2007_0522_CT_v61i12

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CityTimes

www.sdcitytimes.com

Volume 61, Number 12

Kickin’ it on campus

Train your mind and body Sports, page 16

Covering the San Diego City College community since 1945

May 22, 2007

From City College to the world ... Graduates leave to begin their careers or further their education By Rosemarie Davis City Times It’s 7 o’clock in the evening and it’s time for her political science class, but she’s thinking about her toddler that won’t get over the flu, that it’s about time to get her oil changed, how

much homework she has in her statistics class and the list goes on and on. Debra Mundine, who raised her children before going back to school, knows what it’s like to have a full schedule, and will look back at her experience attending City College

with appreciation. Her story is shared with many students who have grueling obligations outside of school and continue to be self motivated. They persevere through daily hardships to better themselves and the lives of the people around them. About 15,000 students attend

City College per year. These students come from diverse backgrounds with numerous responsibilities on top of going to school. The average age of City College students is 28, and it takes about 5 to 6 years to graduate, only one out of five actually graduate within two

See WORLD, Page 2

Grad stats ■ 874 students graduating with diplomas or certifications ■ 153 issued for transfer studies ■ 274 students expected to participate in graduation

District officials looking at options for campus safety By Mariana Lima Contributor

Rebecca Saffran / City Times Brandon Macer, drama major, casts his vote on May 17 in the student election.

Students vote Valdez in, smoking out By Scott Landheer City Times Clemente Valdez became the next Associated Student Government president, beating his closest competitor, Denise Haughton, 276 to

66 after all the votes from the May 15-17 election were counted. In a very close vote, an initiative to ban smoking on campus passed by a vote of 230-215. Valdez, who has served

Humanities dean retires Winston Butler reflects on career as he leaves City College Life, page 10

as ASG media representative, will be sworn in next month to begin his term. He said his top priority is to get the Student Center fee passed next semester. The

See VALDEZ, Page 2

If a gunman were to enter a classroom, what should students do? There are no specific rules that will apply to everyone when it comes to self-protection in case of armed attacks, according to the San Diego Community College District’s 2006 annual report, “Safe and Sound.” “We had some situations where students, faculty members attempted to overpower a person and sometimes that works, and in another situation that could be a very wrong thing to do,” Lt. Jack Doherty of Mesa College said. The 2006 district report suggests self-defense classes from a licensed professional instructor if one decides to use chemical spray against aggressors. In addition, Doherty explained the district offers Rape Aggression Defense classes, in which police officers teach courses of actions against sex offenders. But against shooters, selfdefense techniques might not be as effective. “I am just not aware of anything that really is all that useful. That’s a kind of quick fix for the average individual,” Doherty said. “It’s a rare situation (a shooting emergency), it’s a dangerous situation. It’s really really difficult for someone who hasn’t got a lot of training to deal with those situations.” The “Safe and Sound” guide offers security tips in case of

Focus on rights

Amnesty International chapter holds Human Rights Fair Life, page 8

attacks, such as “disengage and run” or “your goal is to escape,” but “the course of action you take is strictly up to you.” During an armed attack, “if you feel your life is about to be taken,” the guidelines suggest to “never stop trying new methods until you have completed your Constance escape.” Carroll “If a gunman were to intrude a classroom, students should try not to panic and follow direction for their own protection and that of other classmates,” Terrence Burgess, president of City College said. And it is because of the Terrence e m e r g e ncy Burgess response plan or district policy that City College and the College District can prepare and respond to disasters, whether natural or manufactured. “The San Diego Community College District has taken the Virginia Tech tragedy very seriously as an opportunity to review our own policies and procedures,” Constance M. Carroll, chancellor of the district said in an e-mail to John Nunes, the

See SAFETY, Page 2

Index

Calendar ....................................2 News .........................................3 Opinion .....................................4 Arts ...........................................9 Sports .....................................16


2

NEWS / CALENDAR

City Times

World Continued from Page 1 years. These facts can seem a bit discouraging to the student that is just starting out. “What I’m proud of most is that I’ve grown a lot as a person and have changed my outlook on a lot of things,” said Mundine. She plans on going to San Diego State to major in social work, where she hopes to obtain her master’s degree. She would also like to find a position working for the county and would like to eventually work as a counselor for families and individuals. It’s strange to think that this day came so soon yet at the same time seemed like it took an eternity to happen. For every good grade, for every exam passed, the completed classes of 2007 graduates have been silent victories until now; graduation day is the ultimate day of celebrating success. “We want students to participate, enjoy, and celebrate their achievements,” Gail Rodriguez, graduation committee coordinator, says. For those students who stuck with it and kept picking themselves up after spills on the way, June 1 at 6:30 p.m. is the day where they get to walk down the stage and accept their diplomas. According to Christina Monaco from the evaluations office, there are 874 students graduating with diplomas or certifica-

CityCalendar

‘Education is an investment into oneself. Graduation is the ultimate achievement and validation of that achievement.’ — Terrence Burgess, college president tions this year and most of the degrees, 153, are going to be issued for transfer studies. Also, 274 students are expected to participate in this year’s graduation at the Organ Pavilion. Before graduation, there will be a commencement for transfer students that have been accepted to a four-year university on May 17 at 5 p.m. in room D-121. So instead of the passing moment of happiness a student feels after accomplishing one task, graduating students will be able to share their accomplishments collectively. Together they have all shared similar hardships to make it this far and together they will continue to progress into the future. “Education is an investment into oneself,” said City College President Terrence Burgess, who also said that the event is his favorite time of year. He is proud to be a part of the educational success of his students and the event itself, saying, “Graduation is the ultimate achievement and validation of that achievement.”

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May 22, 2007

MAY

Compiled by Rebecca Saffran and Scott Landheer 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 JUNE

■ 26 @ 12 p.m. Chicano/a Graduation Location: Saville Theatre

■ 1 @ 6:30 p.m. Graduation Location: Organ Pavilion, Balboa Park

■ 31 @ 1 p.m. Cosmetology Teacher Trainee Graduation Location: Faculty Lounge Cafeteria

■ 5 Four-week summer session begins

■ 31 @ 3:30 p.m. Graduation Rehearsal Location: Organ Pavilion, Balboa Park

Valdez Continued from Page 1 measure was up for a vote this semester, but not enough students voted in the election to make it valid, despite the fact that two-thirds who did vote supported it. To get more students out to the polls when the fee comes up for another vote, Valdez will ask professors to bring their classes to vote. He said he also wants to make the election go for five days, instead of three. Flyers that were handed out in support of Valdez during the elections also asked voters to write-in Albert Li for vice president. Li went on to win the election

Safety Continued from Page 1

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public relations of the college district. “We are finalizing a major update of our district wide emergency response plan, and all college managers have just completed a half-day training program in emergency response. All campus police officers just completed their second training program on responding to a gunman on campus,” Burgess said. The City College campus has emergency call boxes that will ring directly into the college police dispatch center at any time and day, located at parking lots and in all campus elevators. Other safety devices are cameras and electronic key-card doors, for example, which San Diego State University adopted to enhance the security of its facilities. Some institutions also rely on the use of fences and metal detectors as protective measures against outsiders and armed individuals. “I oppose this as colleges should be open and accessible institutions. Given our safety record, I think all of these measures are too draconian,” Burgess said. According to the last City College crime statistics, two weapons violations on campus were reported in a course of three years, from 2003-2005. There have been no homicides. “In some areas, we are well prepared. For example, we have a fully-qualified and armed police force comprised of sworn officers. Our police routinely patrol each campus and are available

■ 7 Spring 2007 grades available on Reg-e and e-grades ■ 20 Eight-week summer session begins

with a total of 154 votes. City College will not immediately become smoke-free. The ban will first go through a phase where certain areas will be designated as smoking. After that, the campus will become completely smoke-free and smoking cessation programs will be developed to help students quit. The offices filled were —Maria JackClemente son, secretary; FranValdez cisco Lopez, treasurer; Angie Gomez, public events coordinator; Casedra Owens, public relations officer; Allan Souza, webmaster; Ryan Ballard, senator; Wilmer Fuentes, senator; Albert Li, senator; Josef Shannon, senator.

to handle an emergency at any time, including a shooting emergency,” Carroll said. “In some other areas, we will be working on improvements, such as procedures to contact students by e-mail and text messages, as well as the use of the district telephone system (including the in-classroom phones) as a broadcast system for fast-moving emergencies.” After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, local governments adopted the use of new technologies for communication, built especially to alert people of danger. If colleges were to use similar innovations, with one key stroke, a device would alert students anywhere they are with voice or text messages, providing the options for them to respond if “they are OK,” “if they need help” or “connect to emergency line.” “We are exploring a number of options along these lines and expect to implement new response/communication measures next year,” Burgess added. In addition, according to Carol Dexheimer, City’s vice president of administrative services, the college will provide presentations to its faculty members related to safety including the topic “disaster and emergency response,” when Chief of Police Charles Hogquist is expected to speak on Aug. 24. “We want to do everything we can to protect the safety of our students, our faculty and our staff, so that a tragedy of the type and magnitude of Virginia Tech can be avoided,” Carroll said. The college police dispatch is reached at (619) 388-6405 and for a map of the call box locations visit http://www. sdcity.edu/studentresources/police/safetytips.asp.

Corrections

In the March 20, 2007, edition of City Times, a story about the Harry West Gymnasium suggested that Harry West still hosted an annual golf tournament. The tournament is hosted in his name, but he passed away several years ago. In the March 6, 2007, edition of City Times, a story about student loans attributed a quote to Congressman Bill Filner. His correct name is Bob Filner. It is the policy of City Times to clarify content or correct errors. Send them to the paper at citytimes@gmail.com or call (619) 388-3880.


