Read about Diablo III on pg.7

www.theskylineview.com

September 29, 2011

Volume XXX - Issue 3

Read about live musical performance at skyline on pg.3

Read about former skyline basketball player on pg.8

Budget cuts affect transfer students Higher education financial crisis may change Skyline students’ transfer plans By Blair Hardee

The University of California budget crisis could deter California Community College students from transferring there, and is affecting the kind of students the UCs will accept. It’s been a long and difficult road for California higher education institutions, and it appears there will be more struggles ahead. Traditionally, a vast majority of students that transfer into the UC schools are from California Community Colleges. However, with the tuition price hike this year (and more to follow), the University of California system is becoming unattainable for many Skyline students. Skyline students worry about being able to pay their tuition and fees, especially since Skyline implemented its new policy on paying fees before classes start. If this policy carries over to other campuses, there will be serious concerns for students. “This affects me a lot,” said Skyline student Zachary Simon. “Personally, I owe over $600 [to Skyline]… What will happen if I try to transfer to UC Santa Barbara? What if this gets worse?” Already for the fall of 2011, the UCs approved two fee increases. Initially, the budget was set to be raised by 8 percent. But, shortly before the beginning of the fall semester, the Board of Regents voted again to increase the cost by an additional 9.6 percent. The total tuition UC students are paying this year comes out to more than $12,000. When you add books, room and board, and personal expenses, the total cost skyrockets to nearly

Image by Alyssa Koszis //The Skyline View

$30,000 per year. This is certainly not the last time the UCs will raise tuition. Infuriated by the lack of support from the state government, the Board laid out a long-term budget plan that would put the annual fee increase at about16 percent a year. At that rate, students will be paying about $22,000 in tuition by 2015. Combined with all other fees (assuming that those will remain constant, which is highly unlikely), the overall cost would be more than $37,000. “I think that most people in this country and around the world feel that education is a human right,” says Skyline student Micheal Madden. “That’s being chipped away at UC is supposed to be a public education—we’re talking private prices.” USC and Stanford (two of the most expensive private schools in California) cost close to $60,000 a year including all fees and supplies. However, the UC Board of Regents is threatening to continue tuition

government, increases for students would be nonexistent. The scenario in which every student pays the same tuition for four years (or even two) is unfortunately a nearly impossible one. Legislators and even Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom communicated their dissatisfaction with the long-term budget the Board suggested, and urged the UC system to think of other ways to fill the gap in funding. One method may already be in practice. It’s no surprise that California residents make up most of the student body on UC campuses, but since 2009 the number of out-ofstate and international students admitted has markedly increased. One of the most obvious examples of this comes from UC Berkeley. In 2009, only 7.9 percent of the freshman student body was from out of state. In 2010, the percentage of out-of-state students admitted leapt to 18.5 percent, and went even higher (to 21.6 percent) in 2011. Additionally, the percentage of international students

increases, every year until possibly 2015-16. And in addition to these fee increases, classes offered are filling up fast and many students won’t be able to get the ones they need. According to transfer counselor Jacqueline Escobar, the price and short supply of classes are causing many students to consider a private education. The price of the UCs is steadily approaching that of private schools, and Escobar says the size and availability of classes entices many students to look into schools like Santa Clara University and USC. No matter what, the cost of education at the UCs will rise 16 percent per student per year. The hope is that the government will offset that by granting the UCs a percentage of that increase, preferably at least 8 percent. That way, the money out of the students’ pockets would only be 8 percent more than it was before. If, by some unlikely circumstance, the UCs are able to get the entire 16 percent per year from the state

on the campus went from 5.7percent in 2009 to 9.6 percent in 2011. One might wonder why the UCs are suddenly less impenetrable to out-of-staters than they once were. The answer lies in the numbers. Tuition for non-California residents is more than $34,000 (more than $50,000 included fees and expenses), which is a staggering $23,000 more than what Californians pay to attend. While the UCs remain committed to allowing space for transfer students, the statistics clearly show that the UCs are rejecting in-state students in favor of non-residents who will pay more. The budget crisis is making it harder for Californians to complete their educations, for more reasons than one. It’s uncertain now, as it has been, how the crisis will be resolved and what the consequences will be for the higher education system. Time has run out for the budget to be approved, and every institution and program in the state is feeling the heat.

Trustee meeting predicts dire cuts Concerns over district voiced By Matt Pacelli The SMCCCD Board of Trustees adopted the final form of the 2011-2012 district budget in their bi-monthly meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 21. The budget projected a bleak outlook for Skyline College, CSM, and Canada College, all of which are already struggling with program cancellation and rising costs among the current financial situation. The budget projected that future restrictions on programs will be unavoidable in the near future, and basic aid may be required to maintain operation. Among possible scenarios where the district would be subject to cuts is the situation in which the state’s “trigger” systems are enacted. Separated into tiers one and two, the cuts would be triggered if sufficient state

revenue is not generated. Tier one merits a $30 million cut from the district, while tier two would bring a $102 million cut. Board Vice President and Clerk David Mandelkern voiced his concerns over the district’s financial future, questioning the district’s ability to maintain three campuses amid rampant fiscal challenges. “Given the ongoing budget cuts, how is it feasible to keep three functioning campuses, less than one million away from basic aid?” asked Mandelkern to the other board members. “Even a major earthquake could do us in.” Fellow board member and Executive Vice Chancellor Kathy Blackwood fielded his question, feeling that the basic aid would be a useful fallback in keeping the district functioning. “If we have cuts next year, which

taken from

Board of Trustee Members, from left to right:Richard Holober, Dave Mandelkern and Barry Jointer.

