Viewpoints 11-19-2009 Issue

November 19, 2009 An Associated Collegiate Press two-time national Pacemaker award-winning newspaper, serving students since 1922. Vol. xxxVIII, No. 6

Riverside, CA | www.viewpointsonline.org

First Copy Free | Additional copies 25 cents

40 years of sunny days For an

OPINIONS STORY see

Pages 10-11

Photo Illustration by: Khai Le / Online Editor

2 | November 19, 2009

Viewpoints

Serving students since 1922

News

Apply for college scholarships Applications are now being accepted for Riverside Community College District 2010-2011 scholarships. RCCD scholarships are open to students on any campus or those transferring to four year colleges.

This year the application can be done online by going to www.rcc.edu and clicking on student services, then financial aid and then scholarship information.

Application documents must be turned in electronically and can be no more than 5MB in size. Nothing will be turned in to financial services, everything must be done online.

The deadline for all scholarship applications is Dec. 2.

Striving for excellence On Dec. 4 the Center for Teaching Excellence will be rededicated as the Glen Hunt Center for Teaching Excellence.

The event will take place on the fourth floor of the Digital Library from 1-3 p.m.

Guitar ensemble rocks the Digital Library The Riverside City College guitar ensemble and the students of Peter Curtis, Adam Petit, Patrick Read and Jody Fischer will be performing in the Guitar Ensemble and Guitar Studio Recital.

The concert is in the Digital Library Auditorium on Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. There is no charge and the show is open to the public.

Dancing to a different beat The Riverside City College Performing Arts Department presents Kinetic Conversations 2009.

The show is a mix of dance and movement choreographed by RCC dance faculty members along with guest choreographers Ray McNamara, Julie Tessier and Adam Young.

The performances are in the Landis Performing Arts Center on Dec. 4 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Tickets purchased in advance are $6 for RCC students and staff, seniors, children and $8 general admission. At the door they are $10 and $12.

RCC has a new Student Trustee Stephen Bishop, RCC student and former Moreno Valley Campus Vice President, was elected as the newest Student Trustee on Nov. 17.

Bishop won the competition against Josue Landa at a score of 196 to 89 votes.

For further information about Stephen Bishop, watch his youtube video at www. youtube.com/watch?v=nfB0s7iCfzQ

Christmas carolers put on a show The Riverside Master Chorale will be performing at the First Congregational Church on Dec. 6 at 4 p.m.

With special guests the Santiago High School Dickens Carolers, the RMC will present Schubert in Mass G and A Dickens of a Christmas.

Tickets are $15 general admission and $12 for students and seniors.

For more information go to www.riversidemasterchorale.com.

Swing into the holidays The Riverside City College Holiday Tennis Tournament is Dec. 11, 12 and 13.

There will be three divisions: high school, college and open. High school and college players cannot wear any school affiliated clothing.

Entry fees are $25 for singles and $30 for doubles and the deadline is Dec. 4.

Entry forms can be found at athletics.rcc.edu on the Tennis page.

For more information contact Jim Elton at Jim.elton@rcc.edu

erene abdelmeseeh / managing editor

thanksgiving items needed: Bins are located near Student Services and Student Government buildings for student donations.

Salvation for the community Fatima ramsey staff writer Riverside City College and the Salvation Army are teaming up to help out less fortunate Riverside community members who are in need this season.

There are many families in Riverside that do not have enough financial means to celebrate the holidays this year.

As a close community, there is a search for help.

The Salvation Army is hoping to aid those in need and is on the lookout for those who can aid others.

The Salvation Army contacted RCC to reach out and ask for assistance in helping those less fortunate.

A Salvation Army staff member asked Student Service’s staff if they would allow him to place bins on campus to collect non perishable foods for donations to the community.

One bin is placed in the Student Services office in Bradshaw Center, Room 207 and the other one in the Student Government Center module on the Aguilar Patio.

Items being requested for donation are non perishable foods such as instant potatoes, canned green beans, canned corn, cranberry sauce, cream of celery soup, cream of mushroom soup, pumpkin pie mix, ready made pie crust, canned yams, can of French’s Onions, canned fruit, stuffing, biscuit mix, marshmallows, brown sugar, chicken broth and gravy.

Donation of these items will enable the less fortunate of Riverside’s community to still have a Thanksgiving to share with their loved ones.

Deborah Hall, a Student Activities Coordinator, said, “The Salvation Army is a great organization to donate to.”

According to Sandy Mathey, a Student Service’s staff member, RCC has helped The Salvation Army to collect food for the needy in the past and they are determined to continue doing so in the future as well.

“It has always been a good thing to be in

the RCC family,” Mathey said. “We do our best to help the community. We try to stay very close in touch with the community.”

Mathey also shared that since RCC has been an active member in the community for a long time, she knows the community counts on RCC if they ever need assistance.

“And I also know that if RCC ever needs anything then we can count on the community to help back,” Mathey said.

However, there is still a significant amount of donations needed, as the bins are not even half way full yet.

The food donation deadline is Nov. 23, and the Salvation Army staff will come by on Nov. 24 to collect the bins.

The Salvation Army will also be having a luncheon the day before Thanksgiving from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

They will be located at Riverside Corps 3695 1st Street (back of building) Riverside, CA 92501.

If you need more information call, 951- 784-3571.

Mireya Moreno, an RCC student, expressed her feelings towards helping the Riverside community.

“I think it is a great way to show our fellow ‘Riversiders’ that we care,” Moreno said. “Some of us have extra cans lying around that will be tremendous help to the less fortunate. I have done my part and have donated a few cans and placed them in the bins on campus. I encourage everyone to help out, you will feel good inside to know you helped out a family and put smiles on their faces.”

RCC will continue to help the community in need.

An upcoming toy drive is another event that is designed to help out the Riverside community children in need of a gift for the holidays.

To receive more information about giving donations, receiving donations, or any other miscellaneous information, please contact the RCC’s Student Services at 951-222-8570.

Viewpoints

November 19, 2009 | 3

Serving students since 1922

RCC celebrates Veterans Day News

martin iniguez jr. / Photo Editor

pulling for a win: Students participated in a tug-of-war as a part of the Veteran’s Day celebration Nov. 11 in the A.G. Paul Quadrangle.

martin iniguez jr. / photo editor

giving it their all: Competitors in the push up event try to impress the crowd at the Nov. 11 Veterans Day celebration.

martin iniguez jr. / photo editor

boot camp: Military skills like sit ups and push ups proved difficult for those showing their support at Riverside City College’s Veterans Day event.

Viewpoints

Let’s get ready to transfer Serving students since 1922

4 | November 19, 2009

Lauren Garcia asst. news editor

As the end of the fall semester nears, RCC students are not alone in their journey towards transferring to a four year college.

The Transfer and Career Center hosts a variety of workshops all year long to prepare and inform students about their majors as well as information to transfer to another college.

One of the workshops provided is called a career insight forum.

These forums discuss what the student’s career goals should be to be successful in their major.

The lowest amount of students that have attended one of the career insight forums was about 25 and the highest amount was about 126 per workshop.

Students are able to talk with experts in the field they choose and see what’s expected of them in the workplace said Clarissa Andrews, educational advisor.

These are people within our community that have been very successful,” Andrews said. “They inform students about what they have to go through and even the do’s and don’ts.”

The experts will also let the students know what is looked for in an interview and how much money they would make.

Facility insight tours are also offered which gets students up close and personal with the career of their choice to highlight their major.

“We try to go to a private college, a Cal State and a UC each semester,” Andrews said.

“We really do a lot and we go everywhere.”

Take a criminal justice major for instance.

A field trip is planned to attend the Federal Correctional Complex in Victorville, Jan. 29, 2010, from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“With criminal justice, for example, the students are able to get down and dirty because there is so much the students can do in this field,” Andrews said. “They get deeply involved with their major.”

Every month a different major is highlighted for the students.

This year the Career Center has covered nursing, criminal justice, forensic science, early childhood studies, business and psychology .

They also have a resource entitled, “What can I do with a major in…”. This resource has a series of workshops within it.

It includes workshops that explain how the UC and Cal State systems work, how to fill out the application for both a UC and Cal State, how to write a personal statement essay for the application and how to write the essay necessary for scholarships.

After each workshop, students respond to questions pertaining to how they benefitted from that workshop or changes they thought should be made to the workshop.

As a whole, these workshops provide students with helpful information for students majors that emphasize management, marketing and entrepreneurship.

There has been a great student turnout for these workshops.

“There have been about 40 plus students attending each workshop,” said Briana Boykin, also an educational advisor.

“The amount of workshops offered this year has increased,” Andrews said.

In the duration of a school year there are three transfer fairs where over 50 university representatives attend.

