2007_0508_CT_v61i11

CityTimes

www.sdcitytimes.com

Volume 61, Number 11

Knights on top

Two teams take first place in PCC Sports, page 12

Covering the San Diego City College community since 1945

May 8, 2007

Student Center fee fails despite voter support ASG falls 634 total votes short of the 2,838 needed for a valid election, but get 67 percent approval

By Scott Landheer City Times

Rebecca Saffran / City Times

March for immigration amnesty starts at City College Approximately 400 immigration activists gathered on May 1 in front of City College and marched to First Street and Broadway in Downtown. On the May Day anniversary, supporters shouted slogans such as “Aquí estamos, no nos vamos” (“Here we are, and here we stay”) as they marched the streets of Downtown, escorted by San Diego Police.

The proposed Student Center fee failed because not enough students voted on either side of the issue to make it a valid election.

The fee would have cost students $1 per credit (up to 10 credits) per year.

In order to even be considered, 2,838 students would have had to cast their votes on April 24-26. According to Gail Rodriguez, Student Affairs assistant, 2,204 voted. Of those who voted, 1,493 voted yes and 711 voted no.

That adds up to 67.74 percent saying yes, and 32.26 percent no, which would have been enough to pass the measure had 634 more students voted and those percentages held up.

“So it makes it even more heartbreaking,” said Rodriguez.

E-mails went out to all students who have a valid e-mail address registered with the college on April 20 and again on April 24 reminding students of the special election.

Clemente Valdez, ASG media representative and current presidential candidate,

Officers arrest theft suspect

Campus safety can start with student action and understanding

By Mariana Lima Contributor The idea “it will never happen to me” never protected students from shooters when they attacked their classrooms.

On the other hand, constant fear and panic on campuses do not stop gunmen from firing their guns.

After the Virginia Tech massacre, Constance M. Carroll, chancellor of San Diego Community College District assured

in one e-mail that the college’s top priority is security and that City College has well-trained police officers available 24/7 in case of emergency.

“I don’t feel in danger, there is a pretty good (number of) security guards,” City student Eduardo Salgado said.

However, colleges are not safe from experiencing future massacres even if well secured because human beings can trig-

See SAFETY, Page 2

said they have learned from this election and will be able to put that knowledge to good use next time around.

“I’m very proud of all of the very hard work that everyone put in,” ■ Campuswide Valdez, smoking ban on said of ballot, Page 3 the effort to get the ■ ASG candidate word out statements, Page 11 a b o u t the campaign, including working 16-hour-days for a couple of days. “You couldn’t turn a corner without seeing a Student Center flyer.”

He said he is also proud that a record number of students voted in this election and that they got the two-thirds approval they would have needed.

Next semester, when the Student Center fee is planned to go to vote again, they are going to make a few changes to get even more students out to vote.

The election will be held over five days, instead of three.

Student government will also be asking faculty to take a more active role in getting students to the polls, including taking classes on “field trips” to the cafeteria to cast their votes.

By Stephen Burgers City Times

Stephen Burgers / City Times Officers place a suspect in the back of a police car on April 18 after he was arrested on suspicion of stealing a student’s laptop.

Earth Day 2007

City College hosts fair in Gorton Quad to raise awareness of the issues affecting the planet News, page 3

A man was arrested in Curran Plaza on suspicion of theft on April 18 at 5 p.m. The observations of a City student led to the man’s apprehension after she said she saw him stealing a laptop that had been momentarily left unattended by a student purchasing food.

See ARREST, Page 2

Index

Calendar ....................................2 News .........................................3 Opinion .....................................4 Life ............................................6 Arts ...........................................9

2

NEWS / CALENDAR

City Times

Arrest Continued from Page 1 On April 11, Andrea Lee Heaton, a City College nursing student, was studying in the cafeteria. She said she noticed a disheveled man who didn’t appear to be a student walking from table to table and thought it was strange.

David Kniffin, a psychology student, was studying at a table next to her and using his new laptop computer. Kniffin said he decided he wanted a coffee and walked to get some, leaving the laptop for what he thought would be a few moments. The other man moved quickly by walking over, closing the laptop, wrapping the cord around it and placing it in his knapsack.

Heaton, in an attempt to stop the thief, questioned him, asking, “Is that your laptop?”

She said he didn’t respond but quickly walked from the cafeteria. Heaton called the campus police. Kniffin returned with his coffee and found his computer had been stolen. Kniffin and Heaton both gave a statement to the campus police describing the event.

Heaton and Kniffin said they were upset by the theft of the laptop and they felt it violated the collegiate ethic and

boundaries. Kniffin purchased a replacement laptop this week for more than $800. He said the stolen computer had a term paper and a lot of other important information saved on it.

Heaton said she saw the man who stole the computer again on April 18 and she went to the cafeteria because she thought she might find Kniffin and she did. He and this reporter where discussing our Psychology 161 class and his new computer. She explained she saw the man who had taken the laptop and that he was relaxing down on Curran Plaza.

Kniffin immediately called Campus Police and reported the information.

A quick response to Curran Plaza by Officer Jane Obara and Officer Lokeni Porter lead to the arrest. Campus police then contacted the San Diego Police Department who transported the man to the County Jail. The man who was arrested is on parole and was staying at Father Joe’s homeless shelter.

This isn’t the first time Heaton has helped a student in need. Last spring she was among a few students who administered CPR to a student who was having a heart attack on the floor of the dinning area. The quick action of Heaton and the other students saved the life of fellow student Thomas Avame. She and the other students were given an award for the life saving heroism.

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May 8, 2007

CityCalendar Compiled by Rebecca Saffran Send items to City Times, 1313 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101, e-mail citytimes@gmail.com, call (619) 388-3880, or fax (619) 388-3814 MAY ■ 7 Begin Summer registration Location: Reg-e on campus Web site ■ 8-9 @ 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Amnesty International Human Rights Fair Location: Gorton Quad, Cafeteria, B-204, Free ■ 9 @ 11:15 a.m. “Seoul Train”, Free Documentary showing Location: B203 ■ 9 @ 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Financial Aid Day, Assistance with FAFSA Location: Gordon Quad ■ 10 @ 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Computer Business Technology Open House Location: T-330, Free ■ 10-31 Thursdays @ 5-8 p.m. Free self defense classes for women Location: La Mesa Community Center Contact: Police Officer Diana Medero (619) 322-0690

Safety Continued from Page 1 ger violent behaviors unexpectedly. But the message school shootings send to college communities lies beyond violence.

Cindy Barton, a City College licensed clinical social worker, said that it is important that students “keep their ears open” to their classmates, and “reach out” for them if they show any sign of emotional distress. She also said that if a student is concerned and notices something is wrong with a classmate but does not feel comfortable enough to talk to the other person, the student should contact the health department regardless.

According to Barton, the professionals from the department can create a plan of action to help the classmate in need and they are the ones who will talk to the person.

“I think the biggest mistake people come and make is to just avoid because they don’t know what to say or they just want to get away from it, they wanna deny it. The most important thing that you can do is tell somebody, ask for help,” Barton said. “We need to all watch out for each other.”

Barton also stated the college can help students who might suffer from depression, having suicidal or other criminal thoughts. She added that City is “proactive” and has a model “that is way ahead the curve” because of its faculty, full-time staff members and clinicians combined with a model of efficient therapy.

“I would urge any student who is concerned about their friends or somebody else to come and talk to us,” Barton said. “Come and talk to us in the mental health services. It’s confidential, free and we can help them to figure out how they wanna deal with this problem.”

In 2002, the United States Secret Service and the Department of Education released the “School Threat Assessment,” a guide about how to create safe school environments and how to

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■ 22 @ 12-5 p.m. JOB FAIR Location: San Diego Convention Center Halls G and H, bring e-copy of résumé for on-site Résumé Review ■ 23 Transfer Students: Deadline to sign SDSU Transfer Agreement for Spring 2008 and UCSD Transfer Agreement for Winter 2008

manage threatening situations, aimed to serve mainly the school communities.

According to the guide, “targeted school violence is arguably only the tip of the iceberg of pain, loneliness, desperation, and despair that many students in this nation’s schools deal with on a daily basis.”

In addition, that 2002 security guide stated that “silence may be downright dangerous” and reported a writing of a 17-year-old student who killed himself after attacking other people at his school.

“They want me to open up, express myself. Quite a funny notion, ironic! If someone had helped me do that several years ago, I probably would have turned out okay,” the student said.

Barton explained that specific behaviors might be a danger to others and to themselves when on campus and it should be reported to the mental health department and campus police office.

For instance, when students threat others in any form, either written or verbal including discussions in class.

