May 2017

MAY 2017

VOL. V

ISSUE III

Professor Involved In racIst controversy

By Chris Malandrinos A professor who teaches English as a Second Language at MSJC’s Menifee Valley Campus has faced public backlash on MSJC’s Facebook page after she was accused of making racially charged remarks to an Asian woman using Airbnb.

Professor Tami Barker refused to make any comments on the matter for legal reasons. However, while school officials have released a statement saying they are disappointed these actions continue to take place today, some students are still concerned about how far-reaching the potential impacts of Barker’s views could be.

Earlier this year, Dyne Suh, a Korean American law student who has lived in the U.S. since she was 3 years old, had made reservations to stay at Barker’s lodge in Big Bear, using Airbnb, an organization that connects budget travelers with homeowners willing to rent out their rooms. However, by the time Suh was just 15 minutes away, Barker abruptly canceled the reservation.

During the text message

Left: Photo of Dyne Suh; Right: Online chat between Tami Barker and Dyne Suh exchange that followed, Barker reportedly called Suh a “con artist” and cited the traveler’s being Asian as grounds for her decision.

One of the messages from Barker describing her reasons for cancellation reads, “One word says it all.

Asian. And I will not allow this country to be told what to do by foreigners.”

Airbnb later released a statement reporting that racism will not be tolerated within their institution and

that Barker has been banned from the company as a host.

From that point on, the story made headlines throughout both American and Asian news circuits, eventually finding its way to the MSJC Facebook page. It was here that many concerned citizens (and a few people from outside the country) chose to voice their strong disapproval of Barker’s actions, many questioning the college’s ethics policies and some even call-

Courtesy of Indian Express

ing for the school to fire the associate faculty member outright.

When approached for an interview with The Talon, Barker refused to make any type of statement, explaining that she wasn’t allowed to speak on the matter for professional reasons.

However, according to a press release from the Korean American Coalition (KAC) in Los Angeles, Barker has formally apologized to Suh, and her attorney has

released a public statement, saying, “Ms. Barker is deeply sorry for the comments she made. She asks your forgiveness for grossly stereotyping in a racist way the Asian community, and, specifically, you. Overtired and stressed, Tami made the statements out of heated frustration but that’s merely a reason, not an excuse, as she explained to me she fully understands. She knows there was no basis for her ad hominem attack.”

While these statements

have personally affected many students, several have shown that while they do have hope for a better world, it is hard for them to feel comfortable knowing that some professors might be keeping these views concealed.

“Her statements would make me feel uncomfortable if I was her student,” Maliyah Galbraith, a student of Korean descent, said.

But though she thinks that the comments Barker made may have reflected how she views people, Galbraith doesn’t believe it represents the professor on a personal level.

Julianne Park, a Kyrgyzstani American student, said that she wouldn’t mind taking Barker’s class, but she did feel that this revealed more about the professor’s beliefs “When a person’s angry you can really see their true colors, like how they handle a situation,” said Park.

“There’s different ways to deal with that.”

Karin Marriott, an MSJC spokesperson, explained that, under California state Cont’d on page 2

Jeff stone stands agaInst calIf. sanctuary status

By Noah Colome Senator Jeff Stone has been fighting to repeal Senate Bill 54. The Bill allows the state to become a sanctuary state. Outcries on both sides show the accustomed controversial atmosphere surrounding immigration policy.

On Monday April 3, Senators of California passed SB 54 with a 27 to 12 vote in order to officially turn California into a sanctuary state for immigrants. With America always finding immigration policy a hot topic, the controversy on this latest development plunges both sides into debate.

The Sanctuary status for California means that state

and local law enforcement are prohibited from investigating, detaining, reporting, or arresting undocumented immigrants based on their immigration status. The bill attempts to limit immigration control policy enforcement to federal entities.

More than half of all Incarcerated immigrants (ICE) are found innocent of the crimes with which they were arrested with. California has an estimated 3 million undocumented immigrants with 11,000 of them convicted felons. Local California sheriff ’s departments are concerned that the new policy will allow criminals to “slip through the cracks” because immigrants will not be turned over to federal im-

migration officers directly.

However, Senator Kevin de Leon amended the bill to allow officers to notify federal agencies upon release of violent criminals.

Leon argues that the bill is in place so that all California residents, legal or not, can feel comfortable interacting with government systems, taking some of the fear away from going to hospitals, schools, courts, and alerting police officers when violent crimes and felonies are taking place.

The assumption of the bill is that most immigrants are too fearful of deportation to report crimes, with Leon remarking that the immigration enforcement has a “chilling effect,” and continuing to state, “If they

new york Makes college tuItIon free

By Serena Steele Beginning this upcoming fall, in-state undergraduate students who attend a two or four-year public college in New York will be eligible for free tuition. Tens of thousands of students are already set to benefit from this change.

The program, which was proposed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo earlier this year, will af-

fect approximately 940,000 middle-class families and individuals who will have the option of attending any of the 64 colleges free of charge.

The free tuition program, called the “Excelsior Scholarship” program, will initially cover students starting school this fall whose families make under $100,000 per year. However, that threshold will increase

Annual BudTrader Ball The world’s largest medical marijuana market place holds its annual BudTrader Ball, open to politicians and celebrities of every stature.

Page 6

to $110,000 in 2018 and $125,000 in 2019. The program is the first state in the nation to offer free tuition at two and four-year publicly funded schools. Before the Excelsior program, many students cold expect upwards of $3,000 in financial aid from state and federal resources toward tuition, which is currently around Cont’d on page 7

want to go after the bad guys, the violent felons and drug dealers, we are more than happy to continue to work with them. But if they want to split up and deport the nanny, that’s not what

Americas about and that what California is about.”

A local congressman from Temecula, California, Jeff Stone, has been increasingly outspoken in opposition to Stone has

Courtesy of Political Insider shown up on the controversial shows The O’Rielly Factor and Fox with Friends

Cont’d on page 6

local student gets InternshIP wIth nasa

By Serena Steele

In December of 2016, Eric Magallan was selected for an internship program with NASA, focused on holographic enhancement technology.

Magallan, 31, of Moreno Valley is planning to earn a degree in computer science.

He will be on a team of college students from a variety of majors all working on the

Women in STEM

Holodeck Testbed project.

According to Magallan, this project could be used on the International Space Station, Rovers, Mars environments, and various other places.

“I applied to the National Community College Aerospace Scholars Program (NCAS) back in 2014 and was accepted, along with 50 other students, out of hundreds of applicants nationwide, to attend,”

Magallan stated. “In the NCAS program we learned about past, present, and future Mars missions and had to create our own version of a mission. We 3D rendered our own rover, created a mission plan, and wrote a paper about it all.”

Cont’d on page 6

13 Reasons Why

Despite the progresses made in terms of human rights, women have been vastly underrepresented in the STEM field.

Page 7

Experts raise concern over possible increase in suicides and self harm after Netflix releases popular new show.

Page 8

2 | CAMPUS

THE TALON, MAY 2017

Jane Elliott: Blue Eyes-Brown Eyes

By Brando Ligayo On April 5, 2017, crowds of students and faculty convened in Room 927 of the MSJC Menifee Campus’ Business Building to witness a lecture on Jane Elliott’s social experiment, Brown Eyes-Blue Eyes, and hear her views on racism.

Elliott is a former elementary school teacher from Riceville, Iowa who went on to become an internationally known diversity trainer and recipient of the National Mental Health Association Award for Excellence in Ed-

Her experiment involved segregating her students by eye color instead of skin color, hence the term ‘Brown Eyes-Blue Eyes’ ucation.

During this event, which was held by the MSJC Psychology Club, her presence was first met with a round of applause and endless selfies taken by fans of her activism. This was followed by her giving the audience a warning that her views may offend some of them before she persisted to follow

through with her words. According to her, she has been called many names for her lectures, including “a mean b-word” which she has redefined to mean Being In Total Control, Honey.

It all began with a brief breathing exercise she used to establish solidarity amongst the crowd. It involved a series of deep breaths. She said that by exhaling, they released a part of themselves into the air; and thus, by inhaling those particles, they were literally breathing in the parts of others, essentially making everyone a part of one another, or cousins. In her lecture, she stated that race is a myth, referring to ideas drawn from The Racial Conditioning of Our Children: Psychological Genocide in School, by Nathan Rutstein.

Clad in her white sweatshirt and adorned with a Nathan Rutstein quote, the witty outspoken speaker of 83 years of age described how she conducted an experiment with her elementary students in Riceville, Iowa on the day after the assassination of famous black civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr. Her experiment involved segregating her students by eye color instead of skin color, hence the term

Courtesy of Fan pop “Brown eyes-Blue eyes.”

On one side, she told her students with blue eyes that they were superior to their brown-eyed counterparts.

They would then alternate the next day as she convinced brown-eyed dyslexics

To avoid acknowledging the real issues at hand, people veer away from seeking solutions that they could read better than their counterparts. The experiment reaped hate and discrimination amongst her

Community College Transfer Rates Dropping

By Serena Steele According to data gathered and published in 2011, Mt. San Jacinto College boasts a 16% transfer rate among its student population.

MSJC’s website states, “Students who have completed 60 transferable units with a GPA of 2.0 or better are considered ‘transfer-prepared’.

Students who transferred to another post-secondary institution, prior to attaining a degree, certificate, or becoming ‘transfer-prepared’ during a five-semester period, from Spring 2012 to Spring 2014, are transfer students.”

The low rates of transfers at MSJC reflect the California’s average when it comes to community college transfers. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, only 20% of community college students transfer to fouryear institutions, meaning that, statistically, one out of five of your fellow community college peers will transfer out of MSJC. Of course, with these statistics come a variety of circumstances, such as the rate of transfers to UCs, Cal States, and private institutions.

Approximately 15,000 students make the switch from community colleges to UC schools each year.

The UC system consists of 10 separate schools, five medical centers, and about 233,000 students. There are 112 community colleges in California filled with students who often choose to transfer into the UC system after two years. Statistics show a disparity among community colleges when it comes to the number of students who end up enrolling in UC schools. Santa Monica College sent 783 students while Feather River College in Quincy sent just one.

About half of all the transfer students come from less than 20% of California’s community colleges, many

of which are located in more wealthy regions such as Cupertino and San Diego.

According to the National Journal, this concentration on wealthier areas is one reason the transfer system reduces ethnic diversity within the UC system. The article notes that African-Americans and Hispanics make up nearly half of the community-college student population, but only account for approximately a quarter of students who transferred into the UC. This statistic, however, may allude to the notion that perhaps the UC system is not desired by all transfers.

The CSU system features 23 campuses, making it the largest four-year university system in the nation. CSU schools are also a bit cheaper at $5,472 per academic year for those taking over six units, as opposed to UC schools, which are about $13,200 per year.

An all-inclusive report, spearheaded by the Transfer Action Team UC President Janet Napolitano assembled in December 2013, gives key recommendations for reducing the great disparity and was presented at a UC Board of Regents meeting last year as a response to these statistics.

The report had five main strategies: amplify the UC’s message to potential transfer students and informing them they can afford a UC; increasing the UC’s presence at all community colleges, simplify the transfer process, create “Transfer Success Kits” that include a collection of campus transfer services, and commit the UC system to working with the CCC and CSUs to engage in the state’s transfer pathway.

“I’m surprised, but at the same time I think that it has a lot to do with people juggling jobs and going to school at the same time,” says Sheila Steele, Psychology major and Cal State San Marcos transfer student from MSJC. “I’ve talked with a lot of people

have two jobs and they take breaks and years off because it’s too much for them to juggle school and being financially stable.”

The low community college graduation rates are not limited to California schools. According to a report at the Goldwater Institute website, most Arizona community colleges can also be referred to as “dropout factories,” where the average three-year completion rate is just 18.2%. At some of the schools, the completion rate dropped as low as just 10%.

There is good news for those that do transfer, however. 60% of those who do so earn a bachelor’s degree within four years. Graduation rates for community college transfers get even better for students who complete their associate degree before heading to a four-year institution. Research has found that 71% of those transfer students earned a bachelor degree within four years of transferring, with 80% either graduating or remaining enrolled for graduate school.

