The Guardsman, Vol. 150, Issue 8. City College of San Francisco

OP&EDS: Don’t ask, but can’t you tell?

Volume 150, Issue 8

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C&T: Buy them gifts or they’ll know you don’t love them

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COMICS: Funny pictures of elephants and such Page 10

www.theguardsman.com

December 9, 2010

Tis’ the seaso n to be fond le d

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News

THE GUARDSMAN

DECEMBER 9, 2010

Dispatch from the Editor’s desk U.S. Military Deaths as of Dec. 9—Iraq:4,432 Afghanistan—1,316 (Department of Defense)

Whoever coined the maxim “all good things must come to end” never read The Guardsman. If they had, they would know that all things come to an end whether they’re good or not.

All kidding aside, I’m rather proud of what we achieved at the paper this semester and it has been a pleasure leading such a passionate and inventive group of writers, photographers and all-around journalists.

But along with our attempt to cover important news, we also brought you our honest, minimally-filtered thoughts on a wide array of topics. We took strong stances on some important issues, and not just the opinions that appeared on our covers and in our op/ed pages.

We made the decision to stop running military recruitment ads a few issues back, a decision that was not without monetary consequence.

Our ethical concern was that the publication of such ads in our pages could be misconstrued as an endorsement of the policies and actions of the U.S. military, which would greatly hinder The Guardsman’s ability to take meaningful stances or remain neutral on those policies and actions.

I hope the staff who inherits the paper next semester will embrace our decision, but it doesn’t matter—I’m proud of this semester’s editor’s for making a lot of tough choices, and in my opinion, making the right choice between money and journalistic principles in that particular situation.

This will be the last Zemanifesto you will see in the pages of The Guardsman.

Please, hold your applause.

Seriously, at least hold them until I leave the room.

Not so fast This may be the last official issue of this volume of The Guardsman, but as iconic, bearded infomercial pitchman Billy Mays used to say, “Wait, there’s more!”

You may have heard about this already, but our undefeated football team is going to the State Championship in Walnut this Saturday, Dec. 11. There, under the unblinking eye of history, they will battle Mount San Antonio College—also undefeated—for the right to declare themselves the kings of California community college football.

It’s going to be a gridiron showdown of

Zemanifesto

Civilian deaths— Iraq & Afghanistan: 99,021-108,094 (source: Iraq Body Count)

RAMSEY EL-QARE / THE GUARDSMAN

biblical proportions, and The Guardsman is going to be there. Win or lose, we will bring you four pages of in-depth, coverage in full color, so be on the look out for it sometime next week.

Chickens and ducks This issue’s editorial concerns the latest volley in a decades-long assault on our civil liberties, but more than that, it’s about the pandemic apathy running rampant through all aspects of society. There is a war for our liberty and we are failing to fight.

The wealth of our nation is being systematically concentrated into the hands of roughly one percent of the population, and all aspects of public life are being gradually privatized.

The 2006 Citibank internal memo concerning the emergence of a corporate “plutonomy” in the United States and elsewhere clearly illustrate the progression towards a new aristocracy by those people who want to see 80 percent of society become corporate chattels.

California’s public education system is being strangled by this kind of top-level hoarding, but it’s only one poignant illustration of the breakdown in our civic society, a breakdown that only we can counteract.

President Obama, a man elected on the

promise of hope and change, just capitulated to a gang of thugs holding a gun to the head of our country’s record number of long-term unemployment recipients.

We’re supposed to be happy about the year extension of unemployment benefits, but it’s only a matter of time before the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy become permanent. The same group whining about the deficit is all too happy to ignore it if it means providing their key supporters with tax breaks.

Our bodies are quickly becoming fair game for hands-on searches that could make a hooker blush, our troops are still in Iraq and Afghanistan—never mind the rest of the U.S. empire—and we’re still debating the basic equality of our citizens based on their sexual orientation.

We played by their rules and it’s getting us nowhere. “Working within the system” has proven to be disastrous for progressive politics, which have simply become more and more diluted by the “partial solutions” and “steps in the right direction,” pushed on us by our Democrat overlords.

The same ones who deride us for being too extreme and take us for granted at the polls.

Maybe the political Left in this country needs to emulate some of the tactics of the Tea Party—tactics they borrowed from

Saul Alinsky’s “Rules For Radicals”—to force the hand of status-quo Dems.

Malcolm X once said, “A chicken just doesn’t have it within it’s system to produce a duck egg. It can’t do it. It can only produce according to what that particular system was constructed to produce.”

His point was that waiting for the current system of government to create social equality was as foolish as waiting for a duck egg to fall out of a chicken.

So with brother Malcolm’s words firmly in mind, my last message to you is this: The world is waiting.

History has shown us that the youth and the students have to take the initiative in changing their world—we can’t wait for somebody else to do it for us. Whatever you do, do it with conviction and do it now.

As Thomas Jefferson once said, “All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.”

— Greg G Zeman Editor-in-Chief Ed Alea Iacta Est E-mail: gzeman@theguardsman.com

New cellphone tower faces tepid reception Some say tower could be an eyesore

By Gayle Yglesisas THE GUARDSMAN

The Bay Area Rapid Transit received approval from CalTrans to build a 100-foot tower in lieu of an existing 30-foot tower at the Balboa Park station.

“The tower is already in the process of being built and should be completely finished by the end of the year, if not, in January or early 2011,” Department Manager of BART Communications Linton Johnson said.

money saving idea, Johnson said but instead, was the tower will be “The tower is already in the process of turned down for used for emergenwhatever the reason cy services and being built and should be completely may have been.

911 coverage for finished by the end of the year, if not, in Verizon made mobile custom- January or early 2011.” the agreement with ers. Global broad— Linton Johnson band and teleDepartment Manager the city to provide communications BART Communications the network covercompany Verizon age for emergency will provide the services. But that service since they does not necessarily door couldn’t even get approval are the city’s contractor for the from the planning department mean Verizon-only customers tower. for a windmill power genera- are allowed this service.

“Regardless of who the Though some may think this tor because it would be ‘too tower is an asset to the surround- unsightly.’ I’m sure the antenna service provider is, every carrier, whether it be Verizon, AT&T ing area, others disagree. would be even worse.”

District 11 Supervisor John Avalos’ anger appeared to or Sprint, is required to provide Avalos argued, “I am not happy stem from the fact that the wind- emergency and 911 services to about it, especially because Lick mill power generator would anyone on their mobile devicWilmerding High School next have been an eco-friendly, es,” Johnson said. “After all,

they can’t deny an emergency call for a person just because they aren’t under their network.”

Construction of the tower has already begun.

“I only knew the tower was going to be built and that BART would receive money for providing the location," community activist Dan Weaver said. "But it seems that there is no public process for this project. That is unfortunate.”

James Fang, president of the BART board of directors, was unavailable for comment after attempts to contact him about the construction of the antenna.

