Covering Orange Coast College since 1948
C OAST REPORT
Volume 65, No. 10
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
FEATURES
November 10, 2010
CSUs accepting spring transfers Students now have a second chance to send applications through November. BY GARRETT MARSHALL STAFF WRITER
Kitty bonanza
www.coastreportonline.com
Cal State officials recently announced that 15 of its 23 campuses have reopened for spring 2011 applications, and have urged students to jump on the golden opportunity. Cal State Bakersfield, Chi-
co, Poly Pomona, Dominguez Hills, Fullerton, Humboldt, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Monterey Bay, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, Sonoma and Stanislaus are among the campuses accepting transfers again. “Students have a once-in-alifetime chance to get into these very competitive campuses,” said Cheryl Arnold-Jupiter, Orange Coast College’s Transfer Center director. The passing of the state budget has increased funding to the CSU
system, opening a window for more students to pass through and breathe easier for the coming semesters. This window is small however, and students are urged to apply everywhere they can through www.csumentor.com quickly, since most of these campuses will only be accepting applicants through the end of November. “We want to make sure our students can get the information so they can apply on time,” said Hue Pham, dean of counseling. Students said this development
has come as great relief to them. Students who could not get their applications in when the system closed in earlier months now have a chance to reapply. “I missed the deadline for spring by a day—kind of messed up my plans,” Tyler Wood, a 19year-old computer science major said. “But I can do this.” The transfer center said the timing of the reopening has come with some logistical confusion to students and staff however. “We have people who are applying for fall and applying
Blue Bell Foundation for Cats in Laguna Beach provides a home for felines in need.
A new look for Coast
See Page 3
DISTRACTIONS
‘The Walking Dead’
Many buildings will be given new names and new tenants in spring.
AMC’s new drama series is a exploration of human struggles in a zombie apocalypse.
BY FRED RANDALL STAFF WRITER
See Page 4
SPORTS Photo by Arturo Franco
Lisa Korpos, an Orange Coast College student, tattoos a fellow OCC student at her shop, Above All Tattoo in Fullerton on Sunday.
Football suffers a loss The Pirates three-year run as owners of the Victory Bell came to an end at Saturday’s game against Golden West College. See Page 6
ONLINE
Both sides of the gun Tattoos can leave a deep impression on both artist and recipient alike. By Taylor Hamby When fine arts major Lisa Korpos feels the need to express herself artistically, sometimes she’ll pick up a paint brush or a pen and other times she’ll pick up a gun. The 23-year-old Orange Coast College student is a tattoo artist at Above All Tattoo in Fullerton. She explained that using the human body as a canvas and a tattoo gun as a medium for her art is just
Video Visit the Coast Report website and watch news broadcasts and slideshows featuring culinary arts and supportive area shops. Look for them under the multimedia link.
Tweet, Tweet You can follow us at twitter. com/CoastReport or facebook.com/CoastReport. Poll What do you think about cats? Go to coastreportonline to vote.
for spring,” Arnold-Jupiter said. “They have two applications in the system.” Regardless, the transfer center hopes students will take this opportunity. They recently sent out e-mails to more than 23,000 students to spread the word. “All we can do is encourage our students to apply to more than one institution, to get the highest GPA they possibly can and just be more flexible,” Arnold-Jupiter said. “Apply for spring, but apply for fall too. And please check your e-mail.”
a natural extension of what she’s always done. “I have been drawing since I could hold a crayon,” Korpos said.“When I was bored in math class I would grab a Sharpie and doodle all over myself and the people around me.” She has been tattooing for three years. For her, tattooing is a perfect, portable, medium for her migrating tendencies. She said that she can’t stand being confined to one loca-
tion and is too much of a free agent to work at a regimented job. Korpos was also drawn to tattooing because of the permanence of it. “Tattoos are just so worthwhile to so many people. Having your artwork permanently immortalized in someone’s flesh is amazing,”she said. Despite the rewards that go See GUN Page 2
No place for a princess Roller derby gets out aggression with plenty of strength and athleticism. BY ANNIE KIM STAFF WRITER
In the back of a large warehouse in Huntington Beach, the smell of Icy Hot emerges as women in tights and short skirts, many donning arm tattoos, race around a track in their roller skates.
OC Rollergirls is a local roller derby league started in 2006 by Heather Shelton, also known as Disco Dervish, and follows the rules and regulations of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association. According to the association’s website, flat track roller derby is a contact team sport that is fast-paced and requires both strategy and athleticism. “Every woman should be powerful, not a princess,” Deborah Monterrosa, better known as Dirty Deborah Harry, said. According to Monterrosa, a
Long Beach resident and one of the training managers for the OC Rollergirls, the league is open to all women at every skill level. “There’s a position for all different sizes,” Monterrosa said. “The oldest player is 58 and the youngest is 10.” In fact, mothers and daughters are joining the league together. Atomic Betty and Motown enrolled their daughters, ElectroCute and Olivia, respectively, in the junior roller derby league See PRINCESS Page 3
“I feel like I get emotionally attached to my clients. Especially when they are getting memorial tattoos.” Lisa Korpos OCC student and tattoo artist
For more on tattoos see question of the week on Page 5.
By spring 2011 the Orange Coast College campus may look like a completely different school for students—and some building names could be completely new as well. With the construction and opening of the ABC building projected for spring, other areas on campus will also receive a fresh new look and, in some cases, a fresh new name. To make the campus a little easier to navigate, several departments will change their building names and some buildings will be removed. The most important piece of the equation is the new ABC building, which has been an ongoing project for OCC since December 2008. The building will be split between three different departments -- allied health, biology and consumer sciences. With these three departments moving into the ABC building, there will be plenty of space on campus for departments that lack space of their own. For instance there are two Home Economics buildings on campus that will be empty when the classes change their names to Consumer Sciences classes in the ABC building. “We haven’t used the term Home Economics in a long time -- Consumer Sciences is more up to date,” Rich Pagel, vice president of administrative services, said. In Spring 2011 the Home Economics buildings will be split between journalism and English. See BUILDINGS Page 2
Many literature and language
Photo by Annie Kim
Members of OC Rollergirls, a local roller derby league, race during one of their practices at a warehouse in Huntington Beach.
