The Telescope 63.11 by The Telescope

PALOMAR COLLEGE, SAN MARCOS, CALIF. MONDAY DEC. 7, 2009 VOL. 63, NO. 11

the-telescope.com

INSIDE OPINION

Christmas overload: Too much festivity? PAGE 6

FOCUS

Staying sane this holiday season PAGE 11

SPORTS

Palomar golfer tops conference PAGE 16

ANONYMOUS DANGER

Explicit postcards sent to professors

JEREMY LEAL THE TELESCOPE

Three Palomar College faculty members have received anonymous postcards containing threatening and sexually violent images during the past 18 months, seemingly from the same person. Palomar police, the Sheriffs’ Department and U.S. postal inspectors have all been contacted. “Anytime that there is a perceived threat, we take it very seriously. We are spending the time and resources necessary to do what we can to stop it,” President Robert Deegan said. Steve McDonald, head of the English department, is collecting the postcards and working with the three faculty members and Campus Police.The faculty members’ names have been kept confidential. “There is a random quality to them (the postcards). Mixed in with that is unsettling, threatening, violent and sexual imagery,” McDonald said. Despite the content on the postcards, no direct threat has been made to the faculty members, according to Palomar Interim Police Chief Anthony Cruz. McDonald said one faculty member brought the postcards to the county District Attorney’s Office for further assistance in the investigation. Little progress has been made in finding the creator of the postcards, said McDonald and Deegan. McDonald said it is difficult to trace anything that comes through the postal system because everything goes through one central location in San Diego, no matter TURN TO

Vaguely threatening and sexually explicit postcards have been sent anonymously to three faculty members over the past 18 months. Each side of one of the postcards is shown above.

POSTCARDS PAGE 3

Students trytheir hand at card combat CHRISTINA PARKER THE TELESCOPE

You’ve probably seen them a lot, off to the side of the Student Union comfortably immersed in their battles of sorcery and enchantment, summoning legions of mystical creatures to fight horrific battles. Palomar students passing the Student Union will encounter players of a trading card

game called “Magic: The Gathering,” as their collections clash together on the table in a flurry of enchantment and excitement. “It’s a world-wide game; it’s played everywhere,” said Palomar student Ian Musson, who has been playing the game for

about 11 years. Palomar student Collin Wade has been playing since he was 9. “My dad was playing it,” Wade said. “He taught me when I was little.” Musson introduced the game to another Palomar student, Caitlin Geckeler, a couple months ago. TURN TO

MAGIC PAGE 3

An invisible struggle Homeless students offered minimal assistance when attempting to make changes STEPHANIE DAO THE TELESCOPE

Like any other college student, 49-year-old Darryl Harris gets up in the mornings, drives himself to school five days a week, and goes to his job for three. Sundays are his only days off. What sets Harris apart from other students is his idea of home. For the last six years, Harris has slept under the roof of Brother Benno’s Foundation in Oceanside, a homeless shelter. When it comes to homeless students at Palomar, there are no

programs that address the problem directly. However, Palomar does offer the Pantry program. The Pantry program is a program ran by the EOPS, an organization which helps assist students both academically and financially. The Pantry program offers food, toiletries and diapers to any student in need. Since it is donation-based, students are limited to only two bags a year, said Michelle Tucker, receptionist in the EOPS program. Anyone who would like to donate items to the Pantry program can go into the TCA-1 or can call 760-744-1150 ext. 2449. Out of the 3 million people who experience homelessness each year, student homelessness is left undetected on campuses because students often resort to spending late nights in libraries, sleeping in friends’ dorm rooms and cars, and TURN TO

HOMELESS PAGE 3

2 | CAMPUS BEAT

THE TELESCOPE | MONDAY, DEC. 7, 2009

CAMPUS CALENDAR Monday, Dec. 7 • Phi Theta Kappa meeting at 1 p.m.in SU-203. • Free STD screenings are being offered at Health Services from 12 p.m. 760-744-1150, ext. 2380.

Tuesday, Dec. 8 • Fashion Club meeting at 5 p.m. in Fash. #1. • Gay/Straight Alliance meeting at 3:30 p.m. in SU-204. • International Club meeting at 5 p.m. in SU203. • Chairs for Charity taking place at The Sage Grill at 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 9 Four Palomar students try out in the Nov. 24 audition for the WinterDance. Performances are on Dec. 11 and 12 in the Howard Brubeck Theatre.

ASG has no secretary until spring semester At its final meeting for the fall semester on Dec.2,the Associated Student Government was without a secretary and will be until the beginning of the spring semester. ASG adviser Sheri Titus said she was given a list of changes by Vice President of Student Services Mark Vernoy on Nov. 30. One of the changes included the separation of Marilyn Lunde from her longtime position as ASG secretary. After Titus implemented the change, she questioned it for lack of hard evidence, she said. The changes are from a report Vernoy presented to the Palomar Community College District Governing Board in response to student e-mails sent in October that accused Lunde and Titus of mismanagement. The ASG’s next meeting is on Jan. 20, 2010 at 1 p.m. SU 204. Part of the agenda includes deciding on how to fill the position. The group has a couple of options in how they will achieve this, Titus said. The group can hire an outside member or designate from within the body. For more information go to www.the-telescope.com.

Photography students show off their work

An art exhibition in an Escondido gallery will showcase work from the Palomar photography students this semester. “Enlightened Lenses 2009: New Work by Palomar College Photography Students” begins on Dec. 11 and runs through Dec. 31. Seventy photos were chosen from over 200 entries into the contest for presentation. The Escondido Municipal Gallery will house the exhibit. There will be an artists’ reception held from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Dec. 12. The exhibit will be closed Mondays, Sundays, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The operating hours for the Gallery are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Escondido Municipal Gallery is located at 252 East Grand Avenue, Escondido 92025. The show will make another appearance at San Marcos City Hall during the spring.

