THE
BREEZE Volume 26, Issue 13
COVER BY HANAJUN CHUNG THEBREEZEPAPER.COM
2
APRIL 8, 2016
THE BREEZE
Letter Editor FROM THE
@SADIEGRIB SADIEGRIBBON@GMAIL.COM No matter where you are in the world, government is always a large influence in our lives. Whether you are a part of a democracy or a dictatorship, every society is affected. Recently, Chaffey held ASCC elections to chose the new student government of the college. Even in places like school, where we feel like government does not infuence our free time, we are reminded of its influence everyday. Over the last week Sebascian, the “preacher,” returned to campus to attempt to tear apart the beliefs of students in the name of his “religion.” At the same time, anti-abortion/anti-women’s-rights activists came to campus with gruesome photos of “aborted fetuses” and approached students about abortion. All of this in the midst of ASCC elections in the quad. It’s these things that happen on our campus that remind us of how deep-rooted government is in every social aspect. On a state level, California Governor Jerry Brown signed a state-wide minimum wage into action. By 2023, minimum wage will be raised to $15 per hour, a bold experiemnt that has yet to be done anywhere. This increase has sparked a multi-faceted controversy across the state with no true evidence for proof as it has yet to be tested. California is becoming a pace setter for other states, like New York, to follow its unmarked path. Globally, the Panama Papers have reminded citizens around the world how corrupt government can be. World leader’s were exposed for putting their assets into offshore accounts in order to save their money by ditching taxes, leaving citizens feeling betrayed. Whether we like it or not, government is forever encasing our lives and circumstances. From the college level to a world-wide setting, it is prevelant and the only way to know what is going on in the world around you is to be educated on it.
Table of
Contents
Intersected
4
Difference of Opinions
5
What You Need to Know
6
Robles Pays It Forward
7
Minimum Wage May Slash Small Business
8
Minimum Wage May Benefit Low-Wage Workers
9
Panama Papers
10
Season That Almost Kept Giving 12 Linklater Knows Bros!!
13
Where Next, Weezer?
13
New Year, Same Ball
14
“Black Mamba” Bids Farewell
15
APRIL 8, 2016
Calendar
April 2016 ASCC Election Results: Results for the ASCC Elections are posted outside of Student Activities. Travis Alwin won position of President/Student Trustee and the position of Vice President of Administration goes to Aseret Angel. To see the complete list of results, visit Student Activities. Monday, April 11-14 Palestinian Awareness Week: Students for Justice in Palestine Club presents Palestinian Awareness Week. On April 13, a panel discussion will be held in Wargin Hall 102 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Speakers attending are President of American Muslims for Palestine Taher Herzalla and professors Ryan Falcioni and Manar Hijaz. For more information or questions about the event, email Editor-In-Chief Sadie Gribbon sadiegribbon@gmail.com Managing Editor Roberto Hernandez Copy Editor Kristina Rocha Online Editor De’Channe’ Lane Photo Editor Michael Ravenelle Features Editor Abraham Navarro
3
THE BREEZE
Wednesday, April 13 Words + Art: Poetry in Motion: Join Proffesors Michelle Down and Vicki Tulacro to hear their students read original works at the Wignall Museum of Contemporary Art from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Refreshments will be provided by ASCC. Friday, April 22 First Annual Leadership Conference: The Dreamers Club will host a leadership conference to inform students on community service, majors and resources. The confernece will also teach aspiring leaders how to network, find a mentor, manage time, become an advocate and a leader. The 10 a.m. event will be held in Wargin Hall 142. RSVP by emailing chaffeydreamers@ gmail.com.
Tuesday, April 26 Certified Paralegal: Sponsored by the Chaffey College Legal Society, students will learn how to become a certified paralegal in two and a half semesters. Students will also hear from successful Chaffey College paralegal graduates. The event will be held from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Rancho Business Education Building, room BE-103. Admission is free. Wednesday, April 27 Grad Fest: Grad fest will be held in the Student Activities Quad from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. class of 2016 students will be able to purchase cap and gown, diploma frames and class rings. Students will also be able to connect with the Aumni Association and recieve discounts. Baseline Editor Joshua Arnao
News Editor Cody Warner
Staff Writers and Photographers Students of Journalism 30 & 31
Sports Editor Kyle Smith
General Manager Roberto Hernandez
Opinion Editor Erick Valenciano
Lab Techs Kristina Rocha Jullian Aiden Bravo
A&E Editor Hanajun Chung Social Media Manager Israel Guerra
Faculty Adviser Michelle Dowd Journalism Coordinator Neil Watkins
The Breeze is published up to eight times a semester by the journalism students at Chaffey Community College, 5885 Haven Ave., Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91737. Telephone: 652-6934/6936. Opinions expressed in this publication are the responsibility of the student newspaper staff and should not be interpreted as the position of the Chaffey College District, the college or any officer or employee thereof. Letters and guest columns for or against any position are welcome. Letters should be kept as brief as possible (fewer than 300 words) and are subject to non-substantive editing according to guidelines established by the Associated Press. The Chaffey Breeze is a member of the Journalism Association of Community Colleges and the California Newspaper Publishers Association.