Although infrequent compared to other crimes, school shootings have been repeating themselves with some frequency in the last two decades and colleges are not free from hosting future massacres even if well secured. If school shootings keep on happening, this repetition conveys a message that students have been failing to connect and communicate, many times ignoring one another.

“My first impression of him was that he was really shy and introvert. I just thought he was very lonely, and that concerned me a little bit. I didn’t know (he was depressed and suicidal), I wished somebody had told us, maybe I would have been more careful, or be more interested in him,” said Karan Grewall, who was a former roommate of the Virginia Tech shooter Seung-Hui Cho in an interview to Fox News Channel.

To set an appointment with the City student mental health services call at (619) 388-3450 or visit http://www.sdcity.

edu/studentresources/healthservices/mentalhealth.asp

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

CityNews

May 8, 2007

City Times 3

Students to vote on campus smoking ban Proposed policy follows trends in district and region

By Brittany Arquette City Times

Learning by rodeo

Rebecca Saffran / City Times

Business and literature major Lakia Queen, left, makes sure children of the Child Development Center stay on their tricycles on April 24 at the tricycle rodeo during Traffic Safety Week. Organizers of the event created a course with stop signs and road cones to simulate real life traffic conditions to teach children about vehicle and pedestrian safety. Thomas Bike Shop, at 1635 Fern St., donated 20 tricycles and helmets to the center.

Campus marks Earth Day

City helps to develop medical high school

By Alissa Wisniewski Contributor

By Stephen Burgers City Times The Stewardship and Resources Committee of San Diego City College hosted the first Earth Day Fair in Gorton Plaza on April 19.

Faculty members Theresa Gallo and Donna Di Paola organized the event “to promote environmental awareness and get people excited about ways to contribute,” Di Paola said.

The fair aimed to raise awareness of everyone’s behaviors toward the environment and ways they can support the nature of the planet with a wealth of information and a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Several vendors showed support at the fair including The City of San Diego’s Environmental Department, The Sierra Club, The Regional Energy Office, and The Surfrider Foundation.

“Normal activity is harmful to the environment,” said Scott Harrison, who was repre-

A popular trend has been sweeping through San Diego the past year. No, its not a new hair style, or the latest pair of jeans. It’s the decision to ban smoking.

In San Diego you can no longer smoke on the beaches, or at any state parks. Even Mesa College has banned smoking on it’s campus since 2006. Now Oceanside will soon be voting to ban smoking on their beaches.

The smoking ban craze doesn’t stop in San Diego. All across the U.S. states are banning smoking. Laws against smoking in your car and smoking around children are popping up everywhere. It seems Las Vegas in he only city not jumping on the bandwagon.

Now the smoking ban issue as made its way to us at City College. On our 2007-2008 student election ballot we will be faced with the popular question: To smoke, or not to smoke?

If the majority votes ‘not to smoke,’ than smoking will no longer be allowed anywhere on campus. Students at City have mixed opinions about the

subject.

“You know designated areas are fine, I can deal with that.

But to say you can’t smoke at all? I don’t know about that.”

Says City student Kathleen Harrison, “I mean, I’m here at school all day so where will I go to smoke, all the way to my car?”

Kathleen opposes the idea of banning smoking. She says smoking should be a personal choice people make, not made for you by putting the question on a ballot.

However, many students support the idea of a smoke free campus. Student Erika Woodall says she believes smoking should be banned in all public places for health reasons.

“It’s a nasty habit that could make you die sooner than normal,” she explains, “Secondhand smoke does kill. I don’t want some stranger who smokes around me to damage my health.”

If students vote to make City a smoke free campus, a smokers prevention program will be offered on campus to help students and faculty quit smoking.

In the end it will all come down to the majority. Students who have a strong opinion on the subject are encouraged to vote, because the outcome of the decision will take effect immediately.

Rebecca Saffran / City Times Student and faculty watch Al Gore’s global-warming presentation as shown in “An Inconvenient Truth” during the Earth Day Fair on April 19. senting the Surfrider Foundation, meaning our sometimes thoughtless littering.

He talked about a phenomenal mass of debris that is caught in the North Pacific

Gyre and he also mentioned a little known fact that it is illegal to wash a car in the street because of debris. Harrison said

See EARTH, Page 11

City College has joined San Diego State University and Sharp Healthcare in developing a middle college program with a medical emphasis.

This program will allow students to take health courses at City while completing their high school education. By enrolling in these courses, students will accumulate college credit.

Students will also learn how their high school curriculum can prepare them for their future.

“Students can connect coursework to relevant needs in the community,” said Ian Pumpian, an SDSU professor and the new school’s chief education officer.

Pumpian contacted City’s Vice President Ron Manzoni about joining the project because City has a “reputation of commitment to high school students.”

Manzoni felt that the inclusion of City in this project “seemed a natural partnership.” City has previously supported middle college programs at Garfield and Mark Twain high schools.

The early exposure to college may also encourage students to continue their education after graduating high school. By focusing on a specific career path, students will see that their high school education can be relevant to their future.

There is currently a high demand for medically trained members of the work force.

This school can provide students the information and skills they need to pursue this type of career.

Manzoni does not believe the additional workload will discourage students from attending the school.

“It may be an attraction to students to be a part of a high school with a health sciences emphasis,” said Manzoni.

The plan for the school was approved Feb. 27 with a four to one vote by the San Diego Unified School District and will open fall 2007 for freshman and sophomores.

The campus for Health Sciences High School will be in La Mesa, at the former Coleman College location.

Informational meetings for interested parents and students should be held later this year.

4 City Times

CityVoice

May 8, 2007

What’s wrong with being the self-centered?

Are not all students in some ways Narcissistic? On the other hand, is the “you’re special” praise being overly used, causing students to be “stuck up” and “self centered?”

I mean we all have been taught that we have to like who we are in order for others to like us. We also are taught that life on our own can get difficult and we will need all the self-confidence parents can build up in us to get through it.

Otherwise, according to our parents and numerous Psychologists, our self worth could be damaged and we might not succeed to our potential and make a remembered mark in our society.

In response to a recent study released by San Diego State University about college students being narcissistic more then ever, I would like to state that being narcissistic is defiantly a positive trait.

Why? Because I think that with out some narcissism, students like us would be much like what our parents and grandparJosie Salazar ents were like at our age, closed-minded, sheltered and sometimes timid.

We would not be using the various and numerous strategies to speak out on behalf of whatever we believed in, at least not with out a lot of fear.

Now days, our narcissism allows us to strongly and without fear; stand up for what we believe in without hesitation. But when our parents were our age, there was much debate about fear of standing up for what you believed.

At least now politicians and people like Don Imus, who was recently fired from his radio show for racism remarks, know that our generation will speak out without hesitation in order to get more and faster results then it would of taken for whatever our parents and grandparents stood up for.

I also think that the study needed to take in account that our generation has so much to keep up with, the rising housing markets, the tuition fees and demands of specialized training in fields of work.

With all these demands and increased new ways of communication such as YouTube and Myspace, students seem to have to work harder and faster to keep up with “supply and demand” and that they need to focus on

Viewpoint

See SELF, Page 8

CityTimes Volume 61, Issue 11 May 8, 2007 Published as: The Jay Sees / 1945-1949 Fortknightly / 1949-1978 City Times / 1978Incorporating the newspapers Tecolote, Knight Owl and Flicks Scott Landheer Editor-in-Chief Josie Salazar News Editor Luis Bahena Opinion Editor Managing Editor

Lauren Ciallella Arts Editor Shanika Whaley Feature Editor Rebecca Saffran Photography Editor Calendar Editor Lauren Ciallella Copy Editor City Times Staff Brittany Arquette, Tala Bashmi, Stephen Burgers, Rosemarie Davis, Aysha Johnson, Emily Pfaff Contributors Mariana Lima, Alissa Wisniewski Roman S. Koenig Journalism Adviser

City Times is published twice monthly during the semester. Signed opinions are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily represent those of the entire newspaper staff, City College administration, faculty and staff or the San Diego Community College District Board of Trustees.

How to reach us: City Times San Diego City College 1313 Park Blvd.

San Diego, CA 92101 Newsroom: L-125 Phone: (619) 388-3880 Fax: (619) 388-3814 E-mail: citytimes@gmail.com Program homepage: www.sdcity.edu/citytimes

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Dan Cariño / MCT Campus

Fight prejudice by forgetting it

Programs like Affirmative Action do the very thing they’re supposed to stop With all the media hype these days over prejudiced comments made by everyone from Don Imus to Michael Richards to Mel Gibson to Issah Washington (from “Grey’s Anatomy”), it makes me wonder: can we ever really get rid of prejudice?

“I think hating someone because of their race, religion, sexuality, or whatever is stupid… but you can never get rid of it. You can make laws to protect people from becoming a victim of prejudice, but you can never change what goes on in someone’s head,” said student Emily Hunter.

