The Voice of Skyline College, San Bruno, Calif.
The SKYLINE View theskylineview.com
May 2, 2019
Issue 7
Skyline Charges Towards ASSC Elections d Mark Davi
Potential associated student leadership present their speeches to the Skyline Students on April 24.
By Ry Bevington Staff Writer
Elections begin on May 7 for positions in the Associated Students of Skyline College, the organization that works with Skyline administration to provide services for students. The ASSC is a student government organization on campus. The ASSC works directly with the Skyline College administration to provide a student
voice to new developments. While applications for this election ended on April 30, there is still time to vote in the election, from May 7 to May 9. “The most important thing we do is we offer scholarships to students,” said current Vice President Rayne Frantzen. “We do events here, like heritage month; We did LatinX, we did Filipino Heritage Month, we did Asian American Heritage, and
Magat/The
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Skyline Vie
we are actually doing our Pacific Islander Heritage Month on upcoming May,” Frantzen said. Alejandro Guzman, a candidate for the position of president said this in his statement: “Skyline College should be an environment that empowers creativity, athleticism, and most importantly academics,” Guzman said in his application for the position. Guzman strongly believes in empowering all students. The current president of the ASSC also had more information on her role on campus. “As president, I participate in participatory governance through college governance council, working closely with the president of the college, alongside classified staff and academic senate,” said Sara Benchohra, the president of the ASSC. The other candidate for president, Cassidy Wilkins said this in her
statement: “I will be proactive in leading Skyline College towards a more equitable future.” Wilkins also works with Skyline’s Health Center as a Peer Wellness Educator. Alfonso Padua III, a student at Skyline College, talked a bit about his opinion on the ASSC and the elections. In response to a question about if he believes the ASSC elections are important, Padua said: “Yes they are because they are the ones that facilitate the student’s problems and student’s concerns about the school.” Padua plans on voting in the ASSC election, and voiced a few issues he would like to see addressed. “Update the Wi-Fi a little bit, as in some parts it’s pretty bad.” Padua would also like to see more food options for students with different diets and improved management of student resources. Student Weiyun Gu had not heard of ASSC, but believes the student elections are important.
She would like to see healthier food on campus, as well as an improvement to the day care services on campus, since she applied last year for her son and has still not gotten in. The candidate for Vice President, Pearl Ibeanusi, had this to say in her statement: “Even when our students transfer, some of them will not continue because of financial incapability.” Ibeanusi plans to address this issue as vice president, and believes that students should finish college strong, without large amounts of debt. Kaelynn Malani, the candidate for the Commissioner of Activities wants to work on helping students reach graduation and helping build community among students. “I would also like to find solutions for students to have more support for graduation on their expected date,” Malani said. For those who would like to know more about the proceedings of the ASSC, their weekly meetings are held on Tuesday from 4 - 6 p.m. and are open to the public. During these meetings, there will be a period of time where students who are not part of the ASSC can comment or express their opinion on the topics being discussed.
Scan for more info here
Suns out, Drums out By Heather Wiley Staff Writer
Skyline celebrated diversity with bright textiles, thunderous drum beats and tiny paper crafts at the Global Extravaganza held by the International Student Program. The Skyline community was particularly captivated by the Taiko performance, a Japanese drumming ensemble led by Kristy Oshiro withthe San Mateo Buddhist
in a curry dish. The group’s synchronicity and exaggerated body movements prompted about ⅔ of the audience to pull out their smartphones and document the experience. Prior to “Kare,” Kristy invited Skyline students to experience the commanding percussion for themselves. She handed the drumsticks over and helped everyone find the right tempo and hand motion.
“The best part was at the end of our song, when we were moving altogether, at the same time.” -Khalid Aljehani Temple. “I named this song “Kare,” because it is inspired by my favorite food, Japanese curry,” Oshiro says. “It’s very satisfying, kind of comforting, like comforting rhythms.” Her and four other drummers slowly raised their drumsticks in unison and a member behind them began a suspenseful drumbeat. Their arms crashed down in harmony and a variation of tempo and intensity mimicked the mix of rice, vegetables and sauce found
The participants began smiling at themselves when they realized the power of their motions and the audience watched with wideeyed fascination. The weight of the world seemed to pause during the immersive Japanese experience and the energy of the drums echoed across campus. “The best part was at the end of our song, when we were moving all together, at the same time,” Skyline student Khalid Aljehani
Kristy Oshiro and the San Mateo Buddhist Temple performing at Skyline on April 30.
said of the experience. The Global Extravaganza was a sunny afternoon of diversity and unity at the quad, and Kristy is offering a free Taiko class to any Skyline member at the San Mateo Buddhist Temple. Her class schedule can be found online, along with a Youtube video of her
Heather Wiley/The Skyline View
drumming in the background of a Wiz Khalifa performance (skip to 2:57 to see her in action.) The excitement of the drums lingered after the performance finished and students moved from booth to booth, tasting snacks and making crafts from across the globe. Scan for Oshiro’s website here
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The Staff Co-Editors-In-Chief Mark David Magat Olivia Bowman
Focal Point
May 2, 2019
More Than Just a Movement By Lourdes Marie Gan Staff Writer
News Editor Kylea Pearson Focal Point Editor Kendrick A. rojas Sports Editor Daniel Archuleta Chief Copy Editor Olivia Bowman Copy Editor Raymond Rapada Photo editor Mark David Magat Staff Designers Heather Wiley Maria Isabel Del Castillo Schmidhuber Staff writers Sean Kamuwela Sliger Heather Wiley Patricia Laude I-Wei Chang Ry Bevington Larissa Barreto Cavalcante Staff Photographer Joey Chu Staff Illustrator Xavier Alvarez Faculty Adviser Nancy Kaplan-Biegel
Dance Honor Society Club is more than just a space for students to be themselves, it’s where self-expression, the love of dance and passion to learn has no boundaries nor limitations. The club meets three times a week from 1 or 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays and 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays. Dance Honor Society Club has been around for six years and counting, and although the club is comprised of students taking another dance class, any individual is more than welcome to join the club with little to no experience, or even to help aid backstage for productions throughout the semester. Professor Amber Steele, a dancer for 22 years, oversees the club along with the help of students who take on leadership roles, such as Pearl Schultz, the secretary of Dance Honor Society Club and Tesa Barela who is vice president. “I love hanging out here in the dance room with these guys because they’re like family. There’s always that group of people you want supporting you to have your back who share your interests as well,” said Schultz. “It’s a good community super helpful for college.” Barela adds, “I enjoy helping out and taking on a role.” Professor Amber Steele understands that the takeaway students get from Dance Honor Society is much more profound than what they believe is possible for themselves. “I find a lot of my dancers who
Dance Honor Society members pose during their studio practice.
