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Check out the new solar trash cans and what students think about them on page 3

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Learn about the “Skyline Guys” in Trojan Chat with baseball coach Nomicos on page 8

www.theskylineview.com

February 3, 2011

Volume XXIX - Issue 1

for Life Anti-abortion group’s photos disturb Relay kick-off event

Blown-up images of aborted fetuses in quad elicit reactions strong for spring

by Robyn Graham

An anti-abortion group handed out literature and held up large signs with photos of aborted fetuses in the quad today.

The group, Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust, from Riverside, CA, claims that the photos are accurate and not photoshopped. They were blown up to show the intricacy of the developing fetus, said current group leader Ashley Colantuono.

Many students felt the images were too graphic to be shown, including one photo in particular that showed the head of an aborted fetus of the third trimester being held by surgical tongs.

“I really didn’t want to see it because I have a young ’un on the way,” said Deon Hamilton.

Another student, Peter Abdosh, said he thinks it’s good to teach women considering abortion what abortion is really like, but he said he preferred the photos be shown in a book or pamphlet, as opposed to being blown up out in the open.

Against opposition, the antiabortion group held its ground, saying it was a matter of free speech and that they had a right to be there and show the photos.

“Throughout history, the use of graphic pictures have been extremely powerful,” said current group leader Ashley Colantuono when explaining why they chose particular photos.

Coordinator of Student Activities Amory Cariadus confirmed this,

Students learn about second annual community-wide fundraiser for cancer awarness

by Dean Kevin Santos

Denise Juarez/The Skyline View

A staff member of the anti-abortion group, Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust, hands out literature to a passing Skyline student.

saying that Skyline could not restrict the use of graphic photos because of current laws, even though some students complained. The group filled out a free speech permit prior to their event, as Skyline requests outside groups to do, even though it is not required.

“Because we are a state and federal institution, we are bound by their laws and we have to allow [groups] to share their information,” said Cariadus.

Cariadus went on to explain that free speech groups can only be asked to leave if they disrupt class, block pedestrian traffic, incite violence or protest inside buildings.

Some students agreed with the group’s display and felt that the graphic nature of the photos was appropriate. One such student is Jenna Balingit, who said that women who want abortions should know what it really looks like.

“They caught my attention,” said

New building 4 open in April

Balingit. “It was kind of disturbing.

I think it’s appropriate.”

The literature the group passed out contained stories and information about abortion, birth control and pregnancy. It did not include photos of aborted fetuses.

Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust formed their group in the late ‘90s, and they have been traveling to colleges and high school campuses nationwide since 2000, said Colantunono.

Cosmetology and admin. happy, plus space for new multicultrual center

by Denise Juarez Building 4, which is the new addition to Skyline College, will finally be done by the end of February, and occupied in April.

The overall budget for this building was $39.1 million. The money that was used to construct this building was all from a bond that was passed in 2007 that can only be used for construction and to make improvements to the campus.

“They started almost two years ago; two years exactly, on January 9,” said the construction project manager Zak Conway.

According to Conway, the construction on the building will be done by the end of February and will be the last project until they pass another bond.

The administrative staff, including the president, will move into the 3rd floor of building 4 on April 4, and the occupants of the multicultural offices and classrooms will be moving into the 2nd floor of the building on April 11.

“We have long been on this floor and we are operating some significant instruction space,” said President Regina Stanback Stroud.

“One of the next things we hope is that we will have a bond that will help us fix [building 1].”

The moving of administration to the new building will make way for additional fine arts instructional studio space. Building 4 will be the administration, multicultural and cosmetology building. This building will also help expand the general classroom offerings.

The multicultural center will be a place where many students will be able to interact, and it also has a hosting gallery for student events.

The cosmetology program will be using two floors on this building, and they will be moving into the building at the end of the spring semester into the summer. This new building will allow the cosmetology program to expand and also to have a real-life salon experience. As a Skyline student, you can receive

Courtsey to The Skyline View

This digital design of the third floor in building 4 will be for administration.

Robyn Graham/The Skyline View

Adjacent to the library and gym, building 4 will be open for use in April, 2011.

discounts on all services as long as you bring your student ID card.

“We are excited about moving,” said Nancy Lam, the cosmetology Office Assistant.

The cosmetology program has been waiting for five years for this building. This new building will also help reduce the waiting list for the

cosmetology program.

“I’m stoked about the new building. It’s going to be so good, and I think everyone will be happier, because we’ve been waiting,” said Holli Hitzman, a cosmetology freshman.

There is not a set date for the ribbon cutting of this building.

Relay For Life, a walk-a-thon sponsored by the American Cancer Society, provided free pizza to draw in crowds around noon on Wednesday, Jan. 26.

The purpose of the event is to draw in participants and inform students about the upcoming community-wide marathon, which will be held April 31 through May 1 on Skyline College’s track.

Relay For Life is a 24-hour walka-thon with entertainment and food provided. The fundraiser aims to collect money to finance cancer research, services for cancer patients, and cancer awareness and education.

