THE NEW CLEAVAGE
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e h t f o e g Reven american river
current
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nerds!
Vol. 65, Ed. 4 • October 30, 2013
Absence of medical staff makes trouble HEALTH CENTER SCHEDULE AFFECTING STUDENTS
Alisha Kirby / alishakirby1@gmail.com
Comic books have seen an upswing in popularity, largely in part to their silver screen counterparts. A1 Comics employee Jared Rudy stands by some of his favorite comics.
MOVIES AND TV REANIMATE COMIC BOOK SCENES
By Sam Urrea samurrea93@gmail.com Since the American River College’s permanent nurse resigned in March of this year, students and staff have started to feel the effects of not having health services provided. The health center, located in the administration building, previously operated daily. Due to the vacancy of a full-time head medic position, the center is now open only on Mondays and Wednesdays. Such change has had a big impact on students whose particular courses may use the location or put them at risk of suffering an injury. Nursing classes work with the health center but have been restricted due to limited availability. In addition, culinary, welding and chemistry courses can potentially cause injuries to students in which medical attention would be required. One department has suffered more than others, however. The Disabled Student Programs & Services (DSPS) is responsible for ensuring students with disabilities experience the opportunity to participate fully on campus. Without the health center, many in the program have started to ask questions. Toni Peters, a DSPS student personnel assistant, has encountered such inquiries numerous times this semester. “The tight schedule has definitely affected us,” said Peters. “I have students come up and tell me they need to see the nurse and ask me
SEE HEALTH, PAGE 2
A LOOK INSIDE
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By Alisha Kirby & Brandon Nelson alishakirby1@gmail.com brandon.nelson916@gmail.com
T
he joke’s on you, cool kids: Your favorite macho hero originated from comic books. “Marvel’s The Avengers,” “The Dark Knight” trilogy, “The Walking Dead” and the “Iron Man” trilogy all played a role in bringing what was once considered a “nerdy hobby” to the masses. Much of that has to do with these titles’ recent film and television adaptations.
According to Box Office Mojo the “Iron Man” trilogy grossed $2,423,821,547 worldwide, “Marvel’s The Avengers” grossed $1,511,757,910 and the “Batman” trilogy grossed $2,463,216,216. In fact, the total amount made from both “Batman” sequels also placed them in the top ten domestic gross earners. It’s not just comics on the silver screen
SEE COMICS, PAGE 9
Professor on leave after incident
IMPROMPTU WRESTLING DEMONSTRATION IN CLASS LEADS TO SCHOOL INVESTIGATION By Jonathan H. Ellyson & Jeff Gonzales jonathanellyson@gmail.com | jeff.a.gonzales@gmail.com
Via YouTube
Screen capture from a YouTube video that shows the student injured in the wrestling demonstration.
Pro Athletes
Professional soccer coming to Sacramento
8
Rocky Horror
Spend Halloween heckling a classic
A video showing an impromptu wrestling demonstration in professor Geoffrey Stockdale’s interpersonal communications speech class in Davies Hall has caused the professor to be put on leave. The video ends with one participant bleeding from a wound on his head. The humanities department office sent an email message Monday morning informing all the students of professor Geoffrey Stockdale that he is on leave. Stockdale’s various classes have been picked up by multiple ARC instructors for the rest of the semester according to Kate Jaques, humanities dean. Communication and public information officer Scott Crow deferred all inquiries into the “professor Stockdale situation” to the
SEE INJURY, PAGE 2
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Rose Marks Pavilion Rebuilding in process
October 30, 2013
Page 2
News
Injury: Draws attention from local media CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 district media spokesperson, Mitchell Benson. “(Stockdale) is on paid leave, and the investigation is ongoing,” Benson said, adding that colleagues at ARC agreed to takeover the course load so that no attending students would suffer as a result of Stockdale’s absence. The demonstration in the video was an unplanned result of Stockdale’s class discussion; one participant, Kevin Messing, is in another of Stockdale’s courses the other is a former student, known only as “Ross.” These men were invited by Stockdale to the group discussion to spark better dialogue that evening in class. The 56 second clip on YouTube got the attention of local news outlets including The Sacramento Bee, KCRA 3, and the Sacramento News & Review. Messing and Ross are seen with shoes off preparing to demonstrate a single takedown. Ross hits his head on the ground and starts bleeding from a wound described by Messing later as “(needing) stitches.” After the initial hit, Messing asks if Ross is all right to which he responds, “I’m good.” Mess-
ing then proceeds back toward his seat. This is when Ross grabs his legs, pulls him down and attempts to pin him. In an interview Stockdale said, “I didn’t expect it to degrade in the way that it did.” “The professor was not aware of what we were doing and does not condone that kind of behavior,” Messing said in an interview with The Current. “This is no more a story than if a student had stubbed his toe demonstrating a dance.” Messing was concerned that local media that came to the campus Oct. 17 would “sensationalize” the incident. He said, “It was inappropriate, but it was an accident.” No incident report was filed with the Los Rios Police Department and medical services were not summoned. Stockdale recalled, “Another student said ‘you need stitches or at least a butterfly, (the wound) won’t stay closed otherwise’ and (Ross) registered that and called someone.” Students in Stockdale’s class the Wednesday after the incident had mixed reactions ranging from dismissal to concern. A
Editors-in-Chief Jeff Gonzales Alisha Kirby
Managing Editor Cintia Lopez
News Editor Jorden Hales
Sports Editor Ed Gebing
Alisha Kirby / alishakirby1@gmail.com
Professor Stockdale sits down with Tom DuHain of KCRA 3 to discuss the impromptu wrestling demonstration that occurred in his classroom the night of Oct. 14.
majority of the people enrolled in the class didn’t feel this was a major issue that should have drawn local news media. Communications major Alan Morte, who attended the class the night of the incident said, “It was interesting. It pressed some boundaries. We were off guard and we weren’t expecting it, but
at the same time when I went home Monday night and really sat down and thought about it, there were so many rich elements that we pulled out of it. If you would have attended the following class on Wednesday you could have witnessed just how relevant it was to the topics being discussed in class.”
Health: Students feel impact from loss of health services CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Emily K. Rabasto / rabastoe@gmail.com
The health center, located in the administration building, has limited operating hours due to being understaffed.
ASBNOTEBOOK By Melissa Hurtado hurtadom73@gmail.com Since the completion of its bylaws, the Associated Student Body Student Senate has been appointing new senators, forming committees and preparing for the special elections that will be held Nov. 12 and 13. Daniela Vargas, Ross Rayala, Senator Chase Buick and LeslieAnn Dameron are new senators appointed since the completion and approval of the bylaws. ASB announced there will be no further appointments, leaving the remaining eight senatorial positions to be filled via the special election. One of the board’s primary concerns was that it would have to make a constitutional amendment for special elections to be valid, but Dean of Student Development Manuel Perez informed the board that the administration
why the health center is not open.” Student medical assistant and part-time health center employee Rebecca Douglas put the issue of the nurse vacancy down to the qualifications demanded by the college to hire a new nurse. “A master’s degree in nursing is required for all applicants,” said Douglas. “Anyone with that type of education expects great pay from their job and sadly this position does not offer bonuses that hospitals and other places do.” Student Liz Caro, a social science major, stressed the importance of having the health center open at all times, despite her lack of visits to the building. “Thankfully I’ve never had an accident or had to use the nurse here,” said Caro. “But I think it needs to be open every day. You never know when a bad accident or injury can happen.” Nearly eight months after the resignation of the former nurse, the school is still in search of a full-time replacement. The lack of applicants has caused concern among staff but the effort is being made according to the Dean of Enrollment Services, Robin Neil. “Trust me, it’s causing me real sadness that the health center is not open as often as it should be,” said Neil. “But the position has been advertised and we have extended the date for people to apply before we start reviewing those in contention.” Despite her anguish, Neil had some positive news for those who had concerns about the issue. “We have just hired another part-time nurse,” said Neil. “Starting Nov. 1 the health center will be open Monday through Thursday.”
STUDENTS TO VOTE VIA INTERNET IN NOV. 13 ELECTION
is in full support of special elections and that the board does “not need to propose and pass a constitutional amendment at this point.” Perez also informed the board that there would be a new mode in which elections will be conducted. For the first time, voting will all be online via a system similar to eServices. Students will log in with their student numbers and passwords to vote. This can be done any place from which students can access the Internet, not at the polling places used for previous elections. ASB has also made the decision not to attend the General Assembly this fall, an event where, according to Senator Tim Lipuma, all of the ASB’s from the California community colleges go to pass legislation as a collective body. ASB adviser Tanika Byrd told the board, “My suggestion would be because our college is not prepared, I, as the advisor and guide, don’t
feel like the group is educated enough to make for that experience to be what it needs to be there.” Former ASB member Quierra Robey said she will be present at the GA and she will “find it quite embarrassing that my school won’t be there.” “I understand why we didn’t go, because we were trying to recover from some people resigning and also very wrapped up in completing bylaws,” said Lipuma, but he felt “in hindsight it would have been beneficial to send a few students to represent American River College; those who knew about it, rather than just shutting down the whole thing.” Instead the board proposed that ASB hold a summit with guest speakers and workshops to prepare for the spring assembly; however as of this writing, no bill for the summit has been submitted.
