The Telescope 64.11 by The Telescope

Palomar College, San Marcos, Calif. monday dec. 6, 2010 Vol. 64, No. 11

the-telescope.com

Professor claims student gov’t pawn in admin game Admin denies accusation of power imbalance daniel martin the telescope

hysics Professor Daniel Finkenthal publicly criticized the P structure of the Associated Student

Government and its relations with the Office of Student Affairs during a governing board meeting Nov. 9. Sherry Titus, the director of Student Affairs and ASG adviser, defended her role of guiding the student government leaders. She maintained her goal is and always has been to help students. At the meeting, Finkenthal presented evidence to the Board of Trustees that he said illustrated that the OSA has shown bias toward certain students, and in doing so, abused its authority. Due to these problems, he proposed the ASG become independent of the OSA in order to provide balance for the student government. Channing Shattuck, the ASG president, said the student government has not taken a side. The group turn to asg page

photo Melissa ling | for THE TELESCOPE Photo illustration by staff | THE TELESCOPE

Physics professor Daniel Finkenthal made claims at the last governing board meeting stating that the Office of Student Affairs has too much control over the Associated Student Government, which is due in part to administration’s favoritism for certain students. Sherry Titus, President of the Office of Student Affairs and ASG faculty advisor denies these claims and has said she has always kept the student need as a priority. The issue will be addressed at the next governing board meeting, which is at 5 p.m. on Dec. 7 in the governing board room. The meeting is open to the public.

76 class sections added for Spring semester mark saunders the telescope

Students planning to attend Palomar next spring semester have more opportunities to avoid crashing a must-have class. New class sections are now available for next semester. Seventy-six new class sections have been added to Palomar’s

Spring 2011 course catalog, said Berta Cuaron, vice president of instruction. Classes were picked based on the demand exemplified by enrolling students at the beginning of the Fall 2010 semester. Some classes being added next semester include four biology sections, five chemistry sections, 12 math sections and four speech sections. Only three of the 76 listed

course sections do not fall under general education classified courses. “Our primary goal was to look at the greatest student demand and where we can serve more students in those areas,” Cuaron said. “(However) there were fiscal and class limitations to consider.” While the addition of new classes seems promising, some students

said they feel the new classes could have arrived sooner. “Some of the classes are really small,” said student Jennifer Sharp. “I’ve seen a lot of crashers turned away. (Palomar) is doing well but could try harder. The new building should help though.”

Woodworking students donate toys Palomar’s woodworking department has been giving Santa’s workshop a run for its money this holiday season. Fifty students gathered to make over 350 wooden toys for children in need over three November weekends. For 12 years, the department has been making toys for needy or abused children. The toys are distributed to roughly 25 organizations, including the San Diego Coalition for the Homeless and Camp Pendleton, through the San Diego Fine Woodworkers Associa-

tion (SDFWA). “It was fun to know that the toys were going to children in need,” student Jake Snyder said. She said it was a team effort. “We were learning to work together. It was a good three weekends.” Snyder and her husband, Jim, have made wooden toys for their grandchildren for several years, but this was the first time they took the class at Palomar. “It was fun working in production toy making,” Jim said. “We could all help out.” turn to toys page

turn to classes page

350 toys do to 25 loca nated lc for needy harities kids courtesy image

melina fickas the telescope

Overall, the additional course offerings are welcomed by students. “I think (new classes) are a good idea,” said student Darrell McQuarter, who said he is happy with the addition of economic classes. “It

|campus beat

THE TELESCOPE | monday, Dec. 6, 2010

Performing arts season ends Dec. 12

Campus Calendar M onday , D ec . 6

• Movie Monday at 1 p.m. in SU-104. “Gran Torino.” Receive a free snack with student activity card • “Goal Setting” free workshop at 5 p.m. in Room #500, TLC Center, Escondido campus

T uesday , D ec . 7

• Hoop It Up basketball contest at 11 a.m. in the Student Union quad

T hursday , D ec . 9

• Concert Hour at 12:30 p.m. in the performance lab. Student musicians’ recital performance • “Celebrating the Seasons” women’s chorus performance at 8 p.m. in the performance lab

F riday , D ec . 10

• Winter Dance 2010 event at 8 p.m. Dec. 10 and 11. Dance varieties by students in the Howard Brubeck Theatre • Enlightened Lens 2010 Photo Exhibition. Dec. 1030, closed Dec. 24 and 25. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays and closed Sundays and Mondays. Call 760-480-4101 for more information

S unday , D ec . 12

• Palomar Symphony, Chorale, Chamber Singers performance at 2 p.m. in the Howard Brubeck Theatre