Volunteer Virginia Kroger said that it is an overnight event because “cancer never sleeps.”

After the free pizza, Event Chair Raymond Parenti-Kurtila urged students to form teams to participate: “We encourage you guys to start up teams.”

Skyline’s Public Safety Chief Brian Tupper is one of those who signed up on behalf of Skyline’s Public Safety Department to join the fight against cancer.

Skyline student Kelley Kennedy’s own grandmother Patricia Ballardo, a colon cancer survivor, joined the event and shared her own story.

“I feel very fortunate because I am a survivor,” said Ballardo.

For this year’s event, Kroger said they are hoping for better weather and more participants than before.

Last year’s event was foggy, yet the 137 participants still braved the fog for 24 hours to walk around the track.

The Relay For Life participants are going to have meetings in the cafeteria at 1:45 p.m. every Wednesday. Students are welcome to join in and ask questions regarding the fundraiser.

For more information, visit www.relayforlife.org.

TSV Contact Info www.theskylineview.com theskylineview@gmail.com (650) 738-4377 Room 8-8110 Skyline College 3300 College Drive San Bruno CA 94066

2

Skyline View

The

February 3, 2011

Opinion

by JJ Valdez

Topic: New fountain in quad

HEAL Heal: Building’s structure “As long as there is still work to be done, then it’s OK, since as a new building it needs to be up to par.”

Solar Trash

Crunching our money?

If you have gone to the student center to get a bite to eat, or have walked past it to get to class, you more than likely have noticed two sets of fancy-looking trash cans. It turns out that Skyline College has recently purchased these in hopes of saving money, but we think they’re a big waste of money.

The San Mateo County Community College District decided to have a trial run of the Big Belly Solar Compactor trash bins, having heard of a study conducted in the city of Philadelphia that showed that the trash compactors reduced the city’s annual costs by $900,000. The district purchased two sets of trash compactors, with each set costing $4,700.

-Abby Flores

Heal: Building’s safety “We don’t want any messed up buildings here, so it’s good that they’re doing the finishing touches. There’s no need to rush it you know.”

-Zachary Simon

If all goes well, the solar energy trash compactors will benefit our campus and save us money. However, we think that investments like this just take away from our already limited budget and waste important funds we could use toward things like financial aid and student services.

Heal: Cosmetology students “Even if they’re still doing minor fixes, it’s good to get it out of the way now; this is important because the cosmetology students will want to work in a building that’s up to code so they can focus on their work. Because cosmetology is an art and artists need to focus.”

We see this as a “gamble investment.” Spending money on something with almost no guarantee that people will use it, with the idea that it will save us money, is nothing more than wishful thinking by the district.

Why can’t we use the more than eight thousand dollars we spent on trash compactors towards helping out programs here at Skyline that are suffering from an ailing economy? Putting money into programs that serve disabled students or students with specific needs would be much more beneficial than spending money on trash cans that might not be used by the entire student body.

Right now, spending on trial projects like solar-powered trash cans is not what we need. The education system in California is suffering as it is, and our budget being what it is, we can’t afford to spend our precious funds in this way.

We can think of various programs here on campus that we could have given the funds to. The BESST program and the DSPS are just two that could use some extra money to help them with the strain on their finances.

-Montana Posse Heal: The buildings capacity “If things are not running the way they should, then they should take their time. It’s important to make sure that the new building is up to date so it can be used to its maximum capacity.”

-Franks Escajadillo Heal: Me and students “In a way it’s a good thing, because it should be 100% ready for students. I mean, I know I wouldn’t want to go in a building that’s not completely done yet.”

As the trash cans are obviously now here to stay until the trial run is over, we just think our district’s leaders should think about what they are investing in and how it will affect Skyline’s resources. No matter how well that Coca-Cola can gets compacted, we would rather use the money used to do that to buy some books instead.

-Natalia Zaragoza

HURT Hurt: Cosmetology “I would think that people who are majoring in cosmetology are upset that they aren’t using the building right away.”

Do the hallways, parking lots and classrooms seem considerably more filled to you than usual? Did anyone else have to deal with those ridiculously large lines in the student store during the first weeks of the semester? It seems as if there are more students on campus this semester than I’ve ever seen (granted, I’ve only been here for two years).

Every single class I enrolled in this semester was heavily impacted. In one case, my history class had more than 30 students that it couldn’t take.

I’ve never seen classes this far over capacity.

Basically, all of this overcrowding can be attributed to the poor state of the economy. Unemployment is high, and many people are desperate for jobs. Getting an education is a good way to improve your resume

and learn some practical skills in the process. However, it’s probably extremely annoying to attempt to take a certain class in order to learn a certain skill only to learn that it’s been wait listed for a month and you basically have no chance of getting in. For students who don’t have early registration, getting into the classes you want can be a dubious affair.

This wouldn’t be the case if the college had the resources to accommodate the sudden influx of new students, but that’s sadly not the case.

