The swimming Kendalls
Poetry in the library
– Page 3
Vol. XXXVI No. 15
– Page 2
Fremont, California
Cinco de Mayo a day to be proud of
By GABRIEL VILA Staff writer By OMER AHMED Opinion editor ASOC elections have been postponed to next fall due to allegations of campaign fraud. In an official statement realeased Friday, the Elections Commissioner of the ASOC Roxanna Guide said, “After an investigative process revealing mostly minor violations, and in-depth meetings and deliberations between the Advisors, the ASOC President, and myself, the Elections Commissioner, specific recommendations will be issued to the parties involved. The election for ASOC Executive office is thereby postponed, but we look forward to a future successful election next fall with safeguards to ensure the integrity of the process.” At the moment, it appears as though no disciplinary action will be taken in addition to rescheduling this semester’s election. “At this point, no penalties have been
“My goal is to give a face to the immigrants,” - Francisco J. Domingue Counselor Maria Ramirez enacted scenes from Mayan life at Wednesday's Cinco de Mayo celebration in the Quad. Staff photo
Unity among diversity was the overall message of the Cinco de Mayo celebration, successfully hosted Wednesday by the MEChA Club, the Chicano Studies and Counseling department, and the Puente Project. Students, faculty members and a special guest speaker were there to promote Mexican pride.
Thursday, May 4, 2006
ASOC elections postponed to fall
“It was the day that defined the character of the nation,” - Mark Salinas
By IRA LAZO Staff writer
– Page 5
But why celebrate Cinco de Mayo, when it is not the actual date of Mexican independence from the Spanish conquerors? According to Mark Salinas, the head of Ohlone’s Chicano Studies Program, among all the Mexican holidays, the Cinco de Mayo celebration is not quite as grand as the real Mexican Independence Day, held Sept. 16, but is special for its own reasons. Continued on Page 3
Baseball hunts for playoffs
Ohlone first baseman Ramiro Pereda attempts to tag out the Hartnell runner Thursday, April 27. The Renegades won the game with score of 9-8 in 12 innings. They take on West Valley College today at home, at 2 p.m. Ohlone currently holds an overall record of 22-15 and a league record of 14-10. Photo by Ross Tsvetanov.
incurred,” said Guide when asked about possible action. “There will be recommendations issued -- basically letters will be given to those who violated election policy, stating what their violation was and that this would have disqualified them from the election had the election gone forward.” While the exact occurrences of last Tuesday’s elections remain unclear, members of the ASOC have expressed their concern and apologies for the event. One senator from the ASOC, Alex Hilke, wished to formally apologize for his behavior at the polls. “I know people know that I had a big hissy fit in front of the campus and cussed a voter out,” said Hilke in a statement last week. “I just want to apologize to that person, and to the students of the school and to the staff. They expect more from myself as a representative...again, I am sincerely sorry this ever happened.” ASOC Vice President Bryan Roy, who was running as a writeContinued on Page 3
Campus police fate still unknown By JEROME ENGELBERTS Editor-in-chief
The future of Ohlone’s police force is still up in the air. The boardappointed subcommittee, which is trying to decide on what Ohlone will do with its police force, is still deliberating, although it seems likely at this point that they may decide in favor of having Fremont police handle the bulk of the work. As President Doug Treadway pointed out: “Running a police force is not Ohlone’s core competency.” Whether or not the college will retain security personnel is still to be determined, and will hopefully be revealed in next week’s board meeting. On the topic of campus police: Fremont police have investigated the issue of the missing parking money, which came up earlier this semester. According to their findings so far, they’ve ruled out any foul play, and have suggested the problem may be an administrative error. They’ve advised Ohlone to rethink its system of handling the parking fees collection and accounting process. According to Treadway, Ohlone has established a new procedure involving more people and better checks and balances, which he feels
will avoid similar problems in the future. The findings of Fremont police should also put to rest rumors that the disappearance of the money had anything to do with the sudden departure of ex-police Chief Steve Fajardo. In other news, although summer enrollment numbers are still unknown, Treadway was happy to say that the enrollment for the spring semester was up from last year -good news, since enrollment and state funding go hand in hand. Around campus, the announced demolition of Building 7 is going to take place later than anticipated; contrary to previous plans, the building will be encapsulated for asbestos removal next January and final demolition will happen later, and may be scheduled for one of the breaks owing to the noise it will generate. The ramp construction on Buildings 6 and 4 seems to be nearing completion, so wheelchair access will soon be improved to both buildings. Recent construction on the roofs has apparently not been quite as problem-free; several reports about leaks in our new roof have come up, in some cases severe enough to use buckets in order to catch the water. Director of facilities Simon Barros has so far not commented.
2
Opinion
monitor May 4, 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
Freedom of speech violated by little yellow flier? By ANNA NEMCHUK News editor As a journalist, I find censorship to be, understandably, abhorrent. As an English major, the burning and banning of books, not to mention coercive methods of silencing the author, have historically been a job hazard. As a liberal in many ways, an agnostic, a Jew by birth, Pro Choice and environmentalist, I advocate many views a number of people find controversial at best, unacceptable at worst.