4
THE BREEZE
APRIL 8, 2016
NEWS
INTERSECTED CHARLIE VARGAS @CHARLIEVARGAS19
Photo by Charlie Vargas Jackie Boboye (left), Donna Colondres (center) and Monica Stockhausen (right) conduct a panel at AD-151 on March 29.
Associated Students of Chaffey College (ASCC) hosted an intimate panel regarding feminism for women of color, also known as Intersectional Feminism. The event consisted of three guest speakers: Monica Stockhausen, Donna Colondres, and Jackie Boboye. Each of them discussed their struggles of being women of color, along with their different ways of realizing and embracing it. Colondres shared an anecdote of her youth in which she not only wanted to join her school’s dance team, but also wanted to lead. “I had parents who led me to believe I could be anything,” she said. When she was not chosen, she did not hesitate to ask why, but ultimately received no explanation. After a couple practices, the coaches saw her potential as a dancer, and soon became head dancer. Colondres believes that it was a struggle for the team to accept since she was the only girl of color on the team.
Struggle was a common theme for the other speakers as well. Stockhausen, Professor of Business, shared her experiences with the glass ceiling in the business world and proved to her bosses, both as a woman and a person of color, that gender and race do not matter. Boboye went on to agree with Colondres’ sentiment, sharing a similar anecdote of self-empowerment. “I have to struggle to appreciate where I am,” Boboye said. The speakers spoke about their journeys and had words of advice for young women of color on their way to their successes. Stockhausen urged women not to sit and wait for opportunity to arise, but to cease situations and create new positions of power, despite the possible criticism. The three women also offered up ideas for what people from any background can do to show sup-
port. One idea was listening and acknowledging the conversation regarding woman of color, letting them know they have been seen and heard. Another idea was being more conscious of language and image people may perpetuate. “Sometimes it is not about ourselves. It is about people in need of help and teaching them to be educated,” Boboye said. The women explained that education is a step toward empathy. “I thank Chaffey for helping me deal with people,” Colondres said. “I can work anywhere with what I learned.” They added that getting to know people individually is another way to understand the various intersections of women of color, resulting in bringing everyone a little closer. “Let’s learn from one another,” Boboye said, “Let’s love one another.”
APRIL 8, 2016
THE BREEZE
5
NEWS
DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS HAROON HASNAIN / @AZAYZULMATIN DANIEL STEELE / @METALGEARSTEELE As the ASCC elections drew to a close, the quad became a focal point for settling student differences on topics ranging from abortion to religious interpretations of the Bible. On April 5, Sebascian Bryan, self-proclaimed preacher, attracted the attention of his fellow classmates by preaching his religious views in the center of the quad. Bryan, surrounded by a group, said, “All women who have sex before marriage are whores and men who do the same are whoremongers.” Hearing this, a fellow student shoved Bryan off of the chair and called him “a child of the devil.” As the campus police became involved, pulling aside the man who pushed Bryan, other students became intrigued by what the preacher had to say. Choosing not to press charges, Bryan continued to preach his interpretation of the Bible to anyone willing to listen. He claims to have had God speak to him on multiple occasions. “God spoke to me for the first time in November 2010” Bryan said. During these moments he hears God’s voice directed at him. He said the voice is different than his own and can be heard as if the words were spoken aloud. One of the more controversial statements the preacher made was, “If you are not a Christian, you are going to hell.” With the campus police standing nearby, most of the noise settled down and people began to disperse leaving only a handful of students to debate him. A couple of days later on April 7, an abolitionist with the pen name William Wilberforce stood fifty feet from Bryan’s rhetoric. Members of his program, Project Truth, posted themselves nearby to hand out pamphlets to passing students advocating their side of the abortion debate.
Photo by Daniele Steele Sebascian Bryan (right) preaches in the quad to a bystander on April 7.
Wilberforce seeks to educate people on the issue and “change hearts” toward the anti-abortion stance. “We’re just a group of people who come on college campuses and talk to people about abortion because we think it’s wrong. We think child sacrifice is wrong,” said Wilberforce. Wilberforce displayed two banners depicting human fetuses with one in the womb and the other mutilated on an operating table. “Some people say, ‘Isn’t this just for shock value? What’s the point?’ but we want to shock people into the reality of what’s going on. We show pictures of black people being killed by stupid rogue cops,” said Wilberforce in reference to images given in his pamphlets. Although his remarks have been deemed inflammatory, Wilberforce’s visitors came in a steady trickle, while over a dozen students flocked to the heated debate Bryan initiated. Many different voices represent Chaffey’s diverse population. The incidents which occurred in the quad, a designated free-speech zone, helped shed light on how eclectic those perspectives can be.
