ABOVE THE FOLD Students prepare decorative skulls to be used in the Día De Los Muertos celebration PAGE 3
CT CityTimes
Covering the San Diego City College community since 1945
Vol. 67, No. 6
November 13, 2012
CAMPUS LIFE Honoring the sacrifice of our military men and women
Weekly at sdcitytimes.com
STUDENT HEALTH
Expanding City’s clinical services Newly passed grants improve mental health program By Fahima Paghmani City Times
Vets survive after service By Adam Burkhart City Times San Diego City College Veterans For Peace hosted its Arlington West memorial event in Gorton Quad Nov. 8, remembering veterans who have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty and the plight of veterans at home and overseas. Donald Louis Stiles, retired Marine veteran of the Iraq war, fought back tears as he told the story of his friend and fellow Marine Jeremy Austin. “It embarrassed me that I wasn’t as strong as my buddy Jeremy Austin,” Stiles said. “Staff Sergeant Jeremy Austin, second forces reconnaissance Marine;
second forces reconnaissance Marine I should have been had I not made the decision to leave the Marine Corps after eight years.” “That was part of my survivor’s guilt, of why I was not a marine anymore, I was still deploying overseas and looking for the glorious death that I thought I should have,” he said. Stiles said that Austin was the only one injured when the vehicle he was riding in rolled over an explosive device during a deployment to Afghanistan in 2009. “When I finally saw him at Walter Reed ... without his legs ... sort of solidi-
fied how weak and how not-macho of a Marine that I was,” Stiles said. Stiles said that he was compelled to leave the unit he and Austin were both in because of a court martial he was facing for driving under the influence, which eventually motivated his decision to leave the Marine Corps altogether. “If I couldn’t be part of the ‘community’ anymore (the elite second forces reconnaissance unit) then I didn’t want to play,” he said, preferring civilian life to a desk job or other less elite position. He left and commenced to See Veterans, page 2
(top) Retired Marine Donald Louis Stiles speaks to an amassed crowd whom came to take part in the Arlington West Memorial held in Gorton Quad on Nov. 8. Stiles holds back his tears as he recalls the stor y of his friend and fellow Marine Jeremy Austin who was severely wounded during an IED blast. Troy Orem, City Times (above) To honor those who sacrificed their lives for the countr y, The San Diego Veterans for Peace place crosses and gravestones throughout Gorton Quad. David L. Wells, City Times
STAY HEARTY A delicious soup to see you through the cold nights PAGE 4
The California Mental Health Services Act was one of two important grants awarded to San Diego City College Mental Health Counseling program on Oct. 18. CAL MHSA will emphasize focus on the issues of suicide prevention, awareness, and in reducing associated stigmas that are attached to it. The CAL MHSA grant is intended to be a main tool in educating students by reaching out and informing them of mental health issues. Students can attend peer to peer workshops and talk to student leaders about stress and how to deal with it, and workshops that will involve students in starting clubs on campus relating to mental health. “Everybody needs help in some points in their lives. 80 percent of the people who (have) committed suicide never seek help,” said MHC program coordinator Julie Little. Little hopes that program will allow for students to have a place that, “... will give them hope, open them up, and get the word out.” The second grant was awarded to City’s MHC program by the Wounded Warrior Project, a non-profit organization that helps empower and honor injured veterans. By hiring a part-time therapist, contracting a psychiatrist, and developing a peer-educator-mentor program, the WWP grant is meant to enhance the outreach to former military members. The idea is to be proactive in helping veterans get access to the mental health services they need, rather than waiting for them to show up at the center
CREED RETURNS Third installment proves a welcome addition PAGE 5
themselves. The peer-educatormentor program will be important in helping to reduce stigmas and spreading awareness about mental health issues. This includes hosting resource fairs and workshops in an effort to better serve returning veterans and create a “trauma informed campus.” It will also provide free individual, couple, and family therapy to all students who are registered in at least one class at City College for the semester. In the near future, the program information will be presented in five minute classroom presentations about both services. “If you go skiing, the likelihood of you breaking your leg increases. So of course we should expect that our service men and women are going to have some kind of emotional stress following their service, especially those who served in combat,” says Abigail Burd, adjunct counselor of mental health at City.
“Everybody needs help in some point in their lives” -Julie Little program coordinator “(Stress) is a normal human reaction, but it gets better in connecting with a positive human who has been it through the similar experiences, like the peer mentors who can really help,” said Burd. To take advantage of these free programs visit the Mental Health Office on City Campus in Room 221. Fall 2012 Hours are: Mon., Wed., Thurs. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Tue. 10 a.m -6 p.m. (after 4 p.m. by appointment only) Fri. 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
INDEX
Calendar................. 2 Arts........................ 5 Voice....................... 6 Sports..................... 8
www.sdcitytimes.com | November 13, 2012
CT TAKE NOTE 2
CALENDAR
CRACK CITYBy Michele Suthers
Compiled by Mariel Mostacero Get your event in the paper. Email us at calendar@sdcitytimes.com or call 619-388-3880 nNov. 13, Tuesday 2nd annual Seeds@City Urban Farm fundraiser at Starlite at 5 p.m. nNov. 14, Wednesday 2nd annual Seeds@City Urban Farm fundraiser at Starlite at 5 p.m. nNov. 15, Thursday UCSD one to one counselor appointments (30 min) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Food Pantry raffle for $80 Visa gift card at Gorton Quad at 12 p.m.
border issues at 9 a.m. International Education Week
nNov. 27, Tuesday UCSD one to one counselor appointments (30 min) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
nDec. 5, Wednesday Blood drive 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
nNov. 28, Wednesday International Education Week nNov. 29, Thursday Binacional conference on
nDec. 7, Friday Dance concert at 8 p.m. nDec. 8, Saturday Dance concert at 8 p.m.