PHOTOS BY PATTY FLETES | THE TELESCOPE

Decorative chairs auction for children

Students to perform their winter dance

Palomar students will host WinterDance 2009 at 8 p.m. on Dec. 11 and 12 in the Howard Brubeck Theatre. The program will include feature performances from the choreography and student production programs that culminate the semester’s work. Those in the programs have planned, rehearsed and produced jazz, hip-hop, modern, tap and ballet dance repertories. The acts are auditioned and cast to other program students. Artistic director Patriceann Mead said she is most excited to see the students on stage with costumes and lighting, and to see the students’ visions come alive. After the final show Saturday night, Mead will host a dance open to students, audience and cast in D-6. A DJ will spin a number of different music genres. Beverages will be available for purchase. Tickets for the Winter Dance are available at the Howard Brubeck box office or online at www.palomar.edu/performingarts/buy_tickets, for $12 General, $10 Seniors and Staff and $8 Students.

Palomar’s Interior Design students will auction off chairs from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 8 at the Sage Grill in Encinitas. All auction proceeds will go to Moment by Moment, a non-profit organization that provides professional photography services for families of children diagnosed with terminal cancer. The project was given to the 27 Interior Design students in lieu of a final term paper, after the class opted for a hands-on assignment rather than a written one. “We will have a raffle and live auction of these very special and unique chairs, made with love by the very talented Interior Design Students at Palomar College,“ Interior Design Professor Lori Graham said. A $10 donation is encouraged. The Sage Grill will supply complimentary finger foods and donate 10 percent of attendants’ dinner cost to Moment by Moment. It is located at 1506 Encinitas Blvd., Encinitas. For more information students can e-mail Graham at lgraham@palomar.edu or call “Big Ed” Brown at 619-618--6256.

Police Blotter

• Free STD screenings are being offered at Health Services from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 760744-1150, ext. 2380. • Pre-med Club meeting at 4 p.m. in TNS-217.

Thursday, Dec. 10 • Black Student Union meeting at 11:30 a.m.in SU-17. • Fashion Club meeting at 5 p.m. in Fash. #1. • MEChA meeting at 4:30 p.m. in SU-17.

Friday, Dec. 11 • Tifaolemona Samoan Club meeting at 11 a.m. in SU-204. • Palomar Engineering and Physics students meeting in SU-255 at 2 p.m. • WinterDance 2009 performed in the Howard Brubeck Theatre at 8 p.m.

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.

Change in permit policy

Conduct code violation On Nov. 16, there was a fight between two girls in the NS Building women’s restroom.According to Campus Police,one girl allegedly called another a name, causing the fight. The event was described as a “misunderstanding,” as the first girl said she never called the second girl a name.

Felony vandalism

In the past, students were given a two-week grace period for parking permits at the beginning of every semester. In Spring 2010, there will only be a one-week grace period. Students with questions are encouraged to contact Campus Police directly as to avoid miscommunication.

By the numbers... In November, Campus Police have reported the following:

There were five felony vandalism in midNovember. Campus Police reported cases of toilet paper fires in the bathrooms at both San Marcos and Escondido campuses. Felony vandalism are defined as having more than $400 worth of damage. There were no suspects at time of print

• 17 vandalism cases • 9 medical assists • 5 student conduct code violations • 5 felony vandalism • 2 locker thefts • 1 warrant arrest

CAMPUS WEATHER Monday, Dec. 7

Tuesday, Dec. 8

Wednesday, Dec. 9

Thursday, Dec. 10

Friday, Dec. 11

Saturday, Dec. 12

Sunday, Dec. 13

61˚/44˚

63˚/42˚

66˚/42˚

67˚/41˚

66˚/40˚

65˚/39˚

69˚/43˚

RAIN

PARTLY CLOUDY

NEWS | 3

MONDAY, DEC. 7, 2009 | THE TELESCOPE

MAGIC

POSTCARDS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

YESNIA GARCIA| THE TELESCOPE

Two Palomar students play Magic: The Gathering in the cafeteria at the San Marcos campus. “Magic is often grouped with other card games such as Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh, but is actually very different,” Geckeler said. Musson explained that the idea for these other games is a derivative of Magic. “If you take a look at those card games, it all follows the same basic principles as (Magic),” he said. Magic has about 12,000 cards, according to the official Magic Card Database Web site. Musson explained that cards have rankings that are shown by colors below the picture on the card. Black is common, silver is uncommon, and gold is rare. Different players prefer to buy their cards in different locations. Collin said that he buys his online because it’s much cheaper to buy singles since you avoid the gamble of hoping that you get the cards you want when purchasing a pack. In contrast, Geckeler likes to buy packs of cards, which are also known as booster packs. She said that people who want specific

cards in their decks end up spending more money for individual cards online. For her, she said that it’s just fun to get cards by chance. “I have a card that’s worth about $12 or $13 that I got in a $4 booster pack,” Geckeler said. Expenditures for Magic can be costly. Musson estimates that he’s probably spent around $1,500. Collin falls in the middle range for the three players, estimating that he’s spent about $400. Geckeler had help starting her deck from Musson. He said that he probably helped her build her deck for about $30. She’s since added to it, spending about $200. She said that she can beat him with her deck now. The group explained that people don’t have to play for money or trading. A lot of people consider it a reason to get together with friends and hang out. “We were playing every other day to almost every day a week,” Geckeler said. “It’s extremely social! I went to a tournament and met a whole bunch of people I’ve never met before, I mean, how can you say that’s not social?”

where it is mailed in the county. The postcards’ content varies, from a quotation from songwriter Leonard Cohen’s “A Person Who Eats Meat,” to something the writer called “Ode to Sarah Palin,” which is filled with violence and obscenity. The writer also quoted German philosopher and social critic Theodor Adorno and Belgian writer and painter Henri Michaux. The images are bizarre collages of pictures and artwork that look to be clipped from magazines and newspapers. They include pictures of smiling children, insects and skeletons. The images, some sexually violent, appear reminiscent of ‘zines (personal-interest booklets self-published underground). The faculty members who received the postcards feel threatened, McDonald said.

