COURIER VOLUME 110 ISSUE 9
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PASADENA CITY COLLEGE
October 23, 2014
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EDITORIAL Labor dispute only hurts students
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Senate leaders decry hiring estimates PCC Executive committee to work minimum hours in response to full-time hiring estimate
student killed in car crash
Daniel Johnson News Editor
Daniel Johnson and Matthew Kiewiet Staff Writers
Academic Senate president Eduardo Cairo announced that the senate executive committee would work only the minimum number of required hours in response to interim president Robert Miller’s estimates of full-time faculty hiring needs that Cairo said merely attempt to meet state minimums. Cairo urged faculty to follow suit, recommending that they conduct their classes, office hours, and the mandatory five and a half hours of professional development time (also known as release time) per week and nothing more. “We’re not going to be overworked anymore,” said Cairo following the meeting. “If the college is fine with putting up the minimum number of faculty, if that’s what they think is good enough for this college, then the faculty will be good enough with putting in the minimum amount of time.” Miller took a conciliatory tone when reacting to Cairo’s proposal. “I understand that president Cairo is frustrated,” said Miller. “I know they are working beyond
A PCC freshman was killed in a single car accident around 8 p.m. Tuesday night. David J. Echauri, 18, died after his car struck a light pole, guardrail, and freeway sign before rolling over on the westbound 134 freeway near the 2 freeway, according to a report by the Glendale News-Press. The report states that he was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Echauri was a registered nursing major who had attended Arcadia High School, according to a statement from interim president Robert Miller’s office. Crystal Kollross, who taught Echauri in her first-year orientation class, remembered him as a dedicated young man. “It is a huge tragedy,” she said. “He was a very nice young man that everyone got along with. He was going places.” Echauri is the second PCC student involved in a fatal car accident in just over a month, following the death of April Townsend on Sept. 12 in Santa Clarita.
Ryan Kevin/Courier Academic Senate Vice President Kris Pilon (left), President Eduardo Cairo (center) and Secretary Pat Rose at their regular meeting in the Circadian held on Monday.
their release time hours, and I described as a very complex mathappreciate that.” ematical formula. He welcomed “I can’t dictate what he or any faculty member to examine other individuals decide to do,” it with associate vice president he added. “What I will try to do for strategic planning Dr. Ryan is improve the “If the college is fine with Cornner. overall atmo“I invite any putting up the minimum faculty member sphere for [all faculty] so that number of faculty...the fac- who wants ulty will be good enough to look at the they are that with putting in the mini- FFON to sit much more encouraged to down with Dr. mum amount of time.” go the extra Cornner and -Eduardo Cairo mile for their try to work it students.” out,” said Miller. “Absolutely no The figure known as the fullproblem at all.” time faculty obligation number The number is reached through (FFON) is at the heart of the certain calculations of full-time dispute. student enrollments. It is determined by what Miller While Miller has publically
discussed the FFON with the Academic Senate, he has not indicated the number of full-time faculty the school will hire. That recommendation comes from the Faculty Hiring Priority Committee, which is chaired by Cairo. The committee has not received hiring requests from all departments yet, and is unable to name a specific figure. However, a document obtained by the Courier indicated that 27 new hires were being asked for, with some departments yet to weigh in. Of these, 22 are replacing outHIRING page 2
School’s princesses not chosen as 2015 Rose Queen Monique LeBleu Staff Writer
Keely Ernst/Courier PCC students Veronica Sara Mejia, 19, (left) and Mackenzie Joy Byers, 18, stand with 97th Rose Court Queen Madison Elaine Triplett, 17, at a ceremony on Tuesday night at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
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Full stomachs and comfortable clothes were first priority for both Rose Court Princesses from Pasadena City College, Veronica Sara Mejia and Mackenzie Joy Byers, after welcoming their new Rose Queen on Wednesday night. “’Are you hungry?,’” laughs Mejia, on the first words from her parents and family following the ceremony. She and her family went to Panda Inn. “I took off my shoes, I got in nice PJs and I ate In-N-Out!,” Byers said. “It was a very relieved moment.”
I THERAPY N S THROUGH ART One student’s battle I with cancer D PAGE 6>> E
Madison Elaine Triplett, 17, of Altadena, was crowned the 97th Rose Queen for the 2015 Pasadena Tournament of Roses at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium Plaza amongst hundreds of family, friends, and Rose Parade fans on Tuesday. Triplett, the daughter of Reggie and Jouslynn Triplett, attends John Marshall Fundamental High School. An active participant in student government at Marshall, the Pasadena City Youth Council, and the Black Student Union, she spoke decisively and clearly on her wish to create a nonprofit to educate minorities on financial literacy. Triplett, Byers, and Mejia
graced the stage with Princesses Gabrielle Ann Current, 18, of Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, Bergen Louise Onufer, 17, of Mayfield Senior School, Simona K. Shao, 17, of Westridge School, and Emily Alicia Olivas Stoker, 17, of Temple City High School. Once announced by Pasadena Tournament of Roses President Richard Chinen, the new Rose Queen and her Court were escorted offstage to prepare and change, while a brief video was shown featuring the process of choosing the seven members of the royal court out of over 700 Pasadena-area applicants.
