Volume 26 Issue 14

THE

BREEZE VOLUME 26 ISSUE 12

HOW SAFE ARE WE? A RECENT INCIDENT ON CAMPUS SPARKS CONCERN AMONGST FACULTY AND STUDENTS WHO WERE UNAWARE.

THEBREEZEPAPER.COM COVER BY Roberto Hernandez

2

Letter Editor FROM THE

@SADIEGRIB SADIEGRIBBON@GMAIL.COM There is so much to gain from education. The knowledge we attain from it is power. With the spring semester coming to an end, most of us will be doing one of three things: attending Chaffey in the following semesters, graduating with Associate Degrees, or transferring to four-year Universities.

With knowledge comes power, but not without question. Over the past few weeks, more concrete beliefs have come into question.

Dan Barker, ex-Pastor, raised questions of religious belief systems in his discussion at Chaffey; what it means and why there is reason for question (pg. 5).

Recent performances put on by the Dance program makes members of the LGBT community wonder where their voices have gone, as The Rocky Horror Picture Show performance in “Kaleidoscope,” the newest Dance Spring Showcase, platforms a movie that has been controversial and demeaning toward the transgendered community across the country (pg. 14).

Prince passed away and it makes us question the length of life. It seems as though the recent death of Prince and David Bowie has made us realize that even the people we admire most are not as invincible as we think they are (pg. 13).

Campus safety has been put into question, as we look deeper into cases involving armed students and student safety, along with the real transparency of Campus Police (pg. 12).

The wall in the quad, representing the division of Palestine, brought awareness to the sad state of the country, making us more culturally aware.

The knowledge we are fed at Chaffey is just the beginning and it pushes our generation to fix the issues we see in front of us (pg.6).

This is my final letter as Editor in Chief and I continue my journey in Journalism at San Francisco State University. Nothing has ever influenced my life more than this college and all that it has given me. Remember: education is power.

Signing off, Sadie Gribbon

APRIL 29, 2016

THE BREEZE

Table of

Contents

What You Need to Know

4

Losing Faith in Faith

5

Palestine Awareness at Chaffey

6

VRC Provides Safe Haven

7

Dance Dance Evolution

8

Summer Internships

9

The Leader in You

10

Prince Tribute

11

How Safe are We?

12

Some Speak Out

14

¢ampaign $pending

15

Glitch in Casting

16

Lesser Henry

17

Soul of the Senses

18

Spring Suggestions

19

A$AP Ferg’s Sophomore Slump

20

Plain Yet Precious

21

Softball Finishes in First

22

Statistics Do Not Matter

23

APRIL 29, 2016

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THE BREEZE

Calendar Friday, April 29

Friday, May 6

Monday, May 9

PTK Relay for Life Meeting: Honors society Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) will hold a Relay for Life event to help fight cancer. The relay will be held June 4 at Los Osos High School.

There will be a meeting on April 29 at 12:30 p.m. in Wargin Hall 112. To join the team or donate to the cause, visit the PTK Facebook page.

Inauguration Day, Music Festival: Inauguration Day will be held in the Student Activities building to inaugurate the newly elected ASCC president, Travis Alwin, along with other members of student government. That same day, at 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., The Chaffey Review will host a Music Festival at the Wignall Museum of Contemporary Art.

Qudditch, ASCC Farewell Carnival: Chaffey College will have a Quidditch match from 12:45 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Rancho Campus. That same day ASCC will host a Farewell Carnival at the Rancho Campus.

Saturday, May 7, Sunday, 8

Food Before Finals: Student Activities will host Food Before Finals for students at 12:30 p.m. Finals begin May 13. Stop by Student Activities to pick up a quick bite before finals.

Tuesday, May 3, Wednesday, 4 ASCC Loves You: ASCC will provide free ice cream for Chaffey students at the Chino Campus May 3 at 10:30 a.m. For the Rancho and Fontana campuses, free ice cream will available on May 4 at 12:30 p.m.

Editor-In-Chief Sadie Gribbon sadiegribbon@gmail.com

Shakespeare in Song: Commemorating the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death, the Chaffey College chamber choir and concert choir with Director Dr. David Rentz, presents “Shakespeare in Song.” The May 7 performance at 7:30 p.m. and May 8 performance at 2:30 p.m. will be held at the Chaffey Theatre. General admission is $12. Tickets are available online, at the Chaffey Bookstore, or at the door.

For more information contact 909-

Monday, May 9, 10,11

Baseline Editor Joshua Arnao Staff Writers and Photographers Students of Journalism 30 & 31

Managing Editor Roberto Hernandez

News Editor Cody Warner

Copy Editor Kristina Rocha

Sports Editor Kyle Smith

Online Editor De’Channe’ Lane

Opinion Editor Erick Valenciano

Lab Techs Kristina Rocha Jullian Aiden Bravo

Photo Editor Michael Ravenelle

A&E Editor Hanajun Chung

Faculty Adviser Michelle Dowd

Features Editor Abraham Navarro

Social Media Editor Israel Guerra

Journalism Coordinator Neil Watkins

General Manager Roberto Hernandez

The Breeze is published up to eight times a semester by the journalism students at Chaffey Community College, 5885 Haven Ave., Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91737. Telephone: 652-6934/6936. Opinions expressed in this publication are the responsibility of the student newspaper staff and should not be interpreted as the position of the Chaffey College District, the college or any officer or employee thereof. Letters and guest columns for or against any position are welcome. Letters should be kept as brief as possible (fewer than 300 words) and are subject to non-substantive editing according to guidelines established by the Associated Press. The Chaffey Breeze is a member of the Journalism Association of Community Colleges and the California Newspaper Publishers Association.

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APRIL 29, 2016

THE BREEZE

NEWS

What You Need to Know

1

Ted Cruz has selected Carly Fiorina as his would-be running mate if he becomes the Republican presidential nominee. The announcement was made the day after Cruz was mathematically eliminated from doing so.

Currently, Cruz’s only chance of securing the Republican nomination would be if Trump fails to reach the required 1237 delegate count to become the party’s nominee outright.

Source: Washington Post

ROBERTO HERNANDEZ @CHAFFEYBREEZE

2

Bernie Sanders announced he was firing staffers, pivoting his campaign towards winning the remaining 14 states after losing 4 out of 5 elections Tuesday. The results of Tuesday’s primaries furthered Clinton’s lead, but Sanders’s campaign remains optimistic.

“We are in this race until the last vote is cast,” he said.

Clinton currently leads Sanders by 327 pledged delegates, however there are still 1,243 delegates available.

Source: New York Times

3

Former House speaker Dennis Hastert was sentenced to 15 months in prison in a sexual abuse hush money case.

One of Hastert’s former students alleged that he sexually abused him along with 3 other students when he was their wrestling coach.

Hastert admitted to the abuse, however he was not charged with any sex crimes because the statute of limitations had expired. He was charged with illegally making cash withdrawls to pay off his accusers. He was also sentenced to two years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

Source: NBC News

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APRIL 29, 2016

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FEATURE

LOOSING FAITH IN FAITH DANIEL STEELE @METALGEARSTEELE Photo by Roberto Hernandez Dan Barker speaks to a crowded room in Wargin Hall on April 18

Former preacher-turned-atheist and co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation Dan Barker discussed how he lost his faith along with his latest book, GOD: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction. Barker also detailed his foundation’s purpose and mission.

