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Covering the San Diego City College community since 1945
Volume 66, Number 11
March 20, 2012
Students showcase talents City hosts talent show in Saville Theatre By Jennifer Manalili City Times
City College is a melting pot of talent. This was proven on the evening of March 10 when, after weeks of tryouts and elimination, an eclectic group of more than 25 performers took the stage at Saville Theatre for “Talent in the City.” There was a great audience turnout and the theater was almost sold out. The talent show performers were a reflection of the different backgrounds that the campus is made of. In a great act of improvisation, Felander Stevenson took first place and received a trophy and $600 for his cover of Cee Lo Green’s “Forget You.” Stevenson’s background music was lost, but he went forward with his performance, choosing instead to sing the song a capella. With a little help from the audience, who provided a beat by clapping, he pulled through. The second place trophy and $300 prize was awarded to Nicole Delia. Delia’s opera performance was striking, her song a refreshing change to hear amongst the other musical styles. Arthur Hernandez
News/Calendar............... 2-3 Life................................... 4 Arts.................................. 5 Voice................................. 6 Sports............................... 8
DSPS adviser on loan from Mesa By Benny A. McFadden City Times
Felander Stevenson (left) and Nicole Delia (right) accept their trophies for first and second place (respectively) of the Talent in the City Show, March 10 in the Saville Theatre. Troy Orem, City Times Deleon, who displayed his impressive technicality and piano playing, took the third place trophy and $100. Even the performers who did not place were enjoyable and surprisingly entertaining. Perhaps most surprising was the fact that Kingsley
Jackson did not place. Jackson, sporting a red blazer and slicked back hair style, performed a melody of Mario’s “Let Me Love You” and Beyonce’s “Baby it’s You.” He pulled out all of the stops, turning the few minutes into his own production by taking to the stage with a crew of
dancers and a set to act out the songs. Like Jackson, Fabian Chandler did not place but got the crowd to holler and whistle as he danced to a melody of Michael Jackson songs that included “Dangerous,” “Smooth Criminal” and “Jam.”
Chandler’s enthusiasm and his impressive dancing pleased the crowd. Samerra Dean sang Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.” She took just enough inspiration from the original and was able to balance it with her See Talent, page 5
City College’s Disability Support Programs and Services was forced to borrow a counselor from Mesa College after losing a full-time counselor from City’s campus. This problem came on the heels of a huge funding reduction under Gov. Jerry Brown’s new budget. According to Peter White, City’s vice-president of student services, the funding for special services, which funds DSPS, was cut by nearly 50 percent, in addition to the smaller cut that was made to the district’s general fund. The unnamed DSPS counselor who left City was forced to take a medical leave of absence after being diagnosed with an illness. Currently, City and Mesa have only one full-time DSPS counselor on each campus. A third counselor, who had previously worked full-time at Mesa, now divides her time between the two. According to the San Diego Community College District annual report, between July 2010 and Oct. 2011, City had 966 DSPS students while Mesa had 1,057. See DSPS, page 2
Foreign languages brought closer to home By Daphne Jauregui City Times Language is no barrier for the students and faculty at City College. The Language Day Festival took place on March 14 at Gorton Quad. Students from different cultural backgrounds enjoyed a day filled with good food, catchy music and culture from all over the world. “This event brings a great opportunity to all our language students to come together as one soul and celebrate the richness of our cultures,” said Rosalinda Sandoval, a Spanish professor and coordinator of the event. Promoting the language and world cultures programs was the main purpose of host-
ing this event. The study abroad program had a booth located at the festival and students had the opportunity to sign up to visit Buenos Aires, Argentina this fall. The Spanish club set up a table entirely dedicated to playing “Loteria,” a Spanish variant of bingo and had many prizes to offer to the winners. They also displayed an interesting collection of dolls, each of which represented the different states and people of Mexico. Members of the Spanish club performed a lively version of the song “Cielito Lindo” which was awarded with applause from the crowd. They made sure to keep the musical vibe going by dancing to “Caballo Dorado” and invit-
ing everyone to join in from the beginning of the event to the very end. The Italian club was on hand to share a taste of Italy, encouraging others to try out different Italian breads. “It was pretty cool. What made today unique is that we were able to be with a lot of other cultures at the same time,” said Daniel Morales, a student from the Italian club. Morales also performed in a small skit speaking entirely in Italian alongside Sarah Alami and Talina Bajis. The French club was not left behind, especially when it came to a performance by Joseph M. Stewart who played the accordion. Free face painting was Students peruse the booths at the Language Day festival, which is held ever y semester. Bobby Whaley, City Times See Language, page 5
www.sdcitytimes.com | March 20, 2012
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Take Note Calendar Compiled by Victor Hernandez Get your event in the paper. Email us at citytimes@gmail.com or call 619-388-3880
nMarch 20, Tuesday Seven Habits of Successful College Students Workshop, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. at A-103 nMarch 22, Thursday Seeds at City Farm Stand, 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. at Curran Plaza, between L and C buildings
Classroom Etiquette Workshop, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. at A-103 Resume Workshop, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. at A-111, Transfer Career Center nMarch 30, Friday Withdrawal Deadline- No Drops Accepted After Today
FYE Academic Success Workshop, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. at A-103
nMarch 31, Saturday Deadline to File a Petition for Graduation
nMarch 24, Saturday Basic Self-Defense Training, 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at V-100
Basic Self-Defense Training, 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at V-100
nMarch 26, Monday Study Abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. at H-117/118 at Mesa College nMarch 28, Wednesday Zohreh Ghahremani: Persian New Year, 9:40 a.m. 10:55 a.m. at D-121 A/B nMarch 29, Thursday Seeds at City Farm Stand, 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. at Curran Plaza, between L and C buildings
nApril 2 - April 7 Spring Break nApril 2, Monday Tai Chi Chuan: Qi Gong/ Taoist Meditation classes ongoing at Taoist Sanctuary of San Diego, 6:00 p.m. nApril 3, Tuesday Henry VI Part I: San Diego Shakespeare Society hosts open reading at Upstart Crow Bookshop and Coffee House, 6:45 p.m.
