SCCCD Police Dept. Proposes Increase Parking Fee

Rampage
Fresno
City
College
Volume CXXI, Edition 7
December 7, 2011
SCCCD Police Dept. Proposes
Increase Parking Fee
By Austin Verburg
Rampage Reporter
photo Illustration by Jesse
Franz
The police department of the
State Center Community College
District is proposing an increase in
parking and citation fees charged
on all campuses of the district,
including Fresno City College,
Reedley College, Willow International, the Madera Center and the
Oakhurst Center.
The proposed increase raises
the price of a semester’s parking permit from $17 to $20 and
summer permits from $8 to $10.
Parking meters will change from
$1 an hour to $2 an hour, and daily
parking permits from $1 a day to
$2 a day.
The cost of parking violation
fees will also increase. Right
now, most violations cost $16,
increasing to $32 if not paid within
the first 21 days and then $45 if
not paid within the next 45 days.
Additionally, parking violation
citations that are unpaid after 45
days must be dealt with through
the Department of Motor Vehicles.
The proposed fee increase would
change that to $25 at the first tier,
$50 at the second tier and then
$100 at the third.
The only parking violation fee
that would not change is parking in
a space reserved for the disabled,
which is $250 at first tier and then
$500 through second and third
tiers. Possessing a counterfeit,
fraudulent, altered or forged permit will only change at the third
tier from $63 to $100.
One of the reasons for the proposed increase is to raise the
amount of money in the parking
fund, according to SCCCD Chief
of Police, Joseph Callahan.
Additionally, an information
packet on the fee proposal which
is available for anyone who wishes
to view it, states that the money
brought in from parking permits,
parking meters, and parking citations all go into the parking fund
which pays for things such as rebuilding and repairing the district’s
parking lots, as well as parking
dispensers, tickets, making and
distributing parking permits, and
the summer paint crew that keeps
road paint visible.
The revenue in the parking fund
also pays salaries for 25 percent of
district’s police officers and the
office assistant III’s. It pays 100
percent of the salaries of student
parking control officers, student
dispatchers, student clerks and an
independent hearing officer for
protest of citations.
See Parking on page 5
Brown Appeal Denied for Missing Deadline
By Jordan Russell
Rampage Reporter
Former Legislative Vice
President Karlton Brown’s appeal of his removal of office
was denied on a technicality of time. According to ASG
adviser Sean Henderson, Brown’s
appeal was turned in past the
official deadline of 5 p.m. on
Dec. 2. According to Brown’s
phone records, the appeal was
sent on Dec. 2 at 5:12 p.m.
Brown said he waited until
the deadline because he wanted
to ensure that his appeal was
complete and adequately represented his point of view. “I
took a lot of time gathering information - reading through the
regulations, reading through the
bylaws so I can basically explain
the place that I am coming from,” he said.
ASG president Cindy Quiralte
said that the appeals process
The Economics of Biking
13
began with adviser Sean Henderson sending Brown a “formal letter on how to handle
the appeals process.” Quiralte
also said that Brown fol-
because it was unconstitutional
and I feel that the charges against
me were unwarranted,” he said.
According to Brown, he was denied the fair and impartial hearing
members were asked to go on
record regarding my guilt or
innocence before a hearing
had even been discussed.”
As action toward Brown’s
“When I was finally told specifically what I was being charged with, my
guilt or innocence was already assumed by the senate.”
-Karlton Brown lowed the appeals process until he submitted it on Dec. 2.
Brown, who was removed
from office on Nov. 1, said he
formally appealed the decision because his impeachment
was unjust. “I am specifically
appealing the ASG decision
Former ASG Legislative Vice president
guaranteed him by the ASG constitution. He said that during the
discussion that initiated his removal, ASG was asked to “formally go
on record with a straw poll.” He
added, “Due to the inflammatory
nature of the discussion and
the vote that was held, the
removal proceeded, the perceived unfairness continued.
“When I was finally told specifically what I was being
charged with,” wrote Brown in his
appeal, “my guilt or innocence was
already assumed by the Senate.”
Brown also said that grounds for
Christmas Tree Lane
Lights Up
Ex-Ram Football
Player Shot
8
16
his removal were trivial. “The only
thing they offered to support the
other charges was groupthink and
gossip. ‘One day in the office
I saw this,’ or ‘we all feel frustrated,’ is not evidence.” He also
said that all members of ASG
made mistakes from time to
time, yet they were not removed
from office. He said that if failure to immediately respond to
emails were grounds for impeachment, “there wouldn’t be
any members of ASG left.”
Before his impeachment,
Brown was formally charged
with failing to perform his duties as outlined by the ASG
constitution. Brown claims,
however, that “the better part
of their charges had nothing to do with what the con-
See Brown Appeal on page 3
News
December 7, 2011
2
Online
Stories
Occupy Fresno
Protests on
Campus
By Kaitlin Regan
The Occupy Fresno movement
has come to Fresno City College
as student representatives arise
to bring about the awareness of
key issues. A teach-in took place
yesterday in the Free Speech area
of the FCC campus to educate
the staff and student body on the
rising issues facing the Occupy
Movement…
The New
Director of
Financial Aid
By Pabel Lopez
Kira Tippins has come along
ways in a short time. Five years
ago, she worked as a temporary Financial Aid employee at West Hills
College Colinga. In April 2010,
she was promoted to Financial Aid
Coordinate. And today Tippins is
the newest Director of Financial
Aid at Fresno City College
Theater Arts
Says Good-Bye to
Linda Quinn
By Elizabeth Amaral
Fresno
City
College
Linda Quinn was born to perform. Sice she was four years old,
Quinn has loved acting. “I love,
love, love it. I’m very animated
and I love performing my life. As
I walk into a store, I start preforming,” says Quinn.
… But now Quinn is set to
say goodbye, as she prepares for
retirement...
Rampage
CONTINUE READING
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ON OUR WEBSITE.
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The Rampage is an award-winning newspaper published biweekly by the Fresno City College Journalism 4 & 5 programs and is a member of the Journalism
Association of Community Colleges. Views expressed in The Rampage are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect those of Fresno City College,
its students, administration or the State Center Community College District.
Reporters
Editors
Managing Editor: Sydney Excinia
News Editor: Jesse Franz
Views Editor: Dylan Domingos
Entertainment: Laura Bradley
Online/Production: Ramiro Gudino
Photo Editor: Paul Schlesinger
Art Director: Austin Verburg
Business Manager: Sydney Excinia
Copy Editor: Tomas Kassahun
Faculty Adviser: Dympna Ugwu-Oju
Alexis Abrahmson
Nathan A. Alonzo
Elizabeth Amaral
Sasha Bell
Laura Bradley
Tutmosis Brown
Annette De Dios
Marcel Dilworth
Dylan Domingos
Daniel Engelhaupt
Sydney Excinia
Jesse Franz
Kristoffer Goka
Emillio Gutierrez
Maddie Hagobian
Moriah Jones
Tomas Kassahun
Frank Lopez
Pabel Lopez
Paulo Nino
Karina Ornelas
Brendan Raley
Dylan Picazo
Nicole Randazzo
Kaitlin Regan
Philip Romar
Mia Barraza Martinez
Jordan Russell
Paul Schlesinger
Joshua Sheppard
David Thammavongsa
Austin Verburg
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News
December 7, 2011
Brown Appeal Denied
Continued from page 1
stitution said was my responsibility, and more to do with
what certain members felt
SHOULD [sic.] be my responsibilities.” He also said,
“…all I was concerned about
was following the rules and
doing my best. My accuser
had to look OUTSIDE [sic.]
the constitution and bylaws
in order to impeach me.”
The constitution outlines several duties of LVP, the first being the
responsibility to “Coordinate and
monitor college committee and
student seats provided under
AB 1725 regarding shared
governance. ”Brown was
charged with neglecting the
responsibility to create and
schedule standing committees
for ASG, to which he responded, “ASG does have standing internal committees and
someone needs to form and
schedule them, but the constitution and bylaws do not assign that responsibility to me.”
Brown was also accused of
not attending ASG sponsored
functions. Brown denied this
accusation. “I attended multiple club rushes,” he wrote,
“and instead of passively standing at the booth, I was actively
engaging with the students.”
Yet another charge against
Brown was that he exceeded
the number of unexcused absences allowed by the constitu-
tion. During the impeachment
process, Brown claimed that this
charge was unfair, as he informed
President Quiralte that Senate
meetings conflicted with his work
schedule. The absences and
tardies that resulted were, according to Brown, excused
at the beginning of the semester. He accuses ASG of
having double standards. He
said, “When [the person who
decides what is excused and what
is unexcused] indulges every
other member and frequently
leaves early, shows up late, and
allows all other manner of personal obligations to interfere
with the conduct of their duties,
I call that person a hypocrite
for questioning my devotion to
the student body.” He also said,
“To unfairly single me out in
such a way for something so
trivial would be at best hypocritical and at worst predatory.”
Although Brown’s appeal was
denied by Student Services, it
can be submitted to other administrative bodies for review. If it
is accepted, the appeal would
be reviewed by a Constitutional
Appeals Committee of impartial
members appointed by President
Quiralte and Henderson. “There
are other alleys that this can go
to to be heard,” said Quiralte.
“That’s why we went ahead and
approved the committee, because
we don’t know what can happen.
3
To be safe, we wanted to have
some type of procedure in place.”
If this does indeed happen, there is no predictable
timeline for when the appeal
might be granted. President
Quiralte said that there is no
guarantee the selected committee members will still be
able to commit to the appeal.
Though Brown says he does
not hold any resentment towards ASG, he also said, “I
want to let them know that…
you just can’t do that to people
and expect them to sit down and
not fight for it.”
The reporter can be reached at
[email protected]
Law Class Holds Campus Briefs
Mock Trial Today
By Rampage Staff
Rampage Reporter
By Paul Schlesinger
Rampage Reporter
A mock trial of Reynolds Tobacco Co. v. U.S. Food and Drug
Administration will take place
today from 11:00 a.m. to 12:15
p.m. at the FCC Law Library. The
case is conducted by Nancy Holland’s BA 18 Business Law and
Legal Environment class The court case, which is currently in the appeals process,
questions the constitutionality of
the 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act.
The new law, which goes beyond previous tobacco regulations
by the U.S government, calls on
tobacco companies to affix nine
new graphic warning labels, such
as an image of a dead body on an
autopsy table to cover half of the
front and back of cigarette packages. This also requires them to
have 20 percent of their ads to be
filled with a warning on the top.
R.J. Reynolds was one of the
tobacco companies to file a lawsuit against the FDA in August
claiming that the new regulations
restrict their free speech rights.
However the FDA has argued
that this isn’t a matter of free
speech but that of commercial
speech under the Supreme Court
decision of Central Hudson Gas
& Electric Corporation v. Public
Service Commission (1980). The
decision created a strict
scrutiny test which puts
future court cases like this
under strict interpretation
by the court.
