Monitor 2006-11-16

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Fremont, California

Vol. XXXVI No. 12

Men’s hoops defeat De Anza, 87-79 – Page 8

OPINION

New class illuminates philosophy

SPORTS

NEWS

FEATURES

Ohlone benefactors revealed

Deadline day for dropping – Page 2

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Award-winning director speaks about Darfur

By Chen Lin Online editor

Paul Freedman, director of the Peabody award-winning documentary “Rwanda: Do Scars Ever Fade?” spoke on Monday, as part of Ohlone’s World Forum series, about the conflict in Darfur and his experiences there making his new film, “Sand and Sorrow.”

Freedman, who spent about seven weeks in Darfur, called his efforts “the study of the worst man can do to each other.”

Darfur is a region to the west of Sudan occupied largely by African Muslims. Unlike the Second Sudanese Civil War that ended in 2005, said Freedman, the Darfur conflict is not a struggle between a Muslim north and a Christian south. Rather, it “boils down to” an ethnic conflict between Muslims who speak Arabic as a mother tongue and those who don’t, said Freedman.

The conflict in Darfur began during the last civil war when the Sudanese government armed local Arab militias, referred to by non-

Arabs as the Janjaweed, triggering civil conflict in a region already suffering from severe ethnic tensions.

Combined with years of economic neglect, the government-sponsored harassment was enough to trigger a large-scale insurgency by nonArab Muslims in Darfur, whose early efforts were met with great success.

Realizing it would make little progress attacking the insurgency head on, the Sudanese government employed a strategy of “draining the swamp to catch the fish,” according to Freedman. Instead of combating the non-Arab militia, the Janjaweed, with assistance from the government, attacked and began killing non-Arabic Darfurians, sapping the insurgency of recruits and supplies.

Today, most non-Arab Darfuris are trapped within various Internal Displaced Persons camps under impoverished conditions, encircled by the Janjaweed. When women leave the camps to fetch supplies, the Janjaweed harass and rape them.

Continued on Page 3

Shanghai dancers tonight

Photo by Chen Lin

Emmy-nominated and Peabody-winning documentarian Paul Freedman talks during Monday’s World Forum on Darfur. A clip from his latest film, ‘Sand and Sorrow,’ is projected behind him.

Vice President Deanna Walston to leave in June

By Eric Dorman Staff writer

Photo by Christa Meier

Shanghai Theatre Academy dancer Cai Ling rehearses for the group’s performance tonight. Story on Page 3.

Deanna Walston, the college vice president and deputy superintendent responsible for bringing the college’s finances out of the red following the building of the Smith Center, has decided to resign. She gave family reasons, saying that she wanted to spend more time with her grandchildren and travel.

“My goal over the years has been to bring financial stability to the college,” said Walston. “And I feel I have accomplished that.”

Walston was hired in 1996 by former Ohlone President Floyd Hogue amid a slew of budget problems for the college. The Smith Center construction was taking longer than projected due to rain and generally bad weather, and the college needed an extra million dollars to finish the project. Furthermore, Ohlone had been placed on California’s Financial Watch List after the school’s reserves continued to decline.

Walston immediately went to the California legislature, trying

to get a lawyer to lobby and plead Ohlone’s case and to try to get the extra funds necessary to rebalance the schools budget.

In order to do this, she had to quantify everything for the state: how much money they had spent, how much was lost because of delays, how much they would need to finish the project, etc.

At last, the state came through, giving the college $850,000-not the $1 million the college was hoping for, but enough to get the job done.

“It took two years,” said Walston, “but we stuck with it, and we got it done.”

Over the years, Walston said her focus has shifted away from financial matters and toward bond measures, such as the measure A bond that is funding the construction of the Newark Center for Technology and Health Sciences.

Furthermore, Walston has been devoting her attention to creating the new Student Services building to be erected in the place of Building 7. The college is expected to

start looking for bids as soon as late February.

Walston also noted how different the college looks now than when she first arrived. For one thing, she said, Hyman Hall didn’t used to be here, as it wasn’t completed until around 2001.

Additionally, the campus Quad was narrower and there was no road behind the pond. The Quad was widened and the road created in order to give emergency vehicles better access in case of a fire or other disaster.

Also, when Walston first began working here, her office was in Building 20, the Victorian-style house at the bottom of the hill that now houses the campus police and flea market organizers. Walston worked to get herself and others up to Building 1 in the higher part campus.

Walston’s resignation, which she announced at last week’s Board of Trustees meeting, will not go into effect until next June. She said she is considering going into consulting in the future.

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Opinion

monitor Octover 16, 2006

Associated Collegiate Press / National Scholastic Press Association All American 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 Regional Pacemaker 1988 Journalism Association of Community Colleges First in General Excellence, Northern California Fall 1994 General Excellence Fall 2000 General Excellence Fall 2004

Editor in chief: Anna Nemchuk News editor: Omer Ahmed Opinion editor: Matthew So Features editor: Morgan Brinlee Sports editor: Jeff Weisinger Photo editor: Christa Meier Online editor: Chen Lin Staff writers: Michael Aburas, Frankie Addiego, Emily Burkett, Eric Dorman, Noah Levin, Brittany Wilson Ad manager: Danelle Meyer Ad staff: Manika Casterline, Janelle Feliciano Adviser: Bill Parks Printer: F-P Press

Offices are located in Room 5310 on campus, 43600 Mission Blvd., Fremont 945395884. Call (510) 659-6075. Fax: (510) 659-6076. E-mail: monitor@ohlone.cc.ca.us Opinions expressed in the Monitor are those of the respective authors and are not necessarily those of the staff, the college or the Associated Students of Ohlone College.

Unsigned editorials reflect the majority view of staff members. Advertising material is printed herein for informational purposes and is not to be construed as an expression of endorsement or verification of such commercial ventures by the staff or college.

The Monitor is funded by the district, by the Associated Students of Ohlone College, and through advertising revenue.

The Monitor is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press, Journalism Association of Community Colleges, Community College Journalism Association, California Newspaper Publishers Association, College Media Advisers and Society of Newspaper Design.

Opinion

Pond is an unrealized wonderland of opportunity

By MATTHEW SO Opinions editor The lake at the back of the school is nice, but every time I see it, I envision wasted opportunity. There is—and I quote, “No swimming, no boating, no feeding the ducks.”

Lakes and other small bodies of water aren’t any fun if you can’t be in it, on it, or throw objects at the animals living in/on them. As far as

I’m concerned, it might as well not be there in the first place; I don’t need the extra temptation.

