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Scorpion Cyclone
Fall 2011
COM 250: Official Newspaper
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: JOAN WHITELY
LAYOUT EDITOR: BRANDON WINGERT
Holocaust Survivor Shares Her Story
With Las Vegas Students
BY JANICE GURROLA
COM: 250
Lydia Lebovic, a Holocaust survivor,
is one of the more than 300 survivors
living in Las Vegas. She gives speeches
to children in elementary schools to
teach them about the Holocaust, so that it
isn't forgotten.
Lebovic was sent to Auschwitz at the
age of only 16. She survived the
Holocaust after being in two
concentration camps and one labor
camp. By a miracle, at her final camp she
also found her older sister and her
brother – they had all survived the
Holocaust after being prisoners of the
Nazis for more than a year.
Born in Czechoslovakia, Lydia
Lebovic lived in a small city of about
40,000, including 10,000 Jews. Her
mother had raised the family all by
herself after Lydia's father passed away
when she was only 10.
In 1944, Jews were starting to be
singled out. They had to wear Jewish
stars and hear anti-Jewish propaganda.
Three weeks later they had a curfew and
weren't allowed in public places such as
restaurants and movie theaters.
As Lebovic opens her calm green eyes
wide with surprise, she says, “One day
my best friend that I had known for all
my life came up to me and spit on me and
I asked her,
'Why would you do that?' She said
because I was a dirty Jew.”
Four weeks later, the town's Jews were
told pack up because they were going to
be relocated by train.
“We were pushed into wagons of
about 60 to 80 people as if we were cattle,
says Lebovic, shaking her head. They
traveled by train for about three days.
Her mother had told the children to
behave since they were now in Poland,
where she knew that everything was
going to change for the worse.
When they arrived at Auschwitz, men
and women had to form “selection lines”
to see which of them qualified for the
labor camps. Families were separated at
the selection.
“An officer saw me holding my
sister's hand from one side and holding
my mother's hand from the other side,
and quickly snatched my hand from
them, which was the last
time I saw my mother,” notes Lebovic,
looking down at her wrinkly, freckled
and aged hands.
She was then taken away to get
“cleaned,” where every inch of her body
A group of scorpions
is called a cyclone.
got shaved. She demonstrates putting her
head over her wavy blondish gray hair,
“(Our) shower was a sponge with water
and chlorine, which would burn your
eyes,” she says, demonstrating by
putting her hands over her wavy
blondish gray hair.
Changing her tone of voice, Lebovic
also said she also wanted us to laugh so
she brought some humor to the story.
She then told us that Auschwitz was
cold in the winter and the women
inmates had nothing to wear but a dress,
with no undergarments whatsoever, and
no hair to warm themselves, either. But
one day a girl covered her head with her
dress, mooning everyone. So then every
one of the girls copied her.
“Those were the only laughs in
Auschwitz,” says Lebovic, laughing at
the memory.
Lebovic also noted that when she was
sent from Auschwitz to a Hamburg labor
camp, her Nazi supervisor was kind and
had humor. He provided them just
enough food to maintain their weight sot
hey could work hard. She labored for
nine and half months.
Then she was sent to Bergen-Belsen,
the worst camp, where she found that
inmates were surrounded by piles of
skeleton corpses. While she was walking
in camp with her cousin, someone
recognized Lebovic and said her sister
was in the same camp.
But the sister was so weak she couldn't
walk. In her malnourished state, Lebovic
barely recognized her. But, Lebovic says
with a smile, “She told me that I looked
like a million dollars, because I hadn't
lost any weight and my hair had grown
back. Ha, it was even curly.”
British troops liberated BergenBelsen a month after Lebovic arrived. By
pure luck she then found her older
brother, who was in the same camp and
had been looking for relatives, too. She
then helped the British troops by
translating German, Hungarian and
English as needed.
After the war she married her
husband, William Lebovic. They
decided they had nothing to keep them in
their homeland any longer. The two
wanted to move to America, but they
ended up getting visas to Chile first,
where they lived for a long time.
“I love Chile, it is my home,” she still
says with pride. But eventually she and
her husband came to the United States
because her other two siblings lived in
California.
Fifteen years ago, the Lebovics moved
to Las Vegas. They have three
grandchildren, whom she trusts will keep
telling her story of the Holocaust. This is
also the reason Lydia Lebovic speaks at
schools – so that the next generations
will always remember, too.
Lydia Lebovic talking with students about her experience when she was only 16.
- PHOTO: Viewnews
Local Reporter Strikes
it Rich, Thanks to
a Total Stranger
BY ANTHONY COFFIELD
COM: 250
An inheritance of $1.7 billion is just a
six-hour flight away for Las Vegas
reporter Dave Berns.
His wife, Daisy Berns, held a press
conference at Nevada State College on
Thursday to explain the money that
Berns was leaving town to acquire. As
she spoke, he was en route to New York
to meet with David Bernardovich's
lawyer, Ilya Putin.
Bernardovich died at age 99 after
getting wealthy in the Russian coal
business. He wrote in his will that Berns,
a distant relative, should receive his life
savings of $1.7 billion. After reading
some of Berns' journalistic work,
Bernardovich — who loved the U.S.
desert and Nevada's nuclear Test Site
—found out through Internet research
that they were remotely related.
When Bernardovich, who had no
children, discovered that he shared a
bloodline with Berns, he decided to leave
all his money to the Las Vegan, whom
hehad never met.
Berns, a 1988 graduate of the
University of Oregon, has been a
journalist since 1985.
