The Telescope 68.11

▼

t

BOOTS ON THE GROUND

Read how one staff writer feels about putting U.S. combat forces on the ground to fight ISIS. Page 6.

the telescope Palomar College’s Independent Newspaper

the-telescope.com

Vol. 68, No. 11 • Monday, March 9, 2015

State accreditation team visits Palomar College Exit report SUSAN WHALEY THE TELESCOPE

After spending the week studying Palomar College, a group of 13 people from around the state issued their report card on the 23,000-student college.

On the afternoon of March 5, the Accreditation Commission for Community and Junior Colleges met with school officials in a packed lecture room to rate the two-year school. The results is an early indicator of whether the school can keep its accreditation status or if they would be put on warning with calls for improvement. The final report will be released in late June to early July.

Palomar College was given six recommendations for improvement and six commendations.

The team recommends that the college: 1. Implement a district-wide enrollment management plan.

2. Provide tutoring for online students. Increase support services at Camp Pendleton site.

3. Develop a process to ensure sufficient staff numbers.

4. Fix the disconnect between enrollment management and institution budgeting.

5. Create an environment that includes the participation of all employees in shared governance.

6. Stop deficit spending.

The team congratulated the college on: 1. Developing and sustaining faculty-driven curriculum goals called Student Learning Outcomes.

2. Creating a culture that supports student engagement and leadership.

3. Creating an innovative library webpage that provides 24/7 access to educational resources for all students, faculty and staff.

4. Dedicating significant resources to a professional development program for faculty and staff.

5. Effective use of voter-approved money to renovate or build campus buildings.

6. Commitment to the community through the campus renovation.

SWHALEY@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

Richard Mahon (standing front) of the Accreditation Evaluation team speaks with Palomar faculty during the College Forum in SSC-1 room on March 3. • Dirk Callum/The Telescope

Praise for college’s strengths, discussion of faults KIRK MATTU THE TELESCOPE

Praises were sung to the Accreditation Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) visiting team during Palomar Colleges open College Forum, but underlying challenges were revealed and discussed amongst high praise.

Palomar College hosted a team of 13 individuals, selected by the ACCJC to review the college’s accreditation, during the week of March 2 to March 5. This site review determines the validity of a 425 page self-assessment report the college has prepared for ACCJC to warrant a reaffirmation of accreditation, guaranteeing the courses and transferable units of Palomar’s student body.

Richard Mahon, a professor at Riverside City College, led the discussion of the first College Forum held on March 3 where he stated that their job was to take a more nuanced look at the college, its effectiveness in serving its students and its quality of instruction. Mahon offered up the floor to the administra-

tors, staff, and faculty in attendance to make statements on the college that the visiting team would like to know or hear.

Angel Jimenez, a student at Palomar and former ASG vice president, asked the team on how a student can have a voice through the accreditation process.

Stephanie Droker, vice president of Educational Services from West Hills College Coalinga, said that she gained insight from Palomar students by specifically speaking to them in between meetings.

“There wasn’t one who didn’t know where to get their resources, there wasn’t one that felt they were invisible; for me that says a lot about an institution,” Droker said on speaking with Palomar students.

Mahon offered that while there was no forum centered on students during the accreditation visit, students have a voice in the quality of their instruction and the grounds around them. Quality of instruction for students can range from what classes are offered and where and when they are held.

The visiting accrediting team started the week with a tour of Palomar’s offsite educational centers in Escondido and Camp Pendleton.

They then took a tour of the San Marcos campus where are a large portion of their evaluation would take place. Mahon noted that during their tour, many members on the team commented on how beautiful and well-maintained the campus was.

Aaron Holmes, alternative media specialist at the disability resource center, said that Palomar has a draw to students with the community it has created. This community is what drew him to continue his professional career at the college after being a student here. Holmes stated that the college and Palomar College Foundation helped him continue his education when his home burned down from a local seasonal fire.

“It was amazing to see the college reach out to a student,” Holmes said.

Many services, programs and events held at Palomar were mentioned to the visiting Team. The

Spring 2013 March 4 Writing of the college’s selfMarch 2 evaluation report begins.

Team visits Camp Pendleton and Escondido Various interviews, college forums. sites.

Spring 2014 March 5 Dec. 9, 2014 March 3 Editing and further Exit report, Final draft submitted.

Welcome breakfast, campus tour, interwriting of report. college forum. views with staff and committees.

ACCREDITATION TIMELINE

Village Mentoring Program, LGBTQA Community Resource Center, Unity in Diversity event, and Political Economy Days were just a few services and events that were presented to demonstrate the innovation and proactivity the faculty and administrators take in serving the students at Palomar.

Tod Burnett, president of Saddleback College and chair of the visiting team, led the discussion of a second College Forum held on March 4, to accommodate the scheduling of all those at the college. While the praises continued form the first forum to the next, the accrediting team sought to hear the challenges the college currently faced.

Many of those in attendance summarized that the lack of classified staff and increased workloads have minimized the effectiveness of faculty members serving its students. Other challenges included the current state of funding, enrollment levels, and communication within shared governance.

KMATTU@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

June 2015 Final accreditation report meeting.

July 2015 Action letter will be sent.

2 • NEWS

Monday, March 9, 2015

PALOMAR MEN’S BASEBALL TEAM

Palomar’s Ricky Kliebenstein forces out San DIego City College Ray Jones (12) at second base during the Feb. 21 game at Meyer’s Field. The Comets beat the Knights 8-1. • Philip Farry/The Telescope

Workshop aims to sharpen interview skills

The Career Center is hosting an “Interviewing Techniques and Tips” workshop from 4 to 5 p.m. on March 9. According to the Career Center, the workshop will feature information about the internship research process, added value in paving a career pathway and about the advantages that an internship can provide for a student.

This workshop is but one in a series of workshops the Career Center is holding on internships. Also in the series are “Networking and Professional Etiquette: Tips for Networking Success” on March 23, and “Connecting Your Way to an Internship” on April 6. These workshops are free for students.

To reserve your spot in a workshop, or for more information, contact the Career Center (760) 7441150, ext. 2194

Workshop will teach how to reduce test anxiety

Do you experience sweaty palms, racing heart and blank thoughts during a test?

Many do during exams and don’t know how to counter these side effects. Learn how to be calm, con-

fident and focused on any test by attending the free TLC Workshop: “Reducing Test Anxiety.”

It will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. on March 25 at the Palomar Escondido campus, 1951 E. Valley Parkway Escondido, CA 92027. To RSVP call (760) 744-1150 ext. 8171 or email escondidiotlc@palomar.edu. Visit www.palomar.edu/tlc for additional information.

Improve your cover letter for applications

Are you interested in learning best practices for constructing a cover letter for your portfolio? Maybe you just need a little guidance in how to make your resume pop just a little bit more?

There’s a workshop series for you.

From 2 to 3:30 p.m on March 25 the Palomar College Career Center, room SU-17, will be hosting a Cover Letter workshop, the first in a series for any and all current active students. These interactive workshops will give attendees experience in creating resumes, cover letters, and how to link your resume to a professional LinkedIn profile. Upon completion of the workshop series you will be ready to apply for jobs.

For more information, visit www. palomar.edu/counseling/careercenter/ or contact Pippa Pierce at (760) 744-1150 ext. 3125

Figure out what career path you should choose

If you’re stuck between careers and not sure what to do, there’s a workshop for that.

The Teaching and Learning Center at the Escondido campus is hosting a workshop, “Finding the Right Career for You,” from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on March 11.

Talk with representatives from the Career Center and build a resume that could lead you toward the job of your dreams.

The Escondido campus is located at 1951 E. Valley Parkway.

For more information, call the TLC at (760) 744-1150 ext 8171.

Meet a representative for help in transferring

If you have questions about transferring to California State University San Marcos, then come talk to a Cal State representative at the Transfer Center in building SSC-24A. The meetings will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. from March 12. The representatives are here to meet one on one with students and answer any questions you have regarding the college.

Keep in mind that if you bring your transcript information, the representatives will be providing information on what classes you need to take to qualify to transfer to Cal State. To set an appointment call (760) 744-1150 ext. 2552.

Build a better resume to further your future

A workshop designed to help students create and perfect their resumes is set for 2 p.m. on March 11 in the Career Center room SU-17. These workshops are tailored to help students create modern resumes that meet the ever-changing expectations of today.

The workshop on March 11 is the second of two workshops dedicated to creating a resume.

For more information or to reserve a spot, contact the Career Center at (760) 744-1150 ext.

2194.

Enrollment of credit students

22 10: 25,0 0 2 ll a F 03 11: 24,4 0 2 ll a F 3,695 2012: 2 61 Spring 13: 23,0 82 Fall 20 14: 23,8 Fall 20 2,687 2015: 2 g in r p S

▼

BRIEFS

Student enrollment numbers steadily drop JOEL VAUGHN THE TELESCOPE

The number of students attending Palomar College this spring has continued to drop, with school officials saying the state of the economy and the changing role of students is to blame.