Censorship, I have always felt, is an insult. A direct slap in the face of humanity - you aren’t smart enough to understand this, so we’re going to protect you from it. Plato may hold with this theory but I prefer to keep faith in humanity, as naïve as that sounds. According to Merriam Webster, to censor is: to examine in order to suppress or delete anything considered objectionable. In America, the First Amendment guarantees the freedom of speech, but everything comes with strings; that liberty is
not unrestricted. From the classic example of not being allowed to yell “Fire!” in a crowded theatre to telling the truth under oath to not divulging company secrets, that freedom is circumscribed every day. It starts almost from the cradle; what child hasn’t been told never to repeat that “dirty” word? The question is not whether the freedom to speak one’s mind is limited: the question is, should it be? Recently, there has been a rash of flyer postings around the Fremont
Ohlone campus: little orange-yellow leaflets featuring specific Bible quotes arranged in a way designed to convince people to follow Christ to salvation. The pamphlets have some of Ohlone faculty’s most outspoken members up in arms. Some are offended by the propaganda, some think the entire thing is no big deal, some laud tolerance of all differing views. First of all, as a student, it’s nice to see that happenings on campus affect teachers, too. You care, and that’s reassuring.
As for the flyers, there are a couple of different issues at stake. One concern is that the group pasting these is not related to any Ohlone campus group. There are certain restrictions laid out in Ohlone’s policy about posting leaflets, specifically as to where they may be put up. If the “offending” party is indeed breaking these regulations, I see no reason to be in any way lenient toward them. If the administration, however, considers the matter to be negligent, the regulations should Continued on Page 3
am half-Hispanic and that half was far more willing to get up to make a statement than the other. Right now, it seems as if immigrants, legal or illegal, are more willing than American-born citizens to rise up and demand what they want. Never before has a protest actually affected my life in the slightest. April 26 was the Day of Silence; students across the country were supposed to take a 24-hour vow of silence to highlight many homosexual and other sexual minorities have to hide their views and thoughts in fear of harassment. Not a single person I know, homosexual
or otherwise, took part in the event. The only reason I even knew about it was because I stumbled upon an article on wikipedia.com. On Monday, however, I used a coupon to get a free car wash and the station was so understaffed that they could only put my car through the drive-in auto-wash. No interior cleaning, no hand-waxing, no polish and my car still looked dirtywhen I got it back. Half of me was rather annoyed at the inconvenience, however slight. The other half laughed. That a protest by immigrants and their supporters is the one demon-
stration that has actually affected me seems mind-boggling when there is so much for American-born citizens to protest over en masse. The smaller protests that are always going on over abortion, civil rights, gay marriage and the war are all worth rioting over. So why is the American public so apathetic? Looking at other countries makes us look even lazier. When France was going to change its labor laws, students protested all across the country to stop it. They were actually protesting in order to preserve the status quo. We won’t even effectively protest against President
Bush when only one out of every three citizens thinks he is doing his job well. It is not as if we can’t protest or that there has been no precedent. The U.S. has had organized protests before it even existed. From the Boston Tea Party to the '60s, we have a history of effective mass-protests that, unfortunately, seems to have sputtered out with the younger generations. Hopefully, this “Great American Strike” will inspire those of us lucky enough to be born here to follow suit and take part in the American tradition of activism.
U.S.-born citizens, have we forgotten activism? By OMER AHMED Opinion editor On Monday, I half-protested in opposition of the newly proposed immigration laws. I only went to one of my two classes that day, half-boycotted by using free coupons for services and half supported the marches by looking after my younger brothers while the babysitter went to the San Jose rally. This half-assed activism may seem silly, but it illustrates a point about modern American society. I
Campus Comment > > >
What is your opinion of the religious fliers?
Clinton Williams Nursing “If people want to express themselves, then you have to respect it. It’s freedom of religion.”
Chris Beasley Broadcasting “I think they are a little pushy.”
Pete Rich Business Administration “Well it’s freedom of speech; freedom of religion.”
Justin Starratt Graphic Design “I think it’s total bullshit. Some people might find it offensive.”
Felicity Morris Automotive Technology “I think it’s enforcing religion onto people who may not necessarily want it.”
News/Opinion
May 4, 2006 MONITOR
3
Freedom to speak Biotech Fair introduces Fair talk new communities Continued from Page 2 be altered -- the arbitrary making and subsequent neglect of laws undermines the societal value of legislation as a whole. But should the right to free speech supercede college code? Certainly not all policies do as, for instance, it is prohibited to smoke or drink on most of the campus. Another point of interest is who should take down noncompliant posters. Ohlone’s “Policies on Time, Place and Manner” 7.9.5 as pertaining to the “Posting of Materials” section J is really quite clear on this: “Unauthorized persons shall not remove materials once posted.” In other words, student or faculty, no matter how miffed you may be about posted literature proletarizing this or that, you do not have the right to tear it down unless formally sanctioned by the college for this purpose. Unfortunately, no matter how well intentioned or justified the action may be, (I’m simply protecting young, impressionable minds... Kids shouldn’t have to look at such toxic dribble...I don’t want to put up with seeing this every day on my way to class...This is where hate crimes originate...) it is tantamount to stooping down to their level. And, yes, it is my opinion that posting Bible excerpts on public college bulletin boards is pretty pathetic, generally odious and disrespectful,
not to mention singularly ineffective for all but the most desperate. (If I pray hard enough, maybe I’ll pass that Econ final after all!) But -- there’s always that but -- this is real life, and despite gobs of evidence to the opposite, healthy human relationships are built on understanding and, more than anything, respect, NOT petty grudges and maturity levels of two-yearolds. (Middle East, anyone?) The playwright Edward BulwerLytton said what is often credited to Shakespeare: the pen is mightier than the sword. What better provocation to virulent class discussion is there but religious and human rights arguments? Fight the battle on the most deciding and deserving battlefield of all -- the written word. Don’t like the deistic advertisements? Post some contravening ones of your own. Most people reading this attend Ohlone on a regular basis and have the privilege of doing this with impunity. Hold a forum or organize a Brown Bag Seminar. Send a letter to the editor. Speak, people! Silence has long been the mainstay of tyranny and the greatest vice of the complacent. Yet realize, please, that the door swings both ways. No, life is not fair, but it is part of the beauty of human nature to endeavor to change that. The problem with silencing dissenters is that one day, you may be one.