we probably will, hopefully the basic aid will help” said Blackwood. “We’re doing well compared to a lot of other districts.” Some programs which have already been marked for discontinuation include CSM’s American Sign Language classes, which CSM President Michael Clair said, “Will be cut [ASL] permanently.” While Skyline’s own sign lan-

guage program remains intact, the campus’s child care program is under threat of discontinuation. The board of trustees will have a special meeting to discuss possible means to avoid cutting the program during their next study session on Oct 12. Despite the dire situation faced by the district, an extension on fee increases was also enacted. Under the revised date, fees will be

SMCCCD Board of Trustees website

increased from $36 to $46 dollars in June of 2012, as opposed to their original start date of January 2012. The final form of the district’s budget is available online on the SMCCD Board of Trustees page, under the Sept. 21 board packet section. Meetings and study sessions are open to the general public, and dates are also available on the website.



Skyline View

The

September 29, 2011

News The Staff Editor-In-Chief Stephen Benoit

News Editor

New senators elected to ASSC

Election held to fill vacant positions in skyline government

Matt Pacelli

Features Editor Juliana Leon

Opinions Editor Joe Barrack

Entertainment Editor Daniel Beckman

Sports Editor Richard Estrada

Copy Editor Liz McMahon Nina Smirnov

Photos Editor Estrella Benavides

Photographer

Estrella Benavides Jonathan Chan Roxanne Wahab

Graphics Editor Diana Rodriguez

Cartoonist

JJ Valdez Alyssa Koszis

Online Editor Blair Hardee

Multimedia Editor William Nacouzi

P.R./Business Managers

Terence Chin/Sarawut Saechang

Staff Writers

Jay Johnson Lea Naqishbendi Milan Subedi Camille Wieland Dean Kevin Santos Terence Chin Sarawut Saechang Chris Korp

Faculty Adviser:

Nancy Kaplan-Biegel

Want more news? www.theskylineview.com Or maybe you have news for us? (650) 738-4377

New senator Mark Lipkin

By Nina Smirnov

Due to a lack of able hands, the ASSC was forced to conduct special elections this past month. As of June 30, 2011, the ASSC alerted the student body that due to the small amount of senators (eight to be exact) in the ASSC, they would be opening special elections with nine open seats. Thursday, Sept. 22 marked the first ASSC meeting with these new senators who were voted in during elections that took place the week prior. The voter turn-out was reported to be 3 percent out of 10,000 by

Voter turnout abysmal

photo by

Nina Smirnov

/The Skyline View

Coordinator of Student Activities Amory Cariadus. The new ASSC senatorial seats are now filled by Skyline students Freddie King, JP de Guzman, Morgan Davis, Camilla Razavi, Richard Lopez, Subash Subedi, Colleen Juliano, Mark Lipkin, Katelyn Smathers, Kayla Louis, Christian Etienne, Alejandro Gallardo Avarez, and Jason Chow. Senators on the ASSC take on several responsibilities on top of their academic endeavors often times having higher goals in mind. There are several requirements for

ASSC senatorial positions which include having a 2.05 GPA and being enrolled in at least six units here at Skyline. Elections will not be taking place until next year, as senators are elected to participate for two semesters. “My responsibilities as a senator are mainly to represent the student population that elected me and vote on important matters concerning students,” states Katelyn Smathers, a newly appointed senator. “I feel privileged that I was elected by my peers to represent them and have been given the opportunity to be on the counsel this year.” Senators on the ASSC take on several responsibilities on top of their academic endeavors often times having higher goals in mind. There are several requirements for ASSC senatorial positions which include having a 2.05 GPA and being enrolled in at least six units here at Skyline. Elections will not be taking place until next year, as senators are elected to participate for two semesters. Senators both new and old recently came back from a Leadership Retreat that took place in Monterey, California paid for by the ASSC

during which they were taught how to improve leadership skills and maximize efficiency in their group. The ASSC is now a large group of students looking to improve the campus. Upcoming events sponsored and organized by the ASSC include Latino Heritage Month and Halloween activities. In the past, they’ve organized events like Relay For Life and are also responsible for school wide events like Club Rush and Welcome Week. The new senators will attend ASSC meetings every Thursday room 6202 at 2 p.m. and will vote on important issues that affect students here at Skyline College. Meetings are open to the public. “I joined the ASSC because I believe I can make a positive impact on the Skyline student body. I am willing to fight for what’s right no matter what the obstacles may be, and I want to make sure that each student is heard and represented,” says Mark Lipkin, another senator new to ASSC. “I hope that the ASSC can make a positive impact not only on the student body while on the Skyline campus, but can impact the wider community in a positive way. “