Enrollment from Fall 2010 to Fall 2014 declined from 25,022 to 23,882.

This spring, is 22,687.

Enrollment this semester has started to balanced itself out to what it is now, according to Kendyl Magnuson, director of enrollment services.

“The big change came after the 2010-2011 school year, we were still deeply in the recession and we like many colleges in the system we had far more students than we had the funding for, so you had this interesting inversion of people wanting to go school but the State is giving very little funding,” Magnuson said.

The state funding that Magnuson is referring to is partly dependent on Palomar’s FTES (Full Time Equivalent Students). The FTES numbers are determined by the number of credits that are being taken, so that 15 credits are being taken by one “The reality is that the state tends to give increase funding through increased student attendance,” he said.

He estimated that our FTES is going to remain similar to what it has been in past semesters.

“This term we’re going to run at about 8,300 or 8,400 full-time, equivalent students and that’s running pretty close to previous terms,” he said.

“Maybe slightly less than last year but pretty close.”

He then addressed the concern for the students who were enrolled in classes that were cancelled.

“There is often times, and rightfully so, a focus on the eight or 10 students that might be in that class,” he said.

“But we can’t lose sight of the fact that there is also a big number of students that may not get another class because we’re not offering it, because were keeping this other small class.”

Another change at Palomar is the trend in students opting to be parttime students.

“We’re tending to get a few more students going part-time rather fulltime,” he said. “Short of an actual study, we believe that this is because employment is going up.”

From talking to students at Palomar’s San Marcos campus going to college full time, part time, or really to attend at all seems to be dependent on the balance of working enough to afford to go and having enough time away from work for classes.

Canaan Devito, an economics major, and Daniel Kasim, a criminal justice major, are examples of this balance.

Devito said that due to work, not being sure about his major at the time he enrolled, and the lack of easy access to counselors, he decided that it would be best to be a part time student.

“I have like two other jobs and some of my classes that I needed were full and I wasn’t a 100 percent sure on my major, so I didn’t want to take a bunch of classes that don’t count for anything.”

He then went on to state, “It’s also really hard to get an appointment with a counselor.”

On the other side of this coin is Daniel Kasim. He is a full-time student due to his flexible schedule.

“Time availabilty at work and just being able to come when ever,” he said.

JVAUGHN@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

the-telescope.com

Students will travel north for hands-on geology experience EDWARD ROSA THE TELESCOPE

They say experience is the best teacher. But if that is the case, what implications does that venerated axiom have about a college education? The earth sciences department at Palomar College intends to combine the best of both worlds on this year’s field trip.

The science department at Palomar is preparing for its annual field trip. Led by Professors Patty Deen and Sean Figg, this excursion is a four-day crash course in Southern California’s coastal geology.

On March 14, participating students will meet at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography in La Jolla where they will embark on the excursion along the California coast.

The first night, students will camp at Newport State Beach, the second in the Santa Monica Mountains, and the third at Crystal Cove State Beach in Carpinteria.

The trip will be focusing on subjects such as coastal processes and landforms, coastal sediment resource management, oceanographic climate, geologic development of the Continental Borderland and Transverse Ranges, formation and development of oil and gas resources, geologic hazards and human impacts in the coastal zone.

Expounding on the type of content the trip will include, one of the organizers of the trip, Deen said “We’ll hit a lot of geological topics, and it crosses over into geography.

We’ll talk about ocean currents and climate, Santa Ana conditions ... So it’s really a crossover of a huge variety of topics.”

Deen said this trip allows the students to learn in a different way.

“A lot of the things that, in class you kind of touch on. We’re going

to see examples in our own backyard, and really get a chance to go in-depth on some of these topics,” she said.

In addition to the educational experience, this field trip is also good for college credit, she added.

Students who take and successfully complete the trip will earn one full unit of credit, applicable as either a geography class, or a geology class.

The choice is up to the student’s discretion.

The class is taught at an introductory level, however, the students who will find it the most beneficial are those who have had an earth science class, or are currently enrolled in an earth science, geography or geology course.

Even those who have or have not taken an oceanography or marine biology class should find this trip particularly educational, she said.

However, Deen made it quite clear that this class can benefit anyone with a passion for earth science. “If they’re interested in coming, come on and enjoy it,” she said.

For those interested, there is an initial fee of $46 that covers the student’s registration. Beyond that, students attending must arrange their own transportation. This means carpooling is a requirement.

As camping is involved, students must provide their own camping equipment. In addition, all camping fees, parking fees, and transportation fees are paid for by the student.

The official deadline to enroll for the trip was Feb. 27, however, any students that missed the deadline, yet are still interested can contact Patty Deen (pdeen@palomar.edu) or Sean Figg (sfigg@palomar.edu) to discuss the possibility of inclusion in the field trip.

EROSA@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

A piece of diatomite photographed in the Palomar College Geology Department store room. Diatomite will be one of minerals that students attending the four-day Geology and Geography of the Southern California Coast Field Course will be searching for. The course will be held March 14 - 17 and will start at The Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla concluding near Point Conception. • Stephen Davis/The Telescope

NEWS • 3

4 • OPINION

t

The end of an era: Jon Stewart’s departure RODNEY FIGUEROA THE TELESCOPE

the telescope

Focused On Palomar Monday, March 9, 2015 Vol. 68, No. 11 Palomar College, San Marcos, Calif.

SUSAN WHALEY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MIKE PETERSON MANAGING EDITOR & OPINION EDITOR CHRISTOPHER BULLOCK SPORTS EDITOR JOEL VAUGHN CO-A&E EDITOR STEVEN BURIEK CO-A&E EDITOR KIRK MATTU ONLINE EDITOR STEPHEN DAVIS PHOTO EDITOR JOHN LUCIA CARTOONIST ERIN HIRO ADVISER DEB HELLMAN BUSINESS MANAGER STAFF WRITERS MIKE ADAMS, LEAH BAENA, PETER BRIGHT, BROOKE CRAWFORD, TAMARA EAKINS, RODNEY FIGUEROA, DIANA GUEVARRA, JODY JOHNSON, FERN MENEZES, JASMINE MONROY, FAYE NOUROLLAHI, CLAUDIA RODRIGUEZ, ED ROSA, AMBER ROSARIO, ALEXANDRA ROTHMAN, ROBERT RUKAVINA, JOE SANDOVAL, ROMA WATKINS, KRISTINA WALTON, ZACHARY WATSON PHOTOGRAPHERS JACOB BANKS, EVAN CAST, CASEY COUSINS, DIRK CALLUM, PHILIP FARRY, ADAM GUERRERO, MEREDITH JAMES, SETH JONES, MICHAEL KAPLAN, DANIEL KRESGE, BELEN LADD, PAUL NELSON, JUSTIN SUMSTINE, RICARDO TORRES ADDRESS THE TELESCOPE PALOMAR COLLEGE 1140 W. MISSION ROAD, SAN MARCOS, CA 92069 PHONE / 760-891-7865 NEWSROOM / H-103 WEBSITE/ WWW.THE-TELESCOPE.COM FACEBOOK/ SEARCH “THE TELESCOPE” TWITTER/ @TELESCOPENEWS EMAIL/ EDITOR@THE-TELESCOPE.COM AD EMAIL/ ADS@THE-TELESCOPE.COM 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 SHOULD BE EMAILED TO EDITOR@THE-TELESCOPE.COM. THE TELESCOPE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO EDIT LETTERS FOR SPACE AND GRAMMATICAL ERRORS AND NOT TO PRINT LEWD OR LIBELOUS LETTERS. LETTERS MUST BE RECEIVED ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE NEWSPAPER’S PUBLICATION TO BE CONSIDERED FOR INCLUSION THE TELESCOPE IS PUBLISHED 8 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.

ASSOCIATED COLLEGE PRESS

Monday, March 9, 2015

CALIFORNIA NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER’S ASSOCIATION

Jon Stewart is leaving the “Daily Show.”

Just let that sink in for a second.

Jon Stewart, is LEAVING the “Daily Show.”

After 16 years of writing, comedy, various sketches, fanciful curses and lambasting a majority of Conservative ideology, Jon Stewart has had enough.

For the liberal fans, it’s a crippling hit. Stewart’s sort of comedic analysis is something that nightly news should be analyzing to understand why political media is the laughing stock of the up-and-coming culture.

Having taken the show from the reins of Craig Kilborn back in 1999, the “Daily Show” lacked the punch that many of us now know and love.

The format was much different, focused more on the host and less on the political news-driven type of humor. Kilborn only hosted the show for two years until inner turmoil within the production staff and a job opportunity gave way to Stewart’s reign.

As a writer and executive producer Stewart shifted the show drastically to give the sort of news-driven humor a pedestal in which Stewart (typically acting as himself) and colorful personalities like Stephen Colbert (the “conservative”) could perform and thrive. And oh the material! The show seemed to practically write itself. The realm of politics providing an almost constant stream of horrors and social missteps. All which were put through the writers and comedic filters and distilled for our pleasure.

