Contact us: (619) 388-3880 / citytimes@gmail.com
Read us online: www.sdcitytimes.com
Knights no match for Palomar Comets
There’s more to tattoos than art and story
Sports, page 8
TAKE NOTE Student elections only online This year the Associated Student Government will be holding elections only online. Voting will be held April 28- May 2 around the clock. The Office of Student Affairs will announce the applicants who are eligible to campaign April 8 at 3:30 p.m. An election forum will be held for the student body to meet their candidates April 16. — Nailah Edmondson
Earth Day Fair food and fun for all City College will play host to a fair that will help students celebrate and appreciate the earth. The Environmental Stewardship Committee will be holding an Earth Day Fair on April 24. The fair will include music, dancing, fun, food and facts. So whether you are a music, food or earth lover, this fair will have something for you. The fair will provide information on environmental sustainability as well as fun games with prizes for the winners. The fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Gorton Quad. Admission is free, so bring as many friends as you can rally. For more information you may visit the school website: www.sdcity. edu/events.asp You may also e-mail Karon Klipple with any questions or concerns at kklipple@sdccd.edu — Kristina Long
Life & Times, page 5
CityTimes
Volume 62, Number 13
Covering the San Diego City College community since 1945
Reported threat puts campus on alert Daivd McAtee City Times Campus Police were on high alert the week of April 7 in response to a report from the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department which stated that a man released April 2 from jail in Sacramento planned to commit a shooting on a San Diego County college campus. The man, Thai Thanh Dang, made the claim while in jail, but did not state which campus he intended
to perpetrate the crime on, authorities reported. Dang has since been located and is in the custody of the Sacramento Police Department. Police on campuses around the county were taking extra precautions with warnings of suspicious behavior, according to City College Police Sergeant Diane Medero. “Campus police are putting in extra patrol. We’re asking everyone to be vigilant,” she stated April 7. The report was released by the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department
INDEX News/Calendar........................2-3 Arts............................................4 Opinion.......................................6 Sports........................................8
on April 6. According to Rich Dittbenner, the director of Public Information and Government Relations for the San Diego Community College District, Dang didn’t appear to be in the area. “But in this day and age, this is something we have to pay attention to. All police in the area are alert because [Dang] had mentioned San Diego. If he had said Phoenix, police in Phoenix would be just as alert,” Dittbenner said April 7.
Thai Thanh Dang
Students ages 23-24 less likely to be insured Shevaun Brandom City Times
Health and Safety Fair April 16 San Diego Community College Campus Police will host this year’s Health and Safety Fair Wed. April 16 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Gorton Quad located in front of the cafeteria. The event will include free health exams and a blood drive, as well as a presentation on HIV, AIDS awareness and protection given by Professor Ellen Turkel and the women’s health class. Other services that will be available include, blood pressure readings from the nursing program and booths attended to by organizations such as MADD and The American Heart Association where attendees can gather information on health services. — Evonne Ermey
April 15, 2008
Spring production in full swing Performers rehearse before opening weekend for Saville Theatre’s production of the musical “42nd Street.” The show will run every Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., April 11-27 at the Saville Theatre, 1313 Park Blvd. For tickets call (619) 388-3676. See a dress rehearsal review in Arts, page 4.
Photos by Heather Richards City Times
Many people nationwide are uninsured, and students are a significant portion of that population. Expensive health care is just one of the problems that face uninsured students and other uninsured, but there are health insurance options. According to Aetna, a health care benefits company, there are over 45 million Americans that lack health insurance. Aetna indicates that college students make up 10 percent of the uninsured nationwide. In 2003, The Chickering Group, a student health care advocate, reported that 38 percent of students between the ages of 23-24 are uninsured. California has one of the largest uninsured populations in the nation. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, in his Jan. 2007 press release, stated that 6.5 million Californians were uninsured for at least part of the year. Many colleges and universities now require students to carry health insurance. University of California (UC) students are required to either pay the university health fee or to prove that they have private health insurance. With
few exceptions, a state mandate requires all community colleges students to pay a health fee in which coverage varies school to school. At San Diego City College many medical services, including office visits, are provided free of charge. Other services are available at nominal or reduced charges. This is a health service, not health insurance. Unless it’s an accident that occurs on campus, any injury or illness that cannot be treated by student health services is not covered. For more information, visit Student Health Service at room A-116 or call (619) 388-3450. Lack of health insurance is expensive for everyone. “More than 60 emergency rooms have closed over the past decade because they didn’t want to keep treating people without insurance. Unpaid medical bills mean billions of dollars in hidden taxes for the rest of us because those services all have to be paid for. So we pay higher deductibles, costs for treatment, premiums and co-pays,” Governor Schwarzenegger said in a 2007 press release. Health care is also expensive for the uninsured.
