EL
PAISANO RIO HONDO COLLEGE NEWSPAPER est. 1964 Serving the Rio Hondo Community
Tuesday February 27, 2018
Volume 56 Issue 3
ICE Protests Breaks Out at El Monte Northgate Market
Senator Tony Mendoza Resigns CESAR GONZALEZ Reporter cesar.gonzalez6118@my.riohondo.edu
Feb. 22 - Senator Tony Mendoza of Artesia presented his letter of resignation via Facebook at 11:48 a.m. after the accusations made against him last fall 2017. He based his letter on the accusations made against him for sexual misconduct last fall. One woman in her 20s who worked as a Senate-fellow, or participant in the legislative processes, in Mendoza’s Capitol office was the first to speak out, weeks thereafter, other women made the same accusations against the 46-yearold California Senator. Mendoza, before taking a seat in the senate, was a former East Los Angeles school teacher for elementary children. He later made his way to becoming an elected local official for the state government. The investigation against Mendoza had been going on for three months up until his final resignation. In his letter of resignation, he specifically mentioned Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon. Mendoza wrote, “De Leon ordered up a secret investigation in my case, without any due process or providing me with any specific charges, acContinued on page 4
BRAYAN ALTAMIRANO/EL PAISANO NEWS Protestors displayed their animosity towards immigration and ICE in the Northgate Market parking lot, the morning of Feb. 21.
RAMON ALVARADO Editor-in-Chief
ramon.alvarado7328@my.riohondo.edu
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were expected to investigate the Northgate Market in El Monte early Wednesday, Feb. 21 morning. The agents
Reporter
rodolpho.juarezpinedo2776@my.riohondo.edu
OLIVIA VENEGAS
Opinion & Lifestyles Editor olivia.venegas4091@my.riohondo.edu
Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour in Buena Park shared their night of success with the public for their second feature on the CNBC’s show The Profit. Farrell’s has been an American ice cream parlor for decades and created the iconic Worlds Famous Farrell’s Zoo. It was the largest sundae in the world that consisted of Continued on page 3
shopping center noticed there were less shoppers than usual. The Northgate Market also appeared to have fewer employees than they regularly do. Only a couple registers were open and only a few workers were on the floor. Outside, protesters waved “Immigrants are Welcomed
Here” and “ICE is not Welcomed Here” signs as cars rode passed the intersection of Peck Rd. and Ramona Blvd, where the market is located. One anti-ICE protester, a young El Monte resident who chose to remain anonymous had a speaker which Continued on page 4
Speech and Debate Team Brings Home Multiple Wins
The Profit Takeover at Farrell’s RODOLFO PINEDO
were to check the Northgate Market’s employees work permits, making sure they were all legally able to work. Police, media and El Monte residents flooded the markets’ parking lot as they awaited the ICE agents’ arrival. Residents who frequently visited the Northgate Market
RODOLFO PINEDO Reporter
rodolpho.juarezpinedo2776@my.riohondo.edu
Rio Hondo had strength and numbers on their side at the Tabor-Venitsky Tournament hosted by Cerritos Community College the weekend of Feb. 16-18. On Friday, Gabriela Rodriguez and Dylan Logan were able to break into the elimination rounds representing Rio Hondo in winning bronze. On Sunday, Rio Hondo showed up especially strong and ready for IPDA Debate with a team size reaching the 20’s. The experienced mem
bers of the team were joined by many new faces wanting to get a feel for the Speech and Debate experience. In the end, Rio’s team did exceptionally well in breaking into the elimination rounds with Rodolfo Juarez-Pinedo, Alberto Sampieri, Dylan Logas, and Brandon Leon
all winning bronze. Vice President of the team Jonathan Kaldas brought home a silver in IPDA Debate. In overall speaking awards, Rio Hondo had many members reach the top 20 with Gabriela Rodriguez in 7th, Jonathan Kaldas in 10th, Felix Rodriguez in 15th, and
Rodolfo Juarez-Pinedo in 17th. For Overall Sweeps, Rio Hondo achieved 4th in the community college bracket. The Tabor-Venitsky tournament was, more importantly, an overall learning experience for the new members of the team. Not only did they learn firsthand how to become great debaters but also bonded over a new experience strengthening the team. Rio Hondo’s Speech and Debate team is currently practicing for their next tournament, the PSCFA Spring Champs. It’s expected to be held on Feb. 23 at Cal State Long Beach.
2 elpaisanoonline.com
NEWS
Pico Rivera Residents Lose Home After Fire Ignition
300 Residents left homeless, Two in the Hospital CESAR GONZALEZ Reporter
cesar.gonzalez6118@my.riohondo.edu
It was 3:30 p.m. Thursday Feb. 22 when Pico Rivera residents who live in the Corsica apartments on Burke street and Serapis Avenue were notified to evacuate due to a fire that had started to spread. There are four major buildings in the whole apartment complex each marked with a letter. The fire started inside building D, and every tenant had to leave all of their belongings and flee to safety. At the local Rivera park is where residents of the community banded together to provide necessities for those who suffered from loss of the fire. Upon arrival on 9350 Shade Lane, available to residents were stations that contained food, blankets,
El Paisano Tuesday February 27, 2018
beverages, and even clothes were put together by neighboring locals. Reports from Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department mentioned that the fire was caused by bad plumbing. Among the 300 residents who were left homeless, only 2 were reported being sent to hospital for smoke inhalation. A woman who was identified as Gabriel Santos, and her 5-day old infant baby were taken to the hospital. However, today Santos and her child picked up thereafter were taken to the Rivera Park evacuation center where they were both greeted by family and were given donated warm clothes. Most residents that were affected by the fire damage, were able to be sheltered in local motels that were held available by a representative of the management company named John Fischer. The same night of the fire 104 hotel rooms was said to be ready for use by residents if need be. While some stayed behind and spent the night at Rivera Park’s gym, others managed to stay with family and friends. Those staying in hotel rooms were permitted to stay as long as long as the following Monday February 26. Fischer stated, “We will take care of our residents.”
Representatives who were stationed at Rivera Park were making reservations for hotel rooms for families who had no place to go. Nearby buildings of the Corisca complex were red tagged which meant that the buildings were no longer able to be used to live in. Along with building D, some units closest to the fire in buildings B and C were also red tagged due to the aftermath of fire and water damage. Residents that lived in building A were able to return and regain their belongings while being escorted by sheriffs. Both B and C buildings stairways were not accessible and needed to be repaired before apartment residents could return to living in their units. Mayor Gustavo Camacho of Pico Rivera made a comment, “We are thankful no lives were lost.” Pets that were said to be lost were found and taken to the SEAACA (Southeast Area Animal Control Authority) in Downey. The city is still accepting donations and requested underwear, socks, diapers, and canned goods were very much needed. Any other residents that have been affected by the fires could call 562-8014454 for additional info.
via KTLA
By 5 p.m. fire fighters were on the defense, trying their best to down the flames that suddenly and dangerously displaced 300 people.
2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games
Concluded IGNACIO CERVANTES Reporter
ignacio.cervantes8813@my.riohondo.edu
Pyeongchang 2018 is over and the Olympic flag has been passed on to Mayor of Beijing (2022 host city), Jining Chen, by Shim Jae-kook, Mayor of hosts Pyeongchang. Sunday’s Closing Ceremony, unlike the business-type atmosphere to the opening number two weeks, was joyful and loose. The athletes used the commemoration to soak in these amazing games hosted by Pyeongchang who provided illuminating light shows from it’s final performance to the people of this year’s Winter Games who looked on in amazement and pride. Seeing the participants of North and South Korea walking in together behind a unified flag was the epitome of these Olympic Games. The mix of the two countries, weaving into Olympic Stadium together for the first time 16 days prior at the events Opening Ceremony, was a symbol which provided ambition and togetherness for the whole of the Games. On Day 11, the inability to split times between Germany and Canada in the Men’s Bobsled event brought upon a celebration which two countries once again combined as one after both teams finished 3:16.86 to tie for gold and astoundingly celebrate together. On Day 6, bringing one medal home for the United States and subsequently being the 100th in American tally history was Men’s Halfpipe master Shaun White.