Also once a year there is an event called Career Fest where over 100 career professionals attend as well.

All students are welcome to attend the workshops.

Whether or not you have decided on a major does not matter.

Each workshop will offer students insight into different options.

If you would like to see what the Career and Transfer center does and what they provide for the students, visit their section of the RCC Web site which provides information on workshops.

Or visit http://www.myspace. com/rcctcc to see photos and videos from past workshops or facility tours.

Diverse options are available for all students.

News

Erene Abdelmeseeh / managing editor

preparing for the future: RCC students research in the Transfer and Career Center to check out different options for their academic futures.

Transfer Center Information - Transfer center hours are Mon., Wed. and Thurs., from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

- Tues. from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Fri. from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

- For additional information contact Briana Boykin at 951-222-8557

Viewpoints

Serving students since 1922

5 | November 19, 2009

Schools go head-to-head

Chanelle Williams Features Editor

The average person’s brain would drop to the floor if they were asked to solve a reverse engineering alchemy.

While lying on the floor they’d probably ask themselves, “What does that even mean?”

Students who had a clue solved such problems in the 34th Annual IBM-sponsored Association for Computing Machinery International Collegiate Programming (ACM-ICP) “Battle of the Brains” contest.

The contest has students from universities all around the world competing in hopes to become a finalist for the World Finals, which will be held in Harbin, China this year.

The competition involves solving difficult problems using computer programs, teamwork and intellect.

On Nov. 7, students from schools all around California such as University of San Diego, University of California Riverside, California Institute of Technology and Harvey Mudd University including RCC participated in the competition on the RCC campus.

The actual competition took place in the Martin King Jr. Teaching/Learning center, which was actually designed to host this competition.

“There are 180 computers

in the center and there are 60-70 teams [in the competition],” said said Mark Lehr Associate Professor of Computer Information Systems and Business Administration Information Systems Technology.

“With this design the teams can sit together and have a computer

between each other.”

The competition began Saturday at 8 a.m. outside the RCC Bookstore with students signing in with their teams and getting their name tags.

The teams were made up of three students of a university; the schools could have more than one team.

The students went

the problems then assign problems to team members.

When they solved the problem, they submitted their answer to the judges where the judges ran the solution against their “secret data” and if it worked they got credit.

If the program did not work, the judges sent the solution back to the

team

through orientation, did a warm-up problem to make sure the computer programs were working, had a catered lunch in the cafeteria then the competition began.

For the competition the teams were given one computer and seven problems to solve in five hours.

What most teams did was read

Image courtesy of Dywane Turner

informing them it was wrong without telling them what was wrong.

A winner is not only determined by how many problems are solved but by the time the problems were solved said Marc Furon, a judge in the competition.

“If an answer is turned in and is wrong, we’ll send it back to them but they’ll receive a twenty minute penalty.”

“It’s good if a team can solve 1-2 problems. About 30 percent of the s t u d e n t s w o n ’t solve any problems,” said Lehr.

Only 35 of the 62 teams solved any of the problems. Of those who were able to turn in solutions, 18 answered only one question.

With a total of four questions answered with only two penalties, Harvard Mudd University won the competition with California Institute of Technology coming in second.

CalTech is usually the team to beat in the competition.

They now have the chance to go one and compete to be the North American finalist Dec. 1.

If they succeed in doing so they will travel to Harbin, China.

At the World Finals, the finalist from North America will go up against the finalists from Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe and the Russian Federation and the South Pacific

For more information about the competition visit the results website at www.socalcontest.org/ current/index.shtml

Image courtesy of: Dywane Turner

Battle: The competition was held in the Martin Tick-Tock: Students work against the clock to try and solve as many problems as they can in five Luther King Jr. Teaching/Learning center.

hours.

Viewpoints

Recipes to be thankful for Serving students since 1922

6 | November 19, 2009

stephanie holland editor in chief

Maple Glazed Turkey 1 Turkey 1/2 cup maple syrup 1/2 cup hot water 1/2 orange 1/2 onion Rosemary Thyme Bay Leaf Salt Pepper Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Clean and rinse turkey with cold water, then place in roasting pan.

Place orange, onion, bay leaf and a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme inside cavity of turkey.

In a small bowl whisk together water and syrup.

Pour half of syrup mix on the turkey, season with salt and pepper, then brush more mixture over outside of turkey.

Cover turkey with foil and cook according to size directions.

Baste with syrup mix every 30-40 minutes and remove foil 30-40 minutes before turkey will be removed.

Let turkey rest 30 minutes before carving.

Maple Gravy

Strain the juices from the roasting pan into a medium saucepan on medium heat. Add 1 cup of chicken stock and heat until almost boiling.

Whisk in 1 teaspoon of cornstarch at a time until gravy reaches desired thickness.

Remove from heat and keep warm until service.

Deviled Eggs 6 eggs 1 cup mayonnaise 2 Tbsp. mustard 3 Tbsp. sugar 1/2 Tsp. nutmeg 1/2 Tsp. cayenne pepper Salt Paprika Hard boil eggs, then cool under cold water. Peel eggs, cut in half long ways, scoop out yolks into medium bowl and place to side.

Mash yolks to a fine consistency and add mayonnaise and mustard.

Mix yolks until smooth, then stir in sugar, nutmeg and cayenne pepper.

Season to taste with salt.

Place yolk mixture into a ziploc bag and cut off small section of the corner. Pipe mixture into egg halfs and sprinkle tops with paprika. Refrigerate four hours before serving.

Features

Tips for a stressfree Thanksgiving Many side dishes and desserts can be cooked in advance, so that on the big day all your focus is the turkey and your guests.

Though it’s a tradition, stuffing a turkey can lead to undercooked food which leads to food borne illnesses. Your guests will be better off if you cook turkey and stuffing separately.

Do not constantly open the oven to check on your bird, it will cook faster with the door closed.

For smaller birds, in the morning before it will be cooked defrost turkey in the sink with cold water. It will save room in a packed refrigerator.

Thanksgiving is what you make of it, so don’t feel obligated to cook a traditional turkey and stuffing dinner. Be creative and think outside the box.

For the culinary challenged, most supermarkets offer pre-made dinners that only have to be warmed up. Don’t be afraid to use these as a starting point.

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Serving students since 1922

November 19, 2009 | 7

8 | November 19, 2009

Viewpoints

opinions Serving students since 1922

Viewpoints Staff

EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Stephanie Holland (951) 222-8495 viewpoints@rcc.edu eic@viewpointsonline.org MANAGING EDITOR Erene Abdelmeseeh (951) 222-8488 managingeditor@viewpointsonline.org ADVERTISING MANAGER Vanessa Soto (951) 222-8488 viewpoints.ads@gmail.com FACULTY ADVISERS Allan Lovelace Dan Evans

Why can’t we be friends?

Illustration by Vanessa Soto

INSCAPE EDITOR ONLINE EDITOR Robert Johnston Khai Le admin@viewpointsonline.org inscape@viewpointsonline.org NEWS EDITOR Amy Warshauer news@viewpointsonline.org

INSIDER EDITOR Sandra Diaz insider@viewpointsonline.org

OPINIONS EDITOR PHOTO EDITOR Martin Iniguez, Jr Corinne Love opinions@viewpointsonline.org photo@viewpointsonline.org

High school has often been superficially described as “clique-ish.”

The jocks hang out with other jocks (ditto for the cheerleaders), nerds and geeks hang out usually near a science classroom, and the rest of the social groups are grouped in a similar fashion.

Movies and sitcom television shows have long used this idea, but, surprisingly there is an element of truth to it.

Students have been known to self-segregate.

It even happens in college.

People are just used to sitting around those they feel comfortable with.

That’s how new friendships are formed, based on a shared interest, similar backgrounds and views.

Experts have weighed in on such behavior stating that although it’s necessary to forge such relationships, the behavior becomes toxic when people begin to exclude others based on race, nationality and gender.

Hawthorne High School is aiming to change this.

“Mix it Up Day” is a new program geared towards high school students for them to step outside of their social parameters and talk to new people.

The program was developed to ease racial tensions, as well as to help students foster an understanding of their fellow classmate.

Students are encouraged to sit and talk with someone that on a regular basis during their everyday high school life, they would never sit next to.

The program has been a mild success so far with grades K-6 and has included mixers, scavenger hunts and bingo games.

It’s sort of reminiscent of John Hughes beloved film “The Breakfast Club.”

Except with “Mix it Up Day” these students are not being reprimanded, nor are Judd Nelson and Ally Sheedy going to make a cameo.

What made Hughes’ film so wildly successful and still loved today, is that people are naturally interested in people who are different from them.

