4/23/12

THE

San Jacinto Times

Beer proves more beneficial to mankind.

Page 2.

The voice of San Jacinto College since 1991

April 23, 2012

The Student Publication of the San Jacinto College District

Vol. 22, No. 20

Transfer Students and Award Winners Page 4.

Best Buy CEO & Bard Bash Page 6.

Nine key tips to help students master their finals Check out our staff blog at www.sanjactimesstaff.wordpress.com

By COURTNEY MOUTON San Jacinto Times

right where it hurts.

With just a few stinging weeks away from summer the student body starts to crave that sun bronzing your skin, the taste of a refreshing snow-cone and most of all a break from school but there’s a few milestones left to getting to the beach and hitting the waves.

With Finals week approaching quickly we all worry: how am I going to concentrate when I all I want to do is enjoy this beautiful summer weather?

Well here are nine key tips to kicking your finals

9) Make a schedule and stick to it. When things begin to get a bit hectic it’s easy to forget to do something during the end of the year shuffle. Don’t even give yourself the chance to get off task make a list at the beginning of every day and check things off as you go about your day, you will feel productive and be on your “A” game.

8) Dress to impress. With all the late night study sessions that come along with finals, most students find themselves wanting to roll out of bed and head to class in their Disney Princess-inspired pajamas.

Snap out of it! It’s a proven fact that if you feel good about your appearance while going into a stressful situation like a Final, the outcome will be better.

7) Take some you-time. Set aside time to watch your favorite T.V. show, get some coffee with a friend, or just take a study break to collect your thoughts. Downtime during a stressful week is necessary to keep yourself from feeling overloaded, and tense.

6) Get rid of distractions. We’ve all got them.

Whether it’s social media, a load of laundry that needs to be done or errands that need to be run the

list seems to only get longer when we have a full plate. If studying at home is distracting, try the library or the local Starbucks. A new application called “Self Control” offered for free at http://visitsteve.com/made/selfcontrol/ gives busy students the option of removing distractions created by the internet with just the click of a mouse. For those who can’t seem to block out time to focus on studies Self Control offers, with your permission, the option of blocking out websites for a predetermined about of time, not leaving leeway for online distractions to get the best of you.

SEE FINALS on Page 5

TIME TO LOOK AHEAD

Graduation = transition

By JENNY RAMOS San Jacinto Times

As Finals are coming up, last minute caps and gowns are being purchased, everything is flying by so quickly. One moment you’re entering a classroom completely new and confused about where to go, hoping to succeed. Then, the next moment you’re about to walk across a stage taking that piece of paper you spent sleepless nights working to have; your degree. When you hear the mere word, “graduation”, automatically you think of the tradition of students shaking hands with the professors, taking their diploma and enjoying their five seconds of fame. However, some colleges tend to do it a little differently.

Believe it or not, but in the U.S. alone there are several different graduation traditions students don’t know about. For example, Yale University gives their students a clay pipe to smoke out of right before graduation, and then they stomp on it right after the ceremony.

SEE GRADUATION on Page 5

A busy summer ahead

By JANETH CERVANTES San Jacitno Times

As this semester is coming to an end and we turn the page onto the next chapter of life, San Jac students are already wondering what they will be doing this summer. If you know you worked hard this semester, then you deserve a good break to do whatever you want during the summer. For some, Houston and its surrounding areas are where we will be this summer and we have no clue what to do because after years of living here, Houston sometimes seems redundant. For those who are clueless, here are some events and ideas to do this summer in the town of Houston.

For those who want to overachieve, get a whole semester ahead, or maybe a class or two ahead, San Jac is offering summer classes. The classes do fill up quickly so if you want to take some summer classes, sign up for your classes as soon as possible.

Finish reading this newspaper, of course.

SEE SUMMER on Page 5

Farewell to Mr. Faour

By CHRIS SHELTON Special For The San Jacitno Times

Photo by Michael Deats/San Jacinto Times

INSIDE

Commentary.............2/3 Around Campus..........4 Front Page Jumps.......5 Entertainment..............6

After the 2012 Spring semester, Communications Professor Fred Faour and San Jacinto College will cease their professional relationship. Faour cited his busy lifestyle as a reason for his departure. It is unclear who will follow Faour and teach journalism classes next year.

He said that while he has made several lasting connections with fellow professors and other staff members, he will miss his students the most. Fortunately for Faour, the feeling is mutual.

A current student in Mr. Faour’s Reporting class, Angelica Rodriguez, said his class exceeds the threshold for compelling. “(Faour) shows us how to do it, especially thinking and thinking clearly, instead of just telling us to do it. I like the way he teaches the class," Rodriguez said.

“It’s different. It’s not just a boring lecture. I am actually excited to go to class and learn something."

Faour teaches Reporting I and II, as well as Mass Communications, which are essential courses for a degree path in Journalism. Faour is also the faculty advisor of San Jac’s flagship newspaper, The San Jacinto Times.

SEE FAOUR on Page 5

WHEN IS MY FINAL?

Ever have one of those dreams where you slept through your final exam?

Well, don’t let it happen for real. Check out the complete finals schedule for the Spring 2012 semester: Page 4

Opinion/Commentary

Beer and its hidden gifts

Saints go marching out

Sometimes it is okay to celebrate. Opening up n ice, cold beer with your friends after a graduation or another achievement is fine. In fact, beer acts as a bastion of relief for many people. And, as advertisements point out today, beer makes people feel superior, it demonstrates loyalty, helps create associations with popular groups, fosters aspirations, and reinforce perceptions.

However, beyond these popular marketing bargains, facts show that beer have many great health benefits.

According to researchers at the University of Illinois in Chicago beer makes men smarter, the New York Times report.

The study consisted of forty men. The researchers took half of the players, gave them two pints of beer and had them play a word game. Shockingly, the drinkers solved forty percent more problems than the sober players. The drinkers also finished the game in twelve seconds while the non-drinkers took 15.5 seconds.

Psychologist Jennifer Wiley reported on the Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences (FABBS) site, “We found at 0.07 blood alcohol level, people were worse at working memory tasks, but they were better at creative problemsolving tasks," she also reported, “Innovation may happen when people are not so focused. Sometimes it’s good to be distracted."

When looking at the health benefits that beer does

When the New Orleans Saints were found guilty of running an illegal ‘pay for pain’ program that promoted the injury of players, many people were not sure on how to react. Now after all the backlash of the ensuing scandal, it seems football might never be the same again.

You may have seen by now the outburst from the national press coverage given to the Saints due to “Bounty Gate”. In a nutshell, the New Orleans Saints had a system in place from 2009 -- the season the Saints won the Super Bowl -- to 2011, involving between 22 to 27 of its players receiving bonuses for hard hits and deliberately injuring opposing players.

Gregg Williams, the Saints defensive coordinator from 2009 to 2011 was the man in charge of the program and has been suspended indefinitely from the NFL for his role in . Williams began his coaching career as a Graduate Assistant for the University of Houston before becoming a defensive assistant in the NFL for the Houston Oilers, known today as the Tennessee Titans.

However, Williams wasn’t the only one that received heat from the very top of the NFL hierarchy. A total of three members of Saints coaching staff and front office personnel have been suspended, and a heavy fine levied on the franchise as a whole.

Saints Super Bowl winning head coach Sean Payton, although not as deeply involved as Williams was with the execution of the bounty program, got his share of punishment for not halting the bounty plan when he learned of it. The NFL has suspended him for a year, but exiled would be a better word considering Payton cannot talk to anyone in the Saints organization, not even a hello, without first reporting it to Ray Anderson, the NFL’s Executive Vice President for Football Operations.

In addition to the suspensions of Payton, Williams and Saints GM Mickey Loomis, the Saints franchise was fined $500,000 and docked second-round picks in the 2012 and 2013 drafts.

So what does this mean for Pro Football in general?

Well, the NFL prides itself on player safety and setting the standard for the highest and most professional levels of play. The players are the product

STEVEN TALLAS San Jacinto Times

for the body, studies have found that it actually has many natural antioxidants and vitamins that can help prevent heart disease and even rebuild muscle and has low calorie intake. Fox News reports that it also has one of the highest energy contents of any food or drink.

Beer is usually around 4% to 6% alcohol. That means that most beers are 93% to 96% water and other harmless ingredients. According to a Spanish study, beer may actually provide better hydration than water when sweating under the sun.

Beer can also reduce the risk of broken bones, warding off Diabetes, and mental decline.

