The Skyline View Spring 4 2013

Sports

Features

Baseball Skyline falters vs CSM pg 8

Entertainment

Skyline Band

Movie Review

Jazz and Concert Bands pg. 4

Oz: The Great and Powerful pg 6

The

Skyline View The Voice of Skyline College, San Bruno, California

Volume XXXII - Issue 4

www.theskylineview.com

March 14, 2013

Plus/minus grading policy likely for Fall 2013

by Richard Estrada TSV Editor in chief

Courtesy of Jackeline Monrroy

Amado Osorio, Josue Osorio, and Josefa Osorio, respectively, at Amado’s graduation

Death of Skyline student Three people die in a car crash due to a drunk driver

by Renee Abu-Zaghibra TSV News Editor

A Sunnyvale man has been charged with 3 counts of murder after killing 3 people in a car crash in Daly City on the evening of March 9.

Denis Pereria Demacedo, a 28-year-old Sunnyvale resident, was allegedly speeding down Eastmoor Avenue when he crashed into the car of Amado Osorio, a former Skyline student. Also in the car was his mother, Josefa Osorio, his younger brother, Josue Osorio, and his girlfriend. Amado, Josefa, and Josue died in the crash while Amado’s girlfriend is currently in critical condition.

Prior to the accident with the Osorio family, Demacedo had been drinking before he drove off and his blood alcohol level was reported by police as double the legal limit two hours after the crash. He rear-ended

another different car on Eastmoor and sped around the vehicle in order to get away. No one was harmed in this first mishap. As Demacedo fled the scene of the crime, he collided with the Osorio’s car as they were pulling out of a parking spot.

Demacedo was not injured in the crash and is currently being held in the San Mateo County Jail under the charges of murder, attempted murder and hit and run, according to Jesus Julian Rocha-Sliva, a Skyline student and close friend.

“I could consider him like my brother and my family definitely considered him like a son,” said Jackeline Monrroy, a Skyline student and close friend of Amado Osorio.

Monrroy talked about his personality and how she had just seen him a few hours before the accident.

She also shares how she has “always been against drinking and driving” and that she knew many others who have been affected by it.

A donation fund has been set up to collect money for the family to help pay for the three funerals. A Facebook page has also been made in support of the family. Amado Osorio also had attended Westmoor High School while his brother, Josue Osorio currently attended it, and in their honor the school is hosting a memorial. The family was unavailable for comment.

“I can’t believe it happened,” said David Monrroy, friend of Amado Osorio. “I’m really sad that my best friend isn’t here with me anymore.

We have to do as much as humanly possible to not let our friends drive while drunk and I hope people can help this family in such financial need.”

The website to donate money is http://www.osoriomemorial.com

• Campaigning Kicks Off Next Week

• Honor’s Symposium

The San Mateo Community College District Academic Senate has voted to approve the motion for a district wide implementation of a plus/minus grading policy to go into effect as early as fall 2013. A recommendation will be submitted to the district’s board of trustees for approval later this month. Approval by the board of trustees may be the final obstacle for the new grading policy to take place.

The shift in grading policy has been in discussion since 2007 but has met resistance from The Associated Students of Skyline College (ASSC) since first being proposed. Student body president Jose Luis Sanchez Sosa believes that although the new policy may be implemented for the upcoming academic year, revisions must be made.

“I don’t think it’s ready to be implemented,” Sanchez said. “I understand that this policy has been in the works for a long time now, but there are still areas that we (ASSC) do not agree with.”

Student governments at all three of the district colleges have submitted their endorsements for the change, but are split as to whether to have modifications to every letter grade. ASSC has proposed a system where “A” grades would not be eligible to receive modification nor any letter grade below a “C.” ASSC has argued that the pro-

posed change would discourage students from participating in extracurricular activities and community involvement. According to ASSC, Skyline students have a higher percentage of students who are active beyond academics.

The San Mateo County Community College District is among a short list of two-year colleges that currently does not practice plus/minus grading.

Skyline Physics professor, Nick Langhoff, believes that the change in policy would provide long-term benefits for students who plan to transfer.

“As someone who has to hand out grade evaluations, adding a plus or a minus would be a better representation of a student’s performance,” Langhoff said. “It adds precision and more resolution to a final grade.”

In addition to adding accuracy, plus/minus grading would also put Skyline College’s policy in line with that of the UC and CSU systems. It has been argued by the Academic Senate that the change may in fact ease the transition to a four-year university.

Sophomore Jin Yang believes that many students may be affected negatively in the short-term, but may be a source of motivation to do well academically.

“It definitely won’t demotivate anyone,” Yang said. “I can see students taking more initiative in their studies.”

News Briefs • CCSF Accreditation San Francisco City College will unlikely be able to meet the Mar.15 deadline necessary to retain accreditation.

CCSF is likely to ask the accreditation commission for more time to complete the necessary paper work.

Candidates who have completed candidacy paperwork will be campaigning from Mar.18 to 22 before elections are held later this month.

Eight Skyline Honor’s Students will be presenting at the sixth Annual Honor’s Research Symposium at Stanford on May 4, later this semester.

