The Connection Vol. 56 Issue 6 12/02/2010

How good is Vick?

Sports } Page 7 ‘Hallows’ gets five stars

Features } Page 5 Is band banning good? Opinion } Page 3

The Connection The student voice of Cosumnes River College since 1970

Volume 59, Issue 6

December 2, 2010

www.crcconnection.com

Students react to rising tuition Rising costs cause concern amongst transfer students

Demitri Fellines Connection Staff

Holly Sanderson Connection Staff Recent increases to tuition prices have students concerned about being financially able to transfer.

A 5 percent increase in tuition in January, as well as an additional 10 percent increase in fall 2011 has recently been approved by the California State University Board of Trustees, according to a press release issued by the board.

The University of California Board of Regents also passed a proposal to increase tuition by 8 percent for fall 2011, according to Mark Yudof, the UC’s president.

Students said the tuition increases make it difficult for them to transfer.

“Within the next few years, I may not have enough money saved to transfer with ease,” said a history major, 18, Tom Yamamoto. “Just a few more thousand dollars makes a huge difference.”

Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, said in a letter on Nov. 18 that he was deeply concerned about the decision made by the two university systems.

“Passing more costs on to students and families threatens to price more Californians out of a

$4,000

The campaigning commercials that littered the nation’s televisions for the most of early November have been over for a month. Newly elected officials are preparing to move their belongings into their offices while incumbents remain safe for another term.

The question that now remains is: what should be the major focus for the newly, politically altered government?

“What the government really needs to start to focusing on now is helping create and sustaining jobs for the lower and middle classes,” said 19-year-old communication studies major Christina Castro. “Without paying jobs, it really doesn’t make sense to look at making a difference in school tuition since those without jobs still won’t be able to attend.”

Education has been suffering lately with numerous cuts to classes, faculty and athletics.

The dire state of education is exacerbated with tuition spikes in University of California, California State University and commu-

$2,000

See SURVEY, page 8

UC Davis and Sacramento State in-state tuition over 10 years $12,000 $10,000 $8,000 $6,000

$0

2000

2002

See TUITION, page 8

2004 UC Davis

2006 2008 Sacramento State

2010

-Information compiled from The Chronicle of Higher Education

As controversy elevates, caffeinated alcoholic drinks come under fire Varsha Narayan Connection Staff Drinking among college students is not a new issue, but more attention is being aimed towards the controversial, caffeinated, alcoholic drink known as Four Loko. The drink, also referred to as “blackout in a can,” has increased in popularity amongst a younger demographic.

Some students admit to being drawn in by the drinks colorful and artistic packaging, but aren‘t too pleased with the actual drink.

“It looks like a really cool energy drink, but it sure doesn’t taste like it,” said Sonam Prasad, a 20-year-old undecided major.

“Everyone talks about it like it’s the thing to drink, but it really messes you up and it doesn’t taste that great.

Sushneel Chand, a 24-yearold business major agreed regarding the taste.

Focus mixed as party power shifts

“It tastes like flavored beer,” Chand said. “It’s not really anything special.”

The side effects of the drink are turning some students away.

“I don’t see why it is such a popular drink,” said Joe Kaylor, 26, business major. “If the consequences are so bad, then I wouldn’t want to try it.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has reacted by issuing warning letters to four companies that produce caffeinated alcoholic drinks.

The agency stated that the drinks were unsafe and lead to a state of “wide-awake drunk.” This condition can lead the consumer to believe they are less intoxicated then they actually are, which is considered potentially dangerous, according to an article on ABCNews.com.

Phusion Projects is opposed to this assessment.

See FOUR LOKO, page 8

Act provides hope to some of campus Tracy Gilkerson Connection Staff

Courtesy Photo

Phusion Projects, the maker of Four Loko, a drink mixing alcohol and caffeine ceased shipment of the product in response to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Nov. 18.

The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, has taken center since the California Supreme Court upheld a ruling, on Nov. 15. Also known as Senate Bill 66 or the DREAM Act, the bill gives undocumented students and immigrants the same college benefits as legal California residents.

It permits the 65,000 undocumented students that graduate from US high schools every year the right to apply for financial aid at California public colleges and universities, according to www. linguistics.scsb.edu.

From 1992 to 2001, undocumented students attending the University of California, California State University and California community colleges were charged out-of-state tuition, according to www.linguistic.scsb.edu.

There are mixed conceptions around Cosumnes River College about the impact that it has on campus.

See DREAM, page 8

Opinion

2

December 2, 2010

EDITORIAL

Freedom of information lives on in WikiLeaks Since its launch in 2006, many people have questioned the intentions of the non-profit organization website known as WikiLeaks. Although WikiLeaks was founded by the combined efforts of journalists, mathematicians and technologists, Julian Assange, a journalist from Australia, is unanimously recognized as its director.

After it launched in 2006, WikiLeaks has gone on to reveal many confidential military and diplomatic material causing much embarrassment to government officials from around the globe.

WikiLeaks finally caught the attention of the US government when they recently released the Iraq War Logs, which is currently the largest leak of US military documents in history. As if this statement weren’t enough, WikiLeaks revealed through Twitter that they plan to release another trove of US military secrets that is seven times larger than the Iraq War Logs.

According to the Associated Press, the US Justice, State and DeAT A GLANCE fense Department lawyers are toying with the possibility of prosecutThe Issue: International ing Assange under the Espionage governments are threat- Act, which prohibits interference ened by WikiLeaks, a web- with American military operasite which allows people tions.

Yet, along with the supposed to submit confidential inviolation of the Espionage Act, formation anonymously.

Our View: WikiLeaks WikiLeaks also faces the possibilshould be allowed to pub- ity of being labeled as a terrorist organization due to the fact that the lish the submitted con- US military claims that WikiLeaks tent since it has not been stole classified information from proven to be a threat to the US Government. national security.

With all these attempts to Agree? Disagree? criminalize Assange and WikiLeaks, it is obvious that the US GovSend comments to ernment is set out to portray him as connect@crc.losrios.edu a threat to national security. .

But what exactly is threatening about Assange and WikiLeaks?