By Will Nacouzi

Voter turnout for the recent Skyline elections was roughly three percent of eligible Skyline students. The results from the special elections, held from the 14th to the 16th Want to yell at us? of September, where only 3.24 (323 theskylineview@gmail.com out of 10,102) percent of eligible Or use snail mail: students participated in the special The Skyline View elections according to results from c/o Language Arts Amory N. Cariadus, Coordinator of Room 8-8110 Student Activities. Skyline College Senator Dean K. Santos calmed 3300 College Drive that students not voting during elecSan Bruno CA 94066 tions ultimately had minimal effect on the function of the ASSC but he points out that students themselves are directly impacted by the policies implemented by the administration and other bodies. He also pointed out, that if students don’t vote, then they end up not voicing their opinions. “There’s a myriad of reasons and factors in play that couldn’t be specified why there’s such a low turnout.” said Senator Dean K. Santos “I think The Skyline View is a First Amend- students don’t vote because they ment Publication. The Skyline View don’t think it impacts them or affects is published bi-weekly during the them directly.” spring and fall semesters by the jourThe low turnout could very well nalism students at Skyline College. be, due to the fact that many students The Skyline View is a member of the feel powerless when policies are enJournalism Association of Commuforced and they don’t get the chance nity Colleges. Opinions expressed to voice their opinions but that is not in the paper are those of the writers and should not be interpreted as the so, as the below statement from the views of Skyline College, SMCCCD, Senator illustrates. “The ASSC has a voice in these the faculty, administrators or the proceedings with the administration, newspaper adviser. Additionally, the and students need to understand paper does not endorse any of the that.” said Senator Santos “We are products or services advertised. The Skyline View welcomes Let- the middleman between the administration and the students. We represent ters to the Editors; letters must include full name, address, and phone the students when dealing with the number for verification. The Skyline administration and various commitView reserves the right to edit letters tees who come up with policies that for length, libel, clarity, and taste. directly affect students.”

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The

Skyline View

Features

Latino Heritage Month

Jazzarama jams at Skyline! “Mambo jazz” livening up by Matt Pacelli

Have we died and gone to Cuba? Close, but no sweet, sweet, illegal cigar. Skyline college students present in the cafeteria on Friday, Sept. 15 bore witness to the infectious musical styling of Nerio De Grassi and his Latin Jazz Quintet. The performance was organized by the ASSC to mark the beginning of Latino Heritage Month. For several hours, the musicians unleashed their “mambo jazz” music, a progressive blend of, as the name implies, mambo and jazz. Students and faculty members watched the performers intently, some struggling and ultimately failing to resist the urge

“The students were very receptive because they didn’t leave. It was a very diverse group of people.” -Leo Rosales to dance. The performance was a much welcomed change from the usual rigmarole of daily life at campus. Students, such as Micheal Madden, commented on the Milan WSubedi,/The Skyline View

Integrants of Latin Jazz Quintet performing at campus cafeteria.

Fog fest,

A tradition Pacifica enjoys every year

by Daniel Beckman

Even though the day started off foggy and moist, Palmetto Ave. in Pacifica was filled with commerce and vendors all meeting together for the same purpose: Fogfest. Fogfest is an annual festival hosted by Pacifica showcasing art, music, crafting, and most importantly, delicious foods. As the day progressed, so did the attendance as the sun brought sunlight and warmth to the festival. The Fogfest stage played host to many acts, one being the young local rock group known as Haunted by Heroes, consisting of a group of young friends. Many arts and crafts that were being showcased were handcrafted and one of a kind. Due to the large attendance of people, walking through the streets of the festival proved challenging. Many merchants were open to giving special prices and deals due to the festival, making it the perfect destination for bargain hunters. “Sunday, the rain was definitely coming down, it was still fun though,

people were still out and having a great time,” said Pacifica resident Cassandra Korpaczewski. “I usually go there to look at the booths—jewelry and photography booths to be more specific. I love the fact that you run into old friends and people you know from the community. It felt a little shorter this year. There were less booths and food options. Overall, it’s a great time and I have gone every year since it’s started and will continue to go in the future.” The three stages were one of the most popular attractions, playing host to a medley of musical acts. The chairs were filled the entire time with music listeners and in some cases, dancers. Each stage showcased multiple acts that rocked the house and kept the onlookers entetained throughout the day. The festival was a success filled with happy folks enjoying fellowship and fun. Courtesy of Julianna Leon/The Skyline view ‘Sandanista”, a sand sculpture by a Skyline student at festival.

3

refreshing nature of the unexpected performance at school. “I like that it was here—it was different” said Madden. “It brightened up the school day.” Although the music was unmistakably Latino, the members themselves were of varying backgrounds, with band leader Nerio De Grassi being Filipino. De Grassi, a San Francisco Native and musician for 40 years, found the experience to be a positive one, and concisely summarized his desire to play music. “It’s in my blood,” said De Grassi. “Rich or poor, I play anyway.” Band mate Leo Rosales also felt that the performance went well, and was particularly taken by the interest of the students as an indicator of their cultural receptiveness and tolerance. “It was great” said Rosales, himself a Skyline graduate. “The students were very receptive because they didn’t leave. It was a very diverse group of people.” The performance is just one of a set of various events planned for Latino Heritage Month. Future events include an upcoming dance performance, scheduled for Oct 12, as well as a panel discussion on Latino culture also scheduled for the 12. Aside from an entertainment standpoint, the month, including the aforementioned panel discussion, seeks to spread a deeper knowledge and understanding of Latino culture. Julian Rocha-Silva, a member of PODER and LASO, explained his interest in enlightening the community on the cultural differences within the community. “It’s my heritage,” said Rocha-Silva. “I want to show that Latinos are not just south of the border. That’s what we’re trying to explain at the conference.”