E-mail: gyglesias@theguardsman.com

News

DECEMBER 9, 2010

THE GUARDSMAN

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U.S. drops demand for Israel to reimpose settlement

By Christi Parsons and Batsheva Sobelman

WASHINGTON (MCT) - The Obama administration is dropping its demand that Israel reimpose a temporary freeze on settlement construction in the West Bank, a U.S. ofďŹ cial said Tuesday, a setback for President Barack Obama and the Mideast peace talks he is seeking to push forward.

The change in direction comes in advance of meetings of U.S., Israeli and Palestinian negotiators in Washington next week. U.S. negotiators no longer believe that insisting on a settlement freeze is the best way to proceed, said the ofďŹ cial, who spoke on condition of anonymity. But it was not immediately clear what other proposals the Obama administration might put forward.

News reports said Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton would outline the new U.S. strategy in a speech on Friday.

The decision was likely to anger Palestinians, who have demanded an end to settlement construction to continue direct negotiations that were relaunched in September.

Obama is heavily invested in the Mideast peace issue, seeing progress there as key to improving U.S. relations with the Muslim world. He faced loud criticism from Israel and its supporters for advocating the settlement freeze during the ďŹ rst months of his administration.

At Obama’s urging, the two sides launched face-to-face talks this fall, but they fell apart over the settlement issue. A temporary freeze on construction in disputed territory expired in late September, and the government of

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined to renew it.

The U.S. has been pressing Israel to renew the freeze for three months, a period during which it hoped to negotiate the ďŹ nal borders of a Palestinian state. U.S. ofďŹ cials offered incentives including 20 stealth ďŹ ghter jets worth $3 billion and a promise to veto antiIsraeli resolutions at the U.N. Security Council, including a possible effort by Palestinians to gain support for a unilateral declaration of statehood.

Under the U.S. proposal, once both sides agreed to the borders, Israel could have continued building in areas that would become part of Israel.

Netanyahu faced strong opposition when he brought the plan to his Cabinet last month. The Israeli government has not acted on it, and it is not clear whether the prime minister had the support to get it passed.

In the meantime, settler groups resumed construction in the West Bank. Separately, Israeli authorities announced they would build more housing on disputed land in East Jerusalem, which Palestinians hope will be the capital of their independent state. Although the U.S. opposed such construction in East Jerusalem, it has not been included in the construction freezes.

Some analysts have said that the announcement of new construction in East Jerusalem reects an Israeli calculation that Obama is politically weaker after the Democrats’ drubbing in November elections.

Palestinian ofďŹ cials did not immediately comment on the new U.S. move.

Israeli media said Defense Minister Ehud Barak told a committee of the Knesset parliament that talks with

U.S. ofďŹ cials over a settlement freeze had stopped because Washington was distracted by the WikiLeaks controversy and its need to focus on the confrontation with North Korea.

But he said that in the absence of negotiations, Israel faces the danger of becoming increasingly isolated internationally. Israel is concerned with the success of one Palestinian tactic _ persuading countries to recognize an independent Palestinian state within borders that existed before the 1967 Middle East war.

The move has little practical effect, but Brazil and Argentina have done it recently. They probably will be joined

by Uruguay next month.

Israel’s Haaretz daily quoted sources in Netanyahu’s ofďŹ ce as saying effort to impose a new settlement freeze broke down because of Palestinian insistence that the talks turn quickly to the issue of setting ďŹ nal borders.

Israeli reaction largely broke down along well-deďŹ ned political lines. “The lesson of this is that the sky doesn’t fall if Israel stands its ground and doesn’t give in to every dictate,â€? said Dannay Dayan, chairman of the Yesha Council, a settler group. Ilan Gilon, a lawmaker from the left-wing Meretz Party, complained that the government was “dominated by the pro-settlement lobby.â€?

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Parsons reported from Washington and bureau news assistant Sobelman reported from Jerusalem. Staff writer Paul Richter in Geneva contributed to this report.

Email: email@theguardsman.com

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Map of West Bank locating the areas in East Jerusalem where the Israelis plan to build new settlements.

Abandoned building finds new life as youth community center Geneva Car Barn & Powerhouse slated to provide art sanctuary for District 11 kids

By Isaiah Kramer THE GUARDSMAN

Abandoned for more than 20 years, a building thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resided in San Francisco longer than anyone livingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;surviving both major earthquakes and narrowly escaping demolitionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;will soon undergo a transformation.

The Geneva Car Barn & Powerhouse is a 108-year-old brick building that was historically a hub for the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ rst electric railcars, and the plan is to retroďŹ t and recreate it to become District 11â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ rst multi-purpose community arts center.

The Powerhouse Arts Youth Apprenticeship Program, a non-proďŹ t that pairs students with professionals in the arts, has taken the reins to refashion the oncecondemned structure into a space that serves youth and the community. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nationwide, especially in urban communities, there is a big movement to reclaim these spaces and re-purpose them for education and job training,â&#x20AC;? Executive Director McCrae Parker said.

Apprenticeship programs where youth ages 14-17 learn skills and earn stipends working in a wide array of artcentric programs, will eventually be featured in the Geneva Car Barn with

So far, two semesters of the programs demolition in 1998 following a decade of other community-focused facilities. have been held: one last summer in partThe approximately 18,000-square- disuse.

However, the community rallied to nership with City Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s culinary foot building, which stands across the street from Balboa BART station, will save the landmark building and succeed- program, and a woodworking class this fall at Lick-Wilmerding High School. be remodeled to include elevators, class- ed.

Future sessions in collaboration with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Neighborhood advocates saved the rooms, conference rooms, art showcases, gathering areas, retail spaces, a coffee- building by the idea that it could be a arts organizations such as Youth Speaks, house, a 100-seat theater and perfor- community resource,â&#x20AC;? Parker said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They 826 Valencia and Bay Area Video Coalisaw a need for an arts and community tion will expand the curriculum to include mance stage. literary, photographic, video, audio and Over the past year Aidlin Darling center.â&#x20AC;? technical arts.

Design has met with project â&#x20AC;&#x153;The direction we are going in afďŹ liates and student orgais incorporating arts that are most nizations to ďŹ gure out what effective for potential use in practical the building needs to be, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nationwide, especially in urban commuapplication to the studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s environarchitect Rosalyn Cole said. nities, there is a big movement to reclaim â&#x20AC;&#x153;We know the direction these spaces and re-purpose them for edu- ment,â&#x20AC;? Liu said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are frequent ďŹ eld trips to expose them to as many of the design, we have the situations where the art they are cost estimate â&#x20AC;Ś and we are cation and job training.â&#x20AC;? learning is implemented in profesall set to move into the next â&#x20AC;&#x201D; McCrae Parker sional settings.â&#x20AC;? phase after fundraising is Executive Director, The apprenticeship programs completed,â&#x20AC;? Cole said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Powerhouse Arts Youth Apprenticeship Program cater solely to students who live in an exciting project to rehaor go to school in District 11, but the bilitate this building that is Car Barn, when renovated, will serve a historic landmark and has so much potential.â&#x20AC;?

District 11 is nearly devoid of youth- all of the district.