“While interesting, this new information is not particularly surprising,” said Davis Jenkins, senior researcher at the Community College Research Center at Columbia University’s Teachers College. “That’s because previous research has found that students who transfer from community colleges to four-year institutions generally are well-prepared for the coursework and for navigating college life.”

Earlier this year, California lawmakers signed SB1143, which will create a task force to help community colleges learn how to better monitor and support students once they get to college. Community College Vice Chancellor Terri Carbaugh told the Chronicle, “We are very united over access. Now we need to become much more cohesive on success – and I think we are doing that.”

students, thus proving her point that racism is not an inherent part of nature, but instead an idea that is taught.

Another point of hers was the error of “color blindness,” criticizing the belief in a 1992 Interview with Oprah Winfrey by saying, “’I don’t care if you’re black or brown or green with purple stripes; I’m going to treat you all the same.’

How many of you have seen earthlings that were green with purple stripes?”

What this does, she states, is it ignores the actual phenomenon of racism while, in fact, wstill being subliminally racist. To not

acknowledge the real issues at hand, people veer away from seeking solutions.

In one analogy, she says that the United States should not be a melting pot as a melting pot suggests diluting one’s cultural background and succumbing them to assimilation; therefore, on a humorous note, she suggests that America should be a stir fry, where all ingredients retain their shape and flavor, yet live homogeneously.

During the course of the lecture, she drew from the audience two individuals: a tall middle-aged Caucasian man and a short, young African American male. She began to ask them a series of questions, including whether their physical traits (height, skin color, gender, etc) gave them power and whether they chose those traits. In the end, she found that a man’s stature and complexion does, in fact, give him some influence, especially since those characteristics are commonly portrayed as such in the media. Despite years of lecturing people on the antiquated concept of racism, members of today’s society still exhibit acts of hate towards minorities similar to the way they have the past. This is shown in a

number of events including the deaths of several African

...for there to be reforms in the way society percieves race, people must not ignore the current turmoil racism brings.

American males at the hands of the police, plans for the construction of “the Wall,” and the Muslim ban, two of these being key policies discussed under the Trump administration.

Before concluding her lecture, she said that for there to be reforms in the way society perceives race, people must not ignore the current turmoil racism brings. Change begins by confronting these issues directly, not by merely being a bystander to it. It is vital that the varied people of this country embrace one another’s differences, not pick at them or overlook them completely, and most importantly, everyone must have hope and optimism to put into fruition an equal society.

Professor Cont’d from page 1

Screenshot of text messages between Tami Barker and Dyne Suh

employment laws, the school would be unable to discuss any personnel matters such as what was to become of Barker. In addition, while a statement released to the press reads that the school is “deeply disappointed to hear that the type of behavior described in the allegation still occurs today,” Marriott pointed out that the incident did not take place on college grounds nor during college district business and, therefore, falls outside of the school’s jurisdiction.

It is here that Marriott referred to the school’s nondiscrimination policy, which states: “Employees, students, or other persons acting on behalf of the district who engage in unlawful discrimination or harassment as defined in administrative procedure 3410 or by state or federal law may be subject to discipline, up to and including discharge, expulsion, or termination of contract.”

However, many of the people concerned with the school’s retaliatory procedures believe that this incident displays deeper prejudices held by Barker that could directly affect her treatment of the Asian students she so regularly works with.

According to some on the MSJC Facebook post, they feel it would be in the students’ best interest to engage further investigation while keeping Administrative Procedure 3410 and other state precedents in mind.

“How do you know her biases (blatant and clearly stated) don’t spill over into her interactions with students such as grading?” asks Facebook user Christina Shih, who has also been campaigning for the firing of Professor Barker.

Another commenter, Fuu Eddie, inquires, “How do you expect all the minority kids to be treated fairly in your school? I for one will never send my kids to this college as long as she is on staff there.”

While these comments have gained much attention on the Facebook page, the fact is that this is still an isolated incident in terms of Tami Barker’s public record. While it may have had a very large public impact, Barker has a long history of mostly positive feedback on RateMyProfessor.com with stu-

Courtesy of The Tab

dents describing her as “caring,” “hilarious,” and a bit of a “tough grader.”

Additionally, the resounding response of Barker’s coworkers was that they would have never expected something like this to happen.

“There were lots of students who would come to see her specifically, and preferred working with her,” explained one of her coworkers who wished to remain anonymous. “Our ESL program encompasses students with a broad variety of first languages, a broad variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds, a broad variety of, you know, personal histories; and she was consistently sought out by those students.”

Still, this hasn’t stopped hateful statements from coming in, eventually bringing the situation to a point where the school was forced to remove certain comments directly linking to Barker’s and her husband’s personal accounts. Naturally, this didn’t go over well with a few of the users claiming that this censorship was a violation of free speech, although the school’s social media policy does state that they will remove potentially damaging comments made towards anyone.

For this reason, even Suh, herself, has gone so far as to post a statement to her Facebook profile, reading, “Please respect Tami’s privacy. We all make mistakes and we are all learning. Unfortunately, we are all racist to varying degrees and we all have debiasing to do. No witchhunts please. This is not a Tami problem, this is not a Big Bear/ Running Springs problem - it’s an all of us and everywhere problem.”

Although these statements and Barker’s own formal apology may not be putting her main opponents’ minds at rest just yet, it’s definitely a start, and at the end of the day, MSJC students haven’t let go of hope.

“Even though what she did was not the best thing to do, give her a second chance,” student Julianne Park made sure to add.

“Students should be kind. There’s no need to show anymore hate.”

CAMPUS | 3

THE TALON, MAY 2017

An Inside Look at the Life of Associate Faculty

By: Prof.Thomas Milazzo, MPA President It is safe to assume you, as a student, will have a class with an associate faculty member before you complete your time at MSJC. What you most likely are not aware of is how associate faculty differ from full time faculty. Associate faculty have some unique issues to deal with.

First, it is necessary to make sure you understand that full time faculty work under a complete different set of rules than associate faculty. Full time faculty and associate faculty are governed under different contracts from different unions. Even if the faculty member, full or part time, does not belong to their perspective unions, they still work under the articles of the contract for that union. So let’s talk a little about the unique issues facing associate faculty.

Associate faculty most likely fall into one of three categories. Your associate instructor could be a full time worker in their industry during the day and an associate instructor during their off work time, or your associate instructor could be retired from their career and teach simply for the love of teaching or because they feel they have a great deal of experience to share. Your associate instructor could also teach at several schools, either

part time at each or full time at one and used for sick leave. If the associate faculty part time at others. We call these instructors have family emergencies or other reasons to “freeway fliers.” Regardless of the reason miss a class, there is no compensation for why they are here, they do have some re- those days, even if the faculty member still strictions and issues they must work within. has sick time available. These are just a few Associate faculty at community colleges in of the issues associate faculty face. So why California can only teach a maximum of ten am I taking time to tell you all of this? credits per term, which usually works out to Every three years, the associate faculty three classes at the most. This is one reason union and MSJC enter into negotiations for why they are forced to work at more than a new contract. During these negotiations, one school if their the associate faculonly means of inty union, University If the associate faculty have come is teaching.

Professionals and Let’s look at some Technical Educators family emergencies or other other issues facing – Communications reasons to miss a class, there associate faculty.

Workers of Ameris no compensation for those Associate faculty ica (UPTE-CWA), days, even if the faculty do not qualify for attempt to improve health insurance the areas where asmember still has sick time through MSJC as sociate faculty have available. stated in the current restrictions or issues contract between that could possibly the union and MSJC. Health insurance must reduce the faculty ability to provide the opbe acquired outside of MSJC. Associate timal educational environment for students. faculty do not receive compensation for of- This can prove challenging, especially during fice hours and must schedule time to work times when the state pinches school budgets. with students as needed around both the This year, on June 30, the current contract student’s and faculty members schedules as between UPTE-CWA and MSJC comes to is possible. Associate faculty accrue up to an end. This means it is time to begin negothree sick days over time that can only be tiations. The hope all around is for a smooth

Courtesy of Insead negotiation and a quick agreement between all parties, but that is most likely not going to be the case. There is always disagreement over some issues. You may hear about progress on negotiations or even hear some rumors along the way.

I want to introduce you to Michael Carrier. Michael is an intern for the union and is here to be the contact person for students to work with regarding any items you may hear regarding the union. We want to make sure we are as transparent as possible with you regarding all union activities. Hopefully, it will not be necessary, but depending on how negotiations go, we may even ask for student support for your associate faculty.

This could be as simple as signing a petition, if necessary, asking for students to attend a board meeting to voice your concerns or opinions. Hopefully, none of this will be necessary. We are approaching our negotiations with a positive outlook, but regardless of what happens, there is one very important thing I want you all to remember: every one of your associate faculty has your best interest at heart, and we will do everything in power to help you succeed in school and in life.

Op-Ed: Campus Expansion to Encroach on Wildlife

By Cameron McLain, SEAL Rep. Within the coming years, MSJC is planning to begin a huge expansion for their Menifee Valley Campus. According to Measure AA, a bond measure introduced in August 2014, this will include a football stadium of 7,000 seats and about 1,700 additional parking spaces throughout six parking lots.

Amidst all of this, they are only looking to add 1 more exit for a sum total of 3, which could very likely lead to heavy traffic during the afternoon hours when many classes usually get out.

Though these changes have been slowly dispersed during the years following the initial vote, we are fast approaching the addition of new athletic facilities, moving

towards the “completion” of the Menifee Valley Campus, as stated on the college website.

This also raises a concern because, while schools usually combine the track and field with the football stadium, MSJC will be separating these facilities. With a football stadium already on the San Jacinto Campus, why would we need another field to play on? And building two fields and a fountain of water wouldn’t be cheap, leaving one to wonder if the money could be used in a more beneficial way such as aiding club budgets or adding more funding for struggling programs. Many students have even started to speculate that this is all part of a plan to essentially make the Menifee Valley Campus the main campus. Menifee seems

to be growing at an ever-increasing rate, and with these additional facilities, it would become the largest campus of all the satellites, giving more space for applying students.

The truth is that this expansion has unlimited possibilities for incoming students as more buildings offering a more diverse selection of classes is added, but this doesn’t mean there aren’t any concerns.

After speaking with local students, it seems that one concern would be to adopt a more bike friendly system in an effort to make the school more eco-friendly. Another concern refers to local wildlife and the huge implications of environmental impact that would be present throughout the potential construction.

Mavy Carrasco, President of

Students for Environmental Action and Leadership (S.E.A.L.) explains, “We have gotten involved, we actually sent a letter during the comment period where we stated all of our concerns.”

When asked about how S.E.A.L. can get involved with the expansion, she replied, ”We’re actually working on an composting project right now that we do wish to expand to the other campuses, and if this campus does expand it would be campus wide.”

The compost she is referring to came from a huge amount of student donations during the Earth Week event which they collaborated on with the Political Science club on the April 18.

We as students cannot stop change, or the future for that mat-

ter, but we can play a part in capitalizing on what we can. This is a time for clubs to get more involved in this establishment which educates us and gives us a space to not only express our many views and ideas, but to make sure we can have a say in what goes on.

The public hearing for the school expansion is on May 11th.

If you truly have any concerns about the expansion, go out and attend to have your voice heard. Of course we should assist and work with MSJC and strive to improve it, but we must never be afraid to give our opinions and get involved with how the school changes.

THE TALON, MAY 2017

4 | SPORTS

Eagles Softball Plows Through All Obstacles

Natalia LeDesma (current Pitcher)

By Chris Malandrinos With a wicked set of players and a slew of ferocious games under their belts, the Mount San Jacinto College Eagles softball team has quite a lot to be proud of as their season finally comes to a close. Has the season seen its share of drawbacks? Sure.

Not only has everyone on the team had their own work cut out for them, but they’ve also had to deal with the loss of not one, but two pitchers; first, their original starting pitcher and then her replacement. But has this kept these ladies from winning their share of victories? By no means, whatsoever! And with the amount of heart they displayed during their crowning victory against Grossmont College on April 12, there is no doubt in any-

Courtesy of MSJC one’s mind that they have what it takes to get wherever they need to be.

