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Men dominate own tournament. – Page 8
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Fremont, California
Vol. XXXVIII No. 11
OPINION
Science Night: infinity and beyond.
SPORTS
NEWS
FEATURES
Gallery shows miracle of plumage.
I want an iPhone, but... – Page 2
November 13, 2008
Veterans: more than just a day
When arachnids attack
By Anna Biaritz Roldan Staff writer Veterans Day may have come and gone, but for many Ohlone vets, the remembrance never ends. “If I wasn’t in the military, I’d be a lot closer to graduation, but I’m still making my way there, with a nice bit of help from the GI Bill,” said former student Daniel Yuan, who just returned home from his second Iraq deployment. He added that he has a collection of unique experiences and unique friends from the military and that one way is to think of the military is as the world’s biggest fraternity - albeit with guns and uniform haircuts. Yuan said he wanted to join the military from the time he was 17 years old. He joined the Marines the next year, and took his first tour in Iraq as a Radio Operator in 2006. Another veteran on campus, History Instructor Darren Bardell, joined the Navy in 1986 and served for seven years. He was a reserve during the Cold War and Gulf War and left right after the latter conflict. Bardell, who graduated from a military school, followed in the
footsteps of his father, also a military man. Bardell said the benefits of the GI Bill played a major role in his decision to enlist. Bardell served as part of the deck division, in charge of anchoring the ship and maintaining the ship’s exterior. Bardell said his time in the Navy left him with a sense of how large of an economy the military is, and how massive it has become. He said the military lifestyle matured him as a person. “It changes you in good ways, makes you emotionally self sufficient, reliant and independent financially and emotionally,” said Bardell. Bardell said that to him, Veterans Day is a day to honor veterans and the families who supported them. An older veteran, Mail Room Clerk Hal Griffin, said Veterans Day conjures memories of another conflict: Vietnam. Griffin, who also belonged to a military family, served in the military for 10 years. He fought in the Vietnam War from 1965-‘66 for the first battalion, first marine regiment as a communication officer. He encourages all those considering joining to do so.
Board: new blood By Ankita Chhabra Staff writer
Photo by Kyle Stephens
Here a local Ohlone resident, a tarantula, scales the walls of Building 2. Tarantulas are a common sight around campus during the start of the rainy season. Tarantula bites are non-lethal, and the only way to develop an allergy to the bite itself is to be bitten multiple times. Keeping your distance, as most people would do, makes this highly unlikely. Ohlone Health Center Director and Nurse Practitioner Sally Bratton said that spider bites are not unlike bee stings, with local reactions that can be treated with antihistmines. Virtually all spiders (98-99 percent) are non-lethal.
The Board of Trustees welcomed its new members and bid farewell to the outgoing ones at its meeting Wednesday. The Board will have a second hearing on K-12 Admissions and Enrollment next meeting and will revise and talk about the proposal on the limits of admittance of K-12 students. English as a Second Language Instructor Vicki Curtis gave the board her proposal for a new program for English Language International students. This program will enable these students to be successful at college level classes and help them excel in those courses. She introduced programs such as Voice Threads, which allows teachers to make voice records. For 2008-’09 Ohlone could face up to a 7 percent budget cut. However, this would use up all of their reserves. Depending on the severity of 2009-’10 budget cuts, program cuts and continuing the hiring freeze will be considered. The Student Service Building is progressing well, and looks to receive a silver or even gold LEED environmental certification.
State, colleges face tough financial times ahead By Rebecca Soltau Staff writer Leaders of community colleges in California report that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposal of midterm budget cuts could possibly be devastating for school systems. Gov. Schwarzenegger said Thursday that he wanted to trim this year’s community college budgets by more than $330 million as part of
a widespread cut into state agencies. The University of California system also faces a dramatic cut of nearly $65.5 million, and the California State system could be cut by $66.3 million as well. Ohlone has sufficient reserves to withstand up to a 7 percent budget cut, according to the Board of Trustees. Administrators of California’s 110 two-year schools, which
collectively register almost 2.7 million students per year, say the cuts would force the customary open-enrollment colleges to turn away students at the worst possible time. Attendance is up more than 10 percent statewide, reflecting the usual trend of booming enrollment during tough economic times. Schwarzenegger noted that his plan would give colleges the elasticity to administer the cutbacks
themselves. Colleges could trim “physical-plant services, telecommunications, economic development and remedial courses,” said Schwarzenegger spokesman H.D. Palmer. “We would not presume to determine how they would make that reduction,” Palmer said. “We hope that they will do their best to be creative.” Leaders of the Cal State and
UC organizations said they could be forced to resort to larger class sizes, fewer courses and reduced library hours. “The CSU prepares the majority of California’s work force,” Cal State Chancellor Charles Reed said in a written statement, “and these budget cuts will have a direct impact on the state’s economy if we are unable to provide graduates for California’s key industries.”