Prejudice has been in people’s heads for centuries.

Throughout history countries have fought and killed over religious beliefs.

Women have been seen as inferior to men for thousands of years, and still are in some cultures.

Native Americans and Africans were considered less

Viewpoint Brittany Arquette worthy because of their color, which is a problem that still exists in many countries today.

Humans have been hating other humans since the beginning of time. To this day even the most civilized countries are still openly prejudiced.

I was at a hotel in Orange County last summer, where an English family refused to stay because there was an Irish family staying there too.

It shocked me because England and Ireland are neighboring countries, not to mention both white, yet they still hated the other because of their culture.

“You can make as many laws as you want to prevent prejudice, but the way to solve it is not to protect minorities, but to

forget they are minorities. As long as you’re thinking of someone as a ‘minority,’ your classifying them as ‘not like you,’” said City student Brian Hill.

After all, in America we try to prevent prejudice by being prejudiced. Affirmative Action was designed to help women and minorities get jobs.

Ironically, all the amendment does is flip-flop who is being discriminated against.

If you give the less qualified women the job over the more qualified male, you’re discriminating against him. It’s quite an ironic way of solving a discrimination problem.

“I think America acts like we’re not prejudiced in this country anymore. Imus got in so much trouble for saying something people say to each other everyday. It doesn’t make what he said right, but if they’re going to fire him, there

See PREJUDICE, Page 8

The formula for health and level heads

The recipe for lemonade is not just found in your grandmothers cookbook...

“When life hands you lemons, make lemonade!”

As old-fashioned and bittersweet as the beverage itself, this ever-popular turn of phrase might actually come in handy.

Sure, life’s obstacles aren’t always so easily overcome, but knowing how to keep your cool in high stress situations is essential to succeeding.

More and more research is being done on the tie between our mental and physical being.

It turns out those metaphysical nerds and old dudes doing Tai Chi at the park weren’t so far off the mark.

Studies done at Duke University Medical Center and the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have revealed that chemicals in the brain link our memories with

Viewpoint Emily Pfaff our bodies’ muscle.

This chemical connection might further explain why those suffering from Major Depressive Disorder become inactive and inherently more depressed, or are inactive and inherently depressed.

However, it is important to know that this does not apply to all forms of depression.

Manic Depression is a lifelong illness requiring professional medical treatment and cannot accurately be managed with simple diet and exercise.

The neuromuscular junction, a busy intersection where neurons from our brain connect

with our skeletal muscles using acetylcholine, the primary chemical neurotransmitter for memory and attention is the underlying connection between our mental and physical.

A study led by Dr. Jeff W. Lichtman of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, reveals that muscle fiber contains special receptor proteins to hold acetylcholine in place.

When our bodies become inactive these receptors dissipate. The cool part is that our bodies can replace these lost receptors when regular physical activity resumes.

“Muscle activity is a cue to keep a synapse stable, and synaptic inactivity is a cue to

See FORMULA, Page 8

May 8, 2007

City Times 5

VOICE

Reflections on Virginia Tech Tragedy

Ethnicity should not be a factor for blame The Virginia Tech campus killing spree has shocked our nation and led to some awful realizations about what one person potentially could be capable of doing or conjuring up. The media has had multiple spins and takes on this matter.

Unfortunately, much of it has to do with race, when the fact is that any one person who is socially inept and has just the right amount of self-depre-

Emily Pfaff / City Times

‘Life is change; growth is optional; choose wisely’

humanly observable and verifiable, independently repeatable, and completely predictive, we, in fact, “know” very little beyond speculation based on collective logic, mathematical constructs, and sheer speculation.

Very few of the major scientific propositions we pretend we know about the universe, or even our own species, can be drawn from such rigorous and repeatable experimental oversight.

And while conclusions of logic and elegant equations are great fodder for dinner conversations they are not, in the end, real science but are, at best,

See GROWTH, Page 11

See BLAME, Page 8

Viewpoint David King

Dave Flannery / The Orion, CSU Chico People show their support April 23 for the 32 victims who were killed in a shooting at Virginia Tech on April 16.

Supporters gathered on the field for a period of silence, and then bells rang 32 times in rememberance. ing and acting purely in obvious response to the horrors of the vile and corrupt society to which his parents moved from Korea.

He left a rambling, marginally coherent note about how others were to blame and a history of class assignments and creative work rife with foul language and violent, mean-spirited rhetoric so outlandish it got him recommended to counseling.

Some gullible news readers fell for it and went off looking for someone, anyone, to hold accountable except the shooter himself.

And some of the information surrounding the incident and

the responses to it is being spun by the campus as, instead of openly discussing their response and what they have learned from it, they circle the wagons and try to cover their tails to try to minimize the inevitable law suits which will pounce on every inkling of admitted negligence where some see every tragedy as a chance for profit.

So where are the answers?

How can we possibly know so much about the universe and so little about one of our own kind?

Of course the reality is that, in a purely scientific sense, where real factual “knowing” is only the results of scientific experimentations that are

Jennifer Oh cating inner hatred can in an instant flip into madness.

I’ve heard people talk about family upbringing, and how some Asian parents can be overbearing, extremely oppressive, strict, uber-religious, pushy, and extremely hardworking-- hence borderline negligent. While these issues may be environmental factors that trigger kids to rebel and be angry, this particular tragedy doesn’t fit that description.

The killer’s sister, a Princeton grad and employee of the State Department in D.C., is a product of the same environment, the same family. She has expressed, “We have always been a close, peaceful and loving family. My brother was quiet and reserved, yet struggled to fit in. We never could have envisioned that he was capable of so much violence. He has made the world weep. We are living a nightmare.”

She also said,” This is someone that I grew up with and loved. Now I feel like I didn’t know this person.” She never thought her brother was capable of murder, because she could not predict that he would cross over the line into insanity.

We cannot understand where schizophrenia comes from, nor do we know how someone can have multiple personalities and be manic-depressive. As a nonexpert, I don’t know whether any of these labels apply.

What seems clear to the lay observer is simply that this kid was deeply dissatisfied with his social life, began self-loathing and somewhere along the line, snapped.

He vaulted himself into a realm where murders of not one, but many are fathomable, even exercisable. This is beyond normalcy. There are people like this kid everywhere, potentially right around the corner from all of us.

We never know what triggers these people to kill. My

On Monday, April 16th, a 23 yr old English Major at Virginia Tech killed 32 fellow students and professors before killing himself. Humans are an inquisitive species that do not find ambiguity all that comfortable and are completely disconcerted by outlandish situations where they can discern no foundational rationale.

So, like sharks to the chum bucket, following an event such as this one, pundits come out of

the closet and wax poetic and erudite trying to explain what drove this young man to his deeds and, while at it, how it could have been countered or can be prevented from re-occurring.

Predictably, the explanations follow along partisan lines because political partisanship is ultimately based on assumptions and beliefs about human nature; and it now, unfortunately and sadly, permeates virtually every avenue of discussion.

To some, the killer was having a predictable response to alleged medications; to others he desperately needed such medication. Some think the answer is more laws and others think fewer laws are the answer.

Some see him as a victim of his surroundings and others as someone who rejected the values of his surroundings.

Some say it shows guns should be banned and others say it shows we needed more in the right hands to stop him.

He was, to some, a supremely self-absorbed loner with a malignant ego acting on his own and for his own ugly purposes or, to others, a troubled youth needing more hand hold-

Viewpoint

CityLife

6 City Times

May 8, 2007

Halley’s Comet’s got nothing on Bauer’s asteroid Late City College professor’s legacy to live on for light years

By Lauren Ciallella City Times

ute to him,” said former student Norman Butler (class of 1972) about suggesting Bauer’s name for the asteroid. “He was With nearly 40 years of teaching at City the one who inspired me to do my thing in College, professor John Bauer inspired astronomy as well as probably hundreds his astronomy and physics students far of other students.” beyond the classroom with his hands-on, Teaching full time at City from 1965on-site approach to astronomical obser- 92 (then one class a semester until 2002), vation. Although Bauer died in 2003, his Bauer’s individual support of students memory lives on through a main belt allowed him to become both friend and asteroid named in his honor — 4525John- mentor, including a 35-year friendship bauer. with Butler.

“I wanted to pay my little, humble tribSee BAUER, Page 10

Scott Landheer / City Times The Bauer Observatory on top of the T Building at City College. Inset: John Bauer at Palomar Mountain in 1994.

Student finds new direction in life through love of television

By Mariana Lima Contributor The life of a man was never the same after he watched TV. Andrew A. Edwards, 48, discovered a big passion for television production when he saw “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in a 2002 special about what it takes to air her program behind the scenes.

