacrificing quality education. Some students have had to change their plans on attending private institutions, career colleges and universities due to the extremely high tuition costs or low acceptance rates. They have instead chosen to go the community college route. Community colleges have also expanded their degree and certificate programs in order to keep up the universities and the career fields. Now it is becoming more acceptable to attend a community college after high school, especially with the Cal States not accepting any new applicants for the fall and spring semesters.


The artistry of FC’s cosmo department is on display, transforming students into icons of the fashion industry.

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ommunity colleges are once again being seen as a stepping stone in the pursuit of higher education. Fullerton College offers an array of degrees specializing in many industries, which includes a comprehensive board certified cosmetology program. Just like attending a private beauty school, Fullerton’s cosmetology program prepares students for the state board certification exam at the end of the program. Tuition and overall costs are big factors when deciding whether or not to attend a private beauty school or enroll in the cosmetology program at a community college.

Total tuition costs plus supplies for the full cosmetology program at Fullerton is about $3,300 plus the costs of extra materials. The average tuition costs for a private beauty school are about $14,000-$25,000 not including supplies and depending on the school. Other than tuition, some of the benefits the cosmetology programs have at the community college level are that the class sizes tend to be significantly smaller than some of the private schools. At Fullerton, the class size never exceeds 25 students. This gives the students as well as the instructor more one-on-one time with each other. FC Torch / 29


1

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ot only does the program include total hair instruction but it also o f f e r s classes on all aspects of the industry, such as makeup, both traditional and air brushing, basic skin care techniques, manicuring and hair extensions. The program at Fullerton College consists of five nineweek classes that are 40 hours a week, and take about one year to complete. Because Fullerton’s cosmetology program follows a school schedule, the students get the benefits of having major holidays off, spring and summer breaks off, as well as winter break. Most private beauty schools require a student to be at school year round, although they do observe national holidays, they do not observe extended holidays such as spring break, winter break and summer break. Some private Fall 2009 / 30

schools also require students to pay for the hours they miss and don’t make up. On the other hand, Fullerton’s program allows students a total of 24 hours that they can miss (without being penalized) every nine weeks. Popular private beauty schools tend to rely on the reputation of their name in order to entice students to apply. Most applicants think that they will receive a better education and instruction, when in actuality, they have the same state board requirements that everyone else must have. The only difference is that the private schools charge seven times the tuition costs of a community college. Fullerton’s cosmetology program has an overall state board graduation rate of 85 to 95% which rivals some of the private schools’ success rates. With its high state board passing rates, Fullerton’s cosmetology program is a top contender at the community college level. Fullerton College also offers a prestigious fashion program. Not only does the curriculum

rival vocational schools and career colleges, but also the staff consists of some of the best in the industry. The department coordinator of the fashion department, Janet Gregg, is a former buyer for Broadway. Renee Young, the fashion design instructor, is a former instructor at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. Christopher Griffin, the retail buying instructor, is a former director of M.A.G.I.C. Sherry Eversaul, the other retail buying instructor, is a former Vice President of Nordstorm. The faculty in the fashion department prides themselves on keeping current with courses that are very similar to the ones offered at schools such as Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM). Vocational schools and career colleges, still maintain lower costs that the community colleges offer. At Fullerton College the popular associate’s degree in the fashion department is Fashion Merchandising. The total tuition for an Associate of Arts degree in Fashion Merch-


The final product, after 45 minuets of make up application (1) and airbrushing (2) the cosmo department delivers a photo ready masterpiece.

adising at Fullerton College is about $1,000 plus the cost of books. The tuition for that same degree at FIDM is about $27,000. Regardless of your final goal, receiving a degree at a community college or a career college will prepare you to enter the workforce and have a great amount of success. Gregg had a former student that went on to work the sewing floor at Nordstroms, sitting next to her was a FIDM graduate with the same degree. This is an example of how someone can still pursue their dreams of working in the fashion industry without attending a career college or vocational school. After receiving an AA, there is always the opportunity to work your way up in the industry. However, if you want a job in fashion merchandising, these days most companies require at least bachelor’s degree. Popular department store JCPenny will not consider an application without a B average and a bachelor’s degree. On the other hand, someone could enter the industry with an AA at a smaller company such as Pac Sun. Just like community colleges, private schools curriculum only meet the minimum qualifications required for the industry. fc


Peter Cornett your

A.S President

CHANGE Photo by Tommy Van Deusen, Photo illustration by Brian Jones


The Quest for

REFORM

The consequences of a President’s initiative draws criticism from the agents of the status quo.