CAMPUS
2
Coast’s Alaska Eagle sets sail
CRIME BLOTTER Hard to miss
After searching extensively for a missing ladder, the staff of the Skills Center reported it stolen on Nov. 2 according to Chief of Campus Safety John Farmer. Farmer said the 17-foot orange ladder, made by Louisville Ladders, was last seen among other ladders on the northeast wall of room 110, the location of ladder storage. A technology instructor reportedly told Campus Safety that the staff had searched for the ladder in the warehouse, and asked other classes and the Maintenance and Operations department if they had borrowed it. The ladder was worth more than $500 and it is considered grand theft, Farmer said.
Mysterious theft
A male student reported items stolen from his car after he left his four-door Chrysler 300 in the Gym Parking Lot Thursday with all the windows up and the doors locked. The man told police that when he returned two hours later, he found that his MacBook, history book and brown satchel bag missing from the passenger seat,
Farmer said. According to the student’s report, his car was still locked and there were no markings to indicate the car was broken into.
The art of distraction
A petty theft was reported at the Swap Meet Sunday. According to Farmer, the suspects were two older males who, while purchasing one musical instrument from a vendor, pilfered a pocket trumpet in a black case, valued at $100. Farmer said the suspects headed northwest through the parking lot and were able to elude authorities.
Help had arrived
Campus safety was alerted of a 71-year-old man experiencing shortness of breath while at Sunday’s Swap Meet at Orange Coast College. Upon arrival, patrol found that emergency services had already been contacted. The man, who had a history of asthma, was then transported by paramedics to Hoag Hospital for treatment, according to Farmer. —The Crime Blotter was compiled by Troy Tomasello from Campus Safety reports.
BUILDINGS: The OCC campus will see changes to buildings starting Spring 2011. From Page 1
classes already take place in the Home Economics building so it was only natural to change the name to accommodate that, Pagel said. Literature and language professors voted on what the new English building should be
NOVEMBER 10, 2010
called and the consensus was the title Writers Row. Pagel also noted that the having both a Science Lecture Hall and a Science Hall on campus is too confusing for students, so next spring the Science Hall will become home to math classes and lectures.
About 60 students will travel on the vessel during its eight-month trip. FROM CAMPUS REPORTS Alaska Eagle, Orange Coast College’s 65-foot school sloop, set sail from Newport Beach recently, on an eight-month sail training voyage around South America. The rugged aluminum vessel will carry a total of more than 60 students on the combined eight legs of the trip, which will include stops at Easter Island, Cape Horn, South Georgia Island, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janiero, the West Indies and the Panama Canal. While the destinations are some of the most remote and interesting places in the world, time ashore is brief and secondary to the mission. “The purpose of the voyage is to instruct our students in all
aspects of passagemaking and exploring remote areas,” said veteran Alaska Eagle skipper Karen Prioleau. Students sailing 4,000 miles non-stop from Newport Beach to Easter Island will not see land for nearly three weeks. A rotating watch system will have the crew getting up at all hours of the day to steer, trim sails, navigate and wash dishes. The days at sea become routine, but there is always plenty to do. “When you are not on watch, you may be in a group practicing celestial navigation, steering or you may be helping repair a sail,” Prioleau said. “Students bring books and iPods, but much of their down time is spent trying to catch up on sleep.” In addition to 8 to 10 students on each leg, Alaska Eagle carries two Coast Guard-licensed captains and a professional cook. While some students may be in their 20s, most are middle-aged sailors seeking a unique learning experience.
Photo courtesy of Orange Coast College
OCC’s Alaska Eagle will travel eight legs in eight months. The 65-food sailboat was donated to Coast in 1982.
Fees for the voyage are about $300 per day, not including airfare or hotels. Fee income covers the operating cost of the voyage; the college puts no money into the trip. “It’s really a team effort by people who are passionate about challenging sailing,” Prioleau said. “They contribute their
money, time, energy, skills and personalities to the 18,000-mile journey. The effort is staggering, but the rewards are huge,” she added. Alaska Eagle was donated to OCC in 1982 and has sailed more than 500,000 miles carrying students under the OCC School of Sailing and Seamanship flag.
GUN: Memorial tattoos are just one of many types of tattoos students are receiving. From Page 1
along with being a tattoo artist, most budding artists must pay their dues before working as an apprentice at a tattoo shop. Some beginning artists will pay thousands of dollars for their apprenticeships, as an educational investment, but most will learn at a shop through unpaid training. “[We] typically end up being slaves to a bunch of artists for a year or two of our lives,” Korpos said. “Hazing is as common in tattoo shops as it is an any fraternity.” Apprenticing is not just two years of hazing. It’s relevant work experience. Former apprentices said they help keep the shop running by cleaning the shop, sterilizing the tools, setting
up artist stations, and they even bullshit worthwhile,” she said. draw tattoos for the artist. “I feel like I get emotionally atAccording to John Decena, tached to my clients. Especially owner of St. James Tattooery in when they are getting memorial Orange and a Golden West Col- tattoos.” lege alumni, though artists’ methOne reason why peoods of teaching may be unortho- ple get tattoos is in memodox, the lessons serve a purpose. ry of those who have died. “It’s necessary things that you OCC astronomy major Joel must learn that are taught to you Sigel, 26, has gotten sevthrough the most arbitrary les- e r a l t a t t o o s i n h o n o r o f sons that you think have nothing his two best friends who died to do with tattooing, but have ev- when he was 19. erything to do with tattooing. Mr. Sigel, who has full arm sleeves, Miyagi, if you will,” he said. dedicated much of his right arm Korpos advised apprentices to to the friends. One of the first start young when they still live tattoos was one of his friend’s with their parents. bloody handprint. Sigel said that “It’s the only way I could do memorial tattoos can be helpful, it. I know some people who slept but to him, they were mostly a in their vans while they were ap- hindrance to moving on from prenticing,” she said. the pain. Through all the tests she en“It’s a good tribute, but at the dured at the hand of the artists, same time, no, because you see Korpos said that the torture is them every day, so it’s hard to worth the