See INSURANCE, page 2
2
NEWS / CALENDAR
City Times
Insurance Continued from page 1 According to Tonik, a health insurance option directed to a younger crowd, the average hospital stay is $7,175 per day. Also, the same treatments frequently cost more for the uninsured than insurance companies pay for their insured clients. “… Hospital services were often 2.5 times what most health insurers actually paid and more than three times the hospital’s Medicare-allowable costs. The gaps between rates charged to self-pay patients and those charged to other payers are much wider than they were in the mid1980s,” wrote Gerard F. Anderson, Professor at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School Public Health, in a June 2007 Health Affair article. The uninsured often don’t seek medical help early, which can lead to more serious, and more expensive, complications. A 2008 American Cancer Society article states, “Uninsured or Medicaid-insured patients are far more likely to be diagnosed with an advanced stage cancer than those with private insurance, according to a new American Cancer Society study of 3.5 million cancer patients with 12 of the most common cancer types. What’s more, many of those advanced cancers were types that could have been detected early through proper screening.” Furthermore, pre-existing conditions can lead to problems for the uninsured when seeking health insurance. According to CalHealth.net at Goodacre Insurance
Services, “…a carrier can increase your rates or decline/defer coverage altogether based on your pre-existing conditions.” These troubles can affect an uninsured student’s ability to stay in school. “Unanticipated health care expenses can easily derail a student’s college career and deferred care can have the same or worse out come,” Dr. Ralph Manchester, president of the American College Health Association, said in the publication Spectrum. A Sept. 2000 release from the UC Office of the President stated that an estimated 25 percent of students who dropped out did so for medical reasons and a significant number of those were linked to underinsurance. There are options for students to get health care insurance. Many students may be eligible for coverage under their parent’s plan. Often these plans have age restrictions. Being aware of age cut-offs can allow students to find new coverage and prevent a lapse in insurance coverage. Lapse in coverage can become a key issue when there are pre-existing conditions. Several insurance companies have relatively low-cost plans that cover major medical expenses. Tonik targets the young and healthy, offering relatively low-cost health plans. At Tonik, $87 a month can purchase a plan that limits the plan holder’s yearly medical expenses to $3,000. Coverage and costs very greatly between insurance plans. Students planning on attending a UC campus can purchase coverage through the university. Each university sets its own health fee. According to the 2007-2008 Governor’s budget, UC undergraduate students pay $878 on average for health care.
Voyage for Cleaner Energy Evonne Ermey City Times The World Cultures Program and the Environmental Stewardship Committee will welcome explorer and environmental pioneer Robert Swan to the Saville Theatre May 1 to talk about his boat the 2041 and the Voyage for Cleaner Energy. Swan’s voyage began in San Francisco on April 8 and will arrive in San Diego April 30 before continuing its 5 year journey around the world. During his trip,
N a t i o n a l
well as locations in Greece and Italy. For more information including costs and departure dates visit http://sdcity. edu/studyabroad/ — Evonne Ermey
U n i v e r s i t y
®
The degree
that was designed with
Grad Fair scheduled for April 29 and 30 at City College Kristina Long City Times Spring is here and graduation is just around the corner. April is the time to start your preparation for graduation. April 18 is the deadline to notify the Evaluations Office if you do not want your name printed in the program. You should also notify them by this date if you think you may be graduating with honors. If you are planning on participating in the graduation ceremony you must file an “Intent to Participate” form by May 21. Please be advised that without this form
you today!
The University of Values
© National University 2007
™
Weekly
n April 16 Red Cross, Blood Drive Gorton Quad 9 a.m.- 2:30 p.m.
n Tuesday Amnesty International B-202 2-3 p.m.
n April 16 College Police Health & Safety Fair Gorton Quad 8 a.m.- 1 p.m.
n Tuesday Study Skills Workshops L-214 4- 5 p.m. Tutorial/Learning Center 619-388-3685
n April 30 Open Registration for summer, all students, first come first serve!
National University
www.nu.edu/transfer
April
n April 30 Job/Career Fair Gorton Quad 10 a.m.- 1 p.m.
Transfer to
1.800.NAT.UNIV
Compiled by Shevaun Brandom 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
n April 28- May 2 Associated Student Government elections online at www.sdcity.edu
National University’s unique one-course-per-month format, including onsite and online courses, lets you finish your degree at an accelerated pace – while keeping up with work, family and friends. And, to make transferring even easier, qualifying California community college students are guaranteed admission! We have 27 campuses in California and offer financial aid and scholarships. Classes start each month and you can register at any time. So why wait?
you will not be able to purchase a cap and gown; the form will be available starting April 29 in the Evaluations Office. The Grad Fair will take place in Schwartz Square on April 29 and 30. There you will be able to order caps, gowns, photo frames, invitations and more. Be certain to take care of all forms and details before May 2, as this is the deadline for the “Interesting Facts/Achievements” form as well as the “Special Accommodations” form. For more information please contact the Evaluations Office in Room A-110 or the Student Affairs Office in Room D-106.
CALENDAR
n April 16 World Cultures Day/Language Day Gorton Quad 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
in mind.
Swan will lecture at different venues on the importance of environmental awareness while assembling an international alumni of young leaders to help in the fight for environmental solutions to today’s global problems. The Voyage for Cleaner Energy’s last port of call will be the 2012 World Summit of Sustainability in Asia where Swan will report the progress of his environmental mission to the United Nations. For more information on the Voyage for Cleaner Energy visit http://voyage.2041.com
Grab your cap and gown
Travel the world through Study Abroad program City College’s 2008 study abroad schedule gives students the opportunity to travel and learn in destinations such as, but not limited to, London, England, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Cuernavaca, Mexico, as
April 15, 2008
n Tuesday Alcoholic anonymous meeting D105 11 a.m.- 12 p.m. n Wednesday Associated Students Meeting D-105 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. n Tuesday Study Skills Workshops L-214 5 - 6 p.m. Tutorial/Learning Center 619-388-3685
April 15, 2008
NEWS
City Times 3
Conference to bring aid groups to City College Sonjiala Hotchkiss City Times
Nailah Edmondson City Times
Just a reminder: get healthy Paul Greer, director of the Fitness Center, reminds students of the opportunities available at the gym, which are free to all students, during the health fair on April 10 in Schwartz Square.