Crack City By Michele Suthers
nApril 4, Wednesday Run for Fun: Runners/Walkers of all levels meet to run 3, 5, or 7 mile routes. Fashion Valley Mall, 6:00 p.m. nApril 5, Thursday Board Game Nights: Bring your favorite game or use one in the shop at Red’s Espresso and Wine Gallery, 5:00 p.m. nApril 6, Friday Object Lessons: France in the Golden Age A concentration of five French 17th century paintings at Timken Museum of Art, 10:00 a.m. nApril 9, Monday Cover Letter Workshop, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at A-111, Transfer Career Center nApril 10, Tuesday Jazz Live: San Diego State University Big Band, 8:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. at Saville Theatre
DSPS Continued from Page 1 Besides being supported by state funds, DSPS receives grants to pay for technical applications. According to Gail Conrad, the program’s district director, last year’s cuts were so severe that DSPS had to withdraw $1.6 million from the district’s general fund, money that is not usually set aside for such specialized services. Conrad said that while it is normal for these services to dip into the general fund on a yearly basis, $1.6 million is an excessive amount. It is not known how much DSPS will need from the general fund this year.
Student radio station in works By Gardner Stevenett City Times A student-run radio station is currently in development at City College and will likely hit the radio waves as early as this summer. The station will focus on providing students with valuable hands-on training and experience in radio production, while also serving as a campus-based alternative to commercial and government broadcasting. The station programming will be devoted solely to the interests, concerns and musical tastes of the students run-
ning it. “Jazz 88.3 is excited to lend our expertise, support and finances to help more students than ever experience the joy of building and operating a radio station,” said Mark Deboskey, KSDS station manager. The station will be located in the C-Building adjacent to the KSDS Jazz 88.3 studios. While the new station will have the benefit of using the equipment and space of KSDS, the student personnel will be in full control of programming. Though many details stages, the new radio station will comply with FCC guidelines.
Art club to hold art show in Luxe
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By Fernando Yates City Times San Diego City College’s Official Art Club, City Collective, will hold an art exhibition March 28 in the Luxe Gallery. The event will showcase the art work of various members of the club and include a performance from local musician Israel Maldonado. This will be the third exhibition that City Collective has held. The event is free and will begin at 6 p.m. The Luxe Gallery is located on the firth floor of the V-Building.
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March 20, 2012 | www.sdcitytimes.com
News
Obituary
Les Nimmo By Gardner Stevenett City Times Professor Les Nimmo passed away on Feb. 25 from natural causes. He was 82 years old. Born in Nanty Glo, Pa., in 1929, Nimmo grew up and attended high school in Bloomfield, N.J. In 1951 Nimmo joined the Army and served in Korea for more than a year. In 1954, Nimmo and his
first wife, Janice Van Buren, relocated to Santa Monica. They divorced in 1986 and Nimmo married Laura Renker, a pro-rata counselor at City College, in 1991. After earning his bachelor’s degree, he went on to teach Automotive Technology at City, where he spent the last 30 years as the coordinator of the work experience program. “City College was truly home to him,” said Renker,
Those who were to look in City College’s directory under administration would find that instead of a name under the position for vice president of administrative services, it reads “vacant.” City lost an important leader in administration to cancer before the beginning of the spring semester. His name was Jerry Davis. In 2009, Davis officially became part of the administration at City and “was responsible for everything that was business, the budget, facilities, resource allocation, and public safety,” according to Mary Bernard, vice president of instruction. Because of his impressive fiscal and administrative background, he was responsible for $37 million in business operations at City. Before his time at City, he served as vice president of administrative services at Mesa Community College in Arizona and held the same position for four years at Los Angeles Harbor College. On top of that, Davis served five years as the management services officer at the UC Davis School of Medicine Department of Neurol-
ogy, as well as six years as the director of the Medical Center Finance at Kaiser Jerr y Davis Permanente Medical Center in Bellflower, where he managed the development and implementation of a $250 million operating budget for clinical operations. Davis earned a bachelor’s degree in economics at UC Riverside, a master’s degree in finance and management at the UCLA Graduate School of Management and a master’s degree in health administration at the UCLA School of Public Health. He completed graduate work in computer science and information systems at UC Irvine and earned a doctorate in public administration at the University of Southern California School of Policy Planning and Development. Although not all students may be aware of what Davis contributed at the administrative level, “he was the one administrative person at the district who really provided
Little seed, big benefits By Victor Hernandez City Times
“and he was devoted to the college and his colleagues alike.” “Les will be greatly missed by all the faculty, staff and students whose lives he touched during his time at San Diego City College and with the San Diego Community College District,” said City College President Terrence Burgess. Nimmo is survived by his wife, sons Bruce and Robb, and daughter Beth Nimmo Mitchell.
