Baseball wins over break – Page 8
African Sanctus review – Page 2
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Fremont, California
Vol. XXXVI No. 9
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Israel speaker retains hope By JEROME ENGELBERTS Editor-in-chief
Dr. Noel Kaplowitz addresses the crowd on the issue of the Israeli-Palestine conflict from the viewpoint of Israel. Photo by Mojhgan Mohtashimi.
New campus bids exceed budget By JEROME ENGELBERTS Editor-in-chief Earlier this week, President Doug Treadway explained that the bids for the new construction on the Newark campus have come in a cool $5 million higher than anticipated in the original budget. This may sound ominous, but when one considers how real estate values, old and new, have increased in the Bay Area, the higher figure is pretty much a given. Of course, this should be no surprise as the original budget was developed in 2002 and construction prices have increased across the board, but it does warrant that the Board approve the larger expense. On the upside, since all the bonds have been sold, and the money, all $150 million of it, is sitting in the treasury, the accumulating interest alone will certainly cover the extra money needed. It’s not like the col-
lege will have to scramble for an extra buck or two. On the potential downside, the bids for the concrete haven’t come in yet, and with the ongoing increase in construction costs, that may well be another expensive surprise. President Treadway seems pretty confident that the increase is more of a “bump in the road” than a real problem. Another topic in Wednesday’s board meeting is a proposed study session on shared government, meant to enlighten everyone on the fact that the board is not an autonomous entity and, in fact, shares authority and has to consult with the faculty, students and administration in each decision-making process. Apparently, many people around campus are under the impression that what the board announces is as good as law. Continued on Page 6
Wednesday's World Forum featured the second lecture on the Israel/Palestine conflict. It was presented by the lively and at times humorous Dr. Noel Kaplowitz who enlightened the audience on the Israeli side of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. Dr. Kaplowitz, who lectures at UC Davis, received his Ph.D. from Columbia University in Political Science and International Relations and has taught International Relations and Middle East Affairs at UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC Davis. In the course of his research, he has interviewed many Arab and Israeli leaders and officials, asking them about their national self-images and their respective perceptions of the other side. He has published in a variety of professional and peerreviewed journals, and appeared on the NPR radio show The Commonwealth Club. Before starting his presentation, Dr. Kaplowitz pointed out that to truly attempt to explain the conflict at hand he would need a time allocation counted in years, not hours, to do the subject matter justice. He then went briefly into some historical background to establish the basics of the clash. Enthusiastically, he tried to con-
vey the idea of “Jewishness” as a cultural rather than necessarily a religious concept, and to explain that partly because of worldwide assimilation the idea of being Jewish is being eroded - which to him is one reason to have a claim to a Jewish state that would guarantee that the Jewish culture could and would flourish. According to Kaplowitz, in spite of what the general public seems to think, many Jews do not feel that they have a “God-given” right to be in Israel, preferring instead an “existential” argument that alludes more to a “right to life.” He stated that claims in terms of legal rights are hard to establish, since many of the same people have lived in the area, on and off, for thousands of years. “If there had been a state of Israel, millions of Jews would still be alive today,” he said, referring to the effects the Holocaust had on the world population of Jews. Of course, the rub is that both Jews and Palestinians feel that they have a primordial claim to the land, and the wars of ‘48, ‘56, ‘67, and ‘73 made it all too plain that all parties involved feel very strongly about their right to be there. Dr. Kaplowitz lists three main obstacles that have made the peace process fail so far: first, there’s the Continued on Page 3
Car ablaze in parking lot
Fremont firefighers take control of the situation as student Adam Reeves' Ford Bronco smolders in Parking Lot M after being on fire Tuesday afernoon. Fire by Mojhgan Mohtashimi.
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Opinion
monitor March 30, 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 2005 2000 2004
Editor in chief: Jerome Engelberts Anna Nemchuk News editor: Opinion editor: Omer Ahmed Features editor: Joyce Leung Sports editor: Nick Zambrano Photo editor: Mojhgan Mohtashimi Investigative Reporter: Sean G. Crawford Staff writers: Frankie Addiego, Naomi Balagot, Rahul Batra, Morgan Brinlee, Thomas Hsu, Ira Lazo, Chris Marshall, Danelle Meyer, Gabriel Vila Ad Staff: Frankie Addiego Photographers: Wayne Chow, Jerome Engelberts, Rostislav Tsvetanov Graphic Staff: Wayne Chow, Jason Montalvo, Chirag Patel, Ying Yam Ad manager: Danelle Meyer Adviser: Bill Parks Printer: F-P Press
Typical Ohlone student’s spring break: WOO!!!
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
Israel/Palestine: Who has the claim to the land? By OMER AHMED Opinion Editor
At this point in history, we are seeing a people, Palestinians, being displaced by newer people, Jews, who have set up a legally recognized state in the area. While this is not rare in the grand scheme of things, the fact that the world’s attention is focused on the conflict makes the case unique.
Siberia was occupied first by Yeniseians who were displaced by the Ugro-Samoyedes who were then overcome by the Khakas and the Uyghurs. The Mongols came, simply destroyed everything and left Siberia for the Russians. People conquer, remove and displace other people all the time. History can be viewed as a never-ending series of conquest and displacement. Israel/Palestine is no different.