The school is still in the middle of a huge budget crunch, and it doesn’t seem as if it’s going to be getting aid from the government anytime soon.

I’d be angrier with the situation if I hadn’t become used to the crushing hopelessness of the situation. At least President Obama seems to be

in support of community colleges.

Whether he can actually get any useful legislation passed is another matter entirely. Republicans never seem to talk about education, and on the rare occasions when they do, it’s in a negative, condescending tone.

If you’re a new student on campus struggling to get the classes you need, I can only recommend that you don’t give up the few classes you get. Even if they aren’t exactly what you need, getting credits under your belt and on your record will give you priority registration, thus increasing the chances that you will get the classes you actually need.

Things are tough right now, but no one should have to sacrifice their education because of an unfriendly economy.

-Dan Martinez

Hurt: Dealing with old building “It doesn’t affect me, but cosmetology students still have to make deal with that old building for classes.”

-Alyssa Mesick

Hurt: Classes “Since students are still hurting to get into classes, it’s just a shame that the building isn’t being used right now for its full potential.”

-Victor Hu

Skyline View

3

The

February 3, 2011

Out and About:

Features

San Pedro Park

by Stephen Benoit San Pedro Valley Park is nestled deep in Pacifica with numerous trails and countless examples of natural beauty and is a great place to go when you just want to enjoy the splendor of nature.

San Pedro Valley Park is home to San Pedro Creek that winds it’s way through the Linda Mar area of Pacifica. It’s a creek that forks once before the park, and forks once within the park, with the source of

Robyn Graham /The Skyline View

Light shines on Montara Mountain at the main entrance to San Pedro park on the evening of Jan. 22, 2011. San Pedro park is home to many trails and a small waterfall.

one of these forks being a beautiful waterfall you can see from the Brooks Creek Trail which will lead you up the north side of Montara Mountain.

The waterfall is one of the big attractions in the park, and is especially beautiful this time of year with it’s 175 foot drop. When you’re hiking up the hill and you see a bench you should have good visibility of the waterfall. This bench is a great

place to sit and just watch and listen to the waterfall, as the valley it feeds into provides quite a nice echo.

As someone who doesn’t get a whole lot of exercise, getting up to the point to view the waterfall wasn’t too much of a challenge, and I would recommend seeing it to just about anyone as a result. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, the trail goes much further and you can even get all the way to Montara. The park

Relationship advice from Johnny Dear Johnny, I have been in a relationship for five years and don’t know where it’s going. I have told my partner again and again that I would like to be engaged and married by the time I am in my late 20s. How do I make him understand that I need to be married and have children by a specific time, when every time the subject of engagement comes up he tries to change the subject?

Dear Mrs. Someday, Planning when you are going to get married and have children is something many woman and men do; we’d like to think we have that much control over our lives. Unfortunately, things like unexpected pregnancies, financial hardship or careers often get in the way of our original plans, and we have to go with the flow of life.

In regard to your relationship specifically, I would say the first thing you need to do is open a line of communication with your partner about the next step in your relationship, not about just engagement, becasue he might have different plans. This allows you to hear what he thinks about you and your future together. The reason this is so important is that what you have been doing is just telling him what he needs to do to make you happy, and now you can hear what he wants in order to be happy.

After discussing this, you both should understand what you each want in life and also know if you can give it to one another. If marriage is in the future for both of you, then discuss what are the road blocks to that date--is it money, a career, school, a ring, or your relationship? After you both have told each other what your hurdles are, you should start to break those down and work on making each other happy. This will ensure that when you get to the marriage part of your relationship, it will be romantic, genuine and spontaneous. Trust me when I say that this path, although a longer one, gives you a better end result.

For all of you out there that do or do not agree with what I say, I encourage you to email me your opinions or post comments online. Once again the email address is advice.johnny@gmail.com. Send me your thoughts, questions, and critiques. I am waiting to hear from you. Also keep up with our twitter account @advicejohnny, we will have updates, advice and on the spot situation control.

also has one trail that’s manageable on a bicycle or in a wheelchair which is nice, as there’s several nursing homes in the area nearby. This trail takes you through a valley where many animals are regularly seen.

The most common animals you’ll see are deer, quail, rabbits and bobcats during the day. As dusk comes the rabbits become more abundant, mountain lions will occasionally be seen hunting and owls become

almost as abundant as the rabbits.

Other animals can be seen in the park which aren’t nearly as common but are interesting to see. Foxes, weasels and the rarest yet, which I’ve only heard of one local seeing, was a Ring-Tailed Cat. The park is about a 20 to 30minute drive from Skyline College and overall the park is filled with delightful sights, sounds and smells, worth the trip when you need to relax.

February 3rd

1867 – Emperor Meiji becomes the 122nd emperor of Japan 1690 –The Fifteenth amendment is ratified giving rights to citizens regardless of race.

The last state to ratify it being Iowa 1930 – Communist Party of Vietnam is established 1967 – Ronald Ryan, the last person to be executed in Australia dies in jail by order of being hanged.