SPORTS EDITOR FEATURES EDITOR Chanelle Williams Javier Cabrera sports@viewpointsonline.org features@viewpointsonline.org

STAFF Jackie Adams Bethania Alvarez Jessica Denilofs Megan Evans Christina Espinoza Lauren Garcia Ricky Holmes Sade Hurst Andrew Kendall John Kilgore Stacy Lee Phillip Levin

John Mendoza Brandon Morgan Mario Navarro Adrian Pascua Aubrianna Plavajka Fatima Ramsey Ashley Robinson Dorothea Samuel Joshua Serrano Alexandra Tanner Daniel Torres

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Viewpoints’ editorials represent the majority opinion of and are written by the Viewpoints student editorial board.

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Yet, due to the “cruel politics” of high school, people never get that chance to strike up a conversation with their classmates.

This carries onto college as well, where it is assumed that people will be more willing to open up, after all this is the environment to step out of the “comfort zone.”

Which is what the developers of the “Mix it Up Day” program hopes to achieve.

The program is undoubtedly a good idea.

If students who are leaving high school only have one dimensional outlooks on people, situations and the dynamics of life, well, they’re going to get quite the rude awakening when they enter college.

Aside from the great social effects this program offers, it can also save someone’s life.

Recently it was reported that a young girl was sexually assaulted at Richmond High School, in California.

As the assault took place, more than several students stood idle and did not interfere with the crime that was taking place.

The reasoning that some of these students used in defense of their moronic behavior was that she was not part of their “group.”

In other words because they did not know her on a friendly basis, or even a classmate basis, they felt justified in not helping another person. Incidents like this could have been prevented.

If a program like “Mix it Up Day” can reach out to students to see their classmates not only as classmates but as people just like them, the results will be far-reaching.

In this climate of social tension, small steps are pivotal, but vital.

And while the program is reaching small but successful steps, some leaps still need to be made.

As reported in the Los Angeles Times, Carson High School US History teacher Merri Weir stated “My philosophy is every one is connected. The person who you’re shunning because you think they’re weird could be the person who changes your life.”

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Student editors have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. © 2009 by the Viewpoints staff, Riverside City College, 4800 Magnolia Avenue, Riverside, CA. 92506-0528. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the Viewpoints Editor-in-Chief.

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November 19, 2009 | 9

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Opinions

Walt Whitman says buy Levis corinne love opinions editor If Walt Whitman were living today, he would buy Levis. Or at least this is what the new “Go Forth” campaign is telling consumers.

The commercials are like mini epic movies.

A couple runs free through the American wilderness.

A stark black and white image of a sign reading “America” floats through black water. Fireworks explode through the sky while a hurried succession of images speeds past the viewer.

All the while this is happening, a scratch recording of American Poet Walt Whitman reads from the classic “O Pioneers.”

The poem has long been an classic and a staple of Whitman’s poetry that dealt with American living as well as nature.

Some critics are appalled that Whitman’s words have been used for a campaign of this kind, attributing that it does not represent what Whitman’s work stood for at all. In a way, perhaps they are right, but it deserves a closer look.

Whitman was a decidedly American poet, using his surroundings to create evocative poetry. One doesn’t need to hone up on their rhetoric skills to be able to grasp some of the concepts in his poetry.

Whitman called up American ideals like independence and diligence. It’s fitting that Levis

would use his work for their campaign.

While Levis is a brand, and one’s first initial reaction to anything being sold is to resist with fervor, Levis has been active in putting its money where its prospective mouth is. For example, the company has various charities that they support, most notably its work in South Africa’s HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The themes explored in the new campaigns are gutsy to say the least, in one commercial a gay couple is shown holding hands.

Levis is taking the “Go Forth” campaign very seriously.

The brand, an American icon, has always used edginess and subcultures to sell their products.

Like everything in marketing though, when selling a “product” it’s not just selling a product but a lifesyle.

The lifestyle being sold is one that Levis hopes is in the business of change. Last year the campaign was “Live Unbuttoned.”

Those adverts featured young, lithe, models running around urban areas engaging in spontaneous behavior.

The adverts seemed to have spoken to consumers at the time to live it up and live spontaneously.

The new advertisements for “Go Forth” are anything but.

It’s not a surprise that the recent economy troubles have left many with a sour taste; during the recession many companies had to rethink entire marketing strategies.

The “Go Forth” commercials play up to some of the hidden and not so hidden fears that American youth may have today.

In one of the scenes for the lengthy commercial, a man in a drab business suit sits uninspired

Library of Congress and Levi strauss

go whitman: Poet Walt Whitman’s “O Pioneers” is used as a sample in the latest commercials for Levis. The commercials aired earlier this year at his desk.

In another version of the commercial, he is chased by an angry group of young people.

Is this supposed to represent how, as young Americans we feel capitalism has let us down?

The commercials aired earlier this year in movie theaters as vignettes and received mixed results.

It was reported that many viewers were left in awe, and someone actually yelled out “It’s just a pair of jeans!”

A $238 pair of jeans. Make no mistake about it, Levis jeans are some of the more expensive brands of jeans on the market.

The “Go Forth” campaign slyly eases over this well known fact, and instead narrows in on this sense of “exploration” that young adults should take.

Along with a bewitching commercial (directed by Cary Fukunaga) on the official LevisWeb

site, there is the opportunity to win $100,000.

A subset of the Web site labeled “The New American,” boasts that the campaign is about the “promise” of America and that’s probably where Fukazawa decided to use Whitman’s oft read piece of American promise, “O Pioneers.”

Also on the Web site, site visitors can participate in user content by adding their own audio, video words, and images to contribute to the overall “Go Forth” theme.

There is also the option of selecting a task, which calls upon users to submit a photo of the consumers wearing Levis in a place they’ve never been before.

There are even windows where an “edit” of the Declaration of Independence is possible. It’s extremely clever marketing.

While many companies have long tried to tap into the sentiments of the public, very rarely has it

been accurate.

These commercials acknowledge discontentment in America.

And through advertising, (yes advertising) the company is trying to stir in its consumers a willingness to be pioneers.

After all, this is what the country was founded on, ideally.

Notably, while the “Go Forth” campaign is distinctly American, Levis is now a global company.

What does that mean for the international consumer?

On the Web site, Levis global branches share a similar outlook with its USA counterpart.

The message rings clear, everyone is in need of innovation.

Levis Latin America division is also using the “Go Forth” campaign.

Whitman’s words of promise and the ability to pioneer still inspire, even if it is to sell a $238 pair of jeans.

The messy, disorganized politics of the economy Robert johnston inscape editor Please excuse the mess that real reform has become.

If anyone really believes that we will get real health insurance reform that will work for us, banking regulations that matter, and local city and state reform that we can rely on, then they may have to think again.

We elect our leaders, and they are ignoring us.

Sitting on their large thrones made of our backs and money, and telling us it’s for the good of the country.

No matter the stripe of Republican or Democrat, one can take a look at the way Congress reacts to the various bills going through the system, to see where their loyalties lie.

They dance to our dollars

raining down on them, as they shake hands, kiss babies, and stab backs the moment we look away.

Unemployment is up over 10 percent, and Wall Street is throwing money around like they own us.

They would like to think so.

It is extremely hard to find a job, and students at colleges across America, hoping to use this opportunity to better themselves, are feeling the crunch and can’t afford to stay in school.

When they graduate, will the job market be there for them?

Why is it, that these banks can get billions to bail them out, and we still see college programs being cut, and funding disappearing?

Our elected officials, are supposed to answer to us, their constituents, not the big money power-brokers. Senator Joe Lieberman is refusing to support the bill because of the public option in any form. Republicans are the party of “no.”

Constituency?

Is that what we are, or are we simply a food source for the vampires to live off of to suit their

own agenda of accumulating more money, and hammering the less fortunate?

Take a pick, chances are, it’s close to the truth.

This spiral kneck-wringing has choked everything from the top down. Do we really have people in Washington that represent us, and will there be a future worth going to school to be a part of? Do colleges really want us there, or can we just place a 20-spot on our empty seat to make them happy?

Unemployed in this recession, and thinking of going back to school on unemployment? Check with the Employment Development Department first, to see if they will allow it.

Don’t just sign up, and fill out the unemployment paperwork afterwards.

Prepare for a wait of three weeks to one month before they even respond.

Who is in charge of this?

Who watches the state, in the Unemployment Development Department?

Such bureaucracy ruins peoples lives.

As admirable as Barack Obama’s election was, his election was meant as a game-changer, a mandate because we could no longer trust the fat-cats at the State level and in Washington.

Is America the land of opportunity? Really?

Or is that just the name of the place in where we kick off our shoes, and download our minds?

Are we that blind, that we can just allow those who care nothing about us, to run our lives?