The man once heralded as The Flying Tomato’s third first-place finish in the Halfpipe event was one for the books as his final run was the last of the competition while trailing Japanese rider Ayumu Hirano who ended second in front of Australian Scotty James in third. With 39, Norway finished atop the medal count this edition, erasing the U.S. record set in Vancouver 2010. Having at least one medal-finisher in all but one cross-country skiing event was a big help in the record-breaking performance. Newly crowned highest decorated Winter Olympian ever Norwegian Marit Bjorgen medaled most with 5 podium finishes in women’s skiing events trailed by men’s skier Alexander Bolshunov, and fellow women skiers Stina Nilsson, and Charlotte Kalla who all had four. The U.S. finished fourth in medal count with 23 – nine gold, eight silver, and six bronze. Between the American’s and Norway and to round out the top four were Canada in third with 29 and Germany in second with 31 medals. For Mexicanos like myself, four representatives of Mexico made it to South Korea but were unable to medal. The continued activity of Olympians from other countries to switch nationalities and represent our ancestors’ country, though, will continue to provide as a stepping stone for future generations born in the country to go ahead and strive for Winter Olympic glory.
El Paisano Tuesday February 27, 2018
The Profit Takeover at Farrell’s continued the loud experience of sirens, bells whistling, and chanting from Farrell employees. In 2009 they reached out to the CNBC’s show The Profit due to financial troubles and management. The show revolves around the multi-millionaire Marcus Lemonis searching for stuggling business by putting in his own money and time for a share of the profits. Lemonis will do whatever it takes to keep the business alive and profitable. For Farrell’s, Lemonis put in $750 thousand for 51 percent of the business. Lemonis along with Travis Lee has transformed this once struggling business for the better. “The biggest difference is we brought on Sweet Petes as partners, so the old team is completely gone. It’s myself, Marcus, and Sweet Pete’s”, said partial business owner
NEWS Lee. ML Food Group along with Farrell’s in Buena Park social media coordinator, Theresa Elorriaga, organized this promoting event on behalf of Farrell’s second feature on The Profit. The episode will air Tuesday night and give audience an update on how far Farrell’s has come since their first episode in 2009. Part of the promotion was inviting food bloggers
cesar.gonzalez6118@my.riohondo.edu
February 20th, 2018 President Donald Trump replied to several calls that were made for more greater and stricter gun control laws. The president had also signed a memorandum which urged Attorney General Jeff Sessions to direct a ban against “bump stocks” along with other devices that made semi-automatic guns into “machine guns.” Bump stocks, when attached to a semiautomatic gun, increases the speed of bullets being fired. Such modifications to these types of firearms were also the same ones that the shooter in Las Vegas had used last year in October to cause the bloodshed at country music known as “Route 91 Harvest Festival.” He was successful in killing dozens. Shortly after this turn of events, the National Rifle Association and the White House had made plans to create bans on gun modifications. This did not take effect until the shooting that took place at Parkland, Florida at Douglas High School, where a former student killed many students and teachers in this mass shooting. Although these types of modified weapons were not used in the
from around Southern California to share the improved experience Farrell’s has to offer to their followers. Maya and her sister run a food enthusiast Instagram account under the name of @thickfoodiesquad and said,“We have never been to an ice cream parlor before but so far we like the atmosphere. We are pretty excited to try it out!” Farrell’s is more than just ice cream, they have redone
and improved their menu with all natural ingredients and less frozen and processed foods, “Everything in the restaurant is homemade with the exception of our buns”, said Lee. Some of the other aspects they have improved upon is the atmosphere by eliminating the World’s Famous Farrell’s Zoo in order to create a more engaging environment. The night offered free drinks, swag bags, a candy
workshop, and free sundaes to those invited. Farrell’s always has a candy store, a toy shop, unforgettable birthday celebrations to their customers. Elorriaga also offered to our readers a “buy one get one free entree” when they present this article to this location to enjoy the Farrell experience for themselves. Farrell’s is located at 8650 Beach Blvd, Buena Park, CA.
OLIVIA VENEGAS/EL PAISANO NEWS
Farrell’s has now appearded on CNBS’s The Profit two times, solidifying the parlor as one of the more well known ice cream shops.
Trump Bans Bump Stocks & Other Modifiers CESAR GONZALEZ Reporter
3 elpaisanoonline.com
shooting, this caused the call to ban gun modifiers along with the urge to gun-control issues that people looked toward President Trump to make happen. President Trump called the event “the evil massacre,” and stated, “We must do more to protect our children... We have to do more to protect our children.” There was also talk about raising the age that a person can legally buy and own a semiautomatic gun(s). The president, in his call to ban stock bumps, also added that it was the Obama Administration that approved the legal selling of these sort of modifications. President Trump has assured the press and the American people that he is vowing to make a change and put a stop to these mass shootings in America after many have been happening. In addition to this ban, Trump also wants to make stricter background checks for anyone who is trying to purchase guns, in hopes of singling out a “mentally deranged” or “mentally ill” person would prevent future occurrences like those of the mass shootings that have been recently happening like that of Sandy Hook, Las Vegas, and Parkland.
4 elpaisanoonline.com
El Paisano Tuesday February 27, 2018
NEWS
Ice Protest Breaks Out at El Monte continued
he used to blare out anti-ICE and anti-police music. The young man also had a mic he and other fed-up El Monte residents occasionally used to call out the police and the city’s councilmembers. El Monte’s Chief of Police, David R. Reynoso was unphased by the anti-police comments being made and assured policemen were only there to keep peace. “The police department is really only here for one reason, to maintain pub-
lic safety,” Chief Reynoso explained. “I know we have a group of protesters here. [The police] are not doing anything to infringe their rights to protest as long as they do it in a peaceful manner, in which they are.” There were anti-ICE protesters who covered the bottom half of their faces, making sure they protected their identities from anyone who might want to harm them because of their stance. “[The masks] make us feel
Tony
reported sexual misconduct made against Mendoza. However, they all claimed that he was never forceful but was always hinting to sexual endeavors. The Democratic senators held a meeting Wednesday Feb. 21, where options were brought up for the punishment they sought to carry out for Mendoza; which included formal censure to suspension with or without pay to expulsion. On the same day, Mendoza sent out his letter to colleagues. At first no one was certain if he had made his final decision to resign or just wanted to imply that he was going to do so. In his absence on Thursday Feb. 22, it was clear that he had resigned his position and the vote for penalty was void. The MeToo movement has sparked up many other cases against those in political offices in California, among the few are Democrat Raul Bocanegra of Pacoima and Democrat Matt Dababneh of Woodland Hills who also resigned due to the wake of sexual advance accusations made against them. Since 2014, three Democratic senators in particular, (Senator Ron Calderon of Montebello, Leland Yee of San Francisco, and Roderick Wright of Inglewood) were convicted on charges of corruption, perjury, and voter fraud. These three despite being on suspended leave, were still earning a paycheck. Republican Senator Joel Anderson of Alpine stated, “Now we have somebody who has been accused of something, who hasn’t been found guilty of anything not a crime,” he said, “And yet, we’re talking about expelling a member. So, the
Mendoza continued cess to witnesses or evidence, or any opportunity to defend myself.” Senators were permitted to review the whole investigation report the week of Feb. 19-23, the report itself was 50 pages long and included documentation of interviews of those who made allegations against Mendoza. In the wake ok the MeToo Movement, Mendoza falls under the rest of state legislators who resigned due to similar allegations made against them. This makes Mendoza the third. In history, records show that in 2008 during the California Democratic Party convention, Mendoza was said to have invited a 19-year-old intern to spend the night with him at his suite. There he was said to have access to alcoholic beverages. However, these allegations were looked over and thought to be “more likely than not to be valid.” In this midst of all this, Senator Mendoza has filed a lawsuit against the Senate due to his constituents being unjustly denied representation. Senator Toni Atkins of San Diego made a comment, “It was serious. It was thoughtful. It was painful. And it needed to be.” Senator Atkins is said to be the one who will take over leadership once De Leon’s term is over. Staffers, interns and/or fellows, and even one lobbyist
safe,” one of the masked protesters, who chose to remain anonymous said, “especially with everything that’s going on right now. It’s pretty easy to find out who people are. For whatever reason, you can attack anybody you want just because you don’t like their opinion. You can go online, find their photo, find who they are and what not.” The young man went on to talk about the fear the ICE agents have instilled on the residents of El Monte.
