Twerking too Hard
Mt. San Antonio College, September 10, 2013
mountiewire.com
pg. 7
Volume 81 Issue 1
Who’s Next? BLACK, LATINO STUDENTS PROFILED pg. 3
Parking structure coming soon pg. 5
Deep fried and delicious, SAC day at the LA County Fair pg. 12
No more priority when unit cap kicks in pg. 5
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
2
News
President Obama calls for military action in Syria
ADOLFO TIGERINO NEWS EDITOR On Aug. 29, President Barack Obama proposed military action against Syria and is waiting for the Senate to authorize a 90-day window for military force. When Obama went to the
G-20, a group of 20 world leaders who met to discuss world affairs, he received positive and negative feedback. Russia, China, and even the European Union were against his plan. Although the E.U. has condemned chemical weapon usage, they declared it to be too sudden to take military action.
China’s G-20 delegation spokesman, Qin Gang told the Associated Press, “War isn’t the fundamental way to solve problems in Syria.” Russian President Vladimir Putin told the A.P. in an interview on Sept. 5 that it was “completely ridiculous” to say that Syrian President Bashar Assad was behind the use of chemical weapons against Syrian citizens. Putin also announced it would boost its naval presence in the Mediterranean, where the U.S. has ships on standby for military strike. In August the E.U. President Herman Van Rompuy told the A.P. in St. Petersburg that the use of chemical weapons was a “violation of international law and a crime against humanity,” but is unsure if a military solution is needed. Some veterans at Mt. SAC also disagreed with Obama and his proposed decision to strike Syria. “You don’t get involved in peoples lives and countries,” said Ricardo Brambila, 41, nursing major. Others thought the U.S. should focus on domestic problems before engaging in another foreign conflict. Chelsea Garcia, 26, criminal justice major, said the president should focus on internal issues before worrying about foreign affairs that do not directly affect Americans. “We should stay out of it, it’s not our country,” said Garcia. “ We need
to worry about us.” In an unexpected announcement, Republican Senator John McCain gave his support for Obama to use military force against Syria. According to the Washington Post, McCain told the American audience in a Phoenix town hall meeting on Thurs., Sept. 5 that Assad was behind the Aug. 21 attack. Despite some GOP support, some Americans feel that there is no hope of the two parties agreeing on a solution. “There are no two parties in this country,” said Christopher Padilla, 29, political science major. “They want to give you the illusion of a choice when you really have no choice.” This is not the only issue Obama faces however. The president could be facing another issue in the form of the Congressional Black Caucus, CBC. The CBC is one of Obamas’ most supportive groups, but historically are against wars according to USA Today. The issue is if the use of military force is implemented, the question arises; how come it was not done to intervene in African genocides? In an interview with USA Today, Rep. Yvette Clarke D-N.Y., who holds the No. 3 leadership post in the 43-member CBC, said, “We need to have a conversation about what this means in light of our priorities as a caucus.”
Mt. San Antonio College Mountaineer
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
News Mountaineer
3
STAFF
Editor in Chief Albert Serna News Editor, Editor in Chief mountiewire Adolfo Tigerino Copyeditor Vanessa Solis Opinion Editor, Managing Editor Sasha Chavez Features Editor Jose De Castro A&E Editors Erick Gaona Vanessa Osio Sports Editor Michael Chavez Multicultural Editor Brigette Villesenor College Life Editor Christina Artmanni Art and Design Art and Visuals Director Beatrice Alcala Photo Editor Stephanie Hacha Cartoonists Adam Valenzuela Karla Mejia Designers Harmon Huynh Cynthia Schroeder Hazel Rodriguez Mountaineer/mountiewire.com Writers and Reporters Rich Yap, Vanessa Solis, Dolores AlvarezZuniga, Manny Flores Monica Garcia, Damion Julien-Rohman, Julian Muhr, Gina Vanstratten, Lauren Walden, Tamika Adams, Justin Agoncillo, Nichole Aguilar, Jessica Arreola, Joseph Choi Lorena Flores, Monse Flores, Layla Jasco, April Kersh, Breanne Lizama Brittney Morales, Tracey Munniks Angelica Olivares, Deanna Pena Austin Postovoit, Gabriel Ramirez David Ritter, Jamie Rocha, Stephanie Sanchez, Michael Saucedo, Cynthia Schroeder, Joanna Serafin, Ana Silva Maria Valdez, Jing-Ming Zhou, Tiffany Jeffre, Amanda Recio, Selena Montes Photographers Hugo Avina, Jose De Castro Erika Saavedra, Layla Jasco, Adolfo Tigerino, Alex Urquidez, Jessica Herrera, Sterling Knight, Beatrice Alcala, Stephanie Hacha, Hazel Rodriguez Multimedia News Monica Garcia Features Kathryn Banks, Lauren Walton, Kat Naseiro Sports Layla Jasco, Jacqueline Yu, Jamie Gill A&E Jamie Rocha, Valerie de la Puente Donald Cudahy, Christopher Failla Cornelia Richardson Tech/Gaming Julian Muhr, Damien Julien-Rohman Public Relations Team Desarae Gomez, Jung Eun Kim, Antoinette Lopez, Breanna Mancia, Vanessa Perez, Esperanza Quezeda, Mariana Rojas, Erick Gaona Advertising Director Veronica Grant Assistant to the Adviser Rich Yap Adviser Toni Albertson
Cover Photo Illustration of Anthony Taylor, 19, criminal justice major, by Beatrice Alcala, photo by Sterling Knight. CORRECTION: A byline was omitted from the Summer 2013 issue. Albert Serna was the writer of the story titled, “College on a New Missio.” The Mountaineer is a college newspaper published by the students in journalism classes at Mt. San Antonio College. The views expressed in this newspaper do not reflect the views of the adviser, administration, or the Board of Trustees of the Mt. SAC District. The Mountaineer and mountiewire.com are First Amendment Publications. Phone: 909-594-5611 Ext. 6123 FAX: 909-468-4106 Bldg. 26D, 3220 B
From Trayvon Martin’s Facebook page.
Students of color profiled ALBERT SERNA EDITOR-IN-CHEIF On Feb. 26, 2012 Trayvon Martin was fatally shot by George Zimmerman in a gated community in Sanford, Fla. The subsequent trial and media coverage brought to light a subject that split America down the middle, with some people arguing for Zimmerman’s reaction to the young man in the hoodie, and others calling it a case of racial profiling. Racial profiling is the use of one’s race or ethnicity by law enforcement as a deciding factor in whether or not to engage a suspect, not to be confused with offender profiling, which is a legitimate tactic. Across the country, people of color are disproportionately incarcerated compared to whites, and some Americans believe this is due to an overwhelming use of racial profiling by law enforcement. According to the National Institute of Justice, people of color are more likely than whites to be stopped; however, researchers have a difficult time discerning whether race played a part or not. The reasons for this are due to differences in exposure to police, driving patterns, and differences in offending. The discussion about racial profiling continues with people arguing the topic on many platforms, from Facebook and Twitter, to homes and schools. The students of Mt. SAC are no exception to this, many of whom have experienced some form of profiling based on their race or ethnicity. Angel Vandhana, who recently took part in a discussion on Facebook about racial profiling, agreed that people, more specifically black citizens, are disproportionally questioned by police because of their race or ethnicity.