The speech was organized by the Club of Secular Understanding and the Claremont Philosophers on April 18 in Wargin Hall. The room holding the event was packed with students and visitors of all ages interested in hearing about Barker’s drastic change from Christian evangelist to atheist activist.

Barker began discussing his book with a quote from Richard Dawkins listing the god of the bible as capricious, sadomasochistic, and a bully, among sixteen other charges.

“That’s quite an indictment, to call somebody all those things,” Barker said. Is it true? Because I used to preach that God was the God of love. Well you know why he’s saying that? He’s actually read the bible.”

“Most people, and I tell you, even a lot of clergy, actually have not read it,” he said.

Barker likened the treatment of the bible to a terms and conditions agreement where most glaze over the text and accept it without reading the fine print and understanding the implications behind the words.

Barker worked with Dawkins and found hundreds of passages to use as evidence in his book for the nineteen names Dawkins attached to the Christian God. “I came up with more than fifteen hundred passages, and I was shocked,” Barker said.

In addition to the nineteen charges Barker gives in part one of his book are a few others, like pyromaniacal, merciless, curse hurling, aborticidal, and cannibalistic.

“Here’s an example of true gender equality in the old testament.

‘You shall eat the flesh of your sons, and you shall eat the flesh of your daughters.’ There you go, that’s egalitarian, isn’t it,” Barker said.

It was closely reading into verses like these that prompted Barker to gradually lose his faith over the course of five years, a faith he had since he was fifteen. Barker preached for nineteen years, earned a degree in Religion from Azusa Pacific University, and served as a minister for three different churches before coming to his life-altering realization.

As a minister, the change to nonbeliever wasn’t one he could take lightly. He built his career around his Christian belief, and now had to make do as a self-described hypocrite. Barker was no longer sincerely preaching to the choir; he was only playing the part.

Barker said, “I was on the pulpit and I was thinking I shouldn’t be here, this is wrong.”

But Barker managed to leave the church and took a class in computer programming at Chaffey, where he got a job as a programmer and analyst before his first computer class even ended.

“It was a miracle,” Barker said.

He then moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where he works to this day at the FFRF along with organizations both secular and religious to maintain church and state separation.

“We’re joined by a lot of religious people who agree with us, that it’s important in America that religion and government stay separate,” Barker said.

Although he renounced his religious beliefs and became an avid atheist, Barker is able to work with religious organizations and find common ground to achieve goals he finds important.

After all, Barker believes the point in life is to meet challenges and overcome them, regardless of creed or place in life.

“Believers and nonbelievers, we all have immense purpose in our lives, and you find it not by asking someone to give it to you.

You find it when you have a struggle in your own life. It could be hunger, shelter, disease, it could be war, it could be inequality. It could even be the challenge in creating art. Whatever those challenges are, go after them, you have a life with immense purpose.”

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THE BREEZE

APRIL 29, 2016

FEATURE

CHARLIE VARGAS @CHARLIEVARGAS19

Palestine Awareness AT CHAFFEY

A

traveling wall appeared in the quad drawing crowds and raising questions.

The wall, rather than serving its traditional purpose as a restrictive blockade, provided students with background and awareness of the Israeli and Palestinian conflict.

Built by the University of Irvine, the wall travels through many campuses from Michigan State University to the University of Southern California.

Each panel on the wall encompasses a centric issue surrounding the Palestinian struggles faced in the conflict.

As a result of World War II, the United Nations divided Palestine into two states, one Jewish and the other Palestinian. This introduced conflict among already established Palestinians with the new found state of Israel. Through years of war, Israel currently controls and occupies Palestine land which continues to this day.

The occupation led to the construction of a wall also referred to as the Israeli separation barrier, which was symbolized by the wall displayed in the quad. The barrier extends 730 kilometers and is 8 meters high and includes electric fences and trenches with constant Israeli military patrol.

The wall’s presence is a violation under the Fourth Geneva Convention which states that land cannot be acquired by force and has led to human rights concerns.

“Families have been separated by this wall,” said member of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Wajeha Mahmoud.

She explained that the wall also prevents Palestinians from getting the medical attention they need because there is no way around it.

A panel on the wall explained the inequitable differences of Palestinian and Israeli water privileges. Israel receives about 100 liters of water per person, while Palestine receives 70 liters per person. These water restrictions prevent growth of agriculture and herding needs of Palestinians.

Reem Ramadan, president of SJP, said that inequality for Palestinians begins at an early age. Ramadan compared the consequences of an Israeli child and a Palestinian child who commit the same crime and added that the penalties for Palestinian children are significantly severe.

“Kids are beat up and tortured,” Ramadan said.

SJP addressed the misconception

Photo by Michael Ravenelle that the conflict is due to religious clashes and instead affects everyone subjugated by Israel.

“You don’t have to be Palestinian to support and you don’t have to be Muslim to support because there is a percentage of Palestinian Christians under the same occupation and their churches even get demolished,” Ramadan said.

Vice President of SJP, Bilal Milbes, said a way for people to support Palestinian struggles is through the Boycott, Divest and Sanction movement.

Students in support of Palestine play a vital role at the college level by calling on their school to divest from companies who are affiliated with funding Israel. University of Riverside and University of California Los Angeles along with 13 other colleges have been successful in the divestment process.

The members of SJP said that raising awareness is a step toward aiding struggling Palestinians.

“We want people to learn about this conflict,” Mahmoud said. “History repeats itself and we want to break that cycle.”

APRIL 29, 2016

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FEATURE

VRC Provides Safe Haven

Veterans Resource Center

DAVID VIVALDIA

GUEST WRITER

Chaffey College Veteran Students relax and do homework in the Veterans Resource Center.

Photo by David Vivaldia

W

ith the country starting its fifteenth year of war, campuses are seeing more veterans integrating into the academic world.

Some veterans find the transition from military to civilian life difficult.

One way Chaffey College is helping returning veterans re-adjust to civilian and academic life is through the Veteran Resource Center (VRC).

Dedicated on Nov. 11, 2010, Veterans Day, and officially opened in January 2011, the center serves the veteran community.

Every morning at the center starts in a ritualistic way, similar to the flag rising on a military outpost. A student worker places the American flag outside the front door.

Nestled in the middle of the old administration building (AD-125), many Chaffey veterans call this place home. The VRC is the first stop for veterans and their dependents to start the enrollment process, facilitated by a two-person team.

A veteran counselor provides an education plan and checks the veteran

status as required by Veterans Affairs (VA). Then a school certifying official acts as a liaison between the veteran and the VA making sure benefits are received. A staff of student workers help fellow veterans fill out forms to apply for educational benefits.

The center provides access to computers and a place to print free of charge. But it is more than a place to do school work. The VRC is a place where veterans can relax, eat or even take a nap with a sense of security.

Anthony Gardner, Computer Information Systems, has been working at the center for two and a half years.

He said it is the only place on campus he feels secure.

“There are many vets who depend on us,” Gardner said. ”It’s a place of solace and support that you can’t find anywhere else on campus.”

The veterans say they enjoy the feeling of belonging to a group that shares common ground. Eileen Camacho, Army reservist and student, works at the VRC. She said the center is like a family, adding that everyone supports one another.

