Viewpoint Issue 2

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ContaCt: Kathy Dana 916.847.4235 | kathy@kathydana.com

Content Cover 10 In search of broader horizons

News 8 New technology starts its engine

Features 15 On record: the comeback of vinyl 18 Tapping into time

Sports 21 How to juggle academics and athletics 23 Skyline sports: women’s basketball highlights

Opinions 14 The art of letting go - take your time 15 New perspectives on gaming Summer 2016

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Want more news? www.theskylineview.com Or maybe you have news for us?

(650) 738-4377

Editor’s Note

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

Viewpoint Staff Editor in Chief Michelle Brignoli Cover Illustrator Dave Newlands Artistic Director Jordan Sweidan Chief Copy Editor Haley Holmes

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.

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Last year the first Viewpoint magazine was produced by The Skyline View. Doing it once created more of an understanding about the types of stories that should go into a magazine and what makes them important. So we knew we would be able to conquer it this semester as the previous staff did last year.

After months of writing, days of organizing, nonstop rushing around and enough coffee to open our own shop, we got it together. The finished product, ready to go.

Editors Blynn Beltran Laurel B. Lujan Sarah Marasigan Joy Marcus Will Nacouzi Gregory Ragaza Amber Wong Writers Joshua Chan Miguel Garcia Abigayle Haguisan Madison J. Tidwell

Although there were hurdles throughout the experience, I’m glad I was able to get the chance to do this with the talented people that work here at TSV. I’m ecstatic that we all had the opportunity to create something that none of us can say we have before.

Photographers Andrew Avilla Kevin Perez

I hope you like it as much as I do. Cheers to Viewpoint!

Faculty Adviser Nancy Kaplan-Biegel

Michelle Brignoli Editor in Chief

Photo illustration by Andrew Avilla and Jordan Sweidan/The Skyline View

Summer 2016

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P

ick your favorite. Lift needle. Place in grooves. Enjoy.

For years, companies have been producing newer and newer computers, phones, and TVs. The evolution of all three is something younger generations take advantage of, unable to fathom the turmoil of outdated technology.

While consumers are soaking up the technology, they are also backtracking in at least one aspect: music.

Vinyl records are becoming popular again.

Daniela Tabora, 19-year-old Skyline College psychology major, owns at least 200 vinyl records in her collection.

“Sometimes just downloading music on your phone- it’s so easy. It’s so easy,” Tabora says.

“So I don’t know, it’s kind of one of those things where it’s like, ‘Oh let me have something that I can actually build a collection of and take care of and maintain.’ Also just because trends and stuff get recycled.”

This recycled trend is being revitalized by a growing consumer base.

According to Nielsen, a global information and measurement company, “vinyl album sales in the U.S. have grown a massive 260 percent since 2009. In 2014 vinyl unit sales totaled 9.2 million, up from 6.1 million in 2013.”

Besides the resurgence of record sales, artists have been printing new vinyl and remastering old vinyl.

There are also recently established clubs and subscriptions, and even an international Record Store Day (RSD).

Among the newer and older artists that participate, pop artist The Weeknd’s most recent RSD release features remixes of the track, “The Hills,” by Eminem and Nicki Minaj, pressed on a 12-inch vinyl.

The first official RSD was on April 19, 2008. RSD promotes the reissuing of artists’ material on vinyl and CD and features performances and signings from a variety of bands at different independent record stores.

“I mean I like the fact that it drums up business for records store,” Skyline College Communication Studies Professor, Ryan Lescure says. “Obviously, I’m happy that they exist.”

Twenty-eight-year-old, Lescure has a grand collection of 305 12-inch LPs and 73 7-inch singles.

Along with Tabora and Lescure, 36-year-old Skyline College History Professor and DJ, Mustafa Popal is another passionate record collector with over 500 records in his collection.

“For me, part of the joy of music is finding it, so that’s the beauty of the store,” Popal says. “You go to the store, and maybe the store has a listening station. You put it [the record] down and you go, ‘Oh my god I have to have this in my life.’”

For anyone looking for records, there are over 30 stores in San Francisco alone that sell vinyl.

Amoeba Music is a chain of independent record stores, with a few of their locations scattered throughout the Bay Area.

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Twenty-nine-year-old Doc Miller started working at Amoeba’s Haight Street location about one year ago. He started collecting vinyl at first because of the monetary convenience it had for him at the time and continues to enjoy collecting to find that 12 by 12 “piece of art.”

Like Popal, Miller also prefers vinyl.

“It’s kind of fun to take part in the tradition and lift the needle and set it into the grooves,” Miller says. “Actually, you know physically do a little bit of work.”

Commercial stores are noticing the increasing popularity in vinyl, too.

Earvin Tanedo, shift leader at For Your Enertainment, says that the location he works at began showcasing vinyl about three months ago.

“A lot of people come in looking for vinyl,” Tanedo says. “Not a lot of people get them because of how much they cost.”

Going to the record store and purchasing vinyl is always going to cost money, whereas streaming music digitally does not always have to.

“There’s this visual artistic aspect that’s lost in the streaming world and in the digital world. To me one of the beautiful things about any art, but really with music, is the intersectionality of other art forms,” Popal says. “So here’s the sound, what does the sound look like? And then you go out and dance. What does that sound visually look like in motion?”

Along with the album artwork, the tangible vinyl record itself holds sentiment for collectors.

“I also think that with music primarily being digital that it [streaming] has created a situation where actually having something physical is important to a lot of people, myself included,” Lescure says.

“So I like holding the artwork and being able to read through the liner notes.”

The experiences of Tabora, Lescure, Popal, Miller and others, create a sense of community that comes with the collecting.

This feeling of community could be one of the factors for the increase of new collectors.