6
APRIL 8, 2016
THE BREEZE
NEWS
What You Need To Know ROBERTO HERNANDEZ @CHAFFEYBREEZE
1
2.6 terabytes of leaked documents have revealed widescale tax evasion among dozens of current and former world leaders in. The approximately 11.5 million documents were leaked from panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, and has so far found offshore companies connected with at least 143 different politicians.This has spurred the U.S Treasury department to push its customer due diligence policy on banks, which would require them to disclose the identities of shell-corporation owners.
2
California and New York have officially adopted a $15 minimum wage, with California’s set to increase by $1 annually until 2022.The law will increase wages for 43 percent of the state’s workforce. California Governor Jerry Brown has called it “economic justice.” “This is an important day,” brown said. “It’s not the end of the struggle but it’s a very important step forward.” The legislation has provisions for Brown to pause wage increases in the event of poor economic performance.
3
Sen. Bernie Sanders beat Democratic front-runner Hilary Clinton during the Wisconsin primary election, making it Sanders’ fourth consecutive win. Sen. Ted Cruz beat republican front-runner Donald Trump in the Wisconsin primaries. Despite their wins, Clinton and Trump still lead their respective parties in delegate count by an overwhelming majority. Source: CNN
Source: USA Today Source: New York Times
Chaffey College Dance Department presents Kaleidoscope -
April 28, 29, and 30 at 7:30pm May 1 at 2:00pm Chaffey College Theatre
Chaffey
College
Tickets are $13 and available at the Chaffey Bookstore or the online box office at www.chaffey.edu/ theatre_tickets.
Chaffey Spring Dance Concert 2016 headed by artistic director, Michele Jenkins. The annual spring dance concert celebrates the diversity of dance cultivating creativity and physical expression with an energetic mix of modern dance, classical and contemporary ballet, jazz, hip hop, musical theatre, and ballroom. With the choreographic and dance-performing talents of faculty and students, Kaleidoscope offers something for everyone in a dynamic and thought-provoking performance of varied dance styles filled with passion and kinetic intensity!
Come and share the joy and inspiration of this annual favorite!
APRIL 8, 2016
7
THE BREEZE
FEATURES
Robles Pays It Forward ARIEL NAVA @CHAFFEYBREEZE
W
hen it comes to education, there isn’t a time frame for when a person is supposed to obtain a college degree. Rogelio Robles, criminal justice major, is a perfect example of how it’s never too late to turn your life around. Robles had a rough past, and after being released from incarceration he wanted to change his life and make a difference in the world. Not knowing what to expect since he has never attended college before, he started Chaffey at 55. He immediately felt like he didn’t belong. Other students would stare at him because of his age, but that didn’t stop him from achieving his goals. One of his professors told Robles that with a felony on his record he wouldn’t last a semester at Chaffey. However, that statement is what gave Robles the drive and motivation to finish his education. Robles is close to completing all his coursework and plans to be a youth adviser once he graduates. Besides taking classes, he started the “Pinto Club” which welcomes anyone who has been involved in the criminal justice system, has any type of felony, or has been incarcerated for a year or more in any county, state, or federal facility. The Pinto club also aims to help students who are on probation and supports students with education and career advancement for
low-skilled individuals released from incarceration. The purpose of this club is to help students who feel that they can’t pursue their goals because of their past. Confidentiality plays a big role in the club, so students don’t have to talk about their past. Jason Schneck, the club’s adviser, wants to welcome individuals who feel that they don’t belong. These students are the silent ones who don’t think that there are other students like them out there. “We want to change the culture that is here at Chaffey to be very welcoming and accepting of individuals who have had a past in the criminal system. Everyone at Chaffey is welcoming but we just want to make it known to all of the individuals out there,” said Schneck. “Our club motto is Education not Incarceration,” said Robles. “We want to show the students that there are resources out there and they aren’t alone.” For example, once a member graduates from Chaffey with an associates degree, the club helps the student get their felony expunged to a misdemeanor. Anyone can join, but the goal is to mentor those students who have a criminal history. Since Robles is an ex-felon, he has the experience and is able to help. His secret isn’t to lecture students but to show them respect and give
them advice so they can confide in them. The goal is to make a big impact and provide effective assistance and mentoring to individuals during their post incarceration with the hope that the individual will successfully re-enter their community as accountable, contributing, self-sufficient and law abiding citizens. “Everyone makes mistakes, and their mistakes from their past shouldn’t define them,” Robles said.
