Upcoming home games – Page 8
800 at Theatre Festival – Page 2
– Page 5
Fremont, California
Vol. XXXVI No. 9
ASOC elections By GABRIEL VILA Staff writer
The ASOC is gearing up for its 2006 elections, and prospective candidates are now able to apply. Interested students may pick up applications from now through April 12 at the Campus Activities Window on the first floor of Building 1. Applicants may choose from each of the ASOC’s executive offices: President, Vice President, Representative at Large, Treasurer, Legislative Representative, Secretary, and the Student Member Board of Trustees. Two mandatory meetings have been and will be held concerning the elections; one took place on Wednesday, April 5 in the ASOC room. The next mandatory meeting will be held on April 7 in the ASOC
Unity Week
room on the first floor of Building 1 between 3 and 4 p.m. “My goal is to get as many people aware of elections and of ASOC in general as possible,” said Roxanne Guide, the ASOC elections chairperson. “We have an extremely strong Executive Committee right now, so the goal is to keep the momentum going for next year with an equally strong executive council.” There are many benefits to joining the ASOC in general, not only as an executive officer. After the spring semester, the ASOC has a planned trip to China, which eligible students may go on with most expenses paid. Holding an office in the ASOC helps to prepare students for future leadership and political activity, as well as providing students with training in interpersonal skills. Continued on Page 3
By ANNA NEMCHUK News editor
Hair-to-hair chat
Sebastian Garcia, left, and Lucky Busher, two participants in Friday’s High School Drama Festival, listen to an Ohlone music class perform in the cafeteria. Story on Page 4. Photo by Mojhgan Mohtashimi
Rain damage on campus By IRA LAZO Staff writer The seemingly never-ending downpour of rain has affected both the people and the buildings of Ohlone College. There have been reports of leaks and drains within and outside the school. Buildings and Maintenance Supervisor Simon Barros and his crew have been buzzing around the campus unclogging drains and sealing leaks. Barros said that one of the reasons why there have been drainage problems around the campus would be the intrusion of tree roots within the tunnel systems; these roots will be removed in order to clear
up the obstruction. Additionally, there have been random incidents of water damage and dripping throughout classrooms. The cause would be the newly finished roofing project that was completed during the fall semester. There have been reported leaks in Building 9, and while there have been drips of water falling from Building 3, this is due to the recent retiling of the roof. According to Barros, the positive thought would be that the amount of leaks has actually decreased since last year and was caused by mechanical problems along with the newly renovated roof. Continued on Page 3
Thursday, April 6, 2006
Tahitian dancers from the “Spirit of Polynesia” are slated to perform after the opening ceremony of Unity Week on Monday, April 10. Photo courtesy of Renee Gonzales.
Unity Week will take place from Monday, April 10 to Thursday, April 13. Monday, at 11 a.m. in Room 4104A Ohlone student Sarah Cattaneo will screen the movie “Invisible Children,” a documentary by three American youths’ travels in northern Uganda exposing the kidnapping and abuse of children over the country. At noon in the cafeteria, the opening ceremonies of Unity Week will commence, accompanied by Tahitian dancers from the Spirit of Polynesia, a cultural fashion show, and a burrito sale by M.e.Ch.a. Tuesday at noon, the cafeteria will be taken by a breakdance battle, followed by Akili Shabazz, an African-American motivational speaker and non-profit community organizer on the side of education and mentor programs. Following, at 1 p.m. an “open mic” will be offered to students and staff for recitation of poetry, spoken word and other readings. Wednesday, at 1 p.m. Room 2133 will welcome Ernie G. A rising Latino entertainer, his comedy has appeared before millions on shows such as Comedy Central’s “Make Me Laugh,” “Comic View,” and Ed McMahon’s “Next Big Star.” Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the Smith Center the Gay Straight Alliance will sponsor a showing of “Brokeback Mountain” and subsequent discussion of “What is Love?” At 5 p.m. free food will be offered Continued on Page 3
The rain continues unabated on Wednesday at the top of the stairs in front of Building 1. Photo by Ross Tsvetanov.
