LAS POSITAS COLLEGE
naked AWAY THE 2014 LAYERS EIGHTH ISSUE
STRIPPING
FEATURING
SINCE 2007
CHARMED
INSIDE LPC’S COZY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TRI-VALLEY COMMUNITY
PRETTY CHEATER!
MANLY
D I S H O N E ST Y
METROSEXUALITY
AS E X P L A I N E D BY
IS REDEFINING
MASCULINITY
ACADEMIC
TEACHERS &
STUDENTS
INSIDE: Q&A WITH AN LPC METAL HERO A MEAT-LOVER TRIES OUT RAW FOOD DIET
YOUTUBE: UPLOAD ALL NIGHT TO MAKE MONEY
Mission Statement: The Student Senate is a non-‐partisan organization focused on promoting student involvement on campus and advocating for student interest. The ASLPC is funded by the Student Activity Fee and the Student Representation Fee.
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Letter from the Editor Words are kind of my thing. I even pledged (online) to save the word “venustation” from disappearing in common rhetoric three years ago. It basically means to prettify something. That red squiggly line under that word as I type indicates it might have fallen off of the dictionary.
Now, it has claimed existence in a magazine that is a product of blood, sweat and tears. Blood — as in, blood sugar from all the sweet snacks (French fries, cookies, Speculoos cookie butter on Graham crackers, soda) consumed in the process. Sweat — as in, cold sweat from the worry if the magazine will ever come to print (it probably did, but not as soon as our advisers had hoped). Tears — as in, tearing up draft after draft after draft (figuratively speaking, because we mostly use digital copies for drafts now). Eight people bled, sweated, and tore through personal demons like tardiness, self-doubt, procrastination, mediocrity and laziness to churn this eighth issue of Naked. True to tradition, we stripped the layers away of affluence, gender, cheating (academically), the dreaded Friend Zone, mosh pits, raw food diets, e-smoking, and earning money from YouTube.
No knives or swords were used to peel them. We flayed them with words
— ever probing, carefully describing, unabashedly exposing. But Naked goes deeper than exposing what’s lies beneath the surface. It provides a fresh perspective of the same surface it is exploring whether it be gender roles or socioeconomic issues.
So when you read the words on this magazine or any other, it is
through different lenses. We sought more ways to see, to learn, to know, to understand. That is what we have to share. Integrating them into your perspective is entirely up to you.
Peace and love,
Charlie Anne Urcia EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Contents 8
NO MORE BUTTS Smokeless electronic cigarettes bring perks for nicotine addicts
10 METALLIC DREAMS An LPC student treads the road of following his musical aspiration
14 ETIQUETTE OF MOSHING Learn the proper way to rock your heart out
16 LITTLE PRETTY COLLEGE The community’s affluence trickles down to its local community college
22 MY RAW TURN Naked staff writer Will Tanner undergoes a 30day raw diet challenge
26 A BEAUTIFUL MAN Understanding the age where pretty and masculine go hand-in-hand
31 MAKING YOUTUBE MONEY Taking advantage of internet multimedia platform YouTube.com to earn money
34 CHEATING IS THE BEST FALLACY Academic dishonesty, an accepted practice in American schools?
40 STRICTLY PLATONIC The existence of the renowned “Friend Zone,” discussed and disputed
43 BEFORE YOU GO A parting thought
Naked
Issue 8/Spring 2014 MISSION Naked is a student publication of Las Positas College. The purpose of Naked is to expose the diversity of Las Positas College students by digging deeper into their lives and stripping away the layers. The students who staff Naked run an editorially independent board. The magazine and its contents express the views of individual writers and artists and are not to be considered the views of the publication’s staff, editorial board, advisers, the associated students, the college administration or the board of trustees.
ADVERTISEMENT Naked solicits paid advertisements to help cover costs. Ads reflect the views of the advertisers only. For advertising rates and information, please contact the editor.
ADVISERS Melissa Korber Marcus Thompson II
THANKS Ben Castro, Brianna Guillory, Alex Lopez, George Retelas, LPC Campus Security and the faces featured in “Little Pretty College.”
facebook.com/NeykidLPC @Naked_LPC @NakedLPC NAKED magazine. Reproduction in any form is strictly prohibited. Naked is a First Amendment publication of the students of Las Positas College. It is published once per year. Students retain copyright ownership of the content they create, including words, photographs, graphics, illustrations cartoons and other work. Naked retains copyright ownership to advertisements it creates. Naked retains the right to use all material in all forms in perpetuity.
Just a Quickie
No more butts A twist to cigarette smoking may just be the solution to the nasty habit many are dying to get rid of Written By Anthony Reader
Photo By Trostle on Flickr.com
You suck on it the same way, you blow out the same way, you’d probably even spit the same way afterwards. But you won’t have to flick the butt anymore. Plus, your chances of getting sick plummets dramatically. This is thanks to the slim metallic object no bigger than a pen that is making a breakthrough in the world of smoking. It is proving to be the new, healthier addiction than the previous generations have had. Electronic cigarettes or “e-cigs” are set to eclipse classic tobacco, according to experts. With fewer toxic chemicals, slick packaging and cheaper cost, e-cigarettes are giving nicotine-dependents liberty. “The (e-cig) industry has now exceeded $1 billion for the first-time ever, with the consumption of e-cigs likely surpassing that of traditional cigarettes in the next decade,” said Bonnie Herzog, Managing Director and Senior Beverage and Tobacco Analyst at Wells Fargo Securities.
One of the larger benefits that a lot of smokers are making the switch for is the fact they can smoke almost everywhere. “A lot of the awareness (for e-cigs) is the perceived lower health risks, and definitely the affordability,” Herzog added. The “smoke” isn’t dangerous for secondhand people, as it’s mainly water vapor, so no need to be going out in the pouring rain for a cigarette break; you can sit in the break room and laugh at your co-workers as they look miserable out in the rain. n
Smoking Facts by the Numbers
69% of smokers want to quit completely $1.7 billion
estimated e-cigarette sales in the U.S. for the year 2013
7.smokers 3% ofwho tobacco tried
$1.50
cost of e-cigs equivalent to a $7pack of cigarettes in Calif.
More than
50% e-cig buyers
e-cigs for about 6 months quit tobacco completely
are repeat buyers (the rest are only “trying them out”)
Source: Center for Disease Control; NYTimes.com’s “The E-Cigarette Industry, Waiting to Exhale;” CNBC.com’s “E-cigarette sales are smoking hot, set to hit $1.7 billion”
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Metallic dreams:
An LPC student bound to hit the music scene talks about the perils of self-realization and following ambitions WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY ANGELICA ESTACIO PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANTHONY READER
It was the afternoon of October 4, 2013. As Friday afternoons usually go early in the semester inside the Las Positas College library, the place is nearly deserted. Amidst the quiet, a young man with short brunette hair and of lean build was bobbing his head. He sat in one of the middle round tables. He had earphones on, obviously engaged in some tunes. Blue pen in his right hand, he was bent over a notebook. Shaun Thiers just got out of his Music Theory class. And right then, he was working on his new band’s logo. At first glance, Thiers may seem like just another LPC student. But the 20-year-old music major is nothing short of a hero. To date, he has saved twelve lives, thanks to his medical credentials. Currently working on his music, he and his metal band The Reason We Fight are merely months away from playing at the Warped Tour. Although reaching his dreams has never looked feasible to Thiers, he admits that life wasn’t exactly easy for him. After failing to fully join the Army and falling short by academic standard to follow his deemed career path, he dove deep into depression and had to rewrite his plans for the future.
With success possibly at arm’s length, he looks back. And just like many who have found their spot in the big, crazy world of the music industry, Thiers hopes to inspire others with his story.
certified by the Red Cross to teach CPR, and I can certify other people, too. And that’s what pushed me to be a medic in the army.
Tell us about your time in the Army?
