monitor
ohlone college
ohlonemonitor.com
Vol. XLV No. 5
Fremont, California
#ocmonitor
March 21, 2013
ASOC to elect Phases of spring through another lens new members By LOUIS LAVENTURE News editor
Running for office at Ohlone College is much more than just hanging up some campaign flyers. The Associated Students of Ohlone College elections are just around the corner beginning April 29. Online voting will begin at midnight. Polling places will be open on the Fremont and Newark campuses from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and then from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The election results will be posted on the door of the ASOC office May 1 after all votes have been tallied.
‘ It is a lot of work. I didn’t know about all of the meetings and signatures needed to run when I looked into it.’ --Jason Nguyen
There are several key dates and responsibilities for potential ASOC candidates. There are also several rules and restrictions that the ASOC advisor Renee Wong Gonzales
touched two of which upon at the last meeting on March 15. “You cannot campaign within 75 feet of any polling place,” Wong Gonzales said. “Students also cannot bond together and create a political party of any kind.” President, vice president, secretary, treasurer, representative at large, legislative representative, Newark center representative and marketing and communications representative are the positions of office students can seek. To be eligible to run for office, students have to attend a candidate information meeting as well as a mandatory pre-election candidates meeting. Candidates must also complete a 100-word statement expressing their views in addition to preparing a three-tofour minute speech to deliver at the College Assembly on April 24. “It is a lot of work,” former Ohlone student Jason Nguyen said. “I didn’t know about all of the meetings and signatures needed to run when I looked in to it,” said Nguyen. Nguyen was referring to the 75 Ohlone student signatures, Continued on Page 2
TAM DUONG / MONITOR
Ohlone’s beginning digital photography class was assigned the topic of trees for one of its assignments. Students submitted a variety of tree photos, They were limited to submitting 10 photos in order for students to practice having a critical opinion of their own work. They were also encouraged to use different light to compose their photos.
Law and medicine mesh at science seminar By FRANKIE ADDIEGO Staff writer
Biology instructor Laurie Issel-Tarver explored some of the greatest controversies of 20th century biology in “Henrietta Lacks’ Cells, John Moore’s Spleen, Ted Slavin’s Antibodies and Myriad Genetics’ Patents,” a brief seminar March 15, sponsored by the Science, Engineering & Mathematics Division and the ASOC. In the late 1980s, IsselTarver worked under Mary Claire King, who was researching breast cancer in Berkeley. “I was actually rotating at her lab at the time,” she said. “It was a very exciting time.” King had managed to map a gene that was responsible for contributing to breast cancer, but a company called Myriad Genetics patented it before she had the chance, in just one of many ethically controversial events Issel-Tarver discussed. Issel-Tarver began with the story of Henrietta Lacks,
Moore became suspicious. As it turned out, Golde had applied for a patent on Moore’s spleen. Moore was powerless to stop it because his spleen was deemed medical waste and he did not have “continuing property ownership.” “Once cells have been removed,” said Tarver, “they’re no longer your property.” On the other hand, there have been patients who have been capable of turning their health problems into big business. Ted Slavin was a hemophiliac who actually sold his blood and it led to some TARA INGRAHAM / MONITOR breakthroughs, such as the Instructor Laurie Issel-Traver demonstrates how bacteria grows during her presentation at hepatitis-B vaccine. Ohlone College’s Fremont campus on March 15. The presentation took place outside of building 3 at Ohlone’s Fremont campus. This event is part of Ohlone’s Science Seminar Series. Fuwho suffered severe stomach tracted from the tumor growths a businessman named John ture speeches planned for this pains in 1951 and was treated in her body never stopped Moore found himself with semester include “50 Shades at Johns Hopkins Medical growing and multiplying. another health problem: of Green: Three Bugs, New Center, where doctors found Today her cells, known hairy-cell leukemia. UCLA Species and Why I’m Not a strange tumor within her commonly as the HeLa cells, doctors removed his spleen, Smarter Than a 5th Grader” cervix. continue to be used in re- which weighed as much as on April 19. Soon after Lacks died. A bi- search labs, but according to 22 pounds. Within days, “Benford’s Law,” hosted opsy revealed so many growths Issel-Tarver, her family only Moore’s blood profile returned by Jeff O’Connell on April that, according to Issel-Tarver, found out about it on accident to normal. 26, will discuss a statistical doctors said it appeared as if – and they haven’t seen any Soon thereafter, UCLA re- phenomenon that Benford, she was “filled with pearls.” money from it. searcher David Golde began had he owned a calculator, The cells that were exA quarter-century later, examining Moore so often that might not have discovered.
NEWS
2 monitor March 21, 2013
News bites Normalizing the queer experience discussed Ohlone for Kids (and Teens) begins summer registration Ohlone for Kids (and Teens), a summer enrichment program, will begin registration April 1 at 7 a.m. Every summer Ohlone for Kids (OFK) offers both academic and extra curricular classes. Courses include classes such as LEGO robotics, video game design, PSAT prep, SAT prep, cooking, computer programming and movie-making. The program is designed for students grades four through 12. Classes will be held Ohlone College and Newark. The four sessions run June 24 to Aug. 8.