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monitor November 13, 2008
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 General Excellence Fall 1994 General Excellence Fall 2000 General Excellence Fall 2004 General Excellence Fall 2005
Opinion
Editor in chief: Eric Dorman News editor: Kyle Stephens Opinion editor: Nicole Johnson Features editor: Andrew Le Sports editor: Jeff Weisinger Photo editor: Japneet Kaur Graphics staff: Amanda Sheppard Staff writers: Jacque Orvis, Ankita Chhabra, Suchi Gupta, Nicole Johnson, Tomás Ortega, Anna Biaritz Roldan, Farnoosh Vahedi Photographers: TBA Ad manager: Jacque Orvis 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
Oh iPhone, how I yearn for thee...but I hate AT&T By Jacque Orvis Staff writer I want an iPhone, but I despise AT&T. I was once a customer of theirs, and I counted the remaining days of my contract, eager to leave them. Every bill had an error, every call to a representative took what seemed like forever, more than 40 percent of the time I could not make a call from where I needed to make a call, and nothing seemed to improve over the three years that they were my cell carrier. Not to mention, at the time, their phones really sucked. But they are the one and only service provider for the iPhone. I left AT&T in 2004, I have found cell phone service perfection in Verizon and I won’t leave them. So, obviously I have only two options: suck it up and get a phone similar to the iPhone, or overpay for an unlocked iPhone to
use with Verizon. However, when I was a cell service customer of T-Mobile, I learned that trying to use a phone other than the ones that the company itself provides can be rough: in order to use an LG Chocolate from Peru, I had to spend a good amount of time on the phone getting instructions from a T-Mobile technician on how to reprogram the phone to send and receive text messages and pictures. From that experience I learned that using a phone not provided by the cell phone carrier is more complicated than it seems. Also, I know from being a Sprint customer that Sprint, a company using CDMA technology as opposed the SIM (like T-Mobile), won’t even bother letting their customers use non-Sprint phones with the service because they don’t want malfunctions of the phones interfering with
its service ratings. So who’s to say that Verizon, using the same CDMA technology as Sprint, will let its customers use non-Verizon phones? All phones that I see Verizon users utlitizing have the Verizon logo on them. My point? It’s not worth overpaying for an unlocked iPhone to attempt to use with my Verizon service, and I’m not leaving the blissful company for the crappy service of AT&T. So, my only choice is to suck it up - I won’t ever get the chance to be an iPhone user because I have made up my mind about AT&T. I’m staying where I am. I managed to get a free Juke from Verizon, and I spent $300 on an iPod Touch. I was happy... for a while. Now, I hate my phone: my life is too complicated for the itsy Samsung. The technology is below my personal par. I’d rather carry my
iPod touch around and leave my cell at home, which renders me unreachable. So why not just buy a Blackberry or a really fancy LG smart phone? Because they are really expensive. An LG Voyager or Blackberry Pearl retail at over $200, while the iPhone is only $199 with or without a contract. I’m already in a contract with Verizon, so I cannot take advantage of a hefty discount on a really good smart phone. The iPhone is $199, regardless of a contract with AT&T. Friends tell me that they don’t have any problem with AT&T, but why would I leave Verizon if they are the best cell phone carrier that I have ever had the luck of being a customer of? I wouldn’t, so I keep saving and shopping. However, the more I use my iPod Touch, the more I get to play with
friends’ iPhones, and the more I test smart phones that are available at Verizon, the more I realize that the iPhone is the best, and I’m missing out. I want an iPhone. But it’s not going to happen, right? Wrong. I Googled it, and I found it. According to an article written by Philip Elmer-DeWitt on apple20. blogs.fortune.cnn.com, the rumor is that Apple is in negotiations with Verizon about releasing the iPhone for their service as early as January 2009. Of course, there’s the obvious conflict of service technologies AT&T uses SIM cards and Verizon uses CDMA. But who cares? It can be done, right? Besides, why would Apple keep its best product locked under one carrier? Couldn’t it be making more money if it had more consumers? It would have the whole Verizon lot in the palm of their hands.
achieved by tongue-in-cheek variants on the original design by the father of modern synthesis, the late Dr. Robert Moog. One such manifestation can be found in the Roland TB-303 – the quintessential instrument for acid trance, house, et al. For its rarity (only 10-15,000 were made), a 303 has fetched as much as $1500 on eBay - therein enters another reason for cloning:
getting access to equipment that isn’t widely available. In response to the 303 being discontinued and the demand for it being so high, several clones are on the market today, such as the Future Retro 777, Acidlab Bassline, and the x0xb0x (“zocksbox”). The x0x is a unique product in that it’s an open source project – every detail about the design is available to the public. Pioneers of such a philosophy
of information, with projects like Wikipedia and the Linux operating system, would argue that being open about ideas is the way to progress, making money even. The x0x designers sell kits to build their creation, though many have eve expanded upon the specifications of the x0x, making a synthesizer arguably better than even the original TB-303. I admire this open approach to
business and information. It makes an exclusive product available, and lets advanced users tweak around. Being reliant on the company that built your gear for parts and service is closer to renting gear than owning. And when you don’t own it, they own you. Enter the antithesis to just about everything I just said: Zachary Vex. Mr. Vex is the proprietor of Z.Vex Continued on Page 3
Copyright, ownership issues are not always fuzzy By Kyle Stephens News editor In the DIY (do-it-yourself) music gear scene, copyrights are a flexible thing. Given certain circumstances, it is legal to make clones: functional copies of preexisting hardware. One of the basic ways to manipulate sound, filtering, has been widely
Campus Comment > > > Should illegal downloaders be prosecuted?
Brian Schrank
Evan Chen
BIOLOGY
Jonathan Nicolas
Angel Russell
MUSIC HISTORY
POLITICAL SCIENCE
PSYCHOLOGY
BROADCASTING
“Downloading every CD is excessive. There should be a fine.”
“Yes, because it isn't costing the dowloader much money.”
“I know [downloading music illegally is] wrong...but it’s a conflict.”