What got you into music? Music. Uh, geez. I guess I kinda need to say my sad story. I didn’t really have the easiest childhood. I was an accident. My mom kinda didn’t tell my dad about me, and I didn’t know who my dad was ‘til I was about 7. My mom was also a drug addict. That’s why I felt that the only escape that I had was music.
I didn’t actually do the whole Afghanistan thing. I had a lot of complications with them. A lot of complications. I enlisted when I graduated high school. Everything was all good. I had my date. Everything. But they kicked me out. I had heart surgery when I was a kid. And my medical condition got in the way. So I did all the boot camp, but I never got shipped out.
How did you start playing? I actually started off playing the drums in middle school. When freshman (high school) year hit, my dad bought me a guitar, which made no sense because I was a drummer. But I understood and learned playing it really quickly.
Have you always wanted to pursue a career in music? I was actually a medical student. I signed up for Nursing here in LPC. I’ve had some background way before. All throughout high school, I was a lifeguard. I used to run my own facility at a pool in San Ramon. I was
Since that didn’t work out, you decided to go into the medical field academically instead? Yes. But in my first semester as a med student here, I failed all of my classes. Every single one of them. I kinda lost the will to go to class anymore. Because I feel stupid, you know. So I stopped going. Until I changed my major to Music.
So what pushed you to say “Music is what I really want to do?” Last year, I broke up with a girl I was dating for three years. I got into a car SPRING 2014
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accident and wound up in the hospital. Things went down all around. One of my Marine friends in Afghanistan got shot in the head by a sniper. I got depressed for a couple of months. I just really didn’t do much. I still didn’t know what to do in life, I wasn’t doing well in school. I was crying all the time. Then my friends were just like, “Dude, just write it all down.”
much better.
I just wrote it down poetically. Played guitar. I was so frustrated so I played a lot of music. Then I felt so
Is their a certain musician or
You were depressed? Yeah. I’ve had moments when suicide came up a few times. I never really did anything, but I know that if there’s somebody else that is not as strong-willed as I am, maybe my music can save their life in a way. And so I can still save people’s lives. But this time, with my music.
musicians that affected you this way?
Thiers poses with his friend and band mate, Haeden Richart.
Dave Mustane of Megadeath. We had similar kinds of childhood experiences. His first band was Metallica. He went through a lot of rough stuff, and I really connected to that. That’s what really pushed me you know. Asking Alexandria is also one my favorite bands. I actually just met them. I went to the Monster Aftershock festival in Sacramento, and they did a meet-and-greet thing. I’m endorsed by Monster Energy right now, that’s why I was able to go. Everything I have got some kind of Monster on it.
So we’ve heard. Are you in a contract with them? No, not yet. They’re not gonna do anything solid until I get my stuff together. I just need to get my band everything written. Like, I’ve already gotten all the music. The drums. I can
write it all. It’s just I need all the people to fill the role.
How many band members do you have? So I am the lead vocalist. I’ve got my lead guitarist, Haeden Richart, who’s also from here. My bassist goes to school here, too. And we’ve got a drummer as well.
pens. Instead of it being a hobby, it’ll be work. But I really, really still enjoy it and I have my goals set. I already play four hours a day anyway. I can see it getting rough, but all that matters is that my intentions are still there. I can always treat it as my favorite thing to do. I mean, we all want a career that you want to have.
What do you think is the reason How is the near future looking for
for you finally working on your
The Reason We Fight ?
dream?
It all depends on how Warped Tour goes, because that’s where everybody starts. If I get a pretty decent size of scene, that’s it, I’m in.
If you just be nice to people, people will be nice to you. That’s basically how all of this started for me. Like I met up with other bands (in the last Warped Tour I’ve been to) and they were like, “Hey, when the next Warped Tour comes around and you get your stuff together, how would you like to open up for us?” n
Are you scared that music will start to feel more like work? Yeah, a lot of people know about how the whole passion to work thing hap-
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The Etiquette of Moshing By Anthony Reader
Illustration by Angelica Estacio
Lights flickered. The beat entranced the figures, chanting, shouting and dancing around in a circle, clad in black. They slammed into each other, reeled backwards and slammed again. This may seem like a satanic ritual ceremony, but this is normal practice in a mosh pit at rock and metal concerts. Dancing around, jumping up and down and running around pushing and shoving are all stuff you expect to find in a mosh pit. No rules seem to govern — or do they? In reality, mosh pits are friendly places, which to be experienced fully and somewhat safely, require their own rules.
Don’t: Don’t join the stampede. It’s rare someone gets trampled at events. It only happens when there are just too many people for the venue at concerts. If you feel overcrowded, get out.
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Do: Do unto others. Remember that everyone is a friend at concerts. Help others as they help you. You fall down — you get pulled back up. You’re too drunk to stand — they give you water and sit you down. If you’re lost and need help, you will find help.
Tbmarshburn / Flickr via CreativeCommons
Don’t: Don’t lose control. It’s understandable letting the music control you, but you cannot let it turn you into an animal who tries to hurt and injure people in the mosh pit.
Do: If it goes too far, get help. This goes out to all you moshers: If you see someone getting dangerous in the pit, go get security. Don’t try to sort it out yourself. It doesn’t end well. Trust me, glass bottles don’t feel great over the head. Fights will happen in the pit, but let security deal with it.
Do: Be prepared for some pain. There’s no way to sugarcoat it: You go into the mosh pit, you’re going to get hurt. But that’s almost all the appeal of it. Controlled violence. The thing about the mosh pit is no one will take offense at you whacking them in the face. Minor violence is expected — part of the pit. When people take it just that step further by bringing weapons, that’s when you start fearing for your life.
Don’t: Don’t use weapons. Don’t throw fists or bring weapons like glass bottles, chains, belts or knuckle dusters.
If you follow these basic rules, you can enjoy the frantic energy of the mosh pit without fearing for your life. SPRING 2014
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L ittle P retty College Written by Charlie Anne Urcia
Cushioned by the hilly suburban Tri-Valley, Las Positas College is charmed with the perks afforded by a well-to-do community.
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onversation etiquette prescribes money as anathema for discussion. Wealth is a common ambition, yet taboo in discussion. No one asks and no one tells. When with regular folk, the wealthy avert attention from their fortune to avoid appearing crass and tasteless. It’s the polite thing to do. Nonetheless, underneath the lacquer of propriety, the curiosity and fascination with affluence festers. Las Positas College gathers similar awe. It is a prince among paupers. The campus has the sparkling veneer of a pricey private university, rather than a run-of-the-mill community college. While other schools are struggling with their accreditation, LPC has built new buildings. While other schools are made of concrete boxes, LPC is trimmed with manicured lawns. While other schools are vehicles to get a step ahead in life, LPC cradles the vehicles of students born on third base. Surrounding the school’s glossy appearance, lies the community supporting it. It serves two of the wealthiest cities in the nation, and it is worthy of its patronage. But, LPC is just not a pretty face. Its ability to provide can translate to success.
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“T
his freaking community college is a very nice school,” Humberto Alvarez, 23, an LPC student said, “It’s a strong advantage for the school because it gives a sense of self-promotion for the students. “You feel like you’re in a professional environment. You just feel that environment that you have a sense of competition. Just as an individual being put in this environment, you want to excel more, be able to compete.” The allure of LPC is immediately noticeable. Modern buildings are lined with rose bushes and lavender shrubs. In spring and summer, students are dressed to impress without a care about being harassed. During winter, they are decked out in legitimate sheepskin UGGs, not the knock-off types commonly seen in Target or Walmart. They are geared with updated gadgets from MacBook Pros to upgraded PCs to Beats headphones. They use them openly with no threat of being robbed. This school’s aura is one of means, and it is enticing.