So far there hasn’t been any earth shattering discoveries. It is true Assange has access to potentially embarrassing material, however embarrassing is not equivalent to a threat on US policies.

Some of the damage that WikiLeaks has caused is bruising the already rocky relationship between the US and Germany. According to Time magazine, the German news magazine “Der Spiegel” was given access to documents from the US embassy in Berlin, courtesy of WikiLeaks. In it the American diplomats regarded the German Chancellor Angela Merkel as overly ambitious but insecure when it came to her dealing with the US government.

The US and other foreign governments should allow Assange to continue with the release of information. By preventing him from releasing the material it stirs suspicion that there might be something more than just the Iraq War Logs. Not to mention that many argue that if Assange were to be prosecuted in the US for allegedly violating the Espionage Act, he could argue that the government is violating his First Amendment rights.

Unfortunately, what all governments around the world need to realize is that Assange and WikiLeaks are not the last of their kind. As the future progresses, more and more people will discover different methods to bring attention to issues going on in one’s government.

The Connection Co-Editors-in-Chief Opinion Editor Features Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Online Editor Copy Editors Production Manager Faculty Adviser

Holly Sanderson & Cory Fong Alex Mosqueda Holly Sanderson Jarrad Hicks Alycia Lourim Cory Fong Maria Zavala & Kelsey Simpson Mikha Collins David Weinshilboum

The Connection is an award-winning newspaper published bi-weekly by the Journalism 400 newspaper production class. Editorials and opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the students, staff or faculty of CRC or the Los Rios Community College District. The Connection is a member of the Journalism Association of Community Colleges (JACC).

Staff Writers/Photographers/Graphic Artists: Troy Davis, Carlo Dela Cruz, Demitri Fellines, Johny Garcia, Tracy Gilkerson, Markie Jewell, Varsha Narayan, Alyssa Novak, Unique Pierre-Cody, Drew Pitts, Raynisha Taltoan, Jackie Tse, Branden Wiens

Telephone Fax Website E-mail Send letters to

(916) 691-7471 (916) 691-7181 www.crcconnection.com connect@crc.losrios.edu The Connection Cosumnes River College 8401 Center Parkway Sacramento, CA 95823 Or drop by LRC 109 on the first floor of the Learning Resource Center

Letters to the Editor must be typed, signed and include first and last name and a phone number. They must be 200 words or less and may be edited for length, clarity or taste.

Fair tuition prices for illegal immigrants Maria Zavala Connection Staff They are students who live in the shadows. They are students who were born out of the United States and brought here illegally by their parents at a young age. They have lived most of their lives in the United States and are bound to this country because of it. They are undocumented students.

Immigration has always been a highly debated issue, especially when elections are right around the corner. Unrealistic solutions have been proposed by the everyday American to solve this complex problem. Even to the extreme of let’s just kick all illegal immigrants out. This is highly unlikely. There are at least 10.8 million illegal immigrants in the US, according to the US Department of Homeland Security. Those 10.8 million illegal immigrants include children who are innocent bystanders that have been caught in between.

Every year about 25,000 undocumented students graduate from California high schools, according to ab540.com. Because they were brought here through no choice of their own by their illegal immigrant parents they of course hold an illegal status. The most recent debate surrounding illegal immigration is whether these undocumented students should pay in-state tuition or out-of-state tuition.

Assembly Bill 540, written by Democrat Marco Firebaugh and Republican Abel Maldonado, allows these students to pay in-state tuition if they have attended a California high school for three years and have graduated, according to ab540.com. This does not mean they are eligible for financial aid. They still have to pay their way through college. Republican Brian Bilbray recently sued to overturn AB540. He thought it unfair that his children, who graduated from Virginia high schools, had to pay out-of-state tuition when attending

California colleges while undocumented students did not. This bill is a money saver for undocumented students who would pay a significant amount of money if AB540 did not exist.

In 2009 to 2010, total average annual in-state fees for an undergraduate full-time student at the University of California is $9,285. This compares to $32,002 for non-resident students. At the California State University, undergraduate resident students pay $4,026 per year versus $11,160 for non-resident students. And at California Community Colleges the annual resident fee is roughly $480, while the annual non-resident fee totals to about $3,360. This bill only levels the playing field for undocumented students who would otherwise start every semester with a couple thousand dollars short.

Many others who oppose this assembly bill say we are rewarding people who know they broke the law. But these are students who were brought here at a young age.

Certainly at the age of five you went wherever your parents told you to. How can a 5-year-old refuse to move with his parents? Let’s separate these students into a different group than their parents because in reality it is the parents who broke the laws not the children.

Stop wining about how immigrants in general do not contribute to our economy or how they take jobs away. Here we have a group of enthusiastic young adults who want to contribute. They have aspirations for higher education. They want to contribute but if we put limitations on them how are they ever going to?

Most of these students have a stronger bond with the US than their birthplace. Some of them have mastered the English language and even forgotten some of their native language. And most of them see their future in the US. They are a future workforce and future taxpayers. They are future lawyers, doctors, and journalists. They are part of our future, like it or not.

Sobriety tests prevent social media access Raynisha Taltoan Connection Staff It’s common these days for people to wake up and find they have posted random statements during their 2 a.m. drinking binge.

Those people are often found retracting statements posted on social networking websites. This new application is said to help people who may be under the influence have a better chance of not regretting what they posted on a social network site aimed for the world to read.

It has been noticed that people tend to speak more freely than usual after indulging in alcoholic beverages, which can be things that are offensive or something one may not want publicized.

According to CNN, “nothing good happens after 1 a.m.,” which is said to be one of the main factors this online sobriety test is rolling out.

The online-based sobriety test is designed to include a series of tests that a person must pass before further access to the social network of their choice.

Upon failing the test, the application updates a status for you that reads, “I am too intoxicated to post right now,” which still defeats the purpose of embarrassing posts.

Some of the challenges on the sobriety application include keeping your cursor inside an animated moving circle on your screen or inputting the alphabet backwards.

For people who have actually tried taking these test sober, they have found this to be a little difficult

Which leads to the question how much help is this sobriety test?

According to the segment on CNN, this is not a feature that can be added to your hand-held device, it can only be used from a computer.