The main issue that
will be debated in the
mock trial will be whether
the Tobacco Control Act
is unconstitutional and
a violation of the First
Amendment or if it falls
under commercial speech
held under strict scrutiny
by the Central Hudson
Gas & Electric v. Public
Service Commission test.
The mock trial is the
culmination of a semesterlong project in the BA
18 class where students
conduct research for the
case. Students view the
intricacies of the case and
debate the issues they have
found. Holland says that
“By doing a mock trial,
students learn more about
the law than what can be
taught in the classroom,
because it’s “hands-on”
and not scripted”.
According to Holland,
court cases are typically
chosen for the mock trial
class because of the business related topics and the
constitutional issues that
are involved in the case.
The case also must be
currently undecided and
is going through the court
system.
The reporter can be reached at
[email protected]
Open Forums Today
Fresno City College is holding
three open forums to assess the
district wide technology support
services and resources today. The
first is for library staff and librarians in the library conference room
from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. A
forum for students will take place
in OAB Room #251 from 2:00
p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and faculty and
staff’s forum starts at 3:00 p.m. in
OAB Room 114.
Children’s Winter
Coat Drive
The FCC Early Childhood Education and Educator’s Club is collecting coats for young children
ages 0-12. Please drop off your
gently worn or new winter coats
in the Child Development Center,
Campus Police, Social Sciences
mail room or Student Activities
Office. The deadline to donate is
this Friday, Dec. 9. All items must
be clean. Distribution will take
place on Saturday, Dec. 10 at the
Child Development Center.
CITZzer0 –
Student Club to
Host Documentary
An award winning film, “Connected” will be shown in the FCC
Theatre at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. The
film is described as an autobiography about love, death and technology. Admission is free, but if you
want to ensure you have a seat,
contact the club at fcc.citzer0@
gmail.com or ext. 8505.
FCC Wrestlers to
defend state title this
weekend
The Wrestling Team will defend
their title in the State Championships this Friday and Saturday,
Dec. 9 and 10 at Santa Rosa Junior
College. If FCC wins again, it will
give head coach Paul Keysaw a
record seven state titles. Keysaw
has won three state titles while
coaching at Moorpark and three
at FCC in 2006, 2008, and 2010.
Tutorial Center’s
Final Week Schedule
The Tutorial Center and Writing
Center has announced the following schedule for the final week.
The Center will be open for test
proctoring on Monday, 4 p.m. to 7
p.m.; on Wednesday from 12 p.m.
to 6 p.m. and on Thursday from 7
a.m. to 6 p.m. For tutoring, the center is open on Monday from 9a.m.
to 4 p.m., Tuesday from 9:00 a.m.
to 6 p.m. and Wednesday from 9
a.m. to 12 p.m. The Academic
Computer Lab (LI-118) will open
on Monday from 8a.m. to 7 p.m.
and Tuesday thru Thursday from
8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Jazz Concerts
If you are a Jazz lover, you’re in
luck. Two Jazz concerts are scheduled in the FCC Theater today and
tomorrow. The Jazz Combos will
perform in MS 135 at 2:00 p.m.
the FCC today. There is no entry
fee. The Jazz Ensemble and Jazz
Singers are performing tomorrow
in the college theater at 7:30 p.m.
Students and seniors pay $6 and
others pay $8. Please contact FCC
box office for more information.
Christmas
Plant sale
on Thursday
The Adaptive Horticulture class
will sell Christmas plants tomorrow near the main fountain on
University Mall from10 a.m. to
2:00 p.m. Red, white or Jingle Bell
(red with white spots) Poinsettias
will be available in three different
sizes and will be on sale for $5 for
6” pot, $7 for 6” decorative pot
with liner and $12 for 6” pot with
florist wrap and bow.
4
News
December 7, 2011
photo by
Brendan Raley
Boyd Voted FCC’s Hayward
Award Candidate
Robert Boyd has been teaching at FCC since 1996.
By Frank Lopez
Rampage Reporter
Fresno City College Professor
Dr. Robert Boyd is the Hayward
Award for “Excellence in Education” candidate for the statewide
competition.
The Hayward Award honors
faculty members of California
community colleges who demonstrate an outstanding commitment
to their students, profession, and
school. The winners of the award
receive a plaque and $1,250.
Boyd says that he feels humbled to represent FCC at the statewide completion. “I was honored,”
says Boyd. “When I stop and
think of the quality of people and
faculty of this campus, and find
myself representing the faculty,
it’s a humbling experience. I was
shocked.”
Boyd has been teaching since
1983. He started teaching at FCC
in 1996. He has served on 28
different committees on campus
and takes active interest in many
aspects of the college.
“On one hand, I’ve been very
active on governance issues on
campus. I’ve also been extremely
active in the academics,” said
Boyd. “The students seem to like
me, or some of them do anyway,”
he quipped.
Lee Herrick, English professor, who was the college’s Hayward Award nominee in 2006,
said he nominated Boyd for all of
the extra efforts he puts into his
students and FCC.
“Bob embodies this award in
many ways: excellence in the
classroom and his commitment to
high standards and student learning, the college community, and
the profession in general,” said
Herrick. “He has authored many
books, recently completed his
PhD, and has served on many important committees. I also value
his kind and collegial demeanor.”
Herrick said he believes that
Boyd deserves the Hayward award
for all of the endeavors he has undertaken for FCC. “His contributions are many. But to name a few,
he is a driving force behind the
long-standing Philosophy Speakers Series, which benefits students
each year,” says Herrick. “He is
an active and important voice for
accreditation and the betterment of
our college and its ability to meet
students’ needs.”
FCC librarian Laurel Doud
and Professor of geology, Craig
Poole were also nominated for
the award.
Doud has been a librarian for
31 years and has been at FCC for
six years. She is active in the community and nature conservation. In
2000, she published a novel titled,
“This Body”.
Doud was nominated by English
Professor Jeff Tannen, who has
been at FCC for four years and
has worked closely with Doud
for most of that time. “I was very
flattered. Even though librarians
are classified as faculty, we are
not in the classroom per say, so it
was really very flattering to have a
classroom teacher nominate me,”
said Doud.
Tannen said he nominated
Doud for how she engages with
the students.
“She has a lot of interaction
and engagement with students so
she works with them at the front
desk, she works with them on RAP
sessions (Research Assistance
Programs). She does a whole
bunch of things on campus that I
don’t think a lot of people realize
that those are things that librarians
do,” said Tannen. “Aside from all
of those things that she’s done,
she still goes above and beyond
her job description to really help
out students.”
Doud says that she and the rest
of the library staff are trying to
make the library more visible to
both students and instructors.
“We are just trying to raise the
library profile,” said Doud. “On a
day to day level, all of the librarians have time at the front desk
and we are the first people students see when they walk into the
library so we try to make a good
impression.”
Geology Professor Craig Poole
was also surprised at his nomination. Poole, who has been at the
college since 1999, said that he
and other instructors at FCC really work hard for their students’
benefits.
“It’s a very nice honor to be
nominated for this award,” said
Poole. “I think there are a lot of
very excellent instructors here at
FCC, and we’re all part of the team
trying to help out young people
and trying to make sure that they
“Bob embodies this award in many ways: excellence in
the classroom and his commitment to high standards
and student learning, the college community, and the
profession in general.”
-Lee Herrick
English Professor
get going in the right direction
with their education.”
FCC Professor Brian Calhoun,
who works with Poole in a nature
conservancy group, nominated
him because of the positive feedback that Calhoun gets from students and for all of the time that he
spends with them on frequent field
trips to places such as Yosemite
National Park and the High Desert.
“He is obviously very, very student-oriented, and he cares about
his students,” says tCalhoun. “I’m
impressed when I see someone
spend that much time and effort
with their students, especially with
hands on stuff, as opposed to just
lecturing in the class.”
According to Calhoun, Poole
always puts his students first.
“I try to set very clear expectations for my students. I try to
work with them, make myself
available. I try to do a lot of extra
things with the students such as
taking them on field trips,” Poole
said.
The selection process for the
statewide competition will be
completed by Jan. 6, 2012. The
winners will be honored at the
Board of Governors meeting in
Sacramento on Tuesday, March
6, 2012.
The reporter can be reached at
[email protected]
10 Ways to Ace
Your Final Exams
By Sasha Bell
Rampage Reporter
F
inals week is right around the
corner. Hopefully you’ve been
preparing for your finals ahead
of time. Whether you have (or
haven’t), here are some tips to
help you finalize your preparations, or in some cases, begin the
process.
1) Study in Chunks
Study in 20-25 minute sessions
then give yourself a 5-10 minute
break. This helps increase memorization and reduces the feeling of
stress. For best results, do this for
one full week per subject.
2) Alternate Study Spots
Studies have shown that by
changing study spots helps you focus better. If you do not have that
option, find a relatively quiet place
(away from the normal busyness
of your life) to study.
3) Form a Study Group
mitments and dates. Time is
precious, especially during finals
week. Make sure to give yourself
enough time to properly study and
for breaks.
6) Build on what you
know.
When you begin to study, figure
out what you know best. Then
gradually add in what you don’t
know. As you proceed, you can
associate new information with
known material.
7) Don’t Cram!
Cramming may be inevitable,
but try to avoid it. If you feel the
need to cram means you haven’t
allocated your time properly.
Cramming also increases anxiety
and stress. Avoid it!
8) Make it Interesting
Find something to connect
what you are learning to a visual
aid, something person or some
mnemonic device. This will help
you remember the test material
better.
9) Get a Full 8 hours.
Study groups can help you
get motivated. Also, getting a
group together makes it easier to
conquer definitions. Being able
to explain a concept to someone
means you fully understand and
comprehend it.
Sleep is very important to
keep you healthy mentally and
physically. It helps you be awake
for your final, which will help
increase your memory.
4) Prevent Test Anxiety
10) Limit Distractions
If the word “test” or “final
exam” makes you feel anxious,
take a few moments to envision
yourself taking the test. Take a
few deep breaths, focus on what
you know and don’t rush through
the test.
This may be the hardest of all.
Put away your cell phones, turn
off the TV and stay away from
the computer. All of these things
tempt a person which minimizes
allotted study time.
5) Manage your Time
Postpone unnecessary com-
With these tips, hopefully you’ll
ace those finals!
The reporter can be reached at
[email protected]
News
December 7, 2011
5
Single Mother Preaches
Hope and Hard work
Parking
Continued from page 1
Additionally, this fund also
makes up for what the county
charges to process a parking citation. However, , the present fees
in the parking fund are not enough
to cover all the expenses. For every ticket written, the County of
Fresno charges $8.50 to process
the ticket while the County of
Madera charges $11.
Most parking violations initially
cost $16, usually going up to $32 if
not paid within 21 days. If the student pays within the 20 days, then
the County of Fresno would charge
more than half of the money made
from that citation.
