Rampage

RampageFresnoCity

CollegeNovember16, 2011Volume CXXI, Edition 5

Drunken City

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ASG Discusses Student Issues in Town Hall

The Fresno City College book-store is now giving students more options in how they acquire their textbooks. In addition to the tradi-tional ways – buying new or used textbooks – FCC students can now rent their textbooks instead of buying them. The bookstore is making textbooks available for rent in order to help students af-ford a necessary material for their education.

“Books are extremely expen-sive, so there needs to be a way for someone to go to school, afford the books and the tuition, so this helps,” Mary-Beth Wynn, book-store manager for State Center Community College District, said. Wynn said that there has always been a rental program, though limited and not widely known, in the college district bookstores. Now, the program is expanded to include more books and options.

Wynn also says that students who prefer to conduct their busi-nesses online can arrange their rentals online. If a book can be pur-chased through the bookstore on-line, it can be rented online as well. The process for renting textbooks is similar to buying. For instance, in the same way that a textbook can be bought new or used, rentals work the same way. A copy of “Current Issues and Enduring Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking and Argument, with Readings” by Sylvan Barnet and Hugo Bedau costs $73.35 to purchase if brand new and $55.00 if used. On the other hand, renting this book new would cost $44.60 and $26.25 if used. Students can save as much as 50 percent by renting.

Currently, approximately 30 percent of textbooks in the book-store are available for rent. This will change at the end of the fall se-mester when only the spring books are taking into account.

Lower costs are not the only benefit of renting though, accord-ing to Wynn. She said the rental program encourages more students to obtain their books through the

FCC Bookstore

Now Offers

Textbook Rentals

By Kaitlin Regan

Rampage Reporter

Occupy Protesters Sue Fresno County

Fresno City College’s Associ-ated Student Government held its first ever Town Hall meeting yesterday in the auditorium of the Old Administration Building. The event was designed to inform students about campus-wide issues as well as to give them the opportunity to address their representatives with questions, comments, and concerns.

Senator Kristie Andersen in-formed students of upcoming fee increases and said that the purpose of the meeting was to al-low ASG to reach out to students. Andersen said, “It’s a chance for our students to connect with us

and for us to be able to connect with our students – to have that dialogue between both groups.”

The meeting began at 11 a.m., drawing a sizeable crowd of stu-dents. Senators Rachel McKinley and Nathan Alonzo explained what ASG is all about, outlining its composition, goals, and role in campus affairs.

After the introductory portion, ASG president Cindy Quiralte addressed the audience. “I would really like to hear how you would like us to work for you. Help me work for you, help the team work for you – give us some sugges-tions, give us some direction,” she said. “We know that we have a lot of questions, and we encourage you to ask them.”

This began the “open forum” section of the meeting, during which students were free to ask questions, make comments, or give suggestions to ASG mem-bers. The first question was asked by student Peter Vu. Vu asked if a replacement for former Leg-islative Vice President Karlton Brown has been appointed, to which President Quiralte respond-ed “We do have it on the agenda for interim vice president…but we’re making do, and that’s ex-actly why we’re here today – to show you that we are still here, very strong and united as ASG.”

Throughout the open forum, many students took the oppor-tunity to voice their questions. A few students raised concerns

about counseling – from long lines to faulty information given by counselors. President Quiralte addressed their concerns. “If you want something done about coun-seling, yes, we’re here to help you with that…this is a joint, effort, and we’re here to work for you,” she said. “If you’re concerned about counseling…we can work together. I can and will take that to administration.”

After the open forum, Trustee Christopher Coronado presented the results of a student survey sent to the student body via district email. According to Coronado’s report, more than 800 students completed the survey, 59 percent

By JoRdan Russell

Rampage Reporter

Since Oct. 9, “Occupy Fresno” has attempted to continuously en-camp Courthouse Park in Down-town Fresno to protest greed, in-equality, and injustice in America’s economic and political systems. However, on Nov. 1, their permit expired, leaving them subject to arrest if found occupying the park between 12 a.m. to 6 a.m.

In the early morning of Nov. 6, that’s exactly what happened. Since then, sheriffs armed in riot gear, have made then more than 60 arrests in Courthouse Park. However, Occupy Fresno says that

they still plan to stay indefinitely as volunteers have come forward willing to be arrested in what they say is the defense of their First Amendment right to peacefully assemble.

On Nov. 14, Occupy Fresno’s volunteer attorneys filed a law suit in Federal court claiming that the protesters have a right to continue with their encampment. The lawyers have also filed for a restraining order against Fresno County, until their case is ruled on.

Find daily updates about Oc-cupy Fresno at therampageonline.com.

SeeTown Hall on page 2See Bookstore on page 2

Healthy Holidays!

13 16

Veteran Runner

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Fresno City College

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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,

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RampageFresnoCity

College

2 November 16, 2011 news

Instructors concerned about poor maintenance in classrooms

FCC bookstore which guarantees that the book that the student needs is in stock and is also the correct edition of the book.

“There are a lot of benefits of coming into this store. The book that the instructor has requested is here. There is no doubt about it. When they [students] return the book, they can bring it right back here so that the student doesn’t have to mail it. We have it in stock, you don’t have to worry about it not being in stock,” said Wynn. Additionally, the process saves time and the aggravation of stand-ing in long lines.

Students who choose to rent

of which identified themselves as full time students. The results showed that the majority of stu-dents who took the survey would like to see a greater campus po-lice presence on campus and an expanded concession area near the main fountain. Students also sought more participation in the discussions of the college’s bud-get and an on-campus farmer’s market. Trustee Coronado said that the survey would remain open.

Another area that was ad-dressed in the meeting was the Student Success Task Force, which is responsible for draft-ing a plan for improving student success at California community colleges. The recommendations of the Task Force were presented to the audience in a condensed format designed to be clear and comprehensive.

Senator Kristie Anderson ex-plained the fee increases to be

expected in the upcoming spring semester. She outlined exactly which fees will or may be in-

creased and by how much. Sena-tor Andersen also informed stu-dents what the fees help pay for.

The meeting ended with an-other open forum, during which several more students addressed

ASG Hosts Town Hall

FCC Bookstore Offers Rentalswill have to sign a contract which details the rental process and due dates. The contract will be between the FCC bookstore and the student. Wynn describes this system as similar to checking a book out, “but you’re paying for it.”

Additionally, students who rent a textbook from the book-store need to have a valid FCC ID, email address and a credit card that is valid throughout the semester. A student may pay cash for textbook rentals but must keep a valid credit card on file in case the book is damaged or not returned. A student’s credit card will be charged if a rented book is not returned or is damaged in a way that it cannot be sold or rented.

The card will be charged for the full amount plus tax if the book is new, and the student would then keep it. In order to encourage students to return their books on time, the book-store will send reminders of the due date for the book to the email address listed.

Wynn says that though the book needs to be brought back in a sellable condition, students can use it like they would any other textbook. They may high-light it and take notes just as they would for a book that they had actually purchased.

Cindy Quiralte, ASG presi-dent, said she thinks the student body will respond positively to the rental option. She explained

that she understands how impor-tant books are to student success and she believes that the book rental program will help.

“I am optimistic about the response from the student body. ASG is committed to providing options to students who may be under financial constraints,” Quiralte said. “We understand that books are a critical compo-nent to a student’s success in the classroom, and the book rental program would be an option to alleviate financial burdens.”

The ASG office plans to start promoting the rental program on Nov. 15. This will continue through the end of the semester. Quiralte said the promotion will be done via speaking tours and

through student email accounts.Though the promotion has

not officially started on cam-pus, many students have al-ready heard about it and are eager for it to start. Felix Figueroa, a 20-year-old Eng-lish Literature major, said he would have benefited from this program a long time ago. “It would benefit everyone because you can give it back. Renting seems like a really good idea,” Figueroa said.

Alexis Acosta, an 18-year-old Cinema Arts major, shares Figueroa’s view on the rental program. Acosta said that rent-ing would save students money in the long run.

“We can save money by rent-ing,” she said. “You don’t have to pay the full amount. It’s a smaller fee right from the be-ginning.”

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ASG. Trustee Coronado said that he felt the meeting was successful. “We expressed what we wanted to the student body, and…I was trying to make sure that they were understanding, which they did.” He added that the primary goal was “to have students come and voice their concerns, questions, opinions, comments – that’s what town hall is about, and we got a lot of that today.”

Some students came away from the meeting feeling more informed than others. Amber Pacheco said that she felt the meeting was informative. “I did not know about a lot of that stuff,” she said. Another stu-dent, Brittany Hieng, who had asked why enrollment is capped so strictly said her question was not answered satisfactorily.

Trustee Coronado said ASG has already started planning

another town hall meeting for the spring semester.The reporter can be reached at [email protected]

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brittany hieng addresses a question to asg during their town hall meeting yesterday in the old administration auditorium.

Continued from page 1

Continued from page 1

The reporter can be reached at [email protected]

3November 16, 2011news

The holiday season is a season of many things; a season of hope and goodwill, a season of giving. But for many, the holiday season is a season of struggles and personal trial. Fighting depression during the holiday season is something that numerous people struggle with. According to Mental Health America (formally known as the National Mental Health Associa-tion) there are a plethora of things that can cause the “holiday blues”, ranging from finances to unrealis-tic expectations. Furthermore, it is not unheard of to develop post-holiday letdown preceding January 1. For those of us who battle with depression in and out of the holi-day season, here are some tips to help you cope and maybe conquer your struggle.

1) Do not feel alone, because you are not. According to the World Health Organization, 121 million people worldwide suffer from depression. And according to the National Institute of Mental Health 18 million of these cases are happening in the United States.

2) Just because a family mem-ber or friend is depressed, doesn’t

mean you have to be. “If you know someone who is depressed, it af-fects you too” -NIMH Although it may seem difficult at times, just because some one you know is depressed doesn’t mean you have to be depressed with them, enjoy the holiday festivities. Be a friend to that person you know, and advise them to seek help, but be cautious to the slippery slope that a depressed loved one can bring you down to.

3) Your age does not need to determine your happiness. “Although they comprise only 12 percent of the U.S. population, people age 65 and older accounted for 16 percent of suicide deaths in 2004.” -NIMH If you are older and struggle with depression try and remember that you are in your golden years, this is where you can begin to enjoy life, if you are younger keep in mind that you’ve got your life ahead of you. Regardless of age, you determine your happiness.

4) The holiday season is a time for joy and festivities. Remember that although the holiday season may be hard for you, Its gener-ally a time of good will, peace, and charity. One of the best ways

to beat the depression, is to help someone else conquer their holi-day blues. In most cities there are plenty of charity and volunteer work for you to be a part of, and these events and organizations can be found by keeping up with your local newspaper or by surfing the internet (using keywords like “volunteer” and “charities”).

5) Seek help before it gets severe. The best way to deal with depression is to catch it before it becomes severe. Even if its only minor depression, it could be-come severe over time or it may be linked to a larger personality disorder. If you are in a critically depressed or in crisis, call a friend or a loved one to be around im-mediately and or call 911 and seek emergency assistance.