“I was astounded,” Edwards said. “An instant passion came over me and I decided to make television my number one goal.”

When Edwards watched the TV show, he was living at the California Rehabilitation Center, a prison drug rehab with a program that required its participants to write essays every week. Edwards wrote for approximately seven months and ended up learning how to set the goals that geared his life toward the opposite direction.

“When I was there I came

to grips with myself,” Edwards said. “I started making goals, and one of them was going back to school for television.”

Back then, Edwards said that he had no idea on how to get a degree in TV production, and the only information he had was that San Diego City College offered a program. Unwittingly, when he first visited City a short time before the 2003 fall semester began, Edwards was directed straight to the doors that he was looking for.

“From the trolley station, not really knowing where I am going, I was led right to the television department area. I walked by a class, I looked in, and there were students doing the news,” Edwards said. “I think God led me straight to this place.”

Had God sent him to college or not, it is no wonder that Edwards has been doing a good job.

Edwards enrolled in both

television production and liberal arts programs at City that fall, got A’s in all of his first semester classes, and has maintained a 3.75 GPA since, which got his name on the dean’s list.

“Television has become a passion and a major goal in my life and I will continue to pursue this dream until it becomes a reality and my career,” said Edwards, who is now three classes away from his graduation.

Professor John Hildebrand, a faculty member for City’s radio and television production, who Edwards credits some of his learning achievements in editing and camera operation, said that instructors appreciate students who have a desire to change their lives for better. He also said that the most important thing about Edwards’ story was his commitment — he went in search of a goal and persisted to achieve it.

Hildebrand also had some-

Rebecca Saffran / City Times City student Andrew Edwards works many hours behind the camera while working toward his degree in the City television newsroom. thing to say when it came to Edwards’ future.

“His future is as bright as he wants to make it,” Hildebrand said. “ I think he is intelligent,

he has the ability to learn, he’s got the commitment, and it seems that he made a life change and he will probably do well and be successful.”

May 8, 2007

CityFocus

City Times 7

Day of celebration

C

ity College’s Language Department, World Cultures Program and Associated Student Government held the annual Language and Diversity Day celebration in Gorton Quad on April 26. The day

was for students at City to celebrate their rich multicultural student body with food, dance music and art from around the world. Students were able to travel around to the ‘world’ tables and experience a variety of countries and cultures. Event sponsors hoped to educate students about the diversity the world has to offer and the many options of language studies at City.

— Josie Salazar

Layout by Josie Salazar Photos by Rebecca Saffran

8

VOICE

City Times

Self Continued from Page 4 getting themselves established for the future.

If you really think about why we need to be a bit self-centered or “stuck up,” it is because most of our generation has schematically mapped out what we want our lives to be, and all that we are doing is taking every step needed to reach that goal. Its’ almost like the old business phrase “It’s not you, it’s just business.”

In business, that phrase can be justified in many different ways, so can narcissism among students.

As the “baby boomer” generation is now sending us darling kids to college armed with self confidence and self worth (something they themselves had to struggle to find because their parents did not teach that value at the level our parents are teaching us now) many of us students are now figuring out and planning what our next step in life is.

Also, most of us want to make sure that we reach a certain goal before a certain age, hence the increased younger ages that some are now retiring at.

So does that make you narcissistic?

According to the study released, yes.

They also suggested that generation Y is becoming increasingly impolite. However, I disagree.

I decided to put our little community college to the test. And I am very pleased to report that (narcissism set aside) the overall politeness of students is thriving.

Some of my tests were successful, and some were not. However, between the droopy makeup and toilet paper stuck to my shoe, I learned that chivalry among peers is still prominent. However my study did show a little of gender bias and a fashion cautioness.

I noticed that with the toilet paper test, female students were prominent

in pointing out my potential embarrassment. Male students were mostly reserved.

When surveying students, women said they were more comfortable in informing someone if they had something like toilet paper stuck to their shoe, saving them from potential embaressment.

Men however, not wanting to seem negative or embarrass the person by even mentioning it to them stayed quiet.

However, if they were among women, they said that they would rather point it out to their female companion, letting her be the informer in order to save the “victim” of even more embarrassment.

In regards to fashion, both male and female thought that to point out a mistake in fashion like droopy, glossy eye shadow would be to offend that person’s fashion sense.

However, both male and females did agree that if that person were their close friend, they would point out the fashion mistake but only if the friend asked them how they looked or if it was and not a fashion statement, but an obvious mistake such as wearing a different shoe.

So even as narcissism is growing among us students, our chivalry and politeness is still in tact.

I am just very disappointed that the study denounced the very values our parents worked so hard to instill in us.

“Your special” has always had a healthy remedy to my life.

I know that if I had gone through my life without my parents instilling in me that self centeredness and making the same mistakes that I have made, I may not have been able to handle the situations any better then I am now.

I think that San Diego State needs to do more sampling of society and look at all of the other stressors that students might have to become narcissistic in order to overcome.

Josie Salazar is City Times’ news editor

May 8, 2007

Blame Continued from Page 5 greatest wish now is that everyone can see it is not about this “Korean” kid’s unstable life, nor how we can prevent these moments of insanity.

I don’t think we can prevent crazy.

Although sociopathic tendencies are signs too important to ignore, instilling ethnocentric fear in people to prevent future crazy incidents, promotes more chaos by racial profiling and stereotyping.

At Elite Educational Institute, a math, reading, and SAT skills enhancement program that serves high achieving students of all ethnic backgrounds, I’ve been trying to get the kids I teach to see this. They are as young as 11 years old, but they are old enough to have opinions and questions about what happened in Virginia and to wonder what if anything it says about them.

Perhaps some of these children have overheard some of the same comments that I have, about how Korean families function in a way that makes it not terribly hard to figure out where the V.Tech murderer might have gotten his bundle of problems.

I hope to widen the scope. When we see (among other heavily media-influenced stereotypes) a white kid from a small town toting a rifle to school, a Muslim terrorist with a bomb strapped to his body, an African American gang banger in a drug related “drive by” these are people with inner issues that, although socio-environmental issues are

Formula Continued from Page 4 disassemble a synapse,” says Lichtman.

Since exercise is essential to overall health, it seems odd to find it is something seriously lacking in American political policy.

Since exercise is essential to overall health, it seems odd to find it is something seriously lacking in American political policy.

The Bush administration continues to propose further budget cuts in public programs, most importantly education for all students, especially those in a lower income bracket and disabled students.

2006-2007 saw a proposed cut of $4.3 billion and 2008’s budget calls for even more, despite a proposed increase in funding for Pell Grants.

President Bush has made it clear since his first cuts in 2001, that the National Armory and Manifest Destiny are more worthy of American tax dollars than the quality of life for our children.

Currently, Illinois is the only state that requires students to attend physical education classes once a day through 12th grade, and perhaps they’re the only state that can afford it.

College students across America are often forced to choose between their health, available money and deadlines.

Whether it is rent, jobs, car insurance, or that essay due tomorrow, it’s important to remember that our per-

Prejudice Continued from Page 4 better be a whole lot of rappers getting fired pretty soon, because I’ve heard worse things than that about women on the radio,” said Hunter.

There’s kind of a double standard when it comes to discrimination. In our country if a white person makes a comment, it’s considered racist, but it seems minorities feel they have ‘the right’ to discriminate because of there past or

a big factor, whose minds are going to snap, we are unable to predict.

I get it. It’s human nature to blame evil on something. We need answers to things that happen that are beyond our powers. It’s our scapegoat.

It dissipates the pain and to some, it fills the void that has been left by once youthful, bright, talented, giving, and breathing human beings. I really don’t think, however, that the grieving families are focusing their anger and loss at the issue of ethnicity. So, neither should the rest of the world.

Reactions to the shootings a Virginia Tech give us another opportunity to look at how ethnicity factors in to the way we make meaning from events.

When we see ourselves criticizing other people’s cultures, social backgrounds, and home environment, we need to learn to stop ourselves.

Though it is scary to acknowledge that it could come from within families and communities we know and think we understand, it is important not to think that the reason behind such events lies within families and communities we know far less about.

We only worsen the situation when we allow media perpetuated stereotypes to spawn resentment and alienation from our neighbors. We cannot hate.

This is a call to focus on standing together and supporting each other regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and social status.

After so many tragedies, why are we still NOT understanding this?

Jennifer Oh is an assistant director at Elite Educational Institute and a City College student sonal health is essential to our success.

It is necessary that we take the time to keep things in perspective and stay motivated.

The recipe for lemonade isn’t just found in your grandmothers’ cookbook, it’s something you have to learn for yourself. So, before you chuck citrus at that happy go lucky guy in the corner, take a deep breath and appreciate the good advice.

