By AMANDA SOWASan Jacinto Times

College isn’t just for teenagers anymore. It’s for the good, the bad, and the jobless. With the economy inthe pits, adults are losing their life-long careersby the day.Yes, this is not new information. We all areaware of the struggles with unemployment inthis country, but what is there to do about it?Without a college degree and with the fiercejob market competing with the economicdownturn, adults are finding themselves with-out a head start.Returning back to school seems to be thefavored solution.Many people returning back to schoolhaven’t been in a classroom in years, andalthough many are used to deadlines at work,it can be challenging getting back in the groveof things.

As an alternative, many returning students find the flexibility of online classes extremely helpful whileraising a family and still working.

Of course a majority of adults who are heading back to school want to change careers to find a new job,or to earn a higher income, but getting a college degree is a great personal sense of accomplishment at anyage.Many adults go back because they want to become an expert in their field, or want to develop talents pur-suing their personal interests (a second chance of their dream job perhaps.)Many are also setting a good example for children, by implying the message, “If mom can do it at 40,you can do it at 20.”The number of adults enrolling into college courses is going up, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing downanytime soon. According to the Department of Education, two out of five college students are 25 or older.According to the National Center for Education, in 1970, the number of students over the age of 35returning to school was 9.2 percent, and in 2001 the same student demographic represented 19.2 percent.This change is a 100 percent increase.Marty Cuffee, who is in his forties, is currently enrolled in the medical imagining program at San Jac.After serving in the military for a number of years and having his own business, which he felt was begin-ning to control his life, Cuffee decided to go back to school to pursue a second career.“I would say to any adult that’s thinking about going back to school, go for it because you can unlockyour true potential. It is a challenge, but you should welcome it with open arms because it’s a new expe-rience to face,” Cuffee said.Cuffee recommends setting small goals with small steps so that the change will not overwhelm you, as itcan be terrifying for an adult to step in a college not knowing what to do.

LATE on PAGE 5

Blog PostThe most interest-ing student blogposts of the weekPage 7.

OpinionA look into the livesof military veteransafter they returnhome. Page 2.

MexicoA look at places notto visit on springbreak in Mexico.Page 3.

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Photo by Michael Deats/San Jacinto Times

It’s never to late to make a difference in your life

Photo by Amanda Sowa

By MICHAEL DEATSSan Jacinto Times

Spring Break is upon us, and some of us may notbe prepared. When going through your travel list,you may need to be sure to have a few essentials,like a passport. If you don’t have a passport that’sok, although it takes about two months to acquireone, you can get a pass card more easily and it canbe used to travel across the boarders by road. Thereare still many other places for you to find a vacationresort, and the beach doesn’t always have to bewhere the excitement is. With nighttime tempera-tures still dropping down into the 50’s and 40’smost spring break travelers can assume that thewater will be pretty cold. Famous party towns like New Braunfels, Corpus,Austin, and Galveston will still be open for busi-ness with all the same accommodations we knowand love. With soaring gas prices, the average trav-eler would need to keep the following in mind;$100 gas budget for traveling expenses and consid-er bringing easy to cook items like: hotdogs ham-

burgers, steaks, plenty of water and what ever elsemay enhance the recreational experience. For thelow budget traveler, Kemah can be a great destina-tion as well. If you want to really get away from it all, and

have a lot of money on hand, due to ticket prices inthe thousand-dollar price range, the Caribbeanislands are safe for travel (no passport required).For those who don’t know, the legal drinking age inPuerto Rico is still 18, although to gamble you mustbe 21 and it can be considered a great attraction forSpring Break enthusiasts from 18 and up; withbeautiful beaches and a rich native culture, springbreakers can explore, party and diversify theirunderstanding of the Latino heritage. Campingmay be a great alternative this year. With a fewhours’ preparation, a good tent, plenty of friends,and a basic understanding of how to build a camp-fire, travelers can seek out refuge near Lake Conroeor head to the Guadalupe River for an urban sab-batical.