On Saturday, May 3, City College will host the Conference for International Relief Organizations (CIRO). Students interested in work and/or internships in areas such as international aid and peace negotiation will have the opportunity to network with executives and recruiters from several organizations. Professor Steve Bouscaren and Jelena Cingel with the help of City College honors students organized the Conference. CIRO is free to the public. It will start at 8:30 a.m. with a free continental breakfast, and end at 3 p.m. The Conference will feature the music of the group ZimBeat during the free lunch. President Terry Burgess will make the opening remarks. Organizations presently scheduled to send speakers include the Peace Corps, American Red Cross, International Rescue Committee, Survivors of Torture, Catholic Charities, Bilateral
Safety Corridor Coalition, Accion, and National Conflict Resolution Center. Dr. Dee Aker, Interim Director of the University of San Diego International Institute for Peace and Justice, will give the keynote address. Henri Migala, Executive Dean of Institutional Advancement at Cuyamaca College, will provide closing remarks. Speakers will highlight the skills and training they look for in potential employees and interns. The organizations in attendance provide help to people across the globe. They also provide both national and international job opportunities. Additional organizations on site with representatives, pamphlets and information include Amnesty International, Hostelling International, Citizens Diplomacy Council of San Diego and Project Concern International. Students interested in learning more about the Conference can visit the CIRO website; http://www.CIROatCityCollege. org.
Writers, editors, photographers mingle in L.A. Susan Roden City Times After nearly a 20-to-25-year hiatus, San Diego City College was represented at the Journalism Association of Community Colleges (JACC) state conference and walked away a winner on April 5. The City Times staff won three mail-in awards, stated adviser Roman Koenig through an online interview. Whitney Lawrence won second-place for a news profile story; Brittany Arquette, former staff member, won second-place for an opinion story; and Rebecca Saffran, former photo editor, won second-place for a news photo. Editor-in-Chief Nailah Edmondson also received a certificate. “When you consider that community colleges from across the state, and one Colorado school, submit entries for this conference, three top-three placements is fantastic,” Koenig said. Two regional divisions, NorCal and SoCal, comprise JACC, with Fresno and Santa Maria as the divisionary cities. Periodically, out-of-state colleges will also participate in the national conventions. This year’s weekend convention was held at the Wilshire Grand in Los Angeles. Whitney Lawrence, Shevaun Brandom, Alissa Wisniewski, Heather Richards and Andrew Murphy attended the event with Koenig,
and each participated in various workshops, seminars and competitions. “Whitney tried the on-thespot news competition at the last minute and got good deadline experience out of it,” said Koenig. Murphy, a journalism student, stated through an online interview that he attended two seminars. The first covered how American culture establishes and changes public policy with time. The second discussed magazine formatting, with a focus on how to write for publications and obtain a position in the field. “Even though I am not a member of the City Times staff, I feel very honored to have been recognized and given the opportunity to go and not only represent my school, but also network with other students,” Murphy said, after commenting on his gained knowledge and invaluable experience. The first time Koenig attended the JACC conference was as a community college journalism student, so he considered it a milestone to attend as an instructor. “It was a lot of fun to see it from the adviser’s side this time. I definitely look forward to going again,” Koenig said. And to top off an award-winning event, Koenig was one of the several advisers who received the “Extra Mile” award for his volunteer service to JACC.
ROMAN S. KOENIG Courtesy Photo Clockwise from left, Whitney Lawrence stands with Irv Cuevas, news producer from ABC 7 in Los Angeles, during a tour of the station’s news studio. Lawrence and Shevaun Brandom hold awards won by City Times staffers at the Journalism Association of Community Colleges state conference April 4 in Los Angeles. The conference ran April 3-6 at the Wilshire Grand hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
SHEVAUN BRANDOM City Times
4 City Times
ARTS
April 15, 2008
ARE YOU ON THE LIST ? HEATHER RICHARDS City Times
Melody Ward as Dorothy Brock (left) and a chorus girl sing in “42nd Street.”
‘42nd Street’ opens despite some bumps “I like the show … there are a lot of girls,” John Puente said, after seeing the production of “42nd street” at City College. “The music is good, I like the music … the topic is kind of … is kind of … boring.” Though theatre gods roll their eyes, Puente may have a point.