came just to dance but didn’t have big plans for themselves, you know they just came to show up and have a nice time but as we start to take on these official roles and official jobs, I watch them volunteer and be successful at really concrete job skills,” said Steele. “We came here to dance but they become leaders without even realizing it. I watch the people who participate really grow into young professionals.” The Dance Honor Society supports production of all the dance shows every fall and spring, produces the program, and organizes all of the music. Dance Honor Society club provides a deep sense of community as well as immersing itself into
Lourdes Marie Gan/The Skyline View
events, both inside and outside of the college campus grounds. This past weekend Dance Honor Society’s Hip Hop Team placed 1st in their regional competition and placed 2nd in the celebrity competition. More so, they conduct several events like a club rush, a Halloween flash mob in the fall on campus and host a vast range of co-teaching dance classes as well as workshop services at local high schools and the Edgewear Community Center. They even donated 20% of their ticket sales from a showcase to the center itself. For the future, the club hopes to attract and inspire more students to join Dance Honor Society Club, noting that they will be holding auditions for their competitive dance
team a week before finals week. Their next dance show will be held in the theatre on campus at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 3.
Poetry Reading by Kim Davalos for Poetry Month By I-Wei Chang Want more news? www.theskylineview.com Or maybe you have news for us? (650)738-4302 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 which started in 1997. 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.
Staff Writer
Each year since 1996, the United States has recognized the month of April as National Poetry Month, a celebration of poetry organized by the Academy of American Poets. Skyline College in April 2019 hosted 7 poetry events which includes the poetry reading and poetry workshop on campus to celebrates the National Poetry Month. April was selected as the month of celebration because the original organizers deemed this a month where they could see the highest level of participation. The inspiration for a dedicated poetry month came from the success seen by Black History Month (celebrated in February) and Women’s History Month (celebrated in March). Skyline celebrates the National Poetry Month every year, not only because it’s a nationwide event, but also for students who have never been to a poetry reading. Through the series of events, it’s a good way for students to be introduced to poetry. Rob Williams, an English professor who organized the National Poetry Month this year points out the value of poetry events at Skyline. “Poetry is a way to present all kinds of voices and to show all kinds of diversity,” Williams said. “One of the goals with doing the poetry event here on campus is to highlight the diversity on campus.” At the same time, Williams also clarified how the poetry events can bring creativity to students. “The benefit, I think, is to
Kim Davalos presents her book at the end of a poetry reading event on April 19.
introduce students to poetry and creative writing,” Williams said. “ It’s a good way to get more students interested in taking creative writing on campus.” For National Poetry Month, two poets were invited to read their work. One of the two poets was Counselor Kim Davalos who shared her book on Friday, April 19. She talked about what she wants students to get out of it. “I hope that what the audience learned from the poetry reading of mine and other poets is how to find the vulnerability and courage to tell their own story and be able to have courage and bravery to share that with their family and people in our community,” Davalos said. Ayanda Noyolo Miti, a psychol-
ogy student who attended to the poetry reading expressed that students can find themselves through the poetry reading event. “Poetry It is a way to express your feelings and to really find out who you are, how you process things and how you handle challenges,” said Miti. “It’s also a great way to practice language and writing skills.” However, Miti also thinks inside the poetry events that students can learn from each other. “I love to learn from others and love to watch their creative ways of putting thoughts, feelings and dreams into words. I also go to share my stories and share my experiences so that others who feel alone can find comfort in knowing
I-Wei Chang/The Skyline View
that they are not the only ones going through life’s ventures.” The last poetry series event in National Poetry Month is the Talisman Literary Magazine Release Party & reading event which will be hosted next Thursday, May 9 from 6-8 p.m. in Building 4, 4-240.
May 2, 2019
Under Pressure
Opinions
You had 8 years!