See BREAK on PAGE 5

BY JOSEPH ENGSan Jacinto Times

Each Spring Break brings either amazing vaca-tions or boring stories of staying home and work-ing. Students “blessed” with jobs while attendingcollege often find themselves unable to take offenough days from work to free up enough time fora lengthy vacation during this time. Instead, somestudents do not even try to take off and opt to uptheir hours at their jobs during this time. With freetime otherwise taken up by school, working stu-dents find themselves raking in the dough if theychoose to work during the vacation period.In otherwise empty free time students such as TimLapointe, a junior attending central campus, plan towork significantly more hours thanks to the vaca-tion from school.“I’m not much of a party person. I find it morepractical to spend my time doing something pro-ductive and earn a little dough rather than take aweek long vacation. I can still find time to relaxeven with the increased work load.” commented

Tim. He added that even with a 40 hour week hewould have plenty of time to relax and ‘veg out’with friends.Tim works at a local Foodtown in Pasadena wherehe plans on working as many hours as his boss willgive him. Tim is just one of many students that planon staying at home and working over the holidaybreak. Additionally, many job opportunities open up dur-ing Spring Break. Popular tourist spots, such asFlorida beaches and other tourist hot spots willoften hire seasonal workers for a few weeks to aidin their ability to service the vacationers andtourists. Local tourist hotspot, Space CenterHouston (not to be confused with Johnson SpaceCenter) hires seasonal employees to work duringholidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, andSpring Break. It is important to note, however, thatmost of these seasonal employees at Space CenterHouston also work during the summer while schoolis out.

See WORK on PAGE 5

SSPPRRIINNGG BBRREEAAKK SSPPEECCIIAALL

Have your plans in order before you go Many students will spend it working

Marty Cuffee is pursuing his dreams at SJC.

March 7, 2011San Jacinto Times • Page 2

Opinion/commentary

The San Jacinto Times is published week-ly by the journalism students at San JacintoCollege Central, 8060 Spencer Highway,Pasadena, TX 77505.Opinions expressed herein are those of

the writer and not necessarily those of thestaff, its adviser, the administration or theBoard of Regents.The Times encourages letters to the editor.

Letters must be in good taste, accurate, freefrom libel, malice or personal controversy.Letters must be limited to 200 words inlength. Letters submitted without theauthor’s signature will not be accepted.

The staff reserves the right to edit the let-ters for accuracy without altering the gener-al meaning.Letters can be e-mailed to

fred.faour@sjcd.edu. Letters must includename and phone number for verification.The online edition of the Times is available

at www.sanjacintotimes.com.

Advertising space is available for $5.00per column inch. Special rates are avail-able. For news tips and information onadvertising, contact the Times at 281-478-2752.

ASSISTANT EDITORSAmanda Rae Sowa, Joseph Eng

ADVISERFred Faour

EDITORMaria Chavez

San Jacinto Times

San Jacinto College Student Publications

MANAGING EDITORMichael Deats

CONTRIBUTING EDITORHarrison Lee

DESIGN/WEB EDITORChris Shelton

CIRCULATIONCristal Calvillo

ADVERTISINGSara Quintana

Corrections and clarifications

In Issue No. 2 (Feb. 21), a columnon Page 2 stated that theConstitution guaranteed Life,Liberty and the Pursuit ofHappiness. That is from theDeclaration of Independence.

In Issue No. 2, an unedited frontpage story on dropping classes wasinadvertently published.

In Issue No. 3 (Feb. 28), a cutlineon Page 5 misidentified Art Rasconand Ramiro Fonseca.

In Issue No. 3 (Feb. 28), a story onNarcolepsy on Page 1 was inadver-tently incomplete. The full and cor-rect version appears on Page 7 ofthis issue.

The Times Staff regrets theseerrors. Every effort is made toinsure accuracy, but it is our policyto correct mistakes when they dooccur.

Attitude toward military shows nation’s true colorsBy CATY CHRISTYSan Jacinto Times

Back in October it was brought to the attention of the Supreme Court that asmall Baptist church in Topeka, Kansas had been protesting at military funer-als, saying things like “God Hates Marines” and “Thank God for DeadSoldiers.” Most people were appalled by the idea. However, church officialswill proudly admit that they’ve instigated over 40,000 protests (FoxNews.com).Sadly, as many people know, this is not the only disrespectful treatment our

military has to endure."Not many people realize just how much our military men and women sac-

rifice," San Jac student, and Marine fiancée, Cassandra Torres said. "Theydeserve much more respect for putting their lives on the line."Recently, rumors have been circulating that there has been talk in the defense

department of cutting military health benefits by 50%."It's ridiculous” Torres said. "They aren't worrying about the families of the

deployed. Many military wives have to support their families off of those ben-efits."There is no definite word yet as to the truth of these rumors, but there most

certainly have been a few discussions on the issue. Many military membersbelieve it to be true. Congress has brought forth the idea before and have yet tocompletely squash the rumors -- and this coming from the same group of peo-ple who routinely like to vote themselves pay raises.Another issue that has been brought up is the fact that very few stores and

restaurants offer a military discount."A military discount should be required absolutely everywhere," Torres said.