PUNK PERSISTS Razorcake writers at Vroman’s
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ROSE page 2
NEWS
2 COURIER
October 23, 2014
School participates in California ShakeOut PCC students, staff and faculty at the Community Education Center joined more than 10 million people statewide in the Great California ShakeOut Earthquake Drill. At 10:15 a.m., the campus alarms rang and students quickly responded by dropping to the floor, squatting under their desks and holding on. After a few moments, professors led students out of the building where campus police directed everyone to parking lot A. For anyone who has grown up in the California school system, earthquake drills have been a way to get out of class for a few
HIRING
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going staff, while five are new positions. It is this ratio of replacement to growth that Cairo has the biggest issue with. He is concerned that the administration will not make enough full-time hires to keep up with retirements and other turnover. The conflict over the hiring figures began at last week’s Council on Professional and Academic Matters (CAPM) meeting and continued at Monday’s Academic Senate session. At the CAPM meeting, Miller put forth that the FFON would be between five and 10, which drew an angry response from Cairo.
ROSE
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For the presentation, the Royal Court was escorted back on stage, with the Rose Princesses dressed in midnight blue Tadashi Shoji gowns that complimented Triplett’s own in shimmering white. President Chinen then lead Triplett through a brief pledge and the new Rose Queen was adorned with the coveted Mikimoto crown that features “more than 600 cultured pearls
moments and chat with friends. That appears to be true even to this day, with most students carrying on conversations with their classmates and taking their time exiting the building. However aside from the banter, PCC Police officer Michael Despain said that as a whole, “it went flawless.” ESL professor Greg Marlowe agreed. “It was ok. It was fun,” Marlowe said. “We survived it and there were no problems.” California residents have always been aware that earthquakes can be volatile and occur when least expected. And cosmetology student Lucy Shahinyn feels that earthquake drills are still a necessity. “Based on the number of administrators we’ve hired in the last couple of years, it’s insulting to say we only need five to 10 [new faculty hires],” said Cairo then. Miller revised his estimate Monday when he joined the senate session, citing new data that increased the estimated FFON to between 11 and 24 new positions by Sept. 2015. He said that Cairo’s previous indignation played no role in the increased figures. Miller told the senate that adding more than the mandated amount of new faculty was possible, depending on factors such as the new Faculty Association contract currently under negotiation. “I can assure you that I will take as high a recommendation as and six carats of diamonds.” The rest of the year will be a very busy one for the new Royal Court as Ambassadors for the Pasadena Rose Parade. “The Royal Court participates in anywhere in the neighborhood of a 100 events before January 31st ,” said Andrea Joy, a tournament spokeswoman. Their first event will be this weekend for the Club 21st Together is Better Walk-a-Thon in Pasadena’s Central Park.
“It’s an experience and you have to be ready because lots of earthquakes happen here,” said Shahinyn. Last year, PCC participated in the drill on the main campus but that was not the case this year. According to Despain, the drill was relocated because the school had “limited resources.” Despain hopes that next year the campus police will have more resources to bring the drill back to the main campus. The Great California Shakeout educates citizens on how to “Drop, Cover and Hold On” during an earthquake. This annual drill allows participants an opportunity to practice how to protect themselves should an earthquake take place.
File photo by Daniel Nerio Interim President Robert Miller.
we possibly can this year on fulltime faculty, trying to balance all the other things we need to balance from the light bill to library books and everything we need
Paul Ochoa/Courier Students exit Gisela Mena’s class during the Great California ShakeOut on Oct. 16.
to have a full-service institution,” said Miller. “We are planning to grow from three to four percent each year over the next for or five years. That is going to require faculty, obviously.” Cairo remained dissatisfied upon hearing the new estimates. He cited senator Russ Di Fiori’s assertion that four percent growth worked out to about 21 new teachers, meaning that simply meeting the FFON would not fully address vacated positions. “There are many positions that haven’t been filled,” he said. “We need to hire people to fill them before we get to growth.” Cairo indicated that if retiring and vacated positions were
addressed, he would accept the FFON as additional hiring growth. “Ideally what should happen is that if the college says 11 or 12, we’ll say we’ll take whatever you give us, plus the [retirement] number,” said Cairo. Following the meeting, Miller expressed his desire that all parties keep up respectful discussion. “I respect everyone’s comments in there and if I could wave a magic wand and do what they want I would,” said Miller. “In the meantime, if we can work together and keep talking maybe we can come to a reasonable position, and remember every year we get to hire new faculty.”