Veterans Continued from Page 1
By Michelle Moran City Times The fifth newest location of The Arclight will have its grand opening in San Diego on November 16. It is the first theater of its kind to be opening outside of the Los Angeles area. “Since 2003, our mission has been to create the ideal moviegoing experience for film lovers and casual moviegoers alike,” said Gretchen McCourt, Executive Vice
President, Cinema Programming, as stated in the news release in Sept. 7, 2011. This upscale cinema is supposed to be designed for movie lovers. It is going to be a 14-screen multiplex, 1,800 seating, and it will be opening up at the UTC mall in La Jolla. The features of this highly anticipated theater include reserved seating, extra-wide seats, stadium seating, a café, a bar, and the sound is designed to exceed THX
standards. Since alcoholic beverages will be served, there will be 21+ screenings. If you plan on going during peak hours, be prepared to be spending $18.50 a piece. Although pricey, this grand opening will be sure to draw up a crowd. The Arclight opened its first theater in Hollywood in 2003. There are other locations in Sherman Oaks, Pasadena, and Beach Cities.
Veterans for Peace website shows military spending for fiscal year 2013 to be 57 percent of discretionary spending, once mandatory spending under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act is excluded. Ruhman launched invective at the small crowd, the mostly somber event momentarily tense. “Politicians are lying to us, they’re wasting our money. Some politicians will tell you that entitlements are out of control. Every tax dollar that goes to Washington, 57 cents goes to the military. Fifty-seven cents of every dollar.” he said. He lauded the re-election of President Barack Obama, and the local victory of mayor-elect Bob Filner, praising Filner in particular for his work on the Post 9/11 GI-Bill, which provides financial aid to veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who return to school.
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Arclight opens new location
redeploy to the Middle East as a private contractor, disabling roadside bombs just as he had done as a Marine. He said he cannot remember when it was he first heard of Austin’s injury. “It was something I didn’t want to acknowledge,” he said. “I lost contact with him because I was ashamed. I felt like a little f-----g b---h that I couldn’t call him.” During his speech to students and staff gathered in Gorton Quad, Stiles choked on his words when he spoke of the strength Austin evinced while in the hospital. “(He said) that he remembered that he has a son and that in order for him to get better he needed to view this as: I am strong enough to survive this, I will recover for my son and for my wife, I will be nothing
but positive in my rehabilitation,” Stiles said. Stiles said that he and Austin are now in contact. “I feel at 31 years old I’m finally growing up,” he said. “I’m starting to now love myself.” He said he plans to deploy to Afghanistan as a private contractor in December. Jan A. Ruhman, president of the Hugh Thompson Memorial chapter of Veterans For Peace, decried what he considers the profligacy of the United States military budget and the political motivations behind it. He charged that politicians frequently present defense spending as a percentage of total government spending, including expenditures funded by revenues from citizens contributions to Social Security and Medicare in the form of payroll taxes. A chart on the San Diego
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November 13, 2012 | www.sdcitytimes.com
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City celebrates with the dead Student created alters offer gifts to the spirits on campus By Michelle Moran City Times El Día de Los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead event, held in the faculty lounge at City College on Nov. 1, drew in about 300 students and visitors who took part in the celebration and rituals of the cultural tradition. Maria Adame, a Spanish professor at City College, helped coordinate the festivities. “This day is very special to me and my culture. It is a day to remember our beloved ones and to honor them. We share these moments with the living and the dead,” Adame said. El Día de Los Muertos is a holiday traditionally celebrated in Mexico, but has also been adopted in other parts of the world. It is a time in which families and friends to come together to honor their loved ones who have passed. Rituals for honoring the dead have been practiced from as far back as 2,500 – 3,000 years ago, and many are still practiced today. Nov. 2 is the official date for the celebration of the dead. People visit cemeteries, make altars for their loved ones, make gifts like coffins and skeleton puppets to offer the dead, bake a special bread called “pan de muerto,” or write short satirical poems called “calaveras.” Plans for this day are made
throughout the year, in preparation of the goods to be offered to the dead. The Day of the Dead event had a variety of fun activities, with the levels of difficulty ranging from beginner to advance. Other activities included face painting, lotería (bingo), flower making, skull painting, and much more. All the items, such as the skulls used for painting or the flowers were for guests to keep. Several Spanish classes on campus participated in making their own altar, with many of them adorned with gifts, bread, colorful decorations, and pictures of loved ones that have passed. One memorable altar had a picture of Diana Gonzalez, the victim that was killed on campus in 2010, which attracted many people who came and stood by her altar to honor her death and remember her life. A contest was held in which everyone could vote on their favorite altars, with the best one receiving a prize, and 17 altars to choose See Muertos, page 7
(Above) A student from Hilltop High School performs folklórico dance. (Below) City College student Ana Rivera shows off her family alter during the San Diego City College El Día De Los Muertos celebration in the faculty lounge in room D121A/B, Nov. 1 David L. Wells, City Times
Future of open online courses
USD representative Erik Castillo (right) discusses transfer options with students Denise Tagle and Ken Davis as well as opportunities within the Roman Catholic insitution. Mariel Mostacero, City Times
Students weigh transfer options By Tristen Fernane and Mariel Mostacero City Times
The City College Transfer Fair was held Oct. 25 at Gorton Quad, serving as a host to both technical schools and traditional universities for students interested in opportunities beyond community college. Some of the universities were well-known, such as San Diego State, UC San Diego, and UC Berkeley. With Proposition 30 on the ballot, they have held off application until after the election. “It’s a wait-and-see right now,” Matthew Hebert, director of prospective student services at San Diego State, said. He also stated that the transfer guarantee admission was still in effect. Among the representatives were out-of-state universities such as the University of Utah, and Arizona State University. Ana Reynoso, a University of Utah admissions counselor, explained how the university has a variety of majors. “We offer about 83 majors and over 70 minors. We have about 50 teaching majors where students can take as far as majoring in something and then getting a teaching certificate to go along with that,” Reynosos explained. The requirements for Arizona State University are similar. “For students with an associate’s degree they need to have a GPA of a 2.6 and if you have 30 credits or less we would need you high school transcripts as well as your ACT or SAT test scores,” Reynoso said. If students are interested in attending, both schools accept all federal financial aid and offer scholarships for transfer students. For students who may be interested in a career in the clergy, Southern California Seminary is one choice. Heather Davenport, an