The afterschool apprenticeship classThe renovations are drafted to ensure focused community services, and yet has the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historic features are the highest percentage of youth in the es have yielded positive feedback and members of the community are enthusipreserved. The construction process will city, Parker said. take 14 months and cost $16.2 million.

The arts non-proďŹ t recognized that astic about the Car Barnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s potential for As of now, the boarded-up building need could be met through the reincarna- revitalizing the district, Parker said.

A showcase of the apprenticeship with Queen Anne turret has no working tion of the Geneva Car Barn paired with program where students will present their facilities, and is predominately inhabited its growing apprenticeship programs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are developing these programs work, will take place at Lick-Wilmerding by pigeons.

Muni used the building as an admin- based on what youth in the community High School on Dec. 11 at 6 p.m. istrative center up until it was condemned wanted,â&#x20AC;? Program Director Kenji Liu in 1989 after being severely damaged in said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re taking into account what is Email: the Loma Prieta earthquake and slated for happening in District 11.â&#x20AC;? ikramer@theguardsman.com

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Opinions&Editorials

THE GUARDSMAN

THE GUARDSMAN City College of San Francisco’s Newspaper Since 1935

Buy the whiskey, eat the unicorn

Editor in Chief Greg Zeman

sive, gut-wrenching years. That is, if everything goes as planned.

But I must embrace it. After all, these are the best years of our lives, right? When else in my life will I be able to take 15 units of classes, while simultaneously working 45 hours per week... during a recession?

I’m almost certain the only thing keeping me from completely losing my mind this semester was a combination of support from my loved ones and, of course, the Giants winning the World Series.

News Editors Alex Mullaney Opinions & Editorials Editor Nick Palm Cultures & Trends Editor Estela Fuentes Sports Editor Ryan Kuhn Online Editor Dominick Delgadillo Multimedia Editor Angela Penny Photo Editor Ramsey El-Qare Assistant Photo Editor Frank Ladra Chief Copy Editor Atticus Morris Copy Editors Don Clyde Alex Luthi Staff Writers Isaiah Kramer Catherine Lee Kwame Opoku-Doku Gayle Yglesias Photographers Celeste Bogle Dishon Irving Donald Hamilton Frank Ladra Patrick Makiri Robert Romano Tim Taechotirote Roderick Tannehill Rachel VanZandt James Fanucchi

DECEMBER 9, 2010

During the last semester, I’ve grown a lot in many ways. One semester as the “opinions and editorials” editor was more than enough. Yet from it, I’ve grown as a writer.

I’ve also managed to grow physically. The daunting task of packing on my “winter weight” was a complete success: I’m finally warm.

I began this semester preaching about riding unicorns, rivers of whiskey, and other magically optimistic figments of my insanity. But after the beating I’ve taken

over the last 18 weeks, I’d rather just eat the unicorn, and buy the whiskey from a liquor store.

I feel a little relieved though, because my application and essay for SF State was written, completed, and submitted with plenty of time before the deadline (six hours). The downside is, I won’t find out if I am accepted until around April, leaving me in educational purgatory for the time being.

And I’ve finally come to terms with the fact that my college career will probably last another three years—three long, expen-

I leave you with this Writing this column was meant to help myself and others like me—“trapped” at City College for years, wanting to break out and move on with our lives and careers. If I was able to make just one student chuckle or think—simply relieving their stress for a split second—then I’ve done my job.

The following is some advice I’d like to give to all City College students. And I’ll try to not sound like a cult leader, rambling off his final sermon, hunched over a bowl of “punch.”

Students, you may be here

Faculty Adviser Juan Gonzales

California Newspaper Publisher’s Association Journalism Association of Community Colleges

To advertise in our newspaper please contact our Advertising Manager Tristan Covello or Michael Brandt at advertising@theguardsman. com How to contact us: Mail: 50 Phelan Ave Box V-67 San Francisco, CA 94112 Phone: (415) 239-3446 Fax: (415) 239-3884 E-mail: email@theguardsman.com Online: www.theguardsman. com

E-mail: npalm@theguardsman.com

‘Maverick’ McCain’s obsession makes us ask, but we just can’t tell

Web Media Ian Mc Donald Contributing Writer Omri Petitte

for a while, so get used to it.

And don’t be ashamed of attending a community college, we’ve actually got it pretty good here.

Chances are, attending City College will never cause you to go into debt. And for the most part, you can actually register for the classes you want. From what I hear, attending a CSU, UC, or private college is the exact opposite. (Although I hear their intermural ultimate frisbee leagues are top notch!)

Take your time, and don’t rush into declaring a major. That’s what this school is for. Take a variety of classes you think might interest you until you find your fit. You’ll be much happier in the long run.

If you ever feel dizzy or lightheaded during a math class, simply open your mouth and suck in air. You probably stopped breathing, due to what I refer to as “Equation Overload Syndrome.”

Farewell my friends, and enjoy the Holidays.

By Frank Ladra THE GUARDSMAN

Though T Th ough it’s not much mu of a surprise to most Americans, Ame thee Pe th Pentagon ent n agon has announced favor i aall in allowing llow o ing gay men and women wom to servee op se openly open e ly in the military, citing there wouldd be very very little impact on each branch’s br ability ab bilit i y to t conduct business as normal.

But leave it to Senator John McCain McC to oppose op ppose the findings of a study executed ex by the nation’s top defense and m military officials, even when his arguments argument leave him grasping at any available st straw in an attempt to dissuade decisi decision on the matter.

The Pentagon’s study, designed to survey the op opinions of service members surroundsur ing the repeal of the mil military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, p responses received 231,000 resp over an undisclosed time period.

The most humi humiliating challenge pr presented by M McCain (and opposo ing conserc vati tive vatives) is the rrequest for separate hhousing and shower facilities for those uncomfo uncomfortable

with serving together. This would be a logistical nightmare, and it’s highly reminiscent of the 1960s “separate but equal” facilities for people of color.

McCain seems to be expecting a huge ordeal, where gays will be overtly flamboyant, flaunting their gayness and completely disregarding responsibility, even though there are countless examples proving otherwise.

The authors of the Pentagon’s report say that based on observations of workplaces in civilian society, gay and lesbian troops would continue to be discreet about their personal lives, even with a repeal.

There’s little argument as to whether or not McCain, a former naval aviator in the Vietnam War, has enough clout to be considered an expert in military affairs. But with such drastic, unnecessary and frankly, homophobic opposition to gays in the military, one might begin to wonder what the senator really means when he says “I speak from personal experience.”

His objection that 58 percent of the Marines in combat that were surveyed oppose the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” ignored the fact that 70 percent of all surveyed service members— combat or not—are in favor of the repeal.

When McCain stated his belief that these combat troops should have the decision to serve with whom they choose, regardless of overall opinion, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates pointed out that never in American history has a referendum been implemented based on service members’ opinions. Such matters are best left for the court’s decision.

E-mail: fladra@theguardsman.com

Opinions&Editorials

DECEMBER 9, 2010

THE GUARDSMAN

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War criminal George W. Bush still at large

By Robert Romano THE GUARDSMAN

If George W. Bush were arrested and prosecuted for the war crimes committed during his time in office, it would show the world that America can hold powerful government figures accountable for crimes the same way it does ordinary citizens.