$2 million
the amount California bill SB 1391 allocated in Pell Grants available to inmates
43%
the reduction in recidivism resulting from education according to a 2013 RAND report
$5 to $1
every dollar spent on inmate education translates to a $5 reduction in direct correctional cost Source: Public Policy Institute of California
8
THE BREEZE
APRIL 8, 2016
FEATURE
Minimum Wage MAY Slash SMALL BUSINESS
S
mall business owners are balancing on one crutch after a 25 percent wage increase in California over the last two years. Last monday, April 4, Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill that would raise the minimum wage in California to $15/hr. by 2022. This will be the first bill in the nation to raise the statewide minimum wage to $15 and it may have just kicked California’s small business owners last crutch out from underneath them. According to the California Transportation Commission (CTC) small businesses make up 99.2 percent of all employer business. Just a few months ago, January 8, Brown opposed the idea of raising the wage. “Raise the minimum wage too much and you put a lot of poor people out of work,” Brown told reporters. “There won’t be a lot of jobs. It’s a matter of balance.” While extra money in the pockets of minimum wage workers could boost the economy, it could also lead to job loss as small businesses can expect higher productivity with higher pay. This puts elderly, disabled and those new to the workforce at highest risk for unemployment. “[Workers will] be more productive, generally, because they want to keep their jobs,” Political Science Professor, Kevin Cameron, said. “If you pay people more, they are more productive and that’s the way you end up cutting the cost that goes into your labor.” Beside the impact on employment, there is also concern for inflation. The gap between how much small and large businesses charge could be detrimental to small business. Prices could be forced up slightly higher than big businesses because of less cushioning due to big businesses having much higher volume. This could drive consumers to larger busi-
SADIE GRIBBON @SADIEGRIB nesses for less expensive products. “Larger businesses have the margin and cushion where they could absorb the costs a lot easier because of their volume,” Cameron said. “Small businesses products tend to be slightly more expensive because of their lack of volume.” In urban areas this may not be a concern, but in more rural areas of California it could lead to the end of many small businesses. “I don’t see much damage being done for San Francisco, Rancho Cucamonga, Orange county, Downtown L.A. But Barstow? Bakersfield? It will probably have a bigger impact out there,” economics professor, Bret McMurran, said. While this Bill was signed to create a “working wage” for minimal work, many speculate that it could force consumers to big business and small business to other states. A seven-year study conducted by Spectrum Location Services concluded that California lost nearly 9,000 businesses since 2009. These businesses migrate to states like Texas and Arizona where they can save between 20 and 35 percent on operating costs. California has been labeled as a “hostile” business environment, and such a large raise in minimum wage could lead to even more migration of business to other states. While some headquarters stay in California, expansions migrate to other states where production is less. Although this raise in wage will put more money in the consumer’s pocket, the uncertainty of where that money will be spent and how many people will still have jobs is unknown. “This [wage increase] is a bold experiment,” Mcmurray said. “We have never seen this happen anywhere else.”
SMALL BUSINESS EMPLOYS
6.3 MILLION WORKERS.
Minority Business Development Agency
37% OF T
WORKFORC SEE A RAIS TO THIS B
UC Berkel
APRIL 8, 2016
9
THE BREEZE
FEATURE
LOW-WAGE Minimum Wage MAYBenefit WORKERS ROBERTO HERNANDEZ @CHAFFEYBREEZE
F
ew issues raise more ire or elation in the hearts of workers and non-workers alike than the issue of minimum wage. California and New York have both passed legislature to raise their minimum wages to $15/hr within days of each other. Some champion it as a victory for the working class while others fear the negative effects will outweigh any potential positive effects. Some students, like Melanie Estrada, 21, think the wage increase is long overdue. “If you compare living expenses, even 30 years ago people could live off minimum wage, they could support a family” she said, “but today you need two incomes and both of you working two jobs to live off minimum wage.” “It would have a lot of impact on not just college, but family
THE CA. CE WILL SE DUE BILL.
ley Labor Center
THERE ARE NEARLY
38 MILLION
LOW WAGE WORKERS NATIONWIDE. U.S. Department of Labor
women who are working minimum wage jobs, who are trying to support a family with $9/hr. I worked at a restaurant, I worked at farmer boys and the majority of the cooks were married men trying to support their children. That’s who’s working at restaurants; that’s reality.” Democratic candidates Bernie Sanders and Hilary Clinton both advocate for increasing the federal minimum wage above $7.25/hr. The minimum wage has been studied extensively, but normally wage increases are relatively small and happen over a long period. This makes it hard to attribute job gains or losses to wage increases in the long-term. For others, like Juan Hernandez, the manager of an apparel distribution center in Ontario, CA, the increase is unnecessary. “Well it’s entry-level work, if you make a decision to work at McDonalds for $15 an hour, it’s entry-level. Get another job. Get educated. Move on,” he siad. “In the end those $15 an hour, five years form now, are gonna be worth 9 in today’s dollars, so what do you gain?” This sentiment is echoed by many, including Hernandez’s employees, some of whom felt that the pay hike would either not impact their lives at all or that it would have a negative impact because of inflation. “In any distribution center, especially ours, the number one source of expense is labor,” Hernandez said.
