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CITY TIMES WHAT DO YOU INK? City’s colorful students PAGE 5 Covering the San Diego City College community since 1945
BIRTH CONTROL
Right or responsibility? PAGE 7 Volume 66, Number 12
April 10, 2012
CSUs may not admit students Proposal to cut another $200 million in education By Brian Lett City Times California voters and students alike will be faced with a heavy ultimatum come November: approve Gov. Jerry Brown’s sales tax increase, or risk heavy reduction and eventual freezing of student enrollment into the California State University system in 2013. The cuts, According to CSU Vice Chancellor Robert Turnage, could result in an enrollment reduction of up to 25,000 students in the fall 2013 semester, and complete closing of enrollment in spring 2013 to all but eight CSU campuses: Channel Islands, Chico, East Bay, Fullerton, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Bernadino and Sonoma. Margaret Lutz, CSU San Marcos public information officer, shed some light on the details surrounding the ultimatum and how it came to be. “If the Governor’s tax initiative is not approved by voters in November, the CSU system as a whole faces an additional $200 million cut,”
The 2012 spring semester at City College marks an environmental milestone with the addition of several electric vehicle charging stations that have been installed in the V building’s parking lot. Students who commute to school in electric vehicles now have the opportunity to recharge their vehicles while in class for a small fee. The addition of these charging stations is City’s conscious attempt to become more eco-friendly. By promoting the use of lithium ion batteries rather than combustion engines, commuters save money on gasoline and reduce their carbon footprint. Electric vehicles expel no tailpipe emissions and can travel up to 100 miles on a single charge, usually needing 8 hours to re-charge.
Vets get a home away from home By Brian Lett City Times
San Diego State Univerisity would be one of many schools in California to freeze enrollment if a proposed $200 million budget cut goes into affect. Courtesy Photo said Lutz in an e-mail. “If the trigger is pulled, the proposed level of state funding to the CSU would equal 19961997 levels.” The proposed $200 million funding cut is in addition to a $750 million cut already made to the 2011-2012 fiscal year, which, according to the
California State Monterey Bay News, marks the lowest state funding in 15 years. Lutz added that if the budget is indeed cut, CSU is considering exploring alternative balancing options, including eliminating classes, academic and non-academic programs, or laying off hun-
dreds of employees. Greg Block, director of media relations for San Diego State University, cautions that community college students looking to transfer should not be overly alarmed, however. According to Block, prospective transfer students won’t be as heavily impacted
as first-year or lower division students. “Generally, when this happens we typically make transfer students a priority,” said Block. “They don’t have as many options as, say, students coming straight out of See Freeze, page 3
V-Building allows for a quick jolt By Michael Liggins City Times
News/Calendar............... 2-3 Life................................... 4 Arts.................................. 5 Voice................................. 6
Lithium ion batteries are also smaller, lighter and more reliable than gasoline engines. The San Diego Community College district purchased the stations using funds allocated to them through the $1.55 billion propositions S and N construction bond programs. Last Sept., ECOtality, a San Francisco based electric vehicle charging company, installed more than 1,000 charging stations around San Diego County. The electric vehicle charging stations are part of ECOtality’s Blink Network, an online program that allows drivers to remotely schedule and charge their vehicles with a Blink card. Electric vehicle enthusiasts looking to sign up for membership to the Blink Network can do so by going to blinknetwork.com and select- A Nissan Leaf is charged Utilizing one of the 5 ECOtality charging sations in the ing charging plans ranging V-building parking structure. Sixteen stations like these where installed throughfrom $1 to $2 per hour. out the district as part of propositions S and N. Troy Orem, City Times
City College veterans will soon have another “safe haven” to come to with the opening of the Veteran Service Center. The VSC is planned to open soon after spring break and will be located in room A-220, formerly the DSPS proctoring room. Helen Elias, City’s dean of student development and matriculation, played a pivotal role in establishing the VSC, which manifested when she started asking questions like, “How are we serving our veterans other than through our traditional Veterans Affairs Office?” This was a question she first encountered during her time at Southwestern College, where she was the head of the disabled student services program. There her and her colleagues noticed a rapidly increasingly number of wartime veterans returning with visible and invisible disabilities. To combat these disabilities they set out to create what Elias called a “trauma informed campus that welcomed veterans and provided them with opportunities to more easily transition.” This is exactly the type of program that will be provided at the VSC through services such as counseling, student workshops, and mentoring programs. Other amenities such as computer access will also be available, and the center will serve as a meeting ground for clubs like City’s Veterans for Peace. “Safe haven” was a term used to describe the VSC by Elias and both the president and vice president of VFP, Maria Mustacchio and Bryce Schierenbech respectively. According to Schierenbech, a wartime veteran himself, faculty and student veterans began holding meetings, or “flex workshops,” to pinpoint some of the troubles returning veterans were having — what developed was the VSC. The VSC will be open from Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. sometime following spring break.