Oh, I know; it’s there to look pretty and all, but aside from boasting a fountain, which I must admit can hold my attention for quite some while, it’s such a disappointment.

Think of the possibilities. I want to be in it. I would hit that.

“But, it’s so…dirty!” Whatever.

I’m sure if there were no sign for-

bidding entry, there would be no hesitation on the part of some students eager to make appropriate use of that handy little waterhole.

Leave the “dirty” element up to the individual’s discretion. It’s not like this Earth came with ready-made swimming pools with built-in filtration systems.

Speaking of swimming pools, “What’s wrong with swimming in the school’s swimming pool,” you

ask? To be honest, the swimming pool is downright intimidating. I can’t imagine walking up to the pool for a swim without feeling obligated to join the water polo team or something beforehand. Or do anything other than swim laps. Lane lines seem to have this unquestionable, unspoken authority.

And what of the ducks? Wouldn’t we disturb their natural habitat? I say kick the ducks out; it’s OUR

land. They can fly north. Or south.

Or whatever it is ducks do. But not until they eat all the fish. Koi, I mean.

You know, I’m pretty sure they built in the dock just to spite us.

my land, but from the government’s perspective, it presents essentially the same problem: the government is forcing you to sacrifice your time to serve it. People are forced to put their studies on hold, cast their studies aside, and—if they’re being sequestered—leave their families for a matter of weeks, or maybe even months.

Is there danger involved? Sure!

Imagine this: you’re called to serve on the jury for the trial of a well-connected member of a large criminal syndicate. You and the rest of the jury—rightly or wrongly—convict him. Is it that hard to imagine his buddies going after you? Unfortunately, no.

Okay, but aren’t there exemptions for people who have one compelling reason or another not

to serve on a jury? Yes, but they only go so far. There are certain things they account for, but not everything. People go to strange lengths to avoid jury duty.

Then there’s knowledge of the law. A team of jurors who do it as a career choice are bound to be more knowledgeable about the law then people called in against their will.

How many of us feel that a lawyer could tell us anything about a case that supposedly supplies precedent for a case going their way?

But what if we did get rid of this method of selecting juries?

Then what? How would juries be formed?

Well, why would it be so hard to find people willing to sign up for jury duty? We’ve gotten rid of the military draft, and yet, our

armed forces still thrive in numbers.

All it would take would be better advertising and more incentives, such as a higher wage than jurors currently make.

But what about trial by peers?

While there may be obstacles to getting diversity into juries, it would be weathered by studying demographics, and when one is far too underrepresented, spending more time and effort into advertising the position within that community. For example, if jurors aged 18-21 are in short supply, we can have jury recruiters, the way we have army recruiters, set up on campuses.

Sometimes, they select jurors based on occupation. But surely most of the people who become jurors will have had some previous work experience and it’s not

impossible that they might have this job along with another. Therefore, they can always ask for “prior occupation.”

Should this happen all at once?

Of course not. Immediate action would leave juries unprepared.

Instead, there should be a tenyear-plan.

Perhaps to start out with, there could be more of an outreach for voluntary jury duty, and have preference given to the people who deliberately sign up over people who are “drafted” into juries.

We’ve gotten rid of the draft.

Now, it’s time to make the government stop forcing people to put their careers on hold once again.

If we can put an end to jury duty as we know it, the world will be a better place.

(Actually, this is an obnoxiousrant. I don’t expect anyone to jump into the pond as a result of this article. In fact, anyone who did so would be, in my opinion, an ass.)

Jury duty should turn into a voluntary process

By Frankie Addiego Staff writer If you or a family member has ever received a summons for jury duty, you know how awful it is to receive that envelope in the mail telling you to call by a certain time on a certain day, only to have to await further instructions.

The government is asking you to put your life on hold for a trial that can be so trivial that you’re surprised the judge didn’t throw it out during the hearing, to a situation that might give a criminal reason to track you down and murder you!

Essentially, Jury Duty is the draft.

You may not have to go through the same sort of training, and may not be directly in the line of fire in an ene-

Campus Comment > > >

In your opinion, who’s the MAN?

FRANCO IRACE Film “I’m the man!”

RYAN BENTLEY Film “Franco’s the man!”

JESSICA STANLEY Theater “My dad. He’s a super hero!”

STEVEN BIRD Radio “SHAFT.”

SHAMIL PATEL Undecided “Tom Carlson, an Ohlone student’s father.”

November 16, 2006 MONITOR

News

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Forensics’ trophy case gets three new additions

By Eric Dorman Staff writer The Ohlone forensics team completed another successful competition last weekend, reaching the semifinals in impromptu speaking and taking third in persuasive speaking at the “Pacific Meets the Delta Swing” Speech and Debate tournament, said Speech Professor Kay Harrison.

The tournament, held in Stockton, pitted Ohlone against colleges from all over the nation, some as far away as Kentucky and Maryland, said Emily Burkett, a member of the team. Furthermore, she said, a number of the colleges in the tournament were ranked among the nation’s top 15 schools for forensics, also known

Shanghai dancers at Ohlone

By Chen Lin Online editor Dancers from the Shanghai Theatre Academy in China will perform in the Smith Center tonight and Friday.

The dancers, who arrived in the United States on Wednesday, many for the first time, were invited to perform at Ohlone last summer during an exchange tour. They will be performing “Dances with Brilliant Purple and Red Flowers from Splendid China.”

The Shanghai Theatre Academy is renowned in China as “one of the most prestigious dance colleges,” according to a press release provided by Ohlone.

Preparations for the performance have been ongoing for several months. “They [didn't] have one day to take a break,” said coach Zhou Bei.

as speech and debate.

“We went up there and had a really great time,” said Burkett. “And I think we did pretty well, all things considered.”

Interestingly enough, this is the first semester Harrison has directed the Ohlone forensics team despite the fact that she was hired to the position 30 years ago. Soon after being hired, she said, the forensics budget was cut. It was not until about eight years ago that a debate team was started at Ohlone and, while Harrison still worked closely with the forensics team, she did not get a chance to direct until this year.

Still, she said she enjoys it and plans to stay as director in the coming years.

The forensics team has been fairly successful in the past, said Harrison, pointing out the selection of trophies they have collected over the years showcased in front of the library. She said she was expecting modest success with this year’s “very young” team, but was pleasantly surprised when the debate team, including Burkett and David Taube, won three of six parliamentary debates.