The people who really want to utilize this feature will have to be coherent enough to actually access it from a desktop.

The application itself The people does seem helpful just in the who really want fact that it exists, but considto utilize this ering our generation today, feature will which thrives off of the latest have to be and greatest technologies, this coherent could also be a downfall. enough to There is one major gadget actually out that streamlines social netaccess it from a work interaction. It is an ordidesktop. nary web enabled phone, or in other words “the smart phone.”

Being able to access the web with the touch of a button is not only one of the most innovative and helpful things to most people, but it is also one of the most convenient.

To present a feature that is designed to help but is incompatible with something most people own today is a fail, if I ever witnessed one.

Seriously, how often is someone heavily under the influence going to seek a computer before using their handheld device, which is designed to do most things a computer can do on the go? The chances are not likely.

Opinion

December 2, 2010

3

Cancer awareness bracelets banned from schools Demitri Fellines Connection Staff For the most part people know that the new and trendy slogan for the Keep A Breast Foundation this past November is “I <3 Boobies,” which means “I Heart Boobies.”

Except now it is getting attention for another reason, schools are banning the slogan from their campuses, including the Clovis Unified School District in Clovis, Calif.

The whole idea of banning an item that is making money for an organization dedicated to finding a cure is absurd.

What possible negative outlook can someone have on a bracelet or t-shirt that has “I <3 Boobies” on it, especially when the mark of the Keep A Breast Foundation is already on there?

This is just another example of school officials using power that they should not, and do not, have when it comes to freedom of expression.

It is like taking a page out of the Tinker v. Des Moines case.

The school officials in Des Moines, Iowa, decided that any student wearing a black armband is in protest of the Vietnam War. The students were given two choices.

Their options were to take it off or be suspended until they came back to school without it.

These t-shirts and bracelets along with the armbands from the Tinker v. Des Moines case were harmless and were a silent way of either showing support or protesting.

Considering the Des Moines case was an isolated incident, occuring in a single

school district, it is difficult to compare the two cases .

The “I <3 Boobies” bans are occuring in states across the nation, making it a larger case than the armband banning.

So to keep it relevant, we are going to compare how Clovis Unified School District went about banning as compared to Des Moines School District.

The difference was that the Clovis Unified School District already had a clause in their dress code.

It gave officials the power to remove anything that had sexually suggestive language or a picture.

Whereas the The bracelets and Des Moines School t-shirts were District created a after they found created for a rule out what the group good cause of petitioners had and are now planned. being banned While the Clobecause people vis Unified School are actually District does have a taking the time better case than Des now to look Moines did, it still inand read them. fringes on a student’s First Amendment right to freedom of expression.

The only question I have now is how you can consider the word “boobies” sexually suggestive, or even “I <3 Boobies,” as a sexually suggestive phrase?

I find both of them, word and phrase, to be very innocent.

If we are going to start nit-picking at clothing now then let us take this a step farther.

They should ban t-shirts that have pictures of gangsters, mafias, and other sug-

gestive themes that I have not once seen a school official question.

You can not pick certain things to get angry over, and let others slide by.

The bracelets and t-shirts were created for a good cause and are now being banned because people are actually taking the time to look and read them.

I could see school districts having a case if they started questioning them right when they were created and people were

Courtesy Photo into the new craze.

However now that it’s the end of Breast Cancer Awareness month, people want to start criticizing the word choice.

What I can guarantee is that half of those who are criticizing right now never thought that this would blow up to be as big as it has become.

The bottom line is that this is just an innocent way to help raise money for a good cause. And it is just that - innocent.

Laziness prevents students from advancing Johny Garcia Connection Staff

The semester is just about over and students are beginning to look for next semester’s classes.

Although many students simply pick the classes that fit their schedule, a lot of students have forgotten the true meaning of school and look for which classes require the least amount of work.

Although this lazy way of thinking is clearly present among students at Cosumnes River College, it isn’t unique to community colleges, it seems to be at nearly every college.

Students place so much emphasis on the difficulty of a teacher that on ratemyprofessor.com, a site dedicated to feedback from college students, easiness is one of the five measures, along with hotness.

College is not meant to be a place where students come to relax and do as little work as they can while managing to get by.

College is meant to give people a col-

HAWK TALK

“I just want my husband to come home. He’s a marine and he’s deployed right now.”

Adalynn Makihele, 18 English

lege education that they pay for, not some class we call a college level course when no college level work is actually required.

Community colleges are here to give students the equivalent of what they would receive had they gone to either a University of California or a California State University.

Educational degrees and certificates are essentially a way of proving that a student possesses a certain amount of knowledge on a given topic.

The degree states that the student has put in the time and effort, and therefore knows a certain amount about that topic.

Easier community college classes are not the equivalent of classes at a UC or CSU, and degrees gained by taking these easier classes are bogus.

When students pick teachers who require little to no work they are not only cheating the school system, they are cheating the companies that hire college graduates.

When a company hires a student who has a degree or certificate, the com-

pany assumes that the student knows what the degree states they should know.

However, when students cheat the system they don’t truly know everything that they should. Instead, the College students just know is not meant how to cheat the to be a place system.

Many students where students claim that finding come to the easiest classes relax and to take is simply a do as little requirement for the work as they busy students. can while Yes, many stumanaging to dents have prioriget by. ties that may overshadow school for the time being. Many have work or are eagerly searching for work.

Other students have children and families they have to attend to.

However, these priorities are no reason to cheat the school system. College classes are designed for students to learn both in and out of the classroom.

For each unit, students are expected to put two hours of work outside of the classroom for each hour in the classroom.

If a student has too many responsibilities outside of the classroom then he or she should just accept the fact that college is out of the question until some free time opens up.

Students, when you are signing up for classes, don’t just pick the ones that are going to be easy and fun.

Pick the classes that are taught by teachers who are known for being tough.

Pick the classes that truly are challenging, the ones that are going to ask you to do more than any other class has asked you to do.

Yes, it is much easier to cheat the system by taking classes that require very little work and give you college level credit in the process.

But when the easy class comes to an end you won’t feel like you accomplished something that most were afraid to even try.

What’s on your holiday wish list?