Currently he covers economic news
for the Las Vegas Sun. In Las Vegas, he
has been a reporter at Las Vegas ReviewJournal, an interview host on KNPRFM, a spokesman for Nevada state Sen.
Steven Horsford, and a writer for a
Spectrum Gaming.
Prior to moving to Nevada, he had
worked for various Oregon newspapers,
Oregon's state government, and two
Oregon TV stations.
Asked what her husband would do
with the inheritance, Daisy Berns
explained he had bought 200 acres in
rural Oregon, where he plans to build and
open a yoga institute for reporters and
geologists.
Berns did not plan on retiring, but the
inheritance has changed that. Daisy
Berns said, “Dave doesn't want to stay in
the rat race.”
magazine was empty, he recounted.
he first saw his family and friends upon
“Being a “gunny” – short for gunnery his return to the States. “I didn't know if I
There're No Handy “How to” sergeant
– you're not supposed to be was supposed to feel guilty or honored,”
affected by things like this. Or at least, he said. “I didn't know how I felt to even
Instructions for Licking PTSD not let it show,” Rasmussen said. “When be back, knowing thousands of my
Soldier suffering from PTSD
- PHOTO: Worldpress.com
BY DAVE THOMAS
COM: 250
One of the most harrowing jobs on this
planet is being an active member of an
armed service branch. These men and
women see, as well as fight, the worst
scenarios that mankind and nature have
to offer.
In these scenarios, the human
psychology is tested and Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder is a frequent, though
grim, reality. Called PTSD for short, it's
an “anxiety disorder that some people
get after seeing or living through a
dangerous event,” according to
information on the National Institute of
Mental of Health web site.
Gunnery Sgt. Rasmussen, now 35, of
Barstow, Calif., has been dealing with
the condition for almost 10 years. PTSD
can cause a person to “feel stressed or
frightened even when they're no longer
in danger,” because their “fight-orflight” biochemical response has been
damaged, the web site also explains.
Rasmussen was a Recon platoon
sergeant who led part of the assault on
Fallujah, Iraq, which he described as “a
WW2 (Word War II) styled assault that
had us running for cover while watching
some of us Marines fall right in front of
me.”
He paused for a moment and looked
up at the ceiling. Then he continued.
“I watched fourteen of our men go
down over the course of twenty minutes.
I knew all their names. I had spent a lot of
time with each of them back over here
before we deployed. Watched them go
down,” he said. In the same incident, he
took nine enemy lives. Sometimes he
would just pull the trigger until his entire
Teens Who Visit LV
Parks are Crime Targets
it was all over, I gathered up my platoon
for our huddle. I looked in every single
one of their faces and I told them never to
forget what we saw, what we did that day.
The faces staring back at me, till this day,
I'll never forget. We all broke down. It
was horrible.”
Ever since Iraq, Rasmussen has had
difficulty dealing with wartime
memories that suddenly plunge him back
into those dangerous, fearful moments.
He has participated in counseling and
taken meds since returning home.
“It stays with you and you can't let go
of it,” he explained. “It comes back in
your dreams. It comes back when
someone startles you as a practical joke.
It comes back when you watch a movie
about what you did. It comes back when
you look at a gun. It comes back when
you watch the news about a shooting. It
comes back when you watch the brats
across the street play cops and robbers.
And you're just out front to water the
lawn. And one of them points his fingers
at you and goes 'bang bang!' ”
Rasmussen said he expects he will
always need some form of medication,
though he has developed a technique to
shorten his acute PTSD attacks.
“I am lucky,” Rasmussen added. “I'm
lucky to still be here. I am lucky that I'm
not still ill-mannered. My family and
friends are lucky, too. I have developed a
sixth sense, that within my nightmares, I
can tell myself in mid-dream that it is in
fact, a dream, and wake myself up. I go to
my inner happy place when I feel [bad]
memories start to pour right into the back
of my eyeballs.
Rasmussen has also had difficulty
learning when, and to whom, he can
safely share his Iraq memories and the
ongoing psychic pain. It's hard for
soldiers with PTSD to reintegrate with
civilians who have never been in combat.
For such soldiers, it's even difficult to
open up to their spouses and closest
friends and relatives.
Rasmussen didn't know to react when
Las Vegans Take to Fremont Street
to Protest Corporate Abuse
BY JADE HARRIS
COM: 250
Teens age 14 through 16 are the targets
of robbery and assault at parks and
recreational centers in Las Vegas.
“Particularly at the skate parks,” a
member of a city advisory commission
said at a recent meeting.
The Las Vegas Parks and Recreation
Advisory Commission held a public
meeting at 4 p.m. on Oct. 4, at City Hall
on 400 Stewart Ave.
One issue of discussion was enforcing
the law at the recreational centers of Las
Vegas.
How are they going to stop crimes and
make places safe for teenagers again?
The safety of park users is a big
concern, judging from the meeting.
Personal items are being stolen out of
gym lockers and vehicles in the parking
lots, and are used before people have the
chance to report them lost or stolen.
According to information presented to
the commission, there's been an
increasing number of reported thefts
from parked cars at some gyms and
- PHOTO: Geckoandfly
parks. More manpower nis eeded to
enforce the law and prevent crimes at the
public recreation sites in Las Vegas.
Stationing a “paddy wagon,” or police
vehicle, at the parks was an option that
came up — a way to put some fear in the
hearts of the bad guys. This was a
suggestion made by a citizen who
participated in the but didn't give his
name.
