Naked 2012
IS TECHNOLOGY THE NEW GOD?
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WINTER 2012
nakedmag.org
stripping away the layers.
INSIDE 10 STYLE, SWAG AND FASHION Get the F out of here
14 DOIN’ THE HUSTLE
Students living large by screwing the system
18 SHAKING YOUR WAY THROUGH COLLEGE College students shake their assets to achieve an American dream
22 BACK TO THE FUTURE
Improve your image today for a prosperous tomorrow
26 IS TECHNOLOGY THE NEW GOD? And___said, “Let there be light.” Read immediately if you filled the blank with “Google.”
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Cover photography and design: Alex Lopez and Alton Richardson This page: Photograph of Eric Sanchez by Alton Richardson.
ERIC SANCHEZ Eric Sanchez, 19, is a second-year student at Las Positas College. He grew up in Livermore, pursuing the sport of rock climbing. Sanchez has traveled the world competing on the USA Climbing team for multiple years and has recently focused his sights on bouldering and first ascents, which are rock climbs that no one has ever done before. Bouldering is climbing on small rocks that are close to the ground, without the use of ropes for protection. Instead, “crash pads” are used to land on when the climber falls. They resemble portable gymnastic pads or small mattresses. Sanchez plans to pursue graphic design and video production while climbing alongside the world’s best rock climbers. He is a co-creator of The Ground Up Collective, which aims to bring free climbing media to the masses.
06 WHAT IS SWAG? Learn the secrets to finding yours
08 YOUNG MONEY
AA degrees yield high paying careers in shorter time
32 THE PULSATING ROD OF TECHNOLOGY You can do that on line?
34 DANCING WITH THE DEVIL’S SAGE Not the harmless little herb you might think
36 BORED TO TEARS
An LPC student’s heart-wrenching struggle with a disorderly disorder
38 2012
Is the end near?
40 ONE ENCHANTED EVENING Top ten “bro” tips for making a first date dope
41 NEVER NEVER LAND
Attention travelers: Do NOT venture to these five lethal locations
42 TRUTH, JUSTICE AND THE AMERICAN WAY... Corruption crumbles at the hands of these digital vigilantes
43 END OF THE WORLD BUCKET LIST
Don’t leave the earth without accomplishing these 10 must dos
DEPARTMENTS
44 BEFORE YOU GO Parting thought
Left:
Dudes: dating success is in your future when you read what NOT to do on a first date .
Below: Don’t let the pituresque skyline fool you. This is one place you don’t want to visit.
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Naked magazine nakedmag.org
EDITOR IN CHIEF: Brenda Cruz MANAGING EDITOR: Adenise Medeiros SENIOR CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Alton Richardson ART DIRECTOR: Kyle Lawhorn COPY EDITORS: Dylan Thomsen, Kelly Rodrigues PHOTOGRAPHERS: Alton Richardson, Alex Lopez, Kyle Lawhorn ART AND EDITORIAL STAFF: Nick DeRenzi, Brian Federico, Mason Guerrero, Daisy Ortiz, Yaphet Santana, Dylan Thomsen, Cesar Vazquez, Aretha Welch CONTRIBUTORS: Julian Lim, Aleks Soto ADVISERS: Melissa Korber, Marcus Thompson II Š 2012 Naked.* 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. 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 content express the views of individual writers and artists and are not to be considered the views of the publication’s staff, editorial board, advisors, the associated students, the college administration or the board of trustees. ADVERTISING
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.
The editors, staff and advisers of Naked magazine would like to extend a special thank you to Alton Richardson for his hard work and persistence in the creation of this issue.
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
In our award-winning magazine’s six-year history, the word “Naked” on the cover has always solicited a mélange of interesting responses. Prudes can’t get themselves to say it. Pervs can’t wait to get their hands on it. No one is ever really sure what this strangely-named piece of literature is all about. Sex? Struggles? Fashion? So ambiguous, it is—and I love it. As this year’s editor in chief, I find that controversy and confusion delightfully titillating. Without a doubt, working on a college magazine entitled “Naked” is a journalist’s and an editor’s dream. That obscure little word to me means total journalistic freedom with only one mandatory requirement. That our writers use, by virtue of our title, a certified license of courage to be especially revealing in their craft, no matter the subject. After all, the true meaning of the word “Naked” is to be replete of any covering or overlying material. Stripped bare, if you will. Thanks to everyone’s hard work, the stories in this issue promise to be especially unmasked and thoughtprovoking. Enlightening, even. Prepare to delve into subjects relevant to your lives. Expect to open your minds, bare your souls and take in what you might actually want to take with you when you leave these grounds for good. Have the foresight to face what too much technology may be doing to you. Consider ways to self-enrich, from improving your images for the future to finding your personal swag. Know about the real threat in 2012. Sure, you’ll read the provocative account of the life of a stripper (hey, don’t hate— 19 percent of LPC female students said they’d strip if they had to), but surely you’ll never feel you know one this intimately short of dating one. When a savvy group of LPC students brainstormed the name “Naked” six years ago, they did so with clever contemplation. In the creation of this sixth edition, the staff and I vowed to be true to that namesake and deliver all that it embodies. So, be ready for the exposure, indecent or not. Oh, and don’t worry. Amidst all the seriousness, expect to also be lightheartedly entertained. After all, sometimes being “Naked” just means having a really good time. Enjoy. Brenda Cruz Editor in Chief [ WINTER 2011 ]
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By Kelly Rodrigues ut comes the man of the hour. Thick gold-link chains clang on his tie-dye kitty shirt as he bounces his way to the center of the stage. He doesn’t just strut like most hip-hop artists. He runs, galloping around like a penned up pony in his knee-high striped socks, engulfed in a pair of Vans. As he holds his Supreme camp hat tightly to his head, through the gap in his top front teeth comes the deep rumble of lyrics to a song he calls “Yonkers.” I’m a fuckin’ walkin’ paradox, no I’m not Threesomes with a fuckin’ triceratops. Hip-hop artist Tyler the Creator was named this year’s best new artist by MTV. The young performer is known for his bawdy lyrics and an odd style that’s difficult to categorize. His overall persona for sure makes for something unique. Others, including himself, call it “swag.” In fact, he uses the self-proclaimed term so much in his lyrics, it’s become his mantra. His and every other hip-hop artist, it seems. But what exactly is swag? The modern meaning of the word is so obscure, not even a dictionary can define it. And yet, it’s overused. It’s an overused word for an underused concept.
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“I think swag is your fashion sense,” says Linda Lepe, 19, “mainly people like the fresh shoes and how everything goes with what they’re wearing”. Many LPC students connect the word swag with material items: the clothes on your back, the shoes on your buffed up feet, and your “bling.” No one can really blame them. It’s what the media drills into their heads over and over again—that swag is nothing but style. “If you don’t have style, you best believe you don’t have swag.” Correctamundo? Not exactly.
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ven though some may be convinced that swag is just another word for one’s fashion sense, it is much more complex than that. Swag means confidence and courage. The courage to not take anyone’s shit. The courage to stand up for what you believe in, even if it’s not popular belief. Real swag can’t be found in the carboncopied production of popular celebrities, designer clothing, the layers of makeup or the “bling’ you decide to put on that day. Swag is who you are, a combination of all your unique differences and having the confidence to reveal them. “You can almost say it’s the same thing as a person’s personality,” said LPC student Jake Wood, 18, “not to say there is one swag that
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is better than another. They are just different from person to person. I think that makes it more unique and more diverse.” ther students seem to agree. Jalin Nelson, 18, says swag is something everyone has but doesn’t always know how to bring out. Jazzier Davila, 18, believes swag defines who people are. But still others may disagree, believing it is people who define swag, whether it be through their unique cultures, styles and “je en sais quoi,” opening minds to new concepts. In any case, here’s the question: If swag is something people already have, why is it easy for some, and painfully difficult for others, to tap into and embrace it? According to LPC psychology instructor, Cynthia Ross, parents are children’s primary gurus, responsible for building or breaking their self-esteem early on. Some parents have helped young children build strong confidence by not expecting perfection and praising their efforts, not the outcomes. She says the shaping of identity is formed during the teenage years, in which kids are exposed to the influence of not only their parents, but teachers and peers as well. But those aren’t the only influences. “In the media, there’s all these unrealistic expectations and ideals of what you’re supposed to look like,” says Ross. “What people don’t always realize is those in the public eye work out six hours every day, have personal trainers, have surgical enhancements, starve themselves and abuse drugs.” Comparing oneself to the unattainable standards set by celebrities can be a real self-esteem killer. Ross says that to be happy with yourself takes a lot of self reflection and self awareness, looking inward rather than outward. Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, author of the self-help book “Your Erroneous Zones,” agrees that looking outward to find yourself isn’t the optimal choice. He insists that when we seek approval it diminishes “self-reliance and truth...Needing approval,” Dyer says, “is tantamount to saying your view of me is more important than my own opinion of myself.”
Harsh, but true. On the plus side, experts say for this generation there’s never been a better time to just be YOU. Jean M. Twenge, Ph.D., says in her book “Generation Me, ‘ being open with our differences in the past was seen as unacceptable. Women and men were required to dress, talk and act certain ways because of social norms. But in today’s society, not being yourself is considered the new abnormal. Jean M. Twenge, professor of psychology at San Diego State and author of some 40 scientific articles and books, profiles a student who was especially open with his thoughts in her class. She calls his courage to speak his mind, despite backlash from teachers, being true to himself with a high paying reward—feeling confident and content rather than false and uncomfortable. According to Twenge, in today’s society nothing is cooler than just being who you really are.
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nd that, people, is swag. Interesting, it was the hip-hop industry that put the glorified term on the map. But the word is a free agent. An equal opportunity available to all who have the balls to be proud of who they are. So what if they don’t have four cuties on their arms, 100 carats on their necks and a pocketful of Benjamins? They’re probably more apt to have bad tattoos on their arms, rings that turn their fingers green and a couple of crumpled up Washingtons. But if that embodies who they are and they’re not afraid to strut it, then, on the real, they have genuine swag. And that, friends, is gangsta.