“A lot of people in El Monte have to live in fear right now. A lot of people that I know have family member are undocumented. They have children here who are scared for their parents,” the protester continued, “The fact that someone can get seperated from someone they’ve known their entire life, and then go to another country and possibly not see them for a long time, that strikes fear into a lot of people. It’s a very real reality with what’s going
on right now. I don’t think a lot of people really realize, or they don’t try to imagine the pain those families feel.” After waiting for ICE to arrive for about three hours, the crowd was given word that the agent’s were not showing up to the market anymore. The anti-ICE protesters took this as a victory, though agents are still expected to check the market’s employees’ work permits at a later, more private time.
via TONY MENDOZA’S FACEBOOK Former Senator of the 32nd District, Tony Mendoza posted the above letter of resignition to his Facebook account.
penalty of being accused of something is greater than being found guilty of eight felonies.” Anderson believed
that if charges of accusations against those three senators were not punished by expulsion, that it was not fair to
do so in the case of Senator Mendoza who was just accused and condemned.
El Paisano Tuesday February 27, 2018
7th
NEWS
5 elpaisanoonline.com
Whittier Area l a u n An
NOAH GARCIA News Editor
noah.garcia3720@my.riohondo.edu
Whittier’s Seventh Annual Classic Car Show amassed thousands of people, all representing the strong passionate community the city prides itself on, February 25, 2018. The car show has been seven years running, this year being hosted by the Whittier Area Community Church, whose grounds were littered with tents, stages, food trucks, Vendor Booths,
Classic Car Show
Games and 375 pre-1976 Cars. The greatest aspect of the Whittier community is the response given from each individual. While other people from the surrounding area do participate, the people of whittier do come to these events and do contribute. The dozens of car clubs contributed, alongside 40+ different Vendors and sponsors. The awards given out for the vehicles are: Best of Show, Top 5 Hot Rods, Top 5 Street Rods,Top 5 Muscle
Cars, Outstanding Truck, Outstanding Antique, Outstanding Foreign Car and Outstanding Custom. Over the years, the proceeds from the Car show are put towards community projects, with this year’s profits being put toward nondescript Whittier Area Community Projects and to help fund a Whittier Union High School District Scholarship honoring fallen Whittier Police Officer, Keith Boyer.
NOAH GARCIA/EL PAISANO NEWS
This classic car has a sleek, 40’s design that started to die out in the 50’s.
NOAH GARCIA/EL PAISANO NEWS
Thomas Pilchard Harrison is a classic dragster car designed by Chrystler. NOAH GARCIA/EL PAISANO NEWS
While jumpers and other kid-oriented booths were available, this young attendee happily strode passed cars in his own set of wheels.
NOAH GARCIA/EL PAISANO NEWS
NOAH GARCIA/EL PAISANO NEWS
Two attendees observe the old pre-60’s car named Teacher’s pet “Graduated.”
A side view of some of the many rows of cars that littered the grass area provided by the church.
6 elpaisanoonline.com
El Paisano Tuesday February 27, 2018
NEWS
Police Thwart Shooting Plot at Whittier-Area High School MICHAEL KHURAIBET Reporter
michael.khuraibet1864@my.riohondo.edu
Authorities announced Wednesday morning that they prevented a student at El Camino High School in Whittier from carrying out a shooting, according to ABC7. The student, described by security officers at El Camino as “disgruntled,” was overheard threatening to open fire on the school last Friday. The threat was made two days after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which left 17 dead. According to Robert Jacobsen, general counsel for Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District, the threat came after a disagreement between the student and his teacher over headphones, KTLA5 reported. School policy prohibits students from using electronic devices in class. “The safety officer did engage the student, and the student did comment that in three weeks he was going to bring a gun to school,” Jacobsen said. Norwalk Sheriff’s Dep
NOAH GARCIA/EL PAISANO NEWS
As of Feb. 22, the student in question has not been charged. His brother, however, has been charged with illegal possesion of a firearm.
uties were dispatched to the school to investigate the call from security. The investigation revealed a collection of weapons and ballistic evidence at the 17-year-old student’s home. The weapons found included an assault rifle, registered to the student’s 28-year-old brother (an Army
veteran), and another that was unregistered. No weapons, however, were found on his person. The student was arrested later that day, and is being held without bail, according to the Los Angeles Times. He remains unidentified due to his age. Police held a press con-
ference regarding the investigation early Wednesday morning. Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell said the teen threatened that “he was going to shoot up the school sometime in the next three weeks,” ABC News reported. Superintendent Dr. Hasmik Danielian published
Tea at
TIFFANY’S You are cordially invited to join us for a traditional tea of sandwiches, scones, desserts, and fruits. Enjoy Breakfast at Tiffany’s playing in the background as you test your knowledge of the film and of Audrey Hepburn.
Whittwood Branch Library Thursday, March 8 • 6:30 Tickets: $30 (WPLF members $25) may be purchased at Central Library or Whittwood Branch. Tickets are very limited. 562.567.9922 Tea at Tiffany’s is presented by Whittier Public Library and sponsored by the WPL Foundation. It will be catered by the Four Seasons Tea Room, now in its 21st year of service to Southlanders & British Royals alike.
a letter online stating that district officials are cooperating with police. “We want to reassure you that we at the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District do everything we can, every day, at every campus, to ensure a safe and secure learning environment for all our students, teachers and staff,” Danielian said. “Our policy is to always act with an abundance of caution when it comes to student welfare matters.” Long Beach Unified School District faced a similar threat Wednesday morning. Rumors of a potential attack at Long Beach Polytechnic High School circulated on social media, prompting an official district response. “While these rumors are unsubstantiated, we take them seriously and are working with law enforcement to actively investigate,” Superintendent Chris Steinhauser said in an statement. Classes at Long Beach Poly have continued uninterrupted, as of Wednesday morning, though there were police officers and extra security on campus.
El Paisano Tuesday February 27, 2018
7 elpaisanoonline.com
NEWS
Weekly Weather Forecast: February 27 -March 5 Tuesday 27
Wednesday
28
Thursday 1
Friday 2
Saturday 3
Sunday 4
Monday 5
61 43
60 42
56 44
62 41
66 43
66 46
66 50
Weekly Horoscope February 27 - March 5
Dance like everyone is watching, because you, wheather or not you like it, are going to be the center of attention this week !
Someone with a grudge against you will try to mentally attack you so make sure you are of sound mind this entire week, or else you won’t stand a chance.
Don’t be bull headed. Your temper, wile rare, may get you in trouble. Don’t get to angry, but your determinsim is your best quality
WATCH OUT ! something terrible is going to happen to you emotionally so get ready for certain ideas and circumstances to attack you.
Your wisdom is going to be essential in a friends life choice. Although be sure to choose whats best for them, not for you
Carelessness will actually benefit you! be relaxed and everything will work itself out.
Be as bold as you possibly can, because although it may seem terrible at first, your outgoing nature will bring you good fortune.
You are going to be a source of inspiration this week, to everyone from close friends to complete strangers.
Being fickle has screwed you over in the past but being so this week, is going to benefit you greatly.
Presents presents presents ! Buy someone you know a really nice gift and they are going to give it right back !
Be calm, because this week you are going to need a very good temperment. Injury is very likely this week.