“The feeling of grabbing, pulling out a record, putting it down and letting the needle hit and letting it play, there’s just something beautiful about that process,” Popal says. “And I think people are craving something more than digital.”

Photos by Kevin Perez/The Skyline View

summer 2016

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New Technology starts its engine

By Abigayle Haguisan

T

he Automotive Technology program has been a part of Skyline’s long list of offerings since 1977, and this summer, the program is up for re-accreditation. Along with re-accreditation comes new advances and changes in the automotive industry.

Students, and Skyline itself, will have to adapt to in order to keep up.

How it works

Accreditation for such a strong program is the key to success for individuals coming into Skyline, as well as those leaving and moving on to greater opportunities.

An accredited automotive program ensures the quality of Skyline’s highlighted area of study.

In order for students to succeed, the program

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needs the best resources and the highest quality of service. Accreditation gives students comfort in knowing that they will benefit from a program of good reputation, especially if they are paying for it. Not only does accreditation help validate student improvement and learning, it also allows students to transfer their credits if they wish to move on to a higher education system.

“The National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) accreditation process is more rigorous than the standard community college accreditors because it’s specific to auto tech,” program coordinator Thomas Broxholm says. “We far exceed what any standard accreditation would need when we meet NATEF’s standard.”

Broxholm received his training at a Chrysler affiliated trade school and has seen changes in the automotive industry ever since.

The curriculum he had when he attended Skyline is nothing like today’s. Students today work on far more hybrid cars than they did before.

Effects of new technology

With advancements in technology, the industry has discovered modern methods to “go green.” One of the efforts involves producing more energy efficient cars.

Hybrid and electric cars have gained popularity, as they have lower fuel costs and are better for the environment. The hybrid has better gas mileage and less carbon monoxide emissions. Though they may not be the cheapest cars in comparison to their gas-powered counterparts, consumers continue to splurge.

One specific car a student may see, especially around the Bay Area, Toyota’s Prius. Toyota has sold about seven million hybrid cars since 1997, and the number is climbing. Hybrid cars are very similar to gas-powered cars. The main difference between the two is hybrids use two power systems, while gas cars only contain internal combustion engines.

With a refined industry and eco-friendly buyers willing to switch to hybrid cars, those going into the automotive technology industry must take different approaches when repairing cars and performing maintenance checks.

For students with a passion for cars and no patience for sitting around, monotonous tasks will never be a problem. The auto industry is ever-changing, always providing new challenges. This means that workers must be willing to learn new skills every day in order to perform well.

Jordan Sweidan/The Skyline View

The defaults

As the world does, people and technology advance and new ideas develop.

Now, cars have voice mapping mechanisms, battery powered engines, WiFi and many other features that have never been seen before. Auto companies are trying to come up with different products to sell, resulting in an increase in competition between brands, as well as raising debates over which dealers are better and which cars are more efficient.

“The auto industry is seeing a rise in competition. There are different companies developing electric cars and they’re more efficient. It’s hard to keep up with the gas prices now, so a lot of people are actually buying Teslas and other electric cars,” auto tech student Joshua Escueta says. “Electric cars are pretty expensive but people are willing to make the switch.”

Tesla’s rise is a prime example of automotive competition. Tesla has released a series of electric cars that are far more advanced than gas-powered and current hybrid cars.

Unfortunately, Tesla owners must bring their cars directly to the Tesla dealerships for maitenance. Mechanic shops, as of right now, are unable to survive by working exclusively on electric cars, but there is room for potential growth in the industry in the future.

Knowledge is power

According to NATEF’s website, “Working on today’s cars requires a deeper understanding of the technology that goes into the modern, more sophisticated automobile.”

While a deep understanding of cars is required, knowledge of the technology used isn’t always learned from school.

In many situations, mechanics do not go back to school in order to keep up with the evergreen industry.

“As a worker, you learn as you go and adapt to the advances in technology,” Honda mechanic Michael Milleza says. “You don’t need a higher degree to excel in the automotive field. It’s a good thing to have, but if you are fast, accurate, and dedicated then you will get far.”

Haley Holmes/ The Skyline View

This 1940 Chevrolet is currently in the Daly City Auto Repair shop, getting its head gaskets replaced and blower repaired.

Does it pay off?

To those worried that automotive technology won’t lead to a good career, Broxholm assures the work done will be well worth it.

“You won’t get super rich but you can make a good living,” he says.

In 2011, The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that automotive technicians earned an annual salary of about $38,560, making the hourly wage $18.54. Of course, these numbers are continuously growing and that is only an average.

“I want them to be successful in life,” Broxholm says. “To be able to come out of here with an understanding of mechanical things and with confidence and the ability to form conclusions. To think.”

Like many other jobs, the pay rates in the automotive industry vary with skill.

In just one generation, automotive service has advanced rapidly. There is a very high demand for automotive technicians and trained professionals, and these workers cannot be outsourced. The industry, although old, is not dying out any time soon.

“To some, the idea of enrolling in an auto tech program is only considered as a hobby because they can’t pass other academic courses,” auto tech student Elexis Fontanilla says. “But to me it’s just as challenging as a history class or a math class, and that’s what makes it great.”

The emphasis on going to college is powerful in the current generation.

Students strive to make it out of high school and move on to four-year universities with ambitions of becoming doctors, lawyers, writers and teachers. A select few, though, choose to take part in Skyline’s automotive program. And those that do benefit greatly from the rigorous courses and beneficial lessons from skilled teachers.

“The [auto tech] program is a leader in automotive training, not only in the state of California, but across the county and other places in the world,” Richard Escalambre, the previous automotive technology program coordinator, says.

“We all want to see the program continue this long-standing reputation.”

summer 2016

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In search of broader horizons Recent studies have shown people of color, minority groups and community college students do not take advantage of studying abroad and are therefore greatly under represented. A big reason for this is inadequate financial aid.