Jerry Davis By Cecilia Areta City Times
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oversight to all the different departments,” said Tom Fine, campus project manager. “He was instrumental in really providing leadership on the part of all the faculty, the students, the staff, anyone that actually teaches at City College or come to school here,” he said. Currently, a hiring committee is considering applicants for the position while other staff members hold down the fort. “Mary Granderson assumed responsibility for many of the functions that Dr. Davis performed in the business office,” said Bernard. “The vice presidents, Peter White and I, band together and try to cover different meetings or different events and we all just divided it up and pitched in.” The district is expected to find a new vice president of administrative services by July. “He empowered people. In a sense because he was a good leader even if he is gone his people will continue,” said Fine. “The legacy he left really demonstrates his leadership ability and that people will carry on and succeed because he empowered them to succeed.”
“Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia.” Anyone familiar with this catchy phrase will remember the popular novelty item it was used to sell: the Chia Pet. Chia pets are small terracotta animals that with a little water, sunshine and lots of love sprout green “fur.” The pet gets its name from the tiny seeds that are slathered on its surface to grow this grassy coat. While the seeds are not well known outside of this context, their popularity has begun to resurface for a very different reason: the many health benefits they contain. Chia seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, calcium, antioxidants and protein. About 1 millimeter in size, dark brown or off-white in color, each seed can hold up to twelve times its weight in water. This large rate of water absorption means that when consumed they can make you feel full faster and for longer periods of time. The seeds also slow down the absorption of carbohydrates, helping to stabilize blood sugar levels. Native to Mexico and Central America, chia seeds have a long history with many native peoples. The USDA plant guide explains their importance in the diets
Chia seeds are the new health trend. Victor Hernandez, City Times of the Chumash, Paiute and even the Nahua people of ancient Mexico. Several Internet retailers and grocery stores such as Sprouts and Whole Foods sell the seeds at prices ranging anywhere from $5.99 to $16.99 per pound. They can also be purchased in fruit or energy bars as well as muffins and flavored drinks. “I feel like you can never eat too many healthy foods,” said Robert Razee, a Sprouts shopper. “Chia seeds are something I was introduced to by a runner friend of mine. They are great for keeping you hydrated.” Unlike flax seed, another good source of omega-3 fatty acids, chia seeds do not need to be ground in order to reap their nutritional benefits. With their light, nutty flavor they can be sprinkled on cereals, yogurt and salads
and can be added to baked goods or smoothies without compromising taste. Because they are high in omega-3s, chia seeds serve as a vegetarian alternative to fish oil supplements. With their high levels of antioxidants they can be stored for up to two years without becoming stale. People who take medication to lower blood pressure or to thin blood should avoid the seeds as they may increase the effects of these medications. Seeds consumed dry may dehydrate the body so it is recommended they be eaten with some form of hydration. At the Whole Foods Market in Hillcrest, sales of the seeds have increased. “We usually carry chia seeds in bulk,” said Richard, an employee, “but we’ve been out of stock.”
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www.sdcitytimes.com | March 20, 2012
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Life ‘Mass Effect 3’ ends series on a high note All good things must come to an end. Such is the case with Bioware’s critically acclaimed “Mass Effect” trilogy — a futuristic, spacefaring epic depicting the intergalactic ventures of Commander Shepard. In “Mass Effect 3” the Reapers, a race of synthetically organic starships hellbent on wiping out the majority of life in the galaxy, have finally landed and it’s up to Shepard to form an intergalactic army to stop them. The build-up for this final showdown has been culminating ever since the release of the original “Mass Effect” in 2007, and now, half a decade later, the series concludes in dramatic, satisfactory fashion. What has set the “Mass Effect” series apart from most others has been its heavy emphasis and execution of storytelling and unmatched continuity and consequence of player action throughout each entry. Like the two games before it, players in “Mass Effect 3” make decisions and uncover information through a very robust dialogue wheel in conversation, with many
GAME PLAY Brian Lett
of these decisions having farreaching consequences. The fact that the game has 16 different endings should indicate just how deep and varied these decisions can be. The final game in the trilogy has improved upon the others in almost every single way. While the changes from “Mass Effect 2” to “Mass Effect 3” are more marginal than those from “Mass Effect” to “Mass Effect 2,” they are noticeable and plentiful enough to create a greater overall experience. Shepard is much more mobile this time around and even able to do some limited platforming. He’ll effortlessly switch between cover positions, combat roll, climb ladders, jump over gaps and