Mike Risenhoover / The Skyline View

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The

Skyline View The Staff Editor In Chief Richard Estrada News Editor Renee Abu-Zaghibra Features Editor Alana VanZanten Opinions Editor Josh Collier Entertainment Editor Jordan Sweidan Sports Editor Reynaldo Garcia Chief Copy Editor Vince Biancalana Online Editor Will Nacouzi Photo/Graphics Editor Haider Mashal Video Editor Rommel Conclara Blog Editor Michelle Kelly Social Media Editor Aaron Washington

Special Projects Manager Nick Major Editors at large Stephen Benoit JJ Valdez Staff Writers Christopher Korp Anacani Serrato Megan Benveniste Justine Abellana Eric Wong Erasmo Martinez Cartoonists Alyssa Koszis Cosmos Chris John Ouzes Molly Downs Faculty Advisor 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

San Bruno CA 94066

The Skyline View is a First Amendment Publication. The Skyline View is published bi-weekly 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.

March 14, 2013

News

news.tsv@gmail.com

Letter to the Editor Dear Editor, I write this letter in response to Campaign Season Is Here, by Will Nacouzi, published on February 28th, 2013. As a previous member of the Associated Students of Skyline College’s Governing Council, I encourage all students to run for office and speak their voice. Serving on the ASSC is a unique learning experience, a simple method to find community at Skyline College, and, often, an advantageous place to be if one is interested in transferring or earning an academic scholarship.

The decision to require a test before eligibility is granted to a candidate, is elitist and highlights the disconnect between our representatives and the student body, their constituency. Every year, the ASSC struggles to fill the 21 positions on their governing council. From my personal experience, I have seen that the majority of council members have similar goals, educational experiences, and aspirations. To an extent, this is to be expected. However, this should not, by any means, be encouraged.

The process for an individual to gain candidacy should be streamlined, should be accessible to all students, and should be thoroughly publicized. The ASSC, after releasing the application on February 27th, has allotted students two weeks to study the constitution and by-laws (a poorly-written, greatly flawed document, which can be changed without limitation by the governing council). The ASSC has allotted three rigid time-blocks for taking the test.

The ASSC has not actively publicized what the test will entail. The ASSC must re-evaluate its values and mission—to serve the student body—and take this decision, perhaps their whole election execution process, back to the drawing board.

I do not write this letter because I wish to run for a position on the governing council without taking this test. In fact, after this semester I will transfer out of Skyline, and this decision will have no effect on my livelihood. However, I had a great experience serving the student body through a position on the ASSC Governing Council, and wish that all students could have—at the least—ACCESS to such an experience. So, the object of this letter is two-fold: I ask that the ASSC opens its doors to all students; and I ask for the student body to consider what they, as individuals, can contribute to this college, to this world, and though what medium their contribution will be most influential.

Thank you, Mark Lipkin Fromer ASSC Senator and Commissioner of Publicity

District probes viability of online courses

by Will Nacouzi TSV Online Editor

Earlier this year, Governor Jerry Brown, pushed for more online classes in order to speedup students college education amidst decreasing educational spending cuts by the state government.

In response, colleges throughout the state, even four year colleges like the University of California, have taken action to increase the number of students who take online classes through marketing them and making them more available for students.

In more recent news, Skyline College, CSM, Canada College and the Board of Trustee have been looking into developing online classes in the future, ensuring that students have the resources available to be successful and move on with their education.

In a Board of Trustees meeting on Mar. 17, SMCCD Chancellor Galatolo mentioned that he would like to see a small pilot program with Udacity, similar to San Jose State University own online classes program with Udacity.

Udacity is a startup company founded by Sebastian Thrun, David Stavens, and Mike Sokolsky.

The company aims to reinvent education for the 21st century,

allowing students to be fluent in new technology and to always learn throughout their life.

President of the District Academic Senate Diana Bennett said during the meeting that the Academic Senate had met with Udacity and the Distance Education Advisory Committee to talk with them, additional meetings have been planned for the future.

However, Trustee Richard Holober raised concerns during the meeting that Udacity was still an unproven enterprise that had yet to deliver any students and that the district should consider working with another provider who can work with them to provide online classes for students at Skyline College and her sister colleges.

Board of Trustees President Dave Mandelkern also mentioned during the meeting that while he supports innovation, especially in student education, he cautioned that there is more to an online class then just a flashy provider.

The district will move forward with Udacity for the pilot program while at the same time exploring other potential partners whom they can work with.

Corrections from issue 3 • On the plus/minus grading news brief, ASSC was misrepresented on it’s stance. ASSC proposed a plus/minus policy that excludes grades of “A-” and all grades below “C”.

• Reynoldo Garcia was misrepresented as “raynaldo Garcia” on page 7.

• On the “Game On” section, two errors were included in the crossword puzzle.

Opinions page 3

Skyline View

Mar. 14, 2013

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The

CCSF issues may raise Skyline’s awareness

Editorial TSV Staff

Students should do their part to ensure Skyline College passes accreditation

Skyline College is currently undergoing the process of renewing its accreditation.

What is accreditation? It is something that all colleges go through; if they want to assure the public and other schools that the college in question is performing to a certain level of standards in education and efficiency in keeping the school open that is accepted nationwide.

Skylines accreditation process takes place once every six years and, takes around one year of planning and self-evaluation that is worked on by Skyline’s administration, faculty, classified staff and students. Then sometime around the middle of the process; a team of officials from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) comes to evaluate Skyline to make sure the school meets the standards that are currently in place.