Discount tickets offered The Office of Student Life (once called the Campus Activities Department) is partnering with the San Jose SaberCats to give students, staff and faculty access to discounted ticket prices. The indoor arena game will be held April 19 at 7:30 p.m. The indoor arena football game will be held at the HP Pavilion. Tickets are $7 each. For more information, visit: http://thesanjosesabercats.com/e_tickets. php?g=OHL
Microsoft gives students free access Microsoft is offering college students three free months of access to Microsoft Office and another three free months if the offer is shared through Facebook. To get the three-month free access, visit: www.microsoftforstudents.com The Ohlone College bookstore also offers academic discounted software to students and faculty. For this option, visit: ohlone.bkstr. com
Soul Surge today ASOC will be hosting Soul Surge, an open mic event on March 21. It is free for students, but performance slots are limited and distributed on a first come first serve basis. The event will begin at 11:30 a.m. and end at 1:30 p.m. – Compiled by Ashley Lam
By JOSHUA MOBLEY Staff writer
Normalization is present in everyday lives even though people may not notice its effect. Normalization is the process of making something appear normal, natural and eventually taking it for granted. The study of normalization is part of a field called queer studies. On Friday, Dr. Gust Wep, from San Francisco State University gave a presentation on queer studies and covered subjects about inequality, hierarchy, and how people feel about themselves. Queer studies are the study of issues and views based around sexual orientation and everyday life. People may not think about it but things they do during their everyday life may not be as easy or comfortable for others. Wep’s presentation focused on different subjects that were all related to queer studies. One of the first things he discussed is how the world is made for right-handed people.
Wep also discussed makeup with the audience and how it makes people feel. “Why do we wear make up?” asked Wep. What followed was a deeply personal discussion with the audience. Many people talked about how makeup makes them feel, or why they chose to stop wearing it all together. They also talked about why men do not wear makeup and how society would look down on a man who did. “How many people have ever heard the words: ‘I don’t have a problem with homosexuality just as long as they don’t flaunt it in my face?’ ” asked Wep, to which almost everyone in the audience raised their hands. Wep then replied, “However, heterosexuals flaunt their heterosexuality constantly” –much like the previous TARA INGRAHAM / MONITOR discussion about the rightDr. Gust Yep gives his presentation on “Queer Theory in Our handed world. Everyday Lives” at Ohlone College in Fremont on March 15. “Hierarchy creates inWhat followed was a dis- are all designed with right- equality,” said Wep, meaning cussion of this idea with handed people in mind, and even if people do something the audience. The audience that it may be uncomfortable for the favor of the majority, pointed out that a lot of things for left-handed people to use they are still creating inequalsuch as desks and notebooks these things. ity for the minority.
ASOC debates elimination of Ohlone printed class schedule By LOUIS LAVENTURE News editor
The Associated Students of Ohlone College filled the elections commissioner position in a close vote, electing Sen. Elaine Wan. Wan won after brief speeches and a round of questioning collecting 10 votes. Sen. Roshni Doctor fell just short with eight votes and Sen. Esther Li received three votes. The elections commissioner is an important position, especially with the ASOC elections rapidly approaching. “I know where I have been wrong and failed,” Wan said. “Now I know how to improve and fix them.” There is still a vacancy in the Newark representative position that will be voted on at the next ASOC meeting. The position was left vacant when former Newark Representative Sonia Patel was elected to vice president. The ASOC then discussed the issue that surrounds the Ohlone College printed class schedule. The administration is considering eliminating the printed hard copy of the schedule to cut cost. The ASOC conducted a student survey to gauge student’s opinion on this matter. Representative at Large Joshua Trinidad elaborated on some of the results. “Of 454 students surveyed, five percent did not have internet,” Trinidad said. “Of the 454 students 40
‘Sometimes we get caught up in tradition and keep doing things that we could easily change, this is a step in the right direction’ --Sen. Prabhjot Kaur
percent said they need the printed class schedule and 50 percent said they did not need the printed class schedule.” There were mixed opinions during the ensuing discussion from the members of the ASOC. Some felt the printed schedule was important especially to new students, while others embraced evolving and change. “Sometimes we get caught up in tradition and keep doing things that we could easily change. This is a step in the right direction” Sen. Prabhjot Kaur said. “Instead of just getting rid of them we should make people aware of the Ohlone. edu website and how helpful it is.” Sen. Joey Chen talked about the necessity of the
printed class schedule. “Hard copies are much easier to use than scrolling down a website,” Chen said. “We might lose potential students, especially the ones who depend on the printed schedule.” The cost of producing each printed class schedule is $7.50, according to ASOC. Eliminating the color pages and making it fully black and white could potentially reduce that cost to $3 to $4 to produce one printed class schedule also according to ASOC. The final matter of the meeting was introduced by one of the ASOC advisors Debbie Trigg, who informed the ASOC of a change in the Ohlone College graduation ceremony procedure. “For the first time in school history Ohlone will be going to a ticket format for the graduation ceremonies,” Trigg said. “Until now there has been no limit to the number of attendants a graduate can have. This creates overcrowding and a safety issue.” This will be a different experience for the campus as well as the administration who are likely to receive some feedback from graduating students for the implementation of the new policy. According to Trigg, each graduate will receive six tickets to disperse as they please. Letters will begin going out to upcoming graduating students about the change in policy on April 15.