1984 – The first embryo transfer from one woman to another 1989 – Dictator of Paraguay since 1954, Alfredo Stroessner gets overthrown by A military coup since 1954.

Skyline View

The

February 3, 2011

Features

New Solar Energy Trash Cans

Will it be worth it in the long run?

by Adrianna Smith

It’s a brand new year and Skyline College has brand new energy efficient solar compactor trash cans that can help save energy, time and money.

The Big Belly Solar Compactor is a compacting trash bin that is completely powered by solar energy.

“It can hold five times the amount of garbage as normal,” says Kanjana Srisupatpongsa, project coordinator of the facilities management department.

This increased capacity reduces greenhouse gas emissions by eighty percent; it also reduces collection trips and fuel use. The trash compactor has a sensor so that once the trash is thrown away in the can, it can compact the trash, packing it down on its own using the solar energy, and when it is full and ready for pickup the sensor will signal a green light.

“The person who has to take it out will already know if the garbage is full by the sensor,” says Srisupatpongsa.

There are only two solar compactors on campus. Both were placed outside the cafeteria quad where the campus gets the most student traffic.

“Outside the student center seems like the best place, because that’s where there is the most students,” says Alana Medina, a student at Skyline. “I think it’s great that

Skyline is stepping it up.”

The San Mateo County Community College District approved the trial run after a study that was done in Philadelphia. After using the compactors for a year, the city of Philadelphia reduced their city’s costs by $900,000 per year.

In a 10-year span, it is expected that Philadelphia will save up to $3 million. The SMCCD decided to place two sets at each college, including Cañada and CSM. “They’re used for trial now because they are very expensive,” says Srisupatpongsa. The compactors cost $4700 per set.

A few students around campus did not notice the new solar compactors or how pricey they were until they were told. A wide variety of students at Skyline College felt that the garbage cans are a great idea for the campus.

One student who wishes to remain anonymous said, “I think it’s worth it in the long run; we may not see a big change now, but we will later.”

But a few students thought differently and felt that the garbage cans were not worth it.

“That money can go to financial aid or something more important,” says Subash Subedi, an engineer student.

Should this trial do well, Skyline students should expect more solar energy garbage cans around campus.

JJ Valdez/The Skyline View

The compactor set located outside of the cafeteria.

Alyssa Koszis/The Skyline View

The Sunset picnic:

First, on the Saturday before Valentine’s day, make sure you go to the Farmers’ Market in San Francisco to do some shopping. The first thing on the agenda is to pick up some fresh salami, salumi, spreadable pepperoni and mortadella from Boccalone Salumeria in the Ferry Building. You can get an assorted pack for $20, and since this will be the protein of the meal, the price is great. Next, head to the rear of the Ferry Building to the bread vendors and pick out a bread that is thin and different but something your significant other would like. I usually pick onion bread with seeds.

This will cost $4 for the loaf. Right next to the bread vendor is the goat cheese vendor; here you can pick up a small canister of goat cheese seasoned with serano chills for $6. If the chillis or cheese is not to your liking, there are many other choices for the same price. Now in the same area there are cherry blossom tree branches for sale for $5; this will accent your presentation and be a great gift for your significant other. Before you leave, go to the front of the Ferry Building and grab a bag of tequilla flavored pistachios for $3 at the nut vendors. On your way home, stop at Trader Joe’s and grab a bottle of two-buck chuck, and your shopping part of the task is over.

At your house, look for a long and thin vase, two wine glasses, a dinner knife, a basket to put the food in (you can also use a cloth), a nice blanket to lay the food on and another to cuddle under after the sunset. After you have found all your items, pick a spot in your town or city that the sunset looks amazing from. I suggest going up the old Highway 1 trail in Pacifica; there is a bench at the top that faces the ocean and lends a fantastic view to the spectacle. Now that you have your food, items, and place, all that is left is taking your sweetheart there and enjoying a picnic under the sunset. Enjoy.

For $10 more, you can add some aphrodisiacs to the picnic, such as strawberries that can be picked up at any local market and international chocolates located at Pier One Imports.

An at-home Valentine’s dinner from Safeway:

Appetizer: Stuffed portobello mushrooms, pre-made in meat department, $4.99 per pound; or fresh, vegetable-stuffed mushrooms, $4.99 for eight, in produce section.

Dinner: Chicken breast with asparagus, pre-made in meat department, $4.49 per pound.

Wild rice, any brand (I like Uncle Ben’s or Near East).

Petit vegetables in bag in produce section, $4.99 (steam in chicken stock).

Dessert: Cream puffs in bakery (fresh), $2.99. Drizzle with chocolate sauce and add fresh berries to your liking.

Wine: Macon Villages Chardonnay, $10.80.

Safeway has fresh roses on sale for $9.99 a dozen. Also, tulips are in season, priced at $6.99. Doller Tree has a great assortment of ballons, champagne flutes and center pieces.