By Laurel B. Lujan

Purpose

T

he opportunity to study abroad is usually offered by universities for students to experience the world beyond their country. This opportunity to study in a foreign environment, and to make a new home, is hard to pass up.

In Skyline’s Study Abroad center, Director of Special International Programs Zaid Ghori commented on why students should go abroad.

“We live in a global economy and studying abroad even for a short duration can greatly impact a student’s crosscultural competency skills and help them stand out to employers,” Ghori said.

Putting experience abroad on a resume does show that students are well rounded.

Going abroad is also known to enhance communication skills and independence.

According to the International Student Exchange Study Abroad Programs, another reason for students to study abroad is to become fluent in a second language.

Living in a country where English is not prominent forces the students to engage immediately and constantly, fostering fast learning.

Last year, students from Skyline College’s

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African Diaspora program, in partnership with the Global Learning Programs and Services, received the opportunity to go to Guatemala. They intended to help teach students English, among other things.

Dominique Bill, a criminology and sociology major, was one of the students who went to Guatemala.

“We were teaching them English and built a friendship, like a brothers program,” Bill said.

Finances

The main reason some students may not look into studying abroad is the cost.

According to the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS), studying abroad

Future Goals · Go to more non-European countries, e.g, Ethiopoia. · Skyline should provide more scholarships to invest in students.

in London for example, can cost up to $10,000. Ways of raising the money vary, and include scholarships, loans, grants and independent financing.

Still, with scholarships and grants, students can be dissuaded by the amount of time it takes for essays to go through, just for the mere chance of getting the scholarship. Ghori explained, with minority students especially coming from low income backgrounds, many must ask themselves: ‘How am I going to afford this?’

Loans in particular do not hold the same enticement as grants or scholarships either, since it means owing money in the end, with interest.

The money for the AIFS program would cover the basics: balance of fees, enrollment, damage deposit (refundable), air taxes, fees and fuel surcharges, transportation package, medical insurance upgrade, personal effects coverage and the optional tour and apartment fees.

Aside from the high costs, Ghori sees study abroad as an opportunity for improvement. “[Students] do not understand that

this might be an investment in themselves,” Ghori says. “When they come back they are more marketable to employers with this global experience they would have.”

Elizabeth Ramirez, of College of San Mateo (CSM), just came back from her study abroad trip in Florence for the spring semester. She is originally from Mexico and has received the Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship, which is directed toward minority students. Because she won the scholarship, Ramirez has a blog as an outreach project based on her experiences studying abroad and the outreach efforts of the Global Learning Programs and Services to the district.

The Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship is highly competitive due to it being directed towards undergraduate students with U.S. citizenship. Like many other scholarships, students often get discouraged when applying, due to the difficulty of meeting every requirement.

“There’s also the cost factor; it’s very expensive and the majority of us don’t have that money,” Ramirez says. “We have to rely on scholarships and working two jobs to make it possible.”

Courtesy of Dr. Cheryl Ajirotutu

Martha Torres (far right), Skyline student participates in the fourth Annual Diversity Abroad conference in Atlanta, Georgia in late March.

colleges. This in turn supports the study abroad program at those colleges, which is vital for small and community campuses.

There was a conference on Diversity Abroad in Atlanta, Georgia where students sat on the panel sharing their experiences abroad.

As Ajirotutu explained, the fourth annual

Diversity Abroad conference shows what could come next, after studying abroad.

One of those things is leadership.

The panel exhibited the new leaders (the students) who went abroad, and what skills they obtained. As part of their leadership, the students on the panel basically presented their dissertation, a form of final project commonly done in graduate school.

Endorsement

Advertisement for programs such as studying abroad can also make or break the decision to travel. The reason being, if the “product” does not look great or enticing it will not get people’s attention. Lack of financial aid may be one of the main components of making studying abroad challenging, but the lack of advertisement in colleges towards people of color only makes it worse.

Dr. Cheryl Ajirotutu, Coordinator of the African Diaspora Program and Learning Programs and Services, has been working to improve the promotion of the study abroad program. The factor that has been working so far is having students share their experiences and represent the students of their respective

Creative Commons

SUMMER 2016

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Graphics design by Joy Marcus/The Skyline View

Source: NAFSA.org

This is the best type of advertisement, Ajirotutu says. Peer to peer.

“When students talk to students, the students present it in the panel of the conference. It was the component with the obligation to share with others,” Ajirotutu says. “With the panels at Skyline College, students had questions; peers hear each other, other than a coordinator.”

Andrew Gordan, executive director of Diversity Abroad, targets and creates support for those students to see even more diversity in study abroad programs.

Gordan came to Skyline as part of the panel for students.

As part of the enrichment for more efficient advertising, though, Ajirotutu explains that the next step is to have conversations about various educational opportunities taking place outside of the classroom. This includes taking the time to have programs which focus on abroad learning in order to aid students in accommodating their schedules. If there is no time to have conversations about these new opportunities, students will not be able to focus.

Having programs that can accommodate students’ schedules, it is about timing and commitment. Skyline, for example, is coming up with a range of options: students can have as short as a two or three week schedule to as long as a semester or a year.

“The other thing is not having the reference- who has gone abroad in your family, who has traveled, who has done it and how do you know and what to expect?” Ajirotutu says.

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Who studies abroad?

According to NAFSA: Association of International Educators, about 70 percent of students who travel abroad are Caucasian. For African Americans, the percentage falls to roughly 6 percent.

Both Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanics make up around only 8 percent.

Most students do study abroad in Europe, more specifically the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, and France. For the district, there are goals, especially for the Skyline Study Abroad Program, to expand to countries like Ethiopia for at least two weeks. There are efforts to make this possible through scholarships.