“I’m concerned that we may not
even be at a break-even point at
this time,” said Callahan. While
the proposed parking free increase
might not bring the parking fund
completely clear of the breakeven area, it would decrease the
pressure.
If the parking fund did not generate enough revenue to continue
paying for those things, then they
would need to be covered through
the general fund, which would
mean less money to
pay for other things
around campus such
as general maintenance.
“The less money we have to take
out of the general fund to put into
the parking fund, the better,” Callahan said. Parking permits have
not had a fee increase in 20 years,
the last one taking place in 1991,
when parking fees rose from $16
to $17, and the summer fee from
$7 to $8.
Included in the information
packet is a survey of other schools
and their parking and citation fees.
Amongst them is Merced College which already charges $20
a semester for a parking permit.
Cuesta College charges $30 for
semester parking permits and $15
for the summer. California State
University of Fresno charges $68
for semester parking and $48 for
the summer, while University of
California, Merced charges $65
per semester and $54 for the summer.
If passed, the proposed parking
fee increase will go into effect
around the fall of 2012.
The reporter can be reached at
[email protected]
photo by
love, protect, appreciate and accept.
“It wasn’t instant by any stretch of
the imagination as I am certain Daniel
As a 40-year-old mother, Nor- will confess to but eventually my mama Hernandez strives to give to ternal instincts kicked in,” she says.
her children the love that eluded Hoping to provide a foundation for
her as a child.
her son and herself, Hernandez worked
Growing up in a small neigh- the graveyard shift for a freight comborhood North East of Los Ange- pany while at the same time attending
les called El Sereno, Hernandez Fresno City College during the day.
was raised by a single mother
She remembers taping her index
who ruled with an iron fist. cards inside of the trucks she would
“She made Joan Crawford in load to go over her school notes. “On
Mommie Dearest look weak,” one occasion, I was reprimanded
says Hernandez. “My worst for reading my school material on
memories growing up was being a platform where I was supposed
told by my mother that I was to separate freight. They obviously
worthless.”
never heard of multitasking,” said
But outside of the house, it was Hernandez. Adding to the challenge
a different story for Hernandez.
was a child custody case she had to
She won writing awards in settle with her ex-husband. The case
school and was praised by her took six years to settle. But as a result
teachers.
of not giving up, Hernandez won full
“Two teachers in elementary legal custody.
school that inspired me were Mrs.
Now, she is a proud mother of DanYamamoto in the 3rd grade and iel, who is currently attending Fresno
Mr. Risch in 6th grade. It was the City College and also 12-year-old
only time I heard the words “ex- Deven, “Deven is a firecracker. He’s
ceptional” and “outstanding” all 12 going on 30,” says Hernandez.
geared towards me,” said HernanAfter a short break from school,
dez. Besides writing, Hernandez Hernandez returned to FCC and is
was always interested in law. She currently enrolled in the Paralegal
planned to attend college to pur- program, hoping to finish her general
sue a career in law enforcement. education and obtain a degree. “As
But at 18 years old, her plans took corny as it may sound, I believe that
an unexpected turn as she gave knowledge is power. I went back to
birth to her first son, Daniel. “It school to gain control of that power,”
was extremely difficult having said Hernandez.
Daniel so young, especially due
“I wear many hats,” she says. “I am
to my dysfunctional upbringing. a full-time mother, I work full-time at
How do I love and nurture him a criminal defense office, I go to school
when I was never shown?” said part-time and spend quite a bit of time
Hernandez. “In the past, I joked in the library or online researching
with Daniel saying he was my my school assignments. I also, have
“guinea pig” baby - learning how two Chihuahua terriers that keep me
to be a parent through trial and fit. It’s not difficult when you plan acerror.” But it was through this cordingly. I still am able to find time
unprepared, emotional journey to spend with my boys.
that Hernandez learned how to
Paul Schlesinger
By Tomas Kassahun
Rampage Reporter
Norma Hernandez juggles work, college and parenthood.
Hernandez also calls her boys
her motivation. She strives to be
their example and to show them
they can accomplish anything
they want through hard work and
perseverance. In spite of whatever
obstacles they may encounter, she
wants them to remember what she
has gone through. A typical day
for Hernandez begins at 6:45 a.m.
She takes the dogs out, drops her
son off at school, and is at work
by 8:00 a.m. Her lunch hours are
sometimes used to run errands.
After work, she picks up her son
from his after-school program,
comes home, and takes the dogs
out with her son. Monday and
Tuesday nights are reserved for
her research assignments and on
Wednesday nights she attends
her class.
Although she has been attending the same school as her
son, they have never taken a
class together.
“I would not like to because
I am so overprotective of him,
of both my boys quite frankly. I
don’t take someone teasing him
so well,” said Hernandez.
Her advice to her sons and to
young people in general is to
never listen to someone else’s
negativity. “Even if you are
penniless, homeless or single
with children it is possible to
achieve your goals. Don’t be a
product of your negative environment,” she says.
As for the key to being a great
mom, she says it’s a matter of having great kids.
“I am not perfect and I would
be the first to admit my faults. My
boys love me unconditionally as I
love them. I grew up in a negative
environment. I married a negative man and feel that enough is
enough,” she says. “I wanted to
break free of that cycle and did.
What a rush! I cannot change the
past and will not allow it to define
me. I tell my boys God is first, then
others, then you.”
The reporter can be reached at
[email protected]
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6
December 7, 2011
News
Since she was a little girl in
Utah, Elizabeth Swearingen has
challenged the rules.
As a girl growing up in a Mormon faith, she learned to question everything, feeling that the
prepackaged gender expectations
were too restrictive. As a third
grade student, she did the unimaginable as she stood up for a
new boy at school who was being
picked on by a group of students.
“I have been a social activist
my whole life,” says Swearingen.
“I’m a questioning person.” When she moved to Los Banos
at the age of 12, Swearingen
brought along her desire to break
boundaries. Consequently, she
spent her early years fighting
against bills such as proposition
22, which was designed to ban
gay marriages. The events of her early years
would ultimately push Swearingen to pursue the study of gender,
race, class and sexuality. In fact Swearingen would take
25 years to receive her bachelor›s
degree as she began at Fresno
State and moved to Birmingham
University, Utah and several
schools in Oregon before finally
settling back to Fresno. “People would ask me why
I would do that and my answer
was always why wouldn’t I
want to. With four children and
all of the responsibilities, being
able to be on a college campus
was time I could use to explore
ideas and relieve the mothering
pressures,” said Swearingen. As Swearingen moved on to
her complete her doctoral work,
she studied the performance of
history and how history is used
to build identity bridges. But it
was also during this time that
the September 11 attacks would
take place and change the direction of Swearingen’s research.
“I realized that what I was looking at was identity politics. I was
looking at how race, gender, and
class affect the way we interact
with each other. That led me to
women studies which I have been
teaching since,” said Swearingen
who is now a full time instructor
at Fresno State and an adjunct
instructor at Fresno City College.
Her goal as an instructor is to
make her students critical thinkers.
“I teach critical thinking in a
way that really brings it home.
Most students have learned pas-
photo by
By Tomas Kassahun
Rampage Reporter
Paul Schlesinger
Women’s Studies Instructor
Encourages Activism
Elizabeth Swearingen hopes to help students see connections and understand the system they live in.
sive education,” said Swearingen.
“They’ve learned to fill in scantrons
and they wait to be told what to do.
It›s an effort to move student to more
elaborate models, to make them see how
we are connected
to each other.”
It’s a de facto
segregated nation
that separates people by race, class
and gender says
Swearingen as she
strives to help her
students understand the system in
which they live in.
“We continue to
have this polarized political situation that leads
us to believe in
power. I’m not a violent person,” said Swearingen. “The
ability to speak, think and dialogue are really important,”
she said.
Her concern however is the
power structure. Swearingen
says when the protestors are arrested, their right is taken away
because the power structure has
the keys and the sense of having
a dialogue becomes irrelevant.
“I’m very alarmed by the
militarization that I see overtaking the police department,” said
Swearingen. “There is no reason
for someone like me, who has
never been arrested before, to be
hand cuffed by so many county
sheriffs and spend the night in
the county jail. I’ve toured the
sheriff’s department several
“People would ask me why I would
do that and my answer was always
why wouldn’t I want to.”
Elizabeth Swearingen
shame and hate,”
said Swearingen.
Most recently
Swearingen was
at it again as she
found herself in the
midst of the Occupy Fresno movement. But the decision would come at
a cost for Swearingen who had to
spend a night in jail
after being arrested
while protesting.
Still Swearingen
is without regret.
“My education
and the words that
I use have always
been my source of
times but I have never been on
the other side to understand the
dehumanization that happens to
people that are arrested.”
Though her night in jail was
unpleasant, Swearingen adds
that she now has a better appreciation for those who are
willing to stand up and get arrested night after night. “I can’t
imagine the level of trauma
they are enthralling as a result of that,” said Swearingen.
As for the general public,
Swearingen hopes they get
a better understanding of the
Occupy Movement. She says
it’s about a clash of power and
challenging systems that have
become oppressive.
“I understand a lot of people
think it’s a cop-out to society.
But from the inside, there’s
a very different picture that
emerges. Most of the people
participating are employed,
are students and are seeking
answers to profound questions about how to create a
sustainable and secure world,”
said Swearingen. “The participatory democracy, the rebuilding of communities in
order to challenge how we
think about life, government,
and community is the core.”
In the classroom, Swearingen
teaches a lot of the principles
Occupy Fresno embodies. She
strives to help her students understand how it’s necessary to
have an insider’s perspective
rather than just an outsider’s
perspective for the movement
to have any validity. “It takes
time to immerse yourself in
the culture and say now I can
understand. There are people
interested in attacking it instead
of understanding it. That’s unfortunate for our country, for
our sense of learning and for
the sense of what’s truly an open
mind.” said Swearingen.
Despite the struggle, Swearingen is thrilled to see the
Occupy movement taking root
around the world.
She encourages her students
to take control of their own
mind and to not allow the media
and political spin to manipulate
their thinking.
“This movement is very
organic,” said Swearingen.
“Exactly where it’s going to
manifest itself, I’m not sure.
But my intention is to continue
to be supportive and to change
what I can.”
The reporter can be reached at
[email protected]
Entertainment
December 7, 2011
7
Drunken City Resonates with College audiences
play include Jochebed (Jo) Smith
as Linda; Benjamin McNamara
as Eddie; Bridget Manders as
Marnie; Giovanni Navarro as
Bob; Jono Cota as Frank; and
Lena Aguilan as Melissa. The
seventh student actor, Andrea
Reyes, is an understudy for the
character of Melissa.
dialect tapes on the New Jersey
accent used in the play as well
as watching movies that are
contemporary pieces post-9/11,
which is the setting for the story.