Trevor Case, an ordinary citizen from Lancaster, Calif., was arrested after allegedly waterboarding his girlfriend, Danielle Stallworth on Oct. 28 of this year.

Moises Cotto, an ordinary citizen and pastor from New Jersey, was arrested for allegedly kidnapping and forcing teenage members of his congregation to photograph him in sexual positions and pose naked in photographs with him.

Cotto’s despicable acts are mirror images of the torture that occurred at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq from 2004 to 2006.

As photographic evidence shows, interrogators from the United States Military forced prisoners to pose in sexual positions for their own amusement.

At the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, supposed al-Qaida member Abu Zubaydah was waterboarded. He was tied down, his nose and mouth were wrapped in plastic, and water was poured down his throat—simulating drowning.

Even though it was eventually deter-

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mined that Zubaydah was not connected to al-Qaida, nor was he involved in any terrorist attacks, he is still in custody in Guantanamo Bay. In Bush’s 2010 memoir “Decision

Points,” when asked by the CIA for approval to waterboard detainees, he replied, “Damn right.” He added,”No doubt the procedure was tough, but medical experts assured the CIA that it did no

lasting harm."

I’m sure plenty of lasting harm was done to Zubaydah, who has been held without charge since 2002.

Meanwhile, President Obama is sending the message that like Bush, he is above the law.

In February 2008 Obama said, in a flourish of rhetorical doublespeak, “Today we are engaged in a deadly global struggle for those who would intimidate, torture, and murder people for exercising the most basic freedoms. If we are to win this struggle and spread those freedoms, we must keep our own moral compass pointed in a true direction.”

Mr. President, please don’t include me in your moral compass. My moral compass points me in the direction of taking action and defending the rights of others.

By not taking leadership and prosecuting George W. Bush and his cronies, Obama confirms that change is nothing more than belief and hope.

The next time someone asks you, “Whats up?” respond, “I am in danger of losing everything. At any minute my government can detain me and torture me... but besides that, I'm fine.”

E-mail: rromano@theguardsman.com

Founder Assange tempts fate, proves relevance of WikiLeaks

By Kwame Opoku-Duku THE GUARDSMAN

If Wikileaks founder Julian Assange had any questions about whether his website would change the way governments did their business, I think he got his answer this past week after releasing more than 250,000 leaked U.S. embassy “cables.”

In the two days since, Interpol has curiously put the WikiLeaks founder on its most-wanted list, for what it claims are sexual charges originating in Sweden.

The WikiLeaks website has been the target of continuous distributive denial of service attacks.

And multiple U.S. and world leaders have called for Assange’s assassination.

Still Assange has hinted at upcoming leaks, possibly involving Russia and a major U.S. bank.

There is little doubt that governing bodies are prepared to up the ante to keep state secrets and other damning information from the general public.

The fight to undermine WikiLeaks is already underway.

In a bipartisan-supported letter to Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., has called for the organization to be classified as engaging in terrorist activities. This would supposedly allow the freezing of WikiLeaks’ funding.

Clinton, who has the authority to classify WikiLeaks a Foreign Terrorist Organization, has refrained from using the label thus far, but has called the leaks “an attack on the international community.” This kind of

language more than leaves open the possibility of WikiLinks being labeled an FTO in the future.

No matter what you think of Assange, one thing is sure: His organization has the potential to change the world forever (if it hasn’t already), and catapult us into a global society where no government secrets are safe.

Assange—currently in hiding—seems unaffected by the barrage of criticism. The “martyr” label seems to fit him. He makes no apologies for his life’s work.

Openly challenging world leaders to prove any wrongdoing on the part of Wikileaks, he promises to keep releasing documents until the world’s governments are truly transparent.

But with the vast majority of the cables unreleased so far, the burning questions is: “Where, when and how will this end?”

Upon first learning of the leaks, I vacillated between giddiness—learning of Lybian leader Muammar al-Qadhafi’s “voluptuous blonde” Ukrainian nurse, and uneasy resignation—learning Secretary Clinton continued the Bush administration practice of ordering diplomats to spy on members of the United Nations.

It has been said these leaks are nothing more than a cause of embarrassment to state officials. But while Assange’s legend grows in notoriety, the true crimes of the U.S. government have not been questioned by any of the politicians calling for Assange’s murder.

I see several problems with WikiLeaks, which could explain why the organization does not

COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was arrested in the U.K. Dec. 7 on charges which Assange claims are politically motivated. He has been denied bail and the U.S. is seeking to extradite him.

enjoy universal support.

The first is the potential for a modern-day Pandora’s Box. Because leaks of this magnitude have never occurred in the past, only time will tell if these secrets coming into the public light will actually harm the U.S. and its allies. Any other speculation is just that.

Secondly, because so little is known about how WikiLeaks is funded, it is impossible to know the political ambitions, or targets of Assange and his group.

A candidate for TIME’s 2010 Person of the Year, Assange has kept a pretty high profile this year, often sending advance warnings to groups he plans on exposing.

He portrays himself as an

idealist, working for the good of the common man, and yet all of this seems to be benefiting his celebrity more than anything.

Lastly, Assange claims these leaks will force governments to work in a more open manner. If he believes that, then his naivety could be more dangerous than his ambition.

Does he really believe the U.S. government’s “top brass” would let that happen? Does he think they wouldn’t do everything in their power to stop it? If anything, governments will use this as a catalyst for operating in a more efficiently covert fashion I’m a little nervous. The strange-but-true story of WikiLeaks is the stuff that movies are

made about. But I just can’t see this ending well for Assange.

With every cable released, every secret exposed, he garners more enemies.

The global attack on WikLeaks is constant and unflinching. The bloodlust Americans are so famous for, is driving conservatives into a frenzy. And in the end, I just don’t know if the world is big enough for him to hide, especially if he insists on doing his business outside of caves in the Middle East.

E-mail: kopokuduku@theguardsman.com

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Opinions&Editorials

THE GUARDSMAN

DECEMBER 9, 2010

The TSA’s gift to holiday travelers will touch much more than their hearts If you plan on flying this holiday season, get ready for a special present form the Transportation Security Administration—a fullbody rubdown with extra attention paid to your most sensitive areas.

It looks like the United States has gone from a country devoted to personal liberty to one that doesn’t recognize petty tyranny—even when it reaches out and grabs them by the junk.

In 2009, the company Rapiscan Security Systems was selected by the TSA to provide “whole body imaging” technology for use in airports.

The funding for the TSA has been expanded by 11 percent since 2009, an increase of over S1 billion, almost entirely for the purchase of full-body image scanners and the implementation of new security procedures.

The scanners use X-Ray technology to look underneath passenger’s clothing and provide about as much anatomical detail as a slightly fuzzy negative of a photograph. But it’s OK if you don’t want to walk through one, so long as you’re willing to be aggressively felt up by TSA agents.