For right now, there are efforts made

by Ghori, Ajirotutu and others to create independent scholarships, raise money through others, and match their donations.

With this, they hope to support students who want to go abroad with the goal that the students will give back in the future.

This is the best type of advertisement, Ajirotutu says.

Peer to peer.

“When students talk to students, the students present it in the panel of the conference.

It was the component with the obligation to share with others,” Ajirotutu says. “With the panels at Skyline College, students had questions; peers hear each other, other than a coordinator.”

Andrew Gordan, executive director of Diversity Abroad, targets and creates support for those students to see even more diversity in study abroad programs.

Gordan came to Skyline as part of the panel for students.

As part of the enrichment for more efficient advertising, though, Ajirotutu explains that the next step is to have conversations about various educational opportunities taking place outside of the classroom. This includes taking the time to have programs which focus on abroad learning in order to aid students in accommodating their schedules. If there is no time to have conversations about these new opportunities, students will not be able to focus.

Having programs that can accommodate students’ schedules, it is about timing and commitment. Skyline, for example, is coming up with a range of options: students can have as short as a two or three week schedule to as long as a semester or a year.

“The other thing is not having the reference- who has gone abroad in your family, who has traveled, who has done it and how do you know and what to expect?” Ajirotutu says.

Who

studies

What percentage of college people study abroad - and where?

2013-2014

Host Region

Africa

4.40%

Asia

11.90%

Europe

53.30%

Latin America

16.20%

Middle East

2.10%

North America

0.50%

Oceania

3.90%

Multiple Regions Source: NAFSA.org

7.70% Graphics design by Joy Marcus/The Skyline View

abroad?

According to NAFSA: Association of International Educators, about 70 percent of students who travel abroad are Caucasian.

For African Americans, the percentage falls to roughly 6 percent. Both Asian/ Pacific Islander and Hispanics make up around only 8 percent.

Most students do study abroad in Europe, more specifically the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, and France. For the district, there are goals, especially for the Skyline Study Abroad Program, to expand to countries like Ethiopia Creative for at least two weeks. There are Commons efforts to make this possible through

summer 2016

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The art of letting go - take your time

By Miguel Garcia

L

et’s face it, breaking up will never be easy; it will always hurt at least a little bit.

Breakups can range from “I hate you, never come back into my life,” to “I just think it’s not working out for us, it’s best if we go our separate ways.” But even the lightest of breakups can sting.

Even then, we’re always so lost afterwards. We feel like we’re okay but really, we aren’t. You can still hear his/her voice calling your name, that first date, that first kiss, and the many other things you’ve shared together.

You start questioning where things went wrong, how it ended up like this. Just when you thought you started to feel better, you’re watching another chick flick, crying yourself to sleep.

We’re here today to guide you through it, but we won’t be telling you “It’s going to be okay,” or “You deserve better anyway.” No, we’re here to make sure that you’re not thinking about him/her again, that you can breathe and feel like yourself again.

Even if you’re not going through a breakup right now, you can always look back at this story if you need to, and get on the right path to being happy.

Step one: It’s over and you need to accept it, it didn’t work out for a reason. It sounds really hard but look at things another way. All you’ve ever thought about is why you love them so much, why he/she is perfect for you. That’s why you’re hurting.

It’s totally fine to hurt though. It will help to accept what you’re feeling first, but you’re going through a process.

Don’t be embarrassed of your feelings either.

You invested a lot into it, you deserve to cry over it.

But why does it feel like this? Why does it feel so intense?

Well, love actually affects your brain like a drug. Psychology Today compares love to smoking crack. The similarities lie in “the high-octane euphoria associated with smoking crack.

Falling in love is the best high you can get without breaking any laws.”

That explains why it’s so addicting, why you just can’t let it go in the blink of an eye. You are suffering from the same kind of pain an addict goes through when they suffer from withdrawals. So treat “moving on” like rehabilitation; you’re doing this for self-improvement.

Now that you understand why you feel like this, we’re ready to move on.

Step two: You have to actually start moving on. You have to realize that you really don’t need anyone but yourself. Think about all the negatives, the times he/she hurt you, the times you’ve argued with each other, and the times you’ve felt like you just didn’t want to be with them anymore. Underneath all those moments is the reason why you broke up.

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Now you feel angry, which is perfectly fine. Let it out, of course, healthily and responsibly. Love is an emotion as much as it is a physical feeling. That’s why you start losing your appetite, you start to feel fatigue, and you feel anxiety when the thought comes up.

Step three: what do you do when this anger stirs up in you? Let it out, hit a heavy bag, lift weights, throw and break things (of course, things of no value whatsoever), you can even throw out every memento he/she left you, angrily! But really, working out is what you want to look at here.

Mindbodygreen, a media brand dedicated to health and wellness, gives us six reasons why working out makes you feel happy. “It releases happy chemicals into your brain, it makes you less stressed out, it energizes you, it boosts your confidence, it eases anxiety, and it fights insomnia.”

All the feelings you’re feeling right now can easily be let go of if you start working out. On top of that, you’re working out!

This is the time for you. It is your time to feel good about yourself. You are an individual and it’s time you start acting and feeling like one again. Think about yourself for a minute, think about what makes you, you.

Step four: write down the things about yourself that you love so much. Write down at least five, and make a poem or a song out of it. Have fun with it. You lost who you were for a while and it’s time to get it back. Rebuild the image of yourself you had and hold on to it. Only you can really tell yourself who you are and what you feel.

Self-esteem is the real key to moving on. You’re on your own now and only you can help yourself now that he/she is gone.

Believe it or not, breaking up actually brings down your self-esteem. People normally think that their image is linked to the person they were with, which is why after a breakup, they don’t have that person anymore so he/ she throws away their self-esteem along with him/her.