The event took place over Friday, Saturday and Sunday of last weekend, at San Joaquin Delta College on Friday and University of the Pacific on the remaining days.

The tournament is only the second Ohlone has participated in this semester. At the first, an event at University of California at Berkeley

about a month ago, Ohlone contender Hassanean Al-Baker took first place in informative speaking.

He surprised everyone, including himself, said Harrison.

“That was quite a coup for us,” she said.

There were many types of speech and debate forms showcased in the tournament. One such debate was Parliamentary, modeled after the British system, where a team receives a proposition, such as “The U.S. government should provide free internet use for all”, and that team has 20 minutes to prepare a defense for that position, said Burkett. Following their speech, the opposition must give a rebuttal and the teams go back and forth for several rounds.

Freedman films Darfur

If men leave, said Freedman, they are killed. He calls the process "genocide by attrition." by any of its members, to enter Sudanese borders.

Continued from Page 1 Freedman's career began in the advertising industry, directing ads for companies like Nissan, Nike, About 10 percent of the nation’s oil imports come If men leave, said Freedman, they are often killed.

Diet Coke, and Pennzoil. He then helped direct "The Tears of Peleliu," a documentary about the Battle from Sudan. In addition, Sudan’s leaders have He calls the process “genocide by attrition.” of Peleliu during World War II that claimed about 24,000 American and Japanese lives. It was the threatened to “make Sudan a graveyard” for U.N. Freedman’s career began in the advertising first of many documentaries he would make, including Rwanda – Do Scars Ever Fade, which won a peacekeepers, should they enter the country. industry, directing ads for companies like Nissan, Peabody Award and two Emmy nominations in 2004.

The only solution, suggested Freedman, is Nike, Coca-Cola and Pennzoil. He then helped After his speech, Freedman screened a portion of his latest film, Sand and Sorrow, describing the not only for a better funded African Union force direct “The Tears of Peleliu,” a documentary frustrations of African Union troops, who lack the robust mandate necessary to intervene as Janjaweed with a more robust mandate, but also for greater about the Battle of Peleliu during World War II set fire to a village. Also featured was a woman who had, she claimed, two of her children tossed into awareness in the west. that claimed about 24,000 American and Japanese a burning house and the rest shot.

“The amount of news time Martha Stewart got lives. It was the first of many documentaries he The United Nations, said Freedman, cannot intervene with the "genocide" in Darfur because China versus Darfur,” said Freedman, was about “500 would make, including “Rwanda: Do Scars Ever has too vested an oil interest to allow the Security Council, whose resolutions can be vetoed by any to 1.” He encouraged students to get involved Fade,” which won a Peabody Award and two of its members, to enter Sudanese borders. About 10 percent of the nation's oil imports come from by sending letters to their representatives and Emmy nominations in 2004.

Sudan. In addition, Sudan's leaders have threatened to "make Sudan a graveyard" for U.N. peacekeepcongressmen.

After his speech, Freedman screened a portion ers, should they enter the country.

“Call them, email them, do it again,” said Freedof his latest film, “Sand and Sorrow,” describing The only solution, suggested Freedman, is not only for a better funded African Union with a more man. “That is the best thing you can do.” the frustrations of African Union troops, who lack robust mandate, but also for greater awareness in the west. "The amount of news time Martha Stewart As of yet, Sand and Sorrow still has no disthe robust mandate necessary to intervene as the got versus Darfur," said Freedman, was about "500 to 1." He encourages students to get involved by tributor, according to Freedman. The film is near Janjaweed set fire to a village. sending letters to their representatives and congressmen. completion and will be available “soon.” If he Also featured was a woman who had, she "Call them, email them, do it again," said Freedman. "That is the best thing you can do." cannot find any distributor, said Freedman, he will claimed, two of her children tossed into a burning As of yet, Sand and Sorrow still has no distributor, according to Freedman. The film is near complestill present his film through seminars similar to house and the rest shot. tion and will be available "soon." If he cannot find any distributor, said Freedman, he will at least still the World Forums at Ohlone.

The United Nations, said Freedman, cannot present his film through seminars similar to the World Forum at Ohlone.

More information about Darfur can be found intervene with the “genocide” in Darfur because More information about Darfur can be found online at http://www2.ohlone.edu/org/library/wordonline at www2.ohlone.edu/org/library/wordfoChina has too vested an oil interest to allow the forumnov13.html. rumnov13.html Security Council, whose resolutions can be vetoed

ASOC budget done

By Eric Dorman Staff writer The Associated Students of Ohlone College have released their budget for the '06-'07 year and are expecting to spend slightly more than last year.

“We're about where we should be,” said Director of Campus Activities Debbie Trigg. “We’re good, fiscally.”

The ASOC expects to spend $155,900 this year. Last year they spent $133,000; however, this year’s expected revenue is $3,000 less than what was expected last year, said Dean of Business Services Joanne Schultz.

ASOC funds are different from the college’s general fund, which works with millions, or, in the case of the under-construction Newark center, hundreds of millions of dollars. The ASOC, on the other hand, funds everything from support programs to speakers on campus to scholarships.

“Anyone who requested funds was not turned away,” said Trigg.

The ASOC also puts money into more tangible things, such as the tables that were recently installed around campus. The $14,978 that

the tables cost has been promised to the manufacturer but not yet paid.

ASOC's revenue comes from vending machines, the café, student enrollment fees and the bookstore, said Schultz. The revenue does not come in all at once. For example, about $45,000 comes at the beginning of every semester from student enrollment fees and the money from the bookstore will not come in until the end of the school year. So far, she said, only $58,380 of the expected $155,900 has come in.

Rarely does the amount of actual revenue reach the amount that is expected, said Schultz. In last year’s budget, for example, the ASOC expected to receive $158,400 in revenue but only received $136,118.

Luckily, said Schultz, the ASOC usually ends up spending less than it had planned to. Last year they expected to spend $174,699 and only spent $133,269.

Even if expenditures did exceed the revenue, said Schultz, there still wouldn’t be too much cause for worry. She calculates that the ASOC has $332,000 in reserves, the result of putting away about $8,000 a year for the past 40 years.

“The ASOC budget is sound,” said Trigg. “No worries.”

Ohlone also participated in impromptu speaking where a contestant is given three topics, has two minutes to choose one and prepare a five-minute speech on it, and persuasive speaking where a contestant gives a ten-minute persuasive speech from memory.