One “faculty member has shown the postcards to professionals in the field of psychology and they said, ‘You are in danger,’ ” McDonald said. Campus Police are escorting the faculty member to and from classes. McDonald said a work group meets every two weeks to take steps to ensure the security of the faculty members. “The one thing that we are trying to do here is make sure that our faculty members are safe. The president has made a very firm commitment to the people involved,” McDonald said. Palomar College officials are asking anyone with information on the case to contact Cruz directly at 760-744-1150 ext. 2289. Students may recognize the handwriting or presentation on one of the postcards. A faculty member may have used the source material in his/her class-

es for the quote portions of the postcards, according to a letter released by Palomar.

than the national average. All these factors result in increased absences and an overall decreased quality of schoolwork. But, Harris has a message for those who are feeling insecure and in doubt: “For all the young people out there, stick it out. Down the road, you’ll be glad you did.” Since 2003, Harris has turned

his life around and has worked his way up to managing the staff house at Brother Benno’s. In addition, by fulfilling required courses at MiraCosta College, he is now certified to work in the business industry. Within the next year, he hopes to move forward from Brother Benno’s and embark in a professional career at Cisco Networking.

What’s on the postcards? Campus officials view the postcards as a threat to the entire campus. Here’s some of what’s been cited on them: •A common story about Hemingway leaving a box of grenades as a gift for Picasso • A quotation from Henri Michaux, a French-speaking Belgian writer and painter influenced by surrealism • Lyrics from the song “Happiness Is” by the group Violent Femmes • A quotation from 3/12/08 by a writer who calls himself “Ollie” at The San Diego Reader Go to the-telescope.com to view all of the postcards.

HOMELESS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

showering in school gyms, Michael Stoops, executive director for the National Coalition for Homelessness said in a press release. Fifty percent of the homeless population reported dropping out of school during the course of their education, the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty reported in 2007. “It upsets me that I shied away from school when I was younger and I realized the value (of going to college) so late,” Harris said. The social and emotional aspect of being homeless sparked a 2002 study by Kidd and Kral, who found that feelings of low self-worth, rejection and alienation, were all highly prevalent. Furthermore, Kidd and Kral found the suicide rate for homeless males between the ages of 18 and 24 about 10 times higher

| OPINION

THE TELESCOPE | MONDAY, DEC. 7, 2009

U.S. military seeks muscle and brains FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM MCT CAMPUS

The Latin phrase, sit mens sana in corpore sano, is often translated as "a sound mind in a sound body." It is a line said to have been used by an ancient Roman poet and was a favorite subject of Plato, the celebrated Greek philosopher. It's also a popular motto for U.S. military academies and sports organizations. Throughout history, it has been an ideal description of a warrior. In the United States, that ideal warrior is apparently becoming an endangered species. A group of retired generals recently released a stunning report, "Ready, Willing and Unable to Serve." It indicated that about 75 percent of young adults ages 17 to 24 are ineligible for the military because they fail to graduate from high school, are physically unfit or have a disqualifying criminal record. The report is stark reminder of the nation's increasing obesity rate and illfunctioning education system. According to the report, one in four young adults lacks a high school diploma. Of those who do graduate, many fail the Armed Forces Qualification Test because of inadequate math and reading skills. About 27 percent of young adults are too overweight to qualify, and the inability to demonstrate a minimum level of physical fitness pushes that proportion over one-third. Recruiters have been working with prospects to get them in shape to pass the physical demands of basic training. For example, the Army requires an 18-year-old to do 42 push-ups in two minutes, 53 sit-ups in two minutes and run two miles in less than 16 minutes. Another third are ineligible for other health reasons, including asthma, poor eyesight or

mental problems. The report says that about 1 in 10 young Americans has at least one felony or serious misdemeanor conviction that disqualifies him or her for service. Ironically, the military just finished one of its best recruiting years ever. For the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, the armed services met all of their recruiting goals. The Army increased its percentage of high school graduate recruits from 83 to 95 percent. But historically the military has recruited well during economic recessions. As the economy improves, finding high-quality recruits will likely become more difficult. The group of 89 retired military leaders urged Congress to pass the Early Learning Challenge Fund, an Obama administration proposal that would give states $1 billion annually for 10 years to pay for early childhood education and development to get preschoolers off on the right foot in life. They cited a famous study from the 1960s in Michigan that followed a group of high-risk, lowincome black children. Half were randomly enrolled in a preschool at ages 3 and 4 while the others were not. Participants were tracked until age 40. The preschoolers had significantly higher scores on IQ tests at age 5, and they outperformed the others on basic school achievement, high school graduation and job income. Researchers credited preschool with allowing poor children to develop intellectually and socially, equipping them to succeed later in life. Muscle power has always been necessary to meet the stresses of military service.The effectiveness of today's technological weapon systems also requires brain power from the people operating them. This report is an alarming barometer of the nation's physical hardiness and mental acuity.