Nobel Prize and Pulitzer Prize Winner Ernest Hemingway, commonly known as one of the

greatest writers to influence the 20th century, said, “Write drunk, edit sober.”

Also to speak out about his drinking habits the famous poet Edger Allen Poe was once heard to have said, "Who cares how time advances? I am drinking ale today." And Sam Adams, known for his importance on the political scene, once stated proudly, “Let no man thirst for good beer."

Besides the many health benefits beer carries, it is most commonly used to relax and have a good time.

So, let loose of all the horrors society puts on the name of beer and, as a Miller Beer slogan once said, “If you’ve got the time, we’ve got the beer.”

April 23, 2012 San Jacinto Times • Page 2

VICTOR ARAIZA San Jacinto Times

MCT Campus

Sean Payton will sit out a year. and the fact is you can not, nor should you want to, market injured players. Gross, bloody, hard hits may appeal to football fans in general but those guys are going to watch anyway, and the NFL wants to reach other eyeballs.

Not to mention, the last thing the NFL wants is to have to postpone an entire weekend of games because a player collapses on the field. It’s bad PR, a surefire, non-stop media frenzy, a guaranteed lawsuit, and, topping all of that, it is just bad for business.

College football, and by extension the NCAA as a marketable and legally liable whole, would expect to take injuries more seriously due to the fact that college athletes are not paid, and overall the well being of the student is supposed to come before the sport.

As you trickle down at the high school and middle school level, you have underaged athletes you have to worry about and coaches are supposed to be the parents at school. There’s less room to work with unwanted injuries that could potentially change someone’s post-football career life at a very young age.

It’s a continuing development that is turning football more and more each day into “flag football”, but the fact is with more money, viewers, and rules involved there’s a higher risk of lawsuits and bad publicity and in an era where reputation is one of the biggest assets, no coach, team owner, or school administrator wants to mess theirs up.

Certainly it is not like if football is all of a sudden starting to worry about player safety, it’s an issue that keeps getting continuing research and growing education. However, the Saints’ bounty scandal did bring more awareness to an even bigger problem and you can bet the NFL will do whatever is needed to prevent these completely preventable atrocities from occuring again.

Student proves that it is indeed Never Too Late

By KARLA BOYD Special to the Times

Scary. Intimidating. Overwhelming. No, I'm not talking about your 8th grade P.E. coach. I'm describing the experience of taking my first class at San Jacinto College in over 20 years. That's how long it had been since I occupied a fairly-close-to-the-front seat in a college classroom. Back then; I sat near the front because I was young and eager to learn. Now, I sit near the front because I'm old-ish, still eager to learn, and because my vision isn't what it used to be. (I sure hope that's not the last thing to go.)

Now, well into my third semester after a 22-year hiatus, I've mastered the school-night routine like a magician with only two minutes to shed a straight-jacket: change into my comfy clothes right before leaving work at four; fly through a drive-thru for an artery-clogging excuse for a meal; heave my 50 lb. book bag onto my left shoulder; then jump out of the car and sprint up the steps to the science building before six o'clock.

That's about the time my mind moves into over-drive: What was I thinking? Most 53-year-old women are home right now planning their evening TV schedule and making a dinner that won't hasten their death. That could be me. Relaxing. Chilling. Living my life. What's wrong with me? What in the world is in this bag that weighs so much?

I wonder if I'm starting to get arthritis in this shoulder. Nah, that's for really old people. What am I trying to prove? Everyone here is younger than me. They probably think I'm stupid. Do these jeans make me look like I'm trying to look younger? This is just crazy! I'm too old for this!

Not that anyone here has ever treated me like I'm old. I'm the one that's hung up on the age thing. I guess it really hits home when some-

San Jacinto Times San Jacinto College Student Publications

CIRCULATION Cristal Calvillo

ADVERTISING Sara Quintana

ADVISER Fred Faour

one I could have been a room mother to asks me, "What's your major?" I hesitate. A major? I've been taking classes here so long, and I think mine expired. I wish I could respond with something cool and ecologically responsible like "Environmental Science". If I really wanted to impress people, I would say, "Non-Destructive Testing Technology". (I have no earthly idea what that is, but San Jac offers a degree in it, and if someone told me that's what they were majoring in, I would be very impressed.) But I answer, "English". Writing is what I love to do, so "English" it is. Lately, though, my response has been a little different. When someone asks me what my major is, I reply, "English, but what I'm really here for is an education. I've always wanted one, and now I finally have the chance."

Declaring a major tells people what you're concentrating on, where your focus lies, and what your priority is. My goal - my "major" - is to get the education I didn't pursue 35 years ago. At 53, I've become excruciatingly aware of roads not taken; of time consumed by obligations and responsibilities; and, sadly, of opportunities that knocked on my door and, ignored, moved on to the next house down the block. Starting now, when I see a fork in the road, I'm taking it. Before I hear the knock, my hand is already on the doorknob.

Now don't get the wrong idea, this isn't about "me" time; it's about "the" time. If not now, when? If not this year, which year would be good? The one when I turn 54? Time melts away faster than a SnoCone in August, and I don't want any more of it trickling through my fingers.

A semi-sincere but well meaning, "It's never too late," is a common response from people when they hear that someone like me has returned to college. In case you haven't heard, there's an organization here at the Central Campus that genuinely believes that. In fact, their motto is, "It's never too late to be who you might have been." If you EDITOR

Michael Deats

PAGE ONE EDITOR Nicholas Page

OPINIONS EDITOR Caty Christy

SOUTH CAMPUS EDITORS Vanessa Pina, Lori Brown NORTH CAMPUS EDITORS Edith Manzanales, Steven Tallas

SPORTS EDITORS

Brandon Hurley, Stephen Valdez

FASHION/LIFESTYLE EDITOR Angelica Rodriguez

MUSIC EDITOR Lindsay Floyd

are 25 years old or older, I encourage you to stop by the N2L Center and get to know the folks there. In case you haven't guessed, "N2L" stands for "Never Too Late". The N2L Center is an invaluable resource on your journey back to college. Go in and introduce yourself to the Center's director, Kaye Moon Winters. I promise that her story will inspire and encourage you.

She and her staff are some of the friendliest people on campus, and their mission is to put you on the right track to reaching your educational goals. They'll provide you with information on everything from tuition assistance and tutoring to moral support and mentoring. And while you're there, please take the time to meet some of your "fellow travelers". Those of us returning to college after a long break need all the support we can get. Stop in to chill, study, chat, vent, refresh and re-fuel. The atmosphere is always warm, relaxed, and welcoming.

Like Ms. Kaye always says, "It's your Center!"

Which brings me back to another Tuesday night in the science building. I've worked a full day, and I'm tired. I could be at home, zoned out in front of the television, brushing up on the latest celebrity malfunctions and misdeeds. Most of my weekend will be spent studying for the next test, and I'll have to figure out a way to squeeze in all of my other responsibilities. And so it begins: I wonder what specimens we'll be observing in the botany lab tonight? Who knew plants where so complicated? All this time I thought tomatoes were vegetables. Was I the only one who didn't know they were fruits? I feel like an idiot. Tell me again why I decided to go back to school? Seriously, I'm going to throw my back out carrying this bag. Something in here has got to go! Where did this big wad of tissues come from? Maybe I don't want to know. This thing looks just like the bottom of my grandmother's purse - minus the fuzzy lifesaver. I'm too young for this!

The San Jacinto Times is published weekly by the journalism students at San Jacinto College Central, 8060 Spencer Highway, Pasadena, TX 77505.

Opinions expressed herein are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the staff, its adviser, the administration or the Board of Regents.

The Times encourages letters to the editor.

Letters must be in good taste, accurate, free from libel, malice or personal controversy.

Letters must be limited to 200 words in length. Letters submitted without the author’s signature will not be accepted.

The staff reserves the right to edit the letters for accuracy without altering the general meaning.

Letters can be e-mailed to fred.faour@sjcd.edu. Letters must include name and phone number for verification.

The online edition of the Times is available at http://issuu.com/sanjacintotimes Advertising space is available for $5.00 per column inch. Special rates are available. For news tips and information on advertising, contact the Times at 281-4782752.