Depression isn’t something new, its been around as long as humans have. Don’t let yourself become a victim to depression, especially during the beautiful holiday sea-son. For further information on depression and how to handle it go to; www.nih.gov search keyword “depression”, www.twloha.com, or contact your doctor or a medi-cal expert.

It’s also the season for depression-how to guard against it

By dylan Picazo

Rampage Reporter

When Jean Carroll walks into her English as a Second Language (ESL) class, she is greeted by pieces of chalk and chalk dust throughout the classroom. At the same time, her students walk in to a room that is littered with food remnants-- coffee and soda containers from previous classes.

“The maintenance in our build-ing is shocking. They expect us to teach in classrooms that are not cleaned,” said Carroll who teaches her ESL classes in the Language Arts building.

Carroll is concerned about the atmosphere of her classroom, but she is mostly worried about the technology equipment which is exposed to the dust in the room. “The worst part is that the dust has accumulated near the smart boxes. There are holes around where the wire goes in, and the dust is around those holes, which means the technology is going to be affected,” said Carroll. “There is nothing to call the tech people about because nothing has hap-pened to it yet, but it’s only a matter of time, and the worst part is that there will not be any money to replace it.”

Carroll reported the issue to her dean, who then reported it to the

maintenance office. Then, Carroll received word that the college’s maintenance department is short staffed and is doing its best.

Carroll says the reason the maintenance office is short staffed is because the dis-trict had to fire some maintenance staff due to the 50 percent law, which requires that 50 per-cent of all funds be spent on instruction. “The district runs close to the 50 percent mar-gin but they can’t replace mainte-nance personal because they will not hire full-time faculty,” Carroll said. “I lay this at the door of the district, and their adherence to the 50 percent law.” Outside of the Lan-guage Arts building, other instruc-tors say they have faced some issues with maintenance, but that the issues were addressed quickly. “Whenever I’ve complained about something, it gets tak-en care of within a reasonable amount of time,” said social sci-ence instructor, Allen Carden.

Janine Christl, Theater Arts in-structor, said that last semester, the bathrooms near the Theater Arts buildings actually got pretty bad but were taken care of. And recent-ly, a table near the box office had

a lot of very offensive and vulgar graffiti on it. It was cleaned up, but has now been tagged once again. Biology instructor, Scott Porte-ous, said the on-going mainte-nance is good enough. The few times he’s ever had any problems, he found the maintenance staff easy to work around and usually

get to the problem pretty quickly. Carroll worries that the Language Arts building may not be as prioritized like other build-ings on campus.

“The showcases classes in the

OAB [Old Administration Build-ing] are not showing marker dust that thick. There are no chalk-boards there,” said Carroll.

Even in certain language arts classrooms which have white-boards, Carroll finds it hard to put a marker on the ledge because her hands end up black when she pick up the marker.

According to Brian Speece, As-

sociate Vice Chancellor of Busi-ness and Operations for State Center Community College Dis-trict, replacing equipments such as blackboards is funded through what is called the Decision Pack-age, which requires each campus to allocate a portion of its lottery revenue to instructional materials.

Speece says the remodel-ing project hasn’t been as good in recent years because the state has not provided money for scheduled maintenance. “We have been do-ing as much as we can with our local money, but it’s less than what we used to get,” he said. Now Speece said he hopes for another Measure E bond which had in 2002 provided money for remodeling. “We remodeled the Student Services building; we remodeled all the technical, industrial service buildings, but there are still a lot of classes that can use remodeling,” said Speece.

Janell Mendoza, Acting Vice President of Administrative Services, says most classrooms are maintained equally. However, certain areas of instruction such as science labs, child develop-ment lab school, art and home economics require a higher degree of maintenance due to the type of instruction that takes place in the room.

Speece explained that the main-tenance department receives re-quests for issues that need to be addressed through a system known as maintenance service request. The office then prioritizes the

issues depending on the severity of the health and safety concerns.

“Student health and safety is the No.1 priority,” said Speece. «If it›s long term things that aren›t safety related, they fill out a maintenance

service request and we priori-tize them based on health and safety. If it›s something that creates an unsafe condition, we don›t even ask for paperwork. We immediately follow up on the request.”

Darren Cousineau, direc-tor of Environmental Health and Safety, says there are less maintenance workers on cam-pus than a year ago because of the tight budget but that all the high priority items are addressed.

“In particular, items that are deemed a health and safety is-sue receive top priority,” said Cousineau. “Some items that are desired by the campus are funded through the decision package, meaning there is a

certain amount of money each campus gets to do projects based on how they prioritize the need for those projects.”

He adds that often times the rea-son some classrooms seem better equipped than others is because a particular division has made it a priority to make certain classes have certain features.

As for the chalk dust, Cousineau says it is not an occupational health and safety issue for em-ployees.

“Chalk dust is calcium carbon-ated. It comes from limestone. The levels at which the dust is generated in the classroom due to chalkboard use doesn’t pose a significant safety hazard,” said Cousineau. “It’s a nuisance, but dry eraser boards create dust as well. But I can understand from a teacher’s perspective why they might want a white board.”

Speece said the district is currently working on a facilities master plan. “We are working on each campus to prioritize proj-ects,” he said.

According to the Fresno City College Accreditation Self Study, the planning and prioritization of new facilities are handled through the college’s Facilities Committee with direction from the Strategic Planning Council and the college president. The facilities committee recommendations are then for-warded to the SPC and submitted to the president for approval.

The accreditation self study adds that while this has hap-pened with certain projects, the implementation needs to be more consistent.

“Due to the budget crisis, the district is not filling classified po-sitions that were recently vacated due to retirement,” said Janell Mendoza. “However, we are able to submit documentation for justi-fying vacancies that are critical to the operation of the college.”

Instructors concerned about poor maintenance in classrooms


By tomas Kassahun

Rampage Reporter


chairs in the language arts building room 103 covered in gum.

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It’s crunch time again. Five more weeks of the fall semester remain. Are you feeling over-whelmed? Stressed? Here are some tips to help you make it through the final weeks.

Rekindle your inspiration.

Find that sole motivator that sparked your interest and let it light a fire within you. Let it remind and drive you to do your best in your classes.

Ask for help. If you feel like you are behind in

your classes, do not hesitate to visit your teacher during his/her office hours. It is better to seek help earlier, rather than later. Teachers are more willing to help you while you still have time to make up the work.

Reflect on your short and long term

goals. Reminding yourself of why

you applied to college and are spending your time taking classes may motivate you. Pursing a college degree can be daunting, but if you take it day-by-day, step-by-step, you will be rewarded.

Don’t Procrastinate!

If you procrastinate on completed your work, the more you get stressed. To prevent stress, make a schedule of what needs to get done and make sure you stick to that schedule. “Don’t put off to tomorrow what you can do today”.

Stay healthy. The flu and cold season is here. Many students have already been affected by sickness this semester. Be sure to wash your hands, eat a balanced diet and,in ex-treme cases, wipe down your desks with a bacteria fighting solution.

Take advantage of on campus help.

The tutorial center (located next to the library) offers assistance in many subjects. It is free to enrolled students. It is on a drop-in basis with convenient hours. Tutors model how to become a successful student in college.

Form a study

group. Grab a couple classmates and

form a study group. Studies have shown that being able to teach/explain a subject shows that you fully understand it. By forming a group you can quiz each other. Also you get the chance to help someone grasp a concept they may be lost on. If you can’t get a group together, join up with one other to form a study buddy. Two minds are better than one.

Get a good night sleep.

It is very important to your health to get a solid eight hours worth of sleep a night. When you get the proper amount of sleep your brain is able to function better, you feel rested and have better chance of not getting sick.

Take some time to relax.

Find a few minutes every day to sit, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. This will help you de-stress and to re-center your body mentally and physically.

Limit the partying until after finals.

Try to focus all your energy on these final few weeks. After you’ve completed your finals, go celebrate and party (as long as you do it responsibly).

Hopefully with these tips you will breeze through the rest of the semester.

Tips For Finishing the Semester Strong

By sasha Bell

Rampage Reporter

“I love this school.” said Am-ber Olmo. “Because i t means so much fo r me to be he re . ” During the Fresno City College ac-creditation meeting, she heard a lot of negative things about the college’s budget and programs. As she sat in the meeting, contemplating what accredi-tation meant, a question arose within her. “What do we do when we come to school?” She feels that the reason stu-dents go to class is to communicate with teachers and students. She stood to make her voice heard at the meeting. “I’ve learned so much here,” said Olmo, “I just felt like they [the accreditation board] needed to hear something good.”

Amber Olmo, also known as Am-ber Lynette, is a 19-year-old spunky Fresno City College creative writ-ing major who has an optimis-tic outlook on life. “Everybody thinks I’m on drugs,” said Olmo, “But I’m not. I’m just happy.” Olmo feels this way because she is tired of all the negativity in the world. “Everybody just dance!” she said. She hopes that her posi-

tive ray of sunshine will brighten someone’s day.

Olmo has had her share of hard-ships throughout her life. She had an unstable childhood, switch-ing guardianship between her grandmother and father. She acknowledges that while living

with her grandmother she was well provided for. However, while with her father many nights, she wasn’t sure where she was going to sleep. “Some nights where we stayed was cockroach motels,” she said. “I couldn’t sleep at night because there were bugs every-where.”

Although she had an unstable childhood, she still has hope and inspiration. She connects with the strong women characters in the books she reads and television

shows she watches. Many of her female characters in her creative fiction writing express the same strength. “I envision myself as being the strong warrior woman,” said Olmo. “Just hopefully with some better attributes.”

Her passion for creat ive

writing began at a very young age. Throughout her life, Olmo has been an avid reader. This trig-gered her love of stories. “I picked up writing when I started reading,” said Olmo. She loves plotting plots and developing characters for thriller stories. Olmo uses her writing skills for creating stories, and is also an Eng-lish tutor at Roosevelt High School. Olmo said that she loves the way helping others makes her feel because they are

getting the help they need. “I love when I get to tutor someone that brings in an essay because I can help them,” said Olmo.

Even though Olmo is confident with her writing, she has an urge to become a strong speaker. She admits she isn’t a very good

t a l k e r, b u t wants to get her vo ice out there. “I always feel like I have something t o s a y , ”

sa id Olmo, “But it’s hard for me to say it in words. When I write it I could just go on and on.” Public speaking is difficult for Olmo because it is “nerve wracking.” Her inspiration are those people who can make a confident sounding speech without

any script or any help. “I envy that. I want to be that,” she said.

Olmo has big dreams for herself. She believes nothing is going to get in her way. She plans to transfer to either University of California Berkeley, Santa Cruz or Los Angeles. Within the next few years she sees herself work-ing towards her doctorate in either creative writing, English, arts or film. “Anything creative,” she said. Olmo also envisions herself living in a castle on the beach. She hopes to be working in a job where she gets along with her colleagues and working with students.

“ I’m a dreamer,” says Olmo. “In the end, I’m here. I’m going somewhere. I want to be somebody that encourages people that have a bad day to smile.”



Registration has returned to Fresno City College and brings characteristically long lines. Priority reg-istration dates were Nov. 3-4 with continuing student registration from Nov. 7 to 21. New, returning and transfer student registration begins on Nov. 28.