ability to tattoo. look down and see their handShe is able to help people print on your arm, or you best express themselves and immor- friend’s name that a month prior talize things that are significant was alive. So it’s hard sometimes to them. One of Korpos’ fa- to go on,” Sigel said. vorite tattoos is one that she Sigel is in the process of did for a woman in her sixties covering many of the memorial whose father was dying. She tattoos, because they are morbid decided to get his name on and hard for him to live with. her wrist as her first tattoo. Now only two red fingers remain “She had a nervous break- of the handprint. down, and we just had to hug “I’m covering it with generic it out. It was one of the most whatever stuff because I can’t honest, human moments I’ve look at it anymore,” he said. “But ever had in my life,” she said. at the time, you think that time’s The woman came back two never going to heal things and weeks later to tell Korpos that you’re never going to be OK.” her father died, but he got to His left arm sleeves are mostly see the tattoo before he passed made up of tattoos of his own away. artwork. Sigel paints and draws “It’s moments like that that frequently. I live for – that made all the Korpos agrees that not all tat-
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toos need to have deep meaning. They can just be for personal enjoyment. “I know lots of people who have ridiculous, hilarious tattoos, and that’s just super fitting of their personality. It’s who they are, so I’m not one to pass judgment on them.” Sigel said that sometimes people form opinions of him for having a large amount of tattoos. “A lot of people are cool with it. They’ll look at me in the face and not my tattoos but a lot of people can’t. The tattoos kind of give you the appearance that, even if you are a good person at heart, you still look like you’re not,” he said. He has had employers and professors not take him serious because of his appearance. Employers have told him that when they hired him they expected him to not work that hard, and were surprised by his work ethic. Sigel began laser surgery for the first time to remove tattoos he has on his knuckles this month. He was told it will take about 15 one-minute sessions and $1,500 to remove them. “It is necessary sometimes, and over time, the technology gets better,” Decena said. “I haven’t had any removed, but I hear it’s ridiculously painful in comparison to getting the actual tattoo. [The industries] work hand-in-hand now. Some people get old tattoos removed, and get new ones on top of them.” See GUN Page 6
FEATURES
NOVEMBER 10, 2010
PARKING LOT DIARIES There are thousands of parking stalls on campus and each day they are packed with students. This week the Coast Report found out a little bit more about ...
3
No forgotten felines here Blue Bell Foundation for Cats provides a retirement haven for pets in need BY PRIYA GUPTA STAFF WRITER
BY FRED RANDALL STAFF WRITER
Courtney Lindburg, a 21year-old horticulture major at Orange Coast College, is working her way through school with her eyes set on the Hawaiian Islands. Lindburg said she always had intentions of going to college after graduating from Costa Mesa High School in 2007, but ended up going to Hawaii instead. “I just bailed to Hawaii, just a year and a half of my life gone by,” Lindburg said. It’s Lindburg’s fifth semester at OCC and she’s anxious to get back to Hawaii, where she worked as a surf instructor and waitress. “It’s definitely where I’m supposed to be,” said Lindburg, looking back on her days in the sun. Lindburg returned from Hawaii to go to school at OCC to get an associate’s degree in horticulture and transfer to University of Hawaii in the fall. “I’m going to talk to my counselor tomorrow, but I’m pretty sure everything is going to be just fine,” Lindburg said.
While going to school, Lindburg lives in Costa Mesa with a group of friends and works at Mother’s Market. “I’ve been pretty dedicated to my schoolwork, since I know it’ll take me where I want to go,” Lindburg said. In her free time, Lindburg collects records. “I have at least 100 records — well I’m not sure how many, but it’s a lot,” she said. Lindberg’s collection is based in folk and 1960s rock from Arlo Guthrie to the Moody Blues. “I can’t say for sure, but if I had to choose I think Harvest Moon by Neil Young is my favorite,” Lindberg said. Getting into her Toyota 4Runner, Lindburg points out her bumper stickers reading, “You can always tell a lot about a person from their bumper stickers, mine are pretty awesome.” Lindburg’s stickers vary from different surf brands to one reading: I’m a tree hugger. “ I t ’s a h o r t i c u l t u r e thing,” Lindburg said with a laugh.
Leaving the land in peace Group teaches how to live without overusing many earthly resources. BY KATIE MCCLUER STAFF WRITER
To experience an alternative way of life, some have turned to a movement focused on learning to live a more sustainable way of living. WOOF, Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, was born in the United Kingdom in 1971 and offers an assortment of sites where people can learn anything from organic farming to how to build alternative housing. It accommodates people with a desire to travel and not much money to spend. Organizations such as farms or communities of people in need of help post listings through WOOF, and volunteers sign up and are repaid with a free place to
live for the time spent there, and depending on the site, sometimes given free meals. Diana Luu, a WOOF participant, stayed at a site called Gaia Shifts, a nonprofit society located in West Kootenays, British Columbia, Canada. They build Yurts, a Mongolian style shelter, teepees and Furos, a type of Japanese hot tub that is customary in Hawaii. Luu said Gaia Shifts is a land trust, which is land bought back from owners to protect it from consumerism. It is a women’s land trust that considers itself a sociocracy, meaning all decision making is shared among the members of the community. “They totally took care of me. They let me work in the shade, they fed me breakfast lunch and dinner and I repaid them with labor,” Luu said. Gaia Shifts also offers workshops and classes on healing, cleansing chakras, and Raike, the Japanese art of moving energies.
The site is completely solar powered and has a focus on building with local resources and reducing fossils fuels and environmental footprint, Luu said. Through her experience there, Luu said she made amazing bonds with the women on the land. “They taught me how to take care of myself,” Luu said. When teaching her how to hitch hike, Gitta, a woman on the land, stressed the importance of self defense with the mind and not just the body. This involves self awareness and knowing what energy you invite based on the energy that you give off, she said. “I would totally recommend WOOF because you learn how to help other people and you learn a lot from a situation outside of a classroom,” Luu said. “It’s a really good alternative to Peace Corps because you need your bachelor’s degree to do Peace Corps.”