The earliest confirmed inhabitants of the area, the Mousterian Neanderthals, lived back in 200,000 BCE Skipping the Kebarans, the Natufians, and the Yarmukians, there were still the Canaanites that are mentioned in the Torah and the Bible. Deuteronomy 7:1 states that the Jews drove out the Canaanites and the 596th mitzvoth or Jewish commandment calls for the destruction of any and all Canaanite
nations. So even the Jews have done their share of displacement. The “first come, first served” argument doesn’t really work, unless you want to track down the descendants of the Kebarans or the Canaanites and hand over the land to them. There will be prior indigenous people pretty much anywhere you go. The Ainu came before the Japanese, the Basque before the Spanish, the Estrucians before the Greeks and
so on and so forth. So what actually makes up a viable claim to a land? Especially when so many have claims? When thinking about the issues, we have to remember that all claims to Israel/Palestine are controversial. Some people were living there already; should they be allowed to run the state? The Jews have wanted to return ever Continued on Page 6
Judaism: a sense of one’s people, not of a God By ANNA NEMCHUK News editor I do not believe in God. Yet I am a Jew. I am agnostic, but I light the menorah and receive little chocolate coins from my family for Chanukah. Judaism is something I was born into. I do not perceive myself as being therefore superior to those who were not, but I do feel special. Honored. Proud to call my own a people that have endured so long and so gracefully a persecution that swept millennia in so many exquisitely cruel ways.
The first time I truly felt myself to be Jewish was in a synagogue, the warming chords of an ancient hymn swirling about me as I pretended to read the pretty curlicues on the page in front of me. That music, the notes plaintive and powerful, ancient and filled with a calmness beyond strife, licked around me, wove into my brain, called to something deep and buried inside, what felt almost like a racial memory. In communist Russia, one did not have a religion. Rather, the state was your God. None of my family are truly pious, but most feel a...something, that there must probably be something, whether it be single being or
magnetic energy field, something higher and truer and wiser and kinder. In third grade, my classmates did not understand how I could be Jewish culturally, not religiously. I was either Jewish or Christian - how could I be an agnostic Russian Jew? In fact, agnostic was a term I didn’t encounter until years later. If I had to pick a religion to affiliate myself with, Wicca would be it. The worship of nature, the revelry taken in things green and growing, in fire and water, wind and the earth, in life itself - there is nothing more sacred I could think of. And yet I am Jewish. And though I may never set foot on its scarred surface, the knowledge that Israel,
the home of my people, exists, is as a fire in the dark: heated, comforting, beckoning. It has been pointed out to me that many people have suffered greatly over the thousands of years of recorded history; many were wiped out completely, a few paltry pots and combs unearthed in archaeological digs being all that remains. To that I answer with the Holocaust. More than 6 million Jews perished in the hell that was Europe then, not to mention almost equal that number of other minority groups like homosexuals and gypsies, most of them civilians. Why? Because one man decided he had a very big axe to grind and
Jews were the perfect whetstone. Yes, it was stopped eventually. But why not sooner? Instead of priding themselves as the saviors, Allies could be ashamed, bitterly ashamed of themselves for the myriads of lives they could have saved had they stepped in earlier. America the brave? Why did America wait? Israel, a place to settle for an exhausted rest, a corner to lick their wounds in private, a home where they might not be dragged out of their beds at night and forced to watch their children slaughtered, a haven of hope, something tangible finally admittedly their own, is welldeserved and long, long overdue.
Campus Comment > > >
Should the World Series include international teams?
Meredith Ang Kinesiology “Yes, and they should include a women’s softball World Series.”
Aaron Lewis Business Management “We already have The World Baseball Classic which is like baseball Olympics.”
Eric Henghold Kinesiology “No, we have The World Baseball Classic. It's good enough.”
BrIAn Deburr Psychology “Yes, it should include world wide baseball teams.”
Isabel Ramos Business “Yes, all baseball teams should have the right to qualify if they call it 'The World Series’.”
News/Opinions
March 30, 2006 MONITOR
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The Middle East a conflict of two rights Continued from Page 1 issue of Jerusalem being a location of great importance to religious Jews and Muslims, both of whom feel strongly about their freedom to worship. With the Dome of the Rock and the West Wall (also known as the “Wailing Wall”) attracting many worshippers, it’s easy to see why the two parties would like to claim Jerusalem as exclusively theirs. Secondly, there is the issue of the return of displaced Palestinian Arabs who fled in 1948. According to the Israelis, recognizing their plight and giving them or their descendants the right to return is tantamount to opening the floodgates to an unmanageable influx of people who in turn will threaten the prevalence of a Jewish
way of life. It would also be assuming the fault for an action Israel did not commit - the voluntary evacuation of some Palestinians. The third obstacle is, according to Kaplowitz, that the failed peace process so far has spawned a new strategy: the strategy of total disengagement which involves complete unilateral withdrawal from the settlements on the part of the Israelis. Recent parliamentary elections in Israel of the Kadima party have decisively put the proponents of this strategy in power. After having been asked by a member of the audience whether he feels that the recent election of Hamas in Palestine will create more conflict and acts of violence, Dr. Kaplowitz said that he feels
By FRANKIE ADDIEGO Staff writer
“Australia actually has a very high illiteracy rate.” In other news, the board addressed the tuberculosis screenings that might become necessary for the trip and many other things relating to the International Studies Task Force. After Tom Blank, the head of the drama department, related a story about how a student exposed him and others to tuberculosis, the Task Force discussed the matter. “We don’t require any screening for international students,” said Professor Allison Hill. However, even though testing for the disease is not mandated by federal or state law, President Doug Treadway said, “There’s nothing to prevent us from having our own requirement for testing.” The task force will be holding another meeting on April 26. They are in the planning process for future trips to Japan and/or India.