“I know it’s stealing...but [artists] are not losing that much money.”
“No, I think people should have their rights.”
Michael Hart
News
November 13, 2008 monitor
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‘To moon and beyond’ at Science Night By Suchi Gupta Staff writer Who says moon exploration is dead? Not NASA Scientist Anupa Bajwa, who will present a seminar on the “Future Exploration of the Moon and Beyond” for the college’s annual NASA Science Night this Wednesday, Nov. 19 from 7 to 8 p.m. in Jackson Theater. Bajwa, who works at the NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, will be focusing her talk around the next generation of space exploration. A computer engineer, Bajwa is currently working on methods for failure detection and diagnosis for launch vehicles, which includes work on designing modeling and simulators for vehicle systems. At the seminar, Bajwa will be talking about the life of an astronaut, what it is like to travel in space and what sort of things go into the design of the ship and the space program. She said she will encourage questions throughout the talk. Among the goals of the seminar, said Math, Science and Technology Coordinator Yvette Niccolls, is to encourage students to pursue careers in the field of space programs. Niccolls also praised several other individuals for their work toward fostering Ohlone’s connection with NASA. “Our Vice President of Academic Affairs, Jim Wright, and Dean of Science, Engineering and Technology, Ron Quinta, have been visionary in creating this collaboration between Ohlone and NASA
Cloning within reason Continued from Page 2 brand effect pedals and amps. One of his toys, the Fuzz Factory, is revered in the music scene, and is used by the likes of Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails), Matthew Bellamy (Muse), Rivers Cuomo (Weezer), Jack White (The White Stripes), Nels Cline (Wilco) and many others. It is all that and the kitchen sink for processing a guitar signal or otherwise, from sweet to sick. A new one will set you back some $300. I can build one from a schematic found online for $30. But, I’m not going to, at least not right away. I think there are limits on this whole open source idea, that cloning is only okay to a point. While the Fuzz Factory is itself a clone of an effect made famous by Jimi Hendrix, “Fuzz Face,” it’s a heavily modified version. A lot of research and development went into making an already-cool toy into something even cooler, and as a builder I respect that a lot. Moreover, he gets to make a living doing what I do for a hobby. Not being a spiteful person, I wouldn’t want to take that away from someone. His tech support is personal and legendary. His email responses are prompt and personal. He’s an all-around nice guy – absolutely unlike the aforementioned corporate model of “renting” you its wares. His is a product and service worth paying for. But, like making a copy of your favorite CD for personal use is perfectly legal and moral, I feel that so is making duplicates of gear you own and use. Z.Vex also has a less glamorous version of the Fuzz Factory that runs $180 – buying this way, I’ll have my cake, and eat (or build) it too.
Graphic by Eric Dorman
NASA Scientist Anupa Bajwa will present a talk on ‘Future Exploration of the Moon and Beyond’ at Wednesday’s NASA Science Night in the Jackson Theater. Ames,” said Niccolls. Past NASA Science Nights have been very popular with students. NASA Bioengineer Jonathan Trent spoke on the origin of the universe in 2006, and last year Astronaut Janice Voss spoke on her trips to space, both
before packed houses. The seminar is open to all ages. Admission is free, and tickets may be obtained from the box office starting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday. The theater has a capacity of 400 and the doors open at 6.30 p.m. The first students
in line will receive carabiner flashlight keychains. Tickets are available at the Smith Center Box Office starting at 6 p.m before the seminar. For more information about the event call (510) 659-7372 or go to www. ohlone.edu/go/nasa.
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Features Birdwatching inspires gallery
monitor November 13, 2008
The view from here By Andrew Le Features editor
Generation medication Do you feel less happy than you want to be sometimes? I know I do, but I always accepted that as part of being human. I act impulsively and I am quick to anger - I even slammed my desk when McCain lost. But I always thought it was all a part of being me. But as of late I’ve had to ask myself, what defines a person for what they are? When I saw a commercial for medication, which defined a symptom of a disorder as “Do you feel less happy than you want to be sometimes?” I began to worry. If we all sacrificed our individuality for stability through medication how would we be able to differentiate ourselves from other people? It seems to me that what we once accepted as eccentricities, we now deem disorders and attempt to prescribe it all away. I read a Victorian novel recently where a character was described as mercurial, and the first thing I thought of was bi-polar disorder - and immediately mentally prescribed Lithium. How terrible is it that I have been so conditioned that whenever I read about a character’s quirks, I automatically assume it needs medication. There must have been a time when these little bits of uniqueness were accepted, since there was a time when medications weren’t being thrown around like Soma. “Cigarettes and speed for living, sleeping pills to feel forgiven” is a line to a Ted Leo song, and it perfectly describes the lifestyle of Generation RX. Whereas Generation X was defined by flannel and Kurt Cobain, Generation RX will be defined by the massive amounts of drugs that we are prescribed. If you don’t pay enough attention in class, you get prescribed amphetamines; if your six-year-old jumps around too much he gets Pemoline. If you feel a bit anxious in social situations you get Paxil; if you feel jittery you get Benzodiazepine. If I’ve only spent the last eight years of my life living in a Prozac Nation and I’ve already been this indoctrinated with this mentality, what will my kids be like? What will my kids be like if they are told in commercials day in and day out that every part of themselves is faulty and needs fixing? People like to claim that we now live in a world that is more accepting of people for what they are, which is true on a superficial level - the color of someone’s skin is no longer the alienating factor it once was. But fundamentally, in regard to what truly matters, we have failed. We have allowed ourselves to be medicated into uniformity, destroying the emotional instabilities and awkward bits that God instilled in each and every one of us and I think that is the worst part of it all.