Why is this important to

Eight Arms to Many

Skyline students? If the college you choose to attend is not accredited by some type of legitimate organization or loses its accreditation, any degree you attain from the school while is not accredited is pretty much worthless.

Most institutions will not accept degrees or transfers from an unaccredited school unless the school is special in some way or another.

As a cautionary tale, our neighbor City College of San Francisco (CCSF) has run into some problems during the renewal of their accreditation.

During their last renewal, they were asked to fix some major problems, but the problems were not taken care of so ACCJC has put CCSF on “Show Cause” status. What “Show Cause” status means is that CCSF has either failed to implement or has not met the requirements to keep its accreditation. Now it has to demonstrate why the ACCJC should not take away the

schools accreditation. If these requirements are not met, then CCSF will lose its accreditation and without its accreditation the school will lose its funding and will have to eventually close down.

While as of now Skyline is not in any trouble, the community can definitely help keep it that way. One way students can help keep the campus out of hot water is to keep informed about Skyline. For example, learning our school’s mission, vision, and value statements would help when those accreditation officials come down to our school and start asking students questions. Show the staff your support; they do a crazy amount of things to keep this campus afloat especially during accreditation time, including insane amounts of writing.

The View from Here as seen by Rich Estrada Ides of March Where has this semester gone?

Skyline is nine weeks into the spring semester and many of us are getting closer to that breaking point.

March can be seen as the month that can potentially derail it all! In case everyone has forgotten, this month has plenty of kryptonite for everyone so allow me to be the voice of reason before it all goes down.

Let’s take a deep breath and refocus on the light at the end of the tunnel. Our GPAs have become more important than ever now that a new grading policy looms in the horizon.

The plus/minus demons are coming so let’s do our best to build that cushion.

Our peers are dropping like flies with each big assignment further weeding out the undisciplined and weak-willed. Remember that midterms are upon us.

St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner and can spell disaster for anyone who isn’t prepared for the “festivities.”

It takes a lot of green to have fun on the Irish celebration day, so plan accordingly and leave the credit cards at home.

Pace yourselves and take the necessary precautions to avoid that

dreaded Irish flu.

None of the professors here at Skyline is going to fall for that excuse!

College sports fans are gearing up for March Madness and there are sure to be a few Bay Area teams that get an invite.

The monthlong tournament can also be a huge distraction from the other tasks at hand so time-management and prioritization is very important.

Avoid costly bets and remember that there’s always next year.

With a little bit of planning, you can overcome the month of March and head into Spring Break smelling like roses.

So fill out your brackets, stock up on whiskey and beer, and let those late night study sessions begin.

Skyline View

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March 14, 2013

Features

Quintessentially American music at Skyline

Performances highlight Gettysburg anniversary and Quincy Jones’ 80th birthday

Will Nacouzi / The Skyline View

Alexander Rosales plays the bass during the Skyline College Jazz band’s performance of Quincy Jones’ arrangement of “Killer Joe”.

by Vincent Biancalana TSV chief copy editor

Brass cannons and Michael Jackson tunes blew out a mostly packed house in a night of quintessential American music at Skyline College Theater on Mar. 14. Admission was delightfully free to the two hour concert featuring three bands.

Prior to the concert, history professor Rosemary Bell spoke to the audience of the extreme trials of being a soldier in the Civil War. She explained the mortality of the wounds and showed the tools of a Civil War medic, which was basically a bone saw, some knives and

forceps and gauze. She discussed the battle of Gettysburg, which lasted three days and took 50,000 American casualties from either side.

The Skyline College Concert Band performed 6 pieces with an interesting program which explained the progress of the battle of Gettysburg. “The Old Warrior March” made for an energetic and bombastic introduction to the setting of the Civil War just before the battle. The band played without string instruments; the brass and woodwinds cast out fierce war chants that perfectly portrayed the calamity of the battle. Following this com-

position was the strangely familiar symphonic arrangement of the folk song, “Shenandoah”. These soothing reveries referred to the Confederate army crossing the Shenandoah Valley toward the crucial battle.

“High Water Mark: The Third Day” was the highlight of the night. This tone poem illustrated the early morning of July 3, 1863 when the final day of battle began.

The music started quietly, as the soldiers woke early in the day. The tension drummed up and two very distinct cannon blasts were created by the band. Charging into battle, the woodwind infantry attacked with flourishes of notes as the horn section encouraged the carnage. The piece concluded with a triumphant return to the opening theme which signaled the Northern victory.

The theme to the 1993 film, “Gettysburg”, was accompanied by a video projected on the screen which added context to the compositions of the night. Following this visual piece was “To Heal a Nation”, which entertained with flute solos and bugle calls. The piece slowed down with a clarinet solo by Becky Christ which instilled a somber connotation in reflection of the battle. A slim but tall man named Alexander Rosales walked out onto stage and delivered the Gettysburg Address given by Lincoln in a surprisingly deep voice.

“That was the first time I’ve spoken in front of a band,” Rosales said. “I guess it’s not the last time because I’ll be one of the leading roles in the upcoming production of Guys and Dolls.”

Guys and Dolls will debut Apr. 20 at Skyline College. Tickets will be $5 dollars online.

The concert band concluded with “Dixieland Rag”, a refreshing and light swing number that got toes tapping.

