The Renegade Rip Bakersfield College
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Vol. 82 ∙ No. 7
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
BC hosts ‘Garden Fest’ green expo Brian N. Willhite Reporter
The Environmental Horticulture Department at Bakersfield College held its fifth annual “Garden Fest Green and Clean” event April 24, on the BC campus from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event, which hosted over 140 vendors, was open to the public and included attractions such as free horticulture and landscaping seminars and demonstrations given by local professionals in addition to presentations from the horticulture
department staff. The event also included laser tag and food prepared by the BC culinary department as well as the “Mean and Green” car show, which featured showstyle cars from local car clubs and ecofriendly hybrid vehicles to emphasize the “going green” theme in celebration of Earth Day. The vendors that were featured throughout the show were from local retailers and independent home-based businesses that offered a wide variety of services and arts and crafts including
paintings, ceramics, jewelry and clothing. Plants were also sold, as well as landscaping accessories like furniture and gardening tools. There were even live Koi fish for sale. One of the purposes for the show is to exhibit the horticulture department at BC and the work students have accomplished. The green houses were open for the public to view the different projects that the students are involved in, which included one display that showed their recent work with their new hydroponics
technology. While some organizations were there as retailers, some were there to create awareness and to get the community involved with their cause. Shri Knight-Stelzner, president of the Kern Association for the Education of Young Children and BC staff member with the child development center, was on hand to get parents and children involved in a free community project that JOSEPH COTA / The Rip would entertain and teach young chilOrchids on display at the BC dren about horticulture. Garden Fest on April 24. Please see GARDEN FEST, Page 5
Department to reassign BC counselor Brian N. Willhite Reporter
JOFEL TOLOSA / The Rip
Students cheer on the speakers at the “Frame UR Future” event held at the Bakersfield College East Forum on April 29.
Event helps students to ‘Frame UR Future’ By Alma N. Martinez Reporter
The Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour was brought to Bakersfield College by the Students in Free Enterprise club (SIFE) on April 29. The event was titled “Frame UR Future.” The event took place at the Forum from 2:30 p.m. to roughly 7 p.m. While people were walking into the forum, outside were tables asking students to register for the event in order to keep track of what age group they were serving, said Tue Larsen, 24, assistant tour manager. While registering for the event, the audience was given backpacks with pamphlets and goodies inside; also, T-shirts were handed out by the American Free Enterprise Dream Big campaign sponsored by the US Chamber of Commerce. The campaign offers practical advice from top young entrepreneurs.
SIFE is the business club at BC, and the reason why they brought the Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour was to “inspire those to have courage and go out and develop their own business and to receive advice to help with the journey to success,” said the club adviser, Gail Richardson. “The EET is fairly new and we met them when the SIFE team went to the Chicago Collegiate Entrepreneur Organization Conference.” The EET is a collegiate entrepreneurship speaking tour, and according to Richardson it is known to “help people make their dreams into reality,” she said. “One of the problems of starting your own business is that you don’t really know what to do and we are hoping that this will aid you.” The event consisted of enthusiastic speakers sharing stories and answering questions. Audience interaction was more than encouraged; in fact it was somewhat
JOFEL TOLOSA / The Rip
Robert Nicholson speaks at “Frame UR Future” on April 29. required. While people were filling up the seats, there was a presentation highlighting entrepreneurs, quotes from young entrepreneurs and great inventions of the world. Arel Moodie, co-owner of The Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour, professional speaker, young entrepreneur and author, shared some of his life story with the audience and offered steps to follow in order to accomplish a goal. “Step one is to commit to some-
thing. Step two is to find or learn the proper technique. Step three is to find people to use as inspiration. Step four is to face your fears and just jump,” he said. “Our goal is to leave you here with the inspiration and tools for you to start making money and leave you knowing that if opportunity does not knock you need to build the door,” said Moodie. The EET’s goal is to demonstrate Please see FUTURE, Page 5
BC student turned Hollywood actor, now YouTube regular Mateo M. Melero Reporter
Bakersfield College has a blooming, paid, Hollywood working actor among its student body. The 21-year-old Ben Austin Lejuene, who played a Queen’s guard in Tim Burton’s “Alice In Wonderland,” is now starring in the YouTube action series, “Secret Weapon.” The show revolves around two friends, Robbie and Charlie. Lejuene’s
character, Charlie, is jokingly described by the actor as a “womanizer.” Lejuene says, “He’s just interested in women. He doesn’t know if what he is going to do is going to get him in trouble, but he doesn’t care. He lives in the moment.” Lejuene’s personality and Charlie’s character differ and the actor says, “I love playing characters that completely contradict myself. I am a straight edged kid, I’ve never even cut class, I’ve never had coffee, never had alcohol, [I] don’t
smoke, don’t do drugs, never done any of that stuff, and then for me to play this character, I just love it.” Shot from the handheld camera of Robbie, the story follows the misadventures of the duo, which gets into the middle of a warzone while pursuing an XFX graphics solution model. Robbie, who is the most cautious of the pair, warns Charlie against following the model, but Charlie’s curiosity gets the best of him and the two end up
in dire straights. Working with everything from Humvees, helicopters and gasoline-powered prop machine guns, LeJuene says, “It’s very action packed and very intense.” David Sinatra and David Falossi direct the show, and so far a three-part episode has been filmed. The first part of episode one was posted on YouTube on April 18, the second part posted on April 22 with a third part to follow, and Please see LEJUENE, Page 5
After serving in the Disabled Students Programs and Services department at Bakersfield College for the last 10 years, DSPS counselor John “Skip” Hill will be losing his position due to budgetary cuts in the department. Hill will now be located in the counseling department where he will still continue to serve disabled students, but with more focus toward the general student population. “One of the areas that they felt that they could cut was in disabled student services,” said Hill as he described the situation. “And so, they decided to eliminate one counseling position in our program, which was mine, and then also change the way things were going to be done so that the disability services would focus on just those services to help people with disabilities in classes with extra time or whatever the types of things are that are helpful to succeed and separate out as much as possible the academic counseling part, such as helping with schedules and determining classes and things like that.” Along with Hill, DSPS counselor Diana Kelly and department director Angelica Gomez are the only ones serving the needs of students who qualify for disabled students services. Together, according to Hill, they serve over 1,200 students each semester with students’ needs varying by the individual. There will not be a replacement for Hill because the position is being eliminated. However, there will be a parttime counselor added to the staff. When the situation came up that he would be losing his position, discussions with administration were that Hill, who has a masters degree in education, would move into the Academic Development department, but talks with the DSPS staff and BC’s need for more counselors pushed for Hill to stay connected with DSPS while serving a new position in the counseling department. “The decision was, and it was really pretty good, that, there was a lot of other people on campus, aside from my own situation, that were advocating for counseling to be given more consideration in all this because there hasn’t been a new counseling position for a number of years now, even though we’ve had people leave and retire. “So, even though it didn’t look like they were going to include counseling as one of the places to have a new position for next year, instead of just eliminating me from counseling and DSPS and sending me to academic development, they decided to transfer me into the counseling department. So actually, they’re adding one more counselor to counseling. So, that’s one really good thing is that I can still do the academic counseling I’ve been doing for so long, but I won’t be specializing with people with disabilities anymore,” said Hill. Starting in the fall, Hill will also be teaching student development classes in addition to working in the counseling department. However, he will still Please see HILL, Page 5
Features
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The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Fun in the sun: Kern style By Kelly Ardis
Wildlife
Editor in chief
The California Living Museum (CALM) is home to various animals and plants native to California. Currently, CALM is preparing a new mountain lion/bobcat exhibit, which is set to open this summer. The zoo houses more than 80 species of animals that cannot be released back into the wild for medical reasons. CALM is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $9 for adults, $7 for seniors, $5 for children (3-12) and free for children under three. CALM is located in Bakersfield at 10500 Alfred Harrell Highway.
Summer is upon us, and once we’re out of class, the world is our oyster for four months. For those bound to the smaller, Bakersfield-area oyster, don’t fret. There is still plenty to do, believe it or not. Here is your guide to summer fun … Kern County style.
Art
Downtown Bakersfield is alive with art. Metro Galleries (1604 19th St.), Surface Gallery (1703 20th St.), the Bakersfield Museum of Art (1930 R St.) and the Bellmoore (2001 Chester Ave.) are all full of art of different mediums. First Friday takes place downtown on the first Friday of each month and is an event that promotes these galleries and more.
Skydiving
After about 20 minutes of training, guests of Skydive Taft can be in the plane and ready to jump. Skydive Taft offers tandem skydiving for $180, with special prices for groups and military. They are open from 8 a.m. until sunset daily, but all jumps require a reservation. To make an appointment or for more information, go to www.SkydiveTaft.com.
Wine
Oenophiles of Bakersfield don’t have to travel far for wine hotspots around Kern County. Imbibe Wine and Spirits Merchant sells all kinds of wine from around the state, country and world. Imbibe frequently has new arrivals and also has events throughout the summer. Imbibe is located in Bakersfield at 4140 Truxtun Ave. and is open Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. For those willing to travel a little farther, the Souza Family Vineyard boasts “Tuscany in Tehachapi.” The vineyard’s tasting room and gift shop is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For directions or more information on the Souza Family Vineyard, visit www.SouzaFamilyVineyard.com.
Bakersfield Blaze
Bakersfield’s minor league baseball team plays at Sam Lynn Ballpark (4009 Chester Ave.) throughout the summer. Game day prices range from $5 to $9, and groups can receive discounted tickets. There are different promotions every day of the week, including: free hot dog, chips and drink for children 12 and under on Wednesdays; $1 domestic beer and $1 fountain drinks on Thursdays; and buy-oneget-one-free ticket offers for military, police, firefighters and paramedics on Fridays.
Bars
For those interested in more than wine, Bakersfield has numerous bars. From the upscale to the grungy, there is bound to be the right bar for anyone. For a dive bar, check out The Mint (1207 19th St.); for a sports bar, try Tailgater’s Sports Bar & Grill (900 Truxtun Ave.); and for some food with your drinks, try Lengthwise Brewing Co. (6720 Schirra Court).
River Rafting
Kern River Tours, based in Lake Isabella, gives guests the chance to tour and explore the Kern River with experienced guides. Guests can choose from different difficulties, from mild to wild. Prices range from $36.05 for the three-mile “Lickety Split” trip, to $868 for the three-day class V difficulty “Forks of the Kern” trip. For more information, please visit www.KernRiverTours.com.
Camping and hiking
The Kern Valley is the home of the Sequoia National Forest and many other areas for hiking and camping. One trail to check out is the Trail of a Hundred Giants, a self-guided, half-mile hike. Cedar Creek Campgrounds is about 60 miles outside of Bakersfield and has trails near the campgrounds, including Old Sled Trail and Bull Run Cattle Drive. Check out www.KernValley.com for more camping and hiking in Kern Valley.
Raceways
Bakersfield car fans have two places to get their fix in the Bakersfield area: Famoso Raceway and Bakersfield Speedway. Both tracks have events planned throughout the summer. Famoso Raceway is located about 25 miles north of Bakersfield in McFarland, and Bakersfield Speedway is located at 5001 N. Chester Ext.
Student Government Association Presents... Mission
Vision
About the Pantry
2010 Distribution Dates
The Renegade Pantry is committed to serving the student body by providing food for students in need.
In 2009, with massive budget cuts to California Community College specialneeds programs, the Student Government Association at Bakersfield College saw a growing need among students on campus. To quote a student, “If you’re worried about what you’re gonna eat for dinner, then you can’t think about the math test you’re gonna take the next day.” SGA determined that a food bank was needed to serve the needs of the students. Over the winter break, SGA organized The Renegade Pantry. The Pantry’s main goal is to help maintain the health and welfare of Bakersfield College students through organized college and community sponsorships and donations of nonperishable food items.
What is provided? Students have a choice of canned vegetables, fruits, soup, pasta, rice, and cereal. In addition, other items will be provided as they become available such as: macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, canned tuna, pre-packaged meals, and hygiene products. Food offerings depend on budget restrictions and availability of products.
How does it work? Students are asked to come to the Student Activities Office (Campus Center 4) with their Bakersfield College IDs to sign up for services. At that time students will choose from a list of available goods and be given a designated pick-up date.
What is the procedure for getting the food? Students in need must come to the Student Government Office, located in Campus Center 4, to sign up prior to any of the distribution dates. This will ensure that the student receives the appropriate amount of self-selected food. Family size will be taken into consideration.
Eliminating Hunger One Student at a Time. Food donations can be made at Campus Center 4.
The following dates are for pick-up only: May 6 & 27, June 10 & 24. Hours are from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. SGA summer hours are subject to change and will be posted on the Bakersfield College SGA Facebook page and SGA website by May 14, 2010. Please feel free to contact The Renegade Pantry Director for more information on how you can contribute to The Renegade Pantry’s mission.
What is the procedure for connecting with the Renegade Pantry? You can connect with the Renegade Pantry on Facebook at: www.facebook. com/BakersfieldCollege or in the SGA office, located in Campus Center 4.
What you can do to help... Business Partnerships: Organizations that can provide regular needed donations can help improve our services to the students a great deal. We will accept non-perishable food items, personal care items, along with monetary donations. The Renegade Pantry is a Non-Profit Organization. All monetary donations are tax-deductible. Checks should be made payable to the Renegade Pantry and mailed or dropped off at: “The Renegade Pantry” c/o Student Activities Office, 1801 Panorama Drive, Bakersfield CA 93305. Individuals can donate using the above described procedures.
Who is eligible? Any currently registered student in need of food. No student will be turned away.
Campus
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Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Dark comedy lights up indoor theater PLAY | Bakersfield College theater director Jen-
nifer Sampson puts on “wacky, dark comedy.”