www.sdcitytimes.com | April 10, 2012
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Take Note Crack City By Michele Suthers
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Compiled by Victor Hernandez Get your event in the paper. Email us at citytimes@gmail.com or call 619-388-3880
nApril 10, Tuesday Jazz Live: San Diego State University Big Band, 8 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. at Saville Theatre
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nApril 23, Monday Blaise Evers: Ancient Peru and the Neurosurgical Arts, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at Saville Theatre
nApril 17, Tuesday Student General Elections Student On-line voting April 17 & 18, www.sdcity.edu Election results posted April 20, by 3:30pm
nApril 24, Tuesday Seven Habits of a Successful College Workshop, 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. at A-103
nApril 18, Wednesday Interview Techniques Workshop, 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. at A-111, Transfer Career Center
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nApril 19, Thursday Seeds at City Farm Stand, 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. at Curan Plaza
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April 10, 2012 | www.sdcitytimes.com
Faculty expected to support tax measure By Benny A. McFadden City Times During Academic Senate meeting March 12, the faculty senators debated creating a resolution to support Obama’s Millionaire Tax initiative over Gov. Jerry Brown’s sales tax initiative. While senate has the freedom to pass any resolution supporting or not supporting any issue regarding the operations of City College or the Community College District as a whole, the debate concerned whether or not senate should be taking sides in such a divisive political issue. The upper administrators of the district, most notably Chancellor Constance Carroll, have yet to voice public opinion on this subject. A senate resolution might force her to take a stance against Brown’s tax proposal which is an increase in current sales tax. According to supporters of Millionaire’s Tax, the district would receive 96 new or rehired faculty members if the initiative passed.
Freeze Continued from Page 1 high school.” Block claimed that of the possible 25,000 enrollment reduction, only about 500 of that will be coming from SDSU. The same can be said for CSUSM, despite the disparity of student enrollment between the two schools. Compared to SDSU’s 31,303 student body in 2011, San Marcos had a scant 10,276, according to a CSU statistical report. According to Lutz, of the $200 million that would need to be cut, CSUSM would be responsible for $5 million, a tall order for a school that has only been around for slightly more than 20 years. But Lutz says that the campus continues to seek alternative means of funding. “We continue to look at other revenues sources and the possible use of auxiliary profits,” said Lutz. “ We are also looking to our business
Hunger Continued from Page 5 as the book it was based on. Katniss is skilled, much stronger and with less angst than, say, “Twilight’s” Bella Swan. Peeta is relatable and selfless. The emerging love triangle between the two and Katniss’ best friend, Gale (Liam Hiamsworth), is just enough to make girls swoon but not enough to put off any boys who want to watch for the action. The genius in this is in the way the story is told. Ultimately, the movie is one made for fans of the book. The author, Suzanne Collins, even serves as screenwriter and executive producer. Fans will leave happy. There is just enough anticipation, action, and a handful of kisses
Also, an increase in sales tax, as proposed by Brown, is seen by opponents to be a tax directly on middle and lower class income brackets which a majority of students and faculty members fall into. Millionaire’s Tax has been so widely supported by voters and political action groups, like Moveon. org, that Brown conceded with Millionaire’s Tax supporters. Brown told the San Francisco Chronicle on March 14, that he had struck a deal with Millionaire’s Tax supporters to include part of his sales tax proposal into the Millionaire’s Tax initiative. This gives credence to the theory that Millionaire’s Tax is such a widely acceptable cure for economic problems by the voting public that most likely it will pass. The next senate meeting will be held on March 26, in D-121A, a conference room next door to the faculty lunch room, at 2:30 p.m. At this meeting the senate is expected to make a final decision on a tax resolution.
partners for support through philanthropy and creative collaborations.” Lutz added that currently CSUSM is not planning on cutting any academic programs if it can be helped. Though raising school fees is also on the table, Block stressed that they have already been rising steadily for years and that schools cannot continue to do that. He said that the proposed state sales tax increase needs to pass and that legislature needs to invest into education instead of cutting. Richard Dittbenner, San Diego Community College District director of public information, asserts that waiting for a decision in November is a bad idea, labeling it “too much of a gamble.” According to Dittbenner, the best thing the state can do is to remain proactive and vigilant in balancing the budget. He concurred though with the assertion that with the constant reduction to funding, there is simply not enough money to keep operating at the current level.
to fulfill them. The attention to detail in the extravagant make-up and costumes is a bit over-the-top, and the dialogue from the book is largely the same with only one or two minor changes. Readers of the book will love that they can come home to the world they fell in love with by seeing it on screen. With Lionsgate and Summit Entertainment — the studio behind “Twilight” — merging, “The Hunger Games” phenomenon is poised to take over when its sequel, “Catching Fire” is released Thanksgiving weekend next year (Right in time for the vampire saga to end). With it’s $155 million recordmaking opening weekend last month, the franchise moves towards a profitable future. With the hype behind it growing, it’s easy to see why it has become the next big thing.
Vote for your ASG presidential candidate at www.sdcity.edu on April 17-18
News
Consoles Continued from Page 4 Sony’s reluctance to announce the status of their next system. “We have no immediate plans for another home console announcement,” Yoshida said in an interview with Computers and Video Games. This was reaffirmed with several comments by Deputy President Kazuo Hirai, who asserted that the Playstation 3 has always been meant as a 10-year system. With the Playstation 3 being 6-years-old, does that mean we won’t be seeing a successor until 2016? Only time will tell. Aside from these statements
Tattoos Continued from Page 5 they do. Danielle Dukes, another student at City College said, “I don’t regret them because it’s what I wanted and who I was at the time. Although now, it doesn’t really reflect on who I am.” “People are always changing. What I get now probably won’t be where I am ten years from now, but it’s a story about me growing as a person,” Dukes said. Religion is also a big player in the reasoning behind people and the tattoos they acquire. City student Matt Sesslin has a religious story behind his art work. His beliefs in Christianity are on his arm in a vibrant display. “There are a lot of people that do criticize me about having tattoos and being a Christian,” Ses-
from Microsoft and Sony, all other specifics are pure conjecture. Perhaps the most credible rumor not coming directly from a developing company is information regarding the next Xbox’s graphics processing unit, coming from “sources close to the project” as reported by IGN. According to IGN, the GPU will be based on AMD 6000 series, that “offers support for DirectX11, multidisplay output, 3D and 1080p HD output.” According to IGN’s sources, the system will be six times more powerful than the Xbox 360, and perform 20 percent more effectively than the Wii-U. Other very popular speculations such as anti-used game soft-
slin said. “I use it as a teaching point to say we can’t pick and choose which rules to follow. It’s not about following rules in the first place, it’s about Jesus. I’m decorating my body; it’s just going to go in the grave when I’m done with it,” Sesslin added. It is obvious that in the end, the reasons why people get their tattoos vary. The stereotypes and prejudices still lurk around, due to the view society has placed upon us. Whether it is for fun, religion, group association, or the remembrance of a loved one, all tattoos share a common theme, and that is the influence art has on a person as a whole.