Compiled by Johny Garcia and Photos by Mikha Collins

“To get a better understanding of what I learned this semester.”

“I was kind of wondering if I could just go somewhere for the holidays.”

“I wish I had money to give presents to people.”

Michael Jackson, 25 Design Art

Osaiasi Foleti, 21 Computer Information Science

Tanya Miller, 32 Neurobiology

Features

4

Student composers’ first grand concert delivers rewarding notes Mikha Collins Connection Staff Cosumnes River College’s Recital Hall trembled with the sound of drums on Monday night as students took the stage in the first ever Student Composition Concert.

The entire production was the result of over a year and a half of work by the students. It featured original works created entirely by the students of CRC’s Composition Club, which consists mainly of percussion players. The night was an ode to sound and rhythm and filled the room with energy in an awesome display of some of the amazing talent hidden in CRC’s music department.

Brian Parkhurst, a 22-year-old music major, opened the show with his original composition on solo piano, titled “Ash,” which was masterfully played from memory.

Parkhurst was all smiles after the show.

“It felt good to do something new” and play his own compositions, Parkhurst said.

Victor Castellanos’ piece, “Midnight Escape,” was a spirited conversation between cymbals and drum beat and featured interesting instruments like the marimba and the temple blocks, played by the talented Mindy Chen and Austin Mooney respectively. As Castellanos said in his introduction, the point was to “express pure percussion” outside of the constraints of the orchestra.

Albert Kolesinski’s composition, “Within the Balor’s Keep,” told an epic story with heavy drums and electric guitar and, while it was a bit difficult to hear the individual instruments, the overall effect of the piece wasn’t missed.

Kevin Brisco, an 18-year-old music major, showed off his skills, with a little guidance from the audience, in a solo

piano improvisation performance and then again in an improvisation duet with flutist and trumpeter, Tony Dunns.

The pleasant mix of sounds was reminiscent of traditional 1920’s jazz bands.

“I like improvisation and I like performing solo or with an accompaniment like I did tonight with Tony,” Brisco said.

Daniel Horne’s love for video games inspired solo piano pieces, called “Magic,” and “The First Encounter,” enchanted the audience with their light and playful sounds, inviting the audience into the world of fantasy. His final piece, “The Way Things Are,” had a more haunting and even wistful tone and told of a more personal journey.

Horne’s wonderfully executed performance was a particular highlight in the program.

The final piece of the evening was Parkhurst’s “Specter,” which brought together the strong sounds of percussion along with vocals and an accompanying video that earned a hearty round of applause even though there were some sound issues.

“It was our first performance and there were a few bugs but I can’t wait to do it again and make it an even better experience,” Parkhurst said.

Kurt Erickson, the club advisor and the professor of music, was happy to give credit where credit was due.

“I didn’t do anything, it was all them,” Erickson said.

“I’m proud of what they accomplished.”

Even though the show was plagued with sound difficulties, it was a hit with the audience and a rewarding experience for the amateur composers.

“We wanted to create buzz and excitement and that’s what we did,” Erickson said.

Asian Blossom’s cuisine is a sizzling hit Branden Wiens Connection Staff Nestled among the new establishments across from Cosumnes River College is a small, unassuming restaurant called Asian Blossom. However, the flavor of their food is anything but subtle.

Located next to Foods Co. Asian Blossom is a Vietnamese and Chinese restaurant.

The décor is Asian-styled, with subtle reds and blues dominating the simple setup that has the usual hallmarks of an Asian restaurant, golden dragon statuettes and Asian script on the walls.

After looking at their menu, I quickly decided on the peppered calamari.

Being a fan of squid, I’ve noted in the past that delivering a superb flavor from the meat has always been a black and white affair— either it’s the best thing you’ve ever tasted or the worst.

Asian Blossom offers an interesting alternative for those looking to dine on a budget.

The calamari was around ten dollars. However, if you choose to add rice to it, the price comes down considerably to a more reasonable seven.

The single scoop of rice takes up about a quarter of the oval plate, so you don’t get less food by any means, just less of the calamari.

This option is available for the majority of the dishes on the menu.

The calamari was fried, and joined by some sliced jalapenos and slices of white and green onions.

The frying appeared to pleasantly neutralize the flavor of the jalapenos a bit—not too spicy, not too mild either. As mentioned earlier, squid is a hard meat to cook properly, but Asian Blossom pulled it off very well.

While not as pliable as fish may be, it wasn’t rubbery, as is often the case.

The onions and jalapenos were able to mix with the calamari and create an interesting mix. A bit on the salty side, but overall a delicate balance. By the end of it, I was full, and required a takeout box. For around $8, I got an

excellent meal, and one that certainly beats anything from any fast-food joint.

The prices are around the same for a large burger and fries at several fast food places but the quality of Asian Blossom was much better.

Service was excellent as well.

Asian Blossom is a small restaurant that is sure to become a hit so long as they don’t stray from their quality and tastiness. In a world where we get more for less, it’s nice to know that some places still offer outstanding quality at a fair price.

December 2, 2010

Black Friday sales in great holiday cheer Mikha Collins Connection Staff Black Friday, the day dedicated to the consumer, started early for shoppers, even before the effects of Thanksgiving turkey had worn off.

People came out in full force, standing outside in the fridgid wind and rain, to be first in line to buy their favorite items at bargain prices.

Many stores, like JC Penney, Target and Macy’s, changed their hours for this special shopping day, either opening early, closing late or both.

Others, like Wal-Mart and Toys “R” Us, got a jump start on the competition by beginning their sales on Thanksgiving Day. From the standpoint of those unfortunate enough to have had to work on that fateful day, it was horrible.

Shoppers ripped through stores like locust, leaving nothing behind but empty racks and perhaps a forlorn shoe that had lost its mate for workers to clean up.

For retail corporations, however, the results of Black Friday’s ultra-low prices appear to be positive.

Shoppers were out en masse to take advantage of deals on laptops, plasma TV’s, digital cameras and other electronics that were popular Black Friday buys.

There were plenty of shoes, toys and clothes on sales, such as the 50 percent off shoe sale at Macy’s and the 80 percent off of learning toys at Toys “R” Us. The biggest deals of this season were found online.

