The Renegade Rip Bakersfield College
w w w.t h e r i p.com
Vol. 83 ∙ No. 9
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Tutoring Center must scale back due to budget By America Garza Reporter
The Bakersfield College Tutoring Center has reduced the number of training workshops for new tutors, citing budget constraints as the cause. As a result, students will see a slight decrease in the selection of subjects available to be tutored in, particularly in the math and science areas. The BC tutoring program employs over 100 peer tutors, as well as several full and part-time staff members. Hilary Neumeister, professor and tutor trainer, and Susan Pinza, professor of academic devel-
opment, are two of the program’s coordinators. They explained the cuts made to the program this semester. “We had an administrative change in the number of workshops that we were going to offer for new tutors, which, in fact, we believe may have impacted our ability to tutor across the curriculum,” said Neumeister. The center went from hosting training workshops five days a week in the spring to just two at the beginning of the fall. A third workshop was added a few weeks ago in the hopes of attracting more tutors and expanding the scope of subjects available for students to be tu-
tored in. Pinza and Neumeister agree that three workshops is the minimum amount needed for the tutoring center to be of most benefit to students. “When we were limited to two days a week, we limited the number of [tutors] that were available and it turned out to be somewhat subject related,” said Neumeister. A fourth workshop is planned for the spring semester, which Neumeister says will help broaden the cross-section of subjects available for students to be tutored in. Despite the recent cuts, the tutors, coordinators, and professors
at the Tutoring Center remain committed to helping students succeed. “We are very pleased and proud of the program and how we have made a difference for students on campus,” said Neumeister. The Tutoring Center is located upstairs in the Student Services building and offers free one-onone tutoring sessions for all students in all subjects, with a few exceptions. Sessions are limited to once a week per subject. Students can contact the Tutoring Center at 395-4430 to schedule a 45-minute session or drop-in for a 15-minute session on a first-come, first-served basis for English and math.
gregory d. cook / The Rip
Students and tutors interact in the Tutoring Center located in the Student Services building Sept. 15.
Veterans Center opens its doors on BC campus By Keith Kaczmarek Reporter
Bakersfield College unveiled its new Veterans Center in the Campus Center on Sept. 27. Speakers for the event included BC President Greg Chamberlain, Bakersfield Mayor Harvey L. Hall, Student Government Association president Tawntannisha Thompson, BC Veterans Club president Bonnie Wilson, and representatives of various local politicians such as California State Assembly Member Shannon Grove, Congressmen Kevin McCarthy, and Senator Jean Fuller. Also speaking was Col. David R. Shaw from the California National Guard. After the speakers made short speeches, attendees were invited to tour the room and veterans were invited to place a pin on a map of the world to show where in the world they served. The room is bright and offers a quiet place for veterans to come and study, rest, take advantage of the literature, and use the center’s computer. Made possible by a $20,000 allocation by the SGA and other donations, this room in the Campus Center was renovated with necessities like new paint and furniture. The room will be staffed by volunteers who are there to help veterans navigate the school system and act as a support center for veteran issues, with employees from Financial Aid and other counselors coming to the center once a week for BC’s veteran community.
photos by gregory d. cook / The Rip
Above: Bakersfield College president Greg Chamberlain speaks to a crowd of guests including Bakersfield Mayor Harvey Hall at the dedication ceremony of the new Veterans Resource Center in the Campus Center on Sept. 27. Right: As his buddies Sgt. Cordero and SSgt. Walter look on, SSgt. Peralta, a Bakersfield College student and veteran, places pins in a map to mark the places he has served while in the U.S. Army. Many of the volunteers are employees from other parts of the campus and facility, and each does a two-hour shift. A small maintenance budget has also been allocated, but the center is still seeking out donations in the hopes of getting dedicated on-campus mental health services for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. “More and more, people are trying to help out those who are
serving. People are trying to lend a hand,” said Sgt. Nolberto Cordero, a veteran and current BC student. “It takes time to get adjusted. Having this place really helps a lot.” Jeremy Staat, a volunteer coach at BC, retired NFL player, former Marine in Iraq, and founder of the Jeremy Staat Foundation for veteran issues, said, “BC cares about veterans. They have committed to help the transition from combat to classroom.”
“It’s exciting,” said Chamberlain. “This has been long overdue and we’re thrilled that the community, campus, and students could pull together.” Deborah Johnson, president of the California Veterans Assistance Foundation, also praised the opening of the Veterans Center during the event. “As a veteran myself, having a specific center for veterans to come to is important. They need a place to talk and come togeth-
er and feel safe,” she said. “It’s important for veterans to know their benefits and what’s available to them.” J.R. Browning, a former member of the Veterans Club who is now at CSUB, started the initial push several years ago to get a Veterans Center at BC when he heard one vet’s story. “[He was] a student who had a really bad day, he had to wait in his car for someone to come talk to him, and I thought that was re-
ally unacceptable,” he said. Tawntannisha Thompson, president of the SGA, said, “It’s something we’ve needed for a long time. I wish we could have given them a bigger space.” The Veterans Center is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday to Thursday, and is located on the southeast corner of the cafeteria, facing the Free Speech Area, across from the Assessment Center, next to the SGA Game Room.
Poet performs her art in Levan Center By Amber T. Troupe Production Editor
nate perez / The Rip
Jayne Cortez recites her poetry at the Norman Levan Center on Sept. 29.
Jayne Cortez speaks in straightforward, yet metaphorical, terms and phrases to express herself through her poetry. “I was later listening to an older piece I had done that I didn’t really like as much at the time it was done, and I said, ‘Damn! That’s a masterpiece,’” Cortez told an audience at Bakersfield College. Cortez is an acclaimed poet, versatile writer, speaker and performer of her own poetry, who grew up in the Los Angeles area. She spoke at BC three different
times Sept. 29 and mentioned that it was her first time visiting the area. She read some of her poems, such as “Global Inequalities,” and “Conversations with Langston,” and even transformed things like food and gave them life with her words. “Okra, it has sex with itself,” Cortez read. There were poems titled “Carrot” and “Cheese,” with all taking a humanistic tone. There were aspiring writers and musicians there as well as students coming for a class. Nat Dove, a blues musician, historian, educator and a long-
time friend of Cortez, played a major part in bringing Cortez to Bakersfield. “I had heard about her coming to a nearby California area and decided to put this reading together and invited her to come speak,” Dove said. The event was presented by the Norman Levan Center for the Humanities. Someone in the audience asked Cortez what inspired her for the poem about New York, so Cortez talked about how she was in New York at the time of 9/11 and recalled her experience. “I was in the gym on 23rd Street and 7th avenue, and I left
to go home and I had to walk because all the taxis and subways were down. I remember all the people running toward me and I was the only one going in the opposite direction. I had to get home in lower Manhattan, which is the very street that all the ambulances and fire trucks had to go down to get the people out. You could here the sound of sirens for weeks after that,” Cortez explained. This poem was titled “I am New York Too,” a sequel to her first poem written about New York in 1970 named “I am New York,” which she performed too. Please see Cortez, Page 4
Features
Page 2
The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
‘Faust’ brings storybook feel
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Icy brews at Oktoberfest
By Chrystal Fortt Features Editor
Walking into The Empty Space for Bakersfield College’s first production of “Faust” is like walking into an old scary storybook. Goethes’s “Faust” is an old German legend that has many different versions of the play. This particular play is scary but humorous, and it sends many messages of morality, religion, and mythology. The play was focused on Dr. Johann Georg Faust, who was a troubled scholar that was unsatisfied with all his knowledge and wanted more happiness and worldly pleasures. Faust was so troubled that he wanted to kill himself with poison, but he has some sort of spiritual connection that stops him in the moment of killing himself. Mephistopheles is a character that was represented as the devil. Mephistopheles becomes one of the main characters as he makes a deal with Faust to give him happiness. The deal was Mephistopheles would give Faust happiness if Faust gave his soul to the devil and in return, Mephistopheles would be Faust’s slave. Faust was debating whether to take the deal or not, but he ultimately sells his soul to the devil because he thinks he can achieve happiness through the devil. “When Mephistopheles comes in and proposes to be [Faust’s] servant,” he said. “[Faust] goes for it in the hopes that he would actually gain more from his life,” said Kevin Ganger who played Faust and is one of the directors. “The really ironic thing is, even with the devil’s help the devil always kind of semi gives him what he wants, but it also ends up failing in the end. He is a very tragic character in that way,” he said. Mephistopheles was able to give Faust happiness through the lust of a beautiful, innocent, poor maid named Gretchen. “[Gretchen] is a young woman who is expected to be perfect based on her society and she struggles with temptations just like all of us,” said Jessica Boles who played Gretchen. Mephistopheles goes through a great deal of trouble to tempt Gretchen with worldly possessions and happiness so it would be easier for Faust and Gretchen to lust for each other. Once Faust and Gretchen
Eleonor Segura / The Rip
Heath Williams, a volunteer at Oktoberfest, pours two cups of beer at a time next to a cutout of a blonde in a modern take on traditional German clothing. Oktoberfest is an annual event in Bakersfield at Stramler Park.
Native Americans get new representation on BC campus with club
Above: Members of the cast of “Faust” pose before their openingnight performance at The Empty Space on Sept. 29. Right: Actress Julia Stansbury applies her stage makeup before a performance of “Faust” at The Empty Space on Sept. 29.
By Martin Chang Online editor
photos by gregory d. cook / The Rip
Goethe’s Faust has free admission for BC students and will be playing at 8 p.m. on Oct. 5, 6, 7, and 8 at The Empty Space. had come together, they went through many tragedies. Despite all the tragedy throughout the show, there were many humorous parts especially because of the wittiness and charm Mephistopheles has. The beginning of the show was humorous and it seemed the story would end humorously.