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By Mark David Magat Co-Editor-in-Chief
Picture this: You think you’re on your way to go out with friends and watch Avengers: Endgame, then out of nowhere during dinner after watching the movie, your friends start trying to get you and your friend Jenny to date and the ensuing awkwardness approaches. Of course, we’ll be talking about peer pressure and how it can be beneficial while most of the time it isn’t. Peer pressure can range from the minor and insignificant, like the example I previously mentioned, to tackling massive issues such as race, gender and even political viewpoints. It’s cool and all that a lot of people can relate on one subject, but I feel a lot of people aren’t necessarily agreeing out of honesty but just out of fear and peer pressure. It’s OK to not agree or go with an idea that the masses have. It’s perfectly fine to say “no” even though the whole group you’re a part of says “yes.” It doesn’t make you a bad person. If anything, it’s helping the group as a whole. According to the Harvard Business Review, “Disagreements – when managed well – have lots of positive outcomes” such as better work products, opportunities to learn and grow, better relationships, and a more inclusive work environment. To reap these benefits, you have to get over any fear you have of conflict. Start by letting go of wanting to be liked. Showing multiple angles to arguments and important issues can help tackle the issue from more than just one angle. Take gun control, for example. If we all agree to one extreme — like banning guns altogether or allowing automatic weapons to be owned by anyone — we aren’t addressing the main issues with having guns. Maybe there are some places in the U.S. that need guns to protect their livestock from wild animals and maybe we don’t need an AK-47 in the hands of city folks because it may be perceived as not necessary. Agreeing right off the bat to an argument because you don’t want to cause conflict doesn’t help find a dialectic between extreme answers
“It’s ok to not agree or go with an idea that the masses have. It’s perfectly fine to say no, even though the whole group you’re apart of says yes.”
LOOSE CHANGE WITH MARK DAVID MAGAT that need to be found. And maybe for smaller issues, it helps tremendously by challenging the peer pressure and just naming it for what it is. Saying, “I don’t want to be peer pressured into doing this” can help with self-confidence and not doing something you’d rather avoid. With all this said, peer pressure isn’t inherently bad. When taken to an extreme on an issue you feel very strongly about, that’s when it’s unhealthy. When a situation calls for it, let’s say a general agreement is to not talk in a movie theater, and you’re pressured into not talking, then it’s for a good reason. At the end of the day, we can’t stop the awkwardness and discomfort of peer pressure, but we can do our best to confront it in a healthy way. And in the long run, it helps us find better solutions to problems that are in desperate need of answers. So if you disagree, voice your disagreements.
The Iron Throne from the Season 8 title sequence of Game of Thrones.
By Maria Isabel Del
Screenshot by Maria Isabel Del Castillo Schmidhuber
Castillo Schmidhuber multimedia editor
Beware of spoilers. “Game of Thrones” is halfway through its eighth and final season after eight long years in the making, and to those who are trying to catch up to it and are avoiding any “spoilers,” get over it; you had 8 years! If you don’t already know “Game of Thrones” is based on the best-selling book series “A Song of Ice and Fire” by George R. R. Martin and aired its first episode on April 2011. On April 28, HBO aired its third episode of the final season, meaning we have only three episodes left to know who will be left standing and on the iron throne. Again, this series came out in 2011 and if my calculations are not wrong, the amount of time between 2011 and 2019 is a total of eight years. Eight years is a long time, meaning time for those whose eyes were not caught by this medieval fantasy story at the very beginning was given in case someone wanted to join or catch up. I’m not saying that one should not try to catch up (by all means, please do), but do not complain about the conversations that are happening with information that you might consider spoilers like the fact that Jon Snow is a Tar-
garyen and Daenerys Targaryen’s nephew, while they’re just facts for others by now. I have to admit: I wasn’t a fan in 2011. It took me a little to be wrapped around this series because it was heavy content with a lot to process. There are also a lot of storylines happening at the same time, and all of them affect each other or will affect each other throughout the series. I watched the first season but didn’t keep going until season six was out, which was when I devoted my time to catch up. It wasn’t easy, “Game of Thrones” is and has been a series like no other. Many want to talk about what has happened and about theories of their own. According to an article from The Conversation last year, “By 2014 ‘Game of Thrones’ had become the network’s biggest hit.” I do understand that “Game of Thrones” wasn’t very popular and many of us started to watch it after it had already started, but waiting a whole eight years is a bit extensive. At this point, I suggest accepting the fact that you will come across information that for you might consider to be a spoiler very often or just hurry up and finish watching the episodes as soon as possible.
The big boom for “Game of Thrones” took literally three years after its first episode aired, and this boom attracted millions of watchers across the world, something that isn’t said often about series. This is a great thing because that shows how good it is. So why wait till the very last season to catch up? If that’s so, then don’t get mad about hearing a “spoiler” because it isn’t the fan’s fault that you waited so long to see what all the great fuss was about. According to a Mashable article from this April, this final season started breaking its own records when the first episode aired, racking up a total of 17.4 million viewers across HBO Now, HBO Go and cable. Not only have they set television history in the past with viewers, records and episodes lengths, but they have also beaten their own records. They don’t settle; they go the extra mile to exceed the expectations and in doing so, they connect millions of people across the world with this one story created by one man with multiple directors that bring it to life.
Feeling under pressure? Hear this out!
Mark David Magat/The Skyline View
Many students have arguments over national crises such as the Flint Water crisis.