There is a quote from Edmund Burke that says “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”

If the “robust” public option fails to pass because of Joe Leiberman, the Republicans, and the scared Democrats called “Blue Dogs,” will Michael Moore really go after them?

Lets hope so. Let Moore’s army grow. Where is the sign up sheet?

One could argue that a new member of Congress needs ample time to learn the job, to affect legislation in a meaningful way, but it is this writers opinion, that

elected officials with a mandate, should enact the change we want them to do.

What if we could get a national special election on this Health Care reform bill?

What if instead of our partisan leaders playing their games, that we just vote on it?

We need real leaders in charge, ones not afraid to fight for what’s best for the people.

Real leaders to stand up to fight for our futures, not our wallets.

After all of this, will we be able to tell our children one day, that we actually made a difference?

We must keep fighting for our future, leaders are born everyday, with the ability to remain human in the face of power, to stand up and highlight corruption wherever it may lie.

They will be the next warriors on the front lines of democracy in the future.

We all grow old, we all die, but that doesn’t matter so much, as long as we leave behind something important.

Speak up, and make them listen.

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10 | November 19, 2009

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This story is brought to you by the letter ‘V’ and the number ‘6’

Celebrate ‘Sesame Street’s’ 40th anniversary by taking a closer look at the ground-breaking history of the most socially relevant show in TV history sade hurst Staff Writer

Images courtesy of: Sesame Workshop

America’s favorite block turns 40!

Before there were best friends Dora the Explorer and Boots there were Bert and Ernie.

The most popular vampire in the world is still the Count, and “Twilight” will be just a mere memory as he continues to teach young kids how to count.

No matter what, people will still look out for the latest and greatest Tickle Me Elmo toy during every holiday season.

Even if Simon Cowell may seem like a total grouch, he can’t come close to the trash can resident Oscar the Grouch.

Big Bird will always be able to play in the NBA if he believes he can.

On Nov. 10, “Sesame Street” celebrated its 40th birthday. It has been a popular show with kids and adults since 1969, proving that TV can teach.

They have taught the basics such as the alphabet, numbers, how to rhyme, tie your shoes, put on your jacket and everything else children need to know.

What sets “Sesame Street” apart from other children shows is that they’ve taught children how to deal with difficult situations.

When Will Lee, who played Mr. Hooper, passed away Big Bird taught children how to deal with grief when someone dies. Big Bird also taught us how to deal with disaster after the tragedy of 9/11.

Other characters like Kermit the Frog taught us that it wasn’t easy being different by singing “It’s Not Easy Being Green.”

“Sesame Street” kicked off this season by inviting first lady Michelle Obama to teach the young audience how to grow their own gardens. The children learned that the smallest of seeds can grow into something healthy and delicious.

“Sesame Street” has always been a political representation of the times since it first aired.

It has used a diverse cast who are different shades and cultures. Characters like Linda Bove (who played herself as a deaf character) taught kids how to communicate using sign language.

It was the friendship of tap dancer Savion Glover and veterinarian Gina that taught children that people of different skin colors can be friends.

Like Glover, many other celebrities have visited “Sesame Street” since the show premiered. As a matter of fact, the show could probably list celebrities from A to Z. The children’s show is so popular it would be no surprise to see Elmo on Paula Deen’s cooking show.

When “Sesame Street” first premiered not all of the muppets were on the show and they did not all look like the characters we see today.

Big Bird originally had a “pin head” look and his voice sounded very dopey almost as if he was the dunce of the show.

While his long time friend Oscar the Grouch was not always trashy green, but in fact was highlighter orange.

Cookie Monster has recently changed his diet from all cookies to only oatmeal cookies.

After all that we have learned from “Sesame Street” and its continued popularity, it’s hard to imagine a world without the show.

The show has not just taught American kids, it now airs in 140 nations.

Imagine what the world would be like without its amazing life lessons and diverse cast.

Would the world have the leaders it has today? Would most people even know the alphabet or basic math?

With “Sesame Street” we have learned more than numbers and letters, we have learned how to participate in change.

Before there was the message of change from the president, there was “Sesame Street’s” message of how to get along.

Happy birthday “Sesame Street,” and here’s to 40 more years of sunny days!

November 19, 2009 | 11

12 | November 19, 2009

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Opinions

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November 19, 2009| 13

Serving students since 1922

Opinions

Apocalypse now: 2012 edition

The Mayan calendar is not an apocalyptic count down.

The year 2012 is the assumed year of the unlikely demise of the entire Earth.

Honestly this whole 2012 situation is just a scare. A blatant attempt at getting enough fuel for a fire that should’ve never been sparked. Sadly enough, this fearful fire is still spreading, with the release of the movie “2012” and other false theories infecting the internet.

Some sites simply talk about the Mayan calendar ending Dec. 21, 2012 and others lead into the date by describing the “Planet X” crashing into Earth and knocking it off its axis.

Is this really what the Mayans had intended for the world to fear because of their calendar?

Probably not.

The Mayan calendar was merely a means that the ancient culture kept as their way of keeping track of astrological activity and dates as accurately as they could with the knowledge they had.

E v e r y o n e ’s f e a r i s n ’ t completely justified. People of various states in the U.S. have been emailing NASA scientists

exclaiming that they have to know if the world is coming to an end or not. Some have threatened to kill themselves. Others are just locking themselves in their basements, stocking up on supplies like food or water or anything else they think will sustain them through the disaster.

Because of these extremes, scientists and historians alike are having to step in and try to reduce the fear of the inevitably enclosing date.

One of the main fears expressed by people, is about the date Dec. 12, 2012. On this date, Earth is in fact going to be in the center of our Milky Way galaxy causing a disrupting energy in the galaxy which hasn’t happened for over 26,000 years. When the Earth reaches this position it is assumed the Planet X, a giant comet also called Nibiru will crash into the Earth causing the Earth to leave its set axis in the universe. Fortunately, there is no known fact in the entire world of science proving anything this catastrophic will take place on that day.

There is some evidence that Planet X exists but there is no reason it will collide with our Earth’s surface.

“We have no record or knowledge that they would think the world would come to an end at that point.” states Maya archaeoastronomer Susan Milbrath, for USA Today, from the Florida Museum of Natural History.

Milbrath is referring to the general knowledge of current

megan evans Staff Writer It is clear that global warming is no hoax. Temperatures are rising across the globe and many environmentalists have taken action to slow down the process.

But how important is global warming to college students today?

The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press recently released a report stating “There has been a sharp decline over the past year in percentage of Americans who say there is solid evidence that global temperatures are rising.”

What is even more shocking is that fewer people today see global warming as a very serious problem.

For people to insinuate that the climate is not changing due to our lovely ability to burn coal and drive cars is ridiculous.

But the question is not about global warming being real or not, but whether or not it is of utmost importance to our generation.

As college students, we are well educated on the subject of

climate change. But a few things need to be cleared up.

Purchasing energy efficient light bulbs will not stop global warming.

The biggest emissions contributor is not a car but burning coal.

Lastly, when it comes to global warming, there is a connection between energy, climate and the economy.

It has been projected that the surface temperature of the earth will keep increasing as the years go on.

This is debatable among many scientists and environmentalists because the earth has been known to have temperature changes throughout history.

It’s hard to answer the question if people care about global warming because many people have a hard time briefly discussing or describing what global warming or “climate change” is.

Even with hundreds of poll results reported throughout the media, it is still too close to say if college students or even young graduates care about global warming.

This maybe because they are misinformed about what global warming is.

Some people may think that it is a myth and others may not understand the impact global

alexandra tanner Staff Writer

sony pictures

deep impact: Sony Pictures ‘2012’ is the big screen adaptation of many people’s deepest fears: the supposed end of the world on Dec. 12 2012. scientists and archaeologists describing the extends of Mayan intelligence at the time of their existence.

Instead of seeking the facts for themselves, the productiveness of the media is grabbing hold of this fear and dangling it in front of the eyes of a fairly lost world begging for security. But they’re begging from the wrong hands.

The knowledge that scientists have brought up because of the urgency of the subject is that the Mayan culture didn’t predict the end of anything, specifically our planet, with their calendar.

The way we should see it is that the ancient civilization just, figuratively, ran out of paper. In reality their calendar just ended its cycle and was predicted to enter a

new one.

The Mayans didn’t document anything about a dooms day but rather, because of their religious beliefs that the calendar was based on, they did think the world would enter a new age of “enlightenment.”

Enlightenment sounds a bit more optimistic than apocalypse doesn’t it?

Even people of current religious backgrounds can support the fact that the Bible never gives an exact year for the Earth’s end but that there will be plenty of solid warning, not a giant movie release to foreshadow the event.

This is a giant hoax that will pass and we’ll all still be alive. By 2012 we’ll all still be walking on solid ground and the Earth will still

be simply spinning on its axis.