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ware and fully digital games, in lieu of discs, have yet to be addressed by credible sources or Microsoft. Even less details are available about the Playstation 4, including speculations. Techradar proposes that rumors about an unsuccessful research project to create an advanced processing chip, paired with additional rumors about certain factory acquisitions, suggests that Sony may stick with a version of the Cell processor currently housed in the Playstation 3. Again, this is all pure speculation and rumor at this point, but hopefully enough to temporarily slake the curiosities of those already looking ahead to the next generation.
Charlie Continued from Page 5 extend tickets to different organizations and groups, including a partnership with Washington Street Elementary School, where a large proportion of students live in various shelters. “Our students, staff, and faculty are all excited about the show,” she said. “We are certain our audiences will deeply appreciate a wonderful evening of entertainment.” “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” will open at the Saville Theatre April 13 and play for three weekends before closing April 29. Friday and Saturday performances will start at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinee performances will be at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10, cash or check.
www.sdcitytimes.com | April 10, 2012
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Life What will the future hold for game consoles? With the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) right around the corner, and the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) only a few months away, video game journalists and game geeks alike have extended their feelers and are eagerly absorbing every detail, rumor and speculation available about forthcoming releases and reveals. At the top of list is the induction of the next generation of gaming consoles as their predecessors approach the end of their shelf-lives. Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo have either confirmed or alluded to production or development of next generation systems, with Nintendo being the only company to announce a tentative release date of a completed product. Considering the fact that Nintendo’s upcoming console, the Wii-U, is the only one of the three to be publicly revealed and showcased, it’s no surprise that it contains the vast majority of available concrete details, such as release plans. According to a financial statement by Nintendo’s President Satoru Iwata, the Wii-U is planned to be released before Christmas of this year. As with most of Nintendo’s
GAME PLAY Brian Lett
previous consoles, much of the buzz with the Wii-U is its unorthodox controller. It will feature a 6.2 inch touchscreen as well as dual analog sticks, a front-facing camera, motioncontrol capabilities, a microphone, speakers and stylus, according to Nintendo’s website. The controller will reportedly be able to either mimic or supplement what’s being displayed on screen through what Nintendo refers to as a “second window into the video game world.” Iwata confirmed that the controller will be able to independently play saved games, and that the system is purportedly completely backwardscompatible with the Wii, able to not only play its games but also use its accessories and controllers. As for the console itself, Nintendo is claiming Wii-U
will have HD capabilities, a feature lacking from the Wii, but some critics are claiming these capabilities will only be on par with Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. While no price has been confirmed, Iwata mentioned during last year’s E3 that the Wii-U will “likely” be higher than $250, and some analysts are predicting a $250 to $300 price range. Details are much more sparse with the new Microsoft and Sony consoles, currently dubbed Xbox 720 and Playstation 4 respectively, and largely remain the subject of gossip and supposition . In fact, the it seems only public announcements made by prospective company representatives is that there will be no announcements regarding their new systems and this year’s E3. “While we appreciate all the interest in our long-range plans for the future, we can confirm that there will be no talk of new Xbox hardware at E3 or anytime soon,” confirmed a Microsoft rep in response to a speculative Tweet from a reporter. Similarly, Sony President Shuhei Yoshida expressed
A mock-up of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword being played on the Nintendo See Consoles, page 3 Wii-U. Nintendo.
Find thieves, win $5,000
Spanish Omelette with hashbrowns. Troy Orem, City Times
Delightfully delicious Sometimes it’s nice to just eat in a clean, well-lit place. The 12th and Broadway Restaurant mixes good, normal food with a clean, comfortable environment to great effect. Only a block away from campus, this diner is a quick, cheap stop for anyone who wants some good food. The diner has windows on its street-facing walls, allowing daylight to surge into the dining area; this combines with the white walls and polished counter tops to give a bright, clean feeling. Many eateries will attempt to add flavor, using dark woods to absorb light or have
FRUGAL FOODIE
Bobby Whaley dimmer lights, either for a rustic or romantic setting. Other places tend towards the uninviting glare of fluorescent lighting. 12th and Broadway manages to get that clean, simple,
and inviting feeling, and its food keeps up with its an environment. The restaurants three egg omelet seems harmless enough when it is first placed in front of you. The omelet, with hash browns beside it and cheese dripped tastefully across the top, doesn’t seem like its going to cause your taste buds to go crazy with delight. But it does. The bold flavors of the bacon, eggs, and cheese mixing to drive your mouth to water. Despite its large size, the omelet was gone far too soon. Despite how filling it is, I was tempted to order a second one to enjoy the fla-
vors. At only $6.50, it is not outrageously priced. If you want something with more color in it, you can add greens into the pallet by ordering the Greek omelet, which is stuffed with spinach and tomato dicings, allowing it to bring its own flavor to the table. The diner sells soda by the can and serves cheeseburgers and other common lunch and dinner foods, in addition to their full breakfast menu. So as you’re getting off the trolley or walking to your first class, stop by the 12th and Broadway restaurant to enjoy a quiet bite.