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Opinion
monitor April 20, 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
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
Wikipedia: Depository of all reality’s knowledge By Gabriel Vila Staff writer Behold, the depository of all human knowledge and understanding: Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org). From the trivial to the all-important, the free online encyclopedia Wikipedia endeavors to cover all subjects. You will find millions upon millions of articles ranging from the summaries and references in the story of Ganymede (the Trojan hero who became Zeus’s consort), to the relevance of the sock in popular culture. Thanks to Wikipedia, I’ve been
able to look up reasonably accurate information at the last minute and turn in A grade papers with little to no research. Either that’s a testament to my writing abilities or it shows that Wikipedia has some merit. With this much information, you would think that the staff of Wikipedia comprises a team of experts, working around the clock to provide reliable information on every subject known to mankind. There are, after all, just shy of 4 million articles in a variety of languages, over 1 million of which are in English. The truth of the matter is
the subject of some discord. Articles on Wikipedia can be written and edited by anyone, anywhere, at any time. Even I have edited articles on Wikipedia when I knew that something was up there with little to no validity. The controversy goes something like this: supporters say that, as an open encyclopedia, Wikipedia can cover a wider array of topics with more in-depth details than other encyclopedias simply because people write what they’re interested in and knowledgeable about. Detractors say that, because people write about what they’re interested in,
Wikipedia is oftentimes biased and incorrect because the writers aren’t being objective. Personally, I love Wikipedia. Nothing but glowing praise from me; it’s accurate in topics that I’m interested in and a comprehensive guide for research. Even if the article isn’t up to snuff, they generally have links posted at the bottom of each page that references other material that can be looked up. The debate over Wikipedia comes down to a question of authority in the media, a debate that can be seen time and time again. Established news networks are
faced with blogs that report news just as quickly and accurately as they do, for a fraction of the cost. Record labels are faced every day with decreasing sales thanks to Internet piracy, while independent artists publish their music on the web directly. The real concern is the speed at which media is delivered. Wikipedia can be accessed in a second from any computer terminal with Internet access, the same goes for blog subscriptions and music downloads. The days when we would go out to a library and do research in person are rapidly fading away.
weapons-grade uranium. This is, to use an understatement, not a good thing. However, is it a good thing for India to have nukes? Now it is, apparently. Pakistan? Welll.... So how about our traditional friends, like - Germany? They haven’t bothered us in a while, have they? All kidding aside. Consider the fact that the United States as the sole true superpower pretty much abides by nuclear and other proliferation issues on a pick-and-choose basis. What makes us the designated judge of other nations? And how, pray
tell, is the current foreign policy helping global stability? Our selfproclaimed position that we’re the good guys and always right is already backfiring left and right. Having a president who does “God’s work” is pretty volatile, considering the vast amounts of people on the planet who seem to believe that their God is as good as ours (and me an agnostic. For shame.) Meanwhile, under the guise of maintaining the nuclear balance on the planet, this government is apparently prepared to consider the option of using nuclear devices to - once
again - pre-empt the possibility of having someone strike us - if you call striking someone just because they theoretically could strike you pre-emptive - in my day that was just known as an unwarranted act of aggression. Wait. Sooooo, after Iran (a country with a conveniently anemic military), who’s next? North Korea? Pakistan? Rogue generals in the Ukraine? Will it distract people until after the next election? Or is this more about trotting out the loneranger-cum-white-hat now that
approval ratings for the president have sunk lower than Nixon’s ever were? Nothing like a little bread and circuses to keep the man in the street solidly focused on the distractions instead of the real issues. The sad part, in my probably-not-so-humble opinion, is that one in three Americans still thinks that Bush is doing a bang-up job. Which does imply that to them it’s better to blow up innocent civilians in Farawayistan than to maybe address gratingly obvious issues closer to home. Say, the many undereducated Americans below the poverty line.
The current U.S. approach: foreign policy goes BOOM By JEROME ENGELBERTS Editor-in-chief Well, there we are. With two more years of Bush ahead, and a new batch of windmills to battle, we’re looking to have “all options on the table” when dealing with Iran. Call me a wisenheimer, but there’s at least one option missing: the one that says, “Let’s leave ‘em alone.” We all know that Iran at least claims to have manufactured
Campus Comment > > >
Where do you go for online academic research?