The commission concluded its Oct. 4
meeting without deciding whether to
follow through with the idea, which
would require talking to the Las Vegas
Metropolitan Police Department.
brethren are still over there. I was so
overwhelmed by every emotion
possible.”
Even activities as simple as sharing
dinner with family became awkward.
“They knew something was wrong. I
knew something was wrong. I just lost
this sense of knowing how to, I guess,
bring this information upon people,” the
gunnery sergeant remembered.
Today, he considers his post-Iraq
group therapy to have been a “waste of
time,” but finds value in talking to select
individuals about the experiences that
still on occasion torment him.
His wife, however, is not one of the
people Rasmussen confides in about his
PTSD. “She respects me too much,” he
said, “and doesn't want to ask about it
because she doesn't want to put me in a
bad place.”
In the end, though, Rasmussen seems
to believe it's up to him to manage his
PTSD.
“It takes a huge amount of will power
to beat this,” he said. “Some don't have it
and sadly they commit acts of violence
either to themselves or others. It just
depends on their temperament. (But) we
all know what happens to a feeling once
we pull it back and stash it within our
bodies somewhere – it eventually strikes
back with greater force.”
After discussing the course of his
PTSD, Rasmussen thanked his
interviewer – another former soldier,
who is now a student at Nevada State
College – for coming out to Barstow to
chill, and talk, and listen.
Quiet listening is sometimes the best
relief, according to the Barstow exsoldier. He can't stand talkative know-itall civilians who question his motives or
his illness.
“You know when you get those
bimbos that ask you that stupid question
– the 'Isn't this what you signed up for
anyway' question?” Rasmussen asked
rhetorically. “You and I know that it
angers us. Nobody signs up to die.”
Participants in Occupy Las Vegas Oct. 15, 2011
- PHOTO: Sam Morris,Las Vegas Sun
BY ISRAEL LUIS-PEREZ
COM: 250
A world-wide protest came to
Fremont Street in Las Vegas on Oct. 15.
The Occupy Las Vegas event — which is
part of the Occupy Wall Street
movement — started at 4 p.m. and lasted
three hours. Many Las Vegans let their
voices be heard, protesting against
corporate corruption in the nation.
The march began with no delays, with
a group of people yelling, “We got sold
out. Banks got bailed out.”
The marchers' energy spread
throughout the street. Many more people
were holding signs with sayings such as
,“They took our houses. Let's take their
power,” and “Do I look like a
corporation?”
The main purpose of the protest was to
let other people how corrupt the
demonstrators think U.S. corporations
are. One anonymous man said, “Wall
Street buys politicians. They make the
laws, and keep the money.”
David Cooper, who also attended the
march, said he went there to “protest the
way CDO's (collateralized debt
obligations) are not taxing the rich
people, but only the poor.”
Most people at the scene seemed to be
serious about their protest.
According to Metropolitan Police
Officer Gonzales, there were “no
incidents” during the march. And people
started leaving right after 7 p.m., which
is when the protest was scheduled to end.
Members of OccupyLasVegas.org,
the sponsoring organization, met right
after the march to discuss related
matters.
Social Network
Pros and Cons
Internet Can Help or
Harm One's Social Life
BY LEONNE MARTIN
Making Friends
Around the World
BY TESSA RUSSELL MORGAN
COM: 250
COM: 250
Social networks –- Facebook, Twitter,
eHarmony – are the latest Internet fads.
There are many pluses and minuses to
being a part of a social network, which
attract savvy Internet users of all ages.
Roland, a 19-year-old Nevada State
College student, feels that social
networks are definitely a plus to his
social life but are a “distraction” when
he's in school.
Recent news articles revealed that
employers view potential employee's
social network pages and “spy” on the
candidates to see how they truly are.
Roland views this as a minus and is fully
aware that “employers ”snoop” on
employees.
Most social networks have a privacy
setting, which allows users to limit who
can see their information, pictures and
comments. For NSC student Nicole, 20,
this is a plus because she can make sure
that “embarrassing, inappropriate
pictures are not seen by co-workers.”
Cyber bullying on social networks ion
social networks, which are now being
closely monitored by some school
officials, according to media accounts
online.
Michelle, a mother and NSC student,
said sternly that she “refuses to use social
networks,” because her teenage
daughter had experienced teasing and
harassment while using such networks.
But with the help of social networks,
Nicole keeps in touch with her family
members in different cities and states.
Furthering the same idea, Erica, 27, a
nursing major, feels that social networks
F a c e b o o k , Tw i t t e r, M y s p a c e ,
Tumblr... The number of social
networking sites is growing. With
billions of users of all ages on these sites,
there's bound to be danger. What's next,
Facespace? ComeTellAllYourSecrets.com
Young women who use Tumblr and
Facebook shared their thoughts on such
networking.
Anna, who refused to give her last
name, is a 24-year-old biology major
who lives in Austria. She uses the
blogging site Tumblr. When asked about
the pros and cons of social networking
she replied, “I like using Tumblr because
many kids send me questions each day
about serious problems they have like
suicide, being bullied, etc. I get to help
them out and try to work through their
problems with them, make them see the
world in a better light. That's a pro to this
whole social networking thing. The cons
are the way people think they can send
you rude messages and bully you into
something. I get that all the time.”
Francesca Forrester, 18, is a
psychology major at the University of
Oregon. She recently signed up for
Facebook, and the can of worms it
provides. “I don't mind Facebook, I just
know I have to be careful of what I put on
it,” she said. “I'm not going to post
statuses about my life, (because)
everyone can see them. I do like keeping
in touch with my friends all over the,
world and family I don't see often.”