CityNews

May 22, 2007

City Times 3

Students get to speak out By Josie Salazar and Stephen Burgers City Times City College’s Behavioral Sciences and Sociology departments held two Student Symposiums on April 18 and May 2 in D-121 and Gorton Quad to speak about current issues that affect society today. The International Border Studies Symposium on April 18 was the first at City College and included students from Tijuana’s CETYS Universidad. Students from both colleges focused on issues related with the United States and Mexico border. Students gave PowerPoint presentations about their chosen topic, educating their audience of student and faculty about the unresolved issues at the Border. Zack Bachman, Philosophy Major at City presented issues with States borders and borders as properties from a Marxist perspective. He said that for there to be social justice people would need to look beyond borders and unite as a global community. “I hope that maybe one person will start to look at the root of all our social

Alan Decker / Contributor City College students browse one of many bulletin boards that featured research projects by fellow students in the third annual Student Research Symposium in Gorton Quad on May 2. Students also gave PowerPoint presentations in D-121 the same day. problems — that it’s selfishness,” Bachman said about what he hoped to teach his audience. Francisco Moreno, sociology professor and club advisor who helped to organize

both Symposiums said that the event was important to help build bridges and create relationships between borders. “The most important part of this symposium is to create leaders that under-

stand both sides of the border.” Moreno said. The Learning Resource Center and

SIFE places in top 10 at nationals

Health center offers free HIV tests By Jessica Kalchik Contributor

By Stephen Burgers City Times The City Colleges’ Students In Free Enterprise team placed seventh in the national SIFE competition held in Dallas May 6-8. SIFE is a program at City that allows students to put what they learn about business operations in the class room to use in an actual business setting like their Al a Cart stand on Schwartz Square at City. “They did a wonderful job, I think our team performed magnificently and I hope we are first next year,” said Professor Leroy Brady. “Dallas was fun, educational, and it’s great for networking,” said Joesef Shannon, who was a part of the technical support team needed for the presentations. The team presented nine out of 12 of the current SIFE projects. They stayed at the Hyatt Regency and had time to see sights such as Reunion Tower while in Dallas, chaperoned by Professor Brady and Diane

See SPEAK, Page 15

SIFE / Courtesy Photo City College’s SIFE Team was among the top ten in the National SIFE Competition held in Dallas May 6-8. Glow, dean of business, information technology, child development and cosmetology. “The flash presentation placed seventh out of 196,” said Shannon. City student Charles Brady, who went for team support said, “This is my first semester with SIFE and it’s been a great learning experience, I had a lot of fun.” “We met a lot of people from other SIFE teams like Minnesota and we are going to discuss joint projects in the future, some students are hired from these SIFE competitions right

into management,” said Shannon. Brady said the SIFE competition applications will be open to all students next year and students who are selected will need to participate in one SIFE project. He said he hopes more students participate. “This year they did wonderful, it’s a wonderful group of students,” said Brady, adding “that they look forward to next year when it’s held in Chicago.” Blue ridge Community College took first place and The University of Arizona took first place for the four-year schools.

SIFE’s mission is to provide college students the best opportunity to make a difference and develop leadership, teamwork and communication skills through learning, practicing and teaching the principles of free enterprise. SIFE teams are active on more than 1600 campuses in 40 countries around the world. In the United States more than 840 schools are enrolled in SIFE. Shannon said, “Our school did the best in the west, and that overall it was a lot of fun,” then added, “SIFE for life.”

Blood, needles, cold exams rooms and high expense are some thoughts that can plague the mind when contemplating getting tested for HIV. The staff at San Diego City College’s Student Health Services knows that the thought of HIV is frightening enough so they provide free, confidential and needle-free HIV testing in an inviting atmosphere every Monday in the Student Health Services center. According to Director of Student Health Services at City College, Dotti Cordell, the closeknit staff wants to provide an atmosphere that is more comforting than the standard clinic and let the students know that they are concerned with their health, not their money. The HIV test is conducted without any blood draw or needles. A special cotton swab is swabbed in the mouth for approximately two minutes, then sent to a laboratory for testing. A week later, individu-

See TESTS, Page 15


CityVoice

4 City Times

May 22, 2007

Thanks for the lack of support, City College School spirit at City College is virtually nonexistent. As the seasonal sports have come and gone, the turnout for sports teams, especially women’s sports, has been dismal. You may find the odd supporter in the bleachers who is probably a team member’s significant other who is forced to attend, or a couple of proud parents cheering their kid on. Tala Bashmi This, however, is not even near enough the amount of support we need. As a member of the women’s soccer team, I have witnessed at some of our games that the our opponents’ supporters outnumbered our own. Embarrassment is an understatement when it comes to describing our feelings as we witness that sight. “Pathetic” is also something heard quite often from my teammates when no one shows up. Some might say that every player should get satisfaction just by playing for ourselves, but I’ m sure every athlete would prefer a crowd cheering them on. Also, not only do these athletes train excessively, but we wear the school colors with pride and that is not being recognized by the San Diego City College community. This makes it that much more difficult for us athletes to play in the heat through our injuries and look over to the bleachers seeing no one but away supporters. However, City’s athletes do get plenty of support from the athletic department and its trainers who even with their extremely busy schedules do try to attend every game possible. City has some outstanding teams that have exceeded expectations, such as City’s softball team and the men’s soccer team, which both won their conference, and the women’s badminton team, which won the state title for the second year running. But most people probably aren’t even aware that we have any of these sports teams and can find out about them on City’s Web site as well as the calendar in the City Times. With some of the best sports teams in the region, showing a little support could go a long way, I mean its not like we’re asking you to put your life on hold to attend a game, but a little cheering on once in a while really wouldn’t hurt. What have you got to lose?

Viewpoint

Tala Bashmi is a City Times staff writer

CityTimes Volume 61, Issue 12 May 22, 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

Shanika Whaley Feature Editor Rebecca Saffran Photography Editor Calendar Editor City Times Staff Brittany Arquette, Tala Bashmi, Stephen Burgers, Rosemarie Davis, Aysha Johnson, Emily Pfaff Contributors Tasha Ball, Vanessa Cantu, Alan Decker, Lindsay Gross, Jessica Kalchik, Mariana Lima, Donna Maranto, Berlyn James Wieland, Alissa Wisniewski

Luis Bahena Opinion Editor Managing Editor

Roman S. Koenig Journalism Adviser

Lauren Ciallella Arts Editor Copy Editor

Sign up for Journalism 200 or 210-A this summer! Contact Roman Koenig at (619) 388-4026 for information.

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

Member: Journalism Association of Community Colleges, Associated Collegiate Press and California Newspaper Publishers Association

News homepage: www.sdcitytimes.com

Emily Pfaff / City Times

The truths and troubles of FAFSA The City College Office of Financial Aid helps over 12,000 students each semester find the financial means to attend school. Despite the collaborative efforts of politicians, school advisors, students, and voters; the system of aid distribution in America continues to be greatly flawed. The sole purpose of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is to determine a students eligibility for aid. It is not, however, financial aid. Eligibility factors include age, income, family income (students are considered dependent until the age of 24) and household size, among a slew of others. “We are in strict limitation to those who are in need,” says Teresa Vilaboy, Student Services Supervisor at the City College of Financial Aid. Teresa who has worked in financial aid for 15 years says, “in the past there were other questions to make you independent but they excluded these questions to put pressure on parents, it was also an issue of government funding.” The US Budget Committee provides congress with an annual blue print of revenues and spending but the US Appropriations Committee, the committee that holds power over taxes and entitlements (guaranteed access to benefits of rights), controls funding for federal programs like Medicare, Medicaid and social security. Government officials, elected by American voters, decide how this money is spent. “Congressional Methodology,” says Teresa Vilaboy, in response to how factors for eligibility are determined for the FAFSA, “it is approved by your congressman and it occurs every four years.” Our financial advisors can offer a shoulder to cry on, or kind ear, but ultimately it is up to voters and our elected officials to make the changes necessary to ensure equal educational

Viewpoint Emily Pfaff

For most, the concern is not paying for tuition but obtaining the finances necessary to complete their education. Rising rates of inflation, along with high costs of living can make attaining a degree an uphill battle opportunity. An opportunity that is steadily escaping the majority of American students. Issues concerning students at City College include; childcare, employment, mental health services, and housing. City College caters to a variety of students, average age 27, some of whom are homeless. For most, the concern is not paying for tuition but obtaining the finances necessary to complete their education. Rising rates of inflation, along with high costs of living can make attaining a degree an uphill battle. Ian Penn, environmental science major at City College, is pretty happy with financial aid but says he’s been a, ”sophomore for years.”