All of this extra work culminates
on performance nights, if Aguilan
cannot perform for any reason, it
is Reyes’ responsibility to carry
“In theater, there’s only so much amount of time.
You’re creating a world that the audience is going to
believe. It’s not always easy, but it can be done.”
-Ian Vawter
Production Stage Manager
Drunken City”. “We pick something different for the audience.”
There couldn’t be anyone better to lead this group of student
actors, some of whom have no
previous experience in theater
productions. Erven has just as
much enthusiasm as the actors,
and he has the ability to work
out the concepts with the actors
instead of just telling them what
to do.
The process involves reading
through the script, getting to
know the characters and setting
the scene. The student actors put
in a lot of work before the play
ever actually hits the stage. As the
performance is a requirement for
students in theater classes, some
students act while others
are involved in technical aspects of bringing a production
together, all
contributing to the
success of
the play.
T h e
s e v e n
student
actors in
t h e
“It’s an ensemble show; in so
many ways we put it together. We
figure out how to tell the story,”
said Erven as the cast began their
first staff meeting for the production. These staff meetings are
essential in the process. Besides
the cast beginning to do readthroughs and discussions, part
of the process is that each actor
gives their interpretation of their
respective characters, in a sense
getting to know them and the
events they go through.
“What struck me the most is
how the dialogue is written. It’s
so real; the way they talk because
they are drunk really shows in
the script,” said McNamara, who
plays Eddie.
Andrea Reyes – Lena Aguilan’s understudy for the character of Melissa – is required, just as
the rest of the cast, to attend these
meetings, if not more. Her role
as understudy includes knowing
all of Melissa’s lines, attending
every rehearsal Aguilan attends,
and really watching Aguilan’s
take on the character as well as
absorb the direction given to her
by Erven.
Other homework that has
helped Reyes includes a book
on breaking down scripts into
beats; listening to
on the character.
“It’s interesting how each of
us has a different take on the
character, even in scenes with no
lines,” said Reyes. While all of
the student actors do so much to
prepare besides rehearse, Reyes
has additional homework to do
as this is her first show.
“She’s never done theater
before, but was cast because she
was really good,” Erven said of
Reyes. “Some students you find
are like diamonds in the rough.
You work with them a lot.”
Erven praises all of his cast
members, “I love working with
these students. They’re wonderful actors, and we’re fortunate
to have them here.” His sounds
sincere, as he guides the group
through rehearsals. Erven and the
actors explore scenes together in
order to find the best way to portray the characters and the story.
As the group rehearses a scene,
Erven stops them to ask, “What
did you think?” Aguilan responds
with, “I really like it now; I was
so lost with that scene.”
“It’s really a collaborative effort, going back and forth,” said
Ian Vawter, production stage
manager. Vawter, who is
the middle
man between all the departments,
attends every rehearsal and oversees everything, including lines
rehearsals during practice; lighting and set staging, designed by
theater instructor, Christopher
Boltz; costumes, designed by
Debra Shapazian; and the music.
“The hardest part of pulling this
show off,” Vawter said, “is the
stage that moves.” The stage is
essential to the story, and it’s the
first time FCC has a moving manmade stage that tilts by holding
300 pounds on one side.
“It took three techs – mathematicians and physicists brought in
from different states – to help
design the moving stage,” said
Vawter. The techs were friends of
Christopher Boltz, who according
to Vawter is extremely qualified
as he has worked in Hollywood
on many shows, such as “That
70’s Show.” Boltz also had seven
of his TA-24 students help build
and paint the set.
Just like set design is important, so are costumes and lighting. Vawter describes how some
fabric colors turn different colors
under certain lighting, highlighting the importance of each department working with each other.
Theater students started working
on costumes right after “The Illusion” opened.
“In theater, there’s only so
much amount of time. You’re
creating a world that the audience is going to believe. It’s not
always easy, but it can be done,”
said Vawter.
Although Vawter oversees the
many aspects of the production,
it’s truly a team effort where everyone gets a little something out
of it in the end.
As the new kid, Lena Aguilan
who plays Melissa has found
great support from everyone.
“Sure you’re playing a part, but
it’s more than that,” she said.
“You want to make sure everyone
looks good.”
The reporter can be reached at
[email protected]
Paul Schlesinger
“The Drunken City,” written
by Canadian playwright, Adam
Bock, was first produced in New
York City in 2008. The play
has now made its way to Studio
105 in the Theater Arts building
at Fresno City College, where
on Dec. 1-10, students and the
community alike will have the
chance to see the contemporary
piece adapted by theater students
at FCC.
The story, making its debut in
California, tells of three twentysomething-year-old women who
go out for a night in the town to
celebrate the upcoming marriage
of one of them. After having a few
drinks, they find themselves in the
company of three men, which in
turn changes the course of events
of the night, and perhaps of their
lives as well. Doubts arise about
what the future may hold as they
see things in a different way. In
a way, each character comes full
circle by the end, as they all come
to some sort of cosmic conclusion
about themselves.
The story does seem to possess
an element of familiarity. Many
twenty-something individuals
may find themselves in any one
of these characters, believing they
have life figured out when all of
a sudden something happens that
makes them rethink the way they
see things; it’s a point of reaching
maturity. It’s a coming-of-age
story that is very universal with
which most people can connect.
That is one of the main reasons
the FCC community will get
a chance to see this
production. The
process of
put-
ting together a production like
this is a journey that starts at the
beginning of the semester when
pieces are chosen for specific
reasons for FCC.
“We pick shows that people
won’t readily see anywhere else,”
said Chuck Erven, FCC theater
instructor and director of “The
photo by
By karina ornelas
Rampage Reporter
Entertainment
CHRISTMAS TREE
LANE SPARKLES
By Brendan Raley
Rampage Reporter
This holiday season, the ambiance and joy of Christmas can be
experienced with a trip down Christmas Tree Lane.
In 1920, the longstanding tradition of Christmas Tree Lane began
with a touching tree decoration for a child that had passed away.
According to the Fig Garden Home Owners Association website,
more than 100,000 people visit Christmas Tree Lane each year.
People of all ages come to admire the two-mile span known as the
Christmas Tree Lane and the beauty of Fresno’s tradition.
Christmas Tree Lane is located between Shields and Shaw Ave.
The span includes more than 140 homes which are lit up during the
event and 300 trees which are decorated. Decorations range from
figurines to cartoon characters such as Peanuts and Looney Tunes.
Amenities offered throughout the event include cider and cocoa.
Christmas carolers also provide angelic sounds along the lane.
This year, live bands and musicians add to the all-around joyful
atmosphere.
With such a large crowd of people, traffic and parking can
become an issue. There is certainly parking farther away but few
want to walk an extra mile or two. Fortunately, shuttles are available to transport people to the beginning of Christmas Tree Lane.
There are many more opportunities to experience this tradition
with family and friends. Christmas Tree Lane will be open until
Dec. 25, Sunday through Thursday from 6 p.m.-10 p.m. and Friday
and Saturday from 6 p.m.- 11 p.m.
The last Christmas Tree Lane walk will be on Tuesday, Dec. 13
from 6:00-10:00 p.m. Christmas.
Brendan Raley
December 7, 2011
photos by
8
The reporter can be reached at
[email protected]
Entertainment
December 7, 2011
By Sasha Bell
Rampage Reporter
“City Dance” fall workshop 2011
pirouetted itself into the hearts of the
audience.
“City Dance” is a showcase of
Fresno City College dance and choreographs majors. It was held on
Friday Dec. 2, Saturday Dec. 3 and
Sunday Dec. 4 in the FCC Theater.
This showcase displayed the artistic
talents FCC dance majors possess.
It consisted of eight different
dances ranging from lyrical hip hop,
to modern, to jazz. Each piece was
directed by a different choreographer,
which brought to the stage a variety
of emotions, music and costumes.
Since this is a unique performance,
each piece will be critiqued individually and in order of the how the
performance progressed.
“Bare” choreographed by Lina
Regalado was a lyrical hip hop mixed
with modern dance steps group piece.
The costumes, a modern day masquerade ball, were captivating. The
beginning of the dance started well
however, it seemed to lack crispness
and uniformity.
When the dancers were performing together they seemed to be off
the beat, almost a second behind the
music. However, there were several
dancers that shined during the performance.
Their lines, movement and fluidity
were astonishing. But overall, it felt
lackluster and under performed. Perhaps it was due to merely opening day
jitters. It was clearly a poor choice
for an opening number. Rating: B-
“You Are My Alligator” choreographed by Ashley Allen and Carmen
Kuykendall was a contemporary couples piece. The dancers’ emotional
performance was moving. You could
actually feel the series of emotions
they were portraying on stage – love,
pain, anger, longing.
The choice of music matched
perfectly to the dancers’ movements
and emotional connection. It captivated and held the audience’s attention. “You Are My Alligator” was a
wonderful 180 degree pivot from the
opening number. Rating: A
“Monster” choreographed by
Arjen Perry was a high energy jazz
group piece. The dancers and costumes looked as if a monster or zombie attacked them – torn, bloodied
and dirty. The music by Lady Gaga
was the theme of the dance.
The dance had a high octane vibe.
It was very much like controlled
chaos. The dance steps were fast,
crisp and attention grabbing. “Monster” was my favorite performance
the entire evening. Rating: A+
“Dishes” choreographed by Zachary Garcia was the only all woman’s
contemporary dance. This was
the best transitional dance, it had a
definite beginning, middle and end.
The costuming was confusing at first,
but by the end made complete sense.
The idea behind the choreography
was brilliant and was executed well.
The dancers’ had whimsical expressions on their faces which added
to the overall performance. The lines,
positions and movement across the
stage were graceful and elegant.
Overall it was a great piece.
Rating: A
“Humana Mediocritas” choreographed by Megan Condley
was a contemporary single couple
performance. This piece was
formed around the use of a scarf
which signifies an addiction.
This dance had many lifts that
showed individual trust, strength
and grace.
The performance was enhanced by the emotional expressions on the dancers’ faces. It was
such a beautiful and captivating
dance that I found no flaws within
the performance. This piece reminded me something you would watch
at a professional recital. Rating: A+
“If You Only Knew…” choreographed by Amanda Tannous was a
group jazz piece. It was another high
energy piece highlighting certain
couples for a short amount of time.
Since there were a large number
of dancers, the position of couples
and smaller groups around the stage
was critical to allow the eyes of the
viewer to move from one side of the
stage to the other.
This piece executed that need well.
I found myself scanning the entire
stage throughout this piece. The
overall message was a bit unclear,
but the action, great performance and
music overpowered the vagueness.
Rating: A
“The Eternity Project, excerpt”
choreographed by Amy Querin was
a very unique style of dance, almost
photo by paul schlesinger
City Dance Workshop Exhibits Variety of Student Talent and Style
9
a mixture of contemporary and Indian
influences. It was quite a long piece
of work which consisted of several
transitions and change of emotions.
This piece required the audience to
have an open mind and heart to a
different point of view.