Sydney trip raises medical questions With at least eight students already signed up and paid for, the International Education/Multicultural Task Force’s upcoming trip to Australia looks like it will be a great success. Recently, Task Force Member Mikelyn Stacey traveled to Sydney on a “familiarization trip” which included visiting the university students will be studying at and exploring the immediate area. “They have all kind of events planed for students,” she said. According to Stacey, Sydney offers a very relaxed atmosphere. She said that one phrase used frequently by the locals that sums up the general feeling is “no worries.” As to whether or not students will have to worry about being ashamed of what grammatical skills they may not possess, Stacey said,
Tax breaks from tuition By JEROME ENGELBERTS Editor-in-chief If you are getting ready to file your taxes like so many of your fellow students, (Remember, if you're not e-filing, your forms must be postmarked April 15.) you might be interested to know that the IRS in many cases will allow you to deduct some of your educational cost off your income. For those of us who have jobs that don’t pay all that well, this is good news and should be taken advantage of. If you use tax-filing software, this is a fairly painless process. The software will walk you through the part of the process that determines if you are eligible for deductions, and explains for which items this does or does not apply. If you’re filing via the forms-and-pencil method, you may want to do some “light” reading through some of the IRS’s documentation. The information you want is contained in forms P970 and F8863, both of which can be downloaded from the IRS web site at www.irs. gov as .PDF files. You should also
visit www.irs.gov//faq-kw52.html to avoid having to plow through all 82 pages of form P970, unless you’re a glutton for punishment. In many cases, you can write off tuition - and at $26 per unit, or $151 if you’re not a resident, that has a way of adding up. Textbooks are a different matter, as the IRS only allows you to write off expenses that are compulsory. In other words, unless the school makes it mandatory for you to buy the textbook and won’t allow you to register for a class if you don’t have the book(s), you probably cannot write them off. On the other hand, issues like obligatory lab equipment rental and things along those lines may very well be allowed. It can only be recommended that you do the probably annoying, but potentially rewarding reading so you have all the information you need. Just think along the lines of: 2 semesters at 15 units each could provide you with a minimum writeoff of $780.00 And no, the IRS will not pay for your parking tickets...
that Hamas is willing to talk in an attempt to resolve the conflict. He also said that a solution can only be reached once everyone involved realizes that the possibility of the Middle East going up in flames because of this conflict is a very real one, (Israel alone has over 200 nuclear bombs.) and should be avoided at all cost. “It is a conflict of two rights,” he stated, making the point that each party believes that they are fundamentally right. But they still have to find a middle ground to avoid everyone losing. When asked, Dr. Kaplowitz predicted that this resolution is not likely to arrive in the near future, but he has faith that the conflict can be resolved eventually.
Dr. Noel Kaplowitz takes time during intermission to talk with Ohlone students. Photos by Mojhgan Mohtashimi.
Board raises student health center fee by $1 By OMER AHMED Opinion editor Ohlone’s Board of Trustees has raised the Student Health fee from $14 to $15. The fund generated by the $1 increase will help support the Student Health Center which has undergone massive budget cuts, staff reduction and decreased capacity in the past year. The option to raise the fee was only available recently due to Education Code Section 76355. The law allows for an increase of fees when inflation has increased significantly, which it had by June 2005. The new fee will be charged from Summer 2006 and on. The Associated Students of Ohlone College (ASOC) gave its support to the fee increase on Tuesday and Student Board of Trustee Member Tristan Tilma said, “We are in full support of this measure.” The ASOC has been in support of raising health fees in the past. Director of Admissions & Records Ron Travenick explained
the importance supporting the Student Health center saying, “Our Health Center really needs this to continue to provide [students] with their services. It’s really one of the services that we should be more proud of.” Due to previous cutbacks, the Student Health Center had to release half of its staff, stop STD testing, reduce its hours and close on Fridays. The center also provided primary care for many students and is believed to have a positive effect on enrollment numbers. Some Ohlone students have expressed their reasons for attending as stemming for a very large part from the benefits of the extremely low-cost health care. Most of its services are provided by contract with Washington Hospital. The raise in cost would be covered for students who receive federal financial aid and is not expected to impact students significantly. Faculty Senate President Barbara Tull said, “A dollar more is not enough to hurt students and gives
a lot to them.” The board voted unanimously in favor of the fee increase. The board also unanimously voted to increase the budget of the Ohlone College Newark Center for Health Sciences and Technology to a total of $99,239,687. The budget increase was not deemed a problem because interest accrued on already available funds will be enough to cover the budget increase. Vice President of Business Services Deanna Walston said, “As of the end of February, we have accrued a total of $3 million... within the next five to ten months, we should have accrued the $5 million.” The board voted to approve the latest construction bids for the project after confirming the budget. The vote was 5 to 1 on the first part and 5 to 0 for the second part. Trustee Member John Weed voted against the bids in the first vote and abstained in the second vote, both time due to concerns over fair pricing and a lack of competitive bidding.
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Features
monitor March 30, 2006
HD DVDs: the future is clearer than ever before By Omer Ahmed Opinion editor The age of digital television is nigh, though slightly delayed. The first High Definition DVD (HD DVD) players were to be released on March 28 but have now been delayed until April 11. The Bluray disc player, HD DVD’s main alternative, will be released on May 23 and all TV stations will be required to switch to digital signals in 2009. The new HD DVD players will initially be available in two models made by Toshiba, the developer of the new format. The standard HDA1 model will cost $499.99 and the deluxe HD-XA1 model will be sold at $799.99. This release comes 10 years after the release of the first DVD players in March of 1996. The HD DVDs will hold either 15 or 30 gigabytes. For comparison, a typical DVD holds 4.7. The first HD DVD title to be released will include “Batman Begins,” “The Last Samurai” and “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.” The discs will be able to hold high definition video that appears much more clearly than DVDs or standard TV programs when played on High
Illustration by Ying Yam and Chirag Patel Definition TV sets. Standard TV signals display a picture separated into 240 effective lines and DVDs display 480 lines. HD video has 720 lines minimum and can have as many as 1,080. The more lines there are, the clearer the picture becomes. To access these new picture standards, consumers will eventu-
ally have to make a choice in the coming months. Similar to the VHS/Betamax format war that occurred in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, HD DVD will be facing stiff competition from its alternate, the Sony Blu-ray Disc. These discs will hold either 25 or 50 gigabytes and an experimental 200-gigabyte disc has been produced.
HD DVD has the advantage of being released earlier, possibly being cheaper and having Microsoft back it up; but the customers will eventually decide which format will stay by voting with their dollars. One way or another, TV is changing. On Feb. 8, 2006, President George W. Bush signed the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 into law.