“I don’t have to pay for my tuition,” said Ian. Ian, like many other City College students, accredits the Board of Governors Fee Waiver as being instrumental to receiving his education. Tony Medina, 34, has a Masters in Counseling and is two years from receiving his PhD, a part time physical education student at City, he feels more should be done to help younger students. In reference to the FAFSA’s age limitation for considering dependency, Tony says, “That hurts a lot of students.” When first starting out, Tony recalls how difficult times were, “...if I wasn’t waiting tables I wouldn’t have been able to make it.” In the US Annual Budget report, education shares funding with other programs, “training, employment, and social services,” and in 2004 was allotted 87, 945 million dollars while national defense received 455,908 million. Estimates for national defense for 2010 show an increase of 50 million dollars, with a decrease of about 4 million for “education, training, employment, and social services”. Cuts in funding for educational programs sacrifices the intellectual and financial future of generations of American students. Also, increases in the cost of living are not adequately reflected in funding for federal aid programs. “Put pressure on your representatives,” says Teresa. City College students aren’t alone in the battle for education, putting pressure on representatives while staying informed on changes being made in U.S.domestic policy is the only way for US citizens to safeguard democracy in America. A list of representatives can be obtained at the Financial Aid Office on campus or online at www.house.gov/writerep. Emily Pfaff is a City Times staff writer and cartoonist


May 22, 2007

City Times 5

VOICE

Shark attacks while fishing: the dark waters of online dating Have you bitten the fishing line or net when it comes to online dating yet? OK, so my first experience introduced to me to the slimy “caught-in-the-net, and halfstarved dumbo shark” who’s extra curricular S&M activities left me with my mouth opened like a blowfish. Thanks to our technological era, you can meet different people all over the world with just the click of a button. Seems easy, especially if you realize why so many are using the net to fish for a date. Many say that they are to busy, or shy or the ‘fishing pool’ in their community is drying up. So they turn to ‘fishing on the net.’ Reasons do vary, but I believe after looking at thousands of profiles, that it’s being able to go incognito. Many of the profiles I looked at lacked the sincereness that you might see in someone when meeting in person. And it is that very simple reason that so many people fall prey to “sharks” on the net. In the online dating school of fish, you need to be very careful. One guy I exchanged e-mails with for several weeks finally wanted to meet face to face. He said that he’d pay for plane ticket so that I would pay a ‘booty call.’ I thought it strange that a fish that I barley new would want me to risk the chasms of the deep for a ‘booty call.’ Or when I met “four guys for the price of one.” They were American soldiers stuck in Romania who were looking for some R&R with one lucky girl when they got back to the States. (Maybe the ‘30 year old Virgin’ should join them instead?) One fish wanted to know what my measurements were and what inner clothing I wore: lacy, satin, bikini style or thong. He also wanted to know if I liked to go ‘commando’ (he must have been looking for Britney Spears). The truth is that it does

Emily Pfaff / City Times

Fishing on the Net happen, more then you think. Match.com reported that out of the 50,000 people that use their site everyday, there are approximately 2,000 complaints sent in each day. Only 4.5 percent are proven complaints that range from harassment, threats, explicit language to actual assaults when meeting in person. However, Match.com said that they are working on insuring personal safety, yet they said that many people using their site do not follow the terms of conditions that you must agree to before setting up your profile. Other sites like E Harmony, U.S. Military.com and Yahoo agree that users do not follow

Josie Salazar

protocols that they have suggested in order to ensure your own safety. When you’re on a dating site like PlentyFish.com, you would think that there is some kind of screening process for all the bad fish out there. On most sites that do not require immediate registration and possible fee, you’ll find more weirdos and often much more explicit language, talk and photos. And most often “fishes” on those sites are not truth full at all. (Like that professional photographer who offered his services) In addition, you might not get the option to block someone if they harass you.

Some sites even include discrete background checks (small fee) of their members. Out of all the dating sites I tried, I thought that E harmony and PerfectMatch were the best ones that had added protection for their members. However, here are some tips courtesy of E Harmony to remember if you start “fishing on the net” no matter the site: ■ Never give out personal info. Not even your last name! ■ Do not e-mail others with your personal e-mail, use the sites e-mail system, report abuse immediately and never plan on meeting anyone without notifying someone. ■ Tell a friend your plan, where and when you are to meet, and arrange for a fake emergency call so that you can be checked on. ■ Tell a staff from where you are meeting what is going on so

that they can be aware and be a witness to the situation. ■ Try to find someone in your town to have this type of liaison; it will be easier for you to get the help you need if the fish on the hook turns out to be a shark. This goes for both men and women. These simple steps will protect you when “fishing on the net” and if you plan to meet that “fish.” My experience with the dark waters of online dating are just mild examples of what can happen, be aware that incidents that are more serious can happen. Since my “fishing” trip, I am now more aware, know how to protect myself, and understand the reasons why so many of my peers get ‘hooked’ into the dark waters of an online liaison. Josie Salazar is City Times’ news editor

Ask students not to support SIFE — do not buy their candy Dear Editor: While I enjoy reading about the success of SIFE in competition I believe it should be noted on how, in an attempt to get funding, they misrepresented the true prizes available in a raffle held Fall semester 2006. They advertised two $100 dollar prizes which they did not give out because “we did not make enough money to give out these [prizes].” While they gave plenty of good prizes they misrepresented the money prizes to all the students who bought tickets.

This is if the money was available at all. They refused to even show that the money was actually available for winning in the first place. When I questioned them all they said was “we did not lie” because ostensibly we had a chance to win the money. This is true, if the money was there, but they refused to prove that the money was actually available for winning taking an attitude of, don’t question us, what we say goes, instead of simply being transparent and

Letters to the Editor ethical in dealing with the students who purchased a chance to win the money in this raffle. Those who conducted the raffle even became rude when asked by many students to show the money. Recently I learned that student organizations are not allowed to give out money prizes. Is SIFE exempt from this rule?

If not did they willfully and intentionally lie to the students and faculty who happened to buy raffle tickets this day for a few dollars extra in donations? I told them that although they did not lie, what they did is unethical. They could not seem to comprehend this, yet when I ask any business person this question describing the same situa-

tion, they have all agreed as to the ethics, or lack thereof, exercised by SIFE. I ask students not to support SIFE, do not buy their candy, soda, or coffee in Gordon Quad. Do not buy into their “fund raising efforts” until they issue a public explanation and/or apology for their actions on the day of the raffle. No organization should be allowed to take advantage of students with impunity. Chris Siemens City College student

Where are the hard hitting political articles, City Times? Dear Editor: The April 19, 2007, issue of City Times disappointed me. I expected a lot more from a college newspaper. Where are the controversial articles? In my experience students

are so busy in their studies and in their struggle to “survive” that they aren’t very aware on what’s happening in the world around them, that’s where this newspaper is supposed to come in.

There needs to be more substance to City Times. It should be a three dimensional world of relevant international information. Where are the hard hitting political articles? I see this newspaper as a

way for students to understand that it’s okay to speak up to the government and that it’s okay to question things that the government is or is not doing. It’s your responsibility to educate your readers.

You cover the Arts, sports, and campus issues, thorough political issues should also be added and not neglected. Nicole Villarreal City College student


6

City Times

NEWS / LIFE

May 22, 2007

Katrina ‘progress report’ covered at community meeting By Emily Pfaff City Times On April 21, the Coffeehouse on Broadway played host to a Katrina Solidarity meeting, kicking off the People’s Hurricane Relief Fund West Coast tour. Representatives Kojo Livingston and Darryl “Sess-45” Warren, both longtime New Orleans residents, came to brief San Diego locals on the current status of the Big Easy while locals and filmmakers shared the progress they were making 18 months after Hurricane Katrina. When Hurricane Katrina made landfall on Aug. 29, 2005, Warren said, “It was only a category 1 … when the levee broke.” Chaos and rioting ensued. The New Orleans water system was at a standstill due to flooding, and all businesses were closed. Those seeking relief were terrified when the Arkansas National Guard was given the order, “shoot to kill” by Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco. Over 400,000 victims were forced out of Louisiana onto buses and shipped to neighboring states. Among those on

board were college students, some of whom made their way to San Diego City College and other schools throughout California. “The evacuation plan was really based on people driving out,” said Craig Colten, geologist at Louisiana State University and expert on city’s topography, “They didn’t have busses. They didn’t have trains.” According to Livingston, 35 percent of black families and 15 percent of whites did not have cars at the time of the hurricanes. “The victims were forced onto busses, not told where they would be going and sent off to Texas, California, Alabama and Florida … FEMA dollars aren’t going back into the New Orleans economy,” said Warren, “and the Red Cross hasn’t sent money, either.” In a world of broken levees, bureaucratic red tape and shattered dreams, Katrina refugees across the nation are still seeking benefits they have yet to receive, and remain longing for the homes they left behind. Documents furnished by the Louisiana Recovery Authority’s Web site

(www.lra.louisiana.gov) show a total of 204,500 homes were severely damaged by the disaster, and 169,000 suffered major or severe flooding. To date, only three out of the 10 hospitals within the parishes of New Orleans remain open. In response to the damage, the federal government has given $7.9 billion to the Road Home Program in the hopes of repairing or replacing flooded homes. Of the 79,000 families that have applied for aid, only 22 have received money. In California, Denise Hollis, a student adviser at City College, said that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger waived the first year’s out-of-state tuition for student victims of Katrina. Unfortunately for the residents of New Orleans, the “buffer zone” protecting the city came in the form of public housing and numerous other coastal homes. Scenes from the Arthur Saenz film “Down But Not Out,” shown at the meeting, depict a dreary and deserted New Orleans coastline. Abused by the hurricanes and raped by greed, the determination of the people of New Orleans continues to live on.

For over 20 years the state of Louisiana had known that the levees surrounding New Orleans would not hold against a category Hurricane 3 or above. In the five years prior to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, $1.9 billion tax dollars had flooded in and out of Louisiana, tax dollars meant to fund programs that would have protected the residents of New Orleans against nature’s odds. The number one recipient of Army Corps dollars for decades, Louisiana’s congressional committee has been misspending on projects like the $194 million and counting for the Port of Iberia, a 2,000 acre real estate blunder. Members of the People’s Hurricane Relief Fund hope to raise awareness of the many struggles faced by victims today and encourage the thousands of refugees remaining outside of Louisiana to return for the second International Tribunal on Katrina, this September in New Orleans. For more information on the Peoples Hurricane Relief Fund and the upcoming second International Tribunal on Katrina, go to www.peopleshurricane. org.