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Keely Ernst/Courier PCC students Veronica Sara Mejia (left), 19, and Mackenzie Joy Byers, 18, await the announcement for Rose Queen.
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OPINION
October 23, 2014
Courier
2014 JACC General Excellence Award-Winner Editor-in-Chief Philip McCormick Online Editor Mick Donovan News Editor Daniel Johnson Opinion Editor Justin Clay Asst. Opinion Editor Hannah Gonzales Features Editor Kristen Luna A&E Editor Samantha Molina Lifestyle Editor Monique LeBleu Sports Editor Daron Grandberry Photo Editor Nagisa Mihara Asst. Photo Editor Paul Ochoa Chief Photographer Concepcion Gonzalez Online Photo Editor Daniel Valencia Scene Editor
Labor dispute only hurts students Justin Clay Opinion Editor
Academic Senate president Eduardo Cairo’s announcement that the senate executive committee would only work the minimum number of required hours in response to the college hiring the minimum of full time employees sets a dangerous precedent. Cairo is suggesting that the rest of the faculty follow the lead of the committee and teach their classes and follow through with the mandatory office hours and nothing more. The dispute over hiring and the idea that faculty are overworked is a serious one, but if faculty decide to scale back their time, it only hurts the students. The faculty is here to serve the students and the community as a whole. The idea of faculty members doing the minimum work load because they are upset at a specific policy that is in place is like a student deciding at the beginning of a semester that all they are going to do is the bare minimum in order to get a C in the class because they don’t like the homework policy. No one is disputing that teachers are overworked, but shutting down and phoning it in mid-semester cannot be the answer. Students shouldn’t be punished because facul-
Keely Ernst Staff Writers: Ahmad Akkaoui, Reina Aldape, Daniel Axume, Dezarae Balbas, Joey Calderon Guzman, David Grubaugh, Tiffany Herrera, Matthew Kiewiet, Anthony Martinez, David O’Connor, Ashley Park, Sho Tanaka Staff Photographers: Ansis Hoheisel, Erica Hong, Ryan Kevin, Chris Martinez, Daniel Nerio, Kevin Peraza, Scott Spencer, Daniel Vega-Warholy, Saul Villegas, Tiffany Yip Faculty Adviser Nathan McIntire Photo Adviser Tim Berger Advertising Manager
Cartoon by Mick Donovan and Paul Ochoa
ty members are having a dispute about decisions that the students themselves don’t have any effect on whatsoever. The idea that someone is upset because their employer is doing the minimum required as far as hiring practices and their response is to counter with the minimum required as far as workload makes little sense. Is Cairo hoping that students will suffer so much that they will express their outrage to the administration? There are students at this college that struggle financially and work multiple jobs just to be able
to afford school expenses. So the fact that the faculty that they look to for guidance would take their ball and go home because of a labor dispute has the danger of causing a serious disconnect between the two groups. No student is responsible for solving labor disputes, therefore they should not be penalized for said disputes. Being an educator is a thankless and tiresome job, but no student should have to watch their faculty have a public pouting fit over something that they have absolutely no control over anyway.
Paying voters won’t solve political apathy Joey Calderon Guzman Staff Writer
Charles Winners Asst. Scene Editor
COURIER 3
Given last year’s poor election turnout, the Los Angeles Ethics Commission has begun considering the idea of using cash prizes to increase voter participation. While people are definitely motivated by money, it still won’t solve the apathy people feel toward politics. According to Pew Research, we are more divided now than we’ve ever been in the last two decades. People are much less likely to tolerate other people’s beliefs outside their political spectrum, so it’s understandable why most people would rather simply recuse themselves from the conversation than risk losing a friend. It’s socially advantageous to be apolitical.
The more people don’t care about politics, the more power special interest groups like the Koch brothers have to influence the government. Eventually, when the public inevitably becomes upset with the fact that their interests aren’t being met, the partisanship kicks into full gear and both sides start to blame each other for the exact scenario they were both profiting off of just a minute earlier. According to another study done by both Princeton and Northwestern Universities, when they compared the preferences of average Americans and the preferences of affluent Americans along with special interest groups, they found out U.S. policies tended to highly favor the rich and powerful. Meaning it doesn’t matter which
way you vote—if you aren’t paying for their reelection campaign, chances are they won’t care about you want. However, according to Chief Justice John Roberts, not only is this not corruption, but it’s how the system is supposed to work. “We have said that government regulation may not target the general gratitude a candidate may feel toward those who support him or his allies, or the political access such support may afford,” Roberts wrote. What he doesn’t mention is where that leaves the rest of us who don’t have that much money? Does that mean we don’t have as much free speech than our richer counterparts? In 2012, 90 percent of congressional incumbents were reelected
despite the fact that that same year, as a whole, they had an approval rating of 10 percent. They weren’t reelected because of how well they did their job, they just found the perfect balance of pandering to the public while groveling to the people actually that pay them. It is not all bad. A whole new generation of voters coming of age will, for the first time, outnumber the baby boomers and those numbers are growing. More than any generation before them, 50 percent of millennials identify as political independents. They’re far less trusting of the traditional parties that, up till now, have dominated the political spectrum. They not only have the means, but also the motivation to change the system, they just don’t know it yet.