Commentary/Campus events Espanol Norte

Arizona targets the trolls

Arpil 23, 2012 San Jacinto Times • Page 3

8 DAYS A WEEK North

Lunes, Abril 23

Monday, April 23

• No hay actividades programado para este dia

• No Scheduled Activities

Martes, Abril 24

Tuesday, April 24

• Concierto de la banda de Jazz, 7:30 p.m., localizada en el Auditorio Grant Fine Arts Center

• Jazz Band Concert, 7:30 p.m., Grant Fine Arts Center Auditorium

Miercoles, Abril 25

Wednesday, April 25

• No hay actividades programados para este dia

• No Scheduled Activities

Jueves, Abril 26 • Junta de el Webb Society, 1 p.m., en la sala N7.108 • Junta de el club de Rotaract, 2:30 p.m., N12.215

Viernes, Abril 27 • Junta de Robotics, 1 p.m., N2.108 • Junta de Sociology, 7 a.m., en la sala N2.219

Sabado, Abril 28 • No hay actividades programado para este dia

Domingo, Abril 29 • No hay actividades programado para este dia

Lunes, Abril 30

Central

• No hay actividades programado para este dia

Lunes, Abril 23

• Junta de Math and Engineering, 12:22 p.m., en la sala C1.142 • Junta de Sicologia, 12:50 p.m., en la sala C3.142

Martes, Abril 24 • Junta de TSEA, 1 p.m., en la sala C20.263 • Junta de Phi Beta Lambda, 1 p.m., en la sala C3.215 • Junta de GSA, 2:30 p.m., en la sala C3.204

Miercoles, Abril 25 • Junta de la sociedad Anime, 1 p.m., en la sala C20.253-255 • Junta de Chemistry, 2 p.m., en la sala C20.171

Jueves, Abril 26 • No hay actividades programado para este dia

Viernes, Abril 27 • Junta de PTK, 10:30 a.m., en la sala C1.230 • Junta de SGA, 11:30 a.m., en la sala C1.155 • Junta de LASO, 12:30 p.m., en la sala C2.210

Sabado, Abril 28 • No hay actividades programado para este dia

Domingo, Abril 29 • No hay actividades programado para este dia

Lunes, Abril 30 • Venta de pasteles departe de PTK, a las 11:00 a.m., localizada en el Student Center • Entretenador John P. Hopkins, 11:30 a.m., localizada en el Raven Café Student Center • Junta de Math y Engineering, 12:22 p.m., en la sala C1.142 • Junta de Sicologia, 12:50 p.m., C3.142

Lunes, Abril 23

Sur

• Junta de Tennis, 3:30 p.m., localizada en la cancha de Tennis • Junta de Mixed Martial Arts, 8:30 p.m., en la sala S21.120

Martes, Abril 24 • Reunion Conugal de estudiantes, 11:30 a.m., en la sala S11.109 • Junta de Chess Club, 1:30 p.m., en la sala S9.238 • Junta de Game Enterprises Guild, 3:30 p.m., en la sala S8.1062 • Junta de Pre Med, 5 p.m., S7.128

Miercoles, Abril 25 • Junta de Phi Beta Lambda, 2:30 p.m., en la sala S8.2014 • Junta de el club de Historia, 2:30 p.m., en la sala S7.156 • Junta de Filosofia, 2:45 p.m., en la sala S7.100

Jueves, Abril 26 • Junta de HSF, 12 p.m., en la sala S12.140 • Junta de Game Enterprise Guild, 3:30 p.m., en la sala S8.1062

Viernes, Abril 27 • Junta de Mixed Martial Arts, 9 a.m., en la sala S21.105 • Junta de el club de Chess, 1 p.m., S9.234

Sabado, Abril 28 • Ultimo dia de Locks of Love, 9 a.m., en el departamento de Cosmetologia

Domingo, Abril 29 • No hay actividades programado para este dia

Lunes, Abril 30 • Junta de Tennis, 3:30 p.m., localizada en la cancha de Tennis • Junta de Mixed Martial Arts, 8:30 p.m., en la sala S21.120

By JOSE ALEJANDRO San Jacinto Times

All you Trolls roaming the Internet and live in the state of Arizona listen up; you could soon end up being punished by the law for annoying and terrorizing the public. That’s right, Arizona‘s House Bill 2549 looks to combat cyber bullying but in the process threatens to stifle free speech.

How, you ask? Well, the bill looks to slam anyone using “any obscene, lewd or profane language” through “ANY electronic or digital device” with the “intent to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, annoy or offend” with a Class 1 misdemeanor, and in some cases worse. For an example of this type of behavior, one need only scroll through the comment section of any YouTube video. If the means are employed to stalk a victim then the person is now given a penalty of a Class 3 felony.

In Arizona a Class 1 misdemeanor can land you with a pretty little fine of up to $2,500 and up to six months in jail and a Class 3 felony carries a minimum sentence of 2.5 years and a maximum sentence of 25 years in jail.

Proponents for the bill claim that this is a necessary step in order to prevent online bullying, and it hasn’t seen much resistance from elected officials.

In fact, Arizona HB 2549 passed both legislative houses last Thursday and is now waiting for approval by Governor Jan Brewer. State representative Steven Farley, a sponsor of the bill, claims that the laws goal is to protect victims of stalking and bullying by making it illegal to threaten and/or intimidate anyone via the internet.

Although the law is noble at heart, The Media Coalition points out some major flaws in a letter written to Governor Brewer urging for a veto. In the letter they point out that many aspects of the law become very vague. For example by using term such as “annoy” and “offend” the state risks criminalizing anyone who expresses their opinion on any topic over the internet.

In addition to this, the group also points out that

MCT Campus

“HB 2549 is not limited to a one to one conversation between two specific people.” As a TIME article explains this would mean that all open communication on the web could be punishable by law if someone deems the content offensive. The letter goes on to say that “There is no requirement that the recipient or subject of the speech actually feel offended, annoyed or scared. Nor does the legislation make clear that the communication must be intended to offend or annoy the reader…”

Once again, another bill written and supported by legislators that don’t truly understand how the internet functions is trying to be passed to fix a problem, but it’s being done in the wrong way.

Something that is interesting about this bill is that it was originally intended to be used for phone calls but was simply taken and applied to the Internet.

Legislators failed to realize that this bill works just fine for telephone calls, but when you apply something like this on a massive scale, such as the internet, you end up with a troll of your own.

Not only is this proposed law unconstitutional on a national scale, because it clearly violates the first amendment, but it is also unconstitutional on a state scale.

You see on a state scale, Arizona’s Constitution specifically says that “Every person may freely speak, write, and publish on all subjects.” As The Daily Caller explained in a recent article Arizona courts have ruled in the past that the state’s Free Speech Clause gives wider free speech protection than the First Amendment allows.

Fortunately for us we live in Texas, and this law is not expected to affect us, although many experts believe it will not pass. So trolls can rest easy knowing you can be hated by everyone one more day. It does make you wonder though, in our society everything we do is on an electronic or digital device; there’s no escaping them. These elected officials are sure to at one point or another write up this bill on some sort of electronic device. And given the state’s proposition track record, which includes racial profiling, anti-gay adoption, and anti-immigration bills, I’m sure they’ve “offended” and/or “annoyed” many people in the state. So if this bill were to be signed into law, at the time it goes into effect would they too have to be condemned to its punishment?

Kids’ baseball is too pro

By BRANDON HURLEY San Jacinto Times

Well, it is that time of year again and kids are out playing baseball.

Numerous little leagues around the area have finished opening day festivities and some are halfway through the season already. It would all be part of a grand picture if not for one thing…where are all the kids?

Little Leagues [LL] all over the Houston area have seen their enrollment drop more and more year after year. Pasadena Pan-Am LL and Pasadena International LL had to merge because of declining numbers. The cause? This generation of ballers would prefer to play on “pay to play” travel teams, otherwise known as select baseball teams.

The general opinion of Select baseball is different from Little League in that the coaching is better, there are more former college and minor league players, coaches, and scouts involved in select baseball, and more current MLB and college players nowadays got their start playing select ball as opposed to Little League.

It used to be that select players were the elite of the elite. That is why they choose select baseball, so they can play against better competition. The problem is, it has gotten so huge, and that is not the case anymore. Now all it really boils down to is whose daddy wants to pay dues.

Another difference is the amount of baseball these kids play. Select baseball is a huge moneymaker for some people and it has become a year round job. Kids who play select baseball can usually expect to play in about three tournaments a month. On average, competing in about six to seven games per tournament.

When you translate that number to a yearly figure that comes out to roughly 900 baseball games a year. That number is pretty staggering when you figure that the Houston Astros will have played 162 games when the regular season over.

Granted, not all of these are nine inning games, but still, that is a lot of baseball, especially when you consider that the biggest age group in select is 9-12.