All forms of speech and debate are shown before judges, who award prizes and provide feedback, said Harrison. She said that the judges gave the college mainly positive feedback.

Harrison said she would personally be working with the students to keep up their knowledge of current events, which she said are essential in many of the debates.

The team’s next tournament will be on Jan. 26 and 27.

New class illuminates philosophy

By Frankie Addiego Staff writer Students who have taken Philosophy 101 or 102 only to find the subject matter overwhelming might be interested in considering Wayne Yuen’s new Philosophy 100 course beginning next semester. Philosophy 100 will be an introductory course to the great thinkers already covered in the current classes, but without requiring students to read the primary documents which some may find difficult to comprehend.

Yuen said he realized that reading ancient philosophers such as Plato and Socrates “can be kind of daunting,” after observing a generally weak performance among students in the Ancient and Modern Philosophy courses he taught. “It’s hard stuff,” he said, “I won’t make any bones about it.” To that end, Yuen decided to create a new course that would simplify the material and get students to receive a broad introduction to the kind of material the class would study.

“The course is really designed,” he said, “to peak the interest” of students. As a result, this course will cover a broad range of subjects from Socrates to Nietzsche and will give students the knowledge they need to better understand the more focused philosophy courses currently offered.

Don’t expect Philosophy 100 to be a throwaway class. While the homework may be limited to, “a paper, a few exams [and] not a lot [besides] reading;” Yuen is “going to expect a lot.” He said that all of his classes are taught as if they were a four-year university course, as they are transferable to the U.C. and C.S.U. systems.

This course is designed to encourage student debate. “It’s gonna be a lot of discussion and as little lecture as possible,” he said, and, while he’ll still be “introducing concepts,” he said, “if students like to talk, then that is the class for them.”

The class will start in the spring semester and will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays on the main campus at 12:15 p.m., and on Mondays and Wednesdays at Kennedy High School at 1:10 p.m.

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Features A faith of hope for the ‘dark and twisty’ monitor November 16, 2006

By Omer Ahmed News editor To highlight the diversity of Ohlone College, The Monitor will be running interviews with students of various faiths over the next couple of weeks. Last week we interviewed Zoroastrian student Anahita Dadnam. This week we talked to Christian student and Minister Alex Schweng.

An Oakland native, Schweng went to Castro Valley High School and, upon graduating, went to U.C. L.A. and got an undergraduate degree in Political Science. He then, with a marked change in focus, went to the Talbot School of Theology and got his Master’s of Divinity.

Currently, he ministers and preaches at a non-denominational church in Newark, takes classes at Ohlone and heads the Ohlone Navigators Grace Fellowship, a club which is open to people of all faiths and worldviews.

Christianity doesn’t need much of an introduction. It is the world’s largest religion by population, with an estimated 2.1 billion adherents though there are many different sects and groupings. In the U.S., Roman Catholics and Baptist Christians are the largest groups but there have been a large number of churches forming that ignore many of the differences between groups. Uniting most of these sects together is the belief that there is only one God, that Jesus Christ was his son and that Jesus died in order have humanity freed from its sins. The religion's holy book is the Bible and it shares much of it’s text with the Jewish Torah.

Monitor: In your own words could you describe Christianity?

Schweng: Oh, that is a hard question. I guess, for me personally, it is kind of summed up in our club, the Ohlone Navigators. Our slogan,

tagline really, is that we are a club for messed-up people. I find that one of the deep truths of the Gospel is that we are all really messed up but that god really loves you. For me, that is the big thing and it is what a lot of Christians would call grace. A person I kind of admire puts it this way, he said, “Cheer up, you are worse than you think and secondly, cheer up, god loves you more than you could imagine.” I think that is typified in who Jesus is and what the cross means to us as Christians.

It means that we are messed up but god loves us and he came and died for us, giving us a new life, new love and a new hope that is deeply secure and changes us.

Monitor: Would you say this is both a kind of personal definition and that it also sums up the basic part of Christian faith?

Schweng: Yeah, it is basically what drives me, what changes me and gives me hope. I think it is what brings in a lot of people. On a personal level, I'm not Mr. Super Confident or Mr. Super Ego guy.

There is this TV show that I don't watch but my wife actually watches, “Grey's Anatomy.” On the show, they talk about people who are “dark and twisty” which means kind of emotionally insecure on some level.

The Gospel gives hope to people like that, basically everyone. I’ve been finding out much of this myself as the people I can really help are like this and I can't really help “winners.”

I find that the Christian help is the hope for the poor, the lost and the losers. And in a lot of ways, I am a loser and I find deep acceptance, love and a new life in Christ. I think that is why I am a Christian.

Monitor: So it sounds like a lot of the Christian faith is based on suffering the human condition but finding acceptance.

Schweng: Yeah, I think that is somewhat true. I didn't grow up in

a Christian family; I didn’t grow up in a religious home. What brought on a change was when I went to college. As an Asian American, what a lot people impress on to you at that point in life is that if you get certain things you will achieve a real good life. So I had lot of friends and focused on too many things.

Monitor: Do you mean material things?

Schweng: Well, it is more the American dream and possibly the pseudo-Asian American dream as well. In high school, I would get into a lot of varsity sports, I had a lot of friends, I was in the popular crowd and I was in honors classes too. And once I got into U.C. L.A., which is a decent school, having all these things, which people said would give me a real life, was not giving me happiness. I thought, “Is this is all? Is this is what life is supposed to be about and what everyone says is supposed to make me happy?” and everyone was telling me that I was doing well but I wasn’t doing well. That is when God really stepped into my life and changed me. As for the suffering part, there is this one woman that I read a bit of, Rose Miller, and she has this autobiography with this one little line about her spiritual growth.

She wrote something like, “This autobiography is about the 10 most difficult years of my life and they are also the best 10 years of my life.”

My first thought when I read that was, 10 years! I can handle a few weeks or maybe a couple of months but 10 years? but I realized that she needed that suffering, that breaking, that outward failure in order to come to know god. I think it is hard to come to know the things that are important unless you have had some suffering in your life. I personally feel as if I have come to know the grace of god in my heart through hardship, suffering, having some

failure and being humbled. Now I have ventured into a place where I really have a kind of peace.

Monitor: Do you see a similar experience happening to those you minister or the students around you in class?