managed to cure cancer. With Obama recently deciding to add 30,000 more troops to the mission in Afghanistan — and possibly alienating anti-war liberals and do-more conservatives alike — his administration promises to be anything but boring. Like all politicians, President Obama made a lot of promises in his campaign. In terms of living up to those promises, Politifact claims that the president has fulfilled 57 promises, has broken seven, has 165 in the works and has yet to do anything about 254 campaign vows. It’s a full plate but promising in that there are more promis-

WAYNE STAYSKAL | MCT CAMPUS

‘Climategate’ is heating up On Nov. 17, in an unprecedented breach of security for the Climate Research Unit of the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England, communications between leading researchers on global climate change were intercepted and then disseminated to the general public via an anonymous hacker. The intercepted e-mails contained information on how to alter data, as well as destroy data, so that it cannot be accessed through the Freedom of Information Act. These e-mails are the first piece of proof that something is truly amiss. Researchers working not only for a university, but (indirectly) for their country should not try to hide statistics, fudge data and destroy data. The motives for such actions are so screamingly obvious that many are starting to re-evaluate the climate situation. The only people who seem to

benefit from lying about global warming are groups like Goldman Sachs, which stand to gain billions by trading carbon credits as well as groups like the Climate Research Unit who since the 1990s have received millions in grants to study global climate change. Detractors of mainstream climate theory contend that the emails provide clear evidence of scientific collusion. They add that the e-mails are a deliberate attempt by the Climate Research Unit to mislead the public about data that is counterproductive to the theory of human culpability for global climate change. On the other hand, many groups charged with the study of global climate change, including the American Meteorological Society and the Union for Concerned Scientists, were quick to counter that numerous amounts of scientific evidence have been accumulated to prove that man-made global warming is very real. However, the leading argument of detractors has been

that those charged with reviewing global warming are effectively waging a war on critical analysis — deliberately shutting down any heretics of the new religion of global warming and leaving many to question the validity and veracity of the scientific process used in the study of climate change. Several prominent political figures who are unsurprisingly conservative, like Lord Lawson of Great Britain and United States Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), are demanding an inquiry into the scientific methods used by the Climate Research Unit. Lawson went on to say that the reputation of British science had become “seriously tarnished.” As much as a clear-cut answer to the existence of man-made global warming would be nice, that question is yet to be answered. Instead perhaps we should focus on how the scientists on either side of the debate are conducting themselves. Maybe we should question not just the science, but the motives behind the science as well.

es fulfilled than broken. Of course the most difficult pledges are still in the works, but it makes sense they would take longer to complete. The president has had do some politically unpopular things like buying into the automotive industry, but Japan invested heavily in its car industry and they now command one of the most efficient automotive markets in the world. He made a controversial effort to reengage Muslims in a dialogue by delivering speeches in Turkey and Egypt and appeared for an interview on an Arab news station shortly after taking office.

He also made deliberate attempts to reinitiate communications with Iran to which some right-wing partisans incorrectly drew parallels with Neville Chamberlain’s appeasement of the Nazis in World War II. President Obama has faced a large amount of criticism from both citizens and politicians alike. First he was the subject of a rather vicious and sensationalized conspiracy theory that claimed his birth certificate was a forgery and that he was in fact not a U.S. citizen. Sen. Joe Wilson (R-South Carolina) called the president a liar in the middle of a speech.

Citizens have been protesting government spending, never mind that many of them seemed to support George Bush’s $700 billion bailout or that many of these “grassroots” movements are funded and supported by Richard Army’s Freedom Works or are advertised on Fox News out of Fox’s own pockets. Despite blatant and sometimes downright asinine partisan attacks from the right, President Obama is continuing to do what he said he would do and that is what the majority of Americans voted for. Barack Obama is doing a damn fine job.

BERT HANSEN THE TELESCOPE

Obama continues to fulfill campaign promises BERT HANSEN THE TELESCOPE

On Jan. 20 President Barack Obama will have officially been in office for one year. He is doing a fine job, considering Obama is dealing with two unpopular wars, the worst financial crisis since the 1930s while simultaneously trying to pass much needed health care reform. From a storybook campaign to the heavy backlash from protesting Tea Partying conservatives, some who would probably blame the president for increasing the world’s surplus population if he

MONDAY DEC. 7, 2009

FOCUSED ON PALOMAR

VOLUME 63 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.

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6 | OPINION

MONDAY, DEC. 7, 2009| THE TELESCOPE

NATE BEELER | MCT CAMPUS

LAURIE MCADAM | MCT CAMPUS

Holiday shoppers beware this year DALLAS MORNING NEWS MCT CAMPUS

Unlike past holiday seasons, the consumer love affair with plastic finally may be giving away to something far less seductive— financial prudence. Layaway plans and paying in cash are making comebacks, and shoppers say they’ll be looking for sales and combining trips to save gas. Even conspicuously consuming Texans say they’ll try to holiday-shop without running up massive new credit card charges. What novel ideas — limiting purchases to what you can afford and not a dime more, or making

sure to pay off the holiday bill before interest charges and fees kick in. Hmm, an old-fashioned analog approach to spending in the digital world of instant gratification. Reality has reshaped the shopping psyche — at least for the time being. Many Americans are unemployed or behind on their credit card payments. Card companies are demanding larger minimum payments and imposing higher rates to reap profits before tight new federal regulations take effect next year. Now, more than ever, consumers should use plastic with caution. Suppose you have $5,000 in

credit card debt with a 28 percent interest rate, which is not an uncommon amount for households that carry a monthly balance. Make no more charges, send the minimum payment each month, and you’ll pay off that debt in, well, never. Your prospects of financial freedom are only slightly better at a 15 percent interest rate; in only 24 years you’ll be debt-free, after paying $7,246 in interest. Hunker down and pay off the bill in three years, and you’ll fork over $1,240 in interest. If you doubt this, then punch in your card balance at the Federal Reserve’s credit card calculator