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YOUNG MONEY Story by Adenise Medeiros, Infographic by Kyle Lawhorn
Many LPC students attend college for two years and call it a day. Are they making a mistake? Those convinced a four-year degree or better is the only route to success might think so. But the truth is, for many, a two-year degree can be a genuinely wise thing to do. Conventional wisdom suggests the higher your degree, the higher your salary. While a study by the College Board shows those who hold bachelor’s degrees earn about $20,000 more annually than high school grads, two-year degree holders could be catching up. And maybe even surpassing them. For starters, they don’t owe their first born to the government. Two-year degree holders owed a median amount of $7,130 in student loans in 2008, compared to $24,000 for those who completed bachelor’s degrees in 2009, according to a College Board student debt study. Coupled with an earlier start in the work force, two-year grads can come out way ahead in lifetime earning potential than their four-year counterparts. Necessity is often the reason students may prefer a two-year degree versus four. Perhaps personal family obligations, money constraints or time limits plague you. Bottom line, acquiring a two-year degree is an honorable accomplishment. And one that affords many viable career options which pay handsomely and sit fairly securely in today’s economy. Only one word of caution. Before you dive into a two-year program, be forewarned that an associate’s degree can lock you into a particular job, says Mark Szypko, managing director at Salary.com. He advises you make sure you’re comfortable in the niche’ you choose. But if you’re confident you will always enjoying helping sick people or servicing folks in a dentist’s chair, as opposed to your less committed peers, you could be laughing all the way to the bank. According to Yahoo Finance along with information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), here are the top 8 jobs that provide four-year degree pay and benefits without the time served:
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STYLE, SWAG AND FASHION—GET THE F OUT OF HERE By Brenda Cruz, Photography By Alex Lopez Most people think there is no difference between fashion and style. Not true. Fashion is determined by others: magazines, media, models. It’s like a social agreement that’s here today, gone tomorrow. Style, on the other hand, is a representation of YOU. It’s an extension of your personality, your attitude—your own swag, if you will. Clothes are not the only way to express your style but, so long as you’re not a slave to fashion, it could be the best way to strut who you really are.
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“Fashion is what you adopt when you don’t know who you are.”
—Quentin Crisp
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“I wish I had invented blue jeans. They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity— all I hope for in my clothes.”
—Yves Saint Laurent
“Beauty of style and harmony and grace and good rhythm depend on simplicity.”
—Plato
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“Style is primarily a matter of instinct.”
—Bill Blass
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DOIN’ THE HUSTLE Story and Illustrations by Yaphet Santana
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etting paid $5,000 for four months work may not sound like much. But what if you worked only 15 hours a week? That’s about $19.60 an hour. What if you chose your hours, never had to work on holidays and could dress how you want? Perhaps now you’re wondering where to get an application. Well, it’s waiting for you… In the financial aid office. The ailing state of the US economy is no white elephant in the room. Americans have already met, ate dinner and spent several nights with the albino Babar. In January 2011, an article in the San Francisco Chronicle revealed 1 in 248 homes are being foreclosed in California. According to the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) current population survey, California’s unemployment rate rose to 12.1 percent in August 2011. With money tight, people are finding more and more creative ways to make it.
college.com. “The economic conditions have driven a lot of people to come back to college for retraining,” said Andi Schreibman, a financial aid officer at LPC. “This sometimes includes students with bachelor’s degrees who could not find employment within their four-year degree. Some are here to earn a completely different more practical degree. We also have students who are out of work or underemployed who realize they may have a much better opportunity if they complete a degree.”
Some people are collecting cans and others have cut off unnecessary bills, but a growing trend among young adults in need has eyebrows raising. Coined “professional students,” these shrewd college goers have found a crafty way to use the financial aid system to not only subsidize their education but to handsomely finance their lives. Of all 2009-2010 LPC students, approximately 8,098 enrolled receiving financial aid assistance, according to a report on www.findthebest-
get what is called a Pell Grant, free government money to help pay for college. It could be a coup worth up to $5,500.Some may actually do the work and take advantage of the education opportunity. Others fail out of the classes, even transfer to a different college and repeat the process. “The Federal Pell Grant Program is excellent and helps tremendously when it comes to cost of living,” said LPC student Jason Lewski.
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ome, however, aren’t going back to school – at least not solely – for educational reasons. They are going back to school to collect financial aid. They are called “Pell runners,” according to an article on CommunityCollegeJobs.com. What they do is register at a low-cost college and apply for financial aid. If they qualify, they’ll
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“$5
,500 per year is great help for any full-time student with bills to pay, but I do think the systems that are in place now need revising.” The 25 year-old himself has legitimately benefitted from the grant but winces at the thought of others robbing the system. “Well, not only does it hurt other students, as well as myself, it deepens the level of scrutiny for education as a whole. When people are taking advantage of a system that is uniquely designed to help the common man on the road to prosperity, it seems comparable to stealing from a homeless man eating in a soup kitchen.” Lewski said. Why manipulate the financial aid system? Because it’s feasible. A urine test is not required. Nor are recommendation letters. You don’t need to have completed an internship. Per the FAFSA website, all you need is to be 18 years old, have a 2.0 grade point average and havean obvious need based on your family economic contribution. And the Pell Grant is just the tip of the iceberg. The Academic Competitiveness Grant provides $750 for the first year of college and up to $1,300 for the second year, as long as you maintain a 3.0 GPA. The National Smart Grant is available for third and fourth-year college students maintaining a 3.0 GPA. That could land you up to $4,000 per year. “If a student qualifies financially, then they are eligible, as it should be,” Schreibman said. “Financial aid is based on the federal government’s assessment of a family’s ability to contribute to a student’s college education, considering primarily income and assets. If a student’s family income is within the standards to qualify, and they maintain satisfactory academic progress, then by all means they should receive financial aid. As long as the student is attending class, benefiting from their education, working toward an academic goal and making satisfactory progress, it is irrelevant to me whether the financial aid is supporting their survival or not, and clearly there are students who could not possibly afford college without financial aid.” Check out this, for example. Every school has what is called the “cost of attendance,” which represents the total amount it costs to attend school. The cost of attendance includes tuition, room and board, books, transportation and even personal money. The cost of attendance for Las Positas entering the 2011-12 school year was $17,470 for students who do not live with parents. It is $11,080 for those who do with their parents.
A GROUP OF STUDENTS... APPLIED TO LPC... NEVER ATTENDED CLASS, AND SOME STILL RECEIVED A FINANCIAL AID CHECK
be ‘Movies, girls, sports, etc.’” Leski said. “ In reality what I would most likely do is buckle down, stock up the fridge, find a cheap as possible living arrangement and make sure I have a quiet, comfortable place to study when needed. If there was any disposable resources after that, I honestly probably would have some fun time, but I think I would also make it a point to either cap my spending and save in a high yield savings account.”
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or those who need 100 percent of their cost of attendance taken care of, that means financial aid will figure out a way to provide the total cost for the student. Schreibman said multiple resources go into covering the cost of attendance, including scholarships, EOPS, book vouchers, work study and even loans. Still, if you live at
aybe that’s why in spring and summer 2010 and fall 2011, a financial aid fraud ring was discovered at Las Positas. A group of “students,” operating out of Stockton, applied to LPC and enrolled online. But they never attended class, and some still received a financial aid check. The Department of Education had to get involved. Similar rings occurred at community colleges throughout the country, including Chabot and Ohlone. Shreibman said the reason California community colleges tend to be targeted is enrollment fees are waived for students who qualify for a Pell Grant, meaning students get almost all of their grant money directly. “It is manipulative,” Schreibman added, “only if the student is here with the sole purpose and intent of collecting the money and is not attending class, doing work or benefiting from their education. In fact, this situation
home with your parents and your family contribution is zero, you can get $11,080 in aid. That amount includes $4,347 for room and board, more than $3,000 in “personal” expenses, and $1,071 for transportation. Students who don’t live at home, can get up to $5,400 per semester in room and board. That’s more than $1,200 a month for rent and food. In these economic times, that’s good living. “If I was awarded $11,000 in total financial aid, my first thought would
may be considered fraud.” Most would agree, in these rough economic times, the last thing people need is someone stealing the crumbs off their plates. Going to college just to manipulate the financial aid system might well be far beyond a petty crime. Those serious students who not only devote their minds, bodies and time to their studies, but in that honorable pursuit could legitimately use the money, might see that fraud as straight up inhumane.
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SHAKING YOUR WAY THROUGH
College
By Aretha Welch Photographs by Alton Richardson
Eva’s bare breasts dangled and bounced as she hung upside down. The balding gentleman near the stage smiled. Each muscle in her leg was flexed as she slid down the pole, but her heavily made up face was relaxed, blissful almost. It’s a lie though. Inside she’s torn.
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ome women are willing to risk their future to pay for their present. Nothing is too much, no price too high to pay, to accomplish the goal they set for themselves several years ago. For these women, the attainment of a college degree is their ultimate goal. And
someone who did do it, for them it is all too low. To Eva her present career as a stripper isn’t as harmless as the blissful expression she wears would lead one to believe. She knows she is using her body to get ahead and she knows it will live with her in her memory,
they are willing to strip, sell, shake and stake it all for that. To them it’s worth it. But to the rest of society, namely future employers, career counselors and their fellow students there is such a thing as too low. The female students who would never do it and the male students who would never date or marry
no matter where she goes in life. She is not self-righteous about it and does not view herself as some icon for female independence. She easily admits that she doesn’t love, being “in the life” as she calls it. Instead she said she loves the money it makes her.