Many on campus find Stewart’s humor speaking to them in a way that nightly news couldn’t. While perhaps we shouldn’t give so much credence to the “Daily Show” as a legitimate form of news. It was the tragedy in politics, the seemingly unfair strategies of politicos and patently crazy laws that passed, which allowed the show to be seen as a beacon of honesty. A watchdog for what seemed like an era of news, designed to spin any ideology it could one way or another. Stewart and company acted like a filter to the general public, making palatable the unpalatable world of politics and global news.

Stewart’s comedy chose no alle-

Jon Stewart with his award at the 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 18, 2011, at in Los Angeles, Calif. • Allen J. Schaben/MCT Campus

giances. Stewart hammered politicos on topics ranging from the Affordable Care Act, a darling of liberal voters and Obama supporters, to our current White House foreign relations policy. Even Al Gore wasn’t safe from the righteous grilling Stewart gave him in regards to selling his media network to Al Jazeera.

Back in 2010, the “Daily Show” camp impressed once more with the “Rally to Restore Sanity/Fear.”

Proposed by both Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert as a comedy rally intended to give the overall majority, the politically neutral majority, the capacity to have a voice in politics which is increasingly overtaken by partisan psychopaths that spend most of their time and voices demonizing the opposition.

In recent memory, Stewart had taken to hammering down conservative ideologies and the flat out crazy of Fox News. Often bringing up the constant baying of their “Fair and Balanced” and “No Spin Zone” rhetoric, Stewart seemed to take personal

offense to the concept that conservative news, nay, conservative politics as they stood, were beneficial to our society. He often went on comedic rants regarding the reckless, abusive, and downright resentful nature of network conservatism towards the truth.

It is with that in mind that much of his own personal rhetoric came forward. The sheer amount of ire directed at him from Republican and conservative constituents not just for what he had to say, but for the platform he said it on, and to who he spoke to, made Stewart’s position a dangerous one to up and coming politicos.

If you have any question about that, take a look at the “Crossfire” interview on CNN with Stewart. While network news might not be so willing to admit it that comedic grilling, that taste of a man conflicted about the politics in America and his eloquence and patience in deliberating his opinion regarding the effectiveness of the program, exposed all of the worst aspects of network news.

“Crossfire” was shut down less than three months later.

Stewart’s legendary battle with the Fox News pundit and commentator Bill O’Reilly during the events of The Rumble in the Air-Conditioned Auditorium highlighted his versatility as a linguist and debater. He advocated for issues against popular networked news as being oppressive and separatist and pandering only to the most extreme ideologies of each political faction.

And whilst every particular event that Stewart has taken part of would likely fill the pages of this edition, it’s important to visualize the man, not just in his comedic state, but a man with a platform to say and do things that affect people emotionally, politically and ideologically. Stewart’s rarely broken character has done so for the purposes to discuss things like race perception in America, cameras on police, and the general disgust people feel with the system and its inherent unfairness to the less affluent.

It is because Stewart is just a man, a man with complex political and personal ethics, that he is leaving the show. He’s recently been quoted about the general toxicity of conservative pundits. Drawing the line on the conservative war for “ideological purity, where every aspect of life becomes a two-dimensional battle for America’s Soul.”

Perhaps Stewart leaving is an effort to save what sanity he has left, and to spend a few years with the remaining youth of his children before they get to that age where they want nothing to do with him. Sixteen years is quite an awfully long time to be seen as a paragon of “newsiness” style comedy that takes nearly all of your heart and soul to do so.

To quote Stewart, “If comedy is tragedy plus time … I need more fuckng time.”

I need more time to deal with the coming loss of one of the most poignant distillers of political rage on network television. If Stewart’s right, maybe we’ll all just have a laugh about this later. For now there’s a coming void to be filled, but is there anyone with the guts and gusto to fill it? I suppose we’ll see what happens at the end of the year.

Good luck Jon. RFIGUEROA@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

EDITORIAL

We need to demand the best from our accrediting agency Accreditation, defined as the process of evaluating the quality of education provided at a college, is an important topic for colleges, especially students.

Basically, only credit hours from an accredited college or university count. If Palomar were to lose its accreditation, then all of our college classes would have been a waste of time.

Last week, an accreditation team from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) conducted its on-campus evaluation visit.

ACCJC is the company that handles the accrediting process for

Palomar.

Since accreditation is important to us all as students, it makes sense that we should be concerned about the conduct of whatever agency is responsible for evaluating us. And there are some problems with the ACCJC. The most glaring of which is the fact that they broke several state and federal laws while in the process of evaluating San Francisco City College. This flawed accrediting process eventually led to City College losing its accredited status.

We definitely have reason for concern if corruption exists

within the agency responsible for ensuring our college credits are accredited. If there’s no basis for trust, then how can we know if they are doing their job accurately and impartially?

For years, the ACCJC was the sole accrediting organization in California for community colleges. They had what was essentially a monopoly over the issue.

That is, until recently.

Following the debacle with San Francisco City College, the California Community College Board of Governors changed the regulations that made ACCJC a monopoly. This allows fresh, new accred-

iting organizations to move in.

While this is a good thing, it doesn’t change the fact that the ACCJC is still our accreditor this year.

If Palomar were to lose its accreditation, how can we know if the evaluation process was fair and legally sound? That trust has been broken with the Accrediting Commission once, there’s no reason to think it couldn’t happen again.

We need to demand the absolute best from our accreditation organizations.

EDITOR@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

OPINION • 5

the-telescope.com THE CRITICAL COMMENT

U.S. exceptionalism isn’t automatic MIKE PETERSON THE TELESCOPE

America is a great nation. An exceptional one even.

But is she the greatest country?

That’s much more difficult to discern.

We spew tired mantras of exceptionalism and exclusivity like oft-repeated hymns. We talk to each other like America is the only country with freedom.

But she isn’t. Whether or not we want to accept that is another issue.

Literacy, math and science ratings, infant mortality and life expectancy. These are all areas where we don’t even break the Top 10 in ranking. It’s arguable, but so many other countries do certain things better than we do.

If America has an enemy ... it’s apathy, arrogance, laziness and being uninformed.

What we do have is the largest prison population in the civilized world. Not per capita, just an overall higher amount of prisoners. How many of those are violent, harmful criminals and how many are kids on a drug possession offense?

We have an ungodly defense budget. We top the list and spend more than the next 25 countries combined.

We have the world’s greatest military.

But we perfect the art of fighting the last type of war just in time for the next one. Could that money be better spent?

We have a broken healthcare system. We have some of the greatest doctors in the world. But we spend more on healthcare than any other civilized nation. Even simple, routine procedures can leave an individual or family deep in debt.

We have a higher education system that piles thousands of dollars of debt onto students who haven’t even entered the workforce. That’s not building a future young people can look forward to. Germany, Norway, Argentina and Finland are all countries with tuition-free universities.

But we are so deathly afraid of “socialism” that we cower in fear of any type of free education.

What we had for years, until late 2014, was the most ideologicallycharged and least productive U.S. Congress in the entirety of American history. When politics are based on obstructionism, rather than actual progress, what can we hope to achieve?

A few weeks ago, Rudy Giuliani criticized the President for “not loving America.” I can’t speak on behalf of the commander-in-chief or Mr. Giuliani but what can be ventured is that blaming all of our problems on

whoever happens to be president is ignorance. Saying that the President doesn’t love his country because he criticizes it is ignorance. Plain and simple.

It seems like we’ve traded intelligent commentary and critical thinking for blind partisanship and linevoting. We can’t stomach the truth anymore; we’d rather be spoon-fed biased propaganda to help nurture our personal worldview.

It’s sad the number of pessimists who think America is being stripped of her core values, that she is headed down the wrong path, that this presidency is the worst we’ve ever had. None of these things are true.

Just because someone disagree with popular opinion doesn’t mean that we’re on a headlong course into the apocalypse.

America has seen much worse and persevered.

We spend more time bickering at our political opposition than actually getting things done. If America has an enemy, it’s not someone across the aisle.

It’s apathy, arrogance, laziness and being uninformed.

America has achieved so many great things in her short span of history. This nation has a masterpiece of a constitution and an efficient set of checks and balances. We’ve cultivated a mighty economy in our time.

Some of the world’s greatest inventors, artists and culture creators have been American.

Americans have fought and died for freedom, not just for themselves but for others. We spearheaded world wars and stood up for what was right.

We built sprawling cities and buildings that scrape the sky, produced media consumed by the entire world.

We were great once, certainly. Perhaps we still are.

But we can’t let the achievements of the past blind us from the mistakes we make today, we can’t let our nostalgia keep us from moving forward.

The idea that America is exceptional is not sacred. It should not be sacrilege to criticize her when she falters. We, as Americans, should want the best for our nation. This includes correcting our path when we’ve gone astray.