VOICES: Do you think it’s important to vote in the midterm elections?
Daniel Nerio
The Courier is published weekly by the Pasadena City College Journalism Department and is a free-speech forum. Editorials and comments are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the position of the institution and its administration, student government or that of the Pasadena Area Community College District. The Courier is written and produced as a learning experience for student writers, photographers and editors in the Journalism Department. Phone: (626) 585-7130 Fax: (626) 585-7971 Advertising (626) 585-7979 Office: 1570 E. Colorado Blvd., CC-208 Pasadena, CA 91106-3215 © Copyright 2014 Courier. All rights Reserved.
“I think it’s important because there’s all these props that we need to acknowledge but people don’t know about them.”
“Yes it is important. If I don’t vote than I’m not going to get the benefits that I need to sustain my life.”
Joseph Garcia, Nursing
George Tinoco, Graphic Design
“No, I don’t think so. I just want to focus on the main election.”
Elina Finau, Electrical Engineering
“Yeah if you have a strong stance on something, I think you should vote instead of what someone tells you to vote.”
Austin Cox, Music
“Yeah I think it’s important but I get lazy and don’t end up voting.”
Khristine Camarena, English
Reporting by: Kristen Luna Photos by: Nagisa Mihara
Note to Readers Letters to the Editor The Courier welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be about 300 words and may be edited by Courier staff. All letters must contain your full name and a correct daytime phone number. Letters can be delivered to the Courier office in CC 208 or sent by email to clay.courier@gmail.com Corrections The Courier staff endeavors to ensure accuracy in all aspects of its reporting. if you believe we have made an error, please contact us at (626) 585-7130 or via email to mccormick.courier@gmail.com
ONLINE POLL RESULTS Online, we asked: Does L.A. need its own football team? Results as of 5 p.m. Wednesday:
Yes: 59% No: 41%
Vote at PccCourier.com
SCE
4 COURIER
Keely Barista Alex Barth (above a customer up on Tuesda at the Zona Rosa Caffe lo Molino in the Playhouse Pasadena. The Dia de los themed cafe specializes Latin coffee.
Keely Ernst/Courier Barista Eric Narangjo (above), 23, of Pasadena brews a cup of coffee for a customer on Tuesday morning at Copa Vida. Copa Vida has been open since August 2013 and is located at the corner of Green Street and Raymond Avenue.
Nagisa Mihara/Courier Intelligentsia Cafe sells various coffees from beans all around the world to customers on East Colorado Boulevard in Old Pasadena.
Ric Co
ENE
October 23, 2014
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Ernst/Courier e), 31, rings ay morning ocated on El District in s Muertos in organic
Keely Ernst/Courier Naomi Hirahara of Pasadena reads an eBook with a cup of coffee with her dog, Tulo, outside of Zona Rosa Caffe in the Playhouse District in Pasadena on Tuesday morning.
Nagisa Mihara/Courier chard Lee shelves coffee beans at Intelligentsia offee on Colorado Boulevard on Tuesday afternoon.
Nagisa Mihara/Courier Intelligentsia Cafe also sells beer and wine with happy hour everyday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. where customers can get $1 off all alcohol.
Keely Ernst/Courier Pets are memorialized in a Dia de los Muertos art exhibition that inhabits the upstairs room of the Zona Rosa Caffe in the Playhouse District in Pasadena on Tuesday morning.
Nagisa Mihara/Courier The Intelligentsia Cafe came to Colorado Boulevard in August 2010 and is the largest in LA.
Nagisa Mihara/Courier A macchiato, a Kunga Maitu brewed coffee and a peanut butter cookie from Intelligentsia.
Nagisa Mihara/Courier Customers at Intelligentsia Cafe buy coffee, pastries, and alcohol on Tuesday afternoon. The cafe houses artwork for sale by independent artists affialated with Art Unified.