The choreography was absolutely astonishing and interesting.
The dancers transformed into their
defined roles with ease. They had
breath taking lines and movement.
Expressions were not seen due to the
fabric they wore over their faces for
the costumes.
I give credit to Amy Querin for
imagining this routine and to the
dancers who performed it well.
However, personally, I didn’t care
for the subject matter. Putting that
aside the overall performance was
very professional. Rating: A
“Finale” choreographed by Jimmy
Hao (artistic director of City Dance)
was a mixture of dance genres that
included the entire company of
“City Dance”. It showcased certain
dancer’s talents while the rest of the
company added depth to the performance. The dancers used the entire
stage making it seem full, almost
bursting at the seams. The “Finale”
was an exquisite ending to a well
rounded showcase. Rating: A
Even though I have critiqued each
dance, I have the utmost respect and
awe for the dancers and choreographers of “City Dance”. It takes
an extreme amount of confidence,
self belief and technical training to
perform as these dancers did.
I was pleasantly surprised with the
level of professionalism displayed on
the FCC theater stage. Congratulations to the City Dance Company for
gracing FCC with a rich and cultural
experience.
The reporter can be reached at
[email protected]
December 7, 2011
10
Entertainment
Phillip’s
Korner
By Phillip Romar
Rampage Reporter
10 Gift
Your
Friends
Will Love
Christmas is almost
here. Do you have a party
where you are someone’s
Secret Santa party but
have no idea what to get
the person? Or do you just
need ideas about what to
get your friends and family? Here is a fool proof
guide to guarantee your
gift is a hit every time.
1
Buy a gift card from
a local fast food restaurant. Ten dollars
will be just fine from
McDonalds, Rally’s, Carl’s Jr,
or In and Out Burgers. Guys
like these places a lot.
2
3
Get them a coupon
book. Who doesn’t
like a “Buy one get
one free” deal?
If you’re at a Secret
Santa party and you
drew someone you
don’t like, buy him or
her something besides coal,
because they might throw it
at you. I have seen it happen
before.
4
5
Buy them a gift card
from a refreshment
place like, Starbucks,
Teazers, or Jamba
Juice. Girls like those places a lot.
Don’t buy them a
picture of yourself.
Even you’re a girl;
don’t give anybody
a picture of yourself. Who
wants a picture of a girl on
Christmas? I remember
somebody bought me a picture of herself a few years
ago. And she gave it to me
in a big box. I thought it was
a PS3 for a sec.
6
Guys, remember that
song by Justin Timberlake? That’s not a
good idea. Don’t do it.
Don’t know what I’m talking
about? Find a song that he
made with the word, “Box”
in the title.
7
8
9
Girls, remember the
s o n g , “ A L L I WA N T
FOR CHRISTMAS IS
YOU!!!” Don’t ask us to
box ourselves, and don’t box
yourself either.
Clothes. Not everybody likes clothes,
but everybody needs
them. If you are my
true friend, buy me a Trench
Coat.
Those of you who
have a friends who
don’t have a car, buying them a bus pass
is a very thoughtful thing
to do. If one of my friends is
reading this, buy me a bus
pass next month, please.
10
Or, to make life
so much easier,
just give your
friend money. If
you’re my friend, that’s what
I would like for Christmas.
Yes, Money is all I want for
Christmas.
TThe reporter can be reached at
[email protected]
Holiday Shopping on a Budget
By maddie Hagobian
Rampage Reporter
Let’s face it, we’re college
students. We obviously won’t
be pulling out our leather
billfolds to reveal our black
Amex cards when it comes to
Christmas shopping. I once
told my family, all those not
on salary are exempted from
providing Christmas gifts, but
will still be receiving them.
When that didn’t go over well,
I got thrifty. I come from an
obnoxiously large extended
family, who all want to gift me.
I’m grateful of course, but that
means more gifts that I must
reciprocate. Since my salary theory was knocked down
years ago, and my siblings
sternly informed me that hugs
were not acceptable presents,
I’ve developed a pretty good
system with a few guidelines.
The Most Obvious
Rule
Shop inexpensive. Now to
clarify, there is a gaping difference between inexpensive
and cheap. Inexpensive is finding amazing deals on nicely
made merchandise. Cheap is
anything pleather, or anything
you buy that is poorly made yet
readily available. Your mother
is not going to be pleased if she
asked for a sweater and you get
her an ill-fitting cropped parka
from Fashion Bug.
Shop Discount
I am a slave to Marshalls
and TJ. Maxx. They tend to
have the same brands as stuffy
department stores, at a fraction
of the price. I recently stocked
up on my favorite Marc Jacobs
fragrance for a quarter of what
it costs at Macy’s. And who
wants to be hounded with those
seasonal cosmetic employees
anyways. Nordstrom’s Rack,
is the perfect place to get your
designer fix. While it tends to
be the most expensive of the
three, you can still find what I
refer to as stupid sales. When
you see the price has been lowered so many times, you would
be stupid not to buy it. For the
adventurous, try thrift stores.
Many squirm when they hear
the term, but there’s no reason
to. If you have a day to commit,
you can find some real gems.
Last year I found my sister a
BCBG Maxazria (not the cheap
BCB Generation) pea coat at
a thrift store for $9. Fresno
is littered with great ones, try
Am Vets on Shields and Cedar
and Van Ness street downtown.
You’re biting your tongue now
aren’t you?
Give yourself time
If you wait until Christmas
Eve, the deals will be gone,
along with nearly everything
else and you’ll be left getting
your father a measly gift card
at a store he doesn’t even like.
And you will swift bump down
to least favorite child.
Make Something
No, not like heinous macaroni jewelry box you concocted
in grade school, but something
someone actually wants. Jewelry making is making a big
comeback. And I don’t mean
the rasta hemp bracelets or
tacky tribal jewelry that was
all the rage a few years ago. Go
to a craft store like Michaels
or Allards and find some surprisingly expensive looking
pieces. Sling it on a gold of
silver chain, or charm bracelet
and voila, instant gift. You can
even get pieces engraved with
corny messages. Parents love
that. I once made my mom a
cookbook and a mixing bowl
from Color Me Mine. She still
gets teary eyed when she talks
about it three years later. Tears
mean you’ve secured your
place as the most thoughtful,
and are essentially guaranteed
the best birthday and Christmas
gift for the following year.
of cereal, the kind people at
Pillsburry make ready-made
cookies. You simply pull them
apart and slap them on a baking
sheet. They come out looking
like you slaved in the kitchen,
when you really just turned on
the oven.
TRY Online
Shopping
A lot of Sites provide holiday
discounts, all of which you can
indulge in from the comfort of
your embarrassing pajamas.
Sites like Etsy.com make most
mothers weak in the knees. You
can purchase homemade, one
of a kind items from upcoming
artists, at drool worthy prices.
You’ll look like you put in the
time, when all you really did
was enter a credit card number
in between Facebook stalkings.
eBay.com is also a lifesaver if
you had your heart set on a gift
and can’t seem to find it. The
site has everything.
For the men in your life that might
be disappointed with homemade
jewelry or bargain pea coats:
Give them a ticket.
Think sporting event tickets.
You can find some great cheap
nose-bleeds for just about any
event on sites like stubhub.com
or even craigslist.com. Same
goes for concerts. Tell them
you’ll upgrade them to sideline
or front row when you’re rich
and famous in a few years.
“If you wait until
Christmas Eve, the deals will be gone,
along with nearly everything else.”
MADDIE HAGOBIAN
Help them
Give the Gift of Accersorize.
Calories
If they are a little less sporty
Nobody is going to turn down
homemade cookie, brownies,
candy etc. I’m a firm believer
that calories don’t count from
Thanksgiving until you make
that yearly resolution, Jan.
1. There is an overwhelming
amount of great recipes on pinterest.com. Throw your baked
goods in a cute basket with
some celiphane and festive
ribbon, and you’re a regular
Martha Stewart. If you’re like
myself and can’t make much
in the kitchen beside a bowl
and a bitty more “techy” you
can find reasonable smartphone
or computer accessories on
places like amazon.com. Stores
like Marshall’s and Ross carry
headphones and ihomes at incredible prices.
If all else fails:
Offer smiles and hugs, your
friends and family might be
more accepting than mine.
The reporter can be reached at
[email protected]
Entertainment
December 7, 2011
12 Must-see Christmas Movies
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12
By Daniel Engelhaupt
Rampage Reporter
The season of giving and being
jolly is upon us. It’s the season
where children beg their parents
for the latest toys and parents get
further into debt. It’s the season
where the grocery and department
stores play five different versions of
the same Christmas song. But we
must not also forget the large assortment of holiday themed movies the
holiday season brings to us. So for
this holiday season, if it’s cold outside, baby, put the one-horse open
slay away, roast some chestnuts on
an open fire and snuggle up with
that special someone or family and
enjoy some holiday themed movies
everyone can enjoy.
Miracle on 34th Street
This story about an elderly
man who calls himself Chris
Cringle, played wonderfully
by Richard Attenborough, becomes
a department store Santa Claus like
no other, because he says that he is
in fact Santa Claus. What’s great
about this movie is that it doesn’t
explicitly show that he is the real
deal. It gives clues that he could
or could not be, but it ultimately
leaves it up to the viewer to decide
whether the old and jolly man is
Santa Claus.
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch
Stole Christmas
Jim Carry stars in Ron
Howard’s live action adaptation of the classic Dr. Seuss story.
This story is about the Who’s down
in Whoville who love Christmas a
lot. In fact so much that they have
celebrations and festivals and ev-
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eryone is shopping for gifts, much
to the dismay of The Grinch who
decides to steal all their Christmas
stuff. This movie for all ages
teaches us that in the absence of all
the material things that we know
of in regards to Christmas, having
your friends and family is all that
you need.
Home Alone
When 8-year-old Kevin
McAlester, played by Maculy Culkin, is accidentally
left home alone by his family on
a trip to Paris, he has to survive
living alone without them, because
he thinks they disappeared with the
threat of two bumbling robbers. But
after Kevin defeats these robbers he
comes to realize that after a week
without his family, who seemed
to ignore him, that he does in fact
miss and love them. He learns to
appreciate them despite their flaws.
Die Hard
This one may seem a
little odd because it’s an action movie, but it’s still set
during Christmas time and there is
a lesson to be learned from it, outside of defeating a band of foreign
thieves in a building on Christmas
Eve. Action man John McClain,
played by Bruce Willis, although at
odds with his wife at the beginning
of the movie, ends up realizing the
importance of being with his family and never abandoning them in
a time of need.
Christmas Vacation
This third installment of
the National Lampoon’s
Vacation series is an all time
classic. The Griswolds of the first
two movies are back and this time
staying home for Christmas. And
their in-laws are all staying for the
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5
holidays as well. In the fashion of
the first two vacation movies, the
good intentions made by Clark W.