Skyline View

The

September 29, 2011

Features

Honor courses pose challenges and opportunities Honors project can improve your curriculum by Estrella Benavides

The Astronomy Department will have an Honors Program class led by Gregory Grist for the upcoming spring 2012 semester. Astronomy is a general education course fulfilling the requirements for any two-year college student. This gives a great opportunity to the students who have a project in mind. Grist, who likes to be called Professor G. R. Grist, stated that the course does not require any prerequisites. He has had experience with service in science and a background in Astronomy. The exciting thing for this semester and for spring 2012 is that the Honors section is now available. The aim of this program is for students to research a project which gives them the opportunity to be selected to present for a prestigious organization. Students who are selected to present their Honors research will have a more enriched curriculum. Furthermore, for the spring semester in 2012, Astronomy will have a new course: the Astronomy Lab that helps complete a science requirement. In addition to the new honors classes in Astronomy, students will also have the choice of enrolling in honors Anthropology courses. Professor Lori Slicton, who leads the Anthropology section of the Honor Transfer Program, will also be teaching two Honors classes. The anthropology pamphlet describes the courses: “The first is a comparative analysis of human cultures with an emphasis on core

concepts such as kinship, religion, politics, technology, and appreciation of our societal variability. The second is a Biological consideration of the origin, development, and potential survival of humans and other primates, including concepts of evolution.” “This is an Anthropology course, highlighting ANTH 110 which is a transferrable UC; CSU class and ANTH 125”, Slicton said. “We are having a Genographic Program evolving from these courses and about 22 students are participating and have paid $ 40.00 dollars to do so, but normally costs much more than that. National Geographic gave us a discount price and we covered part of the cost to make it accessible.” She says students will have gotten their cheeks swabbed and the DNA specimens are being sent to the National Geographic Laboratories to help to figure out students’ origins. “If we are lucky and our grandma told us the truth, we usually do know about 2 to 4 generations, and with this test they will be able to know the truth going back to 2000 generations, a deep generic of about 60,000 years,” adds Slicton. Many people feel illiterate in science and we are living in a time where science is a must. I believe it is important for people to understand the process of science and if we do not ask questions, we cannot have answers. A project like this is a door way into a future profession that may have benefits beyond our imagina-

Courtesy of Estrella Benavides/The Skyline View

Lori Slicton, member of Anthropology club, helping Skyline students re-discover their origins.

tion. The project does not look for medical history. For the first time, we are looking for people’s origins and how we adapted to new environments. We evolve because humans invent as needs arise. We need better tools, clothing, technology, and language, and through it, we also evolve. “The Darwin Theory is still correct, but culture enters in,” Slicton said. “Evolution by natural

selection said that those with the characteristics that best suit with the environment will survive and will reproduce more often.” Know that there is a learning community waiting for you, hoping that you will join them so that they can help you to be successful.

ASTEP: helping students succeed Mathematics is easy! by Estrella Benavides

We find many helpful programs through the Learning Communities like ASTEP, the Honors Transfer Program, First-Year Experience, and Scholar Athletes. A good number of these programs are designed for students to succeed. Many times we struggle because we are not aware of where to go for help. The African-American Success through Excellence and Persistence Program (ASTEP) was originially meant for African-American students, but has evolved into what Professor Patricia Deamer calls “The United Nation”. Deamer, who has worked in the Mathematics department for the last 36 years, provided us with some information about ASTEP. The program was designed for students to succeed in Elementary Math 110, Intermediate Math 120, and Statistics Math 200, which is the area in which she works. When students initially register, they may have a lower English and Math background. “They usually get here with the ‘I hate math’ attitude, but “Once you learn a for- to learn and as they start f i g u r e o u t mula, the rest just falls how simple all the formulas derive into place.” and how easy with dedica-Patricia Deamer practice they tion and can master it; their initial attitude changes,” Deamer said. The program has about 125 students that receive academic and student services. Pauline Wethington is the ASTEP counselor and Phyllis Taylor works for supporting students in the English area. The students have this consistent family team helping them through the two years of college here at Skyline until they transfer to a four year school. “The majority of them are referred by their family members or friends as they graduate from high-school and what we try to do is to give them a sense of they can do it and my role as the mathematic support is to show them how easy and simple this topic is,” Deamer says. Deamer invites the students to find out about all the programs available at Skyline and encourages students to visit her.

courtesy of

Estrella Benavides/the skyline view

Math Academy poster encouraging students to join.

Food festival at school!

Ending Asian culture week with a golden clasp by Diana Rodriguez

The Asian Food festival is a way to celebrate the rich and colorful heritage of Asian culture. Business Professor Hui Pate and organizers hosted the food festival on the afternoons of Sept. 12 and 14 at the Skyline College Quad. They did this as part of the annual celebration of Asian heritage. The festival included Chinese, Filipino, and Japanese food. The event was a great success with the Skyline community as they sold out right away on both days. Students agreed that the food was great and something different. “The food is really good and really affordable-- definitely flavors that you can’t get at the school cafeteria every day,” mentioned Skyline student Spencer Ray. Chinese bread dough, sushi, curry puff, and Chinese hot dogs were all items on the menu.   The festival’s purpose is to support the Asian Studies Center. Professor Pate mentioned that she came up with the idea of the Asian Culture week four years ago, with the ultimate goal of supporting the Asian Studies Center. The Asian Studies Center provides students with several services which include cultural education, training, helping students prepare to transfer, employment opportunities, travel, and studying abroad. Asian culture week ended with a free screening of the Jet Li film “Hero” in the theater on Sept. 14 at 1 p.m.