According to a travel advisory released by the National Center for Transgender Equality, the new pat downs involve TSA agents, “using their palms and fingers to touch underneath and between breasts, inside thighs, and in the groin area and buttocks.”

The X-Ray “backscatter” technology in the full-body imaging scanners has been called “soft” and “safe” by the TSA, but not everyone is convinced.

According to a letter sent to the TSA by several scientists at University of California San Francisco, “There is good reason to believe that these scanners will increase the risk of cancer to children and other vulnerable populations.”

In that same letter, the popu-

lar notion that a person receives higher radiation doses when flying or receiving a medical X-Ray was refuted.

“These new airport scanners are largely depositing their energy into the skin and immediately adjacent tissue, and since this is such a small fraction of body weight/vol, possibly by one to two orders of magnitude, the real dose to the skin is now high,” the letter said.

A “choice” between a potentially harmful dose of radiation— never mind the dehumanizing experience of essentially being photographed naked by a stranger in public—and being fondled by a stranger in public, is not much of a choice.

Even Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said she would not want to undergo that level of physical scrutiny.

“I understand how difficult it is, and how offensive it must be for the people who are going through it,” she said.

But the “choice” between being irradiated and being fondled still remains.

And if you try to back out of both options? The TSA is promising that you will not fly and that you could face up to $11,000 in fines.

John Tyner, the man now famous for his viral video which shows him telling a TSA agent “If you touch my junk I’m going to have you arrested,” is under investigation for refusing the search and leaving the airport. The original fine has been increased to an undisclosed amount and the federal government is probing his personal life.

As one of the searching agents put it to Mr. Tyner, “When you buy your ticket, you give up a lot of rights.”

The revolutionaries who waged a guerilla war against the largest colonial power in the world to establish this nation

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR I sympathize with Steven Li but the claims made by its mother are half truth.

First of all, Peru experienced political turmoil during the 80's and 90's due to the Shinning Path—a Maoist terrorist group that was considered at that time the bloodiest one on earth.Their movement was crushed by Alberto Fujimori, a Peruvian president of Japanese background.

It is during the decades of the 80's and 90's in which millions of Peruvians left Peru seeking fortune in Japan,Europe and the USA.The majority held tourists visas and sought political asylum, despite the fact that they were not persecuted—it

Searching for safer skies Transportation officials plan to install 1,800 body-scanning machines at U.S. airports. Security experts worry that the devices can't see objects hidden in the groin or inside the body. There is also concern about human failure because they rely on officers viewing monitors to spot prohibited items. Here is how one such device works:

How a millimeter wave body scanner works

1

A person enters the portal and raises both arms in preparation for the scan, which can take as little as four seconds

2

Antennas rotate around the person, emitting beams of radio frequency energy, or millimeter waves, toward the body

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3

The millimeter waves bounce off the body and back to receivers, which record the waves and use them to build threedimensional images

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4

Screening officers in a remote location analyze the images, looking for weapons or contraband; the images — with details of faces blurred — are then deleted

SOURCE: Source

Source: Transportation Security Administration, L-3 Security & Detection Systems Inc. Graphic: Chicago Tribune

left ensuing generations—we, the people—the responsibility of continuing their unfinished work.

But we live in apathetic times.

When your government— particularly an administration hired by the voters largely to scale back over-zealous security—starts implementing excessive searches using the same hollow excuses as the one it was supposed to replace, there is a problem.

When the people can take the time to rant and rave on message boards, blogs and other purportedly relevant social organizing tools—but can’t find the courage to actually take a stand on this or any other issue—there is a real crisis of values.

In an editorial he wrote for the New York Times, security

was a trick that many tried to pull knowing that nobody would check on it.

There are few cases of Peruvians of any background that have had to seek political asylum.

It is truth that racial discrimination is still a a problem in Peru, but the one's who have experienced and still suffer this problem are Peruvians of Andean features and the Afro-Peruvians.

The Asian community has experienced discrimination but there are many prominent Chinese Peruvians in Peru’s congress as well as many prosperous Chinese-Peruvian businessmen who have succeed in Peruvian society.

Furthermore,the Chinese-Peruvians community is the largest one in Latin America.

I hope Steve Li get his wishes to stay in the USA and pursue his dreams, but

© 2010 MCT

technologist Bruce Schneier said the public and government hysteria resulting the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 have had no measurable effect except the erosion of our civil liberties.

“Exactly two things have made airplane travel safer since 9/11: reinforcing the cockpit door, and convincing passengers they need to fight back,” Shneier wrote, “Everything else has been a waste of money.”

We all fail to live up to our responsibilities as citizens in more ways than one, but perhaps the worst is our apathy in the defense of liberty.

It doesn’t matter if you believe the protections afforded you by the Constitution come from God or human design, the indisputable fact is that it falls upon the citi-

without having his mother using the race card.

Vito Restani Baldassari, peruvian 100 percent

The political turmoil in Peru that began in 1980 has claimed roughly 70,00 lives, so I don’t see how those Peruvians who have sought asylum here are exaggerating the danger they face.

Also, I wouldn’t idealize the “achievements’ of Alberto Fujimori—a man who abolished Peru’s constitution, dissolved Peru’s congress because he didn’t feel it it was cooperative enough and who is currently serving a prison term for murder, kidnapping and his role in the other atrocities committed by the Grupo Colina death squad, including the Barrios Altos, La Cantuta and Santa massa-

zens to defend and, if necessary, expand their rights.

For instance, the expansion of rights for ethnic minorities achieved by the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Just as it sometimes becomes vital to impose the will of the electorate on our elected officials—through the ballot or some other means—it is equally important for citizens to stand against inappropriate decreases in the protections of their liberty.

And the fact that we haven’t, either means we simply don’t care anymore or we secretly like all the extra attention being paid to our junk.

Email: email@theguardsman.com

cres And just because some individuals from an ethnic community have experienced business or political success in a particular country doesn’t mean that all or even most of that community is experiencing success in that country—you might want to call Paul Mooney and “Ask a Black guy” about that.

Additionally, the Shinning Path still exists despite Fujimori’s attempts to crush it. As recently as April of this year, the Shinning Path made headlines in Peru for killing police and civilians.

Here’s hoping the Dream Act passes and Steve Li—and other undocumented youth dreaming of an opportunity to give back to the country which has become their home—get the justice they deserve.

Thanks for your letter.

—Greg Zeman

Photostory

DECEMBER 9, 2010

THE GUARDSMAN

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ROBERT ROMANO / THE GUARDSMAN

Mechica dancers gather to dance in prayer. Mechicas are commonly known as Aztecs, the name given to them by the Spaniards.

Original San Franciscans host annual sunrise gathering on Alcatraz island (left)“Indians Welcome” Graffiti written on the wall of Alcatraz prison during the American Indian Movement’s takover of the Island in 1969.

ROBERT ROMANO / THE GUARDSMAN

(center)Fred Short partakes in the Sunrise Ceremony on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay on Nov. 25. He along with other tribe elders prepared to lead the oppening procession to the prayer circle.