With the team’s first starting pitcher long gone and her replacement out with an injury, the game got off to a bit of an uncomfortable start bringing in a 0-3 score in Grossmont’s favor by the top of the fourth inning. But even as they tried to catch their breath, the Eagles were heavily prepared to come back with a vengeance.

Thanks in large part to their newest stand-in pitcher, Natalia LeDesma, the bottom of the fifth inning saw a major comeback with 4 runs being scored to Grossmont’s original 3.

With 4 consecutive RBI being knocked in, one after another, by players Hannah Rivas, Savanah Ruiz, Natalia LeDesma, and Jordan Sage

respectively, the Eagles set a new pace that made its presence known throughout the entire rest of the game.

Not a single run was scored by the opposing team from that point on as the MSJC warriors threw things into the next gear; and by the sixth inning, with one RBI from Amanda Escalera and 2 RBI from LeDesma once again, the final score of 7-3 was laid out before the players from Grossmont knew what hit them.

All in all, when these players come together, there is little doubt that a serious battle is ready to be diligently fought, even with the odds stacking up against them. After the first pitcher left the team for personal reasons, she was swiftly replaced by Alisa Erl who was forced to step away from the

Courtesy of MSJC

Amanda Munoa (Catcher)

team after breaking her wrist just weeks before the end of the season, at which point she, herself, was replaced by, second baseman, Natalia LeDesma.

When asked about the team’s pitcher situation, Andy Escalara, the assistant manager, went into detail about the incident that led the loss of the replacement pitcher saying, “Alisa Erl was a big help to us when we lost our starting pitcher. She came in and held it down, so without her fighting, we wouldn’t have had a chance. Unfortunately she broke her wrist, but she put a lot of work in. She was flying into second base and she rolled over on it, but she played her heart out.” [Text Wrapping Break]And it was here that Natalia LeDesma came in to save face for the

team’s pitching game, a feat that didn’t go unnoticed by fellow players like Amanda Munoa, one of the team’s captains.

“Our pitcher, she did an amazing job the whole game,” Munoa explained.

“We lost two pitchers this season, and then she came up and she tore it up today.”

Natalia LeDesma, who has been pitching since she was 7 and playing second since she was four, made sure to bring attention to the other teammates who all play such integral parts in running this supreme machine of a team.

“I need all the help I can get pitching,” LeDesma stated. “Having everyone’s bats alive really made good momentum for all of us, and that’s really what made the game. We all have each oth-

er’s backs.”

At the end of this season, with several of the star players graduating and moving on to new and different things, most of them are set to make sure that softball will continue to be an integral part of their lives.

The players on this team, coached by Gina Oliver, have proven that they have more than what it takes to put the pedal to the metal when it all comes down to it.

At the end of this particular game Andy Escalera made sure to state, “Today, I felt the girls had it together and they executed their jobs well, and the result was a victory. We’re putting work in.

We’re doing the best we can, and that’s all we can ask for.”

Eagle Basketball Player Mat Eagle Golfers Headed For Bradshaw Signs Scholarship So Cal Regionals

Courtesy of MSJC

By MSJC Sports Staff (News Release MSJC sophomore men’s basketball player Mat Bradshaw signed a National Letter of Intent and scholarship on April 25 to continue his playing career next year at Cal State Stanislaus.

Bradshaw had a very strong sophomore season for the Eagles as he and his teammates captured the program’s fourth straight Pacific Coast Athletic Conference North Division title. In Mat’s two seasons as an Eagle he helped the team to 48 wins and two appearances in the CCCAA State Play-offs.

Mat earned Second Team All PCAC honors this past season after averaging 9 points per game as well as 2 assists and 2.5 rebounds. Bradshaw made 110 three point shots in his Eagle career including 80 as a sophomore. He also shot an impressive 42% for the season beyond the arc and 83% from the free throw line. Bradshaw is a graduate of Heritage High School in Menifee.

Cal State Stanislaus is an NCAA Division

II school and a member of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA).

“Mat’s the kind of player that you love having around the program”, said Eagle head coach Patrick Springer. “He worked really hard for us, was highly competitive and obviously can really shoot the ball”. “I think his best basketball is still ahead of him.”

Mat is the second MSJC men’s basketball player from the class of 2017 to sign. He joins teammate Tre Nottingham who signed in the early period with NCAA Division I Texas State. The Eagles expect more signings in the coming weeks.

MSJC men’s basketball player Mat Bradshaw signed a scholarship on Tuesday to continue his playing career at NCAA Division II Cal State Stanislaus. Pictured at right with his parents and at left with some of his Eagle teammates and head coach Patrick Springer, Mat made 110 three point shots in his MSJC career.

By MSJC Sports Staff (News Release) The MSJC men’s golf team went 6-2 in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Finals on Monday to finish second in the final league standings, earning them a trip to the Southern California Regionals.

The Eagles came out of the gates quickly in the 36 hole event held at El Camino Golf Club as they went unbeaten at 4-0 in the morning round. MSJC then held on in the afternoon to take third place in the day’s second round which was good enough for a 2-2 mark. MSJC ended conference play with a record of 33-15 which tied them for second place with Palomar. After the PCAC tie-breaker was applied to the standings the Eagles were awarded second place and a spot in the post season.

Richard Schweitzer capped off his stellar regular season by not only tying for medalist honors in the conference finals after shooting back to back 73’s, he also earned Conference Golf Athlete of the Year honors for his PCAC best 73.7 scoring average.

Courtesy of MSJC Schweitzer, a sophomore from Hemet High School, edged out Matt Schmitt of Desert for the top honor. MSJC’s Kieran Blundell also helped the Eagles cause on Monday shooting 77 in the morning and 73 in the afternoon round. Blundell propelled himself all the way into third in the final conference individual standings with a league scoring average of 74.5. Sam Proctor joined Blundell on the All-Conference team by shooting 76-82 Monday and finished the conference schedule with the PCAC’s 8th best scoring average at 76.7.

Vincent Brunet turned in an 89 and a 78 on Monday while Tyler Galleher had a 76 and an 84 on the day for the Eagles. Bernardo Campos carded a 79 in Monday’s first round and an 87 in the second.

The Eagles will return to El Camino Golf Club on Monday May 8th for the Southern California Regionals. MSJC will be joined by PCAC team champion College of the Desert, who finished with a conference record of 41-7.

6 | LOCAL

THE TALON, MAY 2017

Op-Ed: SB-1 is the California Gas Tax We Need

By Zachary Chandaler One of the privileges of living, studying, and working in Southern California is being able to drive on fairly straight, direct highways to pretty much anywhere. Let’s say you’d want to spend the day at Disneyland.

On a relatively easy day for traffic, it might take you an hour to drive from the MSJC Menifee Campus to Anaheim. Coachella went down in Indio just last month, and how did most of us probably get there? We used the 10 freeway, right? Want to spend time at the beach in sunny OC or drive out of state to visit missed family members? Do you use the 5 Freeway through LA? The 15 to Las Vegas or San Diego to go clubbing?

Now, imagine that those roads were dirt so that after a few weeks of driving them the lower part of your car was so scratched up you needed a paint job. Imagine driving on a dirt road with a lowrider! Or imagine that they were so cracked and potholed that your butt was sore by the time you got to

“...roads are absolutely vital to our lifestyle as Californians, and it’s also vital that we understand how their repair is funded...” visit Mickey and Moana. In short, roads are absolutely vital to our lifestyle as Californians, and it’s also vital that we understand how their repair is funded, but once you get it out in the open: we already pay for a great deal of it. A successful method to pay for roads effectively without mowing taxpayers (us) down has been up for debate in state and local California legislatures for decades.

couple that with the fact that there are more cars on the road today than ever before, and you begin to see why the infrastructure, over long periods, begins to look a bit worn, these constant expenditures create a real problem.

So what did the government decide to do? On November 1 of this year, due to the passage of SB1 on April 6, you will be paying 12¢ more for gasoline. But you may not al-

“The hope is that, over 10 years, approximately $52 billion will have been added to the state transportation funds... ”

However, last month a key piece of law went through that may help keep your roads intact for a decade to come while charging you a bit more. Senate Bill 1, introduced by Bay Area Senator Jim Beall, passed both the Senate and the Assembly floor on April 6, 2017.

Every time you go to get gas, whether you feel the need to fill up before you hit a half tank or you prefer to slide into the station as your engine shuts down, you already pay 28¢ for an excise tax, 10¢ for other state taxes, and an 18¢ federal excise tax on your gasoline. Ever hear friends or relatives complain about why gas prices in California are so high? Well, that’s most of the reason why. But, as many might not know, most, if not all, of that money goes to various useful agencies that maintain a lot of things, including road repairs, widening, and restructuring (91 freeway, anyone?). In addition, it helps fund the California Highway Patrol (they do save lives, they’re not just there to give you

Courtesy of pexels.com tickets), repair bridges, and maintain bike lanes, urban rails, and buses.

But times change, and with them, so must the law. The excise tax has not gone up for twenty-three years. In the intervening time, cars have become more fuel efficient. Less gas spent means people don’t have to put gas in their cars as often, so there are less taxes earned. And the buying power of the dollar has decreased from 1994, so much so, that, in reality, the buying power of that 28¢ tax is really only 24¢ or so. It may not seem like much, but multiply it for every gallon bought by every single driver every day and you begin to see the difference that it makes. And on the roadside of the issue, California’s population has grown by 8 million people since then, and, if we’re realistic, the majority of these people probably drive. You might think that would increase the funding, until you consider the toll that it takes on the roads themselves. And if you

ways see it take a toll on your wallet since gas prices continue to fluctuate by themselves.

If you’re worried about what this tax increase could mean for you, this summer could be an opportunity to swap to an electric vehicle. The downside of that is SB1 also stipulates that starting in 2020, Zero-Emissions Vehicles will have a $100 fee attached to their use, money to be used for the same purpose. There are many other stipulations in the bill which couldn’t fit into this article.

If you want to keep informed, search out “SB1 California” and read the text and analysis of the bill for a better understanding.

The hope is that, over 10 years, approximately $52 billion will have been added to the state transportation funds used to help repair and maintain the roadways of the California, of which approximately 20% of U.S. overland trade has to go through.

Local Student Gets Internship with NASA Cont’d from page 1 Of around 400 students participating at the NCAS workshop in fall and spring workshop sessions nationwide, 240 were, or will be, invited to spend a weekend at one of five NASA sites, according to a NASA news release,.

“We toured the facilities, worked with other community college students, and heard lectures by NASA scientists, engineers, and professionals. I was so intrigued by all that I had learned, so it was then and there that I decided to pursue a career at NASA-JPL,” Magallan continued.

Magallan, the oldest of four, was born to Mexican immigrant parents, is a husband of four years, and lived most of his life in Moreno Valley, CA. He attended art school immediately after graduating high school at the Art Institute in Orange County-Santa Ana, and within a span of over 10 years. Magallan worked and freelanced as a graphic designer in apparel, marketing, and a few start-ups.

“Like many kids I always wanted to be many things,

for example: a marine biologist, a paleontologist, a NASCAR driver, a professional athlete and an artist,” said Magallan. “Even though I had many ambitions, I always had a genuine interest in art and technology, so I decided to go to art school and become an animator/ graphic designer.”

Now, the Moreno Valley student is almost finished with his work on the Holodeck Testbed. The main objective of the Holodeck Testbed is to create a cost effective, realistic, and highly immersive environment that can be used to train astronauts, carry out engineering analysis, develop procedures, and support various operations tasks. Currently, the Holodeck testbed allows astronauts to step into a simulated ISS (International Space Station) and interact with objects as well as perform Extra Vehicular Activities (EVA) on the surface of the Moon or Mars.

“A day in my life as an intern at NASA-Johnson Space Center (JSC) starts at 8:30 in the Hybrid Reality Lab (HRL). I’ll arrive to my desk and go through my calendar to see if there are any

Courtesy of Eric Magallan demo’s or meetings that I need to attend and schedule them according to my day.

I’ll meet with my colleagues and mentor about any progress and new projects we need to tackle and continue learning via provided tutorials or continue developing,” said Magallan.