6 COURIER
FEATURES
October 23, 2014
Cancer survivor strives to help others through art people…I feel too white-washed. And I’m not the only one.” One of Aguilar’s professors also notes how much has been People wearing bio-hazard lost through immigration and radiation suits walked into the a clashing of cultures, and how room carrying a container. The much is still trying to be regained. lid opened with a ksssssssssh as it “Many of these students have released the freeze-dried smoke. been disconnected from their From out of the container they cultures (some over generations) pulled a black pill and handed it to due to assimilationist agendas the girl with three-foot long tongs in schools and media primarily and waited for her to swallow it in this country and in others as before leaving the room again. well,” said Professor Silvia VillanThe only thought going ueva in an e-mail. “Again, there through her head was “Why aren’t is a long history of this in the I wearing one of those masks?” U.S. but it is not a history that is “I mean, I had fun with it. emphasized in mainstream school What can you do in that situacurricula.” tion?” said Danielle Aguilar. “I Aguilar is one of the many who was in quarantine pretty much. have been through this devastatNo one wanted to come near me. ing and life-changing experience. Even when they brought food, She has proved, if anything, that they’d call me to say ‘get away Tiffany Yip/Courier there can be a light in the darkfrom the door’ and to go to my Cancer survivor, Danielle Aguilar sits in front of the Center of the Arts building on Oct. 16. ness. bed, and then they’d open the “I was finding the silver lining,” door and roll the cart in real quick Aguilar has a Bachelor’s degree in illustration from Otis College of Design. She has overcome two battles of Thyroid cancer since first being diagnosed in 2007. Aguilar said. “Definitely, I saw and close the door and they said a lot of silver, during this expeto wait a minute to pick up the eight hours long. Of course, I wasn’t of the reason why I want to use art for rience… It affects all of us, the whole food so they could walk away from the aware of that because I was knocked out,” healing. Because art has been healing for family. And in the most twisted, but door on the other side. That’s how radioAguilar said. “But I remember waking up me all my life. If I was sad or nervous or honest and amazing way, it brings people active I was.” with such gratitude that I was awake. And whatever, I’d be in my room painting or together.” Danielle Aguilar is a survivor of thyroid I think that a part of me, I don’t know, drawing, even if it’s just scribbling, you Aguilar and her family never expected cancer and plans to use her experience as left the world or something, and I didn’t know, making scratchy, not pretty stuff; it for cancer to be a part of their lives. One fuel to help others through art therapy. know if I was going to come back.” didn’t matter. It’s just the movement of day, she was just another kid, trying to The doctors could not originally deterArt is what helped get Aguilar through creating that releases something. So yeah, find her way. The next thing she knew, she mine that Aguilar had cancer. They knew such a difficult time, and why she feels it changed me.” was fighting for her life. And at the end she had a lesion but could not be certain that it is a crucial tool to recovery. Chicano and psychology studies have of it all, everything became clear. of what it was until it was removed. Agu“I think there’s, emotionally, a lot of brought to light in Aguilar how import“I was sick emotionally, and repressed, ilar couldn’t stress enough how important blockages,” Aguilar said. “I’m still learnant art, history and culture are. Being I kept my feelings to myself,” Aguilar said. it is for a person to trust what their body ing. But from my experience, because a Mexican-American, and essentially a “I was kind of a loner. A stereotypical is telling them when they feel something I’m going back to my roots, and learning child of two worlds, she felt a disconnect artist: all black, emotional, dark, drug admay be off. more about my roots, I feel some sort of from who she was. Aguilar was unable to dict, or wannabe drug addict… And then, “The first surgery was to remove the liberation. Art, I think, creativity, expressidentify or feel comfortable around any cancer happened, and it just completely lesion that I had, because they wanted to ing, thinking are really important to break group, and she believed this was a large test it,” Aguilar said. “The biopsy showed those blockages.” part of what caused her inner turmoil and changed my outlook on life.” Aguilar didn’t take horrible news and that it was not malignant. But because it Aguilar felt as though her art, and its the cancer. give up; she did everything she could to was strange, they removed it anyway. And process, helped her to overcome negative “I don’t speak Spanish. My family’s change it. And she feels it in her heart that then when they got the results of that, feelings she would experience throughout Mexican American. My mom speaks then they found that it was cancer.” her life. It was an outlet for her and she Spanish,” Aguilar said. “My dad was born she needs to help others to find themselves, and she wants to do it through art, Aguilar attributes the cause of her recognized how it helped to heal her. in Mexico, came here when he was two through action. cancer to her bad attitude when she was “…It was just a sense that I had in me, or three years old. So, we’re an American “Instead of looking at the negative and younger, but she is also able to say with a that this was meant to happen to me for family. But when we’re with other people, just wondering, look at the positive and smile that it is what turned her life around. a reason,” Aguilar said. “And, so, what or certain people, we feel too Mexi“When I got out of the surgery, it was can I do with it? And I think that’s part can. And then when I’m with Mexican take action,” Aguilar said. Mick Donovan Online Editor
Anthropology professors bring culture to the airwaves Anthony Martinez Staff Writer