Griswold, played by Chevy Chase,
turn into complete disaster. This is a
story everyone can relate to because
we all dream of a perfect Christmas
where the relatives get along and
everything goes smoothly, but unfortunately it doesn’t always go as
we planned.
The Nightmare Before
Christmas
Tim Burton’s pet project
gives us a hybrid seasonal
movie. Now this can either be a
Christmas movie or a Halloween
movie. But the dark theme, the
Burton-esq atmosphere makes this
a film that everyone can enjoy and
learn about the true and somewhat
twisted meaning of Christmas.
A Christmas Story
Though set in the 1940s,
this story is one that everyone
can relate to and that’s what
makes it a classic. Young Ralphie
wants a Red Ryder BB gun so bad
he’d do anything for it. But he must
first get around his mother who tells
him that he’ll shoot his eye out.
Scrooged
This modern day retelling of the classic Charles
Dickens story “A Christmas
Carol”, finds the “Scrooge” of this
story, played by the very funny Bill
Murray, using his usual dead pan
wit against the even more funny
serious ghosts of Christmas past,
present, and future. Though mainly
a comedy, at one point he realizes
that he’s been a bad guy all along
so he goes on national television
to apologize to the world and to
tell everyone what Christmas really means.
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8
Jingle All The Way
If A Christmas Story
was about a child and his
wish for a really cool gift,
then this movie starring Arnold
Schwarzenegger tells the side of the
parent trying to get that cool toy on
Christmas Eve. Arnold’s character,
Howard Langston, is a father who
makes big promises but ends up
falling short and disappointing his
son. So when he forgets to buy his
son’s much wanted toy, he finds this
as an opportunity to prove to his son
as well as his wife, that he is a good
dad. But Howard faces several obstacles, such as the stores are being
completely sold out and his rival,
a mail man played by the hilarious
Sinbad, who’s after the same toy.
This movie is just plain fun to watch
and parents can relate to this story,
even if it is quite wacky.
The Charlie Brown
Christmas Special
This holiday special shown every year
shows how the Peanuts gang comes
to learn about the true meaning of
Christmas. It’s an enjoyable program for the whole family to watch.
It’s A Wonderful Life
Jimmy Stewart’s performance in this classic
film teaches us not about
the holidays but about how important each one of us can be. After
wishing he wasn’t born, George
Bailey gets a visit from an angel,
named Clarence. Clarence takes
Bailey on a journey to see just how
the small town he lives in is affected
by his never existing. And after that
experience he learns to appreciate
everyone in his town and his life, as
well as learning that “Every time a
bell rings an angel gets its wings.”
A Nativity Story
In this epic dramatization, the Virgin
Mary receives a message from God that she will be
the mother to Jesus the Christ, the
king of kings. This is one movie
that show viewers the reason for
the season.
The reporter can be reached at
[email protected]
10
11
Fun Activities for Winter Break
By Paulo Nino
Rampage Reporter
Living in Fresno, California,
can be extremely boring at times.
Okay, most of the time. But instead
of sitting at home on Twitter or
Facebook and complaining about
how there’s nothing to do, here are
10 ideas of some activities you can
partake in over the Winter Break.
inish Christmas Shopping!
A lot of people haven’t finished their Christmas shopping. A lot of people haven’t
even begun their Christmas shopping! Don’t be that person who
is going to be freaking out on
Christmas Eve, looking for the
perfect present for a loved one.
Black Friday is the craziest day
to go shopping; Christmas Eve is
right behind it.
ho Doesn’t Love Movies?
With the holiday
season in full effect,
F
W
there will be many new movies
being released at the movie theaters including: Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (Dec.16),
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of
Shadows (Dec. 16), The Girl with
the Dragon Tattoo (Dec. 21), The
Darkest Hour (Dec. 25), The Devil
Inside (Jan. 6).
et Active
There are many activities you can partake in it.
Some of the most popular
include visiting the China Peak
snowboarding & skiing resort or
ice skating at The Gateway Ice
Center. Some other options include
indoor rock climbing at Yosemite
Fitness, going bowling, shooting
pool, or getting a group of friends
for a game of football.
ine Out
There are many different
and delicious restaurants
to dine out to in Fresno.
G
D
During this cold weather there
is nothing better than a hot, tasty
meal. Christmas Break is also
a perfect time to try something
new. Check out Wassabi, Japanese
Chicken, Red Robbin’s, Olive
Garden, Da Cicco’s, or Bobby
Salazar’s, to name a few.
atch A Hockey Game
Hockey games are actually very fun to attend, plus
the chances of seeing a fist
fight are very likely. Check out the
Fresno Monsters some time at the
Selland Arena.
hristmas Tree Lane
It’s cliché. It’s basically
the same thing every year,
but yet, it’s still fun. Go
with your family, a group of
friends, or with that special someone and enjoy a night of warm hot
chocolate, Christmas tunes, and
bright lights.
C
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W
iz Khalifa
Dec. 23rd at the
S a v e m a r t C e n t e r,
rappers Wiz Khalifa,
Common, Aesop Rock, and the
New Boyz will be performing. It’s
been a while since rap stars such
as Khalifa or Common have done
a show at the Savemart Center,
and there’s no telling when another big artist will come. Expect
loud music, good times, and a lot
of Christmas cheer to be spread
around.
age
You’re young and you
only live once. Why not
enjoy your little vacation
and party hard? There’s a majority
of clubs and bars including The
Standard, Roe, Old Town Saloon,
Laughing Buddha, Rome, Livingstones, and Mezcal. For the under
21 readers, try club Aldo’s, Karma,
R
or the Ghaleb’s Hookah Lounge.
(Please drink responsibly).
amily Time
Holidays and Christmas
especially, are meant to be
spent with your family and
loved ones. Try to keep this in
mind when planning out your
Christmas Break. Friends come
and go, but family is forever, and
quality time spent with your family
should not be taken for granted.
ead a Book
Everybody has that one
book that they’ve never
finished reading or never
started reading, but always wanted
to. Christmas Break would be a
perfect time to do so. If you aren’t
much of a reader it’s probably
because you’ve never read a book
that interests you. Ask around and
give it a try!
F
R
The reporter can be reached at
[email protected]
Entertainment
FCC Student Inspires Young Dancers of All Backgrounds
December 7, 2011
Love. Faith. Confidence.
Warmth. Culture.Love of dance
Katrina Stewart, Fresno City
College student, has an agenda to
instill these values in her dance
students. Stewart who is currently a
dance major and plans to transfer to
California State University, Fresno
in a few semesters, is investing in
the future generation.
In August 2011, Stewart opened
Miss K’s Dance Bungalow, an affordable dance studio which caters
to all children –regardless of race,
shape or size. Approximately 40
students, ranging in age from five
to 18 years old, are enrolled in the
class. She said she is blessed to
have 40 to 50 beautiful dancers of
every race.
“Every race is represented in my
studio. I push multiculturalism,
community service, love for every
race and celebrating differences in
community through dance,” Stewart
said. Miss K’s Dance Bungalow is
located at Studio 65, 2965 North
Maroa Avenue in Fresno. 93704. On Tuesdays, Stewart teaches an
intermediate dance group called Pop
Rise -- a combination of hip-hop,
African and jazz. Saturday classes
are dedicated to the competition
dancers. Next year, Stewart plans to
add more classes – jazz funk and another hip-hop course. She wants the
children to grow to love themselves
and be confident in their abilities.
“There is no way to dance
on that stage without having confidence,” she says.
Stewart said she felt compelled
to open this studio because of the
lack of opportunities in the Central
Valley for under privileged children. “I wish someone gave me
a chance when I was child,” she
said. Before opening the Dance
Bungalow (MKDB), Stewart had
been working as a dance teacher at
another studio. She said the student
body was predominantly one race.
She remembers that some kids were
rejected because they did not have
money for the fees.
She also said it upset her that
some students were made fun of
because they have different body
shapes and forms that were larger
than most “dancers.” Stewart said
there were just certain things she
didn’t agree with. “It was heartbreaking seeing how kids were
trying to dance at this studio, but
couldn’t because of transportation
and financial issues,” she said.
Stewart’s inspiration for choreographing dances comes from her
past, pain, joy and whatever else
she is feeling. Whenever she has an
idea or concept, she jots it down in
a specific notebook. If an epiphany
of a prop comes to mind, she draws
it in her notebook. “If it’s raining outside, I’ll open
up my book and write ‘rain’. What
does that make you feel or do?
How can you express that with your
body? How does it fall on you?”
Stewart said. These questions have
helped her compose dance pieces. “My inspiration is just the people
who keep believing in me, over and
over again,” Stewart said. “They
trust me and they believe in my faith
and dance.”
Stewart was raised in Fort Smith,
Arkansas by a single mother. One
of three girls, Stewart was inspired
by her mother’s driving force. She
remembers her family was on welfare and survived on government assistance. However, her mother was
determined to change their situation
and worked two, sometimes three,
jobs to make ends meet. “We used to live off the government, but now my mother works for
the government in social security,”
said Stewart. “She [mother] showed
me how to take a situation and totally flip it.”
Stewart moved to California to
pursue a dance career in 2007. At
first, she commuted between Los
Angeles and Fresno every week in
search of dance auditions and op-
portunities. It
wasn’t until
she was cast
in a Roger
Rocka’s Good
Company
Player’s musical, that her
dance career
blossomed.
Since then, she
has performed Katrina Stewart with her competition dance students.
with Roger Rocka’s
in several productions such as istry nationwide. She also plans to
“Hairspray”, “Dream Girls” and travel around the world to study why
“Joseph”. different tribes dance. She hopes
Currently, MKDB is funded to compile a documentary of her
strictly by the $40 per month tu- findings. Stewart said, “There’s so
ition, but Stewart plans to make much dance out there, I want to go
it a non-profit enterprise. She is and see why they dance.” Stewart
hopeful that sponsors and investors also dreams of dancing and chowill be inspired by her efforts and reographing on Broadway in New
the growth of her students, to offer York City. financial support. “When there is a
Stewart said she has seen growth
will, there is a way,” she said. “If I in her students in both dance techcontinue to do right, and what God nique and confidence. She believes
has called me to do, he will take care that her “kids” are beautiful.
of me.” To bring in extra monies,
“We all have suffered from
MKDB holds dance camps. Re- rejection. I’ve watched them grow
cently, it organized a Thanksgiving from rejection to perfection in
dance camp and will be holding two themselves,” Stewart said. “They
separate Christmas dance camps [her students] have the heart and the
from Dec. 19 to 22, 2011 and Jan. passion for dance. When you match
2 to 5, 2012. that talent up with heart, you can’t
Stewart has a detailed timeline for ever beat that.”
her future. She wishes to expand
The reporter can be reached at
MKDB as well as her dance [email protected]
Paul Schlesinger
By Sasha Bell
Rampage Reporter
photo by
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December 7, 2011
Can Athletes Be Role Models?
in the 1960s. Then there are athletes such as Roberto
Clemente who have sacrificed not only
their time and money, but also their life.