“Around noon, I break for lunch and meet with other interns or attend lectures by astronauts, scientists, field experts, or roam around Johnson Space Cen-

ter’s large campus. When I return to work from lunch I continue developing or attend a few branch meetings, intern meetings until 5:30 my day is complete.

Meetings take up a lot of time, but in all honesty when you meet with your peers or your branch managers about ongoing projects you’re always bound to learn about something new and exciting.

There’s never a dull moment.”

Magallan’s role in the Hy-

brid Reality Lab is to help contribute to the advancement software and technology and provide live demonstrations of capabilities to other branches and center executives for public outreach. The Computer Science major also helps develop software for simulations in the Unreal Game Engine, Blender 3D, Autodesk Maya, HTC VIVE, and C++.

“Essentially, part of what my department or ‘branch,’ as we call them, does is create hybrid reality simulations of environments in space that could possibly be used for astronaut training and other applications. We combine virtual reality and physical objects to make the end user feel fully immersed in whatever environment we place them in,” Magallan explained.

“Whether they’re in the International Space Station sim, lunar environment, or Mars, the end user has a physical tool in their hand being tracked in virtual reality all the while they complete certain tasks.”

To qualify for the NCAS, a person must be a U.S. citizenship, High school graduate status or equivalent,

and at least 18 years of age.

In addition they must complete registration at a U.S. community college during the semester of the onsite workshop, have concurrent enrollment or completion of 9+ hours of STEM coursework, and possess the ability to commit to a 5 week online session.

When asked what he would recommend to students interested in pursuing a similar field, Magallan strongly urged fellow students to apply to internships.

“Apply to internships at https://intern.nasa.gov/ to see what opportunities NASA has for students and recent grads. NASA is looking for leaders and game changers. If you don’t consider yourself one, like I used to, force yourself to speak in public, sit in the front of the class to be recognized, volunteer for events around school and your community, etc. I used to be very reserved and quiet, but like the saying goes, ‘the squeaky wheels gets the oil.’ I pulled myself out of my comfort zone a lot to become a leader at school, work, family life, and among my peers.”

BudTrader Hosts “High” Class Ball Jeff Stone

By Noah Colome & Serena Steele On April 20, 250 entrepreneurs, stockholders, celebrities, and policy makers gathered at a nightclub down in Encinitas to celebrate 4/20 at the first annual Bud Trader Ball, an event designed for drinks, fun, and networking.

BudTrader.com has over 600,000 registered users, gets 6,000,000 visitors a month, and is, currently, the largest medical marijuana marketplace in the world.

The budding company, lead

by CEO and 32-year-old Encinitas software and digital marketing entrepreneur Brad McLaughlin, deals with the legal, marijuana industry and the buying, selling and trading of plants, produce, products and properties related to it.

The exclusive event began at 8:00 as select invitees waited on a red carpet out-

side the nightclub, Shelter.

Guests had the opportunity to mingle with the other highly influential individuals, members of the media, and leaders in the medical marijuana industry. Included on the guest list were editors from Sensi magazine, which has been described as “a new type of cannabis lifestyle magazine” with a fresh approach and two specific goals: to “chronicle the new normal” and “shift the culture” according to their website. The event also drew in reality T.V. stars and nationally recognized athletes, such as hip-hop recording artist “Slim 400” and former Super Bowl player and ISO Sports founder, Marvin Washington.

McLaughlin received massive attention from the media after personally inviting Governor Jerry Brown to the ball via Facebook.

“California is the sixth largest economy in the

world, but our state is $456 billion in debt. We’ve seen the tax benefits in Colorado - Marijuana legalization in that state brought in over $2.4 billion into the state’s economy after just six months,” McLaughlin stated in his impassioned message to Gov. Brown.

“We need the funds for our crumbling infrastructure and our schools. California CANNOT afford not to embrace Marijuana Legalization. Governor Brown is a very intelligent business man who I happen to admire very much, and I really hope he will join us at the BudTrader Ball to prove he is ready to stand united with leaders in the Marijuana Industry.”

BudTrader is a brand that knows how to create buzz.

Recently, they organized a team of supermodels to the convention hall floor at the Cannabis Business Expo in San Diego to give away over

10,000 joints to attendees, calling the event “Blunts & Babes.”

To lubricate the heavy networking atmosphere, an open bar kept the multimillion dollar crowd light and bubbly. Once the crowd had thoroughly facilitated their festive attitudes and business intentions for the night, the hosts began to hand out their swag bags.

To get a product in a swag bag, businesses had to pay upwards of $1,500. Each bag contained numerous marijuana paraphernalia, edibles, business cards, and a $500 hotel gift card.

The night ended with a new mindset for marijuana with the hosts stating a wish for their culture to be seen in a “classy” way.

According to McLaughlin, “The way we kept describing the event internally was ‘The Academy Awards for Weed’ was kind of the vibe we were going for.”

Cont’d from page 1 as a platform for his policy, remarking, “Basically, we are going to be putting these dangerous criminals back into our streets and neighborhoods.”

Senator Stone has attempted to repeal the bill before it becomes law, or is even signed by the governor.

Stone said, “I think that the assembly is going to pass it [SB 54]. [Governor] Jerry Brown probably will sign it and, if he does, I’ve already started authoring a referendum to overturn this law.”

Politicians are afraid of repercussions from D.C. with U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions remarking, on March 27, that the department of justice would be withholding grants from sanctuary cities and attempt to “claw back” any past grants.

Senator Stone elegantly states, “You’ll be kicking the president right in the groin

and I imagine he’s going to strike back.”

The support for Stone is hard to assess with his website, “Standing with Stone,” having issues handling the large volume of inquiries and comments and 56% of California voters supporting the bill. 74% of democrats and 20% of republicans are in favor.

Senator Kevin de Leon remarks about Trumps intimidation tactics saying, “[We] cannot be intimidated [by trump] we don’t grovel and put our hand out so we can get a little money and buy a police car. Our role and responsibility is to protect all individuals.”

ACLU’s Jennie Pasquarella Director of Immigrants’ Rights in California, leaves with a feeling of absolution, “The only way for the federal government to carry out the kind of mass deportations that they are threatening is through cooperation with local law enforcement.”

THE TALON, MAY 2017

MONTHLY WORLD RECAP Chechen Government Denounces Claims of Gay Concentration Camps, Reportedly on Grounds that Gay People “Just Don’t Exist” in Chechnya - April 1 In early 2017, GayRussia.ru, a Russian gay rights group, decided to focus in on Chechnya among other similar Muslim districts to raise awareness for their cause. However, within weeks of their campaign, horrific reports of gay men being arrested, tortured, and killed in Chechen concentration camps began to come to light. Following these claims, Alvi Karimov, a spokesman for the leader of Chechnya, denied the claims saying that “you cannot arrest or repress people who just don’t exist in the republic” and that “if such people existed in Chechnya, law enforcement would not have to worry about them, as their own relatives would have sent them to where they could never return.” Currently, the United Nations is calling for investigation into this violation of human rights as leaders around the world, including US Ambassador Nikki Haley, continue to condemn the violence.

Taiwan Bans Consumption of Dog and Cat Meat - April 11 Thanks to the new Animal Protection Act amendments passed by Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan, several new measures designed to protect animals have been put into effect to improve the lives of pets across the nation. Among the changes made are laws designed to ban the sale or purchase of dog and cat meat, prevent pet owners from walking dogs alongside motor scooters, and stop the intentional harm of animals in any way, all of which are punishable by severe fines and several years in prison.

Great Barrier Reef Officially Declared “Terminal” by Scientists - April 12 The Great Barrier Reef, home to over 3,000 different species of wildlife, has officially reached a point to where scientists have now concluded that there is virtually no hope for recovery. With over 93% of the reef severely damaged and more than 932 miles completely destroyed thanks to global warming induced mass bleaching events, it is only a short matter of time before the world’s largest living structure becomes little more than memory.

Saudi Woman Reportedly Bound and Gagged While Trying to Escape Guardianship Under Saudi Arabian Law - April 15 Airport officials at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, Philippines stood by as Dina Ali Lasloom, a woman in transit from Saudi Arabia fleeing the oppression of her male guardians, screamed for help while being dragged away as she tried to escape on a flight to Australia.

Any airport authorities who did not attempt to help the panicked woman could be held accountable for violating international human rights requirements in spite of the current Saudi Arabian law that requires women to seek permission from their male guardians (e.g. husbands, fathers, etc.) before partaking in travel, study, or similar activities.

Following these events in which witnesses report seeing Lasloom bound and gagged with duct tape as her uncles took custody of her, the Saudi Arabian Embassy in the Philippines has released a tweet confirming that Lasloom has returned to Saudi Arabia with her family; although, Human Rights Watch reports that now the woman could face “criminal charges” for her actions.

Large Asteroid Passes Close to Earth – April 19 A very large asteroid, about the size of the Rock of Gibraltar, passed by the Earth at a distance equal to 5 times that of the moon (1.1 million miles). Although the rock, otherwise known as 2014 JO25, might not pose any major threat, according to NASA, this is the first time we’ve had a close encounter with an object anywhere close to that size since the 3.1 mile wide asteroid, Toutatis, passed by the planet at 4 lunar distances in 2004. The next expected close encounter will take place in 2027 when 1999 AN10, an asteroid sized at a half-mile wide, will pass by at only one lunar distance from the Earth.

Dow Chemical Requests Trump Administration to Ignore Recent Pesticide Studies - April 20 After donating $1 million in funds to support Donald Trump’s inauguration in January, Dow Chemical is now requesting that different sects of the administration, including the EPA and the Fish and Wildlife Service, ignore recent studies revealing some of their most profitable pesticides as harmful to young children and several endangered species. While the company denies any claims of trying to win favors from the administration, and while official statements are still yet to be made by our government officials, the company is hopeful that top officials, like Scott Pruitt of the EPA, will be more open to their suggestions.

White House Denies Exxon Mobil Permission to Drill in Sanctioned Russia - April 21 In an effort to avoid further political scrutiny and keep the United States’ best interest in mind, White House Treasury Secretary, Steve Mnuchin released a statement on Friday, April 21 denying US companies, including Exxon Mobil, special permissions to drill in Russia while government sanctions are still in effect; a move that was supported by congressmen across the political spectrum as it casts a larger shadow of doubt on the Trump/Russia investigation.

Mexican Congress Approves Medicinal Marijuana – April 29 Mexico managed to get one step closer to legalizing marijuana when its lower branch of congress passed a bill to make the drug legal to use for medicinal purposes. At this point, the bill simply needs to go to President Enrique Pena Nieto, who has already taken a firm stance on decriminalization and is, therefore, expected to sign the it into action. Not only is this move likely to make life easier for those who use the drug for medical assistance, it also has potential to bring the world one step closer to ending the “war on drugs,” which has been on Nieto’s slate for quite some time.

NATIONAL | 7

Women Underrepresented in STEM

By Serena Steele America’s science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) workforce is critical to our innovative capacity and international competitiveness. Yet, women are immensely underrepresented in STEM careers and among degree holders, despite making up nearly half of the U.S. workforce.

Although women occupy half of all jobs in the U.S. economy, they’ve held less than 25% of STEM jobs throughout the past decade, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. While progress has been made in representation for women in the STEM workforce, women remain marginalized, with the greatest disparities occurring in engineering and computer sciences. They are less likely than their male counterparts to work in a STEM occupation and more likely to work in education or healthcare.

According to the National Science Board, women make up 50% of the overall workforce, and 28% of the STEM workforce. The 28% of females in the STEM workforce are focused in different careers than men.

A relatively high amount of women are concentrated in the social sciences, with 62%, and in the biological and life sciences with 48%.

A relatively low amount are concentrated in computer and mathematical sciences with 25%, and in engineer-

ing with 15%.

There are numerous possible factors contributing to the incongruity of women and men in STEM jobs, such as a lack of female role models, gender stereotyping, and less family-friendly flexibility in the STEM fields.

“If we look at representation as the comparison of percentage of women in STEM fields versus women in the general population, there certainly is not a 51% representation of women in STEM fields. Culturally, we do not really inspire women to strive for STEM fields,” said Jenna Lycan, immunology and molecular genetics major at MSJC. Lycan has been accepted to five UC’s and is currently debating between UCLA, UCSD, or UCI. “I grew up on science fiction and had a strong interest in and comfort with medicine due to having a chronically ill parent. I am a returning student and spent several years working in veterinary medicine before I decided I wanted to go into medical research,” Lycan continued. “After complet-

Photo courtesy of Entrepreneur ing a graduate program for a doctorate, I hope to work in immunology research or virology.”