Joy Lin Nursing “Google helps. It almost does the work for you.”
Kawa Ahmadzai Business “Google gives too many results. I use the library’s Nexis-Lexis database.”
Marie Babu Nursing “The library’s database is really useful. It has real, reliable medical data.”
Yalda Azima Liberal Arts “I just type whatever into Google. That gets it done.”
NICK CHIVERS Music “I actually don’t search online. I prefer real, printed text.”
News/Opinions Register by appointment for Summer & Fall 2006 Call Registrar Kimberly Robbie at (510) 659-6165
Unity activities Continued from Page 1 before the movie “Crash” will play at the NAZ8 Cinemas. Students are invited to remain afterward for a discourse on the Academy Awardwinning film’s themes. NAZ8 Cinemas is located at 39160 Paseo Padre Parkway in Fremont. Tickets will be $5 at the door. Thursday at noon, the cafeteria will be graced by Estara, a belly dancer, as well as music from Wild 94.9. Club booths will provide their own entertainments as well as free gifts and desserts will be available.
In conclusion, Thursday at 2:30 p.m. in Room 7102 the Speech Club will host a “Battle of the Sexes” to address communication variances between men and women. Unity Week is set up by the ASOC, the Campus Activities department, the Inter-Club Council, faculty and staff. Unity Week is meant to be an interactive, entertaining reminder that though Ohlone hosts many different types of students, the fact that education and opportunity can bring them all together is both a wonder and a gift.
ASOC to clean up for Earth Day Continued from Page 1 “I’ve been a senator since fall, and before I was part of ASOC, I didn’t know about anything going on at school,” said Jiran Sayadi after ASOC’s weekly meeting. “Now I know about scholarships and events, and that will be useful when I go to a UC.” The elections will be held April 25 and 26 on Ohlone’s Fremont campus. For information about eligibility, the offices, or any ASOC-related questions, contact Renee Gonzales at RGonzales@ohlone.edu
In other news, the ASOC discussed its role in the upcoming Earth Day Litter Pick Up, planned for April 21, from 2 to 5 p.m. They will be in charge of student parking lots. Other lots to take charge of out of 41 possible are still available. More information can be found at: www.ohlone.edu/org/instruction/earthday.html The Engineering Club has requisitioned funds from the ASOC to build a model airplane. The ASOC will soon vote on table designs for Project Quad, the plan for a more involved campus.
Continued from Page 1 In order to further explain the repairs that the Buildings and Maintenance crew will be making, one must picture a person from head to toe. Imagine that the roof of a building is the head, and, with the head securely fixed, renovated and polished, the crew moves on to the rest of the body. This coming summer, Barros and crew will be weatherproofing the sides of the buildings by applying a special type of paint that will protect the building’s exterior from moisture. This project will be started dur-
ing the 2006 summer semester and is scheduled, weather permitting, to be finished within 9 months by March 2007. Of course, along with the new painting coat comes a new color. “Yes, we hope to paint it something like Hyman Hall, more light,” divulged Barros. The issue of what color to paint the buildings will involve the students, the faculty and the student government in finding a consensus on the right color. Meanwhile, students are advised to become inseparable from their umbrellas.
Paint project to keep rain out
April 6, 2006 MONITOR
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More than $30K raised for LAB at ‘A Latin Experience’ By THOMAS HSU Correspondent More than 300 community members gathered Friday night for an evening of wine tasting and dinner punctuated by performances of mariachi, flamenco, Portuguese folk dancing, and ballet folklórico; they raised more than $30,000 for the LAB project. Beyond the festivities and vibrant, twirling dresses, “A Latin Experience” was about celebrating and raising funds for Ohlone College’s Learning Alliance for the Biosciences project. The keynote speaker, Assembly member John Dutra, explained how the LAB project benefits students who come from less privileged backgrounds, using his own immigrant family’s struggle with poverty to stress the importance of giving support to underrepresented populations that have traditionally been overlooked by the government. The program targets those students who may not have the resources or otherwise consider college a viable option. Among the attendees were six Newark Memorial High School students who are in the LAB program, as well as their families. The students from this pilot school were honored with Pioneer Scholarships presented by Ohlone President Dr. Douglas Treadway and Ohlone Foundation Director Dr. Josephine Ong-Hawkins. The scholarships go toward the students’ tuition at Ohlone after completing the biotechnology and personal development classes in high school.