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Amber Olmo wants people to smile By sasha Bell

Rampage Reporter

“I always feel like I have something to say”-amber olmo

5November 16, 2011news

kirk takes charge of African American studiesBy mia BaRazza maRtinez

Rampage Reporter

memorial and make sure it looked nice and good,” said Roman. “We got a great staff of people that put a lot of time and effort into it, and it shows.”

Veteran Attendee Agustin Cano of the Army said, “I love it. I’ve been here for the last five years in a row. Every year is pretty good.” Cano went into service in 1967.

The ceremony site displayed a model of the Sea Wolf, a submarine with only three of its kind. They were built in 1989 and were expensive to build due to their combination of both stealth and combat capa-bilities. Every year, this model is brought by the submarine veterans.

Jim Van Vranken, one of the submarine veterans, served in the US Navy for eight years on four different submarines as an electrician. He has also attended every FCC Veterans Day ceremony for the past five years. “I make a special point to come here,” said Vranken.

The first time Van Vranken attended, the Submarine Veter-ans were being honored. At the time, he was commander and got to be the speaker.

As a part of the chaplain corps, the duties of this year’s speaker include providing reli-gious services to people within his faith group, facilitating reli-gious services for people of dif-

Sleep is essential for a person’s health and wellbeing, ac-cording to the National Sleep Foun-dation (NSF). Millions of people complain of not getting enough sleep and some even promote refraining from it as a means of having more time leftover to work.

In a society that promotes the consumption of coffee and energy drinks as a way to stay awake, it’s easy to lose focus on the im-portance of sleep. According to the NSF, adults need an average of seven to eight hours of sleep a night. The amount of sleep a person needs also increases if he or she has been deprived of it in previous days. Not getting enough sleep creates a “sleep debt,” which is similar to being overdrawn at a bank. Eventually, your body will demand that the debt be repaid.

The saying, “Sleep is the cousin of death” couldn’t be more wrong or detrimental to your health and mood. Lack of sleep can lead to memory problems, depression, a weakening of your immune system, increase your chance of becoming sick, and an increase in the percep-tion of pain.

Chronic sleep loss can also put you at the risk of a stroke, heart disease, heart attack, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Here are five ways you can get more sleep and live a healthier life.

Turn Off Your Cell phone

There is nothing worse than lying in bed, trying to sleep, and receiving an interrupting phone call or text message. Even having your phone on vibrate can still be distracting. Save yourself the inter-ruptions and turn off your phone.

Get Your Homework

Finished Earlier

Everyone has those nights where they are forced to stay up really late to finish a homework assign-ment. However, procrastinating and putting off your homework until the wee hours can usually be avoided. Prioritize your work over hanging out with your friends and spending all day on social networks.

Refrain From Eating/Drinking Before Bedtime

Since food usually gives you more energy, it’s common sense to not eat food right before sleep.

If you must eat, keep it small, and avoid high-fat foods, which take longer to digest. Also say no to stimulants like caffeine and nicotine, which can raise blood pressure and energy levels.

Take a Powernap

If you are trying to catch up on sleep or are feeling extremely tired during the day, take a quick nap. 60 to 90 minutes of napping can play a key role in making new connections in the brain and solv-ing creative problems. However, studies show that a nap as short as 20 minutes can be the difference needed to get through the day.

Get Yourself on a Schedule

Humans are creatures of habit. Changes in your sleep schedule will not only mess with your body’s sleeping patterns, but can also affect your personality and health. Try to decrease your brain activity before bed by writing down your thoughts in a journal or reading a book.

Sleep can save your lifeBy Paulo nino

Rampage Reporter


ferent faith groups, providing care for those of all or no faith backgrounds, and advising the chain of command on the im-pact of religion on operations.

“Our main goal is to take care of the service members through spiritual and emotional sup-port and to advise the military on how religion and religious activity effects what they do,” said DiPinto.

Lt. DiPinto, currently serv-ing on the U.S.S. BonHomme Richard which is scheduled for a hull-swap to Japan, em-phasized that his attendance as the speaker was not for himself or the ceremony, but for those who have served and continue to serve.

“Veterans day celebrations are probably one of the most important things that our coun-try can do, because whether service members are actively engaged in the military, or whether they’re retired former service members, their experi-ences define who they are,” said Lt. DiPinto, “With all the different things going on in our country, with economic chal-lenges and political challenges, if we don’t take time and re-member what they’ve done and honor what they’ve done, those types of things can easily slip into the background.”

Veterans day Celebration Continued from page 16



After 40 years as African American Studies instructor at Fresno City College, Kehinde Solwazi was close to retirement. At the same time, 20-year-old Karla Kirk was a returning stu-dent at FCC majoring in busi-ness. But Karla would soon take a class with Solwazi and her dream would be altered. To this day, Kirk is not sure what exactly Solwazi saw in her, but he was con-vinced she was the best per-son to take up his position. Somehow he knew business was the wrong path for her. Kirk accepted Solwazi’s advice. Now here she is, half way through her first semester of teaching at FCC. But it was a path Kirk could have never imagined. Though her mother was a teacher, she fought the urge to go into teach-ing herself. She worried that her impatient nature would not allow her to be a good teacher. Now, Kirk says the most difficult thing she has learned as a teacher so far hasn’t been in the teaching itself. “The challenge is fulfilling all the other duties. This school promotes a high level of in-volvement with the faculty, which I love because I really want to be involved. Time man-agement has been the biggest

challenge. I love teaching, that’s what I love to do,” said Kirk. As an adjunct instructor at FCC, she had begun to hear about the challenge of looming budget cuts. “Because this is

my first year teaching, I don’t really have anything to compare it to. But I hear how the changes have been affecting my fellow

faculty members,” said Kirk. “The caps on our classes are a constant source of frustration for the faculty. We really want to fill up our classes but that’s just not an option right now.”

Apart from that, Kirk is fully aware of the struggles Kehinde Solwazi and Chicano Latino Studies professor Arturo Am-

aro faced in the early years of their disciplines. Both Amaro and Solwazi faced hostility from fellow faculty members who felt that Ethnic Studies were not valid academic fields. In 1969, Trustee Lynn B. Ford was quoted in the Rampage in response to the creation of the first African-American studies class as saying, “I don’t feel this type of thing is educa-tional. The few that want this course can get it some place other than this institution.” “I really have no experience with that kind of hostility. I’ve had nothing but tremendous support, from the department, from the dean, from the fac-ulty,” said Kirk. “I came into a 40-year program. I feel like education as a whole has ad-vanced a lot. Even with the budget cuts I feel that the program is safe because it is so popular with students.” And in a time where states such as Arizona want to eliminate the study of ethnic studies, Kirk believes she has a responsibility to carry the program into the future. “It is disheartening, this push to go back to the exclusion of everyone’s historical and social education. It is a blatant display of white supremacy. What I mean by white supremacy is

the belief that European ideals are set as the best and pref-erable. All of our histories are essential because we have

all contributed to what really makes up America,” said Kirk. Though California has made its reputation thanks to its diversity, Kirk says a lot of the issues that exist in Ari-zona exist in California because both states border Mexico. “It is really an attack on the foundations of education. How can you be a proponent of edu-cation with this kind of legisla-tion?” said Kirk. “It brings up the question of what is an im-migrant and who is considered as having already been here. And maybe people forget that this used to be part of Mexico.” Even with all these is-sues however, Kirk still has a burning desire to teach. She loves watching people learn and seeing that click going on in their heads. She doesn’t teach students what to think, but how to think. “Even if African American Studies isn’t every student’s area of interest, what’s impor-tant is their interest in the learn-ing process. That they enjoy interacting with the material,” said Kirk. “I am excited to be doing something positive for the community. I am from Fresno. I grew up here. Now this is my adult effort to give back to my community. I’m happy to help educate.”karla kirk replaced kehinde solwazi who retired in may 2011.

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mendoza loves working with people

As a 38-year-old re-entry student at Reedley College, Janell Mendoza struggled to adapt to being a student. Many nights she juggled homework and parenting. With her responsibilities so overwhelming, Mendoza doubted if she would ever make it. Through sheer determination, however, Mendoza would persevere and graduate at the top of her class. Now Mendoza is the acting Vice President of Administrative Services at Fresno City College, taking over for Michael Guerra who resigned in October. She comes with the experience of administration from her previous job at the Madera Center. “In my position at the North Center, I addressed the same issues on a smaller scope, so I had a pretty good idea what the job entailed,” Mendoza says. “It has been a learning experience coming from the smaller campus to the larger campus.” Since she was a little girl, Mendoza always knew she wanted to work in a position

where she helps people. “I always wanted to work with others but didn’t necessarily want to be a teacher,” she said. Born in the Belmont and Chestnut area of Southeast Fresno, Mendoza is the

daughter of first-generation Czech immigrants. She is part of a blended family with eight siblings in all. “My childhood was very stable. My father was a very hard worker and my mom was a stay-at-home mom. That

was traditional then,” she said. She attended St. Helen’s e l e m e n t a r y School and San Joaquin Memorial also in southeast Fresno. “After I graduated high school, I got a job, and my father’s advice was to find a nice guy and get married,” said Mendoza. In 1988, she enrolled at Reedley College as a liberal studies major while raising a family. “I have a lot of empathy and understandings with what many students go through because I was a single parent

and re-entry student,” said Mendoza. “One of the lessons I learned during college was that hard work pays off and not to give up. There were many times when I thought I wouldn’t be able to make it through.”

A semester after she began attending college at Reedley, she was hired full time at the Madera Center as a full time employee. She learned a lot about the State Center Community College District itself, student services, and in general how to help students. Mendoza had to learn a variety of skills to accommodate the different subjects students would ask her about. Students would ultimately see a counselor, but Mendoza would help in any way she could. During her time at Reedley, she worked with many other students mostly in study groups. “I was definitely a fish out of water surrounded by all these really young people,” she says. “When you are wearing your work clothes and all of the students are in their jeans and T-shirts; you definitely stand out.” One of the reasons Mendoza initially chose to work with the district was that the schedule would allow her to work and go to school. In her job at the North Centers, she was able to attend school in the afternoon and work in the

morning. In her new job, she noticed the contrast to her old campus immediately. She says, “It’s been a learning experience and very interesting to see the differences between working

on a smaller campus and a larger campus.” She has also noticed how busy this campus is. “This campus is very busy. The pace is very fast,” she says. Mendoza has also noticed that her job has become more challenging with budget cuts. “We’re trying to provide the services for students and maintain what they need to succeed in all aspects of their education and it is a challenge with this reduced funding,” she said. During these hard times, Mendoza stays optimistic about the financial situation. “My glass is always half full; I tend to be positive about things,” she says. “I love working with people. I like being around them. I’m kind of shy, but I enjoy working with people.” Aside from meetings and committees, Mendoza doesn’t usually get to interact with as many students like when she worked at the North Center, but she still likes being around them when she can. She said, “I take the time to say hello and how is it going when I can.”

By PaBel loPez

Rampage Reporter


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Janell mendoza, interim v.p oF admin services, has been with scccd For 23 years, serving mostly at the north centers.

“I always wanted to work with others but didn’t necessarily want to be a teacher.”