“It’s a place that vets can come to be themselves,” Camacho said. “We want to see everyone succeed. If you need help and there is someone here who has taken the class or is good in the subject, they will help.”

The center survives on donations it receives from the Chaffey Car Club and the Associated Students of Chaffey College. This ultimately puts limitations on the resources the VRC can offer and its goal of ensuring the success of its veteran members. This is not just a local issue. Many veteran resource centers throughout California lack a dedicated budgeted.

Dominic Castilleja, Radiologic Technology major, is an Army veteran and regular at the VRC. He finds the center offers the kind of brotherhood he found in the military.

Carlos Reyes, history major, uses the facility as a place to relax between his classes.

“The vet center is a place I can vent and makes me laugh,” Reyes said. “It’s like an outreach program. It doesn’t just involve school. There are outside activities that we do.”

Reyes is referring to a national program that is set up in the veteran community. It calls for veterans to check in on their battle buddies periodically to help prevent suicide, which is currently plaguing the veteran community. He likes that veterans of the center plan get-togethers. It offers the chance to check on one another outside of the school when guards are down.

The VRC is more than just an academic center. For the veterans it is a community, a place on campus they can call home.

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THE BREEZE

APRIL 29, 2016

NEWS

DANCE DANCE EVOLUTION ARIEL NAVA

Ariel Zarate (left)and Joshua Collins (right) perform the number “Play With Your Food” at the Chaffey College theaeter on April 26.

Photo by Michael Ravenelle

Chaffey’s annual Spring semester dance showcase allows students the opportunity to demonstrate their unique talents and hard work, while introducing the audience to different styles of dance.

This year’s event, titled “Kaleidoscope,” took one style of dance to a completely different style. Dance Professor Michelle Jenkins has been producing shows for 35 years since her first in 1982. The inspiration she obtained for the title came from a kaleidoscope because it is constantly evolving and changing.

There was a wide array of dances from jazz to musical theater and modern dance to classical ballet. An avant-garde piece inspired by artist David Bowie commemorated his work and innovation in the world of music. There were also performances inspired by films like “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” and “The Rocky

Horror Picture Show” — specifically “Sweet Transvestite.”

“It’s great to educate an audience because some have never seen classical ballet on stage before and seeing pointe shoes for the first time, or maybe they have never seen avant-garde modern dance. It’s always a pleasure to show audiences that,” professor Jenkins said.

Joey Arias, a communications major, had a solo performance where he shared his unique style of dance.

“Flexing is an upcoming style, but I also mix popping which is also flexing of muscles, to accent beats in the music but it’s a mix of everything I’ve learned mixing it into my own style,” Arias said.

He has been dancing for six years and performs all genres from ballet to hip-hop. He brought his new style, “Flexing,” to the dance department.

It involves flexing muscles in cer-

tain patterns where the body wouldn’t normally allow while utilizing the upper body, giving more range in movement.

Art Fregoso, dance major, has been stage manager for Jenkins in previous productions, and choreographed for her for the first time for “Kaleidoscope.” He was a lead dancer for the showcase.

“I choose dance over having a social life. I eat, breathe and sleep dance and it will always be my passion,” Fregoso said.

“Seeing the growth of the students is probably the most joyous thing. For them to come in never having step food in dance room before and then learning so much even in one semester is incredible,” Jenkins said.

“Kaleidoscope,” shaped students to become technically strong while learning the artistic aspects of dance.

APRIL 29, 2016

THE BREEZE

SUMMER INTERSHIPS FEATURES

FAITH HAWKINS @PLANETFAI As the spring semester winds down, many students begin to plan for summer. Some look into jobs, take summer classes or enjoy their time off or delve into the world of interning.

The job market can be a harsh environment for many college graduates in today’s economy and going to college doesn’t always guarantee students a job the way it once did for previous generations.

The level of competition students face in obtaining a job in their chosen field of work can be tough. To combat this, students apply for internships to test the job market and gain experience that could help them get ahead the competition.

After graduating or during summer break, college students can apply for internships as a helpful transition into the job market. With internships, one can come out with the experience needed to land an entry level job. However, a question arises as to how beneficial internships, paid or unpaid, truly are.

According to a survey from The National Association of Colleges and Employers, hiring rates for those that completed an unpaid internship were 37 percent, which is not much of a difference from the 35 percent of people who did not work an internship. And students who landed a paid internship were likely to secure employment, as the study showed 63 percent of them did.

Though paid internships seem like the best of both worlds, many students don’t get the opportunity to work a paid internship and instead getting paid in experience. This can be hard for financially unstable students, as working an unpaid internship takes time away from a paying job.

Another struggle interns may deal with is that not all employers treat unpaid interns with the same respect and consideration normal employees would receive. For that reason students should always remain aware of their rights while participating in an unpaid internship.

The Fair Labor Standards Act, as translated by the U.S. Supreme Court, outlined the six criteria in which internships can be unpaid while still remaining ethical and legal.

Students can protect themselves while interning by being aware their rights and understanding how interning may benefit them as an individual in the struggle to obtaining their desired career.

Proceed, but intern with caution.

1

The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to training which would be given in an educational environment;

2

The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern;

3

The intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close supervision of existing staff;

4

The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded;

5

The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship;

6

The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship.

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APRIL 29, 2016

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FEATURE

the

Leader in You

Dreamers club president, Gissela Moya speaks to conference attendees in Wargin Hall on Aprill 22.

Photo by Juana Lozano

HAROON HASNAIN @AZAYZULMATIN For the first time since its inception, the Dreamers Club held a conference in an attempt to awaken the leadership potential that resides in each and every student.

As a club consisting soley of volunteer students and staff, the conference was made possible through interdepartmental collaboration — ASCC, the English department and Presidential Equity Council — with additional help from faculty, counseling and matriculation.

Starting at 9 a.m. April 22, the attendees were asked to sign in and create a name tag before listening to a speech by guest speaker Eric Sanchez, a communications major.

At the behest of the Dreamers Club president, Gissela Moya, Sanchez divulged his life story giving details of his personal struggle and ultimate triumph becoming a Chaffey student. As a veteran, ex-felon and former homeless person, Sanchez turned his life around after deciding to implement changes; the most crucial was enrolling at Chaffey.

Sanchez said, “In order to change something, you have to replace it with

something.” Dedication to ones education was a common theme in his speech. He spoke of a time his car broke down and lacking the finances to replace it he bought a bike and rode it eight miles one way in oder to attend his classes on time.

“I’m here today because I want to give back to my community and show you that there is hope,” Sanchez said.

This is his last year at Chaffey; Sanchez has been accepted to Cal Poly. He finished his speech by reminding the audience that by taking the time to nurture the leader inside themselves anything is possible.

The main purpose of the event was to give students the tools and information needed to excel in their pursuit of an education. Students chose two of six workshops (How to find a mentor, GPS/EOPS/Health Center, Advocacy, Time Management, Student Panel of Majors and Dreamers Information), each lasting 30 minutes.

Once everyone had their full of the free lunch provided, they were directed back into Wargin Hall to receive certificates for attending. Written on them was a pledge to lead those

around you, encourage positive thinking, assist others in need, develop networks, empathize with everyone around you and respect yourself and the voices of others.