(www.federalreserve.gov/creditcardcalculator). It will be eyepopping. Credit card companies don’t force Americans to spend beyond their means, but they have made it exceedingly difficult for consumers to fix their broken finances. Card companies are levying higher rates, tighter terms and penalties on even loyal, punctual cardholders. An impulse purchase made in the next few weeks could be much more expensive when the bill (and a higher interest rate) arrive in January. The good news is that Americans — at least those with

jobs — are trying to reduce credit card debt. TransUnion, a credit reporting agency, says late payments this summer declined slightly, a significant occurrence because delinquencies usually rise as people charge expenses for vacations and back-to-school shopping. Will Americans continue to exercise financial discipline when the holiday spirit is in the air, and will retailers feel the pinch of prudence? This much is certain: If you don’t want to pay many times over for Christmas gifts, don’t shop till you drop, and leave the plastic at home.

decide on a Halloween costume. I remember when Christmas décor imposed itself on the public after Halloween rather than before. First it was after Thanksgiving, before Thanksgiving; then it delayed itself until a few days after Halloween. Now it arrives so soon, and Thanksgiving is just a little corner of a store, surrounded by bats, ghastly ghouls, and happy, smiling gingerbread men strolling down Candy Cane Lane. It’s a bit discouraging seeing the “baby in a manger” display just one aisle over from fake dismembered legs, the grim reaper and witch paraphernalia. Convenient? I guess if I’m intending to purchase trick-ortreat candy along with a fake Christmas tree and giant dancing skeletons to set up next to Santa and the stuffed turkey. Soon after the early decorations came early music as early as the beginning of November! And I find myself asking the all-toofamiliar rhetorical question, “What are we listening to?” If someone as amazing as Lady

Gaga can annoy me with a hit song because it plays every morning for weeks, then you can imagine how I feel about “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire” after I’ve heard it played over store loud speakers several times a day for almost two months. While I know there are a select few out there who love Christmas carols beyond reason, I feel I can speak for everyone when I say no one wants to listen to these little ditties from the beginning of November, 24/7, until the big day

finally comes. I’m already tired of it. It is tiring to run all over the place trying to get the best deals possible, worried about spending too much. I’m exhausted by the franticness Christmas brings. Every business claims to have better prices than their competitors. It’s like tug-o-war, but not as much fun because we (the customers) are being strained and pulled, and some will “snap.” I will let you in on a well known

secret. Most businesses will have the same sales during December! Black Friday isn’t the only chance to get winter clothing for a great price. It’s not the last chance to get deals for the whole family. Sales go on all year, and they won’t stop now. How often is the phrase “Deals for the whole family” used? Too much. And it seems to be a favored slogan, so don’t expect it to go away.

Consumers barraged with Christmas CHRISTINA PARKER THE TELESCOPE

Christmas is right around the corner. But after almost two months of Christmas trees, tinsel, candy canes and everything else having to do with jolly old Saint Nick, I’ve become somewhat of a Scrooge. I do, however, understand that in these hard economic times, businesses feel they need to advertise sooner — and who am I to say they shouldn’t take advantage of the biggest holiday of the year to boost sales. But how soon is too soon? Don’t get me wrong, I really do love this season. With all the twinkling lights, singing and the way everything around me seems to develop a cinnamon-pine smell, what’s not to love? There is no doubt that it is a holiday to celebrate “with cheer for all to hear” but it’s almost as if, year after year, I find myself trying to muster up an enjoyment for the holiday only to fall short by a few laughs. This probably all started when I was seeing angels and snowflakes before I even had a chance to

“

It’s like tug-owar, but not as much fun because we (the customers) are being strained and pulled, and some will snap

”

JOSEPH BONNET | THE TELESCOPE

OPINION | 7

Video games and violence:

MONDAY, DEC. 7, 2009 | THE TELESCOPE

Who is to blame for negative behavior in children, the parents or the game creators? JEREMY LEAL THE TELESCOPE

There are many influences in a young person’s life that can plant the seed of violence in their minds, but to solely place the blame for acts of aggression on a video game is simply absurd. While yes, video games such as “Grand Theft Auto” (a game in which you are able to roam through various cities creating havoc in the streets and shooting cops) or “Resident Evil” (a game in which you may see a woman with a pitchfork stabbed through her face within the first minutes of play) go to violent extremities, they cannot be to blame for brutal acts that occur in the real world. It is time for the blame to be placed on the true culprit: mothers, fathers and guardians. The Entertainment Software Rating Board has created concise ratings that are placed on every video and computer game that is manufactured. The rating of “M” for mature can be seen on many of the violent video games like “Grand Theft Auto” and “Resident Evil.” According to the rating board, a mature rating tells the buyer of the game that it contains “content that may be suitable for person’s ages 17 and older … Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language.” This should set off signals in a parent’s mind that maybe they should not let their child play the game. If they choose to allow their child to play the game despite the rating, they should at least explain the difference between fantasy and reality. In some cases, a child has no adult authority in their life who can explain to them that a video game is in fact a game, which can lead to problems in that child’s future. He or she may believe that shooting cops and robbing banks is a perfectly normal way to lead his or her life. In this situation it is not the video game that is causing the violence, it is the child’s outside environment. There is nobody there to guide the gamer. Some children do have a mother and a father at home but that doesn’t mean

they cannot still fall prey to violent behavior resulting from gaming. The parents may use the video game as a babysitter for the child. When a child is overexposed to a game that, according to its ratings, he or she should not even be playing in the first place, of course the child may be overly influenced by the brutality and violence. Stronger and stricter parenting is required in today’s advanced technology age. These types of video games are meant for a fun, a momentary release from reality. But games can be somewhat like a drug; if overused they can become addicting and a negative influence. If parents are going to let their children play violent games, they also need to teach their children what the game is and set requirements on how much they can play it. Parents must get more involved in their children’s lives if we want to keep violence on the Xbox or Playstation and off the streets.