In a research study conducted in 2016, the Educational Research Center observed that, between the grades of kindergarten and 12th grade, there are no prominent differences between girls and boys in their mathematics and scientific abilities; however, there are differences in their interest levels and confidence in the subjects.

The undergraduate level is where differences start to emerge in regards to the rates of enrollment in STEM courses. The National Science Foundation (NSB) states that women earn 57% of bachelor’s degrees in all fields, and 50% of bachelor’s degrees in science and engineering. Within STEM subjects, men and women gravitate toward different fields. Men earn bachelor’s degrees in engineering at a rate of 81% compared to women who earn them at a rate of 19%, men earn degrees in computer sciences at a rate of 82% compared

to the 18% rate earned by women, and men earn degrees in physics at a rate of 61% while women earn them at a rate of 39%.

Within STEM careers, even greater disparities occur with minority women.

Minority women make up 16% of the population but earn 3% of bachelor’s degrees in engineering, 5% of bachelor’s degrees in computer sciences, and 7% of bachelor’s degrees in physical sciences according to the National Science Foundation and National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics “The semesters I have done the best in college have been ones where I had a good support and study group of other students to help and/or motivate you when its needed. The only thing I might say to women specifically is- it is our responsibility to reinforce the idea that women can and do have an interest in STEM fields,” Lycan elaborates.

“If we can help dispel the notion that say, being an engineer is something only guys are interested in, we have a better chance at ensuring more options for the young girls of future generations by instilling a cultural paradigm that does not limit the encouragement of STEM fields for female children.”

Woman Attacked by Shark at San Onofre

By Noah Colome

On April 29, a woman was attacked by a shark off of the Southern California coast. The woman was airlifted to a local hospital and remains in critical condition, with officials leaving beaches closed for 72 hours.

Saturday afternoon 4 women decided to go to the popular San Clemente surf spot, Church. The spot is located in next to the San Onofre state parks on the Camp Pendleton military base. Two of the women paddled out on surfboards

New York Cont’d from page 1

$6,500 in costs per year. Applicable students must also be enrolled full-time at their public college or university of choice and average 30 credits each year, including summer and winter classes.

An incentive has also been put on grades under the program, as students must maintain a passing grade point average to be eligible for free tuition.

Cuomo has made Excelisor the centerpiece of his middle-class agenda, stating it will, “Make college accessible to thousands of working and middle class students” who might otherwise not be able to afford to attend.

Studies show that the longer students extend their studies, the less likely those students are to graduate, said Robert Mujica, the N.Y.’s budget director. The latest state budget includes $3.1 million for a new parttime scholarship award program, “a recognition that we could do more for part-time students,” added Mujica.

Restrictions on financial aid for part-time students remain one of the biggest shortcomings in the way financial aid is handled in New York, according to higher education policy experts.

“With this Budget, New York is once again leading the nation and showing what responsible government can achieve. The result is a Bud-

and two started diving just outside the lineup.

This attack comes shortly after a video was released showing a 16 foot great white shark feeding on a dead whale off of Dana Point. The beaches near Church are popular for water activities with everything including surf spots at San Onofre, trail 1, middles, lower trestles, uppers, and cottons. With two more videos surfacing recently depicting sharks breaching at lowers and uppers, sea goers are a bit on edge about going back into the water.

Travis Lara, the state park aide who was onsite when the woman was attacked said, “We’ve had a few sightings lately.”

She went out wearing fins and wading in the water, and later went on to explain that she was bit on her glute and lower thigh.

Two surfers helped bring the woman to shore and tied a leash around her upper thigh to stop the bleeding.

“All the back of her leg was kind of missing,” Thomas Williams one of the surfers that pulled the woman to shore, told the

OC Register. “If she didn’t receive immediate care, it was life threatening. She was not calm, of course, but she was coherent.”

The Director of the Shark Lab at California State University, Long Beach, Chris Lowe, stated they’ve recently seen seven gill sharks, and great white sharks in the area.

This is the second attack after Maria Korcsmaros was bitten last year off of corona Del mar on the chest, shoulder, and hip.

get that advances the core progressive principles that built New York: investing in the middle class, strengthening the economy and creating opportunity for all,” Cuomo said in a statement.

The administration of Cuomo said the full-time provision will “push students to complete their studies as quickly as possible, limiting loan debt and ensuring graduation, which leads to greater employability and earnings.”

The budget language specifies that around $5,500 of this total cost will be covered by existing tuition assistance programs, and that the remaining amount will be covered by the state and reimbursed to the public colleges. Officials estimate the cost of the program at $163 million per year once it is fully implemented.

New York state officials said a goal of the Excelsior Scholarship program is to improve graduation rates, but part-time students often cite an inability to pay for college as one of the primary reasons for dropping out.

Some have argued that the tens of millions of dollars allotted for the program this year should be used to, instead, help low-income students pay for room and board, which is generally not covered by existing state and federal financial aid programs.

Restrictions on financial aid for part-time students

remain one of the biggest shortcomings in the way financial aid is handled in New York, according to some higher education policy experts.

The free tuition program “is not doing anything for these other students who want to stay in their communities and are committed to staying in their communities because they’re already working there,” said Tom Hilliard, senior researcher at the Center for an Urban Future. “There’s a real contradiction embedded into the Excelsior program.”

The credit-hour requirement may overlook significant shifts taking place in the makeup of student populations on campuses across the country, especially at community colleges, according to some higher education policy experts. In addition to traditional students who graduate from high school and enroll directly in college with financial support from their parents, many institutions attract a growing number of nontraditional students. They tend to be over the age of 25, often are raising children, and usually have full-time jobs.

Part-time students account for 43 percent of enrollment at the state’s 36 community colleges, up from 32 percent in 1980.

Nearly a third of those colleges have more students attending part time than full time. At Erie Community

College, about a third of students are part time.

And yet, a 2014 Center for an Urban Future study found that less than 1 percent of the nearly 150,000 part-time community college students received grants from New York’s Tuition Assistance Program – in large part because of onerous restrictions on part-time aid.

Opponents of the plan have stated that the real cost will be much more than Cuomo and his supporters predict, especially for students who don’t meet the program requirements. Assemblyman James Skoufis points to parameters within the state budget that allow SUNY Board of Trustees the option of increasing tuition by $200 per year over the next three years for some students.

“It’s shocking to me how the governor can, out of one side of his mouth, propose free tuition for a small group of select students while out of the other side of his mouth, advocate for tuition hikes on a dramatically larger set of students,” he said.

Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi fired back at Skoufis over the comments saying, “If Skoufis thinks 80 percent of all New York families is too few students, he should go back to school himself and take a remedial math course.”

THE TALON, MAY 2017

8 | ENTERTAINMENT

Experts Concerned Over “13 Reasons Why”

By Serena Steele A Netflix series on a tragic dimension of teen angst has elicited a strong warning for and from parents and school officials across the nation. They, like their counterparts around the world, are concerned about the effect “13 Reasons Why” may have on young, impressionable viewers.

Based on the best-selling debut novel by youngadult author Jay Asher, the 13-episode series focuses on teenage cyber-bullying, sexual assault, and suicide.

Directed by Tom McCarthy, who captured a best picture Academy Award for “Spotlight,” the series is co-produced by Disney star Selena Gomez and backed by Paramount Television.

The series, which premiered on March 31, follows the fictional story of a teenage girl named Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford) who leaves behind 13 mysterious audio recordings on different cassette tapes after killing herself. She addresses each recording to a person who she says played a role in her tragic decision to end her own life.

The main concern is that the show arguably sensationalizes teen suicide, making the topic intriguing and perhaps even more appealing or attractive to certain individuals.

“We do not recommend that vulnerable youth, especially those who have any degree of suicidal ideation, watch this series,” says the National Association of

School Psychologists.

They also offer tips for educators to help students articulate their perceptions and to make sure students, parents and staff are aware of suicide risk warnings.

Among American young people, especially those between ages 10 and 24, suicide is the third leading cause of death according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition, each year, about 157,000 people in that age range receive medical care for self-inflicted injuries at emergency departments across the United States, according to the CDC. “Research shows that exposure to another person’s suicide, or to graphic or sensationalized accounts of death, can be one of

the many risk factors that youth struggling with mental health conditions cite as a reason they contemplate or attempt suicide,” according to a statement about the show released this month by the NASP. In addition to this, many parents and public schools expressed concern regarding the series’ content, with some institutions banning all recognition of the show completely.

According to the CBC, St. Vincent Elementary School in Edmonton, Alberta, sent an email to the parents of sixth graders letting them know their students were prohibited from even mentioning the show on school grounds.

“The discussion that is unfolding at school is troubling. This series is rated Mature and the theme is the suicide of a high school student. This show includes graphic violence (rape) and gore, profanity, alcohol/ drugs/smoking, and frightening/intense scenes,” read the letter. “The purpose of this email is to provide you with this information.

Please let your child know that discussion of ’13 Reasons Why’ is not permitted at school due to the disturbing subject matter.”

The Hamilton Wentworth District School Board in Ontario, Canada took things a step further, claim-

ing on their official website, that the show was guilty of the “glamorization of suicidal behavior and [depicting] negative portrayals of helping professionals.”

Additionally, a Florida schools superintendent told parents, in a letter, that the district has seen a rapid rise in at-risk behavior within their elementary and middle schools, including self-harming and suicide threats in the wake of the graphic series.

Selena Gomez, 24-yearold actress, singer, and executive producer on the Netflix series, recently came out in defense of controversial TV drama 13 Reasons Why saying, “We stayed very true to the book. That’s initially what [author] Jay Asher created, a beautifully tragic, complicated yet suspenseful story, and I think that’s what we wanted to do.”

“We wanted to do it justice and, yeah, [the backlash is] going to come no matter what. It’s not an easy subject to talk about,” she added.

One of the show’s other stars, Kate Walsh, who acts as Hannah’s mother, recently spoke with The Huffington Post about the controversy, saying, “Parents and teachers and students [should] watch this and have conversations about sexual assault, about bullying, about LGBTQ issues, race issues, gender issues, sui-

cide, depression and mental health, because largely in our country as we see now, it’s still in the shroud of shame or silence.”

There is already buzz going around that 13 Reasons Why will receive a second season, despite being based on only one novel.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix is close to renewing the series, with sources saying that “a writers room for the sophomore run has been up and running for a few weeks.”

When asked about a Season 2, Gomez smirked and told E!, “Maybe?”

While parents, teachers, and administrators may be taking issue with the TV adaptation of the YA novel, the Netflix series remains the year’s most popular show ever. All 13 episodes of 13 Reasons Why are currently available to stream on Netflix.

Resources for help National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) Trevor Lifeline 1-866-488-7386 Trans Lifeline US: 1-877-565-8860 Canada: 1-877-330-6366 Crisis Text Line Text “741741”

Courtsey of Forbes

Is Linkin Park Changing or Maturing?

By Anthony Herrera Many people are familiar with the poplar Rap/Rock band; Linkin Park. This May 19, Linkin Park will release their 7th studio album: One More Light. For most fans, they are anticipating the new album release.

However, for some fans, they are leaving the fan base and moving on to different bands that consist of the same genre.

Some of the fans are leaving due to the fact that Linkin Park is no longer the same band as they were in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. If you have listened to their latest singles; Heavy and Battle Symphony, you would notice that they are going into a new style with softer melodies and more electronically based music.

As of right now, iTunes has rated this album with three stars. Comments relating to the album suggest that they have left their roots and now sound similar to the band Maroon 5. Based on the comments, some fans don’t agree that it’s a good step for the band to move forward in their music because their last album in 2014, The Hunting Party, was more along the lines of hardcore rock, which was similar to their very first album.

The fan base seems to be going through

an emotional rollercoaster ever since the platinum band released their third studio album in 2007, Minutes to Midnight. From this album, fans were at a point where they thought that the album was acceptable, but they also thought the band could have done better. It wasn’t until 2010, when the band released their fourth studio album, A Thousand Suns, when a lot of fans left the fan base because, to them, it was their worst album by far due of their mature transition.