“The mission of this conference was to empower students and help them understand that they are leaders,” Moya said.

Although the club was initially formed to help undocumented students learn about all the tools at their disposal, the conference was an attempt to include all students in their mission. Despite the circumstances you face, all students are welcome to join the Dreamers Club and learn the tools readily at their disposal. With a message that in every one of us is a leader waiting to be awakened the dreamers club successfully concluded its first annual conference.

APRIL 29, 2016

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11

OPINION

PRINCE ROGERS NELSON (1958 - 2016)

P

rince Rogers Nelson, the regal and musical macho-femme virtuoso, shocked the world last Thursday with his untimely passing at age 57. Prince, like his flamboyant glam-rock predecessor David Bowie, was born to defy.

“A strong spirit,” Prince said, “transcends rules.”

And transcend them he did. In September of 1993, Prince eschewed language in favor of an iconographic amalgamation of Mars and Venus. Prince’s decision to renounce his name and become a symbol—the Love Symbol—arose from a contractual dispute with Warner Bros. Records over the direction and output of his music. So, the Purple One drew a line in the sand and emancipated himself from the gripes of his label.

“Prince is the name that my mother gave me at birth. Warner Bros. took the name, trademarked it, and used it as the main marketing tool to promote all of the music that I wrote,” Prince said. “I became merely a pawn used to produce more money for Warner Bros...the only acceptable replacement for my name, and my identity, was the Love Symbol, a symbol with no pronunciation, that is a representation of me and what my music is about.”

Popular music’s oft charged crime of aesthetic deficiency, while at least partly true some of the time, is reminiscent of Terrance McKenna’s diatribe against marijuana’s belittling “drug” label. Yes, Prince’s music was popular but to claim him as being aesthetically deficient was a “poverty of language” — better still, it’s an impoverished notion of truth, a conceptual lag between genius and the rest of us.

And make no mistake: Prince was a genius. The breadth of his mastery was other worldly. At age seven he taught himself piano, then guitar at 13 and drums at 14. Prince’s talents weren’t limited to singing and dancing. He composed, produced and played an enormous repertoire of instruments — 27 for his debut album, “For You.” While Prince’s blatantly sexual lyrics were enough to make Ron Jeremy blush, the man behind the purple garments was an intensely private, sensitive yet charismatic individual. The import of his artistry lies in his thematic proclamation that “Despite everything, no one can dictate who you are to other people.”

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MARCH 29, 2016

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FEATURE

How Safe

A recent incident on campus sparks concern amongst SADIE @SAD

A

little over a year ago, Chaffey went on lockdown for two hours while everyone from campus police to the S.W.A.T. team was present. Jonathan Nicks reported to campus police that he believed there was a bomb on campus and Campus Police did not take the threat lightly. But, nobody knew.

Through outlets such as Twitter and live news, students found out after the fact that there was a bomb threat and the school was on lockdown. Nobody received a text, nobody received an email, and nobody was aware.

After the incident, Stephen Lux, Campus Police Administrator, told the school in an open door lockdown meeting, in regard to the failed alert systems, “We’ve got a huge issue to take care of and we are going to take care of that.”

But have they?

On April 1, 2016, staff at the Learning Success Center(LSC) called dispatch at 1:01 p.m. reporting a man who was “not cooperating,” and making “bizarre statements,” according to Darryl Seube, Interim Chief of Police and director of Public Safety at Chaffey College.

“According to dispatch he was causing a disturbance in that he was armed and dangerous,” Seube said.

It wasn’t until 1:22 p.m. that police arrived to the scene where LSC staff had already managed to get the uncooperative, armed student

out just three minutes earlier. The response-time proved to be disconcerting for staff and students in the building, as they felt as though they were on their own in the possibly fatal situation.

There was no back-up on campus, and this was the reasoning behind the delayed response time.

One of the lietuenants on duty, who should have been available to serve as backup, was either down at the hospital or somewhere else with another student doing a transport according to Seube. Although the crime log is not congruent with this.

“The ideal plan is to wait until your backup gets there, then you get two people going in and the likelihood and chances of some-

body going off, when they see they are outnumbered, are greatly diminished,” Seube said.

Contrary to the protocol that Campus Police enforces, one officer came in and backup didn’t arrive until after the officer was already down the hill talking to the armed student.

“One officer came in, there was no backup,” Greg Creele, Instructional Specialist at the LSC who helped handle the situation, said.

The reason for the 19 minute response time was due to the fact that the single officer was waiting for backup to then address the situation. There was no backup on campus where he should’ve been, according to the crime log. All while the LSC was left alone waiting for

MARCH 29, 2016

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THE BREEZE

FEATURE

are We?

faculty and students who were uninformed.

GRIBBON IEGRIB

officers to receive backup to enter the building, LSC staff was able to get the armed student to leave without the help of police.

During that time, dispatch should’ve stayed on the line, they did not, which is a breach in protocol. The “tactic” was to wait for backup but, 19 minutes later, an officer went in alone when the perpetrator had already been gone for three minutes.

“There was no one else present, not even cadets, when the officer came in, approximately three minutes after the student left,” Creele said.

The student was then pointed out by the staff at the LSC from their windows as he was yards away from the Campus Police building.

After complying with police, the armed student began dropping to the ground, but attempted to run away. According to the report sent out by Chaffey’s Marketing Department, he reached for his waist band which posed a threat to officers waiting to detain and arrest. He was then Tasered and arrested.

The perpetrator was sentenced to 16 months in prison for violating SB 707, which prohibits a person from possessing a firearm in a place that the person knows, or reasonably should know, is a school zone.

Not only was he carrying a concealed weapon, he should’ve never had one in the first place as he was a previously convicted felon.

Coincidentally, on the following Wednesday, April 6, there was an active shooter drill. During the drill, students did not receive email and text message alerts, but this was apparently because Campus Police were testing specific branches of the alert system such as the phone speaker alerts in classrooms.

“It wasn’t that long ago that we did a text alert that was on an actual incident and the system worked very well,” Seube said.

The alert system is set up to alert specific groups and locations, if not all locations and students, which is why text message and email alerts

54%

of the

were not received the following Wednesday during the drill.

“If we don’t test those separately we could have potential problems in the future,” Seube said.

While Campus police has followed through on their commitment to fix the failure of the alert system during the bomb threat in 2014, there is still skepticism brought up by faculty, staff and several students as to how transparent the Campus Police truly is.

“There’s that balance, do we inform or unnecessarily concern students?” Seube said.”It’s all a balance.”

weapons

used in assault crimes on College campuses are

firearms.

According to Campus Safety Magazine:

1 in 4

campuses are not

prepared for an active shooter.

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THE BREEZE

OPINION

Some Speak Out

a r s h a Johnson, first agitator at Stonewall, drag queen and co-founder of Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries, received for her contributions complete erasure, forced out of queer spaces in her life and redefined as a gay man in death. The Rocky Horror Picture Show represents a sustained history of intellectual theft from trans women, the erasure from the broader LGB consciousness; and the sublimation into gay identity by deliberate, cissexist misinterpretation of the their own language of self-identification.

Drag has more than a century of unbroken performance, and was a common framework for the exploration of gender before transgender identities had coalesced. Many pioneers in transgender liberation were also drag performers and articulated their identities using language now associated primarily with men, which facilitated the assimilation of their histories into an essentialist reading of queer history as solely gay male history.