Student elections approaching Continued from Page 1
75 Ohlone student signatures, which must be submitted to the Campus Activities staff at their window on April 10 by 5 p.m. with the completed packet. Once elected, officers must “be enrolled in and maintain at least five semester units, as well as maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average during their term as an officer,” according to the ASOC 20132014 Election Information packet. The packet also states that “officers be able to attend all meetings during the months of June, July and August.” Candidates are only allowed to post one flyer on each bulletin board on campus, using pushpins only. There is a limit of $50 that can be spent on a campaign per candidate and an itemized list of expenses. The list must be turned in no later than two hours after the closing of the polls on election day. Creative and inventive campaigns are encouraged by ASOC. Each elected office has its own responsibilities and individual duties, which are outlined in the ASOC Government Bylaws. Anybody interested can get more information by visiting the Student Activities Room 7210 in Building 7 on the second floor of the Fremont campus or email campusactivities@ohlone.edu.
NEWS
March 21, 2013 monitor 3
What would happen if community monitor college districts consolidated? ohlone college
Editor-in-Chief: Ashley Lam By ERICA PEREZ
Senior editor: Manika Casterline News editor: Louis Laventure Features editor: Manika Casterline Sports editor: Louis Laventure Opinions editor: Norihiro Sasaki Online editor: Joshua Mobley
Monitor Staff: Frankie Addiego Michael Delahoussaye Tam Duong Celia Freire Tara Ingraham Adviser: Jeanie R. Wakeland JACC NorCal Student President: Manika A. Casterline Printer: FP Press
California Newspaper Publishers Association
Journalism Association of Community Colleges
JACC AWARDS Mail in winners Enterprise news writing News writing Sports game writing Feature photo Editorial cartoon On the spot winners News writing Opinion writing Copy editing Contact us: Offices: Room 5310 Call: 510.659.6075 E-mail: monitor@ohlone.edu Read: http://www.facebook.com/ Ohlone.Monitor www.ohlonemonitor.wordpress. com
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.
California Watch
The state’s 72 community college districts spend tens of millions of dollars on administrative positions that could be consolidated or shared by districts a short drive away, a California Watch analysis has found. In the wake of huge budget shortfalls, California’s vast community college system has reduced its core academic functions – slashing millions of dollars by eliminating nearly a quarter of class sections, cutting services and laying off employees. At the start of the fall 2012 semester, more than 470,000 students had been waitlisted for classes at community colleges statewide. But millions of dollars still are spent on duplicative administrative costs. More than half of the state’s community college districts are within 20 miles of another district. And the vast majority of those districts have a single college. If these districts shared administrators, they potentially could shave millions off their expenses. But for many of the community college districts, the potential savings may never be realized because the system of local districts is so deeply entrenched. In fact, obscure statutes in the California Education Code make it all but impossible to save money through merging districts – at least in the short run.
Students have borne the brunt of cuts to the system. They have been slapped with fees that have risen 130 percent in the past five years and have been unable to get into the classes they need. But the status quo has been protected. The state’s community college system isn’t the only place in California’s $92 billion budget where excess can be found. California Watch chose to zero in on the college system because of its sheer size and because it touches so many lives. Some 2.4 million students attend community college classes. California Watch reporters examined parts of the state community college system’s bureaucracy to identify spending patterns and understand why reforms may prove elusive. The 72 districts keep payroll and other data in different formats, which makes comparison difficult. So California Watch drilled down on 16 districts, taking into consideration the availability of detailed payroll data, geographic proximity and district size. The group of 16 districts had duplicative executives or managers in 21 positions, not including chancellors and presidents. A total of 253 individuals cost the districts $30 million in salaries and at least $7.9 million in benefits in 2011. A broader analysis of the system revealed: • The state Education Code
CARLOS PUMA / CALIFORNIA WATCH
Student Stephanie Lara uses the computers at the Greenleaf Library at Copper Mountain College.