Arts & Culture Editor Jonathan H. Ellyson
Scene Editor
Natasha Honeywood
Opinions Editor Antionette Gayfield
Photo Editor
Emily K. Rabasto
Design Editor Sarah Scott
Web Editor Korbl Klimecki
Public Relations Editor Jessica Maynard
Special Projects Editor Steven Condemarin
Copy Chief
Brooke Pur ves
Assistant Copy Chief Zach Tierney
Distribution Manager Ed Gebing
Staff Writers
Shedric Allen Brittini Burns Kevin Ford J’Neil Gibson Melissa Hur tado Walter Jones Brandon Nelson Adnan Ramic Kameron Schmid Sam Urrea
Staff Photographer Michael Pacheco
Adviser
Walter Hammer wold
Photo Adviser Jill Wagner
PROUD MEMBERS OF THE CNPA & JACC
POLICY The Current is produced by the students of Newspaper Production, J402. All opinions are signed and not necessarily endorsed by the Current staff. All letters and articles appearing in the Editorial, Opinion or Forum sections are not necessarily representative of the Current staff or American River College policy. All articles are the property of the Current. Please go online at arcurrent. com to see the full text of criteria and guidelines for submissions. Letters must be typed and can be submitted by mail, e-mail or in person at the following addresses: The American River Current 4700 College Oak Drive Liberal Arts, Room 120 Sacramento, CA 95841 Phone: 916-484-8304 Fax: 916-484-8668 E-mail: Current@arc.losrios.edu www.ARCurrent.com
News
October 30, 2013
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ARound
the world Obamacare addressing issues By Jeff Gonzales jeff.a.gonzales@gmail.com The Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare,” is open for enrollment, however many media outlets have reported glitches on the website and complicated forms that have caused difficulties for many Americans. American River College Health Center staff provides a brochure featuring a basic overview of the new act for students. “No one plans to get sick or injured,” the pamphlet reads in one section. “Having health coverage protects both your health and your wallet.” The majority of students who go to the Health Center do not have insurance according to the nurses there. Obamacare is designed to address that. Starting Jan. 1, everyone is required to have some type of health coverage, or face a penalty. The penalty for the first year will be at a lower fine with the amount increasing every year until 2016. The WebMD website breaks down the two-option fee structure stating, “One way is to charge you $95 for each adult and $47.50 for each child, but not more than $285 total per family. The other way is to fine you 1% of your family income. If your family makes $50,000 a year, the fine will be $500.” The rollout for the Affordable Care Act has been all but smooth. The Associated Press reports that only 7 percent of Americans have said, “The rollout of the health exchanges has gone well.” President Barack Obama addressed the problems with the website designed to help navigate the new law. “There is no sugar coating it,” Obama said at a press conference in Washington. “Nobody is more frustrated than I am. The essence of the law, the health insurance that’s available to people, is working just fine.” Obamacare has come under fire by Republicans and the tea party, with a now resolved government shutdown resulting from conservatives attempting to defund the health care law.
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CORRECTIONS In Volume 65, Edition 3 of The Current, the following corrections are listed: On page 9, Cintia Lopez’s name is misspelled.
Brooke Purves / brookempurves@gmail.com
At one of our campuses many free speech zones, Emily Anne, a representative of the anti-abortion group, Students For Life, places one of 913 pink crosses on the lawn in front of the American River College bookstore.
Constitution video from Modesto goes viral JUNIOR COLLEGE PRHOHIBITS STUDENT’S DISTIBUTION OF U.S. CONSTITUTION By Melissa Hurtado hurtadom73@gmail.com A Modesto Junior College student was prohibited from distributing copies of the Constitution on Constitution day. The student was told by a law enforcement officer and an administrator that he would not be allowed to continue his demonstration because it had not been scheduled with student development prior to the day. The entire exchange was captured on video. In an email conversation with The Current, Robert Van Tuinen, the student in the clip, stated he “immediately sent the video to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) to ask for help.” Since being shared on YouTube, the clip has been viewed over 160,000 times. “The intent was for (Modesto Junior College) to see how the nation reacted to their policies and then change them due to the backlash but that didn’t happen. It doesn’t seem like they have any desire to fix their unconstitutional speech codes,” said Van Tuinen. Van Tuinen was told by an officer that “as
a student on campus, passing out anything whatsoever, you have to have permission through the Student Development office.” An administrator at the student development office informed Van Tuinen that he needed to be in the free speech zone in order to hand out copies of the Constitution, and had to schedule it ahead of time. According to FIRE, a nonprofit educational group which sustains and defends individuals’ rights at America’s colleges and universities, one in six of America’s largest universities has free speech zones. “Free speech zones are a stain upon freedom in this nation,” said Van Tuinen American River College political science professor Tressa Tabares spoke in support of limiting where students can practice their free speech. “I think there are reasonable regulations that are appropriate even in a public place like a community college,” Tabares said. The president of Modesto Junior College issued a written statement saying “it was determined conversation between the student and staff was confusing regarding distribution of materials on campus” calling the whole thing
a “misunderstanding.” Van Tuinen filed a lawsuit on Oct. 10 against the Yosemite Community College district for violating his right to free speech, and is awaiting a court date. “Hopefully MJC will fix their speech codes, bringing them into line with the Constitution,” he said. President of FIRE Greg Lukianoff said, “Even in the face of national shock and outrage, the college has failed to reform its absurd ‘free speech zone.’ Now it will have to defend that policy in federal court.” The Dean of Student Development at ARC, Manuel Perez, said that on our campus this sort of incident “is not something that would happen.” With the exception of inside buildings, “this whole campus is a free speech zone,” said Perez. “Our campus operates like a public park. Anyone can come on a public park, they can table, they can pass out information.” One restriction that must be met is “you can’t make anybody an involuntary audience to your message,” said Perez. Students must have and be able to find a way not to hear your message if they chose not to.
Bill: strengthens pathway to a four-year degree
NEW LAW TO INCREASE TRANSFER DEGREES FROM COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO CSU CAMPUSES By Jessica Maynard jessica.r.maynard87@gmail.com
Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a bill that requires California State University campuses to accept transfer degrees from community colleges, in every major or equivalent field of study offered by that CSU. The bill will require a complete overhaul of the curriculum at American River College and all other community colleges. The Academic Senate and curriculum committees have been given 18 months to develop these new transfer degrees. “Is 18 months a very short time frame to get this all done? absolutely,” Academic Senate President Anthony Giusti said. “Especially with other things that our curriculum has to do. We’re working on the regulations for repeatability, normal curriculum which has to be re-
written every six years so when you add the associate degree for transfer on top of that and it has to be done in this time frame I think it does create more work but we’ve been able to do it.” The Student Transfer Reform Act (SB-440) was written by state Senator Alex Padilla who created The Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act (SB1440) in 2010, which enabled community colleges and California State University personnel to collaborate on the development of Associate in Arts (AA-T) and Associate in Science (AS-T) degree transfer programs. “Community college students deserve a clear and certain pathway to transfer,” Padilla said in a press release Oct. 10 after Brown signed SB 440. “I want to make sure that students at every community college campus have the opportunity to earn a transfer degree that guarantees
admission to a California State University with junior standing. “Today, one in every four jobs requires an associate degree or higher,” section 1D of SB-449. “In the near future one in every three jobs will require an associate degree or higher.” SB-440 guarantees priority admission with junior status to anyone who has obtained a transfer degree over any other community college student who is trying to transfer. If a student’s desired program is impacted at any of the 23 CSUs to which they apply, it is the schools job to place them in an equivalent field of study. The bill also provides insurance to students if the entire field of study at one college is impacted they’re assured admittance into the students local CSU. “They’re producing a degree that might not be perfect for everybody because they’re pretty
broad,” Interim President Bill Karns said. “But won’t that give students a sense that this can be done, that this isn’t unending and if they just take these courses right here they’re going to be granted a place in this institution.” The major difference between the two bills is SB-1440 did not guarantee admission into the state college while SB-440 does. “I think it will help,” Karns said. “In part because of the promotional aspects of this particular bill, it will draw attention to it and others may disagree on grounds that I’m not familiar with like the (Academic) Senate but even with that in mind I think that the effort to make (transferring) easier is going to attract students and maybe perhaps make them consider transferring when they hadn’t before.”