admissions representative, spoke of the biblical major that students pursue work in the monastery with. “Under the undergraduate level the only major we offer is the biblical studies. So we offer an associate’s degree and bachelors degree and with either of those you can either do it on campus or totally online,” Davenport explained. Several other trade schools were also available, ranging between massage therapy, film, and architecture. “The campus located here in San Diego is just for architecture,” said Janet Asuncion, recruiter/admissions counselor. “For transfer students the university offers two scholarships, transfer scholarship and counselor scholarship and for the whole school year a student can either total to about $8,500 or $10,000 discounted from tuition.” Both of these are renewable every school year as long as students can maintain over a 3.0 GPA and attend classes full-time. The New York Film Academy offers bachelor’s degrees in scriptwriting, film-making, acting for film, animation, and game design. The school has several locations including New York and Los Angeles. “It is very intense, very hands-on. You are given a camera the first day of school and your project is due the next week,” Leanna Cervantes, NYFA representative, said. Universities were not all based on campus site learning. Other universities offered popular bachelor’s degrees as well as flexibility in coursework. Brandman University, a part of Chapman University System, offers 52 degrees. Steve Ashton, community and corp. relations representative for Brandman University, spoke of a range of
different schools from education up to health and sciences. “We have degrees in bachelors, masters, and even doctorates program. The financial aid offered is just like any other university accepting Federal loans and FASFA. We have a full financial aid office on campus,” Ashton said. Brandman University has its roots in the military. “The military is actually how we got our satellite school started,” Ashton explained. The college supports military benefits and has an outreach program for military personnel. The university is a nonprofit so all money made goes directly back into the school. Applications for Brandman University are accepted year round and they have eight week sessions. National University, University of Phoenix, Alliant University and Western International University fall into the same category, though they’re based on online focus and flexibility for the non-traditional student. “One of the things that we strive to do is give our students more than just a degree,” Kevin McMackin, Alliant University representative, said. Although these universities take a different approach than other schools, they still offer bachelor’s degrees in common areas. National University alone has a school of education, business and management, health and human services, and college of letters and science. “It’s an option for students who are looking to transfer, to take classes and still work at the same time. Classes are one day a week and eight weeks long and we have online live sessions,” Western International University representative Mike Turner said.
In a press release sent on Oct. 22, City College Chancellor Constance Carroll addressed the growing popularity of massive open online courses, or MOOCs, and the possibilities of offering them at City. “Within the San Diego Community College District, there has already been both interest in and controversy regarding MOOCs, especially under the conditions of a grant opportunity afforded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that would support the development of MOOCs for credit in the areas of general education and basic skills instruction,” Carroll stated in her letter. Carroll also indicated that she would recommend to the District Governance Council that a task force be created. The task force would be dedicated to the research of MOOC’s, and then determine if they are appropriate for City. “This process will require at least a year to complete, in order for us all to be assured of a responsible outcome. In the meantime, the College and CE presidents, the Academic Senate presidents, and I have agreed to forego development of any MOOCs until the policies, standards, and processes regarding MOOC education are in place,” Carroll said.
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www.sdcitytimes.com | November 13, 2012
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE
Lost Girls
An account of San Diego teen murders from best-selling author Caitlin Rother SDCITYTIMES.COM
‘Invest in our future’ Graphic design students rise to Prop. 30 cause By Amanda Rhoades City Times On election night, things weren’t looking good for California Proposition 30, the temporary sales tax increase to prevent further public higher-education cuts. Sometime around 11:30 p.m. the numbers shifted in its favor and ultimately Prop. 30 prevailed. Three weeks before the election when the measure was slipping behind in polls, City College’s graphic design department took matters into their own hands. They created voteyeson30.com, a website with student-designed posters in support of Prop. 30. When Candice López, AIGA Fellow and City College graphic design professor, told her students about the proposition they immediately wanted to do something
to help it pass. Student Ariel Freaner created the website almost overnight, and students began submitting posters that emphasize the importance of protecting public higher-education from further budget cuts. “People just started printing out the posters and putting them up. The leader of the American Federation of Teachers, Jim Mahler, sent an email out to faculty telling them about this, and then I just started seeing them around,” said López, “We created them because we thought that that would be a way for people to get the graphics they needed.” López credits the website’s popularity to Mahler’s support as well as Facebook, which she believes is an effective way of generating student interest. Rick Wagner, a graphic design student and visual communications major, is one of 26 students who created an image for the website. He said that even though his
education wasn’t at risk since he will be graduating soon, he felt compelled to participate because he wanted there to be classes for future students. He even wrote an email to the education reporter at the U-T, but received no response, which he found disappointing. “Its amazing and wonderful that voters in California realized how important this is, that it plays into being able to have new businesses start and people build things in the future,” Wagner said. Rafael Jiménez, graphic design student, contributed his poster because for him, Prop. 30 was personal. He had learned about the weight of Prop. 30 from his brother’s girlfriend, a local teacher, and was concerned about the future of her career as well as his own pursuit of a degree. Now that Prop. 30 has passed, Jiménez feels relieved. “I’m stoked,” he said, “I can actually look forward to next semester without worrying about losing my classes
or whether I’ll see some of my professors again.” Graphic design student Zane Hunker had a very humble view of his own poster contribution. He said he took the time to participate because he believes we have to invest in our future.
Promotional Prop. 30 poster made by student Rafael Jiménez. Contributed by the graphic design department.