A new culture-based talk show is headed to Lancer Radio as a result of a collaboration between two anthropology professors. The Super O Show, hosted by Alexis Altounian and Mark Gordon, transforms the broad, highly academic topic of culture into entertaining discussion. Even the show’s name was derived from the academic work of the famous anthropologist Alfred Kroeber. Kroeber taught at UC Berkeley, where he wrote numerous books and articles on culture. “One of [Kroeber’s] most famous articles outlines the concept of the superorganic,” said Altounian. “He’s talking about how culture is so important that it is actually above the organic…like the basic things, food, water, shelter, but the culture is so much more than that.” “It’s everything that we share, from language to traditions, customs, to things that are so hard for us to describe, but they’re all part of this superorganic,”
Altounian added. While the history behind the show’s name sounds complex, listeners should not fear the content. The show brings education and entertainment together to examine aspects of culture that might surprise listeners. “I don’t know what’s more entertaining that the wacky and exotic things that people do,” stated Gordon. “We wanted to create almost like a ‘best of ’ so it’s not exactly the way we would teach our courses, but we take the traditional topics in anthropology and we’ll…throw in some of our favorite subjects.” Finding culture in everything and everywhere is one of the major purposes of the show, according to Altounian. As Concepcion Gonzalez/Courier a result, potential episode discussions Anthropology professors Alexis Altounian and Mark Gordon, the hosts of Super include dating, comedy and magic along O Show on Lancer Radio, recording their first show in the LL building on Oct. with special guests. 15. The Super O Show debuts on Oct. 27 at from 12 to 1 p.m. “All of the things that already interest listeners find the show’s discussions Kroeber’s contributions, and how they people, it really is anthropology whethrelatable despite sounding heavily rooted er or not they put that name to it,” said both got into the field of anthropology. in academics on the surface. Gordon. The Super O Show debuts on Oct. “I think our personalities jive to make Both Altounian and Gordon hope the 27 at from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Lancer that happen,” he said. show generates interest among students Radio, which will be available in podcast In their first episode, Altounian and to “whet their appetite” to explore anthropology. Additionally, Gordon hopes Gordon will discuss culture generally, format after the airing of the show.
LIFESTYLE
October 23, 2014
COURIER
7
Punk is alive and well in the hearts of many Monique LeBleu Lifestyle Editor
Punk veterans Alice Bag, coordinated with blue suede shoes to match her azure blue hair, and Jimmy Alvarado, in a black Ramones t-shirt, are likely the most eloquent and well spoken punk rockers that you will ever meet this side of Henry Rollins. Vroman’s and Razorcake zine presented Bag and Alvarado, both featured writers for the prominent punk zine, Razorcake, at the Hastings Ranch store on Foothill on Sunday, Oct. 19, who shared their unique experiences in the 70s and 80s during the burgeoning L.A. Punk Scene, where they spoke to a standing-room-only crowd of fans and patrons bleeding deep into the store. “That’s a lot of people,” remarked PCC student and bookseller Muriel Munguia, on coming to work during the event. Todd Taylor, founder of Razorcake, introduced Alice Bag, a musician, writer, educator, feminist archivist and author of “Violence Girl: East L.A. Rage to Hollywood Stage, a Chicana Punk Story.” Alice Bag was lead singer of The Alice Bag Band, which was featured in Penelope Spheeris’ quintessential film on the Los Angeles punk scene “The Decline of Western Civilization,” and Castration Squad. Both bands played throughout Los Angeles, Hollywood and East L.A.
And with her, Jimmy Alvarado, a musician, videographer, writer, and “collector of punk oral histories,” who both reflected fondly and honestly on the Hollywood and East L.A. Punk Scene of the late 70s, early 80s and wisdom learned of the time. “My real name is not Bag,” she said laughing along with patrons knowingly. “Taking your punk name is empowering.” Bag’s real name is Alicia Armendariz. Bag said her first taste of punk was through the glam and glitter rock of the 70s when she read magazines like Circus and Cream and heard The Ramones, Patti Smith, and Rodney Bingenheimer’s radio show on KROQ that almost solely featured new bands of Los Angeles and vintage 60s rock, including TV band The Monkees. On his early foray into the scene, Alvarado remarked, “I didn’t know Punk Rock from Pet Rock. I always was the kid that didn’t fit in.” Both artists credit Flipside Records and fanzines for feeding their passion for punk music and culture. For Alvarado, the scene provided an early outlet while he was restricted at home as a teenager. “I had to live vicariously through these records and fanzines,” said Alvarado. “Because I couldn’t leave the house!” The Bags played mostly in Hollywood while living at The Canterbury, an apartment complex and a culture hub for the scene that resided in Hollywood clubs and bars on Cherokee. Both Bag and Alvara-
do spoke on the East L.A. scene and the bands they followed and befriended, many of which were incarnations that blossomed from other band breakups. “Our little scene was a little incestuous,” said Bag. Although they spoke in admiration on local and known bands like X, The Stains, The Weirdos, Black Flag, Bad Religion, and L7, they spoke fondly of smaller local East LA bands such as Los Illegals, Los Olivos, and Mad Parade. Smaller LA bands played wherever they could--car clubs, swap meets, nightclubs like The Vex, The Paramount Ballroom, The Starwood and Madame Wong’s and progressive art venues like Self Help Graphics in downtown and Al’s Bar. The scene was underground but thick with those in the know. But mostly, it was in someone’s backyard. “It became it’s own kind of beast,” said Alvarado of the backyard scene. Drug overdoses, club thrashings, general burn out, and a stabbing at the punk club Fenders, diminished the then-fast growing music scene, and Bag and Alvarado changed with it. But in the wake of the recent death of the last remaining Ramone, Tommy Ramone, this event may have been a needed affirmation that punk was still alive and well. “Nobody gets into punk because they are well adjusted,” said Alvarado. That said, Bag went on to study law and earn her Bachelor’s degree to teach and
Daniel Vega-Warholy/Courier Punk veteran, musician, and author Alice Bag with her book “Violence Girl”, at Vroman’s Bookstore Hastings Ranch on Sunday.