Donors helped raise funds for ten $250 scholarships, and Fremont Bank matched the scholarships to make them worth $500 each. Realtors from Prudential Realty also pledged a percentage of their commissions to ensure that the LAB project will have continued support. The largest donor was GE Security, which gave $3,000 and 40 laptops, which the students will keep for the duration of their time in the LAB project. Close to 70 Ohlone staff and faculty members also came out to show their support for the biotechnology department’s efforts. Together, the corporations and community raised thousands of dollars to fund the project. All the food, desert, wine and entertainment at the event were also donated by members of the
community. Dean of Math, Science and Technology Dr. Ron Quinta and Professor Joe Zermeno spoke about how the LAB program is funded through a National Science Foundation grant to help increase diversity in the science professions. A debut presentation of the LAB program’s informational video, hosted by former ABC news anchor Rigo Chacon, revealed how Ohlone’s biotechnology classrooms work closely with the Silicon Valley’s biotechnology industry to design practical curriculums that train students to do the jobs that the industry needs. The event was sponsored by the Ohlone College Foundation, which exists to bring the community together toward providing more opportunities for its students.
A member of Newark Memorial High School’s “Ballet Folklórico” troupe and a scholarship recipient twirls at Friday at “A Latin Experience.” Photo courtesy of Thomas Hsu.
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Features Young stars at High School Theatre Fest monitor April 6, 2006
By Sean G. Crawford Investigative reporter Did a Mohawked, yet strangely adorable fresh-faced youth cross your path on the way to class last week? Don’t worry it was just a high school theater-arts student. They are mostly harmless. A Mohawked theater enthusiast on campus can only mean one thing; the 12th Annual Ohlone Theater Festival, held from March 31-April 1, has completed another successful run. “The theater festival is an opportunity for Ohlone College as a whole, the theater department specifically, to introduce ourselves to high schools,” said Theater Arts Instructor Tom Blank. The event was hosted in 35 classrooms spread across the campus on its first day, affording high school (and prospective Ohlone) students the opportunity to become familiar with most of the grounds. The event was managed by members of the student repertory theater and led by A.J. Hamilton. Twenty-four high schools participated in over 30 categories, bringing a staggering 800+ high school students on to campus, many in costume. Moreover, about two dozen alumni were activated to help judge events. About half of the participating alumni participated in previous theater festivals while in high school or acted as a supervisor while in the student repertory theater program after joining the Ohlone Theater Department. “It was like a homecoming game, they were very excited to see each other and they can’t wait to come back next year,” said Blank. The festival has grown dramatically since its inception over a decade ago. The first festival hosted such a small participant base that only 12 judges were needed. This year 160 judges were required. This marked growth has been costly, however a $1500 Associated Student of Ohlone College grant in conjunction with small participation fees and a division grant have provided the theater department just enough leeway to enhance the festival every year and still break even. From top left: Cassandra Brown of Bishop O’Dowd or otherwise known as “Gypsy Jazz Mazepa” trumpeting the start of the festival,“The Gypsy Girls” Rafaella Lima, Stacy Kaney, Mallory Massie and Brie Votto of Bishop O’Dowd basking in the sun, cast of Seussical from San Leandro High and Jackie Gardner of Bishop O’Dowd twirling her umbrella to song in Rag Time. Photos by Mojhgan Mohtashimi.