Photo Illustration by Anthony Reader / NAKED
People flock from all over the Bay Area to attend LPC, despite their immediate community colleges. Foreigners also seem to notice. Young men and women from Romania, India, China, Lebanon, South Korea and others have landed to this postcard backdrop of a Livermore nook. The college has thrived, in terms of facilities and student population, amidst rising tuition costs and economic inequality brought about by the recession. Forty miles east of San Francisco, LPC stands in the hilly vineyardcushioned Tri-Valley with two of America’s wealthiest cities nearby. The relative wealth of the area has an undeniable effect on the campus structure and culture.
I
STRUCTURE n April 2013, NerdWallet released its list of America’s highest-earning cities. Its data showed only 16 of the 562 cities included have more than half their households earning over $100,000 per year. San Ramon is No. 1 at 63.5 percent, and Pleasanton is SPRING 2014
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No. 3 at 58.9 percent. Fifty-two percent of LPC students come from the Tri-Valley area that consists of Dublin, Livermore and Pleasanton. LPC’s Fall 2012 Census Data reveals that from a sample set of 1,216 students, 19 percent of them come from households that earn more than $105,000. It is a modest number compared to that of Ivy-League institutions. But on small campuses like this, it pops out like a diamond watch. Infiniti, Audi, Mercedes, BMW and the occasional Porsche regularly reside in the eight parking lots that surround the campus. Student parking passes dangle from their rearview mirrors. It’s anybody’s guess if they belong to 80 percent of students that are younger than 30 or to the 21 percent of students that are older than 30. Nonetheless, LPC’s parking lots are deemed worthy to protect cars of such value. Out of the nine LPC parking lots, two have a canopy of solar panels Charlie Anne Urcia / NAKED 1) Hills cascade behind the school pool. 2) A common sight in the school parking lot — doubling as a UV ray shield for the high-end cars, mostly owned by students. 3) Stimulation comes from LPC’s Starbucks distributor. cars and a renewable energy source for 4) A student dressed up and tinkering with her gadgets — an iPhone and an iPad. the school. As Isabel Avenue turns into Campus Hill Drive, more solar panels $250,000 and a 0.25 percent sales tax increase over the next blanket the hill opposite the vineyards on the left. seven years. Taking a progressive step in reducing carbon emissions Despite a tough economy, local residents served by the does not come cheap. Nor does erecting LEED-certified CLPCCD place an emphasis in investing in higher educabuildings, updating lab equipment or renovating classtion. Besides voting on pro-education initiatives, they show rooms. Thanks to Alameda County voters and Contra Costa support for the college through the Las Positas College voters within the Chabot Las Positas Community College Foundation. Through the Foundation, they can personally District’s (CLPCCD) boundaries, LPC has afforded such extend their charity. expenses. Dr. Ted Kaye, president of the Foundation, fields generIn 2004, those voters approved Measure B, the $498 ous contributions from well-off citizens of the Tri-Valley. million dollar CLPCCD capital improvement (construction) His natural charm and warm presence aids in forming rebond. To fund the bonds, property owners pay an extra lationships with businesses, entrepreneurs and citizens for $19.88 per $100,000 worth of property every year. Citizens the college. Through him, they not only see someone they of Alameda and Contra Costa County agreed to be taxed as can trust, but an institution worthy of an investment. an investment in local higher education. “They support us vigorously because they believe we’re Furthermore, in 2012, both counties once again showed an asset to community,” Kaye said. “Having an institution of their solidarity for education by voting yes on California higher education in the community is absolutely an investProposition 30. It was an initiative to prevent a $6 billion ment well-spent.” cut to the education budget by increasing personal income Some investments from various individuals included taxes for California residents with incomes higher than $10,000 for veterans in the college to $100,000 in scholar-
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ships. These were investments whose returns are not expected in monetary profit, but in do profit the community. “As education goes up, social services go down,” Kaye said. His claim is supported by the College Board organization’s publication, Trends in Higher Education, with one of the most comprehensive reports showing the correlation between better education and socioeconomic benefits. In their 2013 report, Education Pays by Sandy Baum, Jennifer Ma and Kathleen Payea, they explored the benefits of higher education to the individual, employers and society as a whole. Individuals with higher education have more freedom moving up the socioeconomic ladder and experience lower unemployment rates. As they move up the social ladder, tax revenues from college graduates increase for federal, state and local governments while reducing income support programs for them. It’s a direct financial return on investment in postsecondary education. In addition, college graduates were found to become more likely socially active citizens and also lead healthier lifestyles. Healthier lifestyles could reduce healthcare costs. As active citizens, they are more likely to participate in nonprofit organizations and are inclined to vote. LPC’s quality campus resources and equipment have provided students more than accessible knowledge and a pleasurable learning experience. Students are being encouraged and prepared to move on to pursue a bachelor’s degree and in turn to become productive members of society.
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CULTURE
ommunity colleges have received flak for giving less-than-stellar students a shot at college. LPC was once given the derogatory moniker “Lost Potential College” to the chagrin of its many resident students. Those labels be damned. It cannot dampen educational ambition. Alvarez, a pre-law graduate from Stanford University, has gotten the sense of LPC students’ spirited desire for educational success. He has seen his classmates’ veracity in jotting down notes. They even ask professors to repeat concepts they have not fully grasped—an unheard of habit at Stanford where missing an important phrase in lecture is information lost to a black hole. The numbers prove his senses correct. According to the LPC Fall 2013 Preliminary Census, 64 percent place transferring as their primary educational career goal. That is 18 percent higher than the statewide percentage comparison in the 2010 Student Characteristics and Outcome Report. LPC’s transfer rate is 50.56, nearly 10 percent higher than
Photo courtesy of Alex Lopez / AlexLopezImages.com
the statewide transfer rate. With newer buildings, updated lab equipment and a picturesque landscape, LPC provides a laid-back atmosphere where students can focus on learning. “I think the students feel more comfortable making use of the resources at their disposal here,” Alvarez said. “They feel less stressed, obviously. When you have nice resources, you want to excel.” For some students, resources include things paid for by mommy and daddy. Tech is ubiquitous in Las Positas thanks to its generally middle-class population. MacBooks and iPhones are standard basics. Michael Kors totes, Dooney and Bourke handbags, Tumi messenger bags and Herschel backpacks are common. Students whip out their laptops or tablets in class without incurring covetous stares. SPRING 2014
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Those resources and trinkets come with a mindset. For many of the students—who have been groomed by accomplished parents, raised in environments where achievement is common—success is a natural and expected progression. Sans the pressure of changing the course of their family history, the students from affluent backgrounds come to school with the foundational elements needed to excel. They emerge from stable high schools; they have a template for success already set for them by their parents’ examples; and they possess the comfort of being without want or worry. Prestigious universities with soaring fees need not be the first step to a fulfilling collegiate experience. Exploring majors and degrees in the local college is OK so long as it leads to a progression. Arman Bet-Yonnan, 20, an LPC student awaiting transfer to Loyola Marmont University, has been taught early on that education matters, no matter where you acquire it. After graduating from high school, Bet-Yonnan dabbled in a couple of classes to explore his interests. Now, he set his dark-brown eyes on an economics degree from LMU. “They (my parents) just want me to be educated and that’s all they want,” Bet-Yonnan said. “They pressure me into furthering my education, but they don’t pressure me on where to go to school. So, if I wanna go to Michigan State, they would pay for me to go to Michigan State.” Practically through his clinched perfectly-lined bright teeth, he acknowledges his parents’ support while asserting his financial independence. “I don’t pay for the commodities that are provided by a parent that cares for their child,” he said. Good food and a sturdy roof over his head are taken care of. Other extras are at his expense. “Whatever I decide to do on my own time, it’s all in my account,” he said. “I’m responsible for it all. I just don’t pay rent… I’ve taken that into account in my own budget. I’m not really reckless in the sense of finance.” That waste-not-want-not philosophy stems from his Iranian roots. In the midst of the Islamic Revolution, his parents decided to immigrate to the USA from Iran. His mother’s family had once owned an oil refinery, which they consequently relinquished to the Iranian government. Upon their arrival on American soil, both his parents had to build from the ground up. After years of hard labor, Bet-Yonnan’s mother is now a membership director for the San Francisco Chamber of Com-
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“
“
You feel like you’re in a professional environment. You just feel that environ-
ment that you have a sense of competition. Just as an individual being put in this environment, you want to excel more, be able to compete.