But as the story developed, there was a strong change in the mood with a lot of tragedy, especially in part two of the play where it became serious and sinister. The uniqueness of the play is not only in the wide variety of moods it goes through, but the uniqueness was also in how the
spiritual characters were shown in the play. “I chose to have the spiritual characters in the style of German expressionism, which is that really tense, expressive faces and bodies and contorting themselves in very strange ways,” said Cody Ganger, one of the directors of the play.
When Matthew Garrett, a history professor at Bakersfield College, started teaching at BC, he found it a “strange omission” that there was not a Native American Cultural Awareness Club at BC, so he started one. Garrett describes the club as “a social group, an advocate group. It can help create awareness for people that don’t know anything about Indians.” The club was started in the spring of 2011 by Richard Langdeaux Jr., a Lakota Native American and the president of NACAC. Despite being a new club, Langdeaux believes that the club has already accomplished its goal of sharing cultures. He said, “People are getting the idea of the general education about where each person comes from, and how each of us are a
part of history.” April Martinez, another member of NACAC, also feels that there is a sharing of ideas. She said, “We learn off of each other, from different perspectives.” “Our president teaches me a lot about the Lakota traditions and culture and I being Apache, I teach him things that he was not aware of,” she said. “We’re all just learning off of each other. It all an exchange of information and traditions.” Before every NACAC meeting, the members participate in smudging a Native American tradition. Langdeaux describes smudging as a “cleansing”. He said, “[smudging is] the purification of some of our herbs, sage is the most common. “There are other plants that we use. It’s meant to cleanse the air of negative energy, of negative feelings. People often notice, they smell the sage.” It is important to Langdeaux for the meetings to have a positive atmosphere. He said, “We do not want to have negative tensions before the meeting. We do things kind of freely.” Everyone has a consensus when we agree on something. We really don’t like the idea of someone getting voted out. When it comes to voting, at least 80 percent have to agree if the other 20 percent doesn’t agree we can work something out.” Last spring, the club participated in the on campus Powwow. Langdeaux describes the Powwow as an important part of the club. He said, “[it is] a learning experience of how today’s natives can operate in society, to keep both worlds, going to school, working a job, and keeping spirituality.” Both Garrett and Langdeaux describe awareness as an important goal of the club. Garrett said, “ [our goals are] awareness for students in the club, and awareness for students outside of the club,” he said. “So we’ll do activities so we can learn about Native American culture and history, and also bring that knowledge to students on campus though activities.” The group plans to visit museums and other places to learn about Native American culture. The NACAC is planning several events, although none now have a date. They plan on holding events for Columbus Day, and Native American Awareness month, which is this November. They also have events like a fry bread sale planned.
Features
Page 3
The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Column
Challenger for Moss’s throne approaches What are you wearing? | The Rip’s Features Editor talks about what’s hot and what’s not. The ’90s were known for the grunge-style “heroin chic” and we have Kate Moss to thank for that. Moss became a new fashion model/icon somewhere in between walking in John Galliano’s first fashion show in Paris and becoming the new face of Calvin Chrystal Fortt Klein advertisements. At the dawn of her career, she wasn’t just another supermodel on the rise. A curvaceous bombshell like Cindy Crawford was the definition of supermodel until Moss came along; she was only 5 feet 7 inches with her boy-like figure. She has grown a spectacular career over the years, but it might be coming to an end. I think she might be gradually and quietly leaving her career behind. I’ve noticed she hasn’t been taking on many fashion campaigns lately. It’s not because she’s 37 years old. We all know she still has the looks to keep going. But maybe it’s because she’s been planning a wedding, getting married, and wants to have a family life. However, we’ll still see Moss around here and there, but the question is: who is the new Kate Moss now? Do we even have a Kate Moss that marks our time of fashion? I’m thinking the answer is “no, not quite yet.” Although, I have a few models in mind that have promising careers. I naturally want to say Freja Beha Erichsen will have a modeling career like Moss because she is my favorite model right now. She even has the same boyish figure and the grunge style as Moss did when she first started. Erichsen can be dramatically versatile. One moment she can look like a badass in the Jill Stuart 2011/12 campaign and one moment she can look like a sweet stay-at-home mom like in the Harry Winston 2010 advertising campaign. The problem with Erichsen is that she hasn’t started her own signature look. Also, unlike Moss, no matter what persona Erichsen takes on, you can still tell it’s her. I just don’t think Erichsen can pull off the fashion icon like Moss because she can’t look drastically different like Moss. Karlie Kloss on the other hand is just as versatile as Freja Erichsen and can look completely different like Moss. She is very much different than Moss as far as looks and style. Kloss is known for her green eyes, classic look, and her tall height at six feet. Kloss has been all over the magazines, particularly in Vogue magazine. I think Kloss has a more promising career than Erichsen. Erichsen is 23 years old and she started her career around age 17. Kloss is only 19 years old and started at the age of 13 years old. Kloss is much younger, taller and started earlier in her career. I think Kloss has the capability to make herself a huge name in fashion history. However, if Kloss doesn’t soon make a significant style for herself like Moss has done, then she will never be iconic like Moss.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
BC touchdowns bring the thunder By Monica Bolger Reporter
There’s nothing more enjoyable on a Saturday night than experiencing the piercing shout of a cannon echoing off the concrete walls of Memorial Stadium at a Bakersfield College football game. At least to Bakersfield cannon captain John Medvigy, there isn’t. “Me and the crew are here for every home game with this cannon,” said Medvigy, “and I refuse to be anywhere else.” Medvigy’s admiration for the steel, gunpowder-belching cannon, reflects his experience with explosives, guns, nd ammunition that he was subjected to when he used to be a member of the Navy. “Oh, the smells, sound, and the feel are what I’ve always liked,” said Medvigy with dire anticipation as he proceeded forward in alerting pedestrians to steer clear from the hazardous device. Before graduating from Bakersfield College and being shipped off to the Navy, Medvigy was on the team his freshman year. Since then returned to his appropriate place behind the cannon and next to the football field, where he can now be seen operating it at every home game along with his volunteers. “Once you hear, ‘fire in the hole,’ I suggest you be in a spot outside the artillery zone,
Gregory D. Cook / The Rip
Bakersfield College president Greg Chamberlain fires the BC victory cannon in Memorial Stadium on Sept. 24. because after I drop my hammer on this metal piece, it’s about a quarter of a second before disaster could strike,” said Medvigy. “And I don’t ever like wasting a bullet.” Medvigy’s first round introduced the home team and each one that followed signified a point made by one of its players. Gunpowder-filled shotgun shells and WD-40 were the components that demonstrated a successful “blast off.” “Usually the opposing team
seems to take offense to the cannon, since it’s somewhat startling, but the only ones who are probably most affected are the kit foxes burrowed in those holes to the back of us,” said Medvigy. Never used as a weapon, the BC cannon was made by the late professor Thomas Yale. He originally created the device for the use of war re-enactment purposes and allowed it to be kept by the Veterans Club. It was later donated for use at Renegade football games.
“He used to fire beer cans out of it when he was home and away from civilization,” said an amused and reminiscent Medvigy. Supported by other members of the Cannon Crew, it was apparent that Medvigy’s job was not a one-man show only. Alongside the captain were the Agriculture Department members Sally Sterns and Lindsey Ono, and also agriculture student Tim Chernabaeff, who stood alongside him with their
earplugs and smiles as Medvigy hammered away at the victory cannon. “When the cannon is not on the field, it’s kept at Three Way Chevrolet in storage,” said Medvigy. “They kindly donated us the plate that props up the cannon.” The cannon will continue to take its place alongside the field at home games and will sing its victory tune in a boisterous cloud of acrid smoke, gunpowder and lead.
Community bands together against ALS By Jon Nelson Reporter
The Park at River Walk had its paths full Oct. 1 as hundreds of people walked to raise money for the ALS Association. “You’re making cutting edge research happen,” said Fred Fisher, president of the Golden West chapter of the ALS Association, as he addressed the crowd at the opening ceremony. ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. It’s a neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord causing paralysis and, ultimately, death. It is estimated that ALS affects one in every 100,000 people. California alone is home to over 20,000 people with the disease. The walk and the local branch of the ALS Association were started eight years ago by Michael Gagner and his wife Stacy Inman. Gagner was diagnosed with ALS in 1999 and became frustrated having to drive to the Los Angeles area for support. “We were wondering why there were no local services,” said Gagner. “It’s very important to have services locally.” The couple organize the walk every year and are actively involved in patient advocacy de-
spite the fact that Michael is now paralyzed and confined to a motorized wheelchair. The first ALS walk was held in 2004 and the group began offering assistance to patients in Kern County shortly after. The event averages between 400 and 500 participants. Walkers organize into teams and often walk in memory of a loved one. “She was gone in three years. It robbed her of her voice first, which is why we call it Lisa’s Voice,” said Elly Queen about
TheRip.com
Visit TheRip.com for these online-only stories: More coverage on Bakersfield College’s football team that is now 3-2 going into conference play, including an online-only story on the game against Citrus. The third installment of the Renegade Rip podcast.
Halloween festivities going on around the city of Bakersfield.
her sister Lisa, who died from the disease. Elly’s team raised almost $2,000 this year. Team names ranged from serious like Michael’s Miracles to humorous like Neil’s Diamonds. Funds raised go to help local ALS patients get equipment, fund support grou`ps and get families assistance with paperwork. Medical equipment is a major concern considering the average estimated cost of having Lou Gehrig’s Disease is $20,000 an-
Photos by Eleonor Segura / The Rip
Left: Volunteers at Walk to Defeat ALS hold their signs while finishing the walk on Oct. 1. Above: Teams wait to begin the Walk to Defeat ALS. nually. “We rent out everything from eating utensils to breathing machines,” said Gagner. Despite recent medical breakthroughs involving stem cell therapy and local successes, there is still more to be done.
“We’re not doing enough in the area of patient care,” said Fisher. There are also other areas that need improvement. “Part of it is education,” said Chuck Dobie, who participates in the walk every year.