Online sales went over particularly well this year because many retailers had their sales available days before the actual Friday.

Wal-Mart, Toys “R” Us, Target, American Eagle, Aeropostale and Kohl’s are just a few of the retailers that profited from the huge increase of online spending this year.

Amazon.com, and other online stores, began the holiday season with huge success.

They boasted of their large increase in visitors to their shopping sites for items like books, movies, video games and other electronics.

There was over $648 million in online sales on Black Friday, which was nine percent higher than 2009, according to the Sacramento Bee. The increase in online spending is understandable because only the truly dedicated want to stand in line at four in the morning, for who knows why.

The success of Black Friday has retail executives rubbing their hands together optimistically about holiday sales in November and December.

Many stores are extending their deals for the holidays in hopes of keeping people shopping through the lull between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The trend for bargain-hunting is incentive for retailers to continue providing outstanding sales to keep people shopping through December.

Shoppers should take advantage of the sales this season if they want to get everything on their wish lists and still stay inside their budget.

Brandon Wiens | The Connection

This plate of fried calamari with rice over dried noodles is one of the dishes offered at Asian Blossom.

The dish also contained meat with bits of green and white onion, and the occasional slice of jalapeno.

Author’s score

Author’s Score is 5 out of 5 stars

>>Campus update The Christian Club raised $3013.00 in donations for needy families of students on campus. The club normally donates food baskets but due to construction in the cafeteria they did not have the resources to do so this year. Instead they donated gift cards to the families.

CAMPUS EVENTS Student Art Show and Sale 12/2 at 11 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Quad True Life Stories 12/2-12/4 at 7:30 p.m.

Black Box SDO Indoor Patio 12/6 at 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Library Building Lobby TV-Film Student Video Showcase 12/10 at 6 p.m.

CAC 230 Orchestra 12/13 at 7:30 p.m.

Recital Hall

December 2, 2010

Features

5

‘Deathly Hallows’ avada kedavra’s box office Alycia Lourim Connection Staff The triage is back, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley in the exciting “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part One.” But instead of attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for their seventh and last year, they are on the run to finish off Professor’s Dumbledore’s task of finding the last horocruxes.

Throughout the course of making these films, there have been different directors, and David Yates has been on the journey of directing the Harry Potter films since the fifth installment, “The Order of the Phoenix.”

As soon as the film starts it immediately makes emotions run high.

It is the last chance Harry Potter and the rest of the Order of the Phoenix clan have to fight off the deadly hewho-must-not-be-named, Voldemort.

The pace of the film is quick, as it should be. They have no time to spare or much time to think because they are forced to be quick on their feet.

In the beginning, when all is dark and everyone is holding onto what little hope they have left, there is a wedding.

Bill Weasley, played by Domhnall Gleeson, the second eldest son, a returning character from the fourth film, “The Goblet of Fire,” is getting married to another returning character from the fourth film.

But Bill isn’t the only one having some romance. Harry Potter, played by Daniel Radcliffe, and Ginny Weasley, played by Bonnie Wright, are finally embracing their attraction for one another. Ginny creates the perfect balance for Harry, comforting him by telling him how this moment is a perfect time to have a wedding and be happy because they don’t know if this moment is their last.

Of course, Voldemort and the Death Eaters cannot allow one moment of happiness to be enjoyed.

As everyone is dancing and enjoying themselves at Bill’s wedding, they are interrupted by a surprise attack from the Death Eaters.

This is when Harry, Hermione and Ron must apparate (join hands and teleport to a new destination) from he scene of the attack.Throughout the rest of the film, the audience sees some of the worst highs and lows these three characters have ever endured.

Emma Watson, who plays Hermione, explores the depth of Hermione’s character more complexly in this film.

She is truly a young woman now who is experiencing the struggles of coming of age. While she is being forced to be

stronger than ever before, she is also forced to find herself.

This film truly exemplifies just how powerful and dangerous the dark magic is.

For years, these films may have seemed directed to a younger audience, but in reality it has always been a “coming of age” film.

Bellatrix, played by the famous actress Helena Bonham Carter, travels through the darkest realms of torture. Not only through the torture of physical pain, but psychology as well.The intense chase scene angles that make you want to duck under that tree branch, or pull out your own wand in defense, are quite surreal.

Yates directs a beautiful film of life, death, hope, love and fear. All of these are elements surround each individual’s daily lives, but for these characters obviously at a much higher risk.

Though the time element is quick because must they are racing Voldemort to the horocruxes, Yates finally learns how to walk through certain scenes slower that need to be enjoyed, not only by the audience, but to benefit the characters.

Although their foreground is a world full of fantasy and magic, Yates takes a chance with the first half of Deathly Hallows by challenging the actors to bring the film to life through focusing on the reality of each characters’ struggles that everyone can relate to.

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter Directed by: David Yates Rating: PG-13 Runtime: 146 minutes Author’s score

Authors Score is 5 out of 5 stars

New album by Kanye West flies off the charts Drew Pitts Connection Staff Kanye West is a true artist, and he is able to bring his art to real life as well as any rapper in history.

He succeeds doing this on his latest opus ‘My Beautiful Dark and Twisted Fantasy.’

After his controversial interruption of Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards, West went into exile.

While gone, he worked on the album and is now back with vengeance.

Although West has made his way to mainstream he still keeps to his classic hip hop roots.

This is evident from the first song of the album, called ‘Dark Fantasy.’

One track which was produced by the legendary WuTang Clan producer RZA, West delivers clever rhymes such as, “Too many Urkel’s on ya team/that’s why ya wins low.”

On ‘Gorgeous,’ he continues his Wu Tang collaborations by teaming up with Raekwon, as well as West’s record label Getting Out Our Dreams Music, protégé Kid Cudi.

Kanye spits, “Is hip hop just a euphemism for a new religion/the soul music of the slaves that the youth is missing?”

The album’s first single is ‘Power’ which samples ‘21st Century Schizoid Man’ by King Crimson and ‘Its Your Thing’ by Cold Grits. The haunting chants and active drums are a perfect back drop for Kanye’s boastful and paranoid rhymes.