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Sports
October 30, 2013
Capital city’s sports culture grows stronger PROFESSIONIAL TEAMS IN SACRAMENTO LOOK TO ENGAGE THE CITY WITH COMPETITIVE SPORTS By Jorden Hales & Emily K. Rabasto halespersonal@gmail.com rabastoe@gmail.com Culture and longevity are pillars of many successful sports programs. Throughout a team’s facilities, shrine-like presentations of apparel are constructed to demonstrate prestige. Occasionally, prestige and culture extend beyond the hyper-local reach of an institution’s facilities, taking on regional significance and creating cultural connections among amateur and professional athletes in a particular region. With a professional baseball history that dates back to the early 1900s and an NBA franchise boasting two of the longest sellout streaks in the league’s history, Sacramento has been such a region for generations. Doug Jumelet, head coach of the American River College men’s baseball team sees the connection between college and professional sports as a healthy one, and welcomes it in his program. “We have a couple (alumni) in the big league,” Jumelet said. “A couple years ago we were having a recruit barbecue and (former ARC baseball player) Manny Parra was throwing a no-hitter
against the Giants for about five innings. We had it on the radio and guys were excited.” Jumelet cites Sacramento’s “long tradition of producing good players, good coverage in (local) media and popularity going back to the turn of the century” as a catalyst for the development of such relationships and prestigious connections. The Knights, a professional soccer team, called Sacramento home from 1993 to 2001, and won the World Indoor Soccer League Championship in 1999. Sacramento is currently in the midst of trying to land another professional soccer team. As the newly-formed Sacramento Republic FC looks to begin its inaugural season in the United Soccer Leaugues in 2014, individual sports cultures seem to be abundant in the area. Taxpayers in Sacramento may ask if the city is financially ready to support more than one professional sports team. This concern was amplified after an announcement that the city would join the USL Pro soccer league and create a new soccer club. Sacramento Republic FC, which begins its first season in March of 2014, will be coached by MLS
Emily K. Rabasto / rabastoe@gmail.com
Above: Technical director of Sacramento Republic FC Graham Smith briefs the men attending open tryouts for Sacramento’s pro soccer team held at the Davis Legacy Soccer Complex on Oct. 19. Left: American River College student Ryan Campbell, 18, scrimmages against some of what he calls “the best soccer players in Sacramento” during open tryouts held by Sacramento Republic FC.
veteran and National Soccer Hall of Famer Predrag “Preki” Radosavljevic. Preki’s own son, Nikola “Nick” Radosavljevic, plays for American River College’s men’s soccer team and says soccer has a promising place in Sacramento. “I think the city wants it,” Nick Radosavljevic said. “A lot of things have to go into place, but there’s great enthusiasm for the sport here and (my father and I) would love to see it succeed.” The transition from USL Pro league to MLS can take a few years to accomplish, and not without a few hoops to jump through. The MLS has specific venue requirements that need to be met before Sacramento Republic FC can obtain major league status, and Sacramento hasn’t met them yet. Graham Smith, Technical Director of Sacramento Republic FC, says Sacramento’s soccer team doesn’t just need a proper
arena, but also needs to be in a prime location. “All of the successful stadiums, Portland, Seattle and Vancouver for instance; all downtown and urban core all get a good crowd in,” Smith said. “Those stadiums that have been placed outside of the city limits have not been successful in drawing fans.” In Sept., Gov. Jerry Brown signed SB 743, a bill that plans to speed up the construction of a new arena in downtown Sacramento. Although the $448 million project is primarily intended to house the Kings, the bill indicates the stadium will “serve as a venue for other sports, entertainment, and civic and cultural events.” If the proposed downtown arena can facilitate the particular MLS prerequisites, a major league soccer team in Sacramento could be a completely feasible goal.
Women golfers lead team the ‘fair way’ FROM LONG DRIVES TO CLUTCH PUTTS, THEY ARE FOCUSED AND DEDICATED TO THE GAME By Shedric Allen shedric25@gmail.com Freshman Gabby Rosales and sophomore Megan Santo Domingo are the two leaders of the American River College women’s golf team. With the season coming to an end, the women look to lead the Beavers into a NorCal Championship berth. Rosales and Santo Domingo have led the team through adversity this season, and both golfers have set a standard of excellence and leadership on the team. “They are a great two-some,” head coach Raye Maero said. Rosales is a vocal leader. In her first collegiate season Rosales has shot an 86 as her best score, showcasing her strengths. “A strong part in my game would definitely have to be driving the ball,” Rosales said. She also knows there are details to her game that she can improve to continue competing at the highest level. “My weakness probably is my short game and trying to stay consistent with my swing,” Rosales explained. Maero knows the impact Rosales makes when she is on the course. She works hard at perfecting her game. Outside of golf Rosales, who is an art major, admits that
she loves going to the gym and school, and she works on her design skills, dedicating some of her time to art. Rosales says that her personal goal this season is to obtain a scholarship to play at a higher level. There are a few schools pursuing her at the moment: San Francisco State University, Long Beach State University, and University of the Pacific. As a freshman, Rosales looks to gain more attention from schools next season. Santo Domingo has also been an asset to the team this season. Her leadership and commitment on the course are some of her strengths. Her best score this season was an 84. “Megan has gotten really better from when she started at ARC,” Maero said. “I really rely on my putting game,” Santo Domingo said, but she isn’t afraid to admit that there is always room for improvement, especially on shots from the tee box. Her hard work shows her desire to get better; she practices everyday, and ends her practice by going to the driving range. Santo Domingo shows how devoted she is to her craft. Outside of playing golf she loves to hang with family and friends, and to focus on schoolwork. Her personal goal for the
UPCOMING
HOME GAMES Oct. 30 Volleyball San Joaquin Delta College 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 1 Men’s Soccer Santa Rosa Junior College 3 p.m.
Nov. 1 Women’s Soccer Modesto Junior College 3:30 p.m.
Nov.1 Volleyball Sacramento City College 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 2 Men’s Water Polo Sophomore/Alumni Game 5 p.m.
Nov. 5 Men’s Soccer Modesto Junior College 3 p.m.
Nov. 7 Men’s Basketball Los Medanos College 5:30 p.m.
Nov. 8 Women’s Soccer Sacramento City College 3 p.m.
Nov. 9 Football College of Sequoias 1 p.m. Shedric Allen / shedric25@gmail.com
Sophomore Megan Santo Domingo and freshman Gabby Rosales practice daily to perfect their game.
season is to make it to the Nor Cal Championships this year. Although the season hasn’t been ideal for the team, the women are finding leadership in these
two young ladies. “They are great role models to the other golfers on the team,” Maero said.
Nov. 9 Women’s Basketball College of San Mateo 3 p.m.
Nov. 13 Volleyball Consumnes River College 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 15 Men’s Basketball ARC Tournament 5/7 p.m.
Sports
October 30, 2013
Page 5
Support your fellow athlete ARC PLAYERS FIND THEMSELVES ENCOURAGING OTHER TEAMS TO SUCCEED IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE GAME
By Sam Urrea samurrea93@gmail.com Team spirit is an influential asset to any sports team. Those last minute goals, eye-catching touchdowns or powerful spikes could not be done without the endurance and hard work of every single player, whose interactions on the court or field are yielded through passion and determination. At American River College, sport teams seem to be socializing with not just their own teammates, but other squads as well. Fall is the season of soccer, football, volleyball and water polo. They are all team sports in which a correlation within the team is vital to obtaining results. Interaction between teams of the opposite sex has now become a big part of team spirit as well. The men’s soccer team has enjoyed an impressive season so far, one of the reasons being the character and attitude of the players, according to center midfielder Rian McEvoy. McEvoy, 19, identified the team’s good run as a result of the feel-good factor within the team. “The guys are always together,”
McEvoy said. “If we’re not at dinners, we are hanging out together on weekends and doing things like playing FIFA.” The women’s team, on the other hand, has not lived up to expectations after making it to the final four in the state championship last season. Center-midfielder Haley Hallaran nevertheless praises the support the women receive from their male counterparts and admires the way the teams bond. “We are always supporting each other,” Hallaran said. “We go to their games and they come to ours and cheer us on. We are somewhat a family.” The men’s and women’s water polo squads are no different. Likewise, they have formed friendships and spend time together outside the pool. Women’s water polo captain Avery Dotterer said the men’s and women’s teams get along well but function in separate ways. “When there is a problem on the girls’ side of things, it tends to get solved by both parties,” Dotterer said. “Guys are more independent. They tend to solve issues on their own.”
Zach Tierney / ztierney.zt@gmail.com
The American River College men’s soccer team shows support for the women’s team during their game Oct. 10.