‘Thick Dark Fog’ director shares story of native identity Film explores history of U.S. tribal relations By Jennifer Manalili City Times “It touched my heart. You showed me the story of my grandfather and I’ll never forget it,” said an audience member after watching “The Thick Dark Fog” at Saville Theatre. Director Randy Vasquez was there for the screening of his documentary which attracted a large audience on Nov. 5. “Fog” explores the history between the U.S. Government and Native Americans and follows Walter Littlemoon, a Lakota man born and raised in Wounded Knee, S.D., who at 58 found himself estranged from his children. “I couldn’t figure out how to be a father much less a human being,” he said. Littlemoon alleviated the situation by reaching out through penning what would become his autobiography “They Called Me Uncivilized.” “Fog” follows him as he revisits his past, notably his time spent at a government boarding school who’s mission, like others of its kind,
was to “kill the Indian and save the man.” “(They meant to) kill of the Indian inside the children. They’ll still be alive and breathing...but don’t let them speak their language or pray... Separate them from their parents and turn them into English speaking Christians. Kill them and save them at the same time.” said Vasquez. Vasquez said parents were corralled, forced to allow their children to be taken away from them while the threat of arrest and having their rations (of food, etc.) taken away from them hung over their heads. Expressing their Native identities was not allowed at these schools. Children were beaten and humiliated. Like many attending, Littlemoon was traumatized by his experience and forced to assimilate. “Sometimes what we said, how we looked at people, small things like that that never made sense. You got beat for it, emotionally, physically, you never knew what was coming from you,” said Littlemoon. Walter was the youngest of ten children. By the time he was three, his siblings had all left home and in 1947,
when he was just five, he was taken away and brought to a government run boarding school. Upon arriving his hair was cut and he was stripped naked, his skin rubbed raw. Lakotas are taught not to cut their until they lose a loved one. “All I could think was ‘Did my mom die?’” said one woman. “Did she die? Who died because they’re cutting my hair?” The connection between Walter and his mother was severed, the impact so deep that when she visited him three months later he couldn’t recall who she was. As a teenager he repeatedly ran away from the school, trekking the seventeen miles back home alone. “The quicker I can get home, I thought the better off I would be,” he said. “They would catch me and take me back but being in that house for a few minutes would be good enough.” As an adult, Littlemoon was haunted
Director Randy Vasquez goes into detail about his experiences in working on the documentar y. David L. Wells, City Times.
by his past. Like many of the friends he’d gone to school with, he turned to alcohol. He later sought help from the VA after serving in Vietnam and found that reconnecting with Lakota history and his past gave him strength to move on. “My mind is clear ... The dark fog has finally faded,” he said at the end of the film. See Fog, page 7
A hearty soup to keep you warm can of beans, and trade the chicken broth for a veggie-friendly base. Afterward, grab some bread and enjoy coming home to this for a few days. It makes a large KNIGHT BITES batch of leftovers and the Jennifer Manalili great thing about soups is that it’s all up to you! With fall here and temperatures finally winding down, Heat a large pot or Dutch it feels like the right time oven over medium heat. to start breaking out a few Coat the pan with cooking comfort-food meals to pair spray, then add the sausages. Cook on all sides with the weather. Soup can provide a lot of until cooked through, about comfort at the end of the 7 to 8 minutes. Slice the day. After all, what’s better sausages down the center than coming home to a bowl length-wise, then place back into the pot to cook on each side White Bean Soup with for another 2 to 3 Kale and Italian Sausage minutes. Remove Adapted from from the pot and FortheLoveofCooking.net cool before dicing into small bite 3 spicy Italian sausage links, sized pieces. cooked, then diced Add the olive oil 2 teaspoons olive oil ½ sweet yellow onion, finely diced to the pot then toss in the onion, 1 large carrot, finely diced celery and carrot. 1 celery stalk and leaves, diced Cook, stirring 5 cloves of garlic, minced often for 5 to 6 6 to 7 cups of chicken broth minutes, or until 3 cans of white beans, tender. Add garlic drained and rinsed and cook, stirring Salt and pepper to taste constantly, for 1 1 teaspoon dried oregano minute. 1 teaspoon garlic powder Add the chicken 1 teaspoon onion powder stock, white beans ½ teaspoon cumin and chopped saupinch of red pepper flakes sage. Season with 2 bunches of kale, chopped salt and pepper to Parmesan cheese, if desired taste. Cover with full of warm broth with deli- the lid and let simmer for 45 minutes. cious meat and veggies? This soup pairs spicy Ital- Use a blender to blend 2 cups ian sausage with kale and of the soup mixture and then pour white beans, and makes for a simple, hearty and satisfying meal. This doesn’t require a lot of time, fancy fresh herbs or a lot of ingredients. It may even utilize a lot of things that you already have it back into the pot and stir. in your kitchen. It’s pretty versatile too. Try The blended liquid will help utilizing your crock pot to the soup thicken. make it, enjoying this as an Add the kale and stir until appetizer on Thanksgiving, well combined and let it or use spinach if you don’t cook for 1 to 2 minutes. have kale on hand. For a Ladle the soup into bowls vegetarian palate, switch and serve topped with out the sausage for another grated Parmesan cheese.
Difficulty rating:
3/5
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Asian Film Festival
San Diego highlights Filipino cinema SDCITYTIMES.COM
ARTSCT 5
Evolution of the ‘Creed’ By Adam Baird City Times Does anybody remember learning about the American Revolutionary War back in high school? I recall being spoon-fed stories about our heroic founding fathers who bravely stood up against the tyrannical might of the taxloving and freedom-hating British Empire, and after the smoke cleared, a new nation was born unto the virgin landscape. It’s too bad that I didn’t have Assassin’s Creed III back then. My hand would have been raised in class much more often, ready to debate on such brushed-away subjects such as slavery, Native American relations, propaganda the character of our forefathers and the true intentions behind the revolution itself. Now I don’t want to get ahead of myself. This is supposed to be a game review, so what could anything I have just said have to do with a
video game, right? The Assassin’s Creed series, spanning five games developed by Ubisoft, is truly epic in proportions. While explaining what the series is about could take up a whole article itself, I’ll give a brief synopsis for those who are unfamiliar with the series. Two ideologically opposed organizations, the Assassins and the
Ubisoft Entertainment.