7November 16, 2011entertainment

mendoza loves working with people

November 11 was a day of many wishes, especially at 11:11 a.m., making it 10 ones in a row. But if there were any wishes that were granted that day, I’m positive they all had to do with the release of “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim”.

Skyrim was announced last year at the Spike TV 2010 Video Game Awards, and the Internet exploded! And since then, the anticipation only built up until its release last Friday.

Personally, I’ve always had this rule with Bethesda games. I always like to wait a year, because they usually do a re-release with all the extra content. I did this with both “Elder Scrolls 4” and “Fallout 3”, and plan to do it with “Fallout: New Vegas” (though technically, New Vegas was a game created by Obsidian Enter-tainment, using assets created by Bethesda to create the game). It was only natural that I’d plan to do that with Skyrim!

However, I couldn’t help but visit with a close friend who bought it on Friday just to see what Skyrim was all about. That was all I needed to change my mind.

Like the other Elder Scrolls games, you start off in custody. You and other criminals, all cap-

tured rebels fighting against the empire, are being taken to be executed. Your character’s back story is that he was caught ille-gally crossing the border into the kingdom of Skyrim. Just as you’re character is about to be executed, a dragon attacks, turning everything around you into mayhem.

At this point, as everyone is attempting to survive the attack, you get to choose: hide with the rebels or hide with the empire. Either decision obviously decides what kind of quests you can get, and might not be able to do. If you hang out with rebels, obviously the imperials might not take too kindly to you.

But that’s only the beginning. We never even got around to going any further with the main quest. Epic side quests ended up taking our attention, meeting new char-acters and engaging in new situa-tions of the Elder Scrolls universe.

This game is what roll playing gamers have truly been waiting on. If you love to immerse yourself with the fictional world that video games can offer, then this is the one to do it.

PhilliP’s Korner

Guys please keep in mind that your life is very important, not only to yourself but us too. But if you want to throw it away, go ahead and do that. But if you love your life, THEN THREAT YOURSELF LIKE YOU DO LOVE YOUR LIFE!!! Every day I see people doing things that can easily get them killed and most people don’t even know it. Not too recently, I lost a few loved ones because of most of these things.

By Phillip RomarRampage Reporter

How to not win a Darwin awarD

1STOP TEXTING WHILE DRIV-ING, GOD-DANGGIT!!! If your friend is driving and texting and if you’re in the car with

them you immediately have the right according to the fake Bill-Of-Rights, to legally break their fingers off!! It’s either their fingers, or both of your lives, take your pick. (But if you break their fingers, how are they going to drive?)

2If you’re taking pills and if the bottle reads “Take 46 pills” READ IT AGAIN!!! It’s more than likely that

it says four to six pills.

3If you’re a drinker BE CARE-FUL!!! Hangover 1 and 2 is funny but that stuff exactly does happen in reality. You

honestly want to be chased down by Mike Tyson, or find a tiger in your bathroom?

4If you can’t sleep, go see a doctor. Don’t just take sleeping pills without ask-ing your doctor. Some-

times it’ll work, but you won’t always wake up.

5I understand, everybody loves food, BUT DO NOT STUFF YOURSELF!!! Not only will you get fat or fatter,

you can die by over eating!!! Keep this in mind when your momma puts a plate of Jambalaya, Cornbread, Red Beans and Rice, Ribs, Ham, Turkey, Green Beans, Shrimp, and stuff in front of you on Thanksgiving.

6PUT ON YOUR FREAKIN SEAT-BELT!!!

8If the floor is slippery, then don’t walk on it. Go around. Even if your class is just right there. Go

around or you’ll be in for the fast-est slip-in-slide ever.

9Don’t bring your radio to the bathroom. As a matter of fact keep your radio a million miles away from

your bathroom. My friend, whose name is Don’t Trip, needs to listen to music whenever he’s taking a bath and he always brings the radio with him in the bathtub. Just because water can contain electricity, doesn’t mean you want to be in between that com-bination.

10S o m e t i m e s d i s -agreeing with a girl can get you killed. T h e r e a r e s o m e

girls out there that bend reality. If they say 2 + 2 = 73, just go with it.

7Jaywalking is the fastest way to get across the street but 7use the cross walk. You’d be surprised how

many people get killed from not using the crosswalk.

The D-pad

It seems as though in recent years the movie industry has been taking films of old and giving them an update. Last month there was a remake of the 1984 classic “Footloose” and the 1982 John Carpenter film “The Thing.” Last year a remake of the Coen Brothers released their remake of the John Wayne classic “True Grit” and in the next few years there will be a remake of “Dirty Dancing.”

One thing about remakes is that you need to take the original mate-

rial and spin it in a way to make it completely different. Take for example the 1986 remake of the 50s horror movie classic “The Fly”, starring Jeff Goldblum. Both movies are completely different from each other. In the original version of “The Fly”, the scientist is trying to find a way to reverse the process of how he became part fly. In the remake, the scientist first finds a way to try and reverse it, but then embraces his “gift.” Even how the scientists look are

completely different. The only similarities are the main character names and the reason why the scientist was changed into a fly. The rest is completely different.

The same goes for other remakes like the Eddie Murphy remake of “The Nutty Professor.” The only thing that is even remotely similar is that the professors in each film create a formula to change their appearance.

Even to a certain extent, the 2010 remake of “The Karate Kid”

has differences, being it’s set in China as opposed to California. Also, The “kid” is actually a kid, as opposed to being a teenager, and the wise old Martial arts master has an even darker secret than Mr. Myagi in the original. Everything else is quite similar but with a dif-ferent spin on the original story.

The point is that despite our love of movies that we have grown up with, a good majority will end up being remade. It’s inevitable but it’s up to viewers to decide whether

to pay the extra money to see a film that is basically the same thing as the original, just with different actors, like Footloose. Or see an excellent movie that resembles the original from a distance but is completely different up close.

clOne WArs: mOvie remAkes vs OriginAls



By austin VeRBuRg

Rampage Reporter

By daniel engelhauPt

Rampage Reporter


8 November 16, 2011 entertainment

Fans may rejoice as the world of Alagaësia erupts in the fi-nal installment of Christopher Paolini’s “Inheritance” series. The fourth and final chapter of Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Brightscales’ journey flows across the pages of “Inheritance” in an enchantingly seductive lure

to fantasy lovers of all back-grounds.

Paolini’s apt imagina-tion becomes a conduit of otherworldly fantasy to fans and readers across the world. The way his char-acters mature into their own while remaining true to their own constitutions

will leave readers inspired to take on a fantasy world of

their own.Eragon’s journey to conquer-

ing the Empire with the Varden has become even less predictable

and even more trying than his adven- tures in “Brisngr”, “Eldest” and the first book, “Eragon”. He and Saphira have fought numerous battles since the infancy of their partner-ship in “Eragon” and “Inheri-tance” proves to be a true test of their power, skill and sheer will to succeed.

“Inheritance” begins with a recap of its predecessors and re-minds readers of what trials and tribulations the saviors of Alagaë-sia have had to endure. The book begins with a somewhat rocky start as it seems that Paolini is eager to bombard the reader with the story. Though it was rushed, the desired effect was achieved. I could not put the book down.

My eyes swept over the lines of each page as if I were in the book myself. The story reached into my mind and grabbed a firm hold before there was anything to be done about it. With Paolini’s brisk

writing style, my memories, inter-pretations and very understanding of the lives of Eragon, Saphira and their friends, were assaulted with a new desire for the triumph of good over tyranny.

In “Inheritance” the readers travel closer to the keep of the wretched Galbatorix while the heroes become weary of their journey. Wills begin to break and strengths are tested in the cruel-est manners imaginable to bring Eragon, Saphira and the Varden to the very brink of annihilation. The words cannot register fast enough for my literary appetite to be sated.

Paolini has delivered another literary triumph for his readers to celebrate. With an enchanting storyline, relatable characters and a unique zest for fantasy, he brings his readers to the edge of their seats. Readers will be zealously flipping each page with the aim of getting closer to the reveal of the fate of Alagaësia and its mesmer-

Leonar-do DiCaprio r e t u r n s to the b ig screen in yet another role that is getting him closer t o Hollywood sanctity. It was apparent that he never shies away from a challenge when he played Howard Hughes in “The Aviator”, and Frank Abagnale Jr. in “Catch Me if you Can.” This time he takes on another challenge as he plays the iconic former director of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover.

The movie centers around Hoover’s life from the time right before he was appointed as head of the FBI in his twen-ties, through his death as the long-time leader of what be-

c a m e one of the most feared departments in all of government.

Sometimes hidden beneath the obvious layers of makeup and la-tex, DiCaprio still manages to portray the man he is playing as one that presidents and many other people feared.

The supporting cast and main characters in the film are Hoover’s autocratic and high-class mother Mrs. Anne Hoover (Judi Dench), Hoover’s secretary Helen Gandy (Naomi Watts), and FBI Associate Director Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer).

The film touches on the events that happened during

the time that Hoover

was the director of the FBI and how his per-sonality helped shape the way in which the agency conducted its business. Details are shown as to how it was

Hoover’s influence that helped inspire the creation of forensic files which are now in use in departments all over the country.

The overall setting and screenplay were of exceptional quality, which is no surprise whenever a film is directed by Clint Eastwood.

Overall Grade: A

R.E.M., the Georgia band who were a main part of the 80s and 90s college rock movement with their jangly guitar rock announced their break up on Sept. 21 2011. After more than 22 years of making music the band quietly announced that they would be breaking up.

“Part l i e s , P a r t Heart , P a r t Truth , P a r t Garbage” is a career spanning compilation of their songs. It shows how with time and age the music kept similar dynam-ics with a few significant

changes. Beginning with the first song, the band recorded “Garden-ing at night”, the basic template of their music is established. Some major parts that have always been present include acoustic guitars, steady bass lines, understated

drumming and singer Mi-

c h a e l

Stipe’s g r a c e f u l

melodies. This set covers the band’s

most recognizable songs such as “Stand“, “Losing My Religion” “The One That I Love“, and “It’s the End of the W o r l d as We

Know It.” I n t h i s way, it is exactly like the other greatest hits compilations the

band has released. The quality song writing is useful to demonstrate

why this band has stood the test of time but you could easily get the same from a single CD version.

What sets this set apart from the other compilations is the inclusion of unreleased songs and songs from

their newer discs such as “Ac-celerate” and “Collapse into

Now”, which didn’t re-ce ive a s

much r a -

dio p lay as the band’s mid-nineties records. The tracks chosen reflect the

band’s growth from 1982 to 2011. The band experiments with dif-ferent sounds without abandoning their basic rock ‘n’ roll. Tempos vary throughout the set and dif-ferent instruments are used such as the mandolin on “Losing My Religion“, the piano on “Night

Swimming”, and the synthesizer on “Uberlin.” Bassist Mike Mills’ background vocals have always been mentioned as a unique part of the R.E.M. sound and they are showcased on this compilation es-pecially on songs such as “Man on the Moon“, “Bad Day” and “Whats the frequency Kenneth?”.

The unreleased tracks don’t veer far from the basic t e m - plate that the b a n d u s e d t h e i r whole career. “A Month of Saturdays” sounds like a robotic version of the rest of the songs on the set. While “We Go Back to Where We Belong” adds soft horns to the R.E.M. sound making a nice jangly bossa nova sound.