By Katie Avery Opinions editor
Above: Artie (Ricky Usher) dips girlfriend Bunny (Catt Lopez) onto a table during the Bakersfield College theater department’s play “The House of Blue Leaves” on April 28. Below: Nuns, (from left) Riki Suzuki, Kathy Hart and Mandie Sopher sing “Jesus Loves Me, This I Know” in the play “The House of Blue Leaves” on April 28. Photos by Gregory D. Cook / The Rip
The new play on campus, “The House of Blue Leaves,” opened at Bakersfield College April 29, to a crowd of roughly 80 people. According to director Jennifer Sampson, “The House of Blue Leaves” is a “wacky, dark comedy about an aging lounge singer with dreams of stardom.” The main character, Artie, is 45 years old with a crazy wife, a ditzy girlfriend and a son who went AWOL from the army. “The whole family is obsessed with fame,” she said. The “House of Blue Leaves” was written by John Guare and opened in 1971. It is set in New York in 1965 and the madness ensues when everyone hears that the pope is coming to town. “It’s tough balancing the realism and the surrealism of the play,” Sampson said. The actors have to convince the audience that the characters are real, yet they have parts where they speak directly to the audience, which is called “breaking the fourth wall,” in theater. Ricky Usher, who plays Artie, said the biggest challenge in this play for him was having to sing. “I’ve never sang in my life,” and he usually sings to get into character, he said. Prior to opening night, he said he was most looking forward to interacting with the audience, and that feedback from an audience can make or break the performance. “If I get laughs, it means all the hard work I put in paid off.” He added, “The cast is wonderful, everyone here deserves a lot of credit.” “It looks like they had quite a good turnout for an opening night,” said computer science major, Philip Scott, 64. Scott, who attends many local shows, said the performance was very good. “It’s absurd, with lots of humor in it, I enjoyed it.” Chairs were set up on a hand-made platform directly on the stage in the theater so the audience was just a few feet away from the action and set on opening night. “Seating on stage means more building,” said Kevin Ganger, the technical director. The crew had to build a platform that could sit close to 80 people comfortably and safely. “It’s a very intimate experience.” Ganger, 25, is in charge of all the technical aspects of the play: primarily lighting sound and set. Though it is only his second play at BC, he has done a number of jobs for a total of about 45 shows. Because nearly all of the cast and crew are
students who have daytime classes, Ganger had to do a lot of work on his own. “It’s very hard to put up walls with just myself,” he said. One of the best parts about working on a student show like this is seeing how much the actors have grown in the past few weeks. “Seeing how much the play grows from start to finish is pretty amazing,” he said. “I’ve never had an audience this close before,” said actress and student Katy Michelle Lewis about the intimate setting. Lewis plays Artie’s crazy wife, Bananas, and said it’s fun playing a crazy person but extremely challenging. “I kind of get to play it all.” “The rehearsal process has been fun,” Sampson said. Her favorite scenes are “when everyone is onstage and there’s total mayhem going on. It’s the hardest to block, but it’s fun to see everybody.” As director, her job is basically to oversee everything: blocking, characterizations, accents, dancing, singing, costumes, properties, set dressing and “anything that’s going on in the show,” she said. “I give total props to her for all her hard work,” said assistant director Matt Mizell, 18, about Sampson. He also added, “each and every person is dedicated to it 100 percent, and I just enjoy working with all of them.” In addition to being assistant director, Mizell also has a role in the show where he provides a few comedic elements. “You believe they’re acting,” said student Kimmie Francis, “they’re really in character.” Francis, who attended the show as part of her drama class, said she really enjoyed the characters and thought the actors made the performance believable. “I love to see them laugh,” said actor Michael Grant, who plays Artie’s son Ronnie. “Nothing changes a comedy more than an audience.” He said this is his first dark comedy and he enjoys the fact that the jokes may be bad, but it’s still OK to laugh. “You laugh at tragedy.” In addition to acting, Grant writes plays and is hoping to get one produced soon. Playing a nun is male actor Riki Suzuki, and he said that playing a woman is the strangest and most challenging role he has had. “I’m trying to not walk like a man.” “I really love when the nuns come in, they burst onto the scene and they’re just hilarious,” said Lewis about her favorite scene. The “House of Blue Leaves” will be playing at BC’s indoor theater May 6, 7 and 8 at 8 p.m. General admission is $5.50 and is $3.50 for students, staff, seniors and military.
Cheap textbook rentals now available online TEXTBOOKS | Renting textbooks online via Web
sites like Chegg.com opens up new resources for students’ book needs.
By Anthony B. Ellrodt Copy editor
Several online sources allow students to buy their textbooks at reduced prices including Amazon and eBay. However, what many students don’t know is that a site is available that will allow students to rent their textbooks at a significant discount which is saving students hundreds of dollars per semester. The online site, Chegg.com, offers students various options, which not only include renting their textbooks, but also allows them to purchase the books at fair market value if they so wish. Chegg was founded in 2005 by Osman Rashid and Aayush Phumbhra in Santa Clara. Rashid and Phumbhra had trouble finding jobs after graduation because they couldn’t find employment without experience and couldn’t get experience without being on the job. “The name Chegg was born by asking ourselves, ‘Which came first, the chicken or the egg?’” said Rashid. “It explained our post-graduation situation perfectly.” Mark Adams, Cal State Bakersfield student majoring in liberal arts, said he’s been using Chegg for over three years and wouldn’t use anything else. “The textbooks for my classes this semester would have cost me about $750 from the campus bookstore,” he said. “To rent my books from Chegg only cost me $155 and the return shipping will be free.” Jane Foreman, Bakersfield College liberal arts major, conveyed that while she had an issue with Chegg, it was taken care of quickly. “Nothing is ever perfect, especially when you’re dealing with a company that deals with as many students as Chegg does,” she said. “My issue was that shipping was one day later than they said it would be, and they refunded my shipping immediately. It’s definitely a site worth checking out.” As of the end of April, Chegg claimed it has saved students almost $200 million. Emily Davenport, BC nursing major, expressed her interest in using Chegg for the first time. “I’ve never heard of Chegg before,” she said.
“But I’m definitely going to have to use it if it saves that much on textbooks.” Jesse Radonski, from the University of Oregon, is impressed with both saving money and the planting of trees, when books are rented or bought, to help save the earth. “Wow, planting trees, that is awesome,” he said on the Chegg Web site. “I heard about the Web site in Newsweek and decided to go this route instead of the old ‘buying from the overpriced bookstore’ route.” Chegg also has a program for students who want to promote the site by talking to their friends. The program, called Chegg Champions, assigns students a discount code that they can give their friends and family for an additional five percent off the total price of rental and shipping. When the discount code is used, the site keeps track of how many times Courtesy of Chegg.com it’s applied by various students and then gives the owner of the discount code $5 per time the code is used in the form of a Visa debit card. Janice Horace, Cal State Fresno student, said she made $200 at the beginning of the fall quarter because the discount code she gave to her friends was used so often. “This is a killer program, being able to earn money every time someone uses your code,” she said. “I end up keeping the Visa card until the next quarter and then, in effect, my books end up being free to me.” Interested students can learn more about Chegg or the Chegg Champions program by visiting www.chegg.com and www.cheggchampions. com.
Campus
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Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Program receives Local veteran honored nod on BC campus By Laura Liera Reporter
By Laura Liera Reporter
Dedication, inspiration, hard work, completion of classes and transfers and jobs were the messages the annual graduation ceremony and 40th Anniversary of EOP&S/CARE/ CalWORKs program held on April 21 in the Bakersfield College cafeteria, presented to its audience. Students, who are graduating this spring semester and were a part of one of the programs, were enthused at attending the dinner. “My sister didn’t come to this ceremony and she regretted it, so I really don’t want to do the same because I am happy to be a part of the EOP ceremony,” said Annabel Rangel, 21, child development major. The ceremony began with Primavera Arvizu, director of EOP&S/CARE/CalWORKs, who said opening thank you’s to staff and organizers for the event. She also welcomed BC President Greg Chamberlain onto the stage, who gave the welcoming speech. “We are going somewhere really exciting with these programs, and I am very proud of the work that is being done by EOP&S/CARE/CalWORKs,” said Chamberlain. Keynote speaker Olivia Garcia, vice president of content for The Bakersfield Californian and BC adjunct journalism professor, spoke about her journey through life and how her involvement in the EOP&S program at BC impacted her. “It means a lot to me, the 40 years we are celebrating because going through these programs myself has helped me become who I am today,” said Garcia. Garcia shared advice with the students on how to continue to go on with school and give it their all. “Follow your dreams and understand that anything is possible. Use your past as a source
ryan george / The Rip
Doris Givens speaks during the second half of the EOP&S “Springtime in Paris” awards dinner and ceremony in the Bakersfield College cafeteria April 21. of strength and have desire. The desire that comes from within that will drive you to accomplish what you want,” said Garcia. Another keynote speaker, Doris Givens, Kern Community College District vice chancellor of educational services, also gave advice to students. “Do not let anybody control your thinking,” said Givens. After the speakers, a 40th anniversary video was shown and it gave a historical story line of when and how EOP&S began. The second half of the ceremony was the presentation of awards and each program had nominations for outstanding student, most inspirational, academic excellence outstanding student for professionalism and student for perseverance. Following these nominations were the announcements of graduation candidates, presented by Vera Diaz, EOP&S counselor; Manuel Gonzales, EOP&S counselor; and Bonita Lopez, adjunct EOP&S counselor. There were a total of 50
graduates that were a part of EOP&S program, but only 26 of those students attended the ceremony. Not only to celebrate the graduates, this ceremony was also to celebrate Gonzales’s years of service, who is retiring after working 36½ years at BC and 21 years as director of EOP&S. He has mentored and affected student and staff lives and EOP&S students have returned to thank him for the support he has provided. “I have been blessed to have worked here at Bakersfield College. Especially with a program that has allowed me to meet thousands of students,” said Gonzales. Gonzales thanked family, colleagues, administrators and students for making his years at BC memorable. “I thank everyone and I have to say I am not counting the days to retire, like many may think. It is a bittersweet moment because I have been here for some time,” said Gonzales.
Graduation nearing, students weigh in Laura Liera Reporter
Many Bakersfield College graduating students this semester will be participating in the graduation ceremony on May 14 in the Memorial Stadium. According to a graduation candidate letter, Sue Vaughn from office of Admissions and Records, stated that “approximately 1,200 students will be graduating this year and over 500 are participating in the ceremony.” Sometimes, students don’t participate in the graduation ceremony because they are graduating from a community college. In a survey of 30 BC students who are graduating, though, they all filed to participate in the
ceremony. Sara Harb, 21, radiology major, said, “students should attend the ceremony because it makes you feel a part of BC and receiving that diploma from the college president is different from receiving it in the mail.” She also mentioned that participating in the ceremony herself was a way of making her feel a part of the BC family atmosphere the college offers for the years a person is at the college. Andres Ortiz, 20, Spanish major, is the first from his family to graduate from community college. “It’s a privilege for being the first from my family to walk down that stage, but it’s also a sense of accomplishment be-
cause not many students make that walk in their life,” said Ortiz. After attending BC for two or three years, students are realizing that all that hard work deserves recognition. Marisa Bibian, 22, psychology major felt the ceremony is important. “You go to school for so long, take all the classes you need to graduate from BC and the classes for your associate of the arts, you should be recognized and have your family in the stands to celebrate that moment of accomplishment for you, even if it is just a junior college,” said Bibian. “This is another step toward a person’s education, and they should be super excited to walk and be recognized,” she said.
World War II students to be honored By Alma N. Martinez Reporter
With graduation approaching, all students that have filed for graduation will celebrate their commencement on May 14 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. This will be Bakersfield College’s 96th Commencement ceremony. Also this commencement will have added honors to those students who attended BC before 1945 and were of Japanese descent and sent to the camps when World War II took place. Sue Vaughn, director of admissions and records, was the person put in charge of finding these individuals or their relatives, since most of them are deceased. Through looking at the BC archives and sorting out old transcripts prior to 1945, some of the students were successfully contacted.
The majority of the students that were asked to relocate are not in the United States and in response to that fact, Vaughn added, “If they cannot come to the commencement, we are sending their honorary diplomas to them.” When the Japanese students were forced to relocate, “Bakersfield College was good to these students,” said Vaughn. “Not only did BC mail them their diploma but also their yearbook.” There are three kinds of people who will be eligible to receive this diploma: those who were supposed to graduate in 1941, those who were going to continue and those who did not finish because of the relocation camps. Those who will attend commencement and are able to participate will wear red cap and gowns to be distinguished among the rest.
“When diplomas are presented, they will go first and we will reserve seats for their families,” she added. Relatives of those who are deceased will still be awarded with the same honorary diplomas, but they will not wear cap and gowns. “This is important to recognize, because those people had something taken away from them,” added Vaughn. “I feel good that we can give a little something back.” BC student Shawn Newsom’s mother, Virginia Salazar, is of Japanese descent and she will be part of the descendants present. “I am very thankful to the college for recognizing these people who were taken away from their home and school,” Newsom said. “My mother will be waving her Japanese flag and it will make graduation day so much more special,” he said.
“We are here today because of what you did yesterday,” said East Bakersfield High School Principal Lee Vasquez at the Raymond Permenter Memorial Display in the school’s Career Center. A dedication ceremony was conducted on April 24 to honor Ray Permenter, who was killed during World War II. Raymond Permenter was the first student-athlete who became the first Blade athlete to earn 12 athletic letters and was honored by being selected to join the AllCounty football and basketball teams. “Ray scored East’s first ever touchdown against rival Bakersfield High with his 68yard interception return, and his ‘grand slam’ home run gave East a win over the Drillers in baseball,” according to the memorial display. Richard Lemocchi, 87, East High School alumnus, played football and basketball with Ray. “I knew Ray since grammar school and having the opportunity to play sports with him in high school was absolutely wonderful and an honor because Ray was fun to be around and always had a smile on his face. You never could have known he was an all-American athlete because he was always humble and a great teammate,” said Lemocchi. Ray enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in April 1943, and was a part of the 485th Bomb Group who flew many strategic missions over Europe, completing numerous bombing strikes that destroyed oil refineries, ammunition and ball-bearing factories that crippled the German war efforts and hastened the end of the war. Ned Permenter, 72, Ray’s second cousin, was involved heavily in doing this memorial for Ray. There was confusion on the East High football field, which was dedicated as Permenter Field in a public ceremony, held on April 7, 1948. “Many people thought the field was named after me,” said Permenter. “I coached at Foothill 40 years, and with no first name on the Memorial at the field, people were starting to become confused about
GREGORY D. COOK / The Rip
(From left) Memorial designer Denise Avery, Ned Permenter, brother of SSgt. Raymond Permenter and Kevin Keyes of the Kern County Superintendent of Schools office pose in front of a new memorial at East High School on April 24. who they named the field after and I wanted to clarify that. I also wanted to educate students about the 485th Bomb Group and WWII, honor all vets and to teach students the sacrifices made for their way of life and freedom,” he said. Finding intensive and thorough research on World War crash sites, lost planes and soldiers is author Jerry W. Whiting’s interest. “Once you open the door to uncover something like this, other things just continue to come up and the door is never closed,” said Whiting. Whiting writes about the 485th Bomb Group in order to reunite veterans and partisans. “I was desperate to put all those pictures up at East High and put something together for Ray because he was a great individual who sacrificed his life for our freedom, like many soldiers are doing today,” said Permenter. Ray’s last mission was to bomb the heavily fortified Florisdorf Oil Refinery in Vienna, Austria. This refinery provided the German army with much of its oil supply, and was defended by numerous anti-aircraft “flak” guns and Nazi fighter planes. Ray’s plane, “Lazy Eight,” was shot down by flak and all crewmembers aboard died, according to Whiting’s discoveries.