Alvarado regularly contributes as a columnist and podcaster for Razorcake. Vroman’s Hastings Ranch store on Foothill has monthly zine workshops every third Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., but be sure to call the store for updates at 626-351-0828.
The Japanese tea ceremony: a tradition in the garden Mick Donovan Staff Writer
Everyone took off their shoes. There were creaks as they stepped up onto the wooden deck, their feet relaxing in relief from the painful rocks inlaid in the dirt. As they filed in one by one, everyone either took a spot on the floor cross-legged or kneeling, or on one of the few wooden stools. The walls were little more than decoration, being made of wooden slats that hid nothing from the outside world. A woman dressed in a kimono stepped out of the room, knelt before the door, and bowed before re-entering, on her right foot. No one ever enters a teahouse on their left foot. Mikko Okita was the mistress of ceremony this past Sunday in South Pasadena.
She, along with five others, performed and hosted a traditional Japanese tea ceremony for their guests. “It’s usually a smaller group. The hostess will have made preparations a long time in advance,” said Darlene Kelly, a docent for the Japanese Gardens at the Huntington Library. The unique setting for this ceremony was held at a Japanese Garden, on a residential plot, in the middle of a suburban neighborhood in South Pasadena. Connie and Jim Haddad inherited the place from Jim’s mother and have since restored it to it a semblance of its original beauty. “My mother-in-law came to the auction, not planning to bid on the property, but ended up doing so on a whim. When she acquired this property, it was much bigger at that time. It was seven city lots,” Connie said. “She lived here until her death
Ryan Kevin/Courier Mikko Okita preparing tea for a Japanese Tea Ceremony that embodies harmony, respect, and tranquility at Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden in Pasadena on Sunday.
in 1985 and then she left it to her husband. And that’s very abbreviated. There’s a lot more to that.” Normally, this would be held in a traditional Japanese teahouse and there would be fewer guests. But Okita is striving to keep the art form and tradition of tea ceremony alive. The Haddads have been more than willing to help by offering their Japanese garden as a venue to host such events. “This is the second one they’ve had this year. Mikko-san, who is the mistress of ceremonies, is a personal friend of Connie and Jim, and she’s also affiliated with the Huntington Garden. This is a labor of love for her,” said Nancy Helleno, a friend of Connie and Jim Haddad. “She offers herself free of charge to keep the tradition alive here in this area. All of these other women are here also… they’re here at the invitation of Mikko, and they’re also here volunteering to keep the tradition alive.” This ceremony is about more than tradition, however. It is also an art form. Those who host the ceremonies must train for about 20 years before they are considered more than novices. Everything about the ceremony is linked to serenity and finding and being present in one’s calm. Right from the start, as a guest enters the grounds of their host’s home, they must sit and wait to be called upon to enter the teahouse. Before entering, they must purify themselves in a small bath that is placed outside. And of course, taking off one’s shoes is
required. “[You are] dusting off the old world out there, [and] coming into a new world in the teahouse,” said Jose Salcedo, the teacher and translator for the ceremony. Inside the teahouse, the only people to communicate with one another are the host and the first guest. No one else is permitted to speak. This is a part of the serenity and the guests are crucial to that. “The guests play such a critical role in creating that tranquil atmosphere,” Salcedo said. The ceremony is about sharing tea, tradition and respect in
a neutral space of tranquility. It normally lasts for about four hours but these events are held both at the Japanese Garden in South Pasadena and the Huntington Library in a shorter time period and offer only a glimpse of the beauty of a true ceremony. It is a unique art form that Salcedo said won’t die any time soon. “Many of the art forms in Japan, they’re suffering…With this art form, there will always be people interested,” Salcedo said. “If you’re at all interested in the Japanese arts, the tea ceremony is a good place to start.”
SPORTS
8 COURIER
October 23, 2014
Volleyball beats L.A. Harbor in straight sets David O’Connor Staff Writer
Keely Ernst/Courier Freshman outside hitter Lahiz Longobardi attempts a kill against L.A. Harbor’s Carla Barrera on Wednesday.