“Jewel thieves have stolen a prized diamond. Help find them. Win $5,000.” That quote sums up the Tag Challenge, a where-inthe-world-is-Carmen-San Diego-styled contest sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Embassy in Prague and the Institute for International Education. The goal of the contest is to locate the five fictitious members of the Panther Five who have stolen the Adly Diamond, the world’s third most expensive jewel, from the Overholt Showroom in Washington D.C. Members of the group have since gone into hiding in five cities across the world. The contest, organized by graduate students from six different countries, is part of an ongoing assessment of the value of social networks as tools for international cooperation and public safety. “It has become increasingly obvious over the past few years that open source information, especially in an age of social networking, can be at least as valuable as classified information,” said Marion Bowman, former
BITS & BYTES Fernando Yates
Deputy Director in the Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive, and a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Technology and National Security Policy. The desired outcome of the experiment is to find a way to use social media to find criminals, terrorists or kidnapped victims. This is not the first experiment of its kind. In 2009, the DARPA Network Challenge awarded $40,000 to a team from the MIT for being able locate the coordinates of ten weatherballoon stations across the United States. The Tag Challenge began March 31. Contestants can join any time during the contest. For contest rules and more information about the Tag Challenge, visit www.tagchallenge.com.
April 10, 2012 | www.sdcitytimes.com
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Arts Wear your personality on your sleeves By Daphne Jauregui City Times One in five adults in the United States has at least one tattoo, according to a 2012 poll done by Harris Interactive. For many people tattoos are an art, a way of life and form of expressing creativity and life stories by having them inked onto their skin. While stereotypes about tattoos still roam society, they become more common each and every day. Television shows such as “L.A. Ink” and “Tattoo Highway” have helped shape tattooing into becoming an accepted part of our culture, allowing diversity to be dispersed among people of all ages. Have a conversation with someone who chose to cover their body in ink and they’ll broaden your mind with many stories represented and preserved in their skin, giving us a sense of what makes that person unique. Their bodies are a canvas and a representation of who they are, will be, or have been. City College student Kalyca Becktel shares these views. “Tattoos are definitely a unique way to express yourself, and I definitely like to stand out,” Becktel said. “I
Photos by Daphne Jauregui, City Times think that tattoo artwork is an amazing way to do it. I think people are much more open in accepting tattoos now.” Todd Smithson of Nothing Sacred, a local San Diego tattoo shop, has been tattooing for ten years. He says his favorite part of the job is finishing a tattoo. “There’s so much control over everyone’s lives that it’s just their own little way of being different, trying to have control over what’s still theirs,” said Smithson. The reasoning behind
someone’s body art differs with each person. Elias Garcia, a City College student, revealed his reasons. “I got my tattoos as I traveled around the military. I wanted something to remember every trip by. It was also not just to remember where I’ve been but remember how I felt at certain times and certain places in my life,” Garcia said. “It’s all a matter of capturing a feeling, capturing a memory, a place or person that I’ve had in my life,” he
added. While it is known that for people with tattoos, getting a job is a bit harder, Garcia said that it has actually helped him. The stories of people regretting what they inscribe into their skin are plentiful, yet that number is overpowered by the percentage of people who don’t regret their tattoos. Based on the Harris poll, 86 percent of people do not regret their body art work, See Tattoos, page 3
‘The Hunger Games’ is for the fans By Jennifer Manalili City Times For fans, the hunger started four years ago. “The Hunger Games,” the first book in a trilogy of the same name, was released in 2008. The series became so popular that it broke Scholastic sales records, and its first film is proving to be just as popular. The U.S. has become the post-apocalyptic world of Panem, a nation constructed of 12 districts and ruled by the corrupt and dystopian society of the Capitol. To punish for a past rebellion and remind them of the Capitol’s power, the Capitol forces each district to attend an annual Reaping where one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 are selected by lottery to compete in The Hunger Games as tributes for their respective districts. The games are a fight to the death until a winner is declared and returns home to a lifetime of wealth. At the core are Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), school acquaintances and tributes from District 12, Panem’s poorest district. They are trained in skills ranging from knife throw-
Charlie Brown prepares to hit City’s stage By Jennifer Manalili City Times
Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) draws her bowstring as she fights for her life in “The Hunger Games.” Loinsgate ing to fire building with 22 other tributes, not knowing what kind of environment will meet them when the games begin. The entire process is filmed, including interviews with the tributes and killings, and broadcast on television for everyone to see. The wealthy citizens of Capitol are amused and obsessed with the games while the other districts are horrified, a blatant allegory for today’s fascination with reality television. Lawrence (“X-Men: First Class”) is good as Katniss, though she doesn’t flourish
in this film the way she has in her past work. Hutcherson (“The Kids Are All Right”) is also likable. Lenny Kravitz is soft and wonderfully sincere as Katniss’ designer Cinna, and Woody Harrelson is quiet and calculating as her mentor, Haymitch. The other tributes are reduced to one liners and yelling. The novels were underwhelming, but the painstaking attention to detail on everything from food to costumes seemed fit on screen. I’d hoped that the adaptation would cement me as a fan. I was wrong.
