The Dissenteruption Spring 2012

Bakersfield College’s student magazine

Spring 2012

A venue transformed

photo by omar oseguera

By Omar oseguera

Afternoons at Munoz Gym are filled with the sound of jumping rope, speed bags and grunts as local boxers spar. A few hours later, Paul Munoz, owner of the gym, walks in from his house in the back to oversee his boxers. He gives pointers, offers water and converses with everyone training. As the sun sets, the boxers leave, Munoz heads back to his home, and the gym is welcomed with a new presence. Punk rockers show up unloading their amps from vans, fans begin to gather, and the show begins.

Munoz Gym, located at 1931 E. California Ave, is a boxing gym by day and punk venue by night. All of the bands play inside a boxing ring, and the crowd gathers inside the ring and around it.

The atmosphere makes for some of the most intimate shows around.

The energy radiates as fans swing from rope to rope at the pace of the band’s music, and a feeling of community and euphoria runs down you as everyone cheers in between songs.

Munoz has had the place for more than 40 years.

“I was the first [boxing gym] ‘til everyone started copying,” said Munoz.

Munoz’s grandson, Ronald Ramirez, owner of Going Underground Records located downtown, eventually started booking shows inside the gym. Munoz Gym’s first show was an all-local show in 1998.

“We got banned from Jerry’s Pizza at the time for doing stupid things, and the bands we wanted to book were not being booked anywhere else,” said Ramirez.

The price for every show is from $5-$6 dollars, and the money goes to the bands touring. Ramirez has handled the majority of the shows being booked, and more recently

Adam Schwartz of local punk band On Parade has booked shows as well. Ramirez thanks his grandpfather greatly for allowing them to book shows.

“He has always been real supportive of it, which is cool because we wouldn’t have had any shows if it wasn’t for him,” said Ramirez.

Munoz Gym has brought an abundance of punk rock music to Bakersfield. Bands like Fucked Up from Canada, The Vicious from Sweden, D-Clone from Japan and Merchandise from Florida have all played inside the boxing ring.

Patrick Brady, bass player of Merchandise, has played at Munoz Gym previous times with other bands.

“Munoz Gym is awesome … it’s really fun playing here,” he said.

“It’s not only the place, it’s the people.

“Everyone here seems genuinely excited to see the bands. We played in L.A. the other night, and it didn’t feel as personal as it does here.”

Along with great touring bands, Munoz Gym has been a home for some essential Bakersfield bands.

“My favorite shows have been all the local bands that were really important,” said Ramirez. “The modern bands like On Parade and Carcinogenz … the Loser Life

Inside

shows and The Pine shows.

“You take it for granted when you’re there, but afterwards, you’re like, ‘oh man that was fun.’”

Along with a great history of shows, the gym has faced a few hardships.

This year, Munoz Gym was broken into, and boxing equipment, such as gloves and headgear, was stolen from the gym, as well as PA speakers.

Ramirez has set up donations for his grandfather’s loss at his record store, located at 1822 G St. downtown, and on the Going Underground Records Facebook page.

“The main thing is that I’m trying to raise the money so my grandpa doesn’t have to buy it,” said Ramirez on the stolen boxing gear.

With all of its history, Munoz Gym has earned its place in the punk rock scene.

It has not only placed Bakersfield on the map of punk rock venues, but it has also helped in keeping the culture alive and relevant.

Photo by nate perez

Staff

Page 5: On the brink Nearby dam holding back devastation

Page 6: A war of thumbs Portable gaming’s biggest battle

Page 2: On the cusp of insanity A tale of Kern cruelty

Page 3: Choose your technique Bakersfield’s own test their might

Page 4: Bakersfield airwaves Local sounds vie for your attention

Page 6: College rides Cheap, dependable: perfect

Page 7: A lineage of Renegades Generations pass through Memorial

Page 8: Hanging it up Long-time coach resigning

Editor.................................... Zak S. Cowan Copy Editor..........................Patricia Rocha Reporters/Photographers: Martin Chang, Gregory D. Cook, Angie Delgado, Nestor Fernandez, Breanna Fields, Megan Luecke, Jon Nelson, Omar Oseguera, Nate Perez, Esteban Ramirez, Nicholas Sparling

Adviser...........................Danny Edwards

Life inside one of America’s most unaccepting environments

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t’s not hard to stand out in Bakersfield.

Known nationally for being a conservative stronghold (as well as having the most fast food restaurants per capita), Bakersfield has managed to hold on to a smalltown mentality despite its size and location.

The track housing of the Southwest and Stockdale areas make it look like the ideal place to raise a family.

However, as you travel north, things get a bit seedier. Oildale has a reputation for trailer-park living and the use of certain illicit substances.

It’s an interesting dynamic, to say the least, but sometimes it feels like if you’re not the picture of the American Dream or in the fallout of meth abuse, then you have no place here.

One group that certainly doesn’t seem to have a place here is homosexuals.

I wasn’t born in Bakersfield, but I consider it my hometown because most of the life experiences I have to draw upon happened in this city. My family moved here when I was two, and we’ve been here ever since. I grew up here. I got my driver’s license here. I got drunk for the first time here.