West has always been phenomenal with bringing together artists, who you may not normally hear, on the same song.

He doesn’t do this just to have a famous feature but more for who fits perfect for the track like he did on past

songs like ‘Two Words.”

On this track, he put Freeway, who is known for his drug-dealing, gun-toting rhymes, with Mos Def, more known for conscience rhymes.

On “All of The Lights” he brings together musicial artists Rihanna, Elton John, Alicia Keys, Drake, Kid Cudi, Fergie, The Dream, John Legend, Charlie Wilson and Ryan Leslie for a feel good anthem.

He continues the great collaborations with the menacing ‘So Appalled’ that features Jay-Z, Swizz Beatz, Pusha T, the RZA, and newcomer Prynce Cy Hi. West’s mentor, Jay-Z, gives one of his best featured verses ever with bars like “I went from the favorite to the most hated/but would you rather be under paid or overrated?”

Kanye also goes into the crazy world of relationships on the songs ‘Devil In A New Dress’ featuring Rick Ross and ‘Blame Game’ with John Legend.

On “Devil,” Kanye’s wordplay is on display in hisrhymes such as, “Hit the Jamaican spot at the bar took a seat/I ordered the jerk/she said you are what you eat.”

In ‘Blame Game,’ West proves again that there are no rules you have to stick to when creating hip hop records.

He brilliantly uses the popular “chopped and screwed” technique on the third verse each line.

‘My Beautiful Dark and Twisted Fantasy’ doesn’t fit traditional radio and video formats and follows no rules.

With the exception of ‘Lost In The World,’ the album is a masterpiece.

On Twitter, West proclaimed he wanted to be the greatest rapper of all time.

With his previous work as well as his latest creation, he is making music that one day can put him in the highest pantheon of hip hop and pop music in general.

Kanye West My Beautiful Dark and Twisted Fantasy Roc-a-Fella Records & Def Jam Release Date: 11/25 Author’s score

Authors Score is 5 out of 5 stars

Sports

December 2, 2010

7

NFL’s ultimate dual threat makes comeback However, it caused the 49ers coaching staff and fans to think he was too skittish and wasn’t poised enough to lead the 49ers back to the Super Bowl. Young did find the balance and turned it into two NFL Most Valuable Player

Eleven touchdown passes, one interception, 62.8 Awards, Super Bowl MVP, and retired as the NFL’s all time completion percentage, and a quarterback rating of 106. highest rated passer.

Randall Cunningham’s size and speed at the Sounds like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, or Drew Brees quarterback position was something the league had never right?

No it’s Michael Vick. These incredible numbers is seen before when he excited fans as quarterback of the undefeated in games he has started this season for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Like Vick, Cunningham had a tremendous throwing Philadelphia Eagles.

Vick has always been explosive using his legs, causing arm which wasn’t really on display until he had a change defensive coordinators to loose sleep trying to game plan of scenery. In 1998, Cunningham came back to the NFL against his ability to make plays outside of the pocket. to take the reins as the quarterback of the Minnesota Vick has now added poised pocket passer into his already Vikings.

What happened next was Cunningham leading the impressive repertoire.

With this new dimension to his game, is Vick the Vikings to within a field goal of going to the Super Bowl toughest quarterback in the league to game plan for? Is he by having the highest scoring offense in the history of the league. the toughest to game plan for in league history?

Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have been without a After serving a 21 month prison sentence for federal dog fighting charges, most people questioned whether doubt the two best quarterbacks in the NFL over the past Vick would be the same player he was as an Atlanta Falcon decade.

They both have such command of their offenses; they where he was so dynamic running the football.

There have been other “run first” quarterbacks who are always prepared for the defenses they see each week. have changed their identities as just runners. The San However, individual skill wise, Vick is the toughest player Francisco 49ers won four Super Bowls in the 1980’s lead in football to prepare for.

Although Vick has always had to deal with a spy, a by who most consider the greatest quarterback of all time, linebacker that is assigned to follow the quarterback all Joe Montana.

When injuries kept Montana off the field, his long over the field, to keep him from running, the spy now time back up Steve Young took over. Instantly Young was has to respect Vick beating the defense with his arm by criticized for his run first mentality that was so different making great throws downfield.

Vick was notorious for being a “last to show up, first from Montana who was arguably the most poised pocket to leave” type of player. passer ever.

But with a new found appreciation for his situation At times, Young’s ability to escape pressure made for breath taking moments like the dramatic 50 yard as an NFL quarterback, Vick has put in the work to be a touchdown that won the game against the Minnesota true dual threat quarterback and one of the front runners for not only Comeback Player of the Year but NFL MVP. Vikings in 1988.

Drew Pitts Connection Staff

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NBA writer emphasizes the importance of social media Jarrad Hicks Connection Staff

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For many students, using social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are as simple as socializing with peers and keep in touch with friends.

National Basketball Association Senior Writer of AOL Fanhouse, Sam Amick, emphasized the importance of social networking as a positive attribute to your career in a lecture to students at Cosumnes River College on Nov. 29.

For Amick, it is not only a great tool for him to connect quickly with readers, it helped him get to where his is today, literally.

Along with answering any questions, Amick spoke about his experience as a writer as well as his journey there.

Amick worked for five years at the Sacramento Bee as the Sacramento Kings Beat writer covering players as Ron Artest, Kevin Martin and Tyreke Evans, said that while journalists don’t have to utilize a social media presence like Twitter to survive in the industry, not having one can, at times make writers seem none existence.

“I feel like you run a huge risk of being lost,” Amick said. “Because if you broke a story, you at least have to tweet a link to the breaking story for people in the industry to know you had it. So I do feel there is a correlation between a social media presence and relevance.”

Amick told the Journalism 300 class that despite working in one of the NBA’s smallest markets, having a relatively nice sized Twitter following of just under 6,000 followers helped him to land a job with AOL Fanhouse, who “wanted to ramp up their NBA coverage.”

“I would have never gotten the job if I would never created a Twitter account,” Amick said.

But despite the ability to instantly get information to the masses by working online with Fanhouse and

using Twitter, Amick said the same rules still apply despite having to be his own editor with AOL. “There are fewer safeguards with online media,” Amick said.