Schweng: I do and I think it is because the gospel is made for everyone. Like I said, the gospel is made for those who are messed up and I believe everyone is messed up in one way or another. It is just that, until you are hurt or until you fail, you don't realize how messed up you are. When the empire of security that you have built for yourself falls, when something gets thrown out of wack like you don't get into the college you want or your girlfriend dumps you or there is some sort of inadequacy, I think that is what opens up a lot of people to see that they really do need change. One of my favorite passages in the Bible is in Matthew 11. Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Even that first line by itself contains a great offer but it only means something if you are tired and worn out and empty.

Even at church, there are people who are there and are comfortable and do gain from their faith and experience joy but there are those who are really in trouble and to them the gospel is like water and they need it everyday.

Monitor: On a less intensely spiritual note, why come to Ohlone now after getting your Master’s?

Schweng: I‘m killing two birds with one stone. I think the Tri-City community is an amazing place.

You‘re not going to find many places in the world where you have a whole bunch of Pakistani Muslims, Indian

Hindus, Indian Sikhs, Chinese Buddhists and, on top of all that, a good amount of secular skeptics all living next door to each other and, often enough, not talking to each other.

And for me to be able to serve and to minister to people spiritually, I need to understand who we all are and Ohlone helps me get to know my neighbors. Last semester I took Intro to Islam, this semester I am taking Eastern Religions and a lot of these courses I did not have to take at my seminary. So I can take these courses close by and I can be around students. I have a heart for college students and I realize how pivotal a time college is in life. It’s a stage in life where you are beginning to make many commitments and are really starting to form a world view.

It is also the phase during which I changed so much.

Monitor: You said you didn’t grow up in a religious family, so what was it like coming to your faith in such a religiously diverse place as California?

Schweng: Well, I see how religion can be a very divisive thing and can be something that further messes up people but I have become more of a loving person because of religion. For me, it has helped me be more humble and to be able to love people a lot more freely. The divisive part is still there for a lot of people though. I will often meet people who don’t like religion, they think that religion just screws up the world and I totally understand that view point but the way I put it is that religion is like sex. More exactly, good religion is like good sex. When you have sex with someone you are deeply committed to you find love, a deep transparency of vulnerability and you find acceptance. Good sex is one of the most wonderful things in the world and I think that is what religion is like. Religion is right, it’s powerful, it’s transforming.

Features

November 16, 2006 monitor

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Devil's Advocate

By Anna Nemchuk Editor-in-chief

Something...

Photo courtesy of Dr. McBride and the Ohlone College Founation

Dr. Gary Smith at the piano and other founding faculty, including Atwell Scruggs, John Towner, Barbara Hendrickson, Florence Reynolds, Cynthia Luckoski, Phil Zahorsky, Karen Rosenbaum, Dave McLaughlin, Tom Harland, and Carroll Tuttle, cir. 1979.

Ohlone College benefactor updates

By Michael Aburas Staff writer Throughout Ohlone’s history the school has received generous donations from individuals and companies to guarantee that students have quality facilities and education. For anyone who has been to the Ohlone campus they may recognize the names Hyman or Smith as buildings, however, it was the generosity of the individuals that earned their names on these buildings.

Morris Hyman, the first president of Fremont Bank, donated more than $500,000 for the building of the Morris and Alvirda Hyman Business and Technology Center, more commonly known as Hyman Hall. To this day, Fremont Bank continues to be a major benefactor of Ohlone. With the cooperation of current Fremont Bank Vice President Gloria Villasana Fuerniss, the bank has donated “this year alone $30,000,” said Dr. Josephine Ong-McBride executive director of the Ohlone College Foundation.

The deaf studies program has seen significant contributions from Carol E. Goodell. Goodell suffered from hearing loss her entire life, according to McBride. After Goodell died, her husband, Charles, decided to support Ohlone’s unique deaf studies programs by creating as endowment in her name, said McBride.

McBride added that the Carol E. Goodell Memorial Scholarship Fund has more than $20,500.

The Smith Center was named after one of Ohlone's founding faculty members, Gary Soren Smith, who donated $500,000 to go toward construction. Smith began as a music instructor, and later became the Dean of Fine and Performing Arts.

Another contributor to Ohlone is Larry Weiner who taught in the Computer Science department from the time he received his MS from U.C. Berkeley to the time of his death from kidney cancer, according to McBrides’s office. Weiner passed away on June 19, 2002, and was still involved with the school, working

as Emeritus Professor even during his illness.

Weiner has donated more than $170,000 and his estate continues to donate money through the foundation.

The Ohlone College Foundation is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501C3 corporation. It was “established to receive and administer private gift and donations to benefit Ohlone College students and enhance the quality of education of Ohlone College” said McBride.

This year Ohlone is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and to celebrate the foundation has been holding a series of events. Earlier this year Fremont Bank and Ohlone College put on a golf tournament called “Life Begins at Fore Tee” and afterwards held a dinner to honor Ohlone alumni former 49ers linebacker Gary Plummer. Fremont Bank currently sponsors the anniversary and “this year alone has contributed over $30,000,” said McBride.

“The foundation is very active because we work with different

academic programs to raise money for their specific needs,” said Dr. McBride.

Not all donations are monetary, as was the case with Ahmed Hashmi’s donation. Hashmi, general manager of Broadsite Wireless, donated $25,000 worth of wireless equipment to the school this semester.

“The prophet Mohammed teaches that if your going to give, give the best,” said Hashmi.

The Foundation provides overall leadership in increasing public awareness to the program support and student scholarships necessary to enhance the quality of education at Ohlone, said McBride.

If someone would like to make a contribution they should contact the foundation at foundation@ohlone. edu or contact the foundation director, Josephine Ong-McBride at (510) 659-7370.

“As the head of the Ohlone college foundation I am grateful to all corporate, major, and individual donors for their contributions. Their generosity has transformed the lives of Ohlone College students.”

New bookstore employee hired

By Frankie Addiego Staff writer This semester, Ohlone College welcomes its all-new bookstore assistant. Her name is Cassandra Harrah, and she joins Ohlone College after a long, distinguished career that includes greater than 27 years in the private sector.

What are Harrah’s duties? Just making sure the very things that you need in your day-to-day studies are well in stock. “In this particular case,” she says,

“I’m in [the] shipping [and] receiving area.” That is to say, Harrah is personally responsible for books you read, the pencils and paper you buy, and the snacks you eat when you purchase them from the bookstore.

Ohlone’s newest bookstore assistant is an alumnus of De Anza College in Cupertino. She has worked in other college bookstores, including the one at UC Santa Cruz. According to Sharon Quintana, who first informed the Monitor about Hurrah’s joining

the campus, “she also worked for a year for a major department store in customer/employee service.”