Photo Illustration by Maria Isabel Del Castillo Schmidhuber
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Opinions
Editorial
May 2, 2019
Our Citizenship is Not the Census’s Business Artistic License Introducing the citizenship question to the census would lead to systematic fear through generations of immigrant communities, which would negatively impact the way our nation governs for decades. With the 2020 census looming, the Supreme Court has to decide whether to allow the Trump administration’s plan to add the citizenship question. This citizenship question should not be confused with a prior citizenship question, which last appeared in the census survey sent to 100% of U.S. households in 1950. Beginning in 1970 through the 2000s, the American Community Survey — a supplement to the census sent to 1 of every 38 households — has asked about citizenship. The potential 2020 citizenship question asks, “Is this person a citizen of the United States?”; the 1950 version asked, “If foreignborn — Is he naturalized?” It was found that during World War II, the census information, while confidential, was used by the government to identify Japanese Americans who were illegally detained and put into internment camps. While the wording between the two versions is different, gathering citizenship data is not the point of the census. An argument against the addition of the citizenship question by adversaries is premised on the fact that the Census Bureau
can relay its findings to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, so that they can track down noncitizens and deport them. However, this view is incorrect. Federal law mandates that the Census Bureau is, in fact, banned from sharing information reported on the census with other federal agencies. Due to this incorrect assumption, individuals who are not citizens may feel inclined to report inaccurately, which brings up an issue with the census at large: self-report bias. The American Psychological Association says self-report bias occurs when “people may not give answers that are fully correct, either because they do not know the full answer or because they seek to make a good impression.” In this case, the “good impression” is one’s citizenship. This notion is extremely relevant to states with large populations of noncitizens — the noncitizen population may not respond to the census because they may not want to exploit their noncitizenship, causing the data to be skewed so it is not an accurate representation of the area’s true population. The census transcends the notion that it’s just a head count of the people in the U.S. Actually, it determines the allocation of congressional representation and federal funds, proving that an accurate census is imperative for our government to properly serve
its people. According to a Harvard study, adding the citizenship question may deter an accurate census. According to the study regarding the citizenship question, its implementation may “reduce the share of Hispanics recorded by the Census by approximately 4.2 million,” equivalent to 8.4% of the Hispanic population recorded in the 2010 census. With the stigma against the government that’s apparent among immigrant communities, adding the citizenship question may worsen any fear they may have that the government isn’t acting in their favor. And since the government’s purpose is to serve its people, adding the citizenship question would inhibit the government from acting for its people. If people are not informed about this issue, they won’t be able to create a legitimate opinion or reasoning to add or abandon the citizenship question. Be sure to stay informed on the news and talk about it with your friends, coworkers and family. This may force people who once didn’t have an opinion to be an active member of our democracy. This may even lead to people reaching out to their representatives, imploring them to take a stance on the issue. So, the citizenship question would inhibit accurate reporting because it would suppress the contribution by noncitizens in the census. It’s clear to see that
Guest Illustrator: Frank Maldonado
the inclusion of the citizenship question as a standard question on the census holds dire consequences. Trump has claimed that the census would be “meaningless” without the citizenship question. But what’s the point of gathering the information if there’s not much you can actually do with it? Trump can’t even use the collected information to deport noncitizens, so why would the census be meaningless without it? The implications that the addition
of the citizenship question has aren’t meaningless but actually consequential. The census requires accurate reporting, and in order for this to occur, the citizenship question shouldn’t be added. And while there’s no way to truly see the repercussions of the citizenship question until the census is completed — implying the question gets approved — the fact is, that adding it will inflame the fears that immigrant communities have toward the government.
20th
Don’t Take Things for Granted
ANNUAL JURIED
Childhood memories can serve to many people who moved to another country as a good reminder of home.
Student
ART SHOW April 22 - May 10, 2019 Skyline College Art Gallery Building 1, Room 1-121 For gallery hours, check facebook.com/skygallery
Reception: Thursday, May 2, 2019 12:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Screenshot by Maria Isabel Del Castillo Schmidhuber
By Larissa Barreto Cavalcante staff writer
As homesickness hits hard, I can only think about all those things we are used taking for granted. When we have someone in our life, and they have always been there, it sometimes may feel like a routine that we do not make anything special out of it. It also happens with things or places. We may only realize how something is important when we no longer have it. There is a song, called “Epitáfio,” from the Brazilian band Titãs, that talks about how we should’ve loved more, cried more, seen the sunrise, taken more risks, make more mistakes, and done whatever you wanted to do. Being away from home makes
me realize a lot of things. There are a lot of international students that left their country and may relate — even students who left their state or city to study here may relate. Leaving family and friends behind in order to chase a dream can be tough, but it for sure makes you grow a lot. It may take you leaving home for you to finally realize how you used to take many things for granted. But, hopefully, it is not too late. The feeling of knowing that you can go back home and meet the same people, as well as spend time with your family and taste your favorite food is something else. That is the most important thing: trying to enjoy the most while you
are living whichever experience you are living. Once you move away, you may miss your home and realize all the little things that now make a huge difference for you. It is good to know you can go back home, but it is also important to live in the moment and enjoy your new experience. Sometimes, when we may even want to go back, we may not want to leave our comfort zone, but we should go out there and challenge ourselves. According to Dr. John H. Sklare, from Everyday Health, the top five things people take for granted are food and water, your health, time, your significant other, and friends and family. There are many things that are so important, but we only realize how much they meant once they are gone. You have to enjoy today because you will not get to live today again. You may try the same thing tomorrow, but it will not be the same day. Being aware that everything is temporary can be the key.
Song: Titãs - Epitáfio
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Focal Point
May 2, 2019
Winds from ‘Part of Your World’ By Patricia Laude Staff Writer
I had not stepped into a campus auditorium since high school, so when I attended Skyline’s “Part
of Your World” concert, I had minor expectations. I could smell the Ben Nye powder as soon as I took a seat. The anticipation the guests and performers alike were experiencing as the dimming lights was an indication that the concert was about to start. I am inexperienced when it comes to classical music, let alone orchestra, but one thing I noticed from the concert was that before the musicians played, they licked their lips. It was a perverse observation but I found myself staring at individual players, waiting for them to do that before their cue. The Skyline College Concert Band featured guests, including the Golden West Winds, a United States Air Force Band and a guest conductor, Edwin Serrano. The title and the rehearsal concert (the result of eavesdropping) can be a little misleading. When I heard “Part of Your World”, I assumed the whole concert was going to have a “Little Mermaid” theme, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the music
Zachary Bruno conducts the orchestra during a 4 song medley from “The Little Mermaid”.