Healthline, a website dedicated to public health and care, claims that self-esteem decreases the more people dwell on open memories, increasing their self-awareness too. Did all of that help you?

What? It still hurts? You still think about your ex?

That’s totally fine, it really isn’t that easy to get over it. When it comes down to it, you really just need time.

Sometimes, people just don’t get over it at all. YourTango. com, a media company dedicated to love and relationships claims that 71 percent of people say that they think about their ex too much. You’re not alone.

Ultimately, it really is up to you what methods will help you move on. We’re just here to help you find the healthiest way possible to get over a breakup.

Illustrations by Amber Wong/The Skyline View

New perspectives on gaming

Gaming trends for players

By Madison J. Tidwell

T

he gaming landscape has experienced monumental changes in the last few years when it comes to female gamers. Where once only a select few gamers were female, the Entertainment Software Association’s 2015 publication “Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry” shows that women now make up 44 percent of gamers.

Given that the ESA’s 2010 publication of the same name showed female gamers making up 40 percent of the gaming community, it appears that the number of women who play video games is on the rise in the latter half of the 2010s.

Some posit the increase of female gamers is related to an influx of games made directly for women, but, while the “Kim Kardashian: Hollywood” game has experienced great success, the majority of console based video games are still created and designed for a male audience.

This may be due to a perception within the gaming community that the majority of women prefer to play games on a smartphone or tablet, conjuring the image of candy crushing great aunt Elma or the plethora of fashion styling tablet games saturating the marketplace.

With the idea that women are more likely to download a mobile game than head to GameStop, it’s no wonder that most console-based games made for Xbox or PlayStation offer more male characters and a few ubiquitous, over-exaggerated female characters.

However, the 2015 Pew Research Center report “The Demographics of Device Ownership” indicates that 42 percent of women own a gaming console such as Xbox or PlayStation, compared to 37 percent of men. This begs the question: are women a silent presence in console-based gaming, and if so, why?

The answer may lie in a Pew Research Center study entitled

3 illustration Viewpoint Photo

by Andrew Avilla/The Skyline View

“Teens, Technology, and Friendships.” While the study is focused on teenagers in particular, the insight gleaned from young women gamers may very well be applicable to other age demographics as well.

According to the study, nine out of 10 teen boys play video games online in a network of other players, with 78 percent of those using a microphone to voice chat within the networked environment. By comparison, 52 percent of teen girls play in a networked environment, and of those, 27 percent say they play online less than once a month. Even more tellingly, just 28 percent of girls who play online use a microphone to voice chat.

This means that if 10 girls and 10 boys were playing video games, nine boys would be playing online and therefore visible to other players, and seven of those boys would be heard. On the other hand, at most five girls would be playing, but more likely just three, and of those three, only one would be using a microphone.

What have Gamergate?

been

the

effects

of

It’s been two years since the infamous media maelstrom surrounding what is now known as “GamerGate.” A series of highly publicized and widely controversial incidents within the gaming community, GamerGate served as a rather unpleasant unearthing of some of the lesser discussed problems surrounding gaming, including female gamers’ place in the community and the media ethics of video game reporting.

Though some of the more negative aspects of GamerGate are still apparent, the phenomenon has also elicited rippling effects that have brought positive changes to the industry as a whole.

summer 2016 Spring 2016

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One such effect is a new focus on bringing women into game design and development rather than just as players. The annual Design, Innovate, Communicate, and Entertain (D.I.C.E.) summit held in Las Vegas, NV, which attracts high level video games executives from around the world, brought with it this year the announcement of the new WomenIn initiative.

Unveiled by the summit’s host, the Academy of Arts and Sciences, the WomenIn initiative will sponsor scholarships and internships, facilitate mentorships, and host events for women interested in game design and production. WomenIn serves as a concerted effort to bring more gender equality into the game design space and is in response to a 2014 International Game Developer Association (IGDA) survey which shows that only 22 percent of game designers identify as female.

Another effect has been the emergence of conversations surrounding diversity within the gaming community and the conclusion that in order to produce more diverse content, game companies need to hire more diverse content creators. During the 2015 GamesBeat Summit, IGDA executive director Kate Edwards brought up this shift in dialogue, labelling it one of the biggest and most positive impacts GamerGate has had on the industry, according to VentureBeat.

And she’s not wrong: diversity in the video game industry is sadly lacking. A 2015 self-selected survey by the IGDA showed that 76 percent of video game developers identify as white, with East Asian as the second largest category, coming in at around 9 percent.

Without more diversity amongst video game developers, it’s difficult to create content that appeals to a diverse audience, and even if possible, does not divert the problem that monetary gain from creating diverse content still goes largely to white male developers. The publicity of GamerGate has highlighted this issue and will hopefully go towards improving accessibility for diversity in game creation and development.

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Why do you play video games?

It’s clear that women’s place in gaming has been solidified over the last few years, but for a hobby previously thought to be driven by violence, anti-social tendencies, or testosterone, some might wonder why. In fact, new research has changed many preconceived notions about the appeal of video games and their effects on other areas of life, such as work and personal relationships, and much of the stigma surrounding those who play video games has begun to lift.

The American Journal of Play published a summary of recent research in 2014 entitled “Video Games: Play That Can Do Serious Good,” which revealed that gaming is correlated with an increase in cognitive abilities, such as memory, attention, perception, and decision-making.

Action video games in particular requires the player to keep track of many things at once and to be highly responsive to events occurring in the player’s peripheral vision. These skillsets translate to higher levels of perception and cognition even after the player stops playing the game.

Further research, as published by the University College of London in “Switch on to games: can video games aid post work recovery?” indicates that there is a parallel between the number of hours a person spends playing video games per week and their recovery from work related stress.