This set seems to work best for a fan who already knows the bands radio hits and is interested in find-ing deeper cuts from the band. It is a good set to hold people over as most bands from the era seem to do.

By PaBel loPez Rampage Reporter

By Kaitlin Regan Rampage Reporter

By nathan alonzo Rampage Reporter




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9November 16, 2011entertainment

For most of us that live in Fresno, when asked the ques-tion “What do you want to do tonight?” The answers are usu-ally limited to going to the mall, movies, or maybe Boomers if there are kids in the picture. Thankfully for us, Fresno now has a brand new form of enter-tainment known as Skywalk.

This trampoline arena sets the bar high for having an entertain-ing day. Instead of sitting on your butt at the movies, or spending your paycheck on things you bought when you were bored, come to skywalk and get your heart racing with excitement. Tom Scott, a business major at Fresno State said “This place is a lot of fun, you don’t even realize you are exercising since you’re having such a good time, so much better that just going out to eat or watching T.V.”

Skywalk in an innovative arena, that is surrounded wall to wall in large trampolines as well as cushions in between so you can’t hurt yourself. The arena it-self is probably the size of a large house with vaulted ceilings that will make sure you don’t bump your head into the roof. There looks like at least 20 trampolines back to back when you first

walk into the jumping area. It is intimidating at first because there is so much space to jump. Once you get the hang of it, all you want to do is try and get higher or jump across each trampoline as fast as you can. Above the wall there is a basketball hoop that has trampolines going up the wall, letting you make a slam dunk while jumping with the ball. The hoop makes a fun game with people you meet there, or with the friends that you bring.

Towards the very back of the arena you are able to see three lighter colored trampolines that lead you to a vast oasis of black squared foam. This is what you may call, “The foam pit.” But don’t let that cushiony fall de-ceive you. This pit reminds you of quick sand if anything. You are supposed to start at the end of the trampoline and jump as high as you can into the foam. It is a soft landing, but the getting out part is the trouble. Don’t even bother wearing socks because on the way out you will be sockless. Swimming through the huge foam is a lot harder than it looks. Totally worth it though once you finally find a way out.

To the left of the foam pit is the “Dodge Ball” area, which has nets surrounding the sec-tion off so that the balls don’t get loose through the rest of

the arena. This sec-tion is pretty decently sized allowing you to freely jump around and practice your dodg- i n g skills. If you are a parent that worries about older kids jump-ing around the little ones, there are always employees walking around watching ev-eryone in ac-tion.

This place wil l make you have so much fun tha t you don’t e v e n rea l i ze t h a t y o u h a v e been

jumping for the past hour. There is music that plays non-stop, which allows you to dance and jump along to the music. If you look above, there are multiple colored lights above everyone for when the lights get turned off. The minute that the switch gets flipped, the

lights s w i r l

colors a l l around you causing ev-eryone to cheer and jump their hearts out. It seems to be a lot more fun w i t h the l i g h t s off, since it adds a sur- r e a l f e e l to the ambi- ance of the arena.

All in all Skywalk is definitely one of the most fun and afford-able places to go in Fresno. Once you go, there is no doubt you will be there again. It’s one of the

few places where kids and adults can equally enjoy themselves. They are able to provide areas for Birth-day parties or even just a big group of people. If you aren’t worried about a bedtime, Sky-walk is open late too. It’s open Monday thru

Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays 10

a.m. to midnight and Sat-urdays 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

So the next time you and some friends are contemplating what there is to do, make sure Skywalk comes to mind. It is an amazing place that makes sure that you are guaranteed to leave with a smile on your face, along with some sweat.

Skywalk is less than 10 min-utes away from Riverpark too! They provide easy directions once you call them at 559-326-2022<tel:559-326-2022>. If you are an adult wanting to jump with some friends, make sure to give them a call so that you can make sure they don’t have a party booked for the younger crowed. It is always better to jump with people your own size. There address is 10432 Highway 41, Fresno/Madera 93636.

getting high At skyWAlk trAmpOline ArenABy alexis aBRahamson

Rampage Reporter

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The holidays are almost here. It’s a season for par-ties, reunions or just to catch up with your friends attend-ing out-of-town colleges. Below are some “happy Hour” places that you might want to get together with friends.

1 The LandmarkIf you are a Tower

local that loves jazz, you may have heard of

the bar and restaurant called The Landmark. It has a very eclectic feel to it, with dark rooms and elongated bar, The Landmark makes you feel as if you’re back back in the 50s. The food is amazing, ranging from shrimp linguini to escargot.

At The Landmark you are guaranteed to find something that will make your stomach happy. The drink specials are perfect; the most popular beer seems to be Stella. Most locals are seen ordering this

classic beer, but if you like well drinks better they have a special for $3.50 as well as domestic beers for the same price. What sets this place apart from anywhere else is the music. Every Tuesday through Saturday they have Jazz bands such as “Espacio,” and “Three bags full,” who will provide your ears with some Jazz good-ness. On Tuesdays they have “open mic night,” so you can show off your singing skills for the Tower scene.

There is also the “Fresno pub quiz” every Wednesday at 7 p.m. where you can meet some locals, make new friends, and laugh the night away. The next time you are trying to find a place that is different, try the Landmark.

644 E. Olive Ave (Tower

District) 559-233-6505 Happy Hour Mon-Friday 4:30-6:30

2 S e q u o i a B r e w i n g Company

Sequoia Brewing Co. is the central val-

ley’s number one Micro Brewery. With two locations in Fresno, Sequoia Brewing is the supreme location for a locally brewed beer. During happy hour every beer on tap is only $3, and it is served in a tall 16-ounce glass. If you get hungry their appetizers will do just the trick; choices include their famous sweet potato fries, but if you’re looking for something spicy, you can order chips and salsa for a mere $2. Sequoia Brew-ing is a great place to take your family and friends.

The cabin-like appeal cre-ates a very comfortable at-mosphere, a nice spot to watch a sports game or chat with family over dinner. Live music is performed at both locations every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night.

Everything from Jazz to your favorite classic and alterna-tive rock tunes are featured.

Don’t get left out in the cold this winter, come into Sequoia where every body knows your name and you will be glad you came.

Tower District777 E. Olive Ave. a

North Fresno1188 E. Champlain.

Happy hour is Monday – Friday

3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., Saturday

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Sunday

10:00 am – 12:00 pm1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

3 Casa CoronaThis Mexican res-

taurant not only has mouth-watering food,

but an amazing happy hour. Casa Corona has a very laid back atmosphere included with a medium-sized bar

tucked in the corner of the restaurant, a great place to sit and gossip with friends. What sets this bar and res-taurant apart from any other place is that the food and drinks are equally afford-able. You are able to get $2 off any appetizer, such as their amazing nachos, shrimp and black bean flau-tas! If you are in a drinking mood, they have $3 mar-garitas, which are the best in town. However, the beer specials are the best priced with domestic beer for only $2. So if you’re the type that loves spicy food and well priced drinks, Casa Corona is always the best choice.

7044 N Cedar Ave559-323-7409Happy Hour:

Mon-Friday 3:00 -6:00 p.m.8:00 -10:30 p.m.

Sat-Sunday 2:00-5:00 p.m.

“the drunken city,” directed by theater instructor chuck erven, will open in the Fresno city college the-atre From dec, 1 to 19. written by canadian playwright, adam bock, the play was First produced in new york city in 2008.the student actors include: Jochebed “Jo” smith as linda; benJamin mc-namara as eddie; bridget manders as marnie; giovanni navarro as bob; Jono cota as Frank; and lena aguilan as melissa. andrea reyes is an under-study For the character oF melissa.oF his cast members, erven said, “i love working with these students. they’re wonderFul actors and we’re Fortunate to have them here.”

clockwise From top right: Jochebed “Jo” smith (linda) watches in disgust while lena aguilan (melissa) is held onto by benJamin mcnamara (eddie) while practicing scene 3. (bottom right) aguilan (melissa) prepares For a scene by Jumping onto Jono cota’s (Frank) back. (bottom leFt)bridget manders (center) plays the main character called marnie while aguilan (leFt) and (right) smith are co-stars. smith (linda) channels her inner drunkiness during prac-tice.

“Drunken City” to Debut in FCC Theater

Make the best of the “Happy Hour” in FresnoBy alexis aBRahamson

Rampage Reporter

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11November 16, 2011views

Here we go again. It’s that time of the year where we engulf grandma’s mash potatoes as quickly as possible before a camping trip to the mall. God forbid, one arrives a minute after 11 p.m. and the deal of the century will be handed to a loyal shopper who was willing to skip the turkey to arrive on time.

Sure New Year’s Eve is still more than a month away, but this particular day may be even bigger than that. Because this is Black Friday Eve.

On this night, there is no half naked Jennifer Lopez to help us count down.

Nevertheless, the countdown is on. When the clock strikes midnight, the rampage of-ficially begins. Soon the doors part and these desperate souls go flying in. Delusion

has them convinced they are stretching their hard earned dollar. Yet their wallets cry for mercy. Like a hungry lion, the cash registers gladly open up and take all they can get.

As dawn arrives, the madness has yet to reach its peak.

Still the dazed look on the faces of in-nocent children is quite evident. Many of them hold on to their mothers like a monkey holding on to its banana. Some are even trampled as the race for the Toshiba heats up. Before long, the weeping begins and the toilet calls. Now it’s a mad scram-ble through the crowd before an accident occurs and the pants become drenched.

When that issue is resolved, the tummy

grumbles. Conveniently, a food court just happens to be nearby. More importantly, those $10 dad just saved on his brand new coat, really come in handy at this junction. And in case $10 isn’t enough for dad and the family, why not add a few more dollars and satisfy the whole family. Hopefully whatever is left will be enough for gas since there are still many stores in town that have yet to be visited.

As lunch comes to a conclusion, it turns out that still not all problems have been solved. At this point, there is a clear demand to visit jolly old St. Nick. Dad being the good father he is doesn’t want to disappoint his children or Santa, who has made the long trip from the North Pole. In fact dad is so kind, he stands in line for hours with a painted smile, just so his children can sit on the lap of a man who is only trying to make a living.

But as it turns out, dad isn’t the only poor soul during this so called greatest day of shopping. Teenagers too are troubled on this day as they fight through the chaos of the mall and often cross paths with their ex-sweetheart or worse their teacher, who is all of a sudden wearing a muscle T-shirt with beach shorts.

In this age of the internet, it seems logi-cally for people to avoid all this chaos and shop from their recliner. Yet people insist on taking part in the madness. Of course some call it a tradition. But if this is what we call a tradition, maybe we have some explaining to do.

At some point in history, I’m sure it was a privilege to give and receive a gift. Today it’s an obligation. It’s as if the constitution requires Americans to participate in the lunacy of Black Friday. And people who are not willing to sacrifice their time or dignity are deemed a Scrooge.

We can no longer turn on the TV with out

being reminded that kiss is spelled with a “k.” After watching these advertisements a few thousand times, we’re supposed to rush outside and join the crowd. Otherwise, our duties as a loyal partner are unfulfilled. Ultimately, it’s about the amount of money we spend on each other and not about the time we spend together.