Though Clemente was always known for
his charity work, he is most remembered
for his efforts during the devastating
earthquake of Nicaragua on Dec. 23,
1972. During this time, the victims of the
earthquake weren’t getting the aid packages they needed because the government
was blocking it.
Clemente was in Puerto Rico at the
time of the earthquake but he decided to
fly to Nicaragua to make the sure the aid
reached the victims. But Clemente’s only
choice was to take a plan that not only
had problems, but was also overloaded by
5000 pounds of supply. Before the plane
could reach its destination, it crashed into
the ocean off the coast of Puerto Rico.
The body of the pilot was recovered a few
days later, but Clemente’s body was never
found. Today there are many hospitals,
Pro
By Tomas Kassahun
Rampage Reporter
It’s always the few that make it all
seem bad.
As humans, we often see the negative
first. This is true when we’re looking at
a race of people, when we look at young
people and most certainly, when we look
at athletes.
In the midst of sexual allegations,
greed, and ignorance, we forget the many
athletes who have made a difference and
“For a child growing up in the projects without anybody
to love or anyone to learn from, an athlete is his brightest
hope.”
who are making a difference. And so we
say, how can athletes possibly be role
models?
But the truth is, there is no shame in
calling athletes role models. This was true
then. This is true now. The athletes we can call role models
have shown that their sport is more than
a game. The manner of their performance
and the context of their achievement is
enough to teach us the true meaning of
sports and life.
This was the case in the 1936 Olympics
in Berlin when Adolph Hitler was trying
to show the world that the Aryan race
is superior. But along came an African
American track star named Jesse Owens
who ruined Hitler’s plan as he won four
gold medals in one week. It was also true in the late 1940s, when
Jackie Robinson’s courage and determination broke the color barrier on the
baseball field.
Other lesser recognized heroes such
as Tommie Smith and John Carlos made
their statement through one simple
motion. At the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, Smith and Carlos, two African
Americans, finished first and third in the
400 meter race. But their greatest achievement would come after their performance.
As they stood on the podium wearing the
red, white, and blue, they raised their fist
“The manner of their performance and the context
of their achievements is
enough to teach us the true
meaning of sports and life.”
- Tomas kassahun
in the air, symbolizing black power. When
they returned to the U.S., they were criticized by those who saw their actions as
unpatriotic. Consequently they struggled
to even get a job. But they also managed
to lift the spirits of many African Americans who were fighting for equal rights
A
s we have continuously learned
throughout the past few months, professional sportsmen may have been the most
heinous men we ever knew to trust. Pedophilia cases involving coaches at Syracuse
and Penn State have shined a new light
on sports, and have brought into question
whether the most vulnerable people in our
society, children, should hold professional
athletes as their highest role models
“One should choose their
role models according
to their brains, not their
brawn; because of their
moral and ethical values,
not the value written on
their contract.”
- Jesse Franz
In the last few decades, people’s role
models have stopped being their parents,
historical icons, or even their teachers, and
started being multi-million dollar a year
athletes. Superstars like Tiger Woods, Ben
Roethlisberger, and Brett Favre have replaced even presidents as children’s “what
Illustration by Austin Verburg
- Tomas Kassahun
schools, and parks named after this hero.
Today’s athletes can thank the likes of
Clemente who have paved the way for
minority athletes. Women athletes can
also be thankful as they follow the steps
of Cheryl Miller, Lisa Leslie, and Mia
Hamm, to name a few.
And we can also thank today’s athletes
as they are still a valuable part of society.
Their performance may not be nearly
as mesmerizing as Roberto Clemente or
Jackie Robinson, but they can still be
heroes by simply touching the lives of a
few people. For a child growing up in the
projects without anybody to love or anyone to learn from, an athlete is his brightest
hope. The athlete has the power to make
the kid believe that he can make it out of
the projects and he can achieve his dreams.
Athletes are not on the front lines risking
their lives to protect their country. They
are not jumping into buildings to save
lives, or coming up with new medicine.
But athletes have the power to bring unity
to our world, to lift our spirits, and to remove all doubt. The reporter can be reached at
[email protected]
13
Con
By Jesse Franz
Rampage Reporter
and public service have never been a part
of their contracts. The fault lies with the
mother, the father, and the society that puts
these people on a pedestal because of their
Sunday football stats, and not because of
their character.
Having proper role models can be on
of the most enriching experiences in life,
however, inversely, having a bad one can
do irreparable harm, especially to children.
Take, for example, the case of Chris Benoit. He was one of the most beloved WWE
wrestlers in his time. Children along side
their parents rooted for him. I remember
when I was about 10 years old, imitating
him as I fake wrestled with friends. We all
wanted to be just like Benoit.
On June 25, 2007 Benoit murdered his
son and his wife before committing suicide.
Toxicology reports revealed antidepressants
and steroids were in his system. It occurs to
me now, that at that tender age, I never asked
myself who the real Chris Benoit was. I just
saw his persona on the stage. I never took
in to account his character or his values, but
only saw the man who was close lining the
other nameless guy on the screen, and that
was my justification for him being a sort of
role model.
One should choose their role models
according to their brains, not their brawn;
because of their moral and ethical values,
not the value written on their contract.
These people may be athletes, they may be
teachers, believe it or not they might even by
politicians. However, being a professional
athlete plays no part in a man’s character,
for better or for worse.
To be sure, putting on your Sunday bests
(mine is a 49ers jersey) and watching the
game, and being inspired by your team is
one of the great luxuries in America. However when we exalt these super stars and
hold them to a higher standard than they can
possibly live up to, we not only do a disservice to ourselves and our expectations, but
“They are only human and free to act how they feel is
proper. Good morals and public service have never been
part of their contracts.”
- Jesse Franz
I want to be when I grow up” celebrities.
However, this sets the most dangerous
of precedents. These pro-athletes are men
who, in large part, have been celebrated for
violence, shoved into the public spotlight,
and given outrageous salaries. They sign
autographs for 10-year-old Timmy Johnson,
but never stop to think that next month when
their sexual affair, rape case, or pictured
genitalia land them on primetime CNN,
what a horrific affect and conflicted precedent that that sets for little Timmy.
That’s not to say that it’s the athlete’s
fault. They are only human and free to act
however they feel is proper. Good morals
to the athletes who are only human beings,
who have flaws and defects just as we do.
This not only applies to athletes but to all
people. When we were young, we’re taught
to look up to everyone. From this we gained
a distorted picture of reality in which we
see some people as superior than us, and
therefore without flaw. But, sometime in
your life, there comes a realization in which
you see that all people have flaws, but what
makes great people is how they persevere
through t hem. There are no perfect role
models, just those with perseverance.
The reporter can be reached at
[email protected]
December 7, 2011
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Jingling All the Way to A Better Economy
T
By Dylan Picazo
Rampage Reporter
he holidays are a special time
of year for many people. Filled
with family traditions, cultural
celebration, and religious festivities, the holiday season is a time of
year that is guarded in both heart
and practice by many people. For
this reason, the commercialization
of the holiday season has become
crucial. It’s also seen by some as
an issue.
But the commercialization of a
wonderful time of the year may
not be a bad thing. Because of the
economic and societal impact, as
well as the maintenance and nurturing of tradition, Americans should
value the commercialization of the
holiday season.
According to the National Retail
Federation, shoppers spent $52 billion dollars in sales the weekend
of Black Friday alone. In addition,
sales on black Friday have been
steadily increasing in recent years,
including a 16 percent jump from
last year according to CNN. America’s capitalistic mixed economy is
influenced greatly by the amount of
sales that go on within the country.
Although it would be ridiculous
to say that sales alone determine
the success rate of our country,
the money that sales generate
for both taxation and income are
substantial. The extreme economic activity that goes on during
the holiday season has not only
become essential to business in
America, but it has created an
extension to the tradition of gift
giving during the holiday season.
The commercialization of the
holiday season is often considered
an attack on tradition and its fig-
ures because of large corporations
cashing in on imagery found within
the holidays’ figures. However, by
mass propagating the figures that
are in the holiday season, it not
only nurtures the traditions that different people have, but it displays
them, usually in a positive light, to
people who might not know about
them otherwise.
Take Santa Clause for example,
who is arguably the most used of
the holiday figures. Although Santa
is often used to push products and
services that have nothing to do
with the holiday season, he is
still a figure of gift giving, and
goodwill towards people. Not
only does he give children something to believe in, but he helps
stimulate the economy. Who knew?
Ultimately the commercialization of the holiday season impacts
society greatly. And although it
is not perfect and often appears
diluted, the holiday messages of
goodwill and peace on earth are
still conveyed alongside the pursuit
of capital and stimulation of business in America.
are creating rumors of those who
are rich or “spoiled.” 23-year-old
Megan Kang said, “I don’t think
it’s right that privileged people
have a right to complain about
how our country is doing.”
Kang is convinced that the rumors of privileged partiers have
made up the occupy movement.
“People are just making this into
a big joke,” said Kang. Contrary
to what Kang believes, according
to YesMagazine.org the Occupiers
are not “spoiled rich college kids.”
The website describes the Occupiers to be “ordinary people,” some
who are unemployed or have lost
their homes.
The fact that there are people
involved in this movement who
have been immediately affected
by the Wall Street’s gambling
acts and this nation’s economic
mistakes, empower and give
true meaning to the movement.
Regardless if the occupiers are
rich or poor the movement is to
improve the lives of everyone
despite their economic status.
If there are “spoiled rich kids”
helping to make a difference in
the lives of Americans, then they
see the corruption in this nation’s
system just as any other Occupier
sees it.
Members of the 1 percent said
that until Occupy protesters focus
on one specific area of change, the
movement is rendered useless.
There is more than one thing that
needs to be changed. If we were
only to focus on one of the many
things that need to change, we
would be selling the movement
short.
The protesters have accomplished great things. YesMagazine.org said, “Occupy has al-
ready succeeded. It has succeeded
in shaking us as a society out of
our hypnosis. Occupy has already
succeeded in its role as a social
movement in challenging the
old, faulty dominant story spread
by the 1 percent and replacing it
with another one that resonates
with what most Americans know
to be true.”
I couldn’t agree more. Take
the “bank transfer day,” as an
example, where occupiers urged
Americans to take their money out
of banks and transfer it into credit
unions. This threat forced banks,
such as Bank of America to put a
halt in plans to further raise fees.
The fact that a movement, clearly,
threatens large companies like
Bank of America is a triumph in
and of itself. The bank decided to
drop its plans to enforce an extra
$5 debit card fee after protesters
threatened to remove all of their
funds from the bank.
During the days of the civil
rights movement some people
thought that Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr.’s protests were useless
and not going to affect the system.