Templar’s, have been waging a secret war against one another for roughly a thousand years. The goal for both is the same: to save the planet from a terrible catastrophe. Yet both have opposing views on how this should be achieved; the Assassins believe in a path of liberation and freedom, while the Templar’s view humanity as needing to be controlled. Desmond, a direct ancestor in a bloodline of some very prominent Assassins, uses a special machine called the Animus to relive their memories and experiences from across time through his DNA. By uncovering the secrets of the past, he and a small team of modern-day Assassins hope to prevent both the Templar’s plans for global domination and the coming apocalypse.
Every game is based around historical locations, people, and events, and aims to highlight and discuss details that tend to be either omitted, or completely misconstrued in textbooks. Cultural, political and philosophical themes and ideas of the time periods are also presented in an introductory manner. It is in these elements as to why the series has such a widely acclaimed and loyal following. But I bet you’re wondering...is there an actual game in here, or is it just an interactive history lesson? Well yes, and Assassin’s Creed is an action-heavy game. You take the role of an assassin who performs strategic, political assassinations (in an attempt to prevent full-scale wars... one death to prevent the potential deaths of millions). Stealth-assassination contracts, hand-to-hand combat against legions of soldiers, parkour-style navigation over buildings and ancient ruins, strategic diplomacy, naval See Creed, page 7
Audrey II eats up the Saville Theatre
(above) Loraine Ordieno, Diego Valdez, Darik Houseknecht, Darwin Browne, and Oliver Wilcox gather for the the show’s final number, “Don’t Feed the Plants” and Audrey II on stage before the show’s climax. (below) Manuel Rotenberg, SmugMug Inc By Mariel Mostacero City Times City College’s “Little Shop of Horrors” proved to be a success as students presented this comedic musical, which opened on Oct. 26 at the Saville Theatre. It made audience members laugh, gasp, and have fun. “Little Shop of Horrors” is a cult-classic comedy about bumbling florist Seymour Krelborn (played by Oliver Wilcox) who works at a struggling flower shop in the rundown part of town. While in love with one of his coworkers Audrey (played by Loraine Odierno), Seymour finds a mysterious plant that
he names Audrey II. He gains fame and notoriety from the public for the strange creature, but as Seymour learns more about the plant, he soon realizes it has a taste for blood — human blood. The beginning of the musical was slow, with the opening prologue looking awkward as the ensemble stood there when the curtains opened. But after that, the musical really picked up, with the Crystalettes singing on key during the second number, “Downtown/ Skid Row.” The core cast played their parts well, especially t character Orin Scrivello, the sadistic dentist (played by Diego Valdez). Playing off of each
other, they had a chemistry that was evident on stage. The singing from all the cast members were clean and crisp, each having its own flavor, whether it was the cool sharpness of Valdez, the shyness of Wilcox’s voice, or the over-the-top salesman voice of Darik Houseknecht, who played Mr. Mushnik. The only voice that seemed a little out of touch was that of Audrey, but only because of the lisp the character had throughout the musical, which seemed to affect her singing voice in her solo, “Somewhere That’s Green.” The highlight of the show, though, was Audrey
II, the man-eating plant that grew bigger throughout the show. The plant was voiced by Tandy Ward and operated by Francisco Brambils. The warped Venus fly trap of Audrey II seemed to steal the show with its appetite and twisted humor, especially with the song “Git It,” when it begs Seymour for more food. The show also had something different from the original, which was a dancer that contributed to some of the musical numbers, such as “Git it” and the prologue. Although it felt a little out of place and drove the attention from the other action on stage, it was a dose of originality that set it apart from the original 1960s film. Overall, the musical was great for a school production, appreciating the original with its 1960s melodramatic acting and comedic attitude, while still adding a little bit of originality to the performance.
UE Kara Sushi & Grill, located on 8th and C street, offers a variety of sushi including the Lion King Roll Amanda Rhoades, City Times
Downtown sushi joint disappoints American-style rolls fall short of authentic Recently UE Kara Grill opened on C St. between Eighth and Ninth Ave. making it a convenient
THE FOODIST MANIFESTO
Andrew Hahn lunch option for City College students and staff, especially those who are time and money conscious. I know I’m not the only one who is tired of spending $8 on cafeteria sushi, yet continues to purchase it because of a need for a quick sushi fix. If you know what I’m talking about, then UE Kara could be the sushi restaurant you have been waiting for. The first time I went to UE Kara I was happily surprised with the weekday lunch specials, which feature three different rolls for $6 each. I visited on a Tuesday and ordered the albacore special which has artificial crab and avocado inside with cuts of albacore tuna on top. Isn’t it strange that artificial crab meat has become so socially accepted that most places just refer to it as crab, ignoring the fact that it is actually a type of fish? I also ordered a bowl of edamame for $2 that was about as good as you could expect for the price; a freezerific appetizer.
Of course not all sushi is the same and the difference between gourmet sushi and cheap sushi is huge in terms of price, range of flavor and freshness. UE Kara is not a high-end sushi restaurant, but the prices are not high either. My second visit to the restaurant was after 3 p.m. when they stop offering the lunch specials and charge full-price. I ordered the Las Vegas roll, the Lion King roll and another bowl of edamame but this time I ended up paying $25, which defeats the purpose of cheap sushi. Even more disappointing was the presentation of these sushi rolls, that were less like traditional sushi and more like rice-wrapped “McNuggets.” These rolls were both stuffed with cream cheese, deep-fried, covered in mayonnaise and spicy ketchup, then topped with shaved jalapeño. The albacore special was decent but these rolls were absolutely repulsive. These rolls represent the westernization of Eastern ideas being taken too far. Somewhere beyond the point of recognition, after losing all virtue in the deep-fry, you find frankensushi sitting amongst sweetand-sour pork, Hello Kitty memorabilia and miracle seaweed-ginseng supplements that cure American discontent and cancer. My advice is to check out UE Kara for the lunch special and try to keep your order simple. If the roll has some type of raw fish on top, that is a good sign. If it has nacho cheese or whipped cream with sprinkles, then order at your own discretion.