The bill made it so that all current non-digital stations would have to make their broadcasts digital before Feb. 17, 2009. All non-digital TV, which is majority of TVs, will be unable to process the new TV signals. The only option at that point would be to buy a new digital TV or to buy a set-top box that would convert the signal. More and more stations, including Ohlone’s ONTV 28, are offering digital versions of their broadcasts in anticipation of the coming change. Ohlone Director of Television Services Gary Kauf said, “Everything you see on Channel 28 is already all digital.” He also explained that the change to digital would also bring significant changes to television as a whole. Stations will no longer be able to hold prominent places within the limited number of station spaces available. Digital television will allow many more channels and give more companies a chance for exposure. “It will level the entire playing field,” said Kauf. Whether by switching to digital broadcast or selling new high definition video, television is changing and you, the consumer, will have to choose how to accept it.
Will America regret its current history? State of Illusion By Chris Marshall Staff writer If there are historians around in 50 or 100 years, one has to wonder what viewpoint they will take on the present-time United States. Will we been seen as the enforcer of justice and the bringer of good so many in our government so righteously believe? Or will we be seen as something else, something surrounded by regret, remembered as something many try to forget? The rust-colored hands of the United States are stained with the blood of many. America has moreor-less been constantly involved in some form of military conflict since the beginning of the twentieth century, ever since the abandonment
of the isolationist foreign policy and a shift toward foreign intervention. The list of wars, conflicts, interventions, etc. is staggering: The Spanish-American War, The U.S.-Philippine War, our intervention in the rebellion in Panama, the so-called “Banana Wars” in Central America, World War I, U.S. involvement in the Russian Civil War, World War II, the Cold War, the Korean War, Vietnam, interventions in Lebanon and the Dominican Republic, the Iranian Hostage Crisis, the U.S.Libya Conflict, Lebanon again in 1982, the U.S. invasion of Grenada, involvement in Panama again in ‘89, Gulf War I, Somalia, Bosnia, the U.S. occupation of Haiti, Kosovo, Afghanistan in 2001 and finally the current war in Iraq, also known as Gulf War II. That was a mouthful. I have to admit, war is a necessary evil for mankind to perpetuate. However, not every war is justified, and those fought by the U.S. are no
exception. Many of the conflicts fought over the past century, especially those in Central American countries, have been engaged in for selfish reasons on the U.S.’s part. While I don’t like the idea of a justified war, I have to admit it exists. Justice, I believe, is one of those few end-in-itself type of ideals, something that is universal and should always be sought after. War in the pursuit of true justice -- not justice as defined by 20 people in our government -- can be justified. The U.S. however, strives for justice through foreign intervention in a very selective manner. Justice is not organizing and backing coups in Central American countries because the democratically elected leader subscribes to communist ideals; justice should have been stopping the genocide in Rwanda or the slaughter of Jews in Germany. The United States takes a more pragmatic stance on the enforcement of justice.
Don’t get me wrong, I do not hate America. In fact, I rather trust America. I just don’t trust the government. At one time I believed all politicians had a personal agenda, something in the background that drove their political decision-making. This belief went away with the current administration since I fail to see how anyone’s agenda in our government could involve running our country into the ground. Some believe in the current quagmire that our government came about simply because Bush is surrounded by “yes men.” While possible, I think anyone who has the resources to surround him/herself with people proficient at agreeing would also surround him/herself with talented spin doctors, something this administration is sorely lacking. Our government is devoid of spin right now, almost making one yearn for the days when our
president questioned the definition of the word “is.” Others argue the current administration is full of corrupt and evil men. I find this to be implausible because multiple instances of corruption tend to cancel each other out. Corrupt people seem to always be working toward their own ends, and view other corrupt people as competition. The part of me which enjoys the whimsical and the odd wants to believe there is something wicked and mischievous pulling the strings in our government. Not evil per say, just something whose nature is to be a trouble-maker. I can imagine Robin Goodfellow dancing jigs around the president, whispering waggish ideas and sowing the seeds of trouble. The notion of a sprite, a faerie, wearing a three-piece suit is quite amusing. Also, Puck in the midst of our government would explain why Bush is such an ass.
Chalkdust & Friends Ohlone professors by day, hard rocking musicians by night. Jeff O’Connell, left, and Mark Brosamer make a rare appearance along with some special guests at the Nummi Theatre Friday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m. Their band, Chalkdust, have only played in a handful of shows since its birth eight years ago though that’s not too surprising since both still have a day job. They are, however, still waiting to be discovered. For more information on the concert, contact Professor O’Connell at 979-7439. Admission is $5 with proceeds going to the Speech and Music departments.You can also visit Chalkdust on MySpace: www.myspace.com/chalkdustband. From the looks of it the band is in dire need of friends and fans to add, with not enough people to even fill their Top 8. Photo by Nick Zambrano
Features
March 30, 2006 monitor
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African Sanctus celebrates unity through music By Mojhgan Mohtashimi Photo editor When experienced live, African Sanctus is a trip, an ingenious integration of music and culture, Mass and Maasai. Composer/ethnomusicologist, David Fanshawe blends traditional African music, recorded while traversing up the river Nile, with music from the Latin Mass. It includes a 43-member choir, a rock ‘n’ roll band, a pianist and an assortment of drums. The Ohlone Chamber Singers, led by Chorale Conductor Dennis Keller took on the 13-movement ensemble on Saturday, March 18 at the Smith Center in front of a full house. President Doug Treadway, dressed in festive attire, also took part in the performance as one of the bassists. In a presentation before the performance, Fanshawe prepared the audience for the hour-long musical extravaganza with sample recordings and photographs while explaining the history behind African Sanctus. “The room will be filled with sound tonight,” said Fanshawe before an anticipative crowd. “You’re going to feel this as much as you’re going to hear this.”