Silence is the sound of learning for City College professor By Tasha Ball Contributor Simone Laubenthal’s students don’t listen to a word she says, and that’s exactly how she likes it. Laubenthal, 37, teaches American Sign Language classes at San Diego City College, and has been involved in the deaf community since the age of 8. As a child, Laubenthal and her sister used ASL as their secret language. At age 13, her interest in the language was heightened when she worked with chil-

dren with disabilities, who often used ASL to communicate. This semester, Laubenthal makes daily trips to multiple colleges in San Diego. She teaches two ASL 115 classes at City, the same class at Grossmont College, and works as an interpreter for deaf students at San Diego State University. ASL 115, a course designed for students with no prior knowledge of the language, is a class that Laubenthal has been teaching for 10 years. She said that student interaction is not only her favor-

ite, but also the most challenging part of teaching the class. After teaching the course for 10 years, she has discovered many techniques to teach her ASL 115 students. These include starting with the basics, using pictures, drawing, acting out, and most importantly, no use of the English language. “Keeping a quiet classroom and focusing on the second language can be challenging when it comes to teaching this class,” Laubenthal said. On top of her duties at these colleges, Laubenthal stays involved in the deaf community by attending deaf events, teaching ASL-related workshops, and interpreting for and interacting with deaf people. She has also run a camp for disabled children called Camp Able for 19 years.

“The biggest benefit to knowing ASL is being able to communicate with the deaf population,” Laubenthal said. This is only one of the reasons why she is teaching her 2-year-old son the language. “It is important for my children to know ASL for language development. I want them to be bilingual, and to be able to communicate at 5 months old, instead of 16,” Laubenthal said. In fact, in order to further her involvement in the deaf community, she plans to focus her energy on “the kid’s side of things,” she said. Laubenthal explained that she is interested in possibly teaching an ASL class for babies. “Knowing ASL has enriched my life. It is always a challenge, and it puts me in interesting situations,” Laubenthal said.

Blaze a new trail this summer City Times seeks staff members for its first-ever summer session editions. Interested? Call (619) 388-4026 for more information.

CityTimes


City Times 7

May 22, 2007

C A L I F O R N I A D E P A R T M E N T O F C O R R E C T I O N S A N D R E H A B I L I T AT I O N

It has been called “the greatest entry-level job in California” —and for good reason. Our officers earn a great salary, and a retirement package you just can’t find in private industry. We even pay you to attend our state-of-the-art academy. There has never been a better time to join. We’re the largest law enforcement agency in California, and we’re growing. So apply today, and discover why thousands of men and women are proud to wear our uniform.

cdcr.ca.gov/jobs 1-866-232-JOBS

Peace Officers must be a U.S. Citizen (or applied); possess a HS Diploma/GED; be in good physical condition; and have no felony convictions. Must be at least 21 yrs old to apply; no age limit.Veterans recieve hiring preference points.

Watch for summer City news updates online — www.sdcitytimes.com


8 City Times

CityLife

May 22, 2007

Regaining world consciousness

The other ‘cide’ of the border: Film examines femicide in Juarez, Mexico

Rebecca Saffran / City Times The Intervarsity Christian Fellowship gave the students to opportunity to express their feelings on God with a blank canvas during the Human Rights Fair in Gorton Quad.

Human Rights Fair brings awareness to City By Rebecca Saffran and Emily Pfaff City Times The City College chapter of Amnesty International hosted its first Human Rights Festival May 8-9 on campus to raise awareness of domestic and global issues in the hopes of encouraging students to take action. Students established Amnesty International (AI) at City just this past year, but AI worldwide has worked to have over 40,000 prisoners of conscience released since its inception in 1961. AI works to enforce the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948 by the United Nations General Assembly. According to AI handouts, the declaration provides “a common standard of achievement for all people and all nations.” Amnesty International defines human rights as, “the basic freedoms and protections that all people are entitled to because they are human beings.” AI states human rights are universal, inherent, inalienable, indivisible, essential, and often violated. During the two-day festival that took place in Gorton Quad, students brushed up on a variety of current issues. Tables lined the Quad with flyers on topics like genocide in Darfur, the slew of murders and injustices on women in Juarez, corporate accountability, death penalty in California, and efforts to free prisoners of conscience around the world. Students attended workshops

The brutal murders and rapes of women are going unsolved in the impoverished border town of Juarez, Mexico. The documentary “On the Edge: The Femicide of Juarez” was shown here at the Saville Theatre last week. The film takes another approach to the who-done-it-murder-mystery; instead it guides you through the socioeconomic atmosphere encapsulating the conditions that allow the impunity of men to dispose of these women like trash. The film shows that these women have more in common other than their murders. Most work in maquiladoras and many of them are killed while walking to or from work. The maquiladoras are sweatshops that make goods for U.S. consumption and these women earn $24 dollars a week. In addition, NAFTA allows the maquiladoras to make even more money by lowering environmental standards and tariffs, yet the maquiladoras have offered no protection for their female workers. The maquiladoras seek out female assembly workers, because they are seen as a docile workforce leaving the men unemployed and angry or to work where there is moneyin the drug trade. Again, where most of these drugs end up is here in the United States. The film continues by sewing together elements of globalization and what results is this patchwork quilt of horrific circumstances where each is a problem in itself, but all the elements together have illuminated why this social injustice takes place. After hearing all of the accounts told by the victims’ families, politicians, activists, and academics I cannot just say that this film is informative, that would be using a euphe-

mism for the revelation I experienced after being exposed of my ignorance. The film moved me emotionally, but the documentary does not overly dramatize the plight of these women. The faces of the family members affected were so weathered and indifferent, giving the audience a sense that they had been through too much pain for one

Review Rosemarie Davis

lifetime. The film was complex, yet easy to follow. My only complaint is the subtitles moved a bit slow and there were times when the screen was busy with information in one corner of the screen and subtitles at the same time. “We hoped that people would walk away from this screening with a vision and a plan to do something more,” said Rachel Brewer, president of Amnesty International at City. “The step beyond education is action and it is our individual responsibility to take that step.” For those interested in events sponsored by Amnesty International, there will be a human rights fair on May 8 and 9 that will have events about this issue and others including the death penalty, genocide, corporate responsibility, and Prisoners of Conscience.

Eneri Rodriguez / Courtesy Photo A cross commemorates the women of Juarez, Mexico, who have been killed since 1993 in what has been termed as femicide. and film screenings, wrote letters and signed petitions while sampling free soy ice cream. “The biggest action is political,” said professor of Black Studies at City College Nathan Katungi. Katungi spotlighted as a guest speaker for an infor-

mational meeting on the death penalty in America and California. When asked how the death penalty could be abolished in America, Katungi said, “you

See RIGHTS, Page 15

Rebecca Saffran / City Times An altar was constructed for the Human Rights Fair to remember those women who were the victims of femicide in Juarez, Mexico.


May 22, 2007

CityArts

City Times 9

‘City’ works your emotions When the winners of “City Works 2007” gathered May 12 for their annual release party at City to read their work, I didn’t know whether to laugh, hang my head or cry. Writers selected to perform that afternoon represented a range of moods experienced by San Diegans in the first decade of the 21st century. Despite entertaining stories of dentists, giants and ski slopes, the overall mood of the performers struck me as sad, serious, and sardonic. According to “City Works 2007” writRebecca Saffran ers, hope and possible happiness only follow something tragic: hope for love follows heartache; for peace follows conflict; for health follows illness, for clarity follows drugs and so on. When the writers did find humor they found it in dark places. One might laugh but only because the alternative is to cry: Rosa Magdaleno’s character in Drop said she lost a best friend because “not everyone wanted to spend their lives getting drunk, high, laid, and dumped.” In Feeling Self-important on My Way to the Mailbox, Eric Johnson read, “Sometimes walking to my curbside mailbox I ponder that one chance in hell that a passenger jet cruising overhead at an altitude I can barely fathom, will malfunction, and I, shuffling envelopes up the driveway, will see that flaming spiral hurtling toward me.” A jet flew overhead at that exact moment, almost muting his words. Fellow presenters that afternoon included National Award Winner Sylvia Levinson, Featured Local Writer Jim Miller, Student Poetry Winner Jonna Peavey, and Student Prose Winner Michael Ferrill. Presenters selected for publication included Allison Barnes, Rosa Magdaleno, David Bolduc, Zebulon Huset, June Cressy, Karen Stromberg, Nancy Cary, Eloy Chouza, James Choung, Ramon Estrada, David Walsh, Eric Johnson, Megan Webster, and Tomás Gayton. Levinson was first featured in “City Works 1997,” said she began writing poetry in 1991. “It’s about finding just the right word. When that happens it’s wonderful,” she said. Even though Levinson presented poems rife with violence and dark humor she said, “Poetry has served me well and it makes me happy.” Just as the performers varied in mood and scope so did the audience. Josie Armstead, tutor at City’s English Center noted the lack of stereotypical black berets and said, “I love seeing the mix of people here.” Most audience members consisted of fellow City students and faculty who published in previous years, or hope to feature in future journals. City Works Literary Journal publishes written work, art and photography by City College students and faculty, along with national and international writers, artists and photographers. The editing Honors English 249 class team-taught by Professors Nadia Mandilawi and Chris Baron welcomes submissions yearround and publishes in the spring. Copies of “City Works 2007” are available at City College Bookstore. For more information on submission guidelines or other publication opportunities, visit www.cityworkspress.org.