Some kids can’t handle that kind of pressure or really don’t care to. A lot of kids get burned out on baseball, mainly because of their parents or coaches pushing them too hard. Most people can attest to seeing that one dad who got a little too upset at his son’s little league game. Just imagine that, but 900 times a year.

So why has it become this way?

The parents. The United Specialty Sports Association, otherwise known as USSSA, is the biggest when it comes to select baseball. USSSA breaks down their teams into four classifications: Single A, Double A, Triple A, and Majors. Now what does that sound like to you? Oh yeah, it sounds like professional baseball. You’ve taken the “my kid is better than your kid” concept and organized it into this machine.

Baseball is supposed to be fun. Because it’s select, there is no “every kid gets at least 2 minutes” kind of rule. It’s much more cutthroat. 10year-old kids are getting kicked off of teams all the time. It may be justified by a decline in performance, but that doesn’t change the way the kid feels.

It could be a team that they may have played on for two years. Doesn’t matter. Think about that for a second. The other 11 players he’s leaving are probably his best friends.

Kids aren’t supposed to be made to go through that. They shouldn’t even be in that kind of a position. The problem is, you’ve got daddy battling his kids against other daddy’s kids and he’s having the time of his life doing it.

He might as well have tossed them out of a Pokeball. Maybe we can start printing baseball trading cards featuring eight-year-old select players and dad’s can trade them and battle them when there aren’t any tournaments going on. Hell, we can just have select card tournaments. Pretty soon, you’ll see nine year olds looking for representation so they can negotiate their contract before they sign on with a team.

Really though, these kids should have the opportunity to be kids. There isnothing wrong with playing baseball, and I’m not a “we need to get rid of dodge ball in PE” kind of guy either, but at some point the line needs to be drawn. At some point parents are going to need to start acting like parents and stop trying to live vicariously through the exploits of their children. You chose your life; you need to let your kid choose his.

Thursday, April 26 • Webb Society Meeting, 1 p.m., N7.108 • Rotaract Club Meeting, 2:30 p.m., N12.215

Friday, April 27 • Robotics Club Meeting, 1 p.m., N2.108 • Sociology Club Meeting, 7 a.m., N2.219

Saturday, April 28 • No Scheduled Activities

Sunday, April 29 • No Scheduled Activities

Monday, April 30

Central

• No Scheduled Activities

Monday, April 23

• Math & Engineering Club Meeting, 12:22 p.m., C1.142 • Psychology Club Meeting, 12:50 p.m., C3.142

Tuesday, April 24 • TSEA Meeting, 1 p.m., C20.263 • Phi Beta Lambda Meeting, 1 p.m., C3.215 • GSA Meeting, 2:30 p.m., C3.204

Wednesday, April 25 • Anime Society Meeting, 1 p.m., C20.253-255 • Chemistry Club Meeting, 2 p.m., C20.171

Thursday, April 26 • No Scheduled Activities

Friday, April 27 • Phi Theta Kappa Meeting, 10:30 a.m., C1.230 • SGA Meeting, 11:30 a.m., C1.155 • LASO Meeting, 12:30 p.m., C2.210

Saturday, April 28 • No Scheduled Activities

Sunday, April 29 • No Scheduled Activities

Monday, April 30 • PTK Bake Sale, 11 a.m., Student Center • John P. Hopkins (Entertainer), 11:30 a.m., Raven Cafe Student Center • Math & Engineering Club Meeting, 12:22 p.m., C1.142 • Psychology Club Meeting, 12:50 p.m., C3.142

South

Monday, April 23

• Tennis Club Meeting, 3:30 p.m., Tennis Courts • Mixed Martial Arts Meeting, 8:30 p.m., S21.120

Tuesday, April 24 • Student Bible Fellowship, 11:30 a.m., S11.109 • Chess Club Meeting, 1:30 p.m., S9.238 • Game Enterprises Guild, 3:30 p.m., S8.1062 • Pre Med Club Meeting, 5 p.m., S7.128 • Student Awards Ceremony, 6 p.m., Fine Arts Building

Wednesday, April 25 • Phi Beta Lambda Meeting, 2:30 p.m., S8.2014 • History Club Meeting, 2:30 p.m., S7.156 • Philosophy Club Meeting, 2:45 p.m., S7.100

Thursday, April 26 • HSF Meeting, 12 p.m., s12.140 • Game Enterprises Guild, 3:30 p.m., S8.1062

Friday, April 27 • Mixed Martial Arts Meeting, 9 a.m., S21.105 • Chess Club Meeting, 1 p.m., S9.234

Saturday, April 28 • Locks of Love (Last Day), 9 a.m., Cosmetology Department

Sunday, April 29 • No Scheduled Activities

Monday, April 30 • Tennis Club Meeting, 3:30 p.m., Tennis Courts • Mixed Martial Arts Meeting, 8:30 p.m., S21.120

Around Campus

Final Exam Schedule Local homicide hits close to home

April 23, 2012 San Jacinto Times • Page 4

Spring 2012 - 16 Week Classes

• Friday, May 4, 2012 - Student Study Day (Day classes only) May be used as a class day.

By CATY CHRISTY San Jacinto Times

Just a few short weeks ago, a terrible tragedy struck Pasadena. On Tuesday, March 27th three unsuspecting citizens were shot in their homes at Cinnamon Ridge Apartments on Spencer Hwy, leaving one man dead.

Around 10:30 p.m. that night two gunmen entered an upstairs apartment demanding money and a small safe or cash box, Pasadena Police Department Spokesperson Vance Mitchell tells the San Jacinto Times. The residents of the apartment, a 19-year old white male, a 20-year old white female, and a teenaged visitor, were apparently cooperative.

When the suspects obtained what they were looking for they opened fire. The male was fatally shot in the torso, and the female was shot in the leg. The visitor was left unharmed.

However, as they were leaving, the suspects shot a downstairs tenant. The 24-year old male had apparently come outside when he heard the commotion. The suspects told him to go back inside his apartment and as he turned to do so they shot him in the lower left back.

Pasadena Police Department Officer Sweet was the responding officer on scene. More officers, detectives and a crime scene unit began to arrive around 10:50 p.m. By that time the suspects were long gone.

Ambulances arrived but the injuries were much too severe. The female and the downstairs male were taken by life-flight to the hospital where they underwent hours of surgery. Both are doing just fine now. For the other male resident however, help was too late.

Police have yet to discover a reason for why the third person was left unharmed. The young man had seen everything from start to finish and when brought in for questioning he claimed a temporary lapse in memory. He could not give any details about what the suspects looked like, what type of weapons they were carrying, or anything else for that matter.

As for the safe, there is no confirmation of what

• May 4-6, 2012 - Weekend Final Exams Classes That Meet

Google Images

was inside. Police believe it may have contained money and some amount of drugs.

Some friends of the victims believe that this shooting may be connected to a robbery at gunpoint over Spring Break. Police, however, are saying that there is no specific reason to connect these two occurrences as of yet.

At this time, no suspects have been brought in for questioning and no arrests have been made. The police are very low on leads.

Anyone who may have any information at all regarding this incident is urged to contact the Pasadena Police Department immediately.

Calling 713-222-TIPS will earn a cash reward and any caller will remain anonymous.

8 a.m./8:30 a.m. MWF or 8:30 a.m. M W

Monday, May 7

10 a.m./10:30 a.m. MWF or 10 a.m. M W

Monday, May 7

12:30 p.m. MWF or 1 p.m. MW

Monday, May 7

2:30 p.m. MWF or 2:30 p.m. M W

Monday, May 7

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Monday, May 7

7 p.m. M or 7 p.m. MW

Monday, May 7

8 a.m./8:30 a.m./9 a.m. TTH

Tuesday, May 8

9:30 a.m./10 a.m. TTH

Tuesday, May 8

1 p.m. TTH

Tuesday, May 8

2:30 p.m. TTH

Tuesday, May 8

5:30 p.m. TTH

Tuesday, May 8

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Tuesday, May 8

7 a.m./7:30 a.m. MWF or 8 a.m. MW

Wednesday, May 9

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Wednesday, May 9

11:30 a.m. MWF or 11:30 a.m. MW

Wednesday, May 9

Get signed up for Summer classes

By ANGELICA RODRIGUEZ San Jacinto Times

Getting ready for the new semester to attend San Jacinto College?

Well if you haven’t started getting ready yet, now is the time. Whether you are enrolling for the Summer 2012 semester or Fall 2012, you need to be prepared.