America is beautiful because of her opportunity for advancement, for adaptation. The founders knew this.

They wrote it into the elastic clause of the Constitution.

If we want American exceptionalism to be true, we need to step up to the plate. America is not exceptional by default, she’s exceptional because of the great men and women who made her that way.

We need to address where we are wrong and where we could do better, without bias or compromise, and fix those problems.

We should love America. Not just for what she was or for what she is. We should love her for what she could be.

MPETERSON@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

Mental intimacy is a priority TAMARA EAKINS THE TELESCOPE

In this day and age, individuality and uniqueness are praised with positivity. However, in contrast, the pressure to live up to typical sexual ideals is still very much prevalent.

The “hook-up” culture is at an alltime high as meaningless sexual encounters become something of the norm within society. Sticking to what you firmly believe is right tends to be difficult when you feel pressure not to disappoint your peers.

All around us we are constantly reminded that being seemingly willing in terms of your sexual persona, is what continues to rule. Social media dominates the minds of most.

Tinder, Snapchat and Instagram are the avenues for easy access to new relationships and connections with surface depth and shallow meaning. It is not cool to be cautious and careful with your heart and body in this generation. What a sad thought that is to entertain.

Cherishing an intimate moment and making it meaningful goes out the window when the lines are even slightly blurred. To feel someone without touching them is seen as absurd. To know someone’s soul before you know the curvature of their inner thigh is a mindset that only a few possess. It is more common than not that when venturing into a new relationship with someone, sex plays a major part.

But what about those who believe that a mental connection is more important? The idea that a strong mental connection is most necessary and that it overshadows the importance of physical chemistry is one that not many believe to be true.

In a simple survey, eight out of 10 students on the Palomar College San Marcos campus agreed they would rather have great sex and no mental connection with their significant other, than participate in a relationship in which the sex life was mediocre but consisted of a strong mental connection filled with stimulating conversations and a mutual understanding of each other’s mindset.

Photo Illustration of a couple holding hands. • Stephen Davis/The Telescope

The walls of house parties and dorm rooms are continuing to see more empty, meaningless physical connections, and college students use sex and physical intimacy as a way to fill a void that they believe cannot be filled otherwise. Hooking up is now seen as a rite of passage and a necessary step to becoming desirable.

For men, the higher your number of sexual endeavors, the more you are praised. For women, the better you are in bed, the more you are seen as a potential love interest in the long term.

In today’s society, if you find yourself in a sexual or romantic situation that you do not necessarily feel is right for you at that time, you are wrongfully looked at as peculiar or prudish for simply changing up the atmosphere, cutting the sexual tension and vocalizing that you are not ready. What if he doesn’t call me again? What if she thinks I am not capable of satisfying her? What if my friends judge me?

The same goes for both young men and women. The internal questions that develop in our minds during these moments can be overwhelming. This sense of pressure happens through the buildup of societal sexual expectations, through social media and the subconscious need we all feel to be socially accepted by our peers and those whom we are interested in.

In turn, we reluctantly cave to

EDITORIAL CARTOON

Editorial cartoon by John Lucia/The Telescope

the pressure and decide to follow through with a decision that could have simply waited.

What many have yet to realize is that there can be something extremely intimate and sensual about knowing someone from a mentally deep perspective before the physical aspect comes into play. To connect with someone on a deeper level than just sexual chemistry is a rarity that not enough people appreciate.

There is a beauty and strength that resonates from people who know that they can satisfy their partner on another level before they have ever touched their body.

There should be more emphasis put on the importance of establishing a mentally and emotionally strong connection in a relationship.

Though the physical aspect plays a significant role in any romantic relationship, the same amount of significance should be placed on a bond that goes beyond physicality.

If society and social media turned more towards the promotion of self-assurance and mental intimacy, before the idea of male sexual dominance and female submissiveness, maybe more people would be in long lasting relationships and would not find themselves in uncomfortable situations where they give nothing more than a reluctant “yes” at best.

TEAKINS@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

6 • OPINION

Monday, March 9, 2015

We should put boots on the ground to combat ISIS ZACHARY WATSON THE TELESCOPE

The United States formally withdrew all combat forces from Iraq in 2011 and Afghanistan in late 2014.

After 13 years of continuous combat operations in the Middle East, this war-weary nation may have to return. ISIS’s deadly reputation grows everyday as they carve a bloody path through the Middle East.

Make no mistake, this is the world’s problem and the United States must lead the fight.

America withdrew its military presence from the Middle East, and created a power vacuum there, and ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) or ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and Levant), a malevolent terror group, took advantage of the unstable and corrupt area.

ISIS plans to create an Islamic State across Syria and Iraq that is now a caliphate ruled by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who has been elevated to the position of caliph. The caliph is the successor of Islam’s prophet Muhammad, and is the political and spiritual leader of the state. There have been caliphates in the Levant since the 6th century A.D. It is the world’s responsibility to annihilate ISIS. For too long, the United States has stood by while ISIS grows bolder, conquering more territory and committing horrible

U.S. Marines in formation during a 2007 deployment in Fallujah, Iraq. • Stephen Davis/The Telescope

atrocities in the name of Islam. If ISIS holds on to its territory and becomes a stable caliphate it will become a haven for criminal activity and terrorism.

This has happened in the past; a nation was allowed to march on unsuspecting victims unabated, conquering and exterminating those that failed to step in line, or surrender all their freedoms. Great nations watched Hitler and his Nazis do these terrible things and did nothing about it.

As Edmond Burke once said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

Al-Qaeda and ISIS are fundamentally different terrorist groups.

Groups like al-Qaeda are like weeds that cannot be eradicated, using cowardly tactics to fight the United States. They operate underground in clandestine cells, acting independently from each other. ISIS, however, is an organized army which holds vast amounts of land and aspires to statehood and, according to Islamic law, ISIS must hold on to land to be a legitimate caliphate.

There is absolutely no chance ISIS would be able to stand toe-to-toe with the United States in a conventional fight. America has arguably the world’s most powerful military.

Putting boots on the ground in Iraq and Syria would crush ISIS, and by taking away the land they have seized is to make ISIS’s claim as a caliphate have no legitimacy.

ISIS is a group of Islamic radials that is hungry for real state-hood and legitimacy. They use religion to justify their terrible crimes, which include unspeakable executions. Everyone is a target to ISIS. To defeat ISIS the United States must better understand them. The United States failed to understand the enemy in Vietnam and is repeating that mistake now. Burying our heads in the sand won’t make

the enemy go away.

A state of neutrality will not work, and the United States must change its course. Staying out of it will force the Muslim world to deal with a scourge in their backyards, but if they lack the power to deal with them, the whole Middle East will fall to these Islamic extremists. The United States must act now while they are easy to defeat instead of waiting for the inevitability of dealing with them when they are more powerful, and setting their sights on American malls, airports and sporting events.

ISIS recruits fighters from around the world spending millions of dollars on propaganda, and making expertly directed films of their executions.They encourage all Jihadists to make their way to the Levant and fight with them or harm infidels in any possible way anywhere in the world. There are 20,000 to 31,000 ISIS fighters, 15,000 of them being foreign-born Jihadists.

ISIS would like nothing more than to watch the United States burn to the ground.

People in the United States are starting to question the government on whether or not this country is going to do something about ISIS. The Obama administration is getting more pressure than ever to

answer the call of war.

“For the first time, a majority of Americans (57 percent) favor the U.S. sending ground troops into Iraq and Syria to fight ISIS,” CBS reported. Fifty eight percent of Americans believed ISIS to be a major threat to the United States in October, but the number rose to 65 percent in the last month.

American intelligence agencies and the Pentagon, are gearing up for an assault on Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq with a population of more than a million people, and the de facto capital for the terror group known as ISIS or ISIL. Mosul will be assaulted in April, requiring 20,000 to 25,000 Iraqi and Kurdish forces. It will be a bloody block to block battle against 1,000 to 2,000 ISIS fighters who may fight to the death.

If Mosul is successfully liberated from ISIS the United States must capitalize on the opportunity and finish them off, and if the attack is a failure then this country needs to set the example for the world, showing that tyranny will not be allowed to reign free, and finish the job that 6,831 American troops gave their lives for.

ZWATSON@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

Tax season survival guide SUSAN WHALEY THE TELESCOPE

It’s the most wonderful time of year. It’s tax season. Instead of dreading doing your taxes, you should be calculating your expenses from the year so you can get a refund just in time for Spring Break.

Also, you need to know how The Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare, affects your taxes.

Going to school and working is difficult, so here are some helpful tips to get the most out of your tax return and perhaps get a better refund. The deadline to file your taxes is April 15, so you still have enough time, but don’t wait too long and rush to get it done without writing off important expenses.

So, what can you write off on your tax return as a student? All your tuition. On the Palomar eservices website your 1098-T will be available. This is how much you spent to attend college, as well if

you received the BOG Waiver.