Thanks to him and his followers’
perseverance, minorities are now
awarded many of the same rights
that Caucasian people have. If
Dr. King Jr. and the others simply
moaned about the waste of time
protests were and did not, by a
leap of faith, go out and let their
voices be heard, African Americans would still be segregated.
The Occupy movement will have
the same effect. It has already
begun to cause big businesses
to rethink the way they treat the
American people.
By David Thammavongsa
Rampage Reporter
Craigslist. Vintage bikes made
from steel that would once cost
$400, now cost about $100. The
frame quality is reliable and
parts are still available today to
make them work exceptionally
well now and in the long run.
The key thing to understand is
that the more money you put into
upgrading your bike, the better
your bike will be. Replacing all
worn and broken parts add up
depending on the condition of
the bike. Also, spending more
on quality tires will prevent flat
tubes in the long run. An old
bike plus new parts results in a
great bike and in the end it will
only cost around $300. So get
a vintage bike tuned up and if
you have the time, learn basic
maintenance.
There’s a plethora of good
information on the Internet about
commuting by bike. Clothing
tips, safety, laws, attitudes and
the whole sub-culture of bikes
are available.
IBikeFresno.org is a resource
hub for Fresno cyclists including commuters and weekend
warriors. Another good thing to
check out is the Fresno Bicycle
Master Plan itself which can be
found at www.Fresno.com.
The reporter can be reached at
[email protected]
The Occupy Movement is Important
T
By Nicole Randazzo
Rampage Reporter
he Occupy Movement has
many faces. Faces of the youth
looking for answers, faces of
educated professionals looking for
change and faces of people who
are not sure what they are looking
for but are sure that they are surely
disappointed with the status quo.
Some believe that this movement is just another trend, therefore not making any attempt to
make a difference in the state of
our nation. — I, however, am not
one of those people. If given the
attention and respect it deserves,
I believe this movement could be
as important as the civil rights
movement in the 60’s.
As important as this movement
is, there are some who oppose
others within the movement who
The reporter can be reached at
[email protected]
Bicycles are Practical and Cheap
C
photo by
David Thammavongsa
Old Vintage bikes like this one can be restored. With a little cash a bike is a positive and
dramatic benefit to your life.
ommuting in a car-centric
culture, Americans don’t take the
time to find the best way to get
around. Bus? Bike? Carpool? Instead, this question is asked first:
What kind of car do I want? In
a better economy it makes sense
to ask the latter. However, many
people and students in particular
need to save more money and
time in this tough economy.
According to the Bureau of
Transportation, the average
American household spends
$7,179 per year on owning and
driving their cars. And according to a New York Times article
by Jim Motavalli, the estimated
annual cost of owning a bicycle
is $390.
Bicycles are safe, practical,
easy and cheap. Bicycle commuting is also pretty straightforward. You buy a bike and
ride it. Riding a bike gives a lot
of freedom. Much similar to a
car but without the unavoidable
expensive costs and possibilities
of accidents. For college students, that means more money
saved, less time working another
job and more time to reach our
academic goals.
The best bikes out there are
actually found at yard-sales and
The reporter can be reached at
[email protected]
Views
By Maddie Hagobian
Rampage Reporter
December 7, 2011
Campus Voices
15
By David Thammavongsa
Rampage Photographer
How Do You Prepare for Final Exams?
Jose Arallano
Math
“I put aside what I
need to study for and
make time for it.”
Renee Sconiers,
Business
“I like to get into a
group, but I usually
study by myself.”
Kirstie Sims,
Business
“I don’t really study. I
just scan over my notes.”
Andrew Mayang,
Undeclared
“I drink cocoa, listen to an orchestra
and have my dad
make pho.”
Carlos Martinez, Biology
“I hula hoop.”
Audia Dixon,
Social Studies
“I draw in sections
of my notes to help me
memorize them.”
Braedon Cash,
Undeclared
“I just try my best.”
Avery Cunningham, Business
“It’s important to study
in a group, use the study
guide, harass the teacher,
review notes and network.”
Jose Mara, Liberal Studies
“I study with a group,
usually in the library. We
listen to instrumental music.”
Aireanna Johnson, Chemistry
“I make sure I get a lot
of sleep before I study. I
make a lot of note cards.”
Yao Kaoner,
Electrical Tech
“I study in a group and
go to bed earlier.”
Christy Childress, Business
“Drink a lot of coffee
and use a lot of Google.”
Chris Richards,
Business
“Come to class, take
notes, and be ready!.”
Terry Adams,
Undeclared
“I focus on one class
at a time until I feel
ready, then I move on
to the next.”
Paul Vang,
Culinary Arts
“I regroup with friends
to discuss what we’ve
learned from previous
tests.”
Sekani Radellant,
Pre Med
“I like to go to Barnes
and Noble and distract
myself by reading other
books relating to what
I’m studying. Then I
compare those to my
text book.”
Susel Perez,
Nursing
“I study in a quiet area.
I like to have snacks and
be alone.”
Katie Pursell,
Accounting
“I go to a tutor because
it broadens your mind. Be
prepared to be up until 1
a.m.”
The reporter can be reached at
[email protected]
16
Featured
December 7, 2011
Former FCC Football Player Shot
By Marcel Dilworth
Rampage Reporter
Twenty-one-year-old Playboyz
gang member, Anthony Silva,
is under arrest and charged with
shooting Fresno City College football player, Jerry Manning, Jr. and
his father, Jerry Manning on Dec.1.
Manning’s brother, Jebril who
witnessed the incident, said his
brother and father remain in the
Community Regional Medical
Center but “are getting better every
day.” As of Tuesday afternoon,
both Jerry, Jr. and his dad are are
listed in fair condition.
Initial reports on ABC 30 stated
that Jerry Manning Jr. and his father
were shot just before 5:30 p.m. by
Jerry Manning Jr.
unidentified gunmen at their home
in Northwest Fresno. According
to the police, 21-year-old Jerry
Manning was in his car in front
of his home, when Anthony Silva
allegedly fired at him.
Jebril remembers the events of
Dec. 1. clearly and the five shots
he heard going off and then seeing
his brother.
“My brother came running in
and said ‘They’re shooting at me.’
My dad said, ‘Who is shooting at
you?’” said Jebril Manning. The
alleged gunman then followed Jerry
inside the home and shot both him
and his dad multiple times. Jebril
Manning said that Jerry, Jr. was shot
four times and his dad six times.
According to a news report on
KSEE 24, an anonymous informer
reported that Silva was jealous because he [Manning] got a newer car
and the fact he was keeping on the
front burner and playing football
for City college and then going
on to do better things. And he was
jealous and he›d come over as I am
told, hear say, that he would want
money. He said, ‹You owe it to me,
your brother.›»
Manning Jr. was a freshman who played defensive back.
He removed himself from the
team after his son became ill and
was admitted to Children’s Hospital. The last game he played was
against Modesto on Oct. 15.
Rams’ Defensive Back
Dasheon Frierson has known Manning most of his life. “Why would
somebody shoot him? He didn’t
gang bang,” said Frierson. Free safety Duron Singleton, also
Manning’s good friend, said, “Jerry
was my brother. Jerry was my bro.
He was my brother.” Manning is the cousin of former
NFL star Ricky Manning Jr.
Tony Caviglia, head football
coach said he was shocked and sad
to hear the news of Jerry Manning
Jr. and his father being shot. Caviglia described Jerry Manning Jr.
as a quiet and hardworking player.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out
to them and their family,” Caviglia
said. “He was a quiet player and
hard worker. The Fresno City
College football family will collectively pray for a strong recover.”
The reporter can be reached at
[email protected]
Women’s Basketball Preparing for Upcoming Season
By Nathan Alonzo
Rampage Reporter
The Fresno City College Women’s Basketball team is set to begin
another season of competition.
The Rams are coming off a
season in which they finished 25-7
while winning the Central Valley
Conference for the fourth consecutive year.
The Rams also finished the year
ranked No.1 in Northern California,
and No.3 in the state. Additionally,
they were state scoring leaders, as
they finished the season averaging
89 points per game.
A number of players also received recognition. Sophomore
Lacey Gibbons was named the
CVC Most Valuable Player, and
was also named to the All-State
team. Sophomore Marlee Wilkinson was named to the All-Conference team, and received third team
All-State honors. Ebone Brown and
Kayla Clement were also first team
All-CVC players. Clarissa House,
Nicole Chapple, and Tabitha Torres earned second team All-CVC
honors while Head Coach Brian
Tessler was named the CVC Coach
of the Year.
This season the Rams once again
come with high expectations. “The
expectations for the season never
change. The expectation is always
to get to the state tournament,” said
Tessler. Last season the Rams came
close to the state tournament, losing
in the Sweet Sixteen at home to
Sierra College.
The Rams return five of the
players from last season’s 25-7
team. Twin sisters Taryn and Sarina
Samaya (Hanford High), Sarah
Mendoza (Hanford High), Nicole
Chapple (Clovis), and Tabitha
Torres (Corcoran.) received a
substantial amount of playing time
last season, and according to Tessler, “They are doing a great job of
leading by example.”
The incoming class of freshmen
athletes come from every part of
the central valley, and have played
for successful programs. Incoming
freshmen are; DeVaughna Jackson
(Clovis North), Taisheona McAlister (Fresno), Octavia Burnett (El
Diamante), Nina Gregory (Clovis
East), Karissa Booker (Hanford),
Jasmine Simpson (Clovis West),
Explore Your
Madeline Diamante (Clovis), Toni
Anaya (Memorial), and Diana Corona (Monache.)
“The freshmen class are all good
people who need to understand the
work ethic required to be a basketball player on the this team. It’s
never an easy process to get kids to
play beyond what they think their
limits are. But, this group is starting
to understand what it means to play
hard,” said Tessler
The Rams will once again have
a daunting schedule that will put
them head-to-head with some of the
best teams in the state. The toughest
opponents for the Rams will come
throughout the pre-season, mostly
in tournament play. “The schedule
is always tough. We pride ourselves
on playing the best teams in the
state rather than try to accumulate
wins by beating lesser opponents.
I believe this helps us prepare for
conference play and hopefully the
playoffs,” says Tessler.
Though the Rams are are the
favorites to win the CVC for a fifth
consecutive year, they don’t seem
to listen to the hype.
” I always feel the CVC will be
competitive every year,” said Tessler. “I realize we’ve had a very
good run over the past 4 years, but I
think much of the credit goes to our
players for their approach to every
game. There are those who feel the
league has been down for a while,
but I don’t agree with that.”
The reporter can be reached at
[email protected]
OptiOns
AppLY nOW for spring 2012
UnDERGRADUAtE pROGRAM
at the Main Fresno Campus
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where you can tour the campus,
meet with your admissions
counselor, get your transcripts
evaluated and have all your
questions answered. Sign up at
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 Affordable, quality
education
fresno.edu
Main Fresno Campus 559-453-2039
north Fresno Center 559-453-3440
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