Given the absence of a women’s football team and a men’s volleyball team, the teams respectively, have formed strong bonds, which have resulted in friendships and even serious relationships. Volleyball outside hitter Lauren Kirshke said both the football and volleyball teams’ desire to succeed on and off the field/court has led them to form a great understanding. “We both have the same passions
for being successful at school and staying fit,” Kirshke said. “We do a lot of work together in the LRC (Learning Resource Center).” Kirshke is in a relationship with Trevor Jones who plays defensive end for the football team, but dismissed it as an uncommon occurrence. “Both teams have been hanging out for a long time,” Kirshke said. “We’ve known these guys since last year. There are a few relationships
SPORTSUPDATES
going on, it’s not just me.” Being embroiled in a romance and focusing on a sport may seem to be an unnecessary distraction for players, but head football coach Jerry Haflich wrote off the perception as a little far-fetched. “I want fully focused players but it all depends on how they handle the relationship and managing time,” Haflich said. “For the most part, these guys continue to perform.”
MEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY
WOMEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY
FOOTBALL
WOMEN’S GOLF
The men’s team placed fourth at the Santa Clara Bronco Invite. Jacob Brown led the way for the men finishing No. 24 overall. They’ve been ranked No. 1 in the state for 105 weeks. The men will take part in the Big 8 Conference Championship Thursday at Tuolumne Park in Modesto at 4 p.m.
The women are the No. 1 ranked team in Northern California after finishing No. 7 at the Mt. Sac Invitational Oct. 19. The women competed against 25 colleges. Freshman Kandace Compton finished No. 18. The women’s next meet is the Big 8 Conference Championship Thursday at Tuolumne Park in Modesto at 4 p.m.
The men have continued there winning ways remaining undefeated with a record of 7-0. After beating the No. 1 team in the state on Oct. 5 the men have won back-to-back home games against division rivals. They are ranked No. 3 in the nation. Their next game is Nov. 2 at Modesto Junior College at 6 p.m.
As of Oct. 17 the women were ranked No. 8 in the Big 8 Conference with 54 points. The women competed Oct. 22 at the Big 8 Conference #11 at Kennedy Golf Course in Napa. The women finished eighth with 410 points. Their next match is Nov. 4 for the NorCal Championship at 9 a.m.
MEN’S SOCCER
WOMEN’S SOCCER
With two home games remaining for the season the men’s team is 9-3-4 overall record making them the No. 2-ranked team in Northern California and are ranked No. 5 in the state. Luis Arce currently leads the team with nine goals and six assists. The men’s next match will be at home against Santa Rosa at 3 p.m. Nov. 5.
With a 3-11 overall record, and 2-7 in conference play the women are looking at finishing out their season strong. The team, led by Jazzmin Hancock and her three goals have four matches remaining this season. Their next home match is Nov. 1 against Modesto College at 3:30 p.m.
VOLLEYBALL
MEN’S WATER POLO
WOMEN’S WATER POLO
With less than a month remaining until playoffs and a 16-3 record the women have won nine straight. They are currently ranked No. 5 in the state and No. 2 in Northern California. Their next home game is today against San Joaquin Delta College at 6:30 p.m.
With a record of 11-7 for the season the men are looking to add another victory against Diablo Valley College today before their season ends at home with the Sophomore/Alumni Game Nov. 2 at 5 p.m. The Big 8 Tournament begins Nov. 7 at DVC in Pleasant Hill.
The women are currently 11-8 overall and 6-0 in Conference. With a win earlier this month over Sierra College the ladies made sure to win every match the rest of the season to secure the Big 8 Conference title. The team’s leading scorer is Michal Andrieatta who has 10 goals.
Illustration by Zach Tierney
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October 30, 2013
Feature
From a single thread to a fully woven tapestry
AMERICAN RIVER ALUM MAKES A NAME FOR HIMSELF IN THE NATION’S FASHION INDUSTRY By Jessica Maynard jessica.r.maynard87@gmail.com It’s after midnight and besides the sounds of traffic from the street it’s silent, until you hear a faint tapping sound coming through the wall. You peer into the room and see a man sitting at a sewing machine with a bright red piece of fabric, patterns and sketches are scattered across the room. For former American River College fashion graduate Michael Nolan Kouri this was his nightly routine while living in New York City. “I had a job in New York as an assistant editor for a publishing company and I would work eight hours a day and come home and sew,” Kouri said. “I would look over and it would be 3 a.m. and I would have work in the morning. I thought this is what I’m going to be doing for the rest of my life and it didn’t bother me because I love sewing. That was my ‘aha’ moment when I thought I should quit my job and do this forever.” Becoming a fashion designer wasn’t always the goal for Kouri when he was younger he wanted to be a pediatrician. During his junior year at the University of California, Berkeley he was volunteering at a children’s hospital when he realized that even though he desired to be a pediatrician in the end it wouldn’t make him happy. “He’s pretty soft spoken most of the time,” former track head coach Rick Anderson said. “He’s a really nice guy. With the exception of having a bad day every now and then you could always have a good conversation with him.” “If I can design and make something super crazy and it makes people go ‘wow’ that’s my way of saying something without saying anything,” Kouri said. He launched his fashion line “Nolan Kouri” in 2008. Since the launch he has participated in numerous runway shows and fashion weeks and has received different awards including the Best of Show for Garment Construction at the California Community College Fashion Symposium and Best of Show for his “Futurist Manifesto” collection at the ARC final fashion show. “A long time ago I thought what is the top of the pyramid? Designers. In the industry you can sell, illustrate, sew or make patterns but it all comes from designers,” Kouri said, “so I thought that’s where I want to be.” Kouri was a semifinalist on the reality television show “Project Runway” during the shows ninth season in 2011. “I auditioned for ‘Project Runway’ and I made it into the top 30 designers but I didn’t make it to the top 15,” Kouri said. “The top 15 make the show. I had my audition in L.A. in front of Tim Gunn and Nick Verreos. I was very nervous but it was fun to show them my work and to have them say ‘that’s good,’ it meant a lot.” While at ARC Kouri competed in the steeple chase, a track event that combines running, hurdles and a water pit, under Anderson “There’s not a lot of room for creativity in track,” Anderson said. “The only thing that he ever did that was different is every time that we had a race, even in San Diego at the Olympic training center, he had this little rubber duck on a string and he always used to tie it to the pole and put it into the water of the steeple chase pit before his race.” Using the people around him for inspiration he continues to construct new collections. The next showcase he will be participating in is Sacramento Fashion Week scheduled for February. “I love to be inspired,” Kouri said. “As a fashion designer it is my job to create first with an initial idea, through to a final constructed garment. I use my friends, my imagination, and my surroundings as inspiration and as a starting point for the initial ideas for my work.”
Photos by Jessica Maynard/ jessica.r.maynard87@gmail.com
Top: Michael Kouri stands in front of the fashion department holding his book of designs and sketches, Kouri graduated with his degree in fashion in 2011. Left: A set of Kouri’s designs for his line Nolan Kouri that he launched in 2008. Right: Kouri with model Melissa Hunter take the runway after his collection inspired by Veronica Lake was showcased at Sacramento Fashion Week in February.
For more of Kouri’s designs check out nolankouristudio.com. Photo courtesy of Michael Kouri
October 30, 2013
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Urbano’s es muy delicioso LOCAL MEXICAN RESTAURANT MAKES YOU FEEL AT HOME By Cintia Lopez cintialopez92@gmail.com Urbano’s Fine Mexican Food seems to be out of place when driving by. There is a gas station on its left and an audio shop on its right. Despite the seemingly poor placement, Urbano’s has great food that I will definitely be coming back to. Walking in, customers are immediately greeted by the host, and the staff that’s working in the kitchen can also be heard saying hello through the window. The decor is something that you find in most typical Mexican restaurants. There are various photographs, ponchos and a few painted flowers on the walls that are meant to remind anyone of
Mexican culture. A few moments after seating customers at either the tables or the round booths, the host comes back with a basket of fresh chips and a very nice spicy salsa before offering something to drink. After some time is given to look over the menu, the host walks over again to see if more time is needed or if we’re ready to have our order taken. I ordered a combination plate that consisted of a beef enchilada and pork tamale with rice, beans and salad. The other member of my party ordered two cheese and chicken quesadillas. Once the food was brought out, I could immediately smell how delicious it was going to be. The enchilada and tamale were cov-
ered in a red sauce and topped with melting cheddar cheese. The quesadillas looked like soft tacos topped with lettuce and more cheese, and came along with rice, beans and salad. Cutting into the enchilada, I could already tell that the shredded beef was cooked to perfection. Taking the first bite I was met with the most tender beef I had ever encountered at a Mexican restaurant. The sauce and cheese only enhanced the flavor of the beef. My only change would be to add a few more spices into the mix. It seems like the meat was only flavored with salt. The rice and beans were what anyone would expect at a Mexican restaurant. The rice could
Photos by Emily K. Rabasto / rabastoe@gmail.com
Above left: Urbano’s Mexican Restaurant located at 5825 Manzanita Ave. in Carmichael features a classic menu with large portions. Above right: Kino Raya, a server at Urbano’s Mexican Restaurant, presents a No. 19 dinner entree consisting of a beef enchilada and a pork tamale.
have used a little more salt or could have been cooked with a broth of some kind to give it a little more flavor. The atmosphere lends itself to the overall experience, and the friendliness of the staff is unparalleled. If you’re looking for decent Mexican dishes at a representative price, then Urbano’s is the place for you. Urbano’s is open daily 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and until 10 p.m. Fridays.