Features Comic books: modern American myths
April 6, 2006 monitor
State of Illusion By Chris marshall Staff writer For years now I have extolled video games as being an emergent storytelling medium with growing importance in modern America. Now I must address comic books. As I see them they are possibly the most important medium in modern America. Let me explain why. Comics are modern American myth. Mythology and folklore are pretty hard to define. I’m sure anthropologists have specific definitions for each in order to make their study possible, but the layman seems to lump both together under the category of figurative narrative that does not contain popular religious beliefs (people get offended when you call their religion myth). Myth and folklore are usually stories told to teach a lesson or instill values. Before comic books, American myth consisted primarily of tales of The Wild West. There was Paul Bunyan and his big cerulean ox Babe, but I’m pretty sure his story originated in Canada. There was Johnny Appleseed, who went around the country planting his surname. Or there was Pecos Bill, the cowboy that lassoed a tornado. Then there are the real people who somehow got elevated to mythical status: Columbus, George Washington, Davy Crockett, Calamity Jane, Billy the Kid etc. These are the stories of America’s past, and comic books are the stories of America’s future. Comic books are really myths because of the characters portrayed in them. Before comic books were introduced, the idea of a superhero didn’t really exist. Now the idea of a superhero permeates most cultures. What separate comic books from most of the other fiction printed in America today are the characters. The characters in comic books today are no longer just characters,
Illusration by Jason Montalvo but rather they are symbols, standing for something more than the standard protagonist. Superman, introduced way back in 1938, is no longer just a character in a story. He is an American icon. At some point, Superman transcended the page and became a symbol to be admired and believed in. Kal-El is now a symbol of altruism, as he is known for his compassion for all living things including his enemies. The Man of Steel stands for everything (supposedly) American: truth, justice and freedom. While there is still Superman the character, there is now also Superman the ideal. Batman is another cultural icon, though he is harder to explain because he has been reinvented many times over. The Caped Crusader first appeared in Detective Comics #27 back in 1939. He was more violent than Superman, but he was still a hero. Of course there was the
famous slapstick duo of Adam West and Burt Ward, portraying a rather comedic television interpretation of Batman and Robin. But Batman was reinvented in the ‘70s as an anti-hero, and has continued to evolve in the manner. While almost the antithesis of Superman, Batman is still a character with which most Americans can identify and admire. Batman is more like us. He is not a superhero. Bruce Wayne is just a normal human with many of the same weaknesses and vices. But as Batman, he is a crusader for truth and justice, two things America holds very dear. He also personifies loyalty. He is truly a Dark Knight as he is completely loyal to his kingdom, Gotham City, and wishes to see it thrive free of crime. Batman’s vigilante status is also important because I believe people need to be reminded that what is just is not
Ohlone Book Club to discuss Housekeeping By Ira Lazo Staff writer Who has the time to read? Has life simply flown by so fast that you don’t even remember the last book you’ve read? We have forgotten how it feels to live in a slower pace and just enjoy a good book, especially with the hazy, lazy and rainy weather we have been having. Need suggestions? The Ohlone Book club is definitely the best place to go for advice on highly recommended books. There will be a meeting Friday, May 6 at 2 p.m. in Room 1307 discussing this month’s selection, an exquisite book called Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson. However a club does not survive with two women and books alone, so students are very much encouraged to participate. Housekeeping is the story
of two sisters named Ruth and Lucille whose lives spin out of control after the death of their mother in a horrific car accident. Soon they are shipped away to the home of their grandparents and then to the home of their two aunts when fate finally brings them to their eccentric Aunt Sylvie’s doorstep. This is a story about two sisters’ hardships while growing up, told beautifully with a slow plot line that allows the author to further emphasize the purely poetic sense of language and writing. The Book Club was started by Ohlone librarians K.G. Greenstein and Kathy Sparling with the purely simple purpose of sharing their passion for books. The Book Club also has its very own blog: ohlonereads.blogspot. com. The librarians fully understood that not everybody has the same
schedule, and so they embraced modern technology and created an online Book Club blog, so everybody could join in the discussion. The Ohlone Book Club meets twice a year, once every semester.
always lawful, and vice-versa. While Batman and Superman are the two best examples of characters-turned-symbols, there are many others: Spider-Man, the Green Lantern, Wonder Woman (Lynda Carter, I love you), etc. The list is almost endless. Endless, that brings me to a comic series of a more modern origin. Starting in 1988, Neil Gaiman began writing The Sandman series of comic books, by far one of the most sophisticated, well thoughtout series ever printed. Gaiman somehow took classical and contemporary myth and combined it with gothic horror to create an entire world, which could function as a belief system. The Sandman focuses on Dream, one of the Endless, beings which affect all things, even gods and traditional superheroes. His brothers, sisters and brother-sister are: Destiny, Destruction, Despair, Delirium, Death and Desire.