Permenter had many photos of Ray and walked into the Kern High School District with a trash bag full of letters, newspaper clippings and photos of Ray. Denise Avery, graphic artist for the Kern High School District, met with Ned and Kevin Keyes, superintendent of schools representative, to talk about a possible memory shadow box to be displayed in the East High career center. “I donated my time to get it all together and it took about six months,” said Avery. Avery saw the enthusiastic idea Ned had and said it was “an honor and touching experience working on something like this.” Ray’s sister, Barbara Permenter Cady, 89, East High and Bakersfield College alumni, attended the ceremony and felt happy to know her brother was being remembered after so many years. “Ned kept me and Norm, my husband, informed about all of the things he was doing, but I never imagined it would look this great,” said Permenter Cady. She believes Ray joined the military because it was something everyone was doing during that time and he was determined to give up his life to save the lives of his family and loved ones. “He was a good boy, a good brother, very modest and humble, and I miss him every day,” she said.
Bakersfield College veterans gain approval to form new campus club VETERANS CLUB | New club on campus gains Student Government Association approval. By Laura Liera Reporter
The Bakersfield College Student Government Association voted on Friday, April 30 on the official creation of the BC Veterans Club. The SGA general counsel approved the Veterans Club’s constitution and gave the potential club’s members the opprotunity to talk for approximately two minutes on why the club should
be official before the committee voted. Michelle Anthony, business major said, “BC veterans need awareness and any possible help from other veterans will help them out throughout school.” J.R. Browning, member of the club, as well as one of the founding members of the club, said at the voting, “I’ve been working six months to get this club to you because I saw the need to get this across,” he said. “I saw lost veterans on campus, myself included, and I knew that by having a club, the veteran and non-veteran students could help
each other out.” “This club is for ourselves and for anyone who is interested in being a part of a veteran’s life,” Browning said. Skip Hill, BC counselor for Disabled Student Programs & Services and a second advisor for the club, talked about the journey of having a veterans club on campus and the fact that it’s finally becoming a reality. “I am very supportive of this club and it has come to this point now for veterans on campus to network, and this club will encourage the veterans of BC to do great things in life,” said Hill.
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News Briefs Bakersfield College Chorale and Chamber Singers Concert Dr. Ronald M. Kean conducts the Bakersfield College Chorale and Chamber Singers in a spring concert of love songs with classical and popular poetry. The concert is on May 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the First Congregational Church. General admission is $8 and $5 for students, seniors, active military and staff. Tickets are available at the door.
“Ice Worlds” show at BC planetarium Bakersfield College’s William M. Thomas Planetarium presents “Ice Worlds” on May 6 at 7:30 p.m. For tickets, call the BC Ticket Office at 395-4326 or go to www.bakersfieldcollege. edu/ticketoffice. Tickets will not be sold at the door. Doors open 30 minutes before show time. Shows sell out regularly, so purchase tickets early. Ticket prices are $6.50 for adults and $4.50 for seniors and children.
Secret Steps to Successful Gardening presentation Career Development and Workforce Preparation Community Education Course presents Secret Steps to Successful Gardening with Michael Monji. In addition to classes, Monji will offer a field trip to show the do’s and the dont’s of proper landscaping. The event will happen on May 8, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Bakersfield College Horticulture Lab area. Fee is $35 and no pre-payment is required. Credit cards, check or money order are accepted, no cash. Call Tina at 395-4089 to register.
Memorial Run/Walk 5K Race at Yokuts Park The Memorial Run/Walk 5K Race will be held on May 29 at Yokuts Park at 7:30 a.m. Registration time is 6:15 a.m. to 7:15 a.m. Pre-registration is $20 for adults, $15 for minors and is due by May 26. Day of registration is $25. The race supports the Alliance Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault. Contact Terri Inda at 322-0931 for more information. T-shirts will be given to the first 200 participants and there will be awards for up to third place in all age groups.
BC program offering internships in five areas Bakersfield College’s Student Internship Program offers five occupational disciplines: Digital Arts, Business, Horticulture, Automotive and Welding. Students interested need to notify an instructor in your major and be referred to Janie Budy in the Office of Career and Technical Education or contact her directly at extension 4089.
The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
GARDEN FEST: Annual BC Garden Festival takes over campus Continued from Page 1 The young children and their parents would use a small, specially designed planting cup that they would fill with soil and a few sunflower seeds. The filled cups, which are made out of peat moss, can then be planted as they are once water is added, according to KnightStelzner. However, not all of the vendors were promoting ag related themes and services. One such group, the Bakersfield Historical Costuming Society, was at Garden Fest to introduce their organization and add a new dimension to the festivities. “We’re just trying to bring to Garden Fest a taste of the arts to a venue that usually doesn’t see theater and that sort of thing,” said Kathryn Clowes, president of the organization. Clowes, along with her costumed associates, sold various self-crafted items like necklaces, tea cups and pin-cushions to support their group. Their costumes were self-made and designed in the “Steampunk” fashion, which is a Victorianera style with a sci-fi edge that draws inspiration from steam driven technology and robotic designs derivative of 19th century concepts.
Some of the booths among the many vendors at the event were BC clubs and organizations, all of whom were there to promote their organization to both students and the general public. Many of these groups, like the child development center on campus, also raised money by raffling off themed gift baskets for one dollar. The Student Government Association was also on hand to promote BC and to raise funds for the Renegade Pantry by selling SGA T-shirts for a donation, according to Lisa English, student ambassador for the agriculture department and recent winner of the SGA presidential election. BC student and business administration major Francisca Ramirez, 26, was excited about Garden Fest and especially liked the Orchid display put on by the Golden Empire Orchid Society in one of the green houses. She also enjoyed shopping at the show with the variety of retailers present at the event. “I loved it. I came out to support the BC programs and I thought the whole thing was pretty cool,” said Ramirez. Professors Lindsay Ono and
HILL: DSPS counselor is reassigned Continued from Page 1 be involved with assisting DSPS and disabled students with his new job duties. “As they considered the points that Diana Kelly and I had put forth and the efforts of Angelica, our director, and others, that, ‘Well maybe it would be helpful if we left Skip at least part-time in disabled student services.’ They decided that I would be 20 percent disabled student services, 80 percent counsel. “The way that will work out is that I will teach Student Development 1 — four sections of that –which is two units a semester. And, those will be classes that will be closed classes you might say or special classes designed specifically for people in disabled student services. So yes, everybody could enroll in that, but the priority goes to [qualifying disabled students] because we’re going to do some things that are going to be helpful for our students. So, they’ll have to have a signature from me in order to get in,” he said. Hill feels fortunate that he will be able to stay at BC and continue contributing to disabled student services. He also understands that the economic conditions surrounding California colleges is serious and affecting many other departments, too. “It works out well for me; as well as it could in light of the
JOSEPH COTA / The Rip
Garden Fest attendees check out vendors April 24. The Bakersfield Agriculture department hosted the event. Sally Sterns, both with the environmental horticulture department, were also very pleased with the show and the turnout from the public. “Well, today, by many of the vendors it was considered a major success. We had a great turn out with the best weather possible in Bakersfield. Everybody enjoyed the atmosphere and enjoyed the sense of community,” said Ono. Ono proceeded to describe how Garden Fest started five years ago as a small gathering with only five participants, four of which were local nurseries and one garden group. The show now begins the day at 4
a.m. with a continuously growing number of vendors participating, including an estimated 75 student volunteers assisting in the success of the event. Last year’s event had over 3,000 people in attendance. Sterns was also excited about the number of participants from BC groups that got involved this year. “We had more BC groups involved, either individual staff or faculty members, and also a lot of clubs here -- more than ever before,” said Sterns. “And, there really isn’t another event on campus that invites everyone for one day to be in one spot together.”
LEJUENE: BC actor in show
John “Skip” Hill situation. I don’t think any of us felt that, you know, reducing the services to students with disabilities was going to be the right thing to do, but it’s not just us, it’s happening statewide. Every single college around the state is hit with about a 40 percent reduction or more in their services for students with disabilities. So, it’s going to be a challenge,” he said. “The majority of our people right now are coming to us not only for their accommodations and services, like, for extra time on tests and things, but they also come to us for academic counseling, advice and assistance with educational plans and things like that. So, by having me out of here it is going to put the entire load of disabilities related counseling primarily on Diana Kelly.” Hill will still be a full-time employee come the start of the fall semester, and though he stays optimistic for DSPS, he knows that they will be facing tough challenges and is concerned for the students. “We anticipate it’s going to be quite an adjustment for our students.”
Continued from Page 1 12 episodes are to be expected if everything works out. Found by the directors on www.LAcasting.com, a networking site for aspiring actors, Lejuene was called in for an audition. On the way to the audition, LeJuene suffered from a blown radiator on the Grapevine and waited on the side of the road until helped arrived. Initially thinking that he was going to miss the audition, he called his mom, who went to the auto parts store, and with the help of a California Highway Patrol officer got his car running again, making it to the audition 10 minutes before the deadline. “They were happy to see me; [they said,] ‘the Bakersfield guy is here.’ I’m always known as the Bakersfield guy, because I come from farther away than anyone else that auditions,” said Lejuene. During the audition, he performed as both characters, receiving great praise from the directors and was eventually given the part. “It was almost midnight when they called me up. David Felosi called me up at eleven something p.m. and said, ‘Hey we thought your audition was outstanding and we want you to play Charlie,’” said Lejuene, “It woke me up, and I was like, ‘OK, I can do that.’” Lejuene is being paid for his work in the miniseries and says, “It’s ridiculous how much money they can give people,” lightening the seri-
ousness of the statement with his distinctive laugh. LeJuene has a great love for acting. Influenced by his grandmother and drama teacher, he says, “What I love most about acting … I don’t know how to put that into words; I know how I feel. I love not being me. I love being able to be someone else.” Targeted by bullies in junior high, LeJuene faced much negativity and character challenges during his early teen years. “When I was in middle school, I had the biggest confidence issues because I got made fun of so much and people picked fights with me,” said LeJuene. Motivated by the challenges faced earlier in his life, LeJuene began to focus on acting. “I didn’t want to be that anymore, I didn’t want to be the kid that people made fun of. I don’t know why it turned into acting, but I think acting really made me think that it was going to cure up my timidness, and it’s going to allow me to be outgoing and everything,” said Lejuene. “That’s why I love acting, because if I couldn’t act, who knows, I might still be that same person,” said Lejune. “In which case, I may have developed some kind of disorder.” When not acting in Hollywood, Lejuene attends Bakersfield College and takes small parts for Sheila McClure’s plays, and waits for calls from Hollywood.
FUTURE: Group riles up students Continued from Page 1 that anybody, especially young people, can create tremendous innovation, wealth and impact in today’s global and rapidly evolving technology world, according the EET’s founders’ letter. The first keynote speaker of the event was Robert Nicholson. He shared the story of his success as well. “I was the fourth out of six kids and so my dad had a rule that once you turned 18, you had to leave the house. When I turned 18, I felt lost and the future made no sense,” he shared. Nicholson wanted to buy a house and asked his father for advice only to hear him say, “‘Son, there’s a place called the library, go there. In the library they have these things called books and in those books they teach you how to buy a house,’ and so I went.” That’s how he came across the book that inspired him, “Rich Dad Poor Dad.” Nicholson graduated from Ohio State University in 2009. He advised surrounding yourself with people that you can relate to because those who you associate with will affect your future. “Having the right people around you is the most important thing to an entrepreneur,” Nicholson said. After the first keynote speaker, Moodie continued talking to the audience and shared more words of wisdom, “The more you do, and the more you fail, the better off you’ll be.” When speaking on how to start your own business, Moodie compared it to playing a sport. “When learning how to play a sport, you learn by practicing and the business world is no different. Chances are your first business will fail but you will learn from it,” Moodie said. “The key to start a business is doing something you would do for free but doing it so well that people pay you for it.” He also advised to share goals with as many people as possible because most will want to help. “People will not steal your ideas,” he joked. The second keynote speaker, Lauren Berger, also shared her story of success to inspire and prove that it is possible even when others may tell you it’s not. She gave a few tips to the audience about landing your first internship. Berger is the creator of Intern Queen Inc., a website with the goals to raise internship awareness. She held 15 internships throughout her four years in college and now offers tips and connects students with internships. According to the tour’s pamphlet, Berger has interned at FOX, NBC, MTV and BWR public relations. She shared that all of her internships were obtained by being persistent and taking advantages of the resources available. The event also held a panelist that answered audience questions and helped with their ideas. Daryl Dean B. Santos, 20, business administration major and Cal State Bakersfield student, has been part of the SIFE club for about two-and -a-half years. He said that he got valuable information from the event and reassurance on the fact that everything is possible. “If these entrepreneurs can create businesses and become successful before their thirties, why in the heck can’t I do as well or even better,” Santos said enthusiastically. The BC SIFE club has meetings twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., and everyone is welcome to join and does not necessarily have to be a business major. Contact them through bcsife@ gmail.com for more information. To learn more about the Dream Big campaign, visit www.freeenterprise.com and for more on EET, visit www. extremetour.org.