back and tried to answer a few questions that address some basic findings and what this means for students. How much does the California community college system spend on administration? Unlike the University of California and California State University systems, the state’s community colleges are governed by local boards of trustees. Each board oversees a district that includes one or more colleges. Statewide, there are 72 districts overseeing 112 colleges. Of those districts, 49 oversee a single college, and 40 are within 20 miles of another district office. In 2010, the community colleges reported spending at least $1.7 billion on top-level administration, including pay for district executives and the cost of 72 separate governing boards at each district. That’s 17 cents of every dollar spent. How much of that spending could be cut if some of the districts merged, and what might the impact be? It’s hard to say exactly how much money could be saved because it would depend on which districts decided to consolidate and which positions they determined could be eliminated. But here’s one example of possible savings: The Riverside, Mt. San Jacinto and MICHAEL SHORT / CALIFORNIA WATCH Desert community college Berkeley City College student Clay Smith said last semester districts, all in Riverside was the most hectic he had seen. “There were at least 10 kids County, together operate five standing in every class,” he said. colleges with three chancelprevents districts from laying nity college district trustees, lor’s offices, three human off any administrators for the including an average annual resources departments, three first two years after merging, cost of $5 million for elections. finance offices, three facilimaking it more difficult for But the authority of these ties departments and three districts to save money by elected board members weak- academic affairs offices, not consolidating. ened significantly 35 years to mention three boards of • The public appears open ago when voters approved trustees. to change. California Watch Proposition 13, which transThe cost of employing the commissioned a Field Poll ferred control over revenues 15 executives who lead these that found an overwhelming from the boards of trustees to departments, plus one or two majority favors consolidating the state. support staff for each, totals community college admin• The Field Poll conducted nearly $6 million. istrative functions to save in the fall for California Watch The cost of running the money. found that the majority of three boards, including elec• As the ranks of elected respondents had little or no tions, legal support, stipends, community college trustees knowledge about district benefits, support staff and have swollen, their power and board elections. travel expenses, equals nearly profile have diminished. The The full story is available $1.7 million, records show. state pays for 442 commu- online, but we’ve taken a step The three districts em-
ployed more than 130 executives in total in 2010. If the three districts could consolidate and have one chancellor, one board and one head of each big administrative office, the savings would total $4.9 million. In terms of impact, that money could, for example, pay for 960 additional class sections, assuming the classes were taught by adjunct faculty members. What are the some of the pros and cons of consolidating districts? The benefits of consolidating districts include the potential to save millions of dollars that could be redirected to the classroom. Critics of the idea, such as Rancho Santiago Community College District spokeswoman Judy Iannaccone, argue that in order for colleges to understand and respond to the needs of the local community, it’s necessary to have a local board of trustees. For example, if a district went from representing three or four cities to representing an entire county, the governing board might not be as able or willing to respond to local community needs. On the other hand, Assemblyman Das Williams, D-Santa Barbara, chairman of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, said even large districts with varied demographics and distinctly different communities, such as the Ventura County Community College District, maintain local decision-making. In addition, some question whether large, consolidated districts could really operate with one chief human resources officer or one public relations chief – the idea being that merging districts would make these jobs more complicated and might not lead to as much savings as some might expect. This story was produced by California Watch, a part of the Center for Investigative Reporting. More at californiawatch.org. Contact the reporter at eperez@cironline.org
FEATURES
4 monitor March 21, 2012
A critical look at Student Rep’s one-act plays By TARA INGRAHAM Staff writer
The Student Repertory Company presented several plays titled “One Acts in a Box” March 15 in the NUMMI Theatre. Here are thumbnail reviews of six of the plays: “Rain Check” by Paul Shoulburg, is about a couple facing the aftershocks of miscarriage and is worried about miscarriages in the future due to the pregnant wife having serious stomach pains early in her pregnancy. The tension puts a strain on their relationship and they fight. It ends with them making up. Marnee Connor and Joe Nichols portrayed the parents with good expression and body language. “Is It Me?” by Tony Devaney Morinelli, is about the thoughts and actions of two women competing for the same job. While waiting together to be interviewed, they try to psych each other out. During the wait, they notice an awful smell and are unsure who is causing it. One of them
TARA INGRAHAM/ MONITOR
The Student Repertory Company performed seven one-act plays at the NUMMI Theatre on March 14 and 15.
finally brings it up by giving sarcastic advice to the other causing them to become selfconscious enough to leave, but shortly the woman who is still there smells herself and finds out that she also stinks and leaves, too. This comedy was a good mesh of both thought and action.
“1-900-DESPERATE” is about Gretchen, a desperate woman in her 30s, (played by Alexandria Smith) who calls up an ad she sees on TV called “1-900-DESPERATE” and ends up in a five-way call among three women, a 5-yearold boy and a sleazy young man named Scuzzy. Gretchen
ends up asking the little boy if he will be available in 15 years and talking to him as if she is seriously scoping him out as a boyfriend. Eventually she sees how stupid it is and hangs up while one of the other women and Scuzzy make plans to meet up for a naughty date. Thomas Phy as Scuzzy and Danielle Stantisteven as Zelda were outstanding. In “Family 2.0,” a man barges into another family’s ing out the issue that so many house. He romances them into people refuse to believe there becoming his new family beis a problem inside such a ‘perfect’ package,” she said. “This denial is perhaps one of the main reasons why the problem continues to persist.” The run time for “Wong Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” Kristina Wong is 80 minutes. on the defensive and could The film will be shown from never walk around the campus noon to 2 p.m. April 3. at night without being on high Wong will perform the live alert,” said Wong about what show of “Wong Flew Over The inspired the production. Cuckoo’s Nest” from 7:30 p.m. “The show is really draw- to 9:30 p.m. April 3.