merce. His father is a contractor for the government that regulates underground oil wells. From their experiences, they shared the values of hard work and modesty to their son. As he bats his thick eyelashes, a feature common among southwest Asian royalty, his efforts at modesty emerge. “I don’t ever flaunt my money, and I don’t ever do any of that kind of stuff,” he said. “I don’t really think that’s professional.” “I care more about personal achievement than material gains,” he added. That kind of modesty even seeps through the LPC administrative ranks. When they are confronted with questions about the relative wealthy area LPC is situated in, they quickly go on the defensive. Administrators will assert that LPC still serves as a sanctuary for the less financially secure. Financial aid is accessible, scholarships and grants abound and support services such as CalWORKs are available. Indeed, as with community colleges, LPC’s primary focus is providing accessible, low-cost, quality higher education to the general public. People from all walks of life are welcome in LPC’s halls. However, it seems no matter your socioeconomic background, you have to keep up with appearances. “Students here are not necessarily well-off, but they carry themselves a little more professionally,” campus patrol officer and LPC engineering major Steven Leahy said. “They’re not as, I don’t know, ‘gangster-wannabe,’ I guess.” For this 6-foot-3, blue-eyed, blonde-haired, Montana native, money does not drive appearance—it’s ambition. “They’re driven to a goal, so it’s not like the economics of it determine who they are,” he said. San Francisco resident Alvarez thinks educational goals in the suburbs are different from the city. “The culture here is completely different,” Alvarez said. “It seems so odd just crossing the bridge.” “Here, you have students that get an education, so they can work in the big city,” he said. “In San Francisco, it’s the
- Humberto Alvarez, LPC Student
people who work in the big city who wanna get an education to move up in their position.” An opportunity to fulfill goals and realize ambitions is what has driven some students like biology major Christopher Southorn to relocate into the area. He moved to Dublin from his hometown of Modesto three years ago. As a veteran, the GI bill will pay for his cost of living allowance based on where he lives. “If I stayed in Modesto and went to MJC (Modest Junior College), I would be making probably a third of what I make going to school here,” Southorn said. Measuring success is also different from where he grew up. “People didn’t really feel that college was attainable or achievable for them,” he said. “In this area, I feel like it (higher education) is all kinda taken for granted.” To him, different norms do not convey a hierarchy of norms. “Who’s to say if it’s better or not, but it’s definitely different,” he said. College is a varied experience for any LPC student plucked out at random. Kids who are unsure of their educational goals are no better or no worse than their more eager contemporaries. A part-time student with two kids trying to earn an AA is no more or less competent than a full-time student using LPC as a back door to a UC. Nonetheless, they all have an ambition even if it’s just to discover themselves.
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he college has many faces. For outsiders, LPC is so much slicker with its fancy cars, solar panels and brand-spanking new buildings than the average community college. For its residents, the advantages are implicit and gratitude largely goes under-expressed. While the gorgeousness of Las Positas blends with and benefits from its dreamy locale, it also provides a leg up to anyone it welcomes in its arms. It may be better off than other community colleges in the state, or even the nation. But it provides its constituents an equal opportunity—a chance in actualizing dreams. n SPRING 2014
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Photo courtesy of blogs.villagegreen.com
A MEAT MAN'S JOURNEY INTO NEW TERRITORY Written by Will Tanner Illustrated by Christina Hedlund It’s on your face, dripping from the corners of your mouth. It’s between your fingers, and a little has even gotten in your hair. It sticks to everything it touches. St. Louis sticky ribs are heaven on earth. It may sound perverted, but that’s where my mind went when posed with the idea of trying out a raw vegetarian diet for the month. I could already feel the cravings for meat. Meat is my religion. I worship weekly in my backyard, sacrificing animals at my altars of choice: a Treager smoker and a charcoal Weber grill. I believe in beef. I pray for pork. So when I took this challenge of eating raw, I thought it would be too much. I figured the longings would be too strong, the withdrawal too intense, the meat gods too jealous. Some research revealed eating raw isn’t just a choice but a lifestyle. That makes it hard for someone like me to start eating raw. I’m giving up my entire pattern of exis-
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tence. Though it’s no small feat, one day of rawonly seemed too easy. A week just doesn’t give you a sense of the benefits. So I took the challenge of going a month. Thirty days without St. Louis ribs, steak, pork chops or fried chicken. What was I thinking? Proponents assured me I’d be healthier, but I had to see for myself. I knew a month wouldn’t suddenly transform me into David Beckham; but if there was any legitimacy to this craze, something would be different. So I embarked on the process of going raw. Hoping to make it the full four weeks, I didn’t jump into a 100 percent raw diet. Different enthusiasts call for different ratios, but the minimum standard is for more than 50 percent of your diet to be raw. I started with 51 percent and moved up. Here is my journey.
DAY 1 : In hindsight, this was the hardest part. The mental wall is the toughest to scale. I dreamt about fried chicken. I wasn’t ready to wake up and face the broccoli. A big misconception about eating raw is that it’s just a diet. Angelina Elliott, a raw foodist based in San Diego, believes this keeps people from eating raw. “You aren’t taking anything away,” Elliott said. “You are counting calories but not in a bad way. You need to make sure that you’re getting enough.” I started my day with a kale smoothie. I could feel the texture in my esophagus before I even swigged. As I prepared to down it, I wondered how I would make it through a month. I was already horny for ribs. It tasted how it looked: green. The kale carried little flavor, but the carrots gave it some punch. Not too bad. I didn’t immediately give up, so that’s something. According to Elliott, the easiest way to start eating raw is by eating more of the raw items you already consume. Adding more fruits or salad into your diet is a good point of entry. I chose salad.
DAY 3 : I’m not ready to credit the raw food, but I felt different waking up. My body was more awake than ever. I was up before the alarm. Those groggy 10 minutes of checking the web were reduced to three. I hopped in the shower with some pep in my step. Lunch was a simple salad. Iceberg lettuce, beets, kidney beans, raw sunflower seeds and a bit of dressing. Not the most elegant of salads, but it worked. The bright spot of my day was eating seaweed. The little sheets provided relief from all the fruit, but I couldn’t eat too many. Since they are roasted I had to count my intake and match it with fruits. The magazine staff jumped on the seaweed train too. While they scarfed it, I savored every bite. It was my last cooked food of the day. It was no steak, but I enjoyed it. Perhaps my passions were changing?
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Kale smoothie photo courtesy of eatprayheal.wordpress.com Seaweed photo courtesy of creekside.learning.com
DAY 15 DAY 8 Day one of the new escalated diet. The 80/10/10, developed by Dr. Douglas Graham, is my newest standard. Stepping up to 80 percent raw was a big deal — I’m struggling with temptation already. Thankfully, my breakfast staple of apples and raw peanut butter still qualifies. In addition to all the fruits, I rely on my love of salads to carry me through. After all, salads can be made sticky with the right rawfood dressing, such as homemade vinaigrette. Still, this was salad number six during my first eight days. I was eating the food of my old food. It sucked. The hankerings for a burger have become an irritating voice in my head. I’m beginning to understand what it’s like going through withdrawal. The New Orleans trip at the end of my diet is my new obsession. My traveling companions and I are planning our trip through the po’ boy stands and gumbo houses in the French Quarter. It’s getting tough. The 51 percent raw felt so much easier. All I ate was salad and fruit, with some minor meaty bits and dressings thrown in. It’s not sticky at all.
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Day 1 of the 95 percent raw turn. I am so ready for this to be over. My 5 percent of not raw comes from the only thing that is keeping me eating salads: ranch dressing. It’s not exactly sticky, but it is working. Salad has gotten more than boring. Even ranch dressing produces only a minor thrill. Eating it is a chore. I’ve taken to using chopsticks to make my meals seem more exotic. If only it tasted like some tender wokfried chicken...