Tips and Tools for Staying Cool Get involved in an activity you enjoy: City College offers an assortment of different courses like dance and yoga classes, basketball and photography to keep your whole self active.

Breathe deeply: Practice breathing through the nose, expanding the stomach and allowing air to flow deep into the diaphragm and lungs. This improves the flow of oxygenated blood to the brain, relieving tension and promoting clarity of thought.

Take your time: Too often we rush things, slow down, plan ahead and take the time you need to accomplish your tasks.

Write. Whether you blog or keep a journal, it’s important to record your thoughts. This can provide you with a better perspective on how to deal with stress, and life in general.

Remember who you are: It’s easy to get caught up in the outside influence of immature dramatics, popular culture and relationships. If you stay conscience of your own personal needs and satisfy those first, you’ll be a happier person because of it. background. This is the most ridiculous excuse I’ve ever heard.

It seems people want the freedom to say whatever they want, but don’t want other people to have the freedom to say what they want.

I especially don’t think a person should be fired, or have to go to rehab, because they made a racial comment.

Taking away someone’s freedom of speech isn’t how you fix the problem.

It’s just a good way of covering it up.

Until we can truly forget the things that make us different, we’ll never be able to see the things that make us the same.

CityArts

May 8, 2007

City Times 9

Call in the pros

Artists hit Little Italy for ArtWalk

Journalists fill in for professor on leave

By Shanika Whaley City Times The San Diego ArtWalk had another yearly showing in the streets of Little Italy on April 28-29. From India Street to Date, Little Italy was packed with people, all interested in browsing or purchasing some amazing art pieces.

With art, selections of home goods and food, as well as some much needed entertainment for the children, this turned out to be a great, family fun weekend.

ArtWalk was in its 23rd season this year. Some new artists, especially from Mexico got to show off their painted pieces or photographs, while featured artists talked about some of their most prominent pieces and how much they cost.

Roberta Veatch had a booth set up at ArtWalk, displaying some of her handmade pieces- earrings and pendants for necklaces the pieces looked like beautifully colored rocks, with interesting pictures and shapes

By Brittany Arquette City Times

Photos by Scott Landheer / City Times City College student and artist Vaughan Nelson discusses his artwork with Karen Monday at ArtWalk in Little Italy on April 28. Nelson is currently taking a ceramics class with City professor Y.C. Kim.

Above: A few pieces of Nelson’s handmade ceramic work that were for sale.

Left: Nelson wraps a piece of his artwork that was purchased.

See ARTISTS, Page 10

Adams’ apples

Ripe picks off Adams Avenue, from Antique Row to Kensington Grilling Me Softly — Grill Bill (volume one) — Adams Ave Grill might not be able to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, but they have managed to make one out of crab meat and walnuts, giving a luxurious new meaning to “pursing your lips.” This all around good guy grill is easy to miss with its modest storefront exterior, but shines within all of the mealtime cliques. Morning wakes to waffles dressed in caramelized bananas and the lunchtime whistle blows for pulled, bbq chicken sandwiches (desserts like the warmed pecan triangle are included 11a.m.-2p.m.).

A palpable shift settles in at supper with its quasi-polished persona, reminiscent of mom expecting dinner guests and warning you to be on your best behavior. Nostalgic plates of pot roast keep the home fires burning, while diverse fare unfolds, from bacon wrapped shrimp

Review Lauren Ciallella and cheese grits to stuffed red peppers served with polenta and white bean stew. Unassuming and comfortable in its own skin, the tasty appeal of this adorable star comes from its oblivious nature to how wonderful it truly is.

A Good Catholic Bar — Blending those god fearing Irish and Mexican cultures, Rosie O’Grady’s potent splash of Chicago charm acts as a backdrop where Norm and Cliff’s west coast doppelgangers might come to rest their weary livers. Here everybody knows your name and another important one-Mary. Bloody Mary, that is, and here they serve up a spicy homebrew that clears the sinuses and heavy heads. The $7 brunch doesn’t hurt either with

Lauren Ciallella / City Times Club Kensington (Kent Club) on Adams Avenue serves up cocktails while a jukebox plays tunes that have everybody dancing. healing powers all its own. Witness the blessed birth of fried French toast- a true breakfast miracle with its warm, crispy, syrup-doused shell dissolving into billowy tears of bread flesh.

Eggs, bacon, corned beef hash, breakfast burritos and lots of other gluttonous sins are also included in the brunch that has this “church” filled with believers every Sunday morning.

Religion might be the opium of the people, but fried French toast is a close second.

Chocolate Orgasm — The desserts at Just Fabulous turn

after-dinner treats into dinner afterglow. The aptly named decadence cake straddles dark chocolate gnache over layers of chocolate mousse and moist cake while firmly gripping its cookie crunch bottom. This six dollar dessert never disappoints and is one mind-blowing experience that feeds more than your face. Have a seat in front of the gleaming, glass goody case to get an eyeful of key lime tarts, apple crisp and crème brulee for an overwhelming sense of being

See APPLES, Page 10

In the radio/television department at City College, students looking for a career in broadcast news get the opportunity to learn the technical and on-air aspect of producing an award-winning newscast.

They also get first hand experience taping live news broadcasts, which air on ITV every Friday at 6 p.m.

They’ve even been nominated for several Student Emmys.

A large part of their success comes from being taught by professional, Rosalind award win- Jordan ning reporter Laura Castañeda, who reported for many years for the ABC affiliate in San Diego.

R e c e n t l y , Corrie Castañeda has Vaus taken maternity leave, but has enlisted the help of some industry professionals to fill in while she is out.

Castañeda Darlynne brought in Reyes three reporters, who you may have seen on TV, to replace her in her absence.

NBC Nightly News correspondent Rosalind Jordan, nine-time Emmy Award-winning reporter Corrie Vaus, and former KSWB reporter Darlynne Reyes will be joining the department.

Students taking Castañeda’s classes, which include: introduction to news writing, television field reporting, and Newscene, now get the chance to work with three professionals for the price of one.

But Castañeda’s students aren’t the only ones who can benefit from having these talented reporters on campus.

Any student at City who has a slight interest in the business is encouraged to stop by the radio/television department to ask questions.

After all, it’s not every day an NBC national correspondent is teaching classes at City.

10

ARTS / LIFE

City Times

Apples Continued from Page 9 a kid in a candy store, but all grown up.

It’s pure indulgence with adult feelings.

Snickers never satisfied like this.

This ‘Kent’ is a Superman — Clark Kent’s got nothing on Kensington’s Kent Club with its super strain of hipster, cool cats crowding the bar. This joint might look like the place where fans of The Stray Cats would come to die, but its rocking jukebox (that never plays your own requests) pumps out enough favorites to have you soulfully reciting lyrics into your beer.

Amongst slicked hair and dark lighting, long pool games in the back are played on its only table, keeping competitors and drinks going down easy.

A large slab of concrete creates a crude dance-floor, evoking eons of teen basement bashes and hole-in-the-wall hijinx to be revisited.

A View to a Grill — Grill Bill (volume two) — Cool blues backing the bar contrast warm tones in Kensington Grill’s well-laid dining room, reflecting South Beach nuances with relaxed refinement.

Not much to look at from the outside, this cosmopolitan cavern offers a spontaneous getaway to down-home ingredients done with a touch of class.

Bauer Continued from Page 6 Now a physics professor himself and living/teaching in Asia (Hong Kong/ China) since 2001, Butler continues to credit Bauer for his success and wanted to commemorate Bauer for dedication in the field.

“In 2003 I submitted a letter to the astronomical union talking about how great it would be to honor his memory for the contribution he made for almost 40 yrs teaching astronomy and physics,”

Fork-tender short ribs float upon an island of jalapeño/cheddar cornbread and calamari, served with chopsticks, is anointed with a full-bodied peanut sauce. Succulent morsels of duck confit perch on miniature pillows of gnocchi, basking in a delicate red sauce and arugula pesto.

Traditionally temperamental players, these menu items arrive with effortless simplicity that never let on about their difficult nature.

Rotten Apple Antique Stale — Too bad the quality of food at Antique Row Café isn’t as high as the staff’s enthusiasm because their customer service makes you want to go back for more. But the crowded walls with Marilyn and Elvis memorabilia don’t have the same effect as the Hard Rock Café’s precious cargo, and instead appears as if a garage sale threw up in the dining room.

Mounds of musty clutter looms upon dank paneling and sags over the faded roadmap upholstery.

Hopefully their unexpected (and unexplained), eternal weekend wait will veer you away from brown, egg flaps (omelets) and sandwiches featuring stale bread with thick, generic lunch meat.

Lauren Ciallella is City Times’ arts and copy editor Butler noted. “The astronomical union decided that would be great.”