“You’re going to be looking at a 100 percent increase over the next 5 years so.” A study by the UC Berkeley Labor Center titled “Local Minimum Wage Laws: Impacts on Workers, Families and Businesses,” examined local minimum wage increases across nine different markets and found that the hypothetical increase to inflation is massively exaggerated. The only industry that experienced any inflation was the food service industry, which had an average rate of inflation of about 0.7 percent after a 10 percent increase in wages. A July 2015 study by Purdue University also found that food prices would rise by an estimated 4.3 percent under a $15 wage for fast-food restaurants. It’s theorized that the increased cost in wages would be offset by increased worker productivity. Efficiency wage theory states that by paying employees more, employers can expect higher productivity and a lower turnover rate. An article in the New York Times found that fast food chains that payed their workers significantly more than the current minimum wage experienced increased morale and productivity. A study by the center for economic and policy research found that the states with a higher than average minimum wage also had higher than average job growth. While this correlation doesn’t necessarily equal causality, it does defy the conventional wisdom that higher wages will lead to job cuts. For better or for worse, the minimum wage is here to stay and there is evidence that suggests that at the very least, the increase won’t quite lead to the apocalyptic results its opponents anticipate.
10
THE BREEZE
APRIL 8, 2016
NEWS
PANAMA PAPERS JULLIAN AIDEN BRAVO @JULLIAN_BRAVO1 The largest data leak in history was made public April 3 after news outlets published special reports on 11.5 million files that reveals how the world’s elite hide their money by using offshore shell companies.
WHAT ARE SHELL COMPANIES? The sole purpose of a shell company is to create anonymity. Keep in mind the use of shell companies is not illegal as there are legitimate reasons for their service. However, the reason why shell companies are controversial is because they also provide services to criminals
such as dictators, corrupt politicians, financial schemers and tax evaders. With shell companies, criminals are able to hide or legitimize dirty money, conceal its origin and maintain their anonymity. - Source(s): BBC News, McClatchy DC
THE PANAMA PAPERS EXPLAINED The Panama Papers are 11.5 million leaked documents (2.6 terabytes of data) that reveal how the world’s elite launder their money, avoid sanctions and evade taxes. The leaks come from the database of Mossack Fonseca, a Panamanian law firm that specializes, among other services, in offshore shell companies. The data released from The Panama Papers is tremendous in size. The 2.6 terabytes of data is bigger than the data released by Wikileaks and the files leaked by whistleblower Edward Snowden. German news outlet Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) obtained the documents over a year ago from an anonymous source and shared them with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). The ICIJ then shared the documents with other news outlets such as The Guardian and BBC News. Over 100
journalists spent about a year analyzing the data, which dates back from to the 1970s to December of 2015. The documents reveal a dozen current or former heads of state and government involved in offshore shell companies. Among the total 140 politicians connected to offshore companies is the father of UK Prime Minister David Cameron, close friend and childhood friends of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the prime minister of Iceland, the president of Argentina, cousins of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the King of Saudi Arabia, Chile’s head of Transparency International and FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The documents also list professional athletes and actors. - Source(s): BBC News, The Guardian, Süddeutsche Zeitung, ICIJ
THE RUSSIAN RESPONSE The Panama leaks reveal a $2 billion offshore trail that links to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his close friends and family. Putin himself is not listed in the leaked documents. However, the spotlight has centered on Putin because his close friends have earned millions of dollars from deals that could not have been made without the support of Putin. Adding to that is the pa-
pers’ suggestion that Putin and his family have benefitted from the money. In response to the leak, the Russian Government has dismissed the papers as “Putinphobia” and according to Putin’s spokesperson Dimitry Peskov, the papers are aimed at tarnishing Putin’s leadership. -Source(s): The Guardian
APRIL 8, 2016
THE BREEZE
11
THE NAMES The day the revelations in the Panama Papers were made public, Wikileaks tweeted “Should we release all 11 million #PanamaPapers so everyone can search through them like our other publications?” 95 percent of people voted yes while 5 percent disagreed. Currently, the papers are not open for public scrutiny. Only a portion of the people listed in the papers have
been published in the media and remember, there are legitimate reasons for using offshore shell companies, so not everyone listed in the papers are suspected of criminal activity. To release all the Panama Papers means to publish personal information of those involved, criminal or innocent. - Source(s): Twitter, BBC News
IMPLICATIONS IN ICELAND The Icelandic Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson seemed to garner the most public outrage. Protests in Iceland have put pressure on the Icelandic prime minister to resign after the leaked documents reveal that he and his wife owned an offshore shell company. As a result of this revelation, the Gunnlaugsson asked his vice chairman to fill his position “for an unspecified