DAY 14 : The halfway point. I’m pretty sure this is the end of life as I know it. On the plus side however, I’ve lost 5 pounds. I still wake up like nothing, but that two-hour spike of energy has dwindled to one. My mind wanders to meatloaf. The drippings oozing out, the squelch as you sink your fork in. Why do I still have two weeks to go?
DAY 31 : Free at last! I am so happy. Nothing in the world can compare to this. My neighbor brought over blintzes and creamed spinach—yes, I know that isn’t breakfast food; just go with it. I warmed up my first meal. Before eating, I weighed myself for the final total: 15 pounds were shed. Then came the first bite. It was pure cheesy heaven. My mouth was burning, but the sensation felt so good. It was real food. Good food. Nothing against raw, but I missed everything about cooked food. I missed the sticky sensation of those ribs. 7 p.m.: Now I’m in New Orleans, and it’s amazing. Gumbo was first up. All meat and cooked food. I just couldn’t stay away. Meat gods, can you forgive me my sins? I thought salad 18 was bad, but Honestly, eating raw wasn’t so bad. I would keep certain facets, 19 is way worse. The lettuce squishjust because of how it made me feel. The weight loss was incredible. es in my mouth, flavorless and I’ve never lost so much over that short a period of time. I might flaccid. Even a cashew won’t save try to work my way back up to 51 percent raw, but it’ll be tough. The it now. I’ve adopted the nickname barbecue sauce running through my veins is too thick to abandon. “fruit bat.” Maybe it’ll thin over time, but one thing is for sure: Never again
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will I cheat on my mistress, meat.
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A Beautiful Man
M
eet the Modern male. He’s cleaner, more fashionable and prettier than you.
Written and Illustrated by Angelica Estacio Photography by ANTHONY READER Slightly bent over in the shower. Right leg propped up. The razor makes its way upward, from the ankle to the knee, leaving a trail of smooth skin in its path. A quick rinse, a few dabs with a towel, and the legs are free of hair and ready. Ritual complete. Feeling fresh, he walks out of the bathroom. Yes, Taylor Hargrove shaves his legs. His whole body, in fact. Except for his forearms. Yes, the Las Positas College student also gets his eyebrows done every now and then. But no, he is not gay. And he is not alone. Many modern, heterosexual young men groom like expected of a lady. The time of the scruffy, sleepless rock star look has passed, and in comes Zac Efron’s sleek charm. Two decades ago, Mark Simpson coined the term “metrosexual” in his article for the British newspaper The Independent. A metrosexual, as defined by Wordspy.com, is “a straight man, who is in touch with his feminine side.” Over the years, although gradual, the integration of the metrosexual lifestyle into the modern male’s has been noticeable. The rise of men’s magazines such as Details and Men’s Journal emphasizes and glorifies masculine beauty. Boosts in sales of men’s fashion illustrate the trendiness of men’s obsession with appearance. Many, like Hargrove, do not deny embracing habits that were once considered female-exclusive. Wanting to look good, they say, is even the new basis of manliness. Consider it the post-macho era. “I do get my eyebrows done every once in a while, and I usually get my hair cut and groomed. I like the fact that guys are doing that. Not that I like guys, but I just love grooming myself, you know,” Hargrove said. “I try and look good, (because) it makes me feel good.” Being a “pretty boy” (or man, for that matter) was once exclusive to the lifestyle of the rich and the famous. It was only acceptable for the likes of British football superstar David Beckham and his posh hairstyles, and Sean Combs
aka rapper “P. Diddy” who enjoys manicures and pedicures. But not anymore. The reasons for men jumping on the beauty-conscious bandwagon vary from self-esteem issues to achieving their dream job and to standing out in the sea of handsome men and bagging the right girl. It’s no secret that majority of self-esteem issues rise from insecurities in looks. Therefore it is only expected that one way some men would conquer such issues is to attend to their looks. “Men are now defining themselves through what they consume and their image.” Amanda Alison Conseur wrote in her thesis “Factors Influencing the Emergence of the Metrosexual” in 2004. “Because men are not given the discourse to talk about their self-esteem. Thus, the increasing importance placed on appearance.” To others, it’s all about economics. Men dress up to win the game of first impressions and land that coveted job. Speaking of competitions, the game of love and lust should not be excluded. Gone are the days when women must prove they’re pretty enough to be dated. Since the field has somewhat been leveled, men are also doing their fair share in advertising themselves. “Women today are more independent, personally and financially, so men feel they have to offer other assets, including passions, interests and good looks,” psychologist and author of book “Let’s Face It” Vivian Diller wrote in her online article, “Closing the Beauty Gap,” for the Huffington Post. As with new trends out there, glorification of male beauty has become the new idea marketed by the beauty industry. Thanks to the influx of men buying luxury fashion, European powers such as Luis Vuitton, Gucci and Prada are seeing growth in the United States
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Things women
:
on n e m judge
71% Teeth 58% clothes
53% Hair
52%
Hands & Nails
29% SHOES
Market Tools Inc. for Match.com via USAToday.com
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for the first time since before The Great While some men are wooing their Recession. prospective bosses with sharp looks, “We have noticed a rise in men’s some are getting dolled up to catch the purchases, particularly in the last two eyes of the ladies. years,” Robert Chavez, head of U.S. According to online dating giant operations at Hermes, told Reuters in an Match.com, the number one dealarticle back in May 2013. breaker when it comes to modern-day Just in the same year, American dating is not being able to clean up well. fashion designers Tom Ford and Marc Perhaps the age of Internet dating has Jacobs released their own makeup today’s young people process whether lines for men. Who would have thought they like someone or not faster than the day will come when girls can talk ever. A whopping 71.3 percent of women concealers and foundation with their asked by the study “Singles in America” boys-next-door? responded that appearing unclean or Male-exclusive salons are also disheveled on the first date lowers if not sprouting left and right, diminishes the opposite offering services sex’s potential to land beyond haircuts. “The them a second date. Shave” in Los Ange“Singles seem f I’m putting in the work, les, “SPIFF For Men” to be worried that if then you should be putting in New York and “SF a potential partner Manscaping” in San can’t take care of in the work as well. Francisco are among him- or herself, then Aesthetics isn’t just about the go-to places for how can (this person) men around the countake care of me?” being a girl. It should be try to get waxed, manievolutionary biologist everybody’s job. cured and pedicured. Dr. Justin R. Garcia Another driving - Jaimie Hahs, said in a statement to force behind men’s Happen, Match.com’s LPC Student, Hargrove’s girlfriend mani’s and pedi’s craze weekly magazine. nowadays is to pave Garcia, who is one better opportunities for of the study’s primary themselves. It turns out that since the researchers, works with The Kinsey U.S. economy plummeted in 2008, emInstitute at Indiana University. ployers have become stricter in hiring LPC student Mary Vainstein mirrors the right candidate. Physically speakthis sentiment. ing, that is. In Newsweek’s 2010 article “Good-looking men are more com“The Beauty Advantage,” employers fortable because they find it easy to advised that job seekers should spend compete for female attention,” she said. time “making sure they look attracIn a “College Dating” study contive” as they would putting together the ducted by Western Carolina University perfect resume. students in 2010, looks did prove more Details Magazine’s blogger Madison appealing than financial stability. The Ruggieri put it, “Neat (and) clean nails study, which involved female parmake a man look sophisticated and put ticipants aged 18 to 30, concluded that together — there’s no point in wearing women would prefer a more physically an executive’s suit if your hands scream attractive partner over someone who lumberjack.” drives a Mercedes.