The efforts to make the year 2012 such grand spectacle is so that the movie and other companies can profit off the fears of a large group of people.

These groups will pay more attention to the media’s point of view rather than get curious about what scientists and other professionals have to say.

The only solution is to know real from fake, enlighten yourself and remember that special affects can do wonders on the mind.

warming has on the environment.

Maybe one reason global warming is not of high importance to college students is because people may not know how great of an impact it may have on humanity.

When scientists state the earth is warming by a quarter or half degree each year people may think it’s no big deal.

But when large lakes and glaciers begin to disappear, and each storm becomes stronger than the last, it is apparent that global warming is effecting the environment.

According to an article on Greenbiz.com by Joel Makower called “Do People Really Care About the Climate,” some open polls show that climate is of very low importance to the public, while others indicate that climate ranks very high among public concern.

Whatever the case poll results do not illustrate enough consistency to show a reoccurring theme.

For the many different terms used for “climate change” or “climate crisis,” “global warming” seems to be the term most recognizable by the public.

When it comes to finding a solution for global warming there is a problem.

Many people may be willing to make a change but are not sure

how to.

Throughout recent years Toyota has been promoting its hybrid cars which are much friendlier to the environment than many other cars in today’s marketplace.

But for a broke college student living in 2009, purchasing a $22,000 car is out of the question.

Buying a hybrid car isn’t likely going to happen, but there are many other solutions that young college students can take to help stop or slow down global warming.

Several people have come up with energy friendly ways to help the environment, and being a recent purchaser of energy efficient light bulbs, I like to think of myself as one of those people.

But again, changing out light bulbs is not going to stop global warming.

So what other solutions are there that won’t take a chunk out of a weekly pay check?

Some people may know that a great majority of human produced energy comes from burning coal, but another large contributor of emissions comes from cows.

Yes you read that right.

According to recent research, cow burps and cow gas are making a large contribution to global warming.

Cow burps, unlike released human carbon dioxide, releases

something else into the environment.

When a cow burps and releases gas it produces methane. This greenhouse gas has a much longer lifetime in the atmosphere when compared to carbon dioxide, therefore it has a higher global warming potential.

Some environmentalists have suggested that as a society, we should stop breeding cows.

This would decrease the amount of cow burps, or methane, which is released into the atmosphere, and as a result will slow down global warming.

Besides the fact that America is a meat loving country, it would be humanly impossible to stop breeding cows.

I don’t know about the rest of America, but an In-n-Out burger sounds absolutely delightful from time to time.

To suggest this to a country that has made a huge profit off of cheeseburgers and hamburgers is plain stupid.

And as children who grew up on those cheeseburgers and hamburgers, I doubt that any of them would be willing to give up their right to enjoy a juicy burger.

But none of these solutions answer the question, do people realy care about global warming?

One thing is certain, it’s just a matter of time until we find out.

For more on the end of the world see page 14

Cows,cheeseburgers: the truth about global warming

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14 | November 19, 2009

There’s no escape from ‘2012’ christina espinoza asst. inscape editor

The end is near.

Armageddon, doomsday, the apocalypse, global annihilation and a world filled with utter chaos; this seems to be a favorite theme for director Roland Emmerich.

Emmerich already threatened human existence with an alien invasion in “Independence Day” and froze over the planet with a new ice age in “The Day After Tomorrow.”

With all the global disasters Emmerich has already produced, the only thing left to do is kill all life on earth.

“2012” is a thriller about the end of the world and even if some viewers may be skeptics of ancient Mayan calendar predictions,

there is no denying the value of entertainment felt when one sees destruction brought to life with fantastic special effects.

People from all walks of life fear that Dec. 21, 2012 will be a catastrophic day for the entire world so the brilliant creators of “2012” decided to bring those fears to life, while banking in on the proceeds.

John Cusack, plays his typical part of an unconventional hero, and Amanda Peet, plays Cusack’s former wife.

The film follows their Los Angeles family as they fight for survival in the final days of the world.

The story line is weak and the washed out love story is pathetic; however, the feeble storyline actually made the film more of

a success because it provided extra space for scenes illustrating visually impressive cataclysm.

Creators of the film also managed to bring in other well known actors such as Danny Glover, who plays the President of the United States and Woody Harrelson, who plays a crazy mountain man living in Yosemite National Park.

This type of clever casting may help trick the audience to overlook the bad story line.

Emmerich also makes up for the slack with his genius use of directorial manipulation.

In one scene, a small dog performs a tight rope walk toward her owner, barely making it in time before an automatic steel door shuts completely.

While this particular scene can

be considered laughable, it was arranged very nicely and it’s this type of suspense and tension felt throughout the film that will no doubt keep viewers on the edge of their seat.

Some of the more serious scenes in the film which include the usual emotional speech from a minor character helping to provide optimism, hope and sincerity to people in distress, are not as good as one would expect but they still tug briefly at the heart.

The action though was truly terrifying and demonstrated the real power of natural disasters showing the devastation of tsunamis, tidal waves, earthquakes, volcanoes and the earth’s crust cracking open to swallow everything in its path.

Leaving virtually nothing to the imagination, the film displayed

a rare version of what could potentially happen, making Y2K look like a walk in the park.

At the end of the film, the audience will surely be amused but one question may linger: what will become of this earth on Dec. 21, 2012?

While no one can say for sure what will happen, scientists continue to speculate because there is no real scientific evidence to support that anything will occur; however, but one thing is certain, Prince better start writing a follow-up to “1999,” if he plans on making another comeback before doomsday arrives.

For more on the end of the world see page 13

Images courtesy of: Sony Pictures

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November 19, 2009 | 15

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Inscape

Image courtesy of: Games Press

All is fair in ‘Duty’ and ‘Warfare’ PHILLIP LEVIN ASST. INSCAPE EDITOR What does “Call of Duty” developer Infinity Ward do in the face of high expectations?

It laughs, and then it surpasses them.

Indeed, the expectations for “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” have been high, but amazingly, the game is every bit as good as you’d hoped for.

There’s no skipping around the fact that the main attraction of “Modern Warfare 2” is its competitive multiplayer mode, but the game does feature a singleplayer campaign mode, and it’s awesome. The mode feels like an action movie realized in video game form.

The game’s impressive visual and audio design tie together to create a remarkably cinematic, immersive experience. The locales are varied, taking you all over the globe. What’s more, you’ll encounter well-placed game play segments that break up the running and gunning. For example, you’ll

drive a snowmobile and climb an icy cliff using ice picks. The campaign is just straight-up fun.

Unfortunately, as brilliant as “Modern Warfare 2” is overall, it is marred by some shortcomings – most of which have to do with the campaign.

As engaging as the campaign is, it suffers from some problems that could have been avoided.

The biggest of these is the storytelling. It’s just lacking, and it makes it difficult to follow along at times.

The game’s developer, Infinity Ward, doesn’t do a particularly good job of developing characters, nor explaining what’s going on.

The script moves fast, and it’s easy to get lost, especially if you aren’t familiar with the “Call of Duty” series and its characters.

The artificial intelligence of your squad mate’s is also

problematic. It’s common for your fellow soldiers to step foot in front of you when you’re firing, which just becomes annoying.

Also, the single-player mode is pretty short, clocking in at just under six hours.

It’s easy t o f o rg i v e Infinity Ward for these quibbles, though. The campaign feels like a blockbuster movie at times, and it even pushes the envelope with some shocking, controversial twists and turns.

Sadly, the campaign mode does not support co-operative play, which is just puzzling. This game needs co-op. Instead, the game has a Spec-Ops mode, which features challenge-based missions that you can tackle solo or with the help of a friend via co-op.

The mode is surprisingly

“

“the game is every bit as good as you’d hoped for.”

entertaining – especially if you’re playing in co-op, which you can tell the mode was really designed for.

Between the campaign and Spec-Ops aspects of “Modern Warfare 2,” you have a considerably polished and entertaining video game. But there’s more – the best part of the game, the star of the show: its online multiplayer.

Indeed, “Modern Warfare 2” is the best multiplayer game of the year.

As far as multiplayer goes, there’s nothing significantly different about what’s here versus the original “Modern Warfare’s” multiplayer.

Rather, there’s just more of it. There are new weapons, maps, classes and the addition of customizable killstreaks.

The multiplayer is every bit as addictive and satisfying as its predecessor’s.

It’s easy to pick up if you’re new to the series, but it offers the depth and room for improvement that’s necessary for a competitive game to have a high level of lasting

appeal.

It’s also got that absorbing quality to it – that “one more match” enchanting power about it. You’ll definitely find yourself playing it late into the night.

This has been somewhat of an off-year for the video game industry, with fewer high-quality releases and more time in between them.

T h a n k f u l l y, y o u ’ l l n o w have something to keep you entertained for a long, long time.

If it wasn’t clear just how talented of a developer Infinity Ward was after its previous “Call of Duty” releases, that truth has now become obviously clear.

“Modern Warfare 2” is truly on the level of “Half-Life,” “Halo” and other top-notch shooters.

This is an absolute mustpurchase for all Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 others. You won’t be disappointed.

For more on “Call of Duty” see page 16

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16 | November 19, 2009

‘Modern Warfare’ too modern for some critics

The latest ‘Call of Duty’ video game leaves some uneasy with its realistic depiction of terrorism adrian pascua Staff Writer

You can fight terrorism without taking casualties, you can’t make a video game about fighting terrorism without a little reality.

“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” has been one of the hit games for Infinity Ward for several years.

So it’s no surprise most fans have been waiting for what feels like a life time on its release.

“Modern Warfare 2” is so good, every mission feels like it could be out of a movie.

The game’s story deals mostly with America being invaded by foreign powers.

The only thing most gamers really care about though is the multi-player play which is something to be applauded.

Although there are those out there who don’t feel the same way about the game.

One mission in particular has been the source of controversy.

It puts the player in deep cover with a terrorist organization which has invaded U.S. soil after having infiltrated an airport.

As part of the mission, the player has to kill civilians in order to meet his objective and keep his cover.

This has made critics a little uneasy, seeing as that part of the game is a little too violent.

All in all this seems to be blown completely out of proportion as the

game is already supposed to be about the invasion of American soil.

If this part of the game was so extreme, how about the fact that there are war movies like “Modern Warfare 2” where an agent posing as a terrorist has to kill civilians and sometimes even soldiers that are meant to be their ally?

The whole fact that “Modern Warfare 2” is a game based on realism should be taken into consideration.

What gamers have a hard time finding in military games like these is how close to reality the game can get.

Of course, I don’t approve of violence, but it’s not like “Modern Warfare 2” is one of the most violent games out there.

“God of War” had a few nude scenes in it, even though it wasn’t a predominant part of the game, it was still there.

Most people didn’t even blink an eye when that happened, but when somebody decides to kill people in a military based shooting game everyone notices.

News flash, the only thing that Infinity Ward wanted to do was drive home the fact that death happens in a war.

There used to be a time when killing monsters and having their blood and guts exploded every where was disturbing.

People have come to understand that it’s “not that bad.”

If a movie is too graphic for you, don’t watch it.

If you feel the game is too violent, there is no reason to be playing it.

In fact, if having to kill the civilians is just too much for you, the game gives you the option to skip it.

Having played through the mission myself, I looked at it from a more logical view, it’s not real.

The fact that a video game can make so much noise in the gaming world, tells me how good it is.

Just like how a television show or a movie can show violent acts, this part of the game just shows how violent our world has become.

Even though this may all be true, it all comes down to the fact that video games aren’t real life.

Honestly if you want to limit how much violence the media puts out don’t start on video games.

Start with movies that show something as inhumane as a rape scene.

Start with the networks that allow TV shows today to show something as brutal as murder.

In no way, shape, or form do I endorse violence, nor do I feel that just because it’s in a game it should be acceptable.

But this game is what most military games out there today should be like.

For more on “Call of Duty” see page 15

Image courtesy of: Games Press

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November 19, 2009 | 17

Hopeful to reach the playoffs daniel torres asst. sports editor Just a week away from playoffs, the Riverside City College volleyball team had their eyes set on the Saddleback College Gauchos.

Making a comeback win against Fullerton College a few days earlier, a win against Saddleback would surely secure their chances of entering the playoffs as the number four team in the conference.

RCC made sure not to let this one slip away as they easily put away Saddleback in a three set sweep 25-15, 25-18, 26-24.

The Tigers definitely upped their all around play, focusing on team communication as well as defense. The team was well in tune calling balls and diving to the floor in instances they probably would not have before.

They felt confident in winning the match no matter what Saddleback threw at them.

“We pulled together as a team and things were clicking better than they normally did,” said Savannah Breazile, the team’s outside hitter.

One can say this great play stemmed from an extraordinary come from behind win the previous game at Fullerton, where RCC went down the first two games but rallied to win the final three.

Winning the Fullerton game was the first step for the Tigers push into the playoffs.

Coming off the win against Fullerton took off a lot of the pressure to beat Saddleback.

“If we would have lost to Fullerton, I would have been a nervous wreck against Saddleback,” said coach Monica Hayes-Trainer.

RCC came out strong against the Gauchos easily taking the first game with smart plays and quick thinking.

Hayes-Trainer gives a great deal of credit to setter Brittney Diffini, who had 37 sets for point winners.

“Brittney is doing a great job leading the team, we’re very happy with her leadership on the court and the decisions she has to make with whom to set; it’s a lot of responsibility,” Hayes-Trainer said.

RCC continued their hot streak starting out sharp in the second game with great defense. The Gauchos though, started to pick it up and came close to tying it up.

RCC’s aggressiveness at the net proved to be the deciding factor in the Tigers going up two games to none.

Middle blocker Amanda Vialpando dominated overall with thirteen kills to add to her stats despite injuring her ankle the day

before at practice.

Fellow middle blocker, Erynn Cook, unquestionably gives Vialpando the game ball for her effective game play.

“Amanda stood out a lot to me, she just got hurt and she was still able to get thirteen kills,” said Cook. “To me, she’s always been an inspiration because no matter what the circumstances, no matter how bad she is, she keeps her head in the game and it makes me want to be a better player.”

The Tigers looked very weak beginning the third game. Their defense was lacking and they were serving balls into the net.

They instantly noticed they were becoming a little too comfortable with their two game lead, and suddenly began playing volleyball again.

This team out of everyone should know about not getting too comfortable on the opposition, because they definitely took full advantage when Fullerton got a little too comfortable with their lead on the Tigers.

Being tied 24-24, the Tigers knew they needed to just put it away.

“After we pulled together we said, ‘We’re going to be aggressive and we’re going to get these last points,’” Breazile said.

The Tigers went on to take the third game and the match.

Despite the scare in the final game, Hayes-Trainer was in high spirits after taking them in straight sets.

“I was very pleased with three, and when they tied us up at 24-24, I was pleased that my players just knew enough was enough and put an end to it,” Hayes-Trainer said.

Hayes-Trainer said she’s very proud of how her players have performed and is surprised at how much they handle during practice.

“Out of all of the teams, we are one of the few that have three hour long practices, and we stay the whole three hours at a very intense pace,” said Hayes-Trainer. “A lot of other teams would have burned out already, but we haven’t.”

Not only beating Saddleback, but sweeping them only gave the Tigers more confidence to finish off the season strong heading into the playoffs.

Cook believes the Tigers can matchup against anyone that comes their way.

“I think looking at all the teams, we’re the most fit, we’re the most athletic,” Cook said.

H a y e s - Tr a i n e r s e e m e d enthusiastic about the competition ahead.

“I’m excited to compete against somebody else, I’m tired of this conference for the moment, and right now, I’m ready for some new blood.”

dANIEL tORRES / asst. sports editor

tEAMWORK: Setter Brittney Diffini (right) gives Erynn Cook (left) a quick set down the middle. A play frequently used during game time.

DANIEL tORRES / asst. sports editor

Cleared for takeoff: Middle Blocker Amanda Vialpando reaches high altitudes as she prepares to kill the ball on the opposition.

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18 | November 19, 2009

Javier cabrera Sports editor On Nov. 8, the Riverside City College fastpitch program held a memorial for former player, Afton Williamson, who died while stargazing in Dickinson, ND. The memorial was started by the fastpitch team doing their pregame prep chant whichWilliamson was a part of many times last season.

First to speak about Williamson was coach Michelle Daddona, she started her speech by calling a time out which she said she normally does as a coach.

Daddona gathered the whole team and coaching staff around the mound, where Williamson, a pitcher, would normally stand.

There, they held a prayer.

Daddona’s best memories of Williamson were bus trips to the road games.

On one memorable bus trip, Williamson had to sing a song, she picked a rap song by Bow Wow which included the cussing words.

Williamson rocked out with her iPod Daddona said.

Or when Williamson would join in the games with the rest of the team on the bus ride back home and fall asleep only to wake back up and join once again like she was never asleep, Daddona said.

Another memory Daddona has is in Game 3 at Fullerton, Riverside was down 2-1 with a runner on first base. Williamson hit

a double to put them on second and third base, that would eventually be the hit that put the fastpitch team into the state finals.

Daddona concluded by saying Williamson gave back to the youth softball community by doing lessons and volunteering.

Williamson understood the value of giving back to the sport through instructing youth.