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By tomas Kassahun

Rampage Reporter


Pro ConBy Jesse FRanz

Rampage Reporter

Is Black Friday Worth participating in?


“Like a hungry lion, the cash registers open up and take all they can get.”

- Tomas Kassahun

“Ultimately, it’s about the amount of money we spend on each other and not about the time we spend together.”

- Tomas Kassahun

Thanksgiving has become a cultural landmark in this country, one of the few truly American holidays. Subsequently, we spend this day in appreciation of everything that makes us American: foot-

ball, obesity, and wondering why contact with your family can’t be relegated to the Christmas cards which are surely going to flood your mailbox during the next month. In recent years, another tradition has come to play a part in our national celebration: Black Friday. Whether you see it as a cor-porate created, profit driven celebration of everything wrong with modern America, or as the perfect time to get that new computer you’ve been wanting for $14, the truth is that Black Friday has become an American hallmark, and something that’s here to stay.

We can’t simply demonize it or call it frivolity, nor chastise it for interfering with one’s turkey dinner, because to some, it’s become just as much of a holiday and family event than sitting around trying to eat your grandmother’s fruit cake as Aaron Rodgers throws another touchdown pass. How can we say that those who choose to celebrate Black Friday are wrong simply because they choose to celebrate their four day weekend in a way that hasn’t socially become accepted yet?

In truth, are the other holidays we cel-ebrate as a nation any less peculiar? Easter is a day celebrating what most sci-fi fans today would call a zombie apocalypse, and a rabbit laying multi-color eggs saying, “Hey kids, come eat this.” Halloween is a day where people take on dual identities, and ask strangers for candy. And last, but

by far, not the least, Christmas, the most sacred American holiday, celebrates greedy children, deforestation, and feeding into a kind old man’s obesity.

However, ignoring the irrationality of their own accepted holidays, people are quick to refute Black Friday as a corporate gimmick. Needless to say, I see it different-ly. I see a father and son sitting in front of Best Buy waiting for the doors to open for 12 hours and I wonder about all the stories that that kid was told and how much closer his father now feels to him. I see a family of four getting up at 5 a.m. yelling at each

other about who gets to use the bathroom first, but by 6 a.m. at the mall, Starbucks in hand, laughing with each other. I try to think back to the times that my family and I had those bonding moments, and I can tell you right now that they never happened over Thanksgiving, or any other “normal” holiday. They happened when were doing something completely and undoubtedly irrational with each other, like going to Target before the sun came out to get a Panini press for $3.99. And in the end isn’t that what the holidays are suppose to be about, growing closer with your family?

Black Friday has accrued a stigma that it’s people spending money they don’t have for things they don’t need. And in a way that’s right. That’s not to say that it’s a waste of money though. No more than

spending a grand on Disney Land tickets,

or a Broadway play, or a baseball game. Black Friday is a bonding event like

any other, and to say differently is to be blinded by your own traditional views and pomposity. Although I no longer live with my parents, and my childhood is but pic-tures in a scrapbook, I’ll always have those memories of groggy Friday mornings with a bad turkey hangover, sipping on coffee with the ones I love most.

“We can’t simply demonize it calling frivolity, nor chas-tize it for interfering with one’s turkey dinner, because to some, it’s become just as much of a holiday and family event as sitting around trying to eat your grandmother’s fruit cake...”

- Jesse Franz

“Black Friday is a bonding event like any other, and to say differently is to be blinded by your own traditional views and pomposity.”

- Jesse Franz

12 November 16, 2011 views

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By Kaitlin Regan

Rampage Reporter

By mia BaRRaza maRtinez

Rampage Reporter


Homeless Are Forced Out of Their Shelters

Today’s student is facing des-perate times.

Class offerings are cut down drastically; part-time professors are being laid off; fees are rising and counselors’ hours are short-ening.

Many students depend on the night classes offered, but the library closes at 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and is closed on weekends.

Our full-time professors are asked to bear the weight of over-crowded classrooms while simul-taneously turning away hundreds of students due to strict caps.

Students cannot sit and wait for their rights to be handed to them. Like students in past generations, we must let those in charge know what we can and cannot tolerate.

It was the G.I. Bill of the late 1940s and the Master Plan of Cali-fornia in 1960 that really brought forth the public funding for higher education. Veterans were coming home to high unemployment, and the society needed to find a place to put them.

So what did the state decide to do? Pay for their education, hous-ing, and books. The restructuring of the UC, CSU, and community college systems meant that men largely from working-class fami-lies, including men of color (and mostly men), who may not have had the opportunity to access these educational institutions, began to move up in academia.

In the 1960s, nontraditional students, including women, gained access to institutions of higher learning through the free tuition of community colleges and began to make demands that were not unheard of but not popular with the older, repressed, and conservative generations that were accustomed to an institutionally racist and sex-ist system of education.

It was this new college popula-tion that helped fuel the social movements that have become immortalized in the collective memory of this country: the Free Speech Movement, the anti-war movement, women’s and gay rights movements, the civil rights movement, and the fight for Ethnic Studies and a call for a more equal representation of minorities and

their history in higher education.All the while, the rest of the

world was up in arms against the powers of imperialism through in-dependent, democratic revolutions and uprisings. The same global movements can be seen today in the Arab Spring, the anti-austerity movements in Europe, and Chile’s student movement for a fully-funded public education system.

Despite the gains made 50 years ago, so many of the same struggles are still present today. The pri-orities of today’s society seem, at the moment, to be either one of two things: basic survival on one hand and massive private profits of impossibly powerful corpora-tions on the other. Students fall under the first distinction. Close to 70 percent of FCC students are eligible for financial aid. Despite this monetary award to help with the expenses of being a student, most students have more than one job or are struggling to find a job in a jobless economy.

Even the rhetoric is beginning to change. Last semester, at a Board of Trustee meeting attended by two dozen FCC students and faculty, Trustee Patrick Paterson

clearly stated, “Open access is out the door.” Paterson was the only member of the Board willing to be honest about the fact that the community college was no longer going to serve the community and put students first.

The community college was, for the first time, going to begin closing its doors to many students as fees increase and class offerings become less and less. Remember that line of students standing against the wall of your English class trying desperately to add it? Those lines are only going to get longer.

The State Center Community College District is holding on to $41 million in reserves, up from $34 million last year. The CSU Board of Trustees voted to raise the salary cap of CSU executives to $350,000 at the same meeting they voted to increase student tuition by 12 percent. In a few years, the UC undergraduate tuition could jump 16 percent annually, to more than $22,000 if state funding does not increase. This year, UC tuition is up to $12,182, not including hous-ing or campus fees.

Public education is now drasti-

cally standardized and professors are dealing with incoming students that have not been asked to be criti-cal, creative, or analytical in their K-12 education. But they can fill in bubbles on a test marvelously.

The student is understandably left with a “get in, get out” men-tality. This makes it nearly impos-sible to create an atmosphere on the campus of intellectual activ-ity. Few are the lectures, cultural, and other intellectually enriching activities traditionally associated with a California college campus.

The difference between stu-dents today and the students of the 1950s to early 70s is that they made demands of their society. No matter how outlandish, radical, or “un-American” they sounded to conservative ears, they made themselves heard.

There are big questions about the role that we as students have to play in all of this. It is time these questions are asked. As students we must think critically of the an-swers we are given, and we must begin to get together to discuss what our own answers will be.

Students Must Take Charge of Their Own Future

In a proposed two-week campaign, the City of Fresno is destroying all of the homeless encampments in Fresno. The destruction of the shelters on G Street took place during the first week of the proposed two-week

time frame.This leaves the already home-

less without anywhere else to go. Their possessions were ransacked as they watched their homes being destroyed. It is times like these where the public loses faith in the system.

Those shelters were the last places available for homeless

people and now they really are left on the street. The City of Fresno is supposedly giving them time to “move out” but where exactly can they go?

There are no options being given and no outside resources being pulled to help them find new places to live. These are hu-man beings that we are talking

about. They deserve to have a safe, warm and sheltered place to lay their heads at night no matter their circumstances.

The fact that they are homeless inspires a sense superiority in those with homes. What needs to be realized is the sobering fact that we are all just one paycheck away from being in that same position. All it takes is one disaster or one slight mistake and all of the com-forts and amenities that we have will be torn from underneath us.

There are veterans that are homeless. This is deeply trou-bling. Those who fought for our country are not taken care of. The thanks that they receive for their sacrifice is a few coins handed to them at an intersection. At what point does a society need to say that enough is enough?

Everyone has a story and ev-eryone has a reason for where they are at in their life. There was a man on a street corner a few years ago that I sat down and

talked to. This man was a college graduate and he was living on the street. His wife had died in a car accident with his son and he could not go on.

This man was just that a man. Society deems the homeless to be lesser mammals because of their unfortunate stations in life. A shocking aspect though, is the notion that they may be superior to society. Having the strength to soldier on through the curves that

life throws them is more than the comfortable people of this society can possibly understand.

Having the last shreds of their dignity stripped from them by having their shelters destroyed for aesthetic purposes are not only wrong but also it is a gross violation of basic humanity. The cruelty and apathy generated towards the homeless population is a disgusting display of an un-imaginable superiority complex.

Not only should the homeless be given a place to go but they should also get a public apol-ogy from the City of Fresno for the tribulations that they have endured. I would like to ask members of the City of Fresno to imagine their homes being destroyed and the effect leaving them on the street. It would then be a priority to find them a new place to live or compensate them for their troubles.

The homeless population does not have that option. They do not

have family that they can stay with nor do they have the ability to just go and find an apartment. The City needs to realize that what they have taken every last thing away from the homeless community. They have nothing left to give yet they stay humble and resigned. How much more of them can be eroded away before action is taken to stand up for humanity?

“The cruelty and apathy generated towards the homesless population is a disgusting dis-play of an unimaginable superiority complex.”

- kaitlin Regan


13November 16, 2011views

With the holidays come snow, family gatherings, and that whole healthy mentality you had over summer, flying right out the fes-tively decorated window. With the most anticipated and essentially fattening holidays right around the corner, it’s a little harder keep your cravings at bay. Here are a few tips on how to keep your body as far from resembling ol’ Father Christmas as possible. (not only will these tips keep your ugly sweaters fitting like perfection, they will keep your immunity up when the temps are down.)

1. It is important to eat regu-larly. Most experts say a healthy snack every few hours is best. We all know how hard it is to turn down bad food choices when you’re starving. If you’re going to a party, eat a light meal before. This will keep you from binging on pumpkin pie.

2. Just because bathing suit season is over, doesn’t mean your workouts should diminish. Granted, jeans are forgiving, but not if they will no longer button. If you don’t have the time or want to shell out your holiday cash on a gym membership, take a few jogs around the block, or even around campus. Plus, winter workout clothes are universally flattering, (hello, black yoga pants). Exercise will also get your endorphins flow-ing, making the dreary winter days a bit more cheery.

3. Experts say to drink less alcohol, as many drinks are ex-tremely high in calories. It’s also tough to turn down seconds on sweet potatoes when you have a buzz, am I right? If there is no way you’re giving up alcohol on your beloved break, try something a little lighter. Swap the eggnog for a martini. Cheers!