I also learned about the sting of homophobia here.

I’ve known that I’m gay since I was very young. Even before I knew that there was a word for it, I distinctly remember being about 10 and finding one of my mom’s issues of Cosmo that had a cheesy, beefcake picture of Tom Selleck in it. I knew nothing about sex, but I knew I was interested in this man. Maybe that’s where my love of facial hair originated?

The teasing began when I was in the third grade. I was the new kid at school and, to make matters worse, I was feminine and couldn’t play sports to save my life. I quickly became acquainted with words like “faggot” and “queer” and all the other lovely euphemisms we have for gay men.

A favorite among my classmates was to call me “girl” to mock my femininity. Ironically, I was being called “girl” by a lot of girls in my class. These children had no concept of gender or sexuality, but they already knew that our society deems it bad to be a woman and to be different. That speaks to how pervasive sexism and homophobia is in America.

The name-calling and harassment did two things to me. First, it made me hate school. I loved learning and reading, but all the other kids made school torture for me. I remember begging my mom one day and crying to let me stay home from school. I made up some other excuse as to why I didn’t want to go to school, because I couldn’t tell her that I couldn’t take the insults of my peers anymore.

The second thing the bullying did was make me hate myself. I got the idea that there was something inherently wrong with me hammered into my head everyday. I tried so hard to change and be more masculine and learn to throw a football, but nothing worked, and I ended up loathing

By Jon Nelson

myself even more.

Is it any wonder that the suicide rate among gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and questioning youth is so high? We’re born into a culture that can be openly hostile to us. And I’m not just talking about Fred Phelps and his army of jackasses. We’re assaulted every day by people walking down the street that we don’t even know, especially in places like Bakersfield.

We learn from a very young age that we’re bad and we can’t trust ourselves.

Things only got worse as I got older. Soon the teasing was accompanied by threats of physical violence.

Ironically, the bullying was at its worst in high school, but by that time I had stopped caring and things started improving. I attribute this to a combination of a bit of self-acceptance and discovering the freedom and rage of the punk rock scene.

Punk gave me a language to express the rage I was feeling. I still didn’t feel comfortable enough to come out of the closet, but I had an outlet to let off steam. I spent most of my high school years dying my hair pink in my bathtub, playing in bands, making my own clothes and connecting with other misfits my age. I even met a few gay people.

For me, it was difficult being young and gay in Bakersfield, because I didn’t see any gay culture that I could relate to. I realized early on that it was up to me to find my idols.

I started watching John Waters movies, reading William S. Burroughs books and tracking the career of drag terrorist Vaginal Davis. These people were monumentally important to me because they not only embraced their gayness, they made it seem cool. I definitely wasn’t getting that message from anywhere in Bakersfield.

It wasn’t until after high school and the bullying stopped that I felt comfortable enough to come out of the closet.

Even today, being gay in Bakersfield is difficult. I’m still dealing with people screaming “faggot” at my boyfriend and I when we hold hands in public. The difference today is that I realize the insults aren’t personal and have very little to do with me.

These bullies can’t think for themselves and are acting on the sick ideas that were passed down to them. They’re also most likely dealing with their own sexual issues.

I read about the recent rash of gay teen suicides and it destroys me, because I know that under a slightly different set of circumstances, that could have been me and a lot of the people I love. I know what it’s like to be harassed on a daily basis and to hate life and yourself.

I also know what it’s like to leave that all behind.

Being gay in Bakersfield isn’t easy. Unlike in big cities, young gay people here aren’t exposed to the people and culture that helps with self-acceptance.

I hope that at least one person reads this and feels less lonely. There’s an entire world of people out there just like you and waiting for you to find us.

A letter from your editor The Renegade Rip has been my passion for the past two years, and I am glad to go out with a bang. We have compiled these stories, meant for a magazine, in the form of the second installation of the Dissenteruption, an offspring of the Dissenter Magazine.

We, as your student publication, would love to bring you a full-fledged magazine, and I have no doubt that this staff could have pulled off the best Dissenter in its history, but we simply

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cannot afford it in these hard economic times.

Our publication pays for all printing for our newspapers through advertising, and this hampers our ability to do extra work to bring the Bakersfield College family the content they deserve.

But, we bring you what we can. We’ve brought BC an award-winning newspaper, having recently taken first place for California Newspapers Publishers Association’s general excellence award,

one of the most prestigious awards for California community college student newspapers, but we are always looking for new ways to cover life in Bakersfield and at BC and share these experiences with you, our readers.

So, we’ve brought you these stories, a look into the things that make Bakersfield unique, the good and the bad. Inside these eight pages are reflections and memories of our town, brought to you by some of the finest people I have

reflections

Graphic by chrystal fortt

On the cusp of insanity

ever been acquainted with: the writers and photographers of the Renegade Rip. So sit back and delve into the minds of the best student newspaper in California as we investigate, report and observe in honor of you, the students of BC.

- Zak S. Cowan

Choose your technique Bakersfield’s mixed martial arts scene

Photo by nate perez

Tommy Little grabs the gi of one of his students during a routine rolling session on April 18. Little operates South Valley Jiu-Jitsu.