Fanshawe then introduced the audince to Master Ethnic drummer Ibrahim N’gom, who added intensity to the overall rhythm of the Sanctus with intoxicating drumbeats. Paying homage to the people in Africa who shared their music with him, Fanshawe broke out in a tribal dance while N’gom gave the audience a taste of what they were up for. Opening with music from North Uganda’s “Bwala” dance, Fanshawe and the chamber singers welcomed the audience with a score that complimented the accompanying Bwala ostinato. African Sanctus can best be described as an amalgam of unique sounds: the delightful, celebratory rhythms from an Egyptian wedding; the ringing of bells by a Hadanduan woman announcing the birth of a newly born son; the fervant recitations of the Koran by Sudanese boys. These movements are then transfused with the voices from the choir, transitioning from one to the other with the occasional interjection sound of an equatorial thunderstorm or a myriad of croaking frogs from the southern swamps of the Nile. One of the more notable movements combined the hair-raising Azan, an Islamic call to prayer, with
the powerful sounds of the Kyrie, a prayer often sung in Christian liturgy. According to the program notes, this combining of faiths through music “emphasized the musical relationships that do exist between Muslims and Christians.” “These are two great faiths,” said Fanshawe during an interview prior to the performance. “I find a commonality in the roots of the languages, thus I can combine it musically and create one music to one God.” African Sanctus received a standing ovation and ended with a spectacular encore to Finale and Gloria. The audience members were prompted by drummer N’gom to partake in the festivities and dance to the final score. In an exciting conclusion, audience members Anthony Ekeruo, a village chief from Nigeria, and his wife Jeanette Ekeruo, joined N’gom on stage and danced while the crowd applauded them on. As far as the audience was concerned, Sanctus was a hit. The brilliantly arranged composition, fused with an angelically sounding choir and invigorating ethnic drums, beautifully rendered Fanshawe’s pilgrimage. It was a truly far-out experience.
From top right: Master Ethnic drummer Ibrahima N'gom beats rhythmically on West African drums, Composer David Fanshawe breaks out in dance and Nigerian tribal chief Anthony Ekeruo and wife Jeannette join the festivities on stage. Photos by Mojhgan Mohtashimi
Student Repertory Theatre hits its stride By Sean G. Crawford Investigative reporter Ohlone College’s Department of Theater and Dance raised the proverbial bar with its spring Student Repertory Company production of “One Acts (in a box).” Ohlone’s theater department has consistently improved and evolved over the years; however, since the spectacular 2003 production of “Dracula”, the department has been making leaps and bounds, rather than, merely evolving (a time-consuming process). The recent production of “The Laramie Project” and the current production of “One Acts (in a box)” are indicative of an exciting trend-- Ohlone’s Theater and Dance department hitting its stride. The Student Repertory Company, composed of students pursuing a range of theater-art related avenues of study, is due an exuberant “kudos” for their dedication to enhanc-
ing Ohlone’s theater program. This consolidated horde of student-thespians and other likeminded individuals puts up two bills of one-act plays every spring, directed by students of the previous semester’s TD-119, Directing for the Stage. The second set of oneacts will also include some of the winning one-act entries from the 12th Annual High School Theater Festival, according to the playbill. The experience of the directors, crew and cast played a large role in the delightful execution of the firstbill’s performances. The second bill, however, may suffer for including a less seasoned collection of actors. While mixing Ohlone’s moderately seasoned Student Repertory Company with a motley collection of high school theater-hoodlums may sound like an interesting pitch for a TV movie...it does not necessarily make for good theater. But, that is a bridge we will cross at a later time.
For now, the Student Repertory Company is still able to bask in the light of success, much like Ohlone student Salem Barner’s character in the first one-act, “Nobody Famous.” Barner takes on the role of a struggling actress, gifted by a fortune-teller with the potential to become famous. The cast did an excellent job keeping the piece light, without succumbing to the dark temptation of being frivolously inane although the costuming was a little frivolous. Not that I am complaining, mind you, but the two main characters were not wearing enough to ward off pneumonia...which can be distracting. Moving on. “The Sniper” was a somber follow-up to the show’s opening burlesque, delving into the aftermath of a military sniper’s life, which was ruined by a female reporter he trusted. This piece radiated a contemporary quality, which worked well with
the subject matter. Also, the casting of student, Kamran Alexander was inspired. The wounded bravado, intensity, and I must admit, roguish charm, were pivotal for the one-act’s success. During the last week of rehearsals, the other half of the cast, student Stacey Raab injured her knee. Her injury could have derailed the show but much to her director’s relief, she was able to perform. “Stacey was there to rock and roll, knee brace and all...She was a rockstar,” said Director (and Monitor sports editor) Nick Zambrano. “Only in the Library” was the third one-act in rotation and was James Devreaux Lewis’s fourth directorial endeavor. His talent was evident; the complicated piece was technically and aesthetically a triumph. Although, the blocking may have sapped some of the play’s lifeblood, it just felt a little too stiff. Thornton Wilder’s “Children”
rounded out the playbill- saving the best for last. Director A.J. Hamilton should be commended on his casting if nothing else; performances across the board were nearly flawless. The slapstick humor of student Patrick Hoban, affectionately known as “Chach” was always a welcome treat. However, student Drew Raboy was by far the strongest link throughout the four one-acts. His acting talent is clearly evident, but more importantly, it is not oppressive. Raboy has a dominant stage presence, which would allow him to steal any number of scenes, but his maturity and restraint, two aspects of his acting talent, carry the day. The first bill of “One Acts (in a box)” may be over, but excluding the possibility of high school, future-art-school dropouts ruining the next bill, which will run later in the semester from May 11-13, I think it may be just as thoroughly satisfying as its predecessor.
6 MONITOR
News
March 30, 2006
Bio-medical Brown Bag Delays solved Continued from Page 1 This impression may stem from the way things were done in the past but, according to Treadway, this is no longer the case. The study session will serve to help inform all parties involved as to how the process actually works. Lastly, in the ongoing process of the real estate development adjacent to Mission Boulevard it seems that two issues that were causing delay have been resolved; the baseball field that was potentially going to interfere with additional parking space will now in all likelihood be added to the Newark campus, and the maintenance building will probably be redesignated and incorporated into the new construction plans. In other words, things are moving forward, but since all of this is still a work in progress, updates should be expected with some frequency.