CT VOICE 6
www.sdcitytimes.com | November 13, 2012
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San Diego county WHY SO SERIOUS? By Adam Baird rejects Prop. 30, abysmal voter turnout to blame Voting in a national election isn’t hard, and it doesn’t take up much time. So why did almost half of registered voters in San Diego county fail to cast their ballots on Nov. 6? Voting isn’t just a right we have as Americans, it’s a responsibility we all share as citizens of the nation. Without input from the citizens, our executive and legislative branches of government can’t function as accurate representations of what the people want.
EDITORIAL
City Times Editorial Board Our country was founded on the beliefs that our government is to be run by the people and for the people, but when people choose not to voice their opinions, all of those principles that are supposed to make our nation great are rendered irrelevant and useless. In fact, voting trends from the recent election perfectly illustrate the importance of voting, indicating that the demographics in America have already shifted, and that the traditionally prominent white-male vote is in the process of being marginalized. The Christian Science Monitor has reported that Obama won 93 percent of the African-American vote, 71 and 73 percent of the Hispanic and Asian vote respectively, and 55 percent of the overall female vote. Meanwhile, Romney won about 59 percent of the white vote, which is “... the best a GOP nominee has done among whites since 1988, and not too long ago such a performance might have
guaranteed a winning margin ... after all, whites still make up 72 percent of US voters,” according to CSM. The idea that a single vote does not matter does not fare well in the aftermath of a close election that, for possibly the first time in U.S. history, was determined by minorities and women. Now more than ever is the time to exercise one of our country’s most important rights. Yet, according to the California Secretary of State’s website, only 52.6 percent of registered voters in San Diego County actually voted in this election. The idea that people would register to vote and then neglect to cast their ballot is atrocious, especially at City, which had a polling place on campus. Even more disheartening is that in San Diego county, a place with many community colleges and universities, Proposition 30 was actually rejected. Prop. 30 wasn’t voted down by a small margin either. As of Nov. 9, according to the San Diego County Registrar of Voters website, 56.9 percent of people who actually cast their ballot in our county voted against Prop. 30. The good news is that despite the apathy displayed by registered voters in San Diego, Prop. 30 was passed by the more vocal voters all over the state. We here at City should learn from this election. If we want real change we need to voice our opinions, and if we want certain ballots to pass, we need to cast our votes; not just out of patriotic duty, but out of an understanding that in the current political landscape, our vote matters more than it ever has.
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Volume 67 Number 6 November 13, 2012
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CT CityTimes
Published as: The Jay Sees | 1945-1949 Fortknightly | 1949-1978 City Times | 1978Incorporating the newspapers Tecolote, Knight Owl and Flicks
Troy Orem Editor-in-Chief
Amanda Rhoades News Editor
Bobby Whaley Managing and Online Editor
Jennifer Manalili Arts and Life Editor
Lizz Carson Opinion Editor
David L. Wells Photo Editor
Mariel Mostacero Sports and Design Editor Michele Suthers Chief Illustrator Adam Baird Copy Chief
Four More Years
Speaking in tongues Many people believe God made mouths for eating, or talking — they are wrong. There are absolutely no risks of unwanted pregnancies
SEXUALLY EXPLICIT Bobby Whaley & Lizz Carson with oral sex, because stomach acid makes the best spermicide. Your mouth allows for a much safer way to enjoy your partner(s), especially if you’re not exclusive with them. Oral sex is still technically considered a form of sex according to the Center
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for Disease Control. While your chances of contracting most STD’s and/or STI’s from oral are significantly lower, they are still there. So, don’t just run around stuffing your face with whatever you can find; unsafe sex is still unsafe, even if it’s just with your mouth. Make sure you know your partner’s status before you decide to put their fun-bits near your face. Cunnilingus or fellatio are alternatives to stripping all your clothes off and slipping between the sheets. When it comes to relationships, have sex when it means something, and use your mouth to impress your partner when it doesn’t. Humping like rabbits only leads to unwanted disasters and more stress. When you stop jumping straight into the sack every
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City Times Staff Ally Browne, Adam Burkhart, Anthony Calhoun, Tristen Fernane, Sandra Galindo Jesse Gomez-Villeda, Andrew Hahn, Michael Liggins, Issa Lozano, Benny A. McFadden, Michelle Moran, Fahima Paghmani Roman S. Koenig Journalism Adviser
time you get an urge, it will make those times you do that much better. Oral is one way to fill that gap in time between romps without totally abstaining from sex. Think of going down as a bowl of vanilla ice cream; it doesn’t have to be plain, you just have to find the right toppings to add to it. Rule number one of all sexual activities, if not all of life, is participation. When your partner’s face is between your legs it might be easy to just sit back and enjoy, but you have to be as active as possible. Your fingers should be in their hair, your hips should be moving, and you had better be making noise. If you’re not going to participate, just go masturbate. The moaning and encouragement from the receiv-
ing end is a big part of what makes giving oral worth it. If you just lay there, you’re not going to get it as often and it’s not going to be very good. But if you get off your backside and become interactive, it will be a mutually enjoyable time. If you’re giving oral and the other person doesn’t do anything, it’s not necessarily because you’re doing it wrong. Motivate them to be more interactive, talk to them about it, and urge them to urge you on. If you’re receiving oral when they do what you like, moan louder, pull their hair, grab their body anywhere; just give them a sign that that’s what you like. If they are doing something wrong let them know, See Tongues, page 7
City Times is published twice monthly in print and weekly online during the semester by students in San Diego City College’s Journalism program. 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
November 13, 2012 | www.sdcitytimes.com
Fog
Muertos
Continued from Page 4
Continued from Page 3
“Because of my ancestors and elders, I have dignity, honor and pride. I’ll have these things until I can come join them. I can finally say I am Lakota. I am a human being.” “Walter’s experience is mild compared to others. We all know about the experiences in the Catholic church and the sexual abuse,” said Vasquez. “These schools were in a lot of remote areas and a lot of kids were taken advantage of. Some of the things these kids went through, I can’t even speak about.” Vasquez, who works in the film industry in Los Angeles, said he was lucky to have money saved up for the film which cost him $50,000 out of his own pocket. He spent seven years researching the film and later received a grant from PBS which helped him finish the film within a year. It has held a recurring slot in the network’s schedule since June. “I was interested in the stereotype of the drunk Indian,” he said. “...History repeats itself. We have a habit of not dealing with genocide, black culture or denying it. Let’s deal with it. Once we deal with it we can move on.” For more information visit www.nativetelecom.com or www.thickdarkfog.com.