Story by Nate Perez

paying you to show up,” said Camarillo.

“In jiu-jitsu, there are the Pan American [Championships] and the World [Jiu-Jitsu Championship],” he said. “Some say the Pan Am’s are tougher, and some say the Worlds are. Either way, they would be the Olympics for any other sport, that’s how hard of a level it is. There’re 3,600 competitors at the Pan American games.

That’s a lot. So you’re talking about the top people at these competitions. We took 13. I came back with a third [place], and one of our other guys came back with a third. We did OK.” Little also trains and competes. In 2006 Little won the Gracie World Championship in his division, in 2007 he won the Pan American Championships, in 2010 he won bronze in the European Championships, in 2011 he won the London International Championship and took second in the open category.

“We took, as a team, second in the North American championships in 2011. We had nine or 10 gold medals, 15 silvers and quite a few bronze. When it comes to tournaments, we win more tournaments than anyone else in this area, by far.”

Little has traveled all over the world to train and compete. He has been to Portugal, London and plans to compete later this year in Tokyo and Sidney. Currently, Little is in Russia with Ralek Gracie hosting seminars in Moscow.

Fighters that compete in mixed martial arts organizations, such as the Ultimate Fighter Championship and Strikeforce, must be well-rounded in multiple arts.

A fighter must have some knowledge of ground fighting and stand-up fighting.

“Nowadays, to be in the UFC, you have to have some of everything. It’s not like how it was in the beginning. My coach is the one who started the UFC. He started it, and it was a beautiful idea. He wanted to take karate versus boxing versus taekwondo and fight and just see what style was the strongest, and jiu-jitsu always won,” said Little.

“To be a good UFC fighter you have to know how to box,” he said. “You can’t beat the heavyweight champ, but you have to have some basics. Well now, the guys going to kick you, well you got to have some kicks too. You’re not going to be a kickboxing champion, but you have to have some kicks. OK, now you’re at jiu-jitsu.

You’re not going to be the best at jiu-jitsu, but you have to understand the basics.

“While some UFC fighters are good boxers, they come from boxing, some are

Photo by Gregory D. Cook

Jiu-jitsu is widely known to be one of the many different martial arts and a selfdefense mechanism. It was created in order for a smaller man to defend himself against a bigger man. Muscle isn’t necessary, but what is essential is technique.

Bakersfield is home to a number of gyms that teach jiu-jitsu, otherwise known as ground fighting. They have gained more notoriety over the years with the expansion of mixed martial arts.

In jiu-jitsu, there is a belt-ranking system that takes place. The order is white, blue, purple, brown and black belt, and many agree that one should plan on spending an average of two years at each belt.

Camarillo Jiu-Jitsu is located at 2415 Chester Ave. Daniel Camarillo shares the facility with Dave Woods, a kung fu instructor. There are a wide variety of services showcased other than jiu-jitsu and kung fu, such as tai chi, kick boxing and some wrestling.

Camarillo has around 70-75 students, including kids. There is an $85 monthly fee along with a six-month contract. Camarillo’s classes focus on a mixture of judo and jiu-jitsu and are held daily, except on Sundays.

Camarillo’s students practice jiu-jitsu with the gi, a robe-like uniform that is comprised of a cotton jacket and denimlike trousers.

South Valley Jiu-Jitsu is located at 6403 Seven Seas Ave. and is owned and operated by Tommy Little.

“We’re a traditional school. We don’t have other arts being taught at the school.

We’re strictly Brazilian jiu-jitsu,” said Little. His school has the biggest kids class in town.

Little’s school has a fee of $100 a month, and there is no contract involved.

For those who don’t know what judo or jiu-jitsu is, Camarillo explains, “Judo is 80 percent stand up and throws and 20 percent mat work,” he said. “Jiu-jitsu is reversing it. You [have] 80 percent mat work and 20 percent, maybe less standing. Most people do mat work a majority of the time, so the jiu-jitsu’s mat work is just so technical.

“You’re spending almost your whole training time just on the ground. I don’t know why the two arts fight. The judo guys don’t like us jiu-jitsu guys going in there, and vice versa.”

Both Camarillo and Little emphasize on the fact that jiu-jitsu is more of a sport than anything else.

“There are some tournaments that you can win money if you win, but they’re not

Daniel Camarillo, left, works on technique at one of his jiu-jitsu classes.

great jiu-jitsu guys because they have black-belts in jiu-jitsu, but on average most of them are at blue to purple-belt level at jiu-jitsu.”

Camarillo was in Japan training with his brother when UFC 1 happened. The day he and his brother got back to California, a mutual friend told him about an MMA fight with no pads, gloves, or rules and the guy who won was one of the smallest competitor in the whole event.

“The guy that won was just doing what we were doing, which was judo, so he ran the tape over to our house, we watched the UFC and we were in awe, and yeah, it looked like just judo techniques.”

Little described the process of which Gracie family member would get to fight in UFC 1.

