The Skyline View - Volume XXX - Issue 8

Skyline News

Skyline Sports

►New registration system: Read about challenges students are facing regarding the new registration system. Page 2

►Women’s basketball: The lady Trojans basketball team got the job done against the Feather River College Eagles on Nov 18. Page 8

Opinions

►Men’s basketball: The Trojans basketball team was victorious against Gavilan College in a game on Nov. 23 that came down to the wire. Page 8

►Less than lethal: Militarized police need some new guidelines.

Page 7

Volume XXX - Issue 8

Features

►Performing arts: Read about the Nov. 19 showcase. Page 4

Online News ►The Failure of Measure H:

Entertainment ►Skyrim vs. Star Wars: Will you fight dragons or battle the Sith? Page 5

www.theskylineview.com

December 1, 2011

SPECIAL FRONT PAGE EDITORIAL

WE WILL FIGHT On the Student Success Task Force

Student Success Task Force threatens community colleges

C

alifornia community colleges represent open doors for people who don’t have anywhere else to go. It’s common knowledge that community colleges are meant for students who may not meet the traditional college student stereotype and may be confused about their life goals. Community college gives students opportunities to explore, enhance and hone their interests and skills in order to follow a direct and well thought-out path.

Not everyone has their life laid out before them, which is what’s so great about community colleges: They’re a haven for those who need time, services, and most importantly opportunity.

This is especially true here in California, where communities are rich, vibrant and diverse.

Skyline students represent myriad lifestyles and backgrounds. We have students from different countries, older students that have come back to improve a skill, students forging through their disabilities, and students who are trying to transfer to higher levels of education. We are proud to have such a mixed community because it enhances our atmosphere and cultural appreciation.

However, one of our shining touchstones here at Skyline College and other California community colleges could be snatched away by the California Community Colleges Student Success Task Force.

The Task Force, which seems ironically named given their suggestions, is submitting a draft of recommendations to California legislative powers that would diminish many of the highly valued resources provided to California community college students.

For example, in Chapter 3 of the 80-page report drafted by the task force, Recommendation 3.2 affects students with Board of Governors fee waivers. If these students do not meet requirements such as keeping their grades up and not exceeding a cap of 100 units, their fee waiver would be revoked.

Recommendation 4.1, titled “Align Course Offerings to Meet Student Needs,” would affect the courses available to students, ensuring that only students aiming to transfer or earn a degree or certificate would be able to take certain courses. This leaves other students just looking to sharpen a skill or expand an academic curiosity out in the cold.

Furthermore, the students who do not meet the task force’s strict criteria would be forced to pay out-of-state tuition. With fees already rising, students are finding it hard enough to gather enough money to pay for school. Many agree that completely eliminating fees in exchange for education is preposterous, but there is absolutely

How You Can Help: Contact one of the 21 members of the task force. Here is a link to their contact information: http://www.ccsf.edu/Organizations/Academic_Senate/TFSS_MembershipList.pdf Additionally, you can call Governor Jerry Brown at (916)445-2841 or email him at http://govnews.ca.gov/gov39mail/mail.php There’s also California Community College Chancellor Jack Scott who can be reached by phone at (916)445-8752

no reason that students should pay $200 a unit!

The above recommendation is of great concern because it would leave out students who come to community college to improve their lives. This attack on education cannot proceed. According to the City College of San Francisco’s campus newspaper, the Guardian, “The Student Success Task Force is funded almost entirely by private interests, including, The Lumina Foundation, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and The David and Lucile Packard Foundation.”

These are only two recommendations that could affect students by March 2012. What it all comes down to is greed. Here at the Skyline View, we understand the aims of the task force and see that it may help students stay focused, but we believe that the demands are both troubling and unjust. Low-income, immigrant and disabled students would suffer greatly from these measures. Soon enough, these students won’t be able to afford an education at all.

The future of our country depends on an educated society. Our future generations have many problems to face, and it is simply unjust to stand by and let this happen to our educational system, which should be valued and treasured rather than flipped upside down to exclude people who need it the most.

We at the Skyline View urge all students to get informed about the impending legislation that we’ll soon be squaring up against. We encourage all students to make themselves aware and push to stand up for their right to an education as well as everyone else’s.

The

Skyline View

News

December 1, 2011

New registration system causes frustration

The Staff Editor In Chief

Stephen Benoit

Online Editor

Blair Hardee

Multimedia Editor

William Nacouzi

Social Media Editor

Jervis Lawas

News Editor

Matt Pacelli

Features Editor

Julianna Leon

Opinions Editor

Joe Barrack

Entertainment Editor

Daniel Beckman

Sports Editor

Rich Estrada

Chief Copy Editor

Liz McMahon

Copy Editor

Nina Smirnov

Photos Editor

Estrella Benavides

Graphics Editor

Diana Rodriguez

P.R./Business Managers

Terence Chin Sarawut Saechang

Editors At Large

JJ Valdez Marc Arguello Jay Johnson

Staff Writers

Lea Naqishbendi Dean Kevin Santos Chris Korp Kent Foster

Photographers

Jonathan Chan Roxanne Wahab Milan Subedi

Cartoonists

Revamped registration process poses challenges for students

by Juliana Franco

Students are expressing concern over the new registration policies that were put into effect this November.

Registration occurred at 7 a.m. on the dates students were told to register on, but these dates followed new guidelines that many students did not understand. In addition, the system for priority registration was changed, and many students who were once receiving priority no longer had that privilege.

Some students complained that they did not have access to the course schedule at an earlier date. Others were not able to register for classes they needed.

“Registration dates should be at 12 a.m. rather than 7 a.m.!” said continuing student Sereen Hanhan.

“And class schedules should come out way earlier in paper and in electronic forms.”

The way registration would be handled was explained to the District Enrollment Services Committee by Robin Richards. Registration would follow the California Education Code and Title 5, which organizes student registration into four groups, with priority registration lasting two weeks.

The first group had the first two days of registration to themselves.

These people include EOPS, DSPS and CalWorks students as well as veterans and students in foster care.

The convetional registration process has gone up in flames.