PRINCESS: The local roller derby league was started in 2006. From Page 1
which is open to girls ages 10 to 17. “I pay [my granddaughter] $5 for every black and blue mark she gets,” Jerry Dlugacz said. Dlugacz sat on the sidelines as he watched 13-year-old Lexi on the rink Thursday night. The mood changed however as the junior roller derby girls finished their practice and members of the Psycho Ex-Girlfriends and Crash Test Bunnies entered the rink. The women who are part of the OC Rollergirls home teams have the highest skill levels in
the league. The two teams are scheduled to have an upcoming bout Nov. 13. According to the association, the best place to sit during a bout is in a so-called suicide seat located on the floor and closest to the track. The seats usually have a minimum age requirement to occupy. Similar to high school team sports, there are three teams each with separate skill levels. While the highest level, similar to a varsity team, focuses more on strategy and exact hitting, the beginning teams focus on learning basic technical skills and
rules of the games. Wrecking Doll, a member of the Psycho Ex-Girlfriends, said she played intramural volleyball at the University of Arizona. However, after finishing college, she said it was difficult for her to find organized sports outside of school. According to Monterossa, roller derby is one of the few team sports dominated by and uniquely for women. “It’s really good therapy,” Monterossa said. “Rather than going out to get drinks, come to roller derby practice and work out your issues.”
Photos by Priya Gupta
The non-profit Blue Bell Foundation for Cats in Laguna Beach provides a home for pets who have lost an owner or can’t live at their previous home and strays who are sponsored.
the small fund that the foundation’s founder, Bertha Gray Yergat, set up in the 1960s, which is by now almost drained. “It is hard to get donations for Bell because not many people are aware that it exists,” Johnson said. “Many of our volunteers had no idea that places like this existed until they stumbled upon a volunteer application through their school or on our site.” Karden agreed. She said that she was unaware of the foundation until she saw a flyer for it at the veterinarians clinic where her cat got its shots. “We really need to find a way to get the word out that there are places like this around and that they could really use donations. It’s the donations that keep us running and keep our doors open to cats in need,” Karden said.
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Courtney Lindburg
When it has become impossible for a family’s feline to stay at home the Blue Bell Foundation for Cats provides a retirement option that seems to be a step up from the typical shelter. Some cats are placed in the home because their human companions have died or, for various reasons, can no longer keep them. Other cats have been rescued as strays and sponsored. Many live the remainder of their lives at the home but some are available for adoption. The non-profit foundation operates with the help of volunteers and a small, salaried staff. It currently serves as a home for approximately 50 cats. “Unlike a traditional shelter, this is a home-like atmosphere where we provide a cage-free environment with cozy baskets for sleeping and high shelves for climbing,” Assistant Director Donna Johnson said. She said the cats get a high-quality diet and visits from volunteers and veterinarians. The two acre property of the foundation in Laguna Beach includes a cottage, an outdoor, enclosed patio and a separate building for cats with special needs. “We give them the royal treatment to the best of our abilities,” Kendra Karden, a 20-year-old Orange Coast College communications major said. “A lot of the cats here have been treated very unkindly before so we try to cater to their needs and show them how wonderful life can be here at Bell.” She said that it was a really rewarding experience working with the cats and knowing that she was able to make a difference in their lives. Karden, who is part of the foundation’s salary staff, said it was one of the best jobs she has ever had. “They just ask for little things like blankets, food, water and clean litter boxes and in return they give you unconditional love,” Karden said. The organization is funded by contributions from the public and
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DISTRACTIONS
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NOVEMBER 10, 2010
Campus Events For information on most campus events call (714) 432-5880 or toll free at (888) 622-5376.
Theatre
Photos courtesy of Ron English
The “Status Factory” exhibit on campus features works like “Marilyn Wall Opera” (above), which have biting social commentary and striking imagery.
Artist Ron English mixes pop and political culture in campus exhibit. BY WILL CESPEDES STAFF WRITER
Bloated Ronald McDonalds and nude Marilyn Monroes with Mickey Mouse breasts will soon adorn the Frank M. Doyle Arts Pavilion at Orange Coast College, courtesy of artist Ron English. The show, “Status Factory: The Art of Ron English,” will feature 206 works of art by the artist. The collection mainly consists of existing iconic images reworked to incorporate biting social commentary. Life-sized sculptures of plastic toy army men lay dead. Charlie Brown smiles so broadly his skull shows through the grin. A nine replaces the seven in a 7-Eleven logo. “My intention isn’t to be subversive,” English said. “I think I’m just naturally that way.” Andrea Harris, director of the Art Pavilion, stresses the influence of English’s work.
“He manipulates what it means to be sold a product in this system,” Harris said. “He’s exposing the flaws in the system. His art is exceptional. This is the kind of stuff major museums get. For a community college to get it—this is huge.” English began his career as an art photography major when he attended college in Austin. He said he was under the impression that he was learning a trade. His father wanted him to work at the factory he worked in, going as far as to arrange an interview. “I dropped acid and went to the job interview. I guess I didn’t get the job,” English said. “Sometimes you don’t know what you want to do, but you know what you don’t want to do.” English began painting over billboards to introduce a new element to the message, starting his trend of reworking commercial icons. “[I painted] a lot of goofy, f----d-up stuff,” he said While he claims most artists shy away from incorporating politics into their work for fear of financial ramification,
Status Quo
Ron English’s life-size “Camo Deer” sculptures are one example of the many artistic mediums he uses. English also makes billboards, paints, screenprints, and songs.
English embraces it fully. “It’s just better to do things you feel you should be doing and suffer the consequences,” English said. Much of English’s artwork deals with connecting current cultural icons to those from the past, such as painting KISS make-up on the subjects of classical works of art. Harris explains that although English has a way of mixing history and politics, he explains it in a way children can understand. “If you’re trying to explain Kabuki theater to kids, you would explain it to them as they’re the KISS of their day,” said English, emphasizing his construct of reverse-engineering. “[My intention is] to get you to see a new perspective on things. To see the familiar anew.” The most prominent piece of the show is the wall-sized painting “Grade School Guernica,” a re-imagining of the Picasso painting it’s named for. “This is one of the greatest works Ron’s ever done,” said Leon Yugrakh, gallery manager of Opera Gallery, the epicenter
for English’s work. Harris is optimistic about the turnout for the show, hoping it will bring attention to what the Art Pavilion has to offer. “I think everyone is going to be interested. It’s a freak show. It’s like a side show,” she said. “It’s a looky-loo’s paradise.”