Continued from Page 1 “It was the day that defined the character of the nation,” said Salinas. Cinco de Mayo commemorates one of the greatest and most influential battles held on Mexican soil. General Ignacio Zaragoza’s under-resourced and outnumbered army fought against French forces. On May 5, 1862, it won, in the Battle of Puebla. It was a beginning for the revolution for Independence.
Maria Ramirez, a faculty member of Ohlone, shared through song the life of a Chicana, the peaceful history of Mexico before they were conquered, and acceptance. She stressed the acceptance, respect and love for all colors and races. Several students also shared moving poetry, about the life and heritage of Chicanos in the world today. MEChA also invited professional photographer Francisco J.
By OMER AHMED Opinion editor
By CHRIS MARSHALL Staff writer
Christopher Thomas Scott, the executive director of Stanford University’s Program on Stem Cells and Society and author of “Stem Cell Now,” spoke on biotechnology and ethics Wednesday at Ohlone’s 2006 Biotechnology Fair. Scott covered a broad array of topics focused on stem cells, cloning and the issues these discoveries have pressed upon society. Among the reasons Scott gave for his enthusiasm are the many different possibilities that stem cells hold for improving the human condition. These included the theoretical uses for cancer treatment, drug testing, life extension, organ transplants and even HIV vaccination. Scott stated that ethical issues must and have been considered due to the nature of the science. Obtaining embryonic stem cells has remained controversial because it usually requires the destruction of a human embryo or cloning. Other sources of stems cells have opponents as well. Due to the vague nature of the issue, Scott encouraged the audience to absorb as much information as they could and decide for themselves what was ethical.
The Quad hummed with the buzz of activity Monday as the First Annual Learning Communities Fair attracted both students and teachers alike. The fair, besides giving out free popcorn and cotton candy, aimed to inform everyone at Ohlone what learning communities are about. “Learning communities are blocks of classes that are connected in many ways, from common themes taught in the classes to cooperation between instructors,” said Vicki Curtis, ESL instructor and strong learning community proponent. “Another key aspect of learning communities is how the group of students is the same in all the classes, so there is a sense of familiarity.” Curtis said many students aren’t aware of learning communities, “We’ve had a couple in the past, and one of the current ones consists of an ESL class taught by me, and a drama class taught by Tom Blank.” Millie Chen, an Ohlone student currently enrolled in the ESL learning community, said, “I think the learning communities are a lot better. It’s a lot more fun and it makes me feel a lot more comfortable sharing classes with the same students.” Grace Chen, another ESL learning community enrollee, agreed, “Knowing the other students helps us overcome some of the fears when we have to do our performance for our drama class.” Currently, there are 10 different learning communities scheduled for
Cinco a day of independence
ASOC puts off elections
Continued from Page 1 in candidate for president, was one of the other members that was accused of breaking campaign rules. The source of controversy in Roy’s campaign was his online myspace. com profile. Campaign and Posting Regulations set by Commissioner of Elections and Director of Campus Activities state that write-in candidates are only allowed to campaign on the days of the election but Roy’s profile was up earlier, possibly as much as a week prior. Roy said, “I’m slightly disappointed by what happened. I know I followed all the rules on election day.” Roy also stated that a number of other ASOC members have been accused of breaking election rules. He said, “My opposition repeatedly, deliberately and knowingly broke the rules.” ASOC President Tristan Tilma has called the postponed elections “the fairest solution” as they will allow the current official candidates to re-run and others to apply for candidacy.
Dominguez. His photographs spoke louder than any words, as he has carefully documented the injustice against the Mexican community. “My goal is to give a face to the immigrants,” said Dominguez, as he pointed to a portrait of a girl who was an illegal immigrant, working at a Starbucks in San Jose. The photographs are showcased in the library, and will remain there until Friday.
the fall, said Curtis. Some of them are blocks of classes that equate to a full-time load. A lot of them include general education requirements, including English 101A, but the aim is to have all the classes share a common theme and to present students with a “connection of disciplines.” At the Fair were many instructors giving out information on their own planned learning communities. One such instructor was English teacher Sean Brown, who was pushing his learning community called Ohlone College Investigative Analyst. “The focus of this community is critical thinking,” said Brown. “I want to help students answer many important questions such as ‘Do you know what your government is really up to?’” Another learning community, designed by Computer Studies Instructor Richard Grotegut, will focus on technology. “I want to apply our computer literacy course to other courses. I also want to connect all the technology available at Ohlone, and teach students and instructors how to take advantage of it.” Brown said, “To be a part of a learning community, a student has to sign up for all the classes in the block. However, if enrollment is low, the classes will be unlinked so students can enroll in them individually.” “Learning communities are really a great thing,” said Curtis. “All studies show students have better experiences in them and students even get better grades. We aim to give students an overall better association with Ohlone.”