P

z By Kenny Connolly z

olitics. The connotation of the word draws different answers from different people. In the words of Peter Cornett, politics are “the process by which a group makes decisions about governance and the allocation of limited resources.” If you’re going through your mental rolodex of noteworthy politicians who may have stated that, just stop. Cornett is not an 18th Century politician, nor is he one of the 56 founding fathers who signed the Declaration of Independence. No. Cornett cannot yet even step onto the same playing field as those figures. So who is Peter Cornett? And why should you care what he thinks about politics? FC Torch / 33


A

t first glance, he looks like any other 21-yearold college student. But unlike every other average joe at Fullerton College, Cornett has power like no other. The power that he is able to boast is that of an entire student body. Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce you to your Associated Students president. For those who don’t know what A.S. is or its significance, it is the governing body of the students at Fullerton College. Associated Students is responsible for the planning and execution of on-campus activities. As the President of A.S., Cornett’s role is to be the liaison between the Fullerton College campus and the North Orange County Community College District. After serving as a senator and as the chairman of the judiciary committee last year,

needed a team that would follow his lead and take the senate by storm. Before the fall elections of 17 new senators, Cornett gave up his seat as the chairman of the election committee and combined his efforts with volunteer senate runners who had a similar vision. With 16 new senators in place it was time to get to the business of change. The new mix of senators and the reform movement at FC has begun to take shape and, like any reform movement, it has its hiccups. “To a large extent, A.S. was approached as a social club,” Cornett admitted, obviously not his ideal circumstance. “People vote based on what their friends want. It is self-focused rather than focused on the voters. There were pet-projects within senate.” An example of these “pet projects” Cornett discussed was an

for the semester is to remove the smoking ban on campus and alter the policy that would call for designated smoking areas. But the topic has caused a good deal of tension and controversy within the body. “There is a high-level of hostility,” said Kim, a current member of A.S. Rajan Vaidya, last year’s president and current student trustee for NOCCCD, is one of those opposed to the proposition. “This is his goal. We are supposed to represent the students at FC as best as we can, but this is not endorsed by A.S. His own ego is greater than that of the students.” Vaidya was critical of Cornett’s performance thus far in office. “I would give him a 2… out of 10. He is definitely a smart guy for his own needs, for himself.” The Exec-Pro Tem of the senate Brandon Collins disagrees with the

z

“People vote based on what their friends want. It is self-focused rather than focused on the voters. There were pet-projects within senate.”

z

Cornett decided he would take a shot and run for the presidency. “As a senator there wasn’t much opportunity for a forum,” Cornett said. “Everyone shot down ideas because they felt they needed to uphold the status quo.” Feeling the need to shake up the dynamics of A.S., Cornett campaigned and earned the nod over fellow senator Eric Kim. His first order of business: change. “Essentially, reform is very difficult. You need a group who believes change is necessary. What there was, was a group advocating a lack of change,” Cornett stated. And because reform is one of Cornett’s founding blocks, he Fall 2009 / 34

on-campus hypnotist and dance. “When it comes to an issue like a new recycling bill, we don’t have the money or authority to do it. People held onto these pet projects with death grips even though others were against it.” The new recycling initiative Cornett is trying to pass is facing heavy opposition because of budget cuts and because of events that have taken away from the A.S. fund. $3,100 was allocated last semester from senate to go toward the dance and hypnotist. “It’s going to change. The way A.S. has spent money in the past, people are starting to think about that now,”Cornett said. One of Cornett’s primary goals

negative assessment of Cornett. “I would say he is selfless in a way,” Collins said, “He [Cornett] has given up popularity to do what is right for the students.” When the votes were cast, both the recycling and smoking initiatives were received with a majority of support by the A.S. senate. Despite the criticism, Cornett stands by his way of governing. “Not one piece of legislation that I have supported, or will support, maintains the status-quo. We must always be moving forward as a student government, continually making positive changes that focus our efforts on better serving our constituents.” fc


Be a Part of a New Online Publication

Want to utilize your Spanish language ability and be a part s something new? Enroll in JOUR 196 and be a part of Fullerton College’s Spanish Language online publication - La Antorcha. There are no prerequisites and you don’t have to be a journalism major. You just have to be interested in exploring the Spanish speaking community. You will learn the basic skills to write, edit, photograph and stream video for an online publication. You can cover: news, sports, entertainment, politics, fashion, culture, technology, or anything else. A whole new world is waiting for you. Enroll today!