By Ankita Chhabra Staff writer Inspired from birding trips to Mexico, Chihuahua, San Blas, Jalisco, El Triunfo and research from the California Academy of Sciences and UC Berkeley comes an art exhibit by David Tomb in the Louie-Meager Art Gallery. The exhibition opened last weekend and displayed Tomb’s sketches and paintings of birds in vibrant colors and detail work. Tomb attended the College of Marin in Kentfield before graduating from State University of Long Beach. With his art degree, Tomb went on a journey that took him to the Academy of Arts in New York where he taught for three years. Tomb’s paintings recreate the sights and sounds of the Sierra Madre region in an artistic and educational experience in. Bird specimens that are on loan from science institutions, along with recorded birdcalls, fill the gallery. Not only does the visitor get to experience Tomb’s talent with the paintbrush, they also experience the captured beauty of the Sierra Madre. Among his many paintings, one that was especially popular and captured the eye of many was the “Resplendent Quetzal,” which was a water wash painting of an extravagant bird. The bird has a green body that draws your attention toward the
bright color. The title of the painting comes from the Aztec sky and creator god and combines the name quetzal, which means “brightly colored bird” and coatl, meaning “serpent.” The painting itself has a brightness of color that represents the sign of growth and light. The other art pieces each have their own stories behind them. Tomb’s artwork varies from water wash to pencil work to colored pencil. In combination with the show, other Bay Area educators will work with Tomb to give talks and workshops in Ohlone classrooms as well as the gallery. They will touch on topics such as how the exhibit relates to Mayan art, specifically in reference to the Quetzal (also known as the Plumed Serpent). Tomb is a veteran of the art scene and has had solo exhibitions dating back to 1989. His gallery at the Louie Meager Gallery is only his latest in a long line of exhibitions, and he already has another gallery lined up in 2009 at the Angela Peralta Theatre Mazatlan in Mexico. Not only limited to painting and sketching, Tomb also has given lectures at such prestigious schools as Loyola Marymount. There will be a reception at 6 p.m. on Dec. 6. The gallery is open from 12:30 to 2 p.m., Monday through Thursday and during all events at the Smith Center.
Photo courtesy of David Tomb
The ‘Resplendent Quetzal’ painting by Tomb.
Photo by Jack Husting
Kangaroo-costumed James Gallagher showed students the way to Australia last year.
Students get chance to study Down Under By Andrew Le Features editor Ohlone’s study abroad program to Sydney, Australia is scheduled to take place in the fall of 2009. Students who enroll in the study abroad program will be allowed to earn Ohlone credits in classes in Art 103B (Survey of World Art History) and Anthropology 102 (Cultural Anthroplogy) through Australian professors. Ohlone Professor Mark Brosamer is also offering English 101B (Intro to Literature) and English 112 (Modern Fiction), and Professor
Kay Harrison who will be teaching an Englsh 203 (Travel Journaling) class. In conjunction with earning Ohlone credits, students will also be able to explore Sydney, the Great Barrier Reef, Bondi Beach, the Blue Mountains and the Outback while immersing themselves in Australian culture. Students will also meet with fellow American and Australian students. The next and last orientation meeting for the program this semester will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 18 in Room 5209 at 5 p.m. At the meeting, students will be informed about how the program works, specifics on the classes,
travel tips, financial aid and extra information. The application has three deadlines, with the first one on Dec. 8. Students who meet the first deadline will be given priority in their placement in the semester abroad program. Students must submit their application with a $400 check payable to CAPA. Room 5209, the place of the informational meeting, can be found off the cafeteria on the main Ohlone campus. For more information contact Brosamer at mbrosamer@ohlone.edu. Applications can be found at www.ohlone. edu/org/studyabroad/sydney. The trip will cost roughly $7,000.
Features Ohlone plays a little night music
November 13, 2008
By Rebecca Soltau Staff writer The Ohlone Wind Orchestra presented a fall concert featuring performances of well-known classical pieces, prominently featuring Brenda Tom at the piano. On Sunday, Nov. 9, the orchestra’s performance went off flawlessly, and left the audience wanting more. The orchestra presented exciting music that drew in the audience at
the various peaks of the performance. “The high points of the show were so engaging, I just couldn’t tear myself away,” said Misha Yalavarthy, a student from Mission San Jose High School. “It really was just an awesome performance.” Some pieces that were included were George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody In Blue” and Dmitri Shostakovich’s “Festive Overture.” Other audience members reported that they drew inspiration from
the orchestra’s phenomenal performance. “It made me think, ‘yeah, I could totally get into this whole band thing.’ Now I really want to go out and buy a saxophone,” said Anthony Tsang, a business major at Ohlone. There were, however, some who were less than enthusiastic. “[Rhapsody In Blue] was a little bit Ragtime, a little bit Charleston, and then, out of nowhere, it was all slow and classical. I just didn’t like it that
much, but I guess that’s the fault of the composer,” said Mary West, a music teacher at Washington Manor Middle School in San Leandro. The Ohlone Wind Orchestra Fall Concert was a one-time only performance. However, there are two upcoming events at the Smith Center that are similar in nature; the Chops Big Band, performing Friday, Nov. 21, and the Ohlone Chamber Orchestra, performing Sunday, Nov. 23.