amount of time.” In an interview with Sweedish news media, Gunnlaugsson appeared nervous on camera when asked about his conection to the offshore shell company. His nervous attitude quickly transitioned to indignation as he walked out of the interview minutes after it began. - Source(s): The Gurardian, The Reykjavík Grapevine
MOSSACK FONSECA’S RESPONSE In an online statement, Mossack Fonseca said the media has “portrayed an inaccurate view” of their services. “Our services are regulated on multiple levels, often by overlapping agencies, and we have a strong compliance record,” the company said in response published on The Guardian’s website. “In addition, we have always complied with international protocols … to assure as is
reasonably possible, that the companies we incorporate are not being used for tax evasion, money laundering, terrorist finance or other illicit purposes. We are responsible members of the global financial and business community.” - Source(s): Mossack Fonseca
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? It’s hard to say that everyone who used shell companies for illegal activities punished will be punished. The Russian government already dismissed the documents as “Putinphobia.”Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesman, said the papers are aimed at undermining Putin and his leadership position as president of Russia. Contradictory to what media originally reported, the Icelandic prime minister has not resigned from his position. All he did was ask for his vice chairman to fill his
position “for an unspecified amount of time.” In China, online discussions of the Panama leaks have been censored. However, on April 7, UK Prime Minister David Cameron admitted to benefitting from offshore funds connected to his father, Ian Cameron. There are no indications from the prime minister that he will resign. - Source(s): The Guardian, BBC News, The Reykjavík Grapevine, Independent
12
APRIL 8, 2016
THE BREEZE
A&E/REVIEWS
SEASONTHAT(ALMOST)KEPTGIVING HANAJUN CHUNG / @HANAJUN After dominating the ratings midway through the series, season 6 would’ve delivered a shift in story that fan’s of the source material have eagerly awaited. 16 episodes later, season 6 balanced story with the genre trappings that have hooked fans for years. It introduced scale both technically and narratively, providing sequences comparable to features. The ensemble is still fantastic— with season 6 introducing several great additions to the overall cast. The character arcs aren’t all written that great, some being huge missed opportunities, while others are just bizarre. After building to a monumental introduction for the series, “The Walking Dead” drops the ball spectacularly in its final few seconds. Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and his people are now trying to improve their situation in Alexandria, turning the community into the ideal future. But being “The Walking Dead,” it isn’t long until the murderous bandits known as Wolves from the previous season cause trouble for our characters. In addition, the group soon learn of a bigger world that they could take part in, leading to a greater threat guaranteed to shake things up for the series. Week-to-week, season 6 mostly does a fine job building toward something impactful. The first half of the season feels
like a loose end to the one prior. Once the series returned mid-season, the series did some fantastic work expanding this universe. The last few episodes play with audience expectation that adds to the tension and the inevitability of a bleak ending. The finale itself is a great encapsulation of the season itself—fine buildup to an outstanding finale. Well, sort of—as the final few seconds makes one reconsider all the praise leading up. Weaknesses are a plenty, and it’s mostly with character. Certain episodes attempt adding layers to characters, but ultimately not fulfill the declarations regarding change. For example, Carol (Melissa McBride) started as a weak, fragile women before growing into a hardened individual over five seasons, only have the character revert back to her shrew-like, former self. It’s understandable for an ensemble show to struggle with many characters, but it’s baffling when shows like these in generally mess up the opportunities. The finale did it somewhat masterfully, trending only for the “bigger” episodes. But it’s not the actors fault, as they do bring some great work. There are several instances in which “The Walking Dead” feels like a movie. Shot in 16mm, the grit of that film stock is appropriate for their reality, and that’s
outside the wide shots of action and characters that sell the scale. Bad CGI still appears quite often, but it doesn’t take away from the world built after all these years. If there is an MVP for this season, it would have to be Greg Nicotero. Known for his renown special effects work in features, Nicotero not only helps provide the effects, but occasionally directs an episode. His episodes—”First Time Again,” “No Way Out,” “Not Tomorrow Yet” and “Last Day on Earth”—are easily the season’s best, delivering the spectacle and character work in evolving ways. “Not Tomorrow Yet” may be the best episode of the season, as Nicotero channels 80s John Carpenter and Micahel Mann during the episode’s siege finale. The showrunners have done a fine job expanding the world of Rick and his people. Aside from the communal conflict occurring among the protagonists, newer threats such as the Wolves or Saviors provide the much needed tension if not decent set pieces. That doesn’t excuse the show for the continue mishandle of characters. Season 6 definitely has momentum, which is a good sign for serialized program, but pulls the plug at the final few seconds. Grade: B-
APRIL 8, 2016
13
THE BREEZE
LINKLATER WEEZER? KNOWS BROS!! WHERE NEXT,