But if you listen to Minutes to Midnight and A Thousand Suns, you can hear the differ-

Courtesy of Linkin Park Page ence in the two albums as they introduce new materials into their genre.

Minutes to Midnight wasn’t really as big of a change for the band as much as A Thousand Suns was. What I mean by this is, if you listen to A Thousand Suns, you can really tell that, from their first album Hybrid Theory, they’ve matured in their music.

In A Thousand Suns, they use a lot of different sounds and harmonies and melodies that sound like they went into a totally new direction, using three of the most powerful voices in history, including Dr. Robert

Oppenheimer, Martin Luther King, and Mario Savio, all of which were very unique for any band to use in their music. I also believe that Linkin Park’s new album will be very good due to the fact that this new record talks about real things happening to our society.

If you have recently heard their new song Good Goodbye, it discuses people who have been abandoned by loved ones and are forced to go somewhere else because they are not welcomed from where they came from. I feel like that’s a song that we can all relate to because at some point in our lives we all feel that we need to leave a situation.

In my opinion, I believe that they are not changing, they are maturing. As a fan myself, I don’t think that I would enjoy their music if they weren’t evolving as a band, and were instead using the same material over and over again. I would lose interest in the material of the music. I will always be a fan of Linkin Park, and I will always love and support their music, old and new, and look forward to seeing what direction they go into in the future. I strongly recommend, as a fan of the multi-platinum band,myself, you to go listen to Linkin Park’s seventh studio album, One more Light.

What to Watch on Netflix

Courtesy of teriekwilliams.com

By Chris Malandrinos Netflix has a lot of movies.

You have a lot of free time (theoretically). But the point is that it’s summer, and free time or not, odds are you’re going to find yourself scrolling through the film site at some point in time. The only problem is that, with so many amazing movies being added to Netflix every week, it can be impossible to know where to start. With that said, there is a literal ton recommendations to be made, but for now, let’s just start with a few that might have slipped under the radar.

The Beaver (2011) As if there weren’t enough

reasons to love Jodie Foster, The Beaver, which she both directed and starred in, easily gives us one more. The movie follows a man who is slowly estranged by his family as he deals with severe chronic depression. It sounds pretty standard until he discovers a means of escape through the use of a surrogate which just so happens to be a hand puppet (the “beaver” mentioned in the title). Mel Gibson does a perfect job at portraying the broken and struggling lead, while still making the character fun and lovable as he goes through the motions of his depressingly bizarre and oddly entertaining story.

When it comes down to it,

Courtesy of imagenationabudhabi.com The Beaver is as fun a film as it is compelling. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, etc…

VHS (2012) Found footage is an acquired taste to say the least, but for those who are fans of the genre, VHS is a sort of treat.

The movie acts as an anthology of separate but related stories (think Creepshow), each directed by a different director. The horror directors include Adam Wingard, Ti West, and David Bruckner just to name a few. With stories focused around everything from supernatural monsters to deranged killers, some might be more engaging to you than the others, but all of them, together,

make a fun ride for a few hours nonetheless. And for those who love the genre, it’s more than worth your time.

The Manchurian Candidate (2004) While the original Frank Sinatra version is obviously a classic, Jonathan Demme’s 2004 remake is a powerful update to the story, bringing in modern elements directly related to the political situation of the early 2000’s. The Manchurian Candidate revolves around a man who comes back from war brainwashed by enemy forces, and the man who struggles to stop him from assassinating one of the nation’s leaders. The movie

features strong performances by Denzel Washington and Liev Schreiber as their characters wander through the darkness that is war and politics, and Meryl Streep is incredible as Eleanor Shaw, who is just as outrageously wicked as ever. Overall, the movie acts as a fun and engaging political commentary with just the right amount of over the top, but still powerful, direction.

We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011) Before getting into too much detail, it’s important to mention that We Need to Talk About Kevin, directed by Lynne Ramsay, is not a normal film. It follows

Courtesy of JoBlow.com a very non-linear storyline as Tilda Swinton’s character, Eva, struggles through life with her sociopathic son who is slowly revealed to have committed a terrible crime at some point in the story. Due to a lack of any real chronological plot elements, the film tends to focus on the relationships and their psychological effects rather than the story itself. The action tends to be extremely slow burning, but it does pack a very powerful punch, leaving much to contemplate as the last scene fades from view.

ENTERTAINMENT | 9

THE TALON, MAY 2017

5 Reasons to see Wonder Woman this summer

By Kyle Selby The very first female superhero was created in 1941 by William Moulton Marston, an American psychologist and inventor responsible for the systolic blood pressure test, a part of what would later become the modern-day polygraph – a.k.a. the “Lie Detector” test. In the 76 years since her inception, Wonder Woman has been pegged as a symbol of feminism, strength, and sex.

Just last October, the character was recognized by the U.N. as Honorary Ambassador for Women, a title quickly revoked just two months later due to criticisms of her sexualized, Caucasian appearance. Controversial or not, the character has evolved enormously.

With Patty Jenkins’ upcoming film, it seems as though a lot of expectations need to be met to live up to the hype that’s been building since the ‘40s, so here are six reasons for why you should take your money to the box office this summer and see Wonder Woman: 1. Woman Power - This movie will host a wide variety of strong female dynamics. Gal Gadot, who made her debut as the titular character in last year’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, is no stranger to to action.

While many may recognize the former Miss Israel from her Fast & Furious fame, Gadot really earned her warrior stripes in the Israeli Defense Forces where she served a mandatory two years of military service. In addition, the once “too-skinny” Gadot reportedly gained 50 lbs of muscle for the Amazonian princess role after undergoing extensive martial arts and swordsmanship training to film Batman vs Superman, Wonder Woman, and this November’s Justice League all back to back. Academy Award winning director Patty Jenkins (Monster, The Killing) has wanted to make a Wonder Woman film since 2004 and will, no doubt, deliver in terms of balancing action with femininity.

Connie Nielsen (Gladiator) appears as Diana’s mother Queen Hippolyta, while Robin Wright (House of Cards) portrays her aunt and trainer Antiope who is responsible for turning young Diana into the fierce Amazon warrior she is destined to become. Lucy Davis (The Office UK) will star as Etta Candy, Steve Trevor’s secretary, with Elena Anaya (Van Helsing) as Dr. Maru/Doctor Poison and Danny Huston as the (X-Men: Origins)

mysterious General Erich Ludendorff. Another important aspect of this female-driven film is the fact that it is the very first big-budget superhero film to be helmed by a woman director; and who knows? This could be the deciding battle between female action heroes and the glass ceiling holding women from reaching their full potential in cinema, proving that it’s worth the “risk” to hire female directors. This film has the potential to launch a long line of female superhero films to come. Besides, we’re all still waiting for that Black Widow movie, aren’t we?

2. The Character’s First Cinematic Debut - Gal Gadot stole the show in last year’s Batman v Superman, but this film should be important solely for the fact that, in the character’s 76 years of existence, this is the very first time Wonder Woman will get her own feature-length film on the big screen.

That alone is HUGE. Sure, Lynda Carter and Susan Eisenberg have respectively established definitive portrayals of the character on the television platform (let’s not get into that awful failed 2011 Adrianne Palicki TV pilot--you can watch it online if you’re brave enough), but Princess Diana of Themyscira has been long overdue for her time to shine both in the spotlight and in the movie theater.

Photo courtesy of Kyle Shelby 3. Mythology - One of the most interesting, and underrated elements of the Wonder Woman character is that her origins are deeply rooted in Ancient Greek mythology.

Diana hails from an interpretation of the Amazon warrior women who have been granted paradise and immortality by the gods, settling on the hidden mystical island of Themyscira. Diana grows up alongside her fellow Amazons, training every day to become the unconquerable warrior she was born (or sculpted) to be. The trailers for the film seem to indicate that Hippolyta and Diana’s Amazon sisters are hiding Diana’s true origins from her; those of you familiar with DC Comics’ New 52 storyline may already know about the character’s divine daddy issues. If that isn’t enough to pique your interest, rumor has it the “Big Bad” of the film will be Ares, god of war. The film’s marketing department is cleverly shying away from revealing too much about Ares’ appearance and motivations in the film, but it’s a pretty safe bet that he will be a heavy influence in the film’s World War I setting.

4. DC’s Course-Correction (Wonder Woman and beyond...) - It’s no secret that the films of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) so far – Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, and Suicide Squad – have been critically panned in just about every way, shape, and form. Complaints span over everything

from Zack Snyder’s aversion to all things colorful and jolly, to Jared Leto’s “try-hard” Joker; though, despite what seems to be the overwhelming majority, there is still a large fan base, including myself, that has enjoyed two out of three of these films respectively. However, still, these complaints have not fallen on deaf ears. The execs at DC seem to be on track in terms of “course-correcting” this universe. Evident by the Wonder Woman and, most recently, the Justice League trailers, a touch of humor, that was notably absent in the last three films, is finally to be found, much to many a fan’s delight.

Following November’s Justice League movie, Aquaman is slated to hit theaters Dec. 21, 2018; Shazam in 2019; and Cyborg and Green Lantern Corps are both set for 2020.

And all of this with talks of a Dark Universe film, an untitled Man of Steel sequel, a Justice League sequel, The Flash, The Batman, a Suicide Squad sequel, Gotham City Sirens, Black Adam, and most recently announced, one Nightwing and one Batgirl film.

5. Love Story - “Magic!” responded Director Patty Jenkins when asked about the chemistry between Chris Pine’s (Star Trek) Steve Trevor and Gadot’s Diana. “Just you wait, I haven’t seen a couple like this on the screen in a long time.” Steve Trevor’s character has existed nearly as long as Wonder Woman herself, and is most often identified as “Wonder Woman’s boyfriend,” yet Jenkins confirms that he’s not a “dude in distress.”

In this summer’s Wonder Woman, the story begins in the year 1918 when American pilot Steve Trevor’s plane crash lands on Diana’s sheltered island of Themyscira.

Trevor warns Diana of a major war raging in the outside world, after which, convinced that she can stop the threat, she leaves with Trevor to enter “man’s world.” “They have to need each other,” Jenkins continued. “It has to be a love story. Everybody has to be stronger, and more powerful, and make it work in that way – and not overthink what it means to say she needs him for a second, or he knows more than her in this way, and she knows more than him in this way. She is a superhero, don’t worry about her.”

Wonder Woman hits theaters nationwide June 2.

Local Spotlight: Rock Fitness

Courtsey of Rock Fitness

Courtsey of Rock Fitness

By Noah Colome Want to get drunk before scaling an 80+ foot simulated rock wall? Well, perhaps it’s not the best idea to get inebriated beforehand, however, a local rock climbing gym in Murrieta, California offers a bar with draught and bottled beer.

Rock Fitness’ location offers a large rock climbing wall and full gym. Yoga classes, ab classes, and other fitness programs are also offered at the gym, and happily, the gym features a fully functional bar.

After eating a full dinner, which might not have been the best move, I headed over to rock fitness. The gym is situated in an industrial style strip mall with entertainment, food, and warehouses off the freeway. The gym is open 24 hours a day seven days a week, so no one thought anything of me deciding to start my climbing adventure at 8 o’clock.

The entrance is situated in the gear shop. Upon walk-

ing in, you are immediately confronted with carabiners, ropes, harnesses, chalk, traditional gear, sport gear, and all other gear related to the activity. On the left, you will find a counter. The attendant standing there politely informed me that I would need to fill out a waiver in case of injury. So far, things were going “swimmingly.”

After assuring them that no matter how serious my injury, they would be legally protected. After renting harnesses, shoes, and buying access for the day, the attendant showed me down the hall.

On the right were exercise machines for virtually every muscle. There were pull up bars and free weights along with some very interesting looking trampoline like structure. A tight rope laid shortly after that with a basketball court on the opposite side of the building.

Looking closely at the basketball court, I witnessed a group of kids who were playing soccer from within

giant air-filled bubbles.