Sea parte de una nueva publicación en línea

¿Quiera utilizar su capacidad de español y ser una parte s algo nuevo? Aliste en JOUR 196 y sea una parte de la publicación en línea de la español de la universidad de Fullerton - La Antorcha. No hay requisitos previos y usted no tiene que ser un comandante del periodismo. Usted solo tiene que estar interesado en la exploración de la comunidad de habla hispana. Usted aprenderá las destrezas básicas para escribir, para corregir, para fotografiar y para fluir el vídeo para una publicación en línea. Usted puede cubrir: noticias, deportes, hospitalidad, política, manera, cultura, tecnología, o todo lo demás. Un nuevo mundo entero le está esperando. ¡inscribese hoy!

JOUR 196

Mondays, Wednesdays at 2 - 3:50 p.m. Room: 722A

Spanish-Language Media Be a part of Fullerton College’s new

La Antorcha


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Illustrat

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e l c i n o r h C A c i n a p of His n a c i r f A d an n a c i r e Am s g n a g g n i g a w a n o war n r e h t Sou a i n r o Calif d n u o r g e l t t ba



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angs have been around for decades, from the Nazi’s to the Black Panthers. The Crips and Bloods and gangs like them will most likely never go away. A lot of people refer to Los Angeles as the “Gang Capital” of the world. Every gang wants to be the “toughest”, and will do anything to be regarded as so. Usually gangs fight over territory and drugs, among other reasons. However, what’s been going on in southern California, most notably in L.A. between blacks, and Hispanics, has little to do with simple turf wars. Now it seems to be all about race. Black and Hispanic gangs have been having this on-going feud with one another for quite some time now. In October 2007, an article, titled, “Racial Cleansing”, in News Weekly, said that a Hispanic gang called “Florencia 13”, had been targeting the East Coast Crips, and in some cases killing innocent black civilians. Murder based on race. Twenty four members of the F13 gang were indicted in 2007 for charges stemming from selling drugs, to assault, killing black gang members, as well as innocent African-Americans. From the prisons, to the streets, to high schools, this race war is coming from many angles.

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emographically, in the last 10-plus years, Los Angeles has seen a major shift in ethnic diversity. According to a study done in 1990 by Dowell Myers, entitled “Demographic and Housing Transitions in South Central Los Angeles, “55% of South Central’s population was black. Latino’s accounted for 45%

“You’ve seen major demographic changes in L.A. Hispanics are moving into what used to be black neighborhoods and blacks are feeling threatened,” Banda said. One could argue that Mexicans are no longer a minority in California, but the majority. “Both races have negative feelings for each other,” Banda adds. “It’s competition now.

in demographics but, if you look at history, one will see that this is how the world goes. Every race has its time where they dominate the population of a particular city. Back during the 30s, 40s, and 50s cities like Compton and South Central were Predominantly white. That changed as more blacks began to move into those areas over the

of that time. In 2000, the percentage of blacks dropped from 55%, to 39 %, dropping a total of 16%. While the black population decreased, Hispanics increased, accounting for 58% of the population at that time. This demographic change hasn’t set well with many AfricanAmericans. Blacks feel like Hispanics have moved into their neighborhoods and some what taken over. On the flip side, Hispanics feel like blacks should accept the fact they are no longer the majority like they once were in many L.A. cities such as Compton, South Central, and Pasadena, just to name a few. Sergio Banda, A sociology teacher here at Fullerton College does believe the shift in race has affected this war.

It’s not just gangs anymore. Now you have races competing for jobs, and resources,” Banda said. That’s been a complaint of many AfricanAmericans about Latinos, that they are taking all the jobs AfricanAmericans once held. ride is a major factor in this race war. “Both races are trying to establish supremacy,” said Piaget Glaspie, a 24-year-old resident of Delhi, Calif. When asked if he thinks black gangs are trying to hold on to power they may no longer have, “Yes. You have Mexicans moving into black neighborhoods, and in essence taking over, and you have blacks refusing to let that happen,” Glaspie said. Blacks may not like the change

years, becoming primarily AfricanAmerican, in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Now, these cities are mostly Hispanic. People move to other cities, and states. It shouldn’t be seen as a threat that Mexicans are the majority, but to blacks it is. The tension in this race war is not just on the streets. It’s even reached L.A. high schools. In 2005, Thomas Jefferson High had to be shut down due to racial brawls between blacks and Hispanics. Hundreds of kids were involved, prompting the school to have police come in riot gear. According to the school demographics, Thomas Jefferson has an estimated 3,900 students. 94% are Hispanic and 7% are black. Dontio Wiley, a black female who was a student at the time these