Campus
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The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Students share ‘A Cup of Culture’ together
Left: Bakersfield College nursing major Debra Ramos speaks to a crowd about her mixed Filipino and Spanish ancestry during “A Cup of Culture” on April 21. Right: Students and audience members listen to stories and cultural backgrounds of Bakersfield College international students April 21. Photos by David Karnowski / The Rip
By Michael Wafford Reporter
Bakersfield College students from around the globe told their stories sharing “A Cup of Culture” with around 50 BC students on April 21 in the Student Services building. “A Cup of Culture, Story Telling by International Students” had students dressed in everything from T-shirts and denim to flowing dresses and burqas from the BC international student program sharing their stories about
coming to the United States to gain an education and their experiences so far. A common theme among the speakers was the vast amount of cultures and races present in the United States compared to their country of origin. Students discussed the language barriers they encountered, the differences in food, the feelings of being surrounded by strangers and how their view of the United States has changed. Nay May, from Burma, shared
his experiences with coming from a war-torn country to the United States, detailing his experiences in refugee camps. “I never even dreamed of thinking of going overseas,” said May, who arrived in the United States two years ago. Other presenters, such as Chi Dinh, 18, of Vietnam, had been interested in studying in another country since childhood. “I wanted to do it for myself and my country,” said Dinh. This sentiment was echoed by several
of the storytellers. Not all presenters came from lands as far away as Burma. Presenter Asma Ali, 19, born in Bakersfield of Yeminite descent, shared her experiences about being the first female in her family, to the best of her knowledge, to attend college along with the cultural and linguistic differences present in her home. All foreign presenters believed that coming to the United States was a great experience regardless of whether they intended on
staying after finishing college. “It was fun hearing other students speak,” said business major Tangela Boler, 19. Students in attendance said they gained a lot from the experience and understand the hardships international students face more than they did before. “You see other people here from those cultures, but you don’t really take the time to talk to them,” said Desi Ruiz, 20. Victor Mota, 19, engineering major, inspired by the presenta-
tion, said, “Learning about their backgrounds and seeing how they have to struggle makes me thankful for what I have, makes me want to work hard.” “We organized it so students can learn from other cultures. They can become more familiar with differences and similarities among themselves. Students may speak different languages but they may be very similar in other aspects,” said Shohreh Rahhman, international student counselor at BC.
Career day helps job hunters at BC Full-time father, By Ryan George Reporter
Bakersfield College’s annual Career Day was held on April 28 inside the Campus Center Fireside Room and cafeteria with an estimated 30 businesses and schools in
attendance. Eric Menor, a representative of Career Services Center, commented on what CSC does for follow-ups. Speaking of the application process, “In this economy, 70 to 80 percent will follow through, especially if they need a job,” Menor
said. Darlene Sharp, general manager of one of the AMF bowling lanes here in Bakersfield, said, “Last year I would say that about 150 people minimum [applied].” She said her response time may take her “a few weeks to go through
all of the applications.” AMF is expecting at least another 250 applications after this event. Yushai Chang, a manager of the Gosford Road location of Panda Express, also mentioned, “They [the applicants] will be notified [as early as] within the week.”
Professors prepare final exams for their students Samantha Garrett Illustrator
As most Bakersfield College students may have noticed, finals are coming up. This means stress, last minute cram sessions, panic attacks, and, for the rare few, a feeling of ease and preparedness. However, that’s just how it is for students. How are finals for the professors and instructors of BC? After all, it’s not like those exams just magic themselves into existence. For some professors, such as Nancy Magner who teaches art appreciation and art history, an exam can take two to two and a half hours to prepare. Once the students complete the exam, it must be graded. For some teachers, that means feeding a menagerie of Scantrons through the machine; for others, it means carefully reading multiple essays—it could even be, more commonly, a combination of the two. While multiple choice exams might be a lot easier to grade, essay questions give the faculty an opportunity to get a real feel for what students have learned throughout the semester. “The essay is a reflection on all the writing a student has done over the course of the semester,” said Kate Pluta in regards to her English B1a course. “These essays are a pleasure to read; usually the student voices shine through. It is also a strategy on my part to have students work on the meta-cognitive level,” said Pluta. Final exams comprise a portion of the student’s grade in the class and that graded weight, according to various BC faculty, can be anywhere from a mere 10 percent to a whopping 30 percent. For some classes, a final exam can make or break your semester, while in others it can mean bumping that high B to a low A. What does BC faculty expect from their students this semester? For many, they expected a wide variety of scores, perhaps leaning toward better results than worse ones, while others, such as Magner, expect her students to
do very well in general. Most expect the outcome to be similar to that of past semesters. For some students, the final exam might be a short series of multiplechoice questions, while for others it can take up the entire amount of time given for the exam and truly test their knowledge. As the faculty at BC are very varied in their teaching methods, so, too, are their methods for testing their students. In classes where the material studied is less text-based, such as theater, Kimberly Chin’s Theater B1 class, which is Beginning Acting, is tested on the skills each student learned rather than memorized terms. “The students’ final exam is a five-minute scene performance. Students find a scene partner within the class and select their five-minute scene from a published play, movie, TV series or an original script. I have directed each group in their scenes having anywhere from one to three 30 minute or longer rehearsals.” How should students prepare for a final exam? According to Vic Posey, professor of automotive technology, “they should prepare throughout the semester. Too many students think the final is going to be totally different than the other exams and tasks they take all semester long. The final is a culmination of all of the information they have already been tested on. They need to realize that at the beginning of the semester and not wait until a week before the final to start cramming.” In Chin’s class, “Students need to rehearse with their partners, and on their own, as much as possible. Memorizing their lines quickly is essential. Commit fully to their characters; take ownership. Be confident. Students should warm-up extensively using vocal warm-ups, physical warm-ups and creativity warm-ups.” Some professors offer study guides, while others—such as Daymond Johnson, professor of history,—suggest that students use the class lectures throughout the section as a study guide.
full-time student By Michael Wafford Reporter
“It doesn’t affect my social life because I really don’t have one. He is my life,” said Sewahne Garrett Sr., Bakersfield College student and father. His face and arms are scarred, his hair neatly braided, his arms show crude tattoos he received in his teenage years. Choosing his words carefully and speaking with a southern drawl, Garrett, 31, is devoted to his son. Born in Louisiana, Garrett is the father of two children: Sewahne Garrett II, 3, and Jayden Garrett, 2. Jayden currently lives with his mother in Louisiana. Garrett, who is currently in his second semester at BC pursuing an associate’s degree and certificate in industrial technology, has been through a lot. Moving to California in 1997 and gaining a GED after being expelled from his high school in Louisiana, Garrett moved back and forth between the two states, eventually getting incarcerated in 2004. “I’m the type of person who doesn’t let too much get to me. When you get to stressing, that gets your mind boggled and you can’t think straight. You end up missing out on something good or messing up something you have that’s going good,” said Garrett. Having been incarcerated from 2004 to 2006 for simple escape and a failed drug test, Garrett has made peace with his past. “Everything happens for a reason, and it was all a turning point for me in my life,” said Garrett. Garrett’s first son was born in 2007, and he realized he had to dedicate his life to him “I’ve lived my life. It’s time for me to do it for him,” said Garrett. He went on to say he is almost never unhappy. “Every day I wake up and see my baby; he smiles at me and that kicks it off right there,” said Garrett, who received full custody of his son with the assistance of the Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance’s services after a legal dispute with his ex-wife and mother of Garrett Jr., according to Garrett. A very hands-on person, Garrett said, “I like fixing stuff. I like working with my hands.” He has received certification in carpentry, municipal maintenance and industrial maintenance. However, his industrial maintenance certification is from Louisiana and not recognized in California, according to Garrett. He also enjoys fixing cars and works as a custodian through the student work program at BC. A full-time student, Garrett currently comes to school using his bicycle and the bus system. He’s never had a driver’s license and won’t be able to until he pays off his traffic tickets. Garrett said his mother takes the child to daycare and picks him up on Tuesday and Thursday when he has night classes. A middle child in a family of seven children, his family is supportive of him as is his son. “It’s cool. My baby comes to the daycare here. I mean, by me going to school and him liking going to school … and then he likes helping me do different stuff like drawing with my drawing kit. I like seeing him doing things. It makes me happy to see him showing initiative to do things himself,” said Garrett. Although he has two sons, “they’ve never met each other. I’m hoping I can talk [Jayden’s mother] into letting [Jayden] come down here for the summer and stay with me,” said Garrett. “Hopefully it works out.” “I don’t have time for failures,” said Garrett. “I’m tired of disappointments.”
Opinions
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The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Staff Editorial
Still no strict smoking policy on BC campus Despite decades of research, millions of deaths and continually surging cancer rates among tobacco smokers, Bakersfield College has yet to adopt a less-toxic campus smoking policy. This lack of action is hurting the lungs of BC students and should be rectified immediately. Talking about the health hazards of cigarettes and other forms of the drug nicotine isn’t anything new for school administrators, student leaders and local heath care officials. Numerous attempts by several parties involved over the past few years have come to light among the student population but have never resulted in the actual implementation of a rigorous anti-smoking policy. The most constructive action we have seen in the past few semesters is the administration’s move toward the compliance of state health law. Requiring signs that state the safe distance from windows and doorways that must be maintained by anyone smoking is one example of how the school has taken on such a stink-infested problem. Starting in the Spring of 2010, antismoking posters have been placed in the restrooms of the Campus Center in an effort headed by the BC Student Government Association. Unfortunately, no additional enforcement is playing out on our campus. Everyday students can be witness to the blatant violation of these impactlacking state and institutional policies. This ongoing social health issue has a checkered past including involvement with outside organizations attempting to help the school. In the Fall of 2005, the SGA was working in connection with the Kern County Health Department to create designated smoking areas on campus. This model is very popular and implemented widely among campuses in the California Community College system. In an article published in Feb. 19, 2009 issue of The Renegade Rip, KCPHD official Nsele Nsuangani is quoted as saying, “This has been an ongoing struggle because the SGA changes every school year, and the previous SGA could not come to a consensus and pass the proposal.” According to current SGA president Kristi Newsom, the district has yet to take any action on the recommendations and survey results of a poll taken during the Spring 2009 elections. “They’re going to try again,” Newsom said about the intentions of the incoming SGA officers. Newsom reaffirmed that any policy would need to be approved by the Kern Community College District. Newsom is quoted in an article of the September 9, 2009 issue of The Renegade Rip as saying, “There will be signs. We’ll take out the ashtrays. But our recommendations on enforcement must go through the district first.” As the 2009-2010 school year comes to a close, another year has passed with no action on creating a healthier learning environment on campus. Cigarette butt canisters are still found throughout the campus and Campus Center. We advocate that our school officials do the right thing. The implementation of designated smoking areas will reduce litter and decrease adverse health effects associated with second-hand smoke. Stop tossing blame around like a hot potato and take action.
’G ade Feedback
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Texting: convenient or annoying? By Kelly Ardis Editor in chief
As evidenced by my unlimited texting phone plan, which I’ve had since my parents received my first phone bill, I’m a big fan of text messaging. I text to let a friend know I’m running late, I text to ask a quick question, I text to make plans and I text random funny things I see or hear at home, school or around town. My mom jokes that she’s going to have to set up an intervention for my texting addiction, but I have my reasons for being a “textaholic.” Texting allows us to communicate with people instantly, even when they might not be able to take a phone call. What if there is some kind of emergency while you’re in class? You can’t tell the importance of a call just by looking at the phone, but you can with a text. With a call, you’d have to excuse yourself to take the call to see if Granny is sick or just has a question about how to use the microwave. A text tells you what’s up without the hassle. Calling a friend is fine if both parties have tons of time to chat and nothing important to do. I can answer a text and keep on working on homework, but some people don’t know when to shut up, so answering a call can take more time than I’d like to devote if I’ve got bigger things to worry about. Likewise, I don’t want to bug my friends if they’re busy. If I want to tell my friend about the crazy lady I just saw at Wal-Mart, I don’t want to call just to say, “Holy mullet! Got to love Wal-Mart!” Not to mention, I can’t send a picture of that sweet mullet through a phone call, but I can with a text. Some people believe texting is impersonal, but I disagree. Texting can be as personal or impersonal as a phone call, depending on the individual. One of my best friends lives in Los Angeles and sometimes we can’t talk on the phone, but we still manage to have important conversations and maintain a great friendship, often through texting. For some avid texters, the most important function of texting is that it is the perfect escape from a bor-
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ing or awkward situation. When that lecture just refuses to end, texting is there to help ease the misery. At that party where almost everyone is a stranger but for whatever reason leaving is out of the question, texting an absent friend can make the situation at least seem a little less awkward. This does bring me to my next point, though, the one downside of texting: the lack of etiquette some people use. Boring classes suck and texting makes it better, but keep it inconspicuous and, please, make sure the sound is off. Parties hosted by a friend of a friend can be awkward, but they can also be a way to meet new friends, so don’t write them off and retire to the darkest corner to text so soon. Don’t pay more attention to a text conversation than a real life one, unless it is something very important. And for the love of God, if you are going to text in a movie theater, at least hunch down so I don’t have to see that damn glowing screen. As long as you follow proper texting etiquette, text away, my friends.