The second group has days three Program for graduating high school through eight to register. These seniors and middle college students. people are continuing students with This is where priority registration Student Educational Plans on file, ends. but the number of units earned is Days 13 and after are assigned taken into account. to the fourth group, a group conThe third sisting of all other group, which “It should be first come, students includconsists of those who are first serve. The people who ing new students concurrently enare more responsible and rolled. completing matriculation, Many students care to sign up for class has days nine are concerned beshould be first.” through 12 to cause they do not --Amany Salah understand why register. This group includes people were given students parthe registration ticipating in the Priority Enrollment dates they were given. Some stu-

JJ Valdez Alyssa Koszis

Faculty Adviser

Nancy Kaplan-Biegel Want more news? www.theskylineview.com Or maybe you have news for us?

(650) 738-4377 Want to yell at us? theskylineview@gmail.com Or use snail mail: The Skyline View c/o Language Arts Room 8-8110 Skyline College 3300 College Drive

The Financial Key to Your Success

Financial Education Workshops Pay Yourself First!

Learn how to build your savings Oct 18: 12:30 – 2:30 pm Oct 19: 6:00 – 8:00 pm

The Skyline View is a First Amendment Publication. The Skyline View is published biweekly during the spring and fall semesters by the journalism students at Skyline College.

The Skyline View is a member of the Journalism Association of Community Colleges. Opinions expressed in the paper are those of the writers and should not be interpreted as the views of Skyline College, SMCCCD, the faculty, administrators or the newspaper adviser. Additionally, the paper does not endorse any of the products or services advertised.

The Skyline View welcomes Letters to the Editors; letters must include full name, address, and phone number for verification. The Skyline View reserves the right to edit letters for length, libel, clarity, and taste.

How Does Your Cash Flow?

Learn how to create & stick to a budget Nov 15: 12:30 – 2:30 pm Nov 16: 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Credit Do’s and Don’ts Learn the basics of what affects our credit scores Dec 6: 12:30 – 2:30 pm Dec 7: 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Qualify for Prizes and a Chance to Win $125!

Workshops conducted by Financial Aid Office, San Mateo Credit Union, and SparkPoint at Skyline College Workshops funded in part by Silicon Valley Community Foundation

William Nacouzi/ The Skyline View

dents claim that the registration dates seem to be random and that some very important factors aren’t taken into consideration.

“I don’t like how they choose our dates,” said Amany Salah, a continuing student at Skyline. “It should be first come, first serve. The people who are more responsible and care to sign up for class should be first.”

In a recent email sent out by the Honors Transfer Program, students were told that priority registration would be given to students based on the number of units completed as well as whether the students had a current Student Educational Plan including the recommended courses for spring 2012 on file. This is some of the only information students are aware of.

Melissa Komadina, one of Skyline’s academic counselors, stated that registration is impacted by many factors. One of them is the growing student population at the college.

There have been problems with registration for years at the college, but many in the counseling department aren’t aware of the grief students go through because students do not inform them.

Students who wish to have priority registration next semester should file a Student Educational Plan with their counselor before Thursday, April 26, 2012.

The Skyline College Council will be discussing this topic further at their next meeting.

Although changing the registration date by one day may seem minute at first, it has had an impact on some students.

“Well I’m on top of it, but it’s B.S. how we have different days and now I’m wait-listed,” said Kevin Artiga, a Skyline student.

Corrections Box: Issue 7 -On page 4 in “Hurt or Heal,” Measure H was mislabeled as Measure O. -On page 2 in “PG&E to overhaul infrastructure,” Katharine Harer’s name was misspelled.

-On page 2 in “PG&E to overhaul infrastructure,” PG&E CEO Anthony Early was hired in August of 2011, and the company’s announcment of $400 million worth of registration was made on November 10.

The

Students vote on campus improvement ideas

by William Nacouzi On Nov. 22, a Thanksgiving dinner was held by Jennifer Mair as part of her Skyline Students Step Up campaign to encourage students to get involved and participate in developing ideas concerning how the campus can be improved.

The event started at 12:30 p.m. in Room 6-202 with food and drinks available to everyone present. The event proved to be massively successful as the room was filled with students willing to take part in the event.

“I thought it was really successful; we had a really great turn out,” said Genesis Quiroz, Skyline student who was in attendance. “We had some really great ideas being bounced around the room on how we can improve our campus and our college experience, so over all it was a great success.”

Also present at the event was Skyline College President Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud, in addition to members of the student government (the ASSC) including President Heidi Hansen.

The main event started at 1:00 p.m. with announcements from Jennifer Mair declaring the beginning of the Skyline Students Step Up campaign.

There she outlined the purpose and aims of the campaign before introducing the keynote speaker, Emily Kinner, Student Trustee from De Anza College.

Kinner talked about how students should take an active role on campus and take time to voice their opinions on issues which affect them as students. She went on to provide a number of examples in which De Anza students have taken actions that resulted in benefits. In the end, her message was that students should always remember that any studentestablished programs aren't meant to only help current students but future ones too.

3

Skyline View

December 1, 2011

Once she was finished, the rest of the event was spent brainstorming and voting on the ideas that students had come up with as a group, choosing the best before finally sharing them with everyone and putting it to a vote.

The day’s events came to a close at 3:45 p.m. with a prize giveaway that included an MP3 player for first place and $20 gift cards for second and third place.

When asked for her thoughts on how the day had gone by, Jennifer Mair commented, “Fantastic! I'm really excited for the students participating; the energy they bring, (and) the ideas students come up with are amazing. That's why I do these events, so to have these ideas come (forward) and to give them (students) energy.”

The Skyline Student Step Up campaign will be running until April 19, when Mair plans to hold a simpler event, allowing students to vote on the best ideas with the winner finally receiving a grant to put the idea into action.

If you missed the event, it's not too late to take part; just visit http://.skyline.civicevolution.org and follow three easy steps, become a member, and propose your idea to participate. All students are encouraged and welcome to take part in the development process.

The best ideas will be voted on and chosen by students. Available to fund these ideas is $6100 broken into three grant awards of $1200 each and a single grant of $2500.

Students who are interested in presenting their ideas or want more information, can also contact Jennifer Mair at her email: mairj@ smccd.edu.

William Nacouzi/The Skyline View

Step up organizer Jennifer Mair accompanied by Genesis Quiroz to the left and Noemi Perdomo to her right.

Mama D teaches more than math

Ideas students provided at the event: • Spread class times over a longer period of time so that they don’t overlap as much, especially considering the times for essential classes which are required by the major or general education requirements.