The Palomar Symphony, Chorale and Chamber Singers and Palomar Women’s choir will end the Fall 2010 performance season with two performances Dec. 9 and Dec. 12. The women’s choir will sing selections from Rodgers and Hammerstine, Rodger and Hart, Nacio Fred Brown and George Gershwin at 8 p.m., Dec. 9. The pieces, directed by Palomar professor Karen Bryan, will celebrate the four seasons with special emphasis on the December holidays, according to the Performing Arts website. Admission costs $5 for open seating to all and will be in the Performance Lab. Directed by Palomar professors Ellen Weller and Sally Husch-Dean, the last performance of the season will start at 2 p.m., Dec. 12 by the Palomar Chorale, with a presentation of Mozart’s Missa Brevis in F Major for strings and chorus. The Chamber Singers will follow with christina dugdale| THE TELESCOPE Hanacpachap, which is thought to be the Dance 145 Choreography I and Dance 197K Student Choreography students concentrate during a practice for their WinterDance 2010. first polyphonic music composed in the new world, according to the Performing Arts website. The Chamber Singers are also scheduled to sing a collection of traditional, Christmas spirit is on the rise in the performing arts depart- 760-744-1150 ext. 2453 Thursday and Fridays between noon and 4 seasonal titles to go with the holiday season ment. Students from Palomar’s Dance 145 Choreography I and p.m. or go online to palomar.edu/performingarts/index.htm. and the Palomar Symphony will end the Dance 197K Student Choreography classes will do their part to show with a performance of Beethoven’s deliver holiday cheer at 8 p.m., Dec. 10 and 11, performing the 11th Symphony No. 7. annual Winter Dance 2010. Admission costs $12 for general, $10 “This is a event by gifted student choreographers and dancfor seniors and staff, and $8 for students ers with a variety of dancers that will entertain the audience really and will take place in the Howard Brubeck well,” said PatriceAnn Mead, Palomar dance professor and Winter Theatre. Purchase tickets by calling the Dance director. Performing Arts department at 760-744Forty five students from both classes will perform 24 different 1150 ext. 2453 Thursday and Fridays bepieces, including hip-hop, modern, ballet, tap, Hawaiian and jazz tween noon. and 4 p.m. dance styles, all choreographed by students. “We have various choices of music from new age to old school music,” Mead said. Performers were chosen after a three-step audition. “This is the largest choreography class; at the beginning of the semester Fall Semester 2010 will come to an students began to develop their dances and the strongest pieces end Dec. 16 with the last day of finals. were chosen,” Mead said. Students are invited to stop by SU-204 Tickets costs $12 for general admission, $10 for seniors and with their student activity card for a staff and $8 for students. Mead recommends purchasing tickets chrisTina dugdale| THE TELESCOPE free cup of coffee from the Student Afas soon as possible. “It’s a very, well-attended event that sells out by the time of the event.” Dancers get low while practicing a routine for Winter Dance 2010. fairs Office starting at 8 a.m. Dec. 13-16 . Purchase tickets by calling the Performing Arts department at

Tradition continues with 11th annual Winter Dance Dec. 9 & 10

FINALS

Monday

What’s up? Do you know something we don’t? Let us know. To submit story tips or events for the campus calendar, e-mail us at telescope@palomar.edu or call 760-891-7865.

Dec. 6

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Tuesday Dec. 7

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Wednesday Thursday

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Dec. 8

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NATE BEELER|MCT Campus

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Saturday Dec. 11

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Sunday Dec. 12

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News| 3

Monday, dec. 6, 2010 | THE TELESCOPE

ASG Continued from Page 1

Student gov’t president says the ASG is removing itself from admin contol The gov’t began its push for independence to ensure a ‘balance’ of power is looking at options to become independent from the OSA, but has been doing so without any influence from Finkenthal. The governing board members made it clear that this issue must be addressed, but opted to discuss it at a later meeting. The issue is on the agenda for the next meeting, which will be held on Dec. 7.

Old Problems Resurface

As part of his evidence to the board members, Finkenthal brought up the resignation of Andrew Bissell, the former ASG president elected for the 2009-2010 year. According to the presentation, Bissell was having trouble dealing with Titus and he went to Finkenthal for guidance. “As I got to know Andrew, he became more comfortable sharing his problems serving as ASG president and how it was the most difficult and painful challenge he had ever faced in his life,” Finkenthal told the board, adding that Bissell is a veteran who served overseas.

“He told me of his anxiety and nightmares, not of roadside bombs and insurgent snipers, but of college administrators,” Finkenthal said. Finkenthal said Bissell pointed to problems within the structure of the ASG and OSA. For example, there was a cancelled ASG meeting on Oct. 7, 2009. Titus had cancelled the meeting because she said Bissell had not sent her an agenda as required by the bylaws of the student government. Finkenthal said Bissell claims he emailed the agenda in time. Finkenthal told Bissell he would investigate the e-mail situation, and filed a records request for Titus’ email inbox on Oct. 12, 10 days after

Bissell said he sent the e-mail with

“

er. She said she moved it from her spam folder to her default inbox before the request was filed. Titus said the investigation also proved that the servers were down — Daniel Finkenthal on Oct. 1 beProfessor tween 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and that may have blocked the email. — Sherry Titus “I play by ASG faculty adviser the rules,” Titus said. She said she conducts business with high levels of integrity. Neill Kovrig, the Classified Staff Union president, vouched for Titus after Finkenthal’s presentation. He said that he has worked with Titus and has seen no problems.

He told me of his anxiety and nightmares, not of roadside bombs and insurgent snipers, but of college administrators.

”

“

I play by the rules.

the agenda. In the records Finkenthal presented to the Governing Board, the e-mail is shown in Titus’ inbox. Titus said she never received the email in her default e-mail folder because it landed in the spam fold-

”

classes

tOYS

Continued from Page 1

will prevent a lot of students to make the addition of new courses of Palomar’s $14 million budget have to sit on the floor and crash possible. Cuaron said that these surplus from last fiscal year, Cuaclasses.” new classes are necessary during ron said. Cuaron said the new classes this time of building removal and The surplus was due in part have been needed since last renewal. to the removal of courses last seJanuary. However, she said that “We are in a huge transition mester and the money the school due to the state legislasaved in doing so, she ture, classes that did not said. directly lead to student It has paid off. Good transfers or degrees were choices were made,” eliminated. Cuaron said. New courses were iniStudents interviewed tially announced by Presisaid that the need for - AIS 100 (2) - MATH 15 (2), 50 (2), dent Robert Deegan at an more classes in specific AMS/MCS/SOC 200 60 (3), 110 (2), 115, All College forum held on majors also remains. - ANTH 105 135, 140 Sept. 23. Deegan was un“A lot of people fill up - AODS 150/PSYC 150 - MICR 200 available for comment on classes pretty fast,” said - AS 100 - OCN 100 the new classes last week. student Eric Canseco. “(I - ASL 100 - OIS 103 There are approximatethink) the waitlist should - BIOL 100 (3), 102 - PE 104/EME 100 ly 2,600 to 2,700 new seats be longer and more ma- CHDV 100 (2) - PE 295 for students to take advanjor classes should be - CHEM 100 (3), 110, - PHIL 100 tage of in the new classes, added.” 110L (2) - POSC 101 Cuaron said. She said she Cuaron said she feels - COUN 110 (3) - PSYC 100 (2) hopes this will provide stuthat the IPC subcommit- CS 101 - RS 101 dents with more chances tee did a good job factor- ECON 102 - SOC/PSYC 105 to get the classes they ing in all the information - HE 100, 100L, 165 - SPCH 100 (4) need for transfer or degree given and analyzing what - HIST 101, 102 - ZOO 145 (2), 200 requirements. classes students truly “We make sure to ofneeded to pursue future fer courses in regularity,” goals for transfer and deCuaron said. “We try to offer a of phasing out modules and gree achievement. balance of number of classes in classrooms and into new build“I’m very pleased with the fall and spring semesters.” ings,” Cuaron said. “The multi- package put together. We took The addition of Palomar’s new disciplinary building has played time to look at (data) and make Multidisciplinary Instructional a huge role.” recommendations,” Cuaron said. building, which will be open for The new class sections have “That was our goal, to offer more classes in the spring, has helped also been implemented because for students.”