The women’s volleyball team overcame a slow start to beat the L.A. Harbor Seahawks in an impressive straight-sets win at Hutto-Pattinson gymnasium Wednesday night. The Lancers swept L.A. Harbor, 25-23, 25-20 and 25-22 in a match where the scoreboard did not reflect the gritty nature of their performance. With the Seahawks losing straight sets in all five previous conference games, PCC was expected to dismiss the Seahawks easily due to their 2-3 conference record. The Lancers were forced on the back-foot early on due to poor execution of some wayward kills. This allowed the Vikings to forge ahead to an early lead. It didn’t help that key freshman players, Lahiz Longobardi and Chy’annea Hodges were kept quiet. Sophomore setter Megan Williams felt that a mentality shift and letting go of self-inflicted pressure made the win easier. “We felt expectation to win, we tend to have that issue. If we don’t know what the competition is like, we can focus on doing the best we can,” Williams said.
Freshman libero Sabrina Takeuchi was instrumental in keeping her team on the heels on the Seahawks due to her infectious energy, selfless retrieves and physical dives. “You have to sacrifice your body in volleyball, you have to go out there and you can’t be scared,” Takeuchi said. “We’ve had several talks that the team comes before you.” With the first set tied at 18-18, Longobardi came into her own by striking a couple of crucial kills, enabling the Lancers to close out the first set and take some confidence into the second set. Longobardi stepped up another gear, which gave the Lancer’s offense the freedom to flourish in the second stanza. Her power, accuracy and bounding leaps generated a fistful of kills that proved to be the difference as PCC leapt to a two set lead. Head coach Bill Sanchez felt that his team dug themselves into a hole, but he was happy that the girls found a way to win. “We needed this win,” Sanchez said. “Sometimes we overthink things on the court and make some decisions that aren’t too good and we don’t bounce back quickly, but we’re getting a little better at it.” Pasadena host undefeated conference leaders El Camino on Friday at 6 p.m.
Men’s soccer unable to contain Long Beach Vikings David O’Connor Staff Writer
The men’s soccer team played another game full of missed opportunities Tuesday, losing their third consecutive match 1-0 to Long Beach City College at Robinson Stadium. The stage was set for an interesting tussle with the Vikings coming off a big win against the highly ranked Mt. SAC Mounties
last Friday, which meant that LBCC and Pasadena shared the same conference record (2-3-1). Also, the Vikings have been the leading defensive team in the South Coast Conference by only conceding five goals, while the Lancers have been the worst team guarding the net by allowing 16 goals. PCC was forced to start without its co-captains George Barba and Victor Manchaca, who were
benched by head coach Edgar Manvelyan for undisclosed reasons. “There are a lot of things why George and I didn’t start,” said Manchaca. PCC took charge of proceedings in the fourth minute with freshman forward Christopher Sinani almost pulling off a crisp header that was averted by the Vikings goalie’s diving save to the right. A minute later,
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Sinani feels that his side plays their best soccer when they are behind the eight ball due to poor defensive starts. “I feel that we don’t start playing well until we get scored on first and we’ve conceded way more goals than we should have,” Sinani said. Although PCC continued to create more scoring opportunities, at times the Lancers turned over possession while pressing the Vikings defense in their own half. Pasadena outshot Long Beach 14-12, but ultimately lost the contest because of poor offensive execution. According to co-captain Manchaca, the Lancers have been severely affected by the last two defeats, which has fractured team spirit. “We are on a three game losing streak because our unity and morale is down. We have to pick it up as a unit, it’s that we’re not demonstrating what we can do,” Manchaca said.“We still have an opportunity to win and we’re going to take advantage of that here on out. It’s a lesson.” Pasadena next faces ECC Compton at home on Friday at 1 p.m.
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freshman midfielder Brandon Gerlach’s threatening free kick swerved away from the left goalpost, which left the Lancers regretting their unconverted dominance. PCC looked like a different team with sharpened teamwork, anticipation and urgency. This higher level of play almost paid off with Sinani creating another scoring opportunity in the 19th minute by cutting through the Viking’s defense with a 20-yard run. But he took an extra touch that prevented him from a realistic scoring chance. Defense has been a major issue for the Lancers of late, but freshman goalkeeper David Orellana made several impressive saves in the first half and was well supported by sophomore defender David Abeyta, who thwarted a few of LBCC’s attacking raids with crucial blocks and tackles. With the game tied 0-0 at halftime, the Vikings hit the ground running several minutes after the restart, when the Lancers wall of defenders was unable to stop a curling free kick that sailed into the right corner of the net, making it 1-0 LBCC.
9/12/14 10:46 AM
Ansis Hoheisel/Courier Midfielder Diego Gonzalez makes a pass during Pasadena’s 1-0 loss to Long Beach City College on Tuesday.