By Estela Fuentes THE GUARDSMAN

Thousands gathered at San Francisco's Pier 33 in the early morning of Thanksgiving Day to set sail for Alcatraz Island for the Native American Annual Sunrise Ceremony hosted by the Ohlone tribe.

The Sunrise Ceremony is a celebration of survival and resistance of Native American tribes from the oppression, violence and discrimination they've had to endure since America was "discovered." Many different tribes from across California, as well as other states, came to take part in the event.

Tribe elders aboard the first ferry beat a drum intensely and chanted while the boat slowly made its way to Alcatraz. At the same time people lit small bundles of sage and passed them around the crowd of people that circled around the elders.

Once on Alcatraz, the elders lead the mass of people up the hill of the island to where the ceremony took place. A bonfire was already waiting for everyone at the top, with a beautiful view of San Francisco as a backdrop.

People gathered together in a massive circle around the fire

with all tribe elders in the inner circle. The ceremony began with Pomo Dancers, dancing around the bonfire barefoot. The women wore colorful cotton clothing and the men only wore shorts and loin cloths.

Jeremy Goodfeather also shared with the crowed his newest song “Accidentally Brown” dedicated to immigrates in our nation.

As the sun slowly began to make its appearance, tinting the sky in many shades of orange, tribe leaders began chanting in their native dialects, thanking the creator for life and all of its splendor.

During the prayer, an elder wearing a bear skin—representing the bear spirit—walked around the bonfire welcoming the sun as it brought light over the island. The ceremony ended with Mechica dances in honor of the sun.

The entire ceremony was broadcast live over the radio.

But everyone was asked to shut off all cameras and video equipment once praying began in order to preserve the sacredness of the rituals and traditions.

Email: efuentes@theguardsman.com

(Bottom) Pomo dancers gather around the bonfire to perform a ritual dance for the sun at the beginning of the ceremony.

ROBERT ROMANO / THE GUARDSMAN

RAMSEY EL-QARE / THE GUARDSMAN

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THE GUARDSMAN

Culture&Trends

DECEMBER 9, 2010

Holiday Gift Guide 2010 Kinect This holiday season, prepare to experience gaming like you never have before with Kinect for the Xbox 360.

The body-recognition technology mirrors your motions and gives you the opportunity to play games without the use of a controller. It allows for a fun-filled night for family members of all ages, letting you get off the couch and literally, be part of the game. The “Kinect Adventures” game is included with the purchase of the device.

This item can be found at your local Best Buy, Target or Toys “R” Us store for $149.99.

Boogie Board To most, the thought of LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) conjures up the idea of a computer or laptop, but now imagine an LCD as a piece of paper. The good people at Brookstone have created an affordable “paperless LCD writing tablet,” coined the LCD Boogie Board™.

Just in time for the holiday season, you can leave notes or draw pictures for a friend using a stylus on its 40-squareinch writing surface. At the size of a small notebook, and requiring no battery replacement until after 50,000 erases, this LCD tablet would be an awesome present for kids, adults, basically anyone!

The LCD Boogie Board™ can be purchased online at Brookstone.com or in Brookstone stores for $39.95 plus tax.

4th Amendment Wear

If you’re experiencing difficulty shopping for that anti-authoritarian in your life, this is the perfect gift: “4th Amendment Wear.” It seems that some enterprising smart-asses discovered a type of ink that will show up on those TSA scanner things, and have used it to print shirts, socks and undergarments embossed with the Fourth Amendment.

And if that’s not provocative enough, they’ve also made bras and underwear which bluntly state: “Read the 4th Amendment pervert.” The designers claim they are more interested in creating a dialog than selling clothes, but they’d probably appreciate your money just the same.

Items range from $20-$30, and can only be purchased from http://cargocollective.com /4thamendment. Hurry up and get yours today.

Ms. Bento Lunch Jar Set With today’s on-the-go lifestyle, eating a good meal isn’t always a healthy or affordable option. Brown bagging food from home is a viable alternative, but eating the same room-temperature items can become monotonous.

The Zojirushi Ms. Bento Stainless-Steel Lunch Jar Set is the perfect solution for bringing those warm (or cold) home-cooked meals to work, school, or anywhere else that might not have a microwave or refrigerator. Using vacuum insulation, the stainless steel main jar holds three containers of varying sizes, and retains heat or cold for up to six hours.

The set, which includes a tote and utensil, is available for $40.99 (with free shipping) at Zappos.com.

Oxfarm Gifts Give the guilt-free gift of saving the world! Oxfam is “an international relief and development organization that creates lasting solutions to poverty, hunger, and injustice.”

They are a non-profit that want to help us share our love and values with each other and with those in need.

They’ve made it easy to give a poop about the world and to make a difference in the lives of those in need.

Gifts range from $12 to $10,000 and are all documented by a lovely gift card you can mail or email to your loved ones. You can give goats, you can give water purification, and you’ll give the gift of perpetuating peace and community during the holiday season. Items can be purchased over the phone 24 hours a day by calling 1-800-850-7608 or online at http://www.oxfamamericaunwrapped.com/

Culture&Trends

DECEMBER 9, 2010

THE GUARDSMAN

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Musical array: 10 must have albums of 2010

By Atticus Morris THE GUARDSMAN

Thanks to the Internet and the explosion in affordable digital recording technology, we live in an age of unparalleled abundance when it comes to music. Never have there been more people making more varieties of music that is more readily available.

I feel for the those who believe the best records have already been made, but I humbly suggest they search a little harder before making such pronouncements.

Here are 10 of my favorites from 2010: Toro Y Moi – “Causers of This” One of the best things to emerge from the unfortunately titled micro genre of “chillwave,” this is the aural equivalent of a cloudless summer day in lo-res. These, sun-drenched jams—characterized by dayglo synths, breezy harmonies and shuffling rhythms—have a pleasantly awkward DIY appeal.

There’s this distinct ‘70s-publicbroadcast quality to them, but it’s warped like vinyl left out in the sun.

Deerhunter – “Halcyon Digest” Although frontman and mastermind Bradford Cox has long been revered by discerning ears for his song writing, much of

his pop genius has been obscured (at least partially) by a fog of reverberating feedback and sonic experimentation. This time, all of the extraneous noise has been chipped away, leaving perfectly sculpted gems of garage-y indie pop. Almost every hook has been stuck in my head at one point or another.

Gonjasufi – “A Sufi & a Killer” A hermetic recluse who dwells in the desolation of the Mojave Desert, Sufi channels his strong mystical inclinations— everything from Haile Selassie to the Bhagavad Gita to the already implied Sufism—through his music. To say this man is eclectic in his tastes would be an understatement. This is a lo-fi odyssey, which draws its inspiration from literally all over the map. Dusty hip-hop drums, American freeform jazz, pan-Asian world music and hard ‘60s psychedelia collide to form something unique, and surprisingly cohesive.