• Create a lending system for students by professors where books are made available online to save costs.

• Link and create partnerships with companies and institutions outside of the college in order to further education and programs on campus.

• The construction of an underground parking garage so that there is more parking space available on campus.

• Create infrastructure that will increase student access to information available on campus so that students are more aware of what is going on campus. One possible solution was the creation of a campus radio station or announcement system where students can be kept informed throughout the day.

• Create a center or place where students of different nationalities can come together and be made aware of issues affecting them and each other within the community.

• The creation of a shuttle system, similar to the buses, with a fixed route and timetable where students can be picked up and dropped off at Skyline with it being optional just like the parking fees.

• The creation of set times where students and faculty can eat together in the cafeteria, allowing them to get to know each other and to induce a more community college feeling.

• Installing more solar panels throughout campus to save money and to make the campus more energy efficient.

• Increase the college library hours by two in the morning and at night, during midterms and finals, so that students have more time to study in the morning before tests and late at night, if they are too busy during the day.

• Increase the library staff, the number of books, the study rooms available, and if possible the size of the library.

• Increase the size of the Public Safety Department, especially at night, in light of the recent sexual assault incident.

• The placement of safety phones or switches around campus but especially in the parking lots where students are vulnerable at night after classes.

• Hydration Station around campus where students may refill their water bottles rather than buying bottled water from the vending machines or the bookstore; therefore, helping Skyline become more environmentally friendly.

Courtesy of Patricia Deamer/The Skyline View

Patricia Deamer

by Estrella Benavides Patricia Deamer, also known as Mama D, has been at Skyline since the summer of 1975 as professor of mathematics, teaching courses like Math 110, 120 and 200. She is well known as the co-coordinator of ASTEP, which sponsors, supports and guides students to succeed in their careers.

For about 37 years, Deamer has been coaching and caring for many types of students. As she looks back on her time here at Skyline, she says, “The students, as well as the college’s look, was different and throughout the years just got better.”

She has always enjoyed mathematics, and like many current students, she had some very good teachers in high school and in college. Deamer was born in Louisiana and earned her graduate degree from University of Albany in New York along with a Certificate of Advanced Studies.

Her former students usually come around and give speeches to the new students. Mike Taniguchi, a student of Deamer’s, said that she is “very motivational; she always seeks the best for the students.”

“Deamer is very relatable to our age group,” student Nichole Arenas said. “I think her class is more fun to go for, and we do not really get bored easily. The ASTEP program inspires us to wish to be better for ourselves and our future. They (the program) bring a lot of people to talk about their experiences and what they have been going through and they inspire us.”

Mama D has about 125 students in her department and other staff members give them counseling or academic support. The students and the staff feel like a United Nations family and get together even outside of the classroom. They entertain with family nights and sponsor other community programs like the Child Care Center. This year marks the second year of involvement with the Child Care Center, and the group will collect stuffed animals for the children at holiday time.

Mama D is proud of the diversity in her program: “They (the students) are all different, not only in color, race, gender, beliefs, but we all feel the same at the ASTEP Skyline College group,” she said.

Deamer advises students to get to know their teachers, follow the course syllabus, and find a study buddy in each of their classes.

Deamer plans to retire at the end of spring 2012. She plans to relax and keep in touch with “her kids.”

Features

Self defense: an important skill to acquire

by Blair Hardee

The scenario is terrifying, and it's crossed every girl's mind at least once.

You're walking alone at night, and you hear footsteps behind you. When you turn to look, no one is there. You continue walking, but before reaching your car, you realize someone following you. And their intentions are anything but pure.

Since the recent reported sexual assault at Skyline, the female student body may wonder, "How safe are we, really?" While we can't control what could happen in a time of vulnerability, such as in the scenario of walking alone at night, we can control how the situation plays out.

Self-defense is an important skill for every person, not just females. While it is true that women are considered an easier target than men, anyone could find themselves in a dangerous situation in which they need to defend themselves.

Staying alert while walking alone can decrease your chances of being attacked, and certain simple maneuvers can protect you if you are.

Look around as you walk, don’t look at the ground or only straight ahead. Being aware of your surroundings makes it much less likely that you will be caught off guard.

Another important thing to avoid is listening to music or being distracted while you're walking by yourself.

A person who is paying attention to something else (especially if that something else is loud music that makes it impossible to hear anything around you) is an easy target for predators.

Make sure if you're walking alone that someone close to you knows where you are and when they should expect you. That way, they know something is wrong if you don't call when you say you will. That being said, it's not advisable to talk on your cell phone while you're in a potentially threatening situation.

While it may make you feel safer to hear someone on the other end of the line, talking on the phone relates back to being distracted.

If you are attacked, certain things can minimize the damage your attacker might do.

First of all, if they ask for something like your phone or your wallet, give it to them. If they grab you or threaten to hurt you if you fight back or call for help, you should do it anyway. Many attackers are bluffing when they threaten their victims, and if they're not, it's likely they'll hurt you whether you scream or not. By fighting back and drawing attention to yourself, you make their mission risky and difficult. More often than not, an attacker will flee if their victim screams and fights back.

There are many self-defense classes at Skyline for students who want to learn more than just the basics of biting and clawing. Not only will you learn a valuable skill, it's also exercise.

"Knowing self-defense makes me feel safer," says former Skyline and CSM student Makena McGowan.

"And it's a good workout!"

However you look at it, there isn't any reason for a person to be without a general idea of how to protect themselves. Learning this invaluable skill could save your life.

The

Skyline View

Features

Top five ways to get better gas mileage in a fast car Stretch your dollar and drive farther

William Nacouzi/The Skyline View

Being smart about your car can save you a lot of money.

by Brian Grabianowski

Special to The Skyline View Good gas mileage is simultaneously intimidating and timid. As the driver may notice, fuel gets skittish when the throttle is pushed down and horsepower is unleashed, but drivers don’t want to scare it off. They want to buy it a beer and keep it calm, collected, and above all, present. These are some skills to exercise in order to tame the wild beast that is gas mileage, and like all muscles, these skills must be worked out in order to stay in shape.

From here on out, this gets somewhat technical. Be prepared.

1.