“We had a lot of references from battle tunes from the North. It was about including some Southern perspective,” Conductor and professor Zachary Bruno said.

A short intermission marked the

beginning of the Skyline College Jazz Band’s presentation of “The Quintessence”. This production was in celebration of composer Quincy Jones’ 80th birthday on Mar. 14. His work should be familiar to anyone who doesn’t live under a rock in a foreign country.

He has composed many extremely popular pieces, including the theme from “Sanford and Son” and “Soul Bossa Nova”, which many of us would recognize as the introductory song to “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery”.

These tunes meshed rock and funk with pop and jazz influences, including a piece collaborated with Count Basie. The first song was the theme from “Sanford and Son,” which was lovely and nostalgic. I was surprised and pleased by the addition of an accordion in all of these Quincy Jones-themed pieces. The next piece, “Moanin’,” was hard not to dance to. Bruno didn’t need to conduct during these pieces because of the drummer keeping time, and he ended up dancing onstage a little while moving a microphone to highlight solos.

“Hard Sock Dance” was a fun swing number featuring many solos, including a piano solo

by Daniel Tauffer, a wonderful accordion solo by Don Nurisso and finally a guitar solo picked out skillfully by Matt Henderson.

The Skyline College Jazz Quintet, featuring five improvisational soloists from the jazz band, performed “Killer Joe”.

This classic was made famous in Quincy Jones’ album “Walking in Space”. This version was filled with solos to the point where the theme seemed to get lost. It felt like they were playing a new song, which is both good and unfortunate. Vincent Dicran Iannone held on to the original feel of the song by repeating chords that resembled the chorus, “cool Joe, mean Joe”. Each solo was

quite impressive considering they were played off the cuff.

The full Jazz Band finished the night with three songs made popular

by Micheal Jackson. “Rock with You,” “Man in the Mirror” and “Thriller” got the audience hooting and hollering (two students yelled “Encore!”) These platinum hits were produced by Quincy Jones; he also wrote many of the horn lines for the pop songs.

“

Charging into battle, the woodwind infantry attacked with flourishes of notes as the horn section encouraged the carnage.

”

“I’ve never really played Micheal Jackson. [Jones] was important in incorporating horn lines in pop and rock,” clarinet, alto sax and flutist Becky Christ said. Her daughter, Stella Christ is a high school sophmore who also plays trumpet for the Jazz band through concurrent enrollment.

Adding to the variety with the last song, “Soul Bossa Nova” ended the night with a high-five count that got listeners smiling. “[Quincy Jones] is so versatile. He embodies the American art form. He collaborated on rock pieces, jazz pieces, pop and funk,” Bruno said. These two sets juxtaposed next to each other were a perfect example of the broad range of music that Americans embrace as inherent in our melting pot.

Academia and international diplomacy meet at the Model United Nations

by Andrea Garcia skyline student

The UC Berkeley Model U.N. conference, simply put, was an amazing experience! I was assigned to be a delegate from Chile in a League of Nations historical committee. In this committee we debated the division of the Ottoman Empire into countries and looked at their borders, governance and economy. Before the conference even began I had to do some research on the topic and really learned a lot about my assigned country and the League of Nations.

With the days inching closer, Jon Jacobo, David Latt, Richard Lopez and I began to prep with each other discussing strategies and any basic information we needed to know as we faced the exciting and somewhat terrifying experience ahead.

Through some studying efforts and support from other club members, when Feb. 28 finally arrived I felt ready.

The conference was held at the Hilton in San Francisco’s Financial

Courtesy of a Skyline studednt Skyline students Andrea Garcia, Jon Jacobo, David Latt and Richard Lopez pose with students from other delegations.

District, they could not have picked a better place! Walking into the lobby a flood of college students from all over the country walked around in business attire. The opening ceremony was surreal with a keynote speaker who was actually a part of the United Nations in Washington D.C.

Sitting in that room it finally hit me that everything was real and that I was surrounded by some top notch schools such as UCLA, Harvard, Georgetown, Claremont McKenna and UC Davis; however, it was nice to know that College of Marin and Diablo Valley College were there

too. There was a good mix of people with different personalities, majors, experience and schools. During the first committee session I was nervous, but we dove right into our topic and I was wondering what I had gotten myself into.

After a while I finally warmed up, took a chance and decided to speak.

I stood up and gave a short speech concerning what my country thought about the issue and what my ideas were. Inside I was shaking, but I knew that if I got through it once I could do it again. That is one thing I got out of the conference—confidence in public speaking.

As the conference went on, I also had the opportunity to get to know many of the other delegates and formed friendships inside and outside of the committee sessions. By the end of it all I learned how to work with different kinds of people, gained confidence and worked on my public speaking skills. The conference, however, was not all work and no play; the organizers for the conference came up with fun activities and social events in the evenings for the delegates to socialize.

Overall the conference was a great fun learning experience preparing us for basic skills we need in the future. I cannot wait until the next conference!

The Transfer Center

Skyline View

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Features

Tap into resources to ease transfer

Bldg. 2 Room 2227 Mon -Thurs: 8a.m. -6:30 p.m.

Fri: 8 a.m.- 12 p.m.

(650) 738-4232

TSV Blog editor

Future Astronomical Events

Comet ISON Late November Potentially the brightest comet in decades.