Drag continues to be a significant place for many women to express their gendered experiences, but as the discipline diffused through non-transfeminine queer and mainstream heteronormative culture, drag was recontextualized within the framework of hegemonic concepts of gender and ‘drag queen’ itself has become an invective to use against trans women.

Contrary to the practice of reclaiming slurs, trans women have had to vacate words such as ‘drag’, ‘transvestite’, or ‘transsexual’ as they entered public awareness and became terms of derision or genres of pornography.

This is the tradition that Rocky

APRIL 29, 2016

from transmisogyny, especially within queer culture. Richard O’Brien, the principal writer of Rocky Horror, who identifies as nonbinary and uses masculine pronouns, has made public statements that trans women are not women, has typified our medicalization as dismemberment.

Cisgender gays and lesbians continue to leverage us as an example of ‘unacPhoto Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox ceptable’ deviancy to argue for their right to assimilate LILY WELLING into heteronormative culture. These GUEST WRITER same classes have demanded that we Horror was produced within. At the participate in their organizations and time of its release in 1975, the words activism, then done nothing for us, or ‘transvestite’ and ‘transsexual’ were still actively expelled us from the organiprimarily used for self-identification zations we were expected to pour our by trans individuals, even as they were emotional and activist energy into. being invoked by media like Rocky Even transmasculine people leverage Horror, or later Silence of the Lambs, the ‘man in a dress trope’ to contrast to characterize exclusively subversive, with and to normalize their presentagenerally dangerous characters. Trans tion. Aren’t I a normal looking boy? women were not allowed, and still are Not like those men in dresses…. not allowed, to occupy any narrative Trans women can and do reclaim role that is not dangerously criminal. these words that have become slurs This theft of our own terminology against them, and trans women can and the near-complete blackout of make radical and powerful statements any positive context for a transgenwhen they do so. To say that it’s quesder character has reverberated across tionable coming from someone else, mainstream consciousness of geneven transmasculine individuals, even der-variant identities; Rocky Horcisgender LGB individuals, is to say ror and media like it have absolutely the very least. contributed to the current inability of Rocky Horror, as interpreted by the trans women’s voices to be heard, or nonbinary Richard O’Brien or as ineven recognized for women’s voices. terpreted by the transmasculine Sean The trope of the ‘man in a dress,’ Dorsey in Chaffey’s up and coming built on the language that we once Spring Showcase, still invokes a grim used to describe ourselves before we history, still raises the question as to were forced to find new words, inwhether or not this is their territory forms bathroom policy, our role withto explore, especially as trans women in LGB circles, and even otherwise still struggle to be heard, still struggle intellectually rigorous feminists who to take control of their public face, are dismiss us as falling outside the constill spoken over and are still invoked sideration of womanhood. as caricatures by people who should All individuals have benefitted be their allies. In the words of Sylvia Rivera; y’all better quiet down!

APRIL 29, 2016

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THE BREEZE

OPINION

¢ AMPAIGN $PENDING CHARLIE VARGAS @CHARLIEVARGAS19

A

merica has fallen under the disillusion that corporations have the same rights as citizens. Sure, they do not sleep, eat, drink or act in any way like human beings, but the idea has grounded stability.

The culprit stems from the Citizens United decision in 2010, which allows large corporations and labor unions to be able to spend unlimited amounts of money on political campaigns.

This monetary influence is playing its role in the presidential election today.

In the Democratic Party, Hillary Clinton is supported by media corporations like CNN who is owned

by Time Warner Cable, one of Clinton’s top ten campaign donors. This makes her influence in the media more prevalent than her challengers like Sen. Bernie Sanders who only collects contributions from individuals.

Sanders is at a disadvantage, but hopes to highlight the issues of big money in politics by refusing to take donations from any Super PACs. If Sanders can’t win a campaign without their support despite the magnitude of the people’s support, then it will show how dependent the political system really is on money.

It should come as no surprise that excessive money in politics was also central in the previous 2012 congressional election results.

Represent.us conducted a study that analyzed the Federal Elections Committee (FEC) during this time and found that candidates who spent an average of 23 million, excluding spending from Political Action Committees (PACs) or the candidate’s behalf, on their campaigns had a 91 percent chance of being elected.

The FEC oversees the limits that individual donors can give to recipients, but because of the Citizens United decision those limits are obsolete to corporations. There is no limit in campaign spending for corporations or labor unions as long as the money is used as an independent expenditure. This is a way for Super PACs to support candidates once their donation caps are met.

As long as the Super PACs are not affiliated directly with the candidate or their committee, they are free to spend what they want.

Ultimately, this has allowed corporations and labor unions to have an unlimited support system of which candidate is more favorable to them, yet there is a cap on donations that American citizens can contribute. If corporations are people then they should have the same voice not one amplified by money.

Like we saw in the 2012 congressional election candidates with 23 million dollars had better financing, and better financing means better electability.

In the Republican Party, voters

have sided with Trump and according to AP, he currently has 26 wins out of the 39 Republican primaries.

Trump has gained support from his controversial rhetoric over media companies and without immense monetary support. Unlike his opponent Sen. Ted Cruz who, according to the FEC, has raised about 66.2 million dollars, almost more than half of Trump’s 34.2 million.

Yet, the Republican Party proposed a contested convention as the best solution. Contested conventions occur when a candidate cannot secure enough voters to get their party’s nomination. This would mean that delegates could have the possibility to revote, leaving the nomination up to the party.

Whether you are a supporter of Trump or not, a contested convention goes against what the people who elect officials in the first place desire. It is not the voice of the people, but instead vocal of an establishment who prioritizes themselves over the people they serve.

The people’s choice for political representatives should reflect the citizens of America and not be dependent on the amount of money poured into a politician’s campaign.

After all, we proudly brand the U.S. as a democracy, but there is no democracy without the people.

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APRIL 29, 2016

THE BREEZE

OPINION

GLITCH IN CASTING HANAJUN CHUNG

攻殻機動隊

In an age of piracy, interconnectivity and technological advances, one would think that the casting for the live-action Hollywood adaptation of cyberpunk anime film “Ghost in the Shell” would adhere to the source materials themes regarding gender and identity — at least on a basic level of translation.

Nope, not Hollywood. They know better.

Early last year, Dreamworks finally announced that the lead character, Major Motoko Kusanagi, was going to be played by none other than Japan’s own Scarlett Johansson. Fans, filmmakers, actors and many others backlashed against the decision, taking to social media to air their vitriolic response and criticisms. The most heartbreaking probably came in the form of several female Asian-American actors showing ambivalence to the casting news on Twitter.

Recently, Dreamworks released a still from the upcoming film featuring Johansson in the leading role and the response was still heated. The fact that a report broke out that there were VFX tests to make Johansson look more Asian took the discussion from lazy to fullblown racial.

The common response — in the multitudes of video blogs and think pieces — finds the problem on a studio, executive level. It’s not entirely false. While there have been Asian actors who’ve been box-office successes, it’s usually in roles that haven been culturally ingrained that attribute Asians in roles that almost always touches on Orientalism. Martial Arts master? Math wiz? Store owner? When it comes to casting someone for a role like a kung-fu master, one could argue genre and its certain functions dating back decades ago in relation to films for lower-class Americans during the age of imports and grindhouse.