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"My degree will get me a better job, when I'm finished, I know it."
need the money it makes me,” said Eva. Eva stares out into the night. She is standing in the parking lot of her San Jose workplace, eating a cucumber sandwich. Eva doesn’t eat animal flesh. But portrays hers on stage. “I’m a vegetarian. I don’t enjoy the flesh of others, I just let others look at mine.” She laughs at her little turn of phrase. “I need to save,” she said. She explains that once she completes her degree, she will be the first in her family to graduate college. The 24 year old said she grew up with her mother constantly “drilling” into her head that education would set them free from poverty. “My degree will get me a better job, when I’m finished. I know it.” She is convinced employers only do background checks to uncover criminality, and her past as a stripper will be protected. “Strippers are definitely not criminals, despite the light some people paint us in,” she said. “We work for every dollar.” Eva does not think her present job will affect future opportunities. Furthermore, Eva has made it clear that she has no interest in working for someone who would question her ability to do a job she is qualified for because she used to strip. Eva said such an individual would not be a good boss. In this case Eva’s pickings for employers may be slim.
its judgmental ways, the current economy’s deficiencies have left the door wide open for employers to be more picky about who they hire. Asked to describe whether or not there was a growing trend of conservativeness among employers, Gecox said, “It’s been such a mixed bag. But this job market is unprecedented. The economy is in the dumps right now, and it is definitely an employer’s market.” She said given this reality students need to be very cautious about the choices they make in the years prior hunting for their dream job. She said some fields, however, might be more lenient to checkered pasts than others. “If you want to be an administrative assistant in a church, maybe I wouldn’t go there,” said Gecox. “However, if you want to work at a young, hip computer company, the young hip owner may only care about your ability to do the job.”
mong the fields that Gecox said would more likely than not be rendered untouchable if your resume’s “last place of occupation” title is held by ‘All Things Titties’ are religious institutions, political postings and teaching jobs. Unlike Eva, Sativa does love her job at a San Jose bikini bar. The bar also features dancers. Sativa dances a few days per week. She said her dancing equals rent, tuition, her car payment, her utilities, her groceries and even a little savings
the dimly lit stage) it’s just teasing.” To Sativa who used to be a diver and gymnast in high school, walking around in a bikini is a norm. She likens her job at the bikini bar to that of a Hooters waitress. But unbeknownst to Sativa, not everyone is OK with the concept of the “All American Hooters Girl.” Not everyone thinks its simply being a waitress. Not too long ago this “sentiment” about Hooters girls was put on trial. The blonde took the stand to testify that her best friend is a good father. He’s locked in a custody battle for his son. She paints him as a stellar character. But then her character gets called into question. “She used to work at Hooters your honor.” The occupants of the courtroom gasp. To them she is no longer a credible witness. “I was in college your honor.” That’s her defense. But it isn’t enough, though she is now a respectable lawyer. Her morality has been called into question, and her credibility as a witness is shattered. While this scene from the movie “Big Daddy” starring Adam Sandler maybe an exaggeration of how society views women who bare it to move up in the world, it is still a view. Sativa says everyone’s experience, as an adult dancer is different. Her dancing and her classes work hand in hand, and she is happy. She laughs as she points to the essay she is writing on a tiny personal computer. “Where else could I sit here and do my home work on the job?” she asks. Five minutes later she closes her computer and carries her handbag into the D.J.’s booth. She walks onto the stage. Her heels are the quintessential clear
Heike Gecox, an adjunct career counselor at LPC, said most employers do very extensive background checks. Gecox has been with LPC for the last six years. Gecox who also plies her trade at the Tri Valley One Stop East Bay Career Center said, while some students may think society should move beyond
account. Sativa has only been on the job for two months, but said in her first 15 minutes on the job she made $85. “People have the wrong idea. I don’t go home with anyone. But I do pay my bills on time,” she said. “While I’m here, (she points to
“exotic dancer” heels. She dances around the poll and tosses her long, black and blonde hair back. She dances seductively but stares off into the distance. She does not make eye contact with the men near the bar, though they try to make eye contact with her. One man is sitting solo near the stage. His eyes
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are fixed on Sativa’s breast. Her cleavage can be seen through the sheer camisole she is wearing. The man near the stage is unashamedly touching a bulge in his pants. He inches up closer to the stage. Sativa still does not look at him. “If I want, I can just pretend I’m dancing in my bedroom,” she said. While Sativa is far enough to look away, Eva hasn’t always had the luxury. She reminisced about days when she was not far enough to get away. “During a lap dance I realized one guy kept pulling my hand, gyrating his pelvic area up towards me. Eventually my hand brushed his pants, or actually his penis.” She closes her eyes and shakes her head as if she’s trying to dispel the memory from her head. Eva said it was a habit of some men to cut holes in the crutch of their track pants and slip their penises out during a lap dance. She said situations like these, where men attempt to force dancers to cross the line from adult entertainer to performer of sexual favors are the main reasons she would tell young women not to strip, if they have a choice. To her getting turned down from one or two jobs is nothing in comparison to having a strange man try to stick his “dick” in, at and around you. The past that goes on paper she said can be left behind or denied; the past that’s in your head however, she said that lives on. It lives on forever.
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hile Eva may not want to cross that line, some college students are online searching for men who want college-aged women to go all the way with them. The Backpage.com ad reads: Looking for upscale, discreet, discerning gentleman for Sexy, Personal Assistant Situation. The lines that stand out most read: “Not a pro, never have been, never will be. A full-time student, looking for creative work to supplement my income, I will do what-
ever it takes to get the job done.” Among her services offered were running errands, light house care, massage, companionship and all other adult activities. She was clear she was not seeking a relationship though, just a John to pay some bills. Ray Ackbari, a twenty-year-old LPC student said he would never marry a stripper. He acknowledged that society’s view of stripping has changed, but for him it has not. Ackbari said a woman is a rare jewel that is to be treasured. He said it saddens him that women have to bare everything they have to pay for an education. Ackbari is Muslim. However, he said his thoughts about stripping were not based on his religious beliefs.
The man near the stage is unashamedly touching a bulge in his pants. “It’s just a personal decision, I just would not like to know my wife had been gawked at by dozens of men.” Ashton is one of those men who gawks. The 28 year old frequents the San Jose club where Sativa performs. He said the women at the club were worth “a night or two,” but he wouldn’t pursue
anything long term. “I don’t think most of them want relationships. They barely want conversation,” he said. “But there are nice girls here. I come because it’s a nice escape. My wife and I have issues.” He wouldn’t elaborate.
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poll conducted of 200 females at LPC revealed four out of five females would never consider working as a stripper. However of the estimated 160 students who said they would never strip, 39 of them said they would if they had to support a child or got “kicked out” of their parents’ house. An estimated 40 percent of these females said they would work at a bikini bar. Eva, whose been stripping for 18 months, said she would not advise women who see stripping as immoral to cash in their values for the dollar bills. “Everyone has a reason for not doing it, or stopping at some point in time. Each person’s reason is personal, and if it’s good enough to get you away from a career you can’t tell your family about, then it’s good enough.” For Eva her main reason would be the fact that juggling nightlife and college doesn’t always add up. She said to get the most money in the shortest amount of time she would dance at night. But that made her too tired to go to class. With some savings under her belt, Eva is hoping to give her degree another shot. She hopes to enroll at De Anza College in Cupertino come January. [ WINTER 2011 ]
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BACK TO THE FUTURE
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by Brenda Cruz Illustration by Mason Guerrero and Kyle Lawhorn lone bead of sweat surfaced on Brandy Ganache’s brow as she tried to mask her excitement that late morning in September 2003. “I’d love to,” the former LPC student said in a professional tone. Inside she was doing cartwheels. Her first week as the new trainee at Wells Fargo, and she’s already being included in a lunch with the executive staff. Beaming proudly, she staked her position in the elevator, smack dab in the middle of the coed execs, ready to impress with her gift of gab. But before the 28-floor journey ended at the ground level, her pumped-up
our president.” The wrath of not knowing followed her to the swanky San Francisco restaurant where conversations more than once turned to current events. Each time they did, the clueless trainee was thrust into a cold sweat and an uncomfortable silence. The lunch of her dreams couldn’t be over soon enough. Since that day, Ganache, a now 30-year-old Pleasanton resident, has made it a point to know a little somethin’ about politics and current affairs. Never before caring, she learned the hard way knowing her country’s business was somewhat synonymous with entering the adult world.
When they leave campus for good, they’ll likely find the adult world has certain expectations. Experts agree that being even slightly up on politics and current affairs can do wonders for one’s image and self-esteem, especially in business. It makes one appear (and feel) more worldly, well informed and confident. Depending on the field, some may seem more suited for the job environment, if only for conversation’s sake. Conversely, knowing nothing about politics can label one as disconnected, uneducated and immature. Yes, even stupid. A 2009 Gallop poll revealed 79 percent of Americans follow political news at least somewhat closely. Only 19 percent
stature deflated like a popped blow-up doll. “The senior vice president turned to me and asked what I thought about President Bush’s latest decision,” Ganache said. “Problem was I had no fricken idea what he was referring to. I was 22, fresh out of college and never gave a damn about anything political. I was lucky I knew Bush was
Most college kids are consumed with wearing the latest kicks, hanging out at the best spots for getting ripped and posting the flyest pics on Facebook to personify a certain image. It comes with the territory, but perhaps they ought to be thinking forward a tad. College is a transitional time that preps young people for their careers.
of those most plugged in are 18 to 24 year olds. “I don’t follow politics because they don’t really interest me,” said Daniel Rodriguez, a second year LPC student who is studying to be an engineer. “Will I vote in the next election? No. Maybe one day if I can get off my lazy ass and do it. I don’t care enough right now.”
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erhaps now is a good time to start caring. At a juncture when staking independence, living new experiences and gaining knowledge are the status quo, 18-to-24year-old college goers may further transcend academics by accepting the important fact that politics directly affects their lives. Does this mean young people need to stop keeping up with the Kardashians to keep up with Libya or the latest legislation? Hardly. But with an important presidential election at hand in 2012, and America in its most tumultuous times, adults everywhere will be choppin’ it up. Being able to contribute to those conversations could be wildly beneficial. It seems only fitting that the newest generation of bright, educated movers and shakers begin to etch out a picture window into the grown-up world of news and politics. “How politically engaged are the majority of my students?” asked Ted Blair, LPC Political Science Instructor. “They’re not.” Blair teaches an average of 44 units of political science-related courses per year at LPC and Diablo Valley College. He says young people for the most part come to class believing politics have nothing to do with them. He tries to squelch that by semester’s end. Youth interest in politics has a chameleon history, according to historians. In the ‘60s and ‘70s, political activism and idealism was high among 18 to 24 year olds and for good reason. Many were being forced to fight a war they were fervently against. They made so much noise, fear of more anti-war protests and riots resulted in the withdrawal of 25,000 troops from Vietnam. A major triumph for American youth. Shortly after the Cold War, the Gulf War was another reason for youth engagement and grievance. And once again their relentless protests of the impending draft affected government policies in big ways.