There were 13 teams of students working on the project. Each team made 40 replicas of one type of toy. Team members work in an assembly line style, and each person learned how to do several tasks expertly. “There was a lot of sanding to do,” Jake joked, saying they “were trying to recruit people f r o m o t h e r teams because no one wanted to do it.” The professors also helped with the toy-making process. “Everything has to fit,” woodworking professor Bob Jacobson said. Toys the class makes have to have at lease one moving part, and all toys are double-checked to make sure they work before being donated, said woodworking professor Tom Woodbury. “We don’t want to give a kid a broken toy,” Woodbury said. The toy-making class was started at Palomar by professor Gordon Collinson.The SDFWA had been making wooden toys for children in need for years, but there were not any workshops in North County. Collinson got the class approved and it was added to the roster in 1998. Since then, the students have

The following classes will be added to the schedule next semester:

Recurring Issues

Finkenthal said the problems are not isolated, and the solution is to change the structure of the ASG by making it independent from the OSA so that it can truly represent the student views. ASG President Shattuck said the problem lies within the structure of the government. “I really don’t think we should be targeting people, but the systems we are part of,” he said. ASG Senator Cassandra Padilla said ASG is striving to make the bylaws work and to fix the structure. “The OSA has been nothing but helpful, and the least bit intrusive,” Padilla said. Finkenthal’s presentation is included in the minutes of the Governing Board meeting, which are available on Palomar’s website. The issues will be addressed again at the next governing board meeting, which is open to the public, on Tuesday Dec. 7 at 5 p.m. in the governing board room.

made over 4,000 toys. The class used to be for four consecutive Saturdays, but because of cuts at Palomar, it has been decreased to three classes. “There are over 40 classes in the department, but the toy class is very special,” Woodbury said. The SDFWA provided the materials for the class, and they will distribute the finished toys to San Diego area children. Students who took this class received a half unit credit, but they said they have the satisfaction of knowing they put a smile on a child’s face this holiday season. “These toys are going to be heirlooms,” Jake Snyder said with a smile.

“They will be handed down.” If you are interested in the woodworking department, contact Tom Woodbury at twoodbury@palomar. edu or stop by the department in the T Building.

|Opinion

THE TELESCOPE | Monday, DEC. 6 , 2010

Don’t resist the TSA search mark saunders The Telescope

There’s a new alternative to football and soccer that’s sweeping the nation while offering the same contact and aggression athletes crave during winter. Airport security screening season has begun. However, the majority of Americans don’t seem to be showing any Olympic ambitions when it comes to their travel arrangements. Transportation Security Administration officials are becoming outrageously aggressive when it comes to protecting travelers. People may come to accept being photographed like a Playboy centerfold, but people will not accept being handled like rag dolls. The need for a balance between the safety and privacy of travelers is in order. Excuses for new precautions are becoming as common as reports of abusive officials. “We cannot forget that less than one year ago a suicide bomber with explosives in his underwear tried to bring down a plane over Detroit,” said TSA chief John S. Pistole, in regards to new Advanced Imaging Technology scanners, in a Nov. 22 article by the New York Times. Since there have been multiple claims across the country of violating pat-downs, it’s safe to say that there must be a review of TSA patphoto illustration by Huy Nguyen | THE TELESCOPE

Letter to Editor:

Our viewpoint

Student government needs to gain independence from administrators Palomar physics professor Daniel Finkenthal has argued that the Office of Student Affairs should be split from the Associated Student Government at Palomar. We agree. Finkenthal has offered compelling evidence that ASG adviser Sherry Titus, who is employed by our administration in the OSA, forced out former student president Andrew Bissell and generally obstructed ASG business. Finkenthal’s suggested response: remove the ASG from OSA authority. We ask the Governing Board to seriously consider this proposal. The ASG has become almost laughably limited by the OSA in recent years. Issues like the Bissel incident brought forward by Finkenthal, along with reporting by The Telescope on ASG’s inability to fill the 10 empty seats in the student senate, have made this abundantly clear. The best solution would be to limit OSA’s power over our student government. At The Telescope, our editor in chief is a student hired by an independent panel of faculty members and often local professionals in the journalism industry. The editor in chief has full authority over the content and publication,

while our faculty adviser offers input and suggestions. This structure allows us, as student journalists, to ensure that our voices will not be censored by the administration. The ASG should have the same right. ASG president Channing Shattuck said the organization is going through its bylaws, which guide all ASG business and actions, and removing any references to the OSA. We applaud this effort and await a wholly student-run student government next semester. Finkenthal’s contributions are laudable as well. He invested himself in the college, and sought to right what he perceived as a wrong. This sort of enthusiasm is what gives students faith in and encourages respect for the faculty. But the ASG needs to be diligent in its task. The eyes of the students and staff are upon this organization, which should be a rigorous advocate for the students to the administration and Governing Board. The apparent shenanigans that only serve to further disengage students from the process and the college as a whole.