Perhaps I would’ve been more impressed had I not been familiar with the Japanese book and film “Battle Royale.” Many elements in “The Hunger Games” are identical to the 1999 novel and 2000 film. “The Hunger Games” suffers from watered down violence — to play to the book’s young adult fanbase and work with a PG-13 rating — and an overused shaky camera technique. The build up to the games is far too long and the time that is actually See Hunger, page 3
After weeks of auditions, improvisation, revisions and rehearsals, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” will finally hit the Saville Theatre this month. Many factors went into the decision to bring Charlie Brown to City College, the most of which important being family. “The average age of City College students is 41. Therefore, there are many young families with parents attending,” said June Richards, who will work alongside her co-director, Alicia Rincon, and musical director, Michael Farley, to put on the production.“We think it is a wonderful show for families.” The play is a musical comedy that follows Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and his friends. It combines characters from Charlez Schultz’s beloved “Peanuts” cartoon with music and lyrics from Clark Gesner. It first premiered in New York in the 1960s. “I lived in Santa Rosa
when I returned to college. I knew where Charles Schulz lived, and was privileged to see the characters, as rendered by a sculptor near his house,” said Richards. The theatre department will observe and take inspiration from both the Broadway play and animated version of the show. This attention to detail will be reflected in the casting. “They have very distinctive voices and the characters are reflective of 50 years of Charles Schulz’s perception of America. He had a clear vision as to what his characters would do and what they wouldn’t do,” said Richards. Richards stressed the importance of utilizing a cast that would be a reflection of the diverse community on campus. “All of our shows are created around the concept of ensemble,” she said. “There are no leads. Everyone is equally important.” Additionally, Richards admires Schulz’s charity. The theatre will work to See Charlie, page 3
www.sdcitytimes.com | April 10, 2012
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VOICE Contraception Why are we in college? only prevents real discussion
Low cost contraception, in all forms, is designed to stop pregnancy before conception. In other words, condoms stop pregnancy before the egg is fertilized — so the baby is not alive, not in any way, shape, or form. Its DNA strand has not been formed yet, and neither its features nor its sex have been decided. Whether we are pro-life or pro-choice this question about contraceptives is not about killing a living thing. The fact that our federal government, in a world in which sex is becoming less taboo and sexually transmitted diseases still run rampant, can make getting rid of contraceptives a major talking point is just plain embarrassing and sad. Sexually transmitted diseases already afflict a large number of people, several of which are incurable or may reduce the afflicted person’s lifespan. The politicos talking about this seem to think that people shouldn’t have access to one of the main things that can protect against these. According to Avert, an international charity organization that tries to increase public awareness of AIDS and help AIDS victims around the world, states that an estimated 1.1 million people have been diagnosed with AIDS since the beginning of the epidemic. Low cost contraception that some presidential candidates are currently debating, and abstinence are all that protect a person against STDs like AIDS. Some candidates go so far as to say it is against God’s will. Rick Santorum, who has brought this idea to the forefront with his speeches, is directly against contraceptives. In a speech in late 2011, he stated that, “Contraception is not okay, it is a licence to do things in the sexual realm that are counter to
CITY TIMES Volume 66, Number 12 April 10, 2012
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EDITORIAL
City Times Editorial Board
how things are supposed to be. They are supposed to be within marriage, they are supposed to be for a purpose that is, yes, conjugal ... but also procreative.” He continued to say, “If you take out any part of (sex), we diminish the act ... These (ideas) have a profound impact on the health of our society.” In a more recent speech Santorum pointed to the use contraception as a lead cause of the increasing amount of children born out of wedlock. At this point, Santorum’s logic seems to be flawed. Santorum claims it is bad when contraception prevents procreation in the marriage bed, and then says contraception somehow then increases procreation outside of the marriage bed? How can something stop something and also increase it? How can it be bad for stopping kids from being born and then bad for somehow increasing the amount of kids being born. At the end of the day, seeing how contraceptives are not killing a baby but simply preventing the exchange of potentially dangerous, life-alerting fluids, a person would have to be without intellect to say that contraceptives are anti-life. Or they are trying to divert our attention to a meaningless question that has an obvious answer, so that instead of talking about what they would do to better our country and rebuild our economy they can talk about condoms and whether or not God would approve. Life might start at any point of pregnancy, even the moment of conception, however it certainly does not start before conception, and anyone who says so is either irrational or is trying to pull a fast one on us.