Asked about the pros and cons of
social networking, Madison Mondeaux,
19, said, “I have a few news sites that I
BY Joan Whitely
COM: 250 PROFESSOR
Grew up in a large Catholic family in
Cleveland's east suburbs. Number two of
six kids, and the oldest daughter.
Was in fourth grade the day President
Kennedy got shot. When the principal's
voice came on the public speaker in the
classrooms, I knew something was
wrong.
The principal, a nun, was crying. She
told us all to get down on our knees and
pray. She didn't say why.
I could think of only two scenarios to
warrant the principal's behavior – either
the Russians were coming, or it was the
end of the world. So, frankly, I was
relieved to eventually hear from the
teacher that only one man was dead, even
if it was the president of the United
States.
In high school, thought I'd become a
nurse. But then, I noticed that several
friends at my all-girls school – whose
- PHOTO: istockphoto
“help me stay connected with the
party scene, and what my favorite
celebrities are doing.”
Josh, 20, also uses social networks as a
way to “connect with friends I have not
seen since elementary school.”
With the help of social networks, users
can now have two lives -– real life and
cyber life. Users can “recreate”
themselves as they wish.
Steven, 19, feels that “social networks
are virtual extension of yourself” and
“that you can be your ideal self” online.
For certain, there are pluses and
minuses to being a part of social
networks. However, social networks are
becoming a part of everyday life.
idea to be a reporter. Caught it from a
fellow American who was writing brief
sketches about living in Japan, which she
sent back to her hometown newspaper
for publication.
Hey, I can do that, I thought. Peruse
Decided to go overseas, as an older
friend already in Japan had landed me a my web site (www.joancwhitely.com) to
teaching job, on a work visa, to boot. read the rest of the story.
Translation: I did not teach illegally on a
tourist visa.
My dear mom was upset. If I wanted to
see the world, I should join a large
reputable organization like the military,
she said.
In Japan, my principal students were
businessmen (mainly engineers and
executives) who needed English to deal
with foreign clients. I briefly taught, as
well, at a women's junior college.
Loved Japan – for its unique aesthetic;
for my freedom as an independent adult;
also for the fact that over there, I was not
short.
Joanc Whitely
Most importantly, it was there I got the - PHOTO: joancwhitely.com
English Major Taught ESL Overseas,
Then Became Reporter Back in States
grades were not as high as mine – wanted
to become doctors. Thought it over, and
reached the conclusion that,
subconsciously, I wanted to be a "dogooder," not necessarily a medical
professional. (Must have been the
influence of all the Cherry Ames – nurse
heroine – books I'd read in childhood.)
In college I studied enthusiastically,
but lacked a career focus. Just knew I had
always enjoyed reading, so I became an
English literature major. Enjoyed words,
period, so I also studied a lot of French
and German. Spent a school year in
Europe – Freiburg, Germany; Oxford,
England; Brittany, France.
Upon graduation, I didn't want to enter
academe. Had no clue how to convert my
bachelor's diploma into employment.
find interesting, and I like to post what
they say on Facebook. My college is all
the way in Illinois and my family is in
Oregon, so I love being able to keep in
touch with them and their lives. Sure, it
isn't the best thing when I post something
that they don't like and they comment on
it, but I'm happy with it anyways.”
'Junkpunks' is an 18-year-old girl on
Tumblr. She refused to say her name and
where she is from, but she replied to the
big question about social networking,
regardless.
“The pros to social networking is
having friends anywhere. I have a friend
in New Zealand and one in Iceland – it's
crazy,” said Junpunks. “I hate social
networking for the reason people send
rude messages. I get them constantly.
Just the other day I had twenty-three new
messages in my box, of people just
hating on me. I'm a frank person and I'm
stubborn. Apparently that bothers
some.”
Lilly Jade is 19 and from Bristol,
United Kingdom. She said, “I rarely use
Facebook or Myspace. I have a Twitter
and I find it the stupidest thing in the
world. It's just sitting there, probably
never to be used again.”
But Jade aded, “A pro for social
networking is: friends. Everywhere.
People you don't get to see ever can talk
to you any time.
“A con?” Jade paused, then went on.
“My best friend committed suicide
because of online bullying. Someone
posted something and everyone in the
school knew about it. It started a wave of
bullying and harassment and she couldn't
take it.”
Ferret a Good
Pet for Folks
Who Can
Tolerate the
Animal's
Unique Scent
BY MICHELE REY-MORALES
COM: 250
In a world full of fuzzy ferrets, it's
important to know how to care for them.
Without the proper care, pet ferrets can
easily become uncomfortable and ill.
Lily Gomez also talked about her
concerns about the ferrets, but only
because her daughter wants one. “My
daughter keeps bugging me for a ferret,
and I really don't want to get one since
they smell bad. She promises to do what
she can to decrease the smell, but I don't
think that's possible.”
Justin Flygare, 20, works at a local
Petco and knows just what to do to care
for a ferret. “It's important to have the
critters neutered or spayed, especially if
you decide to get a boy and a girl. They
also need yearly shots and constant
checkup's from a vet. The work needed
isn't too different from that of a dog or
cat.”
On ferretcentral.com, you can find
information useful to those considering
ferrets as their next pet. It describes how
ferrets are higher maintenance than cats
– ferrets need more time and attention
from their owner. The site also talks
about the scent ferrets naturally have,
and how it can bother some.