5

Skyline View

The

September 29, 2011

Opinion

that you can pay your dues across the semester instead of in one lump sum. That’s right, you have to pay a fee so you can pay your fees and it will only cost you $20 a semester. Students who rely on Federal Student Aid to help pay tuition don’t have to worry. As long as you have your forms filled out by Dec. 27, the Jan. 4 deadline doesn’t affect you. However, there has been no word yet on whether or not the deadline will apply to those who get their FAFSA money after the start of the semester. For those of you who are worried Now don’t panic, the school isn’t totally about getting dropped for that reason, we can Starting next semester, Skyline will be changing the way its students pay for classes. ignoring some of the financial troubles of offer no solace. Beginning Jan. 4, 2012, if you don’t have all their students for the sake of cash flow. They As for why the district is making this of your previous balances paid off, the school are giving you options in case you can’t pay change it’s a simple reason. There’s an estiwill automatically drop you from your classes. immediately. One option is the aforementioned mated 11,000 students who have outstandAlso, when registering for classes, you will payment plan that requires you to pay a fee so ing fees right now and the district is in debt be required to pay all of your fees at between $5-$8 million dollars. This is the time of registration or sign up for their way of keeping those numbers from a new payment plan. Otherwise, you’ll getting too far out of control. be dropped from any classes you are The aim of the Skyline View editoenrolled in. rial is to inform and inspire students. What we at the Skyline View don’t This week we are sending out a call to like though, is that it feels as if the action to the student body. Get out there school is more interested in its own with your phones and emails, and conwelfare rather than the welfare of its tact those responsible for the changes students. Skyline is imposing these new and let them know how you feel. The restrictions upon the entire student body Financial Aid Office and the cashier’s almost like a punishment for a few studesk are good places to air any of your dents who don’t pay their tuition. Most questions and complaints. If you want to of all, this new policy is aimed at, and get in touch with administration, Regina is going to have a direct impact upon, Morrison is the Program Supervisor for the students of Skyline College. We the Financial Aid and you can contact her students should have a say in something office at (650) 738-4350 or e-mail her at that is going to impact us so heavily, but morrison@smccd.edu. You can also conwe weren’t even asked about this new tact John Mosby, the Dean of Enrollment plan. Instead, we are given two choices: services at (650) 738-4484 and e-mail Estrella Benavides/Skyline View Follow the plan or don’t go to school. him at mosbyj@smccd.edu. Students wait for assistance at the Admissions Desk in building 2.

Skyline’s new payment policy

Tuition fee must be paid at registration

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Thumbs Down: “The Devine Secrets of the YaYa Sisterhood” Definitely more like a no-no. --Nina Smirnov

Thumbs Up: October Hockey Season, baby! --Joe Barrack

Thumbs Down: clubbing baby seals to death for sport. It’s become all about the profits. --Matt Pacelli

Write us at the Skyline View W i t h Stephen Benoit Accountability is an important thing in the world; it becomes hard to learn from your mistakes and even harder to be taken seriously without it. I want to bring about a new era of accountability to The Skyline View. While we pride ourselves on being journalists, we’re people as well. We’re around campus, hear the things you say, and it’s something we take to heart. That’s why starting with the next issue, we’re going to start storing our notes and recordings on our server. If you think you’ve been misquoted in an article, you can contact us and we’ll bring up the recording and see whether or not you were really misquoted. The reason I’m doing this is because I’ve heard people say that we misquoted them and I want

to either prove or disprove this. I don’t want rumors floating around school that harm our credibility. I also realize that we’ve made some mistakes in the past—sometimes very serious ones. This semester I plan on integrating a new system that should help us catch mistakes before they print. One other thing that I’ve seen cause problems in the past is writing anonymously. There are certain columns that I would let this fly with such as the Editorial or Dear Johnny. But several semesters ago I remember running a review of a play that was mostly negative where the writer used a pen name that was an Agatha Christie joke. This deters writer accountability which is something I want to avoid. If my writers want to write something

negative about anything, they better be ready for the repercussions of the injured parties. Also, I’m not going to allow anonymous sources unless the information can cause bodily harm or cost a person their job. If you want to anonymously say that people shouldn’t smoke on campus then I’m sorry, we’re not going to interview you. This affects our accountability because a person doesn’t want to be held accountable even if it’s something incredibly minor that 99.9% of people are going to agree with. In conclusion I would have to say that not only are we increasing our accountability, we want you to increase yours as well. The next time you miss turning a paper in on time, don’t come up with an excuse. Just admit that you sucked this time and you’ll try harder next time.

Dress for success

Does dressing up for school matter anymore? by Jervis Lawas

For some students, it takes more than an hour to get ready for school. For others, it takes less than 20 minutes. How we look in school does not play a role in how well we do in school, even though some of us like to believe it does. However, looking your best every day might have its perks. Your teacher will not give you a higher grade on an assignment because you wore a dress shirt and tie. Nor will your teacher give you extra credit because you curled your hair and put on

makeup. However, if you’re wearing pajamas and asking your professor for an extension on your term paper, I highly doubt your professor will take you seriously. And if you are assigned group work with other students, no one will want to work with you if you look as if you just rolled out of bed. The way you present yourself often dictates your confidence and self-awareness. If you start your day feeling good and positive, then your attitude for the day will be just that—feeling good and positive. The best advantage of looking your best is feeling your best. With an extra boost of

The goal of a newspaper is not only to inform the people, but also to let the people be heard. That is why we at the Skyline View are starting a letters to the editor section. Every other week, you the reader will get the chance to have your opinions published. Write us anything from commentary on social or political issues, to problems on campus that you think need to be addressed. You can even comment on a piece in the Skyline View that you have strong feelings about. Simply send us an email and we will feature one or more of your letters each issue in a column much like this on our opinions page. You can write us at the following address: letters.skylineview@gmail.com. Please be sure to include your name and city of residence. Have a good couple of weeks and be sure to send in those letters!

confidence, who knows what you are capable of achieving? Confidence can mean raising your hand in class to clear up any matter that you are confused about, or simply meeting new classmates and making new study buddies. Now don’t get me wrong…this is NOT a “How to Sleep with Your Professor for an A” article. I also know that waking up early in the morning isn’t always the easiest thing to do. But taking time in the morning to get yourself ready for the day will eventually help you out in the long run. Try something new tomorrow morning and start a new good habit. Even if you’re in a plain white t-shirt and blue jeans, your professors and fellow classmates will take you way more seriously than they would if you came to school in your pajamas.