Why are we going to college? Or, more fittingly, what’s the point? This is a question every college student should ask themselves repeatedly. There are some alarming statistics regarding California’s community colleges that stem from a widespread ignorance of this very question. San Diego City College’s graduation rate currently sits at 17 percent. The school I transferred from last fall, East Los Angeles College, has an equally insignificant graduation rate of 19 percent. These numbers could potentially be quite damaging to all students, if it hasn’t already. Let us consider for a moment the frame of mind of the average taxpayer. Nay — let’s do this another way: think of yourself as an investor seeking a new business to buy because this is what every taxpayer is (an investor in the good old USA), and you come across a charming corndog-stick manufacturer in need of serious investors. But there’s one problem with this corndog-stick manufacturer: the sticks have a success rate of only 17 percent. This means that the vast majority of these sticks are faulty. And the corndogs affected are hitting the pavement in droves, giving way to innumerable mustard stains, infuriated mothers and sobbing children. Would you have any desire to invest your hard-earned green in a company like this? In such a measurable failure? But this is the exact quandary in which California taxpayers have found themselves. Why would they choose to increase (let alone maintain) the budgets of California community colleges when the rate of success and high graduation rates is as low as it is? This doesn’t seem to me to be the fault of the instructors or the administrators of our community colleges. Who knows the number of headshaped dents in the walls of our frustrated instructors’ offices? The buck largely stops with us — the students. I won’t pretend to be an
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PERSPECTIVE Gardner Stevenette
expert on this issue. I’m fully aware of my lack of experience regarding many of the difficulties college students may deal with these days. However, there is one area that I feel I’m qualified to address: scholastic apathy. This issue of slacking is something I’m all too familiar with. I graduated from high school in ’07 in Kaysville, Utah. I spent the next two years at the University of Utah, major undeclared — and I couldn’t have cared less. I skipped class (or “sluffed” as we say in Utah) on the daily, steering clear of anything remotely resembling homework. I slept through or ignored more finals than I can bring myself to recount. I was young, invincible, naïve and a steadfast subscriber to XBOX Live. I just refused to accept the realities of adult life. The iron mallet of just what it means to be a grownup had yet to smack down. As a result, I wasted
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City Times Staff Tom Andrew, Sandra Gallindo, Victor Hernandez, Daphne Jauregui, Michael Liggins, Benny A. McFadden, Gardner Stevenett, Ray Williams Correspondents Ana Ceballos
almost two years worth of my parents’ and my government’s college money. I denounced my higher education in May of 2009 and moved to Los Angeles to play drums for a band. My plan was to hit the big time and call it a day while scoffing at those who had doubted me. It took two more years for adulthood to begin to slip certain questions into my skull: Have you made any decent money at all? No. Have you a backup plan? Not really. Wouldn’t you perhaps someday hope to enjoy the comforts of financial stability, home ownership, health insurance, a family even? I reckon as much. The iron mallet had struck. I was tired of living in a warehouse downtown. The diet of ramen noodles and Taco Bell was getting stale. I was sick of lame, uninspired day jobs, tired of being broke and waiting around for a record deal to relieve me of it. Then it hit me — I needed (I wanted) to go back to school. My mother was oh, so proud when I did. So was I. And luckily for me, pushing music aside for the time being wasn’t the shattering of dreams I’d always feared it would be. Playing in a band just wasn’t as captivating as it used to be. And thanks to a 2010 Christmas present from an uncle, I had begun to develop a deep affinity
for postmodern literature, something that was already dethroning my musical ambitions. My grades are much better this time around — now that I care, now that I’m finally able to understand the importance of an education. Now that I’ve grown up just a little bit. Applying for college (especially community college) is an easy thing to do, unfortunately developing and maintaining the habits and lifestyle of a successful college student isn’t nearly as simple. It is tough and sometimes boring and incredibly unsexy. But college is worth taking seriously. The fruits of your hard work and dedication is worth it. If college isn’t a top priority for you, you might just not be ready for it. Take some time off like I did, get an underpaying job like lifting really heavy things, paying bills, and prepare for the myriad rude awakenings to come. Hopefully, everyone can stick around and help jack up the graduation rate. If we take our education more seriously, if we can invest in ourselves and our futures, those other investors, the people controlling and paying for our school budgets will do everything in their power to help us along the way. Of this I am certain. They’d be crazy not to.
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. Letters to the editor | Letters to the Editor are welcome, 350 words or less. The staff reserves the right to edit for grammar, spelling, punctuation and length. Memberships | Journalism Association of Community Colleges, California College Media Association, Associated Collegiate Press California Newspaper Publishers Association Journalism Program | www.sdcity.edu/journalism Roman S. Koenig, associate professor, journalism and mass communication
April 10, 2012 | www.sdcitytimes.com
Voice
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Uncle Sam shouldn’t pay for babies Family planning is your own responsibility No matter what political party a rational adult aligns themselves with, everyone can agree that we are responsible for our decisions. If a person makes the choice to be sexually active then it’s their responsibility to finance that lifestyle. Federally funded contraception is a bad idea. It gives the impression that child care in general should be federally funded. The truth of the matter is that if someone can’t afford their own contraception, then they can’t afford to be having sex. Young people are going to engage in intercourse but they shouldn’t expect Washington to front the bill for places like Planned Parenthood who deal with the aftermath of their sexual adventures. Basic contraception is already very cheap with prices so low that any working adult can easily afford protection. Condoms can usually be found for free at a local clinic and birth control pills range from $15-20 dollars. If someone can’t
URBANALITIES By Michele Suthers
PRO
Michael Liggins afford to pay those reasonable prices, then they should probably be focused more on their finances and less on their sex life. 2012 presidential candidate Ron Paul illustrated this point well, saying “We don’t need a village, a bureaucrat, or the pharmaceutical industry raising our children. That’s what parents need to be doing.” If people are mature enough to have sex, then they are mature enough to get a job and take care of their own business. The audacity it takes for the American youth to demand government subsidized contraception is a testament to the ungrounded sense of entitlement among young people in this country. Sex is a beautiful thing that should be earned and cherished, not taxed and regulated by the government.