from. Some of these altars had free bread and candy for the guests. Students from Hilltop High School came to perform traditional dances from different parts of Mexico. Students represented the cities of Jalisco and Veracruz, and were all dressed up in costume, just like traditional dancers in Mexico. Lots of energy and charisma was incorporated into the dances, and accurately portrayed the traditional choreography
Tongues Continued from Page 6 because if you don’t they will never know how to get better. Be sure to know your partner’s comfort zone and be respectful of it. Anything that could push beyond someone’s limits or boundaries should be discussed beforehand. Give warnings before letting loose because it’s not fun to get hit without a warning. Always remember, it is supposed to be fun for both participants, and being pushed into a situation you’re uncomfortable with isn’t fun for anybody. Keep in mind though, experi-
Creed Continued from Page 5 pirate ship battles, bearhunting ... plenty of action. In AC 3, Desmond relives the memories of his ancestor, Connor, a half-English, halfNative American man who, through a series of tragic events, is thrown in the midst of the tenuous and violent time period during the American Revolutionary War. Because of his cultural ethnicity and heritage, Connor sees events from a different mind set than most, and isn’t shy about speaking his mind, or doing what is needed. He eventually gets entangled in many of the events and people of the time, with familiar figures such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Samuel Adams are all portrayed, and at times, in an unfavorable or questionable light. It brings a certain level of
7 of those Mexican cities. Free bread and candy for the guests. Anthropologist and professor Kathleen Robles of City College, who has been studying Day of the Dead culture for a long time, was a speaker at the event. Robles also participated by creating an altar to represent her mother. She has made countless altars in the past, she recalled, but this one was the most sentimental. She spoke about the history of the culture, and how Day of the Dead originated in Mesoamerica.
Take pride in what you’ve accomplished so far and know that you can add a Bachelor’s to your list of achievements. Transfer and continue the journey to go for greater.
Starlite hosts Seeds fundraiser By Amanda Rhoades City Times Starlite in Mission Hills will host its second annual fundraiser benefitting City College’s Seeds@City urban farm and sustainable agriculture program on Tuesday, Nov. 13. Menu items will feature produce grown in the oncampus farm by students, and 10 percent of profits will be donated to the program. Last year, the Starlite
event gave about $500 to Seeds. Erin Rempala, manager of the Seeds@City urban farm and sustainable agriculture program, hopes this year’s turnout will be greater with the help of their larger Facebook following. The fundraiser falls on one of Starlite’s “Tapas Tuesdays,” with prices starting at $6.Starlight is located at 3175 India St. They are open from 5 p.m. until 2 a.m. on Tuesdays.
menting is the key to keeping relationships interesting, so be willing to try new things and push your own limits. Oral is a two-way street, so if you expect to get your penis between her lips, expect to have your face buried between her thighs, and viceversa. Ladies, don’t just give and not get. There are plenty of guys who will be fine with it if you just give them head without expecting them to muff dive. Once you both know what to do when on the receiving end, it can be just as much fun for the giver as for the receiver, so don’t steal that from them. Don’t get overly confident
just because your last partner enjoyed everything they received from you. Don’t go out into the world thinking you will be able to hold sway over anybody you meet because of your skills. Just like we all have our own personalities, fingerprints and DNA, everyone has specific way in which to have their mind blown. Finding out what someone’s trigger is often found by either the process of elimination, or by just shotgunning it. Don’t be afraid to try everything until you discover what works with your new partner. So dive in head-first and get some!
satisfaction to see these lofty, symbolic figures in a much more honest and humanistic perspective than they are typically portrayed as, such as Franklin’s voracious sexual appetites and opinions, to Washington village-burning, battle-losing and slave-owning tendencies. In fact, the central idea of the AC III story deals with the ethical doublestandard of these men being champions for freedom while simultaneously denying it to everyone but their own white, male, land-owning selves.
upgraded with new features and gameplay elements. Which brings me to my final point; even with all of the new features, not much has changed in terms of changes to the AC formula. Everything is just bigger, better and more refined, from fighting, navigation and side-quests. Visuals and animations are gorgeous, and due to the new wilderness areas, running from tree-top to tree-top along the branches is an easy way to zone-out for a few hours. In fact, AC III does a great job of allowing for new players to jump right in without needing to play any of the previous games. For current fans, it will be a rewarding experience that will live up to, and in some ways but not all, exceed expectations. For newcomers, Assassin’s Creed III is highly accessible and rewarding, and will allow for experiencing one of the pinnacles of modern gaming.