Charge your phone 24/7. There is going to be a situation where you are going to desperatly need it.
8 elpaisanoonline.com
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
El Paisano Tuesday February 27, 2018
Turkey Developing Unmanned Tanks
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION/ JAKE LAURELL A hyperbolic depiction of a futuristic unmanned tank belonging to the Turkish military.
JOSE AHUMADA Reporter
jose.ahumada7466@my.riohondo.edu
On Wednesday, Feb. 21, Turkey President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan announced that Turkey will be developing unmanned tanks in order to minimize risk to soldiers in combat. Erdogan spoke at the 11th Development Plan Publici-
Insel Terminates Employees WhoDon’t Provide Positive Reviews JAIME APARICIO Reporter
jaime.aparicio2474@my.riohondo.edu
In a recent email uncovered within the Steam forums belonging to video game company Valve, a much-heeded email was worded and aimed towards the employees of video game studio Insel Games stating, “Of course I cannot force you to write a review (let alone tell you what to write) - but I should not have to. Neglecting the importance of reviews will ultimately cost jobs. If WB fails, Insel fails, IME fails and then we all will have no job next year. So I am asking you either of do the following: buy the game and present me the receipt until Friday night for which (together with a claim form) you will be reimbursed within 24th or explain to me tomorrow why you do not wish to do this. I would like to discuss this individually and privately with each of you and will follow up.” The email was derived from none other than Isel’s own CEO, Patrick Steppel. The reason behind Steppel’s email towards his employees was to reiterate the importance of acquiring
reviews for their product in order to gain the attention it needed in such a crowded market of video games. Insel’s Wild Buster met its release with less than stellar results, having not enough reviews to warrant a positive review overall and therefore grabbing the eye of a potential buyer. Upon realizing what CEO Steppel was up to, the people at Valve had this to say on the situation, “The publisher appears to have used multiple Steam accounts to post positive reviews for their own games. This is a clear violation of our review policy and something we take very seriously. For these reasons, we are ending our business relationship with Insel Games Ltd. and removing their games from our store.” Valve, however, was quick to reassure customers who have purchased content from Insel that they will still indeed be available to be played in their gaming library. And although Steppel has admitted to sending the email to his employees, he also stated that he plans on repealing the action set from Valve in order to place Insel’s content back on the Steam service.
ty Meeting in the capital of Turkey, Ankara. He has criticized NATO for being reluctant on sharing their modern military technology with Ankara. The Turkish leader has said
that the refusal of the United States to provide Turkey with drones in the past has forced them to develop their own. Erdogan believes that by building these unmanned tanks, they could be used to “save lives.” Turkey lost a lot of soldiers in Syria over the years because of the vulnerability of their mostly German-produced tanks. The Turkish president’s comments about the unmanned tanks came as Turkey’s military carried out an Olive Branch military operation against the Kurds in Syria. This operation was also used to clear YPG/ PKK terrorists from Afrin in northwestern Syria. Turkish General STaff said the Afrin operation looks to establish security and stability along the borders of Turkey as well as defend Syria from terrorism and oppression. “We need to be able to
manufacture unmanned tanks and we will do this,” Erdogan said, “we are becoming a country that is catching this technology. Erdogan wants Turkey to be on the list for the top 10 world economic powers and is investing a lot of money into Turkey’s largest defense firms such as Aselsan, Roketsan, and Turkish Aerospace Industries. He looks to raise the indigenous defense industry for Turkey. The budget for Turkey’s defense projects in 2002 was $5.5 billion but, in 2017, surpassed $41 billion. “We developed our 2023 vision to make Turkey one of the biggest 10 economies in the world on the 100th anniversary of foundation of the Turkish Republic,” he said. “I believe that nations, who are unable to plan their own future, are obliged to be a part of others’ plans.”
Space X Successfully Launches and its Deploys Test Satellite Internet LUIS GUTIERREZ Reporter
luis.gutierrez0200@my.riohondo.edu
It’s no secret that everyone’s favorite billionaire/ futurist is a very busy man. If he’s not trying to go to mars, he’s helping nation’s recovering from natural disasters, or even making flamethrower. But his latest new goal has been launched into effect. That being shooting two probes that should be able to give anyone in the world access to the internet. It’s important to add that he isn’t the first person to try to achieve this. A little while back Google had the same interest but they set up internet Hotspots in key areas of cities. But this project by Google never really succeeded like they had originally intended. These two satellites were carried by the falcon 9 and shot into orbit when the rocket was in space. Musk had named these two orbits the Tintin A and B. These two probes will be sharing our gravitational field with 11,000 different orbiting crafts. It is said this will be able to provide internet to people in the deep artics as well as deep jungles in Africa. Musk was given permission by the Federal Communications Commission last year. And he finally made it public fairly recently by sharing it on Twitter, for the world to see.
JOE SKIPPER/REUTERS Photo of the Falcon 9 Rocket launching off into space with protoype internet satellites.
The probes were launched only 11 minutes after the rocket had made orbit. And in about 22 hours the Tintin A and B would attempt to communicate with us, when it was near LA with the message being “Hello World”. Musk went on to joke about the wifi password being “martians”
The way that Tintin A and B communicate is through optical laser links with ground stations on Earth. Now if everything goes as planned the FCC will approve this and many people across the world will have access to the internet. As well as more satellites being launched into orbit.
El Paisano Tuesday February 27, 2018
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
9 elpaisanoonline.com
Hand Axes Found in Europe to Be the Oldest Stone Tools to Date
GILBERT ESPANA Reporter
gilberto.espana0348@my.riohondo.edu
Large “Hand-Axes” known as an Acheulean large cutting tool first originated on the African continent and were thought to have been invented by the early human, Homo Habilis around 1.76 million years ago. A rare haul of picks, flakes, and hand axes recovered from ancient sediments in Kenya. They are the oldest remains of advances stone tools yet discovered. The largest of the tools are around 20 centimeters long and have been chipped into shape on two sides, a hallmark of more sophisticated stone toolmaking. The stone tools, made for crushing, cutting, and scraping, gave early humans a means to butcher animal carcasses. They strip them of meat and crack open their bones to expose the
nutritious marrow. A team of researchers led by Kent’s colleague Christopher Lepre describe finding the stone tools in a region called Kokiselei in the Rift Valley. The site is closed due to the many spectacular human fossils that have been found. Lepre’s team found both Oldowan and Acheulian stone tools at Kokiselei, but no evidence for advances stone tools has been found at a site occupied by H. erectus 1.8 million years ago. One explanation offered by researchers is that H. erectus originated in Asia instead of Africa. Some researchers believe the first exodus from Africa could have been earlier than the date for Dmanisi. Trenches dug at the same site revealed remains of longgone species that shared the land with those who left the tools behind. Other tools were found in India and are
PHOTO CREDIT/ EDUARDO MENDEZ-QUINTAS Actual image of the material found in Spain of the oldest stone tools known to date.
dated more vaguely, between 1 and 1.5 million years old. The most common theory is that our ancestors originated in the once Homo dominant continent of Africa. Which suggested that Homo Habilis migrate out of Africa
Investigation Into Credit Agency Equifax is Being Revoked SABRINA TORRES Staff Writer
sabrina.torres2387@my.riohondo.edu
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Revoked investigation into Equifax Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is revoking its investigation into credit agency Equifax, which allowed hackers to access the personal information of more than 145 million Americans. This raised questions as to why the ones who oversee the nation’s top consumers are not vigorously looking into one of the worst data breaches in the country’s history. “The bureau’s interim director, White House budget chief Mick Mulvaney, has taken us through the looking glass by deciding not to issue subpoenas or seek sworn testimony from Equifax execs.” The CFPB set aside plans to run on the ground tests to see how efficiently Equifax protects data. The agency said stated, “the bureau is looking into
Equifax data breach and response. Reports to the contrary are incorrect.” Consumer advocates caught on to a pattern of Mulvaney crippling the CFPB’s regulatory role over the financial services industry. Senior legislative counsel for the Center for Responsible Lending, Yana Miles said Mulvaney “is finding new ways to sabotage the consumer bureau.” Trump’s contempt for the CFPB has been made clear. CFPB has returned about $12 million to vexed consumers since their opening. “House Democrats have formally requested that Equifax extend free credit protection and identity theft from one year to three years following Equifax’s massive loss of 145.5 million Americans’ private information. Democratic members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform said that ‘one year of protection is inadequate.”