Review

Rebecca Saffran / City Times

An evening of dance The City College dance department performs on May 18 during “An Evening of Dance” at Saville Theatre. Directed by Alicia Rincon, the performance highlighted dancers through contemporary choreography and costume design.

Around the horn with KUSI and City’s Dave Scott By Josie Salazar City Times San Diego City College has its very own weatherman and jazz artist on campus. But you won’t see Dave Scott in front of the camera singing about jazzy weather patterns in his signature bow tie as he does on KUSI Channel 51 and playing his favorite club. Instead, you’ll find him in City’s TV studio teaching students Media Performance in the Radio Television Department, guiding students to, “Craft their own style … become their own personality.” In his 13 years as an adjunct instructor at City, he has helped to train students such as Jeff Powers and countless others who have gone on to become many of San Diego’s broadcasters and journalists. “It’s nice to have someone in the news business to teach the class,” said Leslie Catanese, a student majoring in communications. “It feels wonderful to see people who are like me and be able to help them in anyway, makes you feel worthwhile as a human being,” Scott said. “It’s a big opportunity that he works in the field and you can benefit from his words of experience,” noted Job Marin, a student in the RTVC program. “He teaches about if you are giving

Dave Scott / Courtesy Photo In addition to predicting the weather and teaching at City College, Dave Scott also plays a mean trombone. the news, the number one thing is to make the audience feel involved,” Marin added. Scott found his passion for broadcasting almost by accident. While selling and repairing typewriters as a young man to teleprompters at a local television station, he happened to land a tour of the news set in which at the moment he walked in, the studio lights came on illuminating his soon to be role model weatherman Bob Dale, (which he wears the bow tie in honor of) placing the old weather icon magnets on a weather map. Scott graduated from Grossmont College with an Associates Degree and a Bachelors Degree in Marketing from

San Diego State University. While he completed his courses in broadcasting at city, Scott also interned at local Radio and Television stations including City’s own KSDS Jazz 88.3. There he did voices with DJ Randy Miller, like Mr. Hammy from ‘Green Acres’. Director of the Radio Television Department, John Hildebrand is pleased to have Scott teaching. “Dave is a nice guy ... he has helped out with a few other projects, international workshops and by sitting on panels.” Scott worked in Yuma and Tuscan Arizona as a local weatherman. Later he earned a bachelor’s degree in

See SCOTT, Page 14


10

LIFE

City Times

May 22, 2007

Key dean enters retirement

From sun to study, City students prep for summer By Vanessa Cantu Contributor Sunshine, beaches and friends. What are San Diego City College students doing to prepare for summer fun in the sun? Working out? Eating right? Or are they just preparing for more classes during the summer school session? A healthy diet and routine workout is on the mind of City student Cathi Ronson as she prepares for “Bikini season.” “I try to go to the gym everyday, do cardio at least three times a week, I’ve gotta get this body ready for the beach,” Ronson said.

With Web sites like SHAPE. com, Ronson said she can get the help she needs to eat right and shed the fat before the summer hits. “I love their Web site, they have everything from recipes to motivating stories. They even have music play lists for my ipod,” Ronson said. “It takes a lot of dedication, sometimes I just want to eat a piece of cheesecake or grab some french-fries but I keep thinking about looking great on the beach,” Ronson added. Dedication isn’t all that’s needed. According to City’s fit-

See SUMMER, Page 13

Winston Butler made key hires in journalism, radio

‘I’ve gotta get this body ready for the beach.’

By Shanika Whaley City Times

and integrity. “He never hesitated to take on new and challenging assignments,” Murphy said. “He always had a great sense of humor about everything. He is very well respected by all staff members in the district.” Now that his career is winding up, Schamu has had time to reflect on his many years with the district, and said he could never have asked for a better job, or better people to work with.

He is highly respected by the faculty and students at San Diego City College. His teaching career began before most students were born and he has worked with some amazing musicians through the years. Winston Butler Winston Butler, City’s dean of Arts and Humanities, has retired. After being in the teaching profession for over 36 years, he felt that it was time for a break. “It’s time,” He said. “I’m at a certain age where I want to do more creative things; theatrical or working with recording artists.” Butler started his career in the 1970s at 23 years old. In the beginning, he was the Theater Department chairman at a Los Angeles college, a position he held for 10 years.

See CAREER, Page 13

See DEAN, Page 13

— Cathi Ronson, City student

Instrumental vice chancellor calls it a career By Brittany Arquette City Times It’s been a long ride for San Diego Community College District’s vice chancellor, Damon Schamu. But come June, that ride will end, and another will begin. After 27 years with the district, the devoted employee is retiring. People who know Schamu say, even though he won’t be back, the changes he made while here will live on forever. In his nearly three-decade

career, Schamu played a significant role in expanding and building new classrooms on the district’s three campuses: City College, Mesa College and Miramar College. His proudest accomplishment, however, is helping pass propositions S and N, which he says will bring major improvements to all three campuses in upcoming years. “We at the district worked very hard on those propositions, even though we all had other jobs to do,” Schamu said. “But we saw this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. City

College hasn’t seen a whole lot of changes off the bat, but you’ll start seeing some soon. It’s in the works.” Schamu went on to say the design for the 700 space parking structure is nearly complete, and should be completely built by 2009. Too far ahead in the future for most of us to enjoy, but close enough for maybe your younger siblings. The District’s Vice Chancellor of Human Resources, Wayne Murphy, knew Schamu very well. He said Damon always set a good example of fairness


City Times 11

May 22, 2007

CITY COLLEGE BOOKSTORE

Your On-Campus Bookstore Wed.-Thur., May 23-24 Friday, May 25 Monday, May 28 Tues.-Thur., May 29-31 Friday, June 1

8:30am-7pm 8:30am-Noon Closed 8:30am-7pm 8:30am-Noon

Buyback price quotes at www.bookstore.sdccd.edu/city


12

ARTS

City Times

May 22, 2007

Pappalecco sure to please with tasty fare, cheerful atmosphere Serving delicious dishes and treats with an Old World taste and charm, a new restaurant in Little Italy is bound to wrap its way around the whole community. “Ciao, Come Stai?” (Hello, how are you), is what you hear from Francesco Bucci as soon as you step through the door. Bucci is from Toscana, Italy, and is the owner of the new “Gelato Lounge,” Pappalecco. Pappalecco, serving everything from Italian sandwiches to gelato, just recently opened, but has already captured a lot of attention. “It’s modeled after my other store in Italy,” says Bucci. “Everything is the same.” Pappalecco’s doors first opened on the first day of the San Diego ArtWalk, April 28. In case you’re wondering what Pappalecco means or how to even pronounce it, there are two separate meanings. “Pappa,” means food for kids, something small and “lecco” refers to licking, something to lick. But don’t let the meaning fool you, it has everything you want for little kids and adults. “Everything here is so good,” explained Ida Farre. “It just opened, but I’ve been here every day since.” For the young ones (and the little kid in all of us), there are 16 different Gelato flavors including banana, Pappalecco, fragola (strawberry), mixed

Review Shanika Whaley berry, limone (lemon) and even tiramisu. All of them have real fruit and chocolaty flavor that contain nothing but all natural ingredients. Banana gelato has the real, authentic taste of a banana. When you take that first bite, it really is as if you just ate an actual banana. Pappalecco is the signature flavor. It contains chocolate, hazelnut, and biscotti pieces; it’s extremely smooth and delicious. Patrons will find espresso and cappuccinos to sip and enjoy and also delicious paninis (sandwiches) to choose from. Something about this store that is interesting is how small a real espresso shot is, but in Italy, that’s how it’s served. “A real Italian espresso is one shot,” explained Lorenzo, Bucci’s brother. “It is one shot, but extremely strong.” Pappalecco is located on the corner of State and Cedar, you can’t miss it. It has bright orange paint across the top of the building; in the middle is the name, Pappalecco. Small brown tables and chairs that seat two or three people are set up outside around the store for the customers to sit and enjoy its tasty food.

Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Photo ‘Shrek the Third’ is now playing, one of the first films of the upcoming summer season.

Summer? Must be sequel season Shrek the Third (in theaters now): This movie seems to bring out all the other side elements from the first two movies, if you want to see more of Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) and Prince Charming (Rupert Everett), then this is the one. One quirky character that I’m not sure about is the kid Artie (Justin Timberlake)

Review

Fox / Courtesy Photo Bruce Willis (above) and Johnny Depp (left) return to “Die Hard” and “Pirates of the Caribbean” for sequels this summer.

Josie Salazar

Shanika Whaley / City Times Pappalecco gelato lounge is located at the corner of State and Cedar streets in downtown San Diego.