4
Features
monitor May 4, 2006
Gospel Choir to sing this Saturday
A rhymin’ good time
By Danelle Meyer Staff writer
English instructor Robert Mitchell addresses the crowd before the start of an afternoon of poetry and prose last Thursday afternoon. Students and teachers alike gathered in the library in celebration of National Poetry Month. Photo by Ross Tsvetanov
Smith Center presents the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir who will be performing a show at Ohlone College Saturday, May 6 at 8 p.m. Twenty years in the making, the choir now includes 55 vocalists who perform gospel music. What makes the choir unique-besides being filled with multiple races and religious backgrounds--is that all of the performers are unified in their love for music. The performance is expected to bring the audience a great night of music directed by award-winning Choir Director Terrance Kelly. “Even if people are familiar with a type of gospel, they will hear a new twist with Kelly’s arrangements,” said Bea Andrade, program manager for the choir. “Oakland Interfaith always puts on a rousing and spiritual performance. It’s all about praise and feeling the Spirit and having a good time.” Besides getting people on their feet, the choir also has other mes-
sages to impart to their audience. “We’re a multi-racial group and it’s about people being able to come together and transcend differences and sing praise to a spirit no matter how you name it,” explained Andrade. The choir practices weekly to perform their 30-40 shows a year. Their demanding conductor makes sure their shows are pristine. “Terrance has a very musical background and is a great musician so he demands a high standard of musicianship,” said Andrade. Their mission statement, according to the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir’s website, “is to employ black gospel music to express the power of spirit and bring a message of faith, hope, love and joy...[and] the principles of equality, justice, peace, unity and cooperation and to serve as a model for what is possible among all people.” Tickets are $25 adults, $15 for students and seniors and $10 for children under 12 and can be purchased at the Smith Center box office at 510-659-6031 or online at www.smithcenterpresents.com
textural things with the cymbals on top of everything else. Bassist Trey Henry whipped out a tuba for authenticity in “Grandpa’s Banjo,” a 1920’s-tinged composition dedicated to Geissman’s grandfather’s banjo playing, which also featured Brian Scanlon playing clarinet. Other offerings included “What’s The Story,” featuring a fine tenor sax solo by Scanlon and “Theme Two And A Half Men” (co-written by Geissman for the TV sitcom)-jazzed up from its original 22 second TV version and featuring what struck me as some interesting Vince Guaraldi-like twist in the bridge. Throughout the concert,
Geissman played solos that were creative, soulful and in general made me realize I needed to practice more. Also, and this is a rare occurrence, his solos are concise. No long rambling self-indulgence here but to-the-point melodic material that make the point and then wrap up--much in the manner of an accomplished raconteur. There was, like on the CD, much to like here, and I think the audience agreed with that assessment. If you missed the event, but would like to fix that: Grant Geissman will be performing in the Bay Area next at Yoshi’s on June 7 (visit www.yoshis. com for details).
Jazz guitarist lives up to expectations By JEROME ENGELBERTS Editor-in-chief and Rob Lash Correspondent Last Friday jazz guitarist Grant Geissman and band took the stage at the Jackson Theater in the Smith Center to perform what turned out to be a thoroughly enjoyable night of jazz. Geissman, a veteran player and recording sideman, played many selections off his new CD “Say That!,” backed up by a tight and well-rehearsed band. Well rehearsed they should be--they’re the same guys on the CD, excepting the drummer, Dave Tull.