By Gregory D. Cook Multimedia editor
In December of 1992, the simple phrase “Merry Christmas,” was sent to the phone of Richard Jarvis by Neil Papworth, becoming the first text message, and marking, as well, the first time a person was interrupted while having a good time at a party by someone else who couldn’t be bothered to deliver their inane thoughts in person. The race to remove the “personal” out of the term “personal communications” had begun. According to a study conducted by the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, Americans sent an average of 4.1 billion text messages a day in 2009. That is a very big number, and it can also be seen as a very big warning sign as to the direction our society is heading when it comes to relating with each other. Text messaging,
Samantha Garrett / The Rip
when used as the name implies, to send a message, is a valuable tool. It is when whole conversations are conducted via texting that the negative effects begin to become evident. There was a time, not so long ago, when talking to someone meant actually talking to him or her. We would formulate our thoughts into complete words and deliver them to their intended recipient with our own voices. Inflection, tone and other subtle nuances in the way we speak combined with the words themselves to form a very complex and personal way of communicating that the starkness of text on a screen just cannot convey. Carrying on a conversation via text messaging removes the common courtesy of actually paying attention to what is being conveyed. The phone makes a little sound, or vibrates, letting a person know it is their turn to respond, if they care to, or they can choose to ignore what has been “said” until it is convenient. While this would be considered rude and antisocial in a face-to-face meeting, it is seen as a benefit by serial texters, and only encourages our society to become more and more insensitive and less intuitive in our dealings with each other. A texting conversation also isolates its participants, which is the exact opposite of the purpose of interaction. By removing the physical aspects of the conversation the parties involved are unable to truly take part in a healthy conversation. Texting something like “I HATE U, WE R THRU,” is a poor substitution for actually screaming it at the face of the intended victim even if the message comes in all capital letters. Putting aside the social implications of how texting can affect society, a physical downside is now emerging. “Texting thumb” is a form of repetitive stress injury connecting pain in the thumbs with excessive texting. Though, suffering thumb pain and then blaming texting is the same as blaming the hammer you just spent the day hitting yourself in the head with for your headache. It’s more of a self-control issue. If a person has a thought that is worthy of sharing with others, that thought should be given the respect it is due, and it should be born into the world on the voice of its creator, with all of the subtle qualities of an individual’s voice that make it worthy of consideration.
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Adding own facts in lecture leaves questions for history Samantha Garrett Reporter
As a history major, I take a lot of history classes, and I read a lot of history books. The first lesson I learned is that “fact” is a very difficult thing to define in that field. The further back you go, the more information is based on educated guesses and sparse archeological evidence, and, the closer to present day you get, the more likely things are going to be deeply entrenched in politics. Despite that, there is the middle road — the moderate view of history that can prevent a scholar from going too right or too left, because to do either would be to pollute the history one is studying. Teaching a different version of history to serve political devices is changing history — that’s editing it to become something else. Maybe only a few people will see it incorrectly at first — but the idea can spread. Just like those awful emails about how our president is a Muslim; sure, an educated, reasonable person wouldn’t believe that, but
enough uneducated or unreasonable people do believe that. What’s the danger in understanding history differently? What’s the danger in knowing a new version to things? Discussion of varying viewpoints, after all, is how ideas are developed and strengthened. Discussion is fine. Discussion is productive. But plenty of teachers don’t provide discussion; they provide “facts.” This was how the world was, for all we knew — and why should we think differently? Why should we doubt the validity of a lecture? We shouldn’t have to be suspicious of our professors’ political agendas. And that’s just what it is — and that’s just why this is important. It’s all about a political spin. Take the Roman Empire; it is established in the historical field that it collapsed due to the weakening of its societal values, German invasion and integration into the populace, plague and political deterioration. What lesson can we learn from that? Well, for one thing, democracy is a good idea; we should probably have a strong
healthcare system because it would likely suck if we all died of a plague, or swine flu; and it would probably be best if we didn’t have a bunch of corrupt people running the place. There’s another idea that the Roman Empire collapsed because of the rise of Islam in the Middle East, which pitted the Byzantine Empire against the Persian Empire and eventually led to the collapse of Rome. What lessons can we learn from that? Well, if one were to compare the United States to the Roman Empire (as people often do), then the lesson would be to distrust Islam, because Muslims will be the end of us. It’s a much uglier lesson — a much more dangerous lesson, because it isn’t a lesson at all. It’s a political spin on history meant to affect our modern mentality rather than our understanding of the ancient world and how it might affect us. It’s — to use strong words — fear mongering, and it’s very dangerous, especially when it isn’t even based on historical fact. It’s even more dangerous when people be-
lieve it — and people do. Teachers are right there next to doctors in the whole “we should be able to trust them” department. Our teachers are meant to give students information that is true, and they shouldn’t put their own politics into their lesson plans. When we’re taking notes in the classroom, we shouldn’t have to ask ourselves, “Is this true?” And we shouldn’t have to doubt the information that is being given to us. That’s a part of our education, and we should be able to trust it. Hearing different viewpoints on history is an enriching and interesting opportunity. I try to hear every perspective; but there is a serious disparity between a perspective and a political spin. Teachers have a responsibility as our instructors to give us the right information and to label theories in dispute as just that. I wouldn’t mind if a professor went on all day about the most outrageous conspiracy theories out there, so long as that professor established it as a conspiracy theory — not historical fact, however fluid and transitional this “fact” can be.
Who do you text the most and why?
Editor’s note: ’Gade Feedback is a feature that asks students their opinion various topics.
Compiled by: Mateo M. Melero and Joseph Cota / The Rip
Danille Morin, radiology: “My best friend, I text him every day.”
Carmen Olivas, psychology: “My friend Becky, I text her every day and I text her because she texts me.”
Chris Ballard, anthropology and geology: “My senators to make sure things are running smoothly in the Renegade Pantry.”
The Renegade Rip Editorial Board Winner of the 2003 and 2008 JACC Pacesetter Award
Editor in Chief...................................Kelly Ardis
The Renegade Rip is produced by Bakersfield College journalism classes, printed by Bakersfield Envelope & Printing Co. Inc., and circulated on Wednesdays during the fall and spring semesters. The newspaper is published under the auspices of the Kern Community College District Board of Trustees, but sole responsibility for its content rests with student editors. The Rip is a member of the Journalism Association of Community Colleges and the California Newspaper Publishers Association.
Sports Editor.................................Michael Morrow
News Editor....................................Vincent Perez Copy Editor ..............................Anthony B. Ellrodt Multimedia Editor......................Gregory D. Cook
Staff Reporters: Martin Chang, Samantha Garrett, Denise Gonzalez, Laura Liera, Alma N. Martinez, Mateo M. Melero, Julian Moore, Natalie Rodriguez, Lauren Strong, Michael Wafford, Brian Willhite Photographers: Joseph Cota, Ryan George, Annie Stockman, Jofel Tolosa
Opinions Editor....................................Katie Avery Magazine Editor.........................David Karnowski Adviser.......................................................Danny Edwards
Alice Pyun, undecided: “My friend in Washington, D.C. every couple of hours.”
Patricia Rodriguez, music: “My best friend because we can talk about anything.”
Write The Rip
Letters should not exceed 300 words, must be accompanied by a signature and the letter writer’s identity must be verified. The Rip reserves the right to edit letters, however, writers will be given the opportunity to revise lengthy or unacceptable submissions. If an organization submits a letter as a group, it must be signed by only one person, either the leader of the organization or the letter writer. Pen names are not allowed and anonymous letters will not be published.
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-Address: Bakersfield College, 1801 Panorama Drive, Bakersfield, CA 93305 -Phone: (661) 395-4324 -Web site: www.therip.com
Reviews
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The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
New sandwich at KFC disappoints reviewer By Martin Chang Reporter
Ah yes, the Double Down, the “sandwich” with no bread. The KFC Web site describes the Double Down as “two juicy, ood boneless eview chicken filets, two pieces of bacon, two melted slices of cheese and the colonel’s sauce.” People that have seen this new item at KFC can’t help but talk. Some find it reprehensible, while others find it funny. I am in the latter camp. I have always felt that such a fast food item would be inevitable, but it still seems crazy, though, that such an item actually exists. It looks like a prop you would see on “Saturday Night Live,” or a similar comedy show, making fun of the excess of the fast food industry. It is obvious that KFC knows how unreal the item is. It is also obvious that they want people talking about this unreal quality the Double Down has. Every ad-
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David Karnowski / The Rip
The author samples the new Double Down on April 21.
Freddy Krueger fails in thrills and chills scenes By Ryan George Reporter
Honestly, wanting to scream from Freddy Krueger violently killing teens wasn’t what I did. Yes, I may have jumped out of my seat a few ilm times, even plugged my eview ears and wanted to look away, but mainly I was hypnotized by the computer graphics and costume design, especially the very graphic mask that actor Jackie Earle Haley had to wear for this performance of Freddy Krueger. But the multiple pop-out-fromaround-the-corner scares got old as the movie progressed. Nancy, Krueger’s “number one girl,” played by Rooney Mara, is left to solve the mystery of her friends’ deaths, all after sharing the same dream of the same man with the burned face, wearing the iconic red and green sweater. In my eyes, however, several scenes showing Krueger make the sweater appear red and black. Everyone knows the old saying “save the best for last.” Well, Krueger did not do that at all. The first kill was more along
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the lines of amusing than anything. Dean, portrayed by Kellan Lutz (“The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”), ended up slitting his own throat, or so it seemed to his friend that witnessed the kill, in a diner at the very beginning of the film. Director Samuel Bayer, originally a music video director, including Green Day’s “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” definitely put some effort into his first feature film and took this remake and made it better than others. Even though the movie itself was outstanding, the thrills and chills could have been a lot less of the pop-out-from-around-thecorner variety, and more of what was done in the scene where Krueger chases one character into a closet, then disappears into thin air, reappearing behind her. I was almost excited to hear the song that is also tied into Krueger’s character, “One, two, Krueger is coming for you. Three, four, better lock the door. Five, six, grab your crucifix. Seven, eight, better stay awake. Nine, ten, never sleep again,” as sung by children, brought the best chills in the entire film. “A Nightmare on Elm Street” is a must see, but remember, don’t fall asleep.
vertisement shows the “sandwich” dripping with sauce, cheese and bacon, making the “sandwich” look more unreal than it is. Their site exclaims, “The new KFC Double Down sandwich is real!” Their television advertisement brags, “So much chicken we didn’t have room for a bun.” It seems they wanted to hype this sandwich as something crazy, something big, maybe even something gross, just as long as people are talking. Maybe that was KFC’s goal. I asked a cashier how popular the “sandwich” was, and she told me “very popular, we sell like over 100 a day.” You may be wondering why I’m using the word sandwich in quotes. To be honest, I’m actually a big fan of sandwiches. They are one of my favorite foods. But the Double Down is not a sandwich. A sandwich must have bread or something similar. It is no longer a sandwich if it does not have some type of starchy thing, such as bread or a bun, to give the more meaty ingredients balance. The Double Down by itself costs about $4.50. That is way too expensive for what it is. It does not have so much chicken that there is “no room for a bun.”
The two pieces of chicken are the same size as all the chicken filets I have had. If anything, they were a bit smaller. There was room for a bun. The cheese and sauce was not dripping appetizingly down the sides of it. By the time I was halfway done with it, there was much too little cheese and sauce. Upon first looking at the Double Down, I was surprised at how ordinary it looked. Based on the advertisements, I was expecting something gigantic, something hard to hold. It really just looked like a bunch of ingredients thrown together in a box. Upon first bite, that is also what it tasted like, just a bunch of ingredients thrown together. It tasted like two pieces of chicken with some sauce and bacon. It tasted OK, but these different foods did not mix particularly well. About halfway through the Double Down, I was once again surprised that despite my first bad impression, I was actually enjoying eating the thing. The bacon was starting to taste good with the chicken and the sauce. The mix of ingredients was actually starting to work, maybe. I began to think this might not be that bad. I could see buying this
again. But that feeling was short lived, because it hit me like a ton of bricks; I began to ask myself: “What am I eating?” My hands were greasy, the amount of salt was beginning to get to me, and it was then I realized that the thing in my hand, the thing I was actually eating, was actually disgusting. I sat there just thinking about it, and it’s crazy that I finished it. But finished it I did. It was a struggle. By the time it was threefourths finished, I really, really did not want to finish the rest but I did. About 20 minutes later my stomach was not feeling great. I could feel myself getting a little sick. So next time you’re on the go, and you need to pick up something to eat quickly, make the right decision, pick up something healthy like a juice with a salad. I understand being curious about products like the Double Down. I was curious too. Consider it a favor; I found out what the truth is. It is not as good as it looks in the ad, and the novelty of the item wears off quickly. Get something that won’t make you feel bad after you have finished it. You’ll be glad you did.
Ira Levin’s ‘Deathtrap’ performed By Katie Avery Opinions editor
Twists, terror and titillating tension dominated the members of the Bakersfield Community Theater on April 30 in their rendition of “Deathtrap.” Written by Ira Levin in 1978, “Deathtrap” is the longest running thriller on Broadway, and it translated well to the Bakersfield Community Theatre. It is essentially a play about a playwright, lay and the events that eview transpire on the stage become good material for the playwright’s new play. The play begins with the introduction of burnout playwright Sidney Bruhl, portrayed by David Lollar. He has come upon hard times with writers block and is unable to generate ideas for a new script. When an old student of his, Clifford, comes by for advice about a thrilling script he has written, plot twists, thrills and hilarity inevitably follow. Once you think you have a handle on the story, it changes direction, making it difficult to follow at times. The many twists and turns in the plot keep the audience on their toes and wanting more. The cast dealt well with the themes of homosexuality present in the production. They did not cross appropriate boundaries, which may make an audience uncomfortable, but they still got the message across enough so the audience knew what was happening. It was subtle, which did not distract from the overall plot. The acting was pretty good for a small local theater. The connection the cast mem-
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bers had with one another was convincing. You could tell by the way they spoke, moved and interacted that they knew their roles well and worked well with each other. The actors had a way of drawing you into the story. The best performance was given by ChelAnnie Stockman / The Rip sea Brewer, who Jeffery D. Wilson (left) and David Lollar (right) in played psychic Deathtrap at the Bakersfield Community Theater on May 1. neighbor Helga ten Dorp, who suspects something is going on with the noticeably during the first act of the play, Bruhl family and reveals little bits of the whenever sound effects were used, it was plot to come with her wild predictions. She constantly in the background. Toward the had an accent that was strange but not un- end, though, my ear filtered out this buzzing intelligible, and she played the part a little and I was able to easily ignore it. The worst thing about this play was not crazy but not overwhelmingly so. It was a five character, one-set, two-act even the cast’s, director’s or stage managplay, and in that sense, it was very simplis- er’s fault. It was the dismal audience. The tic. There was no huge diversity in charac- theater seats possibly over 100 people and ters, and it all takes place in the same room: there were 12 total people there for the performance that night, including myself and Sidney’s study. The lighting was basically the same the an actor’s daughter. Nobody clapped between scenes, and entire time except when they shut them off as part of the action. The costumes fit well when intermission began, an usher had to with the type of play and the time period it tell everyone what was happening. For a was written for, and it was apparent that the weekend show, this is a tragedy; and since homosexual character wore a slightly more the cast reacts to the feedback of its audiflamboyant costume than the others at some ence, it’s safe to guess the performance would have been better with a bigger and points. The sound system was buzzing most more responsive audience.