THEATER REVIEW Photos by DAVID McATEE City Times
Heather Richards
Athenaeum La Jolla’s A-List members hold lecture event
The story follows a troupe of actors putting on a show called “Pretty Lady.” The lead is Dorothy Brock, played by Melody Ward, an aging diva whose sugar daddy is financing the show. A young actress from Pennsylvania, Peggy Sawyer, played by Victoria Rees, gets a chance as a chorus girl and a young man named Billy, played by Isaac Jackson, falls in love with her. The show goes to Broadway, Brock breaks an ankle and Sawyer takes over as lead of the show. The inherent “charm” of “42nd Street,” as Director June Richards put it, was sometimes overshadowed by glitches in the dress rehearsal that will no doubt be amended in the opening. But the show sometimes struggled to reveal the tenor of its content except in the ensemble numbers. The play moved along quickly and was full of energy. However, the vigor and the heartbreak of the theatre business would have been lost, were it not for the ensemble songs which enchanted the dark theatre with the insatiable desires of those in show business. Billy’s voice swelled in “Beautiful Dames,” and the dancers were cute. The show slumbered in its opening numbers as though the actors were first acquainting themselves to the weight of a live audience and a full orchestra. The famous songs were hard to hear over the music and the feverish quest for stardom was a feverish quest for volume. Then, the bumping rhythm
A-List members mingle April 3 at the reception and lecture event hosted by the Athenaeum in La Jolla entitled “Convergence.”
DAVID McATEE City Times Artist Adam Belt’s newest installation at the Athenaeum in La Jolla features the unlikely natural substance of salt as the medium. The installation is entitled Convergence and explores the ways that salt is shaped by wind and water, as well as the interplay between nature and man-made structures. The installation is presented in the main gallery of the Athenaeum, on Wall Street in La Jolla. The pieces in the installation vary in presentation, with several blocks of concrete placed apart from each other in the main gallery forming deliberate obstruction to the salt itself, paintings, drawings, and an outdoor piece in front of the portico. Blocks of salt lay cracked on the floor, a square concrete pillar filled with salt stands in the corner, the top of which is hard and split. For one piece in particular, Belt placed a large pile of salt against the corner of a small concrete block and set an industrial fan to it for a period of a whole day. The result is a beautiful sweeping of salt resembling the coastline along the floor. The texture of the salt and its light reflective quality gives way to an oceanic effect on the floor. The accompanying paintings mimic this sentiment with large
square blocks of white hanging adjacent to the floor sculpture. The relief inset of the painting forms the San Diego coastline, with the Ocean Beach area clearly visible. According to Kristina Meek, the Public Relations Director for the Athenaeum, Belt was more interested in the effects of wind and water on the objects rather then the objects themselves. The pieces are curated about six weeks or so by the Art Committee to further develop a relationship between regional artists and the general public, a relationship that they have cultivated over the past fifty years. The goal of the Athenaeum’s membership in choosing regional artists is to offer people a fresh take on art in a social setting, where a younger group can take advantage of the gallery and library space. The Athenaeum instituted a new membership category in 2005 called the A-List, which caters more to that younger and hipper set of people who may not know about the Athenaeum. “It’s important that more people find out about the things we offer. It sounds strange, but for a while it seemed that no one under fifty knew about the Athenaeum,” Meek said in an interview. The A-List membership includes discounts and free passes to new exhibits and over 150 events per year.
In addition to three gallery spaces and a full library and reading room, the Athenaeum offers frequent concerts, lectures, art classes, and exhibits. The rotation of exhibits in the gallery spaces is sometimes curated as far as two or three
years in advance. Adam Belt’s Convergence installation will be presented at the Athenaeum’s Main Gallery until May 3, and is free to the public to view. For more information, visit www.ljathenaeum.org
See 42ND, page 7
LIFE&TIMES
April 15, 2008
Stories on skin
Mayumi Kimura City Times
Every tattoo has its story, and its risk Mayumi kimura City Times Tats. Ink. Art. Whatever you call them, and whether you love them or hate them; tattoos are here. They have become an ever yday existence; they are the norm. During the punk movement in the late 1970s, tattoos were the mark of outlaws, bikers and wild women. “I felt like a minority. I was always being judged. I knew what it felt to be a woman of color, because I was a woman of color,” said San Diego City College student Themis McClung, who now has almost 55 percent of her body covered in tattoos. “I got my first tattoo when I was 15. I had always wanted to be different. I wanted to be the nonconformist; and during that time having a tattoo was so taboo. But that first one really was the beginning to the end.” Times have obviously changed, a sur vey in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology in 2004 found 24 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 50 have a tattoo. “It’s great; I never thought I would see the day when ink would become so mainstream. Ever y-
one is so nice to me now. I feel like a celebrity,” said McClung. However, just as the popularity in tattoos continues to increase, so does the regret. According to Elizabeth McBurney, professor for the American Academy
Points that should stick n Get recommendation for an artist/shop from someone who has already had it done. n Have a look round the studio first and check it looks hygienic and tidy. n The only safe way to ensure the equipment is sterilized is to use an autoclave. This is a sterilizer which is much more effective than alcohol or disinfectant. Ask to see it. n Your tattooist must use a clean, sterile needle every time and all equipment must be sterilized between clients. n Your tattooist or piercer should wear fresh, disposable sterile gloves and all used materials must be kept away from sterile equipment. n Your tattooist should use fresh ink in new containers. — Courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
of Dermatology, the laser tattoo removal business has rose from 1 percent to as much as 10 in the last decade. “I have some ink that I wish I had thought through more carefully. I have a few tattoos that could be interpreted as racist. But that was another life. See TATTOO, page 7