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And then came MTV.
ince 1981, the entertainment-driven, highly stimulating, non-academic and for the most part, non-political daily programming has become a staple in the day of average millennials. Unbeknownst to them, the shock and awe tactics of MTV and other television marketers are, to many, largely to
blame for young people’s disinterest in important daily political events. This seems so despite MTV’s attempts to politically arouse young people through “Rock the Vote,” a non-profit organization that uses rock star endorsements to reel kids into important elections. True, the organization has since 1992 increased the youth vote with a historic number having participated in the 2008 presidential election. But the Pew Research Center reports that interest has tumbled. On an average day, it appears MTV has failed in its goal of making politics look cool enough for Millenials to remain regularly informed. “I, uh, yeah, no.... do still occasionally watch MTV,” confessed 25- year-old LPC student Chris Cooper, working on his EMT certification, “ but when they start talking Rock the Vote, I change the channel,”. He says he watches for the reality TV and maybe some music.
need to engage in the world they live in, so they can have an impact on that American Dream. They should know the state of the economy because it affects every pocketbook. They should know that their fate is dangling amidst the 2012 election because the president makes decisions
ore recently, the computer is the screen captivating young audiences (along with smart phones and iPods and iPads and Xboxes), and historians agree it can be equally brain numbing, depending on what they’re looking at. More often, it’s themselves or one another. “College kids live in their own world of Facebook and fun,” Blair said, “and have a real disconnect and disinterest in what’s going on in the world around them. My first and foremost goal is to try to connect the dots and reveal the truth that everything affecting their lives has a political basis. Unemployment, the job market, student loans, healthcare, taxation—essentially whether or not they can achieve the American Dream.” Some say political disengagement among youth is perpetuated by society. American exceptionalism may be becoming mediocre-ism. Kristine Craig, a Cal High senior in San Ramon, launched a successful crusade to bring back the Pledge of Allegiance at her school when she began to question why it left and got no good answer. Bringing it and American flags back in
on their behalf. They should know what the political parties stand for and which one they’d prefer to be in power based on their vision of their world. They should not assume they’re too young to have political views. And they certainly should not just assume their parents’ views. It’s important, Blair says, they develop their own. And he does his share of making that happen. Voted 2010 LPC Part-time Teacher of the Year, Blair is touted as an instructor who makes politics understandable and relatable. That helps keep students interested in an otherwise less-thanstimulating subject. But not every young person needs to be coerced. When 20-year-old LPC student Stephen Lacommore gets home on a Saturday night, sometimes the beat is still pounding in his head. Maybe he drank too much. Maybe the songs he chose to play as DJ were a little too hyphy. But he won’t go to bed to that sound. He’d rather be lulled to sleep by the soothing sounds of CNN. The handsome hipster with a Colgate smile knows he is relatively alone in his insistence to get a little daily dose of political news. Not because anyone has driven it in him. But because, cliché’ as it may sound, he knows it’s the right thing to do. “I think it’s really important to know how your country is run,” Lacommore said. “Everything that goes on in the news—the economy, business situations, interest rates, new trends —affects our day- to-day lives. How we live, how we want to
to the classroom seemed to revitalize somewhat bygone sentiments: appreciation for democracy and student pride in themselves and their country…possible pre-cursers to wanting to stay informed. In any case, Blair says college is a bridge between childhood and adulthood. Young people
live. It’s not boring when you look at it that way.” Lacommore estimates only 25 percent of his friends can actually engage in “grown-up” conversations. While it makes him feel like he has the upper hand and may be even a little smarter than his cohorts, it also saddens him. He can’t help but look at people who don’t
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And then there’s social media.
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keep up on things as disconnected and quite simply, missing out. “One of the greatest advantages is being able to talk to adults about current events,” Lacommore said. “It has come in handy in the DJ business and for sure as a way to impress a girlfriend’s parents.”
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lugging into political news doesn’t have to mean watching C-Span 24/7.
on current events can yield an advantage. “Depending on the job,” said Ken Greenberg, head of Express Employment Professionals in Pleasanton, “someone connected with the world’s goings on appears more mature, worldly and well-rounded and could be looked at more favorably than others, especially if resumes are boasting similar qualifications.” Greenberg said this is particularly true for office jobs where schmoozing with clients and co-
Not even diehard political enthusiasts do that. Plenty of under-whelming news sources offer quick updates. Lacommore prefers TV stations such as CNN, BBC (British Broadcasting) and MSNBC in short doses. Others may watch or just listen to local news which summarize what’s, well, newsworthy. And of course, the Internet offers a treasure-trove of vignettes to quickly peruse current domestic and global affairs such as the drudgereport.com or rockthevote.com. Students click, click, clicking on Facebook could click on Politico.com and get a 30-second briefing with its bevy of current news headlines right on the home page. For those Millenials for whom politics spawn yawns, acquiring the news of the day via comedic means could be an answer. Both Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” and the “The Colbert Report” draw droves of young viewers with their satirical takes on the latest political goings on. While the issues are often exaggerated in nature as entertainment value is more the priority, a 2006 Pew Research Study revealed, admist the hilarity, their viewers were more informed in political affairs than those who watched morning network news, Fox TV or their local news. “The Daily Show is the only way I can actually stay awake listening to politics,” Cooper said. “I at least feel like I know what the hot topics are after the show.” Blair says it’s better to plug into different sources for different perspectives, but the most
workers and potential business partners in social settings, like a sporting event or a high-powered luncheon, are often requirements. “I always felt uncomfortable in my early career in the electronics industry having to take customers golfing,” said Vince Rogiero, now a 45-year-old Pleasanton resident and Regional Sales Manager in the Silicon Valley. “It was hard to jump into adult conversations when I still thought like a kid.” Rogiero says he can’t quite remember when he started to feel like he belonged in the social crevices of the business world. For him, it took years of life experience and paying attention to what was going on in the world around him. When he finally did, he says climbing the ladder of success came more easily.
important thing is to just get plugged in to something. It will pay off. In today’s job market, with the deluge of impressive resumes clamoring for limited jobs, professional employment agencies are looking for unique characteristics as deal breakers. While it may not show up on paper, being up
regularly. “I can’t imagine being oblivious to what’s happening in the world I live,” Ganache said. “At 22, it was embarrassing. At 30, it would be unforgiveable. Educated people are just expected to be bright enough to be engaged, to care. If you are, it’s kind of unspoken but you fit in with other
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mature, more worldly and wellrounded persona may do wonders for one’s air of confidence. People in the know tend to hold their heads higher, stand up straighter and put themselves out there more, says Greenberg. Ten years ago, Ganache started listening to ABC’s “Good Morning America” while getting ready for work. Her way of easing in to becoming more worldly. One day she heard something about not finding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Wasn’t that the reason for the war? Her cousin was a Marine. It clicked. There were things going on in the world that hit close to home. She began listening to the news more attentively and
educated people, and that feels good.” A February 2011 Cornell University study claims Facebook can help a person’s self-esteem. This was determined after people looking at their Facebook pages measured much higher levels of self-confidence as opposed to people looking at themselves in a mirror. The results were reported in the journal, “Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking” by researcher Jeffrey Hancock. He said a mirror reminds people of who they really are and that image could lower their self-esteem if it doesn’t match with who they’d rather be. “Facebook can show a positive version of ourselves,” Hancock said. “We’re not saying that it’s a deceptive version of self, but it’s a positive one.” Some might find that explanation laughable. Or at least the loose interpretation of self-confidence. Most would agree self-confidence should not be the product of perusing carefully selected pictures that often defy the reality of who someone is on any average day. Self-confidence might better be developed based on accomplishment and self-betterment.
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oday’s college kids are free to feel great about the lives their pictures on Facebook depict. That is a reality of their world. But as they grow and prepare to integrate into the adult world in which they will soon be leaders and decision makers and creators and innovators, they might do well for themselves to develop a real interest and a vat of knowledge and understanding about that world. Build self-confidence in that way. Then perhaps they’ll not only adore the fun-loving, popular selves they see on their Facebook pages, but they might actually grow to admire those mature, intelligent and thoughtful Americans they see looking back at them in the mirror.
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IS TECHNOLOGYTHE NEW GOD? By Brenda Cruz Photographs By Alex Lopez
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arkness. Despondency. Disorientation. In August of 2011, LPC student Patrick Mays felt it all. Psychologists call it depression. Those who have shared in his isolation and despair call it sheer hell. Some say prayer can help. And perhaps it did. Lucky for Mays, the depression was short-lived. He found his phone. “I hadn’t prayed in years,” Mays, 20, confessed, “until I lost my phone.” He also admitted he hasn’t prayed since. Most LPC students can identify with the panic. Rather than lose their smartphones, they might rather lose a couple of limbs—lower extremities, of course, unless they’ve learned to toe text.
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ew can deny technology has become the omnipresent staple in the lives of nearly every American. Perhaps justifiably so. Where would the world be without it? From the very beginning, technology has been the catalyst for the civilization of mankind. Technology’s goal, from the invention of the wheel to the first abacus in 2400 B.C., has always been to improve quality of life. For that, Americans express their appreciation through worship and perpetual tithing to the industry. Thus, the “miracles” keep coming. In technology, people trust. Wasn’t another entity once the focus of that? From cloning to stem cell research, technology has historically been accused of trying to throw God in the unemployment line. Some may ponder how long can such progress devour the lion’s share of what defines quality of life. As ever-advancing technology glues itself to the fingertips of nearly every citizen who continues to depend on it for every want and need, could the need to acknowledge a higher power be waning? Research suggests maybe—and not without humanistic casualties. The current reality is Mays didn’t really need to pray for help with his depression. He just needed the “Find My iPhone” app. “Technology is a way of organizing the universe so that man doesn’t have to experience it.”