I instantly knew that I had fallen like Alice into some strange Willy Wonka-like land of eccentrics. The attendant continued to lead me farther down the hall. In front of me, at the far end of the corridor, spanned an impressive indoor rock wall.

My guide happily brought me to a segment of the wall with a rope hanging from the ceiling and anchored to a triangular piece of tarp.

She explained to me that the rope was connected to the tarp as part of the self-belay system. The rope would pull up towards the ceiling as soon as it was released from its anchor. This is the type of climb me and my partner would be granted permission to utilize until we passed their belay, or rope handling test.

The walls available to me had a variety of difficulties which were sorted by color along with a very fun, very challenging overhanging route. After a bit of climbing, I meandered off to the

side staircases. On the second level, the yoga, spin, and other classes take place during more reasonable hours. Towards the end of the second level, a chill zone was inconspicuously placed at the far corner above the gear shop. Getting better and better the spot had a pool table, couches, and a ping pong table. Admittedly, the state of them was a bit debilitated, although, I for one, appreciated the thought. Back down by the entrance, you can hang out and buy some beer and food after a fun climb.

All in all, climbing at rock fitness is a fun way to bond, conquer fear, and get your adrenaline fix in a safe atmosphere. If you’re looking to continue climbing outside the gym, members are always looking to go on trips with willing participants.

Guide books to local climbs are available with gear you can purchase in the shop and with ample discounts for EMTs, military, students, children and more, it’s easy

Courtsey of Rock Fitness to start your rock climbing adventure.

THE TALON, MAY 2017

10 | SPOTLIGHT

Student Spotlight: Making Strides for Students Op-Ed: Commuting By Bike

By Jamee Menez

Krystal Murillo is a Psychology major here at MSJC. Krystal is involved in many clubs on campus that help to promote the wellness of students, including Psychology Club and the Active Minds Club of which she is president. She considers herself a very active advocate for students and mental health.

In the time Krystal has spent at MSJC, she’s managed to spearhead and plan for future MSJC health services for years to come.

Courtesy of BodyOne

By Brando Ligayo Riding a bike is a ubiquitous fact of life. It is not an old fad hipsters are trying to revive or a new revolutionary way of exercising. In locations all over the globe, people bike as a form of transport, leisure, or for intense competitions. Some countries, such as Sweden or Holland, consider cycling to be a way of life, not just a youthful hobby. However, the criticism for riding a bike is usually followed with the good old “Why don’t you just get a car?”

People on bikes are often ostracized by both motorists on the road and pedestrians on the sidewalk. California has implemented laws stating that roads must be shared with cyclists, going so far as to allotting said riders full space, although, that is not always the case.

People are constantly in a rush to get where they have to be. To them, cyclists are just nuisances they can easily bypass; and when cyclists use sidewalks, pedestrians are irritated by their presence, naturally because of their fear of being hit by a 15-pound metal contraption. For both parties, it’s always a matter of hitting and being hit, but despite the scrutiny cyclists receive

“... monthly car payments would cost me $100-$300, along with $200 dollars of insurance as a new driver...” from most people, there can be several benefits to drawn from riding a bike.

Financially, a bike is a good choice. I live in a relatively small city in Southern California, but despite its size, the various businesses strewn across the city make it very busy. However, fortunately for me, my workplace and school are both within a five mile radius. After delving into some research on owning a car, monthly car payments would cost me $100-300, along with $200 in insurance as a new driver, $50-70 in maintenance and, on the daily, it would cost upwards of $60 for a full tank of gas. And then, in the case of parking, there is a $20 fee at MSJC. For a bicycle, such as a $120 mountain bike from Walmart, it would not cost much money to maintain.

Regularly cleaning and tuning it up are two of the best ways for it to keep functioning properly. So although people might express scorn towards the decision to ride a bike, where is the logic in paying so much money to reach locations less than two miles away? Riding a bike can save much more money in the long run, especially for bigger investments in the future, such as actually buying a quality car.

Apart from saving money, there are numerous health benefits from riding a bike as well. It is basically a full body, low-impact, cardio-respiratory form of exercise, meaning it can improve endurance and stamina, especially at work. And since it is low-impact, it is not strenuous and does not leave you breathless. How-

“The rain obviously, will present a problem for me as the street and pavement dampens, making me lose traction.” ever, that doesn’t mean one can’t challenge him- or herself. In fact, coming home from work, I, personally, would often do sprints to further bolster my own stamina. If someone knows how to keep balanced and steadily pedal any kind of bicycle, there is not much else for them to know. Because I regularly ride my bike (with help from my bolstered metabolism), I do not easily gain weight or tire.

Riding my bike also benefits me emotionally as it generally makes me happy.

I don’t stress or think too much about my worries.

All I think about is veering away from danger and pedaling. Also, there is always that sense of immersion that I get from merely being outside, exposed to the sun looming above, the sound of the passing vehicles, or the wind blowing against my face.

However, cycling does come with its disadvantages.

As stated above, I am immersed in the outside world, and although some sun and fresh air is pleasant, there is also the matter of being exposed to rain, strong winds, and extreme temperatures.

The rain, obviously, will present a problem for me as the street and pavement dampens, making me lose traction. Also, there is the matter of the mud sullying my clothes. Strong winds provide me with some resistance, making me have to pedal harder and use more energy in my lungs and legs.

Extreme temperatures, such as in the winter or summer, will affect my choice of clothing and even my efficiency with a bike.

The proximity of my school and workplace may be two factors affecting my decision to ride a bike, but because of its financial advantages and health benefits, the bicycle is an ideal mode of transport for anyone.

Jamee Menez (Interviewer): So, tell me what sparked this entire process. What inspired you?

Krystal: I actually transferred from two different colleges before I came here, Orange Coast College and San Diego City College.

One of the things at Orange Coast College that, to me, was really cool was the health center, and I took advantage of it. You only paid, like, 19 dollars per semester and you had access to all of these things. They had something similar at San Diego city college. Moving here, I didn’t know anyone and it was not a very smooth transition. I was thinking, “Maybe I can talk to someone to help me with this and put my mind at ease.” And I remember asking another student here, “Hey, where’s the health center here?” And they responded with, “You mean the nursing building?”

You know, working with Active Minds, and being a student myself, and having that experience, I just felt that it was something that students should have. It doesn’t have to be as extravagant as others, but we need something.

J:So what was the process like? How did you make this happen?

K: This was in 2015 or something like that and I had learned that there was no Health Center, and I was so surprised because I thought that every college had one. After that, I took Developmental Psych with Professor Richard Kandus and an English class with Professor Arafiena Bhuiyan, and I remember. with them, I asked them “So why don’t we have one?” Neither of them knew, and said that they had tried to get one in the past and the timing just wasn’t right. Personally, I felt that my involvement with working with active minds, and I did my research into other colleges like Moreno Valley College and RCC, and Richard and I presented it to the board; and, honestly, it felt like it went by so fast be-

been to other colleges, have you spearheaded any other projects or movements before or was this your first?

K: This was my first project, and it was really nerve wracking. I didn’t think that this would really go anywhere to be honest. I thought it was a really good idea, and I spread the word, not really expecting anything. I didn’t know that we would be spending a good year and a half on this Center. We just got it passed by the board this past December so it was really exciting that all of that time and effort paid off with a lot of the help from the students and the faculty.

J: Is there anything else you’d like to say to the students or just in general about the project?

K: So far, what I’ve learned Courtsey of Krystal Murillo from being here is that, as a cause, within two months of student, you need to speak meetings, we were present- up and tell someone. Whething to the board and trying er it’s professors, administo make this Health Center tration, anyone! Just get the word around. I’ve learned happen.

J: Why is this so important that, when something hapto you? Why not focus your pens, enough people will attention on something less listen and support you, and it will happen. Even though complex?

K: I don’t know any statistics I’m leaving and I won’t be or anything like that about here, as long as the center is the importance to specif- here for students, I’m conic students. I would say it’s tent.

Krystal continues to help just all based on personal plan for our campus’ upcomexperiences. I, myself, have ing Student Services Cenreached out to the mental ter as well as to plan events health services, often, and for the wellbeing of stureceived help. I have had dents with help from Active help for physical things Minds.

For more informatoo, like an ear infection, and I think I sprained my tion about the Health Cenankle once too. I received ter, articles can be found in help very quickly. Different our past issue here https:// things like that can be fixed issuu.com/msjctalon/docs/ so easily. Students spend a sep_2016. The Talon would lot of time here and they get like to thank Krystal for her sick and they’re stressed, and time and everyone else who I think it’s just such a nice re- was involved in the Health Center project. source for students to have.

J: You mentioned that you’ve

Student Spotlight: Transfer Students

By Serena Steele It’s that time of year again! Spring 2017 is bringing in a new generation of MSJC graduates, boasting approximately 15% of the student population transferring out to UCs, Cal States, and private universities.

“MSJC has offered me so much opportunity these past two years, especially the Honors Program. I’m grateful for the program for giving me the opportunity to work one-on-one with some of my professors and experience engaging coursework,” says Ekaterina Lakina, an English major.

“I’m also exceptionally grateful to have made friends that have been supportive and just as motivated in transferring as well.

I’m elated to be transferring to UC Berkeley this fall and know I couldn’t have done it without the support MSJC has provided. I’m excited for all transfer students too, I cannot wait to see what we will all accomplish!”

Multiple students will be transferring to local universities such as California State Universities, San Marcos and San Bernardino.

“What I enjoyed most about my time at MSJC is the amount of support we receive as students. The professors are always willing to meet with you and help you out in any way they can,” said Rayna Havard, a Child Development major who will be transferring to Cal State, San Bernardino.

As for me, I’ve spent roughly 4 years at MSJC and I’m so happy to finally be transferring to my dream school, Chapman University in Orange, CA. I am one of the 400 admitted students out of 1,950 transfer applicants, and I have MSJC to thank for that. After joining the student newspaper and engaging in multiple campus activities, I, along with many other students, am grateful for the many opportunities MSJC has provided and cannot wait for the next big step.

“This is not where your journey ends. Your work is not done when you turn your tassel. Your work is just the beginning. Take the education you have gained to map your strategy. Unify and inspire those around you to help build your vision. And know that you have the

power to change the world,” said Dr. Roger Schultz, Superintendent and President of Mt. San Jacinto College.

Commencement will take

place at the Ramona Bowl Amphitheatre on Fri. May 26 at 5:30p.m..

Congratulations to all of the graduating students!

Photo Courtesy of Sheila Steele

Photo Courtesy of Sheila Steele

Photo Courtesy of Rayna Havard

FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT | 11

THE TALON, MAY 2017

TERROR FROM THE SEA!

We Took Their Fish, Now They Want Our Flesh!

Short Story By Chris Malandrinos The fish had vanished! The oceans were dry! It was just another pointless day for the crew of the Santa Martiana fishing boat. For what seemed to be the four millionth time that day, Claire and her fellow fishermen, once again, drew in their net only to find a jumble of plastic bags and used pregnancy tests. For the last six years, it seemed as if all of the fish had just sucked themselves into extinction after being forced to compete with the endless influx of sewage and trash for ocean space. At first, they suspected the San Onofre nuclear power plant was responsible for the loss of life, but somehow the problem seemed to get even worse after the plant’s abrupt closure those some years ago.

Suddenly, just as the team released their net back into the water, the mesh was ripped from their hands, taking one man’s severed hand with it. They caught something!

Claire rushed to the reel to pull the net back in, expecting to find a dolphin or some kind of creepy beluga type thing tangled in the web, but when she tried to turn the crank, the beast below seemed impossible to fight against. At that moment, the boat began to tilt in the net’s direction as the monster dragged it through the water. Whatever this thing was, it was huge, and it had everyone on board at its mercy!

Claire was positive she was witnessing her prized fishing boat’s last moments when, out of nowhere, the beam holding the net in

place snapped in half, whipping one of her crewmen into the water. Quickly, she rushed to grab a life preserver to rescue him from the waves lapping up against the sides of the vessel, but by the time she had gotten to the guard rail, all that was left of her companion was a churning mass of bloody, red pulp.

Back on the beach overlooking the troubled waters, Scott fought as the police officer “re-accommodated” him from his spot on the sand. Within just a few short moments, what started out as a peaceful picnic with his family had turned into a violent assault by the coastal authorities. He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of an effect this was having on his two children as they watched their daddy transform into a human pinata, one eye swollen shut where the officers heel had first struck him.