“Royce Gracie won the first UFC. The Gracie’s are a big family. They had Rickson Gracie, who was like 380-0, he never lost. And they said, ‘shoot we want to do this, but it would be unfair to put Rickson in there,” said Little. “Then everyone would say, ‘that’s unfair. Why don’t we put Royce in there? He’s the youngest, the little-brother, he’s easy.’ Then they put Royce in there, and he went in there and dominated only weighing 170 pounds.”

To put this into perspective, Royce Gracie was fighting guys way bigger than him, guys that weighed well over 200 pounds.

MMA in this day and age has evolved well past learning one art. Guys competing in the early UFC’s like Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock specialized in one martial art, jiu-jitsu and wrestling. The purpose was to see which art was better. Fighters in this day and age are extremely versatile.

For instance, Anderson Silva, one of the best MMA fighters in the world, has a black belt in jiu-jitsu, taekwondo, judo

beasts

and is known as one of the best strikers in UFC. Georges St-Pierre is a second degree black belt in jiu-jitsu, a third degree black belt in kyokushinkaikan, and his striking has greatly improved under the tutelage of boxing trainers Howard Grant and Freddie Roach.

Camarillo is a strong advocate of learning jiu-jitsu with the gi. He states that most fighters that begin jiu-jitsu with the gi are usually better competitors. He believes it is not only an aspect of jiu-jitsu, it is a mentality.

“In the long run, you’re going to do better if you train gi first. That’s a fact, there’s proof.”

“Alexandre ‘Xande’ Ribeiro learned with gi. Plain fact. He goes to the Worlds with a gi on and he taps everyone and wins the worlds. He goes in the open division and I believe he taps everyone there too,” he said.

“Him and Marcelo Garcia,” he said.

“Both started with gi. They go to [The Abu Dhabi Combat Club World Submission Fighting Championships] and they do the no-gi and they tap everybody, but then you have these guys that only do nogi and man, they don’t win. They do good, but they don’t win. It’s the guy that started with the gi. They go into Abu Dhabi and they slaughter people.”

Both Camarillo and Little state the learning never stops, despite how old one might be or the level they are at.

“There’s no finish, I’m still learning, you know? I’ve rolled with some world champions, and I’m still learning,” Camarillo said. “They’re still learning. There’s no end, that’s what’s awesome about it.”

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Bakersfield Airwaves Stories by Breanna Fields

b

Three local acts leap into spotlight As electronic music currently dominates the airwaves, a new generation of fans has emerged with artists like DJ Psychobabble at the forefront of a movement sweeping the local and national scene.

Getting his start at the age of 16, Perry Gorham III, a.k.a. DJ Psychobabble, now 20, has been spinning for four years thanks to his father’s interest in buying turntables.

“Luckily enough, my dad got into it before me,” said Gorham. “I wasn’t really into it for about a year, then I started listening to electronic music and saw that the scene was growing. I honestly did get lucky being able to get into it.”

Gorham’s father, Perry Gorham II, turned his hobby into a full-time career three years ago with the formation of Stereo Type Productions, an electronic music company that hosts all-age events around town. Managed

by Schimmer Stars, the popularity of STP has grown since it began in 2009 with its first event held on a farm to what are now much larger venues with world-class talent such as L.A.-based DJ’s Fukkk Off, Elvin Ong and DJ Flash. It also gave Gorham III a platform to hone his craft as a producer and perform in front of live audiences of 600-800 people every month.

“Bakersfield didn’t have an electronic scene…so STP really got all of the people who were already into the music to actually come out and talk about it,” said Gorham III. As a part of the production, Gorham III also

Carcinogenz

electronic

lends a hand by running the cash register and helping with lighting, sound and equipment.

“There are a lot of things that go on behind the scenes,” said Gorham III. “They think lights and speakers that you have to hook up.

Before the actual production, we present it to everyone. If the event is at 9 p.m., we usually get there at 11 a.m. or 12 p.m. to set up.

There’s a lot of planning behind it.”

With over 36 events to their name, STP has played a crucial role in popularizing electronic music on the local level.

“I think that people like the genre, but never really understood what electronic music or raves were really about,” said Gorham III. “STP gave them the chance to listen to it locally so they didn’t have to travel to L.A. or out of California” Stereo Type Productions will be hosting a music and performing arts festival on June 15-17, which will feature DJ Psychobabble spinning Liquid Dnb. “It’s going to be one of our biggest events. It’s going to be a twoday festival at a campsite. There’re going to be a lot of workshops for things like poi, magic, drum circles and even a small section for DJs who can just walk up and play.”

Photo by martin chang

DJ Psychobabble

punk

Photo by martin chang

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Gibbons and the Sluts With a new band ready to tour the west coast, local singer/banjo player Money Gibbons releases an album and unveils plans for the future with his band Gibbons and the Sluts.

The group came together after the disbandment of Gibbons previous indie rock outfit, Russians with Rayguns. Wellknown by those who followed the local circuit, the band performed original material around town at Jerry’s Pizza, The Gate, Studio 99 and many other venues, though their musical diversity would eventually halt the songwriting process and cause the band’s creativity to dwindle in its final days.