Flygare has been employed by the pet
store for two years. “One thing to know
is that, although they have a strong scent,
daily or weekly showers will hurt your
ferret's sensitive skin. You should
shower your ferret once a month.”
William Andersen, 20, has been a
ferret owner for a year and a half. He
currently owns two ferrets and has
enjoyed their company.
“I think they're as much work as any
other pet,” he said. “You must keep their
cage clean, or else it'll stink up the entire
room and make the ferrets
uncomfortable. They also love to play,
and should have at least four hours of
play time each day.”
Andersen advised that ferrets play
with one another or with their pet owner
for at least four hours a day. It keeps them
active and happy. One can also buy small
toys to keep a ferret entertained.
Nicolas Menez is a student at the local
community college in Las Vegas and has
been thinking about getting a pet ferret
for a while. He has heard of some of the
general things to do for a ferret, but isn't
Ferret playing in owners tennis shoe.
- PHOTO: Oleg Volk
sure if he is completely ready for one.
“I have a big room they can run and play
in. I'd have to buy toys and stuff, but what
else is there to do to prepare for a ferret,
or to take care of one?”
Jennifer Amies has had her pet ferret
for five years. “He's my best friend. He's
loving and loyal. You definitely get used
to the smell, and realize that it's worth it.
Their life span allows you to become
attached. Since they can live for up to ten
years, or more, getting a ferret is a
longtime commitment.”
Ferret Needs
Here are some major
things that ferrets need
Ÿ Monthly showers
Ÿ Neuter or spay
Ÿ At LEAST four hours of play daily
Ÿ Clean cages (for less stink)
Ÿ Yearly visits to the vet
Ÿ Lots of love and attention
How to Avoid Tattoo Regret
BY PATRICIA BEESLEY
COM: 250
Getting your first tattoo is something
to be thought out and not rushed into.
Everyone has heard of a friend who
regrets the ink permanently etched into
his or her skin.
To avoid those terrible experiences
one must do some homework before
getting inked. Here are some tips to
consider.
James Channing, a tattoo artist for
Pricz, a Nevada shop, constantly has to
cover up first tattoos that clients
foolishly acquired in their youth without
thinking it through.
“People who go with the 'trendy'
butterfly on the lower back, barbed wire
around the upper arms, or some tribal
tattoo are just plain stupid, Channing
says. “I love it when people come in
wanting a tattoo in a foreign language or
a Japanese script. ... Five years down the
road they'll find out that their intended
phrase is something entirely comedic.”
Channing said he has to constantly
cover up first tattoos that his clients got
during their late teens or early 20s. He
wouldn't have to cover up these tattoos if
people would have carefully deliberated
about a piece of art that will forever
affect their lives.
“Please, please do not get someone's
name tattooed on your body. The only
exception for name tattoos would be for
children and for family members,”
cautions Laura Kinzler, another tattoo
artist at Pricz, nodding over to the client
in the next booth who was in the process
of getting her fiance'́ s name tattooed on
her shoulder.
The gist of Kinzler and Channing's
advice is to find a tattoo design that will
be as meaningful to you 50 years down
the road as it is today.
Tattoo regret
- PHOTO: Funlok.com
“You want to make sure that your
design reflects something that you know
will be in your heart forever, not a tribute
to your current favorite band that you'll
be embarrassed over in a few years'
time,” writes author Carrie Grosvenor.
“The same goes for names on your
tattoos. While you might be head over
heels in love with Frank today, you may
not feel this way 20 years down the road.
Think long and hard about your
choices,” according to Grosvenor, the
author of “Your First Tattoo,” who also
writes for a web site called
LookingForClues.
Along with deciding your tattoo
design, it is important that you carefully
choose the area of your body you wish to
have tattooed.
“I would suggest getting a tattoo in a
place that's not visible. Not only is it
practical for work, but should you hate
your tattoo in the future, at least it will be
easier to conceal,” Stephanie Deppner
said on tattoo placements.
Deppner has three tattoos. All but one
are carefully concealed under her
clothes. She has regrets about a tattoo
around her wrist that isn't so easily
concealed. If given the chance to re-do it,
she says she would have gotten it around
her ankle so she could cover it when
necessary.
Now that you've decided the design
and placement of your tattoo, we move
on to choosing your artist.
LookingForClues writer Grosvenor
says that a cheap tattoo is not the best
tattoo. For a tattoo you'll be proud of,
choose an artist that's the best artistically.
Try saving money when you are buying
groceries – a tattoo can't be something
you buy on sale.
Do your homework; search out the
best parlor in the city that will be within
your budget. An initial consultation is
ideal for making sure you and your artist
see eye to eye, but it also gives you a
chance to checkout your artist's
portfolio.
“It took me a year to finally find who I
was looking for,” Amara Fehring – in for
her first tattoo at the Pricz tattoo parlor –
said with a nervous smile.
Fehring decided on a garden of blue
roses on her lower back, a design that
will take several sessions to complete.
The roses are for remembrance, and the
fallen leaves going down her back are
each marked with a date from a family
member who has passed away. Although
she was nervous about the pain to come,
she said that with her chosen tattoo artist
that she was in good hands.
Emily Clarkson is a newbie to the
tattoo world. With her friends prodding
her, she entered Pricz looking to decide
on not only a tattoo, but an artist as well.
Clarkson is 18, celebrating her birthday
with her first adult decision.
Channing and Kinzler helped
Clarkson not to make an irrational
decision out of pressure from her friends.
“It was a birthday surprise, my
boyfriend wanted to take me to get his
first tattoo,” Clarkson said, her face
paling as she watched some of the other
clients in the tattoo parlor getting worked
done.