Murdock’s Tea Party article is misleading regarding its racist elements. One of my students is from Ramona. He appears to be possibly Mexican and his wife is black. When his family walk down the streets of Ramona, they are frequently taunted by people in pickup trucks (15 different ones to date), yelling epithets like “f***ing ni**ers!” The student is also routinely followed in the grocery store. He recently attended a Ramona Tea Party meeting. He found the group has a strong hatred for Obama and seemingly anyone who is not white. He tried to have civil conversations with Tea Party members, but as soon as he disagreed with their point of view, he was accused of not paying taxes, not having a job, etc. — when in fact he has two jobs and is taking 15 units. Regarding the Mexicans in Ramona, several Tea

Volume 64 Number 11

The Telescope is published 11 times per semester. Opinions expressed in the newspaper are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily represent those of the entire newspaper staff, Palomar faculty and staff members or the governing board trustees.

explicitly breaching the privacy of airport visitors. Until search procedures are overhauled, vacationers must deal with the existing security standards. It should be noted that TSA officials do have a serious job. The system in place has proven effective against cargo plane bombing attempts and efforts to sneak devices through by carry-on or personal concealment. However, it has all come at the cost of personal assurance and privacy. For those people looking forward to rebelling against TSA officials and refusing AIT scanners, remember one important aspect. There is a line behind you. People didn’t come to the airport to see a show featuring a lame hipster with two semesters of political science under their belt and a lackluster understanding of the fourth amendment. Put your iPhone away and let civilized people get through security. If you want to engage in a contact sport and look ridiculous, WWE Wrestling is a viable alternative.

Party Members said they ALL do not speak English, they are ALL illegals, and they take the easiest jobs and clog up the welfare office. When he tried to object, he was told to “shut the f**k up and go back to Mexico if you don’t like it here.” The point is that the Tea Party does contain racist elements. These individuals may be more rural and/or suburban than urban, but to label the Tea Party a “wonderful experiment in democracy” full of a rainbow group of ethnicities is misleading. Because they want their votes, the Republican Party has also passively tolerated this racism through the silence of its leadership when some of its members or Fox News state that Obama is a Muslim, he is not really a citizen or an American, and that he is a racist who hates white people – ALL of which are patently false. Philip de Barros Professor of Anthropology

Check out the extended version of the above letter to the editor on the-telescope.com and click on the opinion section. For more letters to the editor go to the-telescope.com

Focused on Palomar

Monday dEC. 6, 2010

down procedures. TSA is reviewing its procedures to make the patdowns less pushy; however, there are no immediate plans to change the current methods, according to a Nov. 23 article by Montreal’s The Gazette. There are other ways to perform secondary searches should individuals opt out of AIT scanners. K-9 units, metal detecting wands, behavioral profiling, using AITmachines as secondary measures and frisks can all be utilized together. Yes, a frisk is different than a pat-down. Just look at the words. While Congress has become involved — namely Utah’s Rep. Jason Chaffetz and Maine’s Sen. Olympia Snowe — to investigate the system currently used by TSA, airport travelers will remain speculative and critical of security. Lawmakers need to work coherently and concisely with the TSA to improve the ease of security without risking safety. TSA officials must understand that new precautions do not justify

Write us a letter to the editor and send it to telescope@palomar.edu The Telescope welcomes all letters to the editor. Letters must be typewritten, under 300 words and include the author’s first and last names, major and phone number. Phone numbers will not be published. Letters can be e-mailed to telescope@ palomar.edu or delivered to the newsroom in Room MB-1. The Telescope reserves the right to edit letters for space and grammatical errors and not to print lewd or libelous letters. Letters must be receieved one week prior to the newspaper’s publication to be considered for inclusion.

Staff Writers | Casey Byrne, Ben Gross, Davon Hollis, Joseph Melson, Jarred Powell, Mark Saunders, Nick Shumate, Victoria Tran, Michael Treadway, Natalia Vasquez, Emilie Vurik, Chris Wafer Associated California Newspaper Staff Photographers | Layan Ammouri, Breanna Collegiate PRess Publishers Association Avella, Jennifer Bacon, Steven Balubar, Brak Blevins, Austin Castillo, Ian Chalmers, Laura Davis, Christina Dugdale, Rosa Galvin, Tina Hernandez, Doug Holstein, Christopher Kennedy, Reginald Legaspi, Rachel Martin, Rachel Munoz, Huy Nguyen, Mathew O’Neil, Christian California First Journalism Association Provano, Stacey Prince , Heather Skaggs, Kirgan Snaer, Amendment Coalition of Community Colleges Leslie Surek, Brian Tierne, Allyson Watson, Joshua Yepez

CFAC

Monday, Dec. 6, 2010 | THE TELESCOPE

THE TELESCOPE | Monday, dec. 6, 2010

Monday, dec. 6, 2010| THE TELESCOPE

Student snapshots near Sin City Students of Donna Cosentino’s Landscape Photography class traveled to Las Vegas for five days in October to create images. Graced with great weather after a clearing storm, they were able to photograph in the desert under spectacular clouds. Their first stop was ZZYZX next to Soda Dry Lake near Baker, Calif. Once a notorious spa location, it is now a California State University research center with a palm-lined pond, rusting cars, deteriorating buildings and other unique photo

opportunities. From Las Vegas, the students were exposed to several different options for image-making. A three-hour, personalized tour of Hoover Dam gave them access to places rarely seen inside the dam. The Neon Museum’s ‘Boneyard’ was filled with classic signs from bygone eras. An all-day excursion to the colorful Valley of Fire State Park allowed the students to linger in petroglyph-lined canyons and in wide-open spaces under the rising full moon.