4. Eat when you’re hungry, but stop when you’re full. Grandma will forgive you for not stuffing yourself full of her stuffing, when she sees how sleek you look in your Christmas pictures. Slow down, it isn’t a pie eating contest.

5. If you slip up, and say, “ac-cidentally” enjoy 7 sugar cookies with your venti Pumpkin Spice latte, get back on track. Don’t think “your diet is blown” and continue to indulge. Thoroughly enjoy every bite and frothy sip of

that sinful breakfast, then wipe the crumbs off your face and consider a salad for lunch. Your calories intake should be like a bank ac-count, if you spend too much at one meal, even it out on the next. Resume your healthy eating, your body will thank you.

6. Stay warm! People tend to want hearty, comfort food when they are chilly. While I enjoy a chicken pot pie as much as the next person, you have to limit yourself. While refreshing salads

and fresh veggies don’t hold the same allure as they do during the summer months, you still need them, Try steamed and sautéed veggies, throw those greens over some whole grain pasta. It’s warm and hearty and leaves you feeling far less guilty than casserole.

According to a 2010 study

,weight gained over the winter holidays often isn’t lost during the rest of the year. A new study suggests that Americans prob-ably gain about a pound during

the winter holiday season-but this extra weight accumulates through the years and may be a major contributor to obesity later in life. According to The National Institute of Health.

If you would like more informa-tion on healthy eating and weight management you can make a free appointment with a Registered Dietitian on Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Fresno City College Student Health Services.

By maddie hagoBian

Rampage Reporter


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What is Your Favorite Thanksgiving Tradition?

“It would have to be getting stuffed and then watching the football game.”

Kaylup Johnson,Computer Technology

“We just try to get whatever family is in town together for some dinner and just cook together the night before, so we can do fun stuff the next day.”

Tanya Moazamipour, Engineering

“Well,because of our new arrival in the family, my nephew, we like to just get to-gether and cook and just wtch him enjoy his first Thanksgiv-ing.”

Gary Barrett, Kinesiology

“Eating, reminiscing on past Thanksgivings, watching football and then playing football afterwards.”

Demiree Garcia, Pre-Physical Therapy

“Family, it’s all about family.”

Wallace Whipps, Counseling

“To have my mom cook tamales and have the whole fam-ily come over.”

Claudia Carbajol, Creative Writing

Campus VoicesBy Kaitlin Regan

Rampage ReporterBy daVid thammaVongsa

Rampage Photographer


How You Can Stay Healthy During the Holiday Season

14 November 16, 2011 sports

Football team finishes undefeated season

keysaw credits students for great season“Targets ontheir Backs”

The Fresno City College wrestling Ram’s are gearing up for the California State Champi-onship. A lot of pressure falls on the players this season with their desire to be undefeated for three times in a row.

The players are very dedicated this season because they have had a “target on their back all year long”, according to Coach Paul Keysaw. They practice hard and play harder. Each practice they go through an intense 40 minute conditioning, then the practice drills and positions. This pre-pares them both physically and mentally says Coach Keysaw. They continually improve as individuals each practice. How-ever, Coach Keysaw admits that their positions could be stronger as a team.

This season’s team is very strong. They have four return-ing state champion players and six returning finalists which are salivating for another win at state championships. This year there are nine sophomores and one freshmen, which means the team has room to grow. “We’ve had the stars aligned for us with really good players.,” said Coach Keysaw.

The team has two more compe-titions before the Wrestling State Championships, one on Nov. 19 and the other on Dec. 3, 2011. Coach Keysaw is very proud of the team this season and how they have handled the pressure of be-ing defending state champions. Wrestlers are competitive in na-ture according to Coach Keysaw. However, this team has “strong personalities and driven kids” said Coach Keysaw.

“We’ve been fortunate to win championships,” said Coach Keysaw, “But we really want our kids to be successful after they leave here.”



Fresno City College wrestling coach, Paul Keysaw, is in the midst of another title hunt. In his tenure at FCC, Keysaw has led the Rams to two state championships. “It’s all about the coaching,” Keysaw said jokingly. In actuality, he admits that the winning streak is due to having great players. The wrestling Rams have four returning state champions and six returning finalists this season, said Key-saw. The team also has nine sopho-mores and one freshman, which means there is potential for growth. Keysaw says “winning is a by-product of our preparation” and that being prepared is everything for this team. He said it is very important for the players to be in great physical condition, so he puts them through a series of both physical and mental conditioning each practice.

Each practice they do approxi-

mately 40 minutes of warm-up con-sisting of running, push-ups, mo-tion drills and running up and down the stadium stairs. This warm up is something “most normal people” could not do, Keysaw said. Mental conditioning, he said, comes through physical condition-ing. He wants to get his plyers fatigued through physical activity, then pushes them to think under pressure.

“This is what typically happens at a match,” said Keysaw. “You have to crack a few times before you learn not to crack.” It is all a learning process, which is why Coach Key-saw and his assistant coaches are there – to help the players prepare. Before Coach Keysaw was head coach of wrestling at FCC, he was head coach at Moorpark Col-lege. He stayed with Moorpark for 10 years and was awarded several coaching awards as well as three state championships with his team. As a wrestling competitor,

Keysaw was a Pennsylvania State High School Champion in 1986 and runner-up in 1985. He was a two-time NCAA Division I All-American, placing 8th in 1990 and winning a national title in 1991 at 190 pounds.

He received his BA in Lib-eral Studies from CSU Ba-kersfield in 1991 and his MA in Curriculum/Instruction from CSU Bakers f i e ld in 1995 . Keysaw began wrestling at the ripe age of eight. His elementary school had announced they were looking for wrestlers; he went home that evening and asked his parents if he could sign up. “That was the end of that. I’ve been wrestling ever since,” said Keysaw. He continued with it because he “was good at it.” He has been surrounded by wonderful people in the sport. “They have inspired me to do better,” Keysaw said. Wres-tling has shaped not only his career, but his character, family, life and

kids. “I graduated from college. I credit that to my wrestling,” said Keysaw, even though he admits he was never the college type of guy. Keysaw said he doesn’t know if he could do anything other than coaching. “I fell into coaching 20 years ago, and here I am,” he said. He enjoys being with his “kids”, trying to make a dif-ference in their lives and to be part of their dreams. “I had my own dreams [as a wrestler], that’s why I enjoy theirs,” said Keysaw. Coach Keysaw says his loyalty to his players is his greatest strength as well as weakness.

He will fight for his players and protect them as long as they are doing the right thing. Being on the team means living by Keysaw’s rules: go to class, be a good person, no lying or stealing, show up to practice, and work hard. “If my kids do that for me,” Keysaw said, “then I will go up to bat for them.”

By maRcell dilwoRth

Rampage Reporter

By sasha Bell

Rampage Reporter


The Fresno City College Rams football team wrapped up their undefeated season with a 31-0 victory against their arch rival, Reedley College in the “The Battle of the Pump.”

In the process, the Rams also took the conference title. Head coach, Tony Caviglia convinced his team that Reedley had noth-ing to lose, so the Rams were ready to deal with whatever the Tigers were planning to do.

“Our defense played real good. They kept us in the game,” said Caviglia. “We scored in the kick-ing game and on defense.”

The Rams went into the game without quarterback Lance Oren-der who had suffered a sprained clavicle during the game against

San Joaquin Delta, a week earli-er. Orender is expected to play in the championship game against City College of San Francisco on Dec. 26.

First year player Jacob Salas took the place of Orender and completed 9 of 16 passes and threw for one touchdown pass and two interceptions. Caviglia said the Manteca native “did a great job managing the game.”

The Rams’ first score came after defensive back Travis Quarless intercepted a pass and returned it to Reedley’s 13 yard line. The Rams scored three plays later when running back Kevin Williams rushed the ball into the end zone from six yards out.

The grudge match game for the pump stayed close until spe-cial team’s player Dasheo Fri-

erson returned Reedley’s failed field goal attempt for 109 yards to put the Rams up 21-0 with no time left before half time.

Caviglia’s scouting report showed that Reedley has a tendency to fake field goals and punt the ball , so the Rams were prepared to re-spond by putting Frierson in a position to receive the ball. “He [Caviglia] told me during practice that their field goal kicker couldn’t kick that far. He kicked it right to me, and I saw nothing but the end zone and said I have to score,” said Frierson who said he believes that the Rams are undefeated because of the hard work in practice.

“Every player takes it upon themselves to work hard, even when the coaches are not around,” said Frierson. This

is the third undefeated FCC football team under Caviglia’s leadership. Caviglia expects “to compete, play and win every game” he plays.

“Sometime, it happens and sometimes it doesn’t, but we prepare to win, and this year it happened,” Caviglia said. “We have a lot of heroes, a lot of great stories.” He also added that his players operate with great character.

Offensive lineman Josiah St. John is one of those heroes. “We work hard to do what we are taught and told to do,” said John. The Rams are ranked high in many categories. They are ranked No.1 in passing, passing efficiency, and sacks allowed. They are also ranked No. 2 in total offense and No. 3 in rushing.

Their defense has many similar honors as well. They are No.1 in the fewest points allowed as they have allowed just 163 points. They also recorded the most intercep-tions with 25 including two returned for a touchdown.

Many of the players have also put up strong numbers. The Rams have the No. 1 passer in Lance Orender, and several top receivers including Leroy Travis who is ranked No. 2 in receiving and Trent Hicks who is No. 7. The defense has been led by Dashoen Frierson who is No. 10 in tackles, as well as Corey Childs and Caleb Justice who are both No. 7 in sacks.

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15November 16, 2011sports

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By nathan alonzo

Rampage Reporter

basketball RAms Hope to go all the way

November is here. Along with the change in foliage and anticipa-tion of the holiday season comes another wonderful event, the Fres-no City College basketball season. The FCC Men’s Basketball team returns to the court following a 31-3 overall finish in the 2010-11 season and a ninth consecutive Central Valley Conference title. After reaching the final four of the state tournament last season, the Rams hope to go even further. Coming into this season the Rams are ranked No.2 in the state accord-ing to pre-season polls, only behind No.1 Diablo Valley. Also at the top of the polls is No.3 City College of San Francisco, who for years oc-cupied the top spot in the rankings. Assistant Head Coach Lucas Gabriel, said the goal of the team this season remains the same. “We expect to win a state champion-ship,” Gabriel says. “Over the past 10 years, FCC has had the highest

winning percentage in the country.” In the past decade, the Rams have appeared in the state’s fi-nal eight seven times, and have won two state championships. This season, the Rams will have to overcome the loss of expe-rienced players who have now gone on to play in the NCAA or International Collegiate programs. Last season’s electrifying super-star, Quinton Watkins, is now play-ing at California State University, Los Angeles, along with FCC teammates Cheyane Alcala, Percy Lemle, and Jibreel Nasir. Alex Fletcher, the vocal team leader last season is now competing for Lethbridge College in Canada, and Earl Jefferson now plays for Texas Pan-American University. With the majority of the playmak-ers from last season’s 3-3 team playing elsewhere, the Rams will have to rely on the leadership and playmaking abilities of Rodney Webster and Tomas Sanchez, the only two returning players. The Rams will be welcoming 13

new freshmen who will be ex-pected to contribute and make a major impact right away ac-cording to the coaching staff. “This is potentially the most talented group of freshmen that FCC has had in a long time. It will be interesting to see if we as a coaching staff can get the most out of them,” says Gabriel. The talent that the Central Val-ley has produced has translated into great players on the roster for the Rams this upcoming season. Joining the Rams are local talented players DeAndre Medlock (Clovis West), Ju-nior Morgan (Liberty), Marcus Hall (Bakersfield), and Randall Jackson (Garces.)The rest of the roster is composed of tal-ented players from around the state and from across the country. The Rams will be challenged with a daunting and by some opinions intimidating schedule. The schedule will have the Rams taking on tough competition from the get-go. Already the Rams have

After all he has seen during his time in the Air force, Klundt says he has a different perspective in life. “I don’t take anything for granted. I wake up in the morning and I make sure I tell my family I love them. I spend time with as many friends as I can,” he said.