‘Wong Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest’ productions come to campus By MANIKA CASTERLINE Senior editor
Kristina Wong’s one-woman show and film “Wong Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” will be presented at Ohlone April 3 at the Jackson Theatre. “Wong Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” looks at the high rates of depression and suicide among Asian American women, but takes a humorous approach to a serious topic by having a backdrop of knitting hold the different parts of the fictional story together. “In my experience of creating and touring this show, I’ve realized that there is a huge demand for creative responses to depression and suicide because unfortunately, suicide persists and affects so many communities,” Wong said on the production website. “While no one show or entity can ‘fix’ this issue overnight, the process of healing begins with dialogue, education and knowing what resources are available.” The movie originates from a play of the same name that Wong has performed to sold-out crowds throughout the country, including Yale University. “In 2005, I was performing at Wellesley College. It’s a utopic all-women’s college in Massachusetts. I was immediately struck by how safe the campus was... It was a college experience so different than what I experienced at UCLA where I constantly felt mentally and physically
cause he was dissatisfied with his previous life. He succeeds through bribery, but soon finds his new life soon turning into a mirror image of his old one. As the husband, the energetic Daniel Carpenter played up to character perfectly. “Burrowing Anxiety” is about two guys at a BART station who are wondering what the “plague” sign a bum is holding means. Milo thinks the guy might actually have the bubonic plague, while Jay keeps saying it means a personal riot against poverty and the poor treatment of veterans after they return from the war. They continuously debate about the sign in front of the bum until the he screams at them to “Shut up!” scaring them into silence. The point of the story was to get to the brass tacks by asking the subject. In “10,000 Cigarettes,” four sisters who are all chain smokers talk about how great smoking is at the funeral of their father, who died from smoking. Their cough-ladened conversation goes over the pros and cons of smoking and shows the smoker’s perspective. This play lacked the energy of the other performances, with the dark lighting detracting from the presentation.
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FEATURES
March 21, 2013 monitor 5
How to find a flea market find under $25
By FRANKIE ADDIEGO, MICHAEL DELAHOSSAYE and TARA INGRAHAM Staff writers
The Monitor sent out two teams of shoppers – one female shopper, Tara, and two male shoppers, Mike and Frankie – to see which team could get the best deal at the Ohlone Flea Market on March 9. Each team had $25 to spend. Readers: We want you to choose who got the best deals – the guys or the gal? Here are their stories: FRANKIE AND MIKE: The Ohlone College flea market is one of the more fun traditions of the campus that brings in all sorts of people, from students to faculty to everyday people looking for a bargain. We were interested in seeing what they have and they didn’t disappoint. Old action figures, comic books, classic albums, even some cheap XBox games. It was awesome. Frankie wanted to go hog wild and spend, but he knew he had to wait for his partner, Michael, so he just bought a Spider-Man for $2. The vendor had this big old Hulk figure that he had my eye on, too and Frankie really wanted it, but held back. When he came back a few hours later, the vendor had sold it, probably to some kid. Ah well. TARA: When I arrived around noon at the monthly Ohlone Flea Market, I had a mission to find the best deals possible and $25 in my pocket to work with. After about 15 minutes, I found a stand selling books for a dollar and kids’ books for 50 cents. I noticed a hard cover copy of “New Moon” from the “Twilight Saga.” I knew hardcovers were more expensive than paperbacks and that series was very popular. The book was even in fairly good condition, so I figured it could probably be resold for more than a dollar Turns out it can cost up to $11.10 on Amazon.com. The next thing to catch my eye was an unused pair of San Jose Sharks work gloves. The cost was $5. This one played a more personal interest. I knew was a Sharks fan who has a birthday coming up and who did not have that pair. I knew I probably wouldn’t get a better deal anywhere else because they go for $8.99 on eBay and $9.99 on Amazon, so I snatched them up while there were only two pairs left. FRANKIE AND MIKE: While I (Frankie) was waiting, I noticed a gal who looked better than anything else at the flea market. When she came to the table I was looking at, I turned and said, “Hey, would you like to
FRANKIE ADDIEGO / MONITOR
TARA INGRAHAM / MONITOR
TARA INGRAHAM/ MONITOR
TARA INGRAHAM/ MONITOR
Monitor staffers Tara Ingraham and Michael Delahoussaye discover discounts on outerwear at the Ohlone College Flea Market.