“People are trying to hang on to culture; it becomes about rac

Fall 2009 / 38

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attacks took place. “I don’t care about the police, but I’m scared of these Mexicans. They come to school with weapons,” Wiley said. ther high schools in L.A. had similar brawls in 2005, including Washington, Jordan, and Locke High Schools. All of these schools were once Predominantly black in the 70s, 80s, and early 90s, but now have shifted into being mostly Hispanic. For example, in an article done by Roger McGrath, he noted the demographic changes in L.A. high schools. According to McGrath, Jordan High School, which is located in Watts, was 80 to 90% black in the 60s, and 70s. Today, it is 20% black and 79% Hispanic, a huge flux in race. This significant change could be another reason why this war is taking place. Back in the 70s and 80s the Crips and Bloods ran the streets of L.A. According to The American

gang members came through the neighborhood, and began shooting and killed the 14-year-old. She and her mother were obeying the boundry rules that the Hispanic gang had set. They stayed on their side of the neighborhood. Still, Green died from a gunshot wound. Three other teenagers were shot at the same time. This is the kind of violence that’s senseless and stupid. The next day after the murder, “NK”, was scribbled on the sidewalk, which stands for, “Nigger Killer”. Mayor Antonio Viaragoso has taken steps to try and defuse the situation as much as possible, but as Glaspie put it, “You can’t stop ignorance”. ompton is another city that has seen a flux in race, with the city being nearly 60% Hispanic and 40% black. Alex Alonso, a gang expert, says that blacks control 54% of the gang turf in Compton. The most in

weren’t the only cases of racial violence in Compton at that time. There had been a dozen racially motivated murders in 2001. These two gangs are still at war. olice can only do so much. Todd Oglesby was a former lieutenant for the L.A.P.D. for an astounding 31 years. He gave his opinion on the state of this problem. “It’s maintaining. It’s increasing,” said Oglesby. Oglesby started working on the force in 1960. “You have people fighting for territory and drugs,” Oglesby adds,“People are trying to hang on to culture; it becomes about race, because now you have black gangs against Mexican gangs.” When asked about the innocent victims of this war, Oglesby showed true compassion. “When you drive in L.A., you see bars on the windows. You see that people are prisoners in their own neighborhoods. They know they can’t come out of their

History channel, today there are a reported 209 Latino gangs in L.A. County and 152 black gangs. It is estimated there are 25,000 black gang members in L.A. County, to 53,000 Hispanic members, but this is not just a gang war, it’s a race war. You can see that when innocent people are targeted purposely. In 2006, a local Latino gang in Harbor Gateway placed a curfew on all the blacks in the city and created a street boundary where blacks couldn’t cross. If any black person crossed that boundry, whether they were in a gang or not, they would be harmed in some way. One afternoon on December 16, 2006 a 14-year-old black girl named Cheryl Green was outside her home playing with friends when Hispanic

all of the county. There are 36 black gangs in the city of 93,000 people. Fruit Town Piru, a blood gang, and The Tortilla Flats, a Mexican gang, have been at war for so time. In a special done on Fox News they reported on a murder that happened in 2001. The Fruit Town Pirus gunned down Lamito Lozano, a 51-year-old Hispanic working man with five children. Luiz Lozano, the victim’s son, wants this racial feud to come to an end. “It doesn’t matter if you’re black, or Mexican. I just want all this to stop. All these innocent’s are being killed,” said Luiz Lozano. The Tortilla Flats responded by killing Lakeisha Darton, a 21-year-old black woman, who had no gang ties. Two innocent people dead because of race. Those

homes at a certain time of day, or they will become victims,” Oglesby, said. any people have different views of whether this war will ever come to an end. According to Oglesby “Not in our lifetime”. He may, in fact, be right. How do you stop hate? It’s sad that this has gotten to the point where innocent people are becoming targets. To improve this conflict, Oglesby suggests for more cops on the streets, more gang injunctions and trying to work on community relations as much as possible but even in the past that hasn’t had much affect. No one has a definite answer to this problem. The scary thing is, their may not be one. fc

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ce, because now you have black gangs against Mexican gangs.”

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FC Torch / 39


A shipload of spirts, and beer.