‘28 Weeks’ not a zombie of a sequel When will people ever learn? After a major catastrophe such as a zombie-producing virus wipes out the entire population of Britain, it’s probably not a good idea to try to go back and fix things. But what do we know? We only live in reality. “28 Weeks Later” is the sequel to one of — if not the best — zombie movie ever made. “28 Days Later” was the tale of the Rage virus that was let loose throughout England in which a man fights his way to survival and outlasts possibly living/possibly dead monsters that took over the entire country. “Weeks” picks up just after the original outbreak, focusing on a group of survivors who are

Review John Holthus doing whatever they can to hide from the infected. “28 Weeks Later” casts off the traditional “sequels suck” stereotype and lives up to all its hype by being a truly impressive film. Anyone who enjoys scary movies, zombie flicks or just has a few extra hours during the week should make a point to go see “28 Weeks Later.” It will not let you down. John Holthus reviews movies for the Oregon State Barometer, distributed by U-WIRE

who dreams of being king... not sure where he belongs in the movie. When Shrek becomes King-in-training, he completely turns the kingdom upside down. Let’s not forget the kiddos! Yep, Shrek and Fiona (Cameron Diaz) have triplets. They’re just as much annoying as Donkey (Eddie Murphy) but much cutesier and now Uncle Puss in Boot’s has some one his size to play with. You won’t want to miss the “Charlie Angels of Royalty pretentious” team, made up of all the lovable princesses we grew up with, Snow White (Amy Poehler), Cinderella (Amy Sedaris) Rapunzel (Maya Rudolph) and Sleeping Beauty (Cheri Oteri). The graphics are crystal-clear and the line up of music is, as always, exhilarating. Go see the movie, it will not disappoint! It ranks close to the first movie in story line and plot and hilariously funny. Pirates of the Caribbean, At World’s End: (May 24): Can Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightly)

Disney / Courtesy Photo find and save Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp)? They seem to believe so especially with the help of Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) who we saw in the last cliff-hanging scene of the second movie. While they search for Sparrow, the terrifying Ghost Ship, The Flying Dutchman and Davy Jones are wreaking havoc across the Seven Seas under the East India Company, forging their way to Singapore where they team up with Captain Barbossa to battle the Chinese Pirate Sao Feng (Chow Yun-Fat) to save their Pirate carefree ways. The stunts seem to be pleasing, and the special effects are to die-for. However, when will we finally see Turner and Swann get hitched? Or will Swann turn to Captain Jack? You’ll want to see this one if you were frustrated

with how ‘Dead Man’s Chest’ ended. Live Free Or Die Hard: It’s been a long time since we last saw New York Cop John McClane (Bruce Willis), can he bring back his explosive talent? Or has age softened him? The special effects are as usual, exceptional; however, the plot might be too predictable. Overall, it remains to see if the diehard fans will accept this late edition to the trilogy. Oceans 13 (June 8): The team’s back for an all-new target, seeking revenge with Al Pacino. Can they succeed again? Or will they lose one of their own? The witty and sometimes mundane group pulls off the biggest heist of all, but will they make more enemies then they can handle? If you loved the other two movies, don’t miss this one, there are surprises and twists that will leave you on the edge of your seat And Al Pacino gives a stunning performance!


City Times 13

LIFE

Cultural awareness goal of new international club ‘We don’t exclude anybody for any reason,’ group secretary says By Mariana Lima Contributor If you are curious to taste English black pudding, Japanese miso soup and rice for breakfast or simply want to make friends, the address is the same for both — room L-208c. San Diego City College students created the City College International Club to support their fellow students from any place in the world, including the United States. According to Communications Promoter Eddie Rosenbaum, the idea behind the club is to integrate international students with the community by promoting diversity and cultural awareness. For those reasons, the international club arranges social gatherings so participants can truly experience some of the traditions they talk about during the meetings. Currently, they have been trying

Career Continued from Page 10 “I guess I was the cheerleader in the district,” Schamu joked. “The leader of the chorus I guess you could say.” What’s next for Schamu? The busy man will hardly be sitting around. Aside from offering free construction management services to his church, which is doing a million dollar renovation, Schamu will continue to work on his three loves: a 1957 Thunderbird, a

Summer Continued from Page 10 ness director Paul Greer there are three important steps to working out and staying fit. The first, according to Greer you must find something you enjoy, whether it’s running, biking or playing tennis. “Create an environment where exercise is a passion,” Greer said. “What happens is people treat exercise like they do their taxes, they only do it once a year,” he added. Greer said the second step is to join a group of friends that enjoy the same type of physical activities as you do. Finally, Greer said it’s most important to establish a goal. “A goal has to be two things, realistic and achievable,” Greer said. A goal can be anything, according to Greer, it just needs to create motivation and provide a drive to succeed. “Without having a goal, you’re less likely to follow through,” Greer said. Greer also recommends some sort of reward for achieving the goal, but said that he doesn’t suggest food as one. “Once you accomplish that goal, start it over, make a new goal this way you stay fit,” Greer said “The process doesn’t end it’s a life long process,” he added Along with those three steps Greer said he recommends keeping a journal

a variety of international kitchens, which is a foundation of the club. Next is a taste of South America, where club members will go out and try the famous Brazilian skewered barbecue. Each person gets to choose his/her own steaks cut off from giant chunks of assorted meats, all cooked from rare to well-done and served in long metal sticks by rotating servers. Besides promoting diversity with culinary appreciation, the club also attempts to achieve cultural awareness by forming a group of international representatives at City College. The club encourages its members to voice stories from their homelands through short speeches, generating diverse topics of discussion during their meetings. “We welcome anyone who is interested in cross-cultural communications,” said Secretary Reiko Seri. “We don’t exclude anybody for any reason.” The International Club members invite newcomers to join their meetings at 1 p.m. every Friday on campus. They are reached at http://icsdcc. blogspot.com/ or by e-mail at internationalclubsd@gmail.com.

1959 Corvette, and a 1949 Ford Woody. Schamu also hasn’t ruled out helping the district with upcoming projects, and says he is eligible to be re-hired on an hourly bases if the district needs help for whatever reason. Even though most students don’t know Schamu by name, he said everything he did over the past 27 years, was for them. “I was here to serve you the student,” he explained. “I think everyone needs to remember that. Without you, teachers, college police, janitors, district employees, we would all be out of a job.” For his retirement party, Schamu

for working out and eating. “The more we are aware or ourselves and our habits, we are in a better position to change those habits,” Greer said. For more information on fitness and getting slim for summer, Greer recommends a trip the City’s fitness center where there are class schedules for all types of fitness classes. Not all students are preparing for the beaches. “I’m not going to spend all my time in the gym.” Student Omar Morales said. Adding that he would rather ride his bike or just walk. “I walk about two miles everyday,” Morales Said. But he won’t be walking to the beaches this summer. “I don’t go to the beach very often, the beaches here in San Diego are much too crowded,” said Morales Morales said he plans to spend his summer taking a course in biology and making music in his home. Lynne Callahan, 46, said she is ready for the summer and the beach. “Ocean Beach is my favorite beach, I used to live there for 13 years,” Callahan said. Callahan said she plans to take a total of eight units during the summer semester. Summer school isn’t what has this City student waiting for the summer sunshine though; Callahan has plans to visit Graceland and Elvis Presley’s 14acre estate located in Memphis, Tenn. “I’m going to Graceland in August, and I can’t wait,” Callahan said.

Dean Continued from Page 10

‘Even though I’m retired I still have a lot to do.’

He also taught at that same school for some time. When he left Los Angeles, Butler was only at City College as a temporary dean. At the same time, he also held a teaching position at Miramar College for one year, until he received a call asking to come back to City College as a full-time dean. “I was actually invited back to City College,” he said. Faculty members here at City College said they have a lot of admiration for Butler because of the trust and experience he has. The San Diego City College newspaper has a lot to thank Butler for. With the help of Roman Koenig, journalism adviser, the newspaper has had a complete makeover. Butler hired Koenig in 2003. “Roman is phenomenal,” Butler said. “Before, the paper was like a flyer.” He added, “I’m very proud of the accomplishments and awards the paper has won.” Koenig had nothing but good things to say about Butler. They both met in August 2003 when Koenig was first hired. “He trusted my experience,” he said. “As a new dean at the time, he had a new fresh approach.” Another adviser Butler is responsible for hiring is Mark DeBoskey, manager for KSDS Jazz 88.3 radio station on campus.

Also at the radio station is Joe Kocherhans, music director/operations of KSDS radio, who thought very highly of Butler. “Winston was a good guy,” Kocherhans said. “He was very supportive of the arts and radio station. He was cordial, easy to work with. Once in a while, he would call in and request a song.” “The station is popular with the community,” Butler said. “They sponsor art in San Diego County.” Along with his teaching profession, Butler has worked with legendary musicians along the way, as well as doing a little traveling. “I’ve worked with Herbie Hancock, Chaka Khan,” he continued, “and I’ve traveled all over the world.” Butler has had an busy life — teaching, working with talented musicians, traveling all over the world. Now he wants to take a break. However, is it possible? “Even though I’m retired I still have a lot to do,” Butler said. “I’ve got letters of recommendation to write, papers to look at, I’m still working.”

wants nothing fancy. Just a picture of every building he played a part in building over the years. He wants to display those pictures on the wall at his farewell party, so every one will know how he and his colleagues have changed the

campuses for the better. “I’m so proud of what we’ve done,” Damon said. “I will miss it a lot. It’s what I’ve done my whole life. I will miss the folks I’ve worked with, and most of all I will miss helping the students.”

ea d n Lt

e

Learn, th

May 22, 2007

a

4 191 ince …S

— Winston Butler, retiring dean of Arts and Humanities

City College Summer Classes June 5 - June 30 June 11 - July 14 June 20 - August 14 July 16 - August 18 Fall Classes - Plan Ahead! August 27, 2007

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SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT City College • Mesa College • Miramar College • Continuing Education


14

ARTS

City Times

May 22, 2007

‘Newscene’ students up for major award By Lindsay Gross Contributor “And the Emmy goes to…” Sitting, waiting, crossing fingers and toes, you anxiously await to see if it is your name that they call. For Tony Sanchez, Benjamin Cruz, Micaela Arroyo, and Jon Aiello that is what they will be feeling the night of June 16 when they attend the NATASPacific Southwest Chapter. They are not your typical television students though. They are the producers of “Newscene” and “Newscene en Espanol,” a 30-minute show that is made up of the week’s biggest stories and packages that happen on campus and around the city. Every Friday they head to the studio to film their programs that later air at 6 p.m. on i16TV on Cox Cable.