This is a problem that’s happening at a time in which casting an Asian actor feels like a no brainer. With the east being a huge reliant for studio box-office numbers, it would make sense for Hollywood to maybe embrace some of their local talent. Instead, the solution has been in the form of co-financing between U.S. and foreign studios. Even then many Americans will probably still have not seen or heard of films such as “Snowpiercer,” “Flowers of War,” or “Dragon Blade” when these films star actors such as Chris Evans, Christian Bale, Tilda Swinton and John Cusack.

But the whole “using special effects to race bend” practice does carry that stigma and connotation that’s similar in the way audiences pretty much feel about

@HANAJUN

blackface today. Both African-Americans and Asians (“yellowface”) have had a dark history with this topic, both featured in films — such as “The Jazz Singer,” “Birth of the Nation” and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” — that are now considered milestones of the medium.

For fans and outraged audiences, the solution to something like this happens through action, not reaction. The downside for this solution are the literal costs: nothing speaks to the studios and executives as well as dollar signs, so the more people go PAY to see these films, the more of these films will get made or distributed. This solution isn’t a guarantee. In fact, it can totally backfire (e.g. “Battleship”). Even if it’s not some small, niche indie film released by a studio’s independent division, there are plenty foreign, subtitled films that get released and distributed stateside.

For younger readers, especially those interested the creative side interested in entering the business—it’s probably best to come out and create the art themselves. College and Universities are great places to find likeminded, passionate individuals to collaborate and tell unique stories that provide insight and perspective that’s been somehow absent in the pubic consciousness. Crowd-funding takes the power away from private investors, while publishing/release platforms make self-distribution both marketable and convenient. They more than likely won’t be huge hits, but it’s contribution to the cultural conversation that’s valued, especially if it does modestly on the film festival circuit.

But to play the game on the hundred-million-dollar level requires a lot of time, finesse and work to even get in the smallest proximity of an opportunity. This is exponential for non-whites, especially women. That still doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

This might’ve been a daunting task a decade ago, but our world now doesn’t seem as distant to the one in “Ghost in the Shell.” In its infinite wires, boards and robotics displayed, Johansson is now going to be the vessel in taking an inherently Asian property with what was thematically unique to Japanese culture on a worldwide scale. Her job will be to provide the identity and soul for this character, aided through special effects and technologies that have advanced to the point in which the world created by Masamune Shiro and Mamuro Oshii can not only be realized, but endorsed by its creators.

Which makes it all the more disappointing when the most obvious solution didn’t need technology to be realized.

APRIL 29, 2016

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A&E/REVIEWS

LESSER HARVEY

TOMMY EMICK Like PJ Harvey’s last album, “Let England Shake,” “The Hope Six Demolition Project” prioritizes socially aware themes bolstered by Harvey’s solid writing. “Hope Six” has lyrical ambitions broader than “Let England Shake.”

“Let England Shake” targeted England during the first World War, specifically, while “Hope Six” targets an array of locations--sometimes ambiguous--such as Kosovo, Afghanistan, and the eponymous Hope Six Demolition Project in a community outside Washington, D.C. However, despite “Hope Six”’s solid lyrics, the album does not offer as dynamic an instrumental experience as “Let England Shake.”

Its instrumentals often seem too sparse or simple for the journalistic detail offered by the lyrics.

For example, the song “Ministry of Defense” attempts to capture listeners through its edgy guitar refrain at its beginning and adds

group vocals to its chorus that try to give voice to oft-ignored citizens. There are blatant descriptions of military destruction that try to challenge political apathy, with Harvey describing: “Human hair/A kitchen knife… Those are the children’s/cries from the dark.”

However, the song does nothing to develop its instrumentation throughout. The same guitar refrain and group vocals are repeated without its adding another musical passage.

The group vocals are, arguably, the strongest musical aspect of the song, but they are only included after every other guitar refrain, spoiling potential for the song to become more than dynamic than it is.

In contrast, one of the strongest songs on the album is “Community of Hope” where the eponymous Hope Six Demolition Project is mentioned. Hope Six thematically unifies the album as a symbol of political apathy. “Community of

Hope” describes a run-down area outside Washington D.C. that, instead of being revitalized, is going to be replaced by a Wal Mart. The song includes more journalistic detail, and, unlike “Ministry of Defense” features solid instrumentation, too, throughout the song.

Harvey’s vocals, horns, and percussion carry the song and develop as it progresses.

Overall, “Hope Six” is more interesting in terms of the reactions it elicits from listeners than the content of the album. Although there are some solid tracks here, such as “Community of Hope” and “The Wheel,” the album does not showcase Harvey’s instrumental ability as well as her lyrical skill. It is clear that Harvey is a talented musician, and she has released some classic albums in her career; “Hope Six” just isn’t one of them.

Grade: CImage courtesy of Island Records

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APRIL 29, 2016

THE BREEZE

A&E/REVIEWS

SOUL

OF THE SERIES DANIEL STEELE @METALGEARSTEELE *This review was conducted on PS4.

From Software is a prime example of a developer that has cornered a market that it created. The “Souls” games as a whole are robust enough to be their own genre, one that other developers emulate unsuccessfully. The developer knows exactly what kind of games it makes, and makes them well.

With its latest iteration, “Dark Souls III” shows that it can once again nail the engaging and challenging gameplay the series is known for, but also take its best parts and make improvements. In addition, the game adds a few new features that give another appreciated layer of depth to the action, especially in the form of gem infusion and unique skill stances.

Gems and weapon skills are smart additions to the series that stop it from retreading. As fun as the “Souls” formula is, seeing “Dark Souls III” not progress in these ways would have made it a bit stale.

Small improvements carried over to make this the smoothest entry by far. Glitches are few and far between, exploits are harder to come by and the frame rate—for the most part—hangs around thirty on console versions.

The most significant carry-over

is the game’s speed, something borrowed from “Bloodborne” (another entry from the developer). It is much easier to avoid over encumbrance (“fat roll”), which now triggers at the seventy-five percent equipment load instead of the previous fifty percent.

This makes more armor and weapon sets viable options for quickly dodging the more aggressive, rapid enemy attacks. This is not to say the game no longer requires careful planning.

Plenty of enemies still have sluggish wind ups, but the overall speed increase does make for a snappier pace.

Speaking of “Bloodborne” carry-overs, the gem and weapon skill systems are back, although in modified ways. There are many different gems to find throughout the dark, Medieval world that apply effects to weapons like lightning, laceration, fire and frost, to name a few.

Other gems add improved scaling for strength, dexterity and faith, which basically give any weapon the ability to change its scaling path to the desired stat. There have always been a wide variety of weapons to choose from, and gems now offer an even deeper array of options, to a maddening degree.

Pressing or holding L2 triggers the “weapon skill” mechanic, which unleashes the weapon’s alternate attack when holding it with both hands.

Larger weapons often have strong sweep attacks tied to the skill, while lighter weapons allow for rapid spinning slices. One duel katana set offers the best skill of all by launching the player twelve feet forward into an amazing leap attack that feels incredibly satisfying.