Players once again assume the role of Commander Shepard in Bioware’s “Mass Effect 3.” Bioware vault over obstacles, making firefights and exploration much more visceral and interactive. The downside to this however is that every one of these maneuvers, as well as a few others, are all mapped to the same button. As you can imagine this may occasion-
ally cause players to perform actions they weren’t intending to do, and in dire situations can even cause a few deaths that could have been otherwise avoided. Character advancement is more robust as well. Players will once again choose from a
list of specialized classes each with an assortment of unique abilities to be used in battle. Like previously, players spend points accrued through level advancement into these abilities, but unlike previously, almost every advancement presents two different options
to upgrade the ability, as opposed to before when this only applied to the final tiers. This results in a greater range of customization. Furthering the customization is the very detailed See Mass Effect, page 5
4G is all buzz and not speed
Combo #1 from the Humberto’s menu. 12 rolled tacos covered in guacamole and cheese. Times
Troy Orem, City
Have a burrito not tacos Humberto’s Taco Shop, located at 1015 25th St., serves Mexican classics on the way to and from school. The small shop doesn’t have a large amount of seating, and its interior can be a little off putting, however its food tastes great and its prices are very reasonable. The shrimp burrito, a personal favorite of mine, costs $5.50, and is the most expensive burrito on the menu. This fully loaded burrito is packed with rice, lettuce, veggies, and succulent shrimp, with a savory sauce that fuses the burrito into awesomeness. The flavors blend
FRUGAL FOODIE
Bobby Whaley with each other so each bite tastes the same: amazing. While the insides of the burrito are early perfect for $5.50, they do go heavy on the tortilla, and use slightly rubbery tortillas. The California burrito is
another good choice, same problem with the tortillas, with a different but equally delicious flavor as the shrimp burrito. I would advise against their rolled tacos however, as they seem to be left in the deep fryer too long, leaving them good in the middle, with their edge’s tasting rather poor. Humberto’s also offers various combination plates, tacos, enchiladas, appetizers, and classic Mexican drinks. I almost never eat in the restaurant. Although it is clean and has some seating, it is not very inviting with a
wall of bars between customers and employees, and a cramped space by the door that you have to shimmy past to get into the seating area. Humberto’s doesn’t currently have a website, however you can see their entire menu by looking at the inside view of the restaurant on Google Maps, although the prices on some items are about 25 cents higher as it is an old photo. Humberto’s is open 24 hours a day, and is always good. If you want to just pick up your order, you can call ahead at (619)-234-8433.
Over the last two years or so cellular providers have been marketing their 4G networks. The latest software update to iOS makes a 4G symbol appear when on AT&T’s network. The problem is that the iPhone does not support 4G. Which brings me to my point; 4G is now a meaningless buzz word. Without getting too technical, this is why you should care. The term 4G stands for fourth generation, and refers to cellular wireless standards. The International Communications Union, which manages those standards, defines 4G for a mobile device as 100 Mbs for downloads. The fastest technology that is being used by cellular companies is LTE, long term evolution, but it is not near 100 Mbs. The problem is that not everyone is using the same technology. AT&T and T-Mobile use a technology called HSPA+ (Evolved HighSpeed Packet Access), which is slower than LTE. In reality, HSPA+ is really just fast 3G. This means that you may not be getting what you think you are. Many people already believe that the iPhone 4S is a “4G device,” but it is not. Now the phone says it is connected to “4G,” what are people going to think? It is like going to two different restaurants and ordering steak. One place gives you
BITS & BYTES Fernando Yates
a fillet mignon and the other gives you a ground beef patty. While they are both beef the quality is drastically different. I ran a test on three “4G” devices, one on Verizon Wireless, AT&T and T-Mobile. Each device tested the download speed of its respective 4G network using an app by speedtest.net. The three devices were in the same location. The results were 28.1 Mbs for Verizon Wireless, 1.2 Mbs for AT&T and 3 Mbs for T-Mobile. This is not a scientific test by any means but it is a real world scenario and does show a sample of what real world speeds are. A bigger problem still is that AT&T is rolling out an LTE network, what Verizon Wireless calls 4G. AT&T already has a technology they are calling 4G. What are they going to call it? 5G? 4G+? These companies have made a standard meaningless just to get subscribers. If you are looking for a new cellular provider just ignore all the 4G buzz.