Thumbs Up: Planking Because I’m a pirate, Arrrr! --Dan Beckman

Thumbs Down: Giant’s season is over The world champs wouldn’t even make the playoffs. --Terence Chin

Thumbs Up: Refillable Water Bottles Why pay for what’s free? --Marc Arguello

Thumbs Up: Notepads Which is what I wrote this on. --J.J. Valdez

6

The

Skyline View

Opinion

Dear Johnny J.J. Valdez

Topic: Repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell

HEAL

Heal: American progress

“I don’t think it should have been a problem in the first place. If you’re willing to die for country it doesn’t matter what you do behind closed doors.” -Corey Martin

Heal: A soldier’s right to f reedom “This is a heal because it allows gay people to do what they want. It doesn’t matter who fights for our country as long as they fight.”

Heal: Their work environment/ethic “They can now feel more comfortable while severing in the military, which is important.” -Bianca Gaufo

Heal: Equality “I believe it puts [homosexuals] on the ‘equal right playing field’. Now, it’s their choice who they want to be. If they want to fight for our country, let them. -Dana Christensen

Heal: Ends discrimination against Americans—gay or straight “It’s good that the military is no longer discriminating against a group of Americans.” -Sherine Johnson

Many of you out there are wondering what to do when it comes to your relationships, jobs, or life. So let me introduce myself. My name is “Johnny” and I would like to help you. There are some basic relationship issues everyone deals with. Think of me as Deepak Chopra, Oprah, or even Ferris Bueller. I’m just someone that wants to help with your issues. I am going to start this column with a problem that was recently shared with me. If you would like to share you issue with me and get advice email me at advice.johnny@gmail.com. Dear Johnny, I just recently read your response to Jester, and though I am neither Jester nor anything close to a Jester, I just couldn’t help but notice that maybe telling a girl that you’re shy isn’t the best option. That’s not exuding much confidence in the right direction. -Xbox Dear Xbox, I truly believe that there is more than one way to approach any situation and encourage my readers to respond to what I write if they do not agree or have any additional advice for the person in need. I think your opinion is valid and will be sharing it in today’s Dear Johnny. Xbox’s Advice for Jester: Learning to talk to a woman is a life lesson that all men can learn and change for the better. There are a couple of indicators within the first couple seconds of meeting a female that do mean you are in good shape, such as her touching her hair, and/or her undivided attention. Also, cracking jokes at a female is a huge indicator of interest if done right. Just make sure it’s gender specific

Not their first time around the block

Older students at Skyline have something to offer by Chris Korp First, let me introduce myself: I am a 40-year-old returning student here at Skyline College that is truly enjoying his experience. The thought occurred to me that I should take some time out to explain a few facets of my experience here thus far. There are various social pitfalls and advantages involved with being an older student at Skyline, and hopefully this will help explain them from an older student’s point of view. You hear the sighs in the classroom as they raise their hand for the fifth time in a row. You see students roll their eyes when an older student can elaborate on an historical event because they were

“Why wouldn’t it be allowed in the first place? It’s not hurting anyone else. It might offend some people, but overall it’s a heal.” -Sean Amador

HURT Hurt: For gays and the military “They might be able to join and openly serve, but that doesn’t change the fact that there’s still animosity toward them. It could cause internal conflict which also hurts the military. It’s definitely dangerous.”

alive when it occurred; it is not that they are so eager for attention that they require a pat on the back from their instructor to make it through the day. The truth is that most of the older students actually give the rest of the class a chance to answer a question first, and only put their hands up when there are no other hands raised. They do this because they remember what it was like to be a younger student, and they remember how they perceived older people when they were young. Another reason, this one pertaining to the “they were alive when it occurred” line above, is that this is one of the times in their life where being an older person can be an advantage. When an older

student raises their hand, they might actually have an opinion based on the fact that they either were watching the event being discussed on TV live when it happened, or they remember discussing it years ago over coffee in the break room at work. They raise their hand because they feel that perhaps, they have something to contribute to the discussion that a two-dimensional textbook cannot. In short, when you see an older student on campus, you are seeing either someone trying to further their career, or someone who is fulfilling a life-long dream of attaining an education. Either way, you should take some time out of your day to get to know an older student—they have a lot to offer you.

Playing the blame game

Do video games cause real life violence? Will Nacouzi

Heal: Rectification of a bad policy

-Aston Arcega

September 29, 2011

Violent video games have been blamed for a lot of things over the years by politicians and parents, but are they the main cause of violent behavior? Or is it something else? It doesn’t matter because the root of the issue goes back to one source: parents. And this responsibility belongs to all parents. Parents should take the time to ensure that children are not exposed to violent video games, and it’s no different from any other responsibility involved in parenthood. But before you jump the gun, research has proven that violent games do cause an increase in aggression, as shown by Professor Craig Anderson of Iowa State University in a study on video game violence, but as the professor pointed out in his conclusion, just like the food you have in your house, you should control which video games your kids have access to. Yet it seems that the Iowa State University study didn’t change anything; it