Vandhana, 43, a former Mt. SAC student and recent graduate in media studies from Cal State Los Angeles, said that not only does racial profiling occur, but it is also the reason Zimmerman pursued Martin to begin with. “Who is the accuser? A man who is half white and half Hispanic, and he racially profiled Trayvon simply because he was in a nice neighborhood, at night, and wearing a hoody,” said Vandhana. “When is the last time you heard that story happening to someone other than a black male?” She said that not only does this occurrence sadden her as a citizen, but as a mother of two multi-racial sons. She said it makes her fearful that her sons will be judged simply because they are men of color. “It makes me sad, sad as an American, sad as a multiracial woman. It also makes me scared as a mother,” said Vandhana. “I’m scared and saddened that my boys will have to go through this.” Vandhana added that after the shooting of Martin she instructed her boys not to dress in hoodies out of fear that there may be a repeat of the situation. “I told my boys, ‘go change out of that hoodie,’” said Vandhana. “‘I don’t want you to end up like Trayvon even though it’s Chino Hills. Even though you’re multiracial, to the world if you have a little black in you, you are a black man.’” The situation is not so black and white, said Thomas Gillmore, 26, audio engineering major. Gillmore argued that although he does agree racial profiling is wrong, he has experienced the opposite, being targeted because he is white. “Profiling as far as race is concerned, that’s not right,” he said. “To involve the race of any potential suspect is where you cross the line, it is not about those kinds of things.” He added that saying you were
pulled over simply because of your skin color should not be an argument. “If you get stopped for a broken taillight, you got stopped for a broken taillight the same as I would,” Gillmore said. Speaking about the Zimmerman case, Gillmore added that no one but Martin and Zimmerman were there to witness the event fully, and in the end, Zimmerman was only defending himself. But was it wrong for Zimmerman to follow Martin, and did race play a part? Gillmore does not think so. “The media made it something more that it was. He saw a suspicious man walking through the neighborhood and tailed him.” Gillmore said that Zimmerman should not have followed Martin and that he simply made a “bad decision.” The bad decision, Gillmore said, does not justify Martin’s actions towards Zimmerman. “Did you see Zimmerman’s face, he had to be hospitalized due to his injuries,” said Gillmore. “Regardless, Martin was a big guy and if I had a man of that size wailing on me and had the option to protect myself, you bet I would.” Gillmore added that it is tragic that Martin was killed, and “the loss of any life is a tragic thing,” but he should not have responded the way he did. Several students have witnessed racial profiling, not of themselves but of their friends and loved ones. Julian Muhr, a 20-yearold communications major, said that he has witnessed his friends become the victims of racial profiling while leaving a store in which merchandise was allegedly stolen. Muhr said that when leaving the location his friend, a Mexican-American, was searched but because of his light complexion, Muhr was not Profiling cont’d on pg. 4
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
4
Profiling cont’d from pg. 3 searched and allowed to leave. Muhr also recalled a time when he was attending school in New York and a string of thefts occurred in the student center which prompted more bag checks at the campus stores. “My buddy and I were walking out and, my friend who is obviously Latino got stopped when we were leaving the store,” said Muhr. “The guard was very vocal about it and asked him to open his bag and check his stuff. When it was my turn to be checked, the guard simply let me go without any hassle.” Muhr said he believes that reason he was not checked was because he looks like a stereotypical white male with blond hair and blue eyes. Muhr is of Cuban and Puerto Rican descent. Honor Student Parris Greenwood, 21, political science major, said he has been stopped by law enforcement and said he believes it is because he is AfricanAmerican. “I was at Gamestop and a police officer pulled me over because he had a description of a tall black guy, so he pulled me over automatically and assumed it was me,” said Greenwood. “He had me sit on the ground, and of course later they found the other person so they let me go.” Greenwood added “Just because
I’m African American people assume that I get into bad things or steal or have a record.” The profiling, Greenwood said, does not end when he gets home. “The police came to my house one time because of an incident that happened in my neighborhood and they asked me if I had any warrants,” said Greenwood. “I said no… I’ve never gotten in trouble with the police, I’m an honor student.” He said people assume things about his race. “It’s just because I’m an AfricanAmerican people assume I do certain things, it’s not everybody in the race that does bad things.” Tiffany Morgan, 27, child development major, said that she has also experienced racial profiling on many occasions, especially when shopping. “I feel like every time I go into stores, they always follow me because they think I am about to steal something,” said Morgan. “Just because I am black does not mean you have to follow me, I’m a person just like everybody else.” Morgan added that she has also experienced racial profiling with police officers while simply walking down the street. “They are always bothering me,” said Morgan. “Say for instance I get off the bus and they see me going down a street that not a lot of people are walking, like a short
cut, they just pull me over for no reason.” She added that a lot of times the excuse is the same. “They say we found a description of you, and most of the time I don’t even live in the area,” Morgan said. Morgan said the Zimmerman case was not right and that Martin needs justice. “I feel like Zimmerman should not have been following Martin,” said Morgan “Why did you go after him after authorities said to stay. Why did you shoot him, why? You felt like your life was in jeopardy? He was a little kid.”
Larry Leach, 36, Mass Communications faculty member and adviser of the Spectator newspaper at Chabot community college in Hayward, Calif. and former journalism professor at Mt. SAC, said he has also experienced
News I told my boys, ‘go change out of that hoodie. I don’t want you to end up like Trayvon even though it’s Chino Hills.’” —Angel Vandhana
American. Leach said that in 2007 as he rode his motorcycle home from a friends
accidental shooting.
following him on the 134 freeway. Leach said he pulled over and that was when the trouble began. “When I pulled over to see what was
that frightened me because there was no protection for me,” said Leach. “It is hard to put in to context what it feels like.” Leach said he wasn’t speeding and
and several other patrol cars showed
at the scene. “I sent an email asking why I had been stopped, and all they replied was that the
description of a kidnapping suspect.” Leach said he was frightened because not only was he unarmed, but there was nothing to protect him in case of an
Leach said there was no reason to stop him other than the color of his skin.
Red light camera tickets peak during September, October JASMANY FLORES STAFF WRITER
THIS MOMENT BEGAN WITH A CHOICE.
®
He chose to make a difference. Chose to get a degree. To learn new skills. And it was all made possible by the National Guard.
Contact Staff Sergeant Angel Alvarez at 626.369.0738
1-800-GO-GUARD 10BW-04_5x8_Alvarez.indd 1
8/26/13 1:22 PM
Students are at risk of being ticketed during September and October from the red light camera ticketing system at the Amar Road and Grand Avenue intersection. Statistics on higwayrobbery.net show that ticketing at Amar and Grand rises during September an October in most years. The ticketing was at an all time high in September and October of 2011. The website also reported that although the main purpose of the red light camera ticketing system is to catch drivers who are running red lights, drivers are most likely to be ticketed for rolling their turns on the right lane than any other violation. According to lapdonline. org, drivers can face a fine of $446. They may also have to attend traffic school if they have not attended in the previous 18 months. To attend traffic school, drivers have to pay the nonrefundable bail amount plus the $39 traffic school fee. Daniel Rodriguez, 19, a student who plans to enter the Mt. SAC firefighter academy, said he knows what it is like to be ticketed by the
red light camera system on Amar and Grand. “It’s annoying because a lot of drivers do small violations on other roads and they don’t get pulled over and ticketed by the cops if they’re around,” Rodriguez said. “However, if you do the same at Amar and Grand, you might receive an unpleasant ticket in the mail a few days later.” Kevin Rosalio, 20, an electrical engineering major, has experienced frustration because of the camera ticketing system. “The yellow light turned red just as I was approaching the intersection,” Rosalio said. “I chose not to stop abruptly because I had a car right behind me. Days later, I got an unpleasant surprise.” Environmental policy and management major, Erick Gaona, 22, has also been a victim of the red light camera. “It’s a weak spot because students are known to be reckless drivers, but they don’t do many severe mistakes,” Gaona said. “A lot of people would make a mistake where a police officer would let it slide,” Gaona added. “A camera has no sympathy.”
CHECK OUT THE LATEST AT MOUNTIEWIRE.COM
Mt. San Antonio College Mountaineer
News
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
New parking structure under construction
Sasha Chavez Opinion Editor Senior Construction Manager Gary Gidcumb has confirmed that construction of a new parking structure is set to begin June 2015. “The parking structure has been a part of the master plan for some time,” Gidcumb said. “Facilities planning and management cannot wait to create this structure for the students.” The estimated date of completion is set for July 2017. Both faculty and students are excited about the new parking structure at Mt. SAC. “ [A] Parking structure at Mt. SAC is a necessity,” said Andres Rengifo, 22, EMT and fire science major. “It would make it easier on everyone. It would even make it easier for the security guards on campus to keep a close eye on our vehicles.” The new parking structure will be located on the northwest portion of the campus, and will span from student lot A to student lot H. The new structure will accommodate approximately 2,200 cars. Temporary parking will be provided for students during construction on the southeast portion of the campus. Measure RR was approved in July 2013 and provided Mt. SAC with the funds to begin planning this project. The budget for this parking structure is approximately $55 million. According to Gary Nellesen, construction coordinator at
Mt. SAC, an architect has already been hired and is working on designs for the new structure. “The college is getting ready to improve, grow, and expand for new students that will be attending based on the money the school has been getting from the state,” Nellesen said. Nellesen and Gidcumb have both confirmed that at least two other major projects will be in construction phases at the same time as the parking structure. There are plans to design and build a new business technology center as well as modernize the athletics program and stadium. Although both of these projects will be coinciding with the parking structure construction, the facilities planning and management team do not foresee any problems for students at this time. Construction projects that are currently in production are close to completion. The new child development center is set to be finished and ready for use by winter 2013 semester. This project has been ongoing for two years now. Students have long awaited the completion of this project and are ecstatic that it is nearing a close. “I am so excited
that I’ll be finishing off my program in the brand new child development building,” said Rachel Dominguez, 21, liberal arts major. Nelleson said he is particularly excited about the work being done to building 12. The upgrades in this building will include a new classroom for counseling and office space for the arts division. These new additions will add 100 seats to the department. The area surrounding buildings 12 and 13 will be getting a makeover as well. What is now dirt and rocks will be transformed into a rest area, where students will have access to outlets to charge
5
their phones and laptops and take a break between classes. “This is going to be amazing,” said Nelleson. Although construction on campus has caused a small inconvenience, it is the general understanding of the student body that this construction is a good thing. “I think it’ll be beneficial to students overall,” said Alexia Gianotti, 20, animal science major. “[The parking structure] will improve the general punctuality of students who drive. Everything will be updated for the students, [and] that’s great. We’re bringing the campus up to the 21st century.”