A small aside here for the Jackson Theater before we delve into the music. I had never been here before and I must say the Theater is ideal for this kind of performance. There isn’t a bad seat in the house. The setting makes you think that you’re in a much smaller room than you really are (which is nice, since it provides a sense of intimacy well suited for small jazz combos) and the sound was excellent, not turned up to “deafening” as sound engineers in too many venues these days are guilty of doing. Geissman started off with the title track of the CD, “Say That!” which set the tone for much of the material
that was to follow. Coaxing mellow, Wes Montomery-like octaves out of his blonde Gibson ES-335, he showed the capacity crowd early on that he wasn’t hampered by lack of facility on the instrument. What also set the tone early was the first-rate musicianship of the band. Special kudos are due to pianist Emilio Palame, who comped with restraint (always a good thing), and soloed in a sparse and angular style that at times reminded me of Red Garland, but also Bob James. And as long as credits are awarded--drummer Dave Tull was all over everything, stirring the pot, grooving like a you-knowwhat and doing very interesting
TV director Gary Kauf makes family pilgrimage to Shanghai By Frankie Addiego Staff writer A group of Jewish Holocaust survivors and their families recently traveled on a pilgrimage to Shanghai, China to visit Hongkew, a village where many Jewish refugees fled to during the Holocaust. Among the people who returned to visit the historic district was Ohlone Director of Television Operations Gary Kauf. “It was really dramatic,” said Kauf, “It’s powerful stuff to go back into your parents’ history.” Unable to attain visas to the United States, Kauf’s parents became refugees during the Holocaust. “It was very hard to go to another country unless you had a relative who was willing to [supervise] you,” remarked Kauf. As a result, some 21,000 Jews from Germany, Austria and Poland traveled to Shanghai as refugees. According to Kauf, after the Japanese took over China in 1943, Jewish refugees were forced to live
in the tiny section of Shanghai that was known as Hongkew. A small Jewish community still remains in Shanghai. “My dad used to tell me stories about how he couldn’t afford shoes...so he put cardboard in the shoes [to fill in for the soles] and it seemed to work, except for the rainy months,” said Kauf. Kauf was one of about 100 people who attended the pilgrimage, known as the Rickshaw Reunion. “The part of it that got to me,” said Kauf, “[is] this little hovel that my father lived in with one room [and] no running water...you don’t think of your parents living in poverty.” According to Kauf, the American-Jewish Committee eventually aided people in getting away from Hongkew. After that, his parents moved to San Francisco. When asked if this was an annual event, Kauf siad, “The last time they did this was in 1985.” Kauf also added that there would be no more trips. “There aren’t
many of these guys [Holocaust survivors] left. This is the last chance to do this because Shanghai is rebuilding itself from the ground up.” Kauf also alluded to the relationship that Ohlone is building with China. The college is planning to send a student delegation to Ohlone’s sister colleges in Taizhou, Hangzhou and Shanghai this summer. In addition, Kauf revealed an agreement to send Ohlone instructors to teach 6 courses at the Shanghai College of Arts & Crafts next spring. While he was there, a Chinese television crew was filming a documentary about the Hongkew experience. The makers of the piece asked if they could interview him and then they asked if they could interview his son, who is 17 years old. “What is clear is that my son will carry this with him,” said Kauf. “My children, who are second generation citizens, will also carry these stories with them.”
Asian American identity By Joyce Leung Features editor As a young immigrant from the Philippines, Asian Pacific American Student Association President (APASA) Brian Morris’s accent quickly attracted many “friends” in his 3rd grade class. His new classmates, however, offered their friendship not out of goodwill, but in exchange for money. “They wanted me to pay them for acceptance,” lamented Morris. More than a decade later, his accent is nearly gone, but to Morris’s dismay, his near-perfect English is now eliciting prejudice from his own race. Filipinos who tout their ethnic pride on their sleeve now think Morris is not “culturally aware.” “Because of my fluency in English...they think I’m white washed,” said Morris. “I’m experiencing the reverse of it.” Morris can’t seem to win either way, but he is not alone. His frustration with cultural identity and assimilation echo those of many second generation Asian Americans who openly discussed their ideas on Asian American identity in a forum last Thursday afternoon hosted by APASA. Encouraged to blend in, but also criticized when they became too “American,” the consensus was that Asian American children couldn’t seem to please society or their parents. Several students related stories in which previous generations would comment on their “Americanization” or express disappointment when they couldn’t speak their native language. The audience seemed to share a mix of anger and regret because the remarks, though hurtful, pointed to a cultural awareness they wished they had. “When people ask me about my family history and what dialect I speak...I have no freakin’ idea,” said Jason Chan, who felt that there was a divide between him and his Chinese culture.
5
Features The perils of Paxil: it’s not easy being clean May 4, 2006 monitor
State of Illusion By Chris marshall
Paxil--generic, Paroxetine--and I go way back. My insane relationship with this drug started more than 10 years ago, when I was first prescribed it to help combat my panic attacks in junior high. On one hand I loved the drug because it provided me with the extra help I needed to get through my turbulent teenage years, yet on the other hand I have been plagued by Paxil’s side effects, politics and price. I must stress how personal Paxil is to me. It has been a part of my life for a decade--almost half of my life. I don’t pretend to know all the facts surrounding Paxil, but I don’t believe anyone knows all the facts, which is part of the problem. My own doctor told me researchers at various universities have admitted they have no idea how Paxil, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor drugs in general, affect the human brain. One of my friends put it best: depression and anxiety require a precision strike somewhere in the brain, but being unable to do that, SSRI drugs are used to “carpet bomb” the brain. Since I don’t have all the facts surrounding Paxil, what I am left with are my experiences, and these are what I wish to convey. Let me emphasize a few things before I begin. I am by no means recommending anyone stop taking any drug they are on. In no way do I recommend anyone suddenly start taking medication. Any decision about any medication should rest solely between you and your doctor. I simply wish to tell my story. The most recent bad experience I had with Paxil is withdrawal symptoms. Beginning in February, I began to show symptoms of high blood pressure and an increased heart rate. This coincided directly with a switch in the manufacturer of my Paxil. This being the cause is up for debate: my doctor said this is next to impossible, while my mother’s neurologist said there are