Waiting for the current administration or US Congress to take action that might actually hold corporate America accountable would be a waste of time. To our comfort, we don’t need the United States government to do anything. The European Union already took initiative to it with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which goes into effect in May. Tomer Weingarten, CEO, and co-founder of SentinelOn says,“Organizational security needs real attention from the CEO and top leadership in order to start mapping risk in the enterprise. Business decisions must be heavily influenced by cyber risk and potential outcomes. This won’t come naturally, but as a society, if we want to move forward and better ourselves from past mistakes, this is what must be done, and mandated policy on the handling of these situations must be enforced.”
“Organizational security needs real attention from the CEO and top leadership in order to start mapping risk in the enterprise. Business decisions must be heavily influenced by cyber risk and potential outcomes. This won’t come naturally, but as a society, if we want to move forward and better ourselves from past mistakes, this is what must be done, and mandated policy on the handling of these situations must be enforced.” -Tomer Weingarten, CEO, and co-founder of SentinelOn
to Europe he most widely supported explanation argues that the origin of the European Acheulean is linked to an “Out of Africa” scenario. The Oldowan tools named after the Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania were wielded by
our predecessors for around a million years. The Acheulian tools are larger, heavier, and have sharp cutting edges that are chipped from opposite sides into the familiar teardrop shape.
Half of the US Now Is Proposing Net Neutrality Laws GILBERT ESPANA Reporter
gilberto.espana0348@my.riohondo.edu
Two months after the FCC and agency head Ajit Pai voted for repeal many states have tried to protect their own net neutrality. As the extremely unpopular net neutrality repeal occurred, about 27 states have begun to take action to protect themselves. The legislatures in more than half of the US states have pending legislation that would enforce net neutrality. The states that have taken action through executive orders by their governors are Vermont, Hawaii, Montana, New Jersey, and New York. The Washington House of Representatives approved net neutrality rules by a vote of 93-5 on Wednesday, pushing the bill along to the state’s senate. Last month in California, the State Senate passed a Net Neutrality Bill. The 27 states with pending legislation are Alaska, California, Colorado and more. The executive orders from Vermont, Hawaii, Montana, New Jersey, and New York requires ISPs to follow net neutrality principles if they sell internet service to state agencies. States are most likely to survive legal challenges if they use indirect approaches, such as requiring
recipients of state funding to follow by net neutrality. The bill that passed the California Senate would essentially replicate the FCC’s repealed prohibitions on blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization. The FCC decided in its net neutrality repeal “that Congress withheld authority over broadband from the FCC.” One thing net neutrality advocates agree on is that reinstating the FCC rules in full would work better than a state by state approach. Attorneys from 22 states and the District of Columbia have sued the FCC to reverse the net neutrality repeal and preemption of state and local laws. Democrats in Congress are trying to push through a vote to reinstate the FCC rules. In the past week, Vermont and other states give order route, approving new rules that prohibit ISPs from securing state contracts. ISPs like Verizon and Comcast successfully lobbied the FCC to include language in its repeal. FCC boss Ajit Pai is facing a lawsuit by 22 State Attorneys General accusing him of ignoring the public interest of the appeal. In addition to the lawsuits, he is also being filed by consumers advocates, activists, and the competing companies who’ll be harmed by this blatant handout to Comcast and Verizon.
10 elpaisanoonline.com
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
El Paisano Tuesday February 27, 2018
The “Transformers” Franchise Being Rebooted After “Bumblebee?” JAIME APARICIO Reporter
jaime.aparicio2474@my.riohondo.edu
Being helmed by Travis Knight, who directed the 2016 stop-motion animated film “Kubo and The Two Strings,” the “Transformers” spin-off “Bumblebee” will be the next film in the successful line of movies based on the popular toy line. This will mark the sixth installment in the “Transformers” films that have so far collectively grossed well over two billion dollars at the box-office despite the negative reviews from both critics and audiences alike. Although “Bumblebee” will be the next to be released in theaters, a proper sequel to “Transformers: The Last
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION/ JAKE LAURELL An illustration of what it might like seeing the famous transformer Bumblebee from the cartoon might look like on the big screen.
Knight” was scheduled to be developed by its proposed June 28, 2019 release date, but has now been removed by Paramount Pictures. The reason for this is due to the studio, along with Hasbro, wanting to begin a fresh take on the franchise that some felt had been tarnished by director Michael Bay with his previous films in the franchise. Paramount Pictures went ahead and hired Knight to place his own look and feel on the “Transformers” franchise by placing the “Bumblebee” film in the 80’s and therefore making it a prequel to previous installments. In the prequel, the Bumblebee character will return to his robotic roots and be portrayed by a Volkswagen Beetle as he was
in the original cartoons. An attention to detail that will surely make fans of the original material happy. Along with the proposed reboot that will most likely take place after “Bumblebee” is released, Paramount Pictures and Hasbro plan on developing their own shared universe that will combine such franchises like “G.I. Joe”, “Micronauts”, and the aforementioned “Transformers”. The idea of a cinematic shared universe is nothing new to Hollywood, with Marvel Studios most notably starting the trend, and has since been tried to be duplicated by Warner Bros. and Universal Pictures. “Bumblebee” is slated to be released in theaters this December.
Disney Working Their Magic on Another Animated Classic JAIME APARICIO Reporter
jaime.aparicio2474@my.riohondo.edu
Continuing to remake their entire animated classics into live-action films, Walt Disney Studios has hired director Paul King to take on the latest adaptation of Pinocchio. Being produced by Chris Weitz and Andrew Mi-
ano, the film, which was first released back in 1940,will be the latest to be remade. Sam Mendes, who was first attached to direct the film and known for directing American Beauty, dropped out of helming the film sometime last year. Pinocchio now follows other previous Disney animated classics that have been
adapted into live-action form. These include: Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent (inspired by Sleeping Beauty), Cinderella, The Jungle Book, and Beauty and The Beast. Since all of the previous live-action films have been successful at the box-office, it’s no surprise that the studio will continue the trend of remaking their animated classics in hopes of
recapturing the magic that older fans have experienced and for future generations to enjoy. Other adaptations slated to be released from Disney include The Lion King, Dumbo, and Aladdin. King has acquired success with both of his previous directed films on the character Paddington, and with being acclaimed by both critics and
audiences alike, the people at Disney were quick to land him for the director’s chair. To continue his directorial duties on family films, King is slated to take on the re-imagining of the story of Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory with the film being simply called Willy Wonka. In the meantime, Pinocchio has yet to land a release date.