“At first our differences came together in a really cool way, and then at the end we were kind of sick of it,” said Gibbons.

“We all wanted to do our own thing.”

The result was the first incarnation of Gibbons and the Sluts with former Russians band mate and bongo player Alex Baldner.

As the line-up shifted over the course of a year, the band would eventually reach full bloom when a variety of instruments were incorporated into their songs becoming a staple of their eclectic, folkie sound that Gibbons referred to as, “surfcountry music.”

“It’s basically now what I’ve always wanted it to be,” said Gibbons. “It started out and then it evolved into something really nice.”

It would take an interesting bunch to live up the standards set by this self-proclaimed genre, though most would agree that after listening to their first album, “Mama’s Milk,” anything is possible.

Gibbon’s nonsensical lyricism is present throughout and reinforced by band mates Vita Khachaturyan on trumpet and accordion, Julie Orlick on clarinet and trum-

An aggressive three-piece punk band by the name of Carcinogenz was ready to tear the scene apart during a rowdy performance at the boxing ring inside of Munoz Gym. When the audience filled the building, the show was off to a fast-paced start with Guy Roche on vocals, Christopher Lancaster on bass and Johnny Byrnes on drums.

The intense sound of hard-hitting drums and quick strumming filled the building, creating an underground vibe that typically attracts fans and artists of the genre.

Although their set was relatively short, approximately 15 minutes in length, it was clear that these punk rockers knew how to work the crowd, as people began to jump inside the boxing ring and started to mosh.

Their onstage antics were relative to their personalities offstage, with punk rock attitudes that stood as a testimony to the style of music that they play and subsequent “anything goes” take on reality.

Carcinogenz formed at the beginning of last year and came together after Roche and Byrnes collabo-

jamz

folk

pet, Mateo Katez on drums and stand-up bassist Stanislaus Dyro, who primarily live in the Los Angeles area.

The DIY method of music production is present not only in their sound but the lifestyle shared by each individual in Gibbons and the Sluts. Their album, “Mama’s Milk” was recorded on a reel-to-reel machine at a warehouse in Inglewood, Calif.

Plans to press hard copies of the album are under way, though the band plans to stay true to their underground roots and pass along their music by hand.

With a diverse following, Gibbons admits that their music has not yet crossed over to a mainstream audience.

“I just like to play the music that comes out of my mind,” said Gibbons. “If people like it, they like it. I feel like the people that do like it really get it. But I feel like they’re few and far between.”

Whether or not Gibbons and the Sluts can attract a large crowd is beside the point.

Their name is still relevant among the underground scene, where fans can find more of their music in August as they embark on a West Coast tour that consists of pick-up gigs along the way rather than specific dates at venues.

With songs being constantly added to the repertoire, fans that attend these shows are sure to get a dose of Gibbons’ unusual lyrics based around the theme of planet Jupiter, dreams and sailing on the ocean.

“I’ve always told people I don’t really know what my songs are about cause I feel like I don’t really write them,” said Gibbons. “It’s something that just kind of comes into my head, like from some other place. Then I figure it out, eventually what they mean. It may be months or years; it might even be the next day.”

rated and invited ex-Paci-fists bassist Lancaster to join.

“It was the beginning of 2011 and Guy had many thoughts on his mind to form a band from other recordings he had … he invited me to come play along and it turned into Carcinogenz,” said Byrnes.

Since the formation of the group, they have regularly played local venues like Munoz Gym, The Killer Clam and, more recently, a sidewalk performance on Record Store Day at Going Underground Records.

“We’ve been considering going on tour, but it hasn’t happened yet,” said Lancaster.

Apart from Carcinogenz, Lancaster has been producing music for videos games and has pitched his work to a number of companies.

Roche runs bakersfieldpunx.com, an online source for local punk music where fans can check out information and concert dates, including their own band.

Carcinogenz has released a record that is available at Going Underground Records and for sale at local shows.

ON THE BRINK

With the Isabella Dam on its last leg, devastation is likely if renovations fail to be carried out

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Story by Nicholas Sparling Photo by Angie DelGado

recall one day sitting in my wife’s house in Lake Isabella in her room, back when we were still dating early one Sunday morning when I heard a low moan like a cat in heat. “What the hell is that?” I said, and she turned her face from the television to look at me with a blank stare and said, “Oh, the dam is breaking.”

“So what do we do?” I said with the calmness of a man who knew his fate. “Should we get on the roof?”

The dam wasn’t breaking; what I was hearing was a warning system in case it ever does.

They test the warning system every Sunday morning to warn the residents of Lake Isabella to put into action their ambiguous evacuation plan.

The evacuation plan consists of two points: first get out of the path of floodwaters or second, get to higher elevation. The only saving grace would be to try, if you can, drive to anywhere above the flow of the floodwaters.

The Isabella Dam’s construction was completed in 1953 to prevent the flooding of Bakersfield, flooding that had happened twice in the mid to late 1800s.