The lines will be long throughout the last days of the deadline so try to have what you need in order to make things smoother. Before you step into the enrollment services office to register, make sure you have all the information you need. To begin with, if you are getting Financial aid for any of the following semesters, make sure that is one of the first things you do before anything else. This will allow you to have time to make sure you have the money you need in order to get your classes and your books. Once your Financial Aid has been accepted, everything else will be much easier. Deadline for the financial aid 2011-2012 is June 30, 2012 and for 2012-2013 is June 30, 2013.

The next thing you should have ready are the classes you want to take, this is very important especially if you are going based on a degree plan. Make sure you have a degree plan printed out to be clear about classes you need to take and cross out classes you already have

1:30 p.m. MWF

taken. You can get you degree plan on the San Jac website by logging in to your SOS account. A degree plan is also important if you planning to transfer in the future to a University.

Getting your degree plan online makes it much easier, but if for some reason you can’t or are not clear, talk to a counselor. You can also get the course numbers online to avoid trips back and forth. To get your class course number and to register online, go to the San Jac website, log in to SOS and click on My Registration, then step five: Register, Add or Drop Classes and select the term. Registering online is a fast and easy way to register, but if you decide to register at the Enrollment Services Office, Have your course number and G-number ready for faster processing.

So remember being prepared before registering on campus makes enrolling faster and easier.

1) FASFA 2) Have your G Number 3) Have your degree plan and course numbers 4) Don’t wait for the last days to enroll Campus hours are Mon-Fri 8am-5pm: North- (281) 458-4050 Central- (281) 476- 1501 South- (281) 484- 1900

Best Buy CEO resigns amid scandal

By JENNY RAMOS San Jacinto Times

Throughout the years, Best Buy has been the electronics retail store people always go to for answers. However, as online purchasing has been skyrocketing the market, Best Buy’s sales have been drifting downward. Not only does Best Buy have the issue of slower business, but the sudden resignation of their CEO Brian Dunn also weighs on the company’s shoulders.

After 28 years of working with the company, Brian Dunn resigned on Tuesday, April 10 after an investigation was initiated regarding Dunn’s personal conduct. The company announced the investigation was “unrelated to the company’s operations or financial controls”, and had something else to do with an inappropriate relationship he formed with a female employee. Many complaints of Dunn behaving inappropriately around this employee caused the investigation to start, and before it could be completed, Dunn resigned.

Starting from the sales floor, Dunn’s hard work had brought him to the top of the chain in Best Buy. After 28 years with the company, his time with Best Buy is now over, and the company is searching for a replacement for his position. It’s not yet confirmed if the 29-year old woman is still employed with the company, and her name has not been revealed to the press. Her position for the company was working in a leadership-training institute at the company’s headquarters in Richmond, MN. Even though Dunn resigned after the investigation began of him and his involvement with a female employee, a close friend of the woman was interviewed by the Wall Street Journal explaining it was “something small that people blew out of proportion”.

Not only was the resignation of Dunn very sudden, but it also happened at the strangest time. Dunn had resigned “less than two weeks after he announced the largest restructuring plan in the company's history, which included store closures, layoffs and other cost reductions,” according to Thomas Lee from StarTribune. Despite the accusations and investigations, Dunn’s transformation will still go into effect. 50 stores will be shut down in the next few months, causing tons of unemployment. All in all, the company was said to save 800 million after the reconstruction is complete.

“The chain lost $1.23 billion, or $3.36 per share, compared with a profit of $1.28 billion, or $3.08 per share, in the prior year,” accord-

Exam Day

Wednesday, May 9

Exam Time 8:00 – 10:00 10:15 – 12:15 12:30 – 2:30 2:45 – 4:45 5:15 – 7:15 7:30 – 9:30 8:00 – 10:00 10:15 – 12:15 12:30 – 2:30 2:45 – 4:45 5:15 – 7:15 7:30 – 9:30 8:00 – 10:00 10:15 – 12:15 12:30 – 2:30 2:45 – 4:45

SAN JACINTO TIMES AWARDS A list of awards won this semester by the San Jacinto Times staff: All-around journalist: Nicholas Page

Best columnist: Jose Alejandro

Best story: Nicholas Page Whistle blower details abuse

Best writer: Janeth Cervantes

Best editor: Michael Deats

Best photography: Lindsay Floyd

Best humor: Dennis Tague

Best blogger: Edith Manzanares

Best sports writing: Victor Araiza

Best sports story: Brandon Hurley Ravens basketball excels

Best feature writing: Courtney Mouton Best event coverage: Vanessa Pina Kelly inspires students

Best business writing: Jennifer Ramos

Best news story: Caty Christy Local homicide hits close to home

MCT Campus

Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn abruptly resigned recently.

ing to the Daily Mail Reporter from MailOnline. As business slows down, many Best Buys have shrunk in size, providing space for other retail stores such as the local Pasadena Best Buy off of Fairmont Pkwy. Society has changed now, and businesses have noticed that customers prefer smaller stores over gigantic ones to shop at.

All in all, this is a huge turning point for the company of Best Buy. It’s a mystery on what the outcome of business for the retail stores will be for this year. As many employees continue their jobs, whether it’s to scan the barcode of a movie or to manage the financial plans of the company, it’s hoped employment and business will continue successfully. And even though the ruckus of Brian Dunn’s sudden resignation shocked the company altogether, recovery from other members of the company will be brought forth in hopes of a successful future.

Best column: Karina Argueta Take care with children

Best feature story: Lauren Motley Love is in the air around San Jac

Best personality profile: Angelica Rodriguez Kaye Moon Winters

Best blog post: Steven Tallas Employed for the Sun

Jumps/Etc.

Bard’s Bash set to return

By VANESSA PINA San Jacinto Times

The time has come again to celebrate and remember the great works of William Shakespeare.

The Third annual Bard’s Bash will be taking place on April 25, 2012 at the court yard on the corner of the English and Theater wing at the Central Campus, and will run from 10am until 1 p.m.

There will be a costume contest so come in your best Shakespearian attire and enjoy some 16th century fun. There will also be readings of many Shakespeare’s poetry followed by performances of the most popular plays.

Stop by and enjoy some 2012 jousting, Romeo and Juliet style, and stick around for the insult contest from some of the famous Shakespeare works. There will also be a portrait contest, so you can submit your artistic William Shakespeare portraits at William.wolfe@sjcd.edu for a price that day. Do not miss out on some maypole dancing and great food. This celebration is open to everyone.

GRADUATION Continued from Page 1

Williams College has a superstitious tradition of dropping a watch from the top of the 80-foot chapel, and it is said if they watch it fall and break, “all graduating students will find luck in their postgrad lives,” according to Lauren Joffe from The Real College Guide.

Although there are many traditions for students and professors to follow throughout the years of graduation, there always has been the classic outfit of the “cap and gown”. “Academic dress for graduations started in the 12th and 13th centuries when universities first began forming,” (coolquiz.com).

At first the wardrobe was a clerical garb for scholars. Then in 1321, the University of Coimbra had scholars from certain areas of study wear gowns to graduation. Oxford and Cambridge were among the strictest as far as detail in the gowns, making sure all of the gowns were perfect with each piece of material stitched onto the gown for students to wear on their day of celebration. Then, in the late 1800’s “colors assigned to signify certain areas of study,” (coolquiz.com). Now, these traditions that started

up from the early eras made what our graduation traditions are today.

As the various amount of graduation traditions continue today, the increase in college students alone has increased at a significant amount. “In fall 2011, a record 19.7 million students are expected to attend American colleges and universities,” according to the Institute of Education Sciences, “constituting an increase of about 4.4 million since fall 2000.” University graduates who finish their fouryear bachelor’s degree either begin applying for jobs as soon as they’re handed their diploma, or attend graduate school. And as the years continue, it’s hoped the attendance and graduates of college students will continue.

At graduation, all students have many different journeys and paths to go down. Most community college graduates attend universities that following semester. Even if you change your major a bunch times, as long as you choose a degree you’re satisfied with, your chances of finishing college and graduating are far higher. All in all, the best of luck goes out to the all the students graduating this year, whether it’s a high school diploma or a master’s degree. Anyone of these accomplishments is just another step to whatever you want to achieve.

San Jac will hold a three-week mini session from May 14 through June 1. San Jac will also offer two 5-week sessions and in each session students can take up to two classes. The first 5-week session runs from June 4 through July 5. The next five-week session will run from July 9- August 9.

Another thing to do this summer is to watch the many summer blockbusters Hollywood has to offer.