News
Page 4
The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Residents respond to the High-Speed Rail Authority By Cassandra McGowan Reporter
Bakersfield to San Francisco in about two hours seems like a good thing, but many Bakersfield residents would beg to differ. Many residents attended a public hearing on Sept. 22 at Beale Library to respond to the Environmental Impact Report the California High-Speed Rail Authority submitted to the public. Randy Martin, manager of Lazy H mobile home park on Jewetta Avenue just south of Rosedale Highway, said that anywhere from 11 to 22 units would have to be relocated in order to suit the part of the highspeed rail that would run behind Lazy H. Martin said a lot of the tenants of the park are older folks who have lived there for many years and have made the park their home. Dick Martinoff is part-owner of the Lazy H mobile home park. He read a letter from other residents who are in opposition to the high-speed train’s path. The letter was a plea from residents asking that the California HighSpeed Rail Authority, “consider our property and the impact that could be avoided.” There were also members of the Korean Presbyterian Church, located off of Calloway Drive and Slikker Drive, who asked the Authority to reconsider the placement of the track in order to save their church. “We are praying,” said one member. Bakersfield College’s archive director, Jerry Ludeke, said she has “mixed feelings” about the high-speed train.
photos by gregory d. cook / The Rip
Above: Jerry Ludeke, director of the Bakersfield College Archives, addresses the board of directors of the California High-Speed Rail Authority during a hearing at the Beale Memorial Library on Sept. 22. Right: Students from Bakersfield High School demonstrate in front of the Beale Memorial Library as board members from the California High-Speed Rail Authority hear public commentary inside Sept. 22. “That is a part of BC’s history too, Bakersfield College’s history, I would like to see that campus [Bakersfield High School] maintained as it is. I don’t want to see it taking part of BHS campus and buildings,” said Ludeke. BHS has been in the same location since 1895 and Bakersfield College was actually part of the BHS campus for 43 years. Many students from Bakersfield High School were on hand to offer their opinion on the possible destruction of two historical buildings on their campus, the Industrial Arts building and the Harvey Auditorium. The students spoke of the
News Briefs Mock Disaster
Bakersfield College will be staging a mock disaster Oct. 20 in order to test the emergency evacuation plan. At 10:20 a.m. the Bakersfield and Delano campuses will activate an alarm signaling for everyone to follow the procedures for an earthquake drill. Students, staff and administrators will duck and cover under desks and hold in position until notified. Everyone will then be led out from the buildings and communication will commence using a system of runners. The entire exercise will be guided and staff will be given scripts to follow. This will be the full procedure to follow in case of a natural disaster, and the local fire department will be on hand to participate. Administration is asking students to please keep their belongings with them at all times.
Health Services
The Kern County Public Health Services Department is holding a Smoke-Free Outdoor Areas Workshop on Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at 1800 Mt. Vernon, first floor. Lunch will be provided. Call 862-8740 to RSVP.
Salzma
Mark Salzma, author of Cerro, will be at BC giving three presentations in the Fireside Room on Oct. 11. The presentation is titled Fall Down Seven Times, Get Up Eight: Chapters of the Writing Life and will be at 10 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Kern Veterens
The Kern Veterans Stand Down & Resource Day will be held Oct. 13, at Stramler Park from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Information about services will be provided and Stand Down Veterans Court will be available to pre-registered veterans for traffic and misdemeanors. For more information, call 868-7313.
Moon
The International Observe the Moon Festival will be celebrated on Oct. 8 at the Beale Library. At 10 a.m. there will be Family Storytime in the Children’s Room, at 2p.m. there will be a hands on science activity in the Children’s Room, and at 4:30 there will be a Moon-oculars activity on the east side of the Library next to the canal.
Correction
In the Sept. 21 issue of the Renegade Rip, in a story about the Bakersfield College Alumni Association’s annual barbecue, the first paragraph incorrectly stated that BC raises money for athletic scholarships. BC president Greg Chamberlain said the barbecue raises money for student scholarships and support for athletics.
years of tradition that BHS holds, generations of family who have all attended the school and the younger generations that look forward to attending the school. “When you take two buildings away, you’re taking away a part of the school,” said Austin Lindsay. There were BHS students standing on all four corners of Truxtun Avenue and Q Street with large signs saying: “Save BHS” and “Honk if you want to save BHS.” Ken Hooper is a teacher at BHS as well as the president of the Bakersfield Historical Society. He came to the public hear-
Cortez: Poet recites her work for BC Continued from Page 1 Toward the end of her performance, Cortez played a musical piece she had written. It consisted of her poetic words and a group she had organized called The Spirefitters. It was named “Point of Departure,” an ode to Nicolas Guillen, the Hispanic poet and social protester for the Afro-Cuban Movement of the 1920s and ’30s. Cortez was a figure herself in the civil rights movement during the 1960s. She was in Mississippi in 1963, and when she had finished, went back to Los Angeles, and talked about what had been going on in the South during the movement. People from all walks of life were there and most were pleasantly surprised with what they saw and heard. Roberto Ibarra, 22, biology major, thought it was an interesting event. “It’s my first time hearing about her, and I am completely taken by it. I thought it would just be some boring speech and music, but it turned out to be a very interesting event,” Ibarra said. “I really like the one about the women and trees, and how it shows how women are like trees in the sense that without them, we wouldn’t exist.” Ibarra described the musical piece as “very fluent and almost like a fencing match, where you can picture you and your opponent’s next moves clearly in your head.” Cortez talked about how poetry in church and Langston Hughes were her first inspirations, but she had always provided her own encouragement. She advised the audience, “you have to be determined for yourself and have confidence in yourself.” Cortez takes her work very seriously and would love to come back to Bakersfield during Black History month and collaborate with different groups in honor of the celebration. She leaves the crowd with one last saying to remember, “Find your own voice. Use it. Use your own voice and find it.”
ing to speak his mind. “For 118 years, we’ve been educating students. The business of education has been good for us so far. “The history of Bakersfield High School is not simply the history of the buildings, but the students entering those buildings to become the leaders of our community, state, nation and the world,” said Hooper. He also said he believes that Bakersfield High School should be a part of the historical directory of Kern County. Aside from BHS students and teachers, there were also business and landowners at the hearing to
discuss their thoughts of the possibility of their business or land being affected by the high-speed train. Jeff Taylor was one of these businessmen and said he had only found out about his properties being affected two weeks before the hearing. “It’s going to economically devastate me,” said Taylor. Many Bakersfield residents came to the public hearing to express their concerns about the route, the buildings and homes that would be affected, and the financial issues the Authority
may face in the future. California voters passed Proposition 1A in 2008 which earmarked $9.95 billion for high-speed rail production. California also gained $616 million of Florida’s shunned high-speed rail money. Still, this money does not begin to cover the $50 billion more California needs to complete this operation. The Authority estimates that groundbreaking for the highspeed rail will be in 2012 and the high-speed rail should be completely operational by 2020.
Campus
Page 5
The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Clubs get to strut their stuff for Club Week By Chrystal Fortt Features Editor
Club week promotes students getting involved on campus and signing up for clubs. Each club hopes to gain new members and promote their goals for the year. The Theater Club has many reasons for being a part of club week. Besides wanting to get out the word about their club, they want to promote the annual “Safe Halloween” at the Kern County Museum and also their upcoming show “Faust.” As a club, they sometimes have church bake sales and they perform for the elderly. Tyler Steelman is the vice president of the club; he explained the goals of the club for the year. “Our goal is to save up money throughout the year and by next semester do our own show in some place like Empty Space,” he said. To be a part of the Theater Club, you need to be a Bakersfield College student and attend the club meetings. There are other clubs like the African American Student Union, Native American Cultural Awareness Club (NACAC) and the Gay Straight Association (GSA) that also have the same requirements to be a member.
The AASU isn’t only for African American students but for any race of students. “It’s not just about African American students; we truly are seeking to have a diverse core of members,” said Fitzgerald Graves Sr., the vice president of AASU. Like AASU, the NACAC club is open to any student interested in learning about the culture. They had many things on display at their stand that represents their club. There was white sage on display to symbolize that they “smudge” members at the beginning of their meetings. NACAC also had jewelry on display that Native Americans wear during dancing. The club holds dancing lessons available at Jastro Park every Monday night at 6 p.m. The NACAC aren’t the only ones that have neat programs for their members. The GSA is a club that promotes a safe and equal environment on campus for members who support gay students. They like to promote a program the Student Government Association puts on for the members called the Safe Space. Safe Space is a program where students who support the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, or Questioning (LGBTQ) community.
Nathan wilson / The Rip
From left: Leah Rosales talks to Ashley Lostaunau and Samonta Sang about the Native American Cultural Awareness Club during Club Week in the Free Speech Area on Sept. 28. It doesn’t matter what the person’s sexual orientation is. All students are welcome to join the
club and Safe Space. There were other clubs on campus that had stands to pro-
mote their club like Intervarsity Club, Math Club, Hispanic Organization Promoting Engineering
& Science (HOPES), Pre-Med Club, and Mentoring And Peer Services (MAPS).
Facebook doesn’t need changes Career Day will showcase By Patricia Rocha Reporter
Usually a place where friends and family go to keep in touch, Facebook was a topic of controversy when it unveiled its changes to the site to it’s millions of users in late September. Bakersfield College students had many opinions on these new changes made to the social networking site. The main disruption with students was how abrupt the changes occurred. “I don’t like that they changed it all at once, not little by little,” said criminal justice major Socorro Gomez. Business major Scott Lipscomb, 20, who uses the site for mostly networking purposes, agreed. “I would have liked it better if it had been more gradual,” said Lipscomb. “Give me some time to get used to it.” Students who spend a lot of time on the site had the most to say about their distaste for the updates, which included a timeline feature that allows users to see what they’re friends are doing online in real-time, a top story feature that is placed at the top of the Newsfeed, and larger wall post pictures. “I got kind of mad. It was like they were trying to be MySpace,” said Gerber Lopez, 18. “I hate [the changes]. It’s just so much harder to get to things,” said Julian Jauregui, 19. “It’s too complicated,” he said.