March 20, 2012 | www.sdcitytimes.com
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Arts Talent Continued from Page 1 own vocal range. She brought her own style and soul to the song and ultimately made it her own. There were some performers that provided moments that did not hit as high. Vunzenzer Jones sang a cover of The Fugees’ “Killing Me Softly” that came off underwhelming because her style of singing lacked enthusiasm. The same can be said for Cassidy Lothrop and Jo-el Tapia, who played guitar and
Language Continued from Page 1 offered at the event thanks to the skills of Yolanda Arceo, a City College student who has been working as a freelance make-up artist for the last three years. La Casita Mexican Restaurant was available to cook various traditional Mexican dishes. The Arabic club was a large presence at the festival. “It is very important to introduce culture and get students together and to show them to be proud of where
Mass Effect Continued from Page 4 weapon upgrade system. Almost every piece of each weapon can be swapped and upgraded to provide a multitude of different bonuses. Space exploration is back and also improved. Gone are the days of tediously scanning every inch of a planet for resources. The ordeal is much more streamlined now, and instead of resources for upgrades these endeavors now yield what are called war assets. War assets, obtained primarily through planet scanning and questing, are used to quantify the readiness of you and your companions for the last battle. Go into the fight underdeveloped and your experience will be dramatically different than that of a well-prepared completionist. One of the biggest contributors to the greatness of “Mass Effect 3” is its sense of scale. These Reapers aren’t chumps, and some of the battles and set pieces are massive, epic, and a blast you won’t soon forget. There’s something about dodging the death rays of a 200-foot machine while simultaneously dispatching its formidable foot minions that sticks to memory. Kinect owners have the option of performing many of the game’s actions with voice commands. While far from infallible, voice commands
sang “Maps” by The Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The talent was not limited to singing. Others danced, performed poetry and rapped. The showcase even included a puppet show by Valerie Broesch. Cathy Harlow, the department chair of English, Humanities and Philosophy, performed as a part of “Pony Tales,” a trio of bluegrass and folk singers. The night proved to be an example of the various talents that can be found at City College. Hopefully next year new audiences will be able to see more of it.
they come from,” said Professor Yousra Qudeimat, the advisor of the Arabic club this semester. Through the use of a mixture of dance, music and even a fashion show, the Arabic club was able to share their stories and convey a sense of acceptance towards other cultures as well. Overall, the turnout at the Language Day festival was a success. The language department is currently offering German, Italian, French, Spanish, Arabic, Italian and American Sign Language classes.
can be convenient for those who wish to stay in the action and avoid having to rely on the radial wheels for using abilities by you and your teammates that exceed the allotted mappable buttons. If storytelling isn’t your thing and you would rather focus on the combat, or if you’re the opposite and would rather rush past the fighting and focus on story, either option is available. When players choose a new game from scratch they are given the choice of play style, with the former preference given as the “action” option, the latter being “narrative,” and the default, “role-playing,” being a mix of the two that plays the same as the first two games. Alternatively, players may import their characters from a completed “Mass Effect 2” saved game and have the appearance and decisions of that character carried over. Bioware claims that over 1,000 decisions are transferred, creating a prominent butterfly effect that really gives ownership and weight to previously made choices. “Mass Effect 3” is by far the best in the series, and aside from a few mechanical impediments is an excellent play through and through. Look for it to appear as a candidate on many “Game of the Year” lists. 4.5 Joysticks out of 5
A group of dancers took to the Saville Theatre’s stage March 6. Choreographed by City alumnus Zaquia Salinas (right), “Spider-Women” explored the many facets of women’s sexuality and sensuality using a wide range of music and dance styles. Troy Orem, City Times
Femininity celebrated in dance By Benny A. McFadden City Times Students at City College were treated to a free showing of “Spider-Women,” a choreographed dance performance directed by City College alumnus Zaquia Mahler Salinas, and hosted by the World Cultures program on March 6. “Spider-Women” is Salinas’ attempt to celebrate femininity and creativity using the spider, a Native American symbol of birth and creation.
Without using dialogue the all female cast delivered a high-energy performance, revealing aspects of femininity with motion and facial expression. The music Salinas chose for this piece gave the performance a dynamic feeling. The music selection varied from bands like Radiohead and The Smashing Pumpkins, to performers like Regina Spektor and former San Diego DJ Anya Marina. The use of youthful, more modern music felt refreshing and went along nicely with each scene.
Salinas said the only qualification for the selection of music she used was, “Anything I imagine dancing alone in my underwear to.” This is only the second time “SpiderWomen” has been performed for an audience. It premiered in February at the 10th Avenue Theatre downtown. Salinas told the audience she is willing to perform “Spider-Women” in the future if a venue would host it. For more information on the World Cultures program and future events visit www.sdcity.edu/worldcultures.
Jazz 88 gives audience to students By Benny A. McFadden City Times The spring jazz season for City College’s on-campus radio station, KSDS Jazz 88, kicked off on March 3 with the 8th Annual California Music Educators Association Jazz Festival. This year, it was held in the Saville Theatre, the communication department’s television studio and in one classroom in the C-building. The series of concerts gives high school jazz musicians the chance to be heard and critiqued by music educators outside of their own school’s music department. The bands perform a selection of songs for a live audience and then are critiqued on stage immediately following the performance. The guest judges included John Ayala from Bullard High School, George Stone from Cuesta College and Meryl Wamhof from Delta College.
“Most of the time when we play in public it can take months for us to get feedback. Here, the critique is immediate,” said Eric Askew, a trombone player for the School of Creative and Performing Arts. His band members, Stella FormanFronius, Alec Hamilton and Elijah Delouches, all agreed and said they enjoyed playing in front of so many people at a local venue. “Most of our performances are in Anaheim,” said Forman-Fronius. “I love the local aspect of it.” April Pendergraft, who has been KSDS’s membership director since September, said she was inspired by the enthusiasm of the student musicians. “It’s cool to see kids of all ages who are so passionate about what they do,” said Pendergraft. “Even when they’re not on stage, they’re outside playing their instruments.” According to Richard Ciavarelli, this year’s CMEA jazz coordinator, San
Diego’s High School Jazz Festival epitomizes what performing jazz means to young musicians. “This is what its all about,” Ciavarelli said. “This is one of the best venues to practice, perform and get feedback.” Ciavarelli also gave KSDS credit for how great CMEA is for the schools, the music teachers and the students. “KSDS is the glue that makes this event so spectacular.”