Unapologetically Black : Black Panther Does Simple Superbly NOAH GARCIA News Editor
noah.garcia3720@my.riohondo.edu
More often than not, pulling off the basics can do alot when impressing people. What Black Panther has done, is give audiences a film that has the standard superhero movie frame, but has components that are pulled together so well with everything executed so superbly; that the movie has become one of the best Marvel studios has to offer. The movie manages to seamlessly bring together ideas of isolationism, immigration, systemic racial tensions and weave them into the basic hero’s journey structure; creating a film that carries all these sophisticated messages while being an overall great superhero action
movie. What we’ve come to expect from a marvel movie, as well as any action/adventure movie is displayed in Black Panther, but it is done so well and is so intricately characterized with the Movies style that the film rises from standard to fantastic If there are two ideas that i find to be the most poignant, is the idea of rebuking the ghosts of the past and finding your own path. In the Marvel Universe, everyone believes that T’challa ( Chadwick Boseman) country of Wakanda is simple and undeveloped, a ruse designed by his ancestors to hide their advanced civilization from the world. The main antagonist of the film, Michael B. Jordan’s Killgrave, is not only trying to return and rule the country to gain some resemblance belonging and
birthright, but in part to use the resources of a country that he believed abandoned him and his father to spread their power across the world and to dominate all those who are oppressors. The great part of this character is that his motivations are not only justified, but his idea of saving people, fueled in large by decades of black oppression, are not inherently bad. His methodology however is fueled by hatred and oppression, ultimately making him the same as the people he plans to attack. Nietzsche said it best, “Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster... for when you gaze long into the abyss. The abyss gazes also into you.” By the end of the film, T’challa realizes that he has to not only evolve himself, his country
and their practices, but look towards the future as someone who will make their own future and give past mistakes no power. One of my favorite aspects of the film is all of time put into the creating the culture of Wakanda. All of set design, as well as the clothing,jewelry, music, makeup and hairstyles are done so well on every person from main character to extra. Every aspect of Wakanda and its people not only are inspired and taken from black/african culture but are modernized; showing that the stigma of primitiveness related to african peoples and cultures are not that but are a deeply sophisticated design that could easily be apart of the modern world. Black Panther takes these traditional and contemporary African Designs
and uses them to help build a world that has its people wearing powerful, bright and prideful clothing; something thats fits perfectly with the mindset of the countries peoples. From the acting, to world building, it’s characters and it’s messages; Black Panther is a fantastic movie. With the way affecting culture right now, black panther is a film that’s not only memorable, but will change the standards of movie goers everywhere. Watching the film is a must, so that not only can one understand the concepts presented, but to be apart of the conversation, because this movie is going to be talked about for awhile.
El Paisano Tuesday February 27, 2018
El Paisano Newspaper Editor-in-Chief
RAMON ALVARADO
News Editor
NOAH GARCIA
Opinion/Lifestyles Editor OLIVIA VENEGAS
Sci.&Tech/A&E Editor JAKE LAURELL
Photo Editor
JAMES SPENCER
Copy Editors
SARA HARDING DANTÉ LÓPEZ-BENNETT
Advisor
WENDY CARRERA
Reporters
JOSE AHUMADA BRAYAN ALTAMIRANO ANAMARIA APARICIO JAIME APARICIO DANIEL CAMPOS IGNACIO CERVANTES DARRIN CURTIS GILBERTO ESPANA MADELYN GASTELUM CESAR GONZALEZ LUIS GUTIERREZ MARINA GUTIERREZ RUDY JUAREZ PINEDO SABRINA TORRES
3600 Workman Mill Rd. Whittier CA 90601 (562) 692-0921 EXT. 3345
11 elpaisanoonline.com
OPINION
Why Representation Matters DANTE LOPEZ-BENNETT Copy Editor
dante.lopezbennett9611@my.riohondo.edu
I have a theory that representation matters because we’re not all in the position of being as free from the actions of others as we’d like to think that we are. Point me to the system that can account for every single little nuance of our complicated natures. The bits and pieces of our individual human experiences make it so that voices of others in our life are absolutely impactful. The human conscience makes it so that we are about as free as the most oppressed amongst us. But say we threw it all out the window. Every rule and stratagem that you convince yourself is so absolutely important to you, and then all that the mainstream zeitgeist says should demand your attention. I suppose we can create a delegation of men to govern and teach women how to be
“women.” I suppose we could make it so that a congress of exclusively one race of human beings from the same circumstance outline the rules for all of us. I suppose we could make it so that we trust those whom we have never met. I suppose we could put another man in your position to “take care” of her, or female in your position to be “cherished” by him. I suppose we could make it so that another person is responsible for tucking your children into bed. But then, I wonder how many of us would be content to say that such things don’t matter. Having the audacity to think as though you are adept at everything is problematic, to say the least. Because we know how debilitating loneliness and death can be, we’d like to deviate from those things as much as possible, and so we appoint those
accordingly, in the hope that their decisions lead us to peace of mind and away from such profoundly inexplicable phenomena. Enter politicians, spouses, and celebrity, because, in function, all of these things are the same difference. They’re designated titles entrusted from those willing to be in positions of vulnerability in the hope of orchestrating a better quality of living for the “good” of the collective. For the good of countries, relationships, and esteems. You buy an album because you identify with it, and feel empowered. You vote because you hope for favorable circumstances to yourself. You love because it’s self-explanatory. In short, representation matters because we are a lot closer to one another than we’d like to think of as being possible. Because it is both an investment of trust into another, and portrayal of the
level of esteem to which you hold yourself. Because we can see our similar likeness in another and are perhaps more prone to live vicariously. Free from the consequence of reality. I suppose that if anything, the act of representing is the manner in which we try to attribute some sense of order to what decisions we are unable to make ourselves. It is, in every sense of the words, what we want to need. Reliance on others. Representation for better or worse, matters strictly due to the fact that the hard-headed human creature is the only thing with the audacity to go out of its way to grab the owl out of the tree just to ask it: “But Who, if not me?” By attempting to understand and enforce the impossible, we’ve created a set of restraints in which we must maneuver either to our detriment or benefit.
12 elpaisanoonline.com
El Paisano Tuesday February 27, 2018
OPINION
Mentall Illness & An Increase in Teacher’s Mass Shootings Salaries for All the Wrong Reasons DANIELLE ANZURES Reporter
danille.anzures8473@my.riohondo.edu
As America begins to transition from grief to action following the tragedy of Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting many are left looking for reasons as to why this keeps happening, in this year alone there have been at least 18 shootings on school campus in America and while not all of those ended with innocent people dying this show there is a problem. While a good portion of people, including victims of these mass shootings, agree this is a gun problem there are those who peg mental illness as the underlying problem. And honestly, we need to stop that. We can not go on blaming mental illness for the actions of angry people. When we blame mental health on massive displays of violence like this we put a stigma on mentally ill people. Having mental health problems at a young age isn’t a rare occurrence, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NAMI), approximately 1 in 5 youth aged 13-18 will experience a severe mental disorder at one point
in their life. This can cause those who are facing these issues doto not get proper help out of a fear that they’ll be associated with the people who commit these crimes. Is there a need to put more of an effort towards mental health here in America? Yes, there is, but we need to stop making this a dialogue when talking about it in relation to mass shootings and large displays of violence. If anything, the link between mental illness and violence is about how people with mental health problems will have violent outbursts thrown at them. Compared to others people with extremely bad mental health problems are 2.5 times more likely to be victims of public violence and only make up for 3 percent of violent crimes as reported by the Business Insider. There are many factors to look at involving mass shootings; we should look at how threats of violence are dealt with under the law or we should look at the loopholes and laws that make it easier to gain access to guns. We need to stop using mental illness as a front to very real and dangerous problems.
OLIVIA VENEGAS Opinion & LifestylesEditor
olivia.venegas4091@my.riohondo.edu
The Valentine’s Day shooting in Parkland Florida has brought out strong-willed and persistent protesters and politicians. These protests from the students have had a tremendous amount of positive exposure that may alter gun control in America. Major companies like Delta and United Airlines have begun to drop their NRA members discount to show their support for gun control. This has caused some Republican politicians to propose a middle-ground solution between ending mass shootings and stricter gun control laws. Currently being speculated is the proposal of teachers to be armed with guns in order shoot down a mass shooter or other threats. Thursday, President Trump proposed to increase the salaries of teachers willing to carry a gun in the classroom. There are so many problems with this idea. First off, public high schools already share similar characteristics to prisons.