URBANO’S 5825 MANZANITA AVE.
CARMICHAEL, CA
PRICE RANGE: $$
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Kaneko Gallery aims to spook this Halloween
“NIGHTMARES & DREAMSCAPES: A COMMUNITY HANG UP” COMES TO LIFE AFTER A YEAR IN THE MAKING By Kameron Schmid
in the room. “It costs five
kameronschmid@gmail.com dollars to submit, which
Kameron Schmid / kameronschmid@gmail.com
Raena Minster, interior design major, particularly liked the spray paint and acrylic pieces.
It’s the season to be scared, and the James Kaneko Gallery at American River College is offering up its best effort. “Nightmares & Dreamscapes: A Community Hangup” opened Monday, and features a large range of pieces from students, faculty and the local community. The title of this show and its release date are no coincidence; the name comes from a collection of stories by noteworthy horror writer Stephen King, and the gallery is open during the Halloween season. The opening was hosted by gallery operator and professor Mick Sheldon, who buzzed around the room with high energy serving cookies and punch while answering questions. “It’s an event that helps run the gallery”, said Sheldon to the 20 or so people
made us upwards of $300 with this showing. There are about 50 pieces of art in this exhibit, including one by a small child, and no, I do not remember which one that is.” Sheldon has been the director of the gallery for almost ten years, and is proud of this show. “(The artwork is) chosen by the students anywhere from six months to a year beforehand. This one has everything: ceramic and wire sculpture, acrylic painting and charcoal drawing, a big variety of stuff,” said Sheldon. “The students even hung the show. They showed up for three hours on Saturday and put it all up themselves. I probably could have done it faster, but it’s something for them to learn they’ll need to know.” ARC student and interior
design major Raena Minster was particularly fond of the spray paint and acrylic work. “They’re really cool, I love the style,” said Minster, who was there for an assignment for another class. Sheldon doesn’t have time to rest, though. He also teaches 3D design, and the gallery has a new show every month. He’s already planning the next show featuring alumni from ARC, “who’ve all been gone for a few years now and are consistently doing work in other places.” The gallery compiles student work into a yearly calendar, the sales of which also help run the gallery. Upon mentioning the calendar, Sheldon had one comment: “Buy it, buy it, buy it.” The Kaneko Gallery is open from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Fridays. “Nightmares & Dreamscapes” runs until Nov. 14.
October 30, 2013
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Unique sounds at solo guitar concert
Arts&Culture
MATTHEW GRASSO DEFIES WHAT STUDENTS THINK THEY KNOW ABOUT ACOUSTIC GUITARS
By Jonathan H. Ellyson jonathanellyson@gmail.com He enters in silence as the lights dim, sits in his seat and tunes briefly. He then looks up and gives a gentle nod as the audience applauds. Matthew Grasso performed an eight piece solo guitar show featuring classical music of his own transposition Friday in the American River College Music Department room 547. At his fingertips are two custom guitars, the extended seven string and the 18-tone, 11-limit just intonation. According to Grasso, other musicians who play intonation guitars are very rare due to the instrument’s complexity. The guitar itself is covered in frets and half frets at varying intervals. Traditionally, music isn’t written for these instruments, so Grasso’s entire show was self-transposed, including several original sets. Music written for a concert piano or chamber orchestra need to be re-written to be read by a solo guitar player. Two of these self-composed sets were written and designed specifically to show off the capabilities of, and to get listeners used to, the unique sound of these guitars. “It’s pretty cool seeing guitars that are not the norm,” com-
mented David Miller, a biology major attending ARC. For a solo act, Grasso’s playing sounds like a multiple instrument group. If you close your eyes and listen, you would swear it had to be more than just one man playing a single guitar. This has to do with the instrument’s phenomenal range. “It has 18 notes to an octave instead of the typical 12, none of which are shared,” Grasso explained. “Every artist can choose (his or her) own way of tuning, so it’s very personalized.” At the climax of the set was a piece of music called “Four Spirits,” which took place in four movements. The sections were composed by Grasso specifically to acclimate a person’s ear to the sound of the just intonation guitar, which he says is more in tune with the natural world. “We’re getting back to nature,” Grasso said. Overall, the allure to this particular type of music is the novelty. “It’s different than what you normally hear in classical music, so it’s worthwhile of a show,” commented applied mathematics major Anthony Lazzarino. Grasso has remarkable talent and the audience responded very positively to the show.
Headphones Off Scare Chords By Alisha Kirby alishakirby1@gmail.com
Jonathan H. Ellyson / jonathanellyson@gmail.com
Matthew Grasso, professional guitarist, holding his custom made 18-tone 11-limit just intonation guitar on Oct. 18
Historical struggles with slavery
BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH AND MICHAEL FASSBENDER PLAY IN THIS PERIOD PIECE By Zach Tierney ztierney.zt@gmail.com The Steve McQueen directed “12 Years a Slave” is not the easiest movie to watch. It’s not fun to watch. It’s not lighthearted. It is, however, incredibly moving. The film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon Northup – a free man living in New York in the 1800s who is kidnapped and sold into slavery. The movie, based on a true story, follows his journey through the South as well as his time with several different slave owners. Benedict Cumberbatch and Michael Fassbender both star as slavers that owned Northup for a time. This movie has perhaps one of the most clear-cut and accurate representations of
the horrors of slavery. The viewer is reminded that even though someone seems like a good and honorable man, he is, as one of Northup’s fellow slaves implies, only a good man under the circumstances. The viewer begins to almost like Cumberbatch as the kind slave owner. He provides the hope that perhaps things won’t be so bad. Then the film reminds you that regardless of his kindness, he is still a slave owner and that racism still abounds during this era. The viewer is immersed in Northup’s journey from the beginning of the film. The cuts mirror his situation. When he is being kidnapped the cuts are abrupt, going from soft whispers to loud industrial sounds, or going from slow movements to incredibly fast ones. They make the viewer borderline con-
fused, a feeling that parallels perfectly what the protagonist is feeling. There is just enough hope in this movie to make the despair much worse. There are scenes in which Northup seemingly gives up hope for convincing people that he is truly a free man and scenes as simple as him gradually becoming more comfortable with singing along with his fellow slaves over the grave of a friend. After being kidnapped, beaten, betrayed and nearly broken, Northup does eventually see true kindness from Brad Pitt’s character Bass. The film is very well-written and leaves the audience with a much greater sense of some of the struggles that slaves and free men had to deal with during this time period.
You will shiver with antici…pation
DOWNTOWN THEATER PERFORMS ‘ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW’ UNTIL HALLOWEEN
By Korbl Klimecki korbl.klimecki@gmail.com It was astounding. Time was fleeting. Madness truly took control. Green Valley Theatre presents their fifth production of Richard O’Brien’s “Rocky Horror Picture Show” (RHPS). After previous productions performed in the styles of Hammer Horror, Steampunk and Southern Gothic (think “Beautiful Creatures”), to name a few, this year they present the cult classic with a German Expressionism aesthetic taking cues from classics such as “Metropolis.” The stage is stark and sleek red, black and chrome. A trio of projectors incorporates both pre-recorded and live film into the performance. Instead of a tank or table, Rocky is brought out on a frame of pipes. Watching the movie is “just masturbation,” director Christopher Cook said. You definitely need to see a live performance. Prior to the
start of the show, the Rocky “virgins,” the audience members who have not before seen RHPS live, are brought up to the stage to be properly initiated, publicly and with great humiliation. The Green Valley Theatre performs Rocky Horror Picture Show with a practiced frenzy. The simulated sex acts are energetic and spasmodic. They also make the characters their own. Craig Howard’s Frankenfurter eschews the curly wig and tattoo of Tim Curry, opting instead for a short spikey ‘do and bare arms. Rather than Curry’s diva/mad scientist, Howard plays a Frankenfurter of manic malice who oozes transgressive sex appeal like Eddie’s corpse oozes blood. Ryan Allen’s Riff Raff is more a sassy diva trans woman than Richard O’Brien’s creepy, Lurch-esque handy man. He makes you believe that he came from the same world as Frankenfurter rather than being some zom-
bie or frankensteinian creation. Jonathan Reinhart-Cranmer’s Rocky visually puts one in mind of Chris Evan’s Steve Rogers/Captain America, especially when he dons M1 army helmet and combat pants for Frankenfurter’s floor show. When I heard the first strains of Sword of Damocles, I lamented that such an amazing voice was relegated to a role which hardly speaks, and then was delighted to see that he has more lines in the play than the movie. The performance was wonderful. The cast and crew’s experience and talent shows through and through. The Green Valley Theatre Company presents “Rocky Horror Picture Show” one final night of the season on Oct. 31 at 8 p.m. Tickets for Halloween night can be purchased at www.greenvalleytheatre.com for $18. The show is restricted to ages 18 and up. The theater is downtown on V street across from UC Davis Medical Center.