Both men and women who play video games have been shown to be less hostile during stressful tasks, and have lower rates of depression. This is related to an overall stronger ability to handle stress.

For many women juggling careers and personal lives, video games can provide underlying improvements in work performance and stress management.

Furthermore, video games can also provide a welcome respite from work and personal stressors, offering a virtual world to escape into.

Perhaps the most appealing aspect of video gaming for many women and men is the opportunity to exercise brainpower in unique and multidimensional ways.

Using creativity and perseverance to finally complete a difficult level brings with it the satisfaction of problem solving, and even more than that, solving a problem that is actually solvable. Unlike some of the more complicated and sometimes unfixable problems that people experience in their daily lives, video games do have a solution, if enough time and effort is exerted.

Photos by Andrew Avilla/The Skyline View

Gaming trends for developers

By Joshua Chan What have been the effects of Gamergate?

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s much as I want to evade this topic when it comes to gaming discussions, it still needs to be addressed.

Gaming media started to gain notice in 2014, when someone working in gaming media had a relationship with someone who developed a game. While the situation has certainly had its negative effects, it has also raised awareness of several issues.

One issue that took the spotlight was the disclosure (or lack thereof) in gaming media. Publications, such as Polygon, now detail how they obtain access to any particular game. This is positive because it allows readers to know how a game was critiqued, whether the company that made the game endorsed the critique or not. This is vital due to the complicated nature of game development and how that affects games in the long run.

Another issue highlighted by the incident was the lack of diversity in gaming, both in the industry and games themselves.

In the industry itself, the Design, Innovate, Communicate & Entertain (DICE) awards in 2015 only had one female judge on its panel, which is certainly unrepresentative of a growing industry. The Entertainment Software Association reported that 44 percent of gamers in 2015 were female.

While this issue did make rounds through gaming media fairly quickly, it just goes to show how the issue of diversity is becoming more important in games.

Publisher Electronic Arts Inc. was named one of the best places to work for LGBT people, according to the Human Rights Campaign organization.

Even at this slow rate, it’s obvious the gaming industry is at least trying to change.

Diversity in games themselves have also been a recurring point of discussion in the industry.

Vocal outcry over the lack of a female protagonist in the game “Assassin’s Creed: Unity” led to developer Ubisoft Montreal to make a playable female protagonist in the series’ next entry. This further proves

that the audience of video games is changing, and that developers are struggling, but attempting, to accommodate.

Racial diversity in games is also taking a turn lately. The game “Never Alone” is based off the nearly lost folktales of Alaskan Inupiaq tribe, while “This War of Mine”, developed

by Polish studio “11 bit studio” provided an innovative take on the survival genre of games by setting it around the Siege of Sarajevo.

That sort of diversity spills over into other games as well, as other developers feed on previous ideas. The game “Life Is Strange”, released in 2015, took the interactive story-like game-play from “The Walking Dead” game by Telltale, and adapted its mechanics to an entirely new theme while fixing some of the problems in “The Walking Dead” and spurring discussion of its own. Diversifying characters as well as game-play is what will lead to industry-wide growth and change.

Why do you play video games?

In the end, video games are still engaging and evolving today, as a very unique and new type of media. Thanks to the interactivity of games, and their general growth in popularity, they are also able to entertain in many different ways today that simply didn’t exist before.

For example, the game “Minecraft” has been used in schools to teach common subjects such as history.

An education-focused release of the game was released in 2015, allowing students to learn many different concepts in an interactive setting.

Learning through the use of games benefits kinesthetic (handson) learners very well, as they have space to try out the concepts they’re taught, for a cheaper price compared to equipment like microscopes and chemicals for science classes.

Thanks to the many different types of games that get released constantly on digital platforms, as well as their pretty decent dollar-to-hour ratio, video games only seem more and more attractive to those who want entertainment on a smaller budget.

The biggest strength of games as entertainment is that the player is always doing something, rather than passively watching things happen. Male or female, or even in between, that much is undeniable.

Anyone can game.

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Tapping into time

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By Abigayle Haguisan

he practice of mating ink and skin has been carried out since the beginning of human history. No matter how small, these permanent markings serve as messages, symbols, and identities.

“To mark something” is translated as the Samoan word “tatau.” Though controversial to many, the “kakau,” “batok,” or “tattoo” is an important aspect of history and culture to many Asians and Pacific Islanders.

Many associate traditional patterns and tattooing with Polynesia, but fail to acknowledge other cultures that have their own tattooing traditions as well.

The term “traditional,” echoed throughout this article, refers to the original means of tattooing, a “hand-pricking” approach. This method is far more complex than the guns licensed professionals use in parlors. In traditional tattooing, the practitioners are often not licensed. Instead, they begin as apprentices, learning from their mentors.

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Photo illustration by Andrew Avilla and Dave Newlands/The Skyline View

Of course, tattoo guns did not exist some hundreds of years ago, so the tools typically used were catered toward the supplies specific regions offered. For example, in the Philippines, the traditional hand tap was practiced using the “baut,” a tool used to tap, and “kisi,” a tool used to pierce the skin.

The sound of the traditional hand tapping approach is also different from that of modern tattooing methods. Walking into a tattoo parlor today, your ears fill with sounds of mechanical buzzing. When being hand tapped, sounds of two objects tapping one another echoes methodically instead.

It is common to see Skyline students inked up with full sleeves of tribal patterns. However, some do not know what their patterns actually mean. This is what traditional practitioners try to stay away from.

The goal of one who practices traditional methods of tattooing is not to create random marks on someone’s body to make them look cool, the goal is to continue and share tradition. Tattoo practitioners are vessels of their own culture, culture bearers if you will.