Picnic Dinner: I found great stuff at Colombo’s Deli. The staff are knowledgeable and are more than happy to help you find a meal on a budget. One of my favorite items is the firecracker chocolate; inquire about it.

So I was able to perpare a meal plus flowers, wine and center piece for $40.00.

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Skyline View

The

February 3, 2011

Features

Fun at Fort Funston

by Lea Naqishbendi

Do you enjoy walks on the beach, exercising outdoors, or a beautiful view with your lovable doggy by your side? If so, Fort Funston in San Francisco is the ideal location where both dogs and their owners will have fun.

Located south of Ocean Beach on Skyline Boulevard, Fort Funston is a place that owners of dogs have come to love for the rich views and history of the Fort. Enjoy breath-taking views of the ocean from the two-mile, paved walking path, or watch the sun set from old military lookouts. If hiking is your thing, check out the historical concrete underground military bunkers that you can actually walk around in.

And dogs don’t find it to be all that shabby either. Referred to as a dog’s heaven by owners, Fort Funston’s enormous dog park, trails and beach access allows for dogs to at last be one with nature and scavenge the coast with excitement.

The park is an extremely popular site for dogs, and often you will see the energetic canines playing with one another in areas they are allowed to be off leash.

For those of you who hang glide or enjoy watching hang gliders, Fort Funston is a great locale for

gliders to take off into the strong winds of the beautiful Pacific. Many can be spotted from a wooden, cliffside viewing deck, a brief walk from the parking lot. On the deck, you’ll see signs with information on the history of the old Fort as well.

The coastal headlands are also a popular site for gatherings among friends and families. Picnic at available tables to enjoy a good meal and view while socializing.

With all it has to offer, Fort Funston definitely will get your pup’s paw of approval.

To get to Fort Funston from the Peninsula, from CA-1 take the Highway 35 North exit and continue down Skyline Boulevard until you hit John Muir Drive, where you will be making a U-turn. Make a right at Fort Funston Road, which will be on the right-hand side.

To get to Fort Funston from 101 South, take exit 438 to merge onto CA-1 South toward 19th Avenue.

Make a slight left at Crossover Drive, and continue on to 19th Avenue. Turn right onto Sloat Boulevard, and then make a slight left at Skyline Boulevard. Turn right at Fort Funston Road, which will be on the right-hand side.

MESA giving away 100 free laptops to eligible students

by Brittany M. Olgardt

Lea Naqishbendi/Skyline View

Military lookouts with educational signs

tbooks x e t r u o y t ge

r e r e p chea renting than

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Guaranteed Buyback is like renting only better.

We pay you to return your books when you’re done with them!

That’s right. Just like signing out a book at the library, you simply buy the book for how long you need it and then return it before the due date to receive your rebate.

Guaranteed Buyback. It’s Textbooks with benefits.

BOOKBYTE.COM/SC

Skyline’s Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA) program is giving away free laptops to eligible students who apply before this Friday, Feb. 4.

The organization California Connects gave huge grants to buy laptops to 35 MESA centers throughout California. These 35 centers will receive 100 laptops per year for three years.

Stephen Fredricks, Skyline MESA director, admits that they are not the best laptops, but they come with Microsoft Office and free broadband internet service for a year, and a free laptop is better than nothing at all.

If you are a science or math major, Stephen highly recommends applying for MESA and seeing if you are eligible for a laptop, because most of the science and math classes are predominately online.

Even if you aren’t eligible for a laptop, MESA offers tutoring and a great support system to help you with your educational goals.

Before you jump up and join MESA with laptop dreams floating around your brain, take heed of these rather strict requirements: • Must be majoring in science, math or engineering.

• Must have a Student Educational Plan showing your major and every class you will be taking until you transfer to a four-year university.

• Must be transferring to a four-year college.

• Must have proof of financial disadvantage (BOGW grant, Pell grant, Work Study, Welfare, etc.).

• Math assessment score must be at or above elementary algebra (Math 110).

• Must have no previous Bachelor’s degrees.

• Must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.

• Must have at least one of the following “educational disadvantages”:

•Began community col-

lege with a math assessment at or below elementary algebra.

•Neither parent or guardian has a Bachelor’s degree.

•Student participated in a MESA Program in middle or high school.

Along with the above requirements, students must complete 12 hours of “internet related” community service within the first year after getting their laptops and become certified in one of many Microsoft programs.

“Internet related” community service can mean anything from teaching your family how to use Google, or, as our MESA program is planning, visiting a retirement home and teaching the residents how to send and receive e-mails.

Skyline MESA students who need to meet the certification requirement have access to 500 Microsoft certifications, ranging from basic Microsoft Office to the more complicated and in-depth PowerPoint certification.

Fredericks mentioned that the community service requirements are ambiguous because this is the first year of the program and those in charge are still figuring it out.