was completed in the spring of 2010, and a researcher with the Centre for Eurolater that year in the fall, Kendall Anderson, pean Economic Research. 16, killed his mother in her sleep for taking Do you still believe that violent away his PlayStation. And there’s the more video games are to blame for violent recent case--the Netherlands shooting, in behavior? The answer is unimportant; which the shooter actually played and used the fact of the matter is that these crimes the game “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and studies shouldn’t discourage par2” to train himself before moving on to ents from ensuring that they carry out training with real weapons. their responsibilities as parents. Now for the bomb shell. According Parenthood and the responsibilities to a joint study, published Aug. 10, 2011 that come with it shouldn’t be taken by the Centre for European Economic lightly. Parents should take the time to Research, Baylor University, and the read and research everything they can University of Texas, violent video games about a video game before they buy it actually lower the crime rate because they and make sure that it is suitable for their keep criminals occukids, possibly by pied and allow them into account “Parents should take the taking to vent their feelings the ESRB rating on without committing time to ensure that children the box. It’s not that are not exposed to violent hard, after all, as crimes in real life. “Our findings for the professor points videogames, and it’s no the United States show out. Deciding which different from any other that the time-use effect video game to buy responsibility involved in is no different from on players is stronger than the aggressionchoosing what food parenthood.” promoting effect,” said you want your kids -Will Nacouzi to eat. Benjamin Engelstatter,

7

Skyline View

The

September 29, 2011

Entertainment

Hell is coming So get your PC ready by Daniel Beckman

Satan’s ready to start sending invites to Diablo 3. Sept. 20 was the start of the beta key invitations being sent out to all the hopefuls that are either signed up for the beta test or have received codes through other means i.e: game promotions. Diablo 3 will have multiple classes to choose from and a different story for each choice. You can play through with characters like a wizard, barbarian, or even a witch doctor. Campaign mode has added many new features from Diablo II. To start with, you may choose from multiple classes: barbarian, demon hunter, monk, witch doctor, and wizard. All of these classes have completely different play styles; you have the classic melee fighters, magic users, tech, and healers. Melee fighters focus on fighting the hand to hand with the enemies, magic users use magic to fight from afar along with tech fighters, and healers make sure the party has enough hit points to survive. Not only does Diablo contain a fun filled campaign mode, but it also has multiple co-op modes, as well as PVP. Players can call upon friends on their friends list to join them in co-op multiplayer mode, open public mode which is a mode where random players can join you

Campaign screen labeling the areas of the screen effected by you achieievements.

to play cooperatively, and finally, you can enjoy PVP in the PVP Arena mode, battling against the most skilled – and sometimes unskilled – players. The social aspect of Diablo 3 is easy and intuitive; Blizzard has done a good job in integrating all of their games into one social interface. You can message friends

from other games if you have liked them by game ID, which can prove to be helpful when getting a party together. One of the best improvements in Diablo 3 is the auction house. Whether you find some random piece of equipment in a dungeon somewhere that you can’t use, or

Images courtesy of Blizzard.com

trade a player for a nice profit, using the auction house to sell items can be done with ease. The user interface is easy to understand and is very standard. Different tabs allow players to search, bid, sell or view their completed items. There are equipment tabs, character, gems, crafting & dyes, tomes & pages, and gold.

Some of the most recent posts by Blizzard have alluded to the release of Diablo 3 being sometime during the first quarter of 2012. Fans have been waiting almost a decade for this game and with its release date being so close, fans are gathered waiting for a taste or a perhaps a weekend beta of this game.

Big Bang Theory = funny + smart Movies Coming to Theatres by Daniel Beckman

Big Bang Theory is a sitcom cies. Being the most complex of all starring Johnny Galecki (Leonard the characters, Sheldon often takes Hofstadter), Jim Parsons (Sheldon the spotlight due to his obsessive and Cooper), Kaley Cuoco (Penny), many times comical compulsions. Simon Helberg (Howard Wolowitz), Leonard’s character is sometimes and Kunal Nayyar (Raj Koothrap- just the comic relief but can also take pali). the reins of the series because of T h e his seshow fol“‘Bang’ does fantastic with its comic cret lust lows the for Penexploits of cadence, I often find myself laughing n y t h e at one joke, and before I can finish, a group of neighscientists bor next another one pops up.’ working at r— —Daniel Beckman dtheo opair a u n i v e rsity trying make up to learn the for most subtleties of social interactions with of the romantic conflict in the series. a new addition to their apartment Raj and Howard are friends to the complex, a woman named Penny. entire group but are said to have The show takes an interesting secret feelings for each other. look at the lives of nerds and some of ‘Bang’ does fantastic with its their common place neurotic tenden- comic cadence, I often find myself

laughing at one joke, and before I can finish, another one pops up. The relationship (or lack thereof) between Penny and Leonard makes for very interesting and sometimes heartfelt entertainment. Sheldon’s constant rule making and enforcing makes for a funny window into the life of obsessive compulsive nerds, also bringing light to the sometimes challenging relationship between roommates. The show is currently in its fifth season and continues to deliver comedic innovation and genius. Most recently, Jim Parsons won an Emmy for best comedy male actor confirming that even on a professional level this series is one not to miss and a great success. I highly recommend this show for just about anyone and can even the most closeted of nerds.

• 50/50 • Dream House • American Teacher • Bunraku • Margaret • Finding Joe

Skyline Sports

Upcoming Games

Men’s Soccer

9/30 @ Hartnell College 4 p.m. 10/4 @ CCSF 4 p.m. 10/7 VS Cañada College 2 p.m. 10/11 VS Gavilan College 3 p.m.

Wrestling

10/8 Modesto Tournament 9 a.m. 10/12 VS Chabot 7 p.m. 10/15 North Dual Meet 9 a.m. 10/19 @ Fresno City 7 p.m.