City Times 5
International student’s journey a powerful one SUSAN RODEN City Times The journey to the unfamiliar country was great, with many miles traveled from home. The destination, San Diego City College, is the road of opportunity to her future. It was a long 32 hours for international student Lize Mesquita to travel from Brazil to a country with different language, food and culture after leaving her family and home life behind. SDCC received eligibility to host international students on August 27, 1970. Currently, there are 49 international students in comparison to a student body of more than 15,000, according to International Student Specialist Dora Meza. Admission requirements are stringent, time consuming and necessitate validation of many facts. A two-page application, photograph and $100 deposit starts the admittance process. Official transcripts need to be presented in English or accompanied with a notarized academic credential evaluation form. When asked about the low minimal high school standard GPA (grade point average) of 2.0 on the transcripts, Yasenia Gonzales, City counselor, said the majority score much higher. “These students are very ambitious and the sky is the limit,” said Gonzales, who noted international students typically aspire and suc-
cessfully transfer to big-league colleges after attaining an associate degree from City. Locally touted as the inexpensive primary route to a higher education, students pay $20 a credit hour and can be enrolled part or full time. Yet international students incur, with inclusion of living expenses, an estimated $17,500 worth of costs for a school year and must maintain full-time status. Housing is not provided, which leaves the international student to locate one’s own in a foreign country. Mesquita discovered City College on the internet and was immediately attracted to the program, noting a similarity between San Diego and her hometown, Fortaleza. Both are sunny coastal cities. Fortaleza is located at the northeast corner of Brazil, in the state of Ceara. The population is well over 3 million and revered for its urban beaches. With Portuguese as her native tongue, Mesquita needed to demonstrate the ability to speak and comprehend English on a college level. City College requires international students to pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for admittance, unless a college-level English composition course was passed in the U.S. In an unrelated program to attain language proficiency, Mesquita lived with three different
See JOURNEY, page 7
Tips to get much more for much less By now you’re cutting coupons, checking advertised specials and starting to see the value of shopping at thrift stores. You’re beginning to know how far your dollar can go. Good. There are several ways to cut corners and survive even the hardest of times. Many times I have lived on a bag of potatoes or top ramen. There were times I ate plain pasta or beans for a week. Sacrificing sometimes is necessary. Making the decision to shop smart is up to you. Understanding when to buy and where to buy can mean the world of difference and add up to hundreds of dollars gained just by making sound judgments. I want you to know you CAN live in abundance. But you’ve got to be smart and you’ve got to think smart and most of all you have to incorporate good sense in your choices. For instance, take a little thing like laundry. Do you wear your clothes only once, or do you wear them a few times? Lessening the load come laundry time cuts down on time, detergent, money and wear on your clothes. Growing up, my mom made us use our towel for a week. After our
ADVENTURES OF THE FRU-GAL Heidi Stenquist shower we would have to hang it up to dry and that would be our towel for the week. I still practice this today. Try it. When we got home we hung up our school clothes and put on our play clothes. It seems reasonable to wash your clothes when they’re dirty, and that takes at least a couple wears. So don’t just throw your clothes on the floor for them to wrinkle, lay them out. I do two loads of laundry every two weeks. I know you can do it. Don’t you hate doing laundry anyway? Besides food in your belly and clothes and your back, let’s look at the roof over your head. A home can be made anywhere. Paying an exorbitant amount for rent can bog down your resources. Keep your eyes open for cheaper apartments. Having roommates cuts the
See FRU-GAL, page 7
6 City Times
OPINION
April 15, 2008
CityTimes Threat of anxiety outweighs school-shooting threat Volume 62, Issue 13 April 15, 2008 Published as: The Jay Sees / 1945-1949 Fortknightly / 1949-1978 City Times / 1978Incorporating the newspapers Tecolote, Knight Owl and Flicks Nailah Edmondson Editor-in-Chief Heather Richards News Editor Whitney Lawrence Opinion Editor David McAtee Arts Editor Photography Editor Shevaun Brandom Advertising Manager Calendar Editor Whitney Lawrence Alissa Wisniewski EJ Pennine Copy Editors Susan Roden Michele Suthers Graphic Artists
Law enforcement is seriously undermining our generation if information regarding a possible school shooting is only being put out on a need-to-know basis in fear of a widespread panic frenzy. Most of us were in grade school when tragedy struck Columbine High School, and even more fresh in our minds is the shooting at Virginia Tech almost exactly one year ago. Instead of informing students right away, VT campus police decided to spare students the stress of worrying about an armed gunman on campus and take matters into their own hands. We all know what happened next. So when San Diego police got word that Thai Thanh Dang, released from a Sacramento county jail at the end of March, allegedly planned to shoot up a San Diego college, why was it that students here at City weren’t made aware of any threat until April 7, when the City College Police posted the threat on their
EDITORIAL
City Times Editorial Board Web site? By the way, who regularly checks out the campus police Web site for … well for anything? In an article in University of California San Diego’s student newspaper, The Guardian, Lt. Sylvester Washington, of the San Diego Sheriff’s Department, said, “The information [the Sheriff’s Department] sent to the colleges was supposed to be intelligence, but it wasn’t supposed to be disseminated to the news like this, because it causes anxiety.” College students lie somewhere in the crossroads of the Information Age and a schoolshooting epoch, and it’s true — hearing that someone wants to come to San Diego to be the next school shooter is scary — but that the information would be withheld because of possible anxiety is just demeaning.