Middle East issues Continued from Page 2 since the Romans destroyed their temple; should they be allowed to rule the land? There are groups in sub-Saharan Africa that claim to the descendants of the Jewish temple priest and have DNA evident to back this up. Should one of them be made de facto prime minister of Israel? How can one group control the land that three of the world’s largest religions have claim to? That said, the Jewish people definitely have a right to exist and the argument that they need a homeland to protect themselves is not a weak one. Even before the state of Israel was declared, there was the Jewish Autonomous Oblast in Russia. However, that was neither
their own state nor was the land holy to the Jews. The Christians have the Vatican where St. Peter died and the Muslims have Mecca where Mohammad destroyed the pagan idols in the shrine of the Khabba. Even the Rastafarians are pretty comfortable in Jamaica, where their religion started. It makes all the sense in the world for the Jewish people to have a land they can call their own physically and spiritually. Unfortunately, there are no easy solutions, few agreeable points and many emotions involved. Our world has only a limited capacity and the Jewish people could use a nation on it. Wherever else they go, someone is going to be against them.
By Chris Marshall Staff writer
Biomedical engineering was the advertised topic of the Math, Science, and Technology Division’s most recent Brown Bag seminar, held this past Tuesday. Hosted by Sunny Shah and Supreet Singh, two Ohlone alumni and current seniors at UC Davis, the seminar focused not only on bioengineering, but the UC Davis experience in general. “Davis is a great school for study in the sciences,” said Shah. “It is a big research university and offers great premed experiences with the UC Davis Medical Center. The biology, genetics and engineering majors are top-notch.” Shah said, “Davis also offers great undergraduate opportunities for those interested in graduate school or medical school. The science professors are always doing research, so many undergrads have the chance to work in independent labs.” UC Davis also offers the Undergraduate Research Conference, where undergraduates get together to share their research data and experiences. This conference can lead to publishing opportunities, including a couple of scientific journals, said Shah. Davis also offers access to many of the major scientific periodicals in any of the numerous libraries on campus and South Hall is a center for available internships
and research opportunities. The talk was then turned over to Singh, who talked about the specific student engineering programs Davis offers. In terms of research money, UC Davis receives about $75 million annually, said Singh. Davis offers three specific engineering majors: biomedical engineering, optical engineering and computational science. Singh said 89% of undergraduates who declare engineering as a major get their bachelor’s. A multitude of student engineering projects are available at Davis, including participation in the DARPA Grand Challenge, a race for remote-controlled, full-sized cars along a 175-mile track in the Mojave Desert. Handing things back over to Shah, the topic turned to biomedical engineering. Shah and Singh will be among the first batch of undergraduate students at UC Davis to receive a bachelor’s in biomedical engineering. Shah said biomedical engineering is basically a synergy between the fields of medicine and engineering, where the focus is on creating new devices to use in the field of medicine. Shah said biomedical engineering encompasses many things, including sports injuries and in-vitro cell studies. To facilitate all the biomedical engineering studies, Davis offers the largest student clean room in the United States, an imaging facility with a cyclotron, an MRI facility
and a MicroPET scanner. Shah then showed examples of research done at Davis such as images of a breast CT scanner in development to replace mammography machines. Singh then talked about the bioinformatics studies done at Davis. “There is a lot of research into developing mathematical and computer models for biological functions, as well as algorithms,” said Singh. Singh said there is also research in musculoskeletal bioinformatics, such as how to stimulate paralyzed muscles. The topic then shifted to the Senior Design Project required by the biomedical engineering major. “The Senior Design project is a required research project that offers real-world and industry experience and looks good on a résumé,” said Singh. The topic of Singh’s senior design project is microwave tumor ablation, which involves “cooking” a tumor with microwaves, research that can really help improve cancer technology. Shah said his Senior Design Project involves studying endothelial cells on a slide to help determine what goes wrong in the body during atherosclerosis, also know as a heart attack. The next Brown Bag seminar entitled, “SuperCities and SuperGrids: Teratechnology Energy Societies for an Exajoule World,” and hosted by IBM employee Dr. Paul Grant, will take place on Friday, April 7 at 1 p.m. in Room 3201. As always, free refreshments will be served.
Campus Events (510) 659-6110.
March 31 Men and Women's Swimming -- 2 p.m. vs. Chabot/Fullerton College at Ohlone. 31 Highschool Theatre Festival Art Show -- All day in the Smith Center. This year during the annual High School Theater Festival the gallery will present selected artworks of the talented high school creatives participating in the teenage festival. Come and watch high school students compete for trophies and awards. 31 A Latin Experience: Benefit Dinner -- 6 to 10 p.m., at Newark Pavilion 6430 Thorton Ave, Newark. Put on by the Ohlone College Foundation, come and support the underrepresented students in the biosciences with an evening of food, friends and festivity. Beginning with a complimentary wine reception and later a Latin feast, this evening ends with pulse-racing Latin dancing. For more information and tickets call (510) 659-6020.