The Neon Museum’s ‘Boneyard’

Red Rock Canyon was a chance to photograph unique desert geology where red sandstone meets the grey faulting of the Keystone Thrust. Students also photographed Vegas’ night lights, lightning storms and city life. A portfolio of each student’s photographs will be presented at the end of the semester. Next semester Cosentino plans to takes her class to Carmel and Monterey, followed byJoshua Tree National Park in Fall 2011. Rachel UmenoBen dia

Lightpainting near| for THE TELESCOPE Red Rock Canyon

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Anime Club members Chris Myers, Henrik Harbin, Larry Lopez, and Alex Leon watch an anime.

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THE TELESCOPE | Monday, dec. 6, 2010

Monday, dec. 6, 2010| THE TELESCOPE

The Neon Museum’s ‘Boneyard’

Lightpainting near| for THE TELESCOPE Red Rock Canyon

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Anime Club members Chris Myers, Henrik Harbin, Larry Lopez, and Alex Leon watch an anime.

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8|Arts & Culture

THE TELESCOPE |Monday, Dec. 6, 2010

Spike and Mike film not so sick, twisted

miered 22 short, animated clips not risqué enough for the Sick and Twisted Festival, but in no way did these films disappoint. Spike and Mike’s second annual Fighting against mainstream en“A New Generation of Animation” tertainment, Craig “Spike” Decker Fe s t iva l of Animation pre- consistently selects talented animators and spellbinding cartoons not suitable for anyone under the age of 18. “A New Generation of Animation,” shown at La Jolla’s museum of contemporary Art San Diego, played through the month of November. Decker himself heralded these clips as being “more sophisticated and more artistic” than the Sick and Twisted features. He said the clips are still deserving of recognition even though they did not fit into the Sick and Twisted show, which will be playing at the Landmark Ken Theatre and La Paloma Theatre in December. Spike and Mike have been serving up cutting edge animation since the late Belinda Callin The Telescope

1970s and several well known animators owe their success to the festival. Artists can submit clips through the Spike and Mike website. There is a long list of animators who had their humble beginnings with Spike and Mike. Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s original and uncensored “South Park: Spirit of Christmas” premiered at the festival. The festival also produced and premiered Mike Judge’s “Beavis and Butthead” long before they were shown on MTV. “I’ve never been to one of these animation festivals before and I was really surprised at how different all of the animations are,” said audience member Roland Rojahs of Westchester, Los Angeles. “The animation of Loom was incredible.” “I’ve been a Spike and Mike follower since the ‘90s. I wasn’t looking forward to tonight because it’s not the sick and twisted stuff,” said Randolph J. Hoffman Jr., an artist/musician from Ocean Beach. “But this stuff is just so great; it’s shocking how great it is without being sick.” Spike and Mike’s Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation promises to deliver an evening of tasteless, adult humor. “We have put together one hell of a show. It’s the best films you can find in the world,” Decker said of this year’s ‘future stars.’” For tickets and show time information for the Sick and Twisted festival go to spikeandmike.com.

gs n o S e hem T ts r o Sp • NFL on Fox Theme • NFL on CBS Theme (Posthumus Zone) • Thursday Night Football on NFL Network • Monday Night Football on ESPN Theme (Heavy Action) • Sunday Night Football on NBCTheme (Waiting All Day for Sunday night) Every talk show, news program and sports show has a theme song. Many are so obscure and lacking in flavor that they blend into the background and serve as nothing more than a starting base for the show. But these sports themes triumphantly announce the start of greatness, the holy grail of reality television. They are those songs that are permanently stuck to the back of your brain; every time you hear even just the first note the thought of historic playoff games and classic rivalries are brought back to life. Comprised mostly of a high brass opening cadence, all six feature a driving beat that gives the feel of urgency and grabs your attention. Everybody knows it is Sunday night when Faith Hill takes to the

stage. Out of the five, the Sunday Night Football theme is the only song that changes week to week: the chorus is changed to describe the upcoming game between the two teams. It is played before any of the announcers appear on screen. While the NBC theme changes and precedes the commentators, the other tunes are played to set up the commentators talking about the match up and continue through the intro, with the melody repeating during the preview. The ESPN theme is one of the more well known as it is the most overplayed of them all, used in every commercial promoting the Monday Night Football game. The Thursday Night Football theme opens with chimes that transition into the usual chorus of high brass and a driving bass line. These iconic theme songs ring true every day there is football.