Geminid Meteor Shower December 13 The most brilliant meteor shower of the year.

Upcoming Workshops

How to Research Colleges and Majors Bldg 2, Room 2117A March 21, 12:10 p.m. – 1:10 p.m.

April 11, 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Top Ten Transfer Tips Bldg 6, Room 6203 March 21, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Exploring Private Colleges as a Transfer Option Bldg 6, Room 6203 March 28, 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

College representatives help a Skyline student with transfer planing. answered. Many helpful targeted workshops are held as well as some partnering up with other centers on campus like the upcoming financial aid workshop.

The Transfer Center offers the Faculty and Staff Transfer Advocates Program, where instructors from Skyline help students by giving advice and information based on their education experiences. Almost all departments on campus are represented in the program and it allows students to find mentorship in a person who has successfully completed the path they want to pursue.

San Francisco State University has teamed up with Skyline to offer the Transfer Articulation Bridge Program, giving students a unique opportunity to become part of the school they plan on joining years in advance. TAB is available to first generation, low income and

underrepresented students who want to transfer. What’s offered is a free introductory class from SFSU worth 3 credits and connections to the University’s faculty which is invaluable.

“We give information to the students,” said James Rodriguez, Transfer Outreach Ambassador.

“Basically our goal as a Transfer Center is that we help students reach their goals of where they want to eventually be.”

Rodriguez is currently working on a dual Associates degree and is working toward being admitted to San Francisco State University for a degree in Business Administration.

One of the schools represented at the event was Menlo College, a small business school located in Silicon Valley.

“This has been the best fair I’ve been to so fair,” said Priscilla Casanova de Souza, director of

Haider Marshal / The Skyline View

admissions at Menlo College. “The students are knowledgeable; they are all really truly interested in transferring. I’m quite proud of the job the transfer center has done with this fair, encouraging students to transfer and to look into private schools.”

Casanova de Souza explained that Menlo is a school with only about 700 students and class sizes of 15. With 90 to 100 transfer students admitted each year, she attributed approximately 30 of those to the San Mateo Community College District.

She explained that her relationship with the Transfer Center and how she is able to meet with students one on one and stay in touch with them.

The Transfer Center is vital to any student looking to move to a 4 year university after their time at Skyline. It has avenues for anyone to find what school and path they are able to pursue.

Preparing for Transfer as a Nursing Major Bldg 6, Room 6203 April 11, 12:10 p.m. – 1:10 p.m.

New Transfer Student Orientation Bldg 6 Room 6203 April 16, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Transfer StudentsUnderstanding Your Financial Aid Award Letter Bldg 2 Room 2117A/B April 16, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Exploring Private School, Panel Edition Bldg 6, Room 6205 April 18, 12:10 p.m. - 1:40 p.m.

Preparing to Transfer to a UC or CSU Bldg 6, Room 6203 April 25, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Pan-STARRS marches across the sky all this month

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse May 25 The moon will turn red as it is partially covered in Earth’s shadow.

Perseids Meteor Shower August 11 About 1 meteor per minute late at night/very early morning.

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Understanding the New Associate for Transfer Degree Bldg 6, Room 6203 March 14, 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

March 26, 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

April 23, 12:35 p.m. - 1:35 p.m.

by Michelle Kelly The Skyline College transfer fair allowed students to walk through the dining hall and find information about transferring to a four-year school. The event was held Mar. 13 and hosted over 15 private colleges.

The setup had representatives from schools like DeVry, University of San Francisco and Academy of Art University, among many others.

The Transfer Center is using this fair to focus on private schools and trying to get across to students that private schools are also a possibility; especially with the Transfer Articulation Agreement that Skyline shares not only with UCs and CSUs but also with many local private universities. This helps students understand the classes and requirements needed in advance and allows them some peace of mind.

Private schools can vary in what they ask for in a person looking to move to a four-year university and this concrete agreement makes the transition much simpler.

“Public colleges are becoming more and more difficult to move through in a timely manner because of impaction,” said Suzanne Poma, Counselor within the Transfer Center. “So it’s great for [students] to learn about private school options.”

It’s the biggest transfer center event of the spring semester but they also have a large amount of resources available to students year-round.

They have representatives visit from schools like UC Davis, UC Berkeley and CSU East Bay making it very easy to get your questions

March 14, 2013

Comet Pan-STARRS will slowly rise through the night sky moving northward as the month progresses with its tail always pointing directly away from the sun.

by Eric Wong TSV Staff

The night sky is currently being used as the stage for a spectacular show by a special guest.

Comet Pan-STARRS also known as C/2011 L4, is making a pass through the inner solar system right now, almost two years after being first noticed by the Pan-STARRS telescope in Hawaii.

“It was discovered in June of

2011 as a small speck, but before that it was part of the solar system region called the Oort cloud,” said physics instructor Gregory Grist.

“It has most likely taken millions of years for it to reach this point.”

The Oort cloud is filled with countless icy bodies, some of which may fall toward the sun and light up when blasted by solar winds.

Pan-STARRS’ nucleus is only a few miles across but its gassy, tail-like

Nasa

coma is about 10 times the size of Earth. The speed that it travels at varies throughout its orbit but its fastest speed would have been over 107,000 miles per hour when it approached the sun March 10.

“Like all comets, its nucleus is made of dust and ice; not just water ice but frozen gases such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and methane,” said astronomy instructor Kevin Reil.