Valeria Ramirez, psychology major said, “Why change something that doesn’t need fixing?” Many users agreed and tried to find a way out of the updates, even changing their account’s language to make it go back to normal, but it was only a temporary fix, as the changes proved permanent for every language over the course of a few days. “People were saying to change the language to English UK, that it would make it normal, but I think we might as well get used to it,” said 18-year-old Ryan Steiber. Some students embraced the changes and are already used to them. “I don’t even remember what the last one looked like,” said political science major Lawrence Olson. “I like how it is now,” said Judith Quinonez, 20. Criminal Justice major Brandon Hernandez proposed that the people who run Facebook should ask their users how they feel about the changes before they make them. “Simplicity is key,” said Hernandez. “You should be keeping the people happy.” Students agreed that if they were in charge of Facebook, there would be many things they would change about the site. “I don’t like how you get notified of pokes,” said psychology major Carolyn Gonzalez. “That’s what I use the most,
then I get a million notifications thinking they’re comments or something, but they’re just pokes.” “I would get rid of that timeline thing,” said Gayle Gooden, 19. “I want one of those dislike buttons,” said criminal justice major Socorro Gomez. “Say I comment on my cousin’s picture. When her friends comment on it after me, I get a notification,” said Savannah Alonso, 19. “I’m not even friends with those people. That’s annoying.” Some students wished features of Myspace, like profile customization and music, would be incorporated into Facebook changes. “I would like to decorate my own page. it’s too white and boring,” said Aaron Acosta, 17. However, students who spent less time on the site said they didn’t really notice too much. “Everything changes,” said April Forker, 18. “I don’t really care,” said computer science major David Franco. “They’re small changes.” “I was a little put off,” music major Lauren Schultz said when she first saw them, but has other issues with the site besides unwanted updates. “I hate how people spend so much time on Facebook, and not in the real world,” said Schultz. “I just want a place where I can talk to my friends.”
SGA wants to whip BC into shape By Keith Kaczmarek Reporter
The Student Government Association has been implementing their Be Fit program, a campus-wide initiative to promote healthy eating, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle. They have allocated $8,000 to the initiative. Among the many activities the past two weeks, they have had a table promoting fruit and vegetable juicing and a healthy vegetable cooking demonstration. The fruit display was run by Nick Acosta of the Renegade Pantry and student worker Jennifer Wood, and included the Lunch in a Glass made up of celery, carrot, tomato, and lemon juice and the Jack’s Fruity Four, a combination of orange, lime, pineapple, and strawberry juice. Recipes were available and free samples were handed out in the campus center. The vegetable cooking display included a free sample and a recipe for Almond Green Beans, a quick and healthy, hot dish. Tamara Tomaschow, the Be Fit coordinator and person running the display, said, “the idea is to show students and staff how easy
it is to live a healthy lifestyle. It doesn’t take a lot of time.” “We are here for the long haul,” she said, mentioning the other activities the Be Fit program is planning or has underway. There is also a schedule of walks for every class day with one mile, three-quarter mile, and half mile routes, starting at the gym. Students who sign up get pedometers and sign a contract. They will then be entered into a raffle for prizes after completing a benchmark number of walks. The Renegade Riders will be a program of bike rides every second and fourth Saturday, starting on Oct. 8 at 7 a.m., and participating students will be eligible for raffle prizes related to biking. There will be beginners and advanced groups for the rides, and the SGA is looking for more faculty members to lead rides. The Fireside Room has also been hosting Pilates twice a week, and going into October the activity will be changed to Zumba, a style of exercise that combines Latin and International music with exercise. A Life Choices forum will
be held on Oct. 4 that ties in the New York Times bestselling book “The Other Wes Moore” by Wes Moore with local ex-convicts and other reformed people. They will tie in their experiences with lessons from the book and highlight how single decisions can affect the course of your life. The event was created in cooperation with Sgt. Mary Degeare of the Bakersfield Police Department. Tawntannisha Thompson, SGA president, said about the event, “I want all the students and faculty to be healthy (mind, body, and spirit).” Also on the schedule for the next few weeks are visits by a nutritionist, PS3 exercise games to be played on campus, depression testing, Weight Watchers, and various other events will be announced as they are scheduled. PS3 gaming will happen in the Fireside Room every Monday at 2:30 p.m. and every Wednesday at 4 p.m. It will be held for an hour each time. For information about upcoming events, check the Campus Center boards for posted schedules.
plenty of jobs for students By Esteban Ramirez Reporter
There will be over 30 employers coming for Career Day from many different companies, stores, restaurants and universities. Career Day will be Oct. 6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Bakersfield College Campus Center. Career Day is run by the Job Placement Center at BC and gives a chance for students to connect with employers. They provide opportunities for students who are looking for a job during college, or for those who are looking for a career after college. The employers will be there for students to meet them and to answer questions about the job and to see what careers they are interested in. Antonio Alfaro, who is on the Job Placement staff, gave more information about career day. “Career Day is a job fair and there will be one more in the spring,” he said. “This isn’t only a way for students to get jobs, but it’s also a good way to hone your interview and communication. “Most people get nervous during job interviews, so it’s a good way to practice those skills. “Most students go there without knowing what they want as a career
and end up finding something that they change to their major.” “Students should bring their resume, a pen and a notebook, but they need to talk to employers and get their card, not just eat the food,” he said. “Students should ask how to apply and make sure to get the employers’ name. Students should also ask the employers what classes to take that can help you meet their industry’s requirements.” Denise Crawford, who is a Work Ability III coordinator, also talked about Career Day. “Students who are going should dress appropriate like for a job interview and [the students] who are dressed appropriate for it will have better chance to get the jobs,” said Crawford. “We are going to have over 30 employers from universities, stores, fastfood restaurants and other companies. For example, Panda Express hired 12 people last year.” Some of the companies, restaurants and stores that will be there are Big 5 Sporting Goods, Panda Express, Pizza Hut, State Farm Insurance and InShape Health clubs. There will also be employers for Fresno Pacific University and KBAKTV.
The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Page 6
Page 7
The great kern county fair the yearly extravaganza hits bakersfield by storm martin chang / The Rip
Katelyn Diniz readies her cow minutes before showing it in The Cotton and Cream show, a show where girls of ages 9-14 design and model clothing for themselves and their cows, at The Kern County Fair on September 26th.
For more stories on the Great Kern County Fair, like people walking on water and the bands Salt N’ Pepa and War, see TheRip.com
Smithing Crafts along with words By Jon Nelson Reporter
Children watched in awe as a burly blacksmith forged rings out of white-hot iron and a woman with a charming Scottish accent told stories of metal workers from classical mythology. This scene repeated itself four times daily at the Gypsy Time Traveler show at the Kern County Fair. “I thought it was very creative and original,” said audience member Katie Metz after the show. The topic of each show encompasses a broad range of storytelling from different cultures all relating to blacksmithing. As Christy Horne tells the stories, her husband Michel Olson makes a variety of items using traditional metal working techniques. At the end of the show, the items made are raffled off to the audience members. Last year, they gave away 4,800 handmade items. “I thought it was interesting when they were telling the myths,” said Pat Aguilar when asked about her favorite part of the show. The Gypsy Time Travelers describe their show as “edutainment” and “fabulous storytelling with live anvil accompaniment.” “We trick you into learning,” said Horne with a grin. Although the act may present itself as a children’s show, it’s actually intended for adults. “Adults really love our show,” said Horne. The Gypsy Time Travelers was born almost 20 years ago in Columbia State Historic Park in Columbia, Calif. Originally the show focused on California Gold Rush related history, but expanded into different presentations based around storytelling and blacksmithing. Horne and Olson decided to pack up and take the show on the road and this year is the couple’s 15th year on the road. The duo has 25 different half-hour presentations they put on for an audience which averages over 300 people. The show itself is given from a stage built into a rig that resembles a great wooden castle that the two have named Florence. “It’s constantly changing. I try to add more every year,” said Horne enthusiastically.
gregory d. cook / The Rip
Michel Olson hammers down on a hot nail he’s making during his Gypsy Time Travelers show on Sept. 24. martin chang / The Rip
Steve Drivon [stage name Scrub], a member of the comedy music group The Rock Bottom Boys, smiles and plays his lefthanded washboard at The Kern County Fair Main Plaza Stage on September 26th.
Rodeos for the youngest cowboys By Chrystal Fortt Features Editor
gregory d. cook / The Rip
A mother dairy cow nuzzles her new-born calf in the birthing pen of the Kern County Fair on Sept. 24. The calf, a female holstein, was the first calf born at this year’s fair.
gregory d. cook / The Rip
Six-year-old Braden Weddell lands face down in the dirt after being thrown from the sheep he was attempting to ride during the Wool Riders show Sept. 24.
Wool Riders is one of Kern County Fair’s newest and exciting attractions. Kids ages six to three years old that weighed 60 pounds or less held on to wild sheep for their dear lives and a chance to win $5,000. Six kids are able to sign-up and compete in the same race. After they sign-up, all riders gear up in a helmet and body suit. Each kid got ready to take their turn by a man helping them climb on top of the sheep as their parents give them encouragement. Once the rider is clenching on to the sheep in a hugging position, the fence opens and each rider tries to stay on the sheep as long as they can. Some sheep were more frantic than others, but most zoomed out of the fence as fast as they can. The rider that stays on the longest wins first place and is able to go on to the national competition for a chance to win $5,000. Caleb Stremcha from Oxnard won first place, but it wasn’t his first time competing. He also won first place in the Santa Barbara competition. Caleb’s advice for winning is, “Hold on tight and never let go.” Caleb was excited to win first place again. He likes to compete because he gets first place and wins medals. Tammy and Clint Stremcha, Caleb’s parents, explained that Caleb loves competing and will be going on to the Fresno competition. If he wins in Fresno, he can go on to the national competition in Las Vegas and win the $5,000 prize.
nathan wilson / The Rip
War member Stanley Behrens plays the harmonica during War’s performance at the Great Kern County Fair on Sept. 21.
