Union
El Camino College
May 5, 2011
Torrance, Calif
Students gather to vote Space Science Day on campus for new ASO members Tayani Davis Staff Writer
The Associated Students Organization will be welcoming a few new faces as ASO elections come to a close today. Several positions on the ASO board will be filled with newcomers as some current members will be moving on from EC or will not return for another semester. One of these open positions is ASO president which will have a new face as Jessica Lopez serves her last semester as ASO president. One candidate for ASO president is Rebekka Asher, who has been a part ASO for a year now and is a former commissioner of activities, and the current senator of national sciences and chair of fundraising. “I believe I have good leadership skills,”Asher said. “If I were elected as president I want to be there for the students as a comforting factor and push the importance of balancing school and work.” Rebekka Asher is running against Lena Yamaguchi, current Director of Student and Community Development. “During these difficult times we need a strong leader,” Yamaguchi said in her personal statement. “Someone to step up and take initiative to listen to students and create relationships with our student body to get their voices heard.” Another position which will have a new face is the student trustee as Johanna Zamora will also be serving her last semester. The one and only candidate for this position is Joshua Casper, former ASO president and Senator for the Behavioral and Social Sciences Division. “I understand the needs of the ECC
students and have the experience necessary to the board of trustees, administration, faculty and staff,” Casper said in his personal statement. “We have a voice and it deserves to be heard. In the running for ASO vice-president is Sharon Asher, former Finance Commissioner of activities; she learned to keep everything organized and regularly attended every meeting which also makes her qualified to run for Vice President. “Once you achieve helping your own family (ASO), it is easier helping others,” Sharon said. In the running against Sharon Asher, is Jasmine Hormanti who has served as Commissioner of Humanities, Senator of Humanities and Region 7 representative. Patrick Mondestin-Howard, current Senator of Industries and Technology, is running for Public Relations Officer this semester. He has a background in promotion which qualifies him for this position. His goal if elected is to “keep the media feed from ECC to students constant.” “I want to constantly update students on what is going on around campus,” Mondestin-Howard said. Erick Hernandez, buisness major, is running for Regional 7 Representatives. He has no prior experience with ASO, but is ready to take on his position if elected. “I’m new to ASO, but I want to get more involved on campus and hear the students’ voices and learn new things,” Hernandez said. If interested in voting go to the Schauerman Library Lawn from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. or the Student Activities Center from 4 to 6 p.m.
Joshua Sherman /Union Jayro Oliva, 40, pyschology major, places his ballot during the ASO elections.
Joshua Sherman /Union Mas Miyasaki-Tokuda, 3, pulls a string (worm) of sodium alginate from a beaker at the 25th Anniversary of the Onizuka Day last Saturday.
Osama bin Laden’s death brings uncertainty to everyone on campus Rabiya Hussain Tayani Davis Sam Barke Staff Writers
Although the death of Osama bin Laden, the No.1 most wanted terrorist in the world, has fostered an air of patriotism across the nation, there are still those who are skeptical of the news and what it means for the American people. Michael Eula, history professor, said when he heard the news of bin Laden’s death, he approached it with uncertainty. “Just because the media reports something as having happened doesn’t necessarily mean that it has, and just because the United States government has said that something has happened doesn’t necessarily mean that it has either,” he said. “That’s a historical reality.” Eula said his hesitation in taking any information at face value stemmed from the fact that in the past, the American government and at times American presidents have used deceptive tactics to influence the people for their own benefit. “I’m not saying that we’re necessarily being lied to,” Eula said. “But I’m
not one to simply rush with the crowd and say automatically that he is dead.” Many students had mixed emotions on campus about the death of bin Laden. “When 9/11 happened I was on an assignment at the time and when I heard about what happened I was like we have to get this guy,” Juan Rodriguez, 30, former marine, said. “It’s good that we finally got him now, but with bin Laden gone there will be other terrorists who want to be just like him.” One student believed that bin Laden was captured years ago and thought he’d been dead. “I honestly thought bin Laden was dead 10 years ago around the same time of 9/11,” Edwin Brito, 19, mechanical engineering major, said. “It shocked me when I saw that he was just killed.” David Montalvan, 23, criminal justice major and current marine on reserved status, shared a similar story about bin Laden and his time in Afghanistan. “I was just kind of in awe when I heard he was dead,” Montalvan said. “I was in the military for five years and I didn’t even think about him much.” During his time in Afghanistan, Montalvan said that the amount of
times bin Laden came up in conversation could be counted on one hand. Scotty Gomez, 21, computer science major, said he has mixed feelings about bin Laden’s death. “I’m not too sure how I feel, I don’t know if it’s a good thing, or a bad thing,” Gomez said. “I’m not really sure he’s even dead, I haven’t seen pictures of him or anything.” For one student it took awhile for the news to sink in. “It took a while, but the fact that it finally happened makes me feel a little more confident about my nation, even though it took 10 years,” Noah Lopez, business major said. “I think the media depiction of the whole event is a little sugar-coated, but what matters is that he is dead.” However, Rafael Speck, 27, psychology major, believes the debate about whether or not bin Laden is in fact dead is a pointless discussion. “I think it doesn’t matter whether or not it really happened, it doesn’t really change whether or not we’re all safer,” Speck said. “Terrorism will continue on without him.” “I think his death is more of a morale booster for America,” Montalvan said.
EC’s Public Relations and Marketing honored as ‘best in the country’ Rabiya Hussain Staff Writer
One of EC’s publications, Community News, was recently honored as “best in the country” for winning the gold 2010 Paragon Award at the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) national conference held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania last March. Sent out biannually to residents within the El Camino Community College District, this magazine-style publication features information about academic programs, facilities news, alumni profiles and more. “It’s exciting to be recognized by leaders in the publishing, advertising and marketing fields,” Ann M. Garten, director of community relations, said. “Everybody was excited to win.” The Paragon Award recognizes outstanding achievement in communications at community and
NEWS LINE ASB Awareness Fair on campus Auxiliary Services Board (ASB) is having an awareness fair today for those who would like to know what ASB can offer. It will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Library Lawn.
technical colleges and is described as “the only national competition of its kind that exclusively honors excellence among marketing and public relations professionals at two-year colleges” by the NCMPR. About 650 Community colleges from around the United States, Canada and other countries submit their most prized publication in to the competition to be evaluated by a panel of judges. Each entry is judged based on certain standards, Garten said; the results are then tallied to determine the winners of first, second and third place winners. Even though the school has won several awards at the national level in the past, Garten said this was the second time it won a first place award for one of its publications. In 2003, the college won a gold award at the national level for a promotional video that was aimed at providing students with an ‘overview of the campus and the different programs and services,”
she said. Gabriel Moura, 21, film major, said he thought it was “marvelous” that the school was able to win first place at a competition in which 650 colleges from around the nation were also competing. In addition to the Paragon Award, EC’s public relations department also received three other awards from the Community College Public Relations Organization (CCPRO), an organization dedicated to promoting excellence in public relations and related professions at community colleges around California. “It was really nice for the staff to be recognized for their efforts and it’s certainly good for the college as well as the department,” Moura said. A gold award was received in appreciation of the help EC’s public relations and marketing department provided to the Nisei Diploma Project Committee, a student-run movement at University of Southern California that is aimed towards grant-
ing honorary degrees to the Japanese American students of the WWII era. Another gold award was given in acknowledgment of EC’s monthly online newsletter, ECC Matters, which highlights student, faculty and staff stories as well as provides information on various events and programs taking place on campus. “Our focus really is student success so I mean it’s nice to be recognized for one of our publications,” Garten said. “It’s a nice asset to what really is the purpose of the publication is – promoting student excellence.” Furthermore, the college was honored with a silver award for its “success in implementing and maintaining a successful Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube presence.” “It feels good to be associated with a school that is named ‘best in the country’ and is continuously trying to excel,” Gia Song, 33, Middle Eastern studies major, said. “I’m proud of El Camino.”
Workshop on how to make good decisions
Private and out-of-state university fair next week
Class on understanding autism coming up
Learn how to navigate the MyECC Portal at workshop
Monday there will be a session to teach students how to resolve conflicting priorities, make effective decisions, and make thoughtful choices held at the Distance Education Center from 11 to 11:45 a.m.
There will be a private and out of state university fair next Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Library Lawn. Learn about admission requirements, majors, campus life, financial aid, and more.
There will be a short class Monday that introduces the characteristics of autism and strategies on how best to support students. It will be held in the Distance Education Center from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
There will be a session Monday from 11 a.m. to noon assisting students on how to navigate the MYECC Portal. It will be held in the Special Resource Centerask front desk for location upon arrival.
-Tayani Davis
2
NEWS
POLICE BEAT Student car theft in Parking Lot L April 26, 4 p.m. - A female student reported her vehicle stolen from Parking Lot L. She parked her 1990 Honda Accord and when she returned she discovered it was missing. A stolen vehicle report was filed.
More citations given out to skateboarders April 28, 9-10 a.m. - Officers conducted skateboard and bicycle enforcement on the inner campus. Since riding within the inner campus is prohibited, three students were warned and three others were cited.
Student arrested for trio of law infractions April 28, 2:10 p.m. - Officers pulled over a vehicle on Manhattan Beach Boulevard after making an illegal left turn off campus. The student male driver was contacted and a vehicle search was conducted. The officers recovered a glass pipe, marijuana pipe and small amount of marijuana. The student was cited and arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana while driving as well as driving on a suspended license. He will also meet with the student dean of development for his misconduct.
Student attacked and robbed on campus April 29, 12:36 p.m. - A male suspect riding a bicycle approached a male student in Parking Lot L. The suspect asked the student for the time and then asked to see his cell phone. When the student refused to comply, the suspect struck the student in the head and took his cell phone. The victim started to chase the suspect, as he took off on his bicycle heading northbound on Crenshaw Boulevard. The victim walked away without injury and his cell phone was recovered. Officers notified surrounding police departments of the suspect described to be a male Hispanic riding a red beach cruiser bicycle. Officers also conducted a comprehensive search of the area but didn’t locate the suspect. —Ashley Curtin
May 5, 2011 / El Camino College Union
EC students to send space balloon to the skies Sam Barke Staff Writer
All eyes will look to the sky as a team of 39 EC students will send two helium balloons to space to collect pictures at the edge of the atmosphere. The group consists of 39 students who have applied to be part of the EC Research Team, also known as Project Space Balloon 999. The ultimate goal of the research team is to put a weather balloon up into space, and successfully capture pictures and video footage at the edge of the stratosphere and to deploy a model of a train that can successfully glide out from its enclosed box. The balloon will make its way 30 kilometers into the atmosphere where the air will reach temperatures of up to minus 48 degrees. Once it pops, a parachute will deploy, bringing the payload back down to
Earth along a predicted route. “Usually you have to wait until you have transferred to a university to have this kind of opportunity,” Daniela MorenoLopez, 21, computer engineer major, designer of the payload box on the balloon, said. “Knowing that this event is available at a community college and correlates with your major is exciting.” The event is sponsored by the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) grant and is organized by the Space Online School located in Japan, which is a part of educational programs of the non-profit group Live Forum Foundation USA. “The idea of Space Balloon 999 came from when I met with a very popular creator of anime in Japan whose series known as Galaxy Express 999 was very popular in the ‘80s. All the inspiration came from this
and an urge to go into space,” Masahiro Kimura, project coordinator, said. Students will need to figure out how to design “payload” boxes that will contain a phone and camera for research, but will also have to figure out how to be able to manage the weight of the balloon along with outside temperatures and press changes. Students will go out to recover it with help of the GPS within the phone, and will also need to research potential weather conditions for the day of the launch. All 39 students who applied to the Research Academy were accepted, and since there were more students who applied than anticipated, the students have been split up into two teams and each team will be sending up a different weather balloon. Each team will have freedom in how they choose to design their projects.
“This event will benefit the students by giving them the opportunity to put some of the theory they learn in class to practice,” Jean Shankweiler, dean of natural sciences, said. “It will give them an opportunity to participate in a research project that uses teams to develop various aspects of a project, just as an engineer would be a part of a team in any company.” If everything goes as planned, the tentative launch date will be June 17 or June 18. The event will be open to the public, though it is unknown yet whether both balloons will be sent up on the same day. “The project has a chance of being unsuccessful, so the students still have to stay serious while having fun,” Kuwata said. “And even if it fails, there is a lot learning experience that they can get out of this project.”
Gas prices have students fuming Ashley Curtin Staff Writer
Students are pumping up their tires and adjusting the gears and brakes on their bicycles. As gas prices skyrocket, many students find new means of transportation to and from school. “The gas prices are too high so I am riding my bike everywhere I need to go,” Arnoldo Sanchez, 23, philosophy major said. “It is eco-friendly and a good work out.” According to the American Automobile Association’s (AAA) Daily Fuel Gauge Report the average price of a gallon of gas is nearly a $1 more than it was this time last year. And the effects are weighing on students’ wallets. At more than $4 a gallon, gas has reached the highest prices since August 2008. “The gas prices are draining my wallet,” Danny Moreno, 18, engineer major said. “It feels like I am wasting money, but I need to get from place to place.” With the recent spike in gas prices, students have become more conservative in their daily driving habits. Gashaw Mamo, 22, medical laboratory major, recently stopped driving his mother to work. “Since I was dropping her off over by Fairfax, it was out of my way and costing a lot of money,” Mamo said. While some students have altered their drive time, other students started using public transportation to save money. “I started taking the bus because of the high gas prices,” Tiffany Woo, 20, public relations major said. “My commute takes longer but it is worth the savings.” Another option for many students is to carpool since the cost of gas is at an all-time high. “Since gas is pretty pricey, my boyfriend and I ride together wherever we need to go ,” Ivana Campos, 18, nursing major, said. Some students have even turned to using waste vegetable oil (WVO) to fuel diesel vehicles. The oil, which is discarded from restaurants, is filtered and boiled before dispensing it into the fuel tank. Students said this process saves them money and is better for the environment. But for some commuters, the high gas prices have not affected their budgets. Russell Reece, math instructor, drives a hybrid vehicle averaging about 34 miles per gallon. He also teaches part-time so gas prices have yet to become an issue. With a slight increase from last week, gas prices show no signs of leveling off, according to AAA. Therefore, students said they would continue to alter their driving behavior to alleviate some budget constraints. “I am saving to buy a bike,” Moreno said. “I will then stop using my car regularly and use the bike to go to and from school and work. This will help the strain I feel on my wallet.”
FEATURES
May 5, 2011 / El Camino College Union
3
Photos and Illustration by Joshua Sherman and Patrick Osborne
Guitars from around the world The guitar exhibition opens its doors to students and faculty. Viridiana Vaca-Rios Co-Opinion Editor Donn Gruta Online Writer
Just an elevator ride up to the third floor of the Arts and Behavioral Sciences Building and one is transported into a stringed–instrument heaven. Professor Blair Gibson of the anthropology department, along with his student assistants, have presented students with a free exhibit dedicated to the evolution of guitars titled, “The Guitar: The Instrument Heard Around the World.” Gibson, who is an archaeologist and has a doctorate in anthropology from UCLA, saw the guitar as a perfect representation of anthropology. “In anthropology, you learn how cultural ideas get adopted by different cultures and get remade to fit the norms or the interests of the culture,”
Gibson said. “The guitar is a beautiful case in play. It has changed so much from its origins that it’s barely recognizable from its early beginnings.” The anthropology department puts up one exhibit per year with the help of Anthropology 20 (Introduction to Museum Studies) students. Each exhibit is taken down at the end of September to make room for a new exhibit. “Putting up an exhibit is labor extensive,” Gibson said. “They do a lot of work. The exhibit wouldn’t have gone up if it weren’t for two very fine student assistants, Olivia Havens and Brittany Holtson.” The Anthropology Museum is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Conducting a poll at the end of each semester in his classes, Gibson creates ideas for each of the exhibits. “I think the guitar theme in the museum turned out great, especially considering the limited time we had to assemble,” Holtson, 23, psychology major, said. “We’re very fortunate to have guitars from a lot of people willing to let us borrow them.”
The exhibit displays the oud, a pear-shaped stringed instrument which is traced back to its roots in the Middle East, which is also considered the oldest instrument in the exhibit. “The oud transformed into the lute, traveled through Mediterranean cultures, evolved into the Spanish guitar, then into today’s electric guitars and the ukulele,” Gibson said. “Each culture just took the guitar and then remade it.” A lot of the display came from the Folk Music Center in Claremont, which is a non-profit group that functions as a shop. “When I asked if they had enough guitars to put out an exhibit, I was taken to the back where they had racks filled with guitars and cases,” Gibson said. “I just filled in the gaps by asking friends and family.” Gibson also said at times he is lucky enough to find a collector in one of his classes or find someone who can make him aware of a collector. “This time I was inspired by students I saw just strumming away outside of class,” Gibson said.
Assistant informs students through museum exhibit Viridiana Vaca-Rios Co-Opinion Editor
Looking around the room, bright lights shine off the glass cases and the silhouette of guitars outline the background as a variety of guitars lay against each other. Olivia Havens, 21, anthropology major, is an assistant in the making of the new guitar exhibit. Assistant to anthropology professor Blair Gibson for about a year, Havens is enjoying every aspect as she helps organize exhibits. “I’ve always been interested in culture, specifically what isn’t American culture,” Havens said. “When I got to EC, I found out that my interest was called anthropology, and it turned out great
because I was able to finally study what I have been interested in for so long.” Although Havens knew she wanted to pursue a degree in anthropology early on, she realized it was a career that many people didn’t quite understand. “What I’ve noticed when I tell people what I’m studying, is that they don’t know what it is, I have to explain it to them,” Havens said. Havens hopes to utilize her skills to obtain a career. “I’m hoping to work in archeology or in a museum because I enjoy learning about the past, I like to discover new things and discover different aspects of culture,” Havens said. “I like to research and help put the museum exhibits together.” Those who work close with Havens describe her as a dedicated individual in everything she does. “Havens is a hard worker
and the Anthropology Museum wouldn’t have been up if it wasn’t for her and another assistant,” Gibson said. Brittany Holston, 23, psychology major, and assistant to Gibson, said she enjoys working with Havens. “Havens is great; she is pleasant, polite and I enjoy working with her,” Holston said. Although Havens interest in anthropology is obvious to those around her, she said she enjoys working in the campus museum, and likes when students learn about what anthropology is through the exhibit she puts together. “We are so used to the American culture that most people don’t stop to think that there are other things out there besides what we are used to,” Havens said. “It is very rewarding to see when students go in there and see all of the hard work you put into the museum.”
4 EDITORIALS
May 5, 2011 / El Camino College Union
Students must realize that today’s vote matters
Illustration by Dan Baldonado
“I’m too lazy.” “I’m busy.” “I just don’t care.” “My roommate’s second cousin’s neighbor’s pet rock just passed away.” Countless terrible excuses such as these are used to explain why many students never use their right to vote. Yet many times these are the same people who complain about how the Associated Students Organization’s (ASO) goes about its business and who’s getting elected. Annoyed that the same people continue running and getting re-elected? Fed up with never seeing change in the actions taken by ASO members? Then it is simple; just vote. Many students continue to ignore the voting process, then they go on to complain the moment they hear something they do not agree with. It’s like going to a restaurant and telling them to serve you whatever they want, then complaining about the meal after you have eaten it. Make any sense? Did not think so. Continuous whining about the ASO members and what they are doing is not going to get students anywhere. It is not going to change who remains on ASO and it is not going to change anybody’s mind until you vote. ASO members are here to stay, whether you like it or not, and as students it is your responsibility to assure the right people are in these spots. If you want to see change, then do yourself a favor and vote. If you choose not to, then the only
The issue:
Not enough students are taking the time to vote.
Our stand:
Students should vote if they wish to make necessary changes on campus.
person you should be complaining about is yourself because you could not take 10 minutes of your time to voice your opinion, head to the voting stands in front of the Schauerman Library and exercise your right to vote. For just 10 minutes, it sure sounds like a fair tradeoff. It’s that simple. The members of ASO are supposed to represent the students’ voice, the entire student body, as a whole, all eight academic divisions. If students are not taking part in their role of voting who should become members of ASO, then they are doing a complete disservice to themselves. Students are not letting their voices be heard, and in turn it affects everyone, not just them. That is why you should care about voting because your vote determines who will voice your opinions, and you want the person who shares your views in that position. So if 10 minutes of your time is too much to ask for, then the next time you hear what ASO is doing and you’re ready to complain about it, go ahead and blame it on your roommate’s second cousin’s neighbor’s pet rock. —See related article on Page 1
Campus filled with amazing programs that should be utilized by everyone Blink and you’ll miss it: ornate, intricate ceramics from Iran, handmade straw farmer shoes from South Korea, and colorful abstract paintings, by an EC alumni from Sri Lanka, adorn the walls of the Schauerman Library for everyone to see. It’s a shame nobody actually takes the time to look. When one thinks of EC, one may think of the classes one takes, the hassles of parking, and what to do later that night after classes. Rarely do they take the time to appreciate the many interesting things the various programs around campus offer. With thousands of students passing through the Schauerman Library on a daily basis, many miss the rotating galleries on display right inside the doors. The International Students’ Cultural Items exhibit, currently on display through May 31, features imported items such as Japanese handmade dolls, Buddhist necklaces from Thailand, and more.
The exhibit is being put on by the ESL classes and the language academy. The Art Gallery, located in the first floor of the Art Building, is clearly marked with a large sign, yet many students pass by it with zero curiosity. Just recently ending was the exhibit “unCommon Threads,” a clothing and garment exhibit. The next exhibit is planned for May 16 through June 3, and will be a student show featuring work by the Fine Arts department students. Perhaps going the most unnoticed is the anthropology museum, on the third floor of the Art Building. Its current exhibit, “The Guitar: The Instrument Heard Around the World,” features a history of the guitar, showing items like the Turkish Tar, played in the 18th century, which was made of items such as mulberry wood and stretched lamb skin. The exhibit takes the viewer through history all the way up to the modern American-made elec-
tric guitars. Have you ever wanted to go to the moon? That may be difficult, but you could certainly feel like you’re almost there thanks to our college’s astronomy department. See the sky’s constellations or the surface of Mars at EC with our observatory that has an open house once a month that is open to the public. The observatory is located on the roof of the Mathematics Building and features a 16-inch reflecting telescope. Free music practice rooms are available in the Music Building with the only requirements being having an EC ID card and at least some musical experience. The bottom line is our campus offers many great, free reasons for students to open their eyes and look around campus, and it is up to the students to take advantage. Money is going into all of these features around campus and it’s ultimately senseless for students not to see the fruits of their labor and cash. —See related article on Page 3
This is the time for peace not for silly emails New rave bill brings safety to local events CAMPUS COMMENTARY INSIGHT
Among the sea of spam clogging email inboxes of Americans, the nation has been subjected to anonymously authored emails spreading distrust of our president and fear of other religions. An example being the mass email floating around that said Obama canceled the National Day of Prayer. When you read this email, I hope that you, like me, become inflamed, not only for the gaps in logic, but for the misunderstanding, fear and division it causes. And I hope you don’t forward it. My rebuttal to these authors is to encourage them to spread understanding, not misunderstanding. Please spread the greatest command of Jesus, which is to love one another, despite differences, rather than spreading reasons to despise or distrust one another. During the first three years of Obama’s presidency he stated in his Presidential Proclamations that he has NOT canceled the Day of Prayer. That’s right. The Day of Prayer is intact during Obama’s presidency. Therefore, to satisfy the author’s appetite for evidence of Obama’s religious views, I refer him or her to videos of the National Prayer Breakfast on February 3, 2011, and the Easter Prayer Breakfast on Tuesday April 19, 2011. In these, Obama is holding prayer ceremonies and is offering prayer himself. To God. Because Christianity is his chosen belief system. You may now stop propagandizing that our President is Muslim. Furthermore, in the 2010 Proclamation, he asked Americans “to pray, or otherwise give thanks, in accordance with their own faiths and consciences…” because he respects all religious beliefs and also those who choose no religious beliefs. This is of ex-
Union
El Camino College
Vol. 64, No. 16 May 5, 2011
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treme importance and should be applauded by the author. Freedom of religion is a cornerstone of this country. At the very least, my hope is that Christians should want to give their prayerful support to Obama to make good decisions because he is in leaderYilin Hsu Wentlandt ship. If you think the Presimusic major dent is a Christian, then pray for your brother in Christ. And if you are one who doesn’t believe in religion, but believes in politics, then promote peace and understanding within the nation and among nations for the good of the world anyway. That’s what a decent human being would do. Please, especially in light of what happened on 9/11 and in the wake of Osama bin Laden’s death, please promote peace and understanding between our national politicians, our global leaders, our countries and our religions. Please let us silence within ourselves any statements of hate and voice to others statements of respect. The views expressed in Campus Insight are those of the authors. They do not represent the views or opinions of the Union, its staff, editorial board or adviser. This column is available to students and faculty. All articles may be submitted to Eccunion@gmail.com. Please note that articles may be edited for content and length.
Recent revisions to an anti-rave bill gives rave enthusiasts in California another reason to wave their glow sticks and dance until the sun comes up. As if they needed one. Assembly Bill 74, proposed by state assemblywoman Fiona Ma last December, originally was aimed to ban raves all together on publicly owned venues. Deaths resulting from last year’s Electric Daisy Carnival, EDC, at the Los Angeles Coliseum and the Cow Palace in Daly City sparked legislation to combat this issue. Raves taking place on privately owned property would require a license, according to a San Mateo Times article. After public outcry from several organizations such as the Electronic Music Alliance and lawyers proposing a civil rights case against the bill, the Assembly Agriculture Committee passed revisions with a 9-0 vote last week. Revisions to the bill require publicly owned venues hosting a rave to establish safety guidelines with a specific plan in place. Any rave with more than 1,000 people will be required to ensure “appropriate law enforcement to control drug use and medical personnel,” according to the same article. Minors would also be prohibited from attending, which is something that most college students will be happy to know. Months of collaboration between elected officials, promoters, law enforcement, medical responders and other groups helped to reshape the formerly titled “Anti Raves Act of 2011,” to “The Raves Safety Act,” according to an LA Weekly blog. I strongly believe that every individual should
Co-Editor-in-Chief.................................................Haipha Simon Co-Editor-in-Chief.................................................Nelson Amaya Co-News Editor...........................................................Matt Simon Co-News Editor...........................................................Eric Farrell Co-Opinion Editor..................................................Haipha Simon Co-Opinion Editor..........................................Viridiana Vaca-Rios Features Editor.....................................................Samantha Troisi Arts Editor..........................................................Erika Maldonado Co-Sports Editor.....................................................Nelson Amaya Co-Sports Editor........................................................Andrew Lim Co-Photo Editor...........................................................Jose Flores Co-Photo Editor....................................................Patrick Osborne Online Editor-in-Chief.............................MariaCristina Gonzalez Advertising Manager..........................................Stephanie Alcorn Adviser................................................................Lori Medigovich Adviser...............................................................Kate McLaughlin
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be held accountable for it’s own actions and don’t fully agree with all of the pressure that has been put on companies who produce these largescale music festivals. Companies such as InsomErika Maldonado niac Events who is relocating Arts Editor EDC to Las Vegas this year instead of the L.A. Coliseum, is disappointing for people like me who have attended the event the last three years. And all because young adults aren’t responsible enough to monitor what they’re consuming and how much of it at these events. The popularity of raves and electronic music is exploding into mainstream audiences, however, so action should be taken to ensure safety. Almost every pop star is jumping on the bandwagon and hiring DJ’s to produce their albums. Britney Spears, Chris Brown, Enrique Iglesias and Usher are collaborating with once underground DJ’s including Afrojack, Diplo, Benny Benassi and David Guetta, clogging every popular radio station with electronic beats and enough auto tune to make T-Pain look like a rookie. Never would I have ever imagined I’d hear Britney Spears and Dub step in the same sentence. Or that tickets for this year’s EDC nearly sold out the same day they went on sale. But that is the reality and making sure safety is a No. 1 priority is something that everyone can agree on. Associated Collegiate Press Regional Pacemaker Award 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 California Newspaper Publishers’ Association General Excellence Award 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005 Journalism Association of Community Colleges General Excellence Award 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
OPINION
May 5, 2011 / El Camino College Union
UP FOR DEBATE
Is the world safer with bin Laden’s death? He is one less terrorist we have to worry about. Time to breathe a sigh of relief! The dark shadow of Osama bin Laden’s tyranny has finally been lifted, making the world a safer place. Once an ally to the U.S. during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, bin Laden gave into his radical beliefs and took the lives of thousands of innocent civilians in his war against the west. For almost 10 years, the fear of his existence spread around the world and has now come to an end. The streets of New York City quickly filled with people celebrating on Sunday night as President Barack Obama told the nation about bin Laden’s death. While it may be odd to celebrate the death of a man, today, this freedom fighter has few sympathizers. And although this victory against bin Laden does not mean terrorism will cease to exist, it does however mean that there is one less mind working against the common good. Responsible for almost 3,000 civilian deaths as a result of the 9/11 attacks alone, bin Laden ruined thousands of families and permanently scarred their lives. This also means that one of the biggest terrorist organizations, al-Qaida, has come crashing to its knees with the loss of its leader and founder. Even though, the group will eventually find a new leader and there is some fear of retaliation from his supporters, we are safer because we are prepared for it. Along with airports, security detail is being hiked up in places that previously may not have required a lot of protection such as the upcoming Lakers playoff game. According to an article from the L.A. Times the Los Angeles Police Department “plans to beef up police patrols at potential terrorism targets - such as Staples Center during upcoming Lakers playoff games - in the wake of the death of 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden.” Bin Laden’s death not only united the country, but also served as an example to all the budding terrorists out there who believe they can get away with the murder of innocent civilians.
Alma Zazueta Staff Writer
Rabiya Hussain Staff Writer
In a speech at the White House during a Medal of Honor ceremony, President Barrack Obama said, “Our country has kept its commitment to see that justice is done. The world is safer.” While there are several unanswered questions that may trivialize this victory, the U.S. government’s commitment to justice and persistence in its war against terrorism makes the world a safer place.
Osama bin Laden is just one piece of the terrorist puzzle that will continue to attack the U.S. Although many people believe he was nothing but a murderer, others believe he was a hero, the one man that was willing to stand for his ideals and fight until the end. When it was announced earlier this week that bin Laden was dead, Americans
Illustration by MariaCristina Gonzalez
There is always a possibility of retaliation. celebrated by waving flags and chanting “USA” outside the White House. But even after his death, the most wanted man in the world could represent a threat. In the past, the group al-Qaida, which was led by bin Laden, had a long list of attacks on different countries. Among those were Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, England and the U.S. As Americans, we remember the attack on New York City on 9/11, where thousands died in what is known as the biggest terrorist attack on American soil. This attack has been linked to bin Laden. But even though the whole world had been a target of al-Qaida, the U.S. could be vulnerable to terrorist attacks because after a long search, it was American soldiers who apparently killed the creator of al-Qaida in Pakistan and took possession of his body. The government is well aware of this possibility and has began to take action. According to an article by BBC News, the U.S. has put its embassies around the world on alert, warning Americans of the possibility of al-Qaida attacks for bin Laden’s killing. After bin Laden’s death, many believe that the group would weaken and possibly even come to an end. According to the same article by BBC News, bin Laden could be replaced by Ayman al-Zawahiri. Al-Zawahiri, is a strong member of al-Qaida. Like bin Laden, he uses violence as means to oppose the government. Aside from avenging the death of bin Laden, this terrorist group might also see a terrorist attack as the only way to prove not only to America, but to the world, that al-Qaida is stronger than ever. Some might wonder if al-Zawahiri has the same ability as bin Laden to lead this group, but he has been leader of his own group before. Even though bin Laden is dead, the U.S. and the world must prepare for possible attacks because they are very likely to happen.
Raising children requires more than life experience Just the other day, I was sitting on my bed when I overheard my sister-in-law speaking to my mom about her 14 year old niece who just had her first baby. I had only seen her niece once or twice, she’s really pretty, tall and thin. I remember my sister-in-law said her niece wanted to be a model, but that changed after she had her baby. I knew she was pregnant but I still couldn’t believe it, it was hard to picture her at the hospital holding her baby. Caught up in the conversation, my mom began talking about when she had her first baby at 13. She was only 12 when she left my grandma’s house to live with her boyfriend and soon got pregnant. That relationship didn’t last long maybe it was because they were too young. She has always been the type of woman who enjoys her freedom, and not being told what to do. After listening to these stories, I got lost in my own thoughts, imagining what I would do if I had my own children, which wasn’t hard because I’ve been surrounded by children all my life. Even though I’m seven years older than my aunt was when she had her first baby, I still see myself as being too young to be pregnant. If that were to happen, I think I would be a horrible
I think that if I got COLUMN mother. pregnant now I would only see it as a mistake and the last thing I want is to take my anger out on my own child, like I’ve seen many other people do. Don’t get me wrong, I love children, but from a distance. The crying, screaming, the waking up during the night and the dedicaAlma Zazueta tion that one needs to put into being Staff Writer a mother is something that I can’t handle right now. Often time’s young couples don’t think of the consequences of having an intimate relationship at such a young age. They say it’s their body and their lives. But when things get tough or we make mistakes, it’s our parents who end up dealing with our responsibilities. My aunt, for example, the one I previously mentioned, left her baby under the care of her grandmother because she was too young to raise her own child and she didn’t want to try either. Her child lived in my grandmother’s house and she raised him as if he was her’s until she passed away not too long ago. I remember her as a strong woman, strict, but loving
CAMPUS VIEWPOINTS
John Brogden, 25 engineering major
Sharon Asher, 18, childhood education major
“Yes. The world is a better place but I wouldn’t say a safer place; a mass murderer terrorist has been taken down.”
“The world isn’t safer because he wasn’t doing anything but hiding. We just caught him after coming out of his hiding place.”
Jonathan Urrutia, 19, communications major
“We ing sides even
have greater issues goon in the world beterrorists. People don’t know who he was.”
and that’s why her grandchildren loved her. After she passed away, my aunt, who is now 28, took her child to live with her and her new husband for the first time. But her first child was used to my grandmother and didn’t want to move in. My aunt also never finished school, I’m not sure why, but it’s something common among young mothers. According to the website DoSomething.org, the U.S. has one of the highest rates in teen pregnancies and one in three women get pregnant at least one time before they turn 20. Teenagers who become parents at a young age are more likely to not finish college or high school. However, having kids at a young age doesn’t only affect the parents, it also affects the child. According to the same website, males born to teenagers are more likely to go to prison, while females born to teenagers are likely to end up pregnant. Perhaps being a mother at a young age doesn’t always have to be a tragedy, but every woman should take the time to think about that and make a choice. While I keep thinking about my future and what I want to do with my life, the only thing that is clear to me is that I don’t want to be a mother yet. I don’t want to be that young woman who gets pregnant and cries when she finds out.
5
CAMPUS CORNER
Devin Porter President Italian Club
Devin Porter is the president of the Italian Club. With 40 active members, the club meets in the Humanities Building in Room 107 from noon to 12:30 p.m. every other Tuesday and every other Thursday from 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. What’s it like to be club president? It’s actually quite fun to be the club president. It does require you to really get involved and be active in looking for opportunities to keep the club active, but I’d do anything for this club. It has been a great privilege to serve under such a great group of Italian enthusiasts. What is the main goal of the Italian club? Our main goal is to educate and raise awareness of the Italian culture and language in the South Bay. What was the motivation for starting the Italian club? The club was started in Fall 2009 semester. The motivation for starting this club began from inspiration by our club adviser, Rossella Pescatori, who exposed us to the great elements of Italian culture and language that most don’t know about here in the South Bay. The Italian language program had been cut and not given quite as much attention as it deserved and we wanted to show that there is a great group of students that care about the program and culture represented. This motivated us to start the club so we could share the information and also save the Italian language program here. Who can join the club? Anyone can join and is more than welcome. We greatly value everyone who is involved in our club and this club exists for the students. What are some events that the club sponsors? We are joining in with other clubs for their events. The most important event that is coming up is The Symposium, that the Anthropology Club sponsors, where students can present a paper that shows the culture in some way that they feel is of interest. If you win first place, you get a certain amount of money. What are the plans for next year? We plan on continuing to expand the Italian language program and keep culture awareness thriving on campus and ultimately in the South Bay. We would also like to get more involved on campus. —Samuel Barke
Is the world safer with bin Laden’s death? By Ashley Curtin and Patrick Osborne
Emily Frelinger, 19, communicative disorders major
Garrett Brown, 23, art major
Rebekka Asher, 20, chemistry and mathematics major
“The world is a little safer because we won’t have to worry anymore about the man who planned the 9/11 attacks.”
“Security will be so high because we killed the biggest threat in the terrorist world. There will be more forces that will come after us.”
“The world is still a dangerous place, simply because many other people are following in his footsteps.”
6 ARTS ON THE SCENE Music
Chambers-Salazar to perform at Marsee As part of the Resident Artist series, piano instructor Polli Chambers-Salazar will perform Saturday at 8 p.m. in Marsee Auditorium with fellow pianist Christopher Brennan. Musical selections from Sergei Rachmaninoff and Maurice Ravel will be performed. Tickets cost $15. Interested persons may call 800-832-ARTS for more information.
Theater
‘The Waiting Room’ at Campus Theatre Director Caryn Desai presents a dark comedy about three women’s different quests for beauty and its consequences. With mature subject matter and language, younger audiences should be advised. Opening night is next Friday at 8 p.m. in the Campus Theatre. A Sunday matinee on May 22 begins at 3 p.m. Interested persons may call 800-832-ARTS for more information.
Speech
Resident artist presents self-concept speech Cynthia L. Bahti will present an informative speech on theories of self concept titled “The Journey to Self - Hang On, It’s Going To Be A Bumpy Ride.” It will take place at Marsee Auditorium next Friday at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $15. Interested persons may call 800-832-ARTS for more information. —Joshua Sherman
May 5, 2011 / El Camino College Union
Guitar festival unites musicians The 2nd annual event held more than 25 colleges. Joshua Sherman Staff Writer
From strummers and pluckers to metal heads, there was no shortage of musicians on campus last weekend. Rockers jammed in the halls as festive flamenco rhythms were heard from the green room, and jazz and classical guitarists practiced in the quad of the Music Building. The free festival was intended to bring professionals, music school directors and the music industry community directly to students at EC, Chris Mello, guitar professor and festival director, said, all of whom donated their time for the benefit of music students. In its second year, the festival welcomed any genre of music as well as anyone interested in learning about guitar last Friday and Saturday. It featured two live performances and several clinics. “I think we have more buy in from a lot of the other schools that have recognized that this festival is really going,” Mello said. “Our reputation has gotten out to the other schools in the community that this is a cool event.” More than 25 different colleges and universities attended the weekend-long festival that lasted from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday. “The guitar festival shows all the different types of guitar styles,” Liza Aguirre, 26, music major, said. “It opens up
Joshua Sherman /Union The USC Wirechoir guitar ensemble sets up equipment to open the “Guitar Frenzy” ensemble concert, which closed out the festival Saturday night.
your mind when you see players who are good at those styles. It’s always good to get advice from somebody who has already been there.” Composer and performer German Schauss gave a Rock/ Metal Guitar workshop Friday and also participated in the “Career Paths for Guitarists in the Music Industry” guest panel Saturday. Schauss also teaches guitar at the Los Angeles Music Academy in Pasadena. “Having a guitar festival with performances and clinicians, students get to see what you can really do with all this accumulated knowledge,” Schauss said. The Guest Panel on Saturday included 15 accomplished guitarists, some of which teach at various surrounding universities. “This guitar festival is inspiring. Being able to learn from these guitarists and benefit from
Performing frees dancer
Jose Flores /Union Ran Mochizuki, 25, dance major, choreographed a dance featured in last weekend’s dance show, “Legacy.” Viridiana Vaca-Rios Co-Opinion Editor
Positioning herself in front of the mirror, she takes a deep breath, closes her eyes and counts to three. As the song begins to play, she gracefully begins to move her body with the beat of the music hoping to get lost in the rhythm. Ran Mochizuki, 25, dance major, has been involved with the EC dance department for about two years and said she is enjoying every minute of it. “My friend asked me to be in a show, so I was in the performance once. I liked it so I started dancing,” Mochizuki said. “That was what got me to start dancing because I really enjoyed it.” Born in Japan, Mochizuki said her latest dance in the show “Legacy” expresses her feelings toward the catastrophic earthquake that claimed the lives of so many people. “I want people to understand and to think about Japan. About the huge earthquake, the problems with radiation and the
people there who are trying to move forward,” Mochizuki said. “My dance is strong and I like to think about Japan like my dance, they are similar in that Japan is a strong country.” Mochizuki said dance enables her to express what she is experiencing at the moment. Her dances usually reflect the strong and freeing feeling she enjoys even
RISING
STAR when she is nervous. “Before I dance, I always get nervous but I accept it,” Mochizuki said. Mochizuki’s dance instructor, Pamela Santelman, said Mochizuki brings diversity to the department. “She brings a lot to the program. She did a traditional fishermen dance for students and it was exciting for them to learn something other than ballet or hip-hop,” Santelman said. “This
is the first time I have taught her and she is really reliable, sweet, conscientious and works the dancers hard.” Even with injuries, she continues to dance. “We had a performance the other night and she performed with a fractured toe with no complaints,” Santleman said. Those who dance with Mochizuki say she is great at what she does no matter the circumstances. “She works really hard and despite the language barrier she always gets the dance in the end,” Megan Lafferty, 20, Dance major said. Dancing, she said, has taught her many of the skills needed in dance, but there is one thing in particular that has greatly helped her with her performance. “I’ve learned to be free,” Mochizuki said. “Even though there is choreography that we are taught, we should always be free. Even when we are in front of an audience we have to show who we are. I learned that through dancing and performing.”
Joshua Sherman /Union (Left) Chris Mello, guitar professor, introduces USC professor Pat Kelley.
this all for free is great,” Chris Rodriguez, 25, music major, said. Other featured clinicians were classical guitarist and EC guitar professor John Dearman and USC Jazz guitar professor
Pat Kelley. “It’s always important to have involvement in different things and giving students the opportunity to play,” Kelley said. “And to give the ensembles a little more
of a pay off. These guys don’t get to play enough.” The ensemble concert titled “Guitar Frenzy” was a conglomeration of 16 ensembles from 13 different music schools. Some featured schools were USC, Cerritos College, Southern Utah University and EC. “It was larger than last year and the participation level has almost doubled in size,” Mello said. The “Wild Stringdom Guitar Concert” performed Friday night and was the first time all EC guitar professors performed together. It included Mello, Dearman, Matt Greif and Richard Hastings. “The arts are as fundamental as math or reading and writing,” Schauss said. “With that comes the finer understanding of how the world works. If you take that away you’re making someone blind.”
SPORTS
May 5, 2011 / El Camino College Union
ON DECK BADMINTON Tomorrow at TBD for the South Coast Conference Tournament.
Warriors place third in their conference Joshua Sherman Staff Writer
MEN’S TENNIS Today through Saturday at TBD for the Regionals Playoff.
WOMEN’S TENNIS Today through Saturday at TBD for the Regionals Playoff.
TRACK AND FIELD Tomorrow at 10 a.m. at Mt. San Antonio College for the Southern California Regional Preliminaries.
Roger Morris /Union —Andrew Lim
7
Myshauna Alexander launches the javelin during the preliminaries at Mt. San Antonio College.
Enraged after a disappointing third place finish in the discus, his best event, Jason Harrell stepped up to the stop board. With adrenaline fueling him, Harrell launched the shot in the air like a cannon. He out threw the competition with a mark of 51 feet and 8 1/4 inches. “I got really upset about taking third in the discus, but I used all my anger that I built up and came out with a win in the shot,” Jason Harrell said. “It was a really intense moment for me.” His mark moved him up to No. 8 on the ECC All-Time Top 10 List. “I have a really good chance with the personal record I have and it’ll open new doors for bigger and better things,” Harrell said. “Hopefully I throw better when it comes to Southern California and state.” Both the men’s and women’s track and field teams pushed through the South Coast Conference Championships placing third overall. They head to Mt. SAC to compete in the Southern California Regional Preliminaries tomorrow. With a mark of 149 feet and 3 inches, Myshauna Alexander threw the javelin more than 30 feet farther than the closest competitor who threw a distance of 112
feet and 4.42 inches. “It was a decent day and I didn’t have a good series,” Alexander said. “But I had a season personal record so it was a nice way to start the day off.” Alexander moved up to third on the ECC All-Time Top 10 List. “This competition was different because there was more thinking involved,” Alexander said. “In these meets, if you foul you’re done.” Another big winner was Alex Tuliau with a personal record of 160 feet in the discus. The throw put him in fifth place on the ECC All-Time Top 10 List. “The team threw really strong, surprisingly, and they look really good,” Alexander said. “So we can expect some big things at state.” The sprinters and runners also performed well as they left their opponents in the dust. “These competitions are a little more serious and you have to run a smarter race,” Cardona said. “You can’t go balls out or breakdown.” David Cardona broke a 30-year-old school record in the 1,500-meter, which was previously set by Nick Carr, winning with a time of three minutes and 47.52 seconds. “I wanted to get the steeplechase record too, but I was three seconds off,”
Cardona said. Additionally, he won in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and the 5,000-meter events. Likewise, Shale’ Garland broke a 26-year-old 200-meter school record with a time of 23.88 seconds. The record was previously set at 23.94 seconds. Garland became third on the ECC All-Time Top 10 List and also won in the 400-meter and with the 1,600-meter relay team. Additionally, Isis Garland, Maria Colin, and Jose Lezama also advanced to represent EC in the regional competitions. “The more people that go to state the better the environment because you have your friends alongside of you,” Cardona said. Cardona and Garland will be honored as ECC Athletes-of-the-Year at the Athletic Hall-of-Fame Ceremony today. Double threat Rukayah-Mikail won the triple jump and the long jump with marks 38-3 and 18-4 ¼. Kara Kalmar won in the pole vault competition as she beat the other contenders with a vault of 11-6. “Everyone wants to qualify for finals and move on to the next step,” Cardona said. “So it’s really essential that not only you and your teammates run a good race but as a team we do good.”
Doubles pair shines as tennis Team sweeps first round, fall team prepares for regionals in second at Ojai Tournament Jorge Camarillo Staff Writer
Facing Fresno City College in the round of 16 with a chance to advance to the quarterfinals, Warriors Attila Lassu and Andrew Sarawasi battled the Rams to a standstill. The duo went to a 15-point tiebreaker with the score even as the rest of their teammates were cheering them on. Lassu and Sarawasi fought back, and would go on to win the set 15-13 and advance to the quarterfinals in dramatic fashion. “It felt amazing. I didn’t expect it and it was unreal because there was such good competition and to know that we could keep up with the competition, It feels good to know that hard work pays off,” Lassu said. Tennis players Sarawasi, Lassu, Yasuto Miyawaki and Jon Fisher will all be heading to the regional competition that begins today and will go until Saturday. Coach Steve Van Kanegan said the main focus to prepare the team for the regional competition is the doubles matches because they have the best chance of making it to state. “We had a great tournament, our single players Sarawasi and Lassu both went a couple of rounds,” Van Kanegan said. “They made it to the quarterfinals, which is a tremendous feat considering the amount of competition that tournament had.” Despite only making it to the quarterfinals, Sarawasi said it was one of his better performances. “I did the best I could and my performance
wasn’t too bad,” Sarawasi said. “I just played some pretty good players and they simply outplayed me.” The top two performers at the Ojai tournament were Sarawasi and Lassu, Van Kanegan said. Van Kanegan said of all the players on the team, Sarawasi went the furthest in singles matches. The pair of Sarawasi and Lassu also went the furthest in the doubles matches at Ojai. Sarawasi and Lassu have learned a lot from their competition and will look to build on it at regionals, Van Kanegan said. “Regionals is the five Southern California leagues,” Van Kanegan said. “They take the top eight players from each league and pit them against each other. There will be 40 players from Southern California (competing) for eight spots in the tournament.” The players will continue to improve on their play as they get ready and prepare for their next competition. “Both of the double teams playing in regionals still need to improve on their positioning and strength,” Van Kanegan said. “They’re talented, but they have to choose the right shot at the right time and will work on that for the next few practices.” Van Kanegan added that the tournaments are more different than the regular season games because you continue to play until you lose a match. “Definitely, that’s why we tell our players that they have to get tournament tough as opposed to regular season tough,” Van Kanegan said. “It’s mentally grueling because you play one match and after less than an hour of rest, you play another match and if you win, you continue on.”
Alma Zazueta Staff Writer
As all the women tennis players found a way to advance to the second round, their high hopes quickly fizzled, when none of them advanced to the third round during the Ojai Tournament this past weekend. “Players from all over the state play so it’s a very tough tournament, and if you can win one match you’re doing well,” coach Steve Van Kanegan said. Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams, with different skill levels, gathered at Ojai to face players from other colleges in both singles and doubles matches. “They’re higher-level players; the doubles team that we played were actually a top team and they were really good,” tennis player Jillian Dineros said. Despite an injury, Dineros was able to advance in doubles play at the tournament. Dineros sprained her ankle during a match against Cerritos College that would have qualified her for singles in regionals. Still she says her performance was not affected by her injury. “After the Ojai tournament, it really woke me up to how much better players other people are,” Dineros said. However, she is confident that together with Cressan Delima, her doubles partner, she can give a good performance at regionals as a doubles player. “(Playing at this tournament) was different,” tennis player Mio Hosaka said. “It’s more of an
individual result, if you win, you get to go to another round and if you lose, you don’t play anymore.” Hosaka also played doubles in the tournament together with Sara Carranza. “Our toughest match was our second round match because I think the people we played were very strong,” Hosaka said. “They were from Irvine valley, and they’re known for their really good players so I think we were a little intimidated.” With the Ojai tournament coming to an end, the women’s team will once again be on the move as they begin to prepare for the regional competition. Along with the rest of the players on the team, Hosaka will be moving on to the regional competitions, and will play as both a singles and a doubles player. Although proud of her performance at Ojai, she looks forward to developing her skills as a player before regionals. “I saw a lot of different players from different levels,” Hosaka said. “And I saw a lot of players that were really good and made me open my eyes and realize that I should work for regionals.” Lindsay Guardado, Co-conference Player of the Year will also move on to regionals as both singles and doubles player. Regional competitions will be played beginning today and will be ending Sunday in San Diego. “We’re slightly above the middle of the pack at this point,” Van Kanegan said. “They need to continue to just work on consistency and gaining confidence and that’s what we’re going to do in the next couple days of practice.”
Baseball team loses in season finale Andrew Lim Co-Sports Editor
Emotions were boiling in the second inning after a questionable call at the plate fired up the Warriors. Coaches were arguing with the umpires, players were screaming at the first base coach and fans were jawing at the umpires. “It was a play at the plate,” catcher Marvin Flores said. “I guess he just wanted to play hard so he took me out. The elbow to my face just knocked me over. It was just a dirty play, a very dirty play.” With the runner rounding third base and coming home, Flores was clocked in the head with the elbow; he was on the ground about ten minutes as he was kneeling down with his head on the ground not moving. “I don’t think that guy meant to do that at all,” coach Nate Fernley said. “The rule is if you go high on a catcher, it’s illegal, you’re out and you’re kicked out of the game so that’s what I argued. I don’t know when everyone’s emotions came into it but that’s baseball sometimes.” The umpires ruled it a legal hit and the runner was safe at home, resulting in the first run scored for the Compton College Tartars. It was a fitting ending to an otherwise disappointing season, as the Warriors lost
to the Tartars, 10-5. After a loss in the season finale, the team’s record for the 2011 season stands at 17-19, a drastic improvement from almost a month ago, when the record was 7-16. The Warriors had control for most of the game and were leading 5-3 in the fifth inning when first baseman Garrett Copper, hit an opposite field homerun that drove in outfielder Anthony Graham.
“We played hard every game and we battled through the last four weeks.” —Marvin Flores Catcher
However, in the eighth inning, everything fell apart as the Warriors gave up seven runs. “We outplayed them the eight of the nine innings,” Fernley said. “We just had a really rough eighth inning and it just ended up being that one inning that cost us the game.” Josh Mingura, starting pitcher, pitched seven innings, throwing 125 pitches, and allowed three runs.
“Mingura battled,” Fernley said. “It wasn’t his best stuff game but he battled and gave us a good start all the way.” Fernley replaced Mingura with relief pitcher Jess Simpson in the eighth inning. Simpson was not able to register a single out and Fernley had to go back to the bullpen to bring in relief pitcher Drew Freeman. The inning finally came to a close after 11 batters came up to bat for the Tartars, resulting in seven runs. With the team finishing strong to end the season, winning 10 out of the last 13 games, the team looks to carry its momentum on to next season. “We’re looking good for next year,” Graham said. “We got eight out of our nine starters coming back. The only guys who are transferring are Cooper and Andrew Pulido, who was a big key for us. But for the most part, we’ll be alright.” With Cooper and Pulido leaving the team, the offseason will be the key to the Warriors’ success, as the staff will go watch high school games to scout and try to recruit players to fill in the holes, Fernley said. “I think the last four weeks we really stuck together,” Flores said. “Even though we had no chance to win the conference championship, we did what we had to do. We played hard every game and we battled through the last four weeks.”
Patrick Osborne /Union Nate Fernley, coach, argues with the home plate umpire during the second inning.
May 5, 2011 / El Camino College Union