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Each resides in their respective realm and from there govern the aspect of all life which they embody. The Sandman saga lasted 75 issues and eight years under the DC imprint Vertigo. I am confident The Sandman will be remembered as contemporary myth. Seeing as it is a self-contained belief system, meaning it has the fundamentals for a new religion, it’s easy to see how it will be classified as mythology. Many ancient religious systems, most notably Roman, Greek and Norse, are now the poster-children of mythology. I can see The Sandman being remembered in a similar light. It is a prime time for comic books right now. Talented artists and writers are flocking to the medium and creating works worthy of anyone’s ownership. Neil Gaiman (The Sandman, Death, Marvel 1602), Warren Ellis (Transmetropolitan, Hellblazer), Grant Morrison (Animal Man, JLA), Frank Miller (Sin City, The Dark Knight Returns) and Alan Moore (Watchmen, V for Vendetta) are all brilliant writers who deserve to be read by everyone. More and more writers of my favorite television shows are beginning to pen the stories for comic books. Josh Whedon of Buffy and Firefly fame is currently writing Marvel Comics’ Astonishing XMen. J. Michael Straczynski, who wrote the infamous Babylon 5, has written many comics, including a run of The Amazing Spider-Man and the highly acclaimed Rising Stars. While many cannot see it now, comic books are incredibly important for modern America. The stories are our myth, our new tall tales. The characters within are the symbols and icons of our way of life. So go out and pick up a copy of Watchmen and read one of the best stories (yes, all stories, not just comic books) ever written, or take a look at Superman: Red Son and experience some of the finest political commentary available in comic books today.
Summerfest 2006: Music Man auditions Grab your trumpets and sound the horns! Auditions for Meredith Wilson’s Music Man will be this Saturday, April 8 at the Nummi Theatre in the Smith Center from 9 a.m. to noon. All roles are open for the cast of 50. Students interested in trying out should bring sheet music in their key--16 bars ballad or 32 bars uptempo. An accompanist will be provided and no acapella auditions will be accepted. Also be prepared to dance and dressed to move! Rehearsals are evenings, Monday-Thursday from 6 to 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. starting April 24. Rehearsal times will be determined by roles. Performances will be on June 29 to July 8. Music Man is the story of conman Harold Hill who wanders into the town of River City offering to train a boy’s marching with the intention of skipping out as soon as the first payment is in. Things go awry however when he falls for the town librarian while trying to divert the townspeople from discovering he’s a fraud. For more information, contact Janel Tomlin-Brown at 510979-7450 or visit: www.ohlone.edu/instr/theater/
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April 6, 2006
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Campus Events to 7 p.m. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
April 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 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 led by the librarian team of Kathy Sparling and K.G. Greenstein. This event is free. 7 Kenny Mencher Gallery -- displayed at Esteban Sabar Gallery at 480 23rd St., Oakland. The show Similes and Sayings will feature some racy and some not so racy recent work from Mencher. Gallery is open Thursday through Monday, 11 a.m.
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, 37417 Niles Blvd., Fremont. Show includes The Open Switch and others with Molly Axtmann playing the piano. There is a suggested donation of $5. Silent films play every Saturday night. 8 Men’s Baseball -- 2 p.m. vs. San Jose City College at Ohlone. 8 The Music Man Summerfest Auditions -- 9 a.m. in the Jackson Theater. Calling all talented singers, dancers and actors. Bring 16/32 bars of a ballad/uptempo and clothes to dance in. Callbacks are April 9. For more information, contact Tom Blank at (510) 659-6209. 10 Transfer Event: CSU
East Bay -- Meet with representative 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. 10 Unity Week Event -- at noon in the cafeteria will be the opening ceremony featuring Tahitian dancers, a fashion show and M.e.Ch. a burrito sale. 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. 11 Women’s Softball -- 3 p.m. vs. Mission College at Ohlone. 11 Transfer Event: UC Merced -- Meet with rep between 9 a.m. and 3 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.