Arts & Culture| 9

Monday, Dec. 6, 2010 | THE TELESCOPE

Welcome to

Aguilera shines in her acting debut most of the scenes, which makes it easy to imagine him as a mime. Regardless, one scene will have every girl (and The seductive film “Burlesque” hits the big screen with gay) in the audience wanting Famous Amos cookies. Aguilera and Cher are the only two actresses with little clothing and a lot of appeal. The movie is about a small-town girl (Christina Agu- any musical inclination, a problem fixed too easily: all ilera) who makes it big in a neo-burlesque lounge when of the other burlesque dancers lip-sync. While it sets Aguilera’s character apart from the other girls, it’s a she moves to Los Angeles. flaw that makes “Burlesque” blend in with Viewers beware: on an analytical level, the rest of the movies. For the record, real movie review “Burlesque” has its share of flaws, but burlesque dancers don’t lip-sync. it more than makes up for them in the The plot isn’t without drama. Aguilera’s “feel-good” department. rise to fame is threatened by Kristen Bell’s The first 45 minutes or so fill in the role as the top dog at the lounge. Maybe details shown in the movie’s trailer, it’s that Bell is known for her comedic resulting in fast-paced clips that flops (“When in Rome” and “Couples come across as a bad combination of Retreat”), or maybe it’s that there are “Moulin Rouge” and “Coyote Ugly.” more shots of her glaring at the camera Aguilera saves the show in both than she has lines, but it’s hard to take the lounge and in the plot as soon her seriously. as she opens her mouth in the bur‘Burlesque’ Dianna Agron plays another anlesque club. She makes a smooth Starring: tagonist, noteworthy because of her Christina Aguilera, Cher and easy transition from singer to role in the popular television show actress, and audiences will be in “Glee.” Fans will be excited to see awe of how much sass is packed out of four stars her even though she doesn’t sing or into such a tiny body. Aguilera is dance, and instead, her role mirrors one of few pop princesses whose the second place position she plays musical talent has never been questioned, and as Quinn Fabray on television. her powerful voice in “Burlesque” is proof. Despite its flaws, “Burlesque” is a In a movie directed at an audience too young to appreciate her, Cher’s role is a lost cause. Face must-see. The music is classic but fresh, it, Cher, you’re old, and all the Botox in the world and will have audiences downloading it can’t change that. It’s not because she lacks tal- upon their return home. The movie will ent (which is obvious in her performance of capture viewers hearts as they cheer for “Welcome to Burlesque”); it’s just that she won’t the underdog and keep them applauding go away (as proven in her second song, “You after every performance. Haven’t Seen the Last of Me”). As the owner of the burlesque lounge on the verge of being shut down, Cher is unable to show any emotion in her role because she no longer has any mobility in her face. Aguilera’s love interest, played by Cam Gigandet, has just as much appeal with his small-town charm in “Burlesque” as he does as a bad boy in “Never Back Down.” His only flaw is the guyliner he sports in kelley foyt The Telescope

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|In Depth

THE TELESCOPE | Monday, Dec. 6, 2010

Passionate about math Palomar professor loves to learn from his students Mark Saunders The Telescope

Doing what you love is easier said than done. However, one Palomar professor has adopted this creed and has 25 years of experience as proof. Professor Mark Walker began teaching mathematics at Palomar in spring of 1985. In 1979, Walker attended Palomar as a student and received his associate’s degree. He then attended San Diego State University where he received his bachelor’s, and eventually master’s degree in arts and mathematics. “I love teaching,” Walker said. “I love where I live, I love doing what I’m doing. I enjoy the people (here) and helping people learn. I feel very fortunate to teach here.” Walker said he admires community colleges as learning institutions as opposed to four-year “research” institutions. He is convinced that every student has the ability to do well. As a professor who taught students who are now faculty, and who now teaches those faculty members’ children, he has a valid reason to believe in students’ potential. Over the years one thing has remained certain to Walker, there is always more to learn at Palomar. “The biggest pitfall for any prophotos by Christina Dugdale | THE TELESCOPE fessor is when you think you have Math professor Mark Walker teaching a class. Walker started teaching at Palomar in 1985. it down and can’t improve,” Walker

TIME TRAVEL 101

Experts: Internet best tool for scholarships

Travel back in time to discover how iron tools were made. Search for ancient artifacts of the Bible. Discover how someone died or if they were victims of cannibalism. As an anthropologist, you don’t need a time machine. With the proper training, you can fit the pieces of the puzzle together to reach a clear picture of what happened. Palomar offers students handson experience in one of the subdivisions of anthropology, archaeology. Students can choose between an AA in Archaeology, an Archaeological Excavator Certificate, or an Archaeological Surveyor and Laboratory Assistant Certificate. “Palomar students have a rather unique opportunity,” Palomar anthropology professor Dr. Philip de Barros explained. “We teach far more excavation, surveying and prehistoric and historic artifact analysis than many other colleges in southern California.”When de Barros isn’t teaching, he travels to distant sites like Togo, Africa in search of ancient iron sites. He discovered the second oldest site in that latitude dating back to 400 B.C. But you don’t have to travel far to get field experience. Regardless of whether archaeology is your major or a weekend adventure, Palomar students are encouraged to join the Archaeol-

niche. Find something that sets you apart from other people or a passion you have and run with it,“ One in three community college she said. “Committees want to give students earns a degree, according money to kids who really want to to an article in USA Today. make something of themselves, not College students are finding it to kids who are just going to school more difficult to pay for their edu- for the degree and who have a decation now that education costs cent resume.” are on the rise. It has every student Hochstetler urges students to wondering what they can do to af- apply to everything because there ford the degree they desire. is money out there and people who Scholarship experts like Diane want to help. Danielewicz and successful stuDanielewicz suggested that students such as Rachel Hochstetler dents plan ahead, and recommendhad some suggestions to help stu- ed that every student apply for feddents to get on eral student aid the right track. at fafsa.gov even Hochstetler said if students do the internet is not think they one of the best will be eligible. tools for finding She also rescholarships if minded all stustudents are will— Rachel Hochstetler dents to check ing to dedicate possible Student out the time. scholarships on While attendtheir college’s ing a community college can save a website. In addition, some people lot of money, it has become increas- may benefit from fastWEB.com, ingly difficult to transfer to a uni- which allows students to enter their versity. Enrollment will be cut by information and have scholarships 40,000 students over the next two emailed directly to them as they beyears, according to the California come available. State University website, However, some students still arWith the cuts comes increased gue that there are not enough scholtuition costs, approximating $672 arships or financial aid available for for undergraduate students and them. Aaron Haase is a Palomar $828 for graduate students. student who has been studying to Some students have been fortu- go to film school, but cannot find nate in finding aid, including Hoch- the money to do so. stetler, who won many scholarships He said “there is not enough during her high school years and money out there for me to go to has been able to cushion the blow anything other than a community of higher education costs. She said college.” that if it were not for scholarships Haase explained that “there she would not be attending George- is enough money right here in the town University. Hochstetler is U.S. to help kids get into college.” paying approximately $7,000 for a Like Hochstetler, he would like $57,000 education, and she said it is to see a change in the system that all due to her extremely hard work. will allow students to attend college “I’d advise students to find their without so much difficulty. Holly Wade The Telescope