For more Information please visit www.cmeajazz.org
www.sdcitytimes.com | March 20, 2012
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VOICE Obama has not shown what he can really do Three years, 41 months, 165 weeks or 1155 days; it doesn’t matter how you look at it, President Barack Obama has been in office for almost a full term. Has he done enough with the time he has had? We are still in a full blown recession and our unemployment rate is at a disappointing 8.3 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in a report released on March 9. Meanwhile we bailed out companies that outsource the majority of their labor to other countries. Yet Osama bin Laden has been killed under his administration, our troops are starting to leave war-zones, and he has attempted and set ground work in process for a large number of his campaign promises. Has he done a lot? No. There are two ways of looking at his lack of actions. The first, he has been inactive, his family took 16 vacations during his presidency according to the Washington Examiner. However, George W. Bush had retreated to his ranch a total of 30 times by this time in his own presidency, and had spent over twice as long on vacation that Obama has. Obama hasn’t fulfilled a majority of his campaign promises, his policies have made little to no head way, both in the foreign and domestic realms. Then the second way of looking at this: He hasn’t done anything terrible. He has not gotten us into wars that we can’t afford, causing our massive deficit, making it so over half of our federal budget goes to defence, he inherited those from his Republican predecessor, Bush. He has attempted to reform health care, he attempted to bring home our troops, he has attempted to do a lot of things, he hasn’t done very much. Does he deserve more
CITY TIMES Volume 66, Number 11 March 20, 2012
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EDITORIAL
City Times Editorial Board
time? Has he done enough to at least get a second lap? We gave Bush another four years, while his approval rating was only 1 percent higher than Obama’s current 49 percent, according to Gallup. If in another four years he passes his vision of health care reform, it will be one of the most positive and major reforms to our country in the last hundred years. At this point America is one of the last industrial westernized countries not using a socialized medical system. The medical systems in Western Europe have been shown to be over twice as efficient as American ones, with the system costing significantly less and having a higher quality of care. If he removes American troops from the Middle Eastern conflicts and reduces the defence budget to a manageable amount, he might just turn our economy around. According to the Department of the Treasury, the national deficit increased by more than $1.6 trillion. At that time, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were costing us an estimated $12.2 billion a month, according to an article published in USA Today in 2010. Obama has already cut some of the spending in these areas, and promises to increase those cuts and withdrawals from war-zones in his second term. His first term has been slightly more than disappointing, and his actions have been few and far between. But, presidents tend to be slow in their first term as to not burn bridges before reelection. It is in their second term most presidents tend to do their major work. Obama needs a second term to prove what he can do.
Claudia Acevedo collects recyclables from a dumpster, an act that sometimes gets police attention. Troy Orem, City Times
Proud to survive without help Claudia Acevedo walks fast down Park Boulevard, near Balboa Park. Her fragile figure is unmistakable: in one hand she holds a plastic bag where she collects recyclables quickly and on the other hand she holds a picker, a metal tool with a clasp at the end. She moves quickly, choosing what she needs. The 40-year-old Latina wears a baseball hat to protect her face from the sun. She is pretty, looks clean, and is homeless. When she approaches the trash cans near a bus stop, the people waiting there stare at her. She wears a big sign that reads, “Abuse nor intimidation against women is not OK, especially from the police.” When asked why she carries that sign, she said that on a March 5 she was at the dumpster next to the R-Building entrance at City College collecting recyclables, when a City police officer saw her. She said that he smashed the dumpster with his hand, and yelled at her, “What are you doing?” “I can take you to jail if I want to,” Acevedo said the officer said to her in front of students who gather there. “It’s so easy for someone like this officer to humiliate someone like me,” Acevedo said. “He called me a thief.”
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SOCIAL MEDIUM
Sandra Gallindo
She said the students were astonished at the officer’s actions. “This is the life of a female recycler. They bully us,” said Acevedo, referring to campus police. She said it’s so easy for the officers to arrest someone like her. “They know I am not a criminal. We come from poor and working-class families,” Acevedo said. “What bothers them is that I tell them that I have more education than they do.” According to federal and state laws, it’s not a crime to collect recyclables from a public place, but it is illegal to do so on private property. Fifteen years ago, Acevedo, a legal immigrant from Mexico, was a student at Center City and took summer classes at City College. She was a math and Spanish tutor at Mesa College for four semesters, ten hours per week. She finished her gen-
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City Times Staff Tom Andrew, Jorge Benitez, Victor Hernandez, Daphne Jauregui, Michael Liggins, Benny A. McFadden, Kristin Sorianosos, Gardner Stevenett, Quinn Wallace, Ray Williams
eral education and was planning to be a teacher. But by then she had accumulated a lot of student debt, and was not able to keep up with the payments. Her personal life was also unraveling. She decided to divorce an abusive husband, and then lost her income from various jobs. After her savings were exhausted she was not able to support herself or her 13-yearold son. She sent him to live with her mother in a town in Baja California Sur and has been surviving on her own since then. She ended up in a downtown shelter, but the language and actions of some of the homeless residents intimidated her. She was afraid all the time. Acevedo decided to take her chances sleeping under a bench on the street. “At first I didn’t even have a blanket,” she recalls. “I didn’t know who to trust.” She began to collect recyclables to get some money. “You help clean up the community and you feel that you supporting yourself with dignity,” she said. “But all of that changes when you’re told you are a thief and threatened with arrest.” She said police harass people who look dirty, poor and carrying a plastic bag.