Menu sign outside of the Olde’ Ship


PLACES IN

FULLERTON

Store front of the Olde’ Ship

SPOTLIGHT ON THE OLDE SHIP

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little taste of England is located in a quaint building on the edge of downtown Fullerton. Owner Simon Collier, inherited the pub after his father opened it 16 years ago. In England, pubs are gathering points for locales. Here in America, Olde Ship does just that. “There is always a atmosphere of community, whether you’re a millionaire or working two jobs, your equal in the eyes of a pub” says By Rebecca Breeden Collier. In keeping with the English pub tradition, pints are offered rather than bottles, Guinness being the best seller. The best Fish n’ Chips in the area are sold here as well as other traditional English favorites. The bartender is always there to lend a ear and pour a glass. The bar is fully stocked with English as well as Irish, German, and Belgian beers. If you look to the left and right while at the bar, you will see blue and red lights, (red being port side), giving you the sense of riding the Old Ship, going north on Harbor. fc FC Torch / 41


Take your winter break in Utah... Story and Photographs by

Alex Avina

In between giants in Zion National Park

no seriously,

A fiery sunset over Southwest Utah.


H

ave you ever felt a cool breeze blow on your face without the sounds of traffic, and the mayhem of the urban sprawl? Have you ever seen something of such beauty in nature that you question what else you are missing out there in the world? Seasons here in California usually means a cooler night and a little more rain during the ever shorter days, but it leaves nothing aesthetically pleasing to the eyes, only a bland monotone atmosphere of color. Unless you open your eyes

y, Utah

to the beauty of nature you may never appreciate what the world has to show and offer. I recently spent a lost weekend wandering through the awe-inspiring national parks in southwestern Utah. Although not much covers the space between the parks and small hamlets in between, the horizon line is full of beautifully painted walls of orangered stone contrasted by a sapphire blue sky whose beauty is only enhanced by the sunlight of a days end. Even the leaves on the trees seem like an artist painted them in their splendor. What begins as a

simple walk through a trail easily turns into a trip spanning miles simply to see what is around the next ridgeline, or what other wonderful features are hidden deeper down the canyon’s path. Many of these sights can be found in Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park, only two of several national parks in southwestern Utah. Not to say that none of the other parks have anything as beautiful, The northern face of the Grand Canyon is a mere hour’s drive away as well as the Escalante Staircase. You may not know it, but the area is rife with beauty and offers a small bit of peace of mind. There are such things of unimaginable beauty that cannot be seen anywhere else. fc

Bryce Canyon, Utah

Portrait of beauty on natures canvas, Bryce Canyon.

A tranquil stream running throught Zion


By Angelique Castle

The Student Single Parent

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ene Copeland is a single mother returning to school hoping to earn a degree to ensure a better future for her daughter and herself. She has a full-time school schedule and relies on help from state and college resources to obtain her education and care for her daughter. Rene is often going to class short on sleep having to care for her daughter at night with little time to study and do homework. She relies on her mother to help when she is able to, but uses many resources throughout her school days as well. Due to the economy, many single parents believe they are unable to receive an education. Single parents believe that because of the financial setbacks, they have to work and not attend school in order to care for themselves and their children. Single parents need to be able to live independently and receive an education. But in order to receive one they also need child care and a place to live with some sort of income. Colleges and many non-profit organizations across the country have been providing resources for single parents to help them earn their degrees. One resource is EOPS (Extended Opportunities Programs and Services) which is a statewide program that qualifies students based on economic disadvantages. One service they provide is money for a student’s books each semester. In addition, they provide support and guidance, to help students transfer. Financial Aid is a statewide program and, if students qualify, may be entitled to a larger sum for being a single parent with

Fall 2009 / 44

Photo by Tommy Van Deusen

RESOURCES

no income. Students that are provided financial aid receive their funds one time a semester so that they can budget their lifestyle. Many colleges also have a child development center on campus available to students to help care for their children while in school. It’s free for students that attend the college but there are waiting lists that students can be put on to receive these services for their children. For more information visit the EOPS, Financial Aid, and on-site child care center offices at the college you attend. An organization called Children’s Home Society is a nonprofit organization that provides quality services to children and families. Their developmental and child care programs provide services to those who qualify. Their alternative payment program provides paid child care to parents attending college full and part-time. Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, and Kaiser Permanente’s Child Health Plan provide health care services to children including routine physicals and prescriptions. Medi-Cal is financed by the state and provides public health insurance. If the requirements are met, the program can provide free health care services to those in need of medical services. For more information please visit www.healthyfamilies.ca.gov and www.info.kp.org-overview/childhealthplan. Being a single parent and supporting yourself while in college is a struggle, but one you can overcome. fc


ECONOMICS

By Drue Lee

Photos by TommyVan Deusen

FC student, Drue Lee struggles over book expenses.