The Black Keys – “Brothers” These two white guys have been making authentic sounding blues for a minute now. Not content with merely tapping the perennial strength of pop music’s ancestor, they deftly update its sound, adding flavors well outside the blues palette. They keep the vibe old school though, never for a second sacrificing

what makes the blues “the blues”: its embodiment of the universal human experience of prevailing through hardship. This album is, essentially, more of the same, but when you do something really well, why change the recipe?

Holy Fuck – “Latin” Contrary to what the name suggests, there’s nothing nothing Hispanic or tropical about this at all. In fact this band are a bunch of white guys from Toronto. The music is a study in aesthetic contrast. These sprawling tunes are full of kinetic attitude—chaotic jumbles of spacey electronics, guitar feedback, and droning noise leashed only by the metronomic precision of a vicelike rhythm section. Bordering on progressive rock in some places, while elsewhere straying into dance music, it remains a difficult (though thoroughly satisfying) sound to nail down.

Big Boi – “Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty” It was a long time coming— three years of music-industry red tape to be exact—but the muchanticipated solo debut from half of hip-hop’s most creatively daring act, Outkast, finally dropped this summer. Even without the help of iconic cohort Andre 3000, Big Boi knocked this one clear out of the park. “Chico Dusty” neatly appropriates the best of 50-some-

odd years of black music without ever sounding contrived or forced.

LCD Soundsystem – “This is Happening” LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy is known for making dance music with the hedonistic excess of a rock star and this is probably his most fully realized album yet. The bombastic grooves—crafted by a full band using guitars, live drums, synthesizers and cow bells (always lots of cow bells)—are pushed clear over the edge by Murphy’s largerthan-life persona. This is as good of a party album as you’re likely to find.

Darkstar – “North” If computers could write balladry, this record is probably what would emerge after a robot—awash in synthesized sorrow—finished pouring its circuit board out.

Manifold layers of artificial instrumentation create dense and emotive soundscapes, where despondent melodies weave together overlapping textures which stutter and glitch to a paranoid, and slightly disorienting, effect. The vocals—heavily processed until they routinely become granular and out of focus—are haunting.

The Books – “The Way Out” These classically trained musicians build compositions

with cello, guitar, electric bass and a cornucopia of weird, offthe-cuff sounds they’ve either sampled or recorded themselves.

The result is a kaleidoscopic listening experience where shifting bits of advertisements, orchestral pieces or street ambiance revolve around some anchoring element(s) that could be a guitar riff, a reversed cello part or an 808 kick drum. Simply put, they are a genre unto themselves.

Baths – “Cerulean” A sublime marriage of indie rock and electronic music, “Cerulean” whirs with razor sharp rhythms that merge and splinter, ricocheting through dreamy atmospheres. Synthesizers flutter and swell beneath falsetto harmonies, acoustic guitar and lots of piano. There’s a glut of artists right now attempting this type of synergy, with results that generally range from mediocre to God-awful. Baths makes it look effortless.

I could have made this list five or six times longer, but it’s already close to 900 words, so I’ll just reiterate there is tons of interesting music around at the moment.

Email: amorris@theguardsman.com

Bioware enhances Star Wars gaming experience

By Omri Pettite

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

BioWare’s aversion to forcing players to rummage through bushes for crafting materials plays a significant role in its innovative approach to resource collecting and item creation.

Massively multiplayer online games typically suffer from extremely mundane crafting systems, but Lucas Arts “Star Wars:The Old Republic’s” introduction of non-player companion characters—a staple of BioWare games—cleanly takes care of all the muckwork inherent in crafting.

The secret? Delegation.

“We drew a line in the sand when it came to boring tasks in ‘The Old Republic,’” says lead writer Daniel Erickson. “We constantly ask ourselves, ‘What would Darth Vader do?,’ and it certainly wouldn’t involve making 60 pairs of boots.”

TOR’s “crew skills” system is split into three main categories: gathering, crafting and missions.

The whole shebang is designed for players to capitalize on their retinue of companions who join up throughout the course of the game.

“You can take one companion with you for questing, but what about the rest of the group left behind on your ship?” Erickson asks. “The crew skills system was created to put them to work for you.”

And the entire process can

be completely hands-off. “We’re giving the player the power to say, ‘Hey, I’m in charge, and I’ve always got something for my crew to do,’ which adheres to the heroic theme of the films,” Erickson says.

For example, the gathering aspect of the crew skills system can be used to tap into hard-toreach resource nodes.

Let’s say you spot some tricky mineral ore behind a formidable beastie; grab the creature’s attention and send your companion after the node. They’ll scoop up the precious cargo and lope back to your side.

In fact, players can set their companions to automatically harvest any nearby resources, allowing you to focus on more important matters, like killing things in the name of the Sith Empire or the Republic within the much-touted, story-driven gameplay.

“Crafting” takes place entirely on your ship. Once more, you don’t have to lift a finger to get results. Simply call forth your crew members and give them orders to get crafting. Afterwards, you can kick back in your captain’s quarters, relax and fire up a game of “Sabacc” while your team toils away at the workbench.

And even though crafting times vary “from five minutes to 23 hours,” according to Erickson, “You don’t have to be online to progress your projects.”

Essentially, this liberating feature turns the crafting in

COURTESY OF LUCAS ARTS

Bioware and Lucas Arts are set to release a new massively-multiplayer online PC game Star Wars: The Old Republic. Players can choose sides and do tasks that define the path of the story line.

“TOR” into a measure of time rather than an arbitrary skill number.

“Set your jobs, give your crew something to craft, and sign off. They’ll keep right on working until the next time you sign on.” he said.

“What are the great parts of crafting? The social aspect, the prestige, and being able to show your stamp of approval on the things you make.” Erickson noted. “What’s not exciting?

Watching a status bar 60 times in a row while staring at a wall.”

And finally, even brave, silver-tongued heroes need a break from adventuring and hobnobbing with prominence

throughout the galaxy. Enter the “mission system,” perhaps the most lucrative, risky and unique feature of crew skills.

Companions can be sent on a variety of missions ranging from diplomatic negotiations (which earn you “Dark side” or “Light side” morality points) to chanceheavy treasure hunts.

“Every companion is better suited for specific types of missions, and hence a higher chance to get that sweet piece of loot, or an extra bunch of morality points.” Erickson said.

Sending the spunky Twi’lek Vette—whose resume includes the occupation of “treasure hunter”—to find loot will usually

yield better results than sending someone else. Assigning the witty Kaliyo Djannis to conduct talks can nudge you a little further towards the Light side or Dark side.

Ultimately, crew skills empower players to “do something interesting and active” with their companions. And while the notion of fashioning dozens of boots may not jive with Darth Vader’s aesthetic, your faithful crew’s eagerness to gather resources, produce higher quality items and complete missions for you, certainly increases the fun factor in a galaxy far, far away.

Email: email@theguardsman.com

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THE GUARDSMAN

Comics

ALL CONTENT COURTESY OF MCT

C O M I C S

DECEMBER 9, 2010

Sports

DECEMBER 9, 2010

THE WATER COOLER

BY BONTÃ HILL

One month after the San Francisco Giants’ World Series clinching win, I’d think the euphoric feeling of walking around the city as a champion would have worn off by now.