There are armed cops or security, tall gates, and strict discipline for being late. Public high schools in LA had cops that were armed with military weaponry to deal with gangs, until President Obama enacted a law that stopped the flow of surplus military weaponry into hands of these cops. However, the Trump administration has lifted this law. These military weapons could be in the hands of teachers. LA public high schools predominantly consist of students of color, which is the reason for cops being armed with military weapons. Treating a school like a prison is not a healthy learning environment to for students to grow. Treating students like prisoners is never the answer. Second, teachers should not be armed to prevent a mass shooting that would not have happened if there were stricter gun control laws. Lastly, for Trump to propose an increase in the salary of teachers willing to carry a gun is an insulting solution, if that. The Trump administration somehow has the budget for public schools to increase the salary of armed
teachers but does not have the budget for better classroom conditions, materials, after school programs, sports programs, and food. Trump’s administration would much rather arm more civilians than disarm those who are potential threats. This administration would also want to put unnecessary money into funds to increase salaries than simply pass stricter gun control laws. Public school teachers play one of the most important roles in our society. Some even put their own money into their classrooms and materials for the students. These kind of teachers deserve higher salaries for their dedication and indispensable roles, not because they choose to carry a handgun.
Left Out of the Me Too Movement OLIVIA VENEGAS
Opinion & Lifestyles Editor olivia.venegas4091@my.riohondo.edu
The #MeToo movement began with a spark that started a fire among women in Hollywood against their sexual assaulters. Social media was engulfed in the #metoo flames from those who supported or were against the movement. This fire began because a wealthy white woman called for help. This is not to demean the fight of these sexual assault victims but to shed light on those victims that were missed. It is not foolish to ignore the fact that once a white woman cries for help, her cries have a greater chance of being answered than a woman of color. The ignored victims are not only working-class women of color but include trans men and women, those within the LGBTQ community, and men. White women are already seen as less than a white man, and a woman of color is seen even less than that. Considering her economic status is low, a woman of color is seen even far less valuable. Finally, if she identifies
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA VENEGAS/EL PAISANO NEWS The Me Too movement started among celebrities but should also include those who were left out.
herself within the LGBTQ community she is seen as even farther less valuable. Now, imagine a woman such as this, being a victim of sexual assault and trying to stand up against your assaulter. Also, women of color are more often to be sexual
assault victims than a white woman due to the bodies and color being less than. Sexual assault does not just happen in Hollywood and does not only happen to women with money. The disgusting reality is that sexual assault happens every day,
everywhere, to anyone. To be rich and famous is desired by so many and those men in power that can give a person this glory knows it and takes advantage of this. This kind of extortion happens in everyday life, but just like women who started
the #MeToo movement, they were silenced. Any other career where a woman might want more has the potential to face extortion those more powerful than her or by those who can give her what she desires or needs. Most of these women that become victims are given serious ultimatums, just like the women in Hollywood. Sadly, the rate of a woman becoming a victim of sexual assault are high. The chances of meeting a sexual assault victim is high, you probably have already met a few. Whether you know it or not. You hear of the sons and daughter being raped by familiar faces. You hear of the girlfriend raped by their significant others. There’s always a story of the girl who just wanted to have fun at an event that she will never forget. These individuals are the victims too. The #MeToo movement should not only support the voice of a wealthy white woman but also stand with other victims and give them a voice. If a movement is to succeed and ask for support from everyone, then it should include everyone.
El Paisano Tuesday February 27, 2018
13 elpaisanoonline.com
OPINION
Thrift Stores are Weird, but Great NOAH GARCIA News Editor
noah.garcia3720@my.riohondo.edu
Items at the thrift Store are like the type of presents you’d get from a distant but quirky Aunt. Because she’ll get you three types of gifts, all of which are at any gift store; Something basic but something you could definitely use, a surprisingly nice thing that you had no idea that you needed, or some random item that you don’t want or need and seems last minute and with no thought. Although you’re bound to find a plethora of random treasures at the thrift store, they do all fall into the aforementioned categories. Honestly, thrift stores are really weird, and have this strange mixture of cool, but cheap/dirty boutique that is sometimes one of the strangest but coolest places to be. So to traverse the strange wonderfulness of a thrift store, I’ve put together a small bundle of Do’s and Don’ts when shopping at a thrift store DO: first of all, make sure you always have a budget, and a backup budget. No matter what weird thing your going to find, everything at any thrift/goodwill is incredibly cheap, but there’s a
good chance that your items are going to pile up and your going to go over your original budget. The pricing of these items are all done by the volunteers, and more often than not they’re willing to price high end items at a lower cost. Secondly, go at the beginning of the season rather than at the end because the intake of cloths are more frequent at the begging/end of months so if summer is starting, go shop for summer clothes at the beginning of the summer season. Thirdly, make sure that you do research on not only the type of items you are after, but the area the store is located in. Always have some sort of price checking system so that you can compare your prices to other sites such as Amazon and Target, because while you can find a lot of interesting things at the thrift store, some simple items that are the base for certain outfits can be easier and more comfortably bought at another store. Depending on the type of area the store is around, you are getting different levels of quality with the items. Look into the type of people who live in the city, and check to see where the nearest thrift
PHOTO VIA KASHMIR
@ariaamn_ shares her own outfits she collected from great thrift finds.
store is, because if there’s only one in a very large area, that will have a higher chance of having a wide variety of items, compared to certain areas that have a thrift store every 10 miles. Don’t: The biggest rule i have while Thrifting is to avoid certain items. There are several things i believed you should not buy: leotards, swimsuits, socks, any underwear of any kind, capes, skirts, anything with more than eight holes in it, sandals, crocs, makeup and electronics. Because many of the items at the store are
either bought way off season or used, meaning there’s a good chance the item is either slightly outdated and/or dirty. The second ‘Don’t” in thrifting consists of knowing your limits and your purpose. You need to not buy that useless item just because it’s cute. Your going to go there and see a dress or something, and in your head think “oh i can totally modify/sew this and make it look amazing. Guess what, good chance that, unless you already modify your own clothes, you’re going to forget that dress and you just wasted your time
and money, you fashionable gutter goblin. Lastly, please do not think that the one cool item you found is going to be there the next time you visit. Things and cycled in an out at these stores and people pick up items quick, so if you see something you like, then get it. Who knows the next time you’ll see it or ever when you’ll return to the store again.Hopefully these tips are somewhat helpful for those who are just vibrating at the opportunity to go to a thrift store and try to have style while on a budget.
14 elpaisanoonline.com
El Paisano Tuesday February 27, 2018
LIFESTYLES
Social Media to Me SABRINA TORRES
Reporter sabrina.torres2387@my.riohondo.edu
via INSTAGRAM Reporter Sabrina Torres shares her instagram and why she post.
The social media I use are Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and Tumblr. I have been using social media since I was in elementary school. It all started with MSN messenger and MySpace. I enjoyed MSN because I was able to speak to my cousins from Mexico and Guatemala as well as my best friend at the time who lived one block over. As for MySpace, I always had to make sure I had the coolest background designs and only the best songs for my playlists. Social media was exciting for me at the time and continued to be as I went through grade school. Nowadays, I use Instagram to keep up with friends and family. I post selfies to look back to a few years from now. I also enjoy posting about things that I like. I post about my favorite
READ 023
poets and important topics to me such as social rights. I enjoy posting memories I would like to remember and share with my followers such as concerts and adventures with my friends. The likes and comments are nice as well. Studies show that the brain actually releases dopamine when we see a like or a comment in our notifications. That’s not the case for me, however. S napchat was my favorite form of social media. I enjoy posting and saving my entire story at the end of the day. Now I post when I feel something is interesting enough to share or to show beautiful views. I’m trying to use Snapchat less and capture memories on my own. I would rather be more present in these important moments in my life and obtain the full experience. Not just one through a camera lens. Comic relief is the main thing I obtain from Twitter. I get my news from there
sometimes. I get to see all the memes and funny videos that are trending. I post about small funny instances that occur in my life. But mostly I post song lyrics or I quote my favorite lines from books I read. I share them because when I hear or read a line that makes me feel something, I share it in hopes that it touches someone else the same way. I am at a crossroads with social media and what it means to me. I want to make sure I control the power it has over my life. When I post I feel as if I’m expressing myself through images and text. With social media, there’s always an audience and that can be a little frightening. Before, I was never too confident and feared what people would say about what I posted. Now I have more confidence in myself and my interests and I’m looking forward to using social media as more of a platform.