First on the list is Joss Whedon’s action film The Avengers starring Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johanson, and Samuel L. Jackson. Nick Fury, Samuel L. Jackson’s character, brings together a team of Marvel’s super heroes in order to save the world. The Avengers will be released May 4th.

Four years after The Dark Knight, Batman, took the blame for Two Face’s wrongdoings, the Dark Knight will rise yet again. Christopher Nolan directs the highly anticipated movie The Dark Knight Rises featuring DC Comics’ Batman.

Batman portrayed by Christian Bale tries to help a city which labels him an enemy as he tries to prevent Bane and Catwoman to do evil to Gotham. The Dark Knight Rises will be released July 20.

In the midst of Vampire mania, The United States’ 16th President, Abraham Lincoln is featured in the movie Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

Benjamin Walker stars at Abraham Lincoln in the movie directed by Timur Bekmambetov. President Lincoln discovers Vampires want to take over the United States and makes it his mission to prevent that. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter will be released June 22.

If movies are not your thing and you’re move of a concert person, this summer Houston will be host to many concerts. Some of the most anticipated concerts include Drake, J. Cole, & Waka Flocka Flame’s tour. The concert will be at the Toyota Center on May 17 starting at 7:00 pm.

On June 2 and 3, Houston will be home yet again to the Free Press Summer Fest featuring many local and internationally known artists. Well known artists such as Snoop Dogg, Willie Nelson, and Portugal. The Man will be performing at Houston’s Eleanor Tinsley Park near Buffalo Bayou. Other activities include a paint slide, fireworks and music workshops.

The annual Vans Warped Tour will be in Houston Sunday, July 1 at the Reliant Center Parking Lot. The tour will feature some veteran bands such as The Used, Taking Back Sunday, Anti-Flag, and

Yellowcard. For more bands featured in Houston, be sure to check out Vans Warped Tour’s website www.vanswarpedtour.com.

If spending time with your family while staying cool is on the list, Houston and its surrounding areas are great hosts to entertaining venues which the whole family will enjoy. First on the list is the Kemah Boardwalk. The Kemah boardwalk is home to fun, food, and games. The dancing fountains at the boardwalk are a great way to beat the heat this summer. The Boardwalk features restaurants such as Joe’s Crab Shack and The Aquarium. It also has great rides such as The Bullet and a giant Ferris wheel that can be seen from miles away.

The island of Galveston is also another great way to stay cool this summer. Galveston’s beaches are always open to the public along with the many historical landmarks Galveston has to offer. Galveston is also home to places such as Moody Gardens and its three pyramids. Children will enjoy exploring space, oceans, and rainforests in the different pyramids. Right across the street from Moody Gardens is Schlitterbahn. Schlitterbahn, Galveston’s indoor water park is another great way to spend time with the family while staying cool. Schlitterbahn offers thrilling water rides the Twin Twisters and the Bahnzai Slide. If you want to relax, why not just jump in a tube and float through the lazy river?

Galveston will also be home to another great attraction which was featured in an earlier issue of the San Jacinto Times. Galveston Island’s Historical Pleasure Pier will open late May and will be home to delicious restaurants and 16 thrilling amusement rides which the whole family can enjoy.

Houston is also home to great deal of museums.

Museums such as the Children’s Museum of Houston feature fun activities for the whole family to enjoy along with summer camps for children.

The Houston Museum of Natural Science is another fun museum Houston has to offer which will teach as well as entertain. In that same neighborhood, The Houston Zoo roars with excitement as hundreds of animals from all over the world are displayed. If you are a fan of art, Houston’s Fine Arts Museum is home to hundreds of arts pieces from different eras and artists.

There are of course many, many more things to do around town but these are just some of the things the city of Houston has to offer this summer and sometimes year round. Of course there are more simple things to do at home such as watching TV and catching up on sleep. Nevertheless, all San Jac students deserve to relax and enjoy this summer after a semester of hard work.

Faour uses The Times to further grow and develop future journalists. Students in Faour’s reporting class are required to write at least one front page and one opinion-based story that appears in The Times.

Harrison Lee, a former editor of The Times, said the experience is very rewarding, though not always easy.

“It was a very complete and often-times challenging learning experience.

If (Faour) saw you were struggling with something, he very quickly stepped in and told us the proper way things are done in the real world,” Lee said.

According to sanjac.edu “over the past three years, 24 students have been placed in media internships with a variety of stations, including ESPN, KRBE, Fred Faour is leaving CBS Radio, Univision TV and radio, Telemundo, and The Howard Stern Show. " Faour is happy to provide internship opportunities to students who need the experience.

In fact, he has helped facilitate the placing of several interns throughout his tenure at San Jac. “Just seeing how many students have developed into quality future journalists and media people has been tremendous,” he said.

“We’ve had several that have gotten jobs. Michael Vasquez now works at 104.1, he started out as an intern at (ESPN) 97.5,” Faour said.

“Ester Mendez is now at Univision. She got her first start through an internship.”

Vasquez said the internship opportunity at 97.5 allowed him to discover his passion for radio. It was made possible because he took Faour’s courses. Vasquez, now a producer at 104.1, said he has found his calling.

“Not only did I improve in my writing skills but I

also gained skills that will help me down the road, as far as job opportunities go. He got me the internship and now I have a job in radio," he said.

Vasquez’s love for radio clearly resonates with Faour.

Faour co-hosts The Blitz, which is a local sportstalk radio program on ESPN 97.5. He said he enjoys intertwining the two jobs to help students get a foothold into the communications industry.

He is also a book writer.

Faour published Acing Racing, which is a layman’s guide to gambling, on Dec. 23, 2011.

Promotion is still on-going.

Faour is finishing a novel, Jesus Just Left Chicago, which is a longterm project that he San Jacinto Publicity hopes will be released over the San Jac after three years. summer.

Interestingly enough, Jesus Just Left Chicago will be turned into a screenplay.

He will continue writing for Examiner.com and blogging.

With many exciting career opportunities on-deck, Faour has danced to a tough tune for the past three years.

Obviously, it was tough to balance so many competing objectives.

“Time-management is huge. You have to balance your schedule in a way that will enable you to focus on the more difficult things,” Faour said.

“I’ve spent more time focusing on the teaching end of things because that’s more difficult than putting together a radio show. And you can’t prioritize based on what’s the most fun, you have to prioritize on what’s the most important,” he said.

Faour, however, is sure that he will return to teaching one day, perhaps in a part-time capacity, because he enjoys changing lives.

SUMMER Continued from Page 1

Rob Vany/San Jacinto Collegea

The Bard’s Bash is a chance to relive the Shakesperian era with costumes and events.

FINALS Continued from Page 1

5) Get in a workout. Hitting the gym or getting in a quick run can make a world of difference when trying to get the monster of stress off our back.

Working out not only relieves stress by releasing endorphins, but also is essential to getting and staying healthy.

4) Eat right. Don’t skip meals no matter how busy you are. Not taking the time to properly nourish our bodies during stressful seasons allows our mind to be distracted from the task at hand. Try preparing easy meals for the week in advance, so you’ll have leftovers in the fridge with just a walk down the hallway. It saves you crucial study time, gas and money.

3) Prepare yourself ahead of time. Cramming for finals week is most of the time unavoidable.

Whether you didn’t study much during the semester of your professor finds it funny to torture your soul by putting more on the exam than you even know how to process, just the thought of finals strikes ter-

ror into the eyes of the typical college student.

Don’t be lazy; keep information fresh by skimming your notes every day and getting a head start on a review if the teacher offers one. Go to all review sessions. View study time as mission, and reward yourself for the hard work you’re doing.

2) Create the ultimate workspace. Find a comfortable and easily accessible space that has all the things you need (pencils, pens, notebook paper, coffee, etc.) and make that your school bubble. Clean off your desk and get organized with your materials before studying so there is no time wasted. In the famous words of the Disney classic Mulan, “Let’s get down to business to defeat the Huns,” and buy ‘Huns’ I mean your final’s face.

1) Get adequate sleep. As a college student nothing seems to be more precious than sleep. Be sure to set aside at least six or seven hours to sleep each night. Sleep deprivation leads to memory loss, lack of concentration, headaches and the worst of the all, more stress.

Finals have the ability to take over your life and make even the calmest person a bit crazy. Just take a deep breath. Be calm. Let it go. You’ll be fine. It’s almost over. Time to defeat the Hun’s!

YO Y OUR HOMES T O U R T I C K E T C O U L D W I N A F R E E C RU RU I S E !