Unitcap limits student potential Albert Serna Editor-in-Chief Starting in Summer 2014 Mt. SAC will be imposing a 100-unit cap on all transfer courses per student. This means that once a student reaches 100 transferable units, whatever priority he or she has accumulated will be lost and they will be forced to start at the bottom for registration dates. Due to a change in the way California community colleges receive their funding, it will be required beginning in Fall 2014 for all students to have an educational plan for some form of completion. This means that students will either need to complete a degree, earn a certificate, or transfer to a university. President and CEO of Mt. SAC, Dr. Bill Scroggins said that this is a way to help alleviate overcrowding and allow students to achieve their goals more quickly. “Colleges should do everything possible to assist the student in finishing in two to three years rather than the average which is about five or six years,” Scroggins said. “It’s in our mutual best interest for students to complete their programs because they increase their earning power and by doing so they increase seats for other students to come in and achieve their educational potential.” In an interview with the Mountaineer during Summer 2013, Professor of English and Department
Chair Kristina Allende said that the limit on units goes against the fundamental purpose of the community college, students come to the community college to discover what interests them and in what they want to major in. “This new requirement will not allow for the exploration in the same manner students have now,” said Allende. “These changes mean that we can no longer serve the lifelong learner” Jessica Weber, 25, has concerns about the loss of registration due to being over the 100-unit limit. Weber, who began Mt. SAC as an animal science major switch to horticulture only after exploring a variety of different courses. Weber, who works on campus at the nursery, has already used nearly 200 units at Mt. SAC. She worries that once the new system takes affect, she will be forced to once again start at the bottom and fight for classes as if she were an incoming freshman. “If I wouldn’t
have been able to get comfortable at school and check out all the different classes, I wouldn’t have been able to find the horticulture program,” Weber said. Weber, who plans to transfer to Cal Poly’s horticulture program, still has complete Math before she is able to transfer. “I kind of feel at a loss for myself because I still have my math,” said Weber. “If I lose my priority, I’m going to be one of the 50 people that are waiting in line at the beginning of the class to add.”
Weber said that the 100-unit cap would also change the meaning of the college, and with the new restrictions on units, it would no longer be a community college. “Once you get to Mt. SAC you don’t know what you want to do,” said Webber. “You might take a philosophy class and think, ‘wow,’ or you might see someone using sign language and you are interested all of a sudden, that’s what community college is.”
mountiewire.com
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College
6
Opinion
Lifetime of War Julian Muhr Staff Writer There are many things in my life that I worry about on the day-to-day basis: school, work, family, girlfriend, my community, my future. The other day I realized that something is severely wrong with that set of worries. When I was browsing through the day’s news, I read all about the disaster in Syria and how the United States could be tasked with going in to Syria militarily. The thought worried me; we could go to war. Then it hit me. We are already at war, and we have been for 12 years. I am 20 years old, and for more than half of my life, the United States has consistently been involved in military conflicts overseas, and that has become something I am used to. When did it become commonplace for the United States to just be in indefinite conflict? Back in the days of the World Wars, the country came together and worked as a team in the war effort either for or against those wars. Most people knew that the war needed to be fought and won. In the Vietnam War the country was severely divided in views about the war, but it was on the tip of everyone’s tongue; everyone knew about it and it was an issue that you could not ignore. Today, unless you have friends or family in the military, the odds are you can go days without remembering the Middle East as long as there is nothing in the news about it. This is not just about my generation. What about the scores of veterans like our parents and grandparents, who, despite their sacrifices, still do not live in a country at peace? Every time my grandfather is over at my house and we say a prayer at dinner or give a toast at fun times, he always remembers to give respect to those in the armed forces because he cannot ignore that we are at war. Why, then, is it so
easy for us to forget? There is another question that cannot be ignored. What about the youth, the children born into a country at war? A generation of children growing up in ignorant bliss of war, something distant and unreal to them, is furthering the disconnection of our country from what is going on in the world. Or even worse, kids who live in houses that have a star or a picture of an older brother or sister on the window. The child has to ask why his brother or sister isn’t coming home and may never know what living in a country at peace feels like. I know there are reasons for these conflicts and even the potential engagement in Syria, and I hope that this is not taken as simply another anti-war rant, because it isn’t. I have grown numb to the news after 12 years of helicopters being shot down, IEDs hitting convoys, and bus bombs killing civilians. It is hard to want to find out more about what is going on, but that is the only way I can possibly feel like I am not ignorant. Only by searching for the war can I feel like it is still happening. And now the news rarely mentions the Middle East. All I hear from the news is white noise and meaningless news instead of coverage of tragedy and actual events. I feel like I am purposely being kept in a state of ignorance to tragedy and what is going on with the world. It has been too long since the news has shown us in big red numbers the number of days we have been overseas and how many soldiers we have lost. I think it is disrespectful and insulting that Kim Kardashian’s baby is higher in the newsreel then the wars, and that people are more concerned with the royal baby than the three U.S. destroyers in the waters near Syria. Our country is still at war, and entering into another conflict is a big problem. An even worse problem is the utter ignorance of both of these by the American people. Illustration Adam Valenzuela
LETTER
FROM THE
EDITOR
Hello and welcome back fellow Mounties to another semester at Mt. SAC. I am Albert Serna, Editorin-Chief of the Mountaineer. It is with great pleasure that I once again join the ranks of the talented and dedicated reporters of the journalism program. It has been two years since I first took up the position, and since our beloved adviser helped guide all those with an interest in journalism publish the quality publications that Mt. SAC has been known for since her arrival in 2006. I started with the program back in 2008, joining the first staff of writers for Substance magazine. Since then I have embarked on a journey that moved me up within the ranks of the newspaper to the position of EIC in the Fall of 2011. However, like so many students, I felt myself beginning to enter a spiral of doubt and indecision dealing with the stresses of life we must all overcome. I decided in the Spring of 2012 that I no longer wished to continue with the paper and dropped out of school completely. Although I am ashamed of letting down my staff, it embarrasses me more that I have failed you the reader. I struggled during my absence in ways I never would have braved if not for the love and support of my friends and family. I was able to rise above the obstacles in my path and set goals that are obtainable. After a few years away from school, I was given the opportunity to rectify my mistakes and follow in the footsteps of great EICs past such as Gabriel Mendoza, Charlye Dehart, and Evan Lancaster. Now, with permission from you the reader, I bring to you the first issue of the Fall semester, packed with everything from the conflict in Syria, to Miley Cyrus at the MTV Video Music Awards. Enjoy the ink on your fingers as you read each article, work studiously to reach whatever goal you have set for yourself, and above all know that whatever the case, sometimes a second chance is all you need to improve your life and be happy. Albert Serna Editor-in-Chief
Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Opinion
7
Illustration Karla Mejia
She’s Just (not) Being Miley Rich Yap Staff Writer Miley Cyrus… I hate to beat a dead horse, but I think it is important that the college audience be made aware of this. Miley Cyrus performed at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards. I am not going to say what her performance entailed. If you have not seen or heard anything about it, you are not missing much so spare yourself the trouble and skip over this humble opinion piece. I will not be offended. I promise. I did, however, find Miley Cyrus’s performance offensive, and the public and media reaction made me shake my head and scream at my computer screen several times. For those of you who tuned in and followed up on the social media shit storm that came after, Miley’s performance was met with a lot of controversy and outrage. She was deemed a slut for her appearance, the performance was looked at as raunchy, and her attempt at twerking was criticized for being racist. First of all, the slut shaming of Miley Cyrus needs to stop. It is so 2000 and passé. Move on. She is 20 years old and is doing what every other 20 year old girl in America is doing: exploring her womanhood and expressing her sexuality. I’ve seen some raunchier pictures and videos on Facebook and Instagram from girls much younger than her. What outraged me is that hardly anything was said about the fact that Robin Thicke, who is married,
was grinding up on Miley Cyrus. If shaming is to happen, at least make it equal shaming. However, let me clarify that I am not upset at the fact that Robin Thicke danced a little dirty with Miley Cyrus. They are both performers and in that context, the dance was part of their performance. And in all honesty, go to any dance club on the weekend and I guarantee the same kind of dancing takes place (but with less attractive people) and sometimes those guys are married too. Second, it was not okay for Miley or anyone to use black people as accessories and to appropriate something from another culture or subculture. Much has been written and discussed about this aspect of her performance, but in a nutshell: Miley Cyrus is a white girl, and as a white girl she does not experience the racism and marginalization that the black community endures every day. It is just not a part of Miley’s reality. So for her to do a dance that is associated with “ratchet” and “ghetto” black culture, but not face the realities of being poor and ghetto is insensitive and racist. It harks back to the days of 19th century black face minstrel shows where white stage performers would don black face makeup to portray black people and perform songs, dances, or skits. The truly offensive aspect about her twerking is that she was and is horrible at it—and unfortunately, this is going to be the mainstream audience’s first introduction to twerking. Lest we forget, this is not the former Disney star’s first brush
with racism and controversy. In 2009, some photos of Miley surfaced online where she and a group of friends were posing and pulling their eyes back into what outraged people called “chink eyes.” Miley gave a half-assed apology, stating that she and her friends were just goofing off and were making a goofy face and did not intend to offend Asian people. There is a theme going on here: in both instances, Miley Cyrus never intended to offend people of color. Even so, the absence of malice does not excuse her from her actions (she did perpetrate them) and it does not change the fact that her actions are racist (they are). Why? Say for instance that an individual grew up not learning the history of the N word and why they should not use it, so they go throughout their lives without ever being checked for saying the N word. Is this person’s use of the N word any less racist? The answer is no. In her defense, Miley Cyrus is not the typical American 20-yearold girl. She grew up with a relatively famous father and got her start in show business at a very early age. The girl grew up sheltered and in a bubble, and she was a massive commodity to The Walt Disney Company. Anyone that famous with that much money at his or her disposal at such a young age is not typically going to have the same grasp on what is acceptable and politically correct as the general public. And on that note, the general public’s perception of what is acceptable is subjective.