Professor Bruno introduces the Skyline College Concert Band.
would be from “All Around the World”. The music origins ranged from Spain to Egypt, but it also featured an interesting choice, called “Alma Mater” which celebrated Skyline College’s history. It even featured a seasoned member, Billy Robinson (Professor Emeritus), who has been part of the orchestra since the campus’s grand opening. The members highlighted him that night, which was a feel-good moment of recognition. The concert was dominated by wind instruments —flutes and clarinets — but it did feature instruments like the bongos and a double bass. Nothing can replace the transitions between live performances: the musicians drinking water, the double bass player re-adjusting herself, the members whispering to each other. The concert opened with two vocalists, April Bracy and Angie Alvarez, accompanied by Margaret Fondbertasse oh the piano. Their voices were fullbodied and far from airy. I found their renditions captivating. The microphone amplified their vibrato and it was hard for me not to get chills. I could not stop staring at Senior Airman Candy Tasker as her flute kept reflecting on the spotlight. Even though the whole woodwind ensemble played beautifully, her solos really stood out to me. I was often told that non-lyrical music is open to interpretation, but when I’m given that much freedom, it’s hard for me to indicate an isolated mood, feeling or emotion. When the concert concluded with a five-minute
All photos By Patricia Laude
medley from “The Little Mermaid” feelings of nostalgia came back. Since I had grown up with Disney princesses, I already had embedded emotions. The songs were only orchestrations, of course, but the feelings were already there. Several days later and I’m still singing “Part of Your World” it allowed feelings to resurface. It was a nice way to end the concert. The main conductor, professor Zachary Bruno, even had an interactive moment with the audience. I always appreciate that during public performances. They had the audience clap with the beat, which gave a sense of unison within the whole room. If Friday night reconfirmed anything, it’s that you don’t have to be an expert to appreciate or enjoy something. Everyone has an opinion. Although it’s hard for me to display it sometimes. I genuinely enjoyed the concert, which I wasn’t expecting. I admired the precision of the musicians and the
synchronization they exhibited throughout the entire performance.
Josh Levin performs a clarinet solo for Concertino for Clarinet Band.
Golden West Winds performs Zafir 2.
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You can’t Spell ‘Meh’ Without ‘Me!’
May 2, 2019
Avengers: Endgame Review By Mark David Magat Co-Editor-In-Chief
By Kylea Pearson News Editor
The Beat with Kylea Pearson: You can’t Spell “Meh” Without “ME!” The Beat with Kylea Pearson: You can’t Spell ‘Meh’ Without ‘Me!’ Kylea Pearson (Desk Editor) Music is made to move. It has the ability to take you higher, bring you down, humble you and create unimaginable foregrounds within the widespread imaginations of creators and listeners. Taylor Swift has been a suspect of this act of moving mountains within the music industry and in people’s lives, my life included. For years, six albums worth to be exact, Taylor has never lost purpose within her music and much as she states within her Elle UK interview, pop is personal, just as it should be. To backtrack, I attended one of her shows from the Reputation tour in Levi’s Stadium in May 2018. This was the moment I dreamed of since I was 7. After years of busting my mom and my car’s speakers with Taylor Swift songs, I found myself screaming lyrics to every song, annoying those around me in my glitter drenched outfit. I even welled up at the thought of finally seeing her perform in front of my eyes. to me, she was a beautiful and powerful artist I knew I could trust; then the show ended. Taylor waved and bowed while fans cheered and shrieked their love. She disappeared behind the curtain and something I never in my wildest dreams would’ve thought would happen actually happened. The lights went up, people were leaving and my heart was undeniably shattered. Out of every show I’ve ever attended throughout my 19 years of wreaking havoc on this planet, she was the only artist who did not perform an encore. That was the moment I knew she was gone. Her recent music release only emphasizes this within me. Her new song titled “Me!” was released after a countdown, which lasted 13 days. The only difference in comparison to her previous track record of music releases, this song has a feature. Brendon Urie from Panic! At The Disco was the chosen artist who would be cohabitating this song with Taylor. Brendon has an incredible vocal range and talent through the roof, matching Taylor, so in most expectancies, I was convinced this song would be the song of the summer ... something valuable. Then, the song was released with a music video. Typically, I would not suggest watching a music video before hearing the song alone beforehand, but I was desperate. Initially, I was hopeful. The first verse was moderately good and started the song off with something close to a meaning, but as the track continued, the light that once rested in my eyes and ears had faded. Taylor stated it was a song about embracing your individuality and knowing just how great you are. Yes, this factor was achieved, but it was met in such a way that it felt cheap and processed like McDonald’s
Focal Point We’re in the Endgame Now
The Beat with Kylea Pearson chicken nuggets. Pop songs are meant to be repetitive but with a purpose. This song had no purpose. Taylor sings, “I’m the only one of me. Baby, that’s the fun of me!” This is a fun and confident statement, but then she spends more time vocalizing vowel sounds instead of actually singing lyrics. It seems this chorus is an effortless way of selling merchandise to stores like Justice, a shop with horrifically neon shirts that will soon display “you can’t spell ‘awesome’ without Me!” in a plastic font, for three-year-olds to wear. (Yes, that is also one of the phrases Taylor utters multiple times in this song, as though she’s attempting to edge her way back into being “family-friendly.”) The video is also not to be praised. At least 85% of it used a green screen. Most of the props had no value to the song; needless to say, the song could not stand on its own, and Taylor knowing this, created the flashiest music video she could think of. If pastel and glitter are who Taylor Swift is, she should go for it, but she is drowning listeners in repetitive and ultimately pointless lyrics that she probably found shopping in the children’s section at Ross, hoping that will be enough. Unfortunately, it is not. Considering this is only the first single off of her soon-to-be album, I still have hope. Taylor has a tendency to never let us down, so maybe this isn’t the end just yet. She preaches the importance of storytelling and she shows the value of purposeful lyrics, but she did not give us that this time. Instead, she produced a product that might as well be wrapped in plastic and sold on shelves of Walmart at mass amounts. She’s only one person, and no one can be perfect forever and sell incredible music forever. I just assumed she would descend with grace. As a fan and supporter of Taylor Swift, I hope her corporate scheme will soon end and that someday she will be an artist once more. We don’t care about the “old” or “new” Taylor — all we want is the “real” Taylor.