TO 1916 Louis and Anita Runge House

FAOUR Continued from Page 1

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April 23, 2012 San Jacinto Times • Page 5

Entertainment

2012 iFest is cultural experience in year 42

By EDITH MANZANARES San Jacinto Times

Celebrating its 42nd year, the 2012 Houston International Festival has arrived to the great city with an enormous splash of cultural backgrounds demonstrating pride, joy, and artistic events. This time of year, people from the entire world gather to participate in one of the most anticipated events of the year. The iFest brings a variety of cultural music bands playing continuously throughout the day. From zydeco to blues, to funk, jazz, salsa, and merengue, the iFest opens its doors to many. In addition to the varieties of music, the iFest also brings in art and delicious cuisine from different countries. Anyone who attends can expect to see outstanding musical performances, experience interactive exhibits, taste the variety of foods, and create a memorable weekend with friends and family.

“IFest has continued its tradition as one

Photo by Edith Manzanares/San Jacinto Times

IFest is always a fun time. of the largest presenters of internationallyacclaimed artists from around the globe, putting the best of world music next to the finest national and regional roots music”, reports Sean Boyd. “The goal is to demon-

strate how music and dance can communicate across cultural and linguistic barriers”. With tons to do at the iFest, people have gathered around taking part of this great event. Although many show up not knowing what to expect, they walk out impressed. One thing is reading about the events that take place at the iFest, but another thing is actually being there and experiencing it for yourself. People dress comfortably in colorful attire, and roam the different venues set up for all to see.

“The iFest stretches across 14 acres of downtown parks and streets including City Hall, Bagby Street, Tranquility and Sam Houston Parks”, reports Boyd. It is quite a large event, and the iFest only gets better throughout the years. Each year it features a variety of fun-filled entertainment with spectacular music from around the world.

While the music plays, people can enjoy a meal from several food vendors. With so many choices, there is no room to walk

away from the event without having tried something new. Everyone can buy lunch in the international food court and choose their dish from Argentinian food, Mexican, Chinese, Cajun, American, Greek, Vietnamese, Italian, and so many more.

The 2012 Houston International Festival is open from 12 -10 p.m. Saturdays, 12 - 8 p.m. Sundays. You can purchase tickets on the website at www.ifest.org and participating Grocery locations. Prices are $12 in advance, $18 at the gate, and for children’s tickets it is $3. Weekend Passport packages, which include four tickets and two parking passes, are available at $60. Discount ticket rates are available to groups of 20 or more. Make sure to grab your tickets, they are your entrance to an unforgettable experience!

For more information on the 2012 Houston International Festival event, you can visit the festival’s official website at www.ifest.org. Have fun!

April 23, 2012 San Jacinto Times • Page 6

Honors program hosts star party

By VANESSA PINA San Jacinto Times

Late on Tuesday on April 17, 2012 the San Jacinto Honors Program hosted a star party at the South Campus Softball Field.

With the help of astronomers from The Johnson Space Center Astronomical Society students were able to take a look at different astronomical objects which included a few planets and stars. Students, family and friends were able to take a tour of the universe with several powerful telescopes.

Ten things you might not know about the Titanic

By LORI BROWN San Jacinto Times

Disclaimer: Please do not read this article if you have not seen the movie Titanic and do not know that the ship sinks at the end. I will, in the course of this article, reveal that the ship sinks in the end.

Again, if you do not wish to know this, then please, please do not read this article. Because it totally sinks. In the end.

From the time I was a small child, I, like many, had an insatiable interest in all things Titanic. I was intrigued by the history and tragedy of the story and watched every documentary I could on the subject.

In those days, before information was so readily accessible, each detail and search that occurred was edge-of-my-seat fascinating. Nothing, I thought, could waver my interest in the tale of the great ship.

Then, in 1997, the movie came out and I was proven wrong. Unfortunately, since the James “I am the King of the World” Cameron rendition, my interest has significantly waned.

Why did I go to this movie in the first place, you ask? I have no idea. To be fair, I was at a time in my life that I went to the movies every weekend.

Sometimes the movie I chose to see was based on what I hadn’t seen yet. And I am sure that, despite Leonardo DiCaprio’s starring role, I was mildly curious about the film. Or perhaps it was my excitement about loudly asking nobody in particular “What do you guys think is going to happen at the

end?” and “I can’t wait to see what happens at the end!” before the movie is what inspired me to pay the $7. (This did turn out to be really fun until my BFF ran into his newly broken apart girlfriend, which was an awkwardness that sits with me to this day.)

Anyway, thanks to the movie, my interest in the Titanic has been muddied with images of Leonardo DiCaprio dancing in the middle of a large group of “third class” passengers and an old lady with a blue heart necklace.

Despite these images, however, there are still some facts I still find wildly intriguing about everyone’s favorite maritime disaster. (The sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald is a close second, right? Come on, people. I’m right.)

At any rate, to honor the 100th anniversary of the sinking, I would like to share some facts that I still regard as highly interesting, courtesy of the San Angelo Standard Times, including these ten: 1. Before 1912, Titanic is largely considered to be the biggest moveable manmade object.

2. The ship was fully equipped with its own newspaper, a hospital with an operating room, and barber shops for every class.

3. Third class accommodations on the Titanic are reported to have been equal in quality to first class accommodations on other liners at the time.

4. The first class tickets for the Titanic ranged in cost from $4,350 and $150, the second class was $60 and third class tickets ranged between $30 and $40. The modern equivalent for the highest first class ticket price is approximately $50,000.

5. Notable dignitaries who lost their lives on the Titanic included John Jacob Guggenheim, Benjamin Guggenheim, and Isidor Straus, the owner of Macy’s department store.

6. J.P. Morgan was originally booked to board the Titanic, but decided against it only one day prior to the ship’s departure.

Cameron film, Brown was portrayed by Kathy Bates – whose performance I actually enjoyed very much.

9. The Titanic was given warning of dangerous icebergs ahead by a ship called the Rappahannock, who radioed to report damage received due to heavy icebergs in the area. Despite this news, the Titanic remained on course. This was a full 48 hours prior to its ensuing fatal disaster.

10. Two crewmen served as lookouts in the crow’s nest at the time that the Titanic struck the iceberg.

Unfortunately, neither man was equipped with binoculars that night.

7. An actress who survived the Titanic, 22-yearold Dorothy Gibson, returned to New Jersey where she starred in a film called “Saved From the Titanic.” This film, in which Gibson wore the same dress she had the night she was rescued from the Titanic, marked the first film to be released about the ship’s sinking. The date of its release, May 16, 1912, was only one month (plus one day) following the actual event.

8. Perhaps the most famous woman to survive the Titanic was Molly Brown, who was immortalized on the Broadway stage by at least 12 actresses and the film, “The Unsinkable Molly Brown,” in which she was portrayed by Debbie Reynolds. In the

MCT Campus

The sinking of the Titanic remains one of the world’s iconic disasters.

Around The Area

April 23, 2012 San Jacinto Times • Page 7

Hurricane prep always timely whether rain or shine

By LINDSAY FLOYD San Jacinto Times

Over the past couple of years Mother Nature has made it known who is always boss. By showing off her skills with countless natural disasters from floods, draughts, earthquakes and tornados we have become afraid of what she is capable of doing next. Last weeks outbreak of tornados that went raging through tornado alley is an example of how you can never be too prepared.

Although we may not be in the middle of tornado alley, we experience another version of mother natures’ wrath, hurricanes. With June, the beginning of tornado season, just around the corner, we should set aside some time to be prepared if a hurricane comes our way.

These three simple and easy steps will help prepare you if a disaster strikes.

First, develop a plan for you and your family. Developing a plan is as easy as having a conversation. Talk about what disasters could affect your home or family. Locate the safest room in the house or potentially the safest place in the community. Set up a meeting spot and design escape routes. In case you get separated from a loved one, have a single out-of-state contact that everyone should check in with. Make sure to develop a plan for your pets too. To be even more prepared in emergency response, you can take a first aid/CPR class.

The second step in hurricane preparedness is creating a supply kit. Supply kits should include: •Water- A gallon per person per day, about 3-7 days worth. • Food- Have enough for 3-7 days, non-perishable packaged or canned. • Blankets/Pillows • Clothing • First Aid Kit / Medicines / Prescriptions

• Special Items- For elderly or children • Toiletries/Sundries • Flashlight with batteries • Radio – Battery operated and NOAA-approved weather radio • Important documents- Driver’s license, insurance, medical records, in water proof container • Keys • Tools • Gas Tank- make sure cars are filled up, and extra gas tank • Pet Care Items- Dog/Cat food, leash, and cage.