Parking causes anxiety. Exams, the price of textbooks, and the freshman 15 — those cause anxiety among college students. Telling us that we are under possible threat from a 22-year-old male (probably armed and dangerous) who looks like every fifth person on campus — that would be an appropriate preventative measure to help adults protect themselves, at least by deciding to stay home for a day or two. We can rest easy knowing that the Sacramento County Inmate Information Web site reports that Dang is back in custody, as of April 7, charged with “possession of assault weapon.” Dang is ineligible for bail and the type of arrest is described as “remand rearrest,” meaning he was sent back from whence he came. What we shouldn’t rest easy about is the fact that Dang is back in custody charged with possession of an assault weapon after reportedly threatening to shoot up one of San Diego’s colleges!
Preventative health care costs make me sick
URBANALITIES By Michele Suthers
Sonjiala Hotchkiss Shevaun Brandom Online Managers City Times Staff Evonne Ermey, Jacob Fredericks, Mayumi Kimura, Shannon Kuhfuss, Kristina Long, Heidi Stenquist
Co-payments and premiums are going to bleed my wallet dry
Roman S. Koenig Journalism Adviser
According to the Healthcare Marketplace Project, America spends almost 90 percent more on health care than other industrialized countries. We are home of the free, land of the brave, and owners of the most expensive health care in the world, and I, the quintessential starving student, have begun to feel the pinch. It seems that ever since I decided to rejoin the world of the health conscientious, insur-
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. District policy statement This publication is produced as a learning experience under a San Diego Community College District instructional program. All materials, including opinions expressed herein, are the sole responsibility of the students and should not be interpreted to be those of the college district, its officers or employees. How to reach us: City Times San Diego City College 1313 Park Blvd. San Diego, CA 92101 Newsroom: T-316 Phone: (619) 388-3880 Fax: (619) 388-3814 E-mail: citytimes@gmail.com News homepage: www.sdcitytimes.com Program homepage: www.sdcity.edu/citytimes Member: Journalism Association of Community Colleges, Associated Collegiate Press and California Newspaper Publishers Association
Well that clears that up — we should have considered him armed and dangerous because he was armed and dangerous. Just one thing — we couldn’t have considered him anything because no one told us to. And it could have easily been too late by April 6, when KUSI reported on the matter, or even April 7, when the Union-Tribune and our campus police ran the warning. While it’s great that no lesson was learned the hard way, some lesson needs to be taken from this and it is this: College students worry on a regular basis about finals and the beach booze ban this summer, but in the back of our minds we worry about things like al-Queda, and the fact that at any time some wacko can open fire on us during Poli-Sci 101. Let us weed out the hype, but if there are good, hard facts about a direct threat to us — those we should know about before it is too late.
VIEWPOINT Do more to prevent mentally ill from harming students The following editorial was published April 11 by the Boston University Daily Free Press, distributed through U-WIRE It reflects a sad state of affairs when it takes a national tragedy for a state to reform its mental illness statutes, but sometimes officials need a wakeup call to act. Virginia Gov. Timothy Kaine signed a series of laws recently aimed at better treating the commonwealth’s mentally ill — an altruistic reform, no doubt, and one that should embarrass and motivate the remaining states to reform their appallingly poor mental health safety nets. Still, despite all the safety conferences and alert systems universities held after the Virginia Tech massacre, which happened a year ago, colleges have yet to do all that is
VIEWPOINT
Boston Univ. Daily Free Press necessary to protect the mentally ill from harming themselves and others. One reform the new laws cannot produce is the way institutions — specifically universities — interpret them. Universities cannot treat the mentally ill under stricter laws if college officials cannot identify them. According to an August 2007 review panel report on the tragedy, Virginia Tech officials failed to stop the shooter because they did not connect the dots. Students and at least one professor notified administration officials of the shooter’s risk, but these officials feared keeping too many tabs on him because of
privacy concerns. This lack of communication was due more to university reluctance to track students than actual laws forbidding it. Of course, even the best mental health monitoring cannot prevent troubled minds from inflicting serious harm with a deadly weapon. It is absurd that national gun laws allow any American to buy firearms online without background checks. The Supreme Court will rule soon on the momentously important question whether the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms applies to individuals or just groups. If the Court rules in favor of gun advocates, however, a crucial loophole will remain — no U.S. citizen should be able to purchase guns online to avoid his state’s gun laws.