“Culture bearers are people who have a unique body of cultural knowledge and it’s their duty to pass that on and to perpetuate whatever practice they do,” tattoo practitioner Lane Wilcken says. “When you go to a tattoo practitioner you are going to them for their expertise, for their knowledge of what would be appropriate for you to have.”

A tattoo artist, however, is someone who tattoos for the aesthetic and art values of a piece. Sulu’Ape Keone Nunes, who is a “kakau” practitioner, laid down the difference between the two.

“I don’t consider myself a tattooist. I am more of a practitioner, and with that comes all of the responsibilities of being culturally appropriate and culturally mindful of the work that I do,” Nunes says. “The whole idea of cultural appropriation is kind of muddy because most tattooists think of themselves as tattoo artists and not practitioners, so they’re giving designs that are just chosen for their artistic qualities as opposed to their cultural significance.”

As there is a thin line between cultural appropriation, tattoo practitioners must discern what designs are appropriate to give someone.

“There’s a lot of people out there that have appropriated,” Wilcken says. “The designs are ethnic specific.”

For example, if a person of Mexican culture were to get a Tagalog pattern tattooed onto them, this would be appropriation. Certain patterns trace back to certain lineages, and it is discouraged to use patterns of someone else’s ancestry, because it is not yours to take.

Tattoo artists are given designs that clients want, and ink the piece typically with no questions asked. Tattoo practitioners assess which patterns are fit for each individual they work on.

“People come to me with preconceived ideas of “batok” being tattoo art, and in that we are putting ink into the skin is pretty much the only similarity,” Wilcken says.” The application is different. The connotation, the meaning, the intention is different.”

Each tap, each pierce, each line and shape, whether shaded or non-shaded, comes together to form a pattern and a story. These tattoos are believed to hold a specific power, the power of one’s ancestors or another life force. Just the practice itself is a vessel for one’s cultural history.

“Your body would tell us how the tattoo would flow,” tattoo artist of A Town Tattoo, Seymour Kaniho says. “I am trying to channel my energy through the tattoo.”

During a tattoo lecture held by Kaniho, Skyline student Nate Umagat had the honor of getting a traditional “tatau.”

“I was approached by one of my friends to get [the hand tap],” Umagat says. “I actually didn’t know what I was getting myself into until I walked into the room but it was an honor nonetheless.”

An honor it was. Historically, it wasn’t easy to get tattooed. In the modern day, anyone can download a pattern from the Internet and take it to a local tattoo parlor where the artist slaps it on in half an hour or so, depending on the size of the piece. Many years ago, only a select few individuals were allowed to be marked, and these tattoos took much longer.

“My knowledge on tatau is that it’s not just performed on anyone,” Umagat says. “It all means something. From the moment it starts, to the moment it ends, and every second in between. It was a deep cultural experience, with deep artistry that made it much more meaningful.”Umagat is one of the few individuals in the Skyline College community that was able to experience such a culturally rich practice first hand.

While the traditional practices of tattooing remain unbroken, they hang by a delicate thread.

To Asians and Pacific Islanders alike, the traditional tattooing process is a beautiful experience, both to watch and to be marked by, and it would be a shame to see such a rich, cultural practice cease to exist.

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Courtesy of Christian Cabuay

“You consider how many of us there are in the world. There are millions of Filipinos in the world and how many practitioners do we have?” Wilcken says. “We only have a handful. That’s how rare it is now.”

Not only does this apply to the “batok,” but it also applies to the “tatau” and the “kakau” and the “irezumi.” Traditional practices struggle to survive because of the lack of knowledge and motivation to keep them alive.

Traditional tattooing is declining day by day, but the practices live on in skilled individuals like Sulu’Ape Keone Nunes, Lane Wilcken, and Seymour Kaniho. They are scattered across the globe and hope to revive these traditions and weave the cultural practices back together. Much of the lack of understanding and knowledge of these tattooing traditions derives from those who do not educate themselves on their own cultures.

Nowadays, many who are educated about their own cultural patterns tend to

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modernize them. While they do not follow the traditional practices and methods of getting inked, they carry with them the history of their culture through the patterns they bear on their skin.

“I think that it is very important to make sure that [the practices] are still alive for a thousand more years. With modernization, with how people view contemporary tattoos, I think that’s all well and good. I enjoy a lot of the artists and their artistry but a lot of that has a foundation and the foundation lays in the traditional tattooists,” Nunes says. “It is important to have the foundation around so that the people who are tattooists have a firm living foundation on which to base their work out of.”

Whether the practices live on modernized or traditionally, the main goal for each aforementioned practitioner is to immerse individuals back into their culture. A common line repeated by those who are deeply rooted in their cultures is, “Know history, know self. No history, no self.”

Getting a traditional hand tapped tattoo is a way to connect with one’s ancestors, to relive history. The practices are the same, the pain that one feels and the sounds they hear are the same.

History has shaped the ideas and morals instilled within us. It is our duty to carry on such traditions. While it may not be possible for each and every individual to practice traditional tattoos, we are entirely capable of sharing the knowledge we have with generations to come.

“In our [tattoo] designs are the hidden knowledge of our people. The wisdom of our people, our cosmological concepts, our values, our morals, our ways of viewing the world around us,” Wilcken says. “They are our understanding of reality and that’s the pinnacle of all the knowledge our ancestors had, and for that to fade away and to be lost would be a tragedy. I feel it is important that it is perpetuated.”

How to juggle academics and

athletics

By Joshua Chan Photo illustration by Dave Newlands and Kevin Perez/ The Skyline View

Summer 2016

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kyline College women’s basketball player Ariana Sheehy, Teammate and long-time friend Juliet Courtney echoed many for her whole life, has never had a right hand. But it never of the same sentiments. seemed to faze her.