It’s that time of year: The leaves should be turning orange, red and yellow, but they won’t for another month because it’s October in California. People are posting pictures of their best jack-olanterns on Instagram, and every scary movie that’s been released in the last 100 years is getting a makeover so that we may spend $10 to watch something in theaters we already watched on Netflix last Halloween. For example, the third film adaptation of Stephen King’s novel “Carrie” was released Oct. 18, and has received some fairly positive reviews from critics and students. “I’m not a fan of scary type movies at all and I never saw the original, but I really enjoyed it,” said psychology major Jayde Yates. “I wasn’t expecting to like it, but it was really well done.” Despite having not seen the original (or first remake), you know what’s going to happen from the previews. Spoiler alert: The prom goes poorly and Carrie goes on a rampage. But the plot itself isn’t what keeps you on the edge of your seat. It’s the soundtrack. “An example of how crucial sound is would be Alfred Hitchcock and ‘Psycho,’” said Professor Pamela Downs, who teaches a class on horror films. “He (Hitchcock) had to produce it so he had to come up with the money himself. He was paying all of the actors under scale, but he paid Bernard Herrmann, who was the outstanding Hollywood composer at the time, full going rate because he knew it was crucial.” Think about every scary movie you’ve watched. Sure, the special effects were cool, but were they what gave you goosebumps? Or was it a pulsing cello and a sudden screech that made you spill your popcorn as you curled up in your seat and covered your eyes? “I am very much a fan of horror films,” said music major Jarom Horner. His favorite scene is from “The Shining,” when Jack Nicholson breaks in through the bathroom door with an axe and shouts “Here’s Johnny!” “I will never forget the ear piercing nails on a chalkboard and ‘hive of bees sounding’ violins,” Horner said. “Part of it has to do with the fact that we’re dealing with suspense,” said Downs. “In every melodrama you use sound for mood, suspense and build. In horror it’s even more so.” The moral of the story is this: If you’re going to watch a scary movie this Halloween, turn up the volume. Otherwise you’re doing yourself a disservice.
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Diving head first into the undercurrent ‘WATER’ EXPLORES RACISM, CLASS AND DOING THE RIGHT THING By Brooke Purves brookempurves@gmail.com American River College English Professor Michael Spurgeon spoke about his new novel “Let the Water Hold Me Down” at College Hour on Oct. 17 in 160 Raef Hall. The audience of about 60 students and faculty appeared jovial and engaged. During his presentation, Spurgeon chronicled his time in San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, where he was living during the Zapatista uprising in Chiapas on Jan. 1, 1994, in which rebel groups of mostly indigenous peoples declared war on the Mexican federal government. He had gone home to the states for the winter holidays and heard about the uprising over the television. In February, Spurgeon was able to return to Chiapas to his fiance, a native Mexican of Mayan descent, who had stayed in Mexico during his brief absence. Spurgeon also read from the novel, and it was apparent to the listener how the author’s personal experiences had influenced the book’s subject matter. Within the first few pages of “Water,” readers are forced to consider their own concepts of race. The story’s main character Hank, who eventually travels to Mexico where the ma-
jority of the story is set, self-describes as “white,” while his best friend Cesar, goodlooking and athletic, comes from a politically prominent family in Mexico with a clearly-defined European heritage. Cesar’s background is important, in part, because it influences how others define and accept him. “The political hierarchy (in Mexico) is tied to the racial hierarchy, and the indigenous people are definitely at the low end of the power structure,” Spurgeon said. “Ultimately the crux of the book is a question of class warfare, and tied to that is racial warfare.” The book is laced with themes of identity and race, but aren’t the only issues Spurgeon addresses in his novel. “The central message is that we as members of the community have a responsibility to get involved and to do things for the greater good,” said Spurgeon. “To fight injustice when we see it and where we see it.” The presentation and reading were followed by a short question and answer period in which Spurgeon spoke briefly about the process of writing his novel. “It took me 10 years of practicing writing and thinking about all of those events and what I wanted to do with them,” Spurgeon said. “I wrote the first draft in 2003 and then went through many revisions over the next 10 years to become the book that it is now.”
Emily K. Rabasto / rabastoe@gmail.com
ARC English professor and author of “Let the Water Hold Me Down” Michael Spurgeon discusses the creative process of writing a novel for publication during College Hour in Raef Hall on Oct. 17.
You really do save lives Comics: Mainstream BLOODSOURCE DRIVE BRINGS OUT MORE THAN 250 DONORS By Kameron Schmid kameronschmid@gmail.com Once a semester, BloodSource visits American River College asking for blood donations from those with two hours to spare, offering t-shirts and snacks in recompense. This time around, students were glad to give a pint. Over 250 donations were made on Oct. 15 and 16, surpassing the goal of 200 set by BloodSource. Three buses were stationed in staff parking near the stadium with about ten workers on each bus, and a long line of students remained steady throughout the day. When asked why they signed up, most of the waiting donors had the same reply of wanting to help those who need it. “It’s just a good thing to do, and it helps people. Every pint of blood counts,” said Burak Kocal, aerospace engineering major. In fact, the long wait was mostly because of the large turnout, according to Rebecca Douglas, the student director for BloodSource at ARC, who also works at the health center on campus. “Most people who came when there was a line had a wait of about an hour, and then it takes about 45 minutes on the bus. It’s a good while,
but it’s worth it,” said Douglas. BloodSource was also registering certain people for bone marrow drawings, a much harder process. Those who signed up had saliva samples of their DNA taken, and would be called if they matched with someone in need. Kocal was one such volunteer. “(To draw the bone marrow) they put you under anesthesia, and your arm is stiff and sore for a few days. But it’s extremely important, so I’m willing to do it.” Bone marrow has been successfully transplanted to help with diseases such as leukemia, lymphomas, aplastic anemia, immune deficiency disorders, and some solid tumor cancers. And according to a report by ABC News, just this summer, two HIV-positive men received bone marrow transplants, and no longer have any detectable strains of the virus in their blood following the procedure. But only one in 540 people who sign up actually go on to match with a patient in need, increasing the need for volunteers. For those who missed out on opportunities to donate, BloodSource has three donation centers within 15 miles of ARC, in Fair Oaks, Sacramento, and Folsom. Visit bloodsource.org for more information.
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heroes embrace their origin stories CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 gaining popularity, “‘The Walking Dead’ has done very, very well,” said Jared Rudy, a business and marketing major who is also the back issue manager and inventory control manager at A1 Comics. “‘The Walking Dead’ has been a comic for ten years now...the TV series has helped to make it a very valuable book,” Rudy said. “The first issue sells for between 500 and 1000 dollars.” Part of the series’ popularity can be attributed to positive word of mouth. “My friend got me into (“The Walking Dead”),” said ARC student Michaela Cushman. “She is a total fan girl. I read them a little bit last year, but I really got into the series because of Daryl Dixon (played by Norman Reedus).” Merchandise in all forms has been created to generate more cash for “The Walking Dead,” including your usual shirts, action figures and stickers, but also statues, board games, belts and life-size cutouts of the characters. The com-
CAMPUS PU SE What is your favorite horror film for Halloween and why? “Friday the 13th” “It was a classic when I grew up, and I remember seeing it when I was younger. It just brings back the memory of being scared.”
-ROBERTHARPER Electronics Technology
ics are sold just about everywhere, including American River College’s Beaver Book Store, and according to Hollywood Reporter, the AMC adaptation has “dethroned ‘High School Musical’s’ ratings record.” For many students, seeing the films or television shows are their first experiences with the comic book world, and the films don’t always tell the full story. “The ‘Spiderman’ films, (both) one and two are good,” said Rudy, “but (they’re) completely different. A person can watch a ‘Spiderman’ film and not read the comic to understand it.” However, not every adaptation is going about it the wrong way. “Watchmen was panel-for-panel, a perfect adaptation,” said Rudy. “The only thing missing was because of time restraint, but that’s a rare example of a film done right.” Whether students are die-hard comic fans or just enjoy the stories portrayed upon the screen, this wave of popularity stems from a culture of art and creativity that is making its way back into the mainstream.