Paying the tuition is just half the financial battle you dealt with all year. You can write off: • Room and board • Look into claiming education credits such as the American Opportunity Credit • As a California resident you can receive an extra $60 on your state refund if you paid rent.

• All your textbooks, school supplies, which includes anything that helped you succeed in school like that new laptop you purchased.

• The most frequent question asked is if you can write off the gas it took you to drive to school. The answer is no and I know; it doesn’t make any sense to me either.

Now, the biggest thing to watch out for while filing your 2014 taxes is the new health coverage law, also known as ObamaCare.

If you didn’t have health coverage in 2014 then you will either pay a fee or file for an exemption on

Photo illustration. • David Leeson/MCT Campus

your return. If you did have coverage there is a special box just for you on your return.

If you do not qualify for the exemption then the fee is either one percent of your yearly income or $95, which ever one is higher.

To find out if you if qualify for an exemption before you file your taxes then fill out the question-

naire on the HealthCare.gov website.

According to HealthCare.gov you don’t have to pay the fee for any months you were uncovered in 2014 if the lowest cost plan is more than 8 percent of your income.

There are a lot of reasons why someone would be exempt from having coverage, but being unable

to afford it is most common, according to the Washington Post.

Don’t fret quite yet because, according to HealthCare.gov, if you don’t pay the fee you won’t be charged as a criminal, your future refunds will be reallocated back to the government.

SWHALEY@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

A&E • 7

the-telescope.com

Makeup artist creates characters CLAUDIA RODRIGUEZ THE TELESCOPE

The Telescope’s featured artist for this issue is Palomar student Jessica O’Connor, who specializes in the art of transforming people and creating characters. Her medium?

Makeup.

O’Connor, a theater arts major, prepared a makeup demonstration for The Telescope and spoke to us about her craft. The following is from an email interview with this up-and-coming artist.

Telescope: You’re a makeup artist, how did you get started in this craft? In other words, what got you interested in it and how did you begin experimenting with makeup as your art?

O’Connor: I’ve always been into art i.e., drawing, painting, etc., and I honestly think I began experimenting with makeup when I was in high school. It was around the time I started wearing makeup myself.

I saw makeup as another medium and my face or other people’s faces were my canvases and I was having a lot of fun just playing around and trying new, dramatic styles.

It (wasn’t) until later, when I came across the makeup competition show Face Off, that I decided I could do make-up as a profession and create my own designs and be as crazy as I want with it. I then started attending Palomar and took the Stage Makeup Class that they offer here and I discovered that I really enjoy doing theatrical make-up and creating characters.

Telescope: What is your style?

O’Connor: I would say my style is loud and dramatic. I love to make

characters, especially ones that are inspired from comic books and video games. I also enjoy designing fantasy and sci-fi characters.

Telescope: What inspires you when you begin a new project?

O’Connor: I get a lot of my inspirations from comic books and video games, but sometimes I’ll just be daydreaming and ideas will (develop) from that. Maybe (I will be having) a discussion with someone about aliens or mythical creatures and then the conversation will be in my mind all day and it isn’t until I’m reliving that discussion will I come across a design and want to test it out as soon as possible.

Telescope: What is your process or what does it take to create a look?

O’Connor: I’m not sure if I really have a process. I will sometimes stumble across an image and think, “Hey I want to turn that into a make-up,” but the actual makeup itself requires a lot of references. I will have an idea in my head and I will either draw it out, or I will (get) different kinds of references and just combine them all together.

Telescope: You have a Facebook page for your makeup work, where you describe yourself as an amateur makeup artist, but you have done work that has been part of some serious productions. What have those been?

O’Connor: I started getting involved with Palomar theater productions as a costumer, where I helped with costumes and quick-changed the actors backstage, but it wasn’t until “Rough Magic” that I started assisting with some makeup. I then got the chance to do the hair and makeup for the Palomar Theatre Ensemble

Makeup artist and Palomar College student, Jessica O’Connor, works on transforming model, Dani Starkey, to look like an elderly woman during a makeup session on Feb 26. • Claudia Rodriguez/The Telescope

Show “The Glass Menagerie.” I assisted with wigs and makeup for the Palomar show “Cabaret” a year ago, and then this last summer I got the chance to be a designer and designed the hair and makeup for the Palomar Theatre Ensemble show “Happy Birthday Wanda June.”

Telescope: Do you have any mentors or favorite makeup artists who have influenced your philosophy about your art or your work itself?

O’Connor: I would like to say my mentor is Shirley Pierson (she’s the teacher for costuming and stage makeup). She really pushed me in her class and made me the artist I am to-

day. I would like to say it started with her. Now makeup artists that inspire me (would be) makeup artist VeNeil (she did makeup for the Pirate’s of the Caribbean films, the Hunger Games films and Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland.)” Her style is very beautiful and I love her character designs. I also love Dick Smith, “The Godfather of Make-up.” I really enjoy learning about all of his techniques and how he creates his characters. Lastly, I know he isn’t a makeup artist, but I also enjoy Guillermo del Toro’s work, especially the characters he created in “Pan’s Labyrinth.”

Telescope: Are you working on

any projects currently?

O’Connor: I am currently not working on any projects but I will be working on the (Theater Ensemble’s) summer show. I’m going to be working with costumes and hair.

Telescope: Where else might the public see your work?

O’Connor: Another place the public may be able to see my work is on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/jessipaigeeffx or you can find me on my YouTube channel, where I do makeup tutorials: www. youtube.com/user/jessipaigeeffx.

CRODRIGUEZ@THE-TELESSCOPE.COM

Our college needs your help.

Your Rights: Equal access to education. A safe learning environment. Representation.

Your Role:

Join the Palomar Community. Respect yourself, faculty, administration and your peers. Participate.

Your Associated Student Government is currently accepting applications for Senator and Delegate positions.

To learn more find us in SU-104, SU-102 or online at www.palomar.edu/asg/

8 • A&E

Monday, March 9, 2015

7 reasons living near the San Diego coast is best MIKE PETERSON THE TELESCOPE

The crash of the waves, the feeling of sand beneath your feet, the sun on your back. There are few things like it. We live in a coastal community here in San Diego and sometimes we might take that for granted. A lot of people dream of crashing waves and white beaches. There’s a reason people come from all over to surf our waves and walk our sandy shores.

Even for those who live farther inland in North County, we are still only a 30 minute drive from the beach. But for us, the people who actually live here, there are quite a few benefits and perks to living by the ocean.

1. Living near the ocean is good for your mental health

Living near the ocean has a range of beneficial mental health effects.

Sunshine can combat depression, the roaring of the waves can help reduce stress and anxiety, according to several studies. Taking a stroll by the ocean helps you unplug, something we all probably need to do in this technology-saturated society.

2. Your body will feel the benefits

People who live on the coast tend to be in better health, say several studies. The reasons aren’t exactly clear, but some things can be ventured. Going to the beach can certainly be an active lifestyle -- surfing, volleyball or just running along the shore -- and an active lifestyle is no doubt healthier.

There are also other benefits, such as the way ocean minerals can help with arthritis symptoms, the way sand acts as a natural skin exfoliant and the fact that seawater increases skin elasticity, helping to keep you looking younger longer.

A view of the La Jolla coastline just before sunset. • Evan Cast/The Telescope

3. You’ll never get bored

There are a plethora of activities that the ocean can inspire. In San Diego, we have a thriving world-class surfing community, along with some of the best surf spots in the country.

There are also opportunities to fish, boat or kayak in our little slice of the Pacific. Even without fancy equipment or water vessels, you can always go for a swim. Being at the beach makes everything better; it will inspire you to go out and actually have a casual stroll, walk your dog, or roll down the coast on a bike.

4. The sea breeze is, literally, a breath of fresh air

Ever notice that a deep, fresh

breath of sea breeze makes you feel almost instantly better? There’s a reason for that. The ocean air is charged with negative ions, helping us absorb oxygen better. Beyond that, we definitely have a smog problem here in California. While San Diego air certainly isn’t as unclean as Los Angeles, we can still feel the harsh effects of air pollutants. Knowing this, it’s a good thing that the sea tends to keep the air quality in check.

5. You’ll always have fresh seafood Seafood. It makes up a large portion of many diets across the country. But for those of us on the coast, we may take for granted the surplus

of fresh options we have. Seafood options around coastal communities are fresher, more varied and cheaper.

The coastal waters near California are productive and San Diego has long been a center of the tuna industry.

6. The coasts are cultural

It’s no secret that more people tend to settle by the coast than farther inland. Once upon a time, this was because of the trade and economic opportunities that port cities allowed. Nowadays, coastal living might make for greater exposure to interesting art and culture. For example, in San Diego there is a thriving craft beer scene, and a large

community of interesting artists and musicians.

7. The climate isn’t extreme

The ocean has a habit of moderating the weather. Winters tend to be milder and summers cooler. That fact combined with the way San Diego has, arguably, the best weather in the world, it’s no wonder that we are a bit spoiled when it comes to climate conditions. On a side note, we can always be thankful that hurricanes are almost nonexistent because the waters off our coast are too cold for them to form.