bottom of the hairline if she were 17. The food was always extremely fattening because of the anorexics and bulimics. If someone was overweight, they received less and less food, and sometimes none. “It was almost like jail,” said Morrow. Hand-in-hand with restrictions came punishments. The most basic of these is “taking a chair,” during which the person being punished has to sit in a chair facing a wall, and cannot move until they apologize for what they did wrong and a staff member decides the punishment is over. Morrow’s personal record is nine hours straight, because she refused to admit having done something that she did not do. Another punishment was called “Dial 9.” All available staff would pin down the “misbehaving” girl and drag her to a concrete room called observation. The room had an extremely high ceiling, one light bulb and a window near the top of the ceiling. There was a small window in the door through which staff could watch the person. One could only use the bathroom if excorted. The longest Morrow can remember anyone being in observation was two weeks. There were several other punishments obviously with the aim of breaking down the girls’ morale. Morrow recalls being accused of something and being punished by having to write down everything before she spoke it. She remembers another girl having to carry around a very heavy box. She could not put the box down, and she could not disclose what she had done to earn this punishment. If anyone ever stopped following through with their punishment, they were to endure something called “class two.” Morrow was accused of speaking without writing her words down first, and had to go straight to a sort of detention after her school day ended. From then until bedtime, Morrow had to sit in a chair and do her homework, and once she finished it, copy words from the dictionary. She could not do simple things like crack her knuckles or look around. This usually went on as long as the staff wanted it to and in her case, for four days. On top of all these unusual and sometimes extreme punishments, Morrow disclosed that staff members were often abusive. Though they never resorted to physical violence, they would verbally and emotionally abuse the girls under their care. They would yell at them while they were “taking a chair,” telling the girls things like they were there because their parents didn’t love them, that they would never amount to anything, and that they
were horrible people. According to Morrow, most of the staff members had it in for the girls. “There were only a few therapists who really did care about us. Any staff member who was good to us usually got fired – it wasn’t just at the bottom level; the corruption ran all the way to the top.” The approach the school took toward dealing with the students’ “problems” was somewhat unexpected compared to their approach toward the students in general. “All sorts of people were there – there were lesbians, drug addicts, criminals, and just downright manipulative or misbehaved people. The school never really took a specific stance on anything (like homosexuality), and tried to instill a sense of spirituality and religiousness in us. They didn’t normally say they were trying to fix us…but they said we had to want to be cured.” The classes from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. were regular high school classes, but the girls had therapy sessions to attend afterward, and weekly group therapy sessions as well as individual therapy. There were different therapy groups for different problems. The school believed that the core of bad behavior was rooted psychologically and that children like these girls were like this because of some sort of abuse – physical, emotional or sexual. They believed that working with these girls in therapy would fix all their problems. Though not forced to go to church, they were strongly encouraged to do so, and build a personal relationship with God. There was a church for Christians and a synagogue for Jews and so on. They were taught that if they built their personal relationship with Jesus, or with God, they would want to change on their own. When asked how the school decided that someone was “fixed,” or ready to leave, Morrow said “it depended on three things - how well you cooperated; when your therapist decided you were ready; and when your parents decided you were ready.” The parents were allowed to visit, but it was not a frequent occurrence. Morrow considers herself lucky for getting about nine visits in two years, and attributed this to having family in Utah. She remembered someone who got as many as about 16 visits in a year and a half, and also someone who got only two in four years. Also, even if the therapist decided that a girl was ready based on her cooperation and how she appeared to have improved, they would still keep her a while longer just to make sure it was not merely a show of cooperation and that she hadn’t really changed at all.
The Provo Canyon School could not be reached for comment. On its website it says “Provo Canyon School’s treatment environment is founded upon core beliefs, core values, and traits of excellence that staff and youth learn and practice in their teams. These standards of excellence create an environment of care and concern, and help youth, parents, and the treatment team focus on identification, ownership and management of problem areas in a youth’s life” (http://www.provocanyon.com/index.html). Morrow was released from the school and returned home in June of 2006, at the age of 17. Her parents believed she had changed, and Morrow waited until she was 18 to come out to them once again. “I didn’t even really have to say it, though – my mom just knew. She just asked me straight up, ‘You’re gay, aren’t you?’” After this, Morrow moved out of her parents’ house for a while, but eventually moved back in. She describes her family situation now as she and her family having mutual respect for each other. “My mother may not like it, but she can’t do anything about it. I don’t think she even thinks I’m lesbian – I mean, I know she knows I like girls, but like, I think she thinks maybe I’m bisexual or something, that I like guys too. We have this rule, that I can’t bring girlfriends in the house, and it’s my parents’ house, so I respect the rule. We do love each other, though.” When asked how Morrow feels about people insisting that homosexuality is not an inherent trait, but a lifestyle choice, she recalled the circumstances around being sent to the school. Her mother told her that she was only sending her there because she loved her. “And I believed her, I did, so I was willing to try it because I wanted to make her happy. But I went there, and I came back, and I hadn’t changed. If I could’ve changed, I would’ve, and I never would have had to suffer through that God-awful school and cause myself and my parents so much pain. I would’ve changed if I could’ve.” On election day, Morrow was the leader of a group of people campaigning against Proposition 8. They were holding up signs and “not trying to convince anyone to change their mind about anything, but just asking people to please vote against Prop. 8.” When asked at the time how she would feel if Proposition 8 were passed, Morrow replied that she “would move. I would just move out of California. I’m not going to live somewhere where I’m treated like a second-class citizen.”