many generic drugs known to not work the same as their brand-name counterparts. My doctor looked up Paxil in his Big Red Book o’ Drugs and right there, in heavy bold-faced type under possible cardiovascular changes, were my symptoms of increased blood pressure and heart rate. Needless to say, both my doctor and I were worried enough to take me off Paxil. Discontinuing Paxil is not a single-step affair, but rather a weaning process. One must taper Paxil slowly because it has a very short half-life in the body -- approximately six days and Paxil is all but gone from the body. Before beginning the process, I laid out a plan: beginning at my normal dose of 30 mg a day, I would taper in quantities of 10 until I hit the 10 mg mark, where I would then go down to five, and eventually nothing. I did not set the period of time between dose reductions because I had no idea how I would react. I am very glad I did not set time goals. I knew this process would be difficult; I had read stories on the Internet about peoples’ battles with hellish withdrawal symptoms, but I figured these stories to be embellished and expected a difficult, yet not overwhelmingly terrible time. Oh how wrong I was. A lot of doctors don’t believe in Paxil withdrawal symptoms or they have never heard of them. I’m not sure what I felt can even be classified as withdrawal symptoms, seeing as I had no actual craving for Paxil and many say cravings are a requisite for withdrawal. But I am sure of one thing: during the process of discontinuing Paxil I was very sick, to the point of being incapacitated. The first symptom to manifest itself occurred about 24 hours after I took 20 mg for the first time in the form of a headache accompanied by a slight grogginess. I would describe it as the type of grogginess one feels after being awake for 24 hours without a wink of sleep. This turned into a constant headache very much like a migraine, except this one lasted about six weeks. A few days into my first dose reduction--going from my normal
Craft sale in Quad
Deepti Agrawal holds up an intricately patterned vase during Wednesday’s crafts sale in the Quad . Photo by Chirag Patel
30 mg a day to 20 mg - I began to feel very dizzy. This dizziness persisted for weeks, and transformed into nausea. I was able to curb this nausea with some crystallized ginger, but suffice to say it was very unpleasant. During the first week and a half I was still able to function somewhat. I had a hard time focusing on things though--sometimes literally. My eyes would refuse to focus; every time I would shift my eyes to another object, my eyes would take a few seconds to refocus, something my eyes never did before. The second week and a half, where I reduced my dose down to 10 mg a day, were the worst. I began to feel what I can only describe as “whooshes” or “pulses.” My head felt like it was on a boat crashing through rough seas--a very realfeeling rolling sensation that was somehow internalized inside my skull. For these 10 days, I was pretty much reduced to a quivering blob. All I could really do was lay in my bed, in a fetal position, and wait for the pain to stop. During this time--and the next week or so-the whooshes in my head became audible. I could hear what sounded like bursts of wind accompany the rolling sensation. This was one of the most frightening things I have
ever experienced; I thought I was going crazy. During the last 10 days, when I was taking only 5 mg of Paxil per day, I began to recover. My symptoms were reduced to what they were near the beginning--just a headache and a little lightheadedness. All of my symptoms disappeared about eight weeks after I first reduced my dosage. I sit here now, writing this, feeling pretty much the best I have felt in 10 years. Some of the things for which I originally took Paxil have returned, though to a lesser degree. I periodically feel anxious, and some of my obsessive-compulsive behavior has returned. On the plus side however, my pulse and heart rate are back to normal and the other side effects of Paxil are gone. These include sexual side effects from which I no longer suffer. I won’t go into detail about all of them, but one was a complete lack of a sex drive. Dealing with this side effect for 10 years, I pretty much missed out on the whole discovering-your-sexuality thing most teenagers do. While this let me focus on school, I do feel as if I missed out on an important part of my adult development. I’m not advocating people stop taking Paxil. Anyone even slightly interested in getting off any drug needs to talk to his or her doctor--I
cannot stress this enough. I do not hate Paxil; I hate GlaxoSmithKline, the company that produces Paxil, and every other giant pharmaceutical company. They run an amoral business, where profit supercedes the health of people. My doctor informed me there is now a “blackbox” warning doctors receive about Paxil, warning of increased chances of suicide in young people who take Paxil. He said this warning is at the beginning of the documentation sent to doctors about Paxil and is very prominent. GlaxoSmithKline, however, does not make this information available to the consumer. For more information about Paxil and the experiences of others who have taken it, I suggest visiting http://www.quitpaxil.org and http://www.paxilprogress.org on the web. These two sites are full of information about Paxil side effects and possible withdrawal symptoms, and are a good read for anyone taking Paxil or any other SSRI drug. Paxil helped me a lot when I was younger, but I disagree completely with the politics surrounding the drug, and the practices of the giant pharmaceutical companies. If anyone is interested in getting off any drug like Paxil, talk to your doctor, don’t do it out of the blue. I simply told my story to prove that though difficult, it is quite possible.
6 MONITOR
May 4, 2006
Advertisement
Campus Events May 4- 16 Annual Fine Art and Design Show -- The art gallery is open to view the student art from 10 a.m., to 3 p.m., on weekdays. It is also open Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings and during Smith Center events. The awards ceremony will be May 10 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., in the gallery. Awards and prizes will be given. This event is free. 4 Multimedia Festival -in Hyman Hall. View work and enjoy workshops from 2:30 to 3 p.m. View work from 3 to 9 p.m. From 4:30 to 5:30 Cynthia Baron will speak about making portfolios. Reception is from 5:45 to 6:30 p.m., and awards ceremony is from 6:30 to 7 p.m. This event is free. 5 Brown Bag Seminar: Biomaterials and Cell Interactions -- from 1 to 2 p.m., in Room 3201. The purpose of the seminar is to stimulate interest in and awareness of topics, trends, and careers in science. This event is free.