It wasn’t just the asteroid’s namesake that was impressive. The three astronomers who discovered this particular asteroid at Palomar Observatory in 1982- E. F. Helin, E. M. Shoemaker and P. D. Wilder- were famous in their own right for making significant astronomical discoveries (Shoemaker- Levy comet crashed into Jupiter in the 90’s).

“I have to give them credit because they recognized John’s contribution in teaching and having your asteroid named by those three individuals in John’s honor was indeed a tribute to his lifetime of teaching at City College,”

www.sdcitytimes.com/register

May 8, 2007

Artists Continued from Page 9 inside. When asked if her pieces were blown glass, she simply stated, “No, I hand-fuse all my pieces.” She continued, “Hand-fusing is the act of melting to pieces of glass together. Not similar to blowing glass, which is melting and shaping objects together.”

Another artist, Paz Winnstein showed some amazingly detailed oil paintings of what looks like a normal human being, but was really a dummy. “I usually use models in my paintings, but sometimes I use dummies,” Winnstein noted.

Winnstein’s oil paintings captured the real essence of the human body and used bright colors that were captured brilliantly by the light. One of her paintings that showed this imagery was the “Comedy and Tragedy” oil painting.

Comedy and Tragedy has the two faces, one side happy, the other sad, but in this oil painting Winnstein captured the two faces on a man and a woman. “This painting I thought of in my head,” she stated. “It was merely conceptual in the beginning.”

ArtWalk also introduced interesting sculptures cut out of glass. One of the featured artists, Greg Dinaur cut big pieces of glass and structured them into different forms and shapes. Colors explained Butler.

Another tribute to his teaching at City is the John Bauer Observatory (on top of the T Building) dedicated in 2003.

Bauer’s belief system also remained implemented by his predecessor, Professor Gerald Scappaticci, who assumed Bauer’s teaching position in 1992.

“I continued on and he instilled in me that the laboratory class should be focused on astronomical observing. It should not be focused on an in-class project,” Scappaticci recalled. “He told me that, ‘Astronomy is done in the field.’”

Scappaticci also acknowledged Bauer’s ability to share his astronomical expertise.

“He was eager to help me in any way that I needed. We’d spend late nights just observing and he’d teach me everything he knew,” he explained. “He just loved being out in the field.”

Butler portrayed a similar image of Bauer. “One thing about John, he

swirled through the flowing cut glass, while another was displayed and cut into a city. Each cut piece of glass had a different structure and flow to it, none of it was the same.

The Mexican Consulate, on India Street had a lot of talented artists too.

Maria Evangelina Rodriguez, from Mexico had been displaying her art at ArtWalk for five years now. Her work is expressive, and detailed, also she likes to work with watercolors. She also had her horses outside for every body to see.

“I love horses,” she exclaimed. “I have one horse of my own and I love it.”

The public was so intrigued by all that ArtWalk had to offer them- great art from the locals, terrific food, and music. There was so much to see that you couldn’t see it all in one day.

“I can’t believe all the fantastic art that’s out here,” said Suzy Johnson.

“Where I’m from, Minnesota, we don’t have anything like this.”

“I’ve never had so much food in my life,” said Frank Floyd about the immense amount of culinary treats.

“Everything is delicious and flavorful. These Italian restaurants and food stands out here offer a lot of variety.”

The two days in Little Italy were filled with people, food and fantastic art.

All the artists involved worked hard to get their art shown. Even though the San Diego ArtWalk is in its 23rd year, the art keeps getting better and better each year. was a humble person. He wasn’t out to make discoveries himself. He just really enjoyed astronomy, teaching astronomy, and inspiring his students to enjoy it as much as he did.”

The last week in April, Butler visited City to donate and mount a new six inch F/8 refracting telescope shipped from Shenzhen, China.

“I’m just here to pay back the college a little bit with donating the new telescope and paying a little honor to John’s memory,” said Butler.

Butler’s new telescope is mounted next to an old one of Bauer’s in the observatory, lending a clearer view to Bauer’s asteroid and future students’ astronomical aspirations.

“I think John would look down and be happy about it,” Butler mentioned.

“At least John’s memory will always be up there on an asteroid cruising around every year.”

May 8, 2007

✗ CityChoice

Student government elections May 2007

ASG election candidate statements Potential ASG officers introduce themselves below to students. The statements are presented as submitted by the candidates, and only represent those students who submitted statements.

■ Benjamin Cruz: President Before City College I attended Palomar College and was involved in their associated students as a VP then Senator.

While the bylaws have similarities in both colleges, they are different with unique rules. The experience of leadership is the same, however, and is the reason why I know I am qualified for the position I desire. I’ve always had a special interest in politics and would like to reacquaint myself with student politics once again. My goals as President of City College Associated Students for the moment are two things.

The first is the well-known student community center. Based on the voting outcome of this year, if passed, I would like to have a valid say in the blueprints of the center and make sure it will meet the needs of the students. If not passed, I would use my efforts to bring it back to the polls the coming year and campaign as hard as the current council did so. The second is that I would like to see more students involved therefore the first thing I’d do once in office is bring in more students through a speech in each class teachers will allow me into ask for students to join by showing them benefits of leadership. All in all, the reason I am running for President of City College Student Government is to make this school more enjoyable through campus events, whether brought by the Associated Students, the schools clubs, or the students of certain departments like years Chemistry Week.

■ Denise L. Haughton: President My name is Denise L. Haughton. I am a retired veteran of the United States Army. I am running for President of the Associated Student Government at San Diego City College.

I am uniquely qualified because of my extensive exposure to a myriad of communities and cultures. I have lived in and traveled to every region of the United States, Central America, Europe and the Middle East. I believe my professional and personal life experiences have equipped me to truly represent the essence of San Diego City College (SDCC).

My unparalleled leadership and Human Relations training solidify my ability to continue to take SDCC to greater levels through Student Government, while continuing to operate in a spirit of excellence. I am a natural-born leader, passionate about accomplishing the tasks set before me. I am unique also in that I value loyalty, duty, respect, honor and integrity, all of which are highly regarded values for this position.

I believe that loyalty to my fellow students in paramount. I will dutifully perform the tasks required of this position. I will respect everyone, as I honor the values San Diego City College stands for, with integrity.

I will use all of my previously mentioned qualifications to create a true atmosphere of esprit de corps at SDCC. As President of the Associated Student Government I will address issues pertinent to everyone. I will be a strong, sincere and motivated voice for students in all areas of study.

I will address students concerns collectively with tangible resolutions. Lastly, I will ensure fair and equal representation to and on behalf of all students.

■ Clinton Smith: President Students, would it be better if we had lower prices to pay at City College? How do you feel about the possibility of lower prices happening? Is equality and respect important to you?

These may be concerns for the student, and for an elected president. These may be issues presented as an interest to the students. The president let’s the students be heard and listening to the student isn’t the only qualifications.

Being president requires the ability to make good decision and use them with good team work skills to put forth the

Growth Continued from Page 5 educated guesses.

So how are we to expect to make sense of the actions of a tortured soul with whom we mercifully have few if any common points of reference?

If hard science cannot definitively tell us how the world got here, how can we expect soft science to explain how a monster got here? Personally, I think we are asking the wrong questions and of the wrong people.

I would suggest that the inquiry for reasons and the quest for making sense of this will be more productive if inwardly directed, i.e. following such an event, what does it mean to and for US as individuals and as members of our surrounding communities—from the foundational community of family, to the extended communities of friends, school, neighborhoods, cities… world?

Thirty-two lives were ended in a flash; some promising, some already delivering on their promise. Perhaps the potential inventor of the solution to global warming or the discoverer of the cure for all disease was among them. We will never know.

But we know that in a matter of hours, in what should have been a safe haven, from out of the blue came death on its pale horse to cut down a score and

City Times 11

NEWS / VOICE

effort with other fellow governing officers. To produce effective results that solve the issues presented to the officers of the student government. Responsibility for positive results from the decisions made by the A.S.O is what I feel is a qualification. I will take price in accepting responsibility for the changes we make in an attempt to improve the San Diego City College conditions, to make it the best it can be. Students vote can make the possibilities happen for development of the campus. I encourage the students to vote for the creation of the Student Community Center.

Having a community student center built would be evidence of improvements we are deciding to make for the San Diego Community College. Students can voice their idea’s and I anticipate , encourage and expect the completion of prospects decided upon putting the dream’s for city college into reality.

some new things take place now in this time, before I graduate and move on. I would also like to help in the process of paving the paths for new improvements for the students to come. I know how to stay on task and pay attention to what is going on. I am ready to take on the challenge of being your secretary and I know that with a lot of hard work, and dedication, the job will be done. Along with the extra work, I am excited about all the fun I will have while I am in office, and I look forward to the experience I will obtain during my term. I have the determination to do the best that I can because of the power I have that is backing me up to succeed and with my help, San Diego City College will be a new and improved school for students.