“My intention isn’t to be subversive. I think I’m just naturally that way.” Ron English Artist
Yugrakh agrees. “It’s 10 times more impressive in person than any jpeg can capture,” Yugrakh said. “Status Factory — The Art of Ron English” will run through Dec. 17 in the arts pavilion. A public reception, which Ron English will be attending, will be held on Friday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. A separate reception for students and public will be held on Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
“Latins Anonymous” Nov. 17-21: A comic look at being a Latino in the O.C. Drama Lab Studio Theatre. Curtain at 8 p.m. on Nov. 17-20, and at 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 21. Students and seniors $5, $7 at the door. Adult tickets: $10, $12 at the door. Free showing for OCC students and staff on Nov. 19 at 12:30 p.m.
Music “An Evening with Steve” Nov. 13: Musical theatre workshop featuring the music of Stephen Schwartz, who wrote the musical of Wicked and has worked on many Disney films. Begins at 8 p.m. in Fine Arts 119. Tickets $10. “OCC Chamber Singers and Chorale” Nov. 20: Annual vocal concert directed by Eliza Rubenstein. Curtain at 8 p.m. in the Robert B. Moore Theatre. Tickets $10.
Art
“Status Factory- The Art of Ron English” Nov. 10Dec. 17: Paintings, prints, photography and installation with live painting demo by the artist. Co-published book will be released. Located in the Frank M. Doyle Arts Pavilion. Free.
‘Due Date’ is no ‘Hangover’ Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis are film’s saving grace. BY WILL CESPEDES STAFF WRITER
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“Due Date” is positive proof that Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis can make just about anything watchable. It’s your generic road trip film—a mismatched duo tries to get home. Funny things happen on the way, but it feels hasty and unpolished, as if it were thrown
Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.
Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis star in “Due Date.”
together between its stars’ more major projects. Its script is sloppy and haphazard and is in dire need of another
draft. The plot steals liberally from “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” which did it better. The scenes could be played out in no particular order and the film wouldn’t lose a bit of coherence. Aside from a few impressive one-liners, the jokes were safe, generic comedy fodder already seen in a thousand films. And yet, despite all this, I found myself laughing. It had nothing to do with what was happening on screen, it had to do with how it happened. Downey Jr. and Galifianakis are hilarious people and their chemistry is absolutely amazing. See DATE Page 6
‘Walking Dead’ comes to life Man awakes from a coma to find the world invaded by killer zombies. BY JAMES VU STAFF WRITER
From the director of “The Shawshank Redemption,” Frank Darabont, comes AMC’s newest drama series, “The Walking Dead,” an exploration of the human tensions and struggles in a zombie apocalypse. The story, adapted from Robert Kirkman’s comic book series of the same name, is centered around County Sheriff Rick Grimes, played by Andrew Lincoln (“Love Actually”), who wakes up from a coma in an abandoned hospital. In “28 Days Later” style, he soon realizes his world has gone through some dramatic changes. As the pilot episode progresses, Grimes runs in to Morgan, played by Lennie James (“Jericho”) and his son Duane, who have holed themselves inside in an abandoned house to keep themselves safe from the walkers. Morgan, whose wife had been turned into one of the walkers, debriefs Grimes on the zombie epidemic. After going on a supply and weapon run, Grimes departs
from the father and son combo in search of his wife and son, Lori and Carl, played by Sarah Wayne Callies and Chandler Riggs respectively. “The Walking Dead,” holds many zombie traditions. They are mindless but go into a frenzy if triggered, and to be bitten by one of them a person is reanimated into one of the walkers. And of course, the only way to kill them is to blow off their head. The show is beautifully shot on location in Atlanta. Near the end of the pilot, Grimes enters Atlanta, only to find it infested by the walkers. The transition from a small town to a major city causes some frightening realizations of human depopulation and failing civilization. Many interesting side plots emerge from the pilot, with Morgan and Duane trying to cope with the loss of their wife and mother, and to survive during an apocalypse similar to “The Road.” At the end of the pilot, the viewer finds out that Grimes’s wife and son are alive in a group of survivors where his former partner, Shane, played by Jon Bernthal, is acting as the interim husband and father. The writing is good with some use of humor, and Grimes
Photo courtesy of AMC
Hide your brains.
is a worthy hero to carry the show. The zombies are not overused and break the tension when necessary, and the plot is more about the psychological aspects of the survivors and their struggling society. After all, not all the survivors are good people, and under extreme circumstances, human behavior can be much more frightening than frenzying zombies. If the pilot and previews hold true, “The Walking Dead,” looks like another promising hit for the network. Finally, an alternative to the recent vampire craze. And unlike those sexy vampires, these zombies will not only annihilate civilization, but drive the remaining survivors mad.
VIEWS
NOVEMBER 10, 2010
Avoiding the floral muumuu That picture to the right is my staff photo from a year or two ago and a few things about me have changed since then— Andy the glasses Nguyen are different, Views Editor my hair is a bit more grey (despite being 20) and I’ve gained a bit of weight. According to the Centers for Disease Control’s body mass index calculator, I fall into the obese category with a BMI of 31.19. The range for a normal BMI is 18.5 to 24.9, for overweight it’s 25 to 29.9 and for obese it’s 30 and higher. Sure, I’m not as obese as Homer Simpson was in the “King-Size Homer” episode of “The Simpsons,” since he’s a fictional character and I hopefully won’t have to wear a muumuu, but the fact that I’m even considered obese didn’t
really come as a surprise. I have a penchant for overeating as it has been pointed out to me numerous times by my mom and a lot of the things I eat are unhealthy junk like Cheetos or the McRib sandwich. I also have an increasingly unhealthy obsession with pie—not to mention sushi but that’s neither here nor there. The thing is, I don’t like where I’m heading with my weight. One of the big issues I have is that I rarely exercise—I hadn’t really had any regular exercise since high school. But that changed this semester when I enrolled in the fitness programs class and started working out at the Fitness Complex. Sure, this means I’m working out more on a regular basis since it’s for a grade, but that just isn’t enough. I’ve been trying to eat healthier foods and cutting back on how much I eat, but I seem to be losing this uphill battle
and having leftover Halloween candy and the upcoming glutton-fests of Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner aren’t any help either. Then again, I never had any delusions that getting physically fit or being at a healthy weight level was going to be easy. There’s no magic pill that will instantly shed 50 pounds from my body and I’m not going to get a curse put upon me by some gypsy. It’s going to take a lot of hard work and willpower. I’m going to have to control my overeating and start choosing healthier food options, nothing crazy though. Fat or not, there’s no way in hell am I going to become a vegetarian or a vegan. I’m also going to start working out more and putting in more hours at the Fitness Complex. Hopefully by the time the spring semester starts I’ll be out of the obese category.