Laura Castañeda is the professor that helps get her students ready for the real world of producing a TV show. Castañeda produces and hosts her own show that recently aired on KPBS-TV and Cox Channel 4. She has won two local Emmys for her show, “Stories de la Frontera,” one in 2005 and the other in 2006. She is able to use the experience that she has and pass it on to her students so that they also are successful producing their own shows. It seems that Castañeda’s dedication to her students’ success has paid off. Unanimously, the four students that are nominated said that they credit Castañeda for their achievement in receiving the nominations. “She not only encourages us that anything’s possible but is the motivating drive behind us all

and she makes sure we stay focused on our goals,” said Jon Aiello. The Emmy award is exact same award that we have seen on TV, except this is regional, meaning it covers only the Pacific Southwest including San Diego, Las Vegas, Santa Barbara, Bakersfield, and Palm Springs. “I think with the ‘Newscene en Espanol’ we have a great chance to win, especially because it is the first city college student produced Spanish show and it has great human interest stories as well with sports and entertaining stories with great graphics. We worked really hard on it and you can just tell. It is a great show,” said Micaela Arroyo on whether or not she has a good chance at winning an Emmy. Certainly, Castañeda has something to gloat about.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to see my students’ successes. Even though I am there to guide them, this really their nomination -- I always tell them, I am here to help and guide but it’s their show each week, good or bad. When they have a great show, I’m proud of them, and when they have a bad show, I’m still proud of them for trying if they did their best and learn from their mistakes,” said Castañeda. There is a lot of hard work that goes into making just a 30-minute show. As a producer you have to oversee everything from being on time, accuracy of information, having great camera people, good video footage, and having a great team of broadcast writers. If you think you have what it takes to be a producer then the RTV 145 class is what you are looking for.

Broadcasting student leaving City to make her mark at NBC By Brittany Arquette City Times From a cheerleader in Mexico to an NBC video editor, City student Micaela Arroyo has had a long, hard two years. But this June as she accepts her diploma, she’ll put those troubles behind her and look ahead to the future. “My dream is to be a reporter for ESPN Deportes and cover everything form NCAA Football, to MLB, to UFC, just every single sport,” Arroyo said. Growing up in Mexico, Arroyo got the opportunity to meet several sports reporters while cheerleading for a triple A baseball team. She says those influences motivated her to pursue her dream of being a network sports reporter. But in Mexico, the opportunity of becoming a female sports reporter was slim. “I knew I had to come to the U.S. because of the limited opportunities in Mexico. But it was hard to get myself here,” Arroyo explained. “My parents

and I had to save money for a year in order to have enough money to prove to the school I could pay for my tuition as well as books and all my living expenses.” Once arriving at City, Arroyo jumped right into the world of broadcast journalism. She joined Laura Castañeda’s Newscene class, where she got the opportunity to start filming, writing, and editing her own sports pieces. Castañeda said from the moment she saw Arroyo, she knew the girl was going places. “Every once in a while, a student comes along and you say to yourself ‘that young lady will make something of herself’,” Castañeda said. “And that was the case with Micaela Arroyo. Since the day she walked into one of my classes, I’ve admired her tenacity and her always positive attitude.” Castañeda went on to say there is no doubt in her mind we’ll be watching Arroyo reporting sports nationally one

day, and getting paid the big bucks. While Arroyo looks up to reporters Oscar Soria and Anderson Cooper, she says Castañeda is also one of her biggest influences. “Laura has taken me under her wing and helped me out in so many ways. She’s my angel,” Arroyo said. “Being in Newscene has taught me everything I need to know to go into the real world and work in a newsroom. From the technical side of things, to the writing side, and even the camera side.” It seems Arroyo, who has been nominated for several student Emmy’s, is already on her way. Last year, she started reporting traffic part time for many local radio stations. Now, only one month shy of graduating, she has started working at NBC 7/39 as a video editor. A huge step for Arroyo into the world of broadcasting. “One of our Newscene instructors, Chris Acedo, works at NBC and informed me they we’re hiring for bilingual video editors,” she said. “I went ahead and sent in my resume tape and the next thing I know, they called me in for an interview!”

As things are coming together for Arroyo, she says she is beginning to see the big picture, a picture that was blurred in the past. “The past two years have been like a storm of knowledge that had a big cloud in front of me,” Arroyo said. “I always knew there was something behind it, but I didn’t know if it was ever going to be clear. But now, it’s clearing up, and I can see that there is so much more past that cloud.” With only a few weeks left until graduation, Arroyo is already excited to take her fresh diploma home and show her parents what she has accomplished. “Graduation will be a turning point. A new beginning, and a great achievement,” Arroyo said. “Especially for my parents, who didn’t have the opportunities they have given me. I can’t wait to get that degree and give it to them and make them proud.” Arroyo also thanked John Hildebrand, Mike Kaye. Craig Chatfield. Larry Quick, Roz Jordan, Chris Acedo and all of her Newscene classmates from the past two years. She said she couldn’t have done it without them.

Actors ready for their close-ups By Berlyn James Wieland Contributor Every Monday and Wednesday at 11:10 a.m., 16 actors gather to improve their arts in the film and TV class. San Diego actor Spike Sorrentino has been teaching this small group of 16 traits to perfecting the art of acting for film over the past 13 weeks. The class had featured projects throughout the semester, varying from monologues to improvisation and also, two person scenes. Highlighted scenes and monologues came from acclaimed movies such as, “Reservoir Dogs,” “Garden State” and “Heathers.” To mention a few. As the class proceeded toward the later parts of the semester, Sorrentino expressed the importance of a solid final project. “Their final projects are their ideas, and I sit down with them and talk about ideas they are having for their project,”

Scott Continued from Page 9

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meteorology from Mississippi State University. He then moved back to San Diego, his hometown where he says that he feels blessed to be able to work in his hometown.

Sorrentino said. On average the class is able to shoot 1.5 scenes per day. The reason it is so time consuming is that Sorrentino makes the atmosphere as professional as possible, running multiple cameras, and multiple angles, as well as different lighting aspects and the usage of “extras” in each scene. Many students said they feel blessed by the techniques that are getting incorporated into their projects. Many of them feel that Spike enables them to a get a sense of what the next level of acting is. Mostly because he has been there. “I mean, he was the president of the Screen Actors Guild chapter in San Diego for like 20 years,” Anderson said. All film projects will reach their completion date by May 30, when Sorrentino said the whole class will spend those two hours having a party and watching each other’s projects that all the hopeful actors spent so much time on.

In addition to predicting the weather on KUSI 51, he also is a feature reporter where he has a children’s show, “Wonders of the Wild” and teaches meteorology at Grossmont College. Scott has one more talent to add to his repertoire. He is a jazz artist in a local band playing the trombone, singing and writing albums. He also is an accomplished soloist, playing various clubs around the city.


May 22, 2007

City Times 15

NEWS / LIFE

Darfur genocide is student’s call to action By Brittany Arquette City Times

Francisco Moreno / Courtesy Photo Will Fuentez, urban studies and planning major, presents his report during the Student Symposium on April 18.

Speak Continued from Page 3 Tijuana’s CETYS Universidad also sponsored the event on April 18. The May 2 event was City’s Third Annual Student Symposium, organized by Moreno and the Sociology Department. It was another opportunity for students to present their research about current issues related to sociological and economical relationships and show case their essays on bulletin boards through out Gorton Quad. “I recommend students to participate in public speaking,” said student Giselle Covington. “I felt honored to participate.”

Tests Continued from Page 3 als return to Student Health Services to obtain their results. The oral test is just as accurate as blood tests. Included with the testing are free condoms and prevention counseling for those who are interested. The test is free. The only cost to the students is the time it takes to fill out some paperwork and perhaps wait a few minutes if the line is long. City College student Justine, who has utilized some of the services provided at the Student Health Center said, “HIV testing is important to everyone, but not everyone can afford to get it done. Because the tests here are free, I think more people will take advantage of a good opportunity.” Carina Lopez, who works for San Diego Family Care, a nonprofit organization that does in-house and community work collaborates with City’s Student Health Services and said the Student Health Service here is more inviting than at other campuses. Lopez, who has previously worked with organizations such as the San Diego Boys and Girls club as well as on other campuses such as Mesa College, said “this is the best clinic I’ve worked with.” No appointments are necessary for the testing. They do not want to create any barriers and

Will Fuentez, Urban Studies and Planning Major, who’s topic was about America’s perception of legal and illegal immigration said that he was grateful for the opportunity to present his essay at both symposiums. “I wanted to understand why there are some people with negative perceptions of immigration and at the same time, why there is a large portion of the United Sates that do embrace cultural diversity,” Fuentez said about explaining his research topic. Both symposiums gave students an outlet so they could feel comfortable in speaking out about issues that concern them and their peers. Moreno said he hopes that both symposiums will continue every semester.

want to cater to as many people as possible, Lopez said. According to Lopez, there has been a very good response at City College and she praises Cordell for the high student turnout. To get students attention, Cordell posts flyers, sends emails to teachers and other campus officials asking them to inform their students about the service. She also does what she calls “sprinkling reminders” around the campus. This involves printing out the time and location of the testing on small pieces of paper and dropping them around campus in hopes that students will pick them up and come in for testing. While all the methods are effective, Cordell said that “having a visit from a nurse, one on one with the class really motivates the students most.” According to Lopez, the numbers are steady and there are 40,000 new cases of HIV in the U.S. alone every year. It is estimated that 25 percent of individuals infected with HIV don’t know and could be spreading the virus. “We are taking this very seriously because no one is immune,” Lopez said. For more information visit the Student Health Services Center in room A-116. Center hours are, Monday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 8 a.m. - 7:30 p.m., and Friday 8. a.m.- 1 p.m., or contact by phone at (619) 3383450.