Provisions prevent unplanned pregnancies According to The Virginia Coalition to Protect Women’s Health, 90 percent of sexually active American women have used a form of contraception at some point in their lives, but the idea of free or low-cost contraception remains under fire. Stephen Colbert recently joked about the controversy on “The Colbert Report.” “Contraception leads to more babies born out of wedlock. The exact same way that fire extinguishers cause fires,” he said. Like Colbert’s joke implied, you don’t purchase fire extinguishers hoping for a fire or purchase car insurance hoping to get into an accident. Those who are making the choice to have sex, no matter what age, should be able to have access to preventive measures. The idea that some members of
CON
Jennifer Manalili the government want to argue who, where and how individuals can have access to such things as birth control is absurd. Those supporting a push for a limitation on contraception cannot or simply do not want to see the benefits. They choose instead to focus on the idea of abortions or promiscuity by “slut shaming” those who want it (as radio host Rush Limbaugh demonstrated just weeks ago). Contraception can prevent unwanted pregnancies, various health problems and give women (and, ultimately, men) the chance to plan out their families and lives. It is
Question by Michael Liggins Photos by Daphne Jauregui
How do you feel about government control of contraception?
simply a form of health care that can save lives. According to the Coalition to Protect Women’s Health, a great percentage of women take birth control to help regulate their menstrual cycles and alleviate pain. It has been proven to “treat or prevent ovarian cysts, pelvic inflammatory disease, uterine fibroid tumors, abnormal bleeding and pain associated with ovulation and anemia. Contraception also reduces women’s risk of developing ovarian and endometrial cancers.” For these reasons, a study by Rachel K. Jones of the Guttmatcher Institute in “Beyond Birth Control: The Overlooked Benefits of Oral Contraception Pills,” found that an estimated one-third of teenagers take birth control even though they are not sexually active or have
never been. An additional 14 percent of pill users rely on birth control exclusively for non-contraception purposes as well. The study was based on the data from the “National Survey of Family Growth.” Also, abortion rates increase when contraception goes down. Keli Goff, a writer for the “Huffington Post” cites the Philippines as an example. Contraception was prohibited by an executive order and access to it became extremely limited before 2000. “While the abortion rate in the country has barely changed in recent years, the rate in Manila, the nation’s capital, increased by more than 10 percent.” Based on this example, one can only imagine what would happen in the U.S. Instead of preventing abortions, a limitation on contraception
could increase the amount of abortions. A push to benefit women’s sexual health and control pregnancies would not only benefit women but ultimately everyone. “With the multiple roles that women play in society, to invest in the health and well-being of women is to invest in the progress of all,” said Linda Rosenstock, a public health specialist, administrator and dean of UCLA’s School of Public Health. For these and other reasons, as a society, let’s not look at this as a war on women but as a war on everyone. Letting others mandate what we can do to our bodies begs the question of what is next? If we let the government speak for our bodies, we are also letting them take away our voice.
Adriana Chanon, 19 Undecided
Christine Davis, 35 Counseling
Rick Tenorio, 19 Anthropology
Victor Hernandez, 23 Sociology
“I don’t think the government should have to pay for it, People should be responsible and careful regarding their own family growth.”
“It depends, what if the women gets raped? There’s a lot of unwanted babies in the world already, wouldn’t it be worse to have a child you can’t feed?”
“I’m a Christian and I feel that the government shouldn’t have to fund people’s contraception. People are going to have children even though they know it’s paid by the people and their tax money.”
“I think it’s right, because pregnancy will cost less and many women can’t afford abortions. If women had access to better contraception, they wouldn’t have illegal abortions.”
www.sdcitytimes.com | April 10, 2012
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‘My passion is the camera’ By Benny A. McFadden City Times Off the main hallway at the Radio and Television Communications department that also houses KSDS Jazz 88, Senior Tutor Arthur Cervantes is giving a camera tutorial to film and television students. You might mistake Cervantes for a radio DJ or jazz musician with his fingerless gloves and a single braid hanging from his hair cropped short on top. Cervantes gives two-hour tutorials to prepare the students to pass a quick camera check, and he is not the kind pass a student lightly. “My passion is the camera,” said Cervantes, who has been a tutor at City for nine years. “My purpose in life is to teach students how to program these camcorders so they can be successful in life, to be comfortable and to conquer their dreams.” Cervantes was an electrician for twelve years until a workplace injury made it impossible for him to do manual labor. “I had a herniated disk,” said Cervantes. “It came to the point where I couldn’t walk and was on crutches. The doctor put me on disability and I was disabled-handicapped at the age of 27.” “Years went by and I wasn’t doing anything with my life. I thought to myself, ‘What are you going to do with yourself when you’re 30, 40, 50? What are you going to do?’ And, I didn’t know. I came back to school.” Cervantes had a background in reel-to-reel audio recording, a hobby of his father’s since Cervantes had been a child. He had
By Victor Hernandez City Times Kale is an often overshadowed member of the cabbage family. This tasty green has finally begun to rise in popularity however, because of its abundance of vitamins and minerals. According to the USDA, one cup of kale has 206 percent daily value (PDV) of Vitamin A, 134 PDV of Vitamin C and 684 PDV of Vitamin K. A good source of fiber, kale is also rich in minerals such as copper, calcium, iron and potassium. One way of incorporating more of this nutritious vegetable into your diet is by baking a simple batch of kale chips.