Commentar y
Page 8
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Staff Editorial
Television news needs to take journalism seriously Television news has lost its way, now creating the news where it should be reporting it. In the style of P.T. Barnum, television news now creates events rather than relying on the facts and like Barnum they are doing it for money. One tragedy is raised up and another is ignored, and the very idea of discourse is the casualty. Take the Casey Anthony case, for example, it is a horrible case to be sure, but anyone keeping abreast of crime news knows that horrible cases like this are depressingly common. Every day, some new crime of equal or even worse proportions goes unmentioned in the tele-
vised news, but this one case was raised up so that teams of pundits and professional opinion-makers could all get a paycheck. Why? Is it to feed the “24-hour news cycle,” or are there just lots of unemployed pundits that needed regular work between actual news stories? Nancy Grace was famous for this tactic, branding events with derisive pet names sure to provoke interest and writing an avenging angel narrative that could serve no other purpose than to taint the jury pool and subvert the judicial system, and she did it consistently every week in order to draw in viewers. This is more than just a cor-
ruption of journalistic ethics, but a corruption of discourse itself. Professional opinion makers are not chosen for the quality of their ideas, but for their ability to look good in front of a camera and ability to spout offensive opinions at a rapid-fire rate. The very idea of discourse has been abandoned. Echo chambers at Fox and MSNBC manufacture outrage for a public that would not be otherwise so divided. Liberal and conservative politics are ripe with the mockery of each other when they should be focusing on the common problems affecting the nation such as the poor economy, immigration, healthcare and national defense.
For better or worse, the viewer has no longer been allowed to review the facts and make their own decisions. Gone are the ideals of journalistic neutrality, only to be replaced by “info-tainment” that at best only parodies the opposition’s position. Fox news doesn’t even pretend that most of their programming is news any more, going so far as to publish press releases stating this fact. And yet, this is the only form of news people are receiving. Blame an increasingly complicated and information-drenched world, but also put some blame on the providers of content who are filling the airwaves with man-
ufactured news that the average person has neither the time nor the willingness to sift through. Where is the investigative journalism? Where are the unscripted interviews with important figures where they are asked hard questions about issues of the day? Why do coke-addled, thirdrate actresses make the national non-entertainment news when our economy is in freefall and the American dream is becoming propaganda instead of a promise? Why isn’t anyone talking about the fact that wealth inequality is rising and the bottom 50% of the nation controls a mere 2% of the
wealth and the top 20% control 84% of the wealth? Why is Youtube.com breaking the stories about police brutality and not the televised news? Why are we relying on people who look good on camera for news content instead of men and women firmly beholden to such out-of-fashion concepts as “journalistic integrity?” In short, we at the Rip condemn this sorry state of affairs, and we ask our prettier and more famous brothers in the noble profession of journalism to be men and women of the news first, ladies and gentlemen second, and to seek the profit motive last of all.
Kicking balls, or killing monsters: read and decide
With two major blockbusters hitting the market in previous weeks, two Rip staff members review EA Sports’ Fifa 12 and Epic Games’ Gears of War 3 to help you decide which of these games more fits your style, because although both are more than worthy of a five-star rating, each will provide you with something different.
By Esteban Ramirez
you push with your shoulders a bit too much you will get called for a foul. It’s the same if you tackle just a little too hard. The new FIFA video game is out and the world’s In previous games, it would be easy to get the most anticipated sports video game, has a few new ball back with just one player, but in this one you features and improvements on it. will find it hard to do it that way beThey put more of a focus on the decause of the improvement on ball confensive side of the game, and you won’t ame trol. Thus, you will have to get the ball have to be a FIFA video game expert to back with teamwork. eview notice it. Overall, I thought this game is good For this year’s game, they added more and shows that it’s going on the right of a realistic feel from the players’ faces path by giving you more of a realistic to the actual gameplay and they even feel for the game. have new commentators. For the gameThey also put improvements for the play, you get better ball control on the Career Mode features, such as a Youth Academy, offensive side, but they’ve also made it harder for scouting for young players and players’ stories. players by giving a boost to the defense in actually You can scout for young players by sending defending. scouts to different areas of the world. In this version, they give you the ability to send After you have scouted those young players and defenders to the opponent with the ball, while signed them, then you can add them to your Youth you can mark their best player, for those who Academy, and from then on you can see their delike dominating defenses by muscling their way velopment. through many defenders with one player. I would In player stories, you will get to see if your playadvise you not to do it in this game, unless you ers are happy with the team and if they think they have Didier Drogba or someone of that caliber in should get more playing time, or if they’re unhapstrength. py with someone you signed. Because not only is tackling improving, but they New to this year are Head to Head Seasons and have also improved the ability for the defenders to Online Friendlies. Head to Head Seasons is an bump you with their shoulders. That just means online league, split into 10 divisions. Depending you will have to think more strategically on of- on how you do in your division determines which fense, but with the improvements to ball control division they put you in next. on offense, you will find different ways to get your Online Friendlies is where you get to play a goals. friend online for a ten-game season. Whoever You still have to be careful on defense because wins more gets a trophy for your cabinet, which they might give an advantage to defenses, but if makes playing your friends more exciting. Reporter
G R
By Zak S. Cowan
Not only have they revamped the gamemode that started the craze, Epic Games has taken Horde and completely flipped it around to make Beast. Epic Games and Microsoft brought the hype Beast is the antonym of Horde. train in full force for Gears of War 3, and for good In Beast, you are the attackers trying to breach reason. the defenses. Not only that, but you play The final installment of the “Gears” as the Locust (Gears’ antagonists), and series is, without a doubt, one of the ame not just their regular troops. You get to best games I’ve ever played. play as every Locust creature in the story eview Gears does the most important thing mode, like the fast and agile wretches, better than anyone else: firefights. They the big and beefy butchers and boomers often last for well over 45 minutes in or just the fast and suicidal tickers. the story mode, and I found myself exVersus has been tweaked to perfechausted from all the ass kickin’ I was tion, and it was hard to find a problem dishing out. with it. There is so much to the game with four basic If there is anything bad to say about the game, it gamemodes: Story, Versus, Horde and Beast, there could be that the Versus mode doesn’t bring anyis an endless amount of gameplay that I can’t wait thing new to the franchise, but it doesn’t have to. It to get back to at this very moment. brings perfected versions of all the gametypes of It seems in every shooter these days there is a the previous two games. defense-type gamemode, where you have to fend The game’s campaign is a perfect ending to the off wave after wave of enemies, usually without an franchise, and I was happy with every moment of ending. Gears perfected this way back in Gears of it. A lot of people have said that Gears’ characters War 2, or so I thought, with Horde. are empty. They are, and I love it. Horde 2.0 brings so much more to that table, I get so sick when video games try to be someand creates a much deeper experience in a tower- thing that they aren’t, and Gears doesn’t. The chardefense way. acters are brutes and were raised to kill, and the You earn money throughout the rounds, and you only thing they care about is life and family, which can spend that money on barbed wire, turrets and drives the whole campaign. even mechanical body suits. The game’s graphics are amazing, and it is hard Epic Games has done it again, in terms of bring- to imagine that the first Gears and Gears 3 is on ing something completely new to the table that the same console. The massive Locust monsters no other shooter is doing. As every other game that you face throughout the campaign look specis fighting to catch up to Horde, Epic has made tacular. It is some of the most impressive graphics Horde 10 times better. I’ve ever seen, especially in a console game. Editor in Chief
G R
The Renegade Rip Editorial Board Winner of the 2003 and 2008 JACC Pacesetter Award 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.
Staff
Editor in Chief........................Zak S. Cowan Reporters: Monica Bolger, America Garza, Thomas Howell, Keith Kaczmarek, Cassandra Features Editor.......................Chrystal Fortt McGowan, Meisha McMurray, Jon Nelson, Opinions Editor.......................Tyler McGinty Esteban Ramirez, Patricia Rocha, Online Editor............................Martin Chang Production Editor...............Amber T. Troupe Photographers: Brandon Barraza, Gregory D. Cook, Megan Luecke, Nate Perez, Eleonor Segura, Nathan Wilson Adviser.......................................................Danny Edwards
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.
How to reach us
-Address: Bakersfield College, 1801 Panorama Drive, Bakersfield, CA 93305 -Phone: (661) 395-4324 -Web site: www.therip.com -Email: ripmail@bakersfieldcollege.edu
Commentar y
Page 9
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Is the fair really worth all the hype? By Jon Nelson Reporter
I love the fair. Every year at the end of summer, I begin foaming at the mouth in anticipation of the Great Kern County Fair. The main reason I love the fair is the food. At what other place can you eat Mexican food, a giant turkey leg, and a million different things on a stick all in the same day? Like my friend Chad said, “The fair is like the holidays in that you just expect to gain weight around that time of year.” This year, I hit a personal best and consumed a corndog, an eggroll on a stick, deep-fried Kool-Aid, a barbecue-beef baked potato and a deep-fried Snickers. I was tempted to get an order of giant onion rings but I was running out of cash and available stomach space. The deep fried Snickers has been the crown jewel of my fair experience for the last few years because if there’s anything I’m passionate about, it’s dessert. Nothing compares to the first bite of that crispy, doughy outside combined with the liquid gold inside. Another reason I love the fair is the memories it brings back. Being among the barnyard animals and fair smells sends me into flashbacks from my childhood when I would go every year with my family. I’m grateful for times I wandered through the landscape exhibit with my Mom and Dad and ate cotton candy on the ride home with my brother.