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views/online editor
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The writer does not want to end up having to wear a muumuu like Homer Simpsons did in an episode of “The Simpsons.”
Dancing in only From pineapples to avocados a pair of skivvies Dancing on a stage half-naked with blinding lights isn’t a hobby most men would take up, especially when Wyatt your goal is Wardall to stand out Staff Writer among a sea of also halfnaked women performing next to you. But for the men of Lokelani’s Rhythm of the Islands, it’s just another day on stage. When Roy and Kathy Asuega, owners of the Lokelani’s ROTI dance group, asked me to start coming into the studio this past summer, I assumed they were anything but serious. I didn’t exactly think I was qualified considering I spent my entire youth swimming laps in a pool. But after a little persistence and accompanying them on a dance tour to Japan, I must admit my curiosity got the better of me. My family became involved with the studio nine years ago when both of my sisters decided to get involved with a dance group. Having heard of the studio from a local Kiwi, it seemed like the easiest place to start. Since the time of their joining, my sisters have traveled to perform in countries across the world, competed in numerous competitions and, over all, have become part of a new family. “The first practice is going to be the worst practice.” These were the words of encouragement I received from the group on my first night of practice—my body knew exactly what they meant for the next week. I knew the boys group was small, but I had not expected to be only one of five boys at that first practice. I thought I was going to just coast through it by standing toward the back
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The malo is traditional Polynesian dancewear.
of the group where it would be harder to see me. Instead, at each practice, the group is split up and the more experienced dancers go over each and every step we are going to learn. Most of the male dancers you see today started dancing when they were young and have adapted it into their lifestyle. So unless you’re overflowing with confidence, the idea on getting on stage in just a malo, a type of skirt worn for dancing, is more than just a little intimidating. However, the male dancers are not completely without aid. A majority of the dances the men perform are paired with a song that helps paint a story of war, hunting and, more often than not, getting the girl. Becoming a Polynesian dancer requires a certain dedication and pride I was surprised to learn I had. It’s performing with all of your physical insecurities on display which, if you’re not careful, can translate through your performance. You must maintain a certain level of confidence and hope you don’t have a serious wardrobe malfunction -- there’s not too many wardrobe pieces to choose from.
When you are as far as 2,390 miles away from home, nothing ever feels the same. Coming from the island of Maui, Ka’ipolanni Gentile that has an Staff Writer approximate population of 117,644, to the state of California which has a population of around 37,221,852, it will really open your eyes to the differences between the two places. There was a period in time that I had never heard of Orange Coast College, and now I proudly wear orange and blue as an OCC student and cheerleader. I know that many people dream of going to Hawaii to enjoy the blue skies and tropical breeze, but for me, I felt the complete opposite. I always knew I’d find myself in the mainland pursuing a college degree and a career.
QUESTION of the WEEK
Now as a college student living on my own, I face the struggles of not having a home cooked meal, an ATM called mom or even a ride to the places I want to go. Understanding that the holidays are the only things that bring me home, my appreciation for my island has definitely grown. Instead of thinking about how much my apartment makes me miss home, or how the bills on the counter keep reminding me I’m on my way, I still feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be. Although this is not how I expected things to turn out, I know with the help of my two roommates, boyfriend and cheer team who have been like a family to me, I will be able to get by and make my time here much easier. Life is for learning, so while I’m here I’ll make the best of it.
glory days, where it had the highest rate of user traffic on the Internet. Everybody and their grandmother was on MySpace—trying to get the most comments, posting bulletins with 100 question surveys because they had nothing better to do, listening to their favorite music artists and adults creeping out underage children. Anderson was always your friend and his creation was on top of the digital world. But then the parents of MySpace abandoned their child and sold it into the slavery of a big corporate fat cat called News Corporation. With the departure of the founders, the magic behind the smash hit left as well. The problems weren’t immediately noticeable but as time went on, MySpace started falling apart. Sex offenders were running rampant all over its pages, and parents started to take notice and seriously doubt that this site was safe for their children. In July 2007, the website found and deleted 29,000 profiles which belonged to sex offenders.
It also became a very good medium for cyber-bullying. This new form of cruelty led to a 13year-old’s suicide because her friend’s mom posed as a cute boy on MySpace and constantly harassed her over the Internet. Not only did it fail to keep children safe, but it failed to keep itself safe. The website has been constantly criticized for having user profiles hacked and being a breeding ground for spyware. MySpace disenfranchised many users because it no longer seemed to care about them. While all this was happening, along came a spider named Mark Zuckerberg and his brainchild Facebook—it offered change, simplicity, and most importantly, safety. This was the beginning of the end. MySpace’s life was short lived, as it only thrived for eight years. The star-struck site is survived by millions of unused, unloved profiles which have not been updated in over a year or possibly more and only 1,000 employees.
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Articles, comments and editorials are those of staff members and editors and do not reflect the views of Orange Coast College, its administration or student government or the Coast Community College District. California law states that college journalist are assured the same First Amendment rights as professional journalists. Their work cannot be subjected to prior restraint and the law prohibits college officials from disciplining a student for activities related to speech or press related endeavors. Coast Report welcomes letters from readers. Guest Commentaries are the views of the writer and don’t reflect the views of the Coast Report, OCC or the district. Letters must be signed and are subject to editing for taste, length or libel. Letters are limited to 350 words. Advertising claims are those of the advertisers and do not constitute endorsement by the newspaper. Coast Report reserves the right to reject any advertising for any reason. The newspaper is not liable for return of unsolicited materials.