Manual Transmission – This may be difficult to hear, but your automatic transmission is killing your gas mileage. So much gas is wasted, as if every RPM is firing a bullet at gas mileage shouting, “Dance!” Gas mileage isn’t afraid of running away and once it’s gone, it’s gone. Be nice to fuel by shifting at low RPMs and keeping the engine mellow. With an automatic, the driver doesn’t control this. However, shifting a manual at about 2k RPMs will keep fuel happy and sound, and not anger the monster that is your engine.

2.

Turbo Diesel – Diesels have a 20-to-1 compression ratio.

They are beefy, heavy, sluggish motors that make next to zero horsepower while getting upwards of 20 mpg, and in a truck that’s nothing to be laughed at. Especially with a V-8 diesel, pulling over 4 tons (enter 1985 Chevrolet Suburban).

However, adding a turbo to that and the engine will make at least 100

more horsepower, and will improve gas mileage by five or so. Rule of thumb for truck owners: Get a turbo diesel.

3.

Cons istent/regulated speed – The illusion of fast cars with horrible gas mileage is, once again, driver-dependent, and it’s not about speed either. Go any speed, and get 20 mpg by staying consistent. Instead of using brakes, try letting up off the throttle and letting the engine do the braking for you. This will keep RPMs more or less the same, as braking will lower them much faster.

4.

Smaller motor – There’s no replacement for displacement.

False. Smaller Japanese engines create as much or more horsepower than giant V-8s, at least a lot of the time. Higher compression, lighter, smaller equals less gas being used.

5.

Appropriate Octane – every engine is designed to burn a certain grade of gasoline. PAY ATTENTION TO THIS FOR THE GOOD OF YOUR VEHICLE. Do not put 87-octane gas in a BMW 335i, and as always, DO NOT put 91 in a Zonda R--use racing 100 or higher.

The most important thing a driver can do to get better gas mileage is – TAKE CARE OF YOUR CAR. Stay on top of oil changes, keep an eye out on coolant, gear oil (front and rear), and do NOT always accelerate to redline (except in a drag race). You don’t need a hybrid to get good gas mileage. Be a confident, sane and controlled driver, and drive it, don’t be driven.

December 1, 2011

Performing Arts Showcase

by Chris Korp

The Third Annual Performance Arts Showcase on Nov. 19 crammed all of Skyline’s considerable and wide-ranging talent into the Skyline College Theater and onto the stage for the packed house to enjoy.

This night’s festivities showed the full house how much Skyline College has to offer the community when it comes to performing arts. The performers were widely varied in their talents, from jazz, modern dance, and guitar ensembles, to a full concert band, vocal soloists and spoken word performances.

Excited local residents as well as the family and friends of the performers filtered in to the theater as the Skyline College Concert Band warmed up their instruments. This gave off a cabaret feel as the dramatic lighting did its job of welcoming the theatergoers to their seats. Then, the band’s new conductor Zachary Bruno waved his baton and the music, as well as the night, came alive with music. Bruno might be new to this theater, but “I could he looked like not have he was right at home. been hap “This is my first year pier, it was teaching here a fantastic at Skyline and success.” I’m having a fantastic time doing it,” said -Zachary Bruno. “All of students Bruno these and faculty gave so much of themselves, I could not have been happier, it was a fantastic success.”

One of the highlights of the night was a collaboration of the Skyline Concert Band and three vocal soloists performing selections from Phantom of the Opera. Emily Hoover, Megan Coomans, and Jan De La Cruz thoroughly awed the crowd with their Broadway-ready vocal feats from the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic.

Four spoken word performers laid down a thick smokescreen of emotions across the stage and they took many forms. From the streetwise and tough Celine Lota, the nostalgic and retrospective Masjid Tariq, the punk but vulnerable Emma Cambron, to the smart yet sharp-tongued Jenny Minh-Ai Vo Phamhi. All were able to transport the audience into their carefully woven tales.

Interwoven throughout the night’s festivities was dance.

Dinh Bui and Monica Tong performed an elegant and graceful demonstration of the Tango while the Skyline Dance Production Class loaned their substantial talent to their own numbers as well as cooperative productions with the Skyline Concert Band. The dancers’ director and choreographer, Amber Steele, also coordinated this night’s production and it sounded like ev-

Chris KorpThe Skyline View

Andrew Fenn, on the saxophone.

erything worked out as planned.

“It went really well, we were very happy with how smooth things ran,” said Steele. “We had so many performers all rushing around backstage and then they hopped out on stage and everybody performed very well.”

There were many other vocal and instrumental talents on display that night. The Skyline Concert Choir thrust the crowd into a holiday mood with their rousing performance of “Gospel Magnificat” led by conductor, Jude Navari and the soulful and charismatic soloist, Laura Hutton.

One of the big standouts of the night was Saxophonist Andrew Fenn. His multiple performances showed the bravado and soul of a seasoned Jazz musician. He could

seamlessly go from accompanying a spoken word performance, to belting out “Watermelon Man” with the Jazz Quintet. We will be hearing many good things about this musician in the future.

The President’s Innovation Fund made this night’s performance and the recent improvements to the Skyline College Theater possible.

The performing arts faculty would also like to remind any students interested in performing in the Spring Musical, Cabaret that they should sign up for DANC 665SJ and MUS. 667SM and students interested in working on the technical crew should sign up for DRAM 680SA. Matt Pacelli and William Nacouzi provided additional information for this article.

Interview with showcase perVideo clips of the night’s perforformers and organizers. mances.

Christopher Korp/Skyline View

Soprano soloist Jamie Weinstock and pianist Margaret Fondbertasse. To the left speaker Michelle La Chance.

Skyline View

The

December 1, 2011

5

Entertainment

Wield the force or shout with it

by Stephen Benoit

I hope you’re ready to waste literally days of your lives because Bethesda has released “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim,” and the amount of content it boasts is obscenely absurd.

In my first playthrough since its release, I clocked 105 hours; that’s more than four full days, and there was a substantial amount of content I didn’t explore. The game also seems to generate randomized content like bounties and events in the wilderness, which leaves it with a crazy amount of replay-ability.

During my first playthrough, I kept to being a champion of good and justice, not helping evil figures and abstaining from the war that takes place throughout the game. I felt satisfied with how the game played out. I then started playing an evil character and started doing horrible things to people for power or amusement, and that was just as satisfying. Bethesda has hit the nail on the head here and released an instant hit.