The Division of Arts and Cultural Programs presents:
Reading College Textbooks
Spring 2018 with
Open OPEN COURSE — LATE START
Christian James Hand
CRN: 36361 Tuesdays & Thursdays
3:50 - 7:00 p.m. LR 123 Instructor: Elizabeth Serrao
Class begins on: Tuesday, April 3rd Enjoy Small Community Environment Personal Involvement & Collaboration Increase Academic Success Prerequisite: READ 022 or appropriate assessment
Tuesday, March 20, 7:30 PM @RIOHONDOARTS
PUBLICITY APPROVED REMOVE ON 03/22/18
El Paisano Tuesday February 27, 2018
15 elpaisanoonline.com
SPORTS
2018 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony IGNACIO CERVANTES Reporter ignacio.cervantes8813@my.riohondo.edu
The Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics is over and the Olympic flag has been passed on to the Mayor of Beijing (2022 host city) Jining Chen. It was handed off by Shim Jae-kook, Mayor of hosts Pyeongchang. Sunday’s Closing Ceremony, unlike the business-type atmosphere to the opening number two weeks, was joyful and loose. The athletes used the commemoration to soak in these amazing games hosted by Pyeongchang. Seeing the participants of North and South Korea walking in together behind a unified flag was the epitome of these Olympic Games. The mix of the two countries, weaving into Olympic Stadium together for the first time 16 days prior at the events Opening Ceremony, was a symbol which provided ambition and togetherness for the whole of the Games.
On Day 11, the inability to split times between Germany and Canada in the Men’s Bobsled event brought upon a celebration which two countries once again combined as one after both teams finished 3:16.86 to tie for gold and astoundingly celebrate together. On Day 6, bringing one
medal home for the United States and subsequently being the 100th in American tally history was Men’s Halfpipe master Shaun White. The Flying Tomato’s third first-place finish in the Halfpipe event was one for the books as his final run was the last of the competition
while trailing Japanese rider Ayumu Hirano who ended second in front of Australian Scotty James in third. With 39, Norway finished atop the medal count this edition, erasing the U.S. record set in Vancouver 2010. Having at least one medal-finisher in all but one cross-country ski-
via DAILY NEWS
Gold, silver, bronze and fireworks; Pyeongchang, 2018 Winter Olympics’ hosts, sent the competing athletes away with a sparkling event.
ing event was a big help in the record-breaking performance. Newly crowned highest decorated Winter Olympian ever, Marit Bjorgen medaled most with five podium finishes in women’s skiing events trailed by men’s skier Alexander Bolshunov, and fellow women skiers Stina Nilsson, and Charlotte Kalla who all had four. The U.S. finished fourth in medal count with 23 – nine gold, eight silver, and six bronze. Between the American’s and Norway and to round out the top four were Canada in third with 29 and Germany in second with 31 medals. For Mexicanos like myself, four representatives of Mexico made it to South Korea but were unable to medal. The continued activity of Olympians from other countries to switch nationalities and represent our ancestors’ country though will keep providing as a stepping stone for future generations born in the country to go ahead and strive for Winter Olympic glory.
Rio Roadrunner Round-Up
IGNACIO CERVANTES Reporter ignacio.cervantes8813@my.riohondo.edu
Beach Volleyball Our women’s beach volleyball squad had the most rewarding week after winning its two matches at Newland Courts in Huntington Beach. Cluster matches between the Roadrunners, Santa Ana College, and Santa Monica College at the neutral sight saw Rio 3-2 winners in both games against each side. Pairs Michell Chavez-Valdivia/Madison Mader and Bree Newton/Michelle Hawkins won against both schools while Stephanie Garcia/Felipa Moreno helped beat the Dons and Mia Ponce/Monica Campos pitched in with a win against the Corsairs. Baseball Dirty Bird Baseball started its week off right by beating San Diego Mesa 7-8 away from home on Thursday afternoon to momentarially go 5-6 on the season. The win was the teams first back-
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY RAMON ALVARADO/EL PAISANO NEWS The Roadrunners have been busy. Rio Hondo’s spring teams are in the middle of their seasons as we quickly approach March.
to-back win since the start of February but a 9-2 loss at Los Angeles Valley College on Saturday put a stop to any momentum going forward Softball A tough February for Roadrunners Softball contin-
ued this week after suffering back-to-back forfeiting losses: first at Chaffey College where the Panthers dismantled Rio by handing a 19-0 loss after five innings, then at home against Pasadena City College where Rio merci-
fully fell to an 11-0 defeat in the same amount of frames. The two games were the first of conference play meaning the Roadrunners have started league play on the back-foot and look to put a miserable month be-
hind them which the Lady Roadrunners have lost nine of the 10 games they played. Women’s Tennis Much like the softball team, the women’s tennis side also dropped its conference opener. At Cerritos College, the Lady Roadrunners were stunned 9-0 on the clay. Upcoming Fixtures Baseball hosts Victor Valley College today at 2 p.m. and visits Compton College for its conference opener on Thursday with the first pitch scheduled to start at the same time. Softball continue conference play today by travelling to Mt. San Antonio College with first pitch at 3 p.m. and Thursday also away and at the same time against El Camino College. On Friday the Beach Volleyball squad goes to Costa Mesa to face Orange Coast College and Glendale at 10 a.m. while the women’s tennis team host San Diego City today and travel to Victor Valley on Thursday with each game starting at 2 p.m.
16 elpaisanoonline.com
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
El Paisano Tuesday February 27, 2018
Tuesday February 27 William Lane: Then and Now........................................................... Rio Hondo Art Gallery.....................................................................................9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Leadership Academy Info Session.................................................... SS305...............................................................................................................12 p.m. - 1 p.m. Rio Baseball vs Victor Valley............................................................ Rio Hondo........................................................................................................ 2 p.m. Rio Women’s Tennis vs San Diego City............................................ Rio Hondo........................................................................................................ 2 p.m. Softball vs Mt. SAC........................................................................... Mt. SAC............................................................................................................3 p.m. What To Do W/ a Major in Child Development................................ Rio Hondo........................................................................................................3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Picking a Major is Major...................................................................................Rio Hondo...........................................................................................................................5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday February 28 William Lane: Then and Now........................................................... Rio Hondo Art Gallery.....................................................................................9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Access Rio for Adult Re-Entry.......................................................... Rio Hondo........................................................................................................ 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m
Thursday March 1 William Lane: Then and Now........................................................... Rio Hondo Art Gallery.....................................................................................9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Preparing for Classroom Presentations........................................... LR 101..............................................................................................................9 a.m. - 10 a.m. Rio Baseball vs Compton.................................................................. Compton..........................................................................................................2 p.m. Rio Women’s Tennis vs Victor Valley............................................... Victory Valley..................................................................................................2 p.m. Rio Softball vs El Camino................................................................. El Camino........................................................................................................3 p.m.
Friday March 2 -FAFSA PRIORITY DEADLINEWomen’s Beach Volleyball vs Orange Coast..................................... Ventura............................................................................................................9 a.m. Women’s Beach Volleyball vs Glendale............................................ Ventura............................................................................................................9 a.m. Free Tax Preparation........................................................................ Rio Hondo Ed. Center at Pico Rivera................................................................9: 30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Rio Softball vs LA Mission............................................................... Rio Hondo........................................................................................................2:30 p.m.
Saturday March 3 Rio Baseball vs Compton.................................................................. Compton..........................................................................................................3 p.m.
Monday March 5 William Lane: Then and Now........................................................... Rio Hondo Art Gallery.....................................................................................9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Resume, Cover Letter and Interview Tips for Adult Re-Entry......... Rio Hondo........................................................................................................5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
GET NOTICED! PLACE AN AD IN EL PAISANO! Call (562) 692-0921, EXT:3345
Prices start at as little as $5