Clarkson was unsure of the design she
wanted, so Channing made an
appointment for her to come in a week
later – giving her plenty of time to decide
what she wanted.
“I know some kids are eager to get a
tattoo, but coming in as a surprise
birthday present is never the best idea. If
they feel rushed to get their tattoo done
the same day, they are more liable to
make mistakes,” Channing cautions.
TATT RECAP
Tips of the trade for deciding
on your first tattoo design
ŸTake time and think carefully when
choosing your tattoo design.
ŸDecide the size, color of your
tattoo—and the place on your
body you want it.
ŸShop around before selecting your
tattoo artist.
ŸRemember the cheapest tattoo isn't
necessarily the best tattoo.
ŸCheck out your tattoo artist's
portfolio.
ŸMake sure that getting a tattoo is
your own decision.
Sure-Fire Tricks to Find
Fun “Indie” Video Games
Vo-Tech Holds Fond Memories
for Young Las Vegas Latina
BY ADAM VOLKER
COM: 250
Independent game Amnesia: The Dark Descent
- PHOTO: IGN.com
BY ANTHONY EGAN
COM: 250
Picture this: you have $10 in your
bank account that you can freely spend
without worrying about any
repercussions. You want to buy a cheap
video game for some fun. What kind of
game would you buy?
There are hundreds of independently
developed – indie –games that are really
cheap, and most provide at least a little
bit of fun. For someone who doesn't
know anything about games, much less
indie games, this can be a daunting task.
This handy guide will help those in need
of a little indie fun find just the right
game.
First and most important – find out
what you like the best. Since nobody
knows you like you do, that requires a bit
of research on your part. “The best thing
you can do is find some demos or trailers.
Play them, watch them, see what you
like,” says Sam, a local video game
enthusiast. “If a game doesn't have a
demo of it or any trailers, then that
usually means the developer(s) don't
care about their game. And if they don't
care about their game, neither should
you.”
So you found yourself some demos;
you found some real-time strategy
games you liked, maybe some first
person shooters, maybe a horror game or
two. You could very well just end it there
and buy the full version of these demos.
Let's say though, for the sake of this
piece, that you really liked the games you
played and want to try even more things.
Or maybe the sheer amount of games out
there is still an oppressive beast, looming
over you.
Tyvon, a local indie game developer
who just finished working on his first
major release, says that popularity and
word-of-mouth are very important when
it comes to selecting an indie game.
“Most people buy what's popular, and
that's ok. The problem is that many
Claudia Guardado, 29, was born and
raised in Las Vegas, and currently works
for a private medical practice called
Women's Specialty Care.
According to Guardado, her “ most
memorable experience … in Vegas was
going to high school at Vo-Tech.” Her
high school years at the vocationaltechnical magnet high school in
Henderson coincided with the headlines
about another young American woman,
Monica Lewinski, who made news for
her part in a sex scandal that involved
President Bill Clinton.
Claudia attended Vo-Tech from 1996
to 2000, where she was fairly active. She
was the photo-editor of her yearbook
club and belonged to Future Business
Leaders of America and the school's
Latin club. She joined because she said
they all interested her, and she thought
participating would benefit her future.
Her favorite club was the Latin club
because it represented her heritage as a
Mexican-American. She was able to
connect with Mexican-American
students who had the same interests and
goals.
“High school in general for me was a
big growing up experience,” Guardado
said. “I planned my life in high school –
games get looked over ,because of it. for college and even bigger things.” She
And that sometimes gets depressing,” had great intentions in high school, but
laments Tyvon as he eats his never ended up moving onto college or
cheeseburger.
For the first-time consumer, it's
perfectly fine to do a Google search or
find a “top 10” list somewhere, and then
just try whatever you find out. “It's about
spreading your game as far and as wide
as possible, telling as many people as
you possibly can about it,” Tyvon adds.
“Most game companies can't afford BY BRITTANY WILLIAMS
much publicity, if any at all. So they have
COM: 250
to do a lot of the legwork themselves.”
Dave Berns has hit the jackpot, but not
Social networking sites, such as
Facebook and Twitter, are also good in the traditional gambling sense.
On Sept. 21, Berns and his wife Daisy
places to look or ask around for ideas.
Friends have the same interests as you found out he had inherited $1.7 billion.
do, usually, so it follows they would be The kicker is that they never knew the
distant relative who left Dave Berns the
drawn to the same games you are.
Many video game websites – such as money.
The generous man's name is David
1up.com, ign.com, and kotaku.com –
frequently run “top 10” or “top five” Bernardovich. He made his billions in
indie game lists. For example, this past
summer the “ign” site ran a piece titled,
“Celebrate Independence With 10 Indie
Games,” which described 10 recently
released indie games of varying genres
that a wide audience may like.
Most games cost anywhere from $2$10, with some exceptional ones such as BY JOANNE BONNER
COM: 250
“Braid” and “Minecraft” running for $20
“My senior year was the best of
or less. Whenever you buy a consumer
product, it is always important to do your times," said Tina Cameron. Her senior
year had a double function. It was a time
own personal research.
Let's say you've done everything w h e n s h e c e l e b r a t e d h e r
mentioned in this article. You looked at accomplishments, but also worked hard
numerous top 10 lists, downloaded to prepare herself for the future.
As any teenager would, she looked
several trailers, played a couple demos,
asked a few of your friends for advice. forward to her senior year of high school.
Cameron was an athlete, and ran track
You've done it all – and now you have a
and field for her school. She ran relay
collection of indie games to try out.