Having witnessed a fallen broth-er in his unit, Klundt now says he now knows how valuable life is and how every second matters.

As for the adjustment to civilian life, Klundt says it’s still ongoing. “Some days, it’s good, and some days, it’s bad, but it’s nice to able to just drive across town and spend some time with friends,” said Klundt. “There are still some things I have to cope with, but running has always been a great escape for me.”

But what matters even more for Klundt is the satisfaction he gets from helping others with running.

“When I was in service, there

were a lot of people who came to me and asked me for help to re-duce their mile time,” said Klundt. “Being able to help others is a really good feeling.”

Today Klundt is one of the elder statesmen on the cross country team at FCC. Although he jok-ingly describes himself as the old guy, he doesn’t take his leadership responsibility lightly.

“I have gotten many tips here and there from the all the years that I have been running, so I try to incorporate that and give that to the other guys,” said Klundt. “A lot of people run because they are fast, but to run because you enjoy it is another deal.”

Klundt says the goal is to go as far as possible with running.

“I joke around about crossing the finish line and letting that be my last breath,” said Klundt. “I know my body is getting old because I have been running for

so long, but as long as nothing happens to my legs, I’m going to keep running.”

Klundt is now on a complete civilian status. He says It is nice not having to shave everyday. “I can grow facial hair and have my hair grow longer than half an inch,” he said.

While he enjoys the comforts of home, Klundt makes it his mis-sion to remember his brothers and sisters still at war.

“I have a lot of respect for the flag. I still have a brother who is in the Army. I keep in touch with a lot of friends I served with. They are stationed all over the world,” said Klundt. “Any time I see a service member in uniform, I make sure I say thank you because I know it’s far and between that they get the recognition they deserve.”


Klundt Continued from page 16

faced No.3 City College of San Francisco in the preseason. They will also take on Southern Cali-fornia powerhouse Los Angeles Trade Tech and No.1 Diablo Val-ley College before the preseason culminates. Head Coach Ed Madec describes the schedule as, “The hardest schedule in the state.” The Rams find themselves in a tough division as they will face teams such as College of the Sequoias, who the Rams believe will be their biggest competi-tion this season. Last season, the Rams defeated COS on COS’

home court by a very thin margin. Even with the potential and recent success however, the coaching staff still sees many areas in which the team needs to improve in order to be successful this season. “The greatest challenge for this year’s team will be to overcome our own youth and lack of maturity,” said Gabriel. “If we are able to tap into our potential, we have a chance to be better than last season’s final four team. However, that’s a big if.”

Tyler Schoenfeld, a two year sophomore defender and first team all-league player, is one of the team captains for FCC men’s soccer.

Head coach, Eric Solberg, de-scribed Schoenfeld as a team player with a keen understanding of the elements of the game.

“He understands the game really well and he understands his role as a defender,” said Solberg. “He’s a team guy, and he has played every minute of every game unless we were beating somebody bad.”

Schoenfeld attends classes at the Willow campus and has not decided on a major. In addition to his classes and his pivotal role on the FCC men’s soccer team, Schoenfeld also coaches.

Every weekday afternoon, Schoenfeld coaches girls’ soccer at

Kastner Intermediate School. He believes coaching makes him a better player and sees himself coaching soccer in the future. Schoenfeld said, “It’s fun because I get to do the drills and play with the kids,”

Soccer is not just a sport for Paige Mason. It’s a lifestyle. Ma-son who is a center midfielder for the Fresno City College women’s soccer team, has been a starter for two years.

Head coach, Oliver Germond says he wishes he had a whole team like Mason. She impacts the team with her leadership skills and determination.

“She’s one of our team captains so she’s a great leader. She’s not so much a vocal leader but she leads by example,” said Ger-mond.

Germond also says that Mason is a larger impact on the team due to her position. She is at the center of the field, so she has an impact on both offense and defense. Her statistics include four goals and seven assists for a total of 15

points thus far. Outside of soccer, Mason

works at Victoria’s Secret and enjoys drawing. She is currently in the honors program at FCC and plans to major in Graphic Design when she transfers at the end of the spring semester.

Soccer Stars Motivate Teams


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By Kaitlin Regan

Rampage Reporter

tyler schoenFeld, Fcc men’s soccer deFender.

paige mason, Fcc women’s soccer center midFielder.

the Fcc men’s basketball team prepares For their tournament against la trade tech this Friday.

Football team finishes undefeated season

16 November 16, 2011 Featured

A Veterans Day ceremony, held at the Veteran’s Peace Me-morial in the Free Speech area of Fresno City College on Nov. 4, honored all military men and women, paying a special tribute to the military support services personnel of the armed forces.

Lt. Jason DiPinto, son of FCC’s Student Activities office assistant, Valerie DiPinto, gave the keynote speech. DiPinto is a member of the Chaplain Corps of the U.S. Navy and is currently serving on the USS BonHomme Richard in San Diego. He said he arrived a day before the ceremony and was happy to come home for the event.

“I like it here. This is where I grew up; this is my home town. There’s always a level of comfort being here that you don’t get any-where else,” DiPinto said. “It’s a real honor to be here, both for

the Veterans Day celebration and just to spend time with family and friends.”

The ceremony began with bag-pipes playing “Amazing Grace” followed by raising of the colors by the Fresno Police Department Color Guard. The Fresno FCC City Singers then sang the national anthem.

“We’d been working on this piece and [we were] excited to sing it for everyone,” said Marci Maxwell, one of the City Singers. Maxwell said the group has been working on the national anthem since September.

Each year, the Veteran’s Day ceremony honors a particular group within the military. The honored group this year is the military support services, said Mary Alfieris, chair of the FCC Veterans Memorial Committee. This is including, but not limited to, technicians, auto-mechanics,

office personnel, the chaplains, medics and nurses.

In his speech, DiPinto men-tioned that the most decorated members of the military are the

hospital corpsmen. He paid a spe-cial tribute to the veterans who are a part of support services, as well as all veterans of all branches and careers within the military. He said, “The men and women who serve our nation need our support.”

DiPinto said that speaking in

the ceremony is “an honor for any officer enlisted personnel in the service.”

Valerie DiPinto, who was a part of the committee that put the event

on, said she was very proud of her son. “I was very proud of what he had to say,” she said. “I think the ceremony went fabulous.”

Towards the end of the ceremo-ny, Valerie Salcedo, Miss Fresno County 2011, sang “God Bless America.”

“It went well. I’m very honored to be a part of it,” said Salcedo, who said she feels strongly about honoring veterans because her cousin is currently serving in Af-ghanistan. “Being a part of stuff like this is such an honor.”

Refreshments were served by the FCC café after the ceremony.

“Our dedication to the veterans is very strong,” said Alfieris. “The importance of the veterans and their service to our country can-not be undervalued.” Alfieris also runs the veterans office on campus. “We feel that it’s our responsibility to make the community and the campus aware of the service and the sacrifice that our veterans have made for us.”

FCC Army ROTC Military Sci-ence Instructor, Michael Roman, was a part of the crew that helped set the event up. “Our main goal out here was to clean the

FCC honors Veterans

Matt Klundt has bounced around like a pinball. At 25 years old, he has covered almost every corner of the globe and has seen just about every culture, tempera-ture, and time zone there is to see. But no matter where he was, the one constant in his life has been his love of running.

Though Klundt grew up playing many sports, nothing came close to running. At Hoover High School, his coach saw the potential in the young man and pushed him to his limit. Klundt never looked back. From Hoover, he came to Fresno City College where he continued to build on his love of running.

At FCC, Klundt proved himself as a strong long distance and stee-ple chase runner. But after a year at FCC, injuries mounted grinding his academic goals to a standstill.

It was then that Klundt turned to the Air Force. He took basic job training at Lackland Air Force base in San Antonio before landing in Turkey for a 15 month tour. There, Klundt pursued his passion of run-ning and even competed in races.

“My job was very physically

demanding so I ran when I got the chance to keep in shape,” he said. He worked as part of the security forces.

When Klundt moved on to Iraq, he continued to make time for run-ning, no matter the circumstances.

“If I had a mission during the day, I would run at night,” said Klundt. “No matter how tired I was, no matter what went on dur-ing the day, I always made sure I made time for running. It was also an outlet for any kind of stress relief or to get away from people I was around every day.”

And the conditions were far from pleasant. But neither the vast amount of sand, nor the freezing winter or the blazing sun would stop Klundt from running.

In a span of eight months in Iraq, Klundt logged over 1,000 miles. “It was physically the best I have ever left. I was on a constant schedule. I was eating right. I was just doing everything the right way,” said Klundt.

During his time around the world, Klundt has experienced many races which are hard to forget.

While he was stationed in Tur-key, Klundt traveled to Belgium and took part in a race that brought

together five different national Air Forces. “It was unique to experi-ence all the difference cultures,” said Klundt.

He remembers a not-so-pleasant race in South Korea where the air was so bad one could almost taste it. Conversely, Klundt has also seen the greatest sights in Alaska where he was surrounded by mountains and vegetation. He was also stationed in Guam where he ran in the constant humidity.

But one of his most memorable races came during his time in Iraq in the “Fallen Soldiers Half Marathon,” a race held annually to honor fallen soldiers.

The conditions were atrocious as it had rained two days before the race. But it was decided that no amount of mud would stop the soldiers from honoring their fallen brothers and sisters.

“The mud was so bad, it was as thick as milkshake, and the road was slick; there were people los-ing their shoes. It was the worst condition I have ever run in, but I ran my best half marathon time,” said Klundt.

In 2010, Klundt completed four years of service and returned home.

klundt--running through time zonesBy tomas Kassahun

Rampage Reporter

By austin VeRBuRg

Rampage Reporter

See RUNNER on page 16

See VETS on page 5

“Whether service members are actively en-gaged in the military, or whether they’re retired former service members, their experi-ences define who they are”

Lt. Jason DiPinto

Navy Chaplain Corps

Fcc student matt klundt.

above: american legion post 147 honor guard perForms a salute.below: community members From all branches were invited.

the peace memorial monument’s star represents the Five maJor conFlicts the us had been involved in prior to the 1993 dedication oF the memorial

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