ROBERTO HERNANDEZ In 1991, director and screenwriter Richard Linklater released his feature film debut “Slacker,” a plotless independent comedy-drama that follows a group of aimless young adults over the course of one day. The film was widely hailed as a revolution in independent film making, inspiring a generation of X’ers including Kevin Smith for “Clerks” in 1994. Linklater’s latest film “Everybody Wants Some!!” finds him treading familiar ground. Like all of his other movies, Linklater serves double duty as the film’s screenwriter and director. The movie is a return to form for him in many ways, with the acclaimed writer/director himself calling it a spiritual sequel to his 1993 stoner cult-comedy film “Dazed and Confused.” The two feel like kindred spirits, sharing an identical plot structure (or lack thereof ) and generally lighthearted, nostalgic tone. Speaking of nostalgic, this movie feels like a loveletter to the 70s/80s. Everything from the soundtrack to the costume design shows a real reverence for youth culture of that era.The film is set in 1980 and follows a college baseball team living it up for one weekend before school starts. They go from party to party in their neverending quest to “get some” as the title implies, and along the way find themselves playing ball, pulling pranks, and engaging in general rowdiness. Like his previous films “Dazed and Confused” and “Waking life,” the characters prefer to exchange dialogue and occasionally wax philosophically rather than advance any sort of traditional plot structure. It should be noted that while Dazed jumped between different characters both male and female, “Everybody’s” cast is comprised almost entirely of males. Female characters are given very little to do or say but to serve as eye candy or to setup the guys’ hilariously desperate pickup attempts. That’s not to say that the movie will appeal only to men. In fact it smartly avoids the pitfalls of many other male-centric college movies. Every character feels relatable and has a chance to progress beyond the “dumb jock” archetype. In the hands of a less capable director, the plot could’ve easily devolved into a sophomoric sausage-fest. It’s hard to find anything to dislike about the movie. It’s a charming and funny lark and it knows it. What few nits there are to pick are overshadowed by the film’s unabashedly jovial tone. It’s clear that Linklater loves spending time with these characters as much as the audience does. This movie is all dessert and no vegetables and it’s great. Grade: A-
TOMMY EMICK
“The White Album” does not innovate poprock, but it does show Weezer writing their first solid record since “Pinkerton” (1996). Maybe one of the primary causes of the low points in Weezer’s career is the denial by Rivers and the band itself that their first two albums were, actually, good. Since “The Green Album” (2001) Weezer has dismissed “Pinkerton” and “The Blue Album” as low-points in their career where they tried to escape by changing their sound on each subsequent record. It is mainly through Weezer’s last two records — “Hurley” (2010) and “Everything Will Be Alright in the End” (2014) — that shows them accepting their sound from “Pinkerton” and “The Blue Album” and trying to incorporate their strengths from those albums into The White Album. “The King of the World” is the strongest song on The White Album. It is about the fears of frontman Rivers Cuomo’s wife, Kyoto. Kyoko annotated the lyrics of the song on “Genius”w with the inspiration for each line of lyrics that mentions one of her fears. In addition, the chorus to the song is about how Rivers will be the one she can confide in about these fears — her “King of the World.” Along with these notable and personal lyrics, it’s a solid poprock track that will get listeners to sing along. The weakest song is “Summer Elaine and Drunk Dori” that has little substance to stomach along with its sugary chorus. The lyrics suffice as a laundry-list rehashing of a bad high-school rom-com, without providing a quirky or unique twist to engage listeners. Despite the catchy chorus (usually a strength for pop-rock), the “Oh oh, oh oh” refrain becomes as annoying as nails on a chalkboard by the end of the song. However, Weezer deserves some credit by becoming mature enough to acknowledge their strengths as nerdy and quirky for underdogs — that also happens to sell out stadiums. They have become more comfortable navigating the line between the geeky and popular, like the musical progeny of the Beach Boys and Jonathan Coulton. Let’s hope that Weezer stays headed in that direction — god knows we’ve been let down before. Grade: C
A&E/REVIEWS
14
APRIL 8, 2016
THE BREEZE
OPINION
New Year, Same ball KYLE SMITH @_KYOL
T
he American flag sprawled across the field and fighter jets thrilled the fans as they flew over the stadium, but the celebration is planned for 161 more games. Opening Day is a reason to celebrate. Nothing beats being able to see the team we love play games that matter while imagining only a fraction of what could be in store for the rest of our season. Regular season baseball is back. At the Big A, I watched the highly admired youngsters of Chicago’s beloved Cubbies beat up on the Angels in the opening series. They outscored the Halos by 14 runs in two games, and held Trout and Pujols’s averages at .000 through 15 total at bats. The pitching was as good as a Cub fan would expect and the hitters were impressive. Both teams that represent the Los Angeles area are missing familiar faces in their starting lineups, and have started the season in opposite extremes. In San Diego, the Dodgers didn’t allow the Padres to score a run in the season’s first three games, but scored 15 of their own in the first eight innings of the year. Kershaw set the tone and the bats were never off-beat. Regular season baseball is back with all its ups and downs. Last year’s dominant pitcher and All-Star game starter, Zach Greinke, gave up seven runs through four
innings in his first start with the D-backs. Rockies’ rookie, Trevor Story became the first player to hit two home runs in his Major League debut on Opening Day. Greinke’s much anticipated Diamondback debut was spoiled by some rookie kid. I love it.