■ Allan Souza: Webmaster My mission as the webmaster is to fulfill the lack of an informative and up-to-date associated student government website. Currently our association only holds a my space account, and no official website as a source of information, one can at most only find out our office number in the city college’s website.

After elected, I will work toward keeping an up-to-date website of easy access with important and helpful information.

And thus help to spread awareness about the association activities among other students and faculty members.

organizations and clubs on campus in thriving in their work.

I want to manifest necessary and noticeable changes for the student body to encourage them that the students do have the power, and that right now is the time to be active for some good cause.

■ Wilmer Fuentes: Student Senator As a seasoned member of staff in sales management over the last seven years, I have proven results in leadership, organization, and team development. I also possess the ability to communicate effectively in a written and oral manner. I bring with me the experience of having worked for several Fortune 100 corporations in leadership roles overseeing the development of team members and the execution of tasks and responsibilities to create positive results. I am an easy going, down-to-earth individual, motivated and determined to work hard with others towards a common goal. I have one year left at San Diego City College, in which I plan to immerse myself in student affairs, so that I can learn and develop skills that I can apply into the position that I seek, before I transfer to finish my education in Urban Studies and Planning at UCSD. ■ Albert Li: Student Senator As City College students we are one of the most diverse schools in the country, with a diverse array of goals and accomplishments, and needs that are not often met. As a student government participant it is our task to find balance between needs and wants, and the student body and the school. As a Senator I will not promise specific tangibles, but I do promise to use my judgment in making decisions to help the student body. I am not asking students to vote for me on the basis of individual acquaintance but on the merits of my lifestyle and accomplishments. I am currently enrolled in the City College Honors program, part of the college’s Amnesty International club, and run for the crosscountry team. I plan on pursuing a career in economics at UC Berkeley. I was recently Honorably Discharged from the Navy where I spent four years as a Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewman (SWCC). I am an IRONMAN tri-athlete and a very competitive local age-grouper, consistently coming within the top ten. I am also an avid outdoorsmen and recently summated Mt. Rainier, the most difficult in the lower 48 states. I have traveled extensively on five of the seven continents enriching my cultural understanding.

What I want to take from reading this is a sense of how I conducted myself and individual discipline so that you can trust a sound decision in being made by a sound individual.

Vote Albert Li for Senator

■Maria Michelle Jackson: Secretary I am uniquely qualified to be the ASB Secretary for San Diego City College. I have the potential to assist in helping this school become a better and more enjoyable place of learning. As a professional and diligent woman, I will work hard with my team, as your secretary to make sure all issues and tasks are looked upon and not ignored. As with most students, I would like to see

■ Ryan Ballard: Student Senator “Action springs not from thought, but from readiness for responsibility.”

-Benhoeffer, Dietrich Politics was always one place I never saw myself in. The distribution of power seemed to be the only dull concern and I never saw any outcome. For the two years I have been attending San Diego City College, I have experienced the sometimes rough conditions of our schools’ system, such as the lack of resources available and rising tuition rates. The conditions seemed to stay they same, so why would I ever pay attention to the signs painted on cheap paper and taped all over the cafeteria and court yards asking for my participation? Within the past year, my attitude has changed. After voting in a couple of elections, talking with so many active and non-active students and attending meeting for various on-campus organizations such as the Associated Student Government for City College, I have witnessed transformations all over campus. I noticed the very diligent hard work, coming from very few in proportion to the many students who reap the benefits, was actually paying off.

Last year we saw the tuition rates drop, various clubs thrive with more funding, and conditions around campus overall started improving; even the signs in the cafeteria are getting more creative! Yet, there still is not enough involvement of the student body.

This is where I, Ryan Ballard, have decided to run for office as senator in the Associated Student Government. Italian poet Dante Alighieri once said, “The hottest seats in hell are reserved for those who, in time of great moral crises, choose to do nothing.” Taking action on campus is crucial right now, and with the lack thereof, the only way I can increase the contributions of more students is to myself dedicate my own contributions within the system. This will be my central concern in office, and my main statement of action. I will try my best at incorporating creativity and hard work into all ideas for a building a better campus environment and I will work to make improvements for my fellow peers and here at City College. Working for a localized government is more fulfilling to me, as the results are more immediate and affect my life on a greater scale.

Balancing a lifestyle of hard work and adventure, I live here in San Diego in Ocean Beach. I have been a full-time student at City College for two years, I work anywhere from part time to full time at a wine bar in O.B., and participate in various on-campus clubs such as Amnesty International, Italian Club and Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. By juggling so much involvement, responsibility has become a huge focus of mine. My biggest curiosity in life has been to understand the diversity of life between human beings and further my understanding in the operation of the global community. These current curiosities have brought me back to politics, and have proven me wrong in its conduct.

As a senator, I can assure that my main responsibility will be to represent the students of City College, works for our needs, as well as develop further strategic plans to being the involvement of students here at school to a greater scale. If approved I would like to focus on the building of the student community center, as well as assist the other

■ Josef Shannon: Student Senator My name is Josef Shannon; I would like to tell you about myself. I am the manager of Ala Cart, a student owned business. I have been a part of the award winning SIFE (Student In Free Enterprise) team, and I have been in two clubs for the past year and a half.

I advocate a brand new student center for the students as well as want to bring more social issues to the forefront for students. Among some of my other issues is pushing for more student-owned businesses on campus. I feel that the money generated from food on the campus should be going back to the students. I am endorsed by The New Aeon Socialist Movement (NASM) because of my strong dedication to the enlightenment of students at City College. I am an advocate of human rights such is what I believe Gaia wants. As a Wiccan who is in touch with my Irish ancestry and roots in Arthurian myths and Faery traditions I feel a strong connection to our mother earth. As such, I want to see recycling bins all over the campus to encourage students to reduce, reuse and recycle.

As an A.S. Senator I feel we can all take the lead in cleaning up our environment and our planet. We only have one planet so we must take care of it as best we can. The Associated Student body can take the lead by organizing a recycling program. Another part of planetary caretaking is feeding the people on this planet. As such, I’d like to assist in the organization of a food share program for lower income and financial aid students. A food share program would work by students paying into it and then a bulk of food would be purchased. The food would then be bagged into different bundles for people. You would put down the number of family members and you would be given a bundle for the month.

a half of young people trying to learn and older ones trying to pass on knowledge who woke that morning with no inkling that it would be the last sunrise they would ever experience or that the sunset of the night before would have been their last.

They did not know that whatever they uttered to their spouse or friends when they left for school, or last said to parents or even the students in the hallway would be the last communication they were to have; and whatever it contained, whether anger or love, would be the last words someone else would ever hear from them and the last chance they had to leave a lasting impression.

These events showed clearly the ephemeral and capricious nature of life. Stapled to our birth certificates is not a warrantee for long life, fulfilled potential, happiness, fairness, indeed any of the other things to which our soft and getting softer society increasingly believes it is entitled.

The only moment we can truly know and grasp is this very one. And what we do in it may well become the legacy by which others remember us and define us.

We alone are in control of that definition on a momentby-moment basis. The past has passed us by and lives only in our memories.

The future is an unfulfilled dream. Only the moment right now is ours to influence pur-

posefully. So what will that influence be?

The hallway door outside my office just opened and closed. I assume it was another faculty member. But it could as easily be a student or even a stranger with a real or imagined grudge come to do me and others harm.

The students and faculty in Norris Hall at Virginia Tech had no reason to anticipate that when the door burst open death was on its heels either. But it was. So since nothing has just happened to me, my question, to myself, is what will I do with this moment.

I decided to write this to remind myself and ask others a question. During the moment you read this and in the moments to follow if you survive to see them, what will you do with them.

Each is an unrecoverable moment; it cannot be recalled, edited, and relived. Life is not a dress rehearsal.

So will you, in this next moment, bring more beauty or more ugliness into your world?

More love or more hatred?

More hurt or more aid?

If the assassin that will end your life — whether it is a crazed gunman or a drunken driver — is even now moving toward their meeting with you, what will be the last words your loved ones will have of yours to carry forward? What will your students or your teachers or your friends have indelibly burned into their brains as

the last words they heard you speak?

When the news crews arrive on the scene and those left alive recall the event and their memories of you, will they be of a lone loser living in a sullen black world wanting to drag everyone around them down with them?

Or will they be of someone to be proud of knowing, someone who tried to lift those around them into seeing their own potentials as well?

Will they speak of someone who tried to make others dependent on them or someone who tried to set others free?

Will the world hear stories of someone who cared or someone who was too self-absorbed to even notice?

Will the ad hoc epitaphs be of someone you’d like to be or someone you’d as soon forget?