The game world in which all of this takes place is massive. Colonial Boston and New York, two wilderness areas with a plethora of sidequests and missions, and a whole new gameplay dynamic of naval battles (which are simple but very fun) can and will keep you playing well past the 20 hour storyline. Multiplayer has also been
Offering Bachelor’s & Master’s Degrees. (866) 594-2330 GoForGreater.org Columbia College - San Diego 4025 Tripoli Avenue, Bldg. 111
Catlyn Wyatt ‘12
CT SPORTS 8
Students learn how to stay fit for the holidays City hosts 8th annual Fitness Awareness week By Benny A. McFadden City Times City fitness center faculty hosted it’s 8th annual Fitness Awareness Week Nov. 5-10. The event was advertised as, “a week of fun filled activities and learn ways to avoid the holiday extra pounds and inches.” Organizer of the event, exercise science professor Paul Young said in an email that holding the event before the holiday season, “ ... is the reason we host fitness awareness week at this time of the year. However, the other reason is our fitness center fundraiser is this time of the year so I place the timing of fitness awareness week to end with the fitness center
fundraiser this Saturday at Mission Bay.” The event kicked off with an open house at the fitness center and a lecture on the five components of fitness, with DVD’s and t-shirts for sale at the bookstore. Free blood pressure testing and resting heart rate evaluation were offered on Nov. 6. An aerobic day was hosted on Nov. 7 and participators were invited to check out the fitness centers elliptical machines, stairmasters, and treadmills. A body composition assessment followed on Nov. 8 at the fitness center, offering a list of recommended exercise videos and DVDs for participants to look through. For more information on fitness center activities, classes offered at the fitness center, or to volunteer for other upcoming fitness center events, email professor Paul Greer at pgreer@sdccd.edu.
SPORTS Women’s soccer
Sports Lineup Compiled by Mariel Mostacero Submit events to calendar@sdcitytimes.com or call 619-388-3880 n Womens’ Volleyball Vs. Imperial Valley at 5 p.m. Nov. 14 n Womens’ Basketball Vs. Saddleback at 7 p.m. Nov. 13 Saddleback Tour-
ney Nov. 15 to Nov. 17 (away) Hartnell Tourney Nov. 30 to Dec. 2 (away) Irvine Valley Tourney Dec. 6 to Dec. 8 (away) n Mens’ Basketball
SDCC Tourney Nov. 16 to Nov. 18 (home) Citrus Tourney Nov. 23 to Nov. 26 (away) Riverside Tourney Dec. 4 to Dec. 8 (away)
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Event for children to shop with City’s finest athletes for Christmas SDCITYTIMES.COM
Midseason Overview
W
L
T
Standing
Men’s soccer (league) Men’s soccer (overall)
5 8
1 4
5 6
2nd ---
Women’s soccer (league) Women’s soccer (overall)
3 5
7 8
3 4
7th ---
Women’s volleyball (league) Women’s volleyball (overall)
5 8
4 7
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5th ---
Men’s cross country
---
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5th
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Devin Garcia (14) from the City College Knights tries to assist the team’s goalie after the Imperial Valley Arabs tries to make a goal, which is blocked at the home game. Mariel Mostacero, City Times
Men’s soccer win 3-1 By Andrew Hahn City Times
Knights player Brenda Ibanez (2) tries to keep control of the ball from Olympian player Hannah Jackson (19) at a home game against Mesa College on Nov. 2. The City College Knights lost 0-4. Mariel Mostacero, City Times
www.sdcitytimes.com | November 13, 2012
The Knights of San Diego City College were quick to score against the Arabs of Imperial Valley only five minutes into the first half of a fast-paced game that was full of quick passes and dashes toward the goals on both sides of the field, with Tony Nguyen No. 7, scoring the first goal from the deep corner.
The Knights held possession the majority of the time, giving them an early advantage, making for an game full of exciting moments.There were many calls for high kicking, some of which were close enough to the face in one instance as to draw the yellow card on the Knights in the first half. The Arabs scored in the first five minutes into the second half to tie up the game. This was perhaps
the most intense moment of the game as both teams were highly motivated and making extreme attempts to score. The tie did not last long when Eddie Mendez No. 11, scored with a powershot from outside the goal box, followed by another goal shortly after by Devin Garcia No. 14, who received the ball off a corner kick and a hat trick, back heel assist by a Knights midfielder.
The Knights held their dominance over the Arabs for the remainder of the game, not allowing the other team any opportunities to close the gap. With a final score of 3-1, the Knights won a well earned victory and displayed an impressive performance of athleticism. Both teams played very hard in what was an intense and entertaining game of soccer.
Cross country wraps up season By Benny A. McFadden City Times Women’s and men’s cross country teams seasons ended at the Southern California championships held in Costa Mesa on Nov. 3. While neither the team or any individual runner advanced to the state championships, both recorded personal best running times at the event. Kylie Edwards, coach of the women’s team, was extremely enthusiastic about her team’s performance. According to Edwards, the women’s team outperformed preseason expectations. A surprise lead runner
for the women’s team was Andrea Villalpando, who is San Diego High School graduate. Villalpando ran track and field in high school but had never ran cross country until joining City’s team. She led City’s team in almost every race of the season and finished 117th out of 206 runners at the Southern California championships. As a first year runner, Villalpando has the option of joining the team again next year. Men’s coach Paul Greer said that he knew his team was strong enough to make the Southern California championships before the
season began. Team leader Enrique Zapata was just 7 places out of contention to qualify for state. “It feels great to have another successful season. I came back this season knowing it was my last at San Diego City and I wanted to put the best training in to help the team the most I could,” Zapata said in an email. Greer said men’s cross country has had a 25-30 year dry spell in qualifying for state. As recently as 2010, the men’s team had an individual runner go to state, but not the entire team. City’s inter-conference
and community college district competitor Mesa College, qualified for state. The Mesa men’s team finished 7th at the Southern California championship and their women’s team finished 9th. In a previous interview with City Times, Greer said Mesa is always a tough competitor because they have track and field while City does not. “That’s not an excuse,” Greer said about his team normally not doing as well as Mesa. It is a valid reason according to Greer, that many good runners who want to attend school go to Mesa instead of City.