I look back with love when I recall the time a group of friends and I saw Joan Jett and the Blackhearts at the Budweiser Pavilion. They were so amazing and inspiring that it made me want to pick up a guitar despite my total lack of coordination. If nostalgia is the rust of memory, then my brain is a corroded Ford Pinto on a lawn in Oildale. Another reason I’m a die-hard fan of the fair is the people-watching opportunities. As I stroll through the numerous sights and exhibits, I pay special attention to the other attendees. In my head, I give out prestigious awards like “Best Neck Tattoo” and “Worst Use of a Tube Top.” By far, my favorite specimens to observe are the drunk people. There’s nothing like watching a guy who’s had too many beers hitting on a woman who’s obviously horrified. The public displays of intoxication at the fair are phenomenal. I don’t drink anymore and sometimes it’s nice to be reminded of why I made that decision. A highlight from the People Watching Hall of Fame was last year when my best friend spotted a carnie that looked exactly like my Dad. It was like looking into a Bizarro World mirror where my father had turned down a job at Vons in order to become a ring toss operator. Chilling! The only thing I dislike about the Kern County Fair is the cost. I’m a starving journalism student and don’t have the means to go 12 times.
PRO
By Amber T. Troupe Production Editor
I hate the fair. I was excited with the hopes that this would be something totally unexpected, but alas my expectations were thrown out the window when I walked through the gates and saw the exact same set-up with new things here and there and some old things missing. I was unable to enjoy what little was being offered to me because the whole time I was on a hunt for the only reason I even come to the fair each year, which is the deep fried Oreos. It was as if they knew I was coming and decided to place the stand in the farthest reaches of the fairgrounds, just to get me to walk around this forsaken wasteland they call a fair. It is always so dusty and has highly-priced food and snacks. Let’s not talk about the time it takes to even get your food and the wrist band is ridiculously expensive to get on those makeshift rides they are peddling. Don’t get me wrong, the food is delicious (sometimes), but the prices are ridiculous for you to have to wait 30 minutes to enjoy your rare item order. I was highly upset that I wasted 25 minutes of my valuable fair time waiting for an $8 pastrami sandwich that was not nearly worth it. It was small and not as tasty as you figured the fair should be, or maybe I just didn’t choose the best pastrami stand. I understand that it is an event for the community, but then you have to wait in the extremely long lines to order more food or get on a low budget ride and for me this makes a difference. The board of executives in charge of planning the festivities said that they were changing this year’s theme from the “Best in the West,” which centered on cowboy inspired rides, games and musical concerts to “It’s Magic!” Well, it was magic all right: magically boring as usual. There were still the same rides with a few new ones here and there and there still were a lot of booths and games that referenced the Wild West theme, such as the wool riders, which is simply a children’s version of the bull riders hence, the idea of western. The only interesting attraction outside of the old fair’s usual line up, was the BMX Pro Trick Team, which was pretty exciting and out of the box for the Great Kern County Fair. The Bakersfield Live Laser Tag shootout was a major plus, but there were never any people playing it, but you would figure it would have had a bigger turnout there. If the monster in my stomach that appears but once a year didn’t have such a strong hold on me, I wouldn’t even go to it. Except for the rather entertaining music arrangement and the inconceivable chance of meeting a celebrity, I would have to say that this overrated and under-engaging event is a waste of time.
CON
Blink is back, and it’s like 20 years later: A look back at ‘Nevermind’ they never even left at all By Martin Chang Online Editor
By Patricia Rocha Reporter
“Neighborhoods,” the newest album from Blink-182, is a true reflection of all that the band members have experienced and matured from since their breakup in 2005. Fans will notice that the album has all of the important aspects of the band they’ve grown to love before, but the album is very different from past ones, with darker lyrics and more mellow instrumentation. These darker lyrics and mature sound are understandable given the obstacles the band had to go through. For years, the members wouldn’t even speak to each other, but when drummer Travis Barker survived a deadly plane crash in 2008, they knew it was time to leave their problems in the past and reunite the band that brought them together in the first place. This isn’t an album about 23-year-old guys nobody likes, this is an album that reflects the men that Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge and Barker have matured into. The very first track, “Ghost on
the Dance Floor,” could easily be about the loss of longtime producer Jerry Finn and close friend Adam Goldstein (also known as DJ AM), as it is about hearing a song that reminds you of someone who’s passed. There are a few times in the album when you wonder if you’re listening to Angels and Airwaves or +44, especially on tracks “Natives” and “Love is Dangerous,” but fans shouldn’t worry, there’s still enough of that classic Blink sound that balances out the influence from the member’s side projects. The first single off the album,
courtesy of google
The cover of Blink-182’s new album “Neighborhoods.”
“Up All Night,” sounds like it could have e a s i l y lbum been left on the cuteview ting room floor of the last album, while “Wishing Well” has riffs so familiar you could swear you’ve heard the song many times before. “This is Home” and “After Midnight” show a very nostalgic side to the album, the lyrics reminiscent of their days as a much younger band, perfect for those nights you’re cruising around with your friends, drumming on the steering wheel. There’s a lot of throwback to the old, but “Heart’s All Gone” and “MH 4.18.2011” are examples of the newer sound that shows how the members have only gotten better with age. Eight years in the making, and after all of the “will they, won’t they,” there’s no doubt fans will think it was well worth the wait. Blink-182 said it best themselves in the track “Kaleidoscope”: “It’s a long road to get it right.”
A R
When Nirvana performed at The Reading festival in 1992, an amazing moment happened. When Kurt Cobain started to sing the opening lines of “Lithium”, many of the voices, out of the thousands watching, began to sing along. No one from the band said a word before starting the song, it just happened. This simple moment explains why 20 years later people are still wearing Nirvana t-shirts and why their music is still played on the radio. Their music touches people, the song writing and singing of Kurt Cobain, together with the talents of bassist Krist Novoselic and drummer Dave Grohl, speaks to the millions of people who have felt the feeling the band expressed. The aggressive, razor-sharp music of Nirvana spoke with an immediacy and power that gave Cobain’s voice and songs an intensity that is hard to ignore. Their music expressed something people were feeling and when people heard Nirvana’s music they finally seemed less alone, less crazy for having these feelings.
They didn’t try to pander to an imaginary demographic, or try to follow the trends of the time. Like that moment at Reading, they just let the music happen. Last month was the 20th anniversary of Nirvana’s album “Nevermind” and people may think back to the impact Nirvana’s music has had on the world, and people will have theories why their music sold well or why the band seemed to indicate a shift in culture in the 90’s. Nirvana’s music connected with people: it’s that simple. All the other stuff followed. It may be naive, but I think that should be Kurt Cobain and Nirvana’s legacy, the power of the music that Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, and Dave Grohl created. People will always think of the drama of Cobain’s life, his drug use and suicide. People will think of the flannel, the changes in fashion and music culture. But what should be remembered is that all this change happened because bands like Nirvana gave people a way to express what people couldn’t express themselves.
Column
Hollywood, let’s get some originality Pop, Girls, Etc. | The Rip’s Opinions Editor shares his thoughts on pop culture and media Okay Hollywood, I get it. Adaptations are easy. If you find a true story, a book, a comic, a play, or even another movie that you can turn into a movie, it’s a lot less work. But just stop. Please. I’m sick and tired of the phrases “Based on a true story” and “A d a p t e d from the best selling novel.” Hollywood needs to embrace original stories again. If creativity Tyler McGinty is a flowing force, then adaptations are a stagnant pool. It’s nothing new, just rehashing the same stories over and over again. I just saw “Moneyball,” and it was a great movie. The acting, writing, and directing were excellent. However, I’d much rather have seen Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill in an original script by Aaron Sorkin. I know Sorkin is capable of writing his own stories, and I feel his ability is wasted just adapting other people’s work. I think the worst example of this is 2007’s “I Am Legend.” Not only does this movie completely butcher the 1954 novel by Richard Matheson, but also the novel has already been adapted into a movie. Twice. That’s right. By 2007, Hollywood had apparently run dry. It needed to take a 1954 novel that had been adapted into a movie in 1964 and 1971 and turn it into a movie again. Yeah, that totally needed to be done. Last year, three of the best movies were based on a true story (“The King’s Speech,” “The Fighter” and “The Social Network,” for those keeping track), and they were all fantastic. I’m sure that “Moneyball” is going to get the same treatment at the Academy Awards. It’s definitely going to at least get a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination, and probably Best Picture and Best Actor in a Leading Role. But the market is absolutely flooded with adaptations. The upcoming “Real Steel” is an adaptation of a Matheson short story (which was also a “Twilight Zone” episode) and “The Adventures of Tintin,” the new Spielberg project, is based on a Belgian comic book. Martin Scorcese, David Fincher and Roman Polanski have all fallen into this adaptation trap. It seems like that’s all Scorcese has been doing lately, Fincher is remaking “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” which was already a Swedish film two years ago, in addition to being a novel already, and no one really knows what goes on in Polanski’s head. Fall 2011 is the season of biopics, adaptations and remakes. I mean, really? A remake of “Footloose?” How is that even relevant anymore? That seems like a decision a bunch of nostalgic executives made. The only original stories that look like they’re worth anything are the new Diablo Cody movie and the new George Clooney movie. No offense, but when an actor and an ex-stripper are writing the only original stories during Oscar bait season that look like they’re worth anything, clearly something is wrong with the industry. Adapted stories have their place. I’m still going to see these movies (well, not the remakes), but they shouldn’t be flooding the market.
Sports
Page 10
The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
BC wrestling suffers a devastating loss of players for the season By Esteban Ramirez Reporter
Photos by Gregory D. Cook / The Rip
Above: Runners begin the women’s 5k run at the Bakersfield College Cross Country Invitational on Sept. 28. Right: Blanca Perez nears the finish line of the 5k run in first place at the Kern County Soccer Park on Sept. 28.
BC takes 5k run By Zak S. Cowan Editor in Chief
With 103 degrees bearing down on her and the rest of the field, Bakersfield College runner Blanca Perez came in first at the Bakersfield College Cross Country Invitational on Sept. 23. Perez’s time of 21:21.00 helped lead BC to a second-place team finish behind College of the Canyons. “The last mileage, it really pushed me hearing the girls cheering me on,” said Perez. “I knew then that I couldn’t let the team down. That really pushed me to the finish line.” BC’s men’s cross-country team came within a point of College of the Canyons in overall scoring. Robert Baker of the Renegades finished second behind Canyons’ Alex Ruther.