NIGEL HARRIS THE TELESCOPE

With video games becoming more mainstream and more widely acceptable, it is at this time that we should be advocating a reexamination of the content that is put in to video games. I won’t say that I have never enjoyed a violent game, because that would be a lie, but what I will say is that the amount of violence in games has gotten a little out of hand. Let’s take an example in Sony’s up and coming “God of War III” where players control Kratos, who is seeking vengeance against the gods for taking his wife and child. In “God of War,” players eviscerate even the lowest form of enemy. Not only do you brutally kill these enemies, there are a variety of ways to do it. Is there really a need for all of this? While it has its place as a form of entertainment there should be stricter requirements and punishments for putting these games into the hands of minors. According to an article published by the

JOSEPH BONNET | THE TELESCOPE

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry about television viewing, “Young children are impressionable and may assume that what they see on television is typical, safe and acceptable. As a result, television also exposes children to behaviors and attitudes that may be overwhelming and difficult to understand.” This can also be related to video games in that, children who play violent and suggestive video games are susceptible to misinterpret what they are seeing as socially normal. Maybe not every child who picks up a controller to play a violent video game is going to act out in violent ways, but why would anyone want to take that risk? This is not limited to children, however. An April 2000 study by the American Psychological Association found that violent video games tended to increase violent behaviors in college students and violent games could be more dangerous due to the engaging nature of video games. Lots of games’ protagonists are antiheroes who are, in actuality, criminals in all definitions of the word. Games like the “Grand Theft Auto” and the “Saints Row” series encourage players to run away from law enforcement and make it easy at that. Subjecting yourself to this type of entertainment is mindless to say the least, just as is any other form of entertainment that is based more on shock value than development of plot or character. In certain cases, people have been known to lose their sense of time and responsibilities in favor of video games. While this can be said about other activities, gaming can be done in almost every situation as it is an indoor activity. Children and young adults alike have started to slip in their schooling. President Obama, in a July 2009 speech to the NAACP, said, “For our kids to excel, we have to accept our responsibility to help them learn. That means putting away the Xbox. Putting our kids to bed at a reasonable hour. It means attending those parentteacher conferences and reading to our children and helping them with their homework.” Video games may not be the sole cause of all aggressive behavior and the acceptance of mediocrity in our society today, but they are becoming a larger part of our lives and as such should be addressed before the problem gets out of hand.

Dangerous to deny gov’t funding for abortion BECKETT MUFSON THE TELESCOPE

An incredible amount of controversy has been raised by the health bill currently marinating in Congress, as liberals paint a tantalizing picture of an America in which all people can afford health care and conservatives label the bill as “socialized medicine,” expounding on their warnings with anecdotes about people who have received unsatisfactory care from socialized medicine in other countries. To put it almost unforgivably simply, allowances should be made for abortions in the new health care bill. Now, as the bill’s gestation period seems to be coming to a close, one of the final questions that lawmakers must debate is one of the controversies that has torn America in two for more than 30 years: abortion. Congress is trying to find a viable compromise between prolifers and pro-choicers; two factions that have been constantly waging war inside and outside of the media since President Obama was in grade school. The president stated that “no federal dol-

lars will be used to fund abortions,” and Congress is now scrambling to ensure the truth of this statement while also acting in accordance with the public’s wishes and with their own ideologies. At this point, the compromise that seems most prominent is the restriction of federal funds for abortion procedures and the enlisting of private investors, instead. The bill also mandates at least one incarnation of the public option must come with abortion coverage, and one must come without. Nobody seems to be completely happy with this position, which is an indicator that they have reached a decent compromise. However, the bill does manage to skirt a definitive position on the issue of whether the bill should support abortion. Considering the amount of violence that some extremists have displayed in support of their causes, this is a wise choice on the part of the lawmakers. It is important to examine the fundamental differences in beliefs and worldview that these two groups hold close to their hearts before any attempt can be made to decide which one

is right. Pro-life advocates are in favor of overturning the 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, thus making abortion illegal based on the fundamental belief that a fetus is a life, and its rights must be protected. Pro-choice believers are defending the ruling, protecting the current legal status of the abortion process, based on many beliefs, one of which is that they must protect a woman’s control over her own body. Yet again, the American people have managed to create a battle between two contrasting worldviews, people with different stories and situations that led them to their own opinion. But we do not live in an ideal world. People examine their lives, their own personal situations, and decide that an abortion is a necessary choice, however hard it is to make. The government should make life easier for these people by providing a safe, clean environment for them to undergo this procedure, and make sure that the life of the mother is preserved. Outlawing abortion won’t stop abortion; it will make it more dangerous.

JOSEPH BONNET | THE TELESCOPE

| FOCUS

THE TELESCOPE | MONDAY, DEC. 7, 2009

HUGH COX | FOR THE TELESCOPE

Panoramic view of fall color in the Eastern Sierras near Grant Lake on the June Lake Loop, Calif.