Women’s Soccer

9/30 @ CCSF 4 p.m. 10/4 VS Chabot 2 p.m. 10/7 @ Ohlone College (DH) 1:30 p.m. 10/11 VS Evergreen Valley College (DH) 1p.m.

Volleyball

9/30 VS Ohlone College 6:30 p.m. 10/5 @ De Anza College 6:30 p.m. 10/7 VS San Jose City College 6:30 p.m. 10/12 @ CCSF 6:30 p.m.

Perseverance pays for Mario Flaherty Former Trojan basketball player goes international by Richard Estrada

Skyline College is not known for attracting elite athletes who go on to renowned athletic programs at the collegiate ranks. People are quicker to associate Skyline with horrible weather. Because of this notion, most students are unaware of the success of former Trojan and current professional athlete, Mario Flaherty who suited up for Skyline from 2006 through 2008. Flaherty now plays professionally getting paid for playing the game he loves. I sat down with Skyline basketball coach, Justin Piergrossi, to find out more about his former player’s road to professional basketball. “He (Mario) is definitely the hardest working player I ever have had to this point...from the beginning he’s had the right attitude, the right work ethic, the right approach,” recalled Piergrossi about Flaherty’s commitment to academics in addition to his contributions on the court. “On the floor, off the floor, he was the perfect role model for the rest of the guys on the team. He approached the academics the

same way.” Piergrossi noted that like basketball, academics didn’t come easy. “For him to work at it the way he did, he was bound for great things.” While at Mills High School, Flaherty admitted to not being “very good” when first trying out for the Vikings. His game was in its early stages and unfortunately was not enough to make the team. The genesis of the work ethic described by Piergrossi begins here at just 14 years old. Although disheartened, Flaherty received encouragement to improve his game. He made the team the following year and established a spot on the roster for the next three years. He enjoyed a successful senior season for the Vikings but did not entertain offers from any schools. Finding himself in this position once again, he wanted to prove he could be relevant at the next level. He concurrently enrolled at Skyline to get a step up on the competition as soon as the season ended. Piergrossi had his man. “I remember working out with

A season to overcome Former World Champions fall short of 2011 postseason by Terence Chin

From World Series Champions to missing the postseason, the San Francisco Giants have left baseball fans at Skyline with mixed feelings about the season. The San Francisco Giants major league baseball club played their final game of the season on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011 losing a 6-3 contest at home to the visiting Colorado Rockies. To no surprise, die hard Giants fans at Skyline were very upset at the defending world champions for not making the 2011 postseason. “They should’ve won no matter what, or at least make the playoffs,” said Gabe Belnick, a first year student and middle infielder on the Skyline men’s baseball team. “Aubrey Huff, Andres Torres, and Cody Ross really disappointed me.” After referring to a few disappointing players, Skyline student and die hard Giants fan Christopher Haro also referred to more disappointments about the Giants baseball season. “The lack of run support was disappointing. They couldn’t capitalize when they needed to,” said Haro. “Aubrey Huff getting paid 11.5 million dollars to hit below the Mendoza line is very disappointing.” Despite the defending champs missing the playoffs this season, injuries to key players played a huge part in being a different team this season. Giants’ second baseman Freddy Sanchez missed nearly four months of baseball due to a dislocated right shoulder and catcher Buster Posey, the 2010 MLB Rookie

Joe Barrack/The Skyline View

Former NLCS MVP, Cody Ross was one of many Giants who struggled in 2011.

of the Year, missed over four months of the season due to a broken left leg and strained ankle ligaments. Giants fan and Skyline baseball head coach Dino Nomicos believes injuries played a huge part to why the Giants missed the postseason. “With all of the injuries they went through, they did a remarkable job to get where they were,” Nomicos said. “It’s not a disappointment; it’s a building stone for them given the young talent they have to get back healthy for next year.” Last season, the Giants concluded the season with a 92-70 record to win the National League West division, and eventually went on to win the World Series. This year, they conclude the season with an 86-76 overall record with no playoff appearance. The Giants will look forward to spring training and the new season beginning in March 2012.

four different trainers every day in addition to doing stuff on my own,” Flaherty says about his days playing for the Trojans. “You got to put in work if you want to be great, to be good at anything you do. It’s something I learned at 14.” Flaherty and Piergrossi worked together to help him elevate his game. In his second year, Flaherty doubled his scoring and rebounding numbers. He ended his two-year career at Skyline ranking 23rd in All Time Career Rebounds, 21st in Single Season Rebounds, and was a backto-back recipient of the Eddie Jones Hustle and Attitude Award. His performance against Ohlone College put Flaherty on Houston Baptist University (HBU) head coach Ron Cottrell’s radar. Flaherty became Piergrossi’s first Division I player at Skyline College. Flaherty transferred to HBU where he had the opportunity to play against the nation’s best competition as part of college basketball’s Great West Conference. On the court, he was recognized for his play earning All Conference First Team honors

Pro Basketball Player, Mario Flaherty.

while averaging 13.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game his senior year. Flaherty capped off his collegiate career with a 23 point-17 rebound performance against South Dakota in the Great West Championship game; this earned him All Tournament honors. Off the court, he remained focused on his studies and received his Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Advertising in 2010.

Roxanne Wahab/The Skyline View

An opportunity earned through hard work, Flaherty was offered his first professional contract to play for New Zealand’s Taranaki Mountain. “The dream is to get paid for what you love to do,” shared Flaherty about his future in basketball. When asked about his aspirations to play in the NBA, Flaherty laughed and responded, “I’ve made it this far... why not dream?”