April 1 Highschool Theatre Festival Art Show --Competition Finals. All day in the Smith Center. Come watch the amazing finals full of seniors many who will be at Ohlone next year. 1 Silent Film Event -- 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum at 37417 Niles Boulevard, Fremont. Show includes How Jones Lost his Roll, The Love Nest and others with Greg Pane playing the piano. There is a suggested donation of $5. Silent films play every Sat., night. 4 Gay/Straight Alliance Club-- In the Smith Center, Room SC-116, from 3 to 4 p.m. A student club for gay/straight/bi/or curious students who meet to talk, make friends and meet likeminded people. 4 Men's Baseball -- 2 p.m. vs. DeAnza College at Ohlone. 4 Women's Softball -- 3 p.m. vs. Cabrillo College at Ohlone. 5 Transfer Event: UC San Diego -- Meet with rep Erica Quintor between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Make an appointment by visiting the counseling window in Building 1 or by calling
5 Campus Tour -- 4 p.m. in the lobby of Building 1. The Ohlone College Student Ambassadors conduct campus tours the first and third Wednesday of every month. Wear a pair of comfortable shoes for walking around the campus. This event is free. 6 Women's Softball -- 3 p.m. vs. San Jose City College at Ohlone. 7 Brown Bag Seminar -- SuperCities and SuperGrids: Teratechnology energy societies for an exajoule world. 1 to 2 p.m. in Building 3, Room 3201. Brown Bag Science Seminars is a program at sponsored by the Math, Science and Technology Division. The purpose to is stimulate interest in and awareness of topics, trends, and careers in science. This event is free. 7 Book Club Discussion: Housekeeping -- 2 to 3:30 p.m. in Room 1307. The Ohlone Book Club will meet to discuss Marilynne Robinson's novel Housekeeping. It will be lead by the delightful librarian team of Sparling and Greenstein. This event is free. 7 Kenny Mencher Gallery -- displayed at the Esteban Sabar Gallery at 480 23rd street, Oakland. The show "Similes and Sayings" will feature some racy and some not so racy recent work from Mencher. There will be a reception from 5 to 9 p.m. Gallery is open Thur., through Mon., 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Tue., and Wed. 8 Ohlone College Super Flea Market -- 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. In Parking Lots E and H. Flea Market is held second Saturday of every month, year round. There is a parking fee of 2$. 8 Silent Film Event -- 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum at 37417 Niles Boulevard, Fremont. Show includes The Open Switch, Sun Down Ltd and others with Molly Axtmann playing the piano. There is a suggested donation of $5. Silent films play every Sat., night.
tors. Ohlone’s summerfest boasts to be the biggest and best ever. Bring 16/32 bars of a ballad/uptempo and clothes to dance in. Artistic team Tom Blank, Janel Tomblin-Brown, Janet Holmes and Phil Zahorski will put you through your paces. Callbacks are April 9th. For more information contact Tom Blank at (510) 659-6209. 10 Transfer Event: CSU East Bay -- Meet with rep Louise Martinezr between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. For more information or to make an appointment visit the counseling window in Building 1 or call (510) 659-6110. 11 Transfer Event: UC Santa Cruz -- Meet with rep Ebony Lewis between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. For more information or to make an appointment visit the counseling window in Building 1 or call (510) 659-6110.
a.m. and 2:00 p.m. There will be a table in either the quad or the cafeteria depending on the weather. For more information visit the counseling window in Building 1 or call (510) 659-6110. 13 Men's Baseball -- 2 p.m. vs. Porterville College at Ohlone. 13 Women's Softball -- 3 p.m. vs. DeAnza College at Ohlone. 11 Transfer Event: CSU Monterey Bay-- Meet with a representative between 10 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. There will be a table in either the quad or the cafeteria depending on the weather. For more information visit the counseling window in Building 1 or call (510) 659-6110.
March 30, 2006 monitor
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11 Women's Softball -- 3 p.m. vs. Mission College at Ohlone. 11 Men's Baseball -- 2 p.m. vs. Mission College at Ohlone. 11 Transfer Event: UC Merced -- Meet with rep between 9 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. There will be a table in either the quad or the cafeteria depending on the weather. For more information visit the counseling window in Building 1 or call (510) 659-6110. 12 Transfer Event: San Jose State University - Meet with rep Airforce ROTC, Michelle Tasista between 11 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. For more information or to make an appointment visit the counseling window in Building 1 or call (510) 659-6110. 12 Men's Baseball -- 2 p.m. vs. City College of San Francisco at Ohlone. 11 Transfer Event: San Jose State -- Meet with a representative between 10
8 Men's Baseball -- 2 p.m. vs. San Jose City College here at Ohlone. 8 The Music Man Summerfest Auditions -- 9 a.m. in the Jackson Theater. Calling all talented singers, dancers and ac-
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, March 30, 2006
Page 8
The final score
Swing away By Nick Zambrano Sports editor
By Steven Chavez Correspondent
Dream teams?
In the shadows
Okay, I’ll admit it, I didn’t think the World Baseball Classic was going to be a big success. I thought it was just a ploy by Bud Selig to boost the ratings and sales game. Boy, was I wrong. However, there was one thing that has irked me since the Classic ended: Why in the world was the United States not in the championship game? Before the Classic even got under way, the good old boys representing the red, white and blue were the favorites (along with the Dominican Republic) to go to the championship round and possibly win the whole entire thing because of their rosters being filled with top-notch talent. Yet, both teams did not make it. What am I getting at, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you.There is no such thing as a “Dream Team” in the United States anymore. That idea died along with the concept, “there’s no I in team.” Egos rule the sports world with an iron fist now. Players are more concerned about their own personal interests than those of their team and tend to get too flashy for their own good and forget the basics. When the original “Dream Team,” the 1992 Olympic basketball team was put together, the players were picked based upon how well they could mesh with other players, how they could make the team stronger and knew the fundamentals of the game. Stockton knew how to pass, Bird and Jordan, the shooting touch and Johnson and Malone, the ability to drive to the basket. Also, it used to be that it was an honor to represent your country and wear its colors. The 1980 Olympic hockey team, under the guidance of Head Coach Herb Brooks, were complete underdogs against the Soviets and their own differences. It wasn’t until after Brooks got them to realize that “the name on the front of their jersey is more important than the name on the back,” they went on to win Olympic gold. The name on the front is more important? I love that. Where’s that pride at now?! Some of the teams involved in the WBC have also been playing together for years. The U.S. just slaps a few All-Stars together and expects to win automatically. We might as well have sent the Yankees to play instead. You’d also think that the countries that created the games would be dominant too. Wow, isn’t that ironic? Oh well, congrats to the Japanese team.