Archaeology prof helps students explore the past Juliet Freyermuth For The Telescope

said. “You’re in trouble in your job when you think you know everything.” Students are receptive to the hard work that Walker puts into helping students excel. “He’s a very patient teacher,” said first-year student Jazmon Mackey. “He might have a two-hour gap between classes but he will stay if you need help.” Even though math is quite the “be sure to eat your greens” subject, Walker said that keeping his presentation style fresh has been a very effective way to communicate information to his students. “He is a great teacher,” said firstyear student Rachel Nelson. “He gives good examples, always asks for questions. He seems to really enjoy his job every day.” Walker said he struggled with math during his high school years. It

was after he decided to really work hard and invest his time into the subject, that he began to succeed. “My high school math teacher couldn’t believe I got this job,”Walker said. “Once I put hard work into it, I started enjoying it. It takes time, effort and believing in yourself.” While teaching, Walker looks for questions. He said the whole point to being a teacher is to look for questions and present material in an understandable way. This is the only way students will learn and in turn become better at the subject. “Every time you teach you have to think how you can do it (better),” Walker said. “Students can give you (presentation) ideas. You’ll think ‘Oh, maybe I can do that instead.’” Another student said they believe Walker is great at ensuring students’ comprehension. “I like how if you ask a question, he’ll make sure you understand it,” said first-year student Danielle Phillips. “I have already recommended someone to take his class.” If there is one thing Walker said he hopes students realize, it’s that happiness is obtainable in the work place. But it doesn’t come cheaply. “The people who succeed are not always the most skillful ones,” Walker said. “The ones who grind it out and stay persistent are successful. If you’re going to work, go in the direction (of what) you love.”

Robyn Dixon | Los Angeles times/MCT campus

Morris Sutton, photographed Sept. 26 with a collection of primitive stone tools. He used to manage a plant in Memphis, Tenn. until he decided to go back to school. He followed his passion — studying Iron Age stone tools — and qualified as an archaeologist. He now works in South Africa in the rich fossil beds in the Sterkfontein Valley. ogy Club. In the past, members have toured behind the scenes at the Museum of Man, listened to experts recount their experiences and participated in excavations at Mission San Juan Capistrano. “It is nice to get to know people, which you inevitably do on digs as you spend a lot of time with them,” explained Palomar archaeology professor James Eighmey. “Mostly I enjoy the process of discovery, which drives everything else we do in archaeology.” Every other year, biblical archaeologist and George Washington University professor, Eric Cline travels with students to Meggido (the biblical Armageddon from Revelations) where they spend several weeks working at the excavation site unearthing artifacts that contain thousands of years of history. Dr. Cline said he enjoys “unraveling ancient civilizations that are now gone and bringing them back to life.” But not everyone likes to perform the tedious and somewhat dirty tasks at excavation sites. Museum of Man Curator of Physical Anthropology Tori Randall spends time in the

lab reconstructing lives by studying bones for diseases. “I enjoy working with human skeletal remains and reconstructing the life history of the individual,” Randall explained. But some professionals enjoy both the field and the lab. Dr. Briana Pobiner, a paleoanthropologist at the Smithsonian, travels the globe searching for evidence of the prehistoric diet. One of her more memorable moments was when she discovered 1.5 million year old fossils that showed evidence that they were eaten by humans in Northern Kenya. She described it as, “like reaching through time, and knowing that the last person who touched that fossil was not quite like me. It sends shivers down your spine.” Opportunities for anthropologists are expected to grow. According to the United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook, “Anthropologists and archaeologists can expect 28 percent employment growth.” All you need to do is pick the adventure you want as a career and major in it.

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Find something that sets you apart ... and run with it.

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Monday, dec. 6, 2010 | THE TELESCOPE

Wrestling with regionals

Sports| 11 Volleyball team finds success in conference despite poor season

deb hellman | TH

christopher kennedy | TH

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donovan johnson For The Telescope

Palomar men's wrestling team had a morethan-rough path on its way toward regionals this year. The Comets have an overall record of 7-3, with a conference record of 3-1, despite injuries and tough losses. “We could of done better, but we did well in our conference,” said third year sophomore Freddy Solis. “We are excited and prepared for regionals.” Solis said, “It's the final dance, the post season.” Head Coach Byron Campbell said he is happy with the team, but a little frustrated with their record. “We have a young team with some talented kids, but I'm happy with what's going on,” Campbell said.

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matt laws for The Telescope

“We should be 9-1, not 7-3. We lost a couple duels in the very last match.” Oren Dramen, a 174-pound sophomore, said he was happy with the Comets performance and the comradere displayed by his teammates. “So far so good,” Dramen said, “It's been an okay season but we are looking forward to regionals.” “We really came together and held our own, especially during duel meets,” he added. Even though Palomar has produced a positive record and a good chance at a regional title, every team has their go-to guy. Freshmen Trevor Gwin, who weighs in at 197 pounds, is not only the bread and butter of this Palomar team, but ranked third in state. “I plan on not losing any more matches,” Gwin said. “Hopefully I'll take home the state title.”