11 Unity Week Event -- at noon in the cafeteria there will be a breakdance battle, special speaker Akili Shabazz and an open mic at 1 p.m. Free event. 12 Transfer Event: San Jose State University -Meet with representative Airforce ROTC, Michelle Tasista between 11 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. 12 Unity Week Event -- 1 p.m. in Room 2133, comedian Ernie G., from Los Angeles will perform. At 2 p.m. in the Smith Center Brokeback Mountain will play and there will be a post-movie discussion. At 5 p.m. at NAZ8 cinemas in Fremont the movie Crash will play. Tickets for Crash are $5. Free food and discussion. 12 Men’s Baseball -- 2 p.m. vs. City College of San Francisco at Ohlone. 13 Guest Speaker: Flash -- 6:30 p.m. in Room HH116. Professional Flash
April 6, 2006 monitor
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developer Justin EverettChurch will show the process of combining Yahoo! Maps API and Flash 8 to design cool-looking maps that have creative applications for the web. This event is free. 13 Unity Week Event -- Noon in the cafeteria there will be club booths, desserts, belly dancers, and Wild 949. At 2:30 p.m. Room 7102 will hold the battle of the sexes, sponsored by the Speech Club.
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Thursday, April 6, 2006
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Softball beats SJCC; falls to W. Valley and Diablo Valley By Naomi Balagot Staff writer As the Ohlone Women’s softball team is in the midst of its season, the Lady Renegades look to defend their three-peat Conference title. Last week, the Ohlone women’s softball team took on highly anticipated rival West Valley College. The Lady Renegades fell to the Vikings 5-1. Overall, freshman stand-out pitcher Isabel Ramos committed to four strikeouts. In the bottom of the second inning, Ramos had a momentous outing despite the loss. Ramos had a one, two, three inning, striking out on the side. In the bottom of the second, Ramos worked the count full to one of West Valley’s power hitters, Allyson Carothers. With two outs in the inning, Ramos got Carothers to strike out looking, to end the inning. In the bottom of the fourth, Roquel Torres helped her team stay close, by making spectacular plays on the field in an attempt to help her team hang on. West Valley stayed scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning. Leading off the sixth, slap hitter Valerie Briones was hit by a pitch from West Valley pitcher Katie Cotta. Briones proved to be a base-stealing threat, stealing second and third bases. Briones then later scored on a sacrifice fly from Missy Cross to score Ohlone’s only run of the game. “West Valley’s pitching is the best we’ve seen. We’ve already started to make adjustments, because we’ve grown as a team, and we know what needs to be done to put the ball into play. We welcome a challenge, and look forward to a challenge, in hopes of facing them again,” said Ohlone Head Coach Donna Runyon. Despite the unpleasant weather last weekend, the Lady Renegades played two games in a one-day tournament hosted by Solano College. In an exciting game, Ohlone defeated San Jose City College with a score of 1-0. In six innings pitched, Tiffany Chan dominated the mound with four strikeouts. Valerie Briones was 1-2 at bat, while Tiffany Chan went 1-3, Briones and Chan collected two singles each. In the second game, the Lady Renegades fell to Diablo Valley College 7-2. In six innings pitched, Ramos committed to three strikeouts. Briones and Jessica Soderholm established unquestionable hitting capabilities. Briones went 1-2 at the plate with an RBI, and one run scored, while Soderholm was 2-2 at bat with two singles. The Lady Renegades overall record is 19-8-1 and in Conference they are 12-1. Weather permitting, Ohlone will take on San Jose City College again, today at 3 p.m. The SJCC game will mark the beginning of the Lady Renegades’ final homestand. After SJCC, the Ladies will host Mission, DeAnza and City College of San Francisco. And then Ohlone will finish the season on the road against Chabot and College of San Mateo.