“The way the police justify it is that they say, ‘We received a call,’ or ‘You match the description of a person reported.’ And they send five officers to stop me.” According to the campus police dispatch, whenever there are incidents like this, “They give them a citation and then they take them to court. It’s up to the officer’s discretion to let them leave.” Acevedo is proud to survive without any public help. On a good day she earns $20; on a bad one, $5. She sends $20 dollars every week to her son. “I have to walk to so many dumpsters to get my money.” She said that although society looks down on people like her, with the recession, more will be collecting on the streets. Despite her hard life, Acevedo considers herself lucky. Her destiny was not to be confined to the streets of San Diego. Acevedo found a job that will allow her to gain some dignity without being harassed in the streets. She has just been hired at a recycling center to work 30 to 35 hours a week. Acevedo is not the only one struggling to survive on the streets and that is exactly why her story is so important. “May God bless those who give a job to the women who want to work,” Acevedo said.
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March 20, 2012 | www.sdcitytimes.com
Voice
7
Obama 2008: Yes he did?
Quick pick URBANALITIES By Michele Suthers for 2012 It’s not often that the American public can look back on a politician’s campaign promises, track their record while in office and find that they have followed up on most, if not all of the promises they made.
PRO
Benny A. McFadden President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign promises included the following: Find Osama bin Laden, make health care affordable for all Americans, loosen laws that limit freedoms for the gay community and extend unemployment benefits for out of work Americans. If we go through the list, this agenda is exactly what Obama pursued in his first term. While some may argue that he has fallen short on his economic policies, we must remember that the United States’ series of recessions — tied intricately to the entire world’s economic woes — took almost a decade to transpire. People who still do not have health care should point their fingers at powerful health insurance company lobbyists and the politicians in Congress who rewrote Obama’s health care bill so many times that it is indistinguishable from the original. Obama’s greatest triumph was finding Osama bin Laden, which the Bush administration blew while they sought Saddam Hussein. Voters’ stance against homophobia is not often backed by lawmakers. But not only did the Obama administration successfully repeal the ridiculous “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, it also flatly refused to spend money on federal lawyers to fight court battles in support of a ban on gay marriage. States’ rights may supersede this issue, but there will be no presidential ban on gay rights while Obama is in office. Fear mongering, Bible-thumping distortions of the word of Jesus, dangerous promotions of bigotry and homophobia, and tax breaks for the mega-rich are what voters can expect from any of the white male, cookiecutter Republican candidates that are running against Obama this year. If voters want a president that supports a more stable economy, that wants to empower the middle-class, that does not rush into expensive wars unnecessarily but will follow after any entity that threatens this country, and is progressive in his record on civil rights for our citizens, then Obama is an easy choice in 2012.
Nothing to help Hispanics After four years of strict immigration policy, Barack Obama has lost the sympathy of Hispanic voters, and as his reelection approaches, many will withdraw their support of his campaign. In 2008, his speech in favor of immigration reform helped him win the election. When he approaches the Latino community searching to win the Hispanic vote this time around, the increasing discontent among the immigrants will not be hidden. With more a million immigrants deported under Obama’s administration, undocumented workers are facing a nightmare every day.
Johnnye Smith, 32, General Studies Question by Daphne Jauregui Photos by Ray Williams
What has President Obama done?
“He’s done a decent job considering it took eight years to mess up the United States.”
CON
Sandra Gallindo The “polimigra movement,” a partnership between local police, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Safe Communities program, uses arrest warrants against individuals to criminalize those who are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Obama has the power to challenge the law but instead he remains silent to not risk losing votes. The Latino community rejects the Obama administration’s
Rason Dornie Campbell, 23, Business Management “Considering everything that happened since Bush, I think Obama has done a pretty good job. They gave him the clean up work.”
treatment of undocumented immigrants. The high rate of unemployment is not helping his campaign either. It is a major justification for not voting for Obama. While unemployment strips the American heartland of jobs, under Obama’s administration there have been no cuts to the $531 billion weapons program, according to the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. Furthermore, in the last 13 years the defense budget has steadily risen, according to an August report from CNN. Military spending now makes up half of the federal government’s oper-
ating budgets. Obama helped to pass the biggest budget cut in history, much of which affected education, labor and health care programs, according to “So how is Obama on our side?,”an article on the Socialist Worker. These brutal cuts have devastated programs that benefit low-income families. All this is happening while U.S. corporations are making record profits. With his poor performance and broken promises, what can we expect with another term? Obama has shown Latinos, with the separation of many families, that he doesn’t deserve a second opportunity.