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11 years. 22 movies. Over a billion fans. After the events of “Avengers: Infinity War,” the world was ready to see what happens next after the destruction and loss the Avengers had to face after Thanos’ arrival. And even more so, the world was ready to see how the Russo brothers, who directed “Endgame,” clj.d outdo their best work such as “Captain America: Civil War”, “Captain America: Winter Soldier”, and of course “Infinity War”. But does 11 years of build up and 22 movies of character development live up to the hype? Short answer: yes! The movie follows the remaining Avengers and Guardians after the aforementioned loss to Thanos as they figure out how to undo what Thanos did. The marketing department for the movie did an amazing job at keeping the advertisement and trailers very vague. I won’t spoil how much the trailers show, but they basically showed you nothing. Going off of knowing nothing about the movie, it takes a bunch of turns that I didn’t think the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or the MCU, would take. And the way they do this is just pure fan service for the people who stuck around all these years. If I could describe it, it’s like a joy ride through memory lane and it was joyous — if not a bit sloppy — when it comes to explaining the science behind it.
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Speaking of the sloppiness, act two’s use of scientific jargon to explain how they were going to defeat works is very confusing to follow along, even if you have read the comics. There were also some aspects of the film that I had issues with. The first one has to do with Thor and his guilt with missing Thanos in “Infinity War”. It’s done well enough all throughout the movie, but there was a scene with Rocket Raccoon that had underlying messages about anxiety, and how they handled it wasn’t done well in my eyes. This is mainly due to how easy it was for Rocket to snap Thor out of a panic attack. That’s just not good enough for me. The second issue I had was with one character’s exit from the MCU. This character was known for not being the most favorite character of the production team to fans. Yet, their death didn’t honor their character’s contribution to the MCU. Their exit was a reflection of how the production team saw them and not how the fans saw them. They could have had a more impactful exit. With all that said, the third act is just jaw-droppingly
amazing. If you thought the airport fight scene in Civil War was amazing, that’s just a mild argument in comparison to the final battle with Thanos in “Endgame”. There were so many moments where the audience went crazy for how amazing the fight was. And the ending is also so fitting for all these characters that it had people in my auditorium in tears. It’s quite amazing. The movie isn’t perfect, and if you’re kind of loosey-goosey with the MCU, it’s fun and good enough, but if you grew up with the comics and then got into these movies, this is a no brainer. For anyone who didn’t see Endgame but loves these movies and comics, rush to go see it before the internet spoils everything.
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Blackpink Makes its Mark in America by Larissa Barreto Cavalcante Staff Writer
With songs that mix English and Korean, Blackpink, a K-pop girl group, is becoming a huge success in the United States. Touring around North America, releasing a new mini album and playing at Coachella are some of the things this group has been doing. Jennie Kim, Jisoo, Lisa and Rosé are the four girls that give life to Blackpink. They have been together for a long time now and consider each other family. When they first joined YG, the entertainment company they are part of, they were trainees and had years of training to then debut as Blackpink. According to another Billboard’s article by Nolan Feeney, “for 12 hours a day, seven days a week, the future members of Blackpink — along with, by Jennie’s estimate, 10-20 other aspiring singers who cycled through the project — studied singing, dancing and rapping, taking part in monthly tests designed to identify their strengths and weed out subpar trainees.” “You don’t have to understand Korean to understand the music, the visuals, the vibe,” Jisoo said, through a translator. This was true at Coachella where they performed at both weekends. From all the videos and photos of the event, it is easy to see how happy they were. It was also during the festival that people got to know some famous Blinks (fans of the group). According to a Billboard article by Jeff Benjamin, there are
Blackpink performs at Golden Disk Awards 2018.
many famous people that are Blackpink’s fans: Dua Lipa (with whom the girls already have a collaboration, in songs called “Kiss and Make Up”), Ariana Grande, Harry Styles (who went to their concert in Los Angeles), Halsey, Diplo, Pharrell and Jaden Smith. This proves that K-pop has become popular beyond South Korea. From the group’s Instagram (@ blackpinkofficial) it is possible to see they are having huge shows. The group released its first song, “Boombayah”, in August 2016. But unfortunately they haven’t yet released a full album. Their new song, “Kill This Love”, was released early April 2019 and has been performed in some TV programs like “The Late Late Show with James Corden”. Earlier this year, the girls performed at “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” with their most recent
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song at the time, “Ddu-du Ddudu”. Their recent music video release was a big success. When “Kill This Love” was released on April 4, it had the biggest music video debut with 56.7 million views in its first 24 hours in YouTube history until Taylor Swift broke the record with her release of “Me!” on April 26. Additionally, Blackpink was the first Korean girl group to ever perform at Coachella. They have worked hard and they keep on doing it. They are seeing and experiencing some good things due to all this hard work. I recommend that you check out some of their music videos and listen to their songs!