If you are interested in obtaining a free laptop or simply in joining the helpful program, drop by the MESA center in building 7, room 7309 anytime Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Remember that the deadline to apply for a free laptop is this Friday, Feb. 4! Current seniors especially want to apply before this Friday, because you will not have another opportunity.

In the words of Mr. Fredricks himself: “Free laptops!”

Non-seniors, have no fear: this program will be going on for three years, with the next laptop drop date being in August 2011, although those in charge of Skyline’s MESA program are trying to push it to September to allow a larger opportunity for students to apply.

7

Skyline View

The

February 3, 2011

Entertainment

Gantz review

by Brittany Olgardt

The King’s Speech: movie review Recently, I saw a wonderful movie: The King’s Speech, directed

by Tom Hooper and written by David Siedler. The movie begins with Prince George, played by Colin Firth, growing up with his brothers, who persistently agitate him and make fun of his speech impediment. As he grows up into a handsome prince, his stammer becomes more pronounced. This becomes a problem in his preparation for the throne when he is asked to make a speech. This is the story of how he gets the right kind of help and a new friendship.

Colin Firth, who plays the son of King George V, acts as the most conservative character in the movie.

Firth’s character is prominent, and he gives a very convincing performance. Firth’s, in combination with Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush, makes the story work and fun to watch.

Actress Helena Bonham Carter, who plays the King’s wife, Elizabeth, does a great job of naturally falling into character, making her presence a real treat. She is beautiful and gleams against the muddy background scenes of the therapy

by Larry Crystal

walls. She breaks up the monotony of the movie with her understanding voice, but also knows how to use her authoritative voice when needed.

Lionel Logue, played by Geoffrey Rush, is an uncertified, unqualified and unorthodox therapist.

He is the key figure that completes the cast. The two men, Lionel and George, are basically at the center of the story with a few funny and touching scenes. Geoffrey commands the movie from the beginning, taking complete control of a prince who is spoiled and ungrateful. It is this tug of war that makes you curious if Geoffrey is another expendable, flaky therapist, or the undiscovered superman that saves the day.

Each brother struggles to take responsibility as King George V’s health begins to fail. The brothers never seem to see eye-to-eye, and they have opposite views on how to run the country. In fact, George’s brother, played by Guy Pearce, misuses the power when crowned King for a short time. I thought the story was going to be heading in the wrong direction at this point. Guy Pearce is one of the actors that can play the evil brother any day. He is

a great actor in this movie, and he shows how seriously he takes his work in the movie.

The film was shot inside the therapy room of Lionel’s office, which was dark, dreary and cold.

Most of the scenes were very uninviting, to say the least. As the movie progressed, a kind of magical warmth began to saturate in a subtle way. I think the producers did the “warming up effect” very effectively, with vivid colors of the palace and costumes.

Overall, the story is very touching. The acting is well done and the story is well written. It takes a long time to warm up to the characters and understand the background of the royal family’s personal problems. I felt the movie was very smooth and consistent; it kept my attention, making me look forward to the next scene. Besides being nominated for 14 Academy Awards, this is a fantastic movie for the whole family to enjoy. I give this movie a 9 out of 10 for its well-written story and acting. I highly recommend you see it soon too. The King’s Speech is in theaters now.

Ghost Trick: A must-play for any adventure Shu Takumi does it again

by JJ Valdez Ghost Trick is an adventure game for the DS brought to us by Shu Takumi, who is better known as the original creator of Capcom’s Ace Attorney series, otherwise known as one of the greatest video game series of all time.

Ghost Trick follows a young man named Sissel, who is murdered and turns into a ghost. As a ghost, you must navigate around various levels by quantum leaping your way from inanimate object to inanimate object before day breaks in an attempt to regain your lost memories and uncover the truth behind your murder.

In a nut shell, Ghost Trick plays out like a murder mystery game combined with the board game Mouse Trap.

Here are some typical scenarios in this game: Sissel needs to get from Point A to Point B, but as a ghost he can only possess certain objects on any given stage, so you jump onto a tennis ball and make it fall into a blender, then you turn on the blender, which causes the tennis ball to fly into the air and land on a storm drain, which eventually falls down and hits a broom. The broom falls over close enough so you can jump onto it and to your next destination.

The gameplay mechanics are really well done; as time goes on, each level presents newer and interesting scenarios for you to overcome, with each level being more interesting than the last.

Although not EVERY item can be possessed; no, that would be too easy. Instead, for some arbitrary reason only a select few items can

be possessed. Some, such as “Open umbrella” and “Activate alarm,” can be used as neat little jumping-off points or distractions.

However, not all items have a function, as some are just there to throw you off and can be used as a stepping stone.

Throughout each level, you are either required to make your way to another area or to use your powers to prevent someone from dying, usually someone who knows something about what happened to you in the game. The main theme of the game isn’t so much murder mystery as it is conspiracy; the main point isn’t finding out WHO killed you but WHY you were killed.

And in true Capcom fashion, each individual character (with the possible exception of some of the police grunts) has their own unique traits, characteristics and outward appearances, making the phrase “colorful character” an understatement.