"That's the least people can do for our troops."It may amaze some people to know what types of stores do offer military dis-

counts."I went to a Spencer's Gifts and was immediately offered a discount," Lance

Corporal Joseph A. Soto, United States Marine Corps, said, “but at an upscaleboutique, which offered dog tags for special occasions, I wasn't given any-thing."

LCpl. Soto has been in the Corps for two years now and has not seen anyimprovement in military treatment."I fight for people's right to live their happy little lives and hardly ever get

even so much as a 'thank you'," LCpl. Soto said.He hopes that one-day people will realize just how much they need the mil-

itary for their own security."Without us, civilians would be completely lost if someone threatened

national security," LCpl. Soto said.It's difficult to get through a day around people who don't understand the sac-

rifice it takes to live a military life."I can't believe that there are actually people out there who wouldn't appre-

ciate everything men like my fiancé have been through for their freedom,"Torres said, "and it makes me want to cry."Lots of people believe that they do know what it takes because of video

games like Call of Duty or Medal of Honor."Our lives aren't video games,"LCpl. Soto said. "In combat, you don't get torespawn, you don't get four or five bullets before you're down, you don't just runup behind the enemy, and there is no 'pause' button. You get one shot and thatdetermines if you get to go home or not."The general attitude towards the military is very complacent and ignorant.

The irony of that is that in war, complacency kills. Some people like to say thatthey never asked these men and women to sign that contract or to fight for theirfreedom. A very wise person once said, "If you can't stand behind our troops,feel free to stand in front of them."

Watch out for falling debris in GalvestonBy VICTOR ARAIZASan Jacinto Times

Traveling to Galveston for Spring Break? Soundslike a trip worth pursuing. The close proximity tohome, the warm Texas weather, and let’s not forgetthe touristic beaches filled with majestic salt waterand debris. Wait! Debris?That’s right! It seems like the hot topic inGalveston’s The Daily News is the ongoing lengthydemolition of the historic Flagship hotel on the sea-wall. My first thought would be that the destructionof such a historic building, especially one with somuch meaning to the area, would be spurring con-troversy with local citizens. It turns out citizens arefine with saying goodbye to the old hotel. The con-troversy here: local surfers claim workers on siteare dumping concrete and glass remains into theGulf of Mexico, allegedly.The 225-room Flagship is the only hotel in Texason pilings over the Gulf. It was originally built in1965 as a show of confidence after Hurricane Carla,but after the destruction by Hurricane Ike in 2008,the hotel never recovered its grandeur. Landry’sRestaurants, the property owner, hired ArdentConstruction in 2010 to tear down the hotel, withlater plans to build an amusement park on the site.Landry’s told the Galveston newspaper it hasreceived a number of complaints over the past cou-ple of weeks regarding the topic of debris fallinginto the gulf. The Houston-based restaurateurclaims it has sent several inspectors to the site, all ofwhom declare the work site to be in compliance.Witnesses around the area have also spoken withthe local media and agree they haven’t seen anyviolations. In reading their comments on the news-paper’s website, some have argued that obviouslythere will be small portions that fall into the ocean.The general feeling amongst the proprietor and thecitizens is that the current method is the best avail-able. All least they didn’t just blow it up and let thedust fall were it may.So what seems to be the problem? As always noteveryone is happy.The claims against the company were mostly leadby area surfers who quite frankly were probably justbothered by all the noise coming from the demoli-tion, noise that interfered with their surfing.They’ve taken their stance online to their message

boards, blog posts, and social media statuses. All inefforts to rile up the community in just anotherprotest because they can’t share the sea. Boohoo!It’s absurd and rather childish. One of the surferseven stood out at sea with his handheld video cam-era for an entire two hours to record some type ofviolation. Needless to say, there is no outstandingevidence from this poorly shot video and frankly

just a waste of time. The three videos were postedto g-townsurf.com and the website even sent theGalveston land office links to the videos. The cityofficials weren’t very impressed.Sometimes these efforts to catch these large com-panies in unlawful acts prove heroic and praise-worthy. In this case, it just looks rather amateur andembarrassing for a couple of guys with nothing else

to do but swim on a Monday afternoon.If you’re looking to make a change, make sure youset out to acquire concrete evidence. Bring your A-game! You guys really want to be environmentalistsand cause a rally? Host an actual clean-up effort andbetter your community. Otherwise just find somewaves elsewhere and let the productive work insociety get done.