This method of finding games works races, which feature four runners per
for everybody, from kids to soccer team, each running one leg of the race. At
moms. It doesn't matter what video game the end of each leg, the runner passes a
console you own, or if you just own a PC baton to the next runner. She also did
or even one of the older video game 200- and 400-meter races.
But as Cameron's senior year went on,
systems like the classic Super Nintendo,
Anybody can find great cheap fun if they an exciting event in every girl's life was
coming up shortly: senior prom.
know where and how to look.
Prom was the one dance she was
Now, get gaming!
Deceased Russian
Leaves a Fortune to
Las Vegas Reporter
fulfilling her love for photography.
“After high school I lost motivation
and became lazy,” she said. “I also knew
that photography would not be a good
major in college because it probably
wouldn't get me the kind of money I was
looking for to raise a family.”
Even though she skipped college, she
still plans to go back to school when the
time is right. She said she loves her job as
an administrative assistant at Women's
Specialty Care; but when she has enough
money and time to work and fit in
college, then she will.
The Clinton-Lewinski scandal was an
unforgettable event of national
importance that occurred during
Guardado's high school years.
She said she “really felt for Bill's wife,
Hillary Clinton, and their (daughter). I
mean, I couldn't even imagine being
embarrassed like that in front of the
whole nation when your husband, father
is the president of the United States.”
But Guardado said she eventually
decided that Lewinski “did the right
thing by standing her ground and being
honest. So I had nothing against her.”
Lewinski “obviously was not a role
model of mine,” Guardado concluded.
“But I do give her respect and credit for
standing her ground as a woman, and
being honest through the whole scandal.
Because, at the end of the day, she got
nothing out of it except a bad image –
just as the president (did).”
Russia by investing in coal.
Berns has learned that Bernardovich
was a long lost, elderly relative who
willed him the money because Berns was
his only living relation. Bernardovich
had never married or had kids.
Berns is a writer for the Las Vegas
Sun. He studied journalism at the
University of Oregon. He has bought
rural land in that state, where he now
plans to use some of his inheritance to
open a wellness institute for exhausted
journalists.
It's unknown what else the Berns
couple will do with their new money.
They have asked the public to respect
their privacy at this time of change.
Senior Year Marked a Turning
Point in Young Woman's Life
looking forward to. The dresses, the hair,
the date and having a good time with all
of her closest friends made her prom the
best night of her life, Cameron says
today.
She also felt kind of sad at prom
because it was the last dance her she and
her friends would ever go to together.
After prom there was one more nervewracking event Cameron had to go
through – her graduation ceremony.
She felt all kinds of emotions when
that day came. She was excited because
all her hard work has had paid off, and a
new chapter in her life was going to
begin.
But she also felt sad because she was
going to leave the hometown where she
grew up and made such wonderful
memories.
Reduce Your Chance
of Becoming Homeless
BY GLORIA ROBERTS
COM: 250
Ten percent of the United State's
population is homeless and 15.6 percent
are living in poverty. According to the
National Alliance to End Homelessness,
poverty puts people at high risk to
becoming homeless.
"These people come into the church
everyday seeking new ways to find food,
shelter and a spiritual connection with
God,” said Pastor Dwayne Collins.
“Most of them have had an addiction
which caused them to fall, and some of
them are homeless because of the
economy today either way we keep them
lifted up in our prayers here at True Love
Church.” Collins was referring to True
Love Missionary Baptist Church in Las
Vegas.
If you are reading this article and
you're thinking, "Oh crap. I'm in
poverty,. I could become homeless any
day now,” then listen up. Here are 10
steps you can take to not become
homeless in today's harsh economy.
Karen Stewart is a Las Vegan and
currently does not attends school, but she
is in church every Sunday seeking help.
"After reading the hand-out that you
gave me,” she said, “It gives me new
ideas to finding new ways of income. I
personally feel that I am in poverty, and
need to do something fast if I want to get
out – for me and my three children.”
Step One: The first and most
important step, is to find an additional
source of income. Most Americans
understand there are few to no jobs
available out there, but you could find a
skill you can sell. Become a candy lady
in your local area, sell corn, sell dinners
or wash cars. These are all ways that you
- PHOTO: todaypublication.com
can earn money without leaving your
neighborhood.
Step Two: DO NOT HAVE AN
ADDICTION. We know that drugs are
bad. And drinking all the time is not so
good, either. But there is more out there
that people are addicted to. Anything that
will keep you from taking care of more
important matters – such as bills,
clothing, food and things for the kids –
because you have to have it, is an
addiction. Get rid of it fast.
Step Three: Save, save, save and
save some more. Saving is important
even if you are in a great financial
situation. Out of every check you receive
from your current job, put up an amount
of money. Have six months to a year's
worth of money set aside. Invest in a
savings bond or simply get a safe.
Having control of your spending helps a
lot, especially if an emergency were to
occur.
Step Four: Have good influences in
your life. If you are around nine poor
people you are bound to be the tenth poor
person. But if you are hanging around
nine people who are doing good or even
rich, then you are bound to be the tenth.
Keeping positive people in your life
allows you to be positive, too. You would
then in turn be more likely to have a
positive outcome.
Step Five: Live within your means.
Flashy cars with rims, a big screen
television, all of the Apple computer
products, and booming radio systems are
all nice – if you can afford them. When
you do want to reward yourself, take into
consideration there are ways to do so
without over-spending.