A somewhat surprising aspect of the game is its difficulty. There are plenty of challenging bosses, but this is the easiest game of the series, counterintuitive to its increased speed. On the other hand, being familiar with the “Souls” formula likely lends to an easier experience. Those hoping for a level of difficulty equal to the first one will likely be disappointed.

“Dark Souls III” is another “Souls” game at its core—references to the first game and all—but its additions give it a sleeker, shinier coat of paint that make it the best game in the series.

Or, at least the best playing.

Grade: AImage courtesy of From Software

APRIL 29, 2016

THE BREEZE

19

SPRINGSUGGESTIONS HANAJUN CHUNG

DOCUMENTARY NOW (SEASON 1)

This one’s a cheat. Although IFC’s “Documentary Now” originally aired last August, it only recently got a wider release on Netflix, making it available for those that don’t subscribe to the channel. From the comedic geniuses Bill Hader and Fred Armisen, “Documentary Now” parodies classic documentary films such as “Grey Gardens” and “Nanook Revisited,” taking the basic premise and elevating it in increasingly clever and absurd fashion. Each episode is unique as they truly commit to the look and tone of the film they’re parodying. Fans can not miss this series, especially their “The Thin Blue Line” parody.

EDWARD GUTIERREZ

ANDERSON .PAAK, “MALIBU”

Anderson .Paak is a 29 year-old west coast rapper, songwriter, singer and an artist on the rise. With his third album, “Malibu,” he continues to solidify his rise in the scene. In the opening track, “The Birds” we see .Paak in a more personal realm, discussing issues of his absent father and the impact it had on him. Yet, .Paak continues to show how West Coast rap is continuing to fuse jazz and rap together on his best track “Your Prime” .Paak has an essence of fellow west coast MC Kendrick Lamar, revolutionizing his talent. Theres no predicting where Anderson .Paak can take hip-hop.

DANIEL STEELE

LOUIE (SEASON 5)

Also new to Netflix: the latest season has plenty of moments to laugh and cringe at again, but what sets this season apart is the extent to which it gets real. And boy does it get real. This season does an incredible job at getting to the heart at what makes relationships hard, both romantic and platonic. The flashback scenes with kid Louie and his single mom particularly hit close to home. I also saw way more of Louie’s naked body than I bargained for, but I still couldn’t recommend this season

FAITH HAWKINS

THE FLATBUSH ZOMBIES, “3001: A LACED ODYSSEY”

The Flatbush Zombies, hailing from New York, released their first studio album, “3001: A Laced Odyssey,” on March 11.

Since the release of their album the world of independent and self-owned rap music has not been the same. The Flatbush Zombies have casually been overtaking the underground rap scene for some time, only putting out free music and visuals for fans. The album is a truly mesmerizing break out that features the signature and unwavering sound for which they are

AMARI MARTIN

BARBERSHOP: THE NEXT CUT

In this 2nd sequel, Calvin (Ice Cube) faces the struggle of shaping his adolescent son to manhood—especially in a Chicago neighborhood that has become overriden with crime such as homocide. Coming to see a movie full of comedy and entertainment, “Barbershop: The Next Cut” suprisingly offers a more than just laughs. Instead, audiences should expect to leave the third film not only laughing, but with the message of coming together in promoting a violence-free comunity.

TOMMY EMICK

O’BROTHER, “ENDLESS LIGHT”

My favorite album-of-the-year so far is O’brother’s album “Endless Light.” It is their third LP and is so good that it rivals the quality of their first LP and fan-favorite “Garden Window.” The band takes a more straight-forward approach to songwriting while innovating their sound. They are also extremely nice to their fans.

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APRIL 29, 2016

A&E/REVIEWS

A$AP

FERG’S SOPHOMORE SLUMP

FAITH HAWKINS @PLANETFAI

ASAP Ferg rose off of the bench to deliver his 18-track sophomore album, “Always Strive and Prosper.” After dropping on the 22nd, the album received an echo of support via social media from fellow ASAP Mob affiliates and fans alike.

Ferg’s work delivered the expected high-energy tracks, mixed with some heavy in personal reflection, certain ones discussing his childhood and the role his uncle played in his life. For fans invested in ASAP Ferg, the personal tracks were valuable. The tracks showed a more sensitive dimension of his artistry that wasn’t revealed quite as much in his previous album ‘Trap Lord.’

“Always Strive and Prosper” had a surprising amount of guests from well known names in the rap game such as Future, Big Sean, Missy Elliot, Schoolboy Q, Lil Uzi Vert, Ty Dolla $ign and Chris Brown, to name a few.

The most recognized song on the album, “New Level,” brings such a strong energy and raw upbeat sound that it’s truly the highlight. The track featured fellow artist Future, working wonders for the over-all sound of the track. Future balanced Ferg’s usual up-beat style with his signature smooth but tough sound, giving the song a great feel.

The album peaked once again with “Let it Bang.” ScHoolboy Q graced the track with his always impressively sharp lyrics and raw flow, another example of Ferg’s wise decisions in terms of the features for this album.

Listeners can enjoy a lyrically-loaded track with “Let You Go,” where Ferg goes a bit deeper in discussing his struggles of having relationships while in the rap game and the toll it

takes on his loved ones. It was a nice change of pace for an album that isn’t as lyrical as some fans expected.

Though the lyricism wasn’t plentiful, Ferg graced us with his perspective on equal rights through the track “Beautiful People,” when he speaks of equality and the beauty within everyone. This track showed his participation in the fight for equality and acceptance among human beings.

“Yammy Gang” pays homage to deceased ASAP member, Yams, with a strong sense of unity and the presence of his fellow ASAP members. This track serves as a clear reminder of the strength of the ASAP roster and the loyalty within their group.

What the album offered in up-beat songs, it lacked in lyrical ones. Thought Ferg isn’t known to be the most lyrical artist around, it doesn’t excuse the fact that the album doesn’t have many dimensions and the songs tend to be slightly repetitive.

The guaranteed “banger” tracks weren’t enough to satisfy all areas that constitute a strong hip-hop album, and when the bangers got repetitive, the album struggled a bit. The beats mostly sounded similar to each other, and there were lots of filler that killed much of the momentum.

The album had highs and lows but overall wasn’t memorable, leaving much to be desired. The ASAP Mob is notorious for delivering strong albums and this one wasn’t at the normal level of greatness.

Grade: C-

Image courtesy of A$AP Worldwide

APRIL 29, 2016

THE BREEZE

21

A&E/REVIEWS

PLAIN

YET

PRECIOUS EDWARD GUTIERREZ @EDWORDGEE After a decade and a half after his untimely death the producer/MC, J Dilla, with his second solo album “The Diary” has finally been released to the masses.

Though it feels uncut and unmixed, “The Diary” is a time portal back to early 2000s’ hip-hop, fusing R&B rhythms with the up-tempo beats of hip-hop. The project foreshadows the sound he would eventually create and add to the realm of hip-hop.

With songs like “Trucks,” “The Anthem,” “The Doe” and “The Ex” we see his weakness when it comes to delivery and his lack of lyrical content. These songs lack creativity, lyricism and originality, bringing a negative aspect to this project.

Production wise, the album from front to back is encrypted with his signature style and essences of soul and R&B fused together. He delivers solid gems in the project like “Gangsta Boogie” featuring Snoop Dogg and Kokane, “The Sickness” featuring Nas, “Drive Me Wild” and “Fuck The Police”. Dilla will always have a revolutionary impact when it comes to production, he even dabbled has an MC, showcasing it so in this album.