Miley went on record and stated in an interview with MTV three days after the performance that she didn’t put much thought into her performance. “They’re over thinking it,” she said of her critics. “You’re thinking about it more than I thought about it when I did it. Like, I didn’t even think about it, because that’s just me.” And that’s just the point: she is in a position to not have to think about these things. All that she was thinking about was giving a memorable performance. In that same interview, she said, “Me and Robin [Thicke,] the whole time said, ‘You know we’re about to make history right now.” At the end of the day, she is a young performer who is trying (a little too hard I might add) to shed an image that was created for her. Clearly, she’s not succeeding at it. Why? It is not so much that she has changed her sound or her image—many artists have reinvented themselves and done so successfully like Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Madonna, and Cher—it is that she does not understand the origins and roots of what she is doing, thus making her intentions and the resulting performance, inauthentic and that is how it is coming across. The irony is that the ghetto and street culture that she is appropriating much of her new sound and image from has an element of authenticity and ‘street cred’ that she is severely lacking. Stop trying so hard to be something you’re not, and just be you Miley.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College
8
Features
Adolfo Tigerino/Mountaineer Jorge Castenada, 28, studies at the Edward L. Doheny Memorial Library. Next page: Castenada sits below USC mascot, Tommy Trojan
From the streets of Pomona to USC ADOLFO TIGERINO NEWS EDITOR Jorge Castenada sat on a bench in downtown Pomona and reminisced about the things that brought him to this point in his life. Among those things are decisions. The decision to move on when life throws its punches. The decision to be successful, no matter what the obstacle. And the decision to attend a prestigious university, even when the odds are stacked against you. Now a student at USC, Castenada, 28, continues to beat the odds. “When I got that acceptance letter, I cried like a little baby,” Castenada said of his USC acceptance. “I had never cried in my life.” The first in his family to attend college, things have never come easy for former Mt. SAC student Castenada. His parents moved from Mexico to Pomona and a young Castenada struggled to learn English. “I remember when I was in first grade. I was struggling to learn English,” Castenada said. “I knew I had a problem, nothing was processing. I was actually held back in first grade.” He was put in a class with a mix of first and second grade, and then one day it all clicked. “One day it all came together. I remember that one day I was taking a math test like the old light bulb turned on and I sped through the math test and got it perfect,” Castenada said. “I went to the teacher, turned in my test and she belittled me. She didn’t believe that I did the test on my own and asked the girl next to me, Andria, if I had cheated off of her.” It was a traumatic moment in his life. “That put all my hopes down as a little kid,” he said. His educational goals may have
been squashed, but in fourth grade he got that “genius spark” again when the school referred him to the gifted and talented education program. “They wanted to put me in the GATE program,” Castenada said. He said his parents lacked any formal education and did not understand the importance of education. His father is a gardener and his mother is a homemaker. “My parents were trying to survive; they didn’t go to school,” he said. His older sister dropped out of high school to help support the family on her volition. “Our parents never asked for help or money. I don’t know if it’s a Mexican tradition,” Castenada said. “You don’t take advantage of what’s given, it’s a give to give back. They don’t tell you. Maybe it’s how you’re brought up and morals.” Castenada eventually dropped out of high school his junior year. His parents gave him the basics, food, shelter and basic clothing but he wanted more. “I dropped out of high school because of honestly the lack of money,” he said. “Seeing my friends around me having cars, clothes, shoes and I didn’t have anything. “ Castenada said he started hanging out with the wrong crowd which led him to gang banging. He was in a downhill spiral. “It wasn’t until a couple of years of working hard laborious work that I started thinking to myself there has to be more to life than this,” he said. Without a formal education, his options were limited. He watched a friend who was an electrical engineer make good money and decided he was smart enough to learn the trade without a formal education. He turned to YouTube to learn the basics of mechanical engineering, landed a job, and
quickly moved up in ranks with no formal education. “I would pick up books and read them, he said. “I would go on YouTube and see how mechanical engineers would move things here and there.” At first his supervisor did not believe that he was serious about learning on how to use the computer numerical control machines, but once his boss saw that Castenada was serious, he let him use the machines. “It’s a lot of math and critical thinking that goes into mechanical engineering,” Castenada said. “It’s cool to see what you create after crunching all those numbers.” He started to question his career path and life decisions after meeting two successful Latino brothers. He asked how they got where they were. “They said just school,” Castenada said. “It was like that that made me want to go back. Castenada said he arrived at Mt. SAC like a lost puppy. One day, he and his friend, Antonio Rios, were looking up into the sky and EOPS Outreach Specialist Minnie Toledo asked, “Is the sky falling?” “They said they were interested into coming back to school, so I told them to wait for me in my office if you’re serious and I’ll meet you there,” Toledo said. Castenada and Rios were dressed like gang bangers. “You wouldn’t recognize them if you saw them,” Toledo said. Castenada said he was very lucky to run into Toledo that day. She put Castenada and his friend on the path to graduate and further their education. “She’s my guardian angel. She was sent from heaven, lifted me and took care of me,” he said.” But a serious motorcycle accident altered his plans. He explained.
“I still remember the day. It was December 12 and I was coming to my mom’s house. I was a block away. My poor mom got to see me all beat up half dead in the ground.” The car t-boned his motorcycle and caused him to dislocate his rotator cup in his shoulder. He suffered a dislocated elbow, a broken collarbone, and he shattered his right leg. “I went through nine surgeries to reconstruct my elbow, collar bone and leg,” he said. “That whole year it was nonstop surgery.” Castenada underwent extensive physical therapy to learn to walk again. The accident made him focus more on his educational goals and to value life. “I am a firm believer in a greater power and I think the man left me on the earth for a reason,” he said. It also taught him some lessons. “It slowed me down with my perspective in life, taught me to plan ahead for the future, and taught me to make long term goals. And it taught me the value of life, a most important one that people take for granted.” He also reevaluated his past choices, and began reflecting on the tragic death of his sister that died when he was in high school. “It hurts me more now. At that time I was acting like a fool,” Castenada said. “That was another reason I decided to go back to school.” Castenada said that his sister was on track to graduate. She was an angel, an honor roll student, she never caused problems. If God would have given her more years to live on the earth she would have been doctor.” Castenada turned to his sister for motivation and strictly focused on school. He added that he had to get rid of his social life. “There were many sleepless Cont’d on next page
Mt. San Antonio College Mountaineer
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Features
9
nights,” he said. “I would work 10 hours and I would stay up and lose track of time. I would have to wake up at 5 a.m. to go to work at 6 a.m.” Now with scholarships and financial aid, Castenada appreciates that he does not have to work while going to USC. Castenada said that he brought his mom to his inauguration at USC and something clicked. She now understands the importance of education. “It’s a good feeling that at the age of 28, my mom is pushing me to do well in school,” he said. He said that it means a lot that his mother has changed, and he is now on his cousins, nephews and nieces about their education. He said he started the vine of education in his family. He tells them that if he can do it, they can all do it. However, the biggest moment in his life was when his father asked if he could go see his school. “It was a huge deal when two weeks ago he asked me when he can go,” he said. His dad was not able to go to his graduation or inauguration because of work. “I’m used to it. I’m a grown man, but there was a little part in me that wanted him to go.” Even though Castenada is at USC, he still finds ways to help people. He credits a lot of his instinct to help others from his parents. “Parents help out people and sometimes people take advantage of them, but that doesn’t deter them away from reaching out and helping out,” he said. “If they had a lot of money, they would be the best philanthropists.” He works with a program at USC that helps kids to focus on education and make plans for the
future. “I feel like a lot of people need help, people that live in low income areas,” he said. He said the students often run into rich kids that think they are better than them. Castenada tells them that they are there to help and that he was from the ghetto as well. “We need to figure out how to break down that barrier from lowincome that look at us like we’re the rich kids of USC,” he said. “I’ll help them out and study with these kids, that is the best feeling in the world.” His work with the program does not go unnoticed. Joel Chacon, 21, biology major and pre-med minor at USC said, “ He works hard and plays hard.”
VALID TILL 11/30/2013, 1 PER CUSTOMER PER DAILY VISIT
THE VILLAGE
505 N. GRAND AVE, WALNUT, CA 91789
WWW.PIEOLOGY.COM
(909) 594-3988
Chacon added, “We had an event in South Central to talk to some kids of the importance of going to college. There was a typical LA street kid that George was able to help.” Castenada said that there are people who try to persuade and manipulate these kids. “There’s more to life than gang banging and selling drugs,” he said. His positive influence makes him a good role model that his friends appreciate. “George is the model representation of a kid in the LA area that girls love from a tough neighborhood who was able to come out on top, “ Chacon said. “I respect him. He added that he broke all ties from that life and was able to get
his life back on track. “Look at him now. He’s at a top 25 university,” Chacon said. Castenada said that he is living the American dream, and he has only begun to start changing people’s lives. “My biggest goal is to create a new law, set a precedent, that has my name or title behind it,” he said. He had advice for students contemplating higher education but think they can’t afford it. “Do not think about the money. The money is out there through scholarships and grants. All you have to do is set your mind to it and you can do it.” Castenada plans to transfer to a law school after he graduates USC and for this 28 year old, nothing is impossible. “I’m thinking maybe, Harvard?”