What I absolutely love is that while there’s a main storyline, you can skip it completely if you so desire, and the game seems to take that into account and doesn’t just make the game easy on you. Monsters relevant to the main storyline guard many areas, but if you just ignore the main storyline completely the guards will be replaced by logical replacements. While skipping the main story after my first playthrough, instead of finding a horrifying dragon guarding one point, I found a group of bandits with a nasty master. That same point had been home to a bunch of burned corpses from dead bandits, so it was as if the dragon had never come.

In Skyrim you have a lot of flexibility to play how you want to play, but life will be hard if you use obscure specifications.

For example, I wanted to see if I could play as a guy who fights solely with his fists; it was extremely difficult, but once I found some equipment that helped that play style and some skills to go with it, I was set.The game has a lot of interesting features, such as the ability to shout in the language of dragons, which can have horrifying effects such as pulling dragons from the sky, freezing an enemy in ice, slowing down time itself, causing you to let out a burst of flame breath or creating an immense shockwave. The developers also took a lot of strange things into consideration; case in point, if you put a bucket or pot over someone’s head, you’re blocking their eyes, so they can’t see you. While they can’t see you can commit a lot of crimes, and they won’t see or care.“Skyrim” also features a much more robust crafting system than its predecessor, “Oblivion.” You can create your very own weapons and armor and in some cases make them ridiculously strong. By the end of the game I killed the final boss with three swings of my sword, which was kind of a let-down, but given how much time I spent building up to make that sword, I guess it makes sense.

The game also features an unbelievable score, some of it seemingly played by an orchestra of some sort with what sounds like a hundred voices singing. It may sound sad, but the game literally gave me shivers when the main theme started playing while fighting a dragon on the snowy peaks of a mountain. The first time I killed a dragon was a tremendous occasion as well, and the effects that are displayed when a dragon dies are amazing.

Overall, the game is incredibly entertaining and has enough content to keep even the most hardcore of gamers entertained for quite a long while. I would suggest getting it for the PC because the modding community for Bethesda games always does some incredible stuff, and you don’t want to miss out! If you haven’t gotten it already, you’re missing out, and it might make a good Christmas present!

Skyrim Vs. Star Wars: The Old Republic

“Star Wars the Old Republic” is an MMO (Massive Multiplayer Online) game that takes place in the Star Wars universe a couple of hundred years after the “Knights of the Old Republic” story arc.

This game has taken all of the things Star Wars fans adore about the franchise and bundled it up into a great game. You have multiple choices in storylines to follow, anywhere from Jedi to Smuggler. I started my adventure with the scourge of the galaxy, the Sith.

The game begins with an amazing cut scene in which the Sith retake the planet Koribban from the Republic.

You will be amazed at the time and effort Lucas Arts took when creating the cut scenes in S.W.T.O.R. They are very detailed and elaborate; the lightsaber fights are on par with the movie scenes that we all know and love. You find yourself watching these cut scenes over and over again just to make sure you caught all the graphic beauty.

Gameplay starts with a bang as you land on Korriban as a Sith Adept trying to work your way up in the ranks of the Sith. You have been recognized as an especially gifted student and are now on your way to obtaining your first lightsaber.

The first 10 levels of the game are focused mainly on familiarizing you with the gameplay mechanics as well as introducing you to the level up system. The class you choose will determine who you go to when leveling up and learning new abilities; if you choose Sith, the two choices you initially have are between Sith Inquisitor or Sith Warrior. The Sith Inquisitor is a class that is more focused on using the force to take down your foes and heal your allies, whereas the Sith warrior is a class focused on lightsaber fighting and defense.

I chose to follow the force and became a Sith Inquisitor. One of the best features of this game is that in addition to picking your initial class at level 10, you are presented with the choice of picking your specialization. The Sith Inquisitor has a choice between the Sith Sorcerer and the Sith Assassin; the Sith Sorcerer focuses on the most deep dark secrets of the Force and gains amazing Dark Side Force abilities. Force lighting and many other Force powers makes this class the ultimate in long range combat and healing. The Sith Assassin focuses on lightsaber fighting, as a bonus the Sith Assassin uses the double-sided lightsaber making it one of the most dangerous melee fighters in the game.

I would be remiss if I did not mention that Sith and Jedi are not the only two choices you have in this game. I am focusing on the Sith because it is the class I played. On the Sith side you can also play as a Bounty Hunter and Imperial Agent both with their own specialization classes, and on the Republic side you can play as a Smuggler or Trooper. All the classes in this game are balanced and are on equal standing ground when it comes to PVP or Dueling.

Let’s talk space fighting and space quests. Around level 15 you will be given a spaceship, this will allow you to partake in the space combat system. When you arrive on your ship you’re greeted by some new companions; companions are acquired throughout the game as you complete quests. You control them and they help you succeed in battle. By level 15 you have a couple of choices when it comes to companions and can chose which one will do the best job on quests.

Companions can also help level up your professions. There are many different types of professions, like Cybertech, Biosynthesis, and Scavenging. These are just an added bonus to the game and allow you to craft items to use during gameplay. The fact that you can build your own lightsabers and guns just makes the game that much better. I played to level 20 and I can honestly say that this game is very well rounded and has enough gameplay mechanics to keep you interested and learning as you go along.

The storyline is incredibly engaging, the voice acting is on point and the capability to choose whether you would like to be on the light or dark side just adds to the fun.

by Daniel Beckman

The

Skyline View

Entertainment

December 1, 2011

Top 5 Bay Area Rappers

by Kent Foster

There is no other rap scene in the country like the Bay Area’s. There is so much young talent in this part of the country, it’s crazy! Bay Area artists have never gotten the respect they deserve on a national level, so the independent hustle of being able to self-promote and distribute your music is a necessity like no other. Blowing up locally in the Bay Area does not mean you have a legitimate chance of blowing up nationally, like in other parts of the country. The Bay Area does not receive the same recognition other parts of the country receive so we have sort of developed this freedom in the art of hip-hop in which artists don’t care about whether or not what they are making is something that can make it on the radio. Rather, it is what they truly would like to express, what they are feeling, and their actual thoughts, from all different types of artists within hip-hop, from the street hustler to the backpacker. This list was incredibly difficult to make, but here it is, the top five Bay Area artists to be on the lookout for: The Jealous Guys Made up of Ayinde and Bizy Casa, The Jealous Guys hit the scene with a bang in Feb. 2011 with their debut mix-tape “The Love Mix-tape.” The rawness of Ayinde’s raspy voice makes a perfect counter to Bizy Casa’s smooth conversational flow, and the raw emotion of young men pouring their hearts and minds into songs about love in such a genuine and authentic way causes you to feel a raw emotion in a totally different way than ever before. The stand-out track on the tape is “Bus Stop Jazz,” with mid-90’s hip-hop production and vintage/golden-age lyrics.