als) work on using more technology. Laptops. Skype. iPads. iPod Touches. Xboxes. Pew Research says a full 93 percent of 18 to 24 years olds own the most coveted of all technological devices: the cell phone. Who knew the basketball-shoe-sized “car phone” of yesteryear would evolve to become Millennials’ umbilical cord to their world? “I do everything on my phone,” Steven Ofstadahl, 18, said. “I don’t take it in the shower with me, but I do take it to bed.” The more than 60 percent of Millennials who have smartphones do more on them than other age groups, according to studies by millennialmarketing.com. They text, Facebook, YouTube, Tweet, take pictures, get directions, check the time, play games, watch movies, look up porn, listen to music, record videos and, once in a while, even talk. They rely heavily on their phones and other digital media to manage their daily activities, keep up on the latest and stave off boredom. “What would I do if I didn’t have my phone?” LPC student Nicole Chang, 18, said as she tapped something out on her keypad. “It would be fine. I would just go to my boyfriend’s house and hang out with him.” Sheer denial? A 2010 study conducted at the University of Maryland asked 200 college students to give up digital media for 24 hours and write about the experi-
ome could say life today makes “The Jetsons” seem like a documentary. Electronic grocers. Self-parking cars. Polite female voices navigating people across America. Surely, the ingenuity of technology benefits Americans in boundless ways, freeing them up to do other things: work more, workout more or (in the case of Millenni-
ence. The end product was a 400-page compilation of student stories ridden with cries of deprivation and emotional angst. Students wrote mostly of how they loathed losing their personal connections. Many admitted being “clearly addicted.” They called their own dependency “sickening.” They felt “quite alone and secluded” from their lives. Some called it “unbearable.” One student wrote that texting and instant messaging her friends gave her a constant feeling of comfort. When she wasn’t doing that, she didn’t feel
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—Max Frisch, Swiss novelist/humanist
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quite complete. In November of 2011, CNN aired an anonymous 911 call from a young man whose dire cry for help was that he couldn’t enable his iPhone. The dependency is becoming common knowledge. The effects of it? Not so much. Technology, in a broad sense, often renders the old obsolete. Robots take over assembly lines. Netflix ousts video stores. Kindles supplant local bookstores. Even the American staple—the newspaper industry—is dying at the hands of digital media. But what is lost when those hands tighten around the throat of mankind? “The greatest danger in modern technology isn’t that machines will begin to think like people, but that people will begin to think like machines.” —Author unknown
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tudies continue to reveal the obvious. Less participation in everyday activities. Loss of skills such as reading a street map, spelling correctly or appropriately performing a face-to-face anything, including job interviews. Many young people don’t read books, can’t have uninterrupted conversations and have zero knowledge of proper social etiquette. But upon microscopic examination, it seems the losses may cut even deeper. The pews at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Pleasanton are semi- filled with an assortment of people on an early Sunday morning. The silver-haired priest is delivering a mass about being your brother’s keeper to an audience of fidgety, nonetheless present, worshipers. A snowy-crowned woman in a fuchsia suit nodding off. An oblivious mother bouncing a rambunctious baby boy on her knee. A young teen every 45 seconds stealing downward glances at his illuminated lap. Perhaps a typical scene played out in various congregations across America. What could be construed as off-kilter, however, is the clear absence of an unrepresented demographic. The young adult—approximately 18 to 24 year olds. ”We would love to see more young people who might be on their own come in and be a part of the church community,” Father Rutgers said, “but we fully realize these days, it’s even harder to reach that already elusive group. They seem to be more preoccupied with other things.” Truth is, most young adults today don’t pray (65 percent), don’t worship (65 percent) and don’t read the Bible (67 percent), a major survey by LifeWay Christian Resources reported. According to Pew Research, these numbers have risen dramatically from previous generations. At this rate, “the millennial generation will see churches closing as quickly as GM dealerships,” said Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources in a 2010 article in “USA Today.” This downward trend could be evident at LPC. Virginia Edwards, co-advisor of Christian Students United, said membership is low. The on-campus club—which meets once a week to listen to speakers, pray, play games and help out the community—consists of only six members despite efforts to recruit more. She said the club at one time did very well. Of 1,200 surveyed by the Christian research firm, 72 percent of 18 to 29
TRUTH IS, MOST YOUNG ADULTS TODAY DON’T PRAY, DON’T WORSHIP AND DON’T READ THE BIBLE year olds claim they’re “really more spiritual than religious.” Or so they say. Pew Research says one in four Millennials actually consider themselves agnostic or non-believers. Like many young atheists, 25-year-old LPC student Stephanie Kalivoda decided some years ago she didn’t want to accept the religious concepts she was raised to believe. When asked why, she shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know,” she said. “I just don’t really think about it.” Nicole Chang echoed that sentiment with a similar shrug. “I just don’t (believe in anything).” Those trivializing responses stir curiosity. Some say the disengagement in the subject is a sign of the times. But could the growing lack of religious beliefs, interest and affiliations be correlated with the growing dominance of communications technology in young peoples’ lives? The uncanny timing of the two suggests an almost simultaneous slipping of tectonic plates. The aftermath may be no coincidence. A youth minister at Tri-Valley Church of Christ in Livermore, Jacob Parnell, devotes his life to helping young people nurture a spiritual side. He says the addiction to digital media is damaging Millennials psychologically and spiritually. It creates misnomers about relationships and perpetuates a new breed of selfishness. “With the rise of social media,” Parnell said, “young people have replaced fewer, more meaningful relationships with a greater number of artificial ones. It’s easy for them to find an electronic friend who will affirm all of their decisions rather than challenge them and hold them accountable to making wise choices that will benefit society as well as themselves.” Believing all your needs can be met through digital sources of authority and online relationships have dire consequences, said Parnell. It can quickly lead to a generation of people ill equipped to make self-sacrificing decisions. He said the egoistic tendencies most teenagers outgrow will extend into adulthood, at which time the damage may be too late to repair.
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“I’
ve seen marriages crumble,” Parnell said, “because of financial irresponsibility, unfaithfulness and unwillingness to communicate feelings and needs—all symptoms of putting desires of self above needs of another.” If Millennials reject the idea of a community such as church that prepares people to be contributing members of a peaceful society, or worse, don’t value the authority of God and His written word, Parnell says their worldview is unlikely to mature beyond shallow self-absorption. His view may be validated twice over by a 2008 national survey conducted by the Barna Group on people of various faiths (including atheists). It indicated non-believers were less likely to value living near family and relatives, less interested in making a difference in the world or having close relationships. George Barna, the study director, said religious skeptics have replaced faith with a passion for healthy longevity and personal pleasure from things such as world travel, sexual experiences and obtaining knowledge. They are substantially less focused on relationships and legacy than are other groups. They tend to be less concerned with having a purpose in life because a majority of them believe life has no purpose beyond their comfort and pleasure. Jason Koth, a 19 year old LPC student majoring in math, admits he spends a good amount of time gaming and being a looky-loo on Facebook. He also spends a good amount of time in church. Not because anyone guilts him into it. He says, for himself, it’s necessary to stay grounded. “I’m a Christian because I want to be,” Koth said, “Yeah, I get caught up in technology like everybody else my age, but I also know it’s easy to get swept up in its power. I go to Crosswinds (Church) every Sunday to humble me. To be reminded of what’s really important in life. To give props to something bigger than me and my little world. It makes me feel like a better person.” “What do I think of Western civilization? I think it would be a very good idea.” —Mohandas Gandhi
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hen LPC Psychology Club President Chukwuemekam Ngene (Chu) came here from Africa in 2004, he arrived with an open heart and mind. The husband and proud father of three grown boys came to learn about America. To extract the good and deliver it to his people back home. In turn, he shares the fruits of his homeland. Those who know Chu find his wisdom, spirituality and keen understanding of human nature from an African perspective mesmerizing. His candidness is raw. Startling even. But sometimes the best view is from the outside looking in. “In all the psychology courses Chu has taken with me,” said Robin Roy, LPC psychology i nstructor, “I never fail to be impressed with his ability to arouse meaningful class discussion through his unique observations and life perspective.” Chu believes people can learn from the zebra that grazes peacefully all day and stresses only in the moment when the lion comes. He believes Americans were selfish to domesticate the dog, rendering it helpless and transferring their human stress to an animal which once ran wild and happy and free. And yes, he believes technology is the new God. “Social media and technology can interfere with your spirituality,” Chu said. “Was that the intent? No. But people are on the wrong track. They have taken it into the wrong direction. And they are so caught up in it, they can’t
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LPC Psychology Club President, Chukwuemekam Ngene (Chu) puts technology in the proper perspective. Photo by Alton Richardson
see the negative. There is no moral compass. And what happens to a ship that has no compass?” Chu said the current generation assigns too much power to the internet. They Google to get instant solutions to their problems through a mechanism made by man and man’s inadequacies. He believes there is more value in the alternative. Seeking answers from a supreme being you cannot see but can only imagine may require a lifetime of trying to figure Him out and understand His mystery. “But if you spend your life opening your mind wider and wider and trying and trying to understand and question and analyze, would that not make you wiser?” In deliberate, Ghandi-esque dialect, the dark man with warm eyes and a wide smile shares parables and African proverbs that would make even a skeptic contemplate. He likens depending on the internet to eating fast food as opposed to cooking yourself. “Either way, you’ll be fed but surely, the latter will make you more healthy.” He compares spending countless hours texting and Face booking with being in solitary confinement. “You think you’re talking to 1001 friends when really you are relinquishing touch, and sight and smell—all that makes you human,” he said. “You have never been more alone.” “And to those who replace a higher power with the power of what he calls “the plastics,” Chu issued a poignant reminder. “This world is turning to pieces,” Chu said, “as it loses the point that holds it together. It may not survive if we don’t bring back some of the basics. America is great. Why? Because it is in God that its forbearers trusted. It is the number one place everyone in the world aspires to because of its values. And those values were built on the foundation of its forbearers’ faith.” “It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.” —Albert Einstein
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ven Chu admitted technology has value. All that might be missing in the think tank of progress, he said, is that little voice that reminds humans they are just that. Through self-regulation, people might be able to self-preserve that which nurtures their souls, something the creators of technology have not configured into their works of genius. Surely Steve Jobs didn’t intend to create a generation of bad spellers, rotten communicators and porn-addicted recluses with no religion. Or maybe he did. Either way, that’s immaterial, Chu said.God gives people a choice. “You can choose to do good with technology, or you can choose to do bad,” said the poised orator as he gently rolled a fallen maple leaf between his thumb and forefinger. “You can choose to believe in something bigger than you or choose to believe that you are it, man. It is your humanistic right. But remember. Once you choose, there is something over which you will have absolutely no choice,” he said as the crumpled leaf dropped to the ground. “The consequences.”