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College
10
A&E
Alex Urquidez/Mountaineer Clockwise from top Left: , “Feast” by Christopher Pate, “Clifs” by Margaret Lazzari, photo by Peter Frank, “BombFire” by Max Presneill.
Sense and Sensibility Mt. SAC holds its first gallery exhibit of the semester featuring a variety of works from 17 local artists.
Vanessa Osio A&E Editor Sense & Sensibility I, the first gallery exhibit of the semester, will premiere at the Mt. SAC Art Gallery on Sept.12 and runs through Oct. 17. Director and Curator of Exhibitions Fatemeh Burnes has been working for years to put together an exhibit to display the work of 17 local professional artists. “Over the years I have built up a curiosity regarding others serving in the local art industry who are themselves also artists, or have at least been inspired at various time to make art,” Burnes said. Though many exhibitions in the past have included work from Mt. SAC instructors and students, this one will not. Sense & Sensibility I will have a variety of different works of art on display, including paintings, sculptures, photography and poetry. Due to budget cuts and lack of space in the art gallery, the exhibit will be broken into two parts. The second part will run from Nov.7 to Dec. 12 and will feature 18 new artists. Max Presneill, a featured artist, will showcase various paintings including his piece titled “Bombfire.” Another artist who will have art on display is Los Angeles-based artist Christopher Pate. His featured work
consists of a collage made up of paintings, drawings and cutout eyes. Among the most unique pieces are those created by artist Peter Frank, who created four pieces with only the use of his Blackberry phone. Frank has taken photos with various versions of the Blackberry for the past four years. Frank said the works on display are his best ones. He described his works as having “a sense of place but no identity.” He said he does not take pictures of tourist sites but of whatever he sees in his everyday life that will get the viewer thinking. Each piece has a poem to go along with the photo, and the photo and the poem are the same size. Artists who will have their work featured are: Carl Berg, Kimberly Brooks, Scott Canty, Seth Curcio, Shana Nys Dambrot, Amir Fallah, Peter Frank, Julie Henson, Margaret Lazzari, David Michael Lee, Matthew May, Michael Miller, Christopher Pate, Kathryn Poindexter, Max Presneill, John Seed and Hk Zamani. The first show will run from Sept.12 through Oct. 17 at the Mt. SAC Art Gallery. The gallery will be open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Tuesday evenings from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The gallery will host a college reception on Thurs., Sept. 12 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The exhibit is free to everyone.
Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
A&E Punk, Neo-Nazis, and Ghost Boners Erick Gaona A&E Editor Midnight, Fullerton. The screaming engines finally fall silent as outlaw bike gang The Mongols pulls up. A fight bursts out of the doors from the strip club at the next building. The smell of booze and cigarettes sucker-punch you as soon as you open the heavy doors of Bar 601, and dozens of obstreperous eyes lock on to each new face as soon as one enters this pit of restless grunge located in the seedy part of town. Local punk band Officer Problem has been assigned to indulge the desires of these rowdy patrons for loud, fast and trash music, and they deliver. The band got the show started with their song “Trust No One.” The untamed energy coming from this song was a precursor of the style and persona the band would deliver the rest of the night. Their
songs are a fast paced, drunken joy ride that are mostly fewer than two minutes in length, but that is all the time they needed to please this audience. The lead singer drifted through the stage and audience, taking long Frankenstein-like steps as he spewed unidentifiable jabber into the microphone. The lead guitarist speed-strummed his guitar, resembling someone endlessly scratching a Scratch and Play Lotto ticket. The drummer appeared, as someone in the audience said, like “ an octopus on methamphetamines!” By the time they ended their set, only the drummer was still in a chair. “We don’t have any traditions before a show, but we do have to end with ‘Ghost Boner’ every set,” Miguel Coronado, 24, bassist, explained. Their last song was indeed their ever-popular “Ghost Boner,”
11
Erick Gaona/Mountaineer
to the excitement of one loyal fan who had chanted the song’s name throughout the entire show. The band originated from La Puente, consisting of family and friends from high school. David Rios, 24, undecided major, said that “ people say we sound like Agent Orange and T.S.O.L. a lot.” The band has an unmistakable “old school” punk resemblance. Mt. SAC student and drummer of Officer Problem, Ivan Rios, 22, English major, apologized. “Sorry,
this is actually very tame for a show, you should see our others.” Rios said his music usually attracts a variety of people. “We get Neo-Nazis a lot, a guy was ran over at one of our shows,” he said. “Some guy who had ‘Fuck The World’ tattooed on him got in a fight with three other guys the same night; it was a mess. “We think it’s the music that provokes the anger, but were not angry,” Rios added. “Our music’s not angry.”
MT. SAC DAY AT THE FAIR
FREE
*
FAIR ADMISSION STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF
Redeem this coupon for one free L.A. County Fair admission on Thursday, Sept. 19. Must present valid Mt. SAC student ID or business card.
*Present this discount coupon with a valid Mt. SAC school ID Thursday, Sept. 19, 2013 and receive one FREE Fair admission. Limit one free admission per coupon. Not valid with any other offers. Offer valid Thursday, Sept. 19, 2013 only. Benefits and nighttime entertainment subject to change by the Los Angeles County Fair Association at any time without notice.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College
12
Features
Deep fried fun, Fairplex hosts LA County Fair County Fair offers discounts for students DOLORES ALVAREZ STAFF WRITER The fall semester may have begun, but that doesn’t mean summer is over. The L.A. County fair opened on Aug. 30 and will run until Sept. 29 at the Fairplex in Pomona, Calif. It is one of the largest county fairs with shows and attractions performed every hour at various stages throughout the fairgrounds. From the pig races, to turkey legs, to home and garden shows, there is something for everyone. There is a designated area for children called the Kid’s Zone and one of the anticipated attractions are the superhero meet and greets in the America’s Kids area presented by King Taco Restaurants. On Saturdays and Sundays, members of Marvel’s The Avengers will visit the comic book section of the Living Library. SpiderMan will also make appearances. Also anticipated is the Star Trek exhibition, which features one of the largest collections of movie props, wardrobe, and artifacts from the television and movie saga.
Something different this year is the Underwater Exploration Show, which features performing seals and stingrays. The fair also offers a traditional circus experience with the world famous Esmeralda’s Traveling Circus, presented by Circus Circus Las Vegas. The Fairplex is also hosting its “End of Summer Concert Series,” presented by Toyota, and features live bands and motorsports. Some of this year’s line-up includes The Jacksons, Ke$ha, The Bangles, Demi Lovato, Los Tigres Del Norte, and many more. The best part of the concert series is that admission is free for the early birds. The fair reserves a limited amount of general admission seats at no cost and guests are accommodated on a first come, first served basis by going to the ticket booth on Rose Lane starting at 3 p.m. on concert days. Or guests can enjoy reserved seating by purchasing tickets at the box office in advanced, or the day of. After that, feel free to end the night with a stroll through the exotic Brazilian Botanical Gardens!
Hugo Avina/Mountaineer Fair-goers wait in line to purchase deep-fried food. Hugo Avina/Mountaineer
In honor of students, the L.A. County Fair is hosting various “College Days.” This year Mt. SAC day will be held on Thursday, September 19; students receive one free entrance with their Mountie ID and the printed coupon. Last but definitely not least, guests look forward to the wild food and desserts that are served.
Some featured foods include: gourmet grilled cheeses, polish sausages, candy apples, ribs, and foods from all cultures. So whether it is the fried frog legs, wine tasting, or just to walk around, do not be afraid to “unleash your inner fair!” For more information and to print out the coupon visit www.lacountyfair.com.
Mt. San Antonio College Mountaineer
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Features
13
Adolfo Tigerino/Mountaineer Katie Mason, 10, works on a robot during the robotics lesson, Summer 2013
College for kids, educational and fun ADOLFO TIGERINO NEWS EDITOR Crime Scene Investigation, Mathematics, English and robotics are just a few subjects that were offered in the College for Kids program in the summer. The program is available for third to eighth graders to enhance their education. The program was split into two three-week camps; June 17 to July 3, and July 8 to July 25, with each class costing $148 and lasting an hour and 45 minutes. Kids can enroll for three courses, or one. “Some kids are here all day, and some only take one,” Lupe Cazares, coordinator, said. The program was set up for the children to have fun and learn while doing so. “How can you not have fun in robotics class?” said Director of Community Education Paulo Madrigal, 49. “Robotics is very popular with kids.” The program changes the type of courses offered yearly, but keeps a lot of fundamental subjects like English, Mathematics and science. Classes like robotics, ceramics and cooking vary. Madrigal said cooking was recently added because of the request of parents. Students in the English class had to write essays and speak in front of class, while students in ceramics class were able to work hands-on to make sculptures and pots. Science class students did experiments with rockets, and in CSI, students had to figure out who committed a crime. Robotics class students were learned how to build their own robots, decipher the formulas and
equations to get their machines running with the help of Mt. SAC students and teachers from nearby schools. This was the first year robotics was offered in the program. “A lot of the credit goes to my husband, Martin Mason, for getting the robotics program running,” said Saryn Mason, former math and science middle school teacher. “He made it happen and got the Mt. SAC robotics team to help.” The program helps students by having a teacher and two assistants readily available. “College for Kids is set up for success by allowing 15 students with one teacher and two helpers,” Mason said. “Each student gets their question answered in a timely fashion.” The robotics team helped Mason in her robotics course. She said the help of the Mt. SAC students made it easier to teach students. “It’s fun,” robotics team captain Vincent Vendiolo, 26, said. “It’s my first year having to deal with a massive amount of kids.” Although it was his first time teaching kids, it was not his first time helping others. He was a physics tutor for two years at Mt. SAC, and is now attending USC. Vendiolo got involved with the program because Physics Department Chair Martin Mason e-mailed him and several other robotic team members asking for help. The robotics team recently won a state championship in spring 2013. Vendiolo said that students in the program do not just learn the fundamentals of engineering, but also how to work well in a team.