Disorienting your orientation
By Japneet kaur Staff writer The definition of “average” has changed considerably over time, especially when factoring in technological, social and psychological revolutions. According to “average” today, Lisa Morrow is just another average person. She is a 19-year-old Ohlone student who goes to class, hangs out with friends, lives with her family – and is lesbian. What differentiates her from the average? The fact that she was sent away to Provo Canyon School – a boarding school in Utah - to be “fixed.” Provo was the third of the four high schools Morrow attended in total. She started off at a public high school, but her mother felt that she was becoming rebellious, and enrolled her in an online high school. Little did her mother suspect the reason for such rebellion. Morrow convinced her mother to send her back to public school for her sophomore year, and two months later, came out to her parents. In January of 2004, at the age of 15, Morrow was sent off to a wilderness camp preceding her two-year stint in the boarding school. The purpose of the wilderness camp was essentially to break Morrow, and others like her, down. She recalls the harsh conditions they were subjected to during the 13 weeks she spent there, including hiking everywhere through waisthigh and sometimes chest-high snow, wearing a 70-pound backpack while hiking and bathing in the nearby freezing-cold river. “By the end of this, I was willing to do anything – I was willing to try this place, to try to change,” said Morrow. She went on to describe the school itself, and what life was like there. Provo Canyon School is for both boys and girls of a few different age groups, but the girls’ campus was separate from the boys’. There were two floors: the school, gym and cafeteria were downstairs; everything else was upstairs. The girls’ days would start at 7 a.m., when they would get out of bed - they had to remain in bed until it was time to get up, no matter how early they were awake. Classes would start at 8 a.m., and end at 3 p.m. The girls could not go outside except for designated times, when they were escorted to a tennis court enclosed by a tall fence to exercise. They could not wear any clothing displaying cartoons, bands, brand names or rainbows. Girls with long hair had to wear ponytails at a certain level on their heads according to their age, starting with a ponytail at the top of a girl’s head if she were 13, and ending with a ponytail at the
monitor
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Weighing Anchor By Eric dorman Editor-in-chief
Golden Rule tarnished Remember the Golden Rule? Most of us do. Like many, I can’t remember not knowing it. It’s a guide, a speed limit, a guardrail against hypocrisy, a reminder not to get too comfortable in our own shoes. Though it transcends religion, it forms the pillar on which every major religion rests. So what happened? Even a week after the fact, I still cannot quite come to grips with the fact that gay marriage is banned in California, largely because of the effort of the Catholic and Mormon Churches, two religions that are supposed to stand for tolerance and understanding. I must admit that all through this election season, I never believed that Proposition 8 stood a real chance of passing. Throughout the barrage of campaigning, I always maintained the view that Californians would not be foolish enough to pass legislation “protecting” an institution that has survived for millennia despite the best efforts of Genghis Khan, Henry the VIII and Britney Spears, among others, by barring monogamous, caring, family-oriented individuals from marrying. Obviously, I was mistaken. So how did this happen? How did California fall victim to such a colossal swindle? As a Catholic, I am saddened to say this proposition could very well have failed were it not for the actions of my church. The Church was a heavy backer of the ban from the beginning, devoting dollars, pamphlets and sermons to attempt to sway California’s approximately 11.5 million Catholics. The Mormon Church, too, threw its weight heavily behind the ban. Had either of these institutions followed the tenets of their religions and urged their congregations to treat all others—black, white, brown, gay, straight—as they would have those others treat them, the ban almost certainly would not have garnered the half-million votes of support it passed by. Perhaps the Catholic Church has become complacent after 2000 years of existence. Perhaps it has forgotten its history. That’s a shame, because at the root of that history is a story of discrimination, ignorance and persecution against a people who decided to reject intolerance and create a religion where everyone was accepted. Now, two millennia later, why the “members only” policy? These churches should have known better. They should have realized the hypocrisy in their simultaneous preaching of love and tolerance and refusal to tolerate any who are different than they. They should have understood that talking the talk is meaningless without a dedicated effort at walking the walk. And above all, they should have remembered the Golden Rule.
6 MONITOR
November 13, 2008
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Campus Events CLASSIFIEDS
JOBS
PIANO FOR SALE -- Upright, rosewood Chappell piano in excellent condition. Made in England. $1,200. Call 510-790-1139 or email souzafive@comcast.net.
For information on Jobs an Career Resources, visit the Student Success Center in Room 1403 or go online at www.ohlone.edu/org/ssc/
November
Hanson presents research supporting the effectiveness of MBSR and demonstrates techniques for its practice. Noon to 1 p.m. in Room NC-1100.
14-15 Men’s Water Polo - Nor-Cal Tournament. Location TBA. 14-15 Women’s Water Polo - Nor-Cal Tournament. Location TBA. 14-15 Women’s Basketball - SLCC Tournament in Salt Lake City. 14 Men’s Baseball - Home vs. Los Medanos College at 2 p.m. 14 Women’s Soccer - Las Positas College at 3 p.m. 14 Women’s Volleyball - Home vs. Cabrillo College at 6:30 p.m. 18 Semester Abroad - Meeting for the Sydney Semester Abroad program for Fall 2009. 5 p.m. in Room 5209. 18 Academics - Last day to drop from full-term classes with a W grade. 18 College Hour Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). Monica
18 TechComm Meeting - 2 to 3 p.m. in Room 1407. 18 Gay Straight Alliance meeting at 2 p.m. in Room SC-116. 18 ASOC - Meeting at 4 p.m. in Room 6105. 19 Faculty Senate meeting at 3:30 p.m. in Room 1307. 19 NASA / Ohlone Science Night - Future Exploration of the Moon and Beyond seminar presented by Dr. Anupa Bajwa in the Jackson Theatre at 7 p.m. 19 Faculty Senate meeting at 3:30 p.m. in Room 1307. 19 Women’s Basketball - Away vs. Skyline College at 5:30 p.m. 19 Women’s Volleyball Home vs. SJCC at 6:30 p.m.