“Bus Stop Jazz” is easily a song that every hip-hop head can appreciate. 3/4, the boutique agency that helped unleash Odd Future on the world, has now picked up on The Jealous Guys and is ready to take them national. With features on national blogs such as Complex magazine and The Fader, there is nowhere to go but up for The Jealous Guys as they try and break out of the underground Bay Area scene. Check out their new tape titled “AudioBook” that they just released this month.

Moe Green Possibly the hardest working MC on the come up, Rapper Moe Green hits the studio all day and then heads to his post graveyard shift at FedEx all night. When you first see Moe Green, he looks like every other Bay Area rapper who raps about his neighborhood on really Bay Area mobby-sounding beats, but there is more to this young MC then meets the eye.

His debut album, “Rocky Maivia: Non-Title Match,” swerves in and out of hip-hop, with electronic, pop, and jazz samples that make for an interesting outcome. His new mix-tape “Lion’s Heart” was another great example of Green’s range. Not being able to label this rapper is a plus because of his versatility, to which everybody can relate. “I got to a certain point in my life where I was like, ‘Dude, forget what everybody thinks,’” Green said. “‘If you like it, just like it. Stop trying to fit in.’”

DaVinci Fillmore rapper DaVinci gained an unusual amount of national buzz for a Bay Area street rapper with his debut mix-tape “The Day the Turf Stood Still”. The tape was put together with a strong message that focused on the impacts of gentrification in his Fillmore neighborhood.

In a new age of hip-hop where the focus has gone away from having a message and more on being clever with one’s word play, most hip-hop heads would proclaim some artists who over-do these techniques as “not saying anything.” The message DaVinci provides is what makes him a standout. This year’s EP “Feast of Famine” is probably his best work to date; the tape confronts the everyday struggle of living in the hood in a way where a person is talking and reflecting privately to himself on the tangled problems he’s been forced to confront. He brings together the old school feel of the Bay with the new.

Young Gully Young Gully is one of the most talented rappers in the Bay Area right now; his music is really honest with lyrical content that is relatable. Rapping over hyphy’s signature bass throb to old-school loops, Gully raps almost from beginning to end without taking a single breath. This is what is commonly called “gassin”. This great delivery, mixed with his dope writing skills, and his ability to also show his emotions through his music, is what makes Gully a standout artist. “Hustla Movement 4” is his latest offering, and has been making quite a dent in the Bay Area’s music scene.

Kreayshawn I couldn’t keep her off this list; Kreayshawn is the hottest thing to come out of the Bay Area since Lil B! Her even gained her a nomination for MTV’s VMA Best New Artist. She was quickly signed to Columbia Records, bum later this year. Because her newfound fame is based off of this one track, she has a lot of pressure on her, der, something no artist wants to be known as. She definitely has the swag and great visuals; now we will see if

Increase Your Income & Assets!

Visit the SparkPoint Center Serving Students and the Community Programs and Services x x x x x x

Financial Education Career and Employment Services English Language Institute The Grove Scholars Program Food Pantry Tax Preparation Assistance

Call Today!

650-738-7035 Or visit us in Room 1222

Join SparkPoint Today!

single “Gucci Gucci” sky-rocketed her to celebrity status and and I am now highly anticipating the release of her first aland if the album flops she will be known as a one-hit wonshe has the talent to live up to all the hype built around her.

BACHELOR’S

2014

“I earned my Associate’s degree, but was told I couldn’t get into a state school until next fall. I don’t have the time to sit around and wait. NDNU accepted me for the spring term and now I’m on track to finish my degree in two years.”

GET THERE Notre Dame de Namur University makes transferring simple and gives you access to the classes you need to graduate on time.

We’re ready when you are. We accept transfer students for spring and fall and you can transfer in with any number of units. We offer smaller class sizes, hands-on advising, and financial aid.

Apply now for spring and fall 2012.

To learn more, visit www.ndnu.edu or call (650) 508-3600.

650-738-7035 – SkylineSparkPoint@smccd.edu – Bldg. 1, Room 1222

1500 Ralston Avenue, Belmont CA

7

The

Skyline View

December 1, 2011

Less than lethal force CHRIS KORP

T

here is no denying that the use of pepper spray, Tasers and rubber bullets by police on protesters in America has increased enormously recently, so much so that we may have become desensitized to the point of not even questioning why it is happening.

When police administrators and cities started outfitting their police officers with “less-thanlethal” weaponry, it was intended to be used in situations in which the only alternative was for the police to shoot the suspect with a conventional gun.

Now look at the recent pepper spraying of the sitting and passive UC Davis protesters, or the 84-year old grandmother in Seattle. Would you say that the only alternative for the police officers involved in those incidents was to shoot these people dead? Assuming you are not a sociopath, you most likely answered, “No”.

American police departments employ weapons that were initially developed for military use and were intended to see action only in war. The year 2009 marked the first time American citizens were subjected to this new breed of military weapon. The Pittsburgh police deployed a Long Range Acoustical Device, or sound cannon, to help disperse crowds protesting the 2009 G-20 Summit with a deafening wail that made protesters run for cover in pain.

This complaint does not stop with the chemical agents and military hardware the police are using lately: Sometimes they just rely on good old-fashioned beatings to get their job done. On Nov. 9, police were sent to roust a camp of protesters on the UC Berkeley campus. When some of the protesters did not comply with the vacate order, they linked their arms and stood their ground. The police responded by lining up and

Coming of the anti-Christmas

repeatedly thrusting their batons into the bellies of the peaceful protesters.

These protesters were breaking trespassing laws and should have been given their day in court. Instead, the police once again switched the branch of government they worked for and started decreeing judgments. Once again, those in charge, in this case UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau, had no problem with police conduct on that day.

“We regret that, given the instruction to take down tents and prevent encampment, the police were forced to use their batons to enforce the policy,” Birgeneau said.