Baker said that he was pleased with how he competed, but was disappointed with his team’s overall finish. However, he doesn’t blame them for the failure to beat Canyons. “We had a couple of guys that could’ve done better, just one spot better, but there’s no way I’m disappointed in my team,” Baker said. “If I were to win the race, we might’ve won.” Of the top 25 runners who receive medals at the end of the day, the women’s team had 11 runners place, and the men’s team had eight. Desiree Martinez finished 25th in the women’s 5k run, securing her medal. Martinez credits the heat to her finish time of 26:31.00, and credits her teammates for fighting through it.
“I think they all pushed it really well despite the weather conditions,” she said. “My teammates are really tough. “The heat really gets to you mentally, but you just have to try to surpass and keep going.” According to Martinez, the team had practiced the course throughout the week, and that, “being located in Bakersfield, we’re kind of used to running in this heat.” The men’s head coach Dave Frickel was excited to see the way both teams competed and expects this to be a start of good things to come. “Having a showing like that
is good,” said Frickel. “I think from here it’s a building block … and with each run we are moving up the ladder a little bit.” Going forward, the team has a Western State Conference Preview Meet at Ledbetter Beach on Oct. 7, followed by the Mount San Antonio College Invitational. Baker is expecting his team to be just as competitive in the future. “By putting more mileage in, training harder, and putting a little more intensity in our workouts, we shouldn’t miss a beat,” Baker said.
BC soccer’s fast start didn’t take them far enough By Meisha McMurray Reporter
After a fast start, the Bakersfield College women’s soccer team lost two games and tied one over the past few weeks. The Renegades are 4-2-2 overall. On Sept. 23, BC, which was 4-0-1 at the time, lost 3-1 when Ventura scored all of its goals in the final seven minutes. BC freshman Sabrina Spink scored the only goal for BC. “This match has been very tough. “We have a new format, so were trying it out and seeing how things go,” said BC goalie Lauren Ash. BC freshmen Kristina Garcia and sophomore Sarena Underwood had great speed, organization, and ball control. On Sept. 27, BC lost at College of the Canyons, which hadn’t beaten the Renegades since 2006. Canyons outshot BC 23-4 and had 13 corner kicks to BC’s zero. Since 2006, BC had won seven times and tied once against Canyons before this season’s loss. On Sept. 30, BC tied Santa Monica 0-0.
Eleonor Segura / The Rip
BC’s Natalie Fernandez goes low to block a pass against Ventura College on Sept. 23.
With 16 of their wrestlers not able to compete, Bakersfield College’s wrestling team went into the Duals Tournament with a lack of depth and experience. The Duals Tournament was supposed to last two days from Sept. 23-24, but the matches on Sept. 23 were canceled because teams were not able to stay overnight at Bakersfield. “Certain schools had physical impact, by that I mean they couldn’t spend the night here at Bakersfield because their budget and they had already used the amount of nights they can spend,” he said. The teams that competed were Santa Ana, Mt. SAC, East LA, Cuesta College and BC. Santa Ana ended up first. Cuesta, Mt. SAC and East LA tied for second. BC ended up last by losing all four matches for the first time in school history, according to wrestling coach Bill Kalivas. BC lost to Santa Ana 20-18, to Cuesta 32-6, to Mt. SAC 34-6 and to East LA 28-12. “We did positive and negative
Robles explained how he hurt his ankle. “I was carrying him back. As I was doing it, I fell awkward on my ankle,” he said. “It felt numb and I couldn’t put pressure on it, but I knew I needed to finish the match. I thought I could’ve done better because mistakes killed me like trying to make impossible moves.” “I need to improve on getting my shots in and not giving up 2 legs, but I thought I sprawled well,” said Robles. “I want to get healthier and continue to improve as a wrestler.” Lance Castenada, a freshman in the 174 weight class, gave his take on his and the team’s performance. “I think I did OK for my first tournament at the junior-college level, but I have a lot to improve on,” said Castenada. “I have to focus on eliminating mistakes, but that will start to happen when I get more mat time because I haven’t been on the mat for over a year,” Castenada said. “I was impressed with my conditioning and, for me, mentally, that was big, but as a team
Wrestling Schedule Oct. 8 Oct. 15 Oct. 22 Nov. 5 Nov. 5
Modesto Tournament Modesto South Dual Tournament San Marcos Meat Head Movers San Luis Obispo Cal State Bakersfield Open Bakersfield Lassen College Tournament Susanville
things, but I don’t think we were ready to compete as a team yet,” said Kalivas. “I think we reverted to bad habits and I think we need to improve on positioning and fighting back so it’s back to the drawing board. I think we will make improvements as the season goes by and we will come together as a team, but it will take some time.” BC’s wrestling team had to compete without half of their wrestlers including their top wrestler Quinn Moore. “They were ineligible because either they were units short, weren’t passing classes, or didn’t get classes they needed, so we competed with wrestlers we usually wouldn’t compete with. “They won’t be able to compete until next year,” said Kalivas. Kalivas was impressed with Lance Castenada, Jacob Pendelton, and Jawayne Fambrough. “I thought that they wrestled well and showed good competitiveness out there,” Kalivas said. Ryan Robles, a freshman in the 157 weight class, had an injury during a match with 12 seconds, but was able to finish the match to ensure his victory. “Ryan sprained his ankle and probably will miss the next tournament. He put himself in an awkward situation and it’s all about watching your position but he showed good pride by getting back out there and finishing the match,” said Kalivas.
I think we didn’t live up to our potential. We need to eliminate mistakes and make better decisions, but as we progress we will get better.” Pendelton, a freshman in the 165 class, said, “I think I was a little out of shape, but it was a good learning experience. I need to work on my basic stand-up game because I wasn’t scoring with moves that I would usually score on. “I was impressed how tough I was when I was riding. We’re a young team, but I didn’t expect us to go 0-4. I thought we would win some, lose some, but I think by the end of the year we will be one of the toughest teams and that’s a guarantee,” said Pendelton. They had a match against East LA on Sept. 30 that got canceled due to a gym conflict for East LA. They have decided to postpone it to a later date, to be determined. BC’s wrestling team had a chance to show their improvement on Oct. 1 when they had a tournament with fourteen other schools at Santa Ana. Perennial power Fresno City got first, Sacramento City got second, Mt. SAC got third and Santa Ana ended up in fourth. BC ended up ninth, but Kalivas thought that there were many positive things in that performance. Their next tournament will be on Oct. 8 at Modesto.
Sports
Page 11
The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Renegades couldn’t climb Mt. SAC By Zak S. Cowan Editor in Chief
Mt. SAC 41, BC 27 BC-Mt. SAC, Stats
Bakersfield College Mt. San Antonio College
7 14
10 3
10 10
0_27 14_41
First Quarter MTSAC_Agwuenu 20 pass from Deen (Coons kick), 10:15. MTSAC_Botello 12 run (Coons kick), 1:30. BC_Hobdy 62 pass from Duboski (Schleicher kick), :00. Second Quarter BC_Duboski 1 run (Schleicher kick), 9:36. MTSAC_Coons 42 field goal, 4:13. BC_Schleicher 42 field goal, :24.
Third Quarter MTSAC_Goodwin 47 interception return (Coons kick), 13:15. BC_Schleicher 27 field goal, 10:15. MTSAC_Torres 23 field goal, 4:53. BC_Hobdy 13 pass from Duboski (Schleicher kick), 1:53. Fourth Quarter MTSAC_Botello 2 run (Coons kick), 13:52. MTSAC_Bobo 4 run (Coons kick), 10:16.
First downs Total Net Yards Rushes-yards Passing Punt Returns Kickoff Returns Interceptions Ret. Comp-Att-Int Sacked-Yards Lost Punts Fumbles-Lost Penalties-Yards Time of Possession
BC 21 360 30-112 248 2-15 8-137 0-0 16-37-2 1-9 5-186 0-0 5-64 24:55
MTSAC 23 429 37-145 284 0-0 6-129 2-56 26-40-0 1-9 4-153 2-1 16-149 34:44
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING_BC, Sykes 25-121, Cheatham Quentin 1-3, Duboski 3-6. MTSAC, Botello 20-91, Deen 4-37, Bobo 7-28. PASSING_BC, Duboski 16-37-2-248. MTSAC, Deen 26-40-0-284. RECEIVING_BC, Morris 4-69, Hobdy 3-78, Tubbs 3-27, Sykes 3-16, Clayton 2-32, Cheatham 1-26. MTSAC_Agwuenu 9-121, Duncan 4-54, Taylor 3-37, Botello 2-17, Cochran 2-9.
BC 31, Citrus 13
Citrus College-BC, Stats Citrus College Bakersfield College
0 0
0 14
13 10
0_13 7_31
Second Quarter BC_Duboski 4 run (Schleicher kick), 10:56. BC_Sykes 7 run (Schleicher kick), 3:44.
Third Quarter CC_Dilan 42 pass from Loncar (Andres kick), 13:41. CC_Loncar 1 run (missed 2-point attempt), 10:17. BC_Schleicher 40 field goal, 8:42. BC_Driskill 84 interception return (Schleicher kick), 6:15. Fourth Quarter BC_Duboski 1 run (Schleicher kick), 6:39.