20 Campus Tour - Join the free tour of Fremont Main campus at 4 p.m. in Building 1. 21-22 Women’s Water Polo - State Championships. Location TBA.
Second round of playoffs. Time and location TBA. 25 Women's Volleyball - Nor-Cal playoffs, round one. Away, time and location TBA.
21-23 Men’s Basketball - Home tournament vs. Shasta College.
25 College Hour - A Smorgasborg of LRC Services, including Source Selection, Search Embedding, E-Book HowTo, Database Search Tips, and more. Will be held from noon to 1 p.m. in Room NC-1100 at the Newark Campus.
21 Women’s Basketball - Home vs. Butte College at 6 p.m.
25 Gay Straight Alliance meeting at 2 p.m. in Room SC-116.
21 LIFE Club - Meeting at noon on the Palm Bosque.
25 ASOC - Meeting at 4 p.m. in Room 6105.
22 Men’s Soccer - First round of playoffs. Time and location TBA.
25 Women’s Basketball - At San Joaquin Delta at 4 p.m.
22 Women’s Soccer - First round of playoffs. Time and location TBA.
26 Men’s Basketball Home vs. DeAnza at 6 p.m.
21 Men’s Water Polo - State championships. Location TBA.
23 Ohlone Orchestra entertainment in the Jackson Theatre at 2 p.m. 24 Academics - Spring 2009 registration begins for continuing students. Registrar's office is on the first floor of Building 1 on Fremont Campus. 25 Men’s Soccer - Second round of playoffs. Time and location TBA. 25 Women’s Soccer -
27-30 Thanksgiving Holiday - No classes, campus closed. 29 Men’s Soccer - Third round of playoffs. Time and location TBA. 29 Women’s Soccer - Third round of playoffs. Time and location TBA. 29 Women's Volleyball - Nor-Cal playoffs, round two. Away, time and location TBA.
November 13, 2008 monitor
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29 Men’s Basketball - At West Valley College at 5 p.m.
December 1 Registration Begins - Spring 2009 Registration begins for new and former students with a completed application. 2 College Hour - Tim Roberts plays guitar. Noon to 1 p.m. in lobby of Newark Center. 2 Gay Straight Alliance meeting at 2 p.m. in Room SC-116. 2 ASOC - Meeting at 4 p.m. in Room 6105. 2 Women’s Basketball - At Lassen College at 5:30 p.m. 3 Faculty Senate - Meeting at 5:30 p.m. in Room 1307. 3 Women’s Basketball - At Feather River College at 5:30 p.m. 4-6 Winter Dance Showcase - 8 p.m. in the Smith Center’s NUMMI Theater. 5 Men’s Soccer - State Final Four. Time and location TBA. 5 Women’s Soccer - State Final Four. Time and location TBA. 5 The Nutcracker Ballet - 7 p.m. in Jackson Theater.
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Thursday, November 13, 2008
Triples Alley By Tomás Ortega Sports writer
We got a winner Did Johan Santana of the New York Mets deserve it? Sure did. As did Milwaukee’s C.C. Sabathia for half a year and Arizona’s Brandon Webb. As for the 2008 N.L. Cy Young award winner, Tim Lincecum, he should have gone unanimous. Speaking of going unanimous, if Tim Lincecum played on the East Coast there is no discussion of who could possibly win the award other than him. Lincecum earning the award makes you wonder what this kid is going to accomplish in his Major League career. Only 24, Lincecum blew the National League away with his 97 MPH heater and devastating drop down curve. Those two pitches alone are what got him into the bigs and set the groundwork for him to cruise through the 2008 season almost unscathed in any pitching category. He even added a slider to mask his curve and an un-hittable change-up which he seemed to use much more than his signature curveball. The pitches alone reminded me of another S.F. Giants pitcher who nearly won a Cy Young with a fastball and change-up, Jason Schmidt. However, just the type of stuff Lincecum blows past all the hitters looks just like the former Giant. Only much, much better. Lincecum’s opponents hit just .221 against the 5’11” 160-pound kid from Washington. When hitters came to the plate, they were already in a hole. Being forced to watch the kid’s elbows, knees, ankles and even all that grungy looking hair fly at them and then try to find the ball out of his hand was no easy task. National League hitters also had no problem letting the world know how tough it was to hit off the guy. In mid-October, players in the N.L. voted Lincecum as the pitcher of the year in the league as well as the Major League’s Players Association Outstanding Pitcher of the year. So it should be no surprise that Lincecum also deserved the honors given out by the baseball writers. Lincecum is only the second Giant to win the award. The first was not Juan Marichal, but Mike McCormick in 1967. The honor presented to the light-weight, right hander is one that will stick for ages. In the words of McCormick, once you win the award, you are forever introduced as a Cy Young award winner [enter name here]. Ladies and gentlemen, at the top of the Giants 2009 starting rotation, Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum!
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Perfect start kicks off Ohlone’s chase for State Renegades win J. Wallace tournament, start season 3-0.