Evonne Ermey
ance carrying, populace I have been saddled with a never-ending string of bills. Last month I paid more on insurance premiums and out of pocket doctor’s fees than I did on all my other monthly expenses combined and mind you, I am not a sickly person. I have my vices. I smoke the occasional cigarette, I indulge in Friday night binge drinking and I don’t often get as much sleep as I should, but I can also run a mile in seven minutes, and I must say, my diet is exemplary. In fact, the only blight on my long history of perfect health has been my annual tangle with the flu and a bout of scarlet fever I contracted once when I was nine. So what am I shelling out all of this cash for? Well, let me break it down for you. Last month I paid
See HEALTH CARE, page 8
April 15, 2008
ARTS / LIFE
Fru-gal
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costs of student living at least while you complete your education, and can financially save you in the long run. Sure you might even have to share a room but it’s a small price to pay for the comfort of knowing your bills are getting paid. Never live above your means, living in a smaller, less desirable area might not be your preference but will keep your funds in order for that great place when the time is right. Don’t ever forget things could be worse, and is for many who continue to make poor judgments when it comes to impulse buying. Stop it! Girls, put a end to overspending on beauty products and make-up. Many times we don’t use up what we have before we
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host families in Pennsylvania for one year prior to relocating to San Diego. She said it was “the worst year of my life” after experiencing severe cultural shock and drastic environmental changes, yet “did not want to quit for felt I then had lost.” Once accepted at SDCC, Mesquita had to obtain a student visa from the U.S. Embassy in Brazil. Again, proof had to be presented to reflect her acceptance as a full-time student in an approved school, proficient in English, proof of complete funds for educational and living expenses and have permanent residence abroad with no intentions of giving it up. A wait of five months passed before the appointment date, and Mesquita then stood in line for hours before receiving eligibility for her
buy more. That’s fine if it’s a great deal and you’re stocking up, but typically that’s not the case. Guys, think about your spending too. Buying video games or sports equipment new is unnecessary when you can buy them used. Why not save your self over half by Googlling local resale stores in your area? Don’t buy new DVD’s or CD’s either, you can buy them used and is a smart way to get what you want without paying full retail price. Never pay full price. Saving money doesn’t mean you’ll never get anything, it means you’ll get more. By watching the little things you spend money on and cutting down on the extras you will keep yourself ahead of the game. Count your blessings and appreciate what you do have. Frequently remind yourself that you are working toward the goal of saving money. You never know when something will come up and deplete your pocketbook. student visa. Many international students experience cultural shock and homesickness after arriving at school. Gonzales said it takes a specific type of student to be in the program and discovered most stick together for emotional support. While overcoming obstacles, 60 percent to 70 percent of the enrolled earn an associate degree with many transferring to achieve a higher degree. Close to graduating after two years, Mesquita’s goal is to pursue a business degree at San Diego State University. As for the English language, she said she understands a lot and her writing is getting better regardless of the heavy lingering accent. She said she felt her experience fulfilled the passion to travel, enabled to accept more responsibility and earned greater insight into life. “When you leave your country, you open up your mind,” Mesquita said.
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City Times
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HEATHER RICHARDS City Times
The ensemble cast of “42nd Street.” The musical opened April 11 and will run through the 24th.
42nd
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of “Getting Out of Town” beat beneath the actors’ lines. Groups of actors swung in from the wings providing a much-needed chorus and the swell, the rhythm, the energy of an ensemble pulled the audience forward into the story. The choreography, done by professor Alicia Rincon, head of the arts department, was smooth and easy, creating a butterfly balance on the stage. The orchestra was frustrating at times, losing rhythm and distracting the actors. The Dorothy Brock character seemed particularly distracted - letting her eyes fall to the orchestra pit repeatedly. But as the annoying drama queen whose talent and presence has become cliché, Brock was believable. Coming back at the
end of the show to offer wisdom to the young innocent who has taken her place, the two offer the best duet in the show. The song “Quarter to Nine” is sung from the perspective of a woman waiting for her lover to arrive at 8:45 p.m., and as the leading lady and the former leading lady perform, the song takes on a new meaning. The lover is not a man. The lover is the spotlight. And they are not waiting for his return, but for the rise of the curtain. It is the theatre that takes them out of the humdrum and the lifeless, much like love. The song was very well done. As the production neared the end, the energy picked up one last time. Comedy was on cue and scenery didn’t matter. The ensemble re-entered the stage for “Lullaby of Broadway,” which, after all, is the undertone throughout “42nd Street,” an undertone that was sometimes lacking in this dress rehearsal, but always present in the lyrics and the melodies.
Thanks for recycling!
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April 15, 2008
SPORTS / FEATURE / OPINION
City Times
City’s second chance failed attempt at victory Nailah Edmondson City Times
SPORTS KNIGHT CityICONS College -failed to win after playing COLOR Palomar College twice with final scores of 2-6 on April 8 and 9-10 on April 10.
FREEHAND EPSare now 6-11 in the Pacific The Knights SIZECoast - 9PConference X 6P with 8 games left in their COLORS CMYK regular-season. The April 8 game started off with a
couple of runs in the first 2 innings making the score 1-2 for the 3rd. Anthony long hit a double to the left field in the bottom of the 3rd inning, but was left at 2nd base. In the top of the 4th inning Jason Laws the catcher for the comets scored a run after fellow teammate Tyler Saladino an infielder hit a grounder to City’s short stop. In the top of the 5th inning a City Col-
SPORTS LINEUP
lege coach was thrown out of the game after the referee overreacted to a minor remark. City College ended the top of the inning quickly after throwing out Colby Ho at 1st base, striking out Guy Willeford and a caught a pop fly hit by Jarend Jones. Both teams failed to reach base in the 5th inning. Brian Joyce was walked by City’s pitcher and later on in the inning. His self as well as Jason Laws scored two more runs increasing their score to 1-5 in the top of the 6th inning. Ryan Dew was also walked then advanced to 2nd base when Jeff Taylor hit a grounder. Jon Bernetskie helped the knights add to the scoreboard after he crushed the ball deep into the right field, while Dew was able to increase the score to 2-5.