I
The question shifts into what exactly constitutes a physically attractive man for the modern young woman. What’s the added oomph that males of yesteryears lacked to achieve? “I wouldn’t date a guy who had grooming problems,” model Kate Upton said in a commercial for Gillette, adding that “It’s very important” to groom “down there.” And cue a wink from the model. It was in early 2013 when Gillette — a mainstream brand known for providing personal care items for men, such as razors — started a campaign to educate men about “grooming” and released commercials featuring models like Upton. Although the motive for this campaign is to sell the new Gillette Fusion ProGlide Styler, what chance does reason stand for men around the world against an A-list fashion model delivering the message? To the many who haven’t yet caught up, what Upton encourages in the commercial is a trend of grooming called “Manscaping.” A combination of words “man” and “landscaping.” As Urbandictionary.com defines it, “To groom a man. Shaving, waxing, cleaning up the superfluous fur” and “male grooming below the belt.” Based on a study conducted by Cosmopolitan and AskMen.com, 95 percent of men today do manscape. “Men who have a hairy back or chest definitely want to tame it with clippers or totally wax it off,” Jane Pham, owner of Ted D. Bare Salon, said in a statement for Cosmopolitan. “But what I’ve really seen exploding recently is below-the-belt cleanup,” added Pham. Suddenly, the Brazilian goes both ways. Yet, after the waxed strips have been pulled off and the concealers have dried, it all boils down to the why. Why do all these feminine habits and just being more feminine in general make men more desirable? The answer goes beyond aesthetic pleasure. While the game to building a better dating profile is done on the physical level, it actually intends to tug at the hearts of women and not
On average, modern men spend
81 minutes GEtting ready compared to only 75 minutes by women
Men vs Women 23 mins
Shower
22 mins
18 mins
Shaving
14 mins
10 mins
Toning, Cleansing, Moisturizing
9 mins
Source: 2011 Research cited for Travelodge via Telegraph.co.uk
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Hargrove, 24, admits to shaving his whole body except for his forearms.
the hormones. In Dec. 2010, the Canadian study “Altruism as a Courtship Display” published in the British Journal of Psychology found that femininity in men reflects altruism or generosity. This specific trait in males makes them more attractive both for long-term prospective relationships and short-term dating. Psychologist Dr. David Lewis, who is a member of the British Psychological Society and author of “Loving and Loathing: the Enigma of Personal Attraction,” was not surprised by such findings. “We know that women are often drawn to men who have masculine characteristics but with some femininity, such as soft hair on their forearm or longer than usual eyelashes,” he said in an interview with BBC News. According to study author Dr. Pat Barclay from the University of Guelph, the findings suggest that women are “attuned to generosity, and that altruism serves a purpose in mate selection.” “If a man is kind and generous towards others — even
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strangers — then there’s a good chance that he’d make a good and generous parent,” he said in a statement to BBC. In the early stages of dating, they may be interchangeable. You can have all the personality in the world, but you need looks to get noticed. That’s a philosophy that women have known since time immemorial. Recently, it seems the modern man is catching up. Jamie Hahs, Hargrove’s girlfriend, thinks proper grooming is not an exclusively feminine role. “Aesthetics isn’t just about being a girl. It should be everybody’s job,” she said. In fact, looking good goes beyond socially prescribed gender traits, it is proper social conduct and courtesy. “If I’m putting in the work, then you should be putting in the work as well,” Hahs added. Whether men getting pedicures, manicures, waxes and make-up will be widely adopted as the norm remains to be seen. For now, the world will have to accept whatever people choose to do with their appearance — from neatly trimmed nails to hairy backs. n
MShades (left) and 401(K) 2013 (right) / Flickr via CreativeCommons
Making YouTube Money Written by Christina Hedlund Illustrated by Angelica Estacio Photography by Anthony Reader
In 2007, three-year-old Harry let his one-year-old brother, Charlie, bite his finger. He exclaimed how much “It really hurt! That hurts, Charlie!” That one brotherly moment made the viral video hall-of-fame when it was uploaded to YouTube with 635 million hits to date. All over the world people were saying, “Charlie bit me!” A fifty-six-second home video has earned the Davies-Carr family over half a million dollars in revenue, according to Jeffrey Koffman’s ABC article “How ‘Charlie Bit Me,” the Most Watched YouTube Clip Ever, Changed a Family’s Fortunes.” This was one story of fame and fortune YouTube has introduced to its uploaders. Cue Korean Pop artist Psy. His original video “Gangnam Style” has over 1.8 billion views since its July 2012 YouTube debut. The viral music video made an immediate sensation of Psy. His breakout video introduced a hit single, an international dance craze and a reported $8 million in earnings through all revenue sources. From cell phone snippets to Korean pop hits, the trend of internet celebrity attainable within the worldwide community of YouTube has grown. With the right talent, ambition, equipment and skill, YouTube has become a possible and viable source of income. SPRING 2014
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YouTube is everywhere. Since Google purchased YouTube for $1.65 billion in stock back in 2006, it has been ranked the third highest visited site both globally and within the United States, according to Alexa. com, a web information company. A quick check in YouTube’s stats reveals it gets more than a billion visitors each month. From that pool of a billion, a potential loyal audience exists. YouTube has provided hours of endless entertainment and limitless knowledge from smoky eye tutorials, to tech tactics and gaming reviews. Those inspired to turn the camera on themselves and ambitious enough to make a show of it can host their very own YouTube channel. Therein lays the opportunity to make money, by taking the leap from being a video viewer to a video creator.
Why YouTube? In 2007, YouTube reached out to its top content creators with an opportunity to become members in a new Partnership Program. This program allows for ad placement within videos, earning creators a percentage of the revenue received through ad views and clicks. Soon after, anyone with a YouTube
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account and an audience could apply for partnership and in April of 2012, this program was opened up to everybody. According to YouTube, more than a million creators have become paid partners. Anyone with a YouTube account and original video content can begin earning revenue from paid ads by participating in a process YouTube calls “monetization.”
What is this “monetization” and how does it work? Creators must enable their YouTube channel settings for monetization to select videos for ad placement. Videos enabled for advertisement will begin showing ads provided by Google and its advertisement site AdSense. To receive payment, Creators need to create an AdSense account to associate with their channel. When the profits from these ads exceed a $100 payment threshold, YouTube pays via AdSense. Earners are paid the following month their payment threshold is met and are paid at a rate determined by the clicks they get per thousand views. According to Carla Marshall of reelseo. com, it has been widely estimated that these rates often start as low as $0.30 and can be as high as $10 for top pro-
ducing creators. A creator with a channel needs clicks to make money. The key to getting clicks, is getting a ton of views, and the only way to get views, is by having videos to watch.
It’s time to get recording. Turn ambition into original content and record it. Views are dependent upon having a channel that can attract interest. Channels with numerous videos to view and reasons to return for more, the kind of stuff viral videos and weekly video series are made of. According to more YouTube stats, 100 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute. There are comedians, entertainers, makeup artists, reviewers, vloggers and others. The list of titles could go on and on. Creators take the time to record themselves doing what they love and upload videos that turn random viewers into everyday subscribers.
Got an idea but not sure what it takes to get started? A little inspiration goes a long way. Victor Salazar (pictured above) was a skin care specialist and makeup artist in a local high-end department store.
He just launched his “What Would Victor Do” YouTube channel this past summer. His friendly introduction to the world of YouTube money, was none other than Cassandra Bankson. Both a model and a local YouTube star, Bankson is more commonly known as DiamondsAndHeels14. She has more than 600,000 subscribers and has uploaded more than 130 videos in 2013 alone. One fateful day on the sales floor Salazar recognized Bankson, and she recognized his flair for understanding and explaining all kinds of beauty basics. That’s when she suggested he start his own channel. Salazar said Bankson’s advice to him was simple. Just do it. She helped Salazar record his very first video in one evening, a summer makeup tutorial that welcomed more than a thousand views by the next day. “No matter how hard or easy it is, it’s just fun to know that you’re doing something for yourself,” Salazar said. “Something that authentically interests you, and at the end of the day it comes from you and it’s just a little part of you.” He now records and uploads a new video each week including a “Makeup Talks” series. Once a video is recorded and uploaded, it should be prepped for viewing. YouTube itself offers much of the information needed to get uploading at its Creator Hub site. This site is a gateway to everything a new YouTube creator like Salazar needs to know to become a YouTube success. Google offers additional help, with a YouTube Help support page and an
Why are subscribers so important?
advertisement service site known as AdWords. These sources are all dedicated to providing explanations, videos and links to things like channel customization, video editing and content optimization.