Last but not least is, securing your home. When protecting your house from a hurricane you may think of putting plywood over your windows. After doing a little bit of research, I’ve discovered if not done properly your make shift plywood shutters may be doing more damage than good. The American Plywood Association offers a design for proper plywood shutters for $1 online.

Another tool to help secure your house from high winds are hurricane straps. Metal hurricane straps or clips provide the proper measure of strength and safety for the roof-to-wall connection. After installation, these straps are usually difficult to see from the attic because of insulation.

No sleep is bad: The hard truth about all-nighters

By STEPHEN VALDEZ San Jacinto Times

It’s about that time. Finals are around the corner and for some students, Finals brings about many intense study sessions. While there are a few different ways to prepare for tests as big as these, one of the most common ways is to just simply pull an all-nighter. Many of us have been there, staying up all night in a last ditch effort to cram as much information in our heads as possible. While they may appear to be beneficial, all-nighters can be more detrimental to your cause than helpful.

Typically, information gathered by your brain goes through a processing period.

This processing period is at its most effective while you’re asleep. The lack of sleep can lead to any new information coming into your brain being more susceptible to being lost or being just plain wrong. A seemingly positive effect of staying up all night is an increased level of happiness, but being happy in this case is not all it is cracked up to be. This extra happiness from staying up all night comes from a surge in dopamine, which is the neurotransmitter that causes the feeling of happiness. With the increased dopamine levels, our thought processes can be altered to a high degree.

Dopamine increases similar to this case are very similar to the effects of alcohol, and not very many smart decisions are made while intoxicated.

As college students, we should be studying often, and for some students all-nighters are almost inevitable. If you find yourself having to undertake in an all-nighter, there are a few things you can do to help yourself out.

First and foremost, attempt to avoid the all-nighter altogether by sleeping early and waking up early. If that’s not an option, then take a quick two or three hour nap prior to staying up. You can also take a few breaks throughout the night and take a quick nap. Any naps taken should be no more than 20 minutes.

Anything longer than 20 minutes and you will find yourself more tired than before the nap. If you don’t think taking a nap is a good idea, or if you are the type of person that doesn’t wake up from naps, then just take a break and move around for a few minutes. Stretch your legs do some push-ups or sit-ups, anything to get the blood flowing again.

As the night progresses and the fatigue begins to set in, the first instinct of many people is to gulp down

a Red Bull, Monster, or some other sort of energy drink. At the time you may get a temporary energy rush, but ultimately at some point there will be a crash. Instead of reaching for that energy drink, grab an ice cold glass of water every hour or so. The cold water will help to keep yourself awake, and give you the need to have to go to the bathroom. The urge to go to the bathroom will also help keep you awake, since you’ll have to keep moving every now and then. You should also attempt to eat high protein foods to give yourself energy. Avoid any heavy foods like cheeseburgers. Heavy meals will only cause you to feel lethargic and sleepy.

Try to be as easy on your eyes as possible. Eye strain can be caused by excessive tiredness, reading in bad light, or staring at computer screens for prolonged periods of time. If you are studying from a textbook or looking over notes, be sure the room is well-lit. Also be sure to take a break every few minutes to look around at something else. Focus on something far away from yourself to give your eyes a small rest. Should you be using a computer to study, try to lower the screen’s brightness to help reduce eyestrain that way.

Do not study in a comfortable place like your bed or couch. Comfortable places like these may tempt you to sleep, and the more comfortable the location, the worse it will be. Sit in different places around the room, or tap your feet.

Movement is key to keeping awake.

As the night draws to a conclusion, keep thinking positive thoughts. Carry these positive thoughts over to the day of the test. Never underestimate the power of positive thinking. That late night of studying had to be worth something after all.

MCT Campus If possible, try to catch a little sleep a few hours before the test. Give your brain a little time to process and properly store all the information that was just crammed in there. Try not to overdo it though, sleeping too much or waking up during the wrong part of your sleep cycle will just make you feel even more tired than you were before.

With Finals creeping up on us, we should be getting in as many hours of studying as possible, but try to do it without staying up all night. If you are one of those people who prefer to wait until the last minute, maybe this advice will be helpful to you. Good luck to everyone, and a little more to the people that will be up all night.

Join us for Preview Friday!

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Around Campus

April 23, 2012 San Jacinto Times • Page 8

Photo by Cristal Calvillo/San Jacinto Times

The 2012 San Jacinto Times staff for the Fall semester, from left: Karina Argueta, Vanessa Pina, Lindsay Floyd, Angelica Rodriguez, Edith Manzanares, Courtney Mouton, business manager Sara Quintana, Nicholas Page (back row), Jenny Ramos, Steven Tallas, Dennis Tague, Jose Alejandro, Janeth Cervantes, Adviser Fred Faour, Stephen Valdez, Lori Brown, Caty Christy and editor Michael Deats. Not pictured: Lauren Motley, Victor Araiza, Brandon Hurley.

Fashion: Baggage

Accessorizing can be jewelry, belts and shoes; all of those things can make an outfit combine. But a very important accessory to really bring your outfit together can also be a bag, a clutch or a simple purse. Purses are in style this season with more of a boho look. This style is great because you can wear it with any outfit without having to switch every time with your outfits.

Most boho purses have a variety of colors so you don’t need to worry about matching. The purse stands out with most colors.

Another great style this season is the nude colored purses, these are also a great choice because you can’t go wrong with anything you wear. Nude colored purses can be worn to tone down the bright colors like yellow, orange and pink. White is also a great color to wear for a colored purse because not only does it work with bright colors, but also to bring some brightness if you wear a darker color like blue.

Bag packs for school are also in style in many different varieties. Try switching your bag pack to something other than black or blue. Bag packs have really hit in this spring with prints such as leopard or zebra. Many bag packs are also boho style, which are in fun colors as well.

So, this spring, don’t just change your clothes or shoes because accessorizing can also be fun and a great way to express your style and who you are.

Hey San Jac students! Ever wanted to see your name or picture on the newspaper? Well, now is your chance! Each week we will pick one out of many photos to be on the “San Jacinto Times”. The pictures will be taken of our current students each week who are wearing the latest trends or season styles.

We will also describe a little about your outfit and why it was chosen. How to participate you ask? It’s easy, just being yourself, if you stand out you’ll see me and my camera at any San Jac campus looking for you. All you have to do is answer a couple of questions about your apparel so your picture and description can be printed here for the “Pic of the Week”. So San Jac, whether you dress up or dress down, be on the lookout, the next person might be you!

Don’t see me around campus and want to participate? Take a picture at any SJC of your seasons’ outfit and send it in to: rodriguez.a2412@student.sanjac.edu only from your San Jac e-mail. Tell me what you consider your style to be, why you chose that outfit, don’t forget to mention your first and last name, age, hobbies, major, and also include the campus you attend.

Summer on the cheap

By LAUREN MOTLEY San Jacinto Times

The majority of college students have very little money to go wasting it on over priced vacations this summer so here are a few tips that might help you save money.

1.Book your trip early the prices are still low right now but once it hits summer they will only go up from there.

2. It is a good idea to actually go in late August because most families have already gone on vacation and are getting the kids ready for the new school year. This causes the prices to be a little lower so the owners can still get booked up.

3. Make sure you do a lot of research on the place you want to stay, so you can be confident you received the best price for the best place. Try websites like Hotwire and Travelocity they are there to get you the cheaper price for good places.

4. Instead of paying the ridiculous price for gas fly southwest. They fly pretty much anywhere and they have free baggage check.

5. Another easy and cheap way for transportation is Greyhound. They drive coast to coast and if you want go on a real road trip this a cheap way to go 6. Make sure there is local transportation if you

don’t drive that way you can go to all the places around.

7. Go to destinations with free stuff to do like the beach or the river so you can soak up the sun for free.

8. Rent a house, condo, or hotel with a kitchen so you can save money by cooking instead of going out to eat. Plan out every meal so you can know how much you are going to spend at the grocery store.

9. If you do go out to eat order water instead of soda because its free and that way you can spend more on your meal.

10. State parks are a great cheap location and they always have different things to do like hiking, fishing, swimming, and more.

11. Look up special events in the area you are staying at to see if there are free concerts or anything in the area.

12. The biggest tip of all, if you go with a group of friends make sure there is one person who can plan everything from what every one owes in money to the activities you will be doing. It will help the vacation be stress free so everyone can enjoy it.

If you listen to these tips, hopefully it will help you save your wallet and maybe you can come home with money in your pocket.