Sports Opinion
Examining the 2022 Qatar World Cup
Reintroducing KD
How Qatar is a disaster for hosting the worlds biggest tournament
Construction is underway for the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
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By Nellyana Altuve Rojo Guest writer
The country of Qatar not only lacks infrastructure, soccer tradition and budget, but a strong foundation of human rights. FIFA’s choice to host the 2022 World Cup in Qatar violates essential human rights, is based on bribery and it’s expected to abuse migrant workers. Historically, homosexuality has always been illegal in Qatar. Even though the United States likes to be a moral crusader in the fight for human rights and equality, Qatar remains behind where sexuality is concerned. In 2015, the first and largest study on homophobia in sports was conducted by the Bingham Cup Sydney 2014, the world cup of gay rugby, and members of Sydney Convicts, Australia’s gay rugby union club. This study revealed that homophobia is 62% more common in team sports than any other part of society. Also, it revealed that only 1% of the participants in the study believed that gays, lesbians and bisexuals were openly and completely accepted in the sport culture. In 2009, a study conducted by Lindsey Wilkinson and Jennifer Pearson, two American psychologists, revealed that higher rates of depression and lower self-esteem was common in high school soccer players who are attracted to the same sex. Hosting the World Cup in Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal, reinforces the beliefs of heteronormavity in sports and reinforces the barriers against gay people in sports culture.
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Sports
May 2, 2019
- A report by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) stated that if conditions don’t get any better, by the time the World Cup kicks off, at least 4,000 migrant workers will have died on the job.
The only response that the LGBTQ community received was from the ex-FIFA president Sepp Blatter who said, “Gay men who want to go to the World Cup should refrain
from any sexual activities”. According to a study conducted by a new Gallup estimate, the amount of people who identify as part of the LGBTQ community is about 10% of the total population around the world. Human rights are also being violated to construct the infrastructure needed for the 2022 World Cup. In 2014, the International Trade Union Confederation reported that one Nepalese migrant working for the infrastructure for the World Cup dies every two days. Even though FIFA and Qatar’s government promised to work on
improving the work conditions in Qatar, they have gotten worse. The Guardian has played a key role reporting the use of modern day slavery to build this infrastructure faster and cheaper. Nepalese migrant workers are also having their payments withheld, are forced to work under extreme temperatures without access to water and their passports are taken away so they cannot leave the country without previous approval. Plus, an ESPN report estimates that at least 1.4 million migrant workers live under these conditions, and they are being abused to quickly and cheaply build all of the 2022 World Cup infrastructure in Qatar. Why was Qatar considered as the “ideal” location for the World Cup? This location for the World Cup does not welcome the LGBTQ community and violates human rights. Many committee members of FIFA such as Ricardo Teixeira and Jack Warner have been accused of accepting bribes to vote for Qatar to host in 2022. This decision did not only fill their bank accounts but is a step back for all the inclusion and human rights progression that we seek as a society.
The NBA Playoffs always tend to fall heavily on the star players of the league. Kyrie Irving in Boston, James Harden in Houston, Kawhi Leonard in Toronto, and Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee all have the weight of their respective cities on their shoulders. Even out here in the Bay Area, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson all seem to have elevated their game now that the Conference semifinals have begun. Oh, and then there is Kevin Durant, who is by far standing out the most in this edition of the NBA Playoffs. “I’m Kevin Durant. You know who I am. Y’all know who I am,” Durant said. This is the same guy who was picked No. 2 overall in the 2007 NBA Draft behind Greg Oden, who was last seen getting his degree from Ohio State after being a bust. The same guy who is the 10-time All-Star, 4-time Scoring Champion, MVP and do not forget 2-time “Horse” Champion. Many in the league have taken a step back on Durant’s skillset with the rise of talent among the NBA along with individual season success from star players.
The 2-Minute Read With Daniel archuleta two games into the playoffs. Durant’s tear lately also shows how valuable he has been for the Warriors. In the second game against the Rockets when Curry had to go back into the locker room with his dislocated left middle finger, Durant remained the constant offensive force for the team. This production outplays almost the entire field of players that are left in the NBA Playoffs. And it is certainly needed for Golden State to get
“I’m Kevin Durant. You know who I am. Y’all know who I am.” - Kevin Durant From game one of the series against the Los Angeles Clippers, Durant has been doing almost everything possible to remind the league he is the most complete and skilled player, better than Antetokounmpo and better than Harden. It is not even close. Even with Patrick Beverley looking to get inside Durant’s head, the back-and-forth banter with Beverley gave Durant more validation to dominate the rest of the series. Since game three against the Clippers, after Durant made those first-person comments, he has been averaging about 38 minutes per game, shooting 52% from the field and 43% from three. Also, Durant has an average of 34 points per game while his assist per game numbers are also hovering around his regular season average of 5.9. That’s incredibly durable for the team that lost DeMarcus Cousins
Kevin Durant warms up for a game.
past Houston and the winner of Portland-Denver series. Now if he decides to leave this offseason or even explore his options in free agency, all of Dub Nation should be grateful for the past three seasons. Durant has truly been everything we expected him to be once he decided to join back on Independence Day in 2016. We have watched the prime of his career here in the Bay Area and we can always look back on the playoff memories that he has given Warriors fans for years to come.
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The Voice of Skyline College, San Bruno, Calif.