6 Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir -- Performance at 8 p.m., in the Jackson Theatre. It is billed as an uplifting evening with a multi-racial group of 55 vocalists. Tickets are $15 for students and $25 for adults. They are available by going to the box office, or by calling (510) 6596031.
a.m., and 3 p.m. To make an appointment, visit the counseling window in Building 1 or call (510) 659-6110.
CLASSIFIEDS WE ARE HIRING Teachers and Aides for Pre-
school Centers. Our locations are in Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Newark and Union City. For more information please call Arlein @ 866-994-7823 or fax your resume to 650-994-7825 or e-mail it to calstaff@sbcglobal.net.
May 4, 2006 monitor
7
FREE Satellite TV System FREE installation. Get up to 4 receivers with remotes for up to 4 TVs. Over 300 channels available. For more information, call 800-7847694. Please mention the special promotion code: A33496003
7 Ohlone Chamber Orchestra -- 2 p.m. in the Smith Center. A spring concert with piano soloist Eman Isadiar. Music includes pieces like Symphony No. 9. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults. Tickets are available at the box office or by calling (510) 659-6031. 7 Ohlone Wind Orchestra -- 5 p.m. in the Jackson Theatre. A spring concert featuring the El Camino Wind Orchestra with diverse and exciting band music. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults, available at the box office or at (510) 659-6031. 10 Transfer Event: CSU East Bay -- Meet with a representative between 9
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, May 4, 2006
Over time By RAHUL BATRA Staff writer
Favre, the Big Cheese Brett Favre is undoubtedly one of the most prolific, athletic and dominant quarterbacks of all time. There is no question that he will be given a beige sport coat after he is inducted into the hall of fame. Fans in Green Bay, and in the state of Wisconsin, had to be jubilated and excited that Favre decided to come back and play another year in the Frozen Tundra. However, the decision to come back was not very easy. Last season was very disappointing for everybody in that Packer organization as well as for the city of Green Bay. Although Favre threw for almost 4,000 yards, he threw 29 interceptions; a career high. Not to mention a disappointing 412 record. If Favre maybe played recruiter for the Packers, he may have returned sooner. However, he said in various television and radio interviews that he didn’t want to endure another losing season. Throughout the off season, sports fans all over were thinking that to entice Favre to come back, Green Bay would have to bring in top-notch receivers to help Favre establish another stellar offense, like the ones he had in the ’90s. During this past weekend of the NFL draft, Green Bay decided to strengthen their defense rather than offense. They chose linebacker A.J. Hawk in the first round. To make it even more one-sided, they traded their star receiver Javon Walker to the Denver Broncos for a second round draft choice. What happened to trying to get Santonio Holmes from Ohio State or Chad Jackson from Florida? If GM Ted Thompson wants to build another Super Bowl caliber team, he has to surround Favre with some receiving talent. There wasn’t even any news of trying to get Keyshawn Johnson or even T.O when they were available. Another bad decision was immediately firing coach Mike Sherman last season. This was a terrible decision because Favre said repeatedly that he would not come back if he had to learn a new offense. Favre’s interests were not put into consideration. After all that, Favre still decided to return. His ties to the city of Green Bay and the surrounding communities make him almost like the Pope in the state of Wisconsin. It’s very enjoyable to watch a quarterback play football when you know that he is easily going to Canton. It looks more and more likely now that wide receiver Donald Driver will now have make a name for himself this season.