Will Harrah’s stint mean a shift in direction for Ohlone’s bookstore?

“At this point,” she said, “I’m not making any changes.” She said that she’s, “just getting to know the staff… every college bookstore has its own personality.”

As for what Harrah thinks of the campus, she seems to enjoy it. “[this campus] is nice and small,” she said, “the students are really nice.”

Photo courtesy of the bookstore

Cassandra Harrah

Considering the many thousands of years humans have been around, it's hard to come up with an original problem. Realizing this makes complaining particularly difficult - everything that can go wrong in your life has probably gone so much worse for someone else before you. Cold comfort. And yet, learning from others' mistakes is even harder than changing due to your own.

Today's literature market is flooded with self-help books.

More people walk into the bookstore I work in asking for popular psychology or relationship texts than all the other subjects put together.

We want to understand each other. We say it all the time: about ourselves, "Nobody understands me!" society's miscreants, "He's just misunderstood," our interests, "I simply don't understand her!"

Granted, there are enough self-absorbed asses in the world unconcerned with anyone else's views on life, but generally, to give our race the benefit of the doubt, we do try. We genuinely make an effort.

So why is it so bloody hard?

How can you ever truly know another human being? Most people walk through life never getting to know themselves, much less anyone else. Walk a mile in someone's shoes, goes the saying.

Naïve? Certainly. Possible? That's harder to answer.

Those among us who can project a piece of their soul onto others, can make a human being, if even for one moment, understand another's thoughts and mind, are that luckiest and most cursed thing of all - artists.

The rest are left to slug along as best we can, casting about for friends and lovers in the tide of life, incompetent fisherman with a torn net.

Sometimes…sometimes we catch an enchanted goldfish that offers to fulfill our deepest dreams in return for its freedom.

We believe – and so build castles in the sky. But sometimes the haul is more substantial, which is usually when we throw it back.

You never know what you have 'till it goes.

And then you spend months, years, lives regretting, looking back, feeling completely and utterly helpless because, after all, you can't go back, the past can't be changed and we must all lie in the bed we make.

Bull. Fight. Fight this life, fight yourself, fight anyone and everyone that utters the word impossible. Fight again and again and know that someday you will win.

If there is anything in this world worth fighting for, dying for, living for it is another being – not yourself, not a god, not an ideal – another being. That's what it all comes down to – being human.

Caring for something outside your skin, caring so deeply it burns through you.

6 MONITOR

November 16, 2006

News/Reviews

Creative changes in creative writing

By Michael Aburas Staff writer Ohlone’s creative writing curriculum may be getting an overhaul in the coming semesters with new classes and new programs as English instructor, Carmen Madden, is currently working on plans to expand upon her existing curriculum.

Next semester, Madden will establish a creative writing certificate as she was not able to submit it on time to the Curriculum Committee this semester. Additionally, Madden intends to offer an advanced creative writing course during the winter semester of 2007.

Currently, there are two main creative writing classes: 111A (beginning) and 111B (intermediate). “After that they [the students]

don’t have anywhere to go. I’m hoping that we can eventually offer a creative writing certificate,” said Madden.

For example, Taras Tymoshenko 14, who is working on a novel titled “The Divine Error,” has taken creative writing three times and now must sign up for the class under special projects. Additionally, Creative Writing classes are full at many major universities said Madden.

“They're turning people away.”

Madden expects that attendance will be higher than her current creative writing class. The class would discuss publishing, focus on how to prepare manuscripts and teach students how to become professional writers.

In addition, if she can get the funding, Madden will have professional writers come and speak to her

class about the industry and give clinics on how to write.

Another class that is in development by Madden is a Hip-Hop or Slam poetry class. “Every time I go to a conference that’s the biggest thing going,” said Madden. The class would work on developing poems in a Hip-Hop style. “I like to think of it as free form,” added Madden.

Creative writing has a wide range of writers from the novices to advanced. Students have been as young as 13 and up to around 80 said Madden. One of the requirements in Madden’s writing class is that her students read their work in class.

“It’s not intimidating,” said Susan Mountain, post-neo renaissance artist and student. “Carmen Madden encourages all types of writing- novels, short stories, po-

etry and memoirs in a constructive and friendly classroom situation,” added Mountain The class gives positive feedback and students critiques their peers work in a positive fashion. “Writers need to become comfortable speaking and reading in public because, if they become professionals, they will have to,” said Madden.

Mountain is developing a creative writing web site to post the work of students who take creative writing. “Everyone has a story to tell and utilizing digital tools is a great way to share,” said Mountain.

The site will have student stories and informative links for writers.

Mountain said that the site will be available in the winter of 2007.

In addition to the up and coming site, Madden’s class has made it a tradition to do a public reading

of stories they worked on during the semester. Around a year ago, Madden’s class started at the Ohlone library but, because of a lack of attendance, have moved it to the local Barnes & Noble bookstore.

There is more to getting published than just submitting stories.

“Going to coffee houses is a great way to develop a following and advertise,” said Madden.

Madden’s class on Dec. 5 at 6:30 p.m. will meet at Barnes & Noble on Fremont Boulevard and Mowry next to Starbucks for a public reading. “You can get your latte, saunter on over and listen to excerpts from their works,” said Madden.

Mountain plans to read a short story called “Women’s Movement” about a woman who grows a penis.

“It’s far more humorous than shocking,” said Mountain.

consisting of various styles, ranging from interpretive to ballet to jazz.

The first section, entitled “Getting Pregnant: The Anticipation”, began with bold, almost awkward movements.

Choreographer Madeleine Hoang’s use of Phillip Glass’s famous piano work and stark, jagged colors in the background gave the first part a sense of drama.

Part two, “1st/2nd Trimesters: In the Beginning”, was choreographed by Jana Morris and Jennifer

Scaringe, using music by Franz Schubert. Highlights included a dance examining morning sickness.

Especially notable and eerie was the “dance” depicting a sonogram.

Upstage, lying on small platform, one dancer was in a tight, black body suit, face covered - the others moved slowly, depicting the sonogram’s view of the child.

Further downstage, a dancer covered in a flesh colored sheet showed the baby as it was in its mother’s womb. As the piece began, this

dancer moved and writhed, pushing their face against the sheet.

The third act, “3rd Trimester: Getting Ready”, was punctuated by surreal moments and a dream sequence. Cassie Begley’s choreography really shone through in these parts, making it one of the more telling and interesting sections.