Getting a monthly check from YouTube requires consistent viewership. YouTube is special because it allows viewers to subscribe to channels so they can keep up to date on newly released content. Think of it like regularly scheduled programming and YouTube suggests that Creators develop a programming strategy. Having a weekly video series or making videos based on viewer requests is like extending an invitation for viewers to return to a channel. YouTube bestows a worldwide online community for YouTube partners, a place to make connections and grow a loyal following.
New to optimization? Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of making searchable content like videos more findable and clickable within in a Google search. It may sound complicated, but even the most basic techniques can boost views, such as using keywords to tag and describe videos. The art of SEO would be using web search analytics to decipher which key words and phrases to utilize. A tool called a keyword planner provided by Google-owned Adwords does just that. Other techniques for optimization include creating appealing thumbnails and inputting things like annotation links to suggest similar videos and inspire viewers to subscribe to a channel.
YouTube and beyond. Video sharing is trending in the realm of social media, inspiring new forms of video sharing. A major player in what is being dubbed a “Social Media Revolution,” YouTube continues to seek new content providers at an astonishing rate. It’s paved the way for other video sharing sites like Vimeo and Vevo and now extends to new social media apps like Vine. Those with the desire to record and share their interests can now profit from a job well done. YouTube can be a new way to pay some bills, a new gig and maybe even a moneymaking social media platform. You don’t have to be a pair of adorable toddlers caught on candid camera to gain some viewing. With talent and passion to share knowledge to the world, you, too, can be a YouTube sensation. n
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Deception, imitation and corruption best define acts of academic dishonesty. But for the victims, witnesses, perpetrators and instructors, there’s more to cheating than meets the eye.
Written by Mitchell Singer and Charlie Anne Urcia
In front of the class, he sees everything — every movement, every shrug, every scuffle, every eye-roll, every yawn. During exams, that vantage point is a weapon in thwarting cheaters. For Las Positas professor Eric Harpell, some battles have to be chosen. He knows that in the end, the cheaters ultimately pay the price for their own folly. Copying answers without understanding the concepts does not guarantee any success in higher courses. The standard operating procedure calls to surrender cheaters to the proper authorities. But most of the time, Harpell thinks that most cheaters are not worth the hassle of jumping through administrative hoops. They earn the grade they deserve anyway.
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Anthony Reader / NAKED
Crib Notes (n.) -- Notes written on the hand, arm, or leg to assist in cheating on quizzes and exams. Source: UrbanDictionary.com
SamJUK (left) and Alex France (right) / Flickr via CreativeCommons
“She sees cheating as scratching each other’s back, the kind of sharing that fosters teamwork. They’re not stealing success as much as they are ensuring it for more than themselves.”
No, he doesn’t condone cheating. try it for themselves — and sometimes He just doesn’t seem to believe the tar- it worked.” and-feather approach to cheaters is apIn Harpell’s 25-year career as a plicable in every situation. physics and astronomy professor, he Harpell’s approach to cheating flies has observed that punitive measures in the face of traditional sensibilities are futile since those who would cheat towards cheating. Some still maintain are failing anyway. that all cheaters be punished equally Students who were ill-prepared and harshly as you would the worst for quizzes and tests rely on cheating kind of student ever (the one who as a last-ditch effort. So if he steps into a class expecting catches them, the failing to pass without as much grade they were trying as lifting a finger). to avoid is punitive Others view enough. cheating as a cry On top of a failU.S. high school for help because, ing grade, some clearly, cheaters cheaters accept a students admit to still care enough to defeat and take accheating * pass a class. countability for it. These varied views “I think that (cheatmight appear contrary to ing) reflected well of a stuone another. However, they dent ironically enough if they might be symptoms to an outmoded ap- made a mistake and took ownership proach towards cheating. for it,” Justin Garoupa, interim dean “I think it’s human nature,” he says. of Arts, Letters, and Social Sciences at “And it came from experience in low- LPC, said. er grades in high school and previous He does believe that plagiarism and classes. When students observed others other forms of academic dishonesty bewho would forgo the footwork and got comes habit forming for some students good grades anyway, they decided to while in high school.
74%
Therefore, their attempts (and successes) at cheating are not so much an indictment on their moral fabric but perhaps a sign academic integrity has not been learned. Yet, he would rather reform students constructively than try to intimidate them with harsh consequences. Back when he was an English instructor, he failed students on clearly plagiarized assignments, but has often limited the punishments so that students passed his class and move on with their academic careers. “English courses are some of the spaces where students are supposed to be learning or relearning the boundaries of what is cheating and what is not,” he said. Peter Nonacs, a University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) professor, has attempted in pushing those boundaries. In turn, he redefined traditional cheating into a tool for collaborative learning. In an online 2013 article for Zocalo Public Square, he relays his experiment on his Behavioral Ecology class with the purpose of finding out if open-cheating, SPRING 2014
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Cheating (n.) Defined as fraud, deceit, or dishonesty in an academic assignment. It may involve: -- Copying or attempting to copy from others during an examination or for an assignment; -- Communicating examination information to, or receiving such information from, another person during an examination; -- Preprogramming a calculator or computer to contain answers or other unauthorized information for examinations; -- Using, attempting to use, or assisting others in using materials that are prohibited or inappropriate in the context of the academic assignment or examination in question, such as: books, Web sites, prepared answers, written notes, or concealed information; -- Allowing others to do one’s assignment or a portion of one’s assignment or using a commercial term paper service; -- Altering examination answers after an assignment has been completed or altering recorded grades; and -- Resubmitting a previously written assignment for a new course without the permission of the instructor. Source: An Instructor’s Guidebook to Academic Honesty in the Classroom by The Las Positas College Academic Senate
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in groups or separately, yielded better the higher education process. It is apgrades. He had concocted an “impossi- proached more like a strategy for edubly difficult” test for his class. But he cational efficiency much like taking gave them a leg up and allowed them to an easier class to ensure an A on your do things during the exam that could transcript. traditionally be considered cheating For these two cheaters, the meth— looking through notes, surfing the odology illustrates just how mundane internet for information, talking to the act has become. When asked how previous students of the course, shar- they pull it off, one simply turned to a ing their ideas, and even bribing him. friend and asked, “Hey, what’s the anOn test day, all but three of the swer?” class worked together by distributing In reality, the academe is still their labor, discussing ideas, and shar- bound by the system of testing with ing their best answers. They scored 20 zero cheating—no notes, no talking, no percent higher than averages on pre- cellphones—in the name of assessing vious, less grueling midterms. Among an individual’s ability to understandthe remaining three, one scored high- ing information. er, one was about the same, and the Cheaters who get caught pay. Someother was lower. times, the people who catch them pay Nonacs reiterates in his article, the interest. that cheating still isn’t good. However, Joselyn Perez, an LPC student in his experiment, everything that the and tutor, has taken an active stance students did was conventionally con- against cheating. As a tutor, she once stituted as cheating. He just bent the turned in a student who — rather than rules and therefore changed the game completing the assignment — stole her from competing against each other to material to copy it. cooperating to achieve the best answer. While the punishment turned out That’s how one student from to be minimal for the accused LPC, who chose to remain student, it proved to be anonymous, viewed greater for Perez. After cheating with acall, she’d broken the complices. code. The unwritShe sees ten rule is you cheating as don’t snitch, and U.S. and Canada faculty scratching each it carries greater members admit to ignorother’s back, the weight among kind of sharing students than the ing cheating ** that fosters teamviolation of acawork, the way cartels demic integrity. Nodo. They’re not stealing body likes tattle-tales. success as much as they are Perez said the student ensuring it for more than themselves. she fingered began to harass her. The “Usually (I cheat off) someone I situation became so untenable she beknow, so it’s like we’re in it together,” gan carrying a can of pepper spray. But she said. “And then they asked me for for her, reporting a cheater was worth one.” the threat. The crime was too great to Among this crowd, cheating is the be ignored. Cheaters should be punmeans to an end. It is a uniform part of ished.