have dinner with me? Don’t answer that, I just wanted to get it out of my system.” She laughed and walked away. Tara showed up, along with Michael and we went looking for deals. There was a Superman toy Frankie was interested in for, two or three bucks, but it was kind-of an average, ordinary toy and rather small. Nice, but nothing Frankie didn’t already have. TARA: I came across an adorable little white sea-lion figurine. Its big eyes, snout and pudgy belly reminded me of the little roly-poly lap dog I had waiting at home. I could practically hear it snorting for treats the way she does. One of the venders asked if I liked sea creatures. His name was Daniel Cosper. He seemed nice enough, like one
of those people who are easy to talk to and you don’t feel them hovering over you the entire time. While talking to Cosper, I spotted some leather goods and inquired about them. He said I was welcome to look, but his partner was in charge of the prices for those items. The other vender’s name was Angel Castillo. We chatted while I looked through the various jackets and some leather pants that I knew I would never fit into. FRANKIE AND MIKE: Mike found a jacket that went well with the hat he was wearing. Frankie gave him most of the money he had (they’d split it when he arrived) and Mike put it on. A few minutes later, he expressed concern that it was a lady’s jacket, because he wasn’t sure if the buttons
were on the right side. To be sure, we went a nearby travel agent’s booth and looked at her coat to confirm that Mike’s coat was, indeed, a men’s coat. We went looking for a way to spend the last three dollars, when Frankie found Robin from the Young Justice Happy Meal line. Wasting no time, he picked it up. TARA: Then I caught a reflection off a plastic liner bag. Inside was a fur coat of some kind. It was in almost perfect condition and it fit me well, so I asked him how much it cost. His first price was over my remaining budget, but after some bartering he was willing to bring it down to $19, which I could manage. I was not sure what kind of coat it was, but I was certain I had gotten a good deal.
Who got the better deal?
TARA: The coat was from the 1960s, made of faux fur from the brand Borganzia and cost $98 on Etsy.com. The used “New Moon” hardback sold for $1, costs $11.10 on eBay.com. The Sharks gloves cost $5 at the flea market; Amazon.com listed the pair for $9.99. FRANKIE AND MIKE: The jacket had a Banana Republic sales tag saying the jacket was originally priced at $150. The Spiderman action figure was listed as $21.36 on eBay and the Young Justice Robin was priced at $2.99 on eBay. To vote, go www.ohlonemonitor.com and vote on the poll, or send an email to monitoronline@ohlone.edu. We’ll announce the winner in April.
OPINIONS
6 monitor March 21, 2013
Japanese must learn lessons from 2011 quake By NORIHIRO SASAKI Opinion editor
On March 11, 2011, magnitude 9.0 earthquake and big tsunami hit Tohoku district causing devastating damage. More than 15,000 people died and 2,600 people are still missing. Kai Sato, international student from Tohoku district, was watching a movie in the United States when earthquake occurred. “My friend called me and said , “Is your house OK?” Sato couldn’t understand what he was talking about until when he checked Yahoo and saw a big headline: “Magnitude 9.0 earthquake hits Japan.” “Fortunately, my family and friends were safe. But my grandma’s house was washed away completely except for a bathroom. “ Although two years have passed away after the earthquake, people in Tohokudistrict are still struggling. About 300,000 people are still live in residential camps. “My grandma still lives in a residential camp. She can
stay there for five years. But I still don’t know when she’ll be able to find a new house,” Sato said. Not only the quakes and the tsunami, but also the accidents at the nuclear power plants have caused serious damage to Tohoku district. According to Japanese government, some areas in Fukushima around nuclear plants will remain uninhabitable for 20 years. Even in inhabitable area, residents worry about radiation. “In Fukushima, when people go out, many people wear a Geiger counter, which is designed for radiation measurement,” said Marika Hoshi, international student from Tohoku district. “I heard that children moving from Fukushima are often bullied only because they come from Fukushima.” Tohoku is struggling, while others starts forgetting about the disaster. The number of news stories about the Tohoku disaster is decreasing. Someday, people will hardly talk about it. However, we must learn lessons from the disaster.
For a long time, the Japanese people have looked away and pretended not to realize the fact that we sacrificed people in Fukushima. People in Japan must be fully aware that our civilized society depends on nuclear plants in Fukushima. Some people argue that we have to choose between electricity
and safety. But it is the wrong comparison because our safety depends on electricity. What matters is to take responsibility of this accident. It is a duty of people living in developed country. When the earthquakes hit Tohoku district, I remembered Han-Shin Awaji Earthquake disaster, which hit Kansai
district, including my city, in 1995. It took more than 6,000 people’s lives. Earthquakes may happen everywhere in Japan. If we locked up those disasters only in the areas, many people will die again. The Tohoku disaster is not only of people in Tohoku, but also of all Japanese.