The piece closed with part four: “My Water Broke: Finally!” Using inflatable pools and water onstage, the pain and anxiety of labor are shown with poignancy and style.

The whole piece came to an end with the central dancer giving birth to a healthy baby, losing the weight, as well as the self-consciousness and uncertainty of the pregnancy.

Though the varied dance style and music may not have been accessible to those unfamiliar with performance dance, the piece aptly illustrated the trials of pregnancy and seemed to reflect many of Begley’s own experiences. “My Water Broke!” opened on Friday, Nov 10.

‘My Water Broke’ illustrates pregnancy

By Noah Levin Staff writer Fascinating, slightly bewildering, beautiful, yet bizarre. These words describe both the wonders of pregnancy and the finesse of the Bliss Dance Company’s “My Water Broke!” Bold movements coupled with fluid dance illustrate the travails of pregnancy. Director Cassie Begley found inspiration for the piece in her own pregnancy.

The piece had several dances

Campus Events November 16 Last Day To Drop -- Fall 2006 last day to drop from semester-length courses with a W grade.

All day.

16 Gay/Straight Alliance Club -- In the Smith Center Green Room, Room SC-116, from 2 to 3 p.m.

A student club for gay/ straight/bi/or curious students who meet to talk, make friends and meet like-minded people.

16 UC Application Workshop -- Noon to 12:45 p.m. in Room 7204. Come receive help with your UC applications.

1 6 G re a t A m e r i c a n Smoke-out Event -- 8 to 10 a.m. in the Quad. Be smoke-free for a day, week or lifetime! Come out a grab a free “quit kit” for yourself or friends. Enter a drawing for a free cold turkey by telling them that the Ohlone smoking policy is: smoke-free. Event is free.

16-17 Shanghai Dancers - 8 p.m. in the Jackson Theatre. Direct from Shanghai, this gifted professional dance troupe comes from the highly selective Shanghai Theatre Academy, the “Julliard” of dance in China. Tickets are $15 for students, $25 for adults and can be purchased by visiting the box office or calling (510) 659-6031.

17 Chops Big Band -- 8 p.m. in the NUMMI Theatre. The Chops Big Band, directed by Ken Crowell, is one of the Bay Area’s most sought-after 18-piece Big Bands. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults.

They can be purchased by visiting the box office or by calling (510) 659-6031.

17 Book Club Discussion -- 3 to 5 p.m. in Room 1307. English Professor Mark Brosamer will lead the Book Club’s Fall 2006 discussion of Fast Food Nation, The Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric Schlosser. Copies of the book are on sale in the Library.

sponse to the movie, which will be awarded at a later date. It’s recommended that you leave young children at home due to the graphic nature of this film.

Also, there will be raffle tickets on sale for a silent auction fundraiser, as well as refreshments. Event is free.

18 Women’s Basketball -6:30 p.m. vs. Taft College here at Ohlone.

20 Campus Sustainability Information Day -- 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Quad. Come be informed about progress being made to move toward more sustainable practices. Event is put on by the Human Ecology class who is working on a recycling program, food sustainable practices, gardening with native species and more.

20 Registration Begins -- Spring 2007 registration begins for continuing students.

20 APASA Meeting -- 2:15 to 3:15 p.m. in Room 2201.

The Asian Pacific American Student Association, a club on campus, meets every Monday. Everyone is welcome.

22 MECHA Meeting -- 2 p.m. in Room 8204. Club meets every Wednesday Refreshments are served, everyone welcome.

23-26 Holiday Break - Thanksgiving weekend holiday. No classes.

27 Job Search Workshop -- 10:30 a.m. to Noon in Room HH-115. Come and learn how to write a job-winning resume. You can sign up by going to the Counseling Window, or sending an email to ssc@ ohlone.edu.

28 Last Minute Application Workshop -- 10 a.m. p.m. to 2 p.m. in Room 1405A. Come and get help with last-minute applications.

29 Be an Alliant Bound Scholar: Fast Track Admission Days -- 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Student Success Center Lobby, 4th Floor, Building 1. Admission Days will allow students to be admitted for the Spring 2007 semester on the spot.

Receive information on scholarship awards, gain transcript evaluation, and meet financial aid and academic advisors. Students will need to bring either an official or unofficial transcript or IGETC certification. For more information about event contact Angela Jemmott at (510) 979-7543.

29 Last-Minute Application Workshop -- 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Room 1405A. Come and get help with last-minute applications.

29 Job Search Workshop -- 10:30 a.m. to noon in HH-115. Come and learn interviewing tips. Sign up by going to the counseling window, or send an email to ssc@ohlone.edu.

30 Last-Minute Application Workshop -- 9 a.m. p.m. to 4 p.m. in Hyman Hall Room 118. Come and get help with last-minute applications.

CLASSIFIEDS Sharks Ice is Hiring -- Sharks Ice in Fremont is looking for energetic and motivated Ohlone Students! We are hiring for the following positions: Bartenders, Snack Bar Attendants, Skate Guards, Pro Shop and Cashiers. Apply online at www.sharksice. com or call (510) 6237200 for more information.

programs. We have jobs all over the Bay Area.

Schedules are flexible.We will work around your availability. You pick your days, hours, region and age group! Travel as far as you like, see new cities or stay close to home.

Call CalStaff to schedule your interview @ 650872-7870; 925-522-0102; 866-994-7823 or visit www.californiastaffingservice.com.

HIRING MUSIC TEACHERS -- Are you musically talented and looking for a highpaying part-time job?

We are looking for a few motivated, musicallygifted teachers to help teach weekly music private/group classes in the Cupertino and Fremont area. Looking for teachers in the following areas: String, woodwind, brass, piano/percussion instruments, also conducting, band, composition and voice. If interested, please contact Carol Liu, Director of Joyful Melodies Inc. at (408) 725-9049 or Mail@joyfulmelodies. com.

Hiring Office Help -- An engineering company, located in Fremont, is seeking part-time or full-time office help.

Responsibilities: General office help, assisting with accounts payable/receivable, purchasing, shipping and receiving, matching with purchase orders.

Requirements: Strong or-

November 16, 2006 monitor

7

ganizational and communication skills, reliable and multi-tasked, familiar with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), and QuickBooks is a plus. Send your resume for consideration to tooltekeng@gmail.com.

PIANO AND THEORY LESSONS -Musical Friends. Serious inquires only. For more information please contact Brenda Paddon at (510) 794-7660 or email at brendapaddon@tmail. com.