“Her decision-making is easily the best part of her play,” The absence of Ariana Sheehy’s right hand has become a part Courtney says. of her identity rather than a hindrance, proving that anything is While Watters sees that Sheehy is already a good player, he possible. sees that Sheehy could also take a next step in her play.

“Give it your all every game, because you never know when your “The next step is to be an outside threat,” Watters says. “I also last game could be,” Ariana Sheehy says, on her ethos going into a think that she could step in and take jump shots as well.” basketball game.

On the court, Sheehy’s positive demeanor seems to be in full That ethos also persists off the court, as Sheehy juggles academics swing. Even in heated practice sessions and drills, Sheehy always and athletics. seems to keep on a smile. Complimenting other players as they Hailing from a very athletic family, Sheehy has always had some practice together, she never loses confidence. Even though she sort of athletic drive behind her. Her brother got into boxing in his already came onto the team with some of her friends, the rest of early school years, while her sister also took up basketball. Her the team appears to be close with her. sister never stuck with basketball, but Sheehy considers her sister to Her teammates don’t seem to think much of her lack of right be a key role model. Her mother has always been supportive of her hand. as well, cheering her on in her athletics.

“I’ve known her since seventh grade,” Juliet Courtney says.

Sheehy took up several different sports in her earlier years, such “She’s very close and gets along with everyone.” as swimming and soccer. While she was relatively successful in Some of her teammates also seemed to take their own roles both, the recommendation of her third grade soccer coach to try when talking about Ariana; there were some that jokingly said basketball stuck with her. that she was a “blood”. Others shouted out a variety of slightly “My [soccer] coach said to try to see if it works,” Sheehy says. absurd nicknames.

Sure enough, the decision proved to “She makes new players to the team feel be a good one, even with her disability. welcome,” Watters says.

“She’s a tireless worker, Another main characteristic about Sheehy Basketball has remained Sheehy’s main sport of choice ever since. Named as was the idea of work ethic. even when it comes to the Peninsula Athletic League’s Most Sheehy, on top of her obligations with the games, or sprints, or Valuable Player (PAL MVP) for 2015, Skyline College women’s basketball team, also Sheehy is also no stranger to victory. conditioning. She’s also on manages to keep a 3.75 GPA with five classes “I didn’t think I was going to get it,” under her belt. the honor roll.”

Sheehy says on receiving the title of PAL Sheehy explains how she is able to juggle both MVP. “My coaches at Terra Nova were the responsibilities of athletics and academics. cheering, and they told me I could get it if “Schoolwork always is supposed to come - Coach Watters I just worked hard.” first,” Sheehy says. “I try to do all of my However, getting the PAL MVP is far homework so I can go to my practices.” from her most significant victory.

But there are also times when Sheehy does That honor goes to her acceptance on Terra Nova High School’s see practice as more important than schoolwork, especially for basketball team. Sheehy recalls her mother’s concern over her more important games. acceptance due to her lack of right hand. But her mother knew it “Sometimes I really want to practice, or really want to go to my would work when Sheehy came home with Terra Nova basketball game, so I’ll sometimes finish my homework as fast I could,” gear. Even then, her mother wasn’t the only one relishing in the Sheehy says. good news.

Watters then commented further on her work ethic.

“I brought home my practice jerseys,” Sheehy says. “But I think I “She’s a tireless worker, even when it comes to games, or was the happier one.” sprints, or conditioning,” Watters says. “She’s also on the honor On first impressions, Skyline College’s head women’s basketball roll.” coach Chris Watters had his doubts about her play.

At this point in time, the fact that she doesn’t have a right hand “I was nervous at first,” Watters says. “I thought that teams would never feels like it hampers her. It’s now become a part of her plan their games based around her only having a left hand.” identity she’s come to accept.

But Watters’ fear was quickly dashed after he saw her performance “I’ve just adapted to it, and I still use it.” Sheehy says. “I’ll on the court when she made the all-tournament team on the first use it to cross over, but I’ll usually just bring it back to my left weekend. From there, Watters has been impressed with her play. hand.”

“She plays to her strengths,” Watters says. “She’s a good player Sheehy now looks to play for a team in Southern California all around.” when she transfers out of Skyline, looking either to Cal State LA Sheehy also seemed to think of her hand as a non-issue. or UC Irvine.

“I don’t think coaches have really underestimated me, but other When asked how she makes athletics possible, even with the players have,” Sheehy says. rigors of school and her other responsibilities as well, Sheehy says, “Give 100 percent no matter what.”

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Skyline Sports: Women’s Basketball Highlights

By Kevin Perez

“Looking forward to playing Chabot and College of San Mateo next year. They’re our rivals.”

- Victoria Langi

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fter exceeding expectations last season, Skyline’s women’s basketball team looks to reup to make another playoff run in the upcoming season.

Being ranked at the bottom of the preseason polls, Skyline’s women’s basketball team entered the season with a chip on their shoulders. Finishing the regular season with a 17-11 record, the team had positioned themselves to make a playoff run.

Preseason polls had Skyline ranked 15

Photos by Kevin Perez (left) and Gina Paratore (right)/ The Skyline View

in the Northern Region. The team had no votes of consideration for the best team. By Feb. 15 the team had been dropped from the rankings all together, in spite of their 16-10 record. They were overlooked despite holding a better season record than three of the top 15 ranked teams in the North Region.

Skyline proved the rankings were false by knocking off then 11 ranked American College (79-58) in the first round of the playoffs. Forward Stephanie Allen led the team with a double double

by scoring 23 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

In the second round of the playoffs, Skyline saw the end to their season as they lost to North Region powerhouse Fresno City College (83-63).

The team looks to build off of their playoff experience and cement themselves as contenders. Sneaking into the playoffs was a step but making some noise will further separate them from the pack.

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