What is a favorite tattoo that you have?
Adam Prout
Lily Braverman
“I’m obsessed with ancient royal lineages and this is on a lot of coat of arms. It’s called a wyvern.”
30, graphic design
Although I’ve only been here for a little more than three months, it feels like forever. I never knew I’d appreciate Hawaii this much, let alone ever call my mom three times each day. One thing about California that I had to get used to w a s how much time it takes to get from place to place. On Maui there are no freeways, and you are able to drive around the whole island and see every town in approximately 12 hours. I really think it’s just the simple fact of not being where you’ve been your whole life and not seeing the same faces that you’d usually see every single day that causes the feelings of homesickness.
The end of a social networking giant MySpace is finally dead after a futile two year battle with its arch nemesis Facebook. While Facebook injured MySpace sigJason nificantly, it did Morash not deliver the Staff Writer finishing blow. Instead, the once social media giant drowned itself in the weight of its plethora of issues and complications. Born from the minds of eUniverse—which was founded by Brad Greenspan, Chris Dewolfe, Toan Nguyen and Tom Anderson in 2004—MySpace exploded into a seemingly invincible force in the online social network market. People loved it for its ingenuity, customizable features and the fact that they could connect to their friends 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It fully grew into maturity in June 2006, when the 100 millionth profile was created. These were the
5
25, photography
John Wilson
65, “fun with art”
Jessica Clees 22, dance
22, graphic design
“I only have one and I wish I never got it. It’s a tramp stamp—I was a rebellious teen.”
“This is from the Hopi Indians. It’s the sidewinder, it represents strength and wisdom.”
“It’s an Italian Celtic intertwining all my family’s birthstones for eternity.”
“It was from a book that I read and I got it when I was 17. It had a lot of meaning to me and it still does.”
Mike Zeffrio
6
SPORTS
NOVEMBER 10, 2010
Player proves she’s not afraid to kill
Aimee Melone leads her team with 145 kills so far this season. BY JASON MORASH STAFF WRITER
Standing ready at the net, the Orange Coast College women’s volleyball outside hitter Aimee Melone, 20, stares fiercely at her opponents through the mesh in front of her. The ball sails over to the other side and the opposing team bumps, sets, and spikes the ball back to OCC’s side. The ball is caught on Pirate defense and sent it in the direction of Melone. Immediately, time slows. Her powerful legs propel her into the air like a rocket taking off and her arm goes back like a slingshot. The sling is released and time speeds up as a fireball leaves her hand and blazing toward the hardwood floor across the net. Melone’s skill has helped her to become the leader in kills for the women’s volleyball team. She has been the only player to lead the team in kills for four straight games and is one of only two girls to have been the kill leader for five of their 16 games. Her personal best in a game was against Golden West rivals with 20 kills leading her team to victory three games to one. She stands presently in the top five kill leaders in the entire Orange Empire Conference with 145 kills and a .192 hitting percentage.
All of her accomplishments have not come easy to her either as it has all been atop an ankle injury. Melone has had complications with her right ankle since breaking it in her senior year at Loara High School in Anaheim. Melone had two major surgeries as a result of the break and playing with the injury this season has already shown its challenges. “There have been games where afterwards I could not walk anymore,” Melone said. In order to help her recovery, head volleyball coach Chuck Cutenese red-shirted her last year. Now, this is her year as she is the co-captain of the lady Pirates that is looking to defend its state championship and although her ankle is not fully recovered, her desire to win outweighs the feeling of constant pain. “I give her a lot of credit,” Cutenese said. “She’s a real fighter and plays through pain every time she steps out on the court.” The motivation is undoubtedly there as she has led the team to a 12-5 record overall and 7-4 in conference play. “I love to do what I do,” Melone said. “I always wanted to play on a state championship team.” Not only can she can handle pain, but she has the poise to manage the responsibility and pressure that comes with playing one of the most important positions on the team. “I’m a hard core player. I want to be the person my team looks to in pressure situations and I love
to feed off the energy of a big crowd,” she said. Co-captain and starting setter Kimya Jafroudi believes that her teammate is one of the most focused and dangerous players in the conference. “When she’s on, she is hard to stop,” Jafroudi said. However, Melone, who started playing the sport by fulfilling her older sister’s need for a practice partner, is not intimidating at all. When she is not playing volleyball, she is either surfing or studying psychology. “Outside the court she is a great person and is very hilarious,” Jafroudi said. Cutenese agrees. “Whenever we are traveling together she seems really social,” he said. “She is always laughing and very go-lucky.” After her stretch at OCC, Mel-
Photos by Chris Doesberg
At left, outside hitter Aimee Melone attempts another kill against Santa Ana on Wednesday. Above, she denies an attack from the Dons to help them sweep the team three games to none.
one has aspirations to compete at a higher level and complete her
Victory Bell finds new home The Pirates lose in a rivalry game against Golden West College. FROM CAMPUS REPORTS Orange Coast College’s three-year run as owner of the “Victory Bell” came to an end Saturday night, courtesy of a 33-17 loss to rival Golden West in the annual West-Coast Showdown, played at OCC’s LeBard Stadium. The Rustlers (5-4, 2-2 in Eastern Conference) took to the air and torched the Pirates (2-7, 1-3), led by quarterback Raymond Huizar’s 217 passing yards and five touchdowns on 13-of-20 passing. Wide receivers Aldodius Colquitt caught six passes for 60 yards and three touchdowns and Peter Adams added three passes for 94 yards and a touchdown. The Pirates jumped out to an early 7-0 lead in the first quarter
when quarterback A.J. Josue found wide receiver Brandon Estrada with a 19-yard touchdown strike. The lead remained through the first half as OCC took a 10-6 lead into the locker room. But Golden West grabbed hold of the momentum and never let it go, scoring the next 27 points and never looking back. While Huizar found success on offense, the Rustlers’ defense rattled OCC for most of the night, forcing four turnovers and six sacks. Josue threw for 136 yards and two touchdowns on 16-of-32 passing with two interceptions. Other top offensive numbers for the Pirates include running back Bill Chimphalee (12 carries, 53 yards) and Estrada (five catches, 47 yards, one touchdown). The Pirates will wrap up the regular season at LeBard Stadium on Saturday against Santa Ana, beginning at 1 p.m.