Photos by Tomás Ortega
Both guards Tim Bowman, below, and Kevan West, above, played well in the Renegades’ opener against Feather River College.
tournament rough Friday night, struggling against Diablo Valley College winning by one point in a neck-to-neck battle. Ohlone would end up decisively beating Merritt 80-54 to win the tournament, and start the season 3-0. The perfect start to the season is exactly what Ohlone needs if they are going to make a run for the state championship. With a healthy and
very talented bench, where anyone can be the sixth man, the Renegades look to be at their strongest they have been in a long time. Peterson played 16 different players through the tournament, but has not yet set up a rotation for the season. The Renegades will be heading off to continue their winning streak against Sierra College in Rocklin tonight at 6 p.m.
the game offensively with 13 attempts, compared to Gavilan’s three. “The other team had a rough season too, so I was hoping for a onegoal-win game,” said Renegades Head Coach Don Williams. With the season coming to its end, Williams is looking forward to recruiting some new players around Los Positas and Milpitas. The team will lose seven sophomores in the end, but Williams has hopes for his recruiting class for 2009 and a much improved team.
“Every team beats with one heart,” Williams said after the game as he is ready to move on from this year. Forward Danny Zermino was recognized by the California Community College Athletic Association with an honorable mention for the Athlete of the Month. The men will be playing their last game this Friday in San Bruno against Skyline College, who they previously lost to, but the wind is always changing and so can the scoreboard.
Ending season on a high note By Ankita Chhabra Sports writer Although the Men’s Soccer team ended their last home game against Gavilan College Tuesday in a scoreless tie, Ohlone showed much improvement. The defense played more solidly, taking pressure off of goalkeeper Iman Aghel. Aghel played an impressive game with a key save against a penalty kick for Gavilan. Ohlone dominated throughout
By Jeff Weisinger Sports editor
The A’s Holliday
By Ankita Chhabra Sports writer “We’ve got to bring it all the time.” Those were the words of sophomore Renegade guard A.J. Flournoy after the second day of the Jonathan Wallace Memorial Tournament as Ohlone advanced into the finals, beating Sacramento City and Feather River. And “bring it” the Renegades did in the tournament final against Merritt College Sunday afternoon as they handled Merritt 80-54 to win the annual tournament. Ohlone proved that they’re back and ready for the season on Friday night’s game. In a game that saw the Renegades force a total of 32 turnovers against Feather River, Ohlone started with the lead, despite troubles offensively and lack of ball control, but never looked back as they won 63-46. “We are looking at a fresh season and have great expectations this season,” said Ohlone Men’s Basketball Head Coach John Peterson, who proudly explained his hopes for this season. Despite the opening game jitters Ohlone might’ve had, they were ready for their upcoming game the next day against Sacramento City. However, Saturday’s game against Sacramento City was almost a cakewalk, but the Panthers caught up to them in the first half after trailing by as much as 12-2. That would be as close as the Panthers would get as the Renegades would dominate, forcing 37 turnovers and going on a 14-6 run in the end of the first half, led by James Hancock’s 13 first half points. Hancock finished with 21 on the night as the Renegades beat Sacramento City 74-50 to go to the finals for the fourth time in the fiveyear history of the tournament. Flourney led both Friday and Saturday night’s game with a total of 44 points in the tournament. Sunday’s game looked even brighter for the Renegades against Merritt College, as they picked up where they left off the past two days. Merritt College started off the
Third and Five
The MLB season ended just a few weeks ago and with the holidays coming up soon, it seems as if the Oakland A’s have received an early Christmas gift. In the current biggest trade of the offseason, the A’s sent reliever Huston Street, left-hander Greg Smith and up-and-coming star outfielder Carlos Gonzalez to the Colorado Rockies for star outfielder Matt Holliday on Wednesday. Smith and Gonzalez were both part of the trade that sent pitcher Dan Haren to Arizona. “We landed one of the biggest hitters out there,” said A’s manager Bob Geren. “He’s definitely a piece of the offense you can build around.” Holliday has one year left on his contract, and although it is unknown whether he’ll stay with Oakland after 2009, let alone the All-Star break is yet to be seen, but there’s no doubt that he defintely upgrades an A’s offense that was offensive to watch in 2008. Oakland, as a team, batted a .242 average, the lowest in the league, hit 125 home runs, which ranked 25th in the majors and only scored a total of 646 runs, ranking fourth to last. (Giants fans, you did no better, so keep quiet) “First of all, we needed to upgrade our offense. That was obvious,” said A’s general manager Billy Beane. “Matt fills a much-needed spot in the order.” Holliday, who turns 29 in January, finished the 2008 season batting .321, with 25 home runs and 88 RBI’s, all of which led the Rockies in a disappointing season after reaching the World Series the year before. Holliday also finished the season second to Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins in the NL MVP voting. “It’s caused a lot of attention around these parts, the fact that we got a big guy the Yankees wanted and a lot of other teams wanted,” said new teammate Jack Cust, who spoke over the phone in New Jersey. This is a rare, yet major move for Oakland considering that they are used to losing star players to other teams and not aquiring them. Holliday will also add a sense of stability in an Oakland outfield that saw eight different starters in left field last season. Holliday joins six-time Gold Glove third-baseman Eric Chavez along with star shortstop Bobby Crosby in an Oakland A’s team that looks to rebound from a dismal and injury-filled 2008 year. The “Holliday” begins in March 2009.