web advocate for Google), the first tweet with a hash-tag read as follows: ‘How do you feel about using # (pound) for groups. As in #barcamp [msg]?’ ” Hash-tagging has since then taken off with no signs of letting off the gas. According to Twitter, 11 percent of tweets now contain hash-tags. Hash-tagging has led to certain topics trending or becoming one of the most tweeted about topics. Trending usually occurs when there’s a major event or occurrence. For example, when Green Day singer Billie Joe Arm-
strong entered rehab in September 2012, #PrayForBillieJoe was a trending topic on Twitter. Many people coin their own hash-tags, which is one of the most versatile things about the hash-tag. Anyone, anywhere can use whatever hash-tag they’d like for whatever topic they’d like. That versatility is one of the key reasons hash-tagging has become so popular. Some people aren’t as fond of the hash-tag as others. “Hash-tags at their best stand in as what linguists call ‘paralanguage,’ like shoulder shrugs and intonations. That’s
fine,” said Ben Zimmer of The Visual Thesaurus. “But at their most annoying, the colloquial hash-tag has burst out of its use as a sorting tool and become a linguistic tumor — a tic more irritating than any banal link or lazy image meme. “The hash-tag is conceptually out of bounds, being used by computer conformists without rules, sense, or intelligence, a like yknowwwww that now permeates the Internet outside of the tweets it was meant to corral. “It pervades Facebook, texting, Foursquare — turning into a form of “ironic
metadata.” Hash-tagging started as a sorting tool, but is now used on a more individual level. Is that really such a bad thing though? Isn’t social media supposed to be about showing one’s individuality? Perhaps Zimmer is a bit too harsh. Even if hash-tagging isn’t used so much for grouping, it’s being used for what each person wants to use it for. That kind of individuality and freedom is what social media is about. Remember that everything in social media is designed to change at some point – #SoGetUsedToIT.
FRANKIE ADDIEGO / MONITOR
Hash-tags may be symbols of social media By MICHAEL DELAHOUSSEY Staff writer
Ever been on Twitter or Facebook and seen someone make a post that ends with the pound sign followed by a phrase? That’s a hash-tag. Hash-tagging has become quite a standard in the social media world, which is where it was born. According to Liz Gannes of Gigaom.com, hashtagging isn’t even old enough to drive. “On August 23, 2007, the Twitter hash-tag was born. Invented by Chris Messina (then with the consulting firm Citizen Agency, now an open
Campus Comment >>>
What are you going to do during Spring break?
Parviz Latipov COMPUTER SCIENCE “I haven’t decided yet. Maybe, going to LA with my uncle.”
Ashley Chambers UNDECLARED “I’m going to get a tattoo on my side, and piercing on my nose.”
Jeremy Bontadelli BROADCASTING “I’m working at a radio station. Radio doesn’t stop even in spring break. I have to be there.”
Bri Brady GRAPHIC DESIGN “I’m going to Disneyland for three days with my dude, mom and friends.”
Serafin Pinedo ANIMATION “I’m planning to go to Mexico with my family to see my friends.”
SPORTS
7 monitor March 21, 2013
Ohlone College catcher makes the grade By LOUIS LAVENTURE Sports editor
Mackenzie Bush has always gone above and beyond in her softball career. Now she is being recognized for her grades by being named to the 3CFCA Academic AllAmerican team at the catcher position. From her time playing on the traveling team StrikeZone, to her illustrious career at Washington High School in Fremont, Bush has always been an overachiever. Playing four years at the varsity level is an incredible feat for anybody especially in the highly competitive North Coast Section. However, there are several other factors that have aided Bush along the way on her
path to success. “I love doing anything that has to do with helping people,” Bush said. “I have an autistic nephew and I love helping him, it brings me so much happiness.” Bush was referring to the son of her older sister who has autism. While Bush is still undecided on her major, she is clear that she wants to do something that relates to special needs or autism. “Working with my nephew has really taught me a lot and made me appreciate how good it feels to help somebody with autism,” Bush said. This has been a great motivation for Bush to excel in the classroom. Balancing collegiate ath-
TAM DUONG / MONITOR
Lady Renegade Mackenzie Bush keeps her eye on the ball during a home game in Fremont.
letics and academics can be a daunting task for a student athlete in this day and age. “Sometimes it is hard because I get home from practice
and I just want to sleep,” A better life is a dream for Bush said. many college students. “I just have to balance my Bush hopes to transfer after time and tell myself that I am her time at Ohlone is done doing this for a better life.” and continue playing softball.