Page 8
The Kendalls: Ohlone’s dynasty By Naomi Balagot Staff writer Everyone gets their start somewhere. Head Coach Gene Kendall II of the Renegades swimming and men’s water polo teams got his start at a young age and his start greatly influenced the start for his son and daughter. “Swimming is a very physical and healthy sport and swimmers are sharp and hard working. That was the environment I wanted my kids to be around,” said Kendall. Gene started his swimming career with the Santa Clara Swim Club when he was six and was coached by one of the greatest swim coaches of all time, George Haines. Gene would then go on to swim at the University of Houston on a full swimming scholarship. He swam the 200 Free, 500 Free, and the 1,650 free events. During his senior year of college, he ended his competitive swimming career and transferred to Ohlone College to play water polo for Jack Croghan, Gene’s predecessor. After attending and playing water polo for Ohlone, Gene finished his teaching credentials at San Jose State University, and it wasn’t long before he began his career as a swim coach. Gene got his first coaching job with the Newark Swim Club, and coached other teams thereafter, such as the Fremont Aquatic Club, and the Kennedy Swim Club. Before becoming a coach at Ohlone, he was a teacher at Irvington High School, where he taught science, and coached Varsity Swimming and Volleyball. In 1994, Gene decided to coach at Ohlone. When Gene isn’t coaching for Ohlone, he coaches a USA Swimming sanctioned team called Mission San Jose Aquatics- a team nationally recognized and known for its coaching staff and athletes. As Gene finishes his twelfth year at Ohlone, he definitely has a lot to be proud of. Gene and his family, have greatly contributed to the
Ohlone Head Coach Gene Kendall discusses tactics with his daughter, Ashley. Ohlone placed second in the conference meet last week. Photo by Ross Tsvetanov sports of swimming and water polo in the Fremont community, and with the Renegade Aquatics program as well. Not only that but in 2005, his son Gene Kendall III, who goes by the name “Geno” finished his first year as the assistant women’s water polo coach, where he and Head Coach Don French won the Conference title for the first time in school history, and was nominated as Conference Co-coach of the Year. “It was a great experience. It's my job to make things fit and work together for a common goal.” said Geno. They battled everyday, and they deserve the recognition. I admit that it was a little weird being 22 and coaching a successful team my first year, and not to mention my sister.” Before becoming the assistant women’s water polo coach, Geno swam and played water polo at Ohlone, and was coached by his
father. He received awards such as First Team All-Conference and all NorCal Conference in his two years he played water polo and was a six time Conference Champion for swimming. He also previously coached Mission San Jose High Swimming and Girl’s Water Polo, James Logan High Boys JV & Varsity Water Polo, the Mission Valley Barracudas and even started the first year-round water polo club in Fremont, called Renegades Water Polo. “I’ve always wanted to give back to where I came from. I wouldn’t be the person, player or coach that I am today, if it weren’t for my dad and Ohlone. My dad has a lot to do with the way I coach. There's different philosophies on coaching, but the one that my dad and I share is that it’s important for kids to have a good education, and a good time,” said Geno. “Winning comes second, and
it’s a nice bonus. My dad taught me to treat guys and girls in different, but effective ways. He did so much for aquatics in Fremont, it’s ridiculous. I’m hoping to add my own branch to that tree he’s grown,” said Geno. 2004 marked Ashley’s first year playing water polo for Ohlone, In her first season she received First Team All-Conference, Second Team All-American and the MVP Awards for the Ohlone women’s water polo team. In 2005, she was again selected to be team captain, and received First Team All-American, Conference MVP, and was nominated as MVP in the entire junior college NorCal area, and was recruited by UC Berkeley, and UC Irvine. “No one knew that winning conference was going to happen! I was excited that we accomplished something that had never been done before,” said Ashley. Before achieving a high level of success within her water polo career at Ohlone, she had many accomplishments as a swimmer. By the time she was 10 years old, she was ranked 11th in the nation in the 50 Breast. At age 14 she received her Jr. National qualification times in the 100 and 200 Breast. As a freshman at Irvington, she placed 2nd in the 100 Breast at the North Coast Sectional Championships. As Ashley puts an end to the Kendall era, she is the last Kendall to graduate from Ohlone, and will be attending UC Santa Cruz next fall. “I feel very proud of my Dad and brother, because they’ve done a good job with the program. I’ve never had as much fun as i've had these last two years,” said Ashley. Gene and Geno will continue coaching the aquatics programs at Ohlone next fall. Both father and son enjoy what they do at Ohlone, due to the developed relationships amongst the athletes, students, and staff. “I love my job. Besides I’m never hurting for a tan,” said Gene.
Cross wins Conference MVP award By Rahul Batra Staff writer Softball may be over for most of the Lady Renegades, but for one lady, it’s just starting. Melissa Cross is the Renegades premiere starter while also being team captain and playing first base. She dominates with the bat offensively by making contact with the ball each time as well as defensively with the glove. It’s very rare that you’ll see a ground ball go past her without her tracking it down. It’s great to see now that her accomplishments on the field have gotten her recognition off the field. Since she began at Ohlone, she has been looked at by a number of division one colleges throughout the country, and will likely continue her college softball-playing days this fall. Cross, or Missy, as she is known to her friends and teammates, is leaning toward playing for Sacramento State, Chico, Cal State Northridge and Eastern Kentucky. Eastern Kentucky is at the top of her list because they have offered
Conference MVP Melissa Cross looks to drive the ball Look for Cross and the rest of the Lady Renegades will take on Feather River in the first round of the playoffs. Photo by Ross Tsvetanov her a scholarship to play for their softball team. Eastern Kentucky is currently waiting for Missy to make a decision. Missy began playing softball about seven years ago and it immediately became a passion of hers. “I enjoy the adrenaline during each game,” Cross said. “There is
an uncertainty each game brings that gives me a rush each time I step onto the field.” Missy certainly gets her mind focused before game time. While many players psyche themselves up, Missy sticks to her pre-game routines. She is a little superstitious. She always eats the same foods before each game and does
the same workouts. A sandwich from Togo’s is what you will see her eating. As team captain, she is the first to show up for practices and games, and the last to leave. Last year,the characteristics she provided as a leader earned her the Easton All-American Award. This is also very similar to the Conference most valuable player award she won this year. Ohlone Head Coach Donna Runyon has enjoyed coaching and watching Missy. Runyon has said many times that Missy puts in an extra amount of time with the players and coaches off the field. “She has the willingness and determination,” Runyon said. “She leads by example.” Missy actually was recruited by Ohlone to play basketball. She then decided to play softball as well. Soon enough, she was a dual athlete. This is very rare for collegiate athletes to do. So congratulations to Missy for all her accomplishments during her Ohlone career. And best of luck at whichever college you decide to go to.