The dam is classified as an “earth” type dam and has grown to hold five purposes, it acts as flood control and storm water management, while also having irrigation ways and directing water to be used in hydroelectric purposes. Also, anyone who has gone fishing up at Lake Isabella is well aware of how it has evolved into having recreational uses. It wasn’t until 2005 that a problem with the dam was diagnosed. It doesn’t meet the dam safety class rating.

“The dam was rated a class one due to hydraulic seepage and seismic issues,” according to Veronica Petrovsky, the Corps of Engineers senior project manager.

Since the problem was diagnosed, the Corps of Engineers have been, “doing studies on remediation plans,” Petrovsky

said.

If the dam were to break, the damage wouldn’t be just detrimental to Lake Isabella. Bakersfield would be the water’s destination and the damage would be immense.

“The main dam is on the Kern River,” according to Petrovsky, “and if either dam were to fail, [the main dam or the auxiliary dam] the result would be inundating.”

Within hours of either dam failing, the water would reach Bakersfield. Only hours after that, the water would be deep enough to float a car, leading to full flooding, placing downtown Bakersfield under waters potentially 20 feet deep.

“Fixing the dam is a priority of dam safety for the nation,” said Petrovsky. “We must address the risk and save the population of Bakersfield and Lake Isabella.”

Yet as great as the risks are, there are still no plans in effect for fixing the dam. According to Petrovsky, plans are still being determined. On the Corps of Engineers website an Environmental Impact Statement is made available for public viewing.

The statement gives proposed plans for assessing the risks of the dam failing, some of which are moderate, such as raising the height of the dam and adding more structured spillways.

Other plans are more extreme such as the proposal to remove the dam and allow the Kern River to return to its natural state, a plan that was later dropped.

There is no end in sight to what can only be assumed as an endless deliberation on what proposal to enact.

“The main dam is on the Kern River, and if either dam were to fail, the result would be inundating.”

-Veronica Petrovsky, Corps of Engineers

In the Volume 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement put out by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers partnered with the U.S. Forest Service for the Isabella Lake Dam Safety Modification Project, nine alternatives were proposed and selected for detailed analysis.

Many of the Risk Management Plans are mild variations of the latter, but some would be drastic actions.

The first plan is the “No Action Alternative” which would operate the lake at 2,609.26 feet of gross pool elevation.

The second plan would put into place permanently the Interim Risk Reduction Measures and operate the lake’s gross pool elevation at 2,589.26 feet.

The third plan is the “Alternative Base Plan,” this plan would correct the problems identified in the main dam, Spillway, and the auxiliary dam.

The fourth plan, the Risk Management Plan would do the same as the “Alternative Base Plan” with correcting additional deficiencies of the main dam.

The fifth plan would do the same, but for the auxiliary dam.

The sixth plan would enact the second plan with limiting the level of the lake while also correcting problems to the main dam.

The seventh plan would remediate all of the deficiencies listed in plan four along with a 16-foot crest raise for the hydrologic overtopping deficiency. This plan would force them to also make accommodations to Highways 155 and the 178.

The eighth plan would be to completely remove the dam altogether and allow for the Kern River channel and reservoir to return to pre-dam conditions.

The ninth plan is to completely replace the auxiliary dam and retrofit the main dam and spillway while also adding an emergency spillway.

issues

5

A war of thumbs

by Zak S. Cowan

Interface Both devices provide a unique experience to anything else on the market.

The 3DS is extremely comfortable, but I still can’t stand using a stylus.

The dual screens, lauded by most, are inconvenient. The second screen is mostly used as an inventory screen that excels in RPG-type games.

The Vita boasts a mass array of buttons, joysticks and Touch-screens.

The dual joystick system is something that has been needed in on-the-go gaming for some time, and I’m glad to see it finally being utilized. The touchpad on the back is very innovative, but I had trouble not touching it when I didn’t need to. This led to many errant goals on FIFA. This category is a push. Both systems fit their own style of gaming they’re trying to achieve. The 3DS is perfect for games like Mario Party and Paper Mario, and the Vita is ideal for more core games like shooters and sports games. Take your pick.

Games Top games available now:

Future Releases:

Vita:

3DS:

3DS:

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Rayman Origins Uncharted: Golden Abyss

Super Mario 3D Land Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D Mario Kart 7 Edge: 3DS

Vita:

Portable gaming just got a whole lot better with the release of the PlayStation Vita, but the Nintendo 3DS, coming in at nearly $100 cheaper, is still making waves across the gaming community. Now, the two are fighting for supremacy in a not-so-cloudy environment. So, now we’ll break each down, one area at a time, to try and settle the score.

3DS: The 3DS contains two multicore processors. This setup is what allows the 3D to be optional. Whether or not this adds to the power of the system, I do not know. The system contains just 128 MB of RAM and it was well noticed by slow gameplay.

Mario Tennis Open Rollercoaster Tycoon 3D Amazing Spiderman

Resistance: Burning Skies Silent Hill: Book of Memories Street Fighter x Tekken Edge: Vita

As a college student who has an hour-long commute each day, I like to find the best deals on cars. My favorite words are “free,” “on sale” and “student discounts.” When looking for a car it is easy to get confused and lost as to what is the best deal. Whether you are a commuter, or you live close to your school, a car is a huge investment and should be made with careful planning.

