Viewpoints
Serving students since 1922
viewpoints An Associated Collegiate Press two-time national Pacemaker award-winning newspaper, serving as the voice of the students since 1922.
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Blair puts eyes on the sky Page 13
Goes Live Page 2
Fox Live: Fox PAC
is now run by one of the nation’s largest music promoters, Live Nation. Big names of the music industry are expected to turn around a history of low profit margins for the theater. Luis Solis / Photo Editor
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Regional style for local art
Vol. XCIII, No. 10
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NEWS................. 2 Bus&Tech....... 5 A&E.................... 7 features........12 OPINIONS..........15 SPORTS.............19 Viewpointsonline.org | March 27, 2014
Viewpoints
2 | March 27, 2014
News
Serving students since 1922
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Azari resigns as interim chancellor The Riverside Community College District Board of Trustees accepted the resignation of interim chancellor Dr. Cynthia Azari at the Board of Trustee’s meeting on March 18. Dr. Irving Hendrick will serve as the new interim chancellor when Azari’s resignation becomes effective April 1. Azari is said to be on vacation until April 1, which is also the end of her term as interim RCCD chancellor following her resignation. Hendrick served as RCCD interim chancellor in 2008 and interim president of the Moreno Valley College campus in 2006. Viewpoints was also unable to reach interim Riverside City College President Wolde-Ab Isaac as of March 24. The district will continue to search for a permanent chancellor.
Campaigning begins for student trustee Candidates for the upcoming student trustee election met in open forum through video conferencing to discuss the parameters for the campaign March 25 at 3 p.m. Campaigning began after the conference at 4 p.m. between April Galvan from Norco Campus and Brennan Gonering of Riverside City College. The two candidates determined they would not use social media to campaign. Both candidates are limited to a reimbursable $200 campaign fund, including the value of donations and contributions. Both candidates agreed that forums would be a good campaign method and will determine a date that meets both their schedules.
Nursing Program scores second in state The Licensed Vocational Nursing program at Riverside City College is ranked No. 2 in California for its NCLEX - Practical Nursing exam first-time pass rate. Students who take the test for their first time pass at a rate of 99.32 percent from RCC. RCC’s LVN program was measured against 166 other programs based on NCLEX -PN exam pass rates. The exam is used around the country to grant licensure and test proficiency. It is also a method to surmise how well a program prepares its students for their future.
ASRCC celebrates St. Patrick’s Day Associated Students of Riverside City College gave spirited students who were wearing green Shamrock milkshakes to help celebrate St. Patrick’s day on March 17. The Mountain Dew and vanilla ice cream floats were a welcome green relief on the warm holiday.
Peace Week promotes Chavez’s heroism To celebrate Peace week Riverside City College is hosting the Cesar Chavez celebration on March 27 from 12-2 p.m. and 4-6 p.m. on the Martin Luther King Building steps. Instructor Clarence Romero and Don Miguel will speak about Chavez, followed by a remembrance march. Peace week is a national week to help colleges and schools educate students on enduring peace issues. It is also to help students manage conflict to ensure peace in their lives.
For the record: In the March 13 issue of Viewpoints, the workshop chart on page 3 said the “Overview of how to use Eureka Online” workshop will be held April 4, in the Digital Library, room 206. The workshop will actually take place April 1, at 12:50 p.m. A baseball photograph in sports page 18 mentioned Josh Clark as the player in the image. The correct player is Garrett Dean.
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Luis Solis / Photo Editor
Historic Facade: The Fox Performing Arts Center is located at the corner Market Avenue and Mission Inn.
Live Nation buys Fox Theater 2,000 artists. Danyel Whyte Staff Writer “I am excited for Midtown Men, I heard it is coming to Fox Following negotiations with Theater,” said Daniel Garcia, a the city of Riverside, Live Nation Riverside City College student. now operates the Fox Performing F o x PA C u n d e r w e n t Arts Center. renovations F o x i n 2010 i n PAC w a s order to purchased preserve by Live Riverside’s Nation nat ural Dec. 1. The history and new owner bring in hopes to -Scott Montgomery customers. promote a Over the course of the years wider spectrum of entertainment the Fox PAC has brought in more frequently. One of its main artists such as Colbie Caillat, Boz focuses is bringing in more live Scaggs and Willie Nelson. acts. “I think they had stupid stuff Live Nation is a concert there and were probably losing promot ion company with money. I hope they bring bigger a worldwide enter prise that names to the table,” said Scott produces more than 20,000 Montgomery, an RCC student. shows annually for more than
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“I think they had stupid stuff there and were probably losing money. I hope they bring bigger names to the table”
New Talents and big names are on their way, including upcoming shows Jason Mraz, Leanne Rhymes, Trace Adkins and Wayne Brady. Since its renovation in 2010, the city has struggled to bring greater revenue but with new ownership and a larger staff, their comeback should amount to a larger variety of people. Ticket sales are starting to increase. Currently box office hours are now offered to make ticket sales more convenient, rather than having to pay additional fees through a ticket service. This is the fourth time the performing art center has been purchased as one of Riverside’s historical landmarks. Visit the website at www. foxriversidelive.com for ticketing information.
President honors Riverside soldiers Maranda Shain Asst. News Editor
President Obama awarded two Riverside soldiers and 22 others the Medal of Honor March 18, after years of being overlooked due to prejudice. The Army imposes a threeyear limit to receive the Medal of Honor, but in 2002, an Army review was conducted under a directive from Congress’ National Defense Authorization Act to determine the eligibility for the award to minority soldiers who fought in WWII, Vietnam and the Korean War. “This is long overdue,” Obama announced. “Some of these soldiers fought and died for a country that did not always see them as equal.” After 12 years of reviewing 6,505 possible candidates, who had all received the Distinguished Service Cross, 600 Hispanic and Jewish recipients were evaluated. Of those soldiers 24 were found to have met the criteria required to receive the nation’s most esteemed award for valor. Of those 24 men, 10 died in service, 10 died since and one is still missing. Only three of the men were still alive to receive their medal. Obama presented the families of the Riverside men with the awards at a ceremony that took place in the East Room of the White House. Among the honored heroes were Riverside Sgt. Jesus Duran and then Pfc. Salvador Lara, who
was a Staff Sgt. at the time of his death. Duran was born in Juarez, Mexico, 1948 and moved to the Riverside area at age 11 with his parents and 11 siblings. He joined the Army in 1968 and fought in the Vietnam War; Company E, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). While acting as an M-60 machine-gunner, he shielded wounded soldiers while taking on heavy enemy fire April 10, 1969. His relentless return fire led to the enemy retreating. A Pentagon release stated that Duran was recognized for saving the lives of several American soldiers that day. His daughter, Tina DuranRuvalcaba of Corona, accepted the award on behalf of her father and was very emotional as the citation was read. Duran was stabbed to death at a Riverside bar in 1977. Lara was born in Riverside and joined the military when he was about 20. He served in WWII with 2nd Platoon, Company L, 180th Infantry, 45th Infantry Division, where he was the leader of a rifle squad. “He aggressively led his rifle squad in neutralizing multiple enemy strong points and inflicting large numbers of casualties on the enemy,” according to a Pentagon release, May 27 and 28, 1944, in Aprilia, Italy. “The next morning, as his company returned the attack, Lara sustained a severe leg wound, but did not stop to receive first aid until he captured
his objective.” The American Battle Monuments Commission stated that Lara died on Sept. 1, 1945 in a non-battle death. He never married or had children. The hero’s brother, Alfonzo Lara of Highgrove accepted the honor on his brother’s behalf. “This is the single largest group of service members to be awarded the Medal of Honor since the Second World War.” Obama said. The families of the recipients attended a Hall of Heroes Induction Ceremony the following day at the Pentagon conducted by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. “We are here this morning to celebrate the heroism of 24 selfless individuals,” Hagel said, noting that their acts of gallantry in battle merit the nation’s highest recognition. “We are also here to correct an injustice of history to help right 24 wrongs that should have never occurred.” “Their courage almost defies imagination,” Obama said. “When you read the records of these individuals it’s unimaginable, the valor that they displayed: running into bullets, charging machine gun nests and climbing aboard tanks and taking them out, covering their comrades so they could make it to safety, holding back enemies wave after wave even when the combat was hand-to-hand, manning their posts, some to their very last breaths, so that their comrades might live.”
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News
March 27, 2014 | 3
Serving students since 1922
RCC alumnus pitches book
Nicholle Salvatierra Staff Writer
Former student of Riverside City College Alfonso Gonzales discussed his research on Latino migrant activism in the Digital Library Auditorium on March 13. Gonzales’ book, “Reform Without Justice: Latino Migrant Politics and the Security State” includes details he researched on mig ration. One chapter in particular is dedicated to migration control in Riverside County where Gonzales was raised. Gonzales used his chapter on Riverside as an example of immigration injustice. The county consists of more than 2 million Latinos with none of the county board of supervisors being part of that demographic. He also a dd ressed t hat i n Riverside many employment oppor t u n it ie s con sist of warehouse, construction, and service industry jobs that rely on cheap migrant labor. Gonzales’ said 93 percent of the increase in deportations is
from Latinos. “Because of deportations, families have been destroyed,” said Gonzales. As a result of deportations, Gonzales discussed the amount of children placed into foster care and their struggles that are endured daily. Their parents were sent out of the country for petty crimes they committed years before. During the time of Gonzales’ research he was involved in marches to understand perspective of those in favor of immigration reform. He shared quotes from those impacted by deportation, as well as stories of when he was arrested for civil disobedience while participating in a protest. Former Puente counselor, Eva Iglesias introduced Gonzales before his lecture. “He was always committed to the community,” said Iglesias. Gonzales’ commitment is to solutions to the changing immigration laws. “A lot of people like to say education. I see a lot of people
get into education, but don’t end up doing anything for the community,” said Gonzales. “Scholar’s books can help people thin k about strategies. The book can’t move and can’t walk though.” Fo r m e r p r ofe s s o r s a n d mentors of Gonzales spoke to praise his accomplishments. “The success of teaching is through the success of students,” said Interim President Wolde-Ab Isaac. Gonzales transferred from RCC to UCLA, to then earn his master’s degree from Stanford University. He then returned to UCLA where he received his Ph.D. “Gon zales came f rom poverty. He lived in his car at times and was often hungry,” said Iglesias. After barely graduating from high school and being told he wasn’t “college material” by his superiors, Gonzales was motivated by his instructors at RCC including his model U.N. adviser instructor Shienk and his Puente counselors.
Shelters can’t stand the heat Kennels are burdened by cat population as spring ushers ‘kitten season.’
Imagecourtesy of: Mary S. Roberts Adoption
Brittany Nikodym Staff Writer Every spring as temperatures rise in Riverside, a furry storm approaches. Shelters across Riverside are preparing for “Kitten Season,” the time of year when female cats produce heaps of kittens. Although an influx of kittens may seem like an adorable problem, the lack of homes resulted in the euthanasia of an estimated 3,000 cats and kittens last year in the city of Riverside alone. The total euthanized in the county exceeded 10,000 last year, and unless something changes the death toll may rise. “ D u r i n g k it t e n s e a s o n shelters put down as many as 50100 kittens a day,” said Sharon Goloskie, who runs Wayfairing Felines, a small feline rescue in Riverside. “What we need is education, especially for young students. When children learn something, they generally pass it along to their families.” “ It ’s s o m e t h i n g r e a l l y impor tant that needs to be addressed,” said Clarice Ochoa, a student from RCC who plans to major in business. “Not a lot of people know about it and
it’s very sad,” “Kitten Season” generally begins in March or April, when the war m weather prompts female cats to go into heat and lasts into the fall. The lack of a lengthy cold weather season in Southern California makes population control of feral cats a real concern. “A female cat can have two to 18 kittens per litter, and three litters per year. If all of those kittens don’t get spayed - well you can do the math,” said Kimberlee Powell, the Foster Care coordinator at Mary S. Roberts. “Encourage people to spay and neuter, provide education if you see an unspayed cat outdoors.” Accord i ng to R iver side Count y Ordinance No. 630 section 3, it is actually illegal to keep unaltered cats outdoors. “The most important thing people can do is to get their cats spayed or neutered.... cats can become pregnant at as young as four weeks old.” said Rudy Gonzalez, an Animal Care Technician from Riverside Animal control. While students with cats may find the cost of altering their feline cost prohibitive, low cost options are available. According to their websites, both the Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center and Riverside Animal Control offer spay and neuter services for cats for $40. To date, there are no formal Tr ap, Ne ut e r a nd Rele a s e programs in Riverside County. W hile many cou nties have established TNR programs, Riverside County has no formal organizations to assist residents in neutering feral cats. While TNR is a great way to impact stray populations in the community, many students find it cost prohibitive. Volunteering
at a local shelter or rescue group can help increase in the amount of animals placed in homes. Volunteering also helps build valuable experience for those looking to transfer to other colleges, or pu rsue animal based careers. “Time is one of the best things you can give.” said Kimberlee Powell, “Many college students want to travel after graduating, so fostering is a good option.” Fostering a cat or kitten is shor t-ter m com mit ment, with little to no cost as most adoption centers provide food and veterinary care. Giving a cat a safe place to stay until a place is made in the shelter or adoption center is one way to make a big impact. Kittens under 8 weeks can’t be adopted out, and need extra care, the youngest requiring bottle feeding every two hours, so it’s important to foster an age group that fits your lifestyle. Older kittens and cats that are waiting for a space to open up in the shelter may be a better fit for a student with a heavy study schedule, while younger kittens may be a better choice for those with lighter loads. Encouraging people to adopt cats from the shelter rather than picking up kittens from craigslist or neighborhood litters also cuts down on the amount of unwanted litters, and saves lives. Of all of the animals that entered shelters over the past seven months, an estimated 26 percent of dogs and 72 percent of cats were euthanized. Through fostering, volunteering, education and TNR, students can make an impact to significantly decrease the amount of companion animal euthanasia in Riverside. For more information go to viewpointsonline.org
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Instructors present angles on ‘Deep Time’ As part of the Discovery Lecture Series, “Deep Time” lectures will cover the necessity for thinking outside of human time from biological, geological and astronomical perspectives. The geological perspective, “Deep Time and the Age of the Earth,” will be covered on March 26 by Bill Phelps, from 2-3 p.m. in the Digital Library Auditorium. “Deep Time - The Biological Perspective” lecture by Greg Burchett will be held April 2 from 2-3 p.m. in Administration 122. Flex credit will be offered to attending instructors. “Astronomical Time” will be presented by Scott Blair on April 10, from 12:50-1:50 p.m.
RCC Committee screens ‘Cesar Chavez’ Riverside City College Diversity Committee reserved a number of tickets for a screening of “Cesar Chavez” on March 30 at 2:30 p.m. Those tickets are available free to students in the Student Services Office, Bradshaw Room 207. RCC Diversity Committee is working in conjunction with Latino Network in a special screening at the Riverside Plaza Stadium 16 Theatre. “Cesar Chavez” is “A biography of the civil-rights activist and labor organizer Cesar Chavez,” according to the Internet Movie Database.
RCC breaks ground on new construction and pursues future buildings Tyler Reese / Staff Writer Some new light has been shed on the short and long-term plans that Riverside City College has in the works. “We’re going to build a student services building right in front of Magnolia,” said RCC president, Wolde-Ab Isaac. The new state of the art Student Services building will mirror the architecture of the Quad, according to Isaac. This building, which will replace the administration building, will now hold all of the student services such as Financial Aid, the Welcome Center and Health Services. Part of parking lot “A” will have to be dug up to accommodate for the new building. The current Administration building will be bulldozed and new parking will be put in. With this construction, Administration hopes that the constant navigating new students do to get around the campus in order to register as a full time student can be avoided by the new Student Services building. Administration plans to have the construction completed before 2016 as part of its short-term goals, according to Isaac. “Long term we plan to have a beautification project for new buildings and facilities,” said Isaac. Administration has envisioned a time in the future that all of its old buildings can be refurbished such as the Business Education, Ceramic, Art and other older buildings in the campus’ lower lots along Olivewood Avenue. These buildings were built in the 1940s and have functioned, but are now showing signs of wear and tear. The buildings on the lower lot will be torn down and new ones constructed in their place. The RCC “river,” flows directly through the lower parking lots and will eventually be turned into a green area, where anyone can relax between classes, eat some grub or hang out. “When we expand to that level we may need to look at parking because RCC is limited in terms of land,” Isaac said. Since the college has expanded to every inch of its property we can’t just construct more parking on land we don’t have. “It might make sense if we have a parking structure,” said Isaac. “On Market (Street) and University (Avenue) they’re putting up two large buildings: that’s about $80 million,” Isaac said. These two buildings will house the Henry W. Coil Sr. and Alice Edna Coil School for the Arts plus the Culinary Arts Academy. The Coil School for the Arts will house all of the college’s music programs except for the band. The Culinary Academy will house all of the college’s culinary programs. The Discipline Administration will move into one floor and the chancellor, Human Resources and everyone else will be centralized there. “On the top floor of the Culinary Academy there will be a roof garden and people who like to have expensive dinners, parties and then whatever can order that and the food will be made down in the first floor. And there will be a special dumb elevator that will transport the food to the top,” said Isaac. These plans will be carried out over the course of the next 15 years. With the plans in motion, the administration seeks to beautify the campus and create a better learning environment and experience for its faculty and students.
Viewpoints
4 | March 27, 2014
C rime Code # 1
News
Serving students since 1922
Date
Lo g
Crime
Time
Location
Status
March 12
Petty Theft: building, vehicle etc.
10:32 a.m.
Bradshaw Building
Inactive
March 10
Petty Theft: building, vehicle etc.
11 a.m.
Cafeteria
Inactive
March 10
Petty Theft: building, vehicle etc. Vandalism less than $400
4:30 p.m.
College Buildings
Pending
March 12
Petty Theft: building, vehicle etc. Theft by use of Card info
7:15 a.m.
MLK Computer Lab
Pending
March 10
Hit and run: property damage only
9:10 p.m.
Lot B
Information only
March 13
Hit and run: property damage only
9:30 a.m.
March 19
Hit and run: property damage only
7:30 a.m
College Parking Structure
Pending
March 19
Hit and run: property damage only
1:50 p.m.
Parking Structure /Tennis Courts
Pending
March 21
Hit and run: property damage only
11:30 a.m.
Lot C
Inactive
3
March 11
Lost property more than $400
12:30 p.m.
Math and Science Building
Inactive
4
March 14
Nonstudent refusal to Leave Campus
7:01 p.m.
Huntley Gym
Inactive
5
March 24
Driver with no license
1:22 p.m.
2
Information only
Cited and released
Riverside City College crime map Represents a crime location Refer to graph for numerical association
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Illustration by: Jackie Trejo
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2 2 1
3 2
2
1
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Viewpoints
Serving students since 1922
March 27, 2014 | 5
Bus. & TECh Business & Technology
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Introduction to Business & Tech Welcome to RCC Viewpoints Business and Technology. We would like to establish a professional business readership within Riverside City College and our Riverside community. Our objective is to educate, inform and intrique. All while providing quality content relevant to the industries of Business and Technology. Your support and feedback are valued, appreciated and encouraged to ensure the quality of the sections content Please submit any question, comments or suggestions of content to Viewpoints.BusTech@gmail.com
HLF 53.40 -0.11 (-0.21%)
SSNLF 1,220.00 Up +120.00 +10.91%
CAT 97.80 -0.79 (-0.80%)
FTC shakes up Herbalife LTD stock
Mark Anthony Howard Bus. & Tech Editor
The FTC has launched a probe into the popular supplement company Herbalife Ltd. An action that Senator Edward J. Markey had urged in a letter to the FTC in January. The corporation is being investigated for the possibility of its structure being based upon a pyramid scheme. In which the company makes more of its profit on recruiting, and charging fees to new members, than from its actual product. The direct-seller company denies any fouls in its regulatory compliance and intends to completely cooperate with the FTC investigation. In addition to its burst in popularity as a internationally recognized brand Herbalife Ltd. has experienced tremendous growth in the last five years both in product sales and representative membership.
The news of the probe caused a slight dive in its public stock (with trades falling from as high as 80.06 in January to this month’s low of 57.13) but the companies product sales and sales representatives fees are expected to sustain through the quarter and make a full recovery by the fiscal year’s end. The probe is simply a dirty political strategy paid for by the Herbalife companies billionaire rival and hedgefund manager Bill Ackman. Ackman in combination with his political connection wiht Senator Edward J. Markey is simply showing what his word and his money can do for or against any company that he chooses. It’s a malice maneuver but Herbalife Chairman and Chief Exec. Officer Mr. Michael O. Johnson, expects the HLF stock to fully rebound and flourish after the probes findings return negative.
Some change for change
ViewPoints
Real Estate by Mark Anthony Howard
As the market continues to recover and prices rise, home sales have flattened and even dropped this first quarter throughout the Inland Empire. In correlation to the decline in sales the percentage of foreclosures and distressed mortgages has also seen a significant decrease. In both 2012 and 2013 the Riverside- San Bernardino region was amongst the top 20 in US metropolitan area foreclosures. Inland Realtor Eric Arnel of Ponce & Ponce Realty attributes the Inland’s outstanding foreclosure rate to not only the obvious bubble bust, but the combination of the markets increase in 2007, and amount of unqualified purchases. Arnel also attributed 20 percent of the inland’s outstanding foreclosures to changes in the country’s economy. The current flattening of the market is a like a short breath of air for the entire Real Estate Economy. It is sort of a temporarily peaceful state where renters, homeowners, bankers, realtors, agents, prop. Managers, investors, stock holders and sellers all are content, but it surely won’t last long. As foreclosure rates fall banks secure more “real” mortgaging debt from both commercial and multifamily property. Through the 2013 fiscal multifamily mortgage debt alone rose to more than 900 billion. That’s a considerable jump from 2008’s recordings of a miserable 54 billion amid the recession. At the current point of settle at high mortgaging debt and low foreclosures and defaults; low interest rates and buyer based incentives will become less lucrative and even unnecessary for banks to offer and the same greedy “buy high and sell higher,” “bubble-proof,”real-estate “flipping” strategies that sent the economy into recession in the early 2000s will be right back in effect like the recession never happened. So for now, enjoy the healthy home market and still waters.
A million years of debt Mark Anthony Howard Bus. & Tech Editor
Ask not what your county owes you, but how much your country owes too. Or something like that. The United States debt is currently $16,738,158,460,368. At the new 9 dollar minimum wage rate effective July 1, 2014 it would take a person 1,859,795,384,485 hours of competitive market work to pay that back! That’s 212,305,409 years. Get to work America.
Loose change:
Luis Solis/ photo editor
President Barack Obama’s administration request to remake nickels and pennies
Mark Anthony Howard Bus. & Tech Editor
How much is that change in the bottom of ashtray worth? Probably alot more than you would think. The Obama administration has asked congress to appoint a date to change the material and manufacturing process of the change we have come to know as nickels and pennies. The change to change comes after The US mint accounted the cost of manufacturing coins has grown higher than the coins actual face value. The actual cost is to make one penny 2.4 cents and about 11 cents to make a nickel. The Treasury produced about 4.3 billion pennies and 914 million nickels in 2012 summing up to around $100 million for each of just these two coins. The Treasury has been looking into the mix of different
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metals to increase cost to value efficiency in the minting of US coins. One of the alternatives being considered is the use of steel as opposed to the penny’s mix of 97 percent zinc and 3 percent copper coating and the nickels 75 percent cooper and 25 percent nickel mix. In the same efficient efforts the Treasury halted the minting of dollar coins all together saving itself around 50 million dollars annually. Treasury spokesman Matt Anderson said the Treasury has the authority to stop making a coin, such as the dollar coin, but none to execute a change a coins mix of metals without congressional permission. At this time more than 13 billion pennies are in circulation throughout the US and about 841 million nickels. Thats about 17 billion dollars in your ashtray.
In Our Next Issue:
April is Financial literacy month. In our Viewpoints next issue Business & Technology will feature a preview of an educational course CPA John Vento. Vento has taken the initiative to educate the next generation of financial literacy. Sustainability: Catepillar Inc. 85 years of committment to progress Investor’s Corner: Franchising
Viewpoints
Serving students since 1922
6 | March 27, 2014
Samsung brings milk to the table
G a l a x y
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m u s i c
s t r e a m i n g
a p p l i c a t i o n
Josa Lamont Section Editor A recent contender in the mobile market and now largest Smartphone maker, Samsung, is introducing their new radio streaming service to Galaxy devices. The free music player, Milk, functions something like an iPod, a radio and a Pandora or Spotify in one. Like an iPod, Milk uses a clean, round interface similar to the classic iPod. Music divides on a spectrum through a color wheel of up to nine genres, plus a spotlight and user station section. Users can customize their color wheel by selecting their nine genres from a list of 17, which break down further into over 200 radio stations. The 200 channels are deejayed much like a radio station, but instead of ads they feature an occasional plug for Slacker, the service supporting Samsung’s streaming service. Stations range from rock to country, and modern to classical. The Alt/indie: Alternative hits station boasts “... the biggest songs in alternative music. From the top of the charts to the songs on the rise, you’ll hear the hits old and new, from Green Day, The killers, Red Hot Chili Peppers and many more.” While electronic claims it “covers all the bases in electronic music. Hear the latest from Deadmau5, M.I.A. and Skrillex, classics from Daft Punk, Moby, and The Chemical Brothers...” Stations range from broad to oddly specific and come with a skip option of up to 6 skips per station, giving the user the kind of control they’re accustomed to with internet radio.
Business & Technology
Technology News All of your Technology news for March 2014. New Electronics, Devices, Vehicles, and entertainment systems including news and releases from Microsoft, Apple, Sony, Samsung, Audi and of course Facebook.
EA Web page Hacked Using some trickery, hackers were able to breach Electronic Arts’ Web site and transform one of its pages into a bogus Apple log-in screen. Once users logged on to the fake site, they were prompted to input their credit card numbers, date of birth, and other personal information
Facebook Oculus acquisition Facebook acquired virtual reality headset maker Oculus for $2 billion in cash and stock. The Facebook-Oculus acquisition was negotiated over just five days. Facebook is betting that Oculus is the next big media and gaming platform.
Apple’s iPhone 6 New Galaxy App:
With millions of music and hundreds of genres new galaxy application “Milk” seems like the real thing.
And if the radio stations aren’t enough, Galaxy owners can create their own stations, similar to Pandora and Spotify, which are then added to the home color wheel. Users can fine tune their stations to emphasize popular, new or favorite playing styles, unlike the music giants Spotify, iTunes and Pandora. However, Milk currently does not have a shuffle option that is a key feature to all the contending services. According to reports by Agam
Shah of PC world Australia, in order to compete with iTunes and Pandora music services, Samsung is looking into the possibility of offering music for sale through Milk. Eventually they hope to acquire additional music to include more obscure artists and to expand the library of their already 13 million songs. Currently Milk is offered exclusively to Galaxy users in the United States, but they plan to expand to other countries and devices as they grow.
March “Stock” Madness With company’s and new IPO’s looking to increase quarterly performance reports March is always a month of madness. Some of the most highly ranked stocks took dives and fell as hard as Duke to Mercer. March may have been a month of upsets and buster for both brackets and portfolios. Managers and investors should be looking for “rebounders” in this stock seasons second quarter.
With the the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C simple updates to previous models, there’s a lot of pressure heaped on the iPhone 6. With rumors for a May release that date may actually be a false hope. The iPhone 6 release date will be in 2014, although exactly when that will be in the year is still a little unclear. According to Business Insider, of the iPhone 6 prototypes has a giant Retina+ IGZO display and a new form factor with no home button.
HTC One M8 Release As well as an even sleeker design, innovative Duo camera, and clever software enhancements, HTC is drastically cutting the waiting time, putting the new One up for sale from today across all four major US carriers as well as in select international markets. Most noticeable is the extra metal: where the original phone was around 70-percent metal, the One M8 is now 90-percent. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 801 processor doing duty in quadcore form, with HTC offering a 2.3GHz version for the US and EMEA regions, while Asia/China gets a slightly faster 2.5GHz model. 2GB of DDR2 memory and either 16GB or 32GB of internal storage
2014 Audi A7 TDI Starting at 64,000 The new 2014 Audi A7 TDI features a clean diesel engine and Audi’s classic ultra lightweight construction. The Audi include quattro all-wheel drive, and available driver assistance technologies. With fine design details including a wraparound dash and coupe-like styling. Audi MMI touch Further enhancing the versatility of the Audi MMI Navigation plus system, MMI touch can recognize handwriting, letting you enter destinations and phone numbers with ease.
S&P Mid
Some of the Audi models are also equipped with a keyless ignition feature.
PlayStation 4 vs. Xbox One
Nasdaq 100
Samsung
Microsoft’s Xbox One is far, far larger. The PS4 is sleeker and slimmer. Both keep the severe, black and masculine style that’s common to games consoles. Overheating was a significant problem in the Xbox 360, responsible for causing many of the red ring issues that plagued the console’s earlier years.
Apollo 15 camera The Apollo 15 camera returns to earth and sells for $908K. The camera was acquired by the founder of Japanese retail chain Yodobashi Camera. Dow Jones Industrial Average
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ARTS & E NTERTAINMENT
Memphis May Fire rocks San Diego alyssa aldrete a&e editor
Memphis May Fire does not believe in rear-view mirrors. The melodic hardcore band, hailing from Dallas, Texas, have been through their fair share of trials and tribulations in the music industry. Having issues with record labels, lineup changes and artistic freedom, on top of the trivial drama that coincides with hitting the road with the same group of guys for months on end. MMF (consisting of vocalist Matty Mullins, guitarists Kellen McGregor and Anthony Sepe, bassist Cory Elder and drummer Jake Garland) have always managed to come out on top, and have brought their loyal fans along with them. I n F e b r u a r y, M M F embarked on a tour in support of their fourth full-length album, “Unconditional,” and on March 23, they brought their show down to the SOMA in San Diego. The show opened up on a high-speed note when metalcore act Beartooth rushed onto the stage, with their opening song, “Set Me on Fire,” off their debut EP “Sick.” From the second the angry frontman in a denim jacket jumped onto the stage, veteran fans of the hardcore scene quickly glanced at each other in awe, as many realized that the chest-beating vocalist was none other than Caleb Shomo, former lead of the “electroni-core” band Attack Attack. Shomo, along with members of My Ticket Home, originally started the band as a joke, but ended up recording and releasing an EP shortly after Shomo announced his departure from Attack Attack. Beartooth made the best of their 30-minute slot, playing four songs off their first EP, and two off their pending album “Disgusting,” set to release some
time later this year. Australian sextet Hands Like Houses graced the stage shortly after the opening band. After opening their six song set with “Shapeshifters,” vocalist Trenton Woodley welcomed the band’s progressive rock sound (a change from the harder feel of the night), claiming that music is about self-expression, no matter what type of sound the band takes on. A recurring issue with musicians is the translation of vocals from the album to the stage, but this did not seem to be a problem for Woodley, who sang the soulful lyrics of songs like “Antarctica” and “Lion Skin” with heart-warming beauty. maggie mendez / special to viewpoints The third band that took leaving a legacy: Members of the rock band Memphis May Fire get the crowd going at the stage was one that has been the San Diego stop of the Unconditional Tour on March 23. around the longest out of anyone far out to the stage as they could, a notable deep growl in his The intermission of the set else on the bill, melodic hardcore singing like each word would emotional songs, but now, over occurred when Mullins took outfit, A Skylit Drive. take their last breath along with it. five years after his debut as a center stage, standing with a The central California-based The Word Alive proceeded to frontman, his ability for the spotlight on him and ambient band filled their set almost take the crowd by storm, coming tolerable high-pitched screech blue lights in the background, entirely with songs off their out as the last band before the has finally been achieved, having as he proceeded to sing the album “Rise,” which was released headliners, which is always the been showcased in songs like the emotional ballad “Miles Away,” in the latter half of 2013. slot with some of the highest new track, “Play the Victim.” dedicating the song to his wife, ASD never quite stayed expectations. Finally at about 10 p.m., the and inviting Jag from A Skylit continuously on the radar, so They mixed up their near headlining band, Memphis May Drive to the stage to sing Kellin many fans were pleasantly 45-minute set with heavy and Fire walked onto a darkened Quinn’s part of the recorded song. surprised to hear the familiar eclectic songs such as “2012” and stage to an eerie introductory The heart of this enduring sound in songs like, “Pendulum,” “Hounds of Anubis.” echoing of clips from their first band truly emerged when they where high-pitched vocalist TWA has been one of the song of the set, “The Sinner.” came back to the stage for their Michael Jagmin (more commonly most interesting bands to follow Being one of their heaviest, encore. known as “Jag”) opened through their evolution, having crowd interactive songs, MMF MMF performed their two with a haunting and enticing been through a couple important could not have picked a more most brutally honest songs, that introduction, quickly allowing lineup changes since their initial perfect song to open with. are essentially hate letters to the rest of the members (drummer formation in 2008. They continued the postive music labels, entitled “Prove Me Cory La Quay, keyboardist Kyle Now with four studio releases vibe with “Alive in the Lights,” Right” and “Legacy.” Simmons, and guitarist Nick under their belts with well-known brought their old-school country These two songs sent two Miller) to begin their heavy, frontman Tyler “Telle” Smith, the metal back with the angry anthem very important messages to the hair-whipping instrumentals, and group has grown into one of the “You’re Lucky It’s Not 1692,” fans in the crowd. bassist Brian White to rip into most unique-sounding hardcore and of course, performed two One, was a message of Jag’s vocals with his own intense bands in the scene. new songs, entitled “No Ordinary encouragement to make a screaming. Not only have their Love” and “Sleepless Nights,” name for yourself, and most Fans were ecstatic when, instrumentals matured (thanks to the latter being introduced via importantly, by yourself. toward the end of the set, the experimentation with the mixture an inspirational message from The second message was one band performed “Wires and the of heavy riffs and electronic Mullins that ensured every fan of promise. Concept of Breathing,” a classic incorporation), but Smith has packed tightly into the venue, A promise that Memphis May off their 2008 debut album of the truly grown into his own as far lovingly staring up at the smiling Fire have never given up for a same name. as the vocal expectations of the musicians, that the band would specific reason: to be there for The song got every veteran hardcore scene. always be there for emotional their fans, forever, always and of fan of the band off their feet, with S m i t h s t a r t e d o ff w i t h support, through their music. course - unconditionally. their necks and hands stretched as
CALENDAR
mar 31
mar 27
mar 28
mar 29
mar 30
Marching Tiger’s “Bon Voyage” Night Wheelock Gym 7:30 p.m.
The Sing Off - A Night of A cappella Fox Performing Arts Center 8-10 p.m.
Carnifex Chain Reaction 6 p.m.
Wrecking Crew Comedy Show Irvine Improve 7p.m.
Jason Mraz Fox Performing Arts Center 7 p.m.
The Sound of Animals Fighting The Wiltern 8 p.m.
Guitar Center Music Expo Long Beach Convention Center 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Apple Seed Cast The Glass House 7p.m.
apr 2
apr 3
apr 4
apr 5
Riverside Arts Walk Downtown Riverside 6-9 p.m.
Les Miserables Landis Performing Arts Center 8-11 p.m.
Chamber Music Series La Sierra University 8-9:30 p.m.
Petty Fest Los Angeles El Rey Theatre 9 p.m.
“Captain America: Winter Soldier” released in theaters
Les Miserables Landis Performing Arts Center 8-11 p.m.
apr 1 Willie Nelson Fox Performing Arts Center 6:30 p.m. The Used release “Imaginary Enemy”
SchoolBoy Q The Observatory 8 p.m. John Legend Renée and Henry- Segerstrom concert hall 8 p.m.
Steven Spielberg-themed- brain party Alex’s Bar 8p.m. Millie & Andrea release “Drop the Vowles”
8 | March 27, 2014
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‘Center Stage Theater’ not worth the price alicea thomas Staff Writer The Center Stage Theater, located in Fontana hosted the production of “DreamGirls” in their Broadway series. “Dreamgirls” ran from Feb. 14 through Mar. 9. The production was one of the best seen here in the Inland Empire. It gives an in-depth look into an AfricanAmerican girl group and their journey of breaking their way into the music industry. The main character Deena, played by Denise Tillman, was one of the most dynamic evolutions of a character. In the beginning of the play, Deena is the young, shy girl sneaking behind her mother’s back to perform on stage. When the play comes to a conclusion you see a complete 360 back to the loving friend she once was, no longer money hungry, power hungry, or persuaded by her
evil ex- husband. The choreography in the piece was beautiful. Filled with multiple changes during dynamic numbers such as “Stepin’ to the Bad Side,” and classic dance moves during the final song “ Hard to Say Goodbye.” Although the production was well put together, the venue itself may be the reason one might never visit this establishment again. The doors opened at 6:30 p.m. and dinner began at 7:15 p.m . There are various ticket options avaiable, with the “dinner and a show” option priced at a “Gold Star” level for a discounted price. We arrived at 6:30 p.m. and were seated at our table, greeted with bread and a wonderful waiter. At 7:30 p.m., salads were on the tables and next came the main course. If you did not purchase a ticket that included a meal, you could add one or purchase an appetizer.
Foster the People deliver long-awaited new album
patty nunez-mejia Assistant a&e editor
After three long years, the patient fanbase of alternative rock band Foster the People can now enjoy the bands new harmonious album, “Super Model.” The trio announced earlier in January, that they would be releasing a new album this year. Columbia Records released “Super Model” March 18. The Los Angeles based band was formed in 2009, made up by Mark Foster, Cubbie Fink, and Mark Pontius. The band went viral in 2010 with their hit “Pumped Up Kicks,” which ultimately led them to fame and a record deal. The assiduous new album offers an electric, psychedelic and dance-inspiring sound, packed with compelling and engaging lyrics. “Coming of Age,” the band’s newest hit single, along with its new music video, included a collaboration to create a mural on the streets of Los Angeles. The mural is also the band’s alluring cover art painted over a large building. According to Foster, the band wanted to match the cover art with the title of the album. “It was really important for us to have the art work be a counter balance to that
word,” said Foster on the band’s YouTube channel. “It was really important to us to create a piece of art that redefined what that word meant.” Now the bold artwork that dresses the city of angels is a woman vomiting a poem as the media photographs her. The “Coming of Age” music video is a time-lapse of the creation of the mural. The themes discussed in “Super Model” have matured in comparison to “Torches,” their first and only other album. “I kept traveling. It started in India, ended in Morocco. That trip to me was the catalyst for a lot of the concepts…that ended up becoming on the record lyrically. It sent me on a different path, I went through a ton of changes and reflection internally,” Foster stated, on the making of “Super Model,” on the band’s YouTube channel. Foster discussed how he got perspective in the making of this album, his travels and what this album is essentially about. “It is kind of about the gray area. The in-between the black and white extremes of Los Angeles and the rest of this world.” 30-year-old Mark Foster enchants us with this stunning musical creation, and the incredible artwork to please Los Angeles, making Foster the People one of the truly artistic and impacting musical acts in the modern music industry.
The food was luke warm and bland in taste. I asked a waitress if she knew what time the show would began, to which she stated 9 p.m. Unfortunately she was not far off. Instead of dinner and a show it was more, dinner, then a show. At 8:30 p.m., the musical began and ran for an hour. A delicious desert was served and at 11:15 p.m., the show finally came to a close. The show itself was amazing and worth a $50 ticket alone. I would recommend purchasing a ticket only option and getting an appetizer when you arrive, if you choose to show up early enough, based on the poor timing of the presentation of the main course. Tickets for this show ranged from $18 - $59.95. The Center Stage Theater ’s next production is “ You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” which will run from Mar. 29 to Apr. 6.
alicea thomas/ staff Photo
showstopper: A cast member of
“Dreamgirls,” hosted at Center Stage Theater, sings a popular song.
Taking Back Sunday secure
rafael rios Assistant a&e editor
Taking Back Sunday has come to take back your attention with enticing music once again. Formed in 1999 by guitarist Eddie Reyes, Taking Back Sunday didn’t release their first album until they signed with Victory Records in 2002 when they released “Tell All Your Friends.” In 2004, the band released “Where You Want To Be,” which made it to No. 3 on the Billboard 200 list. It seems as if the band was picking perfect titles to describe what they were releasing. When the album “Louder Now” was released in 2006, it definitely made some noise. The success was enough to top their previous album, hitting No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and since then, selling over 900 thousand copies. The two previous singles to the release prior to this album were, “New Again” (2009) and “Taking Back Sunday” (2011). Although not as successful as thier previous work they still did well due to their
faithful fans. With that kind of success, it isn’t hard to believe that the band has continued making music in the 15 years they have together as a band. The band revealed plans for their newest album in January, and it was available on iTunes for pre-order, titled “Happiness Is,” and with that came a track titled “Flicker Fade.” The release of “Happiness Is,” on the band’s new label, Hopeless Records, finally came on March 18. Although much like older jams “You’re So Last Summer” and “Make Damn Sure,” the track “They Don’t Have Any Friends” feels as if the band has truly grown and has grasped and smoothed the flow in which they produce music. Taking Back Sunday once again does well in choosing a title for its album that coincides with the true feeling it induces. “Happiness is” what you’ll find yourself listening to when listening to this album. You can be sure to find certain comfort in the fact that the newest production certainly sounds much like their previous sounds, and luckily has not drifted far from their originality. Taking Back Sunday is here to stay.
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March 27, 2014 | 9
Pillaging continues ‘Stick of Truth’ makes in ‘Vikings’ season 2 ‘South Park’ name proud ahmad Mansoor Staff Writer
aaron beltran Staff Writer
Betrayal. Lies. Adultery. Murder. These are the ways some of history’s most violent yet brilliant marauders can be described. Known for their immense size, power and strength, vikings wielded axes like no other and sailed the seas without fear. The History Channel’s first scripted show began last year, and has drawn the eyes and ears of many. Having generated a huge fan base, the show was renewed for a ten episode second season. Airing the premiere of its second season on Feb. 27, the audience have had its eyes glued to what might be the next hit series. Michael Hirst has done an incredible job of bringing these vicious people to life on the television screen. There have been few movies or shows that portray these Norse warriors justifiably, with many choosing to exclude the importance of their religion. “Vikings” not only provides rather accurate information, but an escape from reality into a world that once was, showcasing their lifestyle of merciless killing, honorable patriotism and the fearless facing of death. Season one began with Ragnar Lodbrok (Travis Fimmel) seeking the throne and title of Earl.
Tired of raiding depleted homelands, Ragnar sought to rule his people and take them to new riches overseas. Receving help from his good friend Floki, the two traverse the seas safely. After returning with new knowledge, Ragnar fights for the throne in a battle to the death. No man can decline a battle, for Odin as it would surely banish them from entering the halls of Valhalla, a right only reserved for the greatest of warriors. “Vikings” not only gives us a broader perspective of the way these savages fought, but also, how they lived. Filmed on location in Ireland, the scenes are filled with so much intricate detail that you may even forget you are watching a scripted show. Season two begins four years after season one. Ragnar is now leading the life he has always dreamed, however, nothing is perfect and things rarely stay the same. Jealous of his brother’s new found power and feeling inferior, Rollo tries to steal his brother’s crown. With only one previous season, it’s hard to believe that Hirst has done such an exceptional job with the development of his characters and the world around them. Nothing kind will be in store for these characters. Tune in Thursdays for the remaining episodes of season two on the History Channel.
It has been 17 years since animators Matt Stone and Trey Parker first graced the airwaves with the story of four young boys living in a quiet Colorado mountain town by the name of South Park. During that time, numerous games based on the series have been released, but none of them can even hold a candle to the latest instalment of “South Park: The Stick of Truth.” The game starts off with the player being able customize a character dubbed by the other characters as “the new kid,” and being able to select your character’s fighting class (with the choices being Warrior, Mage, Thief, or Jew). All of these are the same warrior class but come with different weapon sets. The game itself is “open sandbox,” meaning the player is capable of traveling all over the town of South Park meeting and interacting with characters from the show. Following old roll playing game formula or “fighting like in olden times” as Cartman says in the tutorial, when the player engages with an opponent they each have a turn to attack, heal, or call for back up. The plot centers around the new kid moving into South Park. Joining the gang’s latest LARPING game, the player joins either “Cartman’s Humans” group or “Kyle’s Elves,” both who are trying to calmly gain control of the most powerful weapon ever created, the Stick of Truth, while dressed in amusingly tacky makeshift Cosplay outfits.
True to the show, things escalate wildly and hilariously, leading to conspiracies involving everything from the government, aliens, and Taco Bell. While fighting for either group, the player is faced with a multitude of different enemies such as ginger hall monitors, mongolian invaders and creepy homeless people, all leading up to nazi zombies (yes even in the game everyone addresses how cliché that is.) The game, which was published by Ubidoft, has the look and feel of an authentic “South Park” episode even in battle mode. Going on that, there definitely is not a shortage of celebrity bashing, reference to other RPG games and other nodes to pop culture, one of them being that in the entire town of children dressed in a mideval theme, one fourth grader feels the need to dress as the character Spock of “Star Trek” much to everyone else’s cringes. And while the drops of references to past episodes of the show, as well as a few moments of gross out humor are enjoyable, the challenges that involve button mashing can get a bit annoying as well as tiring on the fingers. “Stick of Truth” was rated at a 9 out of 10 on IGN.com, a popular video game rating website. The game is rated “M for mature, due to the violent and obscene nature in many of its scenes, including the profanity, gore, nudity, and drug reference. “Stick of Truth” is a hilarious, interactive video game that is a must have for any “South Park” fan.
‘Cosmos’ launches viewers into the unknown ‘If the bus can’t get through, call me. Spend the night at my home, with my family.’ I already knew I wanted to become a scientist, From the beginning of time but that afternoon I learned from mankind has looked up at the sky Carl the kind of person I wanted and wondered where they came to become. He reached out to me from? “Cosmos: A Spacetime and to countless others. Inspiring Odyssey,” is a scientific television so many of us to study, teach show that explains the beginning and do science. Science is a of time and leads up to the creation cooperative enterprise, spanning of all mankind, from wandering the generations,” said Tyson in an hunters to exploring the stars. episode of “Cosmos.” The television show is This moment was moving, broadcast every Sunday night at powerful, and a terrific way to 9 p.m. on all Fox network owned launch the rebooted series, paying channels, which includes Fox, the respect to the late Carl Sagan, who Discovery Channel and National inspired many people to go into the Geographic. field of science. The television show first aired The new series roughly follows back in the 1980s as a 13 episode the 13-episode story format of the series under a different name, old series along with the “Ship “Cosmos: A Personal Voyage” image courtesy of foxflash publicity of the Imagination” with updated which was hosted by Carl Sagan, an astrophysicist, on the Public into the cosmos: Neil deGrasse Tyson, the latest host of “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey,”information. stands atop a seaside cliff in Northern California during an intro for one of the episodes on the However, the show is not only Broadcasting Station. Neil deGrasse Tyson standing After Sagan’s death in 1996, Fox space show. in front of the television screen co-creator Ann Druyan, producer speaking for an hour. Along with a new title, the television California where one of the original scenes Steven Soter and Neil deGrasse They include computer-generated Tyson tried bringing back the show series also gained a new host by the name of with Carl Sagan was filmed, which inspired graphics with animation footage to augment “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey,” however Neil deGrasse Tyson, who grew up idolizing many people. Tyson pulled a copy of Sagan’s signed the narration. the show struggled to restart again, due to Sagan. The 60-minute science documentary Sagan was the reason why Tyson ended paperback book, The Cosmic Collection, the fact that many television networks failed up picking his career in astrophysics. which encouraged the young scientist to attracted 8.5 million viewers despite the to see the appeal of the show. competition they were against other top Tyson has written many books on become the person he is today. A new hope appeared on the horizon After visiting Sagan’s house and lab, shows Sunday. According to Internet Movie with the help of “Family Guy” creator Seth astronomy, hosted shows such as “Nova” MacFarlane obtaining network funding and and held the position of vice president, Tyson discovered what kind of person he Database their rating was a 9.5 out 10 stars, president and chairman of the board of the wanted to be, “At the end of the day, he not only is the show informative that makes becoming the executive producer. drove me back to the bus station. The snow it interesting for the audience to watch along In August of 2011, “Cosmos: A Planet Society. In episode 3 of the rebooted series was falling harder. He wrote his phone with a great host and all the inspirational Spacetime Odyssey” was announced to be Tyson stood on a seaside cliff in Northern number on a scrap of paper. And he said, graphics they included in an hour. aired on television during spring of 2014. LUIS SOLIS Staff Writer
10 | MARCH 27, 2014
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Serving students since 1922
Ceramic art steals the show at the Quad Gallery By: Alejandra Garcia
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12 | March 27, 2014
Serving students since 1922
A bookworm’s delight
Dianne Thi Nguyen / Staff Photographer
spot the owls:
Vera Lee prices and prepares a new inventory of books to add to the already massive collection. Owls are peppered around the store, camouflaged among the books.
Amina Samreen Salahuddin
“We knew that we would never be r ich th rough this bookstore, yet this is my dream job,” Nadia said. “This place is too old and the structure is weak, when it rains it leaks, we have no heating and cooling system, yet we withstand it all, we are lucky.”
“
Asst. Features Editor
Just at the corner, passing through an arched walkway and along side an old building leads one into a quaint and cozy downtown bookstore. The Downtowne Bookstore, located on Main Street near the Mission Inn, was established in 1979 and offers a classic and cozy little place filled with a myriad of rare books. Fine used books on a wide variety of s u bje c t s s u ch a s a s t r o n o m y, woodworking, wo rld h i s t o r y, a collection of William Shakespeare works and a huge section of children’s books for all ages are available. Two sisters, Nadia and Vera Lee have owned the bookstore since 2002. According to Nadia, the bookstore is located in a “sweet spot” of downtown and that attracted them toward buying it.
all different sizes, which often make onlookers question their abundant presence. The owls are all gifts, given to them by random visitors over the years from all over the world. The name of the first owl is “Barney Bee.” The name was decided by a girl through a competition in 2003. The craftwork used as decor around the bookstore includes a Victorian wreath that was made with pages rolled into cones from an old book. There are vintage book clocks, which are all handmade, and some locally made paintings hung around as well. There are repor ts of paranormal activity inside The Dow ntow ne Bookstore. Nadia recalls a personal experience of hers when she and her sister had first taken over the bookstore and were standing at the counter discussing the next course of action, when a book fell off from between a well-organized bookshelf.
“We knew we would never be rich through this bookstore, yet this is my dream job.” -- Nadia Lee
“The surprising part was that there was no kind of movement in an around the bookstore or shelf, so what could make the book fall all by itself?” Nadia said. Several paranormal expert teams like Parklands Paranormal Pictures and IE Paranormal Investigation Team have done investigations at the bookstore and found strange happenings in its basement and the store’s main floor. Nadia and Vera spend much
of their time from opening till midnight at the bookstore and have been unharmed. “It gets a little spooky, but then it is an old place,” Nadia said. The books are reasonably priced, but they do not sell textbooks or brand new books. This old school bookstore also doesn’t accept card transactions below $10. They also generate orders through Amazon, a survival strategy in a digital world.
Owner of Downtowne Bookstore
The bookstore gets used books that are no longer wanted. People give these books to them and can take any other item from the bookstore in return according to Nadia. The Downtowne Bookstore has a character of it’s own: a creaking wooden f loor and pictures and statues of owls in
Dianne Thi Nguyen / staff photographer
barney bee: The original owl that keeps watch over The
Downtowne Bookstore, named “Barney Bee” in 2003.
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March 27, 2014 | 13
RCC Spotlight The sky is the limit for Professor Blair’s students
Luis SOlis / Photo Editor
Orbiting the class: Professor Blair explains the moon’s orbit to a captivated class through
enthusiastic illustrations in the Robert Dixon Planetarium.
Edith Noriega Staff Writer
Professor Scott Blair has been wandering the Milky Way galaxy for the past 21 years at Riverside City College. “I’m just grateful to have been able to do what I love for so many years,” said Blair. “What a joy it has been to talk about the universe.” As a kid growing up, Blair was always fascinated with astronomy. He experienced watching the Apollo 11 project on TV at a very young age, which made him interested with the idea of man landing on the moon for the first time. “Bu z z A ld r i n a nd Neil Armstrong: those were names
that were very important in my life, they were my childhood heroes,” said Blair. Later in life, he was able to meet Buzz Aldrin when he once spoke in Riverside. Blair got to shake his hand and take a couple photographs. “The discipline that I have committed myself to is that of a childhood hero of mine,” said Blair. “That was nice.” Blair first came to RCC in the late 1980s. He was fresh out of high school and initially had only completed a few classes. He took a break from school and after several years working a multitude of jobs including an auto mechanic, construction and even in automotive sales, he decided to come back as a re-
entry student. “It was at that time I got serious about being a student and I finished a degree here and figured out it was going to be something to do with physics and astronomy,” said Blair. Blair went on to complete his bachelor’s degree in physics at the University of California Riverside in 1993 and then a master’s degree in physics with emphasis in astrophysics in 1994. Blair began teaching night classes at RCC while completing his graduate degree. With the help of his mentors and astronomy professors Cliff Holmes, Terry O’Neill and Robert Dixon, he learned how to operate the Robert Dixon Planetarium at RCC. Outside of lecture hours, Blair also takes students out on expeditions far away from the city lights. “The biggest thing I do is organize and show my students the sky - the real sky, what the actual light from the object looks like,” said Blair. “Everybody always tells me it is so much different to see Jupiter than to see a picture of Jupiter, to see the moon than to see a picture of the moon, and to me that is worth all of it right there, to see their reaction keeps you motivated.” The Robert Dixon planetarium is also open to those that are not enrolled in any astronomy course every Thursday from 12:50-1:50 p.m. Blair enjoys promoting the interest of astronomy through presentations, planetarium shows and other activities. Visit viewpointsonline.org to view a video of Professor Blair.
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Features
Serving students since 1922
Oscar HErnandez/ Staff Photographer
combat to classroom: RCC utilizes the O.W. Noble building to provide military students with helpful resources in the Veterans’ Center to ease their transition.
RCC supports its troops Veterans’ Resource Center provides guidance and resources to student veterans
Jasmine Ramirez
Staff Writer A challenge many veterans face is getting the help they need when returning home, many of which are academic. Whether it’s finding a job or deciding which course to enroll in, it is often confusing. The Veterans’ Resou rce C e n t e r a t R i ve r s i d e Ci t y College serves students with the assistance and tools to collect their GI Bill (veteran educational benefits) while helping them adjust to civilian life. The center provides veterans with computers and a space to study with others that are going through the same process. Concerned about costs for his education after graduating high school and uncertain of his plans, Deryke Ramirez, a RCC student,
made the decision to join the U.S. Army at the age of 17. While most of his peers were preparing themselves for entering college, Ramirez prepared himself for the grueling training he was to endure with the Army. “I made the decision to join the U.S. Army because they had the job I wanted, the bonus I wanted and overall I wanted to join for the experience,” Ramirez said. His ultimate goal before joining the army was to have a career within the health care field. On returning from basic training at Fort Knox, Ky. He then was st ationed in For t Benning, Ga., where he trained and worked as a crewman on an M1 Abrams Tank. After serving his first term of service, he then transitioned out of active duty
into the National Guard as a military police officer, which would give him the opportunity to attend college to pursue a nursing career. Now entering civilian life, Ramirez has found the transition different from what he thought it would be. “In the military there is a set schedule,” said Ramirez. “You know what your supposed to do and where to be and here there is so many different things going on at once.” Going from firing shots for tank gunnery training to sitting in classrooms and studying can be an extreme change of environment for veterans. The military can provide many with a st r uct u red foundation and with the funds for schooling and housing. Many
veterans are enrolled in colleges across the U.S., using their GI Bill to better their future and advance their careers. Jo shu a Wi l s on , a RCC student, joined the military at the age of 23 to get some experience as a medical technician. “ I w a nt e d t o h ave t h e experience of having people’s lives in my hands,” Wilson said. He enjoyed much of his time he had with the military a nd e spe cial ly hav i ng t he opportunity to travel to many places in Europe. W he n r e t u r n i ng home, although having setbacks such as awaiting his GI Bill funding and finding a civilian job that he enjoys, he has persevered and is preparing for the road ahead of him. “It’s not too diff icult to
adjust, but being in the school environment, there’s a little bit of pressure just because I’m much older now so I feel a little bit out of place but at the same time I need to focus on the things I need to get done.” “The Veterans’ resource center is very helpful, I go there and use the computers and it’s a better environment, you meet other veterans,” said Ramirez. “The people in the office are there to help you.” Many veterans are proud to say they served this country, and have learned many values, discipline and a great skill set from their leaders. They all have their own individual experiences serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, but can relate to the challenges of returning home and continuing with their lives.
Food truck sweetens students at ‘The Sweet Stop’ Tyler Reese Staff Writer
The Sweet Stop is a food truck that has made several appearances this spring semester on Riverside City College’s campus and mesmerized just about anyone who walks within its vicinity. “I hope this food truck is here to stay, I love the food and it’s convenient,” said Scott Coco, an RCC student. The Sweet Stop is a local food truck and catering business owned by Al and Liz Larson. The Larson’s started The Sweet Stop a few years ago and have since expanded throughout California after adding a small fleet of food trucks. T he Sweet Stop does personalized catering services for festivals, street fairs, concerts, fundraisers or any other special event needs. The food t r uck caters a variety of treats to cure sweet
tooth, whether it’s lemonade or a rich and chewy funnel cake. Funnel cake seems to be the main attraction at the Sweet Stop according to students “The smell of the funnel cake caught my attention by its delicious aroma,” said RCC student, Rachel Moore. Other foods served by The Sweet Stop are nachos, burgers, fries, pretzels and energy drinks but the variations of the foods they sell on their menu changes from each food truck and booth. They have separate menus so students have different choices every time another food truck from The Sweet Stop rolls onto RCC’s campus. Although the menu won’t differ for RCC students since the college has made a fixed menu for The Sweet Stop to sell certain foods on campus. Service is fast and the food doesn’t stop to satisfy its consumers. “The food was delicious, on time with kind service,” said
Coco. According to the Sweet Stop’s website, their state of the art mobile trailers are totally self-contained and operate 100 percent on propane gas. The trailers are equipped with a generator and a full sized kitchen to handle any size group or party with flexible menus and to be accessible at any location. Their newest trailer is smaller in size for funnel cake and drink only type events. Their menu is designed to have a variety of food but at affordable prices “They are cheaper than most state and county fairs,” said Stephanie Crocker, an RCC student. RCC students really enjoy the additional choices of food other than the cafeteria and vending machines. Now students have more of a choice on what kind of food they can get to eat while on their way to class or on their way home.
Luis SOlis / Photo Editor
quick snack: Students pause at The Sweet Stop to grab a delectable funnel cake.
Viewpoints
March 27, 2014 | 15
Serving students since 1922
Opinions
Viewpoints
EDITORIAL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Travis West 951- 222-8494 viewpoints@rcc.edu MANAGING EDITOR James H. Williams viewpoints.managing@gmail.com ADVERTISING MANAGER David Roman viewpoints.advertising@gmail.com JOURNALISM SPECIALIST Matt Schoenmann matthew.schoenmann@rcc.edu FACULTY ADVISERS Allan Lovelace Jim Burns NEWS EDITOR Josa Lamont viewpoints.news@gmail.com
Ballot box a bust at RCC
Jackie Trejo / Illustrator
OPINIONS EDITOR Marissa Bostick viewpoints.opinions@gmail.com FEATURES EDITOR Valerie Osier viewpoints.features@gmail.com
Riverside Community College district is buzzing with the activity of election season: or it isn’t. Sure, it’s election season and the Associated Students of Riverside City College are prepping for the work they have to do and the Board of Trustees has candidates campaigning to secure seats, but who else on campus really feels the buzz? “They should’ve promoted it better,” said Ignacio Diaz, an RCC student. He has an interest in politics and now that he’s aware of the election he intends to vote, as long as he can find the voting booths. “Why don’t I run?” said Diaz. “I thought about it, but honestly their page seems intentionally confusing.” Doug Figueroa, the ASRCC president, is a registered sex offender who ran unopposed in last year’s elections, and won the election in the preceding year when his opponent dropped out of the race. “I think the more competition, the better,” said Miguel Bagsit, vice president. According to the ASRCC Constitution, positions other than president and vice president can only be filled if there are at least two candidates. That rule does not apply to the presidency, and elections so Figueroa was able to serve a second year in a row. Disinterest in the politics of RCC is part of an inherent disillusionment of the millennial generation toward the system in general. “The so-called millennial generation…is certain to become a growing share of the electorate,” according to www.pewresearch.org. “Today they are 25.5 percent of the age-eligible electorate. By 2020, they will be 36.5 percent. If history is a guide, this cohort of voters will increase its voter participation levels as it grows older.” So it’s inevitable that we’ll be interested eventually. It’s tempting at this point to be inclined to cynicism and surrender to a sense of disparity. However, it is also important to reject that reactionary way of thinking and remember that politics can change. Not the politics of our grandparents: the system is broken and there’s no hope for the traditionalists with old ways of thinking that persist in trying to preen the feathers of a bronze eagle. Where we do have hope is where we can invest our interest and
SPORTS EDITOR James H. Williams viewpoints.sports@gmail.com PHOTO EDITOR Luis Solis viewpoints.photo@gmail.com ONLINE EDITOR David Roman viewpoints.online@gmail.com Arts & Entertainment EDITOR Alyssa Aldrete viewpoints.arts&entertainment@gmail.com
STAFF Aaron Beltran John Braxton III Alejandra Garcia Mariah Green-Hill Ashley Hefner Oscar Hernandez Mark Howard Cherish Jones Ahmad Mansoor Lucinda Matthews Patricia Meija Jasmine Mikulak Brittany Nikodym Edith Noriega Dianne Thi Nguyen
Alexandria Ortiz Jasmine Ramirez Victoria Randall Tyler Reese Rafael Rios Amina Salahuddin Nicholle Salvatierra Daisy Sanchez Maranda Shain Steven Smith Mykaela Taketa Alicea Thomas Jackie Trejo Danyel Whyte Dominique Williams
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Letters to the editor should be kept to 250 words or less. Deliver letters to the Viewpoints office in the room behind the Assessment Building. Viewpoints reserves the right to edit letters for space and to reject libelous or obscene letters. Letters to the editor and columns represent the opinions of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the entire Viewpoints staff, Viewpoints faculty advisers, student government, faculty, administration nor the Board of Trustees.
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effort into the system’s extremities. The senate currently only has 13 of the 45 senate positions filled by students. Focusing on the areas we can effectively change will satisfy our own need for a sense of satisfaction, and secure our position for politics in our future. City council, student government and volunteer workers for campaigns are ways youth can stay engaged with the decisions that affect our lives now, and build foundations for later. “Honestly, 2 percent of the population is active,” said Bagsit. “You have 2 percent of the population that’s really interested, really involved really engaged. The goal is how do you get the other 98 percent to get there.” If we dedicate a minuscule of attention to the political structure in our closest environment, we can feel the reward of change and impact. The small structure of a student government means less work goes further, and a small amount of modern thinking appropriately directed can spark a fuse of change. Could the ASRCC app be used to pose electoral debates, stream video to students or facilitate the vote? Currently ASRCC is trying to facilitate online voting through WebAdvisor. Are there other new creative solutions to old problems made possible by our generation? And how can we carry those effective changes upward into broader governing bodies. We have to reject ideas of a broken system and discard the natural hopelessness that comes from a concrete, systemic and antique problem. We have to embrace the idea that we are poised to implement monumental changes. We are the youth born out of Internet, information and possibility. It’s time to rethink the past that grew to function out of dusty encyclopedias. We assume we have to follow archaic rules chiseled in stone, when we know how to implement the future. We hold the keys to political rebirth but change doesn’t begin with monumental changes in insurmountable legislation, but with practical modifications to the systems closest to us by the means most natural to us. Student government is not another version of the distant man, but an opportunity for students to build the future.
PHONE: (951) 222-8488 E-mail: viewpoints@rcc.edu Editor in Chief PHONE: (951) 222-8495
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Viewpoints is a public forum, First Amendment newspaper. Student editors have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. © 2014 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.
Viewpoints
More than just a debt
16 | March 27, 2014
Cherish Jones Staff Writer
If you have been on any social media sites in the past month chances are you have scrolled across a link titled “Girl Sues Parents for Tuition.” Although, the title is straightforward many of the articles online put the girl, Rachel Canning, in a negative light for suing her parents. Rachel is an 18-year honor student, athlete, and bound for private university in the fall. I for one was in support of her case and was sad to see it dismissed March 18. The issue that set the lawsuit in motion was Rachel Canning moving out of her parents’ house just two days before her 18th birthday. Her parents were not in favor of her decision or her recent behavior and threatened to stop paying for her private school tuition and future college expenses if she did not abide by their rules.
Sounds like good parenting right? Well, whether or not it was a good parenting decision isn’t the question at hand. Whether or not they were legally in the right to do so is. The initial reaction is of course they were in the right, it’s their money. There is no law that says they have to pay her tuition, she can go to public school for free. To some extent this is a valid argument if the case wasn’t in the state of New Jersey. New Jersey along with many other states have adopted unique policies in regards to parental financial responsibilities since the 1982 Newburgh V. Arrigo court case. The only problem is that the New Jersey policy hasn’t been trialed on a family that wasn’t going through a divorce. Had the case not been dismissed Rachel’s case could have set precedent for future tuition disputes. Another fact that puts things in Rachel’s favor is that her parents verbally agreed to pay for her high school tuition, and future college expenses under no stipulations. Also, since Rachel attends a private high school her parents would have had to sign a contract with the school agreeing to pay the tuition. Had this verbal agreement occurred between
two corporation owners, or married spouses its validity would not be in question. The laws of child dependency are extended past age 18 even though the age of consent is as low as 13 in New Jersey. This means that the parents can still be held responsible for taking care of their child while at the same time their child can legally make adult decisions. However, the parents benefit from this law as well through tax breaks. Rachel’s parents should have received an estimation of $27,000 over Rachel’s life span in tax breaks. With that information in my mind Rachel’s parents have financially benefited in some way, and seem to be legally obligated to financially support their child. But, even when analyzing the situation from a parental standpoint their decision to not pay the tuition doesn’t seem reasonable. If Rachel was in fact missing curfew, under aged drinking, and behaving disrespectfully toward her parents like they accused her of then those issues should not be taken lightly. If Rachel was misbehaving but still maintaining an honors level GPA, and school attendance her parents could have found another means of “teaching” her a lesson such as counseling
Letter from the editor As individuals we want nothing more than to be accepted for who we are. With that being said, mistakes are made by all of us. In the March 13 publication of Viewpoints, there is an article on Page 19 that I overlooked and I am not proud of publishing. Before I get into the article, I take full and all responsibility for articles Viewpoints runs. The article that was published is highly offensive to the LGBT community and goes so far as to say that gays should not participate in sports. This opinion does not correspond with the Viewpoints staff or myself. Although I encourage my staff to express its opinion on
Opinions
Serving students since 1922
certain topics, this particular article is not and will not be the standard for Viewpoints. As editor-in-chief I take full responsibility for having this article published and apologize to anyone who was offended. I will make the necessary changes to ensure this will never happen again. First off, I will take it upon myself to thoroughly read and edit every article that will be published. Secondly, the column in which the article was written has been replaced. The writer who wrote the offensive column will be only writing game reports. And lastly, I have added a diversity editor to the staff. This editor and myself will closely
edit and monitor any article that could be offensive. We will not sensor ourselves, but we will be more vigilant in the future. With all these measures in place, I will do everything I can to prevent this from happening again. My hope is that our readers pick up our next issue of Viewpoints and are pleased to see the content inside. If anyone would like to express their concern or have any questions on this matter please contact my personal email at Viewpoints@rcc.edu or visit the newsroom located on the opposite side of the Assessment Center.
To comment on these Articles or send a letter to the editor, Visit viewpointsonline.org or email Viewpoints@rcc.edu
or therapy. Rachel Canning is a senior in high school, so refusing to pay her tuition would force her to transfer in the middle of the school year and potentially damage her academic future. In addition to that if Rachel still managed to get into college after being transferred her parents make too much money for her to qualify for financial aid. That means Rachel’s future was literally a bargaining chip for the purpose of proving a point. That doesn’t seem like the parental thing to do. I believe the case had merit due to the previous mentioned information. Unfortunately, the case was dismissed six days after Rachel Canning moved back home with her parents. Whether or not she was
coerced into dropping the suit still remains a question. Even though the case was dropped it raises the question of the true cost of education. Yes, the financial cost are exceedingly high, but what about the mental cost? Rachel was willing to sue her parents to pay for school, and so many other students have stooped to lower points just to afford higher education. How much are students truly enduring to gain a quality education? In extreme cases like that of Natalie Dylan she was willing to auction off her virginity to pay off school debts. How bad do things have to get before colleges, or the government do something about tuition cost. What good is a quality education if you have to sell yourself to earn it?
‘Target’ ads gets touchy Marissa Bostick Opinions Editor Though it is a crude but common practice, retailers and various fashion magazines Photoshop models to create the perfect woman. Recently Target.com got in trouble for photo shopping a model so bad a part of pelvic area was obviously missing. In what state of mind did Target really think that no one would notice this butchering of the young woman’s body? It is one thing to change the lighting or erase a few flyaway pieces of hair but to remove a woman’s crotch, shave down her hip and cut her arm width in half is a different story. Not only is it wrong to alter photos the way the fashion industry does, but to promote it just to sell a swimsuit is horrible. On top of the butchered images being in swimwear, the pictures in question were in the juniors department, meaning they were targeting young girls. Target along with many others use this unethical method and only apologize for it if they even are caught. Clothing distributors like Forever 21, Bloomindales and Ann Taylor need to learn to use authentic women instead of making up unnatural body forms. When an image changes drastically just to create a false image of beauty, it encourages
young girls to alter themselves to fit this projection of what beautiful is. Whatever is healthy should be considered ideal not starved looking bellies and thigh gaps. Although Target representative Evan Miller said, “It was an unfortunate error on our part and we apologize,” the apology reads more like their version of, “Our bad we got caught unlike the countless others.” Perhaps now with Target’s blunder more people will look into the images on pages and see them for what they really are. How does the fashion industry get away with falsifying images and selling it as an actual representation of the human body? The woman in the magazine rarely looks the same way off the page. Even though it is not uncommon to use a beautiful woman to sell clothes, it should not be common to digitally change the young woman. If there were some sort consequence, even if it were minuscule, companies would at least think twice before they altered images. Fashion advertisements need to take a page from photojournalism’s ethics book and put their eraser tools down. As consumers, we should stand up and tell clothing companies and ad designers that distorting images is not what gets us to buy things. How companies think unobtainable body types gets women to purchase clothes is positively psychotic and needs to end. Enough is enough; selling clothes to women should not be about the model but the actual garment.
All the opinions in this section are the opinions of the writers are the writers alone. The opinions in this section do not directly reflect the opinion of the entire Viewpoints staff.
Viewpoints
Opinions
March 27, 2014 | 17
Serving students since 1922
The inevitable death of paperback books
Mykaela Taketa Staff Writer It seems inevitable that physical books are going to become obsolete in the years to come. However that doesn’t mean books that we know it will be gone. In a way, it might be a good thing. What makes a book? Paper! And paper comes from
trees thus deforestation. With the digital age ever advancing, perhaps just e-books aren’t that bad of a thing to consider. Today in modern society tablets, phones, and laptops has made books almost obsolete. People are no longer limited to carrying books they want to read but instead have over thousands of literature in the palm of their hands. Let’s be honest, when is the last time you read a book? Not counting your textbooks, but even then again, do you honestly read them on your spare time? Moreover, when is the last time you visited your local library? The average person doesn’t
have the time or the patience to walk from shelf to shelf looking for a decent read. In reality, the books you do have in your house are just paperweight stacked up nicely collecting dust. It’s a telling sign if you can’t recall when you last bought a nonfiction psychological thriller or fantasy novel. Some companies have come up ways to encourage people to read more with apps such as Spritz, Velocity, and Acceleread where the goal is to help readers conquer books in one sit down. These reading apps are slowly gaining a foothold as the new reading method whereas reading at your leisure with paperbacks is slowly but surely becoming the
thing of the past. Even local public libraries are struggling to stay open despite lack of funds and reduced hours have to compete with online counterparts. Some libraries have embraced the new age of technology and upgraded to having more computers and tablets. Let’s look at the difference between physical versus digital books. With any digital book, it’s more convenient to have access to literature with any electronic device. Electronics can be fragile and are expensive, whereas paper books in general on the other hand are cheaper and sturdier. Books generally do not carry
the problem of setting them down hoping they won’t get scratched, water damaged or stolen. As new technology arises, old technology will always become obsolete. It already has been established with Blockbuster versus online streaming. When was the last time someone said they were going to rent a video from Blockbuster? Why do some people feel the need to own a physical paper book than simply acquiring a digital copy? Once more, technology has made reading and browsing more accessible leaving paper books obsolete.
Slacking college students hinder themselves
Terre’ Rabb Staff Witer
Community colleges have been taken advantage of simply because they don’t require as much as a University or Cal State. I believe about 48 percent of community college students are enrolled for their actual degree. The other 52 percent are enrolled for the financial aid check and just the simple fact of having the “college student” title. I have witnessed slacking students. Some of them are slacking by not doing their work and some are just not showing up to class. But will never
be late for the hangout with their “homies” in the café or wherever it may be on campus. What they don’t realize is after they receive that one FASFA check and they have been dropped from their classes, which indeed will also be there last FASFA check. So then was the money even worth it? Why not go to school and actually get a degree as well as receiving FASFA. So that you can get a job easier and have an advantage rather than relying on a federal check that has requirements that everyone cannot meet. Also, you will not be in college forever so the checks will not last you that long. How can you be better motivated as a student? Take note of what eats up your time the most. It requires academic rigor. “I would say I am much of a slacker when it comes to school because I started of my fall semester not doing any
work what so ever. My focus was on my cellphone and Black Ops game at all times. I kept telling myself I would do my homework later but never ended up doing it, “ says Jonathon R. of Riverside City College. I was watching the news on channel 11 last night in my living room and the news reporter said “Students are complaining about receiving too much homework every night. But when it was researched about past homework complaints. Students are now only spending 2 hours at home for homework. In the past it was 4 hours so students get over it and do your work!” From my own experience and watching other students, technology has taken over this generations mind. When your driving in your car nowadays there is 45/50 chance you will either see someone walking and texting or driving and texting. If you have a good amount of friends on campus you will notice that most of them don’t even have
their book(s) for their class. Students are slacking because we are looking for a quick ticket to the top. Why are we taking advantage of what is basically handed to us in this time of recession? Several people have
boycotted about the lack of jobs in America but the few people that have a chance are ruining their chances of getting a job better yet a career. We will only succeed if we work for it!
Jackie Trejo / Illustrator
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All the opinions in this section are the opinions of the writers are the writers alone. The opinions in this section do not directly reflect the opinion of the entire Viewpoints staff.
Viewpoints
Serving students since 1922
18 | March 27, 2014
Opinions
Campus Conversations Why do you think the students at RCC don’t participate in student government? Interviews and Photographs by: Jasmine Mikulak
“People feel like they can’t make a difference. Not everyone on RCC feels like it’s a blessing to be here. They feel ashamed of participating in school activities”
- Garett Bradley
“They don’t really care, They’re ignorant.” - Korinne Tillmon
“I have no clue. There’s too much stuff going on in our lives.” -Justin Molton
“They do participate. The ones that don’t participate may be more focused on getting out from school that day.” - Laura Tapia
“Probably because a lack of information and they’re not taking time to check it out.” - Preston Offield
Viewpoints
March 27, 2014 | 19
Serving students since 1922
Sports
“No matter what business you’re in, you can’t run in place or someone will pass you by. It doesn’t matter how many games you’ve won.” - Jim Valvano
Tigers cut Hawk party short
alexandra Ortiz
Staff writer The Riverside City College Tigers put a stop to the Santiago Canyon College Hawks’ party with 4-3 victory to take control of first place in the Orange Empire Conference. “There’s no party like a SCC party, because a SCC party don’t stop!” That’s what the Hawks came in chanting until they faced the Tigers March 12. The Tigers held on to a threerun lead for six strong innings until the seventh, when the Hawks tied up the game on a single and a couple of Tigers’ defensive errors. Bailey Powell, the Tigers pitcher, was able to get out of the inning without allowing the Hawks to take the lead. “I believe in our abilities, and I know my team always has my
back,” said Powell when asked how she stayed in the game after allowing the Hawks to tie up the game. Then came the bottom of the seventh inning in which the Tigers had a chance to take the lead. With one out, Michelle Paul got walked and a double by Tigers’ catcher Selena Duran, placed Paul on third base and in scoring position. A wild pitch by Hawks’ pitcher Stephanie Pelletier gave Paul the opportunity to steal home sliding right underneath Pelletier’s glove. “Every time we come here it’s a dog fight,” said Lisa Camarco, head coach for the Hawks, “Riverside has always been a great program to face.” Michelle Daddona, the Tigers head coach also had a few words to say about the victory. “It was great! It was a good game, it was a battle since the
Daisy Sanchez/ Staff Photographer
Slugger: RCC’s Breanna Valles holds nothing back as she singled off a pitch against Golden West College. beginning and we did a good job staying with them and coming back to pick up the win.”
The Tigers are now on a ninegame winning streak after beating Saddleback, 5-4, March 14.
Check the Viewpoints’ website for results of the Bakersfield Tournament
Q&A with Tigers athlete and Arizona State commit Sterling Winston
Courtesy of Jim McCarron
Sun devil: Riverside City College athlete Sterling Winston commits to Arizona State University.
Q: What made you choose ASU? Did you have any other offers? A: I chose Arizona State University because it has been a school I wanted to go to since I was in eighth grade. Before I even went to Riverside City College, RCC Coach (Jim) McCarron said that he would get me a scholarship there, and he made it happen. I had visited Baylor prior to signing to ASU, but they told me that they need to be sure that I would run at least 46 seconds in the open before they made their offer, which would have been a full ride. I was going to wait and take more visits later in the season, but I did not want to risk losing a scholarship offer by waiting and possibly getting injured during the course of the season. So I made my decision for ASU.
Q: What events are you planning to run at ASU? A: The events that they were really interested in having me run was the 400, 200 and the 4x400 meter relay. I am hoping to make the 4x100 relay team as well like I am at RCC. Q: If you had to pick your favorite event that you feel you are at your best what would it be? And why? A: The 400-meters would have to be my best event. I never would have thought I would say that back when I first ran track, but it’s the event where I compete the best in. I am still learning how to run it correctly because there is a technique to running it. So I would have to say with where I am now and with my progress while still learning the mechanics of the race,
I would have to consider that my best event. Q: What is your personal best in the 400 and when was it? A: My fastest time in the 400-meter was at last year ’s Southern California Finals at Antelope Valley College. I ran 47.3 there. That same day, I ran my best split time in the 4x400 as an anchor with a time of 46.0. Q: You recently competed against some Division I competition on the track? What was that experience like? A: It was a great experience. I ran against a guy that usually goes 46.3 in the 400. He beat me by 0.01 seconds, but it was great to have that type of competition and really be able to give somebody as fast as he is that type of race. Especially for my first 400 of the season. It really served as a confidence builder for my future. Q: What are your goals for the remainder of the RCC season? A: My goal this year is to run at least a 45.9 in the 400-meter dash. I have been set back with a minor hamstring injury, but I still plan on accomplishing that. I also plan on our 4x400 and 4x100 relay teams to break the school records and win state. We plan on getting at least a time of 3 minutes and four seconds in the 4x400, (the current record is 3:08.2). Another goal I have is to run at least a 20.6 in the 200. Again, I have been set back by my injury, but I believe it’s still possible. As an overall program, I have hope that we can win the state title again this year for the third consecutive time. Q: During your time at RCC, what has Coach McCarron
and his coaching staff done to help you and your teammates compete at a high level on the track and in the field? A: Coach McCarron has done a great job in staying on the team academically and making sure we keep our grades up to par. My sprint coach, Coach (Damien) Smith, is honestly in my opinion the best sprint coach at the California Community College level. He knows what he’s doing, and he’s capable of taking somebody that is an average sprinter in high school and making them into an elite Division I capable athlete. Coach Abdul Morceli is also a great coach that has also coached an Olympian and a former RCC athlete who placed third in the USA Nationals last year. He has intense training that builds toughness and makes athletes strong. He really cares about his runners and can take anybody with great talent a long way. The training staff has also played a huge role as well. They do everything they can to ensure the athletes stay healthy and ready to run. So really, everybody on the staff has played a huge role in not only me, but other runners as well. We have a great coaching and training staff at RCC I couldn’t ask for anything better. Q: Any pre-race or post-race rituals? A: This might be found funny. But even ask my team, every track meet, before my first race, I always have to release my bowels. The 4x100 is the first event of the meet and I always have to drop one before that, every meet. I don’t know what it is. Even if I don’t eat, I just always have to and of course, warming up is something I
always do before I run. Stretching, getting stretched by a trainer and again after a race. I like to relax and stay out of the sun if it’s a warmer day. Something I do, when I’m about to get in my blocks to run every time though is jump pretty high into the air and stretch my right leg out behind the block then place it on the block. Then I do the same with my left. After that I come up from the down position that I am, still in my blocks kneeling and take a deep breath. Then I get back down in my marked position and wait for the official to say, “set” and sound off the gun. Q: During your track career who have been your biggest supporters? A: My biggest supporters have been my mother and father. They do a lot for me and go to every meet that they can attend. My Auntie Tony and Uncle Oliver have been to a lot of meets as well to support me. Q: Who have been some of your role models or favorite athletes? A: I actually really look up to Coach Smith. He’s been teaching me a lot lately and doing everything to ensure that I have a great career I also look up to my dad. He’s a hard worker. He does a lot for my family and really taught me a lot about life and being dedicated to whatever it was I chose to do in life. Interview by James H. Williams
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Viewpoints
20 | March 27, 2014
Sports
Serving students since 1922
SPORTS ROUNDUP MEN’S TENNIS AMHERST 9, RCC 0>> The Tigers men’s tennis team fell short against Division III opponent Amherst College, 9-0, on March 21 at the Fran Bushman Tennis Court. Justin Hendrix and Sean Rodriguez defeated Tigers’ Danny Garcia and Conner Stephenson, 8-3, in No. 1 doubles. RCC is still currently in third in the Orange Empire Conference. RCC 5, SANTA ROSA 4>> The Tigers defeated the Bearcubs at the new Fran Bush Tennis Courts March 7. The Tigers won the first four singles matches before the Bearcubs rallied back to win the last two singles matches and the first two doubles matches to tie the game at 4-4. Freshman Conner Stephenson and Freshman Julian Sciapno sealed a win for the Tigers at No. 3 doubles in a shutout against Long Vu and John Paula, 8-0. Stephenson also won the last of the four singles victories against the Bearcubs defeating Moses Kuzu, 6-2, 6-1. “The freshman have really been stepping up to the plate,” said Tigers coach Jim Elton.
Tigers Athletics Schedules Swim & Dive
Season Record 8-7
Next Game: RCC Invite - April 4
Jan. 31
vs. OEC Relays
Feb. 7
vs. Cypress
Feb. 21
Track & Field
Women’s Tennis Conference 4-4
Next Game: Aztec Invite - March 29
Next Game: Saddleback - April 1 TBA
Feb. 25
vs. Cypress
W 9-0
Mar. 8
at. RCC
8am
11am
Feb. 27
vs. Irvine
W 7-2
Mar. 13-14
at. OEC
8am
at. Golden West
9am
Mar. 4
at Fullerton
L 6-3
Mar. 14-15
at. Ben Brown
8am
Feb. 28
at Saddleback
2pm
Mar. 6
at. Saddleback
L 5-3
Mar. 20-21
at. RCC Open
1pm
Mar. 7
vs. Chaffey
9am
Mar. 11
at. Irvine
W 8-1
Mar. 28
at. OCC Quad
10am
Mar. 8
vs. Chaffey
10am
Mar. 13
at. El Camino
L 5-4
Mar. 29
at. Aztec Invite
8am
Mar. 14
vs. Orange Coast
2pm
Mar. 18
at. Orange Coast
L 5-4
Apr. 8-9
at. So. Cal Hep/Dec
8am
Apr. 4
vs. RCC Invite
11am
Mar. 20
at. Cypress
Apr. 12
vs. Mt. SAC
8am
Apr. 11 & 12
at OEC Dive
TBA
Mar. 27
vs. Fullerton
2pm
Apr. 17-19
vs. Mt. SAC
8am
Apr. 17-19
at. OEC Champs
TBA
Apr. 1
at. Saddleback
2pm
Apr. 18
vs. OEC Prelims
10am
May. 1-3
at. State Champs
TBA
Apr. 2
at. Ventura
2pm
Apr. 25
vs. OEC Finals
10 am
May. 2-3
SoCal Prelims
9am
Baseball Season Record 12-12
W 8-1
Men’s Tennis
Softball
Conference 6-5
Next Game: Orange Coast - April 1
Season Record 20-6
Season Record 14-4
Conference 11-1
Conference 6-2
Next Game: Saddleback - April 1
Next Game: at Cypress - April 2
Mar.18
vs. Santa Ana
L 10-5
Mar. 17
vs. Golden West
W 8-0
Mar.13
vs. El Camino
W 9-0
Mar. 20
at. Santa Ana
L 5-2
Mar. 19
at. Fullerton
W 3-1
Mar. 18
at. Orange Coast
W 8-1
Mar. 22
at. Golden West
W 6-2
Mar. 21
at. Orange Coast
W 6- 5
Mar. 20
vs. Cypress
W 9-0
BASEBALL RCC 6, GOLDEN WEST 1>> The RCC baseball moves to .500 on the season following a Orange Empire Conference home victory over the Rustlers on March 25. Tigers’ Nick King went 2 for 3 with three scored runs in the win.
Mar. 25
vs. Golden West
W 6-1
Mar. 22-23
at. Bakersfield
TBA
Mar. 21
vs. Amherst
L 9-0
Mar. 27
vs. Cypress
2pm
Mar. 26
vs. Santa Ana
6pm
Mar. 25
vs. LA Pierce
2pm
Mar. 28
at. Cypress
2pm
Mar. 28
vs. Canyons
4-6pm
Mar. 27
at. Fullerton
2pm
Apr. 1
vs. Orange Coast
2pm
Apr. 2
at. Cypress
3pm
Apr. 1
at. Saddleback
2pm
Apr. 3
at. Orange Coast
2pm
Apr. 4
at. Santiago
2pm
Apr. 2
vs. Ventura
2pm
Apr. 5
at. Fullerton
12pm
Apr. 9
at. Saddleback
3pm
Apr. 4
vs. SD Mesa
2pm
Apr. 8
vs. Fullerton
6pm
Apr.11
vs. Fullerton
6pm
Apr. 8
Regionals Round 1
TBA
Lucinda Matthews and James Williams contribute to this report
Apr. 10
at. Irvine Valley
2pm
Apr. 14
vs. MT. SAC
4pm
Apr. 10-12
OEC Tourney
2pm
Apr. 11
vs. Irvine Valley
2pm
Apr. 15
at. Palomar
3pm
Apr. 15
Regionals round semi TBA
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