Although comets regularly pass through the solar system, ones that can be viewed with the naked eye are a rare treat. The last comet that could be easily seen was Hale-Bopp in 1997.

Pan-STARRS has been visible in the Southern Hemisphere since February but it has only recently become viewable in the Northern Hemisphere.

“Look to the West about 30 to 45 minutes after sunset,” said Grist.

“On March 14, it will be about two fists below the moon and a bit toward the right. Right now it will look like a star with a smudge above it.”

Binoculars can be used to get a better view, but wait until the sun is completely set before viewing.

“The best skies are typically the East Bay hills,” said Reil. “You want to be above the fog and away from the city lights.”

Pan-STARRS will begin to fade as April approaches and isn’t expected to come by Earth again for another 100,000 years. If you miss it though, comet ISON might put on an even bigger performance when it comes by this fall.

“Expectations are that ISON will be an event of a lifetime,” said Reil.

Entertainment Skyline View

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Video Games

“MLB 13: The Show” continues streak of dominance

PlayStation-only game keeps getting better, and adds some brand new features Aaron Washington

TSV Social Media Editor

PlayStation gamers and baseball fans alike can cheer again. Baseball season is quickly approaching, which means that Sony has released their annual baseball simulation game. “MLB 13: The Show” has continued its dominance over the baseball gaming world with two aspects: visuals and gameplay. The other viable baseball game on the market, “MLB 2k13” from 2k Sports, does not come close to what MLB 13 has to offer.

When you get a chance to play the game for the first time, the visual improvements stand out the most. The revamping of the menu layouts and additions to in-game presentations make it a realistic gaming experience.

The new presentation aspects include pre-game analysis and various wide shots of the crowd, which gives you the feeling that you are actually watching a real game.

While sports games can never seem to get the details of the crowd correct, they made vast improvements with the sound of the crowd. You can clearly hear certain realistic chants made throughout the game, especially during high pressure situations.

As far as the gameplay is con-

cerned, MLB 13 has added a new learning curve for newer players. The all new “Beginner Mode” gives those that are new to the series a chance to adapt to the complex swing system.

The mode starts you on the lowest level to play on and adapts to your improvements the more you play the game. For example, when you first begin in the mode, pitcher will only throw fastballs as you get the timing down. As you continue and learn to play, pitchers will then begin to throw a variety of breaking balls to test your new skills. This was an essential addition to this year’s version of the game considering many of the complaints regarding last year’s game was the lack of a way to actually learn the system.

Improvements were also made to both the Franchise and Road to the Show modes. Franchise mode made a few additions to truly make you feel like a general manager. The improvements include a new rating system, training system, and player development has become more effective.

The most notable change is the ability to scout players. It is much easier to scout and see whether a player has good potential or not, which was a frustrating aspect that was lacking from past games. So all A’s and Giants

“Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance”- a solid gaming experience Alessandro Fillari TSV Staff Writer

Just three years ago, Metal Gear Solid: Rising was announced and was set to be a new beginning for the infamous and misunderstood secondary character, Raiden. After a much publicized switch over of developers and vision, this particular title was almost in jeopardy. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (yes, this is a real word) takes a unique approach to the Metal Gear lore, while delivering its own brand of stylish and over the top action.

Set four years after the events of Metal Gear Solid 4, players once again take on the role of Raiden. After his recent assignment guarding an important government official turns south, Raiden comes face to face with a rival contractor known as the Desperado Elite and uncovers a conspiracy involving armies of cyborgs and giant robots, and corrupt officials that plan on bringing about the next World War. While the stealth elements from previous games are still present and almost necessary in some situations, fighting your enemies head on is the primary method of approach. Combat is fast, frenetic, and perhaps a bit overwhelming for some at first. Literally, the first encounter has Raiden dealing with giant robots with plasma cannons and squads of tough cyborg soldiers.

With Raiden’s cybernetic body, players will be able to take advantage of his speed and strength to take down enemies with ease. His increased strength allows him to block and parry enemy attacks from all directions. If you get your timing right, parrying at the right moment (when the enemy attack is just about to connect) will allow Raiden to follow up with a counter attack that’ll damage and stun the enemy.

The much touted ‘cutting’ gameplay was not exaggerated and offers some panache to the core gameplay. Objects and obstacles can be cut and diced to bits, which not only helps you maneuver around the environment, but also proves useful for combat purposes.

During combat, however, the cutting mechanic really shines.

At any time during combat, players can enter blade mode, which is essentially a sword aiming mode. You can aim the angle of your slashes and pinpoint where exactly you want to cut them. Blade Mode also allows you to forgo the surgical approach in favor of dicing your enemies to bits.

The largest problem by far is the fairly short length of the campaign.

At just around five hours, people who cleared the game the first time might be a bit put off by how quickly it all comes to a close. As with most hack and slash action games, replaying the campaign on higher difficulties is encouraged and helps to open up the experience. Yet another issue, that is common in hack and slash games, is the poor camera system. During the combat, it can spell the end for you if the camera is angled the wrong way as enemies prepping attacks off screen won’t be in sight of players.