Hiring mechanical drafter -- An engineering company, located in Fremont, is seeking a part-time or full-time mechanical drafter. Responsibilities: Drafting of par ts and assemblies, working with Bill Of Material and detailed drawings, suppor ting design/engineering depar tment and constructing BOMs. Requirements: Strong organizational and communication skills, reliable and multi-tasked, familiar with AutoCAD, Pro/ENGINEER is a plus. Send your resume to tooltekeng@gmail.com.

Seeking piano instructor -Looking for a person to take piano lessons from.

Must be affordable and in the Fremont area. Must already teach lessons to others. Please call (510) 304-2538.

P R E S CH O O L T EACHE R S & AIDES NEEDED - Do you love working with children? CalStaff is looking for substitutes to work in preschools, daycares & after school

17 MECHA Movie Night -- In Room 2133, from 6:30 to 10 p.m. The film will be Voces Inocentes or Innocent Voices, which depicts the horrors of warfare in El Salvador. We hope the movie will touch everyone and make everyone think.

There will also be a cash prize for the best essay re-

Read the Monitor Online at http://ohlone.edu/org/monitor

The Monitor invites your comments. Letters should be 250 words or less and include your name and relationship to Ohlone. Letters become property of The Monitor and may be edited for spelling and length. Campus Events listings are free for college-related events.

To have your event added or to place an ad, contact Danelle Meyer at (510) 659-6075 or e-mail monitorads@ohlone.edu

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Page 8

Oakland A’s moving to Fremont The Oakland A’s of Fremont?

This could be the new name of the Oakland A’s by 2011.

In a press conference held Tuesday, A’s owner Lew Wolff announced that they have joined forces with Cisco Systems to acquire a 143-acre site in Fremont to be the new home for the Oakland A’s. The ballpark will be named Cisco Field. It will be located on the west side of Interstate 880 off Auto Mall Parkway.

Fremont is 20 miles south of McAfee Coliseum and 12 miles from downtown San Jose. With the population of Fremont over 210,000, it is the fourth largest city in the Bay Area.

Wolff also announced that the name of the team would end in the phrase “of Fremont.” He mentioned a few titles, including The San Jose A’s of Fremont, The Silicon Valley A’s of Fremont, and jokingly said “The Omaha A’s of Fremont.”

This stadium will probably be ready by the 2011 season if Wolff gets approval from the citizens of Fremont and Alameda County for his proposed 34,000-seat ballpark and surrounding village, with a price of $500 million. Construction will take up to 36 months and a start date is hopefully set at 18 months from now.

Wolff’s main goal was to build a new stadium in downtown San Jose. However, that would not

Over time

By RAHUL BATRA Sports writer have worked out, because the San Francisco Giants own the rights to all the land in the South Bay. So, Wolff did the next best thing – move the team a few miles northeast. Wolff has already had tremendous success in real estate development, and he certainly knows how to choose good land to build on. Also, being only a few short miles from San Jose, Wolff will still remain in the Alameda County property lines, which is the A’s territory.

But, besides the financing, there is one question. If there already exists the San Jose Giants, can the A’s really call themselves the San Jose A’s?

That remains to be answered.

Commissioner Bud Selig was on hand at the press conference and has given his blessing of the team moving out of Oakland.

“This is a classic situation of a team that needs to take control of its own destiny, and they’ve done it very, very well,” Selig said. “They did what they had to do. They had no alternative.”

Photos of the proposed design

Artist’s rendition of the proposed A’s stadium to be built in Fremont. have already been displayed all over the Internet. The initial designs of the ballpark have very little foul territory (which is a HUGE difference from McAfee Coliseum), an enormous scoreboard above the centerfield wall and a swimming pool (a la Chase Field in Arizona) by the right field foul pole.

This move has made the A’s General Manager, Billy Beane,

Men’s basketball shuts down DeAnza, 87-79

By Jeff Weisinger Sports editor The mission for the men’s basketball team this year: Win the championship.

After winning last night at home against a tough DeAnza College team 87-79, most would say that the Renegades are on the right track.

The first half showed the Renegades at their top performance.

Led by sophomores Bert Whittington, Giovanni Vernon, Patrick Collier, Renardo Bass and freshman Haridou Coulibaly, Ohlone took an early 27-19 lead halfway through the first half.

However, the Renegades’ play defensively did have its errors, which would lead to a late rally

by DeAnza as they would cut the early deficit to 34-30 with a little bit over three minutes left in the first half.

Ohlone would stand strong and

keep their lead as they went to the locker room at halftime with the lead 42-30.

The Renegades, however, would momentarily stumble out the gates defensively as they would allow DeAnza to begin a comeback early in the second half as the DeAnza Dons scored 20 points on the Ohlone defense in the first five minutes of the second half. Most of those points were scored off free throws from fouls against Ohlone, and off miscues passing the ball

by Ohlone.

However, in the end, Ohlone’s defense would hold strong and the offense would eventually pick up as Ohlone would start a rally of their own, despite the strong showing defensively by the Dons in the second half.

And yet still, despite strong play on both sides of the ball it was still too close to call midway through the second half, with the score 59-55

Ohlone with just over 10 minutes to play.

And then the fun and games were over as it was time for the Renegades to take care of business.

Ohlone would once again step up to the challenge of stopping DeAnza as they stopped another Dons rally late in the second half with just over seven minutes to play.

This rally by DeAnza would, however, be the last as Ohlone would take over once and for all and win the game 87-79.

They will take on Alameda College this Saturday at Alameda at 3 p.m. For them to continue their road back to the playoffs, they have to reduce the little errors that they were making last night against DeAnza, and take advanage of the scoring opportunities off the breakways.

But for right now, this team is on the right track to head back to the playoffs in late February.

extremely happy. Beane hopes that a new ballpark will bring in more revenue for the team. That, in turn, will allow the A’s to increase their payroll and spend more money to acquire top performers. It will allow them to sign players to long-term contracts, which they couldn't do with players such as Jason Giambi, Miguel Tejada, Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson because their value had

gone up too much to keep them.

Oakland ranked 26 out of 30 in attendance last season, averaging 24,000 per game, the lowest of any playoff team.

The A’s have played in Oakland since 1968 and have won four World Series titles since then, second only to the New York Yankees. Hopefully, this move will allow the A’s to get back to the World Series.

Photo by Jeff Weisinger

Jermaine Smith takes a shot against DeAnza as teammate Renardo Bass looks on.