Senior Tutor Arthur Cer vantes (right) demonstrates the various functions of the video camera to student Rene Ruiz, showing him how produce the quality of video he wants. Troy Orem, City Times gone to San Diego High School his junior year and had spent time at City’s cafeteria (back then, it was located where City’s bookstore is now). His decision to attend City as an adult was an easy one. Cervantes constantly refers to a photo he had once seen of a TV news camera operator inside a TV studio. This and a technical background with electronics led to a fascination with video cameras. “Throughout the years, I wanted to know, ‘How does a camera function inside?’ That’s why I took video and film,” said Cervantes, who also filmed his daughter’s birthday par-
ties and school ceremonies. Cervantes moved from being unemployed and disabled to graduating and eventually becoming an employee of City College with the help of two key people -- the late Hope Shaw, who was department chair of RTVC until her death in 2005 and John Hildebrand, professor and department chair after Shaw passed. “Hildebrand taught me everything I know about cameras,” said Cervantes about his mentor who first employed him as a tutor at City. While he gives Shaw, Hildebrand and current RTVC director
Laura Castaneda a lot of credit for supporting him in his endeavors at City, he said he still owes his father more credit than anybody for giving him the foundation he needed to succeed in his current occupation. “I’m really grateful just for the little technical things my father taught me. Because if he didn’t, I don’t think I’d be sitting here in this chair today.” His technical background and education is only part of the equation. There’s also passion. “When I come to work here, I don’t drag,” Cervantes said, “I love what I do.”
Mentor program helps youth in need City College to offer program to aid foster youth in academic success By Ana Ceballos City Times With an alarming statistic stating that roughly 3 percent of youths in foster care will be graduating once in college, the Public Mental Health Academy decided to launch the Foster Youth Mentor Program this semester at City College.
The program hopes to aid youths in foster care by providing resources in scholarships and a safe environment where they can do homework and spend time with counselors. While the office is still in the process of being set-up, there are already four students taking part in the program. Though the age range of 18 to 22 is predominant, the program welcomes students of all ages. Additionally, The peer counseling office will have computer access and printing at no cost. Christyn Ford, founder of the
program and peer mentor at the Public Mental Health Academy, started developing the program in the fall of 2011. Ford has been reaching out and meeting with students to develop a better understanding of what the program should focus on the most. Outside organizations, such as ACCESS, have partnered with the foster care program to promote it and inform clients about the support students need in college. This works to facilitate both programs to incorporate and allow more help to reach the students in need. Scholarships are an important
Car2go provides a ride By Daphne Jauregui City Times Car2go San Diego is a Smart car-sharing program which allows members to rent the electric vehicles without worrying about returning the car to a certain location at a specific time. The way the service works is fairly simple. First, you must register and become a member with car2go and pay a one-time registration fee of $35 as reported in their website. Once the registration has been processed (within 5 days), you can grab a car at
Kale: a healthy snack
any of the designated car2go locations. You may also reserve a car online or by phone. Car2go also offers an iPhone or Android app to facilitate your itinerary. To access a car, flash your car2go card on the windshield reader to open it. According to the car2go website, you can park at all meter locations in the drivingoperating area for free and designated parking spots are located at several locations within the city of San Diego. Drivers may leave the car in the operating area before the end of the rental.
Rates for usage are 35 cents per minute, $12.99 per hour or $65.99 daily. In addition to taxes, an additional 45 cents per mile will be charged after 150 miles on a single rental. Car2go cards may be recharged at certain charging stations. To use car2go services, you must be at least 18 years old, a full-time student and have three years of driving experience. For more information, visit car2go’s office at 633 9th St. between Market and G Street or call (877) 488-4224 or go to http://sandiego.car2go.com.
goal for the program; counselors will be giving resources to students on scholarships and will assist them in the application process, while also organizing fundraisers to create their own fund for students who are part of the program. “We would like to have a fund of our own,” said Ford. “Sometimes scholarships take too long to reach our students, it would be ideal if we could provide them with financialaid from our own funding.” The peer support office will be located in A1G and office hours are still being planned.
Kale chip recipe: 1 bunch of kale 2 tablespoons of olive oil sea salt to taste 1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 2. Wash the kale and dry off. 3. Pull the leaves away from the stalk, tearing them into one and a half-inch pieces. 4. Put the leaves in a large bowl and coat the pieces evenly with olive oil. 5. Spread the pieces out on a cookie sheet, avoid overlapping and bunching. 6. Sprinkle kale with salt. 7. Place the cookie sheet in the oven on the center rack. 8. Cook for 18 to 20 minutes, turning the pieces halfway through. Avoid overcooking because the kale chips will burn quickly and become bitter. Kale chips make a wholesome snack with their light and crispy crunch. Feel free to add any spices or toppings that you like -- crushed red pepper, parmesan cheese, garlic. You can even add some cashew butter spread prior to baking to bring out kale’s unique flavor.
Kale chips are healthy alternative to potato chips. Victor Hernandez, City Times
Sports Lineup Compiled by Bobby Whaley Submit events to citytimes@gmail.com or call (619) 388-3880
n Apr. 19, Thursday n Apr. 10, Tuesday W. Tennis vs Grossmont, 2 M. Tennis at PCAC Tourney W. Tennis at PCAC Tourney PM Baseball vs Southwestern, 2 PM n Apr. 11, Wednesday Softball vs Imperial, 1 PM Badminton vs Irvine valley, n Apr. 20, Friday Badminton at PCAC indi3 PM viduals, 10 AM M. Tennis at PCAC Tourney n Apr. 12, Thursday Baseball vs Imperial valley, W. Tennis at PCAC Tourney 2 PM
n Apr. 21, Saturday M. Tennis at PCAC Tourney W. Tennis at PCAC Tourney n Apr. 24, Tuesday M Tennis at Ojai Tourney W. Tennis at Ojai Tourney