IN THE

Bodie- Leaning Outhouse

ANDREW SZIKLA| FOR THE TELESCOPE

Mono Lake

FIEL

FOCUS | 9

MONDAY, DEC. 7, 2009 | THE TELESCOPE

Bank vault door Bodie, Calif.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY TRAVIS BURKE | FOR THE TELESCOPE

The Photography Ddepartment at P al o m ar Co l l eg e o f f e r s a c o u r se in l an d sc a pe p h o t o g r a p hy e a ch s em es t e r w i t h a f o u r - d a y f ie l d t r i p t o a u n iq u e de s t i na t i o n . Th i s

Eastern Sierras

O c t o b e r a sso ci a t e pr o f es so r D o nn a Co s e nt i n o a nd he r s t u d e nt s j o u rn e y e d t o t h e g h o s t t o w n o f B o d i e, C al i f . S t u de n t s a ls o s pe n t t i m e p h o t o g r a p hi n g t h e

DAVID ULRIGG | FOR THE TELESCOPE

l o v e l y f a l l co lo r s i n t h e E a st e r n S ie r r as . A re c en t s n o w a d d e d t o t h e p i c t u re s qu e s c e ne s t h ey e n co u nt e r e d . N ex t s e m e st e r t h e c la s s w i ll v is i t Y o s e m i t e V a l le y .

TRAVIS BURKE | FOR THE TELESCOPE

FOCUS | 11

MONDAY, DEC. 7, 2009 | THE TELESCOPE

How to de-stress this holiday season BERT HANSEN THE TELESCOPE

The holidays can be a hectic turbulent couple of weeks for the average person. With people preparing extravagant meals, shopping in crowded malls and dealing with obnoxious relatives, the term “holiday” can lose much of its meaning during the season. A poll on about.com showed that 90 percent of those who responded feel that way. But there are some surefire strategies to combat holiday fatigue and to survive this holiday season without pulling your hair out before the presents have been unwrapped. The first thing you can do to alleviate stress leading up to and during the festivities is actually quite easy to do. Take a break. If you find yourself feeling stressed about one thing or another this holiday season don’t be afraid to step back and take a 5-to-10 minute break to take a breath and calm down. You don’t want to end up accidently venting your rage by lashing out at your friends and family. Next, make a plan. Consider what it is for you that makes the holidays so stressful and eliminate any unnecessary activities that don’t have some sort of material or emotional pay off. Prioritize and try to get some of the more stressful things done ahead of time so that you have time to relax. Too many people during the holidays take it upon themselves to go above and beyond the call of duty for friends, family and sometimes complete strangers. It’s nice to give during the holiday season but take care that you leave enough for yourself. Recruit child labor. If you have children, don’t be afraid to have them help out with the decorating, baking, table setting and anything else you can think of that they’ll be capable of performing. As far as decorating goes, they’ll probably look at it as more of an opportunity for fun than a chore. If you plan on drinking this holiday season, be responsible. First don’t drink and drive. Your relatives proba-

“

LUCERO MARTINEZ | THE TELESCOPE

Prepare ahead of time so as not to be overwhelmed with tasks later.

bly have enough stress to deal with this holiday season without having to take a festive Christmas drive to the morgue to identify your mangled corpse. Second, don’t be that guy or gal at the office Christmas party who has LUCERO MARTINEZ | THE TELESCOPE one, two or three too The holidays can be a stressful time. Recruit children to help with decorations. many and ends up being the object of ridicule for every ensuing office get together thereafter. Third, if you’re on a budget, watch out at the bars. Christmas tends to bring out the best in particularly people, when they’ve had a few drinks. You might just find that you spent some of that money for presents buying a round of drinks for those nice people you met at the bar the night before.

Too many people during the holidays take it upon themselves to go above and beyond the call of duty for friends, family and sometimes complete strangers.

”

ENTERTAINMENT | 13

MONDAY, DEC. 7, 2009 | THE TELESCOPE

ON ROAD TRIP S

1. Bohemian Rhapsody — Queen This song has been around since the 1970s and is still widely popular. Anyone you go on a road trip with will know at least half of the lyrics, which makes the song more fun to listen to and sing along with. The mix of upbeat and slow tempos and offbeat lyrics make this song very likable.

2. Don’t Stop Believing — Journey This is another song that has been around through the years and it will have your fellow road trippers singing along. This song gives you a sense that anything can happen and everything will be alright. The beat makes you want to dance around and have a good time.

3.Waking Up In Vegas — Katy Perry Most road trips of college students take them to Las Vegas which makes this song perfect to listen on the way there. This song is very upbeat and good to dance to. Perry has captured the essence of a trip to Las Vegas and college students everywhere aspire to do the same.

4. Colt 45 — Afroman This song is full of stories that will make you laugh and blush at the same time. It has a solid beat that is perfect grooving in the

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passenger seat on your road trip. This song plays on words and phrases and is great for keeping this interesting when driving long and boring distances.

5. Santeria — Sublime This is the song that you will want to listen to while cruising along the coastline. It has a hand-out-of-the-window vibe that you can’t help but nod along too. This song would be ideal for the drive back home because it’s relaxing and fun to listen to.