Genocide might not be a common word in most Americans’ vocabulary, but across the Atlantic, where millions of people in Darfur, Sudan, are being slaughtered and forced out of there homes, the word genocide is all too common. “I didn’t realize genocide was still happening today,” said City College student Katheryn Bush. “People are still struggling for what we have.” Bush is a human rights activist at City who is determined to spread the word about Darfur, where 400,000 natives have been murdered and over two million have been forced to flee their homes and live in refugee camps because of their culture, race, and beliefs. “I use to think all I could do is just sit around and feel bad for these people, but we can make a difference. We can start right here in San Diego.”

Rights Continued from Page 8 have to convince the government and a lot of people that believe in the death penalty. You have to put it on a personal level.” Shi Tao, a Chinese journalist who used his Yahoo! account to send an e-mail to a U.S.based pro-democracy Web site, was arrested by police in November 2004 and charged with “illegally providing state secrets to foreign entities.” In his e-mail, Journalist Shi Tao sumShi Tao marized a government order to downplay the upcoming 15th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Authorities used information provided by Yahoo! to convict him in April 2005 and sentenced him to 10 years in prison. As one of AI’s Special Focus Cases, petitions were available to sign in support of freeing Shi Tao. Eneri Rodriguez, graduate professor of women’s studies at San Diego State, conducted the workshop on what is being termed, ‘femicide’ in Juarez, Mexico. According to her presentation, murders began in 1993, “then grew to an epidemic.” Rodriguez attributes the murders to “an upset in the gender balance” as women began to replace men in the maquiladoras, or assembly plants, angering the local male population. Rodriguez also cited other factors such as NAFTA’s chapter 11 failure to enforce policies to protect women in the workplace, encouraging audience members to raise awareness of NAFTA’s shortcomings by joining groups like the Mexican Solidarity Network to help the women of Juarez (www.mexicosolidarity.org).

Bush is now far from “just sitting around.” She is working with Amnesty, a worldwide movement of people who are fighting for international human rights. She also is trying to start an anti-genocide chapter in STAND, a nationwide high school/college club that promotes equality among all types of people. “I got the idea to start a club on Martin Luther King Day,” she said. “I was at the World Beat Center and a man named Francis Reed spoke on stage. He said, ‘People in my country are getting killed and tortured because of their skin colors and beliefs.’ After that I wanted to do something. I wanted to help.” She since has volunteered at a local refugee camp as a tutor and recently worked with Amnesty at a film festival. But so far, with 15 students behind her, no official chapter of STAND has been started. “We need to get everyone in

San Diego involved. The only thing stopping us is the universal belief that there’s nothing we can do. If people do a little research they’ll learn how much they alone can do,” Bush said. “There’s so many web sites out there where they can find ways to help. San Diego should become especially involved because we have so many refugees from Darfur living here who were hurt and tortured.” With Iraq and politics always frontlining the news, Bush said she believes some Americans may have still be unaware of the situation in Darfur. “Before Martin Luther king Day, I had known about Darfur, but I really hadn’t heard anything in a while, but that doesn’t mean genocide isn’t happening,” she said. To find out how to be a part of the club, e-mail Bush at katherynbush@gmail .com. To learn more about the genocide in Darfur, visit www.savedarfur.org.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights In 1948, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed this Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) a common standard of achievement for all people and all nations. To that end, every member of society must keep the declaration constantly in mind and strive by teaching and education to promote respect for all these rights and freedoms. In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations has stated in clear and simple terms the rights that belong equally to every person. — As provided by Amnesty International

Understanding ‘femicide’ Femicide: The misogynist killing of women by men and represents a continuation of sexual assault. — Diana H. Russell, feminist sociologist More than 450 women have been murdered with more than 400 missing since Jan. 23, 1993. Most of these women are maquiladora workers and between the ages of 11-25. Almost all of the cases remain unresolved. In 2005 the death toll averaged about two bodies found per week. Women are abducted, missing for a period of time, found murdered — often with evidence of sexual mutilation/torture and rape. Some patterns show that women’s organs have been extracted, while others display markings on backs and other areas. Bodies are often found dismembered, with burned faces, body parts missing and other irregularities. Contributing factors include: NAFTA/globalization/capitalism, poverty, migration, patriarchy, and impunity/corruption. — As provided by Eneri Rodriguez

Michael Dunford, cognitive science major, felt the presentation was helpful and was glad to learn about NAFTA’s policies saying, “Something needs to be done to stop this.” The Intervarsity Christian Fellowship was also present adding a more spiritual element to the event, providing participants with markers and a blank canvas to “write, draw, express your thoughts” about God in the midst of human rights atrocities. Students expressed skepticism, “Which God?”, or “I think God’s man made.” Others found humor, “God is white so he is napping,” or “Hiding in the devil with the details,” and “You are God.” One student, a

Catholic from Sudan, read the responses, sighed, and wrote her own, “Allah is everywhere.” Jacki Boynes, biology major and member of Intervarsity, said students responded to the question as she expected. “We have so many walks of life on this campus. Some have strong backgrounds with God and believe He exists, others believe God doesn’t care.” Rachel Brewer, current president of the City chapter of Amnesty International, said she is excited about AI at City and hopes more students join in the coming semesters. To find out more, visit www.freewebs. com/aicity or www.amnestyusa. org.


16

SPORTS

City Times

May 22, 2007

Knights badminton takes championship for a second time By Shanika Whaley City Times The San Diego City College Knights scored another championship victory. This makes it the second year in a row that the women’s badminton has taken home the championship title. The San Diego Women’s Badminton team are the number one team for the second year in a row. The Knights played against other teams from San Diego, as well as teams from Orange County. San Diego Mesa, Skyline, Grossmont College and Irvine College teams played as well, but it was the Knights who outplayed them all. Single matches and double matches were played throughout the day. One game in particular featured two players from City College who really gave the opposing team a run for their money. Ha Tu, Freshman, player number four and Stephanie Fong, number three also a freshman, played a double match against San Diego Mesa. Not to say that Mesa didn’t give it their all, but the Knights asserted more force and energy into the match. During the first round of the match, Fong and Tu had great control over their positions, covering the front and back court, both players went for everything that came at them. Fong applied forceful slams to the

Mesa team, which seemed to be too much for the front row player. While in the back, Tu covered everything that came at her. She would not let that birdie touch the floor. Single matches were just as amazing to watch as the double games. One player in particular from Skyline College was a good opponent to play against, despite her distractions. She had blond and black spikey hair, that stood straight up, a very thin frame and a big black t-shirt on that read “SKYLINE.” If that’s not a distraction, then her forceful slams were. But nonetheless, the player from the City College kept her head straight, not to be distracted during the match. This match featured nothing but powerful plays and slams. This Knight didn’t let anything past her, moving side to side, front to back, she didn’t stand still. San Diego City College is the third college to win a badminton championship. The team is coached by Son Nguyen, a second year coach and also a badminton player for many years. This is the second year that the Knights finished the season undefeated 12- 0. “Yeah, their good,” said Angie Duran from the City College Athletics Department. “I come every time they have a game.”

Alan Decker / Contributor Jim Colbert (top photo) and students practice kickboxing in Gorton Quad on May 2.

Kicking into fitness Do you like to push yourself to the limit to see exactly what it is that you’re made of? Or if you work out to the point where you feel like your chest is going to explode (and like that feeling), then I know your type. You’re the type that likes to reach new pinnacles in your workout. You’re the type that needs to try Muay Thai kickboxing, and if you haven’t, then why the hell not? This extreme sport is the answer to a dynamic workout that synthesizes the mind and body. It does this by training your mind to coordinate how your body will follow through with power, speed and accuracy of technique. Muay Thai Kickboxing is a type of lethal kickboxing that concentrates on punches, kicks and deadly blows from the elbows and knees. The class usually starts with total body conditioning and does this by starting the workout with running or jumping rope. This is just the beginning to the intense aerobic workout that kickboxing has to offer. It then moves onto various strenuous exercises that sharpen your fighting technique. The purpose of this physically and mentally demanding sport is to prepare you for the ultimate application of this training: to spar! What you’ll need to spar is a mouthpiece, protective body gear, hand wraps, boxing gloves and a cup. To be able to apply the techniques and combinations in the ring makes me giddy! I think it is a fun way to work out and to push yourself to the

limit. In all of my columns so far I have had to seek out extreme sports off campus, but this time I was able to observe Jim Colbert’s class at City. He fuses Muay Thai Kickboxing, American boxing, and Okinawan martial arts. His purpose is to create a controlled environment where his students are comfortable and also safe to spar. Another aspect that puts a spin on the usual style of Muay Thai is his philosophy that he integrates into the class. “Learn how to win a fight without ever throwing a punch,” and “The Martial Arts remain true to their roots- which lie in ways to not get in a fight, and admonitions that the Rosemarie Davis ultimate goal is not victory over an opponent but perfection of one’s character,” are a couple of his sayings. Colbert’s students take his tips to heart and enjoy his class. Colbert even has a former professional kickboxer that trains in his class. Abel Jimenez, 24, physical education major, says training in this environment is better than at some other outside gyms and that there is less pressure. Another one of Colbert’s students, Gabriel Rodriguez, 19, sign language major, says that in this kickboxing class he gets the discipline he needs in a workout. Also, one of the things he likes most about this class is that it’s more affordable than other gyms.

SportsOnTheEdge

Rosemarie Davis is a City Times staff writer

www.sdcitytimes.com


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