Photo by Jennifer Reynolds/The Galveston Daily NewsThe Galveston County Daily News ran a story on construction at the Flagship Hotel involving debris.

Jakcy Torres Photo

March 7, 2011San Jacinto Times • Page 3Around campus

8 DAYS A WEEK8 DAYS A WEEK

Monday, March 7• Hush Art Exhibit by Ann Wood (M-F), 8:30 a.m.,

Black Box Theater, Fine Arts Building

• Psi Beta Meeting, 1 p.m., Room 1101

• SGA Meeting, 3 p.m., Room 4202

• Tennis Club Meeting, 3:30 p.m., Tennis Courts

• Mixed Martial Arts Club Meeting, 8:30 p.m., Gym

Tuesday, March 8• Gaming Guild Meeting, 3:30 p.m., Room 2141

• Art Club Meeting, 5:30 p.m., SFAB 113

Wednesday, March 9• Student Bible Fellowship, 11:30 a.m., Game Room

• WEBB Society Meeting, 2:30 p.m., Room 1131

• BEST Club, 4:30 p.m., Children’s Center

Thursday, March 10• Phi Beta Lambda Meeting, 2:30 p.m., Room 2208

• Student Veterans Association Meeting, 3:30 p.m.,

Student Center

• Gaming Guild Meeting, 3:30 p.m., Room 2141

Friday, March 11• No Scheduled Activities

Saturday, March 12• No Scheduled Activities

Monday, March 14• Psi Beta Meeting, 1 p.m., Room 1101

• SGA Meeting, 3 p.m., Room 4202

• Tennis Club Meeting, 3:30 p.m., Tennis Courts

• Mixed Martial Arts Club Meeting, 8:30 p.m., Gym

Monday, March 7• Objects of Affection Art Exhibit by ChastityPorter (MWF), 10 a.m., Fine Arts Gallery

• Prepare the Way Meeting, 11:30 a.m., CSTC 210A/B

Tuesday, March 8• TSEA Meeting, 1 p.m., CSCI 243

• BSM Bible Study, 1 p.m., BSM Building

• VYNE Meeting, 1:30 p.m., CSTC 210A/B

• Objects of Affection Art Exhibit by ChastityPorter, 2:30 p.m., Fine Arts Gallery

• GSA Meeting, 2:30 p.m., CADM 204

• Open Gym (w/Student ID), 5 p.m., Gym

• Indoor Soccer (w/Student ID), 6 p.m., Gym

• The Wind Symphony & Slavinskaya Symphony,

7 p.m., Corbin Recital Hall

Wednesday, March 9• Sociology/Anthropology Bake Sale, 8 a.m., CSTC

• BSM Free Lunch, 11:30 a.m., BSM Building

• BSM Bible Study, 1 p.m., BSM Building

• VYNE Meeting, 1:30 p.m., CSTC 210A/B

• Anime Society Meeting, 2 p.m., CADM W112

• Philosophy Club Meeting, 3:30 p.m., CADM W106

• Open Gym (w/Student ID), 5 p.m., Gym

• Indoor Soccer (w/Student ID), 6 p.m., Gym

Thursday, March 10• BSM Soul Cafe, 11 a.m., BSM Building

• ASID Board Meeting, 11:30 a.m., CAND R215

• Objects of Affection Art Exhibit by ChastityPorter, 2:30 p.m., Fine Arts Gallery

• Philosophy Club Meeting, 2:30 p.m., CADM W106

• SIFE Meeting, 3 p.m., CSTC 202C

• Tennis Sign Up (w/Student ID), 6 p.m., Gym

Friday, March 11•No Scheduled Activities

Saturday, March 12• Gaming Society Meeting, 12 p.m., CSTC 210A/B

Monday, March 14• Prepare the Way Meeting, 11:30 a.m., CSTC 210A/B

Monday, March 7• UH Campus Visit (M-F), 8 a.m., NADM Table

• Art Exhibit by Artist Jeff McGee (M-F), 9 a.m.,

North Gallery

Tuesday, March 8• UH Downtown Recruiter, 9 a.m., NADM Table

• Intramural Sports Sign Up, 9 a.m., NSTC Lobby

• Rotaract Club Meeting, 1 p.m., NSTC S215

• Alternative Teacher Certification Program

Information Session, 5:45 p.m., NLIