April 29, 2010
An Associated Collegiate Press two-time national Pacemaker award-winning newspaper, serving students since 1922.
Riverside, CA | www.viewpointsonline.org
Vol. xxxVIII, No. 12
First Copy Free | Additional copies 25 cents
Riverside honors its veterans For a NEWS see Page 3
STORY
RYan lynch / Asst. photo editor
the first veterans: Dressed in historical costume these men pay tribute to past veterans as they participate in the veterans parade on April 17.
2 | April 29, 2010
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Entrepreneurship workshops still available
Business is business! Learn the fundamentals of running your own business and turning an idea into an opportunity. Find out how to be eligible for $1,000 in services to achieve your dream. May 7 is Creating your Initial Financials, May 21 is Fast Pitch Presentation Preparation, and May 28 is Pitching to Judging Panel. All remaining workshops will be held on the Riverside City Campus in the Quadrangle, room 110 from 1:30-3 p.m. Register now by contacting Sean Snider at 951-571-6480 or by e-mail at Sean. Snider@rcc.edu.
Summer in Morocco
Spend ten days seeing exotic Morocco. See ancient architecture, the famous Casablanca, the largest desert in the world the Sahara, and the Atlas Mountains. Riverside City College is sponsoring a summer study tour to Morocco from June 18-29. For more details on the cost and the itinerary contact Jan Schall, Coordinator International Education at 951-222-8340 or e-mail at jan.schall@rcc.edu.
Graduation day approaches
Students who applied by April 1 to participate in the Riverside City College commencement ceremonies will be able to walk on June 10. Times of the ceremonies for each campus are as followed: Norco at 10 a.m., Moreno Valley at 5 p.m. and Riverside at 7:30 p.m.
Art and music come together
The .EDU Arts + Music Festival is free event for enthusiasts of art and music sponsored by ASRCC. It will be held at Riverside City College on May 15. Live DJs, MCs, breakdancers, artists, and muralists will be showcased at the festival. All ages are welcome and parking is free. For more information visit www.myspace.com/dotEDUfestival
Family time at RCC
Early childhood studies and First 5 Riverside are putting on their first family expo. May 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Quad. Free dental screenings, advice for expectant parents, parents of toddlers and preschoolers and workshops for parents and caregivers are some of the activities offered. There will also be free car seat inspections and appearances by Clifford the Big Red Dog and Sid the Science Kid. Call 1-800-266-3880 to register. For more information and to view workshop times go to www.rccfc.org/EXPO
Story of survival
Clara Knofpler, a Holocaust survivor will share her story from her book “I Am Still Here: My Mother’s Voice” on May 12 from 2-3 p.m. in the Digital Library Auditorium. The reading is open to students, faculty and staff.
Building for success
Riverside City College is offering students skill building workshops to teach the tools needed to be successful in college. The workshops, held May 4 from 5-6 p.m. and May 19 from 12:50-1:50 p.m. in the Quad room 127, will help students prepare for finals. Sign ups not required.
Art students exhibit best work RCC honors student art exhibition is show May 6 from 6-8:30 p.m. in the Quad Art Gallery. The event features student work from the art department and photography program of all three colleges. The show is free to the public.
Transfer to universities The Transfer/Career Center are hosting the Transfer Recognition Ceremony on June 2 for students who have been admitted into a four-year university. Ceremony will be held at the Aguilar Patio from 12-2 p.m. If anyone is eligible for the award can go to the Transfer Career Center no later than May 21.
diana ly / Staff Photographer
future Planning: Gregory Gray, the chancellor for the Riverside Community College District had an open forum to explain the reorganization plan.
Reorganization plan going back nita gandhi news editor The draft reorganization plan that RCC Chancellor Gregory Gray submitted was the main concern at the Board of Trustees meeting on April 20. The conference room in the administration building was packed with students and faculty. The Board is set to vote on the reorganization plan on May 18. Two faculty members spoke to the Board of Trustees and the chancellor to voice their concerns about the reorganization plan and the class cuts it will bring. “Summer has already been cut,” said John Sullivan, part-time associate English instructor. “Riverside is still in the process of cutting its course sections by 30 percent. The students are lining up and they can’t get classes.” Melissa Bourbonnais, a part-time political science instructor told her class about the plan and at the meeting she read a small paragraph from one of her students. She shared how the class cuts have affected her students. “They were saying things like its been difficult for them to get financial aid because you need a minimum amount of units; that it’s made it difficult to transfer and it’s affected their ability to secure scholarships,” Bourbonnais said. “It has prolonged what is supposed to be a two-year education has turned into a three-and-four-year education.” Bourbonnais further said that students have become so desperate to get into her class that those who do not have priority registration have approached other students who are in the class and have offered to buy their spot in the class. “I don’t like that the reorganization plan is not a cost saving measure,” Bourbonnais said. “It really doesn’t reduce the size of administration; it does a tiny bit…but it also creates some positions as well.” When classes are cut the number of students is reduced and the number of faculty is reduced. Bourbonnais said that there is no real sacrifice from the administration.
“Maybe its time to furlough the administration,” Bourbonnais said. Chancellor Gray, was asked by the Board to design the reorganization plan as a result from the accreditation of Norco and Moreno Valley. “Now that we are three full colleges, the idea is that you take resources that adhere at the district level and distribute those resources to the colleges, particularly to Norco and Moreno Valley, the new ones,” Gray said. “As accredited institutions it’s mandatory they develop their own administrative structure.” Gray addressed the concerns about the class cuts. “It’s the timing. We have major budget cuts and we are eliminating a lot of sections typically taught by part-timers. And at the same time we are looking at an organizational structure that takes us into the future and necessitates new administrative positions.” Gray said that new administrative positions would not be realized for a few years. There have also been some positions that have been cut. “The position of vice chancellor for student services, a position that was held by Dr. Linda Lacy…that position has been eliminated,” Gray said. “Position of associate vice chancellor for student services will be eliminated on June 30. We have had a collapse of deanships that have been merged into one.” Another topic mentioned in the Board meeting was about money. Departments are allowed to apply for grants and use that money for their department. Gray said that RCC has received the $4 million from the American Recovery and Reconciliation Act and that has been used for the culinary arts and some of RCC’s health care. RCC has also received a few grants. Before the reorganization plan is voted on next month, Chancellor Gray will be meeting with others to edit and revise the plan to get input from the part-time faculty, and, the College Union, California Teachers Association and others.
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April 29, 2010 | 3
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Annual parade honors veterans dean mayorga Staff Writer Hundreds of people lined the streets of downtown Riverside on April 17 in celebration of the Fifth Annual Salute to Veteran’s Parade. Riverside City College was used as the parade’s starting point to watch, pay tribute and grieve for our veterans and soldiers fighting today. High hopes were set by many who have witnessed the past parades. “It’s bigger and better every year,” said Annie Tuttle, worker at the VA Medical Center and volunteer for the parade since its beginning in 2006. This year featured over 130 parade entries representing various branches of armed services as well as showcasing support from many members of the community. Notable figures such as Congressman Ken Calvert were seen cruising through the parade route which flowed all the way to the Historic Riverside County Courthouse. It was at the courthouse where a stage was set and this year’s Grand Marshal, Brigadier General Mary J. Kight, the Adjutant General for the California National Guard, took her place to watch the parade. Kights’ presence was the cause for a lot of excitement as she is the first woman and black officer to have had command of 22,900 service men and women from the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. Spectators welcomed Kight with applause and cheers as the procession continued on. Some of the entries included Sons of the American Revolution, Daughters of the American Revolution, Chapter 13 of the Society of Military Widows and Moms of the Military. At times, people would take their eyes off the parade to watch the aircrafts flying over, such as a Huey helicopter or a C-17 transport plane from March Air Force Base. Those who watched expressed different emotions. As some cheered or waved their flags, others grieved. One man in particular wept silently, unnoticed by fellow onlookers. However, all came to let their appreciation known as some shared stories of their loved ones or personal experiences. Joe Delgado, a veteran of the Korean War, said this was a special time for him to represent those who fought in Korea specifically. “The Korean War is the forgotten war,” Delgado said. “We didn’t have anything when we got back. It was just normal like we never been away,” Delgado said. Sara Vega, whose fiancé is a veteran of the Vietnam War and father died in WWII, attended for the first time this year. Her fiancé, Joe Chavez, was a prisoner of war and endured torture at the hands of his aggressors. “They didn’t feed him,” Vega
Ryan lynch / asst. Photo Editor
Marching in: Marines, navy men and army soldiers march in front to start the Veterans Parade from RCC. said. “They used to hit him with bamboo sticks. He’s a very special soldier.” Volunteer and emcee for the event, Mike Goldware, said that although the veterans are the most impacted by the display, there is still another group to reach. He stressed how the people who were not in attendance were the ones who needed to witness the parade the most. F o r G o l d w a r e ’s f e l l o w volunteer and emcee, Tuttle, the day was a small example of what she sees on a regular basis. She revealed that at the VA medical center where she works there are over 8,000 soldiers coming in from current combat. “I get to see the price of freedom every single day,” Tuttle said.
Diana Ly / Staff Photographer
Honoring the fallen: A horse drawn hearse carries a fallen veteran.
Diana Ly / Staff Photographer
Hot wheels: Mike Gardner, councilmember for Ward 1, rides a segway during the parade.
Diana Ly / Staff Photographer
Recreating history: Parade volunteers donned in 17th century attire participate in the parade.
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April 29, 2010 | 4
A course where ‘D’s’ succeed
RCC faculty were taught to deter, detect, delay and defeat in course Takahiro Kurosaki Staff Writer It was not the typical morning Riverside City College faculty and staff members were used to; where they would spend their time preparing for classes and going about their daily tasks. Instead they spent the morning of April 20 listening to lectures and discussing how they would protect their colleagues’ and students’ lives in a dire and dangerous situation. As part of the Riverside Community College District Emergency Management Trainings, active shooter training for staff and faculty. It enlightened the participants so that the college can take one step further toward the adequate protection against potential active shooter incidents. The training aimed to teach the participants the effective strategies in an active shooter incident: how to deter, detect and delay a shooter. In order to deter an active shooter, the training encouraged the participants to have and know the campus safety plan and emergency procedures. The training encourage the participants to keep their eyes open to any suspicious things in order to detect potential campus
violence. It put emphasis on the lockdown procedures to delay an active shooter because faculty and staff members have to play a responsible role to take the procedures in an active shooter incident. Also, since RCC does not have sophisticated facilities and systems such as intercoms in classrooms, knowing and being familiar with the strategies play a significant role when actual violence happens. Through the training, the participants could have a strong sense of responsibility so as to minimize the potential violence on campus. While learning the strategies through the lectures and discussions, the participants discarded the assumption that it would not happen to them. “I think it’s really good that we got a chance to prepare before something happens,” said Sandy Mathay, administrative assistant. “Many people coming today didn’t know what to do to protect not only ourselves but also coworkers and students.” Among all the materials used in the training, table-top scenarios especially enabled the participants to apply what they learned to
an actual shooter situation by visualizing their own responses. “The instructor went through not only educational aspects but then scenarios at the end,” said Clara Garibay, health service supervisor. “We were involved in the provided situations by asking what you would do if you were there,” Garibay said.
the few or the one. Leading the training as an instructor, the Emergency Planning and Preparedness Coordinator Sherry Stone emphasized the importance of the training for the campus personnel. “I think sometimes we have to concentrate on the academic and running smoothly the organization,” Stone said. “But we also have to consider the fact that we have somebody on campus,” Stone said. The training was a good opportunity to trigger the awareness of an unpredictable active shooter among -- Sandy Mathay the participants. Stone also said Administrative Assistant that what she noticed The training was also designed is that once people started taking to enhance the visualization by training, they realize they need to learning the lessons from the past know how to do it. active shooter incidents; such as This type of training can also the mass shooting at Columbine play an important role to promote High School in Colorado. the mutual understanding between However, they confronted the campus personnel and the police participants with the hard fact officers. of a shooter situation in which “Because sometimes there is people have to save and protect misunderstanding,” Stone said. the majority of people compared “The training is important for to the few or the one. faculty members and staff to know Garibay said that the most not only what to do for themselves thought-provoking part of the but why the police officers have training was the fact that the needs to do what they need to do,” said of the many outweigh the needs of Stone.
“
“I think it’s good that we got a chance to prepare before something happens.”
The close cooperation has begun to be built at RCC in order to deal with an active shooter incident. With the administration and the campus police working together they can help students with the information on a shooter. “I can go back to my department and not only share this information but highly encourage others to attend,” Garibay said.
Tips to be aware of a shooter on campus
1. Someone tells you not to come to school tomorrow because something is going to happen. 2. Someone encourages others to go to a specific place and take a look at something they are showing.
3. Someone recruits their peers to join them in the assault on campus.
Source: www.kidspeace. org
Viewpoints
The chief talks parking, more
stephanie holland editor in chief
Viewpoints sat down with Riverside Community College District Chief of Police Jim Miyashiro to find out about some of the issues students are most interested in. S.H.: Tell us about yourself. What is your law enforcement background? J.M.: I’ve been in law enforcement for 26 years; I’ve worked for not only California colleges but municipal agencies. I’ve worked all over; it’s been a fun and rewarding career. S.H.: What brought you to RCC? J.M.: I spent a lot of time at municipal agencies, I enjoyed the collegiate aspect of being at universities and colleges and when I saw this opportunity come up I wanted to come, I thought it would be a nice place to work and it has been. S.H.: Explain what’s involved in policing the three different colleges in the district? J.M.: What makes it fun is there’s something different all the time. Each college has different things that happen, they have d i ff e r e n t p r o c e d u r e s . L a w enforcement procedures are the same but they have different types of crimes and different things in different areas. What makes it unique is we have a variety of things that we do. In addition to the law enforcement we do, we also provide parking services, we provide first aid; we’re first responders to any kind of incident or accident that happens on campus. We also have crime prevention programs that we put on at the campus, as well as services for people who lock themselves out of their cars; we provide escorts,
patrol and anything else the college community needs. S.H.: The most common complaint is about parking. What is planned to help ease some of the early semester congestion? J.M.: Parking wise we’ve really been impacted hard this year and that’s because of construction going on. What we’ve done to help alleviate that problem is we have a special parking lot which is off of Magnolia and Third Street, it’s called Lot 33. That lot is open during the first few weeks of each semester, what that does is it shifts the parking problem from here by giving us extra spaces there. S.H.: Those first few weeks can be hectic, do you have suggestions for students? J.M.: The best thing you can do is sign up for Twitter, because during the first part of all the semesters we’re on Twitter @ RCCDINFO. We put out which lots are full, which lots have limited parking and which lots are wide open. Your best bet is going to be the offsite lots which are near Olivewood, the stadium and by the softball fields. Those are the furthest from the campus but those stay open the most. S.H.: As parking increases on the outskirts of campus in places like Prospect near the Press-Enterprise, is there a plan to increase safety in those areas or to put in lights or emergency phones in those areas? J.M.: Any of the lots that we designate as a RCC lot, for example Lot 33, we did put emergency phones in there, and there is ample lighting in there. My recommendation is to park in a district lot rather than try to park on the street. We can’t provide
any additional lighting or phones, that’s all city property, but if you park in one of our lots it’s secure. Lot 33 we do have a CSO (community service officer) that makes sure everything’s secure and you do have the shuttle bus coming in and out all the time. As long as you stay in a RCC lot you do have assurances with the emergency phone and lighting. S.H.: We’ve heard that the two week grace period will be lifted? J.M.: We’ve had a lot of complaints from faculty members that students were parking in staff lots thinking they wouldn’t get a ticket and that wasn’t correct information. If a student is parked in a faculty lot during the two week period they still get a ticket. The two weeks is basically so if they didn’t have time to get a permit that they have time to go up and buy one. It doesn’t provide for them to park wherever they want for two weeks. S.H.: The ban on smoking hasn’t reduced smoking on campus. What’s being done to combat this? J.M.: Recently we’ve assigned CSOs specifically to the areas where we’ve seen lots of smoking. We have handed out a lot of brochures about it. We’ve given lots of warnings. We’re collecting names and if we get a second time that a person has violated the no smoking policy, then they’ll be issued a referral and that referral will be to the Dean of Student Services for disciplinary action. S.H.: The recent death at the parking structure was the second in the short time it’s been open. Are their plans to add any fences or barriers to prevent further accidents? J.M.: Actually there is, I
RCC instructors arrested, charged with theft of funds Chanelle Williams Managing editor Ross Godfrey Clark, 61, and Terry Lee Keiser, 62, both Riverside City College Applied Digital Media and Printing instructors, were arrested April 18 and charged with several felonies. The Press-Enterprise reported on April 22 that after avoiding detection for seven years while using a company owned by Clark, Clark and Keiser were able to get approximately $500,000 in school contracts. The scheme began in 2002 when Clark used the stolen identity of a deceased partner to shield his part in the company used to collect the funds, The Press-Enterprise reported. An administrative audit was conducted in 2009 when Clark and Keiser’s scheme was uncovered, The Press-Enterprise reported.
April 29, 2010 | 5
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An investigation was then carried out by the RCC police, police Chief Jim Miyashiro said. The alleged Apple Government and Educational Systems (AGES), was used to purchase $471,796 worth in “computer equipment, software and machine repairs,” The Press-Enterprise reported. Viewpoints’ searches on Google, the Web and printed versions of The Yellow Pages and the Better Business Bureau Web site did not find any record of AGES. Clark has been charged with several counts of conflict of interest, theft of public funds, grand theft and identity theft, all amounting to 106 felonies. Keiser faces three counts of theft of public funds and one of grand theft, according to the case file on the Riverside Public Access Web site.
RCC’s spokesman, Jim Parsons told The Press-Enterprise that both instructors have been placed on administrative leave. Both were released April 23 with Clark, a $250,000 bail and, Keiser, a $25,000 bail. Their arraignments are scheduled for May 17 at the Superior court in Riverside. After several attempts by Viewpoints to contact them via their RCC phone and e-mail, Clark and Keiser did not comment on the charges. Attempts to contact the Applied Technology Department to get comments on the arrests and what will become of the classes taught by Clark and Keiser went unanswered. Also, Parsons has made no further comments on the situation. For continuing coverage of this story go to Viewpoints Online.
submitted a recommendation that we fence in the top floor and the third floor and right now they’re looking at it. S.H.: Has student frustration over budget cuts and parking difficulties caused an increase in crime? J.M.: We haven’t seen an increase in crime. There has been an increase in calls for service as far as students getting out of hand or students being confrontational during certain times of the day either in class or near the registration area. For the most part everybody’s been cooperative; once we get there it’s usually toned down a lot. I try to tell our officers that respond, times are tough right now and we have to really be sensitive to the needs of everyone. S.H.: Have budget cuts affected the department’s ability
to protect students? J.M.: No...as far as day to day operations we’ve had reductions like any other department in the district, but we try to do the best we can with the staff we have. We’re fortunate that we have understandings with the local law enforcement agencies, so if we ever are in a situation where something happens on campus and we need additional resources, additional police officers, additional help, we can pick up a radio and call for Riverside PD or the Sheriffs department and they’ll be here to help us as well.
For the full interview visit www. viewpointsonline. org
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Viewpoints Staff
EDITORIAL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Stephanie Holland (951) 222-8495 viewpoints@rcc.edu eic@viewpointsonline.org MANAGING EDITOR Chanelle Williams (951) 222-8488 managingeditor@viewpointsonline.org ADVERTISING MANAGER Vanessa Soto (951) 222-8488 ads@viewpointsonline.org FACULTY ADVISERS Allan Lovelace Dan Evans
ONLINE EDITOR PHOTO EDITOR Khai Le Lauren Garcia admin@viewpointsonline.org photo@viewpointsonline.org NEWS EDITOR OPINIONS EDITOR Sade Hurst Nita Gandhi opinions@viewpointsonline.org news@viewpointsonline.org
az.gov
more than just a bill: Surrounded by law enforcement officials, Arizona governor Jan Brewer
signed Senate bill 1070 into law. It allows police to ask about a person’s immigration status.
Legalizing discrimination
INSCAPE EDITOR ASST. FEATURES EDITOR Christina Espinoza Erin Rohac inscape@viewpointsonline.org features@viewpointsonline.org SPORTS EDITOR ASST. FEATURES EDITOR Javier Cabrera Shardai Perry sports@viewpointsonline.org features@viewpointsonline.org
STAFF Juan Aguilar Edward Brito Nishe Butler Corina Cuevas Mercedes Deleon Kyle Durham Sonja Eide Samantha Flores Shamier Ford Ruben Gallegos Cameron Graves Bobby Hester Ricky Holmes Miho Kaneko Takahiro Kurosaki Manuel Lopez Corinne Love Diana Ly
Illegal immigration has been a problem in California for years, thankfully no one has decided to turn to racial profiling as a solution. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said in Arizona. With the stroke of her pen Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, ignored the plea of President Obama to not sign the new immigration law that the Arizona senate passed. The new law requires immigrants to carry their legalization papers at all times and allows police to question persons who they suspect may be illegal. Arizona’s argument to passing this law is because there is too much crime on the U.S.-Mexican border and that it will stop illegal immigrants from taking American jobs. If they’re so concerned about taking jobs from American citizens then maybe they should be pressuring businesses to stop sending jobs out of the country. Someone needs to remind Brewer that America is a country built by immigrants. Unless they’re Native American, everyone in the US is from someplace else. If Brewer ran things back then those original settlers would have been turned away at Plymouth Rock and sent back to England and everyone would be saluting the queen right now. By the way, that excuse about crime on the border is ridiculous because all border states deal with crime and yet none of them have decided to racially profile their citizens. Even though no one has the answer to how to stop the increase in crime near the border or even control the amount of immigrants crossing the US-Mexico border, this is certainly not the way. In remarks on April 23, the day the bill was signed, President Obama said the bill “threatened to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and their communities.”
Ryan Lynch Kimberly Martinez Dean Mayorga Juan Mendoza Josh Messmer Samantha Morris Jenna Owen Candice Phalen Brittni Reyes Jared Saavedra Gary Sellers Jasmeet Singh Nyeisha Smith Cloie Swain Daniel Torres Justin Tovar Toni Wisner
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If Brewer and her supporters really cared they would look into the amount of risk that this bill may cause, starting with the fact that the US’s largest minority group is Latino, making it easy for the police to arrest an innocent person. This bill makes it seem like the only people that come here illegally and cause trouble are Mexican immigrants, when most of them are just looking for opportunity. Apparently, the police will be given proper training to ensure that no one’s rights are trampled on. However, no amount of training can prepare an officer to not offend someone while simultaneously questioning their citizenship. At the signing ceremony Brewer said the bill would, “strengthen the laws of our state...and it does so while ensuring that the constitutional rights of all in Arizona remain solid, stable and steadfast.” Well, everyone who doesn’t appear to be Latino. The fact that this bill was introduced in an election year is not lost on anyone. What’s really going on is that the state’s elected officials need to appear to be tough on immigration and this was the fastest way possible. No one would argue that immigration reform is not necessary, however, it is real reform that should be strived for, not superficial changes that only serve to stereotype a particular group. Giving its new law a name like The Support Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act doesn’t make it any less offensive or wrong. It only makes it easier to tolerate the discrimination that this bill will almost certainly cause. Let’s hope that states like California where immigration is a hot button issue can see past Arizona’s reprehensible quick fix and strive for immigration reform that doesn’t alienate its citizens and go against everything that America is supposed to stand for.
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An unfortunate lesson learned Serving students since 1922
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CloiE Swain Staff Writer It takes a certain set of skills to be a bully. For one, the wanna-be bully must lack any real sense of decency or humanity. Another thing vital to being a bully is the almost compulsive desire to feel better about oneself by making others miserable. These abilities, coupled with the demeanor of their chosen victim create bullies. Some victims triumph through it, while other victims end in complete tragedy. In the unfortunate case of Phoebe Prince, a student at Massachusetts’ South Hadley High School, the bullying went to such an extreme that Prince committed suicide in response to the harassment. Prince was 15 years old when she hung herself after once again being bullied at and on the way home from school. Of all the things that plague high school kids, bullying is one that has remained a consistent entity. No amount of Oprah specials or legislation has been able to
control it. A young girl, a child, took her life to escape the ridicule she faced because some petty schoolchildren made her life, by Prince’s reportedly own words, “intolerable.” This needs to be front-andcenter in the media and in all the homes of the United States of America. As terrible the circumstances by which they came about might be the perfect setting has been laid out for massive reform in this regard. The days of unfortunate acceptance of bullying must be stopped immediately. The teenagers who hounded and ridiculed this poor girl need to be made an example. Now these bullies will finally have to pay for their actions. Six bullies have been charged with felonies ranging from stalking to violation of Prince’s civil rights. A light load considering that manslaughter could just have easily been added to the cases. As much as it really is the fault of the perpetrators of these acts of harassment, a good amount of the blame falls on the school itself for failing to act. Prince’s aunt went to the school on several occasions, telling them the troubles her niece was facing at the hands of the bullies.
April 29,2010| 7
Facts on youth suicide • 4,400 young adults commit suicide a year • The ages range from 10 to 24 • Most young people survive suicide attempts • For more information on suicide Prevention visit: www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org Source: Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention
Teachers had borne witness to slurs thrown at Prince, calling her names and insulting her based on her Irish nationality. In some instances of teacher witnessed harassment, punishment was handed down by school administrators. Obviously, however, the message was missed, and the students continued to hound Prince to her death. Some proper steps have been taken in response to this, nevertheless, and there has been a movement to enact “Phoebe’s Law.”
It is a piece of legislation that would create strict laws against bullying, cyber or physical, and prevent something like this from happening again. But as beneficial a move to try and get a legal halt to bullying is, there still is a responsibility that befalls all of us. Even as far removed from high schools as we are at Riverside City College. Even if you haven’t been in high school for 40 years or just graduated last year, being bullied sticks with you. Taking an interest in education
about how to prevent bullying, for a younger brother or sister, cousin, or perhaps even your own children, can do a world of good. Writing our state legislators, senators, and representatives to encourage them to pass Phoebe’s Law is a proactive method to fight bullying. School officials also must be held accountable for harsher punishments to bullies in their halls. Allowing continual cruelty to happen to a student is inexcusable neglect. Hopefully, out of this tragedy, more stringent policies will go into effect in schools nationwide. Maybe schools will become more aware of what is a problem and take a more assertive approach. It could have saved Prince’s life. In a case that has caught national attention, it is going to send a strong message to potential or perhaps even active bullies. Prince was hounded, tormented, and cruelly harassed until she could not take it anymore. The only proper way to honor her is by ensuring that something is done now to stop bullying kids to the point when they think suicide is the only way out. It falls to all of us who hear her story to prevent it from ever happening again. For more information on Phoebe’s Law, visit http://www. phoebeslaw.com.
New and continuing challenge is cursing up a storm sort of no-cussing revolution.
Jared Saavedra Assistant opinions Editor Some 50 cent words aren’t as cheap as they used to be. And, for the first week of last March, they weren’t as frequent. Cussing, swearing, cursing, making oaths and repeating maledictions, had much to pay. Whatever it’s called, it entails using a gratuitous amount of fourletter words in several uncreative variations. And the variations usually depend on one’s occupation. For politicians in California, however, things were different. The ides of March were first labeled “No-Cussing Week” by the city council of Los Angeles, thanks to the famous (and infamous in some spheres) no-cussing kid, McKay Hatch. The week was additionally backed by California Assemblyman Anthony Portantino. “Cuss-Free Week” was made state-wide this year by the state assembly. Cussing jars are now found on several politicians’ desks. Hatch is 16 now. Initiating his venture at the age of 14, he began a No-Cussing Club in his Pasadena school, inciting a
In emulation, a number of schools have adopted similar clubs in an effort to “clean up” the language in the schools. The effectiveness of the endeavor is fictitious, though. As there exists within every revolution, there is major opposition. It’s surprising to see the numerous blogs and news reports attempting to smear his campaign. His most controversial stance to date is the speaking out against Joe Biden’s whispered profanity to the President. Just observing the comments in Internet, though, people have taken an stance against this student with full force. He is called everything from a wimp to a bigot, from a hypocrite to a Christo-Republican. But the plethora of negative publicity necessitates one question: are they intimidated by this kid? Although his mission may be a spot superficial, the amount of backlash is astounding. But one can’t help but think how bootless the arguments are. First, this student asserts that cussing is bad. Most of his opponents would concede that. In fact, that’s why people cuss, isn’t it? They want to make known the anguish within themselves, thereby searching for the words most malignant to the hearer.
Therefore, what’s the problem? People cuss and don’t always mean it, unless people are angry all the time. Some other opponents have predicted that the kids in the club will one day drop a hammer on their foot and yelp out some bleep. This probably comes from the belief that when these cleanmouthed kids find out how hard life is, they’ll follow suit. “Come on, cuss like us, and everybody else.” But aren’t deviants from society celebrated? And, besides, what causes the stress around a workplace? Is it not people who, not knowing how to react, blurt out obscenities that create a more of an hostile environment? The last thing one should want to do in the face of calamity is reference illegitimate children and female dogs. Of course, a second argument goes that words are words, and people just say that to express feelings, and expressing feelings isn’t bad, right? Yet this only contradicts the other reason people give for cussing: that it is bad; therefore it feels liberating. How is cussing bad, when it’s only just words attached to feelings? Those parties have some sorting out to do. Meanwhile, has anyone noticed what this publicity has done?
whitehouse.gov
slip of the tongue: After Vice President Biden’s slip of the tongue he and the White house are now being challenged to not use profanity for a week.
For the first side, it has put a select amount of words upon a forbidden pedestal, making them ever more meaningful. For the they-are-just-words side, it has heightened appreciation of the free speech that is celebrated in this country. Someone should thank this kid. Replacing curses with pickles or sassafras might only work against the change this movement tries to reduce. The issue is whether someone knows what words mean. It does pain one to hear 10 and under children tossing about vulgar combinations like T.C. Boyle. Considering the amount of abuse made of the no-cussing kid, however, it seems dangerous to
agree with him when one’s picture is on the same page. Nonetheless, whether near a construction site, at a baseball game, or Riverside City College, cussing will not likely be eliminated. T h a t d o e s n ’t m e a n t h i s movement is wrong. If the main argument against them is “don’t tell us what to do,” it’s already invalid. The ripple this has caused is only a sign that they should keep going. It’s a reminder that the culture is only what we make it. If it’s OK to cuss, it’s only because we cultivated it. Just a few thoughts to those words that, to some, mean both nothing and everything.
Viewpoints
Serving students since 1922
8 | April 29,2010
Opinions
Thumping more than Bibles Sonja Eide Assistant opinions Editor The Westboro Baptist Church is at it again. If you’re not familiar with the name, perhaps you’re at least familiar with their message and the way they carry it out: publicly protesting homosexuality and other subjects they find ‘decadent’ while toting signs that proclaim anti-gay statements. They do this everywhere– including at funerals for homosexuals, all, they say, in the name of God. This time they’ve become even more prominent in the news after protesting the funeral of a dead marine, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder. They are calling his death punishment for the tolerance of homosexuality. There is no indication whether Snyder was gay, but that certainly did not stop them. The marine’s father, Albert Snyder, was justly upset and
westboro baptist church
preacher or hatemonger: Fred Phelps, founder of the
Westboro Baptist Church, speaks at church meeting. It’s disheartening that raucous, decided to sue the organization. The appeals court ruled against fiery public voices was only heard him, and he was ordered to pay a when the church apparently went whopping $16,510 for the church’s too far and attacked a man who legal fees, adding insult to injury. died serving the country. But what of the hundreds Many people across the nation have expressed an overwhelming of funerals for gay men and outcry of support for Snyder and women that the organization has have vowed to donate to help him remonstrated against? Why is it only when this pay off the ridiculous fees. E v e n t h e i n f a m o u s B i l l d e p l o r a b l e a ff i l i a t i o n – t h a t O’Reilly has offered to foot the masquerades its homophobia and bill, calling the ruling an “outrage” hateful ways as religion–goes after a soldier that it gets nationwide and lending Snyder his support. While it is truly despicable coverage? Where is Bill O’Reilly or that these people are allowed to continue their protests and they his equivalent when the families plan on using Snyder’s payment as and friends of gays must put up with this church attacking their funding for their demonstrations.
deceased loved one? Perhaps one can reason that because Snyder fought back, his case received more coverage, and more coverage means more sympathy. One thing is certain, though: this is an opportunity to flagrantly disparage this revolting organization. Unfortunately Wesboro’s extreme views and ways are still protected by first Amendment rights. It is not a matter of rights now–it is a matter of right and wrong, of morals. Riverside City College had its own run-in with the church in 2008 after Fred Phelps and his gang revealed their intent to protest the campus’ production of “The Laramie Project.” Though many people in the community organized a counterprotest, the church never showed. While it’s infuriating that Westboro would attempt to demonstrate against a play that serves to combat homophobia, it is inspiring that nearly to 300 people gathered to denounce the church’s objective and battle hate. It’s not enough, however. Westboro Baptist Church still travels from one city to the next and broadcasts their intolerance to the world. While they may be considered
ridiculous and a joke, the fact that so much hate still exists in this world is disturbing. The roots of inequality and hatred run deep. Make no mistake: they affect everyone. Just ask Albert Snyder, a man who was forced to endure the public shaming of his son because one group of people is allowed to run amok and spread their repugnant views like an infectious disease. Maybe this time, the general public will become more aware of this organization’s aim and realize just how horrible the views this church promotes are. Maybe now, after seeing children wave signs reading ‘Thank God for dead soldiers,’ people will react with an overwhelming passionate discourse against this congregation of people. Maybe the majority will react like the community that surrounds RCC and aim to erase hatred, instead of ignore it until it breaches their moral spectrum and gets their attention. Maybe someday–just maybe– people like Bill O’Reilly, will speak up against Westboro’s message and not just the way they promote it. Maybe people will stop tolerating intolerance. Only time will tell.
Mortal Combat may finally look innocent after all
Corina Cuevas Staff writer Step aside zombies and monsters; creators of video games have gone to another level. Video games seem to have shifted from the traditional mission or conquest to vulgar and sexual motives. What happened to games like “Super Mario,” where the goal of the game was to obviously beat the opponent but also become a hero? Now with video games like “RapeLay” the idea of being a hero is not taken into consideration. “RapeLay” is a Japanese video game that not only depicts rape and violence but it also encourages violence against girls and women. The game gives players the right to assault, molest, rape and impregnate their supposed victim. As the game continues, friends can join and continue to assault the girls or women they want. “RapeLay” has been taken out of shelves from video game stores not because of government intervention but because of women’s rights supporters. The bad thing about this is that although the game has been taken
out of the stores it has gone viral. Now the game has gone directly toward I Web sites where people world wide can play the game, sometimes for free. Japan’s laws do not restrict the themes and ideas of the games is a way of encouraging these hentai sorts of games. The word “hentai” defines those “games that promote and stimulate sexual violence, sexual torture, stalking, and rape against women and girls,” according to Taina Bien-Aime a member of the women’s rights organization, Equality Now. These types of games continue to exist because Japan is a society that since its beginnings has been ruled by men. The men in the political positions that govern the country have been taught among different gender norms than those that exist now. This is why Japans leaders turn the other way or suddenly become deaf when issues of feminist nature come up. The fact that the women’s rights members were outraged and upset about the game “RapeLay” made no difference to them because since there is no women in high-power positions in Japan, then according to them everything is alright. This ignorance and unjustified thinking sets and reinforces the old mentality that men are superior to women. The lack of support toward women’s rights activists in Japan
makes the problem worse because those women have no one to turn to. In America, however, women have a better chance of being heard because there are different organizations that support women’s rights such as MADRE. MADRE is an international women’s rights organization that works in partnership with women’s community-based groups in conflict areas worldwide. J a p a n ’s r e l a t i v e l y m a l e dominated policymakers and politicians should look beyond that mindset and realize that hentai games should be eliminated because they depict girls and women as sexual objects and places the country in a controversial position. Are hentai games repressed sexual desires or simply freedom of expression? It could be both, but the latter seems more convenient. The fact that these games represent freedom of expression does not justify their vulgarity and sexual motives targeted toward girls and women. America’s Western sensibility finds it difficult to understand why such games are produced. Similarly, the Japanese may not see what the big deal is because the hentai games are a way in which the Japanese express their ways of sexuality. The clash between Western and Japanese norms is what makes the hentai games issue controversial. Even more controversial is
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gaming gone too far: With a lack of laws protecting
woman rights hentai games like “Rape Lay” are acceptable in Japan the fact that these games have problem. gone viral. What America should do Both Japan and America have however, is reflect and take a look different perspectives on what is into its own video games and see and what is not appropriate for how they might compare to hentai society. games. What should Japan as well Because generally speaking, as America do to regulate these America does have some violent games that may seem offensive to hentai sorts of games? Japan should realize that hentai other cultures. Overall, hentai games are games are disrespectful to girls offensive toward women and they and women. T h e J a p a n e s e s h o u l d have no place on any shelf of video completely eliminate hentai games game stores. The use of these types of because they set a bad example for society’s youth and the world games expresses the Japanese view of sexuality but does not justify as a whole. Women are much more than the encouragement of assault, rape and violence toward girls sexual objects. The creators of these types of and women. Unless strict regulation is games should remember that their mothers are women and therefore e s t a b l i s h e d t o c o n t r o l t h e should show some respect to them circulation of hentai games, girls and women will continue to be and other women as well. America does not really have targets of these silent and vulgar a voice when talking about hentai video game themes that disrespect games because they are Japan’s the female image.
Viewpoints
April 29, 2010 | 9
Serving students since 1922
A golden night for the silver screen toni wisner staff Writer
The Fox Theater was decked out in its finest, complete with a red carpet and champagne to toast this year’s eighth annual Riverside International Film Festival. Veteran stars shined on new Hollywood hopefuls during the opening night gala at The Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside on April 16. Excited to kick off the week long festival, guests were radiant in their elegant evening gowns and tuxedo suits as they arrived at the newly transformed Riverside landmark. Honored, were legendary stars Ann Rutherford and Anne Jeffreys. Dr. Harkeerat Dhillon, a local orthopedic surgeon, founder, president and director for the Riverside International Film Festival, had the pleasure of introducing the honorees. Rutherford and Jeffreys were stunning and equally beautiful as they individually graced the podium to accept their award and address the audience. As one of only two surviving cast members from the film “Gone with the Wind,” Rutherford humbly accepted the first Riverside Fox Foundation/Riverside International
Film Festival Distinguished Artist Award from Mayor of Riverside, Ron Loveridge. “I am here to pay homage to this wonderful city,” Rutherford said. Speaking about her supporting role as Carreen O’Hara, the demure sister of Scarlet O’Hara in the classic film, Rutherford explained how she is grateful she took the small part which she had considered turning down at one time. “That nothing part has turned my golden years into platinum,” she said. P r e s e n t e d w i t h g r o u p ’s Lifetime Achievement Award for her numerous stage, film and television credits, Jeffreys has no doubt contributed a great deal to the entertainment industry, appearing in over 100 films and stage plays. Jeffreys many credits include the soap operas “Port Charles” and “Falcon Crest” and classic TV shows like ““Bonanza.” The crowd appeared smitten by Jeffreys classic beauty and style as she took to the podium in a white pant suit trimmed with rhinestones and fur. “Please take your shoes off and get comfortable,” Jeffreys said. In the middle of her acceptance speech, which included memorable
Toni Wisner / Staff writer
HONOREES: Ann Rutherford, left, and Anne Jeffreys, right, smiled to admirers and spectators alike as they were honored at the eighth annual Riverside International Film Festival. stories of Frank Sinatra, she asked for a drink of water. Jeffreys was handed a glass and made the crowd laugh with a witty quip. “I hope this is vodka,” she said. Among other distinguished guests were Riverside Community College District Chancellor Gregory Gray, the Riverside City Council members, and members of the Consulate of Mexico. The filmmakers of the participating films in the festival, as well as the board members of
the Riverside International Film Festival were also in attendance. Nancy Douglas, the film programmer for the festival, introduced each participating film and their directors. A highlight of the evening took place when five of the filmmakers had to give a short extemporaneous promotional pitch of their film as their names were randomly drawn by an un-briefed audience participant. In previous years the festival had been held at the Riverside
Plaza. However, this year it moved to the Ultrastar Cinemas in University Village in Riverside. This year’s festival represented over 14 countries which brings a true testament to what Dhillon strives to accomplish. “I want to bring cultural awareness across the borders through film,” Dhillon said. Next year, audiences can look forward to the cinematic sophistication that will once again grace the silver screens of Riverside.
May 3
May 4
EVENTS Giri Kusuma at Bridges Hall of Music building at Pomona College Secrets Of The Silk Road at Bowers Museum in Santa Ana Health, Nutrition and Safety Training in Early Childhood certified training at UC Riverside
DVD “Leap Year” “Nine” “Tooth Fairy” EVENTS “Homelands: How Women Made the West” at Autry Naional Center in Los Angeles Coheed and Cambria at Fox Theater in Pomona
EVENTS “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” at Liberty Theatre in Los Alamitos “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at Wallace Theater at Cal Baptist in Riverside
EVENTS Southern California’s Original Renaissance Faire at Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area in Irwindale Canyon Crest Car Show at Canyon Crest Town Centre in Riverside
Vi ew p o i n t s E n t e r t a i n m e n t C a l e n d a r April 30
May 1
May 2
MOVIES EVENTS EVENTS “A Nightmare on Hidden Wine Tasting at Pet Adoptionthon 2010 Elm Street” OC Custom Wine at Mary S. Roberts Pet “Furry Vengeance” in Anaheim Adoption Center EVENTS “Fuggedboudit” murder in Riverside “The Pirates of Penzance” mystery and dinner at “The Wiz” at at Landis PAC Mission Galleria Center Stage Theater “How I Learned to Drive” Antique Mall in Fontana at RCC music room 102 in Downtown Riverside Rock the Ink Tattoo and Trainwreck & ShowMOVIES N Go Arts for Peace Festival MOVIES at Entertainment Festival at Car Show at Lake “Fame” Alice Riverside Plaza“Fame” Ontario Convention Center “Surrogates” “Surrogates” “Pandorum” “Pandorum” “All Shook Up” at “All Shook Up” at EVENTS EVENTS MOVIES Landis PAC Landis PAC An evening with David Cinco de Mayo fiesta at “Iron Alejandra Guzman at Man 2” Alejandra Guzman at Sedaris at Fox Performing House of Pechanga Blues “Babies” Pechanga Center in in Anaheim Norm McDonaldArts EVENTS Norm McDonald at at Downtown Riverside Dirty Blonde atIrvine Lake Alice Eddie Griffin at Irvine Improv Improv “Mercury, Mars, and in Riverside Ontario Improv Mayhem” at Special jump event for “Good Vibrations: A UC Riverside Fine Arts in families at Pump it Up of Beach Boys Tribute” at Riverside Chino Orange County PAC in Costa Mesa
May 5
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May 8
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10 | April 29, 2010
Viewpoints
April 29, 2010 | 11
Serving students since 1922
‘Losers’ gets an A for average stephanie holland editor in chief Imagine a contestant on “American Idol” ready to belt out their final big note, but instead of a show-stopping moment, they miss the mark completely and the room is left feeling awkward and full of pity. That’s what the theater felt like when the end credits rolled on “The Losers.” Based on the comic book by Andy Diggle, “The Losers” follows a team of special ops soldiers who were double crossed and left for dead as they attempt to seek revenge from the mysterious Max. If this premise sounds like the plot to the upcoming “A-Team” movie, it’s apparently just a coincidence. Of course, that hasn’t stopped constant comparisons. It even led to Warner Bros. changing the film’s release date in order to avoid cluttering the marketplace. However, it’s not competition from a more anticipated film that sinks “The Losers” it’s the averageness of the film which makes it forgettable. It’s a very generic action movie that features a requisite amount of explosions and gun battles but lacks anything below the surface. While the cast does have fantastic chemistry, it’s never a good sign when the audience is thinking about the cast’s upcoming films more than the one currently playing. Jeffrey Dean Morgan (“Watchmen”) plays Clay, the team leader who is wracked with guilt over the team’s predicament. He soon finds their fortunes turning when he is approached by the mysterious and volatile Aisha, portrayed by “Avatar” star Zoe Saldana. Their first meeting culminates in a sexy and fierce fighting scene early in the film which gives the audience hope for an out of the box action movie. Unfortunately, that is the last ground breaking scene in the movie, as every other alleged surprise twist is neither a surprise nor a twist. Idris Elba plays the gruff, uncompromising Roque and while Elba is a talented actor, he is woefully miscast in this part. The movie’s only saving grace is Chris Evans and Columbus Short as Jensen and Pooch. Their comedic talents livened up an otherwise dull moviegoing experience. Evans was recently announced as the new Captain America and anyone who doubts his casting will be reformed by his performance here. Jason Patric portrays Max like a Bond villain in training, walking a fine line between caricature and over the top mess. The disappointment in this film begins with the script, which was written by Peter Berg (“Hancock”) and James Vanderbilt (“The Rundown”). Berg has directed and written some of the best action movies of the last couple years, so this off the mark pedestrian movie is uncharacteristic for him. This is director Sylvain White’s first big budget action film and it showed in some of the more uncreative aspects of the film. Though one would expect experienced producer Joel Silver to offer the audience more than recycled plot clichés and somewhat forced humor. “The Losers” was hoping to sneak in and steal the box office before all the summer blockbusters start. It will accomplish one of those goals by sneaking in the theater; however, it is destined to sneak back out just as quietly.
Images courtesy of: Warner Bros.
Viewpoints
The world at your finger tips 12 | April 29, 2010
Juan aguilar Asst. inscape editor Watching movies about the future where kids would race by on their hovering skateboards makes people wish they could own one too. Well as technology continues to evolve, futuristic imagination is being put into the realm of total possibility and is offering it to almost any individual willing to pay for it. Of course, there are no hovering skateboards, flying cars or robots making dinner, at least not available to the public, but there is a new device which is a step up from the average computer. The newest and intriguing gadget from Apple, the iPad is definitely an example of a technological achievement. But for every new product comes price tags that make some people wish they owned such a thing. The sleek iPad weighs one and a half pounds and is half and inch thin. It has a high-resolution LED screen measuring at almost 10 inches diagonally. It truly is high definition for its size. The battery life can also last up to 10 hours. With either a 16GB, 32GB, or a 64GB available, the cost of the iPad ranges from $500 to $830, depending on its memory size. Some say it’s worth the money and some say it’s a waste, but disregard the price for a moment and you may appreciate what this new device has to offer. The most common argument is that the iPad is basically a supersized iPhone. While this may be partially true, its size shouldn’t undermine what Apple has enabled single objects to perform. The iPad has features that make it one hair short of perfection. Surf the web, watch movies in high definition, or share photos, it can be done at any time simply by touching the screen. Maybe you want to stick to the fundamentals and listen to music, or maybe you want to make it. Yes, music can be made with this contraption as it features a keyboard and music production tools which can be recorded and even synced with other iPads. Another cool feature from the iPad is the iBooks software. Apple chief executive Steve Jobs recently introduced iBooks on the ipad which allows users to read books, magazines and newspapers at any time. Users can also purchase books, magazines and newspapers from the iBookstore. Think of how much that would help the environment. Less paper equals more trees. Still, that’s not enough for the iPad, as it nearly has endless amounts of applications for those users who intend it to work its full potential. From touch friendly to motion sensitive puzzles and games, the iPad has a wide variety of amusing activities to keep you playing for hours. One application called “ Grind”
Serving students since 1922
is a skateboarding game where the players fingers are used to control the skateboard, requiring precision in finger placement and timing. But this new contraption is not all about entertainment. The iPad is also very useful for business and everyday use. Users can check their investments in real time , keep up to date with stock market news with the many business functions available or look up driving directions on the map app. With this single device being able to perform so many tasks, over one hundred features, the iPad truly proves itself to be universal. Consumers always want more and Apple has always delivered; it’s easy to believe their technology has come this far. Still, Apple is not the first to introduce this touch screen technology, but the fully loaded
mini computer is unlike the rest and Jobs promises consumers their version will be the best. What used to require multiple mediums can now be done on one small, sleek electronic device. The touch screen sensitivity is incredibly accurate, never performing the wrong task. Not to mention the iPad’s attractive look. Imagine walking in to a room and seeing it lying on a table, it will no doubt attract as much attention as George Clooney. Consumers can definitely appreciate the time and effort it took Apple to present us with this computerized object of the future. There is much more to come in the advancement of Apple technology and beyond, but what’s available now proves the future we imagined is real.
Images courtesy of: Apple
Inscape
Inscape
Viewpoints
Serving students since 1922
April 29, 2010 | 13
A surprisingly ‘Kick-Ass’ movie
juan aguilar asst. inscape editor
If you need a superhero’s help, just look him up on Myspace. His name is Kick-Ass and he is the new crime fighting hero in town. H e ’s n o t e x a c t l y t h e superhuman, web-spinning, multiple gadgets and suit made out of metal kind of superhero, but he will try. Since the time when Marvel and DC comics first came out, the fantasy of being a real life superhero has plagued the minds of true fans everywhere. In the hilarious and actionpacked film “Kick-Ass,” that fantasy gets put into perspective with bright and corny costumes, amateur fighting skills and good guy dialogue that will have you laughing hysterically. The movie features some young and fresh talent. Actors like Aaron Johnson (“The Illusionist”), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (“Superbad”) and Chloe Grace Moretz (“Diary of a Wimpy Kid”), were perfect for the memorable characters in this film. Dave Lizewski (Johnson) aka Kick-Ass, takes his superhero fantasy to the next level with a green scuba suit , green ski mask, steel-toe boots, and batons. That is basically it. He doesn’t have any fighting skills and his intimidation level is similar to that of Tobey Maguire from “Spider-Man.” But with the help of cell phone cameras and YouTube, a video of his sketchy fight scene made KickAss an instant and popular icon. Later in the film, Lizewski meets an 11-year-old girl who can work a butterfly knife and kill the villains faster than it takes them to realize they’re about to die. Her name is Hit-Girl (Moretz), and that name is enough for explanation. Hit-Girl took the audience by complete surprise as she dominated with her superior fighting skills and gunfights that had them laughing in amazement. She was like a little version of Trinity from “The Matrix.” And the awkwardly funny Mintz-Plasse reprises his role as the ultra-nerd with an alter ego. He plays Red Mist and he couldn’t save a life even if his depended on it. “Kick-Ass,” which is based on the comic books written by Mark Millar, tells the classic story of superheroes versus the villains. The villains are run by a mob boss, and the superheroes want to take him down. What sets this comic apart from all the others is that the superheroes don’t have superhuman powers; they’re just average individuals who would rather take a stand. It was also ridiculously violent, and that alone gave “Kick-Ass” the reputation that created its fan base. Director Matthew Vaughn did a superb job at sticking to the violence that “Kick-Ass” was known for in the comic series. He added some awesome visuals, creating a unique style to
Lionsgate
SOCK IT TO ‘EM: Hit-Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) shows the bad guy why size doesn’t matter when fighting crime. this movie that left the audience actually impressive as Big Daddy, impressed. who is the perfect blend of a corny The dialogue definitely added yet demented Batman. to the style by using the always Big Daddy is the father of Hitfunny profanity and teen antics Girl, and their relationship was the that we see every day. true definition of tough love. The cast worked well together Guns and knives are the toys as the dialogue seemed more like and learning how to use them like improvisation than script. a pro is playtime. “Kick-Ass” was surprisingly For a movie based off a comic gory as well. book, “Kick-Ass” stuck to the A f t e r w a t c h i n g t h e roots and was awe-inspiring as the commercials you would expect audience gave a round of applause it to be somewhat violent but not at the end. vicious and bloody. Unfortunately, the movie didn’t But that’s what’s great about seem like too much of a box office this film; it was full of surprises as hit as it grossed $19.8 million it truly kept the audience awake, on its opening weekend, barely even at a midnight showing. passing Dreamwork’s “How to The action scenes were nothing Train Your Dragon.” short of epic as they used constant Perhaps the unexpected gunfire and wild camera angles violence and crude dialogue that made the fighting impressive created some uncertainty for this and had the audience clapping in film. awe. But for what it’s worth, “KickBack for another shot at his Ass” no doubt lived up to it’s own acting career, Nicolas Cage was name.
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Viewpoints
14 | April 29, 2010
Serving students since 1922
Errors add to already flat season
daniel torres asst. Sports editor
A story of early struggles, followed by triumphant comeback only to once again return into the abyss that is a 12-7 loss on your home field. This was the story of the Riverside City College baseball team on April 24 as it fell in defeat to the Dons of Santa Ana College. RCC started off the game in a manner that a team hopes never to find itself in, down four quick runs, and still in the top of the first inning. On a warm, Saturday afternoon, RCC pitcher Jeff Murray stood atop of the mound, hoping to walk off with a win in the books. It was not quite the realization that would come into play for him that day. Murray found himself being pulled out of the game after recording only one out, but giving up four earned runs on four hits. “It was one of my rough days, the ball was up and I really didn’t have any command. There was no
life on the ball,” Murray said. T h e Ti g e r s h a d a m p l e preparation time out on the field before the game but failed to perform when it mattered most. The sun drained on the fans as they retreated behind the bleachers into the shade and shelter of surrounding trees. As the game began the fans eagerly returned to their seats excited and ready for baseball. The same cannot be said of Murray. “Warming up I felt the ball was up and flat, and I figured it was just going to go away by the time the game started. I didn’t think anything of it, but then when it got to the game, it was just the same results,” Murray said. A change in his preparation could have been the reason for his poor performance. “Saturday’s game I tried to be a little more relaxed. I’m usually a real hard-headed, focused kind of guy. I don’t talk a lot and Saturday I tried to have a little more fun, and I guess it just came back and bit me in the butt,” Murray said. Eddie Cornejo, coach of the
in the team’s eyes seeing that Santa Ana’s four run lead would eventually be erased by the help of some clutch at-bat situations and Hopper, who headed out and gave the Don’s all they could handle. Hopper, in as a relief for Murray, stepped up to the mound and pitched a notable five innings for RCC. The Don’s got one run in the fourth inning, but RCC’s time finally came in the bottom of the fifth inning. During that span, the RCC offense picked up their game -- Eddie Cornejo and exploded in the fifth inning scoring five Baseball coach runs. “We strung together a couple of selective atto our bullpen, which has been bats,” Cornejo said. “We put some something we have had to rely on swings together and we were able to all season,” Cornejo said. create some pressure defensively, Their last meeting against Santa Ana, the Tiger’s starting which caused a couple of miscues pitcher, Brian Hopper, lasted only on their part and allowed us to two innings, giving up eight hits advance a couple of bases.” Just like that, RCC took a and allowing an atrocious nine commanding 7-5 lead over the runs. Don’s, a lead that would be short A definite disappointment team, felt a sense of angst toward the game. When asked for his thoughts on the game he simply said, “A disappointing outcome to a struggling season.” Starting pitching has been some what of a saddening situation for the Tigers this season. “We immediately had to go
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“A disappointing outcome to a struggling season.”
lived heading into the following inning, for Hopper would give up a three run home run. “He did start to get a little fatigued (Hopper) during his fifth inning and we decided to keep extending him. If he’s rolling which he was, then we just had to continue going with him,” Cornejo said. To add on a little more insurance, Santa Ana College brought in four more runs in the top of the ninth to extend the score to 12-7, thus ending the game right there, at least for most of the spectators who began to flee. Cornejo describes the top of the ninth inning akin to someone taking the wind out of you. Although no one wishes to suffer a loss, some good can still come from it. “I thought we took some very good swings against some tough pitching, which is something that we’ve lacked down the stretch through conference,” Cornejo said. RCC finishes off the regular season against Fullerton at home on April 30.
Off to conference finals with an all-around dominance ricky holmes asst. Sports editor No one could stand in their way. That’s the attitude that the Riverside City College track and field team had going into the Orange Empire Conference preliminaries on April 23 at Orange Coast College. That attitude served the Tigers just right as they put on a display of athleticism that may very well guide them to a third straight state championship in May. RCC dominated most of the day’s events. From start to finish, the Tigers had at least one athlete place in the top five in their respective event while setting records along the way. “What a great day. The guys really came together and team unity really increased on this team a lot after today. We had a lot of inspirational moments today,” coach Jim McCarron said. The team started the day off right as Larissa Davis was able to pull away from the pack to win the women’s 3000 meter steeplechase. Her teammate, Daniel Cooper, wasn’t as fortunate however. Cooper, last year’s conference steeplechase champion, was running in second place, going through the hurdles, when he collided with the obstacle and fell into tenth place. “He was favored to win this meet and he fell hard, ” McCarron
said. Instead of dwelling on the mistake, he showed some of the mental toughness and determination that has guided the team and was able to finish third despite the fall and qualified for the finals to be held on April 30. The field events also went well for RCC as Austin Elmore took second place in the hammer throw and Tyler Wallace took third in the men’s pole vault with a jump of 15 feet even. The rest of the day was a field day for the track team as they dominated the competition. “In the 100, we had six guys qualify, and the 200, we had five. What that means is that five out of the nine runners in next week’s competition will be from our school,” McCarron said. In the 100 meter event, RCC’s Duke Greer finished first in his heat with a team best time of 11.22, just milliseconds ahead of the other five qualifiers. Marquis Pilchur became the No. 1 qualifier for the 200 meter event final as he sprinted to the finish with a time of 22.15. Djuan Lee, Khurtis Henry and Tommy Curry finished 1-2-3 in their 200 meter heat to qualify for the finals and give the Tigers the safety in numbers that they desire. In the 1500 meter event, Alberto Camacho breezed past the other runners to post an impressive time of 4:07:46 and steeplechase winner Larissa Davis finished third in her heat at 5:02:25 to qualify.
After a day already filled with personal records being set, the long jump competition showed why RCC track and field is a force to be reckoned with in the state. “The long jump was phenomenal. We went 1-3 in the long jump,” McCarron said. “It was the best long jump in the history of the conference.” The intensity of the competition brought fans and teammates alike as they saw numbers being put up that are not usually seen in community college meets. As the fans gathered, Tigers teammates cheered on Charles Smith, Damien Ephraim and Chris Bernard as they battled through the fierce competition. Ephraim and Bernard jumped their way into the top five with impressive jumps of over 24 feet but even those numbers couldn’t top Charles Smith. A Fullerton College long jumper raised the bar near the end of the event by jumping 25 feet and one inch. That incredible mark didn’t seem to deter Smith though. With teammates and rivals cheering him on, Smith set the conference record and became the second best long jumper in school history with his leap of 25 feet and six inches. Wi t h t h e d o m i n a t i n g performance at the preliminaries, the Tigers will now go onto the finals with the odds stacked in their favor and the quest for a third straight state championship on their minds.
Jasmeet Singh / editor’s assistant
Falling back down: Skylarr LaCour clears a 6’ 8” high
jump during practice on April 26. RCC will compete in the conference finals on April 30 at Orange Coast College.
April 29, 2010 | 15
Sports
Golf on par to win the conference Ruben gallegos Staff writer
Fastpitch
Baseball Season Record Overall: 13-20 Conference: 8-11 Next Game: 4/30 vs. Fullerton
Season Record Overall: 26-13 Conference: 14-7 Next Game: 5/1 vs. Los Angeles Harbor
Baseball Feb. 12
RCC 20 Cuesta 4
Feb. 16
RCC 2 Cuesta 8
Feb. 17
RCC 1 Western Nevada 10
Feb. 19
RCC 5 Western Nevada 4
Feb. 20
RCC 4 Western Nevada 9
Feb. 23
RCC 1 Mt. San Antonio 5
Feb. 25
RCC 6 Sacramento City 6
March 2 RCC 6 Orange Coast 5 March 4 RCC 11 Saddleback 3. March 6 RCC 5 Golden West 4 March 9 RCC 5 Cypress 12 March 11 RCC 12 Irvine Valley 6 March 12 RCC 5 Santa Ana 13
Men’s Tennis Season Record Overall: 12-8 Conference: 5-3
March 25 RCC 11 Long Beach City 0 March 26 RCC 6 Santiago Canyon 3 March 30 RCC 7 Cypress 3
March 25 RCC 11 Saddleback 6 March 26 RCC 9 Mt. San Antonio 4 March 30 RCC 8 West Los Angeles 10 March 31 RCC 5 El Camino 6
Swimming
Track and Field
Next Game: 4/29
Next Game: 4/30 Orange Empire Conference finals
Next Game: State Championships At San Antonio College
March 25 RCC 4 Fullerton 5 March 30 RCC 1 Irvine Valley 8 April 1
RCC 1 Saddleback 8
April 6
RCC 7 Mt. San Jacinto 2
March 31 RCC 2 Saddleback 12 April 2
RCC 5 Citrus 1
April 7
RCC 9 Fullerton 5
April 9
RCC 10 Golden West 1
April 14
RCC 8 Orange Coast 4
April 16
RCC 9 Santa Ana 0
April 18
RCC 8 Grossmont 6
April 18
RCC 2 Mt. San Antonio 10
April 21
RCC 0 Santiago Canyon 3
April 1
Vs. Los Angeles Harbor 7 p.m.
Men’s Tennis
March 18 RCC 6 Orange Coast 15 March 23 RCC 3 Saddleback 4
Season Record Overall: 5-7 Conference: 0-6
March 24 RCC 3 Santa Ana 4
March 16 RCC 10 Fullerton 9 March 20 RCC 11 Orange Coast 8
Women’s Tennis
Feb. 4
Men’s Swimming Feb. 5
Waterman Festival 9 a.m.
Feb. 26
RCC 744 Golden West 551
March 5 RCC 161 Golden West 51 March 12 RCC 909 Chaffey 23.5 March 19 RCC 111 Orange Coast 113 March 26 RCC 164 Cypress 58 April 2
RCC 145 Saddleback 78
April 8
RCC 159 Palomar 100
April 16 Conference Championship finished second with 823 points
RCC 9 Victor Valley 0
Feb. 11
RCC 6 Grossmont 3
Feb. 18
RCC 2 Orange Coast 6
Feb. 23
RCC 1 Desert 8
Feb. 25
RCC 7 Fullerton 2
March 2
RCC 8 Irvine Valley 1
April 29 State Championships 10 a.m.
Track and Field Feb. 12
Vs. Santa Ana and Santiago Canyon 2 p.m.
April 1
RCC 2 East Los Angeles 9
April 8
March 4
RCC 4 Cypress 5
RCC 2 Golden West 5
Feb. 18
Cerritos Invitational 8 a.m.
March 9
RCC 8 Saddleback 1
April 10 RCC 8 Golden West 9 April 13 RCC 5 Cypress 6 April 15 RCC 3 Cypress 12 April 20 RCC 6 Irvine Valley 3 April 22 RCC 8 Irvine Valley 9 April 24 RCC 7 Santa Ana 12 April 27 RCC 5 Santa Ana 8 April 29 At Fullerton 2 p.m. April 30 Vs. Fullerton 2 p.m.
Fastpitch March 3 RCC 1 Santiago Canyon 0 March 6 RCC 6 DeAnza 3 March 6 RCC 15 Reedley 0 March 6 RCC 5 Redwoods 0 March 6 RCC 9 Victor Valley 1 March 6 RCC 3 Fresno 9 March 10 RCC 0 Cypress 7 March 12 RCC 5 Fullerton 4 March 17 RCC 11 Golden West 3 March 19 RCC 9 Orange Coast 3. March 20 RCC 8 Bakersfield 0
Feb. 24
Vs. CSULB 2 p.m.
March 11 RCC 4 Cypress 5
Feb. 26
Vs. Saddleback 2 p.m.
March 16 RCC 8 Amherst College 1
March 5 Ben Brown Invitational 8 a.m.
March 18 RCC 6 Orange Coast 3
March 12 Vs. Golden West 2 p.m.
March 19 RCC 7 Palomar 2
March 12 At Occidental 6 p.m.
March 23 RCC 9 San Diego City 0
March 18 Orange Empire Championship
March 25 RCC 9 Fullerton 0
Costa Mesa, CA 8 a.m.
March 30 RCC 5 Irvine Valley 4
March 26 RCC Open 2 p.m.
April 1
RCC 9 Saddleback 0
April 2
April 13
RCC 2 Mt. San Jacinto 5
Women’s Tennis Jan. 28
RCC 6 Imperial Valley 3
Feb. 2
RCC 6 El Camino 0
Feb. 4
RCC 9 Victor Valley 0
Feb. 11
RCC 9 Antelope Valley 0
Feb. 18
RCC 2 Orange Coast 7
Feb. 25
RCC 3 Fullerton 6
March 2 RCC 3 Irvine Valley 6
Fullerton 2 p.m. April 10 Mt. San Antonio Relays 8 a.m. April 12 Southern California Multi-Event Championship, Norwalk, CA 8 a.m. April 23 Orange Empire Conference Prelims Costa Mesa. CA 2 p.m. April 30 Orange Empire Conference Finals Costa Mesa, CA 2 p.m. May 8
March 18 RCC 0 Orange Coast 9 March 19 RCC 3 Palomar 6
Southern California Prelims Mission Viejo, CA 2 p.m.
May 15 May 21
The conference Championships will be held on May 3, at Los Serranos Golf Course at 8 a.m.
Southern California Finals 2 p.m. Mission Viejo, CA 2 p.m.
March 9 RCC 0 Saddleback 9 March 13 RCC 5 Wesleyan University 4
Vs. Orange Coast and
Riverside City College men’s golf team anticipates a conference title as they compete in the Orange Empire Conference Championship at Los Serranos Golf Club on May 3. RCC heads in to the conference finals with one of the best season average scores of 68.75. They have also finished the dual-meet season with an 11-5 record, tying Cypress College for the best record in the conference. “We have as good a chance as anybody else to go in there have a good day and win the conference championship,” coach Steve Sigloch said. “All six of our guys really have to play well.” The Tigers will be sending six of the team’s top players to represent Riverside in the Orange Empire Conference Championship. The talent includes sophomore Nick Paez, a transfer student from University of California Riverside. Paez plays as the team’s No. 1, and leads the team with the lowest average score of 75 percent. “Nick Paez plays as our No. 1, and has had a great season,” Sigloch said. “He (is) definitely the best player on our team, and has proven that throughout the year.” While Paez was unable to comment himself, his teammates had plenty to say regarding his talents. “He was injured and didn’t play for a couple of tournaments,” Nick Ericson said. “We’d have to bring in somebody else and it showed on our scores, because obviously they weren’t as good.” Ericson, a sophomore from Rancho Cucamonga High School, ranks third on the team with a scoring average of 76.18. “Another guy to look for is Caleb Malcolm, (a) freshman from Patriot (High School),” Sigloch said. “With a scoring average of 75.91, he’s been a big part of our success this year, definitely.” Malcolm believes the team is built on camaraderie, in that they spend the majority of their time working together and developing as a team. One of the weaknesses he sees players working on as a whole is their mental capacity for the game. “You have to play smart, because when you get mad then you’re going to make stupid decisions on the course, so you have to keep your composure,” Malcolm said. “It’s almost like, having a girlfriend and getting in an argument with her, you know you don’t want to say anything stupid because it just gets worse.” Coach Sigloch expects success for his athletes in the conference title as he describes the team as, “the best team that RCC’s had in many years.” The Orange Empire Conference Championships consist of 36 holes, 18 to be played in the morning on the south course, and the final 18 to be played in the evening on the north course. Four of the five teams from the conference will move on to the regional finals at the Southern California Golf Association Golf Course in Murrieta on May 10. There will be 11 teams competing at the regionals, and only four will move on to the state championships at Oak Valley Golf Course in Beaumont on May 17. Ericson agrees the thing that the team has improved to get them this far is self-control. “Now we just stick it out and turn it around when things go wrong,” Ericson said. He believes that in order to take the conference title and keep their season alive, they’re going to have to harness their talent and keep their poise.
State Championships Lancaster, CA 10 a.m.
The regional finals will be held on May 10, at the SCGA Golf Course at 7 a.m.
Viewpoints
Serving students since 1922
16 | April 29, 2010
Sports
The road back to finals begins
Bobby R. Hester / editor’s assistant
BATTER UP: RCC’s Jackie Serna makes contact during practice on March 23. RCC earned a playoff berth and will play on May 1 at Evans sports complex.
Bobby R. Hester / editor’s assistant
RUNNING WITH A SMILE: Sandra Strong practices running
the bases to help the RCC get ready for the playoffs.
Riverside City College fastpitch is the No. 7 RCC finished its season with a 26-13 overall seed in the Southern region playoff bracket. record and a 14-7 conference record. RCC will host Los Angeles Harbor in a best-ofthree series. Game 1 is on May 1, at 7 p.m.
Coach Michelle Daddona was named Orange Empire Conference Coach of the Year.
Game 2 is on May 2 at 2 p.m. Game 3 follows if necessary.
Jackie Serna was named Orange Empire Conference Player of the Year.
Viewpoints
April 29, 2010 | 17
Serving students since 1922
The future of guide dog training miho kaneko Staff Writer Haru Iguchi is the future of dog whispering, so Cesar Millan better watch out. One of Riverside City College’s own international students has come to the United States in order to get an education in training guide-dogs. Iguchi is an student from Shizuoka, Japan, and has been in the U.S. for two years. As a young girl, she desired to be a veterinarian because she wanted to help animals. But in junior high, she discovered a new possibility. A guide-dog training show appeared on TV and there was an instant connection. “When I knew the existence of guide-dog trainers, I thought it was a good job for me,” Iguchi said. “I want to work for animals, but I also want to help people as well,” Iguchi said. When she started searching for a guide dog training program,
she knew of only one technical college for a guide dog trainer in Japan, the Japan Guide Dog Association. The college accepted only 20 students every year. However, there are typically 10 times as many applicants who would like to study at this college than the number of students who are actually accepted into the school. The profession as a guide-dog trainer was extremely popular among Japanese students. However, guide dogs and trainers were rare in Japan, and a system of guide dogs was not widely spread out. So, instead of going to a Japanese college, Iguchi decided to try and study in the U.S. “America was developed more than Japan in a lot of points, including a system of guide dogs,” Iguchi said. “Most Japanese people have never seen guide dogs in real life,” she said. In Japan, people usually
see guide dogs on television, in pictures, or on the Internet. Guide dogs are allowed in public places in Japan, although they are rarely seen. Not all people are comfortable with the idea of guide dogs in public places. Iguchi has only seen guide dogs at RCC twice since she’s come here. Once when she saw a blind person, walking with their guide dog, and the other was of her instructor who volunteers and raises puppies for guide dogs. “When I met my Professor Hall, he brought a puppy to our class,” Iguchi said. “It was so interesting and had never happened in my country.” Although the U.S. is more developed in guide-dog training than Japan, there are still some problems in training programs. “Even though there are many schools and organizations for guide dogs, the number of guide dogs are totally not enough,” Iguchi said. “Many persons want
Leonardo Astorga / Staff Photographer
The Next Dog whisperer: International student, Haru Iguchi, poses
for a portrait April 28. Iguchi is an aspiring guide dog trainer.
guide dogs, but we can’t give to all of them.” According to Iguchi there is a bad circulation between the number of applicants and the number of available guide dogs. “Even if people want guide dogs, some people can’t afford them because of their financial problem,” Iguchi said. “And some people give up having a guide dog and use sticks for walking by themselves.” Even though there are still some problems with guide dogs in every country, Iguchi believes that the United States is the most beneficial place to study as a guide-dog trainer. “I hope Japan can be like the U.S., and everybody can walk freely,” Iguchi said. Iguchi is planning to graduate from RCC this coming fall. She wants to study and volunteer at Guide Dogs of the Desert. Guide Dogs of the Desert is a non-profit organization founded in 1972.
This group of people is trying to improve the lives of individuals who are blind by giving them companions that will change their lives to be more independent. Guide Dogs of the Desert is also a member of the International Guide Dog Federation. They ensure that every person receiving a guide dog is given only the best animals that are well-trained and will only enrich their lives. On top of providing quality animals, the program is also extremely extensive. The program includes breeding their own dogs, directly raising the puppies, formally training each dog, on-campus training with the students, and mobility and life skills training. Iguchi has definitely found her perfect niche in this organization and will fit in just fine with these animal lovers. “I hope I can be a guide dog trainer and help many people not only in Japan but also in the U.S. and other countries,” Iguchi said.
Viewpoints
Serving students since 1922
18 | April 29, 2010
Features
Making culture a part of the council
samantha flores Staff Writer When a Riverside City College student finds themselves with a little extra time on their hands, or simply bored of their usual school routine, they can always depend on joining one of the many clubs on campus. One possibility is the MultiCultural Advisory Council at RCC. This organization helps plan cultural events amongst the RCC student body. RCC student Tracy Olmedo, takes the lead as director of the club and is proud to be a part of the Multi-Cultural Advisory Council. The Multi-Cultural Advisory Council is a branch of the Executive Cabinet in Student Government. The goal of the club is to make the student body more aware of different cultures and current issues that affect those cultures. The committee is comprised of students who decide on their own which events to have and when and where to have them. The council also consists of a board of students that get together and plan campus cultural events for the year. Olmedo believes that if a student has the time then the MultiCultural Advisory Council is right for them. “It is ideal for those who want
to help participate in a club that really gets you involved with the college atmosphere” she said. Students spend many hours hosting events and meeting new people consistently. One of the previous events that the Multi-Cultural Advisory Council assisted with, was Eve Ensler’s play “The Vagina Monologues,” which was performed in March and April at the Digital Library Auditorium. The proceeds for the benefit performances went to the Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center. Also, on April 6, the MultiCultural Advisory Council worked to celebrate César Chavez and his achievement for equal worker rights. Guest speakers Lauro Barajas, the Southern California regional director for United Farm Workers and RCC faculty member Alejandro Torres spoke on behalf of César Chavez day. Arriving shortly will be Cinco de Mayo. The Multi-Cultural Advisory Council and various other clubs will promote many important figures like General Zaragoza who on May 5, 1862, with 4,000 men under his command defeated 8,000 men of Napoleon III’s army at Puebla Mexico. The event will promote the accomplishments of various individuals by putting up poster
boards around campus to bring awareness. This event takes place from 4-6 p.m. on the Aguilar patio. On top of the Cinco de Mayo celebration, the Multi-Cultural Advisory Council and the International club will team up to promote Asian Pacific American Heritage Month on May 18. The Asian Pacific American Heritage Month commemorates the first Japanese immigrants to come to the United States on May 7, 1843. The month also marks the anniversary of the fulfillment of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. With all the cultural events coming up, the council is always accepting new additions. If you have any interest in joining the many students who are already involved with this club, then Multi-Cultural Advisory Council wants you to know you’re already welcome. All you have to do is show up to one of the club meetings. Meetings for the council are held on Mondays at 11:50 a.m. in the Heritage room of the Bradshaw Building (down the hall in the Cafeteria). For more information on events or how to join, contact Deborah Hall at deborah.hall@rcc.edu or at 951-222-8572, or Douglas Graham at doug.graham@rcc.edu or at 951-222-8576.
United States Department of Labor
April 8, 2010 | 19
Viewpoints
Act of service for a day of fun Serving students since 1922
20 | April 29, 2010
shardai perry asst. features editor Disney has created a whole new way to incorporate inspiration, fun and community service for the year of 2010, “Give a Day, Get a Day.” Participants signed up for a day of volunteering in their community and after completing the philanthropic event they received a one-year long valid park pass to either Walt Disney World Resort or the Disneyland Resort. The participants had the option of either receiving their ticket or donating it to a charity or organization. Disney offered first come, first serve to one million people, and within weeks they reached their goal of a million volunteers. The volunteering places ranged in many different categories. The possible community service events included educational sessions with kids, feeding the homeless, cultural experiences, baseball game vendors, or even sidewalk sign holders. One of the many places on the list for volunteering was the Inland Valley Hope Partners, located in the east end of Los Angeles. Hope Partners is a non-profit agency. Their mission is to ensure the empowerment of people in need by providing food, shelter, and supportive services. All this is made possible by the plethora of “partners” such as, their business partners, faith partners, individual donors and, of course, volunteers. David Nelson has been volunteering at Inland Valley for about six months. What started as just something to do, now occupies his time and heart. “At first I just wanted to give back to the community, saying how thankful I am and hoping it pays off in someone’s life,” Nelson said. Nelson runs the pantry. Between assisting the stock room, loading and unloading the food, and simply tidying up, he’s there five to six hours a day. “I’ve been out of work for quite sometime and thought maybe working here would give me good references or maybe even a job hook-up. But if it doesn’t at least I’m still doing something with my life,” Nelson said. Nelson as well as a few of the other volunteers that day took advantage of Disney’s Give a Day, Get a Day offer. “Honestly, I took advantage of the offer because why not? But I’ve seen the people that come in and out of here and you can tell they’re just doing it for the freebee not because they sincerely want to help,” Nelson said. Tom Burns was a first time volunteer at the Inland Hope, and his reward for the day would be a ticket to one of his favorite childhood places, Disneyland Resort. “I frequently volunteer, so this isn’t out of my comfort zone or anything,” Burns said. Burns actually used to work in
a food warehouse, so for him this activity was quite familiar. “It’s a really good exchange, actually a win-win because you get to give back and be rewarded,” Burns said. The Inland Valley Hope Partners serves up to 75,000 children, women and men a year throughout the Inland Valley. The organization goes through about 5,000 volunteers a year. Marilyn Rose works in the volunteering department for Inland Hope, and according to her says it’s a big help when organizations do stuff like the give a day, get a day because they get a whole group of eager people wanting to help. This is not the first time Disney has reached out and most likely won’t be the last. “We are very happy to have been apart of Disney’s Give a Day, Get a Day and even more thankful for the number of people we had that wanted to help our organization,” Rose said.
Features
disneyland resort
childhood fun: Spokes Muppets for Disneys Give a Day, Get a Day, Kermit the Frog, Miss piggy and Sweetums pose for a parade at Disneyland.