New comedy band Trainwreck stays on track with ‘The Wreckoning’ By Michael Wafford Reporter
The comedy rock band Trainwreck’s debut studio album “The Wreckoning” provides an uneven ride filled with laughs, guitar solos and flutes. Comprised of Tenacious D members, Trainwreck was started lbum in 1997 as a eview side project with each member taking on a new persona for Trainwreck. Kyle Gass becomes acoustic guitarist Klip Calhoun, Jason Reed becomes singer Darryl Lee Donald, John Konesky becomes lead guitarist J.B. Shredman, John
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playfulness to the track. There’s also a nice guitar solo. Next up is “Tim Blankenship,” a country rock ballad about a fast car, fast women and what you do with fast women when you have a fast car; it’s funny. Twangy guitars are front and center. There’s also a nice guitar solo. The spoken word track “Wisdumb” performed by Darryl Lee serves as an introduction to the next track “R.B.M.” The track tells the story of Rock Boulder Mountain, opening with a few seconds of sweet flute blowing before the distorted bluesy riffs begin. It works; the flute provides a nice contrast to the distortion and the lyrics are so cliche they can’t help but cause a smile. There’s also a nice flute solo.
Next up is “Bothered and Hot” inspired by 1980s metal. The quick steady tempo and upbeat nature of the track make it extremely catchy but the instruments drown the vocals out at times. “Milk The Cobra,” which brings back the flute, follows this but the rest of the track is nothing special and follows the formula laid out by the previous tracks. Next up is “Brodeo” a chuckle worthy ballad about the love between bros. The instrumentation has a more poppy tone and the vocals are sung with a tone similar to that found in the voice of a beer spokesman. Then comes “El Mustachio,” with a jazzy bass line and crooned vocals that add more variety to the album, but the track does manage to go the hard rock route at points.
Then comes the section of the album where the train slows. The next songs “Runnin’,” “Love,” and “Real Deal” all deal with love in some way and are pretty similar outside of the lyrics with “Runnin’” being a more obvious type of humor and “Love” relying on the listener being familiar with rock cliches to find the humor. Both have average structure and playing. There’s nothing wrong with the songs but nothing about them stands out. “Real Deal” is the standout of the trio slightly ignoring the song structure of previous songs and adding sea shanty elements for a few seconds. Then comes the power ballad “The Drummer.” This is where the album feels like it should end. The next three songs
“B.L.T.,” “JB Shredman” and “T.W. Theme” aren’t bad by any means but feel unnecessary. They’re either too similar to previous tracks or feel like they belong on a different album. “The Wreckoning” is funny but not hilarious. The jokes work better when you can see the members. While it isn’t a great album by any means, it’s certainly enjoyable on the first few rotations. Repetitive song structure and song themes hold back the album, but if you don’t mind those problems, “The Wreckoning” might be worth the price of fare. Trainwreck will be in Bakersfield at Fishlips on May 30. Those who attend can expect to find the members in character and in costume.
“What is the corpus callosum?”
Editor’s note: BC Brains is a feature that asks students a question to test their knowledge of all things trivial.
Compiled by: Mateo M. Melero and Joseph Cota / The Rip
Aaron Sy, undeclared: “Something like Big Buisness.”
Christian Munoz, English: “Blistered Body.”
Elizabeth Xydus, pre-nursing: “Part of or something to do with a deceased body.”
Julian Navarrette, psychology: “Something with a dead body.”
Katy Michelle, psychology: “Part of the brain that connects the two hemispheres.”
Correct answer: The structure in the brain that connects the left and right hemispheres.
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Spiker becomes bassist Boy Johnny and Nate Rothhacker becomes Dallas St. Bernard on drums. Each persona is a take on a classic rock archetype: the superstar, the hippie, the lover, the rural genius and the wild man. Sadly, the album doesn’t showcase this or their very visual style of humor. The album opens with “TV Theme.” An acoustic guitar is strummed, an electric guitar shrieks, a train whistle blows, and the singing starts. It’s a great opening track. The lyrics are simple and sung in a way that’s easily imitated for those who want to sing along. The riffs are simple but have enough variation to prevent them from becoming boring, the synth and acoustic guitar adds a nice feeling of
Features
Page 9
The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Summer Fashion Fads By Denise M. Gonzalez Reporter
Dress by Cynthia Steffe $325
Top by Yoana Baraschi $262 Swim suit by Despi $105
Pants by Dylan George $150
The warm season opens endless doors that allow individuals to alter their wardrobes. The 2010 spring fashion must-have items allow both male and female individuals to emphasize their own personal style statements. With the spring weather in full effect, and the constant style trends that are forever evolving, many college students are not aware of the new modern and classic style tendencies they should be aiming for. Famous apparel designers showcase their collection lines with modern trends. The major downside to these showcased clothing lines is the price tag. Alternatives of these clothing pieces can be done effectively and with reasonable pricing. According to Elle Magazine online fashion news, the 2010 fashion trends are made up of collaborations with modern and classic clothing items. Women should aim for floral print, tribal and silk fabrics. For color hues it is recommended to search for pastels, whites and dark bold colors. The combining of these fabrics and colors will be this spring season’s trends for young women. For men, it is recommended to seek asymmetrical fabric patterns and digital designs along with plain fabrics. The picking of colors for men can be enjoyable. Diverse sets of pastels, bold hues and mixing of non-complementary colors will be in. The secret to being up-to-date with the latest fashion trends and age appropriate styles is not far from comprehension. Styling yourself can be simple and done with little effort. When browsing for items, both male and female individuals should think about purchasing as many simple items as possible. This allows for numerous mixand-matching of outfits. It allows the wearer to be able to find right styles of color combinations that suit their personal preferences. For women, pairing any shorts of pastel color with a stylish dark boyfriend blazer can be put together quickly for a stylish look. Loose floral print tops and dresses have been a constant
style trend and will also be out in clothing stores. Silk loose tank tops of pastel colors can be worn with a tight dark bold fitting skirt for another quick stylish look. High-wasted bottoms, one-piece rompers and loose dresses are recommended. The main emphasis of the women’s trends is the mixing and matching of clothing items, fabrics and colors in order to show uniqueness and versatility. For the men, plain bottoms can be paired with detailed tops such as tank tops or t-shirts. Asymmetrical patterns printed on tank tops and T-shirts along with digital designs will be the evolving trend for the males. For a quick put together look, men are suggested to pair plain dark bold colored shorts, patterned t-shirts and a loose button-up long sleeve shirt. Rolling of the sleeves and unbuttoning shirts will allow a quick, stylish look. Stacie Longston, 21, is a math major at Bakersfield College and has always been unsure of what style trends are in and out. “I never have time to search for the season trends so I am always unsure,” said Longston. “Now I understand to purchase a variety of pieces so I can alternate them for a lot of different outfits. I see there is no rule now, just diversity.” Jeremy Gomez, 24, is an art history major at BC and he personally does not follow the seasonal trends. “I never look up what is right and what is in,” said Gomez. “I go with my personal unique feel. Now, after hearing the 2010 fashion trends, I am glad to see the men’s trends to be similar to mine. I enjoy the availability of putting clothing together.” The process of mixing and matching versatile patterns and clothing pieces will allow an individual to sport a fast and comfortable look. It is recommended to opt for the perfect must-have accessories to complete an overall appearance. For women, selecting chunky necklaces and bracelets is the must-have along with pieces containing feathers. Over accessorizing is in, so take advantage of that opportunity. For men, it is recommended to indulge in multi-colored sunglasses and necklaces.
Model Vanessa Duran poses during a photo shoot in downtown Bakersfield. She is wearing Summer fashion clothes provided by local boutique shop La Coquette located at 1910 19th Street. Photos by Mateo M. Melero / The Rip
Beer festival brings quest to find best brew By Kelly Ardis Editor in chief
While many young adults are content drinking whatever beer is around, I am not. So when the 18th annual Festival of Beers rolled around April 24, I took it as an opportunity — nay, a quest — to find “My Beer,” the one beer that would make me exclaim, “Where have you been all my life?” and the one I would thereafter swear my undying loyalty to. With almost 100 brews to choose from, I was sure I could find My Beer here. I wanted plenty of time to accomplish my mission, so I got to Stramler Park at about 1:15 p.m. The festival lasted from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., so I had less than four hours to try up to 40 beers. Before my parents have a heart attack over the thought of their little girl (who just barely turned 21) drinking 40 beers, I’ll have them know I drank well under the amount allotted each guest. Once I was through the gates, I grabbed my 4-ounce sampling cup and contemplated my plan of action. Right away, I decided I was not going to waste my time or my sobriety on mainstream beers. I could try those anytime, and I already knew I was not a fan of Budweiser and the like. I was surprised there were so many of them here anyway; I thought this was about trying new beers, not drinking the same old swill people have already assaulted their palates with. The first beer I tried was the Hoegaarden wheat beer. The first drink was OK, but I didn’t expect much from it. But after that first drink, it grew on me. My knowledge of beer is very limited so I can’t really de-
scribe what I tasted in typical beer lingo, but it was light and not super beer-tasting. I knew I would want to remember the name of this beer, so I started a T-chart and labeled the left column “Beers I Dig” and the right “Beers I Don’t.” Hoegaarden found its place in the left column. Where I gave Hoegaarden enough time and sips to contemplate its taste before passing judgment, the next two beers were not offered that same courtesy. Rogue’s American Amber Ale and the Hemp Ale from Humboldt Brews took all of one drink for me to decide I didn’t like these bitter brews and was ready to move on to the next beer. Unfortunately, I had a feeling dumping the beer out would be bad form, so I nursed one for a while and gave the other to my friend. The Firestone Double Barrel Ale was next. It was one I could see myself liking. Although it was a bit harder to drink than the smoother Hoegaarden, its taste was strong without being overpowering. Drinking the Firestone DBA, I felt more like I was drinking a “real” beer than the Hoegaarden. When I finished it, I moved on to the Stella Artois. What I liked about this beer was that it wasn’t too carbonated and I didn’t feel sluggish or full after drinking it. After having to fight to finish the Rogue and Hemp ales, I asked for the cup to be filled only halfway, in case I didn’t like it. But the Stella Artois was one I could easily drink. I would have liked to drink the second half of that beer, but I had more beers to move on to, and could not dwell on only one so early in the game. I made note that this beer might find its way to
being The One. Local brewery Lengthwise offered several of their beers, and I decided to try the Golden Ale. This one sat safely in the middle of my list. It was pretty good, but it wasn’t my favorite. Walking through the park, I couldn’t help but notice a beer called Arrogant Bastard by the Stone Brewing Company. The label on the bottle alone intimidated me, but it wasn’t until I read the sign on the table that I actually got a little scared. “Questions or comments? If you don’t like this beer, keep it to yourself – we don’t want to hear from any sniveling yellow-beer drinkin’ wimps, ‘cause this beer wasn’t made for you.” I knew I wasn’t going to like this beer, but I felt compelled to try it, if only to make me a little less of a wimp for giving it a chance. Unsurprisingly, this beer was far too bitter for me. I had worried that in my quest to find My Beer, all the samples would add up and fog my taste buds and judgment, making every beer taste just fine, but Arrogant Bastard let me know my objectivity was still very much present. Finally, I tried Blue Moon, a beer I had tried before and liked. I saved this one for last because I already had high expectations for it. Although it wasn’t served with an orange like it was when I’d had it before, it was still very tasty. It wasn’t too carbonated and was easy to drink. It wasn’t bitter, but it wasn’t boring either; it had its own unique flavor, with a bit of a kick. Best of all, it had the one quality none of the others had: the distinct pleasure of calling itself My Beer … for now, at least.
David Karnowski / The Rip
A participant in the 18th annual Festival of Beers holds a sample of over 100 beers offered at the Active 20-30’s club event April 24.