The police should have been under instructions to clear the plaza in a manner in which no one person would be injured—protester or police. Nevertheless, in this case, the police were told to physically punish the protesters into submission.

It should be noted that the intention of this article is not to berate police officers but to question the authorities who put these policies in place and armaments into the hands of the cops on the street in the first place. Police have to protect themselves; that much is understood, but these officers are an arm of the executive branch and should not be urged to perform a function of the judicial branch by rendering punishments on the spot to protesters and bystanders alike.

In 1994, when an 18-year old American in Singapore was arrested for theft and vandalism, the Singaporean judge opted for the traditional caning as punishment for his crimes. Americans stood up in outrage when this judgment was made. Where are the Americans of 1994 now?

This form of corporal punishment is alive and well in America, and it even skips the legal proceedings the young American in Singapore was afforded.

The American people need to evaluate what is happening in our country in a non-hypocritical way. We love to cheer on the protesters in Tunisia, Egypt, Syria and Libya, but when it comes to our own fellow citizens, we turn a blind eye.

Dear Johnny

Dear Johnny,

My boyfriend of two years is constantly hitting on women behind my back. Sometimes I don’t even think he is attracted to me because he’s nicer to these girls who are unattainable. How do I make him realize that what he says to other women reflects on both of us?

–Playa Lova Dear Playa Lova, First thing’s first—why don’t you make it clear that talking to other girls is simply not acceptable behavior?

You need to talk to your boyfriend and actually take a stand. Say to him that you will not be in a relationship with someone that can’t put you first and all other

Opinions

MATT PACELLI

A

s a society, we often use the misdeeds of the past as a watermark against which we measure our moral progress. We might tell ourselves, “We used to accuse people of witchcraft and burn them at the stake, but we’re more civilized now;” or we might say, “Gladiator fights were barbaric, but people are smarter nowadays.”

Wrong! You’re wrong if you think we as a society have advanced beyond the caveman days of bludgeoning each other over the head for a scrap of raw meat. My proof for such a claim lies in a single word: Christmas.

Nothing summons forth the evil in your fellow man quite like the giving season.

Our collective eggnogdrenched descent into madness commences every year with the torrid spend-o-rama known as Black Friday. Sure, the name “Black Friday” traditionally refers to the financial boon the surge of

women second or last for that matter. What needs to happen is change and lots of it.

You need to evaluate your relationship to see why it is still ticking when you are obviously so unhappy; you have to demand the respect you deserve.

Pull your boyfriend aside and really talk to him. See why he feels he needs attention from other women. If he doesn’t feel the same way you do, then you really need to move on. I know it’s hard to let go of someone when you love them even if they are mistreating you, but you have to push through it and stick to your guns.

If he can’t appreciate your beauty and feelings, there is someone out there that can.

Tell your boyfriend how he is making you feel, and that you are not willing to be in a relationship with a man that cannot make you feel great about yourself.

–Johnny Email Dear Johnny at advice.johnny@gmail.com

holiday shoppers provide to businesses, but it could also be argued that “Black Friday” is referencing the color of people’s souls on that day. Stores become impromptu Thunderdomes, where people may literally battle, sometimes to the death, for savings.

Recent bouts of yuletide mayhem have been numerous: The “Waffle Maker Riot” in Arkansas saw a scramble for twodollar Walmart waffle makers quickly turn into a one-way ticket to hell; there was also a woman in a southern California Walmart who took it upon herself to pepper spray over twenty people, all for a sweet, sweet Xbox (the authorities, when describing her, actually used the term “competitive shopper”); and then there was the East Bay shooting of a shopper in a Walmart parking lot in an attempted robbery of the victim’s merchandise.

Walmart seems to pop up more than enough times to merit having blame thrown

The View From Here with Stephen Benoit

This semester is drawing to a close for us: This is our last edition of the paper for the semester, but you can expect new content being broken online until the semester officially ends!

I have to say, as I’ve been an editor I’ve noticed my other classes suffer as I pour all my energy into working on this paper and bringing home awards. So, as a freelancer I shouldn’t have that problem as much anymore. Don’t let me scare you away though, as the paper is

in its direction. It is definitely satisfying because Walmart is one of those big, faceless corporations that are easy to hate, with its loathsome blandness and discount ruthlessness. The corporation is definitely a facilitator to the Christmas carnage, but people are what really make the whole thing a special time of year.

Walmart merely sets the table; holiday shoppers are the ones that throw their food and then ask for seconds.

In an odd way, it seems fitting for us as a society that our attachment to the free market turns into, at least once a year, a donnybrook (old-school term!). We are constantly pumped images from the media compelling us to spend, telling us that the nature of our character is based on material goods.

It strikes me as apropos that this should come to a head, culminating in our beating each other stupid and using any and all unscrupulous means at our disposal to screw our fellow citizens over, just so that we can buy new things, wrap them in shiny paper, and give them to recipients, who will probably rarely use what we buy (except, possibly, the lady who Maced her way to an Xbox).

probably the best thing that ever happened to me.

While I may not be editor in chief after this semester, I fully encourage all of you reading who might have an interest to come scope out the newsroom. You could even come in during our remaining weeks and check it out. Our lecture period is typically 12 to 1 p.m., Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in room 8-110, which may not be the most interesting time to come in, but a lot of us are there for a while afterward, either working or relaxing. Maybe you’ll fall in love with journalism too if you give it a chance.

HURT & HEAL by JJ Valdez New coffee shop in the foodcourt

HEAL

HURT

“The food court is small. There isn’t a lot of room or a lot of options. With the new coffee shop built there, students will feel more comfortable in the food court since it will be larger.”

“I don’t really think it’s necessary. That’s money that could be used for something else. Especially when the school says it’s out of money and that they need to raise our fees.”

–Khanh Tran

– Antonette Reus

HURT “Well, it’s probably a waste of money; money that they could use for anything else. I get what I need from the cafeteria and the current coffee shop.”

–Megan Coomans

HURT

HURT

HEAL

“We already have a coffee shop, so I think it’s pointless to make another one. It would be too much.”

“It seems unnecessary because the cafeteria is just fine, and we already have a coffee shop. It just seems like a waste of money.”

“The new coffee shop would be more convenient for students and teachers since it’s closer to the cafeteria, and we’ll probably get more options because of it.”