Among the many great deals of buying a new car, there are two that are available and starting under $20,000: The 2012 Honda Fit, and the 2012 Ford Focus.

The Honda Fit is the cheapest of the two, starting at $15,325.

The model I tested was the Honda Fit Sport. This model is equipped with steering wheel-mounted paddle-shifters, which is only a feature on the automatic transmission models. This allows for the driver to manually change gears while on Sport mode, instead of having the car change for itself. Along with the paddle shifters, the steering wheel is equipped with mounted audio controls that allows for easier access to change the radio and is also equipped with six speakers.

Starting at $16,500, the Ford Focus features a CD player that is MP3 capable with four speakers, and speed-sensitive volume control. It came standard with power windows and locks, air conditioning and airbags all around. I drove the SEL model which comes with dual automatic air conditioning, touch screen navigation and Sirius satellite radio. It also includes wheel-mounted paddle shifters like those in the Fit. When driving, the cabin noise is reduced and allows for an enjoyable drive on the highway. The quietness of the drive made me feel as if I was driving an expensive European car. This car is quite a ride to enjoy, and it is good at the pump, too, with 27 mpg in city and 37 mpg on the highway.

The Honda Fit is spacious, and when the back seats are pushed down it creates 57.3 cubic feet of cargo space. It has the room to fit enough necessities for a weekend trip, unlike the Focus, which has a little tighter space and only has a max cargo capacity of 44.8 cubic feet.

The Fit had a very responsive feel to the turn of the wheel.

When taken on the highway, it responded to feel quickly and the brakes worked well; I didn’t feel it was necessary to push on the brakes any harder than normal. The only problem I had with the driving quality was the accelerating portion. As I hit the accelator, there was a lot of noise but not a lot of movement. I felt like I was pushing the car too hard.

The Focus on the other hand seemed much quicker on the highway. It was able to get up with the flow of traffic very easily.

However, at slower speeds the transmission seemed to constantly be trying to find the right gear, making the drive annoying.

Drawbacks of the Fit are the materials of the interior. While

Conclusion:

The Vita and 3DS both provide something for everyone, though each has certain areas it excels in. Your choice comes down to what your playing style is. For me, it’s the top-of-the-line shooters.

Rides

(college)

6

Vita: Boasting a quad-core processor and 512 MB of RAM, the Vita is close to any console currently on the market in terms of raw power. Sony’s money-grubbing has led to the continued use of expensive memory cards and Sony-only chargers.

The memory cards are required to download games, forcing you to spend even more money on top of the lofty expenses new games call for.

By Angie DelGado

Honda Fit Starting price $15,325

Key features

-Crush zones (helps prevent injury during accidents) -57.3 cubic feet of cargo space -Optional electric engine

the layout is user friendly, and there are tons of useful cubby holes and pockets, 10 cupholders to be exact, the interior felt like cheap plastic. When you touch it, it doesn’t feel like a quality product. It almost feels like a plastic toy. The windshield was also extremely large, it felt like I was driving a bus. The looks of this car leave much to be desired, but overall, the car was nice. It has good features, and it would be a good car for a college student. An affordable, good on gas and spacious car.

Unlike the Fit, the interior of the Focus feels really nice, and even expensive. I felt like I was driving a high-class automobile, and the sewn leather on the stickshift was really nice. I didn’t feel claustrophobic in it, and it was my favorite of the two. I think that even though the Honda is also nice and affordable, I would rather buy the Focus. The Focus is also affordable, good on gas, and above all it feels that it was made very well.

reviews

Ford Focus

Starting price $16,500

Key features

-27 mpg city -37 mpg hwy -Optional sport-tuned suspension (provides better stability)

Duane Damron

“I got to be on the other end as a player, and that’s something my brothers and I share and have fond memories of.”

-Brent Damron

Seth Damron

A LINEAGE OF RENEGADES

BY NESTOR FERNANDEZ

Within the confines of the Bakersfield College athletic offices, the first door to the left belongs to Brent Damron. Damron has been the department chairman of health and physical education for the last six years and has been involved with BC athletics since 1994. His duties are many, and two of his main tasks are to oversee the schedule for health and P.E., and oversee some of Brent Damron the financial aspects as far as the budget. This is Damron’s current position, but his history at BC is a much different and broader story.

Damron coached football at BC for 10 years, and played football for BC in 1977-78.

He played for his father, who had coached BC football from the mid-’60s until 2001, and coached with his dad, who was the team’s offensive coordinator, from 1994-2001 as his assistant. Both of his brothers played at BC at separate times before him and after him.

There was a six-year period where all three brothers played at BC. His son played tight end for BC football in 2004-05. He has a nephew that played basketball at BC. Both of his daughters went to school at BC. He has also has several nieces and nephews that attended his classes along with his own kids.

When asked about what he treasured most about his experiences at BC, he responded with something that a parent rarely gets to do: he taught all of his own kids in class.