“Halloween”
“A Nightmare On Elm Street”
“The Nightmare Before Christmas”
“It all comes together in the end (when) you find out his past.”
“I grew up with that one. It’s a family favorite and I’m hoping to pass it down to my kids”
“That got it all started from there. ‘Halloween 2,’ ‘3,’ ‘4’ (and) ‘(A) Nightmare on Elm Street’ came from that.”
-JARICESTARBUCK Sign Studies
-ROYMOYHER Business
-PAULARELLANES Women’s Soccer Coach
October 30, 2013
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Rose Marks Pavilion planned to be renovated NAMING OF PRESIDENT DELAYS PLANS FOR THE NEW STRUCTURE By Brooke Purves brookempurves@gmail.com The Rose Marks Pavilion, built and named in honor of a former American River College English teacher, was removed from the Rose Marks Quad on the ARC campus Monday. Mark White, owner of MC White Construction, the company heading the demolition project, said that the structure had dry rot and was going to be replaced. “We try to be proactive in terms of mitigating risk,” said Laduan Smedley, director of Administrative Services at ARC. According to Smedley and Chris Day, Captain for the Los Rios District Police Department, there have been no reported complaints or concerns about safety. According to an ARC Historical Buildings and Monuments document, the pavilion and quad, completed in 1980, were given to the college from Marks’ husband. Funding for the new project, however, will come from the campus coffers. “Whether or not (the pavilion) was donated, it’s up to the campus to maintain it,” said Smedley. The new pavilion will be an exact replica of the old pavilion, complete with the original lettering. Although the scope of the project hasn’t been determined as of this writing, Smedley said there might also be some changes in the
quad area to make it a more inviting gathering place for students, such as new paving stones or additional seating area. Smedley indicated that the school is waiting to start designing to get the input of the new president, who is to be named at the beginning of the upcoming calendar year. The restoration timeline has not yet been announced, but campus activity will be taken into consideration. “Rose Marks is a focal point of the campus,” said Smedley, “so if you start doing work it can impact students.” While it would be ideal to perform the work on the area during the winter recess, that won’t be possible, at least not this year. If the only work necessary will be to replace the pavilion, the plans can go ahead smoothly. However, the upcoming president may have a different vision for the space. If additional modifications are approved, the department of Administrative Services has to follow a multi-step protocol. Smedley chairs the Buildings, Grounds and Safety Committee, which, according to an ARC website describing standing committees, includes three student representatives, 13 faculty and three classified employees, among others. Each of these individuals may contribute ideas concerning the future of the space. The facilities department will then find a contractor to complete the
Jeff Gonzales / jeff.a.gonzales@gmail.com
An MC White Construction worker tears down the remnants of the Rose Marks Pavilion on Oct. 21.
job through a bidding process. From there the committee will look at how much different ideas will cost, and make a decision about how much the college wants to spend on the project overall. Even if the project can’t be completed this winter, Smedley hopes to have the work done during the summer intersession or other academic recesses.
Deafness author educates ARC professors By Cintia Lopez cintialopez92@gmail.com
Brandon Nelson / brandon.nelson916@gmail.com
Savannah Kizzie, a deaf studies major, signs to Hang Tran, an accounting major, as they wait outside Liberal Arts 120.
TAKETHISCLASS
person either on campus or elsewhere, it is important to address the person and not his or her interpreter. “It’s like when you talk to anyone else,” said Birchall, “you want them to know you’re engaging them in a conversation.” “If our department offers college hours or deaf culture workshops, the most important thing for participants to take away from the workshops would be to view deaf people as a positive addition to the humankind,” said Birchall. “In (Ladd’s) book, (he) discusses Deaf communities, being Deaf in the Western Civilization, Deaf Clubs, Deaf Subalterns, Subaltern Rebels and Deafhood, and implications for Deaf Cultural Theory.” Birchall said in an email to The Current, “In other words, if you want to understand Deaf Culture and Deafhood; reading his book would be essential.”
Theater Arts 350: Theory and Techniques of Acting I
By Michael Pacheco mfpach@gmail.com Acting goes beyond just saying your lines according to the script. It is about making the human connection with your audience, and making your statement be felt, heard, and understood. In Theater Arts 350:Theory and Techniques of Acting I, 1:30 p.m. - 2:50 p.m. Tuesdays & Thursdays, professor Sam Williams shows students the importance of the different factors and theories involved in acting, and allows students the opportunity to demonstrate to their peers what they have learned. The course shows students different acting techniques in different contexts, stretching from classical theater acting to commercial acting. The class is a very active one, as Williams begins each lesson with the students in a circle to stretch. He then has each student perform an assignment in front of the class. American River College undecided student Daniel Freihofer says the class is “good for you to get out of your shell if you are shy, and helps build self-confidence as well.”
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Deaf culture is something that many people overlook as a part of a deaf person’s life; it is also quite possibly the most important part. On Oct. 5, Paddy Ladd, author of the book “Deaf Culture: In Search of Deafhood,” gave a seminar to professors at American River College about his book and how to better understand deaf culture. Although students were unable to attend Ladd’s seminar, sign language professor Jill Birchall gave The Current a little taste of what the book and seminar are about. In Ladd’s book he explains the difference between a medical deaf culture and natural deaf culture. When a deaf child is born to parents who are not deaf, the parents are immediately referred to doctors and
hearing specialists, which puts a focus on the fact that the child cannot hear. “Deaf people do not need to be cured and (others should) not practice or contribute to audism,” said Birchall. “(It’s) a form of able-ism, which is defined as the notion that one is superior based on one’s ability to hear or to behave in the manner of one who hears.” This causes the child to lose his selfidentity in a sense. Parents struggle to learn sign language, and throughout the child’s life he may feel they concentrate on the fact that he is missing his hearing, as opposed to focusing on things the child is able to do. The other aspect of deaf culture, which is more natural, is when the parents of a child are also deaf. It makes it easier for the child to learn her selfidentity mostly because the parents already know what they are supposed to do. When communicating with a deaf
Professor Williams has been teaching this course since 1998, and does not see himself stopping any time soon. “God has blessed me big time to have this fabulous job,” he says, “because I have made a living experiencing my passion. So I would say (I will teach) indefinitely.” His students also highlight professor Williams’ passion for theater. “Professor Williams is a great teacher,” explains Freihofer. “I really like his approach and he is not boring at all. He keeps it exciting and keeps everyone engaged.” There are many different kinds of students that attend this class, including many non-theater majors. Rosa Garcia, a chemical dependency/human services major, suggest that anybody can take this class. Professor Williams also stresses the importance of communication to his class. “This class is about communication. It’s about listening to people. It’s about studying human nature, so I feel everybody would benefit [from this class].” This class is recommended to anyone who is looking to build personal skills and wants to enjoy a class while fulfilling credit requirements.
“Professor Williams is a great teacher. I really like his approach and he is not boring at all, he keeps it exciting and keeps everyone engaged.”
DANIELFREIHOFER
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Michael Pacheco / mfpach@gmail.com
Professor Williams outlines on the whiteboard about monologues, their structure, and in what situations they are used or seen. This class not only teaches acting techniques, but also writing.
“This class is about communication, it’s about listening to people, it’s about studying human nature, so I feel everybody would benefit [from this class].”