The Knights couldn’t seem to get a break through the slump. In the bottom of the 7th Oscar Roman and Alex Cann were struck out and Simon Ortiz was thrown out at 1st base. Palomar ended the game with Kegan Sharp pitching the 9th inning. Marshal Harvey was left stranded on 1st base after he hit a single to right field. The Knights would need a rally to pull this win off. Maybe a different day, a different time, and the Knights could have turned the game around, but it just wasn’t their week. The Comets pitcher Sharp struck out two Knights and ended the game with Cann being thrown out at 1st base.
Compiled by Nailah Edmondson 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 n April 15 baseball at Grossmont 2:00 p.m. n April 16 Women’s badminton vs. Fullerton at home 3:30 p.m. softball vs. Imperial Valley at home 1:00 p.m. Men’s tennis at Barnes Center ,PCC Tournament TBA Men’s volleyball at Orange Coast 6:00 p.m. n April 17 baseball vs. Grossmont at home 2:00 p.m. n April 18 Womens badminton vs.Irvine Valley at home 2:00 p.m. softball at Southwestern 3:00 p.m. Mens tennis at Barnes Center, PCC Tournament TBA n April 19 baseball at Southwestern 2:00 p.m. softball at Mt. San Antonio 2:00 p.m. at Antelope Valley 6:00 p.m. Men’s tennis at Barnes Center, PCC Tournament TBA
n April 21 softball at Imperial Valley 1:00 p.m. n April 22 baseball vs. Southwestern at home 2:00 p.m. n April 24 Men’s tennis at Ojai Tournament TBA baseball vs. Imperial Valley at home 2:00 p.m. n April 25 Men’s tennis at Ojai Tournament TBA n April 26 baseball at Imperial Valley 12:00 p.m. Men’s tennis at Ojai Tournament TBA n April 27 Men’s tennis at Ojai Tournament TBA n April 29 baseball at San Diego Mesa 2:00 p.m. n May 1 baseball vs. San Diego Mesa at home 2:00 p.m.
Nailah Edmondson City Times City’s catcher Alex Cann and infielder Mitch Blackburn up to bat at Morley field on April 8.
Tattoos Continued from page 5 That’s why I came to school; it’s proved to me that everything I used to believe was wrong,” said McClung. And for those who think that tattoo removal could be a quick fix to an “iffy” tattoo, think again. One laser session costs an average of $500, and it normally takes 10 sessions at two month intervals to remove one tattoo. “My advice to new people is to not to get a tattoo on impulse. Mine are landmarks of my life. Tattoos should be well thought out. You should be committed to the art, and not the fashion of it,” said McClung. If you aren’t sure whether you like your idea or how it may look on your body, have it done in henna ink. Henna, a plant, is used in traditional medicines and for ceremonial celebrations all over the world; and is temporary. Lasting up to three months, henna can be a perfect alternative or “practice” for a permanent tattoo. Besides contemplating the right design, tattoo newbies and veterans alike should also be cautious of unsafe tattoo practice. Hepatitis C (HCV), a potentially fatal disease that attacks the liver, is spread by contact with the blood of an infected person; so risky tattoo behavior can sub-
Health care Continued from page 6 $130 to Blue Cross in premiums for health and dental insurance. I paid $177 out of pocket to Dr. Cunningham for what was by all means a routine visit to the lady doctor and last, but not least, I paid a whopping $705 out of pocket to Dr. Pham, my dentist, for two perio scale’s (quads) and a resin comp (4+surfaces). All together, I paid approximately $1,012 in doctor’s bills and premiums last month. This odyssey into the American health care system has made me realize that it’s not the sudden accident that is going to break me; it is the slow and steady symptoms of
stantially increase the chances of becoming infected. Taking the extra precaution to research your tattoo artist and studio can greatly decrease the chance of transmission of infection. Look around; see whether the shop looks and feels clean and hygienic. And always be sure to ask whether the artist uses sterilized equipment. If in doubt, ask about their sterilization process; and if they allow it, watch them do it. And needles are not the only means of blood cross-contamination; ink has also been known to be a means of transmission. Check to see whether the artist uses new ink and containers. Some shops use expensive ink and may not want to dispose of it after every patron. The process of choosing the tattoo and artist may seem like a daunting task, but the reward of getting exactly what you envisioned can be life-changing. They can remind you of darker nights, brighter days, souls that have touched you, and winding paths ahead. “My favorite tattoo is my Jesus Christ portrait. There was a period in my life that I felt I was waging a spiritual war within myself; it was possession, in the form of temptation. Now, it’s an everyday reminder of what’s really going on,” said McClung. For any issues regarding tattoos, if things just don’t feel right; don’t do it. Go somewhere else or sleep on it. Do your homework. After all, tattoos are forever. preventative health care, the co-payment and its evil cousin, the insurance premium, that are going to bleed my wallet dry. Being a full time student and a part time worker, how am I meant to afford this and for that matter, how is any college student? I suppose the only answer is to continue paying my monthly premiums while discontinuing regular visits to my doctor for silly things like pap smears and breast exams, and most importantly, to cut my dentist out all together. Sorry Dr. Pham. In the meantime, I’ll continue to have faith that someday our doctors, pharmaceutical companies and politicians will somehow become a little less greedy and that eventually I will be involved in some freak accident that will make my continued involvement in America’s insurance scheme worth every penny.