“Not everybody gets to do that,” Damron said, “So that’s really been something that I’ll treasure, being able to stay in contact with them in part of their collegiate careers. They got to see what I did on a regular basis,” outside of what he did at home. “That’s something I don’t get to do again, so I would say definitely a highlight. You know nowadays, having a job is a highlight.

“The school has been around a long time, and I’m 53 years old, I’ve been around it since

I was 6 years old.”

His dad was involved with BC for 36 years, and Damron went to BC near the end of his father’s working career.

“So those were things when looking back now, were neat deals,” he said.

Since he and his brothers all played football for their father while at BC, Damron considers that to be the main athletic highlight of his career at BC, “No doubt, because my brothers and I played here, I played for my dad while he was up here, so I got to participate in what he did for a lot of years as a coach and a teacher up here.

“I got to be on the other end as a player, and that’s something my brothers and I share and have fond memories of. Not at the time we were doing it because that’s probably one of the hardest things, to play a competitive sport for a parent and separate that as a coachparent because we’ve obviously known him much longer as a dad than as a coach.”

When asked about how his dad treated him and his brothers as players, his response was, “At the time, I felt he showed less favoritism toward us.

“That was the feeling, cause it’s always difficult to separate the player from the coach.

He was a very stern coach, and he really wasn’t a stern dad, so that was really a little bit of a shock.

“Myself and one of my other brothers, in fact, when we played for him, we actually lived with our grandmother here in town ’cause we didn’t want to go home after practice.”

Damron loves to look back on his coaching career at BC and the experiences he gathered.

“There’re a lot of things about coaching that I miss, but I also found out there’s a lot more to life than just coaching or teaching,” he said.

“It’s the interaction with people, since being in this job, I’ve kept myself very busy.

“Learning about how schools operate, learning about the educational system. How things operate in good or bad times. It’s interesting to see how the people react during those times.”

memories

7

“It will be sad to see him go because he brought me to levels that I didn’t think were possible.”

-BC swimmer Matt Prasser on Charlie Pike’s departure

Hanging it up The man who rebuilt BC’s swimming program stepping down Story by Esteban Ramirez Photos by Gregory D. Cook “Without him I don’t think that the program would’ve come so far in so little time.”

-Former BC athletic director Jan Stuebbe

Bakersfield College’s swimming program has thrived under BC coach Charlie Pike since it was reinstated, but as a good season for BC swimming is coming to an end, so does the stint of Pike as BC coach.

Pike has decided to retire at the end of the season because coaching is so time-consuming, and he wants to spend more time with his family.

“Not many people realize how much time goes into coaching and that you take most of your work home with you,” he said. “Also, my son is graduating from high school and he’s getting to be a pretty good swimmer, so I would like to get to see him swim more often.

“I’ve loved it here. It’s been a great experience and I’ve done what I could do with it. I think since I’ve been here we’ve done a good job getting the word out to get people out here.”

He also said that after he retires he wants to continue to help the school and to continue to grow from his coaching experience at BC. “I think we’ve come a long way in rebuilding this program in just about five years,” he said. “We didn’t have the program back until 2008, and that was a big goal for me to bring back the program. Many schools away from BC know how good BC swimming is now.”

He added that he thinks the biggest thing he’s done is just getting the word out about BC’s program. He also mentioned that his swimmers almost broke every school record while at BC, but regrets that they weren’t able to break every single one. The records that weren’t broken during his time at BC are: diving record (because BC hasn’t had any divers), men’s 100 freestyle, men’s 200 freestyle and women’s 500 freestyle.

BC’s swimming program was dropped in 1992 and it wasn’t until 2008 that former BC athletics director Jan Stuebbe reinstated the program. Originally, Pike was hired at BC in 2002 to teach swimming classes, but when the program was brought back, Stuebbe knew that Pike was the right man to coach the BC swimming team.

“We wanted to reinstate the BC program, and after I met Charlie I knew he would be the perfect guy,” said Stuebbe. “He was a great guy in the community, so I knew he would be perfect.

“As far as building the swimming program from scratch he has done a great job. He has provided local kids a place to continue to swim so they wouldn’t have to stop or move away. Without him I don’t think that the program would’ve come so far in so little time,” he said. “He’s a great guy that has been a great addition to BC, and it’s a loss for BC if he retires.”

Current BC swimmer Matt Prasser, sophomore, commented on Pike retiring.

“It’s going to be sad to see him go,” he said. “He didn’t just help me here at BC, but while I was at Highland and came here to practice he helped me with any question I had. It will be sad to see him go because he brought me to levels that I didn’t think were possible.”

He explained that he thought what made Pike a good coach was his work ethic.

He also added that future BC swimmers missed out on a chance to be trained by a really quality coach because there aren’t many as dedicated as him.

He mentioned that his favorite moment with Pike was when he broke the school record in the 50 freestyle. His time was 21.26.

“When I broke it, Charlie high-fived me, and that’s great because he never shows emotion, so for him to show it when I broke the record was just special,” he said.

Current BC swimmer Katherine Lugo also commented on Pike retiring.

“It won’t be the same without Charlie,” she said. “He is a great coach, and when I think of BC swimming I think of Coach Pike.”

goodbyes

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