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SPORTS Lady Renegades successful in tournament 8 monitor March 21, 2013
By LOUIS LAVENTURE Sports editor
With just 12 games remaining in the regular season, the Ohlone College softball team finds itself in an unfamiliar place after the Lady Renegades 21st Annual March Madness Softball Tournament last weekend at the Central Park Sports Complex in Fremont. The Lady Renegades have become a powerhouse under the coaching of Donna Runyon. Runyon has amassed several conference titles including nine straight from 2003 to 2011. Being 13-14 overall and 4-4 in conference play with just a little less than a third of the season to play is a foreign issue for the Lady Renegades with all their recent success. “When we are really together and on the same page as a team, communicating
things go really good,” Academic All-American catcher Mackenzie Bush said. “When everybody pulls together things are good.” Ohlone College Athletic Director Christopher Warden talked about the tournament in the official tournament program. “I look forward to this prestigious event every year,” Warden said. “The Renegade staff has worked hard to ensure that this will be a good experience for players, coaches and spectators.” Ohlone played in five games over the two-day tournament finishing with a record of 3-2. The Lady Renegades recorded victories over West Hills, Cabrillo and Merced Colleges. Ohlone’s two losses came to Shasta College on Saturday 5-4 and Hartnell College on Sunday by a final of 8-6. The Lady Renegades are still very much alive for post-
season play. Even a Coast Conference championship is in reach for Ohlone and Runyon. “I have a great coach who keeps me on top of things,” First team Academic AllAmerican Katelin Weger said. “She (Runyon) makes me want to succeed in everything I do.” Pitcher Alyssa Castillo was brilliant on the mound for the Lady Renegades against Cabrillo College on Saturday. Castillo went the distance for Ohlone picking up her seventh win of the season by a final of 3-2. Castillo only allowed three hits and one earned run while striking out two against the Seahawks. Ariana Marquez drove in two runs for Ohlone and also recorded a stolen base. Bush scored two of the three runs for the Lady Renegades in the win. On Sunday against Hartnell College Castillo found
herself on the mound again for Ohlone. Just like the day before Castillo was impressive again for the Lady Renegades. Castillo helped keep her team in the game by going over five strong innings and only allowing three hits before being relieved by Kelly Taylor. Ohlone took a 5-0 lead deep in to the game against the Black Panthers. Hartnell exploded for five runs in the sixth inning to tie the contest at five. Hartnell scored three more runs in the seventh inning but Ohlone was only able to score once in their final at-bat for a tough 8-6 loss. Sarita Leon was perfect in defeat for Ohlone, recording a hit in
each of her four plate appearances. Leon recorded a homerun, a triple and a double. At the time of release, the Monitor was trying to determine if the other hit was a single, which would give Leon the rare hitting cycle. Bush was great at the plate tallying three hits . After an action packed week is now 13-14 overall this year.
TAM DUONG/ MONITOR
Lady Renegade infielder Sarita Leon makes a throw to first base during a home game in Fremont for Ohlone College.
Ohlone baseball team in the hunt for playoffs By LOUIS LAVENTURE Sports editor
The Ohlone College baseball team went 2-1 this past week improving to 11-10 overall and 6-3 in conference play after falling to San Francisco City College 7-5 on Tuesday. “Lost 7-5, rough game, couldn’t finish,” pitcher Jackson Zarubin said after the loss to the Rams. The game started with two scoreless innings before things started to heat up in the top of the third. SFCC drew first blood, getting to starting Renegade pitcher Gregory Spallas when Ben Ladner singled plating Brett Adami for the first run of the game. Ohlone was able to tie the game at one in the bottom half of the third inning when Garret Everhart sacrifice flied to right field, scoring Jake Lopez tying the contest at one.
Renegade pitcher Michael Slifer took note of the performance. “We were having trouble getting runners on early in the game,” Slifer said. “But we scrapped and battled in the seventh inning.” The Rams then exploded for four runs in the top of the fourth making the score 5-1. In the sixth inning, Ohlone plated two runs to cut the lead to two. Then in the bottom the Renegades got two more runs when Jacob DiThomas and LJ Kalawaia scored on hits by Jake Cardoza and Jake Egan. “Anytime our team is able to bounce back from being down, especially that deep in the game is a huge upside,” Ohlone pitcher Daniel Edmondo said. “Every pitcher in our staff with a tied game on the line is going to go out there with confidence and trust in their
‘For me I keep it a one pitch at a time mentality. I cannot get caught up in everything that is going on around me I have to stay focused on my next pitch and do my job. My fastball was working well and really all of my pitches were working well, everything jut felt really good coming off of my hand.’ --Pitcher Jackson Zarubin
pitches to do whatever it takes to get the offense back up.” The game didn’t stay tied for long because in the Rams next at bat they scored two TAM DUONG/ MONITOR runs on an error making the Pitcher Jackson Zarubin
score 7-5. The Renegades were unable to mount another comeback in their final two plate appearances giving them their third conference loss of the season. The two victories Ohlone posted this week were over Monterey Peninsula College and Skyline College. The Renegades were able to easily defeat Skyline by a wide margin of 15-1. Ohlone collected 12 hits. DiThomas and Dante Broome each had three runs batted in. Next up for Ohlone will be a trip to Salinas today to take on conference foe Hartnell College. The Renegades then return home Saturday to take on Monterey Peninsula College on the Fremont campus at noon. Yet another tough and important conference game for the Renegades.
TAM DUONG/ MONITOR
Left: The Ohlone College baseball team lined up on the fence in the sixth inning of their comeback over San Francisco City College on Tuesday. Right: Ohlone pitcher Jackson Zarubin takes a moment before approaching the mound during a Saturday start for the hurler at Ohlone College in Fremont.