Brenda Guzman, 23, Nutrition
Tiffany Bailey, 47, AOD Studies
“Nothing. I think he did a lot of talking but didn’t focus on things that are important.”
“He has done a good job. I voted for him because of universal health care and to bring troops back home. The troops are coming back home. He was handed a horrible, horrible mess.”
www.sdcitytimes.com | March 20, 2012
8
Sports Kicking and punching for fitness Kickboxing class promotes fitness and self-defense By Ray Williams City Times City College offers courses that will not only keep you fit year round but also help you develop selfdefense skills. “I will teach you to win a fight without ever throwing a punch,” said Jim Colbert, a professor in health and exercise science who teaches these courses. Colbert is a seasoned coach, having coached high school, college, and professional football in the past. He also has experience as a martial arts instructor in Okinawan Goju-ryu karate and kickboxing. His classes are an extension of his experience. They cover the basic principles of protection while stressing the importance of being aware of one’s surroundings and preventing situations that may leave one vulnerable. Each class is offered as one unit. “With a class of some 50 to 70 students, I depend a lot on my veteran students to help teach the class,” said Colbert. “These classes are a way to help both men and women of all ages defend themselves in almost any situation ... and also being able to identify a threatening situation and respond with proper defensive behavior.” Colbert’s kickboxing class meets in P-101 on Fridays from 8 a.m. to 11:05 a.m. Some special attire is required for the classes. All students are expected to wear black clothing, as
well as purchase and be able to wrap their hands in standard boxing hand wraps. On rare occasions, Colbert will divide the class by gender and have Cortez Rivera, his assistant coach, teach the women. Rivera has been Colbert’s assistant for eight years. Rivera is a trained fighter who is working towards his bachelors degree in health and exercise science. “It’s a good outlet for the community and also helps improve selfesteem,” said Rivera about the class. “I love to fight and this class is great because it helps me learn new fighting techniques,” said Ashley Smallwood, a business major who has been fighting since 2008. After taking Tae Bo, Leslie Gonzalez decided to take Colbert’s class. “I love taking this class and Colbert is a great teacher,” she said. Juan Carlos Jimenez-Cruz has been Colbert’s student since 2009. Being raised in a fairly bad neighborhood, he decided to take the classes as a way to learn to protect himself and his family. “It shows you survival skills and it’s really good for women to learn how to fight and win,” said JimenezCruz. Every student in Colbert’s class has their own reason for attending a class but they all agree that it helps with fitness, self-defense, and the personal aspects of their lives. Colbert’s kickboxing class is listed as PHYE 233 in the class schedule. Students interested in taking this class or another physical education course next semester can look Professor Jim Colbert walks his students through various kickboxing routines and exercises. Ray under Physical Education in the Williams, City Times course catalog.
Badminton undefeated
Sports Lineup Compiled by Victor Hernandez Submit events to citytimes@gmail.com or call (619) 388-3880
A City badminton player hits the shuttlecock at the March 7 match against Mesa College in the Harr y West Gym. Troy Orem, City Times By Benny A. McFadden City Times The women’s badminton team remains undefeated this season in their first four matches, most recently defeating Irvine Valley Col-
lege, March 9 at Irvine. This is a good start for the team that had a disappointing loss to IVC, City’s most competitive rival, in the conference championships last year. Sun Nguyen, head coach,
has led the team to three conference championships since taking the helm and two second place conference showings, both losses to IVC. City hosts Grossmont March 23 at 3 p.m. in the gym.
n March 27, Tuesday n March 20, Tuesday Women’s Tennis vs. Palomar, Baseball vs. Mesa, 2:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at SDCC 5:00 p.m. at Morley Field Tennis Courts Women’s Tennis vs. Cuyamaca, 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 n March 21, Wednesday Women’s Badminton vs. p.m. at SDCC Tennis Courts Grossmont, 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 n March 28, Wednesday p.m. at Harry West Gym Softball vs. Palomar, 3:00 p.m. Softball vs. Grossmont, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. at SDCC Softball p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at SDCC Soft- Field ball Field n March 29, Thursday Men’s Tennis vs. Mesa, 2:00 n March 22, Thursday Baseball vs. Southwestern, p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at SDCC 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Morley Tennis Courts Field n March 30, Friday Women’s Tennis vs. Imperial Softball vs. Mesa, 3:30 p.m. Valley, 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at - 5:00 p.m. at SDCC Softball Field SDCC Tennis Courts n March 31, Saturday n March 23, Friday Men’s Volleyball vs. Palomar, Baseball vs. Mesa, 12:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at Harry - 3:00 p.m. at Morley Field West Gym
n April 3, Tuesday Baseball vs. Palomar, 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Morley Field n April 4, Wednesday Softball vs. Mesa, 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at SDCC Softball Field Men’s Volleyball vs. Mesa, 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at Harry West Gym n April 6, Friday Baseball vs. Palomar, 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Morley Field n April 10, Tuesday Women’s Tennis vs. Grossmont, 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at SDCC Tennis Courts