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Sex &TECHNOLOGY By Dylan Thomsen
There actually exists a place on the Internet where dudes watch other dudes jerk off. Seriously. Some would say this technologicallyimmersed generation couldn’t possibly ask for a more disgustingly wonderful time to live in. In today’s world, where inhaling every article on Reddit and reading about your favorite celebrities’ most recent bowel movement on Twitter is the constitutional right of every God-loving American who can open up a web browser, it may be no wonder that the most primitive of human instincts would swim its way up the Internet’s infinite e-canal. The once romantic world of well-dressed men and women enduring weeks of dating just to land a first kiss with that special someone has been tossed aside like a twice-used tissue. A 2008 survey by The National Campaign reported that 20 percent of teenagers (age 13 to 19) have sent at least one picture of their naughty bits to a faceless stranger far away. Which begs the question: What place do ideals such as courtship have in our society today? You can’t hold the door open for your pretty lady in a chat room and you sure as hell can’t pull her chair out (although they’re probably working on it). Peeps would agree that in the 21st century, the use of Norton Anti-Virus is the new safe sex, and whether mainstream society chooses to embrace or reject the current hype flare-up, it most likely isn’t going anywhere. You might as well know your options. First up, porn. Even the relatively small percentages of people who’ve never actively sought it out have most likely been affected somehow. Almost everyone who spends a decent chunk of his or her daily life zoning out in front of their computer has been fooled into accidentally venturing onto some purposely-deceiving URL, hoping to find ingredients for a facial mask and instead stumbling onto images of women in entirely different situations. But with the exception of that angelic group, the rest of the world seems infatuated with e-sex. A 2005 Poll by TopTenReviews revealed 72 million people across the world had searched for adult sites on the Internet in the one-month period prior and that these numbers were rapidly rising. As technology advances by leaps and bounds, so do methods of whetting one’s whistle. The number of easily accessible sex-based chat rooms available to anybody with any Internet-enabled device has skyrocketed. Even once innocent sites have been tainted. Chatroulette is one such service. The site, originally intended to be a fun place for thousands of random people to meet others on opposite sides of the globe for a few minutes at a time, quickly joined the ever-growing list of websites corrupted by people’s ambition to get off. Alan Cohen, a 24-year-old former Las Positas student, is still having nightmares from his first humiliating brush with Chatroulette. “Within five minutes I came across a dude masturbating and at least two other shirtless guys who looked like they were ready to,” he said, still trying to shake off the image. Meanwhile, A Chatroulette app was recently released, which means now anybody can watch grown-ass men pump pelvis from just about anywhere, anytime!
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Most would agree that as people watch their lives be “upgraded” with the release of every new gadget in an effort to find new shortcuts through life, a bit of humanity is lost. Therefore, over a fifth of the teenage population in America hits that “send” button and surrenders dirty images of themselves that their parents would never understand, and the Internet will never lose track of.
ALTON RICHARDSON
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DANCING WITH THE DEVIL’S SAGE By Cesar Vazquez
Somebody told Diego Valencia it would be wild and short. That it would be fun. That he’d feel something out of this world. “I took a hit, and the next thing I knew,” Valencia said, “I was lying on the floor half naked.” What they didn’t tell the second-year LPC student was that he’d lose his freakin’ mind, his concept of time and maybe some articles of clothing, too. But therein lies the potential problem. Most people don’t know how power-
smell pretty. The average college consumer is sparking up in hopes of winding up like Valencia, inexplicably stripped down to only underwear, the last 10 minutes a mystery. “I felt like I was going to go crazy and I couldn’t snap out of it,” said LPC student Ernie Hernandez,19, after his first and last hit. Currently, in California, you can buy it at just about any smoke shop. Its cost varies from lower doses of $10 to higher doses costing around eight times
ful and possibly harmful this seemingly little herb can be. Maybe that’s why salvia is nicknamed “The Devil’s Sage.” Salvia, properly known as Salvia Divornium, is a hallucinogenic plant that has become one of the most popular vices among college students. The edge it has on weed, ecstasy or any of the popular drugs: salvia is currently legal to purchase. Technically, it’s sold as incense, but few are using it to make their rooms
that much. Snagging a little salvia on the up and up, however, may not be the case for long. Local legislators are pushing to ban the substance from shelves because of the dangers the unassuming mint leaf lookalike can pose. From recent studies done by the DEA and FDA, the perennial herb Salvia comes from the mint family. Commonly found in Southern Mexico, Central and South America, the lush plant has large green leaves with white and
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MASON GUERRERO purple flowers, which typically grow in large clusters up to more than three feet in height. According to the DEA, the active ingredient in Salvia, salvinorin A, is a highly potent, naturally occurring chemical that acts on certain receptors in the brain and is know to cause hallucinations. It interacts with the brain’s kappa opioid receptors, causing an altered perception of reality. These receptors are thought to have a role in pain control and certain psychiatric disorders. When smoked, salvia causes intense, short-lived effects including visual distortions, hallucinations, intense dissociation and disconnectedness from reality, as well as physical and visual impairment. Synesthesia, a phenom-
However, the DEA is leaning towards banning it, according to U.S. Code, Section 812 Schedule of Controlled Substances, and classifying it as a schedule 1 hallucinogen, which would place it in the same category as heroin, LSD and ecstasy. Substances in this category have a high potential for abuse and offer no currently accepted medical advantages in the United States. California is currently looking to follow the other 21 states that have de-legalized the sale of the herb. Assembly Bill 259 was rejected in 2007.
enon where physical sensations intertwine and it is possible to “hear” colors or “smell” sounds, has also been known to occur. Dysphoria, where users feel uncomfortable or unpleasant after the drug’s use, is also commonly reported. It is these effects that make it dangerous for users to operate a vehicle while under the drug’s influence. Additionally, any drug that leaves the user incapacitated always poses risk for serious injury. As of now, salvia is not regulated by the United States government.
However, that same year then-governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the bill to make salvia illegal to possess if under the age of 18. As it stands now, salvia’s fate is foggy. With salvia’s legal status possibly going up in smoke, college users might do well to think twice the next time they’re considering dancing with The Devil’s Sage. A quick ten-minute trip to another world could soon lead to a much longer and even scarier jaunt to Satan’s personal bed and breakfast—jail. [ WINTER 2011 ]
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BORED TO TEARS By Mason Guerrero
“ Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.” That was me. Out of control. I couldn’t stop. Too freakin’ funny. The word “ass” coming out of my teacher’s mouth. I didn’t care that she was in the middle of a serious lesson. Or that no one else was laughing. I didn’t care that “Of Mice in Men” was supposed to be touching. I just knew the word “ass” tickled my funny bone something awful, and every time someone read it aloud, I busted up like a mad man. I just couldn’t help it. I couldn’t help a lot of things growing up. In elementary school, I was the kid who made a fort out of my books and hid in it. The kid who would be exiled to the corner of the classroom, where I couldn’t distract anyone. There I would doodle murals all over my desk. In middle school I was voted “Most Easily Entertained.” I’m sure my teachers called me much worse. Having Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) sucks. It’s like there’s a constant swirl of thoughts spiraling around in your head. The distraction is crazy. One second you’re taking notes. Next second, you’re staring out the window, laughing way too hard at some guy who tripped down the stairs. Some might think you have to live with not being able to focus. But this is America, people. If there’s a disorder, there’s a “legal” drug for it. The magic pill for ADD is Adderall. Adderall is like the wimpy younger brother of Ritalin, the first and more well-known of the amphetamine treatments. Both turn you into a droning zombie. Amphetamine is a fancy word for “speed,” only it’s perfectly legal and kid friendly. If a child is out of control, just have him pop one of these brightly-colored little capsules and presto. Silence and good behavior. It’s that easy. Of course, as with any wonderful, fantastic , amazing miracle drug, there are side effects. Most notable are loss of appetite, increased blood pressure
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and risk of heart attack, stroke and sudden death. Ah, just what the doctor ordered for a hyperactive kid. And teachers just love to insist those rambunctious little demons take the potentially dangerous potion so they can clam up and focus. I was one of those kids. While my ADD antics were obnoxious to all my teachers for years, my classmates thought I was a comedian. That is, until high school. That’s when the laughter stopped. Freshman year beat me senseless, literally. Right off the bat, teachers had zero tolerance for my nonsense and upperclassmen saw me as an easy target. I quickly became the freshman punching bag, once even being pummeled into a concussion. Naturally, my grades began to suffer. One day, the counselor sat my parents and me down and had a long discussion about my performance at school. Suddenly it turned to an infomercial, singing the praises of the latest and greatest wonder of the world, Adderall. The counselor insisted I try it. The very next day, there it was. A bottle of shiny blue pills labeled 10 mg per capsule. I didn’t know what to think. Couldn’t really focus on it anyway. So I popped a pill. Immediately things began to slow down like in a movie or a dream. I started to lose my desire to move around constantly. The random thoughts faded. I suddenly felt totally calm…and utterly emotionless. I sat in class, no longer feeling the need to talk, move or do anything at all. Just gaze mindlessly at the teacher with my jaw unhinged. People thought I was sick or depressed. I had a dazed look on my face, spoke in monotone and couldn’t laugh at anything even if I wanted to. It was surreal being quiet for once in my life. More amazingly, however, my grades shot up and the douchebags who messed with me finally left me alone. Those cute little baby blue pills really were somehow changing my life for the better… But wouldn’t you know it? Wouldn’t you freakin’ know it? As quickly as
ALEX DODD things got better, they started to go south. Like beyond the border south. I didn’t notice it at first but I was going entire days without eating because I was just never hungry. My appetite disappeared completely. I became malnourished, often passing out from lack of energy. When I tried to eat, I couldn’t. A half sandwich made me sick. Before long I was 100 pounds at six feet tall. The joints in my legs were less stable than a newborn foal’s. I walked with a limp because my knees would often pop out of their sockets. But I was getting good grades and focusing in class. Wasn’t that worth the malnutrition and impending death? Eventually someone reasonable who cared about me had to step in. Me. I weaned myself off of Adderall. Yes, I was afraid I’d return to the spazz I once was but I had a stronger fear of not living. Sure enough, before long I was once again plagued with random, crazy thoughts, couldn’t stop fidgeting and a piece of falling lint could distract me. Worse, the medication had lasting effects. I remained monotone in my speech and felt and acted like a dimwit. People called me “Awkward Mason.” I thought the rest of high school was going to be hell. But then a voice inside me changed everything. I suddenly got strong and determined. I knew what I had to do. Eventually, I taught myself how to focus without Adderall. It took a long time and a lot of frustration. But my will power grew every day. Eventually, I
learned to consciously sit still and pay attention without the help of medication (something your doctor will tell you is impossible).My grades improved greatly and the rest of high school wasn’t all that bad. Studies say over 9 million people supposedly have ADD and most are led to believe medication will solve their problems. But what I can say today, based on my experience, is medication is the easy way out and can cause more health problems, both physically and mentally. Though it can be a challenge, It feels great to take your health into your own hands. With a sense of self-discipline, determination and hard work, ADD can be beat. Believe me, if a raving, psycho nut case like me who’d giggle at a funeral can do it, anyone can.