Amick cautioned that Amick said that news judgment, ethics and the way you conduct yourself in the field still remain paramount for reporters despite the change in media.

Although the rapid growth of the Internet and blogosphere where literally anyone can be a journalist from the comfort of one’s own computer “It’s not about chair, Amick what form it said he felt the importance of comes in but true journalism it is about the is needed now institution of more than ever. journalism and It is needed how the job gets not just in done. I really do sports, but think that my across the news story is a sign industry. of the times, “I think just from seeing that reporters both sides of it.” do (provide) a service for the fans,” Amick Sam Amick said. “And the Senior NBA ones who are Writer, AOL out there on Fanhouse Cloud Nine, being around the team aren’t going to ask the hard questions.”

Amick went on to say that he doesn’t mind seeing a shift from traditional print journalism to being more online based, so long as the integrity of the craft is upheld.

“It’s not about what form it comes in but it is about the institution of journalism and how the job gets done,” Amick said. “I really do think that my story is a sign of the times, just from seeing both sides of it.”

Sports

6

December 2, 2010

Cheaters escape punishment for past penalties Demitri Fellines Connection Staff Reggie Bush, Cam Newton, Chris Webber and Derrick Rose; these are big time athletes who are either underinvestigation or have been found guilty of being academically ineligible during their college playing days.

Bush handed over the Heisman trophy willingly after the NCAA took his senior year eligibility in question and found out that he had received improper benefits while playing at USC. A similar story falls with Chris Webber who during his time in Michigan, received money from the team’s booster.

Rose on the other hand was caught cheating in classes to stay academically eligible, while the most recent big-named college athlete Cam Newton is underinvestigation for soliciting money from schools for his commitment to play football there Three out of the four names listed were found academically ineligible for

their college careers after they had played their time in college and made were already making big money in the National Football League or the National Basketball Association.

The controversy of this is that while the schools have been properly punished with cuts in recruitment, scholarships and sometimes even a loss at a chance for making the playoffs or a bowl game, an example of this would be the University of Southern California’s four-year ban from any Bowl Championship Series (BCS) game.

“It is really hard to say that you have to punish the player after they have already left the school,” said head coach of the men’s basketball program James Giacomazzi.

“It is unfortunate and not right but the program and institute have to take responsibility for the actions that include them in the problem.”

It becomes difficult after an athlete has left the school to really impose any punishments on them, no matter how badly a die hard fan would like to see it.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

To regulate some sort of punishment, would have to include a verbal agreement or contract by the NCAA with all major sports associations which isn’t a reasonable idea simply for the fact that professional sports has no interest or time for petty crimes such as that.

The NFL is contemplating a lockout with its players after the player’s union and owners of the NFL have not been able to reach an agreement on the salary cap limit for next season, so the idea of having to enforce punishment on rookies just coming into the NFL does not seem very high on the NFL’s list of things to do with their time “There is no way that any of these athletes are going to be punished beyond having to give back awards that they received while playing,” said 19-year-old civil engineer major Mike Eberly.

“There are too many players to have to look out for and professional sports organizations are not there to babysit them and hold them by the hand.”

All around people believed the same thing; that it is just too difficult to try and

institute punishments on those who are no longer in college, but one did give insight to a possible punishment for those who graduated with a degree.

“NCAA and Professional League rules do not correlate with each other,” said 22-year-old political science and philosophy major John McNerney.

“I believe that honors or academic achievements should be stripped from any athlete that was found purposely cheating to make eligibility.

With this in mind revoking a college degree could be in order.”

The punishments for the violators are very limited but taken to the extreme can be very detrimental to future job possibilities.

However, its unfortunate for those who have to deal with the schools punishments because they were looking for an equal opportunity to make the most out the their athletic careers but with the bans being enforced, those who have committed will have to wait it out or play with no hopes of getting a chance at a National Championship run.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Opponent

Location

Date/Time

James Clark Inviational Modesto JC Invitational Redwoods Ohlone Modesto JC

CRC Modesto Eureka Fremont Modesto

Dec. 3-5 - TBA Dec. 8-12 - TBA Dec. 18 - 3 p.m.

Dec. 30 - 3 p.m.

Jan. 4 - TBA

Opponent Butte College Solano Tournament Modesto JC American River College Santa Rosa JC

Location

Date/Time

CRC Solano Modesto CRC Santa Rosa

Dec. 4 - 6 p.m.

Dec. 10-12 - TBA Jan. 7 - 6 p.m.

Jan. 11 - 6 p.m Jan. 14 - 6 p.m.

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News

8

December 2, 2010

Tuition: frustrated students worry DREAM: thoughts mixed regarding approval of about transfer prospects Continued from page 1

quality higher education,â&#x20AC;? Steinberg said.

To aid students, financial aid improvements have been established, according to an article published in The Sacramento Bee. However, these improvements will only affect 55 percent of the student population, keeping the tuition prices level only for families making less than $120,000, according an article published in The Sacramento Bee. However, students said despite financial aid improvements the difficulties will still be present. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Students will be stuck here [Cosumnes River College] longer, they will be waiting to transfer longer, which will cost a lot more money,â&#x20AC;? said Alex Nyamandzawo, a 19-year-old biology major. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It just causes so many more problems.â&#x20AC;?

Another student said although she thinks the cuts being made to education are unfair, she said she thinks students need to be better prepared for what lies

ahead. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Before you enroll, you should know if you want it,â&#x20AC;? said Karen Acido, 25, a nursing major. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You have to want it.â&#x20AC;?

Although the increase in prices are difficult, philosophy professor Charles Van Patten said they are necessary if they are what it takes to maintain a good education for students. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cosumnes River College and the Los Rios District should do everything possible to maintain access to a full curriculum for students,â&#x20AC;? Van Patten said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If we need to have bigger classes, we should do it. If we need to have cuts in pay, we should do it.â&#x20AC;?

Protestors reacted violently to the voting of the UC tuition increase on Nov. 18 at UC San Francisco, where four police officers and more than a dozen protestors were arrested, according to an article in The Sacramento Bee. Many students also said although they understood the reasons for the cuts in classes and price increases, they were frus-

trated by the cuts being made to education. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s making everything worse, not better,â&#x20AC;? Nyamandzawo said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Without education, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just going downhill.â&#x20AC;?