Despite these issues, as glaring they are, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is a very engaging and fun entry in the Metal Gear franchise. It isn’t afraid to strike out on its own and tell its own story, and it succeeds in offering a new take on a familiar character. Fans who are worried about MGR’s place in the series need not fear, as its essence and heart is purely Metal Gear – and newcomers looking to cut their teeth on new titles need not look further than this.

Buster Posey raises up to make a play fans can become their own general manager and customize their team however they want.

Road to the Show received some new features as well. The mode has become more centered on your player and gives you more opportunities to develop. The in-game camera angles have been changed to give you a personal view of your player depending on your position.

The brand new mode in this year’s game is Postseason Mode. In past games, the only way to experience the playoff atmosphere is to play a full

Photo courtesy of destructoid.com

season in the Franchise mode. Well this year, that won’t be necessary. The Postseason Mode gives fans direct access to the overall atmosphere of postseason baseball. The mode allows you to create your own playoff brackets and play with up to ten teams.

Once your bracket is set, you get to see the new additions made to the ingame experience.

The pre-game additions include announcing of the lineups, wide shots of the crowd waving rally towels, and a shot of the national anthem. During the game, it’s easy to notice the crowd

has become much more involved.

Between the chants and reactions to certain moments in the game, it’s a refreshing change. The mode is a great addition to the game and authentically replicates the postseason experience.

This year’s edition of “MLB: The Show” continues to prove that it is the best baseball video game on the market today. It adds a great sense of realism along with adding new aspects to help those new to the franchise.

Movies

“Oz: The Great and Powerful”a modern look to a children’s classic

Photo courtesy of Disney

The cast exploring the land of Oz

Rommel Conclara

TSV Multimedia Editor

Disney starts off 2013 with a fresh and new spin on one of the greatest movies ever created. “Oz: The Great and Powerful” is directed by Sam Raimi and is a prequel to “The Wizard of Oz”.

The story revolves around the origins of Oz and his journey in becoming the Wizard. James Franco plays Oscar Diggs, a.k.a. Oz. He is an illusionist and con man for a traveling circus. During a tornado, Oscar is swept away in a hot air balloon and lands in Oz. The people see him as the Wizard who is prophesied to help bring peace and joy to their land. He also meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz), and

Glinda (Michelle Williams) who see Oscar’s real personality that is filled with greed and selfishness.

Amidst all of the celebration there is an evil in the land, which Oscar must face. Using the magic he knows and the art of illusion, Oscar becomes the great and powerful Wizard of Oz. The special effects and the massive use of CGI makes it for a visual masterpiece. It also makes you really appreciate the original “Wizard of Oz” even more. The original was made in 1939. It was made with less technology and it still holds as a high standard to movies being made today.

Much like the original movie, Oz is joined on his journey by two unique characters. Joey King and Zach Braff are the special glue that holds the film together. King plays

China Girl, a glass doll whose village was attacked by the evil witch. Braff plays Finley, a winged monkey who is in debt to Oz. King provides a playful and child-like feature to the journey while Braff provides timely comedic relief.

Despite it being a Disney movie, some content may have not been suitable for children. For one, the wicked witch scene proved to be slightly frightening for the children who were in attendance.

With that being said, good and evil was clearly defined. Also, the movie made the older audience laugh when they happened to catch the adult innuendo.

“Oz: The Great and Powerful” is a great film that relates to modern times by also pays tribute to a time-honored classic.

GAME“Luck ON! of the Irish” Crossword Puzzle

The

GameOn.tsv@gmail.com

FREE GIANTS TICKETS!? Say what! If you have the cunning, skill

and knowledge to conquer our games, then you could win two free tickets

Skyline View ▪ March 14, 2013

Directions: The clues below all allude to people, places and things related to Ireland or St.Patrick’s Day

to the March 29 Giants game versus the A’s! Just be the first to return your completed game sheet to The Skyline View newsroom, located in building 8, room 8110 by Friday, March 15 or take a picture of your completed newspaper and send it to the Game On email address above.

St. Patty’s Trivia Challenge Directions: Do you know your Irish stuff? Write out the answer to each question.

1. Although we wear green on St. Patrick’s Day in the US, what color do the Irish wear in Northern Ireland?

2. St. Patrick’s Day inspires a lot of crazy activities to show their love of the holiday, but which city has gone so far as to dye their central river green?

3. Where was the first St. Patrick’s Day parade? And in what year was it held?

4. Leprechauns may be known for their luck and their gold, but what is supposed to be their traditional profession?

Skyline View Sudoku Medium:

Easy:

Crossword:

1.Go Get It 2.Life Of Pie 3.Brave 4.Hunger Games 5.Take Care 6.Whoopi Goldberg 7.Wreck-It Ralph 8.Prometheus 9.Gravity 10.Drake 11.Milli Vanilli 12.Le Miserables 13.Anne Hathaway 14.Uncaged 15.Gangnam Style 16.Norah Jones 17.Christoph Waltz 18.Argo 19.Beyonce 20.We Found Love

Trivia Challenge: 1. Michel Hazanavicius 2. Gweneth Paltrow 3. 1987 4. Ben-Hur (1959), Titanic (1997), Lord of the RIngs: Return of the King (2003) 5. The Dark Knight

Easy:

Medium:

Hard:

Really Hard:

Accross

Down

4. Jackson on a Plane 8. Emerald Isle 9. Lucky Charm 16. Ex-Sinn Féin Leader 17. Gold Champion 18. The Little People 19 Actor: “In Briges” 20. “Bring a friend, if you have one.”