Memories and thoughts were shared also by coach Jose Ortega and former teammates of Williamson from RCC and Paloma Valley High School.

The memorial concluded in honor of what Williamson was doing leading up to her death, as the lights shut out at the Evans Complex and everyone looked up to the heavens to become stargazers.

Williamson was found dead along with two other teammates on Nov. 4 in a pond near Dickinson, ND. All three drowned when they accidentally drove into a stock pond when they went star-gazing, a popular diversion for the college students in Dickinson.

Williamson, 20, had been missing along with Kyrstin Gemar, 21, and Ashley Neufeld, 22, when their bodies were found in their white 1997 Jeep Cherokee.

Williamson was a part of the 2009 fastpitch team who were the first team to reach the state finals before being eliminated in the

Khai Le / Online Editor

A community’s loss: Former teammates of Afton Williamson gather on the RCC softball field Nov. 8 in a memorial to her. Williamson died, along with two other teammates from Dickinson State University, Nov. 1 after their Jeep plunged into a pond in Dickinson, N.D. double elimination tournament.

As a second-team all-league selection last season, Williamson pitched in 21 games and started in 16, had a record of 11-2, had an earn-run average of 2.46 and had 58 strikeouts.

The college and the fastpitch program will be retiring Williamson’s No. 9 RCC jersey and the fastpitch team will be wearing a No. 9 patch on their jerseys throughout next season.

RCC soccer strives for playoffs Javier cabrera Sports editor The last game of the season proved to be the most important game for the Riverside City College men’s soccer team, because it was win the game or season over.

Heading into the game in fifth place versus third place Orange Coast and the only chance of making the playoffs was in the hands of the rankings, so Riverside knew what had to be done.

While fourth place Fullerton finished up their season against an average Santiago Canyon team, Riverside couldn’t rely on other teams helping them.

Entering the last games of the Orange Empire Conference soccer season, Orange Coast sat in third place with 18 points as Fullerton was behind one point and Riverside behind two points.

The perfect situation could have not been any better as Riverside played one of the two teams that were ahead of them, but it didn’t matter if they won the conference game because making the playoffs is based on the state rankings.

Nov. 13 in Norco, the RCC men’s soccer team prepared to play what they hoped was not their last game of the season.

Each player on the team took a knee before the game and gathered their thoughts to reflect on what was in stakes.

Tight defense, acrobatic driving saves from the goalkeepers, and nail biting shots by both teams resulted in a 0-0 draw at halftime.

As the second half began, both teams were looking to find the first goal; Riverside found it first with Jimmy Martinez putting in the first goal in an tight played game.

A sight of relief for the Riverside side, with the Riverside supporters cheering loudly.

We l l c o a c h F r a n c i s c o Melgarejo told the team do not let up on defense, since they were now up 1-0.

Following the goal, there was a panic moment for Riverside when Orange Coast had a breakaway with no one to beat but goalkeeper Rigoberto “Rigo” Ramirez, but Ramirez quickly came out to take away the ball.

“The very good chances that Rigo stopped was right after we scored our first goal,” coach Jose Angel Moreno said. “That put us in the game.”

Ramirez made a play that won the game for Riverside.

“Had those chances had gone in, it would have been a whole different game mentally,” Moreno said. “Had they tied the game with those chances they had after our goal, they would get back into the game but he kept us in.”

Coach Moreno was excited about the proformance from the goalkeepers, Ramirez and Alexander Perez, because it gave the rest of the team monivation.

“I think that made all the different to give the team the confidence they needed to keep pressuring and attacking the opponent,” Moreno said.

Martinez added two more

Sports

goals to complete another “hat trick,” and Robert Tornel scored the fourth unanswered goal for Riverside to secure the playoff spot and win the game, 4-0.

“We played real good on defense and didn’t make no errors for the first time,” said Martinez.

“That is the big thing we have been working on and it showed today on the field that we been working hard and it’s paying off,” he said.

Martinez finished the sesaon with 36 goals and 16 assists.

“He is one of those natural born scorers, he is going to go on and do great things,” Moreno said. “We see a bright future for him.”

Editor’s note

After the coaches from the southern regional gathered to rank and seed the south region brackets of the playoffs, the Riverside City College men’s soccer team did not make the cut to be in the playoffs this season.

The women’s soccer team did make the playoffs as the No. 10 seed.

Their first game will be at Santa Monica College on Nov. 21 in a first round game.

Combined from the men’s and women’s Orange Empire Conference, eight teams made the playoffs.

November 19, 2009 | 19

Sports

State finals here we come Riverside water polo going for gold ricky holmes Staff Writer

Men’s Soccer

Football Season Record Overall: 1-9 Conference: 0-6

Season Record Overall: 11-8-2 Conference: 6-7-1

Football

Women’s Soccer

Men’s Waterpolo

Women’s Waterpolo

Volleyball

Season Record Overall: 11-3-6 Conference: 8-3-5 Next Game: 11/21 at Santa Monica

Season Record Overall: 19-13 Conference: 3-1 Next Game: 11/19 State Championship

Season Record Overall: 27-2 Conference: 5-1 Next Game: 11/19 State Championship

Season Record Overall: 17-9 Conference: 8-5 Next Game: 11/18 at Cypress

Oct. 16 RCC 1 Orange Coast 1 Oct. 20 RCC 1 Santa Ana 1

Men’s Waterpolo

Oct. 27 RCC 3 Irvine Valley 1

Sept. 18 RCC 12 Cal Poly 3

Sept. 12 RCC 40 San Bernardino 17

Oct. 30 RCC 4 Fullerton 0

Sept. 19 RCC 17 Cuesta 12

Sept. 19 RCC 7 Glendale 10

Nov. 3

RCC 0 Cypress 0

Sept. 23 RCC 12 Golden West 17

Sept. 26 RCC 7 Pasadena 38

Nov. 6

RCC 5 Golden West 0

Sept. 25 RCC 10 Mt. San Antonio 7

Oct. 3

RCC 16 El Camino 41

Nov. 10 RCC 2 Saddleback 0

Sept. 25 RCC 10 Cal Baptist 12

Oct. 10

Sept. 5

RCC 14 Victor Valley 27

RCC 40 Desert 41

Nov. 13 RCC 1 Santiago Canyon 5

Sept. 26 RCC 13 La Verne 8

Oct. 17

RCC 12 Mt. San Antonio 45

Nov. 21 At Santa Monica 6 p.m.

Sept. 26 RCC 13 Occidental College 9

Oct. 24

RCC 17 Cerritos 58

Oct. 31

RCC 17 Chaffey 34

Nov. 14

RCC 16 Citrus 26

Men’s Soccer Aug. 29

RCC 6 Desert 3

Sept. 1

RCC 3 Imperial Valley 2

Sept. 9

RCC 5 Palomar 4

Sept. 15

RCC 1 Rio Hondo 3

Sept. 18

RCC 4 Citrus 2

Sept. 21

RCC 4 Chaffey 4

Sept. 23

RCC 4 San Diego Mesa 3

Sept. 29

RCC 9 Irvine Valley 6

Oct. 2

RCC 2 Santa Ana 4

Oct. 6

RCC 6 Fullerton 4

Oct. 9

RCC 1 Cypress 3

Oct. 16

RCC 0 Golden West 2

Oct. 19

RCC 2 Santiago Canyon 1

Oct. 20

RCC 7 Orange Coast 4

Oct. 23

RCC 2 Imperial Valley 5

Oct. 27

RCC 2 Santa Ana 5

Oct. 30

RCC 1 Fullerton 2

Nov. 3

RCC 4 Cypress 1

Nov. 6

RCC 3 Santiago Canyon 3

Nov. 10

RCC 1 Golden West 3

Nov. 13

RCC 4 Orange Coast 0

Women’s Soccer Sept. 4

RCC 3 Palomar 1

Sept. 8

RCC 1 Miramar 1

Sept. 11

RCC 2 Southwestern 0

Sept. 15

RCC 0 Orange Coast 1

Sept. 18

RCC 3 Santa Ana 1

Sept. 25

RCC 1 Irvine Valley 0

Sept. 29

RCC 2 Fullerton 2

Oct. 2

RCC 0 Cypress 0

Oct. 6

RCC 6 Golden West 0

Oct. 9

RCC 2 Saddleback 1

Oct. 13

RCC 0 Santiago Canyon 1

Volleyball Aug. 29 RCC 0 Santa Barbara 3 Sept. 2 RCC 3 Southwestern 0 Sept. 4 RCC 3 Chaffey 0 Sept. 12 RCC 3 Victor Valley 1 Sept. 20 RCC 3 Grossmount 1 Sept. 23 RCC 3 Desert 0 Sept. 23 RCC 3 San Bernardino Valley 0 Oct. 2

RCC 1 Irvine Valley 3

Oct. 7

RCC 3 Santa Ana 0

Oct. 9

RCC 3 Golden West 2

Oct. 14 RCC 0 Orange Coast 3 Oct. 16 RCC 3 Fullerton 0 Oct. 21 RCC 3 Saddleback 1 Oct. 23 RCC 2 Cypress 3 Oct. 28 RCC 0 Irvine Valley 3 Oct. 30 RCC 3 Santa Ana 0 Nov. 4

RCC 3 Golden West 2

Nov. 6

RCC 0 Orange Coast 3

Sept. 30 RCC 18 Fullerton 17 Oct. 7

RCC 21 Santa Ana 6

Oct. 9

RCC 18 Chaffey 5

Oct. 9

RCC 10 Cuesta 12

Oct. 10 RCC 16 Los Angeles Valley 8 Oct. 10 RCC 9 Orange Coast 14 Oct. 14 RCC 9 Orange Coast 7 Oct. 17 RCC 6 Claremont 9 Oct. 23 RCC 15 Citrus 8 Oct. 23 RCC 10 Fullerton 12 Oct. 24 RCC 11 Los Angeles Valley 5 Oct. 24 RCC 19 Saddleback 4 Oct. 28 RCC 13 Saddleback 10 Oct. 30 RCC 8 Cal Baptist 12 Nov. 6

RCC 12 Orange Coast 7

Nov. 7

RCC 8 Golden West 9

Nov. 13 RCC 12 Grossmont 10 Nov. 14 RCC 6 Golden West 16 Nov. 14 RCC 11 Cuesta 8 Nov. 19 State Championship,

Nov. 11 RCC 3 Fullerton 2

Huntington Beach, CA 9 a.m.

Nov. 13 RCC 3 Saddleback 0

Cross Country

Nov. 18 At Cypress 6 p.m.

Women’s Waterpolo Oct. 16 RCC 12 Golden West 6

Sept. 12 Fresno Invitation, Fresno, CA 10 a.m.

Sept. 19 UC Riverside Invitation, UCR 9 a.m.

Sept. 25 OEW Preview, Huntington Beach, CA

Oct. 16 RCC 8 Long Beach City 7 Oct. 21 RCC 19 Cypress 4

11 a.m.

Oct. 10 Howard Brubaker Invitation,

Oct. 23 RCC 14 Grossmont 5 Oct. 23 RCC 10 Chaffey 6

Irvine, CA 10 a.m.

Oct. 16 Southern California Preview

Oct. 24 RCC 8 Long Beach City 3 Oct. 28 RCC 16 Saddleback 7

Walnut, CA 11 a.m.

Oct. 24 Santa Barbara Invite

Nov. 5 RCC 15 Fullerton 4 Nov. 7 RCC 9 Orange Coast 3

Santa Barbara, CA 10 a.m.

Oct. 30 Orange Empire Championship

Nov. 13 RCC 11 San Diego Mesa 7 Nov. 14 RCC 5 Golden West 4 Nov. 14 RCC 8 Long Beach City 7 Nov. 19 State Championship, Hunington Beach, CA 12 p.m.

Huntington Beach, CA 11 a.m.

Nov. 7

Southern California Championship Walnut, CA 10 a.m.

Nov. 21 California State Championship Fresno, CA 10 a.m.

At most colleges around the country, the sports that get the biggest following are baseball, football and basketball and Riverside City College is no exception.

Well now, RCC has a couple of teams to root for… the men’s and women’s water polo teams.

Both teams have been playing hard and playing well this season and have gone under the radar.

Now is the time that these teams are getting the accolades that they deserve.

The men’s team went 19-13 and won two of its three matches at the Southern California Championships to advance to the state finals. The team’s only loss was to Golden West, 16-6.

The team will have to face Golden West again in its second game in the state finals to be held on Nov. 19.

In their first match the Tigers will take on No. 2 from the north, Diablo Valley. The men’s team is seeded No. 3 in the southern section.

The men’s team has lost all three matches against Golden West this season, but hope to change that statistic by beating them in the state finals this weekend.

With leading scorer Shawn Nolan in the water, the idea of pulling out a victory when it counts doesn’t seem unrealistic.

Nolan, a sophomore from Arlington High School, has 86 goals in the 30 games that he has played in.

On Nov. 5 and 7, the women’s team played in the Orange Empire Conference at Golden West.

The team blew their opponents out of the water, they beat Fullerton College in a 15-4 blowout and Orange Coast College 9-3 to give the team its sixth consecutive conference title.

The women’s water polo team are 27-2 and has had an excellent run this season.

There has been solid play all season long, but coach Dave Almquist believes that the play of four players has attributed greatly to their success.

Those players are Chelsea Harrod, Katie Teets, Jaime Clark and Jayme Pekarske.

“There are some pretty solid young ladies on the team that are playing really well,” Almquist said.

The team is going to have to keep playing that way if they hope to knock out Golden West in the state championships on Nov. 19.

The team will face an opponent who has been a thorn in their sides since the season began.

Riverside, who has been beaten by Golden West twice this year, will be seeded No. 1 in bracket B of the championships in their section.

At the Southern California Championship, Riverside defeated Golden West, 5-4, to advance to the state level.

“We were fortunate to beat them by one at regionals and you have to remember that we never trailed in that game,” Almquist said. “We got ahead three to nothing and they were able to tie it but we were still able to pull ahead.”

Almquist is hoping to carry that winning momentum into their match against Golden West on Nov. 20.

“I think that we are playing the very best team in the semifinals. I think that whoever wins that game will have the inside track on winning the state championship,” Almquist said.

Before taking on Golden West, Riverside will have to face a tough Foothill College team.

Foothill College is the No. 2 seed from the north.

They were the runner-up at the Northern California championship, losing to Modesto in the semifinals.

If all goes well at the tournament, Riverside will be vying for the state championship on Nov. 21.

Viewpoints

20 | November 19, 2009

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Sports

Johnson chases NASCAR history lauren garcia asst. news editor Jimmie Johnson is doing one heck of a job in this season’s Nascar sprint cup series and despite the very few accidents Johnson has encountered, he has definitely had lady luck on his side.

With one race left in the chase, that being Homestead in Miami, Johnson doesn’t have too much to worry about. After taking the green flag in Homestead, he will eliminate the other 10 chase competitors. Except for teammate Mark Martin who is currently second in the chase, 108 points behind Johnson.

To clinch the 2009 Sprint Cup Series Championship, all Johnson needs to do is finish 25th or better at Homestead. As long as Johnson, his team, and crew chief Chad Knaus play it safe and continue to work together as a team, they’ve got this one in the bag.

However, Martin has definitely put up a good fight this season and for an old guy, he hasn’t been doing too bad at all. He is the oldest driver in the chase and has been competitive week in and week out. This year, Martin’s average finish has been 13th while his average chase race finishing position is 8th.

Johnson’s average finishing position this year is 11th, while 9th is his average chase race finish.

Both Johnson and Martin’s average finish at Homestead is 13th, so it should make for a very interesting race, a nail-biter to be exact.

Tony Stewart has also had a pretty successful year, especially since it is his first season as owner of his own race team. Both of his cars made the chase, plus Stewart has won five times this season. Not bad for a first time team.

In previous interviews Tony has said he is completely satisfied with the performance of his two race teams this year.

Also, Juan Pablo Montoya has done a great job this season, he currently sits sixth in the chase.

This is a major turn around for Montoya who was expected to be successful last year, but unfortunately did not deliver.

This year however not only did Montoya make the chase, but he has gotten two poles, and 18 top ten finishes. From the success we have seen this year from Montoya, we can definitely expect to see him excel even more in the coming year.

What happened to Kyle Busch? With such a dominating performance last season, it came as a surprise to most people seeing Kyle outside the chase looking in.

Busch has one half as many races as he did last year and was only in the top five of the chase standings for two weeks in the beginning of the season. It’s safe to say Kyle is ready to get the 2010 season under way.

As for his brother Kurt, he has achieved the polar opposite. Kurt has one twice so far and is fourth in the point standings. He has filled a spot in the top five of the points for the majority of the year. Not too shabby.

Essentially, it boils down to Jimmie Johnson, with three consecutive championships, and Mark Martin, who has finished as a top five chase contender 12 times.

If, or when, Johnson wins his fourth consecutive championship, he will be the first in Nascar’s history to have this in his resume.

No other driver in the history of the sport has come close to winning four consecutive championships except for retired driver Junior Johnson, whom Johnson tied with last year.

Let us raise our hats in honor of the soon to be first ever four-time consecutive champion, Jimmie Johnson.

Image courtesy of: NASCAR