The Palomar women's volleyball team fell short of an ideal season, with an overall record of 10-12. But the Comets still have something to rejoice over, the ladies are in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference and had a winning season conference record of 7-5. “We were young but success still shined through,” Coach Karl Seiler said. “The ladies’ chemistry improved greatly toward the middle of the season, which is a plus for any squad.” Sophomore outside hitter Janin Lawler had a break-out season and was awarded for her performance against Imperial Valley and San Diego City College by earning Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Women's Athlete of the Week the week Oct. 10. Lawler, was a

huge contribution to the winning season. Lawler contributed 14 kills as the Comets went on the road and swept Imperial Valley 26-24, 25-23, 25-13. She came back with 13 kills as Palomar went on the road again later in the week and defeated San Diego City College 25-23, 15-25, 25-18, 25-17. She finished the week with 17 kills, a .348 hitting percentage, six blocks and two aces. Outgoing player Veronica Roomey described the team’s season. “We lacked a lot of things but kept each other close,” she said. “Tenacity is the word we use in team huddles.” Roomey, who also is an outside hitter for the Comets’, Roomey also had some breakout games including a spiked ball late in the Comets' 25-21 third-game win that completed the Comets' sweep of the Jaguars.

|Sports

Football season ends on high note

THE TELESCOPE | Monday, dec. 6, 2010

Soccer team sizzles

deb hellman | TH

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matthew slagle The Telescope

Ending the football season on a high note, the Comets beat Grossmont College 43-35, earning their fifth win of the season. Starting the season ranked No. 8 in the state by JCGridiron.com, the Comets had high hopes going into their first game. “Our expectations never change,” Head Coach Joe Early said. It is “always to compete for the conference title and go on for a state championship.” With injuries a plenty, the season did not pan out as planned. “The injuries we went through this year were something you can’t control, we had quite a few guys with seasonending injuries,” Early said. Despite the average win-loss record, the team was better than it’s record indicated. “Take the five games we lost and we could be sitting here 8-2 or 9-1. There was one or two plays in each (loss) that if you take a play away or you make a play, we win that game,” Early said.

Starting quarterback Nate Ong agreed, “It wasn’t a bad season, if you look at the games (we lost) there are only a couple games we lost by more than five points or a touchdown.” The Comets finished the year 5-5 and 2-3 in conference, good for fourth in their conference. The Comets are ranked number twenty-six by JCGridwire.com in their end of the season rankings. Ong finished his last year on the team racking up 2090 passing yards with 18 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, along with 226 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. Ong’s top reciever was Jevon Reynolds who had 459 recieving yards and six touchdowns. Leading the rushing attack was Tyrese Jones with 452 yards with six touchdowns. Looking forward to next year, Early said Palomar has a good chance of winning. “In our conference, any given day anybody can beat anybody and that’s been proven,” Early said.

heather skag gs | TH

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Kaity bergquist For The Telescope

The women’s soccer team at Palomar had a rough start, but reeled off a six-game winning streak in the middle of the season and ended 10-11-0 overall (9-7-0 conference). In her second season coaching women’s soccer at Palomar, Coach Pam Campbell led the Comets to a fourth place finish in the Pacific Coast Conference. “It was a good season,” Campbell said. “We started out slow, but then we got going and hit a winning streak.” Each victory in the Comet’s six-game winning streak was against conference rivals. Campbell emphasized the teamwork of the group. “We just continued to build, and all of a sudden it clicked,” Campbell said. “A couple times I tweaked positioning, and we finally got a combination that worked for us.” Campbell called out sophomore captain Jessica Wilds for being one of many standout players.

“She brought maturity and leadership and commitment and all of the good things that a coach really loves in a player,” Campbell said. “She helped bring that out in the team.” Freshman forward Ashley Brodmann led Palomar’s scoring with 46 points, 16 goals and 14 assists. She ended second in the league in points scored. “Some games she didn’t score, but she always set up other players to score,” Campbell said. “She’s very unselfish, and she’s an amazing player.” Freshman goalkeeper Holly McClain was among the saves leaders with 87 saves. Eight Comets were nominated for rookie of the year, which is quite unusual. According to Campbell, only about two players get nominated each year. “Everybody got along well; we enjoyed being together,” said freshman midfielder Lilya Acevedo. “We were all just really happy people.”

Water polo team falls short of finals, Men’s water polo 10th in So-Cal remains optimistic for next season

Colette Reid looks for an open teammate against San Diego Mesa’s defense in the Wallace Memorial Pool on Oct. 13. Reid finished the season with 53 goals, 11 assists and 38 steals.

Sean Cope goes against Grossmont’s defense in the Wallace Memorial Pool on Oct. 28. Cope scored three goals that game. He finished the season with 53 goals, 36 assists and 50 steals on the season.

deb hellman | THE TELESCOPE

mark saunders The Telescope

The Palomar women’s water polo team overcame tides of opponents this season en route to earning third in the Pacific Coast Conference. The team placed third after losing to Mesa College in a semi-finals match-up and then defeating Miramar College. Leading the squad with goals this season was sophomore Colette Reid with 53 goals, followed by freshman Kimberly Walters with 46 goals. “Although we didn’t reach our goal of being conference champions, I can without a doubt

say that the girls had a great time and made lasting memories,” said Coach Kelly Falcone. Reid and Aster both made first team allconference, sophomore Amanda Vandewarker and Kimberly Walters made second team allconference and sophomore Carissa Gibbons was nominated as honorable mention. “When we all get along great it’s not difficult to lead a team,” said Reid, one of the team’s captains, in an October interview. Other team leaders include 108 saves by goalieVanessa Fenley and 72 steals for Colette Reid. “Overall I think this season went amazing,” Falcone said. “This is probably the most fun I have ever had with a team.”

mark saunders The Telescope

Palomar men’s water polo sent waves across the state this season. The team earned a 20-7 record and placed 10th in Southern California. The team also ended in a three-way tie with rivals Mesa College and Grossmont College in the Pacific Coast Conference. Leading the team with 54 goals this season was freshman Matt Marsden, followed by freshman Sean Cope with 53 goals. The team lost to only four teams throughout regular season and tournament play.

“I am very pleased on how well my team played this season,” said Coach B.B. Boynton. Other notable totals include 272 saves by goalie Brian Kalen, 54 assists tallied by sophomore Mitch Tenney and 50 steals by Sean Cope. “I was proud of my sophomores for teaching my freshman and my freshman for learning a lot in one year,” Boynton said. The men’s water polo team rode an 11-match winning streak from Sept. 17 to Oct. 8, helping them place fourth in winning percentage in the state. Boynton said he expects many players to return next season. “Palomar’s men’s team will be turning heads again next year,” Boynton said.