I

Frugal Book Buys for College Students

t is the beginning of fall semester and the lines at the bookstore are long from students flocking to purchase all of the textbooks they need for their classes. Charges for these purchases can easily cost hundreds of dollars. However, for many students, what other choice is there? One Fullerton college student (me) figures since she goes to school here, she might as well buy her books here too. While standing in line she overhears passers by talking about Affordabook.com. She takes another look at the long line ahead of her and calculates the $215 subtotal of the textbooks she’s currently holding and decides to put them back on the shelves. She will try her luck online. Affordabook is just one of the many money saving options available to a student. Other sites offer prices that can be 20-60 percent off the price of a new textbook at the store, and Affordabook helps you find them. It is a great site to cut down on the difficulties of going from site to site and creating a billion accounts. Affordabook. com will do all that hassle for you. EBay is a well known online store. You may not have as much luck here, as you would with ‘in person’

book purchasing. The reason is because of the bidding. You have a great chance of being out-bid, and paying more than you expected. Maybe if you are lucky, there is a ‘buy now’ button. You can also make your money back by selling the book on the site. Despite the cons, it never hurts to look. A site you may come across is Amazon.com. Although you can buy other items, it is great for finding low prices on textbooks. Half.com is similar to Amazon; you can find things other than books. Chegg.com is something different. At this web store, you can rent textbooks for given time periods such as a semester or a quarter. This will save you a significant amount of money, because there is no shipping charge. Of course, not everything has to be bought online. You can find ways to save by shopping around at local bookstores like California Book Exchange, located quite conveniently across the street from Building 100 on Associated Avenue. Look and scan their prices before going to the FC bookstore. Who knows? Perhaps they will have the better deal. The FC bookstore may have the overall better deal when you take into consideration buy back, used editions, older editions and rentals. If your books are kept in good condition it is possible you will only pay $10 in the end. Don’t forget, just because big chain stores mostly sell recreational and research books, does not mean you should not check Borders and Barnes & Nobles. Often times they have book sales and coupons. Find the best way to save your money; you will need it for scantrons, notebooks, paper, folders, pens... fc

FC Torch / 45


TEACHER FEATURE

By Tanner Fogle Left: Karen Markley Right: Leonor Monreal Anthro Department

Course Work From the Dawn of Man Karen Markley and Leonor Monreal are Fullerton College’s Anthropology divas, bringing culture and prespective to the student body.

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f the many concerns that students have upon entering or returning to college the highest among them are what courses to take. What class will teach me something? Which instructors are engaging and interesting? These answers can be found on a number of Web sites but, in most cases, students are reliant on word-of-mouth from fellow students with experience enough to recommend. I am such a student and this is my recommendation, take Anthropology. The motivated professors of the Anthropology department lay out for you the broad subjects of science, culture and history presented in way that you might enjoy. Two figures loom highest in Fullerton College’s Anthropology department; Karen Markley and Leonor Monreal. Markley was hired in 1998 working with Del Alcorn, a Native American archeologist. Monreal was hired in 2005, a student of both Markley and Alcorn and is at present pursuing her PHD in the field. Currently the department offers a variety of courses including Cultural and Physical Anthropology (dealing in equal parts science and natural history). Both are offered as

Fall 2009 / 46

honors and online classes. Other courses include anthropology of Magic, Witchcraft, and Religions, Language and Culture, Archaeology, Cultures of Latin America (with a choice of a field trip) and, beginning next spring, a new course developed by Markley entitled Celtic Studies. As for a testimonial, my personal experience evolved while taking Physical Anthropology with Mrs. Monreal. The subjects of early man and primates were never so interesting. Taking the usual suspects normally found in biology and applying a cultural relevancy made the customary science malaise disappear. Have fun on the guided out of class excursions to museums (for increased knowledge) and the San Diego Zoo to observe orangutans for credit. It was one of the few courses where you had to apply what you learned in class in a field situation, relatively speaking, as it was a zoo. If you have to pay for courses you might as well have an adventure for your money. fc Skeletons out of the Anthro closet



Id o n' ta l wa y sr e a dt h ene ws p a p e r , b u twh e nId o , Ir e a d S t a yi nf o r me dmyf r i e nd s .


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