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2012 IS THE END NEAR? By Brenda Cruz
Accept it. It’s going to happen. In 2012, the earth will rumble with thunder, the clouds will roll and the skies will part like the Red Sea. People riddled with panic and fear will scamper through the streets to find refuge. The terror will be so intense, they’ll seek death but not find it. They’ll gnash their teeth, weep loudly and wring their hands to the Heavens begging, “No, no, no – don’t let it be so.” And that’s if, say, Newt Gingrich gets nominated. And you’re a Democrat. Surviving on unemployment. Of course, if you’re a Tea Partier or Republican, you won’t feel any less doomed if Obama gets another whack at it. You’d rather endure swarms of lion-toothed locusts than another four years of “that one ” and his devil-may-care spending. Throw Rick Perry or Michelle Bachman in the mix? Have mercy. Few things seem to rile up Americans more these days than political figures of opposing parties. So much so, the good ol’ USA’s new mantra may be “divided we stand, united we fall.” And yet, another presidential election is at hand—and this one’s going to be a doosey. The 2008 election shared the spotlight with the Miss Universe pageant, Michael Phelps’ gold medal mania and George Bush getting shoe-d. This year? The end of the world. Go figure. Yes, I said it. The end of the world. The other issue sending Americans into a tizzy in 2012. December 21, to be exact. Some are so consumed with the possible catastrophic calamity, a little ol’ presidential election is the last thing on their minds. They’re trying to survive the cataclysmic event that will end Planet Earth. “I keep trying to not think about it,” said LPC student Arlene Silva, 19, “but I’m afraid it might happen. With the way people are nowadays and all the disasters and stuff. It’s scary.” What about you? Are you a believer or non-believer? Are you laughing your ass off at the very idea…or soiling yourself? For the latter group, grab a baby wipe and listen up. Let’s meet this subject head on. First, science. According to the official NASA website at www.nasa. gov, there is absolutely no scientific evidence supporting the idea that Earth is in danger of ending in 2012 (ah, the collective sigh of relief). The website conveys this with certainty. They liken the negative hype to the blown-out-of-proportion Y2K scare of 1999. NASA scientists studying the end of the world phenomenon for decades shoot down the theories like an execution line. They say if Niburi or Planet X were headed for Earth, with today’s technology, astronomers would know it. They believe The Mayan Calendar (the primary source of the theory) will simply start over on December 21, 2012, just like any calendar that ends. They dispel any possibilities of planetary alignments or giant solar storms that can cause such devastation. Not in the next few millennia, anyway. And as for a giant meteor as large as the one that turned the dinosaurs into oil? None that massive are expected to crash in 2012. There will be a winter solstice as predicted, but the effects of it are not expected to cause the place we call home to cease existing. Even Christians say with certainty that the end is not coming on December 21. A December 2011 article in “The Christian Post” agreed the ancient Mayan tablet that predicts the coming of a Mayan God only signifies the end of a cycle. Furthermore, Christians reverently heed the many verses in the Holy Bible reiterating over and over again that no man can predict the exact coming of Jesus Christ (the Christian belief of
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Apocalypse). The Bible says he will come “like a thief in the night.” So, while no one absolutely knows for sure, chances are Doomsday will not happen in 2012. What definitely WILL happen, however, is that dang presidential election. And that’s where you come in. Pew research polls are indicating Millenials (18 to 24) aren’t planning to vote in record numbers like they did in 2008. They claim this time around you don’t care. Some say polls, schmolls. “Polls are for cross country skiers and strippers,” said Sarah Palin at an August 2011 rally in the country’s heartland. Uh, yes, well…experts put it perhaps a little more eloquently. “A poll is a snapshot in time, and plenty could happen between now and November 2012,” said Associated Press Deputy Polling Director Jennifer Agiesta in The Huffington Post. Supposedly polls indicate the current feelings of the American people based on questionnaires. Trouble is, you are the American people—and nobody asked you, right? While recently there have been signs of recovery, the U.S. is still going through unprecedented hard times, from the wounded economy to its engagement in questionable wars. True, you may not be watching CNN 24/7, but surely when it comes to choosing your country’s leader, you’re there, yes? Surely you know there’s no good excuse for not embracing the inalienable rights America’s democracy hands you (something young people in other countries are literally dying for). Wait, what? You really weren’t planning on voting? You don’t know the issues or the candidates? What’s a political party, and will they be serving alcohol? OK, relax. You can do this. You just need a crash course in Politics for Dummies (not you, them). For starters, know that there are two major political parties. Republicans and Democrats. And, yes, they don’t get along. They fight like an old married couple with irreconcilable differences without the luxury of divorce. So they have to compromise, and they suck at it. You’ll find that those fundamental differences divide the country in ridiculous ways. Republicans (and in a more extreme way, Tea Partiers) are conservatives—“resistant to change.” They stand for preserving what are considered historical norms. They focus mainly on economic liberty, free enterprise, a small, non-invasive government, and a strong and aggressive national defense. They are against things like abortion, the idea of global warming, rights for illegal immigrants, gay marriage, and most any kind of government aid, regulation or intervention. Democrats are liberals. They believe everyone should pitch in for the good of the country and its citizens. This is done primarily through taxation. Some say it is a socialist philosophy. They believe government has a responsibility for the welfare of all Americans. They support things like gun control, a woman’s right to choose, preserving Social Security and Medicare and crusades to slow global warming. Obama, as the incumbent, will automatically be the democratic presidential nominee. Republican front runners continue to vary. Newt Gingrich? Mitt Romney? Rick Santorum? Gingrich is known for his big mouth getting him in trouble (great for handling foreign affairs), and Romney is considered a flip flopper who won’t take a firm stance. Some call that being a moderate, but in our divided country, agreeing with the other
to block any Obama success so he’d be a one-term president. The president seems to finally be getting that, and he’s toughening up. ‘Bout time. It’s going to be a good next four years. I feel it in my bones. Maybe you disagree. That’s the beauty of being an American. Now, go do your homework like I have. Figure out how you feel. Then, express yourself—by voting. This is your call of duty. Bi-partisanship has never looked so grim while the state of the union is coming apart at the seams. Somebody’s got to behave like an adult. Looks like it’s all you. After all, you are the future and blah, blah, blah. Besides, voting does you more good than you may know. With one little mark of a ballot, you can feel empowered, intellectual, connected to your world and incredibly American, regardless of the outcome. Listen to the candidates. Tune in to a debate or two. Know their philosophies. Then make an educated choice for November’s election. Who would best lead based on the kind of America you want and how you envision your life? Then, vote. The alternative? Huh. Be afraid, be very afraid. Sure, you may escape Armageddon in 2012, but don’t put away the emergency kit yet. Considering the motley crew fighting for the throne and the gravity of our president’s job domestically and abroad, what’s looming could be ugly. Accept it: The wrong candidate in office could mean the end of your world as you know it.
KYLE LAWHORN
side is scorned. Last I heard, the extreme conservative Rick Santorium is against birth control for even married couples. Yes, a real circus of characters has held the top position from Herman Cain with his 999 economic plan (and nearly as many sexual harassment offenses) to Rick Perry (who didn’t know the voting age is 18). Like I said, doosey. Entertainment galore. All the more reason to vote, people. Best to have some say in whom you trust to lead your country with intelligence, good character, even temperament, dignity and a heart that’s in the right place. For me, that’s Obama. Partly because I’m a Democrat at heart. I believe in the basic ideology that those fortunate enough to do well should help those who for whatever reasons need help. I feel paying taxes is my civic and moral duty. Even more than his policies, I like Obama’s character. Calm, cool, fair, peaceful, pleasant, intellectual, wise and thoughtful. A good leader is a good listener. And to me, he’s all that. He’s lost some followers because he wasn’t able to overhaul the economy, what with Congress shutting him down despite his appeasing them. But he’s done bloody well considering what he inherited. Republican philosophies go against my grain. I don’t get their opposition to millionaires paying their fair share of taxes and giving the middle class (or heaven forbid, the poor) a break. I don’t respect their preoccupation with money over concern for the welfare of all Americans. The Christian in me knows that can’t be right. Congress was blatant about their goal
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TOP 10 ONE ENCHANTED EVENING - Ten Bro don’ts on a first date By Yaphet Santana and Kyle Lawhorn
10. Don’t get fancy: You’ve just met.. No winery tours, no three-hour boat rides on the bay, nor long weekends to your parents’ cabin. But don’t expect to pull out a twenty and come home with change, either. Do a no frills dinner at a moderate restaurant, one that never once uses the term “deluxe” or “supersize” on the menu. 9. Don’t get shit-faced: You always want to keep it classy, and taking down a few too many drinks might blow it. Let her order first. You look like a gentleman, and it allows you to see whether or not she plans to let loose a little. Remember, a drunken man tells no lies— this isn’t the time to be brutally honest. Drink water. Speaking of men and drinks, stay away from anything ending in tini. 8. For the love of God, don’t mention the word marriage: You’re on your first date, dude. (Though eventually she’ll figure out you’re married to your Xbox.) Chances are she doesn’t want to hear about wedding plans on your first night out, either. But if she brings it up? Two words. “Check, please.” 7. Don’t goggle: Wearing glasses to catch a glimpse of other women is a foolproof way to fail. No girl will fall for that. If you have a cute waitress, forget the flirting. Save it for your date. Wear blinders if you have to. 6. Don’t bring your resume: Congratulations on being valedictorian of your school, but stay away from being braggadocios. You’re not interviewing for some fortune 500 company. Relax, be yourself and be OK with hearing a little somethin’ about her. 5. Don’t forget what your mother taught you: No farting, no burping. Don’t slurp or constantly stir your soup or talk with your mouth full. Keep your elbows off the table, say please and thank you, open the door for her and stay close to her side. Most importantly, don’t forget that wallet. 4. Avoid the Mark Zuckerburg look: Open toe sandals with no socks and raggedy dime store attire will not cut it. Do yourself a favor and buy a nice shirt and pair of pants appropriate for your destination. Don’t decide to resurrect some pants that smell like the toilet at a public park. And running an iron over dirty clothes will only bake in the odors. Come on now. 3. Don’t show up late: Being late shows a lack of consideration. Be early. It’s on you to scout out the area. And hey, might not hurt to know your exits in case you need to make a quick escape.
1. Don’t be aggressive: Keep those hands to yourself, my dude. That skirt of hers might be riding high, and after a couple drinks she might be eye-banging the hell out of you, but be strong. Take it slow. Both of you, believe it or not, will appreciate waking up in your own beds the next morning. You’ll have a clear conscience and best of all a clear head as to whether or not date number two is your future.