Kershaw set the tone and the bats were never offbeat. Regular season baseball is back and history is being made. There are so many beautiful things about the game of baseball, but what makes for special moments is the lack of assurance — the endless amount of possibilities that could happen within four bases. The Angels and Dodgers are not projected to have playoff-worthy seasons this year, but nobody predicted Greinke would give up three home runs in four innings of work either. While the Angels have begun poorly, the Dodgers have done the opposite. Just as easily as the Angels went down, the boys in blue could catch a cold streak as well. And, with
Mike Trout and Albert Pujols, are the Angels ever really out of the question? The opening series is too small a sample size to decide whether a team is playoff bound or not, but it is all we have at this point to separate the World Series contenders from the rest of Major League Baseball. In September, the top teams will be rushing to reserve their spot in the 2016 playoffs. Until October, regular season baseball is back.
Opening Day Stories: Rookie, Trevor Story hit two home runs off D-back’s Zach Greinke The Dodgers shut out the Padres in 3 straight games The Cubs outscored the Angels 15-1 in the season’s opening series
APRIL 8, 2016
15
THE BREEZE
OPINION
“BLACK MAMBA”
Photo courtesy of Getty Images
BIDS FAREWELL
EDWARD GUTIERREZ @EDWORDGEE
A
fter battling 20 years in the NBA, guard Kobe Bean Bryant has succumb to the reality that this season will
be his last. As the dust settles on the 20152016 NBA season, one of the most influential players sits the bench. He finds his performance over the past four seasons dwindling below his personal expectations Although his performance is questionable and his minutes are becoming more scarce, his legacy will forever be ingrained in the game he loves. Being hated or loved was never an issue for him, but the significance of winning was. The will to win has been an element of Bryant’s since he became the leader of the Lakers in 2000. Since entering the league out of high school in 1996, Bryant’s every action has been analyzed and dissected. From air-balling two key shots in the Western Conference finals his rookie year to hitting game winning shot one after another, Bryant has become one of the most analyzed players in the game. Thus creating a love/hate relationship amongst the fans. Take it as you will, the five-time champion possesses a killer instinct athletes wish they had, hence his alter ego “The Black Mamba.” This has had an effect on his relationship amongst team members where in a period of his career-lacked comradery due to him being himself. He didn’t soften his
attitude or become the buddy-buddy player everyone loves, AKA LeBron James. He tends to rub everyone the wrong way and doesn’t say sorry for it simply because he doesn’t care what they think. Winning is all that matters when it comes to sports in LA; we win, plain and simple. From the Showtime Lakers in the 80s’ to the glorious USC Trojans, LA loves winners. Bryant understood that mantra when he three-peated in 2000-2002 and later won back-to-back championships in 2009-2010. Championship parades and banners became a norm for the city, placing himself among basketball immortality and worshipped by the people of LA, he became known for being a “ball-hog” and egotistic individual. From scoring 81 points in a single game to having multiple 50-point games, he set a tone of “selfish” basketball, a characteristic he still carries to this day. Yet, Bryant gave the sport, team and city everything he had. In seasons 2011-2013 the city began to see exhaustion cover his face as each game came to an end, the sport he loved continued to physically wear him down. Fast forward to April 23, 2013, a game against the Golden State Warriors. 33 year-old Bryant continued to play rigorous minutes for the Lakers, a team that was scrapping to make the playoffs. With 3:08 remaining in the
fourth quarter Bryant tore his Achilles tendon, an injury that broke the heart of millions and put his future into question. Most players above the age of 30 don’t play again after an injury of that magnitude, many expected that same outcome for Bryant. Nobody wants to see the hero die, but many don’t bat an eye when the villain is defeated. The years after consisted of seeing him in a suit, gawking on the bench, filled with anxiety of not being able to help a team that was deteriorating in front his eyes. The years he was active were plagued with injuries. Bringing little to no hope to the Laker faithful’s that expected him to bounce back. On Nov. 29, 2015, Bryant released a poem on The Players’ Tribune website titled “Dear, Basketball” letting the world know this season would be his last. Setting a farewell tour, Bryant now walks into arenas with cheers and video montages, a thank-you to the legend himself. You now see more Laker fans rise in attendance, opposing players sending their praises and appreciation for Bryant. Two games left of the season, Bryant recognizes each game as a stepping stone toward his legendary era. Passing the torch to the next generation of players and no longer being a student of the game, his play has become unrecognizable and distant, but his legacy will forever be deep-rooted in the NBA.
16
THE BREEZE
APRIL 8, 2016
Ride FREE with your Chaffey ID. Plan your trip, track your bus, and more at Omnitrans.org. Ride any route FREE with your Chaffey ID. Use our convenient online Trip Planner or download the Omnitrans app with NexTrip arrivals, Rider Alerts, and more. Go free. Go easy. GoSmart. No application, special pass or sticker required, just a current valid ID. Offer good for the 2015-16 school year. Details at Omnitrans.org.
O � Š 1-800-9-OMNIBUS