As you go along further and further in the game, the story picks up faster and faster with many twists and turns to keep you interested.

Each major NPC has a role in the overall story in at least some small way, making it a real treat to see how everything wraps up in the end.

Another point in the game’s favor is its humor, another carry-over from the Ace Attorney series.

As serious as the story gets from time to time, there is no escaping this game’s funny aesthetic.

During puzzle sections, you have the option of listening to what your

On Thursday, January 18th, the world premier showing of live-action Gantz had many a manga lover crowding into packed theaters, filled with anticipation for what could either be an amazing reenactment of their favorite manga series, or, as so many live-action films have done in the past, leave them feeling cheated.

Gantz is about what happens to some Tokyo residents after they die.

Instead of going to the “great beyond,” they appear in a white-walled room that is completely empty except for a large black sphere named Gantz.

Gantz sends these people out on suicide missions to kill aliens. Few survive, but those who do are awarded varying amounts of points. The object of Gantz’s game is to gain 100 points to either be revived and set free or to resurrect someone who has died during the alien games.

The missions are extremely violent and are full of blood, gore and many exploding body parts. Due to the horrific nature of the manga, the live-action film is rated R, which is a definite bonus.

Being rated R, live-action Gantz was able to portray some of the most well-known parts of the manga in all their glory. This is not a movie for the weak stomached. Every other scene has someone being brutally harmed in any number of terrible ways.

Gantz is not just a constant bloodbath though; it is also sarcastically funny and filled with dry wit.

Gantz himself has many hilarious one-liners.

Since this Japanese film was shown in America shortly after its completion, there was no time to add subtitles. Consequently, many heartfelt scenes were made laughable and awkward by subpar voice actors.

It is hard to know if the plot was completely ruined by the voice acting or if there was simply a lack of plot to begin with. As was mentioned earlier, Gantz is little more than scene after scene of bloody battles, and the attempts at romance and tearjerkers fell short due to the characters’ lack of humanity.

The live-action film strays pretty far away from the manga in some areas. Although the players go on the same missions and meet the same aliens, the characters themselves have changed. Fans of the series will be confused by the seemingly irrational choice of who is in the movie and who is left out.

On the other hand, someone watching Gantz, knowing nothing of the series, will likely feel lost, because the movie did a poor job of explaining the happenings in a way that would be easily understood by people who have not read the manga.

The graphics, though, are amazing. Every creepy alien, torn-apart body, crushed skull and crumbling building looks completely real. It is these graphics that make the movie stand out.

Gantz is a very popular and unique manga, and the live-action movie was highly anticipated by fans of the game, but it fell short.

Whatever plot there was in the movie was masked by bad voice acting, and the choice to change some of the key points of the manga further ruined this would-be classic.

If you are a fan of Gantz, it is worth watching just to see your favorite characters come to life, but I highly recommend waiting for a version with subtitles.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow In case you missed it

by Timothy Marasigan

partners has to say at any given moment, which I usually wouldn’t recommend in this game as they tend to just tell you what to do next, but it’s almost worth it to read the funny dialogue.

As good as this game is, it does suffer from one big problem and that is this: the epic story and unique gameplay, although don’t really flow that well together. This happens all the time; for example, according to the game you can possess objects, but for the sake of the gameplay only a few. In the game, when a person dies, their spirit will sometimes be unconscious and therefore unable to communicate, and other times a dead person’s spirit will have amnesia. Throughout the story, you communicate with the souls of the dead, only sometimes they’ll have one of the aforementioned afflictions for the sake of the story.

The final ending in particular is guilty of this, with the last puzzle being easy with characters straight up telling you what to do and taking control of the actions during the final sequences of the chapter. Now I don’t mind linearity, especially in a game heavily story based, but others might find it anticlimactic.

There are more plot holes here and there that arise from the story and gameplay trying to work together, but for the most part they don’t get in the way too much, and if you can set them aside and simply try to enjoy the game for what it is, it becomes a must-play for any adventure game fan

When people hear the name “Castlevania,” they’re reminded of a long string of games that have consistently failed to bring back the thrill that the first game gave them.

Not so much with the newest release: Lords of Shadow. Lords of Shadow was released for the Xbox 360 and for the PS3 back in October of 2010 and has brought fans back into the lore they all know and love.

In Lords of Shadow, you play as Gabriel Belmont, a warrior of the Brotherhood of Light sporting red armor, a combat cross and hair that would make Billy Ray Cyrus feel ashamed. He has been sent out by the Brotherhood to attempt to speak with his wife, who had been killed when evil consumed the land. After a brief conversation with her ghost, he heads out on a mission to dispose of the Lords of Shadow, who hold the power to stop this evil.

With its awesome graphics, epic cut scenes, gripping story, surprise ending and voice acting by British actor Patrick Stewart (Captain Picard of Star Trek), many people have forgiven Konami for their previous failures and have become exceedingly engrossed in the game.