First downs Total Net Yards Rushes-yards Passing Punt Returns Kickoff Returns Interceptions Ret. Comp-Att-Int Sacked-Yards Lost Punts Fumbles-Lost Penalties-Yards Time of Possession
CIT 17 253 31-74 179 1-1 6-150 1-6 25-34-3 5-22 5-186 0-0 6-45 28:44
BC 22 335 53-231 104 2-44 3-79 3-114 7-17-1 2-16 3-84 0-0 4-37 31:16
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING_CIT, Counts 12-58, Johnson 8-30, Sainz 4-10. BC, Sykes 31-176, Cobb 6-25, Cheatham 8-23. PASSING_CIT, Loncar 25-34-3-179. BC, Duboski 7-17-1-104. RECEIVING_CIT, Chatham 5-53, Johnson 5-11, Kepley 4-11, Oyefeso 3-35, Clark 2-49, Dooley 2-14. BC, Ossai 2-55, Hobdy 2-11, Clayton 1-16, Tubbs 1-12, Morris 1-10. MISSED FIELD GOAL_CIT, Magallon 45.
Conference standings SCFA National Northern Conference All Games PF L W 156 El Camino 0 5 193 Allan Hancock 1 4 135 Bakersfield 2 3 141 Canyons 2 3 142 Ventura 2 3 149 Cerritos 3 2
PA 81 94 104 117 107 169
Bakersfield College, again, added a digit in the loss column courtesy of Mount San Antonio College. The Renegades lost 41-27 against Mt. SAC on Oct. 1; this is the fifth time in five years, including three in the postseason, that the Mounties have defeated BC. Mt. SAC, the two-time defending state champions, improve to 4-1, with their only loss in two years coming on Sept. 24 against Riverside College 29-26. BC never led in the game and fell behind 14-0 early in the first quarter, until quarterback Brian Duboski connected with wide receiver Brandon Hobdy for a 62-yard touchdown pass on the final play of the quarter. After a short drive by Mt. SAC that was riddled with penalties, the Renegades marched down the field on an 11-play drive to bring the game back to even at 14-14. The Mounties finished the game with 16 penalties for 149 yards, which isn’t far off from their 120.6 yards per game average. No matter how many times Mt. SAC put itself in bad situations on third down, BC’s defense couldn’t contain their offense, and the Mounties finished the game converting 12-of-18 third downs. “We thought we were coming of age defensively, and we felt, at times, we took a step backward,” said Chudy. Mt. SAC finished the game
With so much happening in the world of sports through the past few weeks, at Bakersfield College and beyond, I couldn’t keep focused on one topic. Zak S. Cowan I’m probably going to jump around from topic to topic, but you’ll get over it.
gregory d. cook / The Rip
Mounties wide receiver Brandon Taylor attempts to get around Renegades defensive back Jimmy Wilson during Bakersfield College’s game against Mt. San Antonio College in Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut, Calif. on Oct. 1.
Football Schedule/Results
gregory d. cook / The Rip
Bakersfield College wide receiver Brandon Hobdy hauls in a Brian Duboski pass for a touchdown in the third quarter in Hilmer Lodge Stadium on Oct. 1. chance to play Saddleback [College] again, you better play your hearts out against Allen Han-
cock,” Chudy said to his team after the game, noting the playoff indications of the contest.
brandon barraza / The Rip
Volleyball stays on the victorious path The Bakersfield College volleyball team hosted Santa Barbara Community College on Sept. 28 and took the win with scores of 25-16, 25-20 and 25-16. That puts the Renegades’ record at 6-4. “I thought it was amazing,” said BC freshman blocker Brittany Smith. “We played well as a team together
during the whole game.” To start the match was Ashley Simpson, Rachel Christian, Amanda Escalante, Breann Goodman, Brittany Smith and Megan Black. Charisma Hernandez and Megan Black share a kill together at the same time. “We worked hard and it paid off. Practice how you play, play how you practice,” said BC freshman middle blocker Megan Black.
A year ago, Santa Barbara beat the Renegades in three straight games. “This match was amazing,” said BC sophomore outside hitter Breann Goodman of this year’s victory. “I mean the team focus was huge. Team chemistry is what helped us win this match.” BC is currently ranked 22nd in the California Community College Women’s Volleyball Coaches Association State Poll.
Cheer team Hats off to the cheer team for making me look like a moron by lighting up the Sept. 24 home football game against Citrus College. If they aren’t already, they should be the talk of the campus because they did nothing but impress. It is either a really big coincidence, or they took some of the advice from “Chiefed” in the Sept. 21 issue of the Renegade Rip. I should probably apologize to the oldies in the crowd, but I think I deserve a round of applause from the rest of BC’s fans. Beckwith If the cheerleaders keep on with their new swagger, I’d have to say that BC’s athletic department is in a fantastic position moving forward. Covering the BC-Citrus football game Sept. 24, I couldn’t help but notice the atmosphere had changed. The cheer team did their thing, the drumline had an awesome half-time show, and over 4,000 people packed the seats. The energy in that stadium was incredible, so please Ryan G. Beckwith, whatever you’re doing, if you have any part in this, keep it going. Oakland Raiders I can’t believe I’m saying this, but my Oakland Raiders are actually looking competitive out there these days! Even though they lost to the New England Patriots, the fact that some people actually picked them to win the game makes me feel like I’m in the Twilight Zone. Now if only the team could start winning games again, I’d finally enjoy my Sundays. Fantasy Fantasy football is my favorite thing about the football season, and that would probably change if the Raiders actually start winning for real, thus giving me something enjoyable to watch on Sundays, and I wouldn’t have to root for other teams’ players so often, but I digress. My fantasy team has now bounced back from an 0-2 start, and we, the defending fantasy-bowl champions, are back at .500. To all the other owners out there, aren’t you jealous that I have an outlet to gloat in public?
Bakersfield College’s volleyball team drew a cheering section during their match on Sept. 28.
Reporter
It’s hard to decide what matters Chiefed | The Rip’s Editor in Chief tells you what’s what in the world of sports.
and returned it 47 yards for the touchdown to put the Mounties up 24-17. BC climbed back to tie the game at 27-27 at the end of the third quarter on another Hobdy touchdown catch. Hobdy finished the game with Sept. 3 BC 32, Pierce 19 78 yards on Sept. 10 Saddleback 31, BC 17 three recepSept. 17 BC 28, Antelope 0 tions. Sept. 24 BC 31, Citrus 13 Mt. SAC Oct. 1 Mt. SAC 41, BC 27 kicked off Oct. 8 BYE the fourth Oct. 15 vs Alan Hancock 7 p.m. quarter with Oct. 22 at Ventura 6 p.m. two touchOct. 29 at El Camino 6 p.m. downs in the Nov. 5 vs Cerritos 7 p.m. first 5 min7 p.m. Nov. 12 at Canyons utes, and the R e n eg a d e s never got with 429 yards on offense in the into Mounties territory again. game. BC’s offense went nine plays Duboski made just his second start on the season, and threw the for just 34 yards on their final ball 37 times, compared to just 17 three drives. The team is now 3-2, and is pass attempts in the team’s Sept. going into what head coach Jeff 24 win over Citrus College. For more on the Citrus game, Chudy calls, “the most important game of the season, regardless of see TheRip.com. At the end of the game’s first what happened [at Mt. Sac].” The team’s Oct. 15 game half, the two teams were tied 1717, and the Renegades were set against Allen Hancock College to receive to start the third quar- will mark the beginning of National Northern Conference play ter. On the BC’s first drive of the for the Renegades. “If you want a chance to play second half, Mt. SAC’s Anthony Goodwin intercepted Duboski [Mt. SAC] again, or if you want a
Meisha McMurray
Column
brandon barraza / The Rip
Megan Black of Bakersfield College hits the volleyball over the net as the volleyball hits Bianca Castro of Santa Barbara City College on Sept. 28.
McCourt who? Let me just say that, even while enduring the hurricane of stupidity that Frank McCourt brought through Chavez Ravine, the Los Angeles Dodgers still managed to finish above .500, have the favorite in the National League MVP race and should have the NL Cy Young winner. In all, I’d say they are in a great position moving forward. Now, if Mark Cuban would just get on with it and buy the team, we’d be set for a decade.
Page 12
Spotlight
The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Just Dance
Photos and Story by Nathan Wilson Joe D!rt, Mysterio, DJ Anik, pSychobabble and SkyDro were some of the many DJs that spun at Techno Kids, an all responsible ages Electronic Dance Music event which was put on by Alien Events. The event was held at Jerry’s Pizza and Pub on Sept. 23. There were two stages being used during Techno Kids. The basement area of Jerry’s Pizza and Pub was used as the main stage, while the upstairs area was used as the second stage and hosted by Stereo Type Productions. Due to the venue changing from El Patino Hall to Jerry’s Pizza and Pub a few days before the event and a one hour delay due to car problems, the event only drew about 50 people. The following night Stereo Type Productions and Flame and Skewers Hookah Lounge, 5482 California Ave., hosted a new monthly 18+ Electronic Dance Music event called Hubble Bubble. Multiple black light tubes, that were hanging from the ceiling of the hookah lounge, lit up the room and gave certain t-shirts, Go-Go outfits and kandi that people were wearing, an interesting glow. The next Hubble Bubble will be held on Oct. 15 from 8 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. and will feature Dr. Sax and DJ Tails of Tails Media. Stereo Type Productions will also be putting on its second annual pre-Halloween music event called Byte Me. Again at El Patino Hall, 425 30th Street on Oct. 29 from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. The event is for all responsible ages and will feature DJ DayV, DJ Lewcid, Jiggity and Raisuki, among others. Presale tickets are $10 and tickets at the door will be $15.
Below: Perry Gorham spins during his set at Techno Kids on Sept. 23. Bottom right: Samuel Carrasco spins during Techno Kids on Sept. 23.
Above: Kevin Hale aka SkyDro performs at Jerry’s Pizza and Pub on Sept. 23. Above right: Justin Vaughan performs at Techno Kids on Sept. 23.
believers gather for califest Photos by Brandon Barraza
Far left: Christian rap artist Eddie Reynolds performs on stage.
Middle: B.J. White plays guitar at the Califest on Oct. 1.
Left: The crowd at New Life Center celebrates at Califest on Oct. 1.
Above: Bart Hight plays the keyboard at the Califest on Oct. 1.