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The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Dream Team Academy sets sights on Hollywood By Brian N. Willhite Reporter
Working toward making their Hollywood dreams a reality, the Dream Team Talent Academy is progressively moving into the world of feature filmmaking with the help of online media outlets like YouTube. Writer, producer and director Shade Gumapac, 29, a Bakersfield College theater major, leads the Dream Team cast in reaching their goals of becoming Bakersfield success stories in Hollywood. Gumapac will also be graduating this semester with a theater arts degree. Additionally, he is a film student at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, where he is studying to be a director. Dream Team has been in production since 2008. “I started Dream Team just to get people to get started in film, and have experience in film, because each and every one of these people are passionate toward heading [to Hollywood] in the future,” said Gumapac. Gumapac gathered with members of his “Star Circle” to discuss their hopes and dreams and what they are doing to achieve their goals. “There’s a core, which I call the ‘Star Circle;’ they’re the people that are more featured and that are more passionate about acting and they’re willing to do whatever. So whatever I have come up or whatever I want to produce, they’re always there and want to do it. “These are the people that I’m mainly training to have that kind of experience,” said Gumapac about his fellow actors. Gumapac is passionate about helping others, and enjoys working with local talent in his films. “I just want the world to know, and especially this campus, that there are students coming from this group that maybe someday in the future will be going from BC to Hollywood, and that is the goal.” BC theater major Riki Suzuki, 21, recalls his first encounter with Gumapac and his first encounter with a Dream Team production. “I remember I saw them in front of the Fine Arts building and I saw Shade with some actors and I thought, ‘Hey, they’re shooting some kind of film or student film or something.’ And I said, ‘I wish I was part of it,’” said Suzuki. Gumapac and Suzuki met shortly after that and discussed how they felt about acting and film and also about the possibilities of working together. The two realized that they had a lot in common and decided to start making movies together. Suzuki has been filming with the Dream Team crew since December 2009 and feels that the rela-
tionship has been a blessing for him. “Above all, everything’s been fun, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Suzuki said. Dream Team primarily films love stories or soap-opera-type romances. Gumapac’s vision for his future includes making these types of movies in Hollywood and beyond. He also feels that comedy is not one of his strong suits; however, he would like to explore horror-type features sometime in the future. “My goal in the future is to be making love stories. No comedies, I don’t do well with comedy, I think. So writing, producing and directing love stories are what I’m getting into right now, so that’s what we’re doing,” said Gumapac. One of Dream Team’s actors who takes on more of the romantic leads, business major Brian Aguirre, 21, loves the crowds that gather to watch as they film in public. “I love [acting]. It’s fun, it’s exciting and I get a rush doing it,” said Aguirre who admits that, though he has always been interested in acting, he was a bit timid about performing until he met Gumapac, who helped him overcome his shyness. Laurence Chien, 22, who will be graduating with a biology degree this semester, is another of Dream Team’s romantic male leads. Chien, who has been passionate about acting from a young age, was also in the recent BC production “Twilight: Los Angeles 1992” in which he played five different roles. “I’ve been passionate about acting since around sixth grade, and I’ve always wanted to be an actor and star in some kind of film. I always thought it was cool and not just because of the fame and the money, but because of the love of the game and all that,” said Chien. “[Shade] taught me a lot about acting, a lot about Hollywood and how everything works,” Chien said before he proceeded to thank Gumapac for helping him with his acting, as did the others before they embraced in a group hug surrounding Gumapac. As one of the first Dream Team cast members, Jessie Maldonodo, 18, has a continuous role in one of Dream Teams features titled “Flames.” Like the other Dream Team members, Maldonado has been an aspiring actress for most of her life. Additionally, she thanks Gumapac for his efforts to keep the group motivated in reaching their goals. “I’ve always had a passion for acting and singing, and I’ve always wanted to model and dance,” said Maldonodo who added, “If I could make it in one of those, it would be like reaching one of my all time goals in life.” “Shade found all of us, and he sees potential in
Local rising country star performs By Martin Chang Reporter
The career of Lauren Ashley, a country singer and songwriter from Bakersfield, began after she saw a Grammy-award winning 20-year old country singer perform. “When I was 12, I went to a Taylor Swift concert, and I saw that she played the guitar, and I was like, ‘Mom and Dad, I want to be a singer.’” In Swift, Ashley saw a woman who was “overcoming obstacles” through her music. Ashley connected with the experience she and Swift shared in junior high school. Ashley said of this shared experience, “When she was in junior high, she had some girls that didn’t want to be her friend anymore. I went through that experience, very much so. I connected to her on that level. In the sense that she persevered through music, maybe music can help me.” Another influence on Ashley is Johnny Cash. Ashley said of the first time she heard him, “When I was 6 years old, we went to a car wash, and they gave us a Johnny Cash CD. My mom played it in her car. I remember asking her, ‘Oh, can you play Johnny Cash?’” At 13, Ashley started playing the guitar seriously; the learning process was a bit tough for her, but she found it rewarding. She said, “I taught myself how to play the guitar, so it was hard for a while. It’s an amazing experience, when you learn how to play. You finally connect with it, and you’re like, wow this sounds awesome.” Around the time she started playing guitar, Ashley began songwriting. “I enjoy the aspect of music that releases emotion that not necessarily words can describe but I think music and lyrics can describe some of the emotions I feel,” she said. “Being a moody teenager, it’s really nice to have that outlet. I wish that a lot of the same teenagers had that same outlet.” Ashley found songwriting a cathartic process. “When I was in junior high, I went through a lot of heartbreak with friends. I was often times alone. So, I had all these built up emotions. When I started writing they overflowed.” Ashley also takes other experiences into her songwriting. “I take daily experiences and things that matter to me and I write songs.” Ashley has performed at many venues in Bakersfield. Her first performance was at American Sound Recording Studios, a local venue for performing and recording music. Ashley said of this experience, “It was just a youth night for kids to come and play their songs. I just said, ‘I’m Lauren Ashley, I’m 13, and here’s my songs,’ and I remember I was shaking so bad.”
Annie Stockman / The Rip
Lauren Ashley performs at the Prime Cut on Brimhall Rd. on April 21. Once onstage Ashley feels that everybody out there is her friend. “For once, I got all these friends. I always tell my story. I always feel 100 percent comfortable with being onstage.” Ashley has recorded several songs for an upcoming self-titled album. It was produced by Monty Byrom and Paul Serpa. Ashley said of recording the album, “It was crazy. I remember the first night we met him (Monty Byrom), me and my dad went home and were like, ‘This is so surreal. I get to produce an album with Monty Byrom who’s played with Buck Owens and all of these crazy-amazing people.’ Just going into the studio everyday, staying until 11 or 12 at night, was just the best experience. When you’re in the studio you just never want to leave because it’s so much fun, it’s such a good vibe.” Ashley describes her dad, Chris Persel, as “my solid rock.” “He’s the one at the end of the day I know that’s always going to be there, always going to be supporting me. He’s always there carrying my guitar when I’m too tired after a performance. He’s always there getting me anything that I need if I have a sore throat. I really depend on him a lot in my career.” Persel is “obviously proud” of his daughter. He said of watching Ashley grow as a musician, “It’s been great. Actually, I was almost shocked in some respects ‘cause I didn’t know all that emotion was in there. We (Persel and Byrom) would sit and listen to her sing as she was performing for the record. We would be amazed at the lyrics because of the way she is able to express it in a very poetic way. We were kind of shocked, amazed.” When asked if she wanted to make a living in music, Ashley said, “Yes, I would like to be performing every night, or touring, or doing something. Just getting out there and showing people my music and what I have to offer.”
David Karnowski / The Rip
Dream Team members (from left). Laurence Chien, Shade Gumapac, Riki Suzuki, Brian Aguirre and Jessie Maldonodo pose at Bakersfield College on April 14. all of us to get us up there and get us to Hollywood,” Maldonodo said. The group is also planning a road trip to Hollywood to film and experience in the ambiance of the L.A. film scene and culture. For now, though, Dream Team is airing their productions via YouTube to gain exposure and also to garner critiques from fans and critics alike. “So us doing a little something for YouTube to start off gives us that chance to actually learn or experience how we look in film, how people are going to accept us in film -- you know, people who will be watching,” said Gumapac. He added, “A lot of people have been watching us online, giving us good feedback and negative as well, which is good because it’s what we need in order to grow.” Dream Team films their features at different locations throughout Bakersfield like public parks
and the BC campus. “As far as filming on campus, it’s always been amazing and a lot of people here have been so supportive. Our teachers have known about us and have given us praise and encouragement,” said Gumapac. There are over 30 people currently with Dream Team, and Gumapac’s Star Circle has about 12 members, though it is growing. Gumapac also offers an invitation for other likeminded, aspiring actors to check out their films and contact them if they are interested in working together. “Whoever out there that is passionate about acting and wants to do something like this, feel free to get a hold of me or any one of us, ‘cause I wanna take a look at what you got,” said Gumapac. Dream Team’s films can be viewed at www.youtube.com/thedreamteamtalent.
Sports
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The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Kern athletes star in Arena Bowl
Scorecard Baseball April 20 April 22 April 24 April 27 April 29
West LA 7, BC 5 Canyons 7, BC 4 BC 7, LA Valley 6 BC 7, Citrus 3 BC 18, LA Mission 8
By Vincent Perez News editor
Softball April 15 April 20
BC 8, LA Mission 6 BC 13, Canyons 12 Canyons 13, BC 1
Men’s golf May 10
Southern California Regional at Murrieta
7 a.m.
Men and women’s track and field May 8 May 15
Southern California Prelims at Saddleback College Southern California Finals at Saddleback College
9 a.m. 9 a.m.
Men’s tennis May 6-8
State Championships at Newport Beach
Women’s tennis May 6-8
State Championships at Newport Beach
The Bakersfield College football program has released its 10-game schedule for the 2010-11 season. One of the biggest standouts on the schedule will come Oct. 2 when BC will host the defending state champion Mount San Antonio College Mounties. Sept. 4: at L.A. Pierce Sept. 11: at Saddleback Sept. 18: Antelope Valley Sept. 25: at Citrus College Oct. 2: Mt. SAC Oct. 9: Bye Oct. 16: at Allan Hancock Oct. 23: Ventura Oct. 30: El Camino Nov. 6: at Cerritos Nov. 13 Canyons
RIP N ation
The deciding factors were defense and the arm of a small southern-section high school quarterback in the ninth annual high school all-star Arena Bowl at Rabobank Arena on April 30. The west all-stars defeated the east all-stars 5025. “Mike Morgan [quarterback, Frazier Mountain] distributed the ball well offensively and Will Harvey [middle linebacker, Frontier] controlled the game defensively,” said west all-star head coach, Rich Cornford about west-all stars Morgan and Harvey. Morgan was selected as the MVP of the game with four thrown touchdowns with 123 yards. Morgan also ran for three touchdowns. In Cornford’s third year (2005, 2006) coaching the west all-star team, he said, “This is the best all around team that I’ve coached from top to bottom.” He added, “We felt pretty confident coming in that we had a pretty darn good club, and it showed.” Cornford said about the west all-star team, “We have a lot of players going to Bakersfield College. Will Harvey is going there.” Cornford added that Ian Driskill [running back/outside linebacker, Frontier], Ted Agu [defensive end, Frontier] and Rane Cravens [defensive end, Liberty] are also headed to play for the BC football program next season. Cornford made efforts to have west-all star players attend BC.
annie stockman / The Rip
East team all-star Peter Welsh (left) attempts to block West all-star Myron Moore as East all-star Matt Sumlin (right) runs with the ball at the Arena Bowl held at Rabobank Arena on April 30. “I’m trying to talk to these other guys into going over there too, so we’ll get to see these kids play again.” MVP Morgan talked about what the award meant to him compared to the game. “It’s more than that. Coming from a small school, you’re already the underdog coming into the game.” He added, “When you get into the game and you realize that you’re playing with everybody else [in the county], it feels great.” Morgan said that he would attend Kenyon College, a Division III college in Ohio. Centennial running back/
linebacker Myron Moore, who was a west all-star, said about the win, “It was a good win because all the guys on the east side always talk about themselves. They never talk about the west guys. So, it was a good win for us to prove to them that we’re better than them.” He added, “It’s one last time to let it all out. It was the best of the best. Every good person from each team let it out against each other.” Moore said that he has choices for football after he graduates. “There are some options – Bakersfield College, of course, and Taylor College
in Kansas.” Moore admitted that he would “most likely [go to] BC.” “I was actually there today (April 30) talking with the coaches,” added Moore on the day of the Arena Bowl. Moore said that BC’s football program was comforting to him because it reminded him of Centennial’s program. Bakersfield College football coach Jeff Chudy responded in an e-mail about the annual high school football event, “The Arena Bowl has become a spring-time get your engines warmed-up for the upcoming [BC] football season ... The game itself is about en-
Ryan Taylor, track and field: “It has to be the NBA All-Star game. You have to like the East versus West. It has everybody.”
Lora Rogers, track and field: “I really like the Collge Football Championship Series... like the bowl series.”
tertainment and having fun.” Chudy added that he has been in contact with local players. “We have talked with just about every guy on the roster,” he said in the e-mail but did not acknowledge any players in particular. South High running back Lee West was the offensive MVP with six catches and three touchdowns for 111 yards, Ridgeview cornerback Tyler Dogins earned the defensive player of the game and from the east all-stars, and Bakersfield High School outside linebacker Emilio Cantu received the U.S. Army Lineman of the Game award.
What is your favorite sporting event?
Editor’s note: Rip Nation is a feature that highlights the opinions of Bakersfield College’s athletes and coaches.
Compiled by: Julian Moore
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Anthony Ramirez, baseball: “The MLB All-Star game. You get to see all your favorite players play in one game, and it actually means something.”
Felisa Torres, track and field: “It would have to be baseball games, especially when they’re backto-back.”
E.J. Kirby, basketball: “Basketball ... well, like the NBA playoffs.”
Sports
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The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Amgen holds health fair to prep for tour Brian N. Willhite Reporter
Gregory d. cook / The Rip
Bakersfield College outfielder Sam Westendorf sends a ninth-inning pitch over the right-field fence for a solo home run against L.A. Mission College at El Cariso Park in Sylmar on April 29. The Renegades won the game 18-8 and clinched a spot in the playoffs.
Playoff bound with an 18-8 win By Julian Moore Reporter
The Bakersfield College baseball team has clinched a playoff spot after an 18-8 win April 29 in L.A. Mission. The win puts BC’s record in conference at 13-8, a second-place finish in the Western State Conference behind L.A. Valley. The Renegades scored 18 runs on 17 hits in the game. Sam Westendorf was 3-for-5 with five RBI and two home runs, his first and second of the season. Shortstop Joe Ramirez also hit his first homer of the season, and Art Charles hit one giving him six on the season. Pitcher Bryan Maxwell picked up the win going seven innings, giving up eight hits and two earned runs.
BC will travel to Huntington Beach to play No. 6 Golden West in a best-of-three series May 7-8, the latter being a doubleheader if necessary. Renegades’ coach Tim Painton spoke about being in the playoffs. “Well, obviously we’re very excited,” he said. “We went from being 10-9 to being 24-12. We played extremely well from basically the spring break period on to put ourselves in this position. “Our expectations are high. To get to this point and have to grind like we did the last three of the season, we’ve done what we needed to do to get there.” BC finished the season with one of the highest Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) but because it didn’t outright
win the conference, the Renegades are seeded 11th. “We hurt ourselves with a loss a week before the season was over, and we’re just happy to be in,” Painton said. “Seeding doesn’t really matter at this point anyway. You have to win two out of three baseball games anyway.” Painton spoke of an earlier-season meeting, in which BC split a twogame series with Golden West. “We’ve played Golden West earlier this season, which seems like it was two years ago,” he said. “We’re just going to try and match up against their hitters the best that we can and we’ll make adjustments accordingly. I know that we’ve gone through our share of injuries, and they have as well,” he said.