SAMWILLIAMS
PROFESSOR
Opinion
October 30, 2013
Page 11
DEVOID OF SCHOOL SPIRIT CURRENTEDITORIAL ARC STUDENTS, ALUM NEED TO BE MORE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS current@arc.losrios.edu When ARC’s undefeated football team took the field Oct. 19, they did so before a reprehensibly small crowd. Of approximately 350 spectators in attendance, more than 70 were there to see the opposing team. Last spring’s Student Senate elections only garnered 950 participants. Sadly, this was a dramatic improvement from 175 in 2012. In a campus of over 38,000 students, such relentless apathy is an embarrassment to students, staff and the institution as a whole. Right now, ARC is home to five teams ranked among California’s top 10 (men’s football, men’s cross country and women’s volleyball, men’s soccer, women’s water polo.) Each of these teams receives lackluster support from their peers. Though community college should not be a peak, destination or end goal for young people, students need to be active participants and take more pride in their campus. While sports may be considered frivolous,
students shun opportunities to take advantage of more essential recourses. “Usually… three to four people (come to resume development workshops) sometimes it can be 10,” said Irena Brauzman of ARC’s Career Center. College is often a young adult’s first access to the professional world. Networking becomes important and relationships take on tremendous value. Minimal participation in student activities denies an opportunity to celebrate common interests, develop relationships and build social and professional networks that will hold value long after transfer or graduation. Some students feel that this is simply not the place for high school-esque enthusiasm. “It’s not like high school anymore, where you are like ‘Oh, let’s have fun,’ you have to take it (school) more seriously,” ARC student Janae Billingsley said. School should be taken seriously so that it may provide opportunities. Celebration of
Never mind the gap
By Brooke Purves brookempurves@gmail.com The quest for beauty is a rough one for us women. I’m told that while I want my breasts to squish together and pour out of my shirt, I want my thighs as far apart from each other as possible. This “thigh gap,” the space between your femora when you stand with your feet touching, is said to be the new cleavage. It’s what’s ‘in.’ It’s what’s cool. It’s what’s making me gag. The attention to the thigh gap reminds me of the fourth grade boobie test: If a girl’s breasts were big enough to hold a pencil under them unassisted, she needed a bra. I say we devise a thigh gap test: If you can pass a Mack truck between your legs when your feet are touching, you need a cheeseburger. All this external focus on a gal’s gams isn’t good for her selfesteem. Besides, you can’t give yourself a thigh gap if you aren’t genetically programmed to have it. You need the correct architecture for the gap. Even as a welterweight with a healthy dose of thigh fat, I can fake a gap thanks to what my midwife calls a “very ample pelvis.” Whether you have a gap or not doesn’t seem to be of importance
predecessors who have capitalized on such opportunities and the culture that fostered their growth can be a powerful tool. It’s a tool ARC head baseball coach Doug Jumlet uses to show his players their potential. Several MLB players who played at ARC visit practice and team activities to encourage and support the Beavers. Athletes, club members and other students should make traditions such as these more commonplace on campus. ARC alum need to take part in the process as well. If ARC is nothing more than a commuter campus devoid of any character or culture for its students to participate or take pride in, that is a fault of its students, former and current alike. Make time to support our sports clubs, see a production by our theater department, read the American River Review. If our own student body does not take pride in the community that is our school, why should the places we aspire to move on to?
NEW TREND SETS IMPOSSIBLE STANDARD
to anyone other than the person with the thighs. “I think it’s kind of sad how everyone makes such a huge deal (about it),” said Micah Smith, music major at American River College. “I’ve met girls who have worked as hard as they can to get that and I don’t really think it’s necessary.” Not only is the gap not necessary, it is sometimes difficult or even impossible to achieve. “(Exercises) will help them (thighs) get stronger, but not necessarily smaller,” said Lisa Delgado, ARC softball coach and core conditioning instructor. “You can’t really spot reduce.” We aren’t doing the species any favors when we fall for this stuff, either. According to research published in the British Journal of Nutrition, women are designed to carry fat in their thighs to nourish themselves and their babies during pregnancy and after childbirth, and women who tend to carry fat in their thighs are more fertile than their thinner counterparts. Maybe Mother Nature is trying to tell you something here. No more beating ourselves up if we can hold a pencil under our breasts or one between our thighs. Given that thigh fat is evolutionarily designed to keep humans around, I say it should be celebrated!
Illustration by Korbl Klimecki
If the school makes money, why can’t their athletes? COLLEGES SHOULD PROVIDE COMPENSATION TO THE STUDENT ATHLETES THAT PLAY FOR THEM By Shedric Allen shedric25@gmail.com The debate about college athletes getting paid has been going on for a while now, but recently has been heated up, specifically with the Johnny Manziel controversy. He is alleged to have taken money from a broker for signing autographs for people. That same day the NCAA had him doing unpaid autograph signings. There have been many players suspended and teams on probation, even a player stripped of awards like the Heisman because of this issue. College football and basketball generate nearly a billion dollars in revenue in an academic year, not including TV deals and apparel sponsors such Nike, Adidas and Under Armour. Let that settle in, and the players don’t get one dime of it. Over the years people are now seeing how much the athletes are getting nickel-anddimed. Players aren’t blind; they see their jerseys being sold and they don’t get anything in
return. Players are getting themselves in huge trouble because of money issues and the NCAA just sits back punishing them while collecting checks. In recent interviews, many ex-college players talk about how selfish the NCAA is with its money. “I’m a firm believer that an employee should get paid for his work and, 100 percent, I see student athletes as an employee,” said former Tennessee running back Arian Foster in a Sports Illustrated interview. That just shows how the NCAA should just be a business like the NFL. Not every athlete has the money to survive on a college scholarship and financial aid. Consider the cost of books and supplies students have to pay for. Some athletes go to their rooms with nothing to eat. The athletes are paying with their bodies and the sad thing about it is that the schools aren’t responsible for injuries to a player that require long-term care. For example, in 2007, Stanley Doughty
whom played for SCU from 2003 to 2006, suffered a spinal cord injury during a game and South Carolina University ignored the fact he needed surgery. Eventually he couldn’t continue his football career at the next level. The answer is simple: Athletes should be paid in accordance with how much revenue their schools generate from their performances. The NCAA athletes are providing a service and performing a job for the college. One more thing: The NCAA does not let student athletes have a job while they are competing in a sport. That is partly because their sport is their job. Doesn’t that sound similar to what happens with professional athletes? Athletes deserve to have a few dollars to go out and have fun without having to harass their parents or get illegal money from brokers and boosters. Odd that the universities and the NCAA can sell a player’s jersey for $100, but can’t give him $20 to play.
Get Gonzo WHAT DOES THE FAWKES SAY? By Jeff Gonzales jeff.a.gonzales@gmail.com I feel like I should wear my tinfoil hat before I start this column. It is, after all, one of my favorite hats to wear. My love of a good conspiracy is what first brought the “hacktivist” group Anonymous to my attention. Anonymous loves its “V for Vendetta”-inspired Guy Fawkes mask and, in line with such, wants the revolution to be inspired by the comic book quote and old nursery rhyme, “remember, remember, the fifth of November.” Calling for the uprising to start as a “million mask march” this Nov. 5. They do this with a few of their signature ominous YouTube videos. So why is Gonzo talking about a hacker group when he usually focuses on politics? Well, it goes back to my love of the tinfoil hat and America’s frustration with Washington. It goes back to what feels like a futile mission: To get people interested in what is going on in the world. I want people to think about why they are frustrated and to do something about it. Students that I talk to at American River College don’t care much about politics and have little or no respect for our leaders on Capitol Hill. They express frustration with how things work, but aside from a select few, they seem not to care about how to fix it. This frustration is why groups like Anonymous exist. It also explains the vague nature of hacktivists and things like the Occupy movement. This frustration is also what made the tea party movement so influential. As much as I love my tinfoil hat, the skeptic in me doesn’t really think there will be “a million mask march.” The same reason I love a conspiracy is the same reason I laugh at most, but there is truth to people’s frustration. Republicans and Democrats have special interests in mind. World problems like Syria or domestic problems, including healthcare and political mishaps like the government shut down, may seem to be far away. But if you pay attention, you can see that these things affect our classmates here at ARC, from veterans and students on financial aid, to the money our school spends for our education. I don’t know when I took off the tinfoil and stepped on a soapbox, but what I’m really saying is simple: Whether you sport a Guy Fawkes mask and want the government out of your life or you think the feds aren’t doing enough, you’ll still be complaining until you realize why these things matter to you and take action to change them.
The
creatures of the night Photos by Korbl KlimeckI & Emily K. Rabasto There comes a point in every young adult’s life when he or she outgrows the privilege to go trick-ortreating. It’s a sad reality, but that’s life. There is, however, an upside: The young adult is now tall enough to ride all of the rides, metaphorically speaking. The Zombie Train is “one part passenger train, one part zombie-killing machine,” as its website describes. The two-hour train ride is broken down into two parts: For the first 75 minutes of the trip riders with “upgraded tickets” may shoot at zombies walking along the tracks. Passengers have the last 45 minutes to interact and take photos. The Zombie Train leaves the station from 400 North Harbor Blvd, now through Nov. 1. Tickets cost $35 to board the train, or $50 to pick up one of the laser guns. These upgraded tickets are limited.
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1. With the zombie virus fully affecting her, Blue Iiz attacks riders from inside the train. The actress and makeup artist transforms herself into a bloody zombie within minutes 2. Two actors attack a man on the banks of the Sacramento River near Uncle Ray’s Pumpkin Patch during the Zombie Train ride on Oct. 25. 3. Daniel Jarvis, 29, and Cosumnes River College student Kacie Whichard, 24, display their laser guns of choice they use to shoot at zombies while aboard the Zombie Train in West Sacramento on Oct. 25. 4. A Zombie Train concessions stand worker gets infected by Blue Iiz before receiving the antidote from Doctor Simon. 5. A zombie attacks the side of the train as passengers attempt to shoot it with laser guns.