MPETERSON@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

Relationships during ‘glory days’ may prove worthwhile STEVEN BURIEK THE TELESCOPE

Relationships and dating in college may appear intimidating and impractical. Your college experience will be gone in a flash so don’t be afraid to dive in and find out what works for you.

The heavy grind of school and maintaining scholastic excellence for the most part is a priority for students. Relationships with a significant other or a blooming love interests can take precedence over the lives of college students, or at least becomes a normal part of it. There is nothing wrong with integrating your love life into your college experience.

In the “glory days” we are in pursuit of finding ourselves, experimenting and truly defining our paths for the future. Delving into a relationship within college can hold you down, take the bulk of your time or leave you distracted from focusing on yourself. Committing to a full throttle relationship requires time, sacrifice and energy.

Some roam their college days with a no-strings mentality and revel in complete freedom in their dating rituals. On the other end of the spectrum, there are the committed types.

It is easy for them to maintain a relationship in college. They are sup-

I guess the advantage is that we are young and we meet new people all the time. (We) learn what we want as we go.

AMY LOPEZ • STUDENT

ported and understand each others’ time schedules and responsibilities.

They cherish the moments they have together. Those committed to a relationship during these college years know they won’t be spending their time on the prowl for someone to spend time with or date. The hard part is already done. The only obstacle in the way are time constraints and schedule clashes with their significant other.

Grant Medica, 23, a Palomar student working on his general education classes after already graduating from Fire Science and Emergency Management classes, has been with his girlfriend Lauren Wright, 22, for a year and a half. He gave insight on the disadvantages in his relationship throughout college.

Couple kissing in a library.• Photo courtesy Flickr Creative Commons

“It can be difficult to maintain a relationship with both people being so busy, especially when that person has a differing schedule,” he said of Wright, who is a computer science major at CSUSM. “You’re young.

You’re busy; You’re trying to get your life together. You have to put schooling and supporting yourself first.

Then do the best you can to make time for each other.”

So why is it worth it? And what are the advantages of being committed in our glory days? Why would anyone want to struggle to make a

relationship work in such an exciting and trying time of our lives?

“It’s stability, it’s all dependent on the person,” Medica said. “You always have someone you can be with.

If you’re struggling with something, you’ll always have someone you can count on. When you’re in love with someone you want to be with them and make them happy, even with the little bits you get, it’s worth it despite it being difficult.”

So love conquers all in some situations. Recognition of difficulties, and a game plan is necessary to overcome the barriers of dating and re-

lationships in college. There are still the predicaments for those who cannot seem to find any kind of connection with a significant other based on the state of mind a portion of college students are in: Single and loving it.

Amy Lopez, 21, a Palomar business major, expressed how things uncoiled in her dating life.

“Well, it was non-existent as of recently,” Lopez said. “The challenge was that most young guys weren’t really looking for a relationship. I guess the advantage is that we are young and we meet new people all the time and learn what we want as we go.”

Holding strong through a relationship in college is admirable and holds its merits of stability and support. Falling in love during these college years may even teach you more about yourself. Staying single and searching for what makes you tick can be an enlightening journey.

We are all different people with diverse personalities and lifestyles.

There is no straight shot or method to dating or carrying relationships in college. Life is a learning experience; college is one of the best places to learn what will benefit us in future dating/relationship escapades by learning from the ones we have now.

SBURIEK@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

A&E • 9

the-telescope.com

‘Spelling Bee’ gets audience involved FERN MENEZES THE TELESCOPE

The best ticket in town was bought at the Howard Brubeck Theatre to see the Palomar Performing Arts’ stupendous rendition of this one-act, musical comedy “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” The cast of characters included seven actors playing a total of 14 roles, six spellers and eight adults.

Having actors playing double roles is an optional feature in the original play. It proved to be pandemonium at it’s best, which was obvious in the musical number entitled “Pandemonium.”

The cast members were so enthusiastic in telling the story of this fictional spelling bee that you wanted to jump on stage and be a participant.

This is exactly what happened when four members of the audience were spontaneously selected to become a part of the spelling bee.

The actors were each cast into their perfect role that pulled the audience into a spelling bee for at least 90 minutes. Each and every actor was the star of the show.

Backgrounds of the actors varied from first musical to several years of acting. Yet during the play, one got a sense of a more experienced acting group as their individual roles evolved.

From a stage successfully made to look like a typical spelling bee at a typical school was lively and exuded an atmosphere of comedy and playfulness. As a one-act play it flowed from one speller to another without letting one unused minute escape.

The spelling bee is called to order

by Rona Lisa Perretti, a previous winner who thinks the bee is all about her. She summons the participants including the four new members from the audience. Background information, even for the new members, was revealed during the introduction of all the characters to the audience. A unity was then formed between the temporary members and the existing cast.

The moderator, Douglas Panch, will call a speller up to the podium and give them a word to spell. Each time the speller will break out in song

to reveal their struggle in life. Actors playing dual roles were seen as a supportive parent during the speller’s revelation through music.

With characters meant to be shy and awkward, those traits were not visible when they sang. There were lots of songs, even one that was energetically performed by speller Chip Tolentino while moving through the audience and tossing candy about If a word was not spelled correctly the contestant was ushered off the stage, given a juice box and comforted by Mitch Maloney, an obvious delinquent carrying out a court ordered community service.

As the play concluded the bee’s last two remaining spellers are wrestling with the ensuing outcome. The adult characters also realize their own faults that have hindered their lives and attempt to make adjustments. A verbal synopsis of what happens to the adults after the spelling bee adds yet another realistic and comical view of life.

“It’s a fun, whimsical play. Each of the characters is dealing with personal problems – each is growing up with something that is difficult for them,” Dana Case, the director, said as she aptly described the essence of the play.

Case has been directing and acting for over 20 years and likes to allow the actors to try things on their own before guiding them or telling them what to do.

“The director is much more a guide than a dictator,” Case said. Her unique style revealed itself during the play as you heard the cast’s impromptu responses to the various situations.

The music, led by the musical director Morgan Carberry, successfully guided the characters through the spelling bee with a lively tempo, perfectly timed cues and a cast that sang together as one voice.

The role of an actor is to transport the audience into their make-believe world. This is exactly what happened at the Howard Brubeck Theatre, you bought a ticket for a play and got transported into Putnam County Middle School for their 25th Annual Spelling Bee. FMENEZES@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

Inside Kettle Coffee & Tea located on Grand Ave, Escondido. • Leah Baena/The Telescope

‘Chillax’ at Kettle Coffee & Tea LEAH BAENA THE TELESCOPE

You’re a hard-working college student dealing with pressures from work, personal life and your nagging professors. The last thing you need is the guilt that lingers after caffeinating in an attempt to keep yourself awake.

From Acai bowls, to Yerba Mate Maple Lattes, a local coffee shop named Kettle Coffee and Tea located in Escondido integrates healthy ways to enjoy caffeinated products.

“We make all of our seasonal drinks,” Owner Tricia Howerzyl said, “and we don’t do fraps because you can’t make those without putting all sorts of horrible things in them.”

You pull open the black-framed door and step into an ambiance of irresistible charm inviting you to pull up a chair and sip your choice of caffeine slowly.

The shop itself has had many owners, previously known as “His Place,” “Lollicup” and “Escondido Joe’s,” but now is home for many customers as well as Howerzyl.

Howerzyl and her husband had a thirst for good coffee, a place that offers quality espresso, along with a nice place to sit and sip from their cups slowly. The only quench for this thirst, was to purchase a place of their own.

“My husband and I are both coffee lovers and good espresso was non existent,” Howerzyl said.

The shop is located on fairly busy Grand Avenue in downtown Escondido, where the sense of community

is strong. Keeping Kettle Coffee and Tea busy with employees of those local businesses, students from the Catholic School around the corner, and even some Palomar College students.

“It’s the environment,” Shane Nelson, a literature and writing major, said. “It’s welcoming, and to come here and to either meet with friends or to do homework, is very different from Palomar’s TLC.” When asked why it was easier to study outside of Palomar, Nelson said there was an “overwhelming burden, to study.” With Anna Kohler, a human development major, nodding her head in agreement next to him.

Like Nelson and Kohler, many college students come to Kettle Coffee and Tea for the generous additional private room that it offers located directly next to the espresso machine, as well as the open mic nights.

“Open mic nights are huge here,” Howerzyl said. “The room is packed every Thursday Night (with an audience) and the list of performers fills up in 10 minutes or less.”

The coffee shop extends its welcome to an array of slam poets, singer-songwriters and even the rare comedian.

The strong sense of community is felt, especially as Howerzyl waves and smiles with a familiar glance as customers come in and out. This community is also implemented through their distributor, Klatch.

“Klatch is great,” Howerzyl said.

“They’ve been roasting for about 20 years, and have won things such as

Best Roaster Award and they’re a family operation.”

Klatch Roasters is also a fair trade roaster, meaning they pay an appropriate amount to the coffee growers, and are not making an absurd profit off of someone else’s work.

With the shop using a distributor such as Klatch, it assures the customers that they are not in the coffee business for the money, but rather for what coffee is able to do in bringing people together.

“I really strongly believe that if we as a society can view coffee as something that is valuable, or something more valuable than we see it now, more than just a 7-11 quick drink ... (then) the people that grow coffee will be paid a decent wage eventually,” Howerzyl said.

Howerzyl’s providential care for her customers doesn’t stop at the open mics, and fair trade, but continues through her concern for making the drinks with ingredients that cater to the health of her consumers.

“If you go to a place and ask for a matcha green tea latte, they’ll use a powder that has a non dairy creamer in it, they’ll put tons of horrible things in it,” Howerzyl said. “We use straight up ceremonial green matcha tea, and milk. Our mochas we make from scratch. We buy the cocoa powders, with powdered sugar and milk. We don’t buy pre-made powders.”

For more information on their products and upcoming events visit Kettlecoffeeandtea.com LBAENA@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

Lamar’s ‘evil’ new single is a mouthful of the blackest berries STEVEN BURIEK THE TELESCOPE

Finally, a song that’s not all about bitches, drugs and money. Kendrick Lamar has come out with a song that states so much more in a brutally honest way.

Lamar’s new single “The Blacker The Berry” produced by Boi-1da was released Feb. 9. Some comment on it saying it is “evil.” Some say it is a political statement.

This song is brash, bold, blunt and dark. Infused with aggressive metaphors about the African American race and the stereotypes that come with having dark-colored skin. It tells a story of the internal struggle of blacks who are in the center of racial tension and are seen unfavorably in American culture.

The cover art for the single is by Italian photographer Giordano Cipriana which depicts a black woman from the tribe of the Surma with her two twins suckling her breasts, taken in the Valley of the Omo of Ethiopia.

Every verse gets the ball rolling with “I’m the biggest hypocrite of 2015” the song being antithetical to Lamar’s previous song “i” that carries a much different flavor and tone, clearly celebrating his black culture and love for himself.

Behind a filthy Boom-Bap beat and trance ambiance, “The Blacker The Berry” hits more on notes of racialized self-hatred and realization of the world’s view concerning African Americans.

Verses like “My hair is nappy, my dick is big, my nose is round and wide.

You hate me don’t you?” And “You’re

Album cover for Kendrick Lamar’s “The Blacker The Berry.” • Photo courtesy of Top Dawg Entertainment

fuckin evil, I want you to recognize that I’m a proud monkey.”

These lines wire you into the mind of a black man, declaring something as bluntly as possible in derision of racial slurs and oppression to his culture and black people throughout the ages.

This song turns the tide on the clichés and truisms of African American society. It surprises perpetrators through acknowledging these truisms and clichés, accepting them, then glorifying them with a dignified rage.

Lamar’s unshakable and gritpacked voice makes references to the Aryan race. Lashing out with unapologetic voice, conviction and defiance to those in America that hate him.

“I’m African American, I’m African I’m black as the heart of a fuckin’ Aryan ... I’m black as the name of Tyrone and Darius ... Excuse my French but fuck you—no, fuck y’all .. That’s as blunt as it gets, I know you hate me, don’t you? I’m African-American, I’m African. I’m black as the heart of a fuckin’ Aryan.”

Unadorned, unfiltered without a sugar coat. His words scream reality.

They view the world as it is, and portray it in a manner that allows insight into the world of an African American.

The shocker at the end of the song gives a revelation to why Lamar is “The biggest hypocrite of 2015.”

“So why did I weep when Trayvon Martin was in the street?

When gang banging make me kill a nigga blacker than me?

Hypocrite!”

This is an eye-opening insight concerning the lifestyle and mannerisms he sees in the black man. While he rants on the issue of whites who have killed blacks in the past, he, at the same time, has killed those same as him, hence the hypocrisy behind his lyrical façade.

SBURIEK@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

10 • A&E

Monday, March 9, 2015

Disability Center to move into new building by summer ERIN ESKENS THE TELESCOPE

A few yards behind the main office of the DRC is a wire fence covered in a blue, plastic tarp. Palomar has been in the midst of a renovation over the past year, and this shady back corner of campus is no exception.

For some students, the construction is a noisy, disruptive nuisance.

However, behind this blue cover construction continues on much needed improvements to the Disability Resource Center.

The center offers 11 classes, and both the general population and students with disabilities are eligible to enroll in them. The DRC focuses its supplemental classes on math and English instruction. Some of the most helpful features of the DRC are the resources they offer for test taking and academic advising.

The DRC also helps students who are deaf or vision impaired with adapted computers, assisted listening devices, and interpreters.

In addition to the learning resources, the DRC also provides disability testing to determine if students are eligible to receive the services they offer. Palomar hopes that with the new and expanded center, the college will be able to reach more students who can bene-

fit from the specialized instruction.

Palomar officials decided that the DRC was in need of an upgraded facility to better aid students with disabilities. Dan Dryden, the senior administrative secretary for the DRC, said that with the “impending demolition of the IT building, our current outdated classroom and LD facility will be gone.” The decision was made to build a new center behind the main DRC office.

The plans for this DRC remodel include a new classroom for teaching math and English instructional support classes. Dryden said the college is “working hard to serve more students and the need for basic skills instruction” and the remodel will help the college fulfill this need. The new center will hold at least 25 students per class—a big step forward from the old classrooms, which can only hold a maximum of 15.

The new classroom, which will be named the “DR Building,” will have a wide array of updated tech features that will better serve the students who depend on the DRC for supplemental learning. These updates include a Smart Board with overhead projection, new computers with special literacy software, and two offices for learning disability specialists.

Dryden said the new building

will be “bright, clean, and much more accessible to students,” which is a breath of fresh air when compared to the old DRC building which Dryden called “dark and dingy” and “hard to find.”

As for the long-term plan for the DRC, Dryden said the plan is

for the DRC to eventually move into the current library where the other student services will be.

However, the old library remodel must be completed before the DRC can make its big move.

The project is slated to be complete by the end of the spring 2015

semester. Dryden said that the new building should be finished and ready for them to move in around May, giving them plenty of time to get situated before classes start in the fall.

EESKENS@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

Student government members work on laws CHRISTOPHER BULLOCK THE TELESCOPE

The new student government leaders are looking to change things up.

In the wake of former Associated Student Government President Jason Hosfield’s departure, the new president Mario Gaspar and new vice president Michael Dentoni are looking to make the current bylaws more accessible and understandable for everyone.

“Our number one priority right now is to fix it up (the bylaws), make it available, and to make it clear,” Dentoni said.

Dentoni, who is primarily in charge of the revamping, said that part of the reason for the change has to do with how Hosfield left. When he departed, there was confusion as to how it should be handled.

“When Jason left, we had an issue interpreting the bylaws, because two areas seemed to talk about the same issue,” Dentoni said.

Another issue that Dentoni and Gaspar agreed on, was the inaccessibility of certain bylaws to students when they navigate through the ASG website.

“Most students don’t have access to Articles XVIII or XIX (18 and 19), which has said ‘to be posted’ since before we took office...I don’t even know how long,” Dentoni said.

Most of the the bylaws aren’t necessarily being changed, they both said, but they want to bring greater clarification to them.

“A lot of the wording seemed to be outdated, referring to committees that

no longer meet or are no longer a part of the governing structure at Palomar,” Dentoni said.

One of the primary bylaws that has been reworked was Article XVII, which defines how to become a student delegate. Dentoni mentioned that the old wording was set in a way that apparently kept freshman from joining ASG. “There’s been a misunderstanding for quite a while that freshman senators aren’t allowed; that in your freshman year you can’t even be in ASG,” Dentoni said. “We want to make sure everyone is included.”

“Part of what makes (college) really worth while is being able to connect with students,” Dentoni added.

Their other goal by revising the bylaws and policies was to clearly distinguish bylaws from policies. One policy they are working on is policy number one, which outlines the manner in which a delegate, senator or president resigns. In the last two school years, the voted president has resigned before their second semester, which has caused some issues within the group.

“It seems to be that every single semester presidents change,” Dentoni said.

“So we want to make it absolutely clear what happens, what the protocol is. Because unfortunately, that’s going to be an ASG tradition that lasts a while.”

If you’d like to keep updated on the bylaws and policies, visit ASG’s official website: http://www2.palomar.edu/ asg/bylaws/.

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY GOLF ACADEMY  Online or on-campus programs  State-of-the-art swing labs  Financial aid and transfer scholarships  Streamlined transfer admissions  Internships available PROGRAMS AVAILABLE  Associate of Science in Professional Golf Management  Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration*  Bachelor of Arts in Sport Psychology*  Master of Arts in Business Administration*  Master of Arts in Performance Psychology  Certificate in Professional Golf Management * Specialization and concentration available in Professional Golf Management

WWW.NUGOLFACADEMY.ORG



877.NUGOLF.1

705 PALOMAR AIRPORT ROAD, SUITE 150 CARLSBAD, CA 92011

CBULLOCK@THE-TELESCOPE.COM © 2015 National University NUGA15_2154

SPORTS • 11

the-telescope.com

YOGA POSE OF THE WEEK

Susan Whaley demonstrates how to do the Wheel Pose, otherwise known as the Upward Bow, a technique used to increase energy. • Daniel Kresge/The Telescope

Palomar women’s assistant coach and men’s head golf coach Mark Halda will soon take over reins of both the men and women’s golf teams.• Telescope file photo from 2012 on Twin Oaks Golf Course during a team practice.

Halda poised to take over Palomar golf MIKE ADAMS THE TELESCOPE

A swing of change is coming for the Palomar women’s golf team as the only head coach they’ve ever known, Mark Eldridge, will step down from his role at the end of this semester.

Eldridge will also be retiring from his teaching position in the kinesiology department at Palomar.

Taking his coaching position will be current men’s Head Coach Mark Halda, who has been in charge since 2010 while also spending time as an assistant for Eldridge with the women’s team.

“He had the innate ability to motivate players to motivate themselves,” Halda said of Eldridge.

Coaching the women’s team since its inception in 2007, Eldridge’s players have won multiple conference championships and most notably leading the Comets to the 2011 CCCAA state title.

The change and how it will impact both teams is something that

both coaches said they feel fully prepared for as Halda has spent the past few seasons working with and learning from Eldridge.

Eldridge said Halda is ready to take over.

“It’s a really good feeling knowing you have a person that truly cares about Palomar College, both the academic and athletic success we’ve enjoyed in women’s golf,” Eldridge said.

“He has the same standards that I do so that’s a good feeling knowing that the program is in really good hands with him,” he added.

For Halda, the change means that he’ll now be in charge of both the men and women squads, something that he approaches with excitement and preparation.

“I’ll be able to bring continuity along with a couple subtle differences,” Halda said. “Being involved with both teams year-round will advance the program as a whole.”

An assistant coach of the football team from 2002-2013 and a

member on the golf coaching staff since 2002, Halda’s Comets have played well in the first half of their 2015 season, already winning two tournaments.

Coach Halda will bring J.B. Sneve, an assistant on the men’s team for the past eight years, alongside as coach for the women. Sneve, a former PGA player, is described by Halda as “phenomenal” and “having the ability to relate to players very well.”

Eldridge’s decision to step down from both his golf and teaching roles does not mean he is entirely done with Palomar though.

After years as head coach of the softball team and already in the National Fastpitch Hall of Fame, Eldridge said he will continue to be an assistant coach for the softball team.

That team is currently in first place in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference.

MADAMS@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

Relax your body, mind with the Upward Bow SUSAN WHALEY THE TELESCOPE

Sitting down all day at a desk can be detrimental not only to your body, but your mind as well. As important as it is to work out your brain at school, it is equally important to calm your mind and return to your centered self.

Yoga is the perfect exercise for the body, mind and heart.

This week’s yoga pose is focused on getting up from your chair and stretching your body out. Muscles are meant to move and be used, not to be in a stagnant, slouching position all day.

To combat being in an isolated position is the Wheel Pose, also known as Upward Bow. A few benefits to this pose are easing back pain and an increase in energy which counteracts against depression, according to Yoga Journal.

Any yoga pose in which you go upside down helps to let go of your fears, according to “Yoga Cures” by Tara Stiles. This is because you are seeing an inverted perspective of the world upside down as you go into the unknown.

Blood flowing to the head and stretching the the arc of the body is a great alternative to what you normally

do in college all day - sitting down.

Start by pressing your hands into the floor firmly to keep yourself stable.

Get yourself off the floor by bending the elbows and lifting your chest and heart up. As you progress with the Wheel Pose, your spine will elongate and the arc will become more defined as you stretch into it deeper.

And, don’t forget to breathe.

After holding the pose for 10 seconds or five breaths lay on your back and hold your knees to rest the curve of your back and neck. Gently push your back into the floor, by pushing your hips up, to help keep your spine straight. This relaxes and decompresses the entire body in a comfortable position.

As a beginner, not every pose will look perfect, but just taking the time to do it will make all the difference. After practicing yoga for a just few days you will begin to notice how you have more energy throughout the day and can sleep better at night.

Check out the next issue of The Telescope on March 30 for a new pose to help get through college in a more balanced way.

SWHALEY@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

Women advance to Elite Eight CHRISTOPHER BULLOCK THE TELESCOPE

The Palomar women’s basketball team celebrates after their game against Long Beach City College during the second round of The California Community College Athletic Association Southern Regional Quarterfinal Playoffs on Feb. 28. Palomar won the game 51-46; the win advanced the team in the playoffs. • Claudia Rodriguez/The Telescope

With the season on the line and the game being streamed live via webcast, the Palomar College basketball team had a lot of pressure going into their March 4 game against defending state champion Ventura College.

So what did they do? They stuck with what they do best: smothering defense, ball sharing, and let Keisha Cox do what she does best - score.

With Cox leading the way with 24 points and 10 rebounds, the 5th-seeded Comets (26-3) defeated 4th-seed Ventura 69-47 en route to advancing to the state Elite Eight on March 7 with No.1 seed Mt. San Antonio College (32-0). That was the obstacle standing in the way of the Comets

getting to the Final Four March 1415 at Cerritos College. Check on The Telescope website for a further update on the March 7 game to see if the Comets made it to the Final Four.

The game started off strong in the beginning, with Venture gaining a quick 17-16 lead. But Cox, along with Melissa Allen, Chelse Ayala and Ashleigh Barnes, would combine to outscore the Pirates 14-2. The scoring outburst put Palomar on top 30-19 with a little over 3 minutes left to play in the first half.

The Comets would go into halftime with a 34-24 lead, which they never relinquished. Tessa Balcom started off the second half with two 3-pointers, and Allen added a basket of her own to give Palomar a 23-point lead. The win was Palomar’s seventh

in a row, and 15th out of the last 16th.

Coach Leigh Marshall spoke endearingly about her team’s effort after the game.

“Cox was a big key, obviously,” Marshall said on the Palomar website.

“Ayala really stepped up off the bench.

We got her some scoring opportunities and she contributed some steals. I thought the play of our point guards, Ayala and (Lee Lee) Tomlinson was critical for us. They played great defense on their point guard (Aubri Smith), who is their best player.”

Tessa Balcom finished with 11 points, Ayala added 10 of her own, and Allen had 9 points. Mikaela Shannon finished the game with 10 rebounds.

CBULLOCK@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

12 • SPORTS

Monday, March 9, 2015

Palomar men’s basketball finishes as champs CHRISTOPHER BULLOCK THE TELESCOPE

In a season that didn’t have a lot of expectations, the Comets men’s basketball team surprised a lot of people.

Finish with a winning record?

Check.

Win their division? Check.

The only thing they didn’t accomplish was a spot in the SoCal Regional playoffs.

Coach John O’Neill and his men’s team finished with a 15-12 overall record (6-2 PCAC Northern Division), a step up from their

11-17 record last season, when they finished fourth in their division.

With leading scorer Jeremy Franklin being one of only three sophomores this season, the Comets didn’t play like a rookie squad, staying close in most of their games.

The Comets finished as coPCAC Northern Division Champions with Mt. San Jacinto, but due to Mt. San Jacinto finishing with a better overall record (23-7), they got the nod to advance to the postseason instead of Palomar.

CBULLOCK@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

Palomar guard James Sampson (5) goes to the basket to score two points for the Comets during the Coaches vs.

Cancer game against Mt. San Jacinto on Feb. 11 in the Dome.

• Dirk Callum/The Telescope

Palomar forward Jeremy Franklin (23), scores a slam dunk during the second half of the last home game, while Matt Duniphan (21) looks on. The Comets beat Imperial Valley College 86-68 on Feb. 13. • Dirk Callum/ The Telescope

Palomar guard Deven Riley (20) scores two of his 12 points against Mt. San Jacinto College at the Dome on Feb. 11. The Comets lost the game 76-69. The game was part of the Coaches vs. Cancer doubleheader. • Philip Farry/The Telescope

Palomar Head Coach John O’Neill embraces Deven Riley (20) after their win over the MiraCosta Spartans. Riley scored 26 points for the Comets. The final score was 67-62 after a period of overtime, making the Palomar men’s basketball team co-champions of the PCAC Northern Division on Feb. 20. • Dirk Callum/ The Telescope

STATS TO KNOW RECORD

SCORING LEADER

REBOUNDING

ASSISTS

15-12 (6-2 conference: won PCAC Northern Division)

Jeremy Franklin 15.4 points per game (49th in California)

Jeremy Franklin 8.5 rebounds per game (21st in California)

James Sampson 4.6 assists per game (19th in California)