Left: Bakersfield College shortstop Joe Ramirez tags L.A. Mission infielder Juan Perez at second base in a game at El Cariso Park in Sylmar, on April 29. Right: Bakersfield College outfielder Sam Westendorf slides home to score the winning run in the 11th inning against L.A. Valley on April 24. Gregory D. Cook / The Rip
“Typically how they play the game and how we play the game doesn’t change. I think it’s a good matchup. You have two pretty good teams. “We’re going to go down there and compete and hopefully end up on the good side of things,” he added. Recently, BC had 10 players earn Western State Conference honors. Outfielder Sam Westendorf, catcher Dylan Nasiatka, pitcher Bryan Maxwell and relief pitcher Xavier Tavorn were all named to the WSC first team. Second-team honors went to starter Greg Fowler, outfielder Andrew Letourneau, and infielder David Pennington, outfielder Imaad Nuriddin, first base/pitcher Art Charles, and first baseman/designated hitter Nick Fox all earned honorable mentions.
The Kern County Public Health Department, in conjunction with other local health organizations, held a health and wellness fair on April 25, at the Mill Creek Central Park in downtown Bakersfield. Together with the Amgen tour of California, the Bakersfield Sports Foundation and both Mercy and Memorial hospitals, the county put together an event to promote health and wellness through education to the community provided by Bakersfield’s different health organizations. As well as encouraging people to get into living a healthy lifestyle, the event also promoted bike riding in the city of Bakersfield. KBAK channel 29, in association with Bike Bakersfield and local bike shops, will be accepting donations of used and broken-down bicycles to be refurbished and distributed to children in need. Tina Chapa, executive director for Bike Bakersfield, was on hand to encourage bike riding and healthy living in the community and to promote the bike drive. “What we’re doing out here today, is encouraging the community to come out and learn how to be healthy,” said Chapa. “And the other part of that is encouraging the public to exercise and to use the parks that we have here in Bakersfield and walk or ride their bike, anything that is non-motorized is what we’re encouraging. And so what Bike Bakersfield is doing is part of that encouragement to the community.” The festivities included live music in the park and food from local farmers. Health screens were also conducted for the public by Kern County hospitals, as well as free H1N1 vaccines for anyone who wanted one. The Bakersfield Police Department was even on hand to instruct patrons on how to properly install child car seats. Kern County Public Health Director Matt Constantine spoke about the event and what it means to the community to get involved with their health. “This is the first ever health and wellness festival, and the purpose of it is to bring together all aspects of the community with the common theme of health. And so you see different people, from hospitals to animal control to non-profit organizations to medical professionals, all talking about health and what we can do to improve our well being in Kern County,” said Constantine. Constantine further discussed the importance of health among Bakersfield residents and diagnosed the issues surrounding Kern County’s serious concerns. “Annually, the state releases data that shows that Kern County is struggling with chronic diseases like heart disease, and stroke and diabetes, and in fact, the 2009 data shows that Kern County, unfortunately, has the highest rate of death due to heart disease than any other county in the state of California. So we’re number one and this is something you don’t want to be number one at. So knowing that we’re in that situation, we have to start talking about what we can do to improve our statistics, but more importantly improve our health. “We have a number of other things going on, we’re pulling people together and saying what could we do and we look at obesity as one of the primary causes of heart disease, 60 percent of our population is obese in Kern County and that’s just amazing, more than half of us are overweight,” said Constantine, who teaches Food Safety at Bakersfield College in addition to his duties as public health director. There will also be another health and wellness event May 1, in downtown Bakersfield on the corner of 20th and Eye Street and will feature a farmers market, rock wall climbing and a bike ride for the community to participate in, according to Chapa.
20 advance to state prelims By Michael Morrow Sports editor
The Bakersfield College track and field women finished third at the Western State Conference, while the men finished fourth. The WSC matchup was held at Moorpark, and the Renegades picked up 19 top five finishes with 20 athletes advancing, 11 men and nine women, to the Southern California Preliminaries. For the women, Chelsea Cassulo finished tied for first in the hammer throw with a new BC record of 165 feet, first in javelin (121-2), fourth in discus (113-6), and fourth in shot put (40-3). Lora Rodgers earned a fourthplace finish in the hammer event with a 132-7, while Shawnece Mackey gained a fifth place finish in Javelin with 103-1. Ashley Webber finished fourth in the 100-meter and fifth in the 200-meter. Dyneeca Adams finished sec-
ond in the 800-meter run. In the relays, the team of Chanel Reaves, Felisa Torres, Ashley Colbert, and Webber finished third in the 400-meter relay. This same team, minus Webber, plus Adams, finished second in the 400-meter relay. Of the athletes advancing, head coach Dave Frickel spoke on how he expects them to do individually. “We had a lot of our seasons best marks, so I feel like we have a good chance at getting quite few to go on. We’ll probably get a few more who sneak on,” said Frickel. For the men, Tyler Thompson earned a first-place finish in the triple jump with a 48-0 and second in the long jump with a 230.75. Also claiming first place victories were Ryan Taylor in the 400-meter, and Edward Morrow in the 400 meter hurdles. Ryan Kirschenmann gained a
fifth place in the 400-meter. Matthew Jones also pulled out a fifth place, with his coming in the 110-meter hurdles. Brandon Gooden, Kyle Lemucchi, Taylor and Morrow came in first in the 1,600-meter relay. The Southern California Preliminaries will be held May 8 at Saddleback College. The Southern California finals are the next week. On the season, the Southern California rankings have the Renegades men’s and women’s teams both ranked. The women are ranked 15th, and the men are tied for 17th. According to Frickel, the rankings are compiled by overall statistics and team scores from the current season. “I think the rankings are great. They don’t mean much to us, but it’s good to be recognized in SoCal. There are so many good teams in the region, and it’s an honor to be mentioned with some of the best,” said Frickel.
Joseph cota / The Rip
Bakersfield College track athlete Matthew Jones warms up at BC on April 30. He placed fifth in the 110-meter hurdles the following day at the Western State Conference Finals.
Sports
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The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Softball ends losing season Natalie Rodriguez Reporter
The Bakersfield College softball team won the first game of a doubleheader 13-12 against College of the Canyons on April 21, a makeup game from April 20. Coach Sandi Taylor talked about the makeup doubleheader game afterward. “What a game, it was back and forth and back and forth. They went ahead four to zero, we went ahead seven to four, then they went ahead eight to seven,” she said. In the bottom of the sixth inning, BC scored two runs to take the lead and the team held Canyons in the seventh inning. BC lost the second game against Canyons 13-1. Taylor talked about went wrong for BC in the second game. “In the second game, we stopped scoring and we couldn’t
stop them from scoring.” “In game one, it was a slugfest and in game two our bats went silent and theirs kept going,” said Taylor. Taylor also talked about the players who stood out in game one, like pitcher Tayler Ward and Jessica Newton-Smith, who had a game winning two RBI base hit. Taylor also credits multiple doubles from various players from BC, which helped BC stay in the game to get a win. At the time of the first game, Canyons played against BC, Canyons was one game ahead of Citrus College for first place. BC beat Canyons, but Citrus College lost which ended up placing Canyons in first place and winning the Western State Conference. “Canyons is a force to be reckoned with, and I was pleased we won the first game,” said Taylor. Taylor said for 18 of their games being conference games the team was, “much better and
Athletes of the Issue
Above: Renegades infielder Amanda Flores is tagged out inches from second base by Cougars shortstop Ruby Herrera at College of the Canyons on April 21.
Chelsea Cassulo
Right: Renegades pitcher Tayler Ward delivers a pitch against the College of the Canyons Cougars on April 21.
Track and field WSC championship:
Photos by Gregory D. Cook / The Rip
much more improved.” The softball team will be losing 12 players and Taylor said, “there will be a lot of recruiting for next season, and it seems to be going well right now.” The BC softball team ended the season 17-22 overall and 11-7
Hammer 165 ft Javelin 121 ft 2 in Discus 113 ft 6 in Shot Put 40 ft 3 in
in Western State Conference. Taylor reflected on the end the season and on the team’s record after the game. “It didn’t feel like we were 1722, it felt like we were getting better every day and that’s our goal,” said Taylor.
Swimming ends with ‘best finish’ for program By Vincent Perez News editor
The Bakersfield College women’s relay team and other female swimmers qualified for the California Community College Athletic Association Swimming and Diving Championships that was held April 29-May 1 at Mt. San Antonio College. The BC women’s 200-yard freestyle relay finished fourth overall, with a time of 1 minute, 41 seconds. Alexander Brigitte, Sara Brady, Karina Nafarrate and Katie Lopes competed for BC in the team relay. “It’s the best finish we’ve had as a program. In our third year, we finished ranked 13th overall in the state,” said BC swimming
coach Charlie Pike. In the 800-yard freestyle relay, the BC women finished 11th with Brady, Jordyn Hammet, Nafarrete and Katherine James on the team. James, Brigitte, Brady and Lopes competed in the 400-yard freestyle relay and finished sixth, with a time of 3:39. James finished seventh in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:18 and finished 10th with a time of 1:58.48 in the 200-yard freestyle. The BC women finished 13th overall out of 27 teams, with 63 points. Orange Coast College won the women’s overall title with 362 points. The Ventura men won the men’s title with 347 points. BC
had no men qualify for state. At the Western State Conference championships on April 2224, the BC women’s relay team finished first in the 200-yard freestyle relay. The women’s 400-yard and 200-yard relay teams both finished third. Both of the BC men’s 200-yard freestyle teams were disqualified. The BC women finished third overall with 522 points. Ventura’s men and women teams both placed first. James finished fifth in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:21.73. BC’s Lopes and Brigitte finished second and third respectively in the 50-yard freestyle. Pike was pleased with what he saw at the WSC championships.
“I thought it went awesome. All the kids dropped time from where they were at the beginning of the season, and now they’re swimming fast at conference.” “We were just out of second,” Pike said. He added that the lack of a diving team hurt BC men’s and women’s scores. “Without diving factored in, we would of definitely been second. For the guys, we would have been fifth without diving factored in, but we ended up seventh.” Pike said that he was looking forward to next season and is making preparations already. “It looks good. We have all our girls except two coming back next year (Brady and James). I’m looking forward to having
a strong team,” said Pike, who took the position of swimming coach in 2008. “For us, as a program, it’s the first time we’ve had relays qualify for state, since I’ve been coaching here. Two of our women’s relays in conference won overall. It was a really good year. The season finish was fantastic. I don’t have any complaints. Everything seemed to come together at the end.” Pike announced that the swimmers of the year awards would go to Nick Marquez and James, awards for most improved swimmers went to freshmen Danielle Smith and Cory Hebebrand, and the coaches’ award went to Juan Olmos.
Sam Westendorf Baseball Outfielder On the season: Average .365 Hits 42 RBI 31 Runs 23 Home Runs 2
Eyes of the Rip
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The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Cannabis advocates, medicinal marijuana users and members of the public march from Beach Park to the Kern County Liberty Bell in a demonstration to bring awareness to the reformation of cannabis laws May 1. Participants smoke and give speeches about the current status of laws governing use and future endeavors in the state to vote for full legalization. PHOTOS BY David Karnowski
Smokers, activists march for pot rights By Mateo M. Melero Reporter
Members of the National Organization for Marijuana Reform Laws gathered shortly before noon May 1 at Beach Park, before setting out on a march down Truxtun Avenue on route to the Liberty Bell in front of the courthouse, to promote the legalization of cannabis. Initiated by www.Curesnotwars.org, Saturday held the 2010 Worldwide Marijuana March with 300 cities signing up on six continents, Bakersfield being one of them. With the smell of marijuana smoke in the air, activists and participants wielded signs with slogans “Genesis 1:29 God gave man all seed-bearing plants,” and “Yes we Cannabis,” as they walked along the street. Passing cars honked their horns in agreement and some signaled the thumbs down at the activists. Participants cheered at the honking support and expressed their feelings and concerns about the prohibition of marijuana openly. Robert Burke a human services major, said on the illegality of the plant, “They put too many people away in jail for it, that’s not right. People could be using that money in other places. We’re firing teachers, sending teachers packing but we’re putting more prisoners away. It costs $46,000, average, to put a prisoner away for a year. That’s a teachers salary and there are a lot of people that are in prison now just for weed.” Daniel Kassa, a Bakersfield College student who was marching, said, “We came out here today to show some support for the medical use of marijuana, and I feel that the police overreact, overcharge with fines, and it’s not right because marijuana is good for you. It is scientifically proven that it doesn’t have any bad side effects, except cottonmouth and getting sleepy, but besides that, it helps you, it releases your mind.” Blaine Randolph, a user of medical marijuana since the passage of Proposition 215 in 1996, said on his presence at the march that, “[I am here] to beseech the public, to reserve judgment on marijuana, to instead entertain the notion that pot is nature’s medicine. “ Participants suffering from different ailments and illnesses talked about how the plant helps with them better cope with their conditions. Jeff Clark, President of the Upper Kern County NORML, led the march, instructing people from a bull horn, and advising them to remain respectful, wait for people at crosswalks, and to stay on the sidewalk and off of people’s lawns. Upon arrival at the Liberty Bell, Clark with others from NORML began to speak from the platform on the legalization of marijuana. “We should stand up for our rights. We have a bill up for vote in 2010, in November and it legalizes an ounce for everyone over 21,” said Clark. “We want to increase the use of hemp; we want to stop fossil fuel mining, we want to stand up for cannabis but we got to vote on bills to legalize hemp for clothing and for textile products. We need to get rid of the oil, vinyl, plastic bullshit that is polluting and killing our planet.” The bill, which will be up for vote in November, allows anyone over the age of 21 to grow and possess marijuana. The penalties for smoking with someone who is not of legal age can include jail time. Participants cleared the square around 2:30 p.m. and walked back to Beach Park, still receiving honks of approval and support as they marched.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010