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ALTON RICHARDSON (BOTH)
2. Don’t show up in a heap: Toss out the McDouble wrapper and the piss bottles from that traffic jam you were in last week. Grab a vacuum and some air-freshener and make that puppy smell as good as the day it rolled off the lot in ’84. (minus the weed-stench).
5 PLACES
NEVER NEVER LAND By Aretha Welch
With the world coming to a supposed end, before-you-die advice might include “take a trip abroad.” Not a bad idea even if you don’t believe in Armageddon. A trip might be the perfect rite of passage for turning 18 or 21. You know, go to Amsterdam, eat weed-laced brownies in front of police officers and love it. Do know, however, some places should be avoided. Here are the top five:
Bogotá
Ciudad Juárez, Mexico:
More than 400 women have been killed in sex-related crimes. Accord-
ing to Mexico’s figures, 34,612 people have been killed in narcotics and gang-related violence in the last five years. The police and the Mexican drug cartel regularly exchange gunfire. Avoid Ciudad (among other parts of Mexico) unless you don’t mind being riddled with bullets.
Bogotá, Columbia:
If you’re looking for a fun, rape-free vacation, you should probably avoid Bogata, Columbia. According to the U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs, robbery, sexual assaults and other violent crimes, including scams against unsuspecting tourists are common on city streets. Several travel websites advise avoid looking foreign when in urban areas. Here’s a way. Don’t go.
Port-au-Prince, Haiti:
To those who risk their lives to head to Port-au-Prince with well-
Port-au-Prince
organized groups to help the country fight poverty, two thumbs up. Everybody else, stay the hell away. Any country where UN stabilization forces have an ongoing presence because, according to the U.S. government, local police can’t control the persistent threat of crime like armed robbery, rape and kidnapping, is a no-go zone. Plus, you don’t even speak French.
Caracas, Venezuela:
JORGE GÓMEZ, PAULINO MORAN, JOE MASTROI-
According to Robert Briceno-Leon of the Venezuela Observatory of
Violence as quoted in the “The Economist,” the national murder rate was 75 per 100,000 people. The odds of being shot in Caracas could be higher than in any other country that is not an official war zone. The murder rate here is 220 per 100,000 people, higher than in the aforementioned Ciudad Juárez. Don’t be a carcass in Caracas!
Antarctica:
If there is any place that frostbite, starvation and your chance of get-
Antarctica
ting lost reigns supreme, it’s Antarctica. Glassner Martin, co-author of the book, “Political Geography,” described Antarctica as the “coldest, windiest, driest, highest, quietest, most remote, and least understood continent on earth.” Despite its not-so-rave reviews, nature lovers crave the unexplored terrain. Matt Roseberg of the New York Time’s About.com shared this dreary statistic. “Over fifty American planes have crashed, and dozens have been killed by being trapped in ice.” Trapped in ice? Is that how you want to go? Belly-up?
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ANONYMOUS TRUTH, JUSTICE AND THE AMERICAN WAY... By Brian Federico BART shutting down is usually synonymous with an act of God—not a mysterious group of faceless individuals who brandish their computers as secret weapons. As their first major accomplishment, they shut down the PlayStation network, easily the largest gaming network in the world. They infiltrated the CIA’s firewall system to secure data they believed were illegally obtained. They are a group of computer and internet hackers known as “hacktivists.” But most know them as exactly what they are, Anonymous. Unlike most activist groups, they do not center their attention on one main issue, They simply intervene in any affair they see as unjust or criminal. Since they have released no literature revealing their belief systems or their code of conduct, they are completely unpredictable. What we do know about them is they are a large group of some of the most talented and efficient hackers in the world, scattered throughout the globe in secure, unknown locations. They do not need to physically meet in order to accomplish a job. They simply network. The major advantage? They’re untraceable. These are viral vigilantes who show no signs of fear and took a stand against one of the most feared crime syndicates in the world, Mexico’s Zeta Cartel. Which
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brings up the question. If they will attack not only the CIA but a major faction of organized crime, whose side are they on? There is one thing all of Anonymous’ victims do have in common: They completely pissed off the hactivists. These selfproclaimed heroes have demonstrated they are seemingly unstoppable. And if they need to break the law to make their point, so be it. Which leads some people to believe they can easily become corrupt with such power and run rampant through the infinite streets of the World Wide Web. Whether they attack randomly or have some code by which they abide to choose their victims, we will never know. One thing’s for sure. They are making a major impact on today’s society. Some people believe they are terrorists, simply opening up the door for more violent and personal attacks. Others believe they are heroes that will be the foundation to a worldwide revolution. Could these hacktivists spawn the dawn of a global civil war that ends all criminal activity, both foreign and domestic? Only time will tell. Till then, wrong-doers might have to look over their virtual shoulders.
END OF THE WORLD END OF THE WORLD BUCKET LIST By Daisy Ortiz You know what “‘they” say. December 21, 2012, will be Earth’s
last day. What does this mean? You have about 12 months to enjoy life before it…blows up, disintegrates, drops out of the universe. Whatev. Of course, maybe “they’re” wrong (here’s hoping, anyway). But just in case, here’s a recommendation. Live life this year like it’s your last. Not a bad formula for doing the good shit you’d never do otherwise. Below is a list of ten things you shouldn’t let the year go by without doing, whether the end is near or not:
JARED C. BENEDICT
1. Take a road trip without a map: Explore the unknown. See the country you’ve been ignoring. Go revel in its beauty before it’s gone. Don’t worry about getting lost. In fact, make a game out of trying to outsmart your navigation system. See if you can trick the bitch. 2. Eat, eat, eat: Enjoy food without worrying about your weight for a change. Go to Costco and buy everything you’ve ever wanted but didn’t have the $300 to blow. Manja! 3. Help people: Step out of your comfort zone. Reach out in ways you never have. Don’t leave earth without experiencing that wonderful feeling of reaching out and helping someone other than yourself. 4. Go skydiving: No need to worry if you’re not going to make it ‘cause after December, you’re not going to make it, remember? Throw caution to the wind!
5. Party like a rockstar: Or party with a rock star like Kanye West. Why not? He’s got a bad rep but apparently throws one hell of a party. You may have to crash it, but how many people can say they were thrown out of Kanye West’s party? 6. See one of the Wonders of the World: The Pyramid of Giza, the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal. Be amazed by something grander than your little world. When you return, you’ll realize you are a tiny pimple on an elephant’s ass. 7. Spend 24 hours in a 24-Hour Walmart: Uncover the mysteries of what on earth goes on in the “sloppiest place on earth.” Discover the secrets behind shelf stocking by employees of questionable backgrounds. Honestly, where do these people come from? Another wonder of the world. 8. Have lots of sex: You don’t know if there will be any where you’re going. 9. Face a major fear: Give a public speech, tell your boss to suck it, tell your parents you’re gay. Liberate yourself somehow and enjoy the newfound freedom once you overcome your worst fear! 10. Pray: There’s no better time to start asking for mercy. “They” say prayer moves mountains. Ask and you shall receive. Maybe prayer and good behavior can even reverse the supposed ill fate of the world. (Maybe you should ease up on the “ lots of sex” just in case.)
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BEFORE YOU GO
Fly.
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ANYTHING really strong requires a strong foundation Since it’s founding in 2003, LPC Foundation has worked to underwrite activities that impact present and future students, faculty and staff.
These include: UĂŠ"Ă›iÀÊfnä]Ă¤Ă¤Ă¤ĂŠÂˆÂ˜ĂŠĂƒVÂ…ÂœÂ?>Ă€ĂƒÂ…ÂˆÂŤĂƒĂŠ>Â˜Â˜Ă•>Â?Â?Ăž UĂŠfĂ“x]äääÊ Ă€>Â˜ĂŒi`ĂŠĂŒÂœĂŠĂŒÂ…iĂŠ Â˜ĂŒi}Ă€>ĂŒi`ĂŠ i>Ă€Â˜ÂˆÂ˜}ĂŠ iÂ˜ĂŒiĂ€ UĂŠ,>ÂˆĂƒi`ĂŠÂœĂ›iÀÊfÇä]Ă¤Ă¤Ă¤ĂŠĂŒÂœĂŠĂƒĂ•ÂŤÂŤÂœĂ€ĂŒĂŠĂŒÂ…iĂŠ - * ĂŠ/iĂ?ĂŒLÂœÂœÂŽĂŠ Âœ>˜iÀÊ*Ă€Âœ}Ă€>“ UĂŠfÓä]äääÊ-ii`ĂŠÂ“ÂœÂ˜iÞÊvÂœĂ€ĂŠ6iĂŒiĂ€>Â˜ĂƒĂŠ ÂˆĂ€ĂƒĂŒ UĂŠfÂŁĂŽ]äääÊ ÂœĂ€ĂŠ ÂˆĂƒ>LÂ?i`ĂŠ-ĂŒĂ•`iÂ˜ĂŒĂƒĂŠ *Ă€Âœ}Ă€>Â“Ăƒ UĂŠfÂŁĂ“]äääÊ Ă€>Â˜ĂŒi`ĂŠĂŒÂœĂŠĂŒÂ…iĂŠ `Â“ÂˆÂ˜ÂˆĂƒĂŒĂ€>ĂŒÂˆÂœÂ˜ĂŠ ÂœvĂŠ Ă•ĂƒĂŒÂˆViĂŠÂŤĂ€Âœ}Ă€>“ UĂŠ Ăœ>Ă€`i`ĂŠfÂŁn]Ă¤Ă¤Ă¤ĂŠÂˆÂ˜ĂŠ}Ă€>Â˜ĂŒĂƒĂŠĂŒÂœ ĂŒÂ…Â?iĂŒÂˆVĂƒĂŠ>˜`ĂŠ* And many more!
ÂœĂ€ĂŠÂ“ÂœĂ€iĂŠÂˆÂ˜vÂœĂ€Â“>ĂŒÂˆÂœÂ˜ĂŠVÂœÂ˜ĂŒ>VĂŒ\ĂŠ /i`ĂŠ >Ăži]ĂŠ*…° ° LPC Foundation Chief Executive Officer
ĂŒÂŽ>ĂžiJÂ?>ĂƒÂŤÂœĂƒÂˆĂŒ>ĂƒVÂœÂ?Â?i}i°i`Ă•ĂŠ ™ÓxÂŽĂŠ{Ă“{‡£ä£ä