With some unlockable cheats, the replay value is fairly decent. However, there have been some complaints with it. For one, as many people have stated, the gameplay is very similar to that of God of War. Having played a little of God of War and Dante’s Inferno, another game with similar mechanics, I would

have to agree with this group of gamers. Another critique, one that I would voice especially, pertains to Gabriel’s change by the end of the game. At the time you fight Satan, the final boss, Gabriel’s past sins are apparently forgiven, even up to the point where he’s brought back to life in order to finish Satan off.

Yet, by the time you reach the end of the game, Gabriel has become a gloomy, emotional recluse (if you watch the surprise ending, you could probably guess why). What I don’t understand is why Gabriel, after receiving so much grace, mercy and forgiveness, would convert into such a dark character.

Perhaps the story will have a chance to redeem itself fairly soon. I am sure some of you have been wondering why I chose to write an article on a video game that is already four months old. The reason is that in April of 2011, new downloadable content (DLC) will be available for Lords of Shadow. This will include one level where you get to return to the castle in the land of the vampires.

There is also a continuation of the events in the epilogue. Who knows?

Maybe Gabriel will get a chance to fix his new, dark personality.

All in all, I have to give this game two thumbs up. It had a great story, the controls were easy to pick up and there is still something for fans to look forward to. And did I mention that Patrick Stewart is in it?

Skyline Sports

Upcoming Games

Women: 2/04: @ Monterey Peninsula 7pm 2/11: CSM 7pm 2/16: @ Foothill 7pm 2/18: vs Chabot College 7pm

Men: 2/09: @ Cañada 7pm 2/11: @ Foothill (DH) 7pm 2/16: vs Chabot College 7pm 2/18: vs Las Positas (DH) 5pm

Trojan Chat

Coach Dino Nomicos talks baseball: The players, the games, and what we can expect from the team this season. average. The guys take 1518 units per semester and go to school year-round, so they’re pretty busy.

TSV: How was last season?

Photo

by

Larry Crystal

Coach Profile:

Name: Dino Nomicos, Head Coach Coaching since: 2000 Assistants: John Quintell and Lucas Borgo The Skyline View: Do you have a general style of play or do you mold your team to the talent you have?

Coach Nomicos: We usually look for blue-collar type players; kids that like to work hard and put in extra time. “Skyline guys,” that’s our trademark.

TSV: Is there a grade point average requirement?

CN: No, not for freshman. But once you finish competing, it’s 24 units you have to pass with a 2.0

CN: Last season we were very young; we finished third in our league and went to the state playoffs for the fifth year in a row. We returned 18 players and brought in 11 really good freshmen, so we are very strong this year. We have a good mix of kids but a lot of experience.

TSV: What teams do you play?

CN: Our conference is the Coast Pacific, which are 15 teams split into two divisions. We are in the division with Cañada, Ohlone, Monterrey Peninsula, Cabrillo, Gavilan, and Hartnell. The other side is College of San Mateo, Mission, De Anza, and City College of San Francisco.

TSV: Do you have any

out of conference opponents?

CN: Yes. We open up Friday against Cosumnes River and play Sierra on Saturday, both home games.

We also play Delta which, with Sierra, are the top teams in the state. We are ranked 12 and those teams are sixth or seventh.

TSV: How many games do you play?

CN: We play 12 pre-season games, all out of conference, and 24 in season which are in conference.

So a total of 36 games per season.

TSV: Who are the teams biggest rivals?

CN: Cañada and College of San Mateo. Baseball

Larry Crystal/The Skyline View

in this area is a hot bed; they’re all good teams.

But because we are in the same district as Cañada and College of San Mateo, those teams are our biggest rivals.

TSV: How many players within the last five to ten years have gone on to play professional or semi-professional baseball?

CN: Well, I give you this breakdown: We send 95 percent of our guys to a university to play, and 80 percent of those get scholarships. We have had, since

Skyline College Basketball

I started in 2000, 16 kids [go on to] play professional baseball. Our goal is to move them on to the next level.

TSV: Anything you want to say to the students here at Skyline?

CN: Come out to the games. They’re exciting and we don’t charge.We draw more people than most of the sports here especially because we begin our games early, during the week at 2 p.m. and Saturday games at 1 p.m. The more kids that come, the better.

Team competes in North Conference Games Since the beginning of January, Skyline’s basketball teams have been playing in the North Conference Games, a rigorous sequence of 12 games against neighboring community colleges.

In the month of January, the men and women’s teams played 14 games between them, several of which were at Skyline. After a strong start to the season, the men’s basketball team has struggled in the North Conference Games, usually losing only by a few baskets.

The women also started out strong this season and have won the last two games in the Conference against Chabot College and Las Positas College. Both the men and women still have six games each left to play in this series, quickly followed by the Regional Playoffs at the end of February. The locations for the play-offs are to be announced.

Lea Naqishbendi/The Skyline View

#3 Alexander Austria prepares to shoot a basket against Ohlone.