So, here we are, staring into another issue of Barry Bonds: Steroid Abuser. I know I’ve touched on this subject once or twice in the past, but with all the new revelations about Mr. Bonds in the newest attack entitled “Game of Shadows” written by two San Francisco Chronicle reporters, I feel it is my obligation to step up and write on the topic once again. This time, however, I will not defend Bonds.There, you have my opinion, but I will not elaborate. Instead, I will focus on Bonds’ detractors and their arguments, foolish or not, and give you a few opinions about those. Let’s get rid of his stats. But not just his home runs; you can’t stop there. If you’re going to wipe him clear from baseball, wipe away every stat. Okay, so we now have no winner of the 2002 World Series now, after all, Bonds’ stats are gone, therefore his team only played with eight players on the field, which means the game never took place. Right? Bonds should NOT be in the Hall of Fame because the Hall reflects character and the integrity of the game: This is a common argument against Pete Rose as well. Fine, let’s get rid of all the people that weren’t perfect. Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb were drunks. You get my point, but you think people that are bad only to themselves should be in. After all, Ruth and Cobb’s drinking didn’t help them play better. I submit Whitey Ford and Gaylord Perry, both admitted “spit-ballers” are both in the Hall. Wow, that’s some pretty damning evidence to that argument against Bonds and Rose. Bonds shouldn’t break Henry Aaron’s record because Aaron was a class act that would never cheat. Everything is speculation, observation and hear say. Just like the Bonds case. Ken Griffey Jr., another future Hall of Famer, went on the record this week saying that the steriod conversation between the two never happened. I’m not saying it’s fact, but the evidence is the same. My point is people, that no matter what your personal feelings are, you have to be fair and balanced; the way a journalist is supposed to be. I say that because these two journalists are far from fair or balanced. Think it through before you open your mouth, for the sake and sanity of us clear minded folk.
Sophomore Chris Stage and the Renegades cruised over spring break defeating Monterey Peninsula and City College of San Francisco. Ohlone plays West Valley College in Saratoga today. Photo by Ross Tsvetanov
Rain doesn’t bother the Renegades By Rahul Batra Staff writer No one ever expected March to be a month full of cold, bitter weather, rain after rain after rain, snow on Mission Peak, and nearly five consecutive nights with straight up freezing temperatures. We as civilians don’t really have to reschedule anything when storms approach, nor do we have to find sunny days to make-up work. However, athletes who participate in sports all over world are the ones who really suffer. In particular, the baseball team of Ohlone College. The Renegades have been through a whole lot these past couple of weeks. With all of these sudden storms that have been happening here in the Bay Area, many games, practices and momentum most importantly, have been put on hold. That means that games and practices have to be rescheduled
and players have to adjust their own personal schedules to a new schedule that will allow for makeup games. Luckily, last Thursday’s game was played as promised. The Renegades faced Monterey Peninsula College. Judging by the score, it seemed that Monterey wished that the game was canceled. The Renegades put a beat down on them 7-0. The bus ride back for Monterey probably wasn’t fun either. Last Saturday’s game was definitely canceled. Luckily, City College of San Francisco ended up making their way across the Bay the very next day for the make-up. However, the extra day didn’t help matters much with a strong performance by the Renegades taking the game with a 7-4 victory. This past Tuesday’s game against Gavilan College was supposed to be played at 2 p.m. However, with one of these unprecedented storms
that approached Fremont, the game will be rescheduled for tomorrow at 2 p.m. With this sort of tumultuous roller coaster the Renegades has been through, it has been a miracle that they have been able to stay sane through it all. “The kids have been good,” said Ohlone Manager Paul Moore. “Things have been very difficult, but everybody has showed up when they are supposed to and there have been no complaints.” The season so far for the Renegades has not been a disappointment. Their current record is 16-9-2. Their league record is also promising with seven wins and four losses. It’s amazing that with this hectic month of bad weather, soggy fields and shifting schedules, the Renegades have been displaying solid pitching, tremendous defense and first punching offense to win key games. So get on out there and support the Renegades for the rest of the season.
On the women’s side, the Lady Renegades finished 10th place overall in the 200 yard freestyle, with a time of 1:47.81. In the women’s individual events, sophomore stand-out swimmer Erin Morgan took 2nd place in the 100 yard breast with a distinguished time of 1:08.79, finishing behind Kayleigh Knight of Sierra College. Freshman Katie O’Dea took 10th place overall with an impressive time of 1:08.05. As the Ohlone swim team is in the midst of their season, Morgan and Soen have already achieved qualification times for the State Championships in the 100 breast, 50 breast, 100 individual medley, and the 100 back individual events. The Ohlone women’s swim team is currently undefeated, post-
ing a record of 3-0, as the Lady Renegades are looking to defend their title. The men’s swim team is currently 2-1. “I know Chabot has divers, and we don’t. They will get huge points on diving, and I don’t think we can overcome that during the dual meet season, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take them down at the championship meet,” said Ohlone Head Coach Gene Kendall. “I don’t put a lot of value into dual meet season. The championship meet is what we’re more focused on. Dual meets are the ‘tune-ups’ before the big race.” Tomorrow, the Renegades take to the water to take on Fullerton and forthcoming rival Chabot and at the Ohlone pool at 3 p.m. Then on April 7, The Renegades head to Saratoga to take on West Valley College.
Meet preps Ohlone for Chabot By Naomi Balagot Staff writer Last week, the Renegades swim team competed in the Cuesta Invitational, hosted by Cuesta College, in San Luis Obispo. Many junior colleges from Northern and Southern California competed in the highly anticipated swim meet. Of the 25 junior colleges that competed, overall the Lady Renegades finished in 11th place. On the men’s side, Ohlone posted remarkable finishes in the 200 yard freestyle relay (1:34.88). Po-Han Chen finished within the top 30 swimmers in the 200 yard breastroke with a time of 2:29.01, while Andrei Soen finished within the top 15 swimmers in the 200 yard backstroke with a time of 2:10.85.