–Frances Gonzales

–Wolly Navarez

–Beatriz Millare

Skyline Sports

Upcoming Games

Men’s Basketball

Women’s Basketball

12/08-10 Fresno City College Tourn.

12/02 @ Solano College 5 p.m.

12/15 VS Cerro Coso College 6 p.m.

12/10-12 Skyline College Classic 12/16-18 CCSF Tournament 12/21 @ West Valley College 3 p.m.

12/21 VS College of Marin 5:30 p.m.

12/23 @ De Anza College 3 p.m.

12/03 North Regional Tourney 9 a.m.

12/09-10 State Wrestling Champ. 10 a.m.

Wrestling

Eagles swatted down in San Bruno

Footage from the Women’s Basketball Home Opener!

Women’s basketball team easily wins home opener

by Rich Estrada

It’s been a rough start for Skyline basketball in the early stages of the 2011-12 season. With the men’s team on the road facing Cabrillo College trying to notch their first win of the season, the women’s team hosted Feather River College for their Nov. 18 matchup.

In their previous meeting, Skyline narrowly defeated Feather River College by a single field goal at the final buzzer. This time around, the Golden Eagles had an opportunity to redeem themselves against a struggling Trojan team.

Skyline has been battling injuries in the early stages of this season.

Sophomore Ashley “Ace” Lotti was not in uniform for the Trojans as she dealt with flu-like symptoms. However, as soon as she walked through the gym entrance, her team’s energy skyrocketed as they were at game speed throughout the rest of their pre-game warm up.

Team captain Kelly Huey had her ankle wrapped up earlier in the day as a precaution. She had sprained her ankle earlier this week during practice but looked ready to provide some team leadership on the court.

“We’re excited but focused. We prepared hard for this game,” sophomore Stefanie Johnson said before the game. “I’m sure they remember last time we played.”

The game was sloppy in the opening minutes with teams unable to stick to their defensive assignments. The Golden Eagles were winning the rebound battle, but their offense was nonexistent.

It wasn’t until a rebound was secured by Kelly Huey and taken all the way across the court for a layup that Skyline began to find their game. The Trojans had the lead and refused to let it go.

Skyline took advantage of the mismatches on the floor, feeding Sherine Johnson, who took advantage of her speed and penetrated the Eagle defense for easy opportunities at the rim. This strategy gave the Trojans a 17-point lead with less than 10 minutes to go.

Freshman Karen Jakobs anchored the Trojan defense down the stretch, contesting every attempt to the hoop. In an impressive sequence, Jakobs pulled down a defensive rebound, began the fast break and found a wide-open Brittney Kelley for a spot-up jumper.

Feather River College fought hard, but the Trojans weren’t about to give the game away, and they put the Golden Eagles away with a final score of 55-41.

“Last weekend we had a little trouble penetrating and finishing,” Sherine Johnson said after the game.

“We worked on it all week and it

Sherine Johnson’s all-around performance was key to Skyline’s offensive surge in the second half

paid off.”

When asked about her ankle injury, Huey said that “it feels good.” Her focus shifted to the team’s next game against Solano College: “We’re going to show up to Monday’s practice and work hard like we’ve been doing this week. We know they’re (Solano) a good team,

Skyline wins nail-biter at home Gavilan basketball mourns fallen teammate on their home floor. A moment of silence was held for Gaines prior to tip-off.

Freshman Nate Gartrell didn’t suit up for Skyline’s home opener against Alameda on Friday, Nov. 11, but he looked poised for a big game on Wednesday.

He appeared to outhustle everyone on the court during the pregame warm up.

The Trojans’ energy led to quick numbers as they structured their offense around Kyle Wong’s quickness.

Gavilan’s defense Will Nacouzi/The Skyline View couldn’t match Skyline’s energy as they After missing the home opener against Alameda, Nate Gartrell outslowly found themhustled the Gavilan defense in route to Skyline’s first win at home. selves trailing the Trojans by 17 points.

Gavilan eventually

by Rich Estrada The Trojan men’s basketball found a rhythm to their offense and team’s second attempt to notch a chipped away at the lead. The Rams win at home took place Wednesday, went into the half trailing by only Nov. 23, against Gilroy’s Gavilan 10 points.

Gavilan’s momentum carried College Rams.

It was the Rams’ second game over into the second half as they since the loss of fallen teammate An- took advantage of their size in the drel Gaines, who passed away two post. Skyline’s recurring rebounding weeks ago from injuries sustained issues became a factor, eventually in a drunken driving accident earlier allowing the Rams to pull within this month. Many Gavilan students five points of the Trojans late in made the trip to San Bruno to sup- the game.

The Rams focused on containport the Rams in their away game, outnumbering Skyline’s supporters ing sophomore forward Anthony

Slideshow!

Smith, who struggled putting the ball in the basket. He finished with four points. However, it was Smith’s presence that helped Skyline tread through the scoring drought. His energy on defense stopped Gavilan at a crucial point in the game. The Trojans claimed their first home victory of the season with a final score of 56-53.

When asked about the Gavilan’s fans who were able to make it out to San Bruno in support of their team and of Andrel Gaines, Skyline coach Justin Piergrossi noted, “The scoreboard always says there’s a winner and loser, but there really wasn’t a loser out here today.” He added, “For those kids to come out and get back on the court with their teammates and play as hard and as well as they did was good to see.”

“We started the game strong but got comfortable,” said Trojan guard Kenneth Woodward after the game.

“We got to keep working hard, keep progressing. We’re getting better every game and to get better, we have to go harder than the one (game) before.”

Gartrell addressed Skyline’s shooting slump in the second half: “We know that we’re good players, and we know we’re going to miss some shots, but we got to take them.”

Gartrell added, “You need to be confident. Just keep shooting. Eventually good things will happen.”

Skyline is now 1-1 at home and hosted Napa Valley College on

and we gotta focus on them now, not this victory.”

“They played very well,” said Head Coach Trisha Hosley. “They lost a little bit of their focus towards the end of the second, but the leaders on the team acknowledged it and managed the rest of that game.”

Hosley, who is in her fifth season

Jonathan Chan/The Skyline View

as head coach of the women’s basketball program, added, “This was a good win. They got to perform for their friends and family and played a great game.”

The Skyline women’s basketball team will play their next home game against Cerro Coso College on Thursday, Dec. 15.