“The Introduction” is what every true hip-hop head loves, heavy snare and 80’s like keys to accompany his voice, creating a solid introduction to the project production wise, yet lacks in lyrical content. Dilla reverts to using similar, if not the same flow of acts he produced for.

The second and third tracks — “The Anthem” and “Fight Club” — continue to showcase Dilla’s poor lyricism in “The Diary.” Little effort is thrown into these songs, thus, lacking the key element production wise. With weak hooks and poor content, these tracks are low points in this project.

“Truck” is by far the worst track on here. With sampling of Gary Numan’s 1979 hit “Cars,” it demonstrates a lack of originality on Dillas behalf. It takes us through a day of what Dilla and company do while in their truck, therefore lacking any creativity and becoming the lowest of the low in this project.

As for the highlight of this album, “The Sickness” is a track featuring rap legend Nas and production by Madlib — a formula for success. Nas and Dilla flow together showcasing that Dilla can hold his own weight on a track with Nas. Production wise, Madlib keeps it simple and clean executing it, while still paying homage to Dilla.

Another highlight for the album is the track titled “Gangsta Boogie.” His production is a work of art, fusing the West Coast feel of soul and funk while still keeping it gangster and real. With Snoop Dogg and Kokane there’s no way this track could go wrong. Lyricism is fresh and production is crisp, allowing both Snoop and Kokane to flow freely as the beat flows so does Dilla’s. Thus, bringing more positivity to the project and reminding us why J Dilla is considered a legend in hip-hop music.

Though it’s not by any means his best work, Dilla showcases rare spurts of lyricism and delivery in superior tracks, receiving a glimpse into what was in the works for the renowned producer. Though there are tracks that are unbearable beyond measure, we find diamonds in the rough when it come to “The Diary,” adding on to the great legacy of J Dilla.

Grade: C

Image courtesy of Mass Appeal Records

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APRIL 29, 2016

SPORTS

DECHANNE LANE @CHAFFEYBREEZE

Softball Finishes In First

Cassandra Seymour making contact on a ball thrown by SBVC pitcher during a doubleheader at Panther Field on April 22.

Photo by Michael Ravenelle

T

he Panthers’ softball team, led by Head Coach Trisha Senyo and Assistant Coach Chloe Wurst, who are both in their first season as coaches, were ready to tackle the 2016 season and come out on top. Working with a team she had not recruited, Senyo expected the journey to be difficult, but was relieved to see how everything came together.

They began 2016 not knowing exactly how the season would turn out.

They ended the season with a 26-12-1 overall record.

“We really only had 3 returners from last season and two returners from prior seasons,” Senyo said of her 2016 lineup. Essentially, everyone was brand new to the program at Chaffey, which worked well for Senyo as she was able to coach from the ground up.

Coming into the season the Panthers set big goals for themselves after taking note of their strengths and capabilities. Although the infield was held down mostly by freshmen, it was key to the team’s success this season.

For over half of the season the team averaged more than one double play a game, which is a huge feat for any junior college softball team.

Senyo also gives credit to her pitchers, Sereena Ortiz and Lena Carter-Scott, for playing a major role

in the Panther’s success this season.

“Having two pitchers of depth is very rare to find in the junior college realm,” Senyo said.

Ortiz and Carter-Scott both pitched full games and managed to have less than three runs scored in eleven of their conference games.

On April 22, going into their final game of the regular season, the Panthers had a conference record of 11-2, only falling to Barstow.

Their final two games were against San Bernardino Valley College, whom they previously beat 11-2 earlier in the season. Senyo noted that they let the pressure of winning the final Foothill Conference Championship outright get the better of them as they lost both games to finish 11-4 in conference.

Still, the Panthers were able to come out of the season as 2016 Foothill Conference Champions. Senyo and the Panthers are now preparing for the playoffs.

“Getting to post season in general is something that we did not necessarily anticipate,” Senyo said. The Panthers plan on working on performing well under pressure while enjoying the experience of being in the playoffs. “We are guaranteed at least two post season games.”

On Saturday April 30, a seeding

meeting will be held and the Panthers will find out their ranking. There are sixteen teams in the South Division and Senyo predicts coming in fifteenth place and being put up against Cypress or Palomar. Regional Round One of the playoffs will be held May 7 and 8, location and times to be announced.

Shortstop, Raven Preseau fielding a groundball during warm-ups on April 22.

Photo by Michael Ravanelle

APRIL 29, 2016

23

THE BREEZE

OPINION

do not STATISTICS MATTER

E

verything I learned about sports as a kid was taught to me by my aunt and grandpa.

In addition to teaching me to simply respect the game and enjoy sports for what they are, they taught me technicalities like the infield fly rule and how statistics can be translated into language.

What I appreciate the most is the former ­— the loving and respecting, the genuine amazement at how far a ball can fly off a wooden bat or the consistent accuracy of an NFL quarterback’s arm, the enjoyment of the game and the thrill of watching a baseball drop just out of the reach of an outfielder’s glove. Sports can’t happen without things like this, but they could live without the growing complexity of numbers and statistics.

Of course, stats are completely necessary and helpful to measure the ability of a player and the progress of teams all together, but some statistics should not exist.

While wins above replacement and half tackles are just weird, the problem is how much weight stats have come to carry.

Bryce Harper is on a mission to “Make baseball fun again,” but it isn’t his above average on-base plus slugging percentage that will do the trick.

The “again” I think, is the time my grandpa tells me about when all the kids in the neighborhood got together to play some type of ball — and no stat keeper was involved. They didn’t count how many steals they had on

KYLE SMITH @_KYOL the basketball court and had no way of figuring their batting average, but they had fun.

I’m not saying statistics should be eliminated from sports; they are just nonessential. Baseball, football and hockey would be okay with no further stats than win/loss records, but MLB, NFL and NHL wouldn’t work.

We need batting average in baseball to measure a hitter and total yards to measure a running back in football, but when a statistical category is difficult to put into perspective, it just becomes a number that people don’t understand.

Let’s take WAR for example. Wins above replacement. It is supposed to take every aspect of a baseball player’s contribution into consideration

and the product is a number that represents how much better a starter is than his typical replacement in terms of wins ... I think.

The graphic to the left was created in 2012, when fans were either team Trout or team Harper, as a way to find statistical evidence of one being better than the other. Instead of outlining and analyzing statistics that directly impact the game like hits and runs batted in, WAR was the focal point Mike Trout has lead the American League in WAR for four consecutive seasons, but I’m not exactly sure how they figure he was worth 3.4 more wins than a replacement center fielder in 2012.

It insults the most beautiful part of baseball: you never know what is going to happen.

I don’t know what is taken into consideration when WAR is being calculated, but I know the only way for this particular stat to be accurate is if MLB has a psychic analyzing players.

It is possible to enjoy the games now in a way that is similar to a time before unnecessary statistics existed by simply ignoring them, but their influence on deciding which players are most impactful is irreversible.

Statistics, I’m sure, will continue this upward trend of complexity, while the real sports fans will continue to be amazed by things that can not be measured by a number.

24

THE BREEZE

MARCH 25, 2016

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