1. Nation’s capital 2. 1845 Fanime 3. “Not a drop is sold ‘till it’s seven years old 5. Only For the Bold 6. NBA Royalty 7. “I’m Shipping Up To Boston” 10 Fancy Footwork 11. Get a Drink Where It’s Always Sunny 12. Minced Meat Trreat 13. Kissing Stone 14. Native Tounge 15. End of the Rainbow

Hard:

Very Hard:

7

Skyline

Upcoming Games Baseball

Sports sports.tsv@gmail.com

Sky., CSM Pitcher comparison

Mar. 14 @ Ohlone College, 2:30 p.m.

Mar. 16 @ Hartnell College, 12 p.m.

Mar. 19 vs De Anza College, 2:30 p.m.

Mar. 21@ Cañada College, 2:30 p.m.

Mar. 23 vs Cabrillo College, 12 p.m.

Mar. 26 vs Hartnell College, 2:30 pm

Pitcher Innings pitched Hits Runs (Earned) Base on balls Strikeouts

Nick Paton

Andrew Herrera

3.1 5 2 (2) 1 5

6 5 6 (5) 1 2

Skyline - 2 | San Mateo - 12

Skyline blasted at home

Pitchers overwhelmed by CSM’s bats, baserunning

by Reynaldo Garcia TSV Sports Editor

The Trojans were conquered at home Tuesday, Mar. 12, by intra-district rival, College of San Mateo Bulldogs, 12-2.

The Trojans came into the game with back-to-back shutout losses to Monterrey and Canada, hoping to turn it around on their last home game before playing their next two games away.

The Trojans came out of the gate firing. After getting through the top of the first with 0-1 deficit, they took the lead on their turn at bat. Lead-off Robin Lausen walked. After a bunt popup by second baseman, AJ Santiago, center fielder Cory Faubel singled off the Bulldogs’ Andrew Herrera, followed by another single by third baseman Javier Carrillo that brought Lausen home to tie it up. Catcher Lucci Molina would then double on the next at-bat, which

allowed Faubel to score and take the lead.

But everything went downhill afterward. After a hit-by-pitch to first baseman Lance Montano to load the bases, left fielder Vince Lozano made it to first on the fielder’s choice after Carrillo was thrown out at home.

Shortstop Ismael Orozco strikes out to end the inning.

The Trojans scored their only runs in the first.

After a one-two-three inning by both pitchers in the second, Skyline starting pitcher Nick Paton ran into trouble in the third.

After a lead-off double by the Bulldogs’ third baseman Jeff VonMoser, the Bulldogs would score on back-to-back bunt singles.

The fourth frame wasn’t any kinder to Paton. After giving up a lead-off double, the next batter was called safe on close call at first after a bunt. The Bulldogs went on a basestealing spree in the fourth, once even doing a

Left lookin’: Designated hitter Robin Lausen strikes out in the bottom of the second inning. double steal of second and third. After a questionable call in which he hit a batter, Paton was pulled from the game, going four and a third.

The Bulldogs would go on to score

six more times in the sixth, upping their lead to the would-be final score of 12-2.

Head coach Dino Nomicos was not happy with his team’s performance.

“Not good. We gave up a lot of runs.

Reynaldo Garcia/ The Skyline View

(We) did not do a good job pitching today. We fell behind,” said Nomicos.

On his starting pitcher, he said: “He just fell behind, 2-0, 3-1, 3-0. At this level, you’re going to get hit.”

Pitching coach Tony Brunicardi concurred: “He never found his rhythm.”

On the team’s pitching performance, Brunicardi said: “Not very good as a whole. We couldn’t get ahead.”

Starting pitcher Nick Paton wasn’t impressed with his performance either. “I started off not bad,” said Paton. “I couldn’t get comfortable. I tried to find it... I couldn’t get a foot on the ground.”

Paton was very optimistic coming into this game, hoping to find the same feeling he had in his last start. “Prior to this, I threw a complete game versus Cabrillo. I had high expectations to get at least to the seventh, keep the game close, said Paton. “I couldn’t control the game.

It didn’t feel right.”

Game Day! Skyline @ Ohlone College Thursday, March 13, 2:30 p.m.

Reynaldo Garcia/ The Skyline View

Stranded: The Trojans left six men on base.

43600 Mission Blvd, Fremont, CA

Top Newsmakers: 49ers edition Dashon Goldson

Tampa Bay signed former 49ers Pro-Bowl safety Dashon Goldson, 28, to a 5-year, $41.25 million deal. He is guaranteed $22 million and will make $8.25 million a year.

Glenn Dorsey

The 49ers signed the former lottery pick from the 2008 NFL Draft from the Kansas City Chiefs. The terms of his contract have not been released.

Delanie Walker

The versatile former 49er signed a contract with the Tennessee Titans to the tune of $17.5 million over four years, with about $8.6 million in guaranteed money.

Isaac Sopoaga

The Philadelphia Eagles inked former 49ers nose tackle, Isaac Sopoaga, 31, to a 3-year, $12 million deal, with $5 million guaranteed.

Charles Woodson

With Goldson’s departure, the 49ers have a hole in the safety position. Woodson, 36, visited with the Super Bowl runner-ups on a possible contract to play for the team.