Freshman Katie O’Dea and the Ohlone swim team are preparing for the Coast Conference Championship at the end of the month. Head Coach Gene Kendall has high expectations for his swimmers. Photo by Ross Tsvetanov
Upcoming home games BASEBALL: Saturday, April 8 at 12 p.m versus San Jose City College Tuesday, April 11 at 2 p.m. versus Mission College Wednesday, April 12 at 2 p.m. versus City College of San Francisco Thursday, April 13 at 2 p.m. versus Porterville College Saturday, April 22 at noon versus Chabot College
Thursday, April 29 at 2 p.m. versus Hartnell College Thursday, May 4 at 2 p.m. versus West Valley College SOFTBALL: Thursday, April 6 at 3 p.m. Versus San Jose City College Tuesday, April 11 at 3 p.m. Versus Mission College Thursday, April 13 at 3 p.m. Versus DeAnza College
Tuesday. April 18 at 3 p.m. Versus City College of San Francisco SWIMMING: Has no more home meets. Thursday-Saturday, April 27-29 at 10 a.m. The Coast Conference Championship in Hayward Thursday-Saturday, May 4-6 at 10 a.m. The State Championship in Pasadena
Making your picks; a baseball odyssey Even though the rain is out there, it still is April and that means one thing. It’s time to play ball! Despite the all the steroid allegations going on throughout the MLB, baseball is still America’s favorite pastime and I’m going to break the divisions down and tell you who will be standing come October. Let’s start off close to home with the American League West. The AL West will perhaps be the most competitive division and we most likely will not see the clearcut winner until late September. However, it will probably come down to Anaheim or Oakland. Texas has the power lineup with Blalock, Teixeira and Young, but won’t go very far because of their weak pitching, something both Anaheim and Oakland do not have. The A’s made key acquisitions in picking up Esteban Loaiza and
Swing away By Nick Zambrano Sports editor Frank Thomas this off season. Down in Southern California, the Angels didn’t make any big moves and that could end up costing them. Don’t read too much into that opening day whooping the Yankees gave them, either. The A’s will win the West by the closest of margins. On to the NL West. The NL West was the weakest division in all of baseball last year, but this year will be a different story. The Giants gave them a run for their money at the end of last season but fell short because of their
lack of pitching. The Giants fixed that and added journeyman Jamey Wright and veteran Matt Morris to the rotation. If Morris and Wright perform well and Bonds stays healthy and scandal-free, the Giants will win the NL West. In the AL Central, it will be nothing out of the ordinary. The Central has always been up for grabs. It will come down to either the defending World Series Champions, the Chicago White Sox or the young Cleveland Indians. The Indians were the A’s of the Central last season and lit up the second half and in the process, almost took first place right away from the White Sox. Toe-totoe both teams match up well, no weakness puts one on top of the other. This is too difficult to call, but I’m going with Chicago’s boys of the South Side. In the National League side of the
Central, it’s St. Louis’division to lose. Everyone expects them to take the division, but the way they performed in the playoffs last year, I have my doubts. Houston got stronger with the addition of Preston Wilson, a potent RBI threat who can give you at least 20-25 home runs. Whoever doesn’t win the division will most likely win the Wild Card. Oh yes, the AL East. Sorry Boston, but Johnny Damon took your chances of winning the division and returning to the big show with him to the Bronx. Enough said. Finally, in the National League East I like the Braves, with their 14 (I lost track) straight divisional titles. The Mets may have bulked up their roster with the likes of Paul Lo Duca and Billy Wagner, but they won’t go too far. Like their New York counterparts, the Yankees they buy their
talent. However, they can’t win like the Yankees. As far as the playoffs go, the A’s will beat the White Sox and the Yankees will do the same to the Indians in the divisional rounds of the AL postseason. And in the NL divisionals, it’ll be the Cardinals beating the Giants and the Astros beating the Braves. That leads to the A’s beating the Yankees and the Cardinals beating the Astros in the league championship rounds, giving us an A’s and Cardinals World Series. The World Series...Now I can spoil that surprise for you, but it would be cool to have you hang for the next six months. So there you have it, my predictions for the 2006 season. No one is ever completely right, so don’t come knocking down my door at the end of October.