Many students that come through the program are returners and a few are new. Madrigal said, “75 percent of the students are returners.” This year there were over 800 students enrolled in the courses, according to Madrigal. “A lot of it was word of mouth and some marketing,” Madrigal said. The parents who have brought their children for years have been satisfied with the curriculum offered. “I think it’s a good program,” Alex Tham, 46, father of two, said. “It gives kids an opportunity to learn something new or refresh them on something they’ve already learned.” Tham’s oldest son was enrolled in algebra 2 and his daughter was in pre-algebra. “It’s made a bit of a difference in their school work throughout the year because of what they have learned during these classes,” Tham said. Some parents who have been coming for years would like to see some changes made to enhance the experience. “There’s a lot of wasted time walking for these kids from one area to the next. They could better utilize that time,” said Oscar Perez, 39, who has had his son enrolled for four years. Nonetheless, he said that his son and his wife love the program and would recommend it to anyone. He had his son enrolled in both camps and was there all day taking various subjects to enhance his learning. The atmosphere of learning in a
College for Kids is set up for success by allowing 15 students with one teacher and two helpers, each student gets their question answered in a timely fashion.” —Saryn Mason college entices students and parents. “This program exposes the kids to college life and to know what comes after high school,” Madrigal said. “They get to work with college equipment.” The program is growing beyond the San Gabriel Valley. “There were some kids coming from Victorville,” Cazares said. Some of the proctors who worked alongside the program were surprised at what the program teaches the children. “The program is getting better; it’s worth it,” said Luis Angulo, 33, drug and alcohol counselor. “I would put my kid in here too.”
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College
14
Features
Students help horticulture blossom
JOSE DE CASTRO FEATURES EDITOR The horticulture program has been through rough times, from near cancellation during the budget crisis to changing the way they work because of the recession. Through the hard times, the program still provided a real-life learning environment. Started in 1946 has grown from covering one acre of land to 11, and from one faculty member to four full-time faculty members. The 11acre land has 12 shaded houses, five greenhouses and a demonstration garden that acts as an arboretum that students can visit. “We have to maintain our own area, the grounds have nothing to do with us,” said Jesus Ramirez, 42, lead horticulturist. With a certified commercial nursery, the program can grow plants and create projects for the students to work with. “We have a nursery, we teach them how to grow the plants and how to maintain irrigation and how to keep them healthy,” said Ramirez. With some students taking horticulture as an avocation, Dave Lannom, 67, horticulture professor, hopes to see them take the class for the major. “I asked both classes that I have, how many were horticulture majors, I didn’t have one horticulture major,” said Lannom. “I teased them and told them that by the end of the semester I hope I convert a few of them to the gospel of horticulture.”
Lannom added that they have former students working now in arboretums and in nurseries. “It’s a nice career, it’s a varied career and we now have 11 certificates and we have degrees in horticulture, integrated pest management and a degree in park management.” The main focus of the program is to fain an understanding of horticulture. “We encourage them to practice or get experience here in the horticulture unit or gain practical experience in the industry,” said Lannom. “When a student is done here, we hope they’re not done, and one of my greatest ratifications of my life is to have students that I had 40 years ago come back and see me, call me, or ask advice.” Students gain some experience while that stay and finish the program. “We have a lot of workexperienced students and we actually have students that work to gain the experience that they need to move forward and potentially get a career or a job,” said Ramirez. “One of the places is Disneyland. We get a lot of students to work at Disneyland, theme parks and not only just here in California but in Florida.” A former student and the first greenhouse manager of the program, Ramirez has true passion for the program. “I grew up in Mexico and we farmed with my dad so it’s in my blood to grow plants and take care
Layla Jasco/Mountaineer Poinsettias growing for sale in the nursery.
of them,” said Ramirez. “When I started going to school, I wasn’t married, and I just loved the fact that I can take a plant and take care of it.” Working in the program has helped former horticulture club president and production assistant, Ruben Flores, 23, plant science major, prepare himself in becoming a teacher for the program. “I originally I didn’t want to teach, I wanted to get into landscape agriculture, but my position here [overseeing the work], a lot of it is teaching students new things in how to do irrigation and electrical,” said Flores. As the president of the horticulture club for the past two years, Flores stepped up and brought back the club that had died out. “There was no interest, it just died out,” said Flores. “Two years ago, everyone said that we should
start but no one really did anything so I stepped in and started it back up.” As the club is resurging again, its members try to schedule events where they visit gardens around the area. “We try to schedule a couple of events where we go [with students] to botanical gardens,” said Flores. With the “farm account,” the program is being improved with the help of the account and is also providing a rough estimate of $1,000,000 in plants and trees. “We do keep an inventory of thousands of plants and the students are involved,” said Lannom. The program sells their plants Monday through Thursday at their greenhouse from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. “We have the Poinsettia sales up in the greenhouse,” said Lannom. “For the Mother’s day sale we set up on campus.”
BUY YOUR CONCERT TICKETS TODAY! » The Jacksons » Tower of Power & very special guest Average White Band
» Demi Lovato
Thurs., Sept. 12
Presented by
Fri., Sept. 13 Sat., Sept. 14
AJR
» Celebración el Grito Graciela Beltrán, Banda La Costeña Ana Victoria, Irene Davi con Mariachi el Mexicanísimo
» Shinedown » Lynyrd Skynyrd & special guest Outlaws
» Zendaya & Artist Vs Poet
Sun., Sept. 15 Thurs., Sept. 19 Fri., Sept. 20
Demi Levato Saturday, Sept. 14
Sat., Sept. 21
» Ramon Ayala y sus Bravos del Norte
Sun., Sept. 22
» Demolition Derby
Thurs., Sept. 26
presented by Jeffrey Scott® Fine Magnetics
» Monster Truck Madness
Fri., Sept. 27
» Moto X Champions Tour
Sat., Sept. 28
» Bad Company The 40th Anniversary Tour
Sun., Sept. 29
Lynyrd Skynyrd & special guest Outlaws
Friday, Sept. 20
To purchase concert tickets visit lacountyfair.com/concerts or ticketmaster.com
Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
College Life
Thank you cheeses!
15
LA food truck serves melty goodness and philanthropy Christina Artmanni College Life Editor Nothing says comfort food like a warm, melt-in-your-mouth, grilled cheese that gives you a serious case of nostalgia. Dave Dahni, CEO, founder, and chef at Los Angeles’ famous food truck, The Grilled Cheese Truck understands that feeling very well. When Dahni entered his “Cheesy Mac n’ Rib” in the Los Angeles 7th Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational, he underestimated the positive response his creation would receive from grilled cheese fanatics. That sparked the inspiration for Dahni to play around with the idea of a food truck that served an all time favorite comfort food: the grilled cheese. Dahni said his signature sandwich, “Cheesy Mac n’ Rib,” is “closest to his heart.” It oozes with sharp cheddar macaroni and cheese, juicy, tender BBQ pork meat, and caramelized onions that would leave anyone’s taste buds jumping for joy. The menu changes four times a year, but patrons will always find this masterpiece listed on the menu year round. For cheese connoisseurs, The Grilled Cheese Truck currently features the “Three Cheese Melt.” This cheesiest of cheesy sandwiches is stuffed with Gruyere, aged white cheddar, and blue cheese. For the adventurous types, the “Goat
Cheese Melt” consists of goat cheese with sun-dried tomatoes, basil, spinach and a side of thick potato chips, which are made in house. The truck also offers a dessert menu, with their most popular item being the “S’more Melt,” made with toasted marshmallows, Nutella, and crumbled graham crackers. “I just can’t seem to take this one off of the menu because everyone loves it so much,” said Dahni. Traveling from different locations throughout the greater Los Angeles area and San Gabriel Valley, The Grilled Cheese Truck is rapidly building a loyal fan base. According to Dahni, in addition to the three trucks that are already trucking through Los Angeles, two new trucks will be added in Orange County and Ventura County, and two more in Phoenix, Ariz. The company also supports military veterans and made the decision to franchise, committing their first hundred trucks to qualified veterans who wish to run their very own Grilled Cheese Truck. You can catch The Grilled Cheese Truck and all of its cheesiness on the web at thegrilledcheesetruck.com, where you can find destination stops, menu options and catering information. Or you can follow them on Twitter @grlldcheesetruk. Stay cheesy, friends!