And if you are spared to survive for some more moments into the future, what will you do with them to show your appreciation for them? Will you take this news story as an educational experience itself and commit yourself to living your life to its potential and doing all you can to make at least your corner of the world a better place?

Or will you sink into morose despair, looking always outside yourself for someone to blame and someone to whom you have relinquished control of your own life as cause for your woes?

Will you see doing good as a zero-sum game where to

■ Clemente Valdez: President The goals that I have as a member of Associated Student Government at San Diego City College are the same ones that I have had since I started. I hope to bring more of the university feeling here to City College. I would like to work to strengthen clubs. Stronger clubs would bring more events and bigger events to our campus. I would like to see a lot more students becoming involved with our clubs because according to statistics, students are a lot more likely to stay in school and do a better job overall if they are involved in an extra curricular activities. In other words stronger clubs would help increase student retention at City College.

The current president of the Associated Student Government of City College had a dream of bringing a student center to City College. This is something that if elected I would like to pursue. A student center would unify the campus. Clubs would have stable offices which would really stabilize them and help them be a lot more productive. A student center would differ from the Cafeteria and LRC in that it would be not only a lot more student friendly but completely geared toward benefiting students. For example I would like to see the student center becoming a facility that is open 24 hours a day so that evening students have a chance to do some studying even when the LRC would be closed.

I want students to own their school, to really feel that they are a part of City College and not just passing through. I want to put City College on the map as the best and most effective community college around. Even if I don’t succeed in seeing all these things through, I would at very least like to set up the foundation for future generations of student leaders to carry out my goals.

■ Matthew Garcia – Vice President I feel that I am adequate of this position because I am a well rounded and well traveled individual who has worked with people of all economic backgrounds. This experience has helped me to understand and relate to humanity.

If elected, I want to bring unity with diversity among the entire student body. I will be proactive in reaching out to students. Provide them with necessary contacts to assist them in achieving their career path, as well as promote more school activities.

As Vice Student Body President, I would ensure to maintain my progress as a student of excellence. I will use my executive status in a positive and inspiring way.

Earth Continued from Page 2 he also advocates a general lifestyle change.

Students were able to learn simple methods of making a difference for themselves and the students of the future.

A viewing of former Vice President Al Gore’s film “An Inconvenient Truth” was shown for students in the dining area.

Preserving the resources we have is an important part of recycling and the collective movement preparing for our environmental future.

The fair offered literature and direction to those interested in accepting the future of global warming.

Many of the solutions are very simple behaviors we can adapt with minimal effort.

The fair supported the essence of the educational values in that learning is key to our future.

Lizzy Hutzel volunteered with Tara Hanlon to assist with a membership drive for the new City College Environmental Club on campus.

“Earth Day is important to promote awareness about issues of our future health and welfare,” said Hutzel.

Hanlon added, “Celebrating Earth Day gives us a moment to reflect on what the earth gives us and to appreciate it.”

The new environmental club had 27 students sign on and is still open to membership.

Donna Di Paola who cosponsors the club with Theresa Gallo said, “This was the first Earth Day and we hope that next year is even bigger.”

do something good somehow diminishes your collection of goodness or where for one to succeed another must fail?

Or will you see life as containing boundless potential where success is limited only by your passion and energy and goodness is a self replenishing well from which you can draw forever?

The events of Monday are a tragedy, to be sure. And we cannot turn back the clock to erase it. But we humans each have the ability to embrace that tragedy for good or for ill.

We can see in it a personal warning sign to focus our lives and turn this and the rest of the moments we are allotted into profound and powerful agents for good or we can flee in terror from the unknown and cry out for someone else, maybe even the government, to save us from ourselves while we wallow in our surrogate and vicarious victim-hood.

As the saying goes, “Life is change; growth is optional.

Choose wisely.” I would rather, since I cannot bring back those lost lives, at least honor them by letting them stand as a reminder to me of the preciousness of each moment and the power each of us has to define ourselves — and maybe our world — forever.

In the end, we are defined not by what life throws at us, but by what we do about it.

David King is a City College photography professor

12

SPORTS

City Times

Badminton team to defend state title at home

The San Diego City College women’s badminton team will defend their state championship title on May 10 at 3 p.m. at Harry West Gymnasium after beating East Los Angeles 21-0 in the Southern California Regional playoff.

The badminton team, coached by Son Nguyen, dominated almost every team they came up against on their way to an undefeated season, with only one team

being able to get closer than 17-4 against the Knights.

The roster that brought City College another Orange Empire Conference title includes Aenoy Bounsavath, Jennifer Chung, Stephanie Fong, Ha Tu, Tien (Amy) Tu, Khlahan Veth and Yao Xiaoning.

—Scott Landheer

Softball team takes first place in conference The women’s softball team ended their regular season with a 31-10-1 record, giving them a first place finish in the Pacific Coast Conference and a share of the PCC championship with Palomar and Grossmont.

The team, lead by PCC co-coach of the year, LeeAnn Taylor, had several players who were honored individually at PCC, regional and state levels.

Freshman Sarah Burns was selected by the PCC as most valuable pitcher, and was also named to the All-State First Team.

Freshmen Natalie Garrett and Christy Kearney were named to the AllPCC First Team. Garrett also made the All-Southern Regional First Team with

a .407 batting average and three shutout victories at pitcher.

Kearney was recently named PCC cowomen’s athlete of the week and ended the regular season with a .352 batting average.

Ashia Lopez, Caroline Soria and Erika Rangel were all selected to the All-PCC Second Team. Marissa George and Alexis Coronado were given Honorable Mention from the PCC. The Knights were headed to the Southern California Regionals on May 5 to face Riverside in a best-of-three series. The outcome was not available at press time.

—Scott Landheer

www.sdcitytimes.com

May 8, 2007

Dolls on wheels Exploring the world of roller derby in San Diego Tattooed, sexy women wearing fishnets and short skirts that skate on quads with fury — no, this is not a character from the latest campy Quentin Tarantino film. This is a description of some of our very own local female athletes in San Diego.

These women don’t fit the usual mold of what people think an athlete looks like. In fact, the image of these women is likely to break a beer bottle over that mold and spit on it. They embody the essence of punk rock by transcending those norms and astonishing you with their strength, skills, and endurance. These women take part in the grassroots roller derby team called the San Diego Derby Dolls.

Spectators that go to a derby match should not expect a street fight on wheels, J. Rocker, head of public relations, said. “This is not a theatrical sport and this is not the WWF style of roller derby like it was in the 1970’s with the Thunderbirds. These women train really hard to nail their skating skills and play a clean bout.

The bouts are hard-hitting and nail-biting family fun!”

The game is played with five women from each team on the track, there are three blockers, a pivot, and a jammer from each team. The jammers are positioned behind the blockers and pivots. When the whistle blows the blockers and pivots dart out first and when they are about twenty feet from their start line the jammers dash around the track. The jammers quickly end up behind the blockers and pivots. They score points by shooting past skaters from the opposing team while the opposing team attempts to block the jammers from doing so. The game that you end up watching is a furious frenzy of skill on wheels.

For those interested in becoming a Derby Doll, Gary Stang and Bret Stang direct the boot camp at Skateworld in Linda Vista. It’s held twice a week and costs ten dollars. Each session teaches women the techniques

Mick McMurray / Courtesy Photo Derby Dolls in action at Skateworld. they will need to move onto try outs.

Bonnie D. Stoir, founder of the Derby Dolls, holds tryouts every couple of weeks. She says it may take skaters a month to a few months to refine their skills before graduating from boot camp.

I’ve participated in my fair share of danger but this was the first time I’ve ever feared injury, despite my knee pads, wrist pads, elbow pads, and yes, a helmet. I know you must be thinking I’m just a wimp Rosemarie Davis on wheels, but these women skate with grace and make it look easy. It takes a lot of control to skate fast and to move with precision.

The boot camp starts with a variety of techniques on how to stop, which was wise since the only thing that was going to stop me rolling was the floor! The Boot Camp was fairly simple on us novice skaters and there was another group for those with more experience.

I asked Bonnie what it takes to be a Derby Doll and she said, “Being a Derby Doll means knowing the game, having determination and drive. Anybody with a great attitude can play this sport! If you believe in yourself, you move through the ranks with quickness.”

For more information on this sport, the community of women involved, and upcoming roller derby events go to http://www.derbydolls.com.

SportsOnTheEdge

If you are Graduating, Transferring, or interested in volunteering to help with the celebration, please contact any of the following: Elva Salinas - 388-3411 Hector Martinez - 388-3585 Jose Salgado - 388-3874 Justin Akers - 388-3181 Enrique Davalos - 388-3634 Maria Figueroa - 388-3695 Graduating students RSVP to Student Affairs – 388-3498; Room D-106