Since when was it a crime to throw a frisbee on a beach? Sure that was the law in Los Angeles, but not down here in Oceanside.

Although, no matter how many times the lifeguard tried to interject and explain this to the officer, the man just wouldn’t accept it. After all, Officer Trunch did still hold a higher ranking than his shirtless, muscular counterpart, so when Scott decided to rebel against his authority, it was up to him to be the bigger man in the situation and show this criminal and his nosy onlookers Snapchatting the scenario who was boss.

Just then, as the lifeguard struggled to de-escalate the situation, he caught a blinding flash from the corner of his eye. In

Illistartion by Matthew Lee

the distance, where once floated a small fishing boat, he turned to see a debris-filled swell of water swiftly approaching. He stood, for a second, confused by the lack of smoke or flames to be found where there had clearly just been an explosion; however, it wasn’t long before he was slammed back to reality by the heavy impact of the blast which affected the entire strip, knocking joggers to the ground and sending umbrellas soaring across the sand.

A few seconds later the Santa Martiana’s crewmembers rained down from the sky, a leg here, an eye there, closely followed by planks of wood and debris. One of the falling objects pounded into the police officer’s head so fast that he didn’t know what hit him; though, as Scott attempted to pry the thing from his abuser’s crushed skull, he could clearly tell that it was a smooth, ivory statue of a baby elephant; the same statue that once served as the fishing boat’s good luck charm.

It was then that the real chaos began to unfold. As Scott stumbled to his feet in a now hyper aware state, a deep ringing sound reverberated throughout the locale, shattering windows and triggering car alarms for miles around. At that same time, Scott witnessed the heads of several humanoid sea creatures lifting out of the waves. As the first mass of seamen poured onto the beach’s face, the carnage that began to unfold was impossible to comprehend.

Alien life forms, unlike anything ever seen before, flooded the coastline wielding weapons that somehow seemed both primitive and advanced all at the same time.

Their handheld, cast iron electro-cannons appeared as if designed by Captain Nemo himself as the monsters unleashed the electric rays into unsuspecting sunbathers.

Their green, scaly flesh swung violently as they jerked side to side adjusting to the gravity of dry land, one of them catching sight of a lifeguard as she tried to make an emergency call from her tower. With a cold sweep of its arms, it adjusted the sights of its cannon on the panicked woman, but before it could shoot, a thunderous roar filled the air and, within a fraction of a second, the whole tower exploded into a thousand pieces, disintegrating the helpless victim trapped inside and leaving the disappointed seaman dazed and confused by its lost kill.

It was then that the giant crabs emerged.

With seamen all over their backs and

Illistration by Adam Tomkins echo-launchers attached to their claws, these crabs were capable of destroying entire buildings using nothing but compressed sound waves. There was no doubt about it now, whatever their motivation was, these monstrous creatures were not here to simply attack, they were here to conquer.

Scott searched the beach for his family to no avail. Sand had filled the air, completely obscuring objects as little as ten feet away.

He listened intently through the screams and electric pulses trying to distinguish between the voices in hopes that maybe he could hear his husband or kids.

As he fumbled his way through the cloud another explosion rang out as the local taco truck erupted into flames, momentarily knocking the frantic father unconscious in a wave of heat and cilantro. When he finally came to, he was lying in the shadow of the pier with Elena, the truck’s owner, tending to a gash in his chest. Somehow, her and the lifeguard had discovered him as they tried to escape the massacre and brought him to a crevice under the boardwalk where his family had been hiding in hopes of his return.

It was there, smothered in the affections of his daughter and son, that he watched the carnage unravel, and somehow, despite the fried, mangled beachgoers with their limbs torn away and their heads exploded by fleshy monsters, he could still see hope for the new generation as he looked into his children’s eyes. And then the boardwalk collapsed.

CLUB BLURBS

The MDSJC BSU is a club for all students wishing to be educated on and help celebrate the culture of all students of African Descent from around the world on our MSJC campuses. We welcome everyone! Meetings are every other Wednesday at 2pm- 3pm and you can reach us by email BSU@student.msjc.edu or on Facebook at MSJC’s BSU. Hope to see you soon!

What is the first rule of Communication Club? You talk about Communication Club! In fact, you talk about literally anything. Do you love hot dogs? Are you a math major? Do you wish our campus had a real Fight Club? If any one of these things does or does not describe you, come on down and join MSJC’s Communication Club where we strive to create a fun environment for people of all interests. No matter who you are, the most important skill you posses is your ability to communicate with others, and we at the Communication Club are here to help you better develop that skill!

No, we don’t teach or discuss communication theory here (unless you want to). We also don’t use the word communication half as much as it’s written here. Instead, our goal is to build relationships through hands on experiences ranging from games and discussions to movie nights and intercultural events. We meet up every Tuesday at 12:30pm in the Menifee Campus Comm Lab (Rm. 479). If you can make a meeting every once in awhile, great! And if you can’t, be sure to keep your eyes open for any events we might be hosting!

This is your life, and it’s ending one minute at a time; so don’t waste another, and join Communication Club!

For more information email us at MSJCcommunication@gmail.com.

The Criminal Justice Club is a club for students who want to pursue future careers in criminal justice, legal, law enforcement, social work, or any other related fields. At this club we will discuss and learn about varous criminal justice topics. We will also make available to students career opportunities (such as internships) in the criminal justice system.

We will sponsor and conduct events and demonstrations that inform the campus community about local crime issues. This club is a good place to meet other criminal justice mided people!

Our advisor, Professor Farrar, has multiple connections in the law enforcement field. If something interests our members, (such as passing the police physical tests or how to become a crime scene technician) Professor Farrar can help us get information or even a hands-on exercise on the subject! If any of this interests you, we hope to see you at one of our meetings!

Meetings: every other Monday in Room 1212, 3:15pm4:00pm. For more info, contact Mark Lurenana at mlurenana795@student.msjc.edu or Professor Farrar at wfarrar@ msjc.edu.

The Trump Administration, Illegal Immigration, Corporate Taxation, America’s Reputation around the world or maybe you are interested in how to get involved in politics locally...if any of these topics are of interest to you or you have been hearing about them and want more information, consider The Political Science Club.

We are a non-partisan group that welcomes conservatives, independents, and progressives alike, for thoughtful discussions. We also conduct voter registration drives and host events on political subject matter throughout the year that are open to the student body.

Political Science Club meets Tuesdays @ 12:30pm, room 408 on the Menifee Campus. E-mail us at mvcpolisciclub@ student.msjc.edu.

For many years, Mu Alpha Theta has dedicated the selves to inspiring passion and interest in Mathematics, developing strong scholarship in the subject, and promoting the enjoyment of Mathematics in high school and two-year college students. The organization of Mathematics clubs serves over 108,00 student members in more that 2200 schools in the United States and 20 foreign countries. Mu Alpha Theta offers more than $300,000 in scholarships, grants, awards, and prizes yearly.

Meetings are held on Fridays at the Menifee Campus in room 453 at 10:30 AM.

Animals don’t know how to talk, so tt’s kind of hard for them to get their points across when discussing things with humans. There have even been instances where an animal is wandering through the forest and gets shot by a potential friend, all because of a simple miscommunication. Here at MSJC’s Animal Rights Club (ARC), we work hard to prevent these tragedies from taking place by working as translators for these voiceless companions, but due to the difficult nature of this job, we are always in need of new members willing to help us in our duties. Help give animals a voice and join the only club on campus dedicated to real animal rights activism.

Talk is great, but here in the ARC we believe that actions speak louder than words. That’s why everything we do involves tangible goals specifically designed to help animals live happy fulfilling lives just like the rest of us. To get involved, simply come join us on Wednesdays at 2:30 in Room 479 on the MVC, or if that conflicts with your schedule, just keep your eyes open for any events we may be holding that do work for you. With your help, we just might be able to help those in need one barnyard at time, because a better world for animals is a better world for everyone Contact us at MSJCanimalrightsclub@gmail.com

THE TALON, MAY 2017

12 | PUZZLES

SUDOKU 9 2 5 9

2

1

5

8

8

3

7

8

7 5

2

7

3

9

4

2

1

8

4

1

6

7

8 5 9 1

Sudoku Answers

W Y N R B L V N R C R K K I Q X P G I O

K V B J E I N E A X F R A Q U M A I I Q

WORD UP

L K F T O F P G F L O R N Y V Z C O V A

F Z B S N A S A X R C L H E K K E J G O

J L R S P E C N R P S L R E Y I R E U M

BICYCLE CLUBS EXPANSION FACULTY NASA NETFLIX

Ken Ken Answers

KEN KEN

Q V S S O U M E A U Y Q A N O L A T V F

Y D W O L I T O N R B A F I A C G E A P

P E J T V E D V W A T O E E L E I I X D

N W Y D H E H K Q J S B G U P D K H P D

E L C Y C I B P Y P V A B O S D J C G F

T A X R E C Y J H V X S R X K N K O G Z

S T U D E N T R J C J M I Z Z O B C Y W

T Z U L E A D M X K D V B Z B K U O K L

NEWSPAPER PRESS REASONS RECAP SOFTBALL STUDENT

N D D L W A S I I Q X N E P S N R V D E

E X P A N S I O N G E Y L R K C D A Z T

T U L B S B P Z N L H K M E Y V E Z Y Z

F R T T Q V E B Q S L I B S O V N L G B

L P V F Y K V O S Y X M U S M Y I X P K

I K Q O H S B D V V J H W E W E X D U X

X T H S M K I R C Q P C S K S Q Y A W F

TALON TAX TERROR TRANSFER WOMEN

Mystery Riddles 1) Two girls were born to the same mother, on the same day, in the same month and year and yet they’re not twins.

How can this be?

2) A girl who was just learning to drive went down a one-way street in the wrong direction, but didn’t break the law.

How come?

3) A man is pushing his car along the road when he comes to a hotel. He shouts, “I’m bankrupt!”

Why? 4) What gets broken without being held?

5) Forward I am heavy, but backward I am not. What am I? 6) What is always coming but never arrives?

6) Tomorrow

3) He’s playing monopoly

5) Ton

2) She was walking

4) A Promise

1) They were two girls in a set of triplets Answers

Fill in the blank squares so that each row and each column contain all of the digits 1 thru 6.

The heavy lines indicate areas (called cages) that contain groups of numbers that can be combined (in any order) to produce the result shown in the cage, with the indicated math operation. For example, 12x means you can multiply the values together to produce 12.

Numbers in cages may repeat, as long as they are not in the same row or colomn.

Crossword Craze

Crossword Answers Across 2. Often goes with chips.

3. 121 people die from this a day.

5. Those who are employed at a school or a institution.

7. To regularly travel to work or school .

8. Type of study or career that deals with science, technology, engineering or mathematics.

10. Athletic competition involving competitors from a particular region.

Down 1. A destructive feeling fueled by prejudice.

2. I’d be in the gym working on my ___.

3. A political status of a state that allows a safehaven for immigrants.

4. The plant that created the paper that the declaration of independence was written on.

6. Plural homonym for the letter I. 9. This attacker accounts for about 5-10 deaths a year.

Talon Staff James Hodge President & Treasure Serena Steele Editor-in-Chief & External PR Noah Colomé Director & Historian

Patrick Arellano Vice President & Secretary

Kyle Selby Assistant Editor Matthew Maitrejean Graphic Design Jamee Menez Internal PR

Anthony Herrera Staff Writer Alex Cuatok Adviser Doug Spoon Journalistic Adviser Brando Ligayo Staff writer tChris Malandrinos ICC Rep

Meetings: Every Thursday and Friday 12:30pm-2:00pm Thursdays: Room 1007 Fridays: Room 418

Disclaimer: The Talon is a production created and published by the Talon student newspaper club members. The Talon is not an official production of the Mt. San Jacinto Community College District. Its producers and contributors/reporters are students and are not officials of the college district. The views and opinions expressed in the Talon are those of the specific student writers and contributors/reporters. The Talon student newspaper does not represent the views and opinions of the Mt. San Jacinto College District or any of its official employees.