Release Dates Announced League of Legends Championship Game Coming to Los Angeles Damion Julien Rohman Staff Writer Julian Muhr Staff Writer Sony and Microsoft are about to release gaming systems that will define the next generation in console gaming. Sony will introduce new ways of sharing games with friends, while Microsoft brings entertainment to the homefront. On Aug. 28, at the Gamescom game convention in Cologne, Germany, Sony announced a release date for their upcoming PlayStation 4 console. Priced at $399, the system will be released on Fri., Nov. 15 in North America, and Nov. 29 in Europe. The system will launch in 32 countries around the world. Sony also announced that they dropped the price of their current handheld
Christina Artmanni/Mountaineer A patron waiting for his order outside The Grilled Cheese Truck at one of its stops in Los Angeles, Calif.
vs. Playstation 4 system, the PlayStation Vita, to $199.99 for both the Wi-Fi and 3G/Wi-Fi models. This price down from the original prices of $249.99 for the Wi-Fi model, and $279.99 for the 3G/Wi-Fi model. Prices for the mandatory memory cards have been reduced as well. At the same convention, Microsoft dashed rumors during a press conference that the company would sell a version of the Xbox One without the Kinect in order to better compete with the PlayStation 4’s pricing. “The Xbox One is Kinect. They are not separate systems. An Xbox One has chips, it has memory, it has Blu-Ray, it has Kinect, it has a controller. These are all part of the platform ecosystem,” Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President Phil Harrison said. On Wed., Sept. 3, the company announced a release date for the upcoming
Xbox One console. It will debut in North America and 12 other countries on Nov. 22, a reduction from the original 21. It will retail for $499.99. Coming soon to Southern California is the League of Legends World Championships. Starting at Riot Studios in Santa Barbara on Sept. 15 for the initial rounds, the championships will take over the Galen Center at USC on Sept. 27, culminating in the takeover of the Staples Center for the Finals on Oct. 4. This tournament is one of the most anticipated events in the eSports world. Tickets sold out for the Staples Center and Galen Center within ten minutes of sales opening. For coverage of the event, Riot Industries will be streaming the entire event on the League of Legends Championship Series Twitch page at http://www.twitch.tv/.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
16 “You Should Read this... ...but You Shouldn’t Do this” RICH YAP STAFF WRITER Listen closely, because this is the only time I am going to give out unsolicited advice: do not give out unsolicited advice. Yes, you read that correctly. Do not do it. Who do you think you are to tell someone what to do anyway? And who asked you? Unless someone explicitly asks you for it (and it will come in the form of, “Can I get your advice on this?” or “What’s your advice?”), just smile and nod during someone’s bitch fest because you will not be a better friend by dishing out a barrage of “you should”s; you are a better friend for your listening skills. And you should be so honored that someone feels comfortable enough to open up to you. Unsolicited advice is the worst when it comes completely out of nowhere, and it is the quickest way to shut down a conversation. A friend recently felt it was necessary to dish out career advice I didn’t ask for at 7 a.m. over Facebook chat, while I was frantically trying to meet a deadline. Whatever happened to “good morning”? I did not even initiate this conversation. This person opened up this conversation asking me some things related to my career, then proceeded to tell me that I was not working hard enough. Nobody wants to be told that they are not working hard enough, especially before they have had breakfast and are frantically working on something. Needless to say, this friend and I are trying to work through the ensuing awkwardness that developed after that conversation. Also, consider this: when was the last time you ever listened to anybody’s unsolicited advice? And even when you did seek out someone’s advice, did you still apply it? Exactly. Unless of course, it is your intention to repel someone from you, then the unsolicited advice is a perfectly good passive aggressive way to do so. I am of course being sarcastic with the last statement. If you have a problem with someone, tell him or her privately what your deal is. For all you know, this person may not realize that they are coming off as rude and obnoxious. In all other instances though, should you feel the need to give out advice nobody asked you for, bite your tongue and grin and bear it. Now if you’ll excuse me, I am going to take my own advice and let this friend know that he probably should not give out unsolicited advice.
Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College
College Life
Ride the bus for free! ADOLFO TIGERINO NEWS EDITOR Foothill Transit and Mt. SAC teamed up to get students free bus passes for the upcoming three semesters. This class pass is available to students who are enrolled in at least one unit. The class pass became available to students on Aug. 14. The class pass is a pilot program that will be available fall 2013, spring 2014 and fall 2014 semesters. Students can pick up their pass at the SacBookRac right by the Bursor’s Office after they have paid their student fees. At the end of fall 2014 students will be able to vote to keep the bus passes or not. Elizabeth Dejolie, 23, undecided major, said she hopes that they keep the free fare going since it’s useful. The class pass allows
students to ride the Foothill Transit buses any day of the week, it includes the Silver Streak buses, the bus line that runs all day. “Last week, I didn’t have a way to get home. Now I have this new option,” said Bianca Flores, 17, nursing major. “It’s good.” Andy Jaquez, 21, radiology major, said that college students often do not have much money and this pass will alleviate some of the burden with free transportation. Both Flores and Jaquez do not ride the bus often, but said they would ride the bus to school or other locations more often. The bus pass is not available for students who register during winter session, however, students who registered in fall can still use their bus pass. The pass expires on Feb. 16, and a new one will be issued for the spring semester. Foothill Transit added more buses
in the second week of school on the westbound route by Mt. SAC Way and Temple Avenue to minimize overcrowding. The extra buses are available on weekdays from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday are the busiest days for students using the bus, because that’s when the bulk of courses are. “It was little overcrowded earlier in the week,” said Jonathan Trinidad, 17, business management major. “It’s a good thing they added extra buses.” On Fridays there are not as many students, and bus users do not experience filled buses. “Days like today [Friday], it’s pretty quiet and empty, ” said Ivon Cayetano, 18, interior design major. For a list of Foothill Transit maps, schedules, and other information visit Foothill Transit bus book.
Student Spotlight
Stephanie Hacha/Mountaineer
Mt. San Antonio College Mountaineer
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Multiculture
17
Stephanie Hacha/Mountaineer Diqueasha Payton,25,deaf studies major,has experienced racial prejudice in the workplace.
A minority in a minority, black women feel the sting of racial prejudice Brigette Villeseñor Multiculture Editor “We spit on your people.” These are the kinds of words that some African-American females have experienced throughout their lives. African-American students, according to the 20102011 demographic profile for Mt. SAC, comprise of 4.8 percent of the students on campus, and 54 percent of the campus is female. Being a minority within a minority, these African-American female students have faced both negative racially-fueled situations as well as positive ones, the latter of which have at times opened the minds of those who are of a different race. Diqueasha Payton, 25, a deaf studies major, never imagined she would be confronted with a racist customer. “Working at Sears, an older Caucasian man asked for customer assistance and I was asked by my manager to help him,” she said. “He was 80 years old. When I walked up to him, he stared at me and asked me if the manager can help him. I answered, ‘Not at this time but I can.’” When Payton continued to do her job and assist the man, she said his initial hesitation was revealed. “He told me before that day, he did not like blacks,” Payton said. He went on to tell her, “I was raised not to like your kind, but with your help and personality, it has changed my mind about
blacks.” She added, “Then he went to my manager and told them I should get a raise or promotion.” Racially motivated situations are not always so enlightening and positive. Payton said what seemed to be a normal task turned offensive. “I was waiting for the bus off of Grand Avenue,” Payton said. When she went to assist a woman who was waiting at the bus, Payton said the woman responded with, “Get away from me. We spit on your people.” Several people at the bus stop asked why Payton did not get more upset. She said it was not going to do any good to fight anger with anger. Ashonda Turpin, a 34-yearold business major, was working for the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority when she had a discriminatory experience. Though she put in the same amount of work as everyone else, she said the manager treated her differently. “The manager tended to play favorites with her own race,” Turpin said. “I had to be on my toes and work harder and often got denied for days off when it would be granted to others for the same thing.” Turpin said she witnessed other instances of discrimination within the workplace and that there are more steps to be taken for racial equality. “There is more progress to be
made in society,” Turpin said. “I think blacks get overlooked in many aspects when it comes to jobs. I feel if those people hiring come across a name that looks ghetto or they can’t pronounce, they get passed over regardless to credentials.” At times, the discrimination pertaining to workplaces happens between minorities. Vivea Williams, 31, a child development major, experienced this when looking for work. “I went in to apply for work at a convenience store,” she said. “I asked a Hispanic employee if they were hiring and he happily told me they were. His Indian co-worker looked at me and defensively told me they were not.” Williams, who is of mixed race and whose mother was a child during the civil rights movement era, said her mother sensed the animosity coming from the woman. “My mom told me I did not need to work in a place like that, and we just left,” Williams said. Williams also said that her mother shared a story about being a child in Louisiana in the late 1960s. “My mom was in a grocery store just getting something to eat,” Williams said. “A Caucasian man threw a bag of beans in her face. She was just about six years old.” Though each of these cases is different, Payton and Williams both said that keeping calm is the key when dealing with these
situations, though difficult. “I am half white, half black and I have some Cherokee and Spanish in my family,” Williams said. “Sometimes people are surprised that I speak some Spanish and welcome it. It depends on the person. Not everyone is closedminded and not everyone has a bad heart.” Payton said there is more work to be done in the area of tolerance. “I don’t think society has become more colorblind,” she said. “I think society hasn’t matured from the past, such as racism. I think a lot of progress needs to be made.” Payton also said one of the ways to progress is by gaining an understanding that these discriminatory experiences are not limited to African-American females. “I do think this is an act that occurs frequently, but not just in the African-American culture,” Payton said. “People need to understand that we as people are all the same, just a different color. Each race has experienced slavery and poverty in different ways.” Payton added that she believes women, no matter the race, struggle. “I don’t think being an AfricanAmerican woman makes me feel I must work twice as hard,” she said. “I think as a women period you have to work hard, more for a woman who is single with children, like me.
Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
18 Sports Soccer o≠ to a good start JOSE DE CASTRO FEATURES EDITOR The men’s soccer team proved to West Valley College why they are the California Community College Athletic Association champions for four straight years when they defeated them, 2-1. It was a great way to start off the season for the Mounties as forwards Armando Ochoa and Luis Arellano scored one goal apiece. New goalie Tony Maldonado replaces National Soccer Coaches Association of America award Junior College Division III and First Team AllWest Region Honors, Adrian Topete. Maldonado played a strong 90 minutes having four saves and giving up just one goal. While the Mounties keep their leading scorer, Armando Ochoa, who lead the team with 21 goals, his brother, forward, Norberto Ochoa who lead the team in assists will be missed as he is m moving on. 14 upcoming freshmen’s coming this season, the Mounties will try to continue their domination in the South Coast Conference. The Mounties will try to keep their six game winning streak in tact which
they started last November when they headed to Sacramento for the Consumnes River Soccer Tournament. As for their counterparts, the women’s team came out strong defeating Norco, 6-1. Leading the way for the Mounties was forward, Stephanie Catone who scored two. Forwards, Daisy Macias, Hailey Havelind, Midfielders Diana Enriquez, and Maricela Santana scored one goal apiece. “We have a lot of scorers, and talent,” said coach Melinda Bowen. “Stephanie Catone scored two and you’re likely to see some big numbers from her this season.” In a match where five players scored, the season looks bright for the Mounties. “We have a lot of speed, there really dynamic,” said Bowen “Our midfield is super dynamic and it’s really exciting to watch.” When the season started the Mounties lost 13 sophomores to universities such as forward, Ashley Sciolini who is going to Cal State LA. “That’s the mission at Mt. SAC women’s soccer,” said Bowen. “[It’s] to get kids ready to play and go to school in the next level, and we do a great job.”
Sterling Knight
Cal Poly Pomona FARM STORE at Kellogg Ranch Corner of Temple and South Campus Drive
Fresh off the farm CPP produce
Have your AA Degree? You Can Attend Law School.
Watermelon
3 for 99¢
We also have snacks, sodas, pre-made meals, gift baskets, fresh fruit gift packs, plants and more!
Save the Date for the T h e 2 1 ST A n n u a l
PUMPKIN FESTIVAL
October 19 & 20, 2013 8am-5pm
Lots of things to do: Pumpkin Patch Horse Rides Petting Zoo Corn Maze Food Vendors Craft Booths Farmer’s Market Carnival Games Pancake Breakfast 8am-11am Live Music and Entertainment Farm Store Shopping
You can attend Trinity Law School upon completion of your Associates Degree. Go straight to law school. Save time, save money, and get a great education with unlimited opportunities. Apply today FREE!*
*Application fee waiver code: JCA213 For more information: www.tls.edu
Corn on the cob
$4 ea for red, $5 ea for yellow and orange flesh
Don’t miss the Insect Fair at the Bronco Student Center 9am-5pm Farm Store at Kellogg Ranch Open Daily 10am-6pm 4102 S. University Drive Pomona, CA 91768
Join our email list! Just visit:
www.csupomona.edu/farmstore
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College
Sports
19
Transfer breathes life into o≠ense MICHAEL CHAVEZ SPORTS EDITOR Even on the heels of the Mounties falling just short of a national championship, the biggest question of the offseason was, “Who is going to replace Nick Montana at quarterback?” The University of Washington transfer was a revelation for Mt. SAC in 2012 passing for 22 touchdowns and almost 3,000 yards. However with his transfer to Tulane University there suddenly emerged a void, which needed to be filled on the team. What better way to replace your transfer quarterback than with another transfer quarterback? Mounties meet Justin Alo, your new starting quarterback. A Carson High graduate, a school known for producing a number of FBS players, Alo, 19, was noted for his strong arm and athletic ability. He was also, according to Mt. SAC quarterbacks Coach Daniel Al-Gattas, allowed to call his own plays which is rare for high school athletes. After high school, Alo
Jacqueline Yu/Mountaineer
took his talents to the University of Hawaii where it appeared he would stay for the next four years. Unfortunately for him, a coaching change also meant a change of position and he was penciled in as a wide receiver. Head coach Greg McMackin was replaced with Norm Chow and the run and shoot offense Hawaii had grown famous for was changed to a more pro-style offense. It would appear Norm Chow and his offense staff did not believe Alo could make an impact from the quarterback position. For Alo to be moved to receiver speaks volumes about the athleticism he possesses, however he wanted to play for a program that was going to give him
the opportunity to prove he can play the position he loves at a high level. Mt. SAC was that opportunity, as the team would be going through a transitional period with Nick Montana moving on after the 2012 season. Alo found himself being named the starting quarterback at Mt. SAC after a long summer camp, quarterback battles, and adjusting to a new campus and program. “I feel that we are improving each and every day. We are just taking it one game at a time,” said Alo. After being asked about what he can bring to the table as the starting quarterback, Alo said, “The
positive mentality. If I have it then everyone will feed off of me.” Alo hasn’t just won over coaches; he’s also winning over his teammates. When asked about Alo, Al-Gattas said, “He’s very well liked by his teammates. He certainly puts in the time.” Putting in that time is very important to a program founded on winning because according to Al-Gattas, “We expect more of our quarterbacks than any other junior college. If you’re not ready to play at the next level, you’re not ready to play here.” It appears Alo is ready to play at the next level and Hawaii may end up kicking themselves for letting him slip through their fingers.
NEW this year: Happy Hour at the Fair Wednesdays & Thursdays from 4-7 p.m. For more information visit lacountyfair.com/promotions
Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
20
Sports
Stephanie Hacha/Mountaineer
Top ranked Mounties have first big test Mounties take many new faces on the field MICHAEL CHAVEZ SPORTS EDITOR Mt. SAC should be on alert. The biggest test of the early season, the make or break it game for this young team, is on the horizon. Sept. 14, the Mounties will look to take on the team that ended their national championship aspirations. The first step on that day to taking down this rival will be getting a foot into the bus. The game will take place in Bakersfield meaning there will not likely be a great deal of fan support for the Mounties. They’ll need to score early and often while keeping Bakersfield from doing the same if they want to keep the opposing fans quiet. There is likely to be a great deal of support given the small town feel of Bakersfield and the large
Advance Mt. SAC Football Schedule
draw of college football. Breaking in a slew of new starters means Mt. SAC veterans will have to lead by example if the team is hoping to go into a hostile environment and win a game that carries not only national championship implications but also the weight of grand emotional baggage. For those unaware, Mt. SAC was well on its way to a national championship game; undefeated, experienced and well prepared. However, they may have overlooked Bakersfield as they dreamt of a national championship bout. The Renegades on the other hand were not looking past anyone or anything when they came to play. Their defense played well, sacking then Mt. SAC quarterback Nick Montana, four times and intercepting him once. The Mounties did not match the defensive production of Bakersfield and the offense had a sluggish day especially in the passing department. These combinations led to a major letdown for Mt. SAC. Fast forward to Sept. 14, and the Mounties are expecting to see a different team this time around against the Renegades. Given so many new starters, that won’t be a difficult task to achieve. What will return this season for Mt. SAC are an experienced, explosive, bell-cow
running back in Jamal Overton and a field stretching, coveragebreaking, sure handed receiver in Kaelin Clay. Expect these two to lead the offense early as a large majority of the other starters look to get settled into their new roles on the team. Luckily for the Mounties they’ll also receive some help from running back Will Gregory who left Hawaii and subsequently enrolled at Mt. SAC. When asked about the combination of both Overton and Gregory, quarterbacks coach Daniel AlGattas said these two are, “The two best running backs in California.” Another thing to keep an eye on that average football fan may not notice but will be painfully obvious to those familiar with professional football acumen, “We are closest to the New England Patriots in offensive style,” said Al-Gattas. It won’t just be an adjustment period for the Mounties though; the Renegades are also breaking in a large group of new starters as well. Essentially these two teams will be out playing who have a history together yet are unfamiliar with one another. Mt. SAC players look to avenge a loss largely not their own with the exception of a few returning players while, Bakersfield defends a victory in the same
We are closest to the New England Patriots in offensive style.”
—Daniel Al-Gattas.
fashion. Will Mt. SAC push past the expectations placed on it by the media, school and fans? Will it be able to surmount the adopted emotions of this matchup? Will it look beyond this game or suffer a letdown in the subsequent games of the season due to the mental and physical exertion of this game? Sept.14 will provide the answer to every question the media and fans may ask. However, the most important and poignant questions it will answer are those held by both players and coaches.
Sept. 7 Saddleback at Mt. SAC 1 P.M. Sept. 14 Mt. SAC at Bakersfield 7 P.M. Sept. 21 Cerritos at Mt. SAC 1 P.M. Sept. 28 Citrus at Mt. SAC 6 P.M. Oct. 5 Mt. SAC at Desert 6 P.M. Oct. 12 Mt. SAC at Grossmont 1 P.M. Oct. 19 L.A. Harbor at Mt. SAC 6 P.M. Dec. 2 Mt. SAC at Long Beach 6 P.M. Dec. 9 El Camino at Mt. SAC 1 P.M. Dec. 16 Mt. SAC at Riverside 6 P.M.