Step Six: Lending limits. Trying to
help others is all fine and dandy, but if
you can't afford to lose it then don't lend
it. If you absolutely have to help, make
sure your home is taken care of and your
emergency money is put up before trying
to do so.
Step Seven: Be a key employee. Be an
asset to your company rather than a
liability. If you're a great employee,
your company will not let go of you
when they have to start cutting jobs. If
you perform the best you can, and make
yourself the company's top producer,
that puts you in a better situation.
Step Eight: Selling unwanted items.
If you're going to be a packrat, make sure
most of those things have value. So if
you need money, you can always sell or
pawn them at a price that will help you
economically.
Step Nine: Rent out rooms if you have
spare space. Renting rooms is another
source of revenue. This way, bills are
more affordable for you. That means you
have more money to save.
Step Ten: Bargain shopping. By
shopping at cheaper places you can still
find nice clothing and get more for your
money. You can look at craigslist, pawn
shops, thrift stores or stores with cheaper
prices, such as Walmart and Ross.
“Being that me and my two children
are in this situation, I will try and rent out
rooms because I currently have a fourbedroom home that I am at risk of
losing," said University of Nevada Las
Vegas student and mother Lin Hin. “I
will apply these top ten ways to help my
own situation.”
High School
Presented Challenge
for Minority
Student in 1980s
BY NICOLE STONE
COM: 250
While she was just an ordinary
student, Aixa Duffy experienced many
fears when she was starting high school.
One of her biggest fears was
discrimination.
As a Cuban American, Aixa was
considered Hispanic.
She says, “Especially when I was
younger, some kids couldn't play with
me because I was different. We didn't
have a lot of Hispanic kids at Chap, so I
looked different than most blonde,
straight, feathered-haired girls. Most
girls looked like Farrah Fawcett, but not
me.”
No one defended Duffy in this
process, but she says she tried to ignore
the matter and focus on school and the
job she had at Taco Bell. She says that
she had no enemies because, “I'm too
nice.”
In her free time, she drove a brown
Camaro all over Las Vegas. Even though
she did not play any sports in high
school, she attended most of the school
football games. She went to prom with
her boyfriend – and current husband –
Jim Duffy.
She remembers making a “spirit stick”
in one of her classes, which she still has.
To this day Duffy remembers the
teachers that stood out for her. She
disliked one of her math teachers, but
admits to admiring two others, Ms.
Roberts and Mr. Houston.
Her overall high school experience
was good, Duffy said, because of her
friends and family, her boyfriend and her
education itself.
How to Defend
Yourself From Zombies
Z-DAY:Know
BY BRANDON WINGERT
COM: 250
Cloning. Artificial food supplies.
Biological warfare. And pharmaceutical
companies making pills to reactivate
dead hair follicles. It's just a matter of
time before someone crosses the wrong
drugs and comes up with a way to
reactivate dead cells -- which creates
zombies. How prepared are you to
survive Z-Day?
First off, understand that this is not
your back-from-hell movie zombie, who
sometimes has super strength and speed.
We are talking only about the
possibility of reanimating ordinary cells
that have died. This means a personturned-zombie will only perform as well
as he or did in pre-zombie days.
Look for the signs of Z-Day. A zombie
outbreak will start off small. Stage One
might look like accidents or homicides,
with deaths up into the 50s. Stage Two is
when the number of dead will reach the
hundreds, which is when the media will
take notice. Stage Three will bring
serious trouble: zombies in the
thousands.
Don't expect much help from the local
police.
“We (the Las Vegas Metro Police) do
not have any official policy regarding a
zombie attack. But I would assume if it
did happen, we would treat it like a
terrorist attack,” said a Las Vegas Metro
Police officer who asked not to be
named.
When Z-Day comes, if you don't
already have a shelter, be sure to find a
safe place to hold out. Paul Deaver from
the National Survival Store considers
himself a survival expert. “Walmart
might sound like a good place to hole up,
because they have everything you need,”
he said, but also warned, “The place is
too big to fortify... Just get the (profanity)
you need and get out. Go somewhere
more isolated – it's safer.”
Guns or knives is the age-old question
for defending against zombies. Guns
may sound like the best choice, but
Martin Lashua pointed out that guns
require bullets and reloading.
Sometimes you don't have that.
So Lashua advised, “Stick with a
blade or blunt object. A crowbar would
be great to bash in a zombie's head. And it
doesn't require any reloading.”
Every event has proper dress attire. ZDay isn't any different. Zombies can
easily bite through a T-shirt. Thick
leather will work in the short term. Later
on, get some aluminum siding or
something else metallic, and affix it to
your clothes. Even zombies can't bite
through that stuff.
- PHOTO: dailymail.co.uk
Z-Day Guide
1. Know the enemy. Zombies are
simple creatures and can only perform, at
best, as they did when they were
originally alive.
2. Know the signs of an outbreak.
Keep an eye on the media. Beware any
time you have large numbers of deaths in
the same place.
3. Dress is important. Have something
that is hard to bite through. It's better to
be a little bruised then have your neck
bitten out.
4. Know how to defend yourself.
Acquire weapons with a good reach that
don't require bullets.
5. Don't wait till to be attacked to find
a place to hole up. Once Z-Day comes,
get to safety before you see a zombie.
6. Reanimation will probably happen
after your friends get bit. Watch to see if
the infection passes this way. If so, take
their heads off before reanimation starts.
7. Don't expect help on Z-Day, as it
will be every man for himself. Members
of local law enforcement will be helping
their own families before they come
looking for you, the anonymous Las
Vegas police officer admitted.