The Skyline View
May 2, 2019
TROJAN ATHLETICS
Game Summary
Skyline Bandminton Picks Up First Home Win, Second Win Overall Against CCSF By I-Wei Chang Staff writer
The Skyline College women’s badminton team won the first home game of the season with 13-8 against City College of San Francisco on Tuesday, April 23. This is the second time of the season Skyline faced CCSF, with the first time going to City College where Skyline got the victory, winning 15-6 on March 15. In the first-round singles game, Skyline won five out of six matches with a four-point lead on the scoreboard of 5-1. Among these five winning matches, the victories by freshman Nazanin Nematollahi and sophomore Angelica Completo were two of the most critical games because those two matches were closely against their opponents in the deciding game. Facing City College freshman Jodi Ye, Nematollahi lost the first game 19-21. In the second game, Nematollahi started playing a variation of shots on long clears combined with drops and pulled away to win 21-9. However, in the deciding game, Nematollahi led 1813, but suddenly made consecutive mistakes allowing Ye to surpass the score and having two match points with 18-20. Nematollahi didn’t falter as she not only tied the score to deuce but also won
Skyline Badminton teams player cheer each other up before the game started on April 23.
the game in the end with 22-20. “Jodi was a very good player. She was very fast with good techniques. I lost the first game because I underestimate her at first. I think I was too proud,” Nematollahi said. “After 18-20 in the deciding game, I understand she has weakness on backhand clear shots, I took advantage of that weakness and send many high clears and get good results.” Meanwhile, Completo defeated City College player Hallie
I-Wei Chang / The Skyline View
Meneses with 21-19, 9-21, 2220. Regarding the third match, Completo pointed out her winning strategies close to the end of the deciding game after the match. “Just focus and thinking what good shots to make,” Completo said. “Taking a deep breath before serving is really important because it makes my body relax and if I feel more relaxed, it gives me focus.” Additionally, this win was important for Completo because
Rough Start, Lack of Timely Hits Ruin Playoff Clincher at Home Skyline ended the season losing 5 of their last 6 games By I-Wei Chang
she lost against Meneses at City College in their previous meeting. However, Completo gave herself expectations with a winning mindset before the match started. “This game is really important for me because before coming to school today, it’s already in my mind that I have to do well in this game because last time, I kind of give it to her,” Completo said. “I have to give my 110% on this game and I really want that win.” Besides the players’ efforts in
the high-tension competition, the coach’s guidance was instrumental to the team’s success. Kat Reyes, Skyline’s assistant coach indicated how they’re coaching players in the game. “In between matches, aside from the mental encouragement, we try to give them some strategic pointers of what their opponent might be doing to us or what of our own mistakes we can correct,” Reyes said. After the first round singles match, both teams began playing doubles for three matches. Out of those three games, Skyline won one of the three matches by freshman players Paola Candolada and Katie Tan with a straight-set victory (21-4, 21-7) over City College doubles pair Jodi Ye and Jennifer Purevsuren. Although Skyline only won one game in doubles, the team’s head coach, Jan Fosberg, still thinks the doubles team played well in the game. “I thought our doubles teams play well together, we really get to know each other and covering well together,” Fosberg said. As this is the first winning home match of the season, the assistant coach feels excited. “We’ve been at away games the past of couple weeks so it’s nice to come home and get a win,” Reyes said.
Final Coast-Pacific Baseball Standings Ohlone 15-3 (32-8) Cabrillo 10-8 (22-16) Monterey Peninsula 9-9 (22-18) Skyline 9-9 (21-18)
Staff writer
Hartnell 9-9 (18-20) Skyline College’s baseball team lost 7-3 against Hartnell College in their last home game of the season on Thursday, April 25. Skyline’s baseball team was closer to the playoffs before the game started. Dino Nomicos, the head coach, pointed out the team had to win one of the last two games of the season in order to make it to the playoffs. “It’s playoffs atmosphere, we have to win so we can get a chance to enter to the state playoffs, so we got to won one of them from today or tomorrow.” Skyline starting pitcher Nate Rumb met the turbulence and lost five runs with a solo home run hit by Hartnell’s Travis Madison in the first and second innings. Hartnell’s leadoff hitter had a single with two runners on bases, and Skyline right fielder Max Jenkins made an error on catching the ball, which allowed the runners on base to score. Regarding of the first two innings, Skyline’s catcher Matt Leong spoke out after the game.
Canada 8-10 (17-19-2) Gavilan 2-17 (8-28)
With a 21-18 record, Skyline Baseball misses the playoffs for a second straight season Mark David Magat / The Skyline View
Matt Leong missses a tag out during the game on April 25, 2019.
“Honestly, I feel like coming to the game is pretty locked in and (the pitcher is) ready to pitch. I think he might have gotten cut off in the moment, ... it just might the ball might have slipped out.” However, at the plate, Skyline had twelve total hits in the game but only scored three runs by one single and two sacrifice flies. Regarding of Skyline’s offense, Nomicos explained what went wrong during the game.
“They just didn’t come in the clutch, so when we have a runner in scoring position, they didn’t get timely hits,” Nomicos said. As for losing the game, Nomicos further expressed the team’s shortcomings. “We just didn’t make our pitches, and they got some key hits,” Nomicos said. “We just got down 5-0; it’s hard to battle back when you’re down by five.
We just can’t get some runs.” Although Skyline lost the last home game of the season, Tony Brunicardi, Skyline’s assistant coach highly affirmed the performance of the players throughout the whole season. “I thought all of our freshmen continue to get better throughout the year. Playing at the college level was good for them. Noah Marcelo, Andrew Roy, Mitchel
Plane all progressed through the season, and our pitching was really good throughout. Dylan Mcdonald, Paul Ferrari, ... Aiden Yarwood, Derek Flowers —they all did a really nice job. The pitching carried us through some ups and downs. I think every single guy brought something to the table, which is nice to see our freshman really develop well,” Brunicardi said.