Nope. The natural high of witnessing a team that’s put me to tears and heart ache do something I didn’t think was possible lingers.

I’m still jubilant after watching the Giants scrap and steal the World Series for the first time since 1954, when they were the New York Giants.

I’m not sure if I’m feeling like this because we actually won it, (which for the third time I’ll mention, hasn’t sunk in yet), or because of the partying, parading, and beer drinking I did with the wackiest fan base in America.

One night sticks out to me about this storybook run, the night of Oct. 28. It’s a story I’ll probably be telling when I’m in a rocking chair playing with my dentures.

Right before game two of the World Series, I did a favor for a friend by dropping him and his buddy down at the ballpark so they could attend the game on time. Not realizing that they

didn’t have “actual” tickets.

I was asked if I wanted to join the party at Pac Bell Park (I know it’s AT&T, but I prefer the original name).

I was actually challenged with an, “If you have any balls, your ass will be in this game with us.”

Well, after getting my cojones checked, I was walking up the center field stairs just as Edgar Renteria was rounding the bases to give the Giants a 1-0 lead.

Without spending a penny, An inning later, I’m chomping on free nachos after running into my boy Derek “D-rock” Davenport. I’m having the time of my life watching the Rangers bullpen get so rattled by the fake beards, Tim Lincecum wigs and marijuana smoke.

After watching some people smoke out of an apple in the ballpark, listening to fans chant U-RIBE a thousand times, and chugging Silver Bullets at Momo’s (Coors Light for you non-GAMERS!), that is when it hit me.

The Giants were really on the verge of doing something that no baseball team has in the city of San Francisco – Win a damn championship.

To think that one of their close buddies decided to keep his word and sit in a foreign language class for three hours and skip watching his childhood team make history.

Bet you their boy is still kicking himself for one of the dumbest decisions he’s made in his lifetime.

My theory is he just wasn’t meant to live the life of a gamer.

After reading that, you’re probably wondering how the hell I went to game two for free. Ha! You want me to give away the master plan in a public newspaper and have ballpark security brighten up on how to prevent schemers getting inside the gates that Barry Bonds built? Not happening!

I was too young to really take in the effect that the 1989 World Series had on this town and the 2002 World Series team felt like it was more about Barry Bonds getting his first ring. 2002 also had more star power with Jeff Kent, J.T. Snow, Robb Nen and manager Dusty Baker (famous for the ole toothpick dangling off his lips).

This season truly felt like a team. The underdog boys didn’t clinch the division until the last day of the regular season and put their fan base through torture.

The same team I picked before the season to finish third in the National League West in this very same column.

To actually have a championship parade -- the jubilation will not be dying in this city anytime soon.

However, when the dust settles and Giants fans reflect on this magical run to the championship, it’ll be the craziness the night of Oct. 28 that will stick out to me.

THE GUARDSMAN

JAMES FANUCCHI / THE GUARDSMAN

After coming back from the Fresno City Tournament, the City College men’s basketball team came home and defeated San Jose City College 96-89 on Dec 3. Guard Jonathon Williams led the way for the Rams as he scored 27 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Other contributors included Fred Sturdivant and Collin Chiverton who each scored 21 points. In the first nine games of the season, Chiverton leads City College with 18.6 points a game which is second in the Coast Conference. The Rams (8-1) next game will be at the Delta Holiday Tournament on Dec 17 against Sierra College.

CITY COLLEGE SCOREBOARD Mens Soccer: Novemeber 23, 2010 Northern California playoffs loss to Fresno City 2-1.

Women’s Basketball: Novemeber 24, 2010 vs. DeAnza College win 71-68

email@theguardsman.com

BRANCH OUT

The Guardsman is recruiting staff members for the spring 2011 semester. We are looking for experienced photographers, writers and designers.

Visit Bungalow 214 or call (415) 239-3446

Try a class at Mills for the cost of a class at your school.

Mills College offers you: • Small, interactive classes taught by distinguished faculty • A unique range of courses to enhance your education • A scenic 135-acre campus conveniently located near freeways and public transportation • No additional application procedure required

Talk to your counselor today about January 2011 classes.

Students who are approved by their home institution to participate in cross-registration may enroll at Mills on a space-available basis.

| 11

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Oakland, CA 800.87.MILLS admission@mills.edu www.mills.edu/transfer

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Sports

THE GUARDSMAN

DECEMBER 9, 2010

DONALD HAMILTON / THE GUARDSMAN

Running back Robert Burton runs through the Fresno City College defense on his way to the end zone from a 39-yard run putting City College of San Francisco up 5215. Burton finished the game with his season high 40 yards. San Francisco now will play Mt. San Antonio College in the state championship game, Dec 9.

RAMS - 52 VS. FRESNO CITY COLLEGE - 15

RAMS RUN THROUGH FRESNO City College heads to State Championship

By Greg Zeman THE GUARDSMAN

With a spot in the state championship on the line, City College of San Francisco locked horns with Fresno City College, Nov. 27, as they crushed Fresno in a 52-15 victory.

The 14th annual San Francisco Hawaiian Punch Bowl was the site of victory where the undefeated City College of San Francisco Rams (11-0) clinched the 2010 Northern California Championship, their seventh regional championship in the last ten years.

The most recent Punch Bowl is number five in a string of Fresno bowl losses against San Francisco that started with a 41-7 defeat in 2000.

Now the Rams will face the also undefeated Mt. San

Antonio College Mounties—who won their fourth consecutive Southern California Championship after shutting out Cerritos College 50-0.

The Mounties are led by quarterback Nick Lamaison, who leads the state in yards passing with 3770 and 22 touchdown passes.

“It’s going to be the best team from the north versus the best from the south, the way it should be,” head coach George Rush said. “We got to work our asses off—everything is focus now.”

Jubilant chants came from the victorious Rams, who could only barely restrain their enthusiasm as they screamed, cheered and pounded on their lockers after the game.

“We worked for it all up til now,” said running back Kenny Haynes. “We’re brothers now. We wanted it and we’re hungry for the next win.”

The Rams got out to the early lead in the first quarter on a 20-yard touchdown pass caught by wide receiver Aaron Horne. It was his 12th touchdown reception of the season.

VS. Walnut, Calif.

1 p.m.

Afterwards, they never looked back.

Not only did the San Francisco offense excel during the air with quarterback Steele Jantz passing for 124 yards, he also ran for 116 yards and a career high four touchdown runs.

Jantz was also named Nocal Conference Offensive Player of the Year and finished the season passing for over 2800 yards, 23 touchdowns, and rushing for 613 yards.

Other post season awards that were awarded were Coach of the Year-George Rush, Defensive Player of the Year-Sua Tuala, and all conference recognition to David Garness, Ian McGuire, Kenny Haynes, Aaron Horne, JeMarcus Williams, Allen Chapman, Nigel Malone and Deshon Marman.

The state championship game will be Dec 11 at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif. Kickoff will be at 1 p.m.

Email: gzeman@theguardsman.com

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