Another student said he agreed that the cuts were frustrating but necessary. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Education being cut is just a hard thing to witness,â&#x20AC;? Yamamoto said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Although I agree some cuts need to be made to help resolve this crisis, education should be a last resort cut.â&#x20AC;?

With these difficulties students are presented with, some students and faculty said students should be more responsible and serious in their decision-making regarding education and finances. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you have money, use it wisely,â&#x20AC;? Acido said.

Students should also not even consider dropping their classes, Van Patten said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;No matter how difficult it gets, students should persevere to the end of their educational program,â&#x20AC;? Van Patten said.

Survey: students express concern over unemployment and education Continued from page 1

nity college systems that continue to put more and more students in debt.

Khou Yang, a 20-year-old early childhood education major, said more attention should be paid to higher educationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reality. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would like to see them focus on education more,â&#x20AC;? Yang said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The only way that jobs can be filled correctly is if we have people who are taught to do them properly and that starts out with making education not only more affordable but being able to get the classes to those who need them for their major.â&#x20AC;?

Chris Nguyen, a 22-year-old

emergency medical technician major, said both issues are important, but both have different implications and affect each other differently. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think that the government needs to look at both evenly,â&#x20AC;?

Nguyen said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They go hand-inhand to a certain extent. You need money to pay for school, which comes from jobs.â&#x20AC;?

Nguyen said one requires the other. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You also need an education to work those jobs,â&#x20AC;? Nguyen said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is hard to decide when both of them rely on one another in so many different ways.â&#x20AC;?

Now the decision lies with those newly elected officials and students are struggling to guess at which way they will go. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All we can do is press our issues and make a cases for our cause,â&#x20AC;? Castro said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The final decision lies with those officials.â&#x20AC;?

While individuals can make their issues heard, the reality California residents face is that currently the best they can do is hope and wait, Castro said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They will do what they feel is best at this time,â&#x20AC;? Castro said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All we can do is voice our opinion and support what we want to see happen.â&#x20AC;?

Four Loko: productâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creator concedes, shipment ceased and drink altered Continued from page 1

â&#x20AC;&#x153;While we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t agree with the notion that mixing caffeine and alcohol is inherently unsafe, we do agree with the goal of keeping adults of legal age who choose to drink responsibly as safe and and as informed as possible,â&#x20AC;? according to a open letter from Phusion Projects issued on Nov.10.

Chand described his experience with the drink. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to drink a full can before you feel your heart start to race, it seriously feels like you are going to die,â&#x20AC;? Chand said.

States across the country, including Utah, Oklahoma, Washington and Michigan have reacted by outright banning the drink and students are beginning to agree with such actions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think the fact it gives people so much energy is a reason why it is so popular, but I think a ban is necessary if the drink is making people sick,â&#x20AC;? said Ranginaa Basit, 23, liberal studies major.

recent legislation Continued from page 1

â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is a minimal enrollment,â&#x20AC;? said sociologist professor Paul Zisk in regard to the number of students affected. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It does nothing to balance the budget.â&#x20AC;?

Professor of accounting, Janis Caston, was concerned about the access to colleges. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have limited capacity,â&#x20AC;?

Caston said.

The problem would be that illegal students would have an advantage over other students when it came to enrollment, Caston said.

Zisk said there is probably less than 1,000 undocumented students in the University of California system.

Both Zisk and Caston said it would have a neutral impact on CRCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s campus.

What the DREAM Act is supposed to do is give undocumented or legal residents, a chance to achieve a higher education, according to the California Education Code.

The guidelines are that a student must attend a California high school for three years or more, graduate from a California high school, entering as a newly enrolled student, or current enrollment at an accredited institution of higher education, according to the California Education Code.

If the person is without lawful immigration status, they must complete an affidavit with the public college or university stating that the student has filed an application to legalize their status, according to the California Education Code. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is a great idea,â&#x20AC;? said Appriah Negete, a 27-year-old nursing major. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They go to a public school without a public fee. They have the right to go to a public school already.â&#x20AC;?

Negete said she has a friend who is in this situation with illegal immigration. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She has more passion than what most college students have about school,â&#x20AC;? Negete said of her friend.

Negete questions the fact that we as Americans wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let someone go to school and live like everyone else. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They too will pay more taxes with higher paying positions,â&#x20AC;?

Negete said.

Negete pointed out something that is pounded into Americans from the time that they begin in school. â&#x20AC;&#x153;America is supposed to be a free country,â&#x20AC;? Negete said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All immigrants should have the same opportunity because werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t we once all immigrants?â&#x20AC;?

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Four Loko is sold in 23.5-oz. cans with an alcohol beverage volume of 12 percent. The drink combines as much alcohol as five to six cans of beer and the equivalent of one cup of coffee, according to an article from ABCNews. com.

Phusion Projects has recently been subject to a number of lawsuits, including a wrongful death suit filed by a Florida family.

The family claimed that the consumption of at least three cans of Four Loko caused their son to become so manic and erratic that he shot himself, according to an article on Time magazine.

With drinks like Four Loko becoming increasingly popular among teenagers, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s raising questions about alcoholic consumption amongst youth. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Young adults and teenagers donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think anything can happen to them if they drink and that is why tragedies happen, especially

with sororities and fraternities,â&#x20AC;? said Jon Adams, health professor at Cosumnes River College.

Adams said he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know if a ban on Four Loko is necessary because people should be responsible for their own actions and anything is good in moderation.

Phusion Projects has responded the FDAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s threat of possible seizure under federal law by promising to cease the shipping of the product in its current state. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Phusion Projects today announced the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intent to reformulate its products to remove caffeine, guarana and taurine nationwide, saying it has taken the necessary steps to do so and is informing its employees and distributors of the plans,â&#x20AC;? according to a press release on Nov. 16. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Going forward, Phusion will produce only non-caffeinated versions of Four Loko.â&#x20AC;?

The drink is expected to be off shelves nationwide by Dec. 13.

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