BY BRITTANY HAILE STAFF WRITER
Lately campus buzz has been about the slenderness of the school budget and its affect on Orange Coast College. The athletic department has no immunity to this. They have cut back in expenses as well, however they are making it work as best as they can. According to Steve Tamanaha, athletic director, the athletics department is receiving 11 percent
less in funds than they received last year. These funds mainly go to students in the form of uniforms, equipment and tournaments. Due to the cuts this year, teams don’t have the best gear, but what they do receive is still very good quality, according to Tamanaha. Teams may not have the money to compete in every tournament they want, travel long distances, or stay in the nicest hotels, but they are still given funds that enable them to compete in numerous tournaments. According to soccer coach Laird Hayes, the budget cuts have not affected his team negatively and he hasn’t heard differently from the other coaches he
The final touches are being made to the new men’s basketball team. BY BRITTANY HAILE STAFF WRITER
Photo by Chris Doesberg
Quarterback A.J. Josue, above, passes the ball downfield for some yards gained during the game against Golden West College at LeBard Stadium on Saturday. The Pirates lost 33-17.
works with. “We are lucky to be getting as much as we are,” Hayes said. According to Tamanaha, many teams including basketball, baseball, track and football have been lucky to have volunteer coaches to help the permanent coaching staff. As for physical fitness classes offered at OCC, some have suffered and have been eliminated. “We had to cut rock climbing, bowling, and kayaking,” said Kevin Ballinger, the Dean of Athletics here at OCC. However, the athletic staff is working to keep popular classes around like surfing. According the Ballinger, surfing is not only a popular
class, but it teaches ocean safety which makes it important to keep around. Regardless of their efforts to keep classes open, fitness lab hours have had to be cut, which has affected the amount of students who are able to take classes. The situation was projected to be worse at the start of the fall semester after Sacramento talked about making major cuts in areas such as athletics. So far, according to Ballinger, the heavier budget cuts on athletic programs throughout the district have yet to happen and OCC still has the funds necessary to keep things running smoothly.
GUN: Tattoos can be spotted on students all over the Orange Coast College campus. From Page 2
Sigel said he’s sure he’s going to regret a few tattoos when he gets older. When he got many of his tattoos, he didn’t think about how he would feel in the future. “I really don’t want to get
tattooed anymore, I don’t really have a desire. I just want to clean stuff up,” he said. ”You get to a point where you’re already so tattooed that the best you can hope for is to try to make them look nice.” He pointed out that this is a
“I need to get out of California,” she said.
Ready to take charge of season
Athletics works around the new budget Minimal changes have been made to accommodate the lack of funds.
education at a major university like Tennessee or Texas.
real possibility because the art of tattooing has progressed immensely. “Ink from the 50s and 40s, the older stuff now that we’re seeing that’s looking horrible and green and just kind of blotched together, is not the same ink they use today.
The needles have changed, the ink has changed, even the art of tattooing has changed,” he said. “I’m hopeful that when I’m old they’ll look nice. I’m sure that the next generation that gets tattoos are going to have awesome tattoos.”
The sounds of swishes and squeaky shoes can once again be heard in the Peterson Gym as men’s basketball approaches the beginning of its season. First on the team’s agenda will be the Ventura Tournament Thursday through Saturday. The coaching staff and team are working hard to prepare for a successful season, preparing to do their best to win. According to head coach Steve Spencer, a main goal of the team is to improve their intensity level and put forth a championship effort to win games. “The coaches and the team have two different ideas of playing hard and it is a constant battle between the players lowering their standard and us as the coaching staff raising them,” Spencer said. The team is working to strengthen its offense by playing off of concepts, working together as a team and taking the opportunities to make good shots. On the defensive end, the coaches are working on turning Orange Coast College into a full court pressure team, pressuring the ball to stress out the opponent
and cause either a turnover or a mistake in its favor. “Other teams feel uncomfortable when there is heavy ball pressure and it throws them off offensively,” assistant coach Duy Tran said. This year’s team is young with only three returning sophomores, and the coaches are working with the freshman to rid them of the bad habits they may have learned in high school. It helps that returners Jake Fedro, Chris Williams and Eddie Chavez are proudly stepping up into their leadership roles. According to Chavez, 22, an English major, the leadership role comes with being a second year player and he is happy to take it. Chavez and Fedro both believe the team can be successful if they work as hard as they possibly can and follow the direction of the coaches. “If we can be the best we can be the results will come,” Fedro, 19 said. There is a lot of talent spread throughout the team and Spencer believes each player has good depth and potential. “I am not afraid to put any player in to the game,” Spencer said. The conference is tough and OCC will be facing many talented teams both in the pre-season and regular season. “Our rival is whoever we are playing next,” Spencer said.
DATE: New comedy is mildly funny. From Page 4
They could take the script for one of those sexual harassment videos you had to watch at work and make it a smash hit. This is even more impressive, given the one-note characters they were playing. Peter Highman (Downey Jr.) is surly, angry and prone to violent outbursts. At one point, he punches a kid in the stomach for annoying him. This is never mentioned again, despite the fact he’s about to have his first child. He’s the character the audience is supposed to identify with. Ethan Tremblay’s (Galifianakis) entire personality is constructed to annoy Peter. He changes from effeminate wannabe to fat slob, depending on what’s needed for the scene. The only consistency in his character is he’s the dumbest man in the world and entirely incapable
of taking care of himself. (He’s convinced the Grand Canyon was man-made and the Hoover Dam was made by the pilgrims.) I know better than to take a dumb comedy too seriously. I revel in films like “Anchorman” and “Tommy Boy,” but “Due Date” would have been a quickly forgotten film if it hadn’t been for the two leads it inexplicably attained. Galifianakis elicited one of the biggest laughs just by walking a certain way. Downey Jr. punched a kid and still managed to be likeable. They play off each other perfectly. They could have a two hour conversation about hairstyles from the 1970’s and still be perfectly entertaining. They made this film tolerable— which is too bad. If they had even a decent script, they could have made it amazing.