50%
thebarrowboy / Flickr via CreativeCommons
“It came from experience in lower grades in high school and previous classes. When students observed others who would forgo the footwork and got good grades anyway, they decided to try it for themselves and sometimes it worked.” — Eric Harpell, LPC Professor “I truly believe it’s the right thing,” she said. Her experience illustrates the hazards of a current system that treats cheating as an absolute wrong. When those as unscrupulous and as desperate as Perez’s tutee are reprimanded, they look for someone to victimize with their misery. Not all cheaters lack a conscience and moral compass. Harpell said he usually found that when he failed students on quizzes for cheating they rarely tried the same strategy again. Because they can usually drop one quiz, the students learned the lesson without being doomed to fail the class. Garoupa said this approach provides some mercy for the segment of students who are just in over their heads. Both he and Harpell have found that, under some circumstances, being caught cheating allowed students to display their general preference for honesty and accountability. Harpell told a tale of an even greater display of virtue: Cheaters often come forward to confess when an inno-
cent student’s grade is on the line. He would call the attention of two or more students who share identical answers to lab work or have staggeringly similar Scantron results. He would either write a note for them to see him or give them a straightup zero. With involved students alarmed, the guilty party usually mans up and takes the blow. With the current treatment of cheating, instructors and professors can only do so much in bending the sanctions against academic dishonesty. It is imperative to measure students’ understanding of a course. Maybe it’s the way the current system measures learning that has to be reformed. “The best tests will not only find out what students know but also stimulate thinking in novel ways,” Nonacs wrote. In reference to his experiment, he continues, “This is much more than regurgitating memorized facts. The test itself becomes a learning experience— where the very act of taking it leads to a deeper understanding of the subject.” A revolution may arise in sizing up a student’s grasp on a subject or
the stigma on cheating may be lifted. Things may change, but the bottom line of education remains the same. It is to prepare students for life by equipping them with knowledge and integrity. Educators, like Harpell and Garoupa, have a hand in that. “They (students) need to understand what academic honesty is all about,” Harpell said. “It shouldn’t necessarily be one mistake and you’re done or even three mistakes and you’re out. It should be part of our overall mission as instructors working for the students to teach them how to be honest and good learners.” Honesty and integrity are hard to quantify by paper since only real life can measure someone’s ability to do the right thing when no one is looking. The result of which defines character.
n
* Source: Josephson Institute for Ethics 2002 confidential survey of 12,000 high school students, via ABCNews.go.com. ** Source: Don McCabe, Rutgers University Center for Academic Integrity head, via ABCNews.go.com. SPRING 2014
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Stripped Bare:
Nice guys finish last Jessica* and Kyle* met at work. They immediately hit it off. Eventually, their feelings for each other grew stronger. They spent late nights together talking, cuddling, laughing and messing around with each other. They were both happy as could be. A couple of weeks went by, and it all went straight to hell. He came to her at a bad time. He said a couple of things. Explanations and excuses could not cover the truth that all those late nights meant nothing. Everything came tumbling down. Distraught, she had locked herself in her bathroom weeping. I offered her my shoulder to cry on. My anger towards selfish men festered. From what I’ve seen, young women encounter two types of guys: fake princes and brotherly knights. Fake princes put on a show for these women. Lying their way into these ladies’ hearts and pants. Women are nothing but conquests. On the other hand, there are the knights that gallantly save the day, offering them hope that not all men are hopeless liars. There are guys out there that still genuinely care. Yet, they are overshadowed by fake princes and
40 NAKED
by Brandon Clutter
are thrown into the ghastly Friend Zone. Maybe it’s time for women to give these brotherly knights a chance. Need company to go shopping? He’ll stand at the checkout line while you take one more quick look at the store. No money for a manicure? He’ll paint that one hand you can’t get right. All your girlfriends have deserted you? He’s one friend you can speak your mind to without any drama. You are practically best friends. Sometimes, behind all that, that platonic knight can’t help but fall. Fake princes don’t know the difference between your five different smiles. The knight has fallen for each one of them. To her, he’s just a good friend. So when he confesses his feelings, there’s really nothing romantic about it for her. He then ends up in the Friend Zone. It’s such a tragedy to be thrown into that pit. The woman has someone who will be there for her, treats her like a queen, and yet her feelings for him go as deep as her feelings for a puppy. Being elevated to the boyfriend level from the
Friend Zone is tricky. Alas, women, as with men, can be just as superficial with their choices. Fake princes abound as do helpless damsels. Despite knowing their dating history and the probability that he will hurt her, she will go out with this hot dude to prove she is worthy of attention. But, ladies, you need not feed nor feel your insecurity. You are worthy of loyalty and love. Women have also victims of the Friend Zone. While they watch their best guy friend break hearts, she’s there listening to his every problem. I’m pretty sure men and women boxed into this zone who want to get out only want one thing. They want a chance to prove themselves worthy of being elevated into the girlfriend/boyfriend status. Unlike fake princes, gallant knights have no time for philandering. There is a battlefield to conquer. First, the Friend Zone, then maybe your heart. n
*Names in the story have
been changed to protect the
privacy of people involved.
Two sides of a story
It does not exist
Original photo by: zigazou76 on Flickr via CreativeCommons Illustration by:
Brianna Guillory
Gentlemen, if you find yourself in the “Friend Zone,” its not her fault. So stop blaming the girl. The onus of the problem is on you. Chase* was in love with this girl Jen*. He introduced me to her over dinner at school. He was beside himself since he got to sit next to her. He mentioned that she had a boyfriend and with that breath, his face filled with a lustful expression. He had been chasing after her for about six months. A few months later I got to know her, and Jen and I started an affair. I had beaten what Chase believed to be the “Friend Zone.” Really all I had done was find the right combination of words at the right time. I understand that there is something about being told you aren’t dateable material for someone you thought you would be perfect for, but that’s life. Every day, somebody will get turned down. How you deal with this rejection defines who you are. You can just sit behind and mope, or you can just move on with your life. Too many times people just sit back and whine that they will never be the one chosen. Those feelings of selfpity only make them less desirable. Face your fear of rejection head on. If you think that being friends with a girl who is pretty or cute will help you to date her, just don’t. Noth-
by Will Tanner
ing is worse than watching that guy do everything to try to get her attention. It’s sad to watch, and you have to feel for the guy until you realize he wants this. The more he tries, the more he wants to be with her. Instead of being that guy, be a real friend. It’s obvious what your intentions are from the get go if you don’t genuinely care about her. It takes a woman about 60 second to decide if she is attracted to a guy. If you aren’t one of the lucky ones, then that sucks, but what kind of a precedent do you set when you hang around in the hopes that one day you might “get lucky?” If you really care about her, you won’t put her through dealing with your just being around for the sake of sex. What you need to do is to be yourself. This means not putting all women on a pedestal. If you see them on the same level as you see yourself, it will be so much easier. Women are not objects to be attained, but people who will enrich your life. If you improve yourself and make it easier for people to see the real you, then the right person will come. The better you are and the better you act, the better the people around you will be. It’s a cycle that can only lead to a better path. When you find yourself being the person you would ask, that’s when its great Nothing is ever so simple as dealing with the notion of the “Friend Zone.” When you think you’re in it, just walk away. There is no reason to keep yourself down. The “Friend Zone” is all in your head. n SPRING 2014
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Before You Go
Anthony Reader / NAKED
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