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COMET SPORTS | 15

MONDAY, DEC. 7, 2009 | THE TELESCOPE

Comet Sports Wrap-Ups Fall 2009 Briefs by Jana Rowland

Wrestling A majority of the Palomar wrestling team was injured at some point this season, including their top wrestler, Clayton MacFarlane, who tore a knee ligament at a home dual.Angel Garcia hurt his neck; Danny Varela hurt his ribs and tore a knee ligament and Jaydy Gonzalez suffered some torn ligaments. Even with all their injuries, they still have managed to have a 7-6 record as of last week. The team is still training hard to get in the best shape possible since its season has not yet ended. With challenge matches (matches between two Palomar wrestlers that determine who will be the starter for the specific weight class) still taking place, coach Byron Campbell is keeping his team competitive. The Southern Regionals took place on Saturday and determined which wrestlers will move on to the state championship Dec. 11 and 12 at Chabot College in Hayward. To find out if any Palomar wrestlers qualified for the state championship, go to www.the-telecope.com.

Football The Palomar football team has moved to the No. 8 spot, in the nation on the Jcgridiron.com rankings. As of last week, the Comets were 10-2. They were scheduled to play Mt. Sac Saturday for the Southern California Community College Championship. Go to www.the-telescope.com for the results of that game The Mounties are ranked No. 2 in the nation. Palomar beat Fullerton in the semifinals 38-36 on Nov. 28. The winner of the Mt. Sac game will head to the College of San Mateo on Dec. 12 for the California State Championship Game. This season Palomar had 11

players on the All-Southern Conference first team. On the offensive first team were center Sam Tupua, guard Tom Berry, tackle Brice Schwab, tight end Jared Bamber, wide receiver Martavious Lee, running back Orenzo Davis, quarterback Matt Christian and kicker Kevin Ditch. Tupua, Berry, Lee and Ditch were unanimous selections. On the defensive first team were tackle Alika Viaese, safety Dean Faddis and punt returner Mikey Head. Viaese and Faddis were selected unanimously.

Women’s Soccer The Palomar women’s soccer team closed out its season with a record of 6-13-2 (5-9-2 in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference). “Our season went fairly well for my first year (coaching). We improved over the season and ended up finishing in the middle of conference,” Coach Pamela Campbell said. The key game of the season was against Cerritos, the defending champs this year. The Comets played to a 0-0 score at halftime but then lost in the second half. “We only had three weeks of conditioning class and it wasn’t enough. This year we have the spring class and more opportunity for conditioning,” Campbell said. Campbell said she hopes to recruit some more top players next season, do some more spring training and conditioning to overcome ‘fitness’ lag that was experienced this season. “I’m proud of all the women on our team.This was a great start for my program, and I’m looking forward to improving and building all aspects of the program this year,” Campbell said.

Men’s Soccer

The Palomar men’s soccer team ended its regular season 11-6-2 and 9-1-2 in conference. The Comets were seeded 14th in the Southern California playoffs before facing the No. 3 seed Cerritos (17-2-2). Palomar lost to the defending state champions, Cerritos, in the playoffs. Cerritos scored in the 51st minute, breaking the tie and winning 2-1. The Pacific Coast Athletic Conference named captain Johnny Topete the player of the year in men’s soccer. Gabriel DaSilva Duarte, another team captain, Ceasar Pacheco and goal keeper, Christian Negrete were selected on the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference first team. Coach Carlos Hernandez helped guide Palomar to the Coast Athletic Pacific Championship and was named Coach of the Year. “We had good chemistry and we played with our hearts,” said Ulrich Von Son, a sophomore forward for the Comets.

Women’s Volleyball Palomar women’s volleyball team became co-champions with San Diego Mesa this season. The team finished 16-4 and a conference record of 11-1. The women who stood out this season were Shelly Morton, who was named conference MVP; Aimee Bird and Amanda Mendoza, who were selected first team all conference; Janine Lawler, named second team all conference; and Laikin Miller and Cashel White, who received honorable mention. The biggest highlight of their season was when they beat SD Mesa in three games after Mesa had beat Palomar in five games.

ALLEN CARROLL | THE TELESCOPE Johnny Topete fights for ball possession over a Cuyamaca forward on Oct. 2 at Minkoff Field. Topete was named player of the year in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference.

Cross Country

Water Polo

Overall the men’s and women’s cross country teams had successful seasons. The women placed third in the conference behind Southwestern and Mesa colleges. This was good enough for them to qualify for regionals at Mount San Antonio College, but no one was able to qualify for the state meet as either team or individual. This season the top women runners were Ana Nabor and Julie Heuring. The men qualified for state for the first time. Despite losing their No. 3 runner due to an injury and another runner with a collapsed lung, they were able to place 18th in the regional meet and were the last team to qualify for state. They ended up finishing 27th out of 28 teams at the state meet. Alexander Avilez was the strongest runner throughout the season for the men’s cross country. “This was a fun and determined group,” Coach Hugh Gerhardt said.

By Jarred Powell The men’s water polo team overachieved. They fielded an allfreshman team in and finished the year 13-12 overall, 5-4 in conference. Wesley Lacroix and Jayce Hensley were the team leaders by the end of the year. Lacroix led the conference with 74 goals and 39 steals. They led the young Comets to wins over four-year Division I UC Davis and state No. 5 Grossmont during the year. After the Grossmont win, Hensley was named the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference athlete of the week. Mitch Tenney led the conference and was second in the state with 56 assists. With all the players returning, they are poised to be one of the top teams in the PCAC next year. The women’s water polo team ended the year second in the PCAC at 15-12 overall, 6-2 in conference. They made the playoffs as the eighth seed. They lost to ninth seed and conference champion San Diego Mesa.

KELLEY FOYT | THE TELESCOPE Quarterback Nate Ong tries to complete a pass at a Palomar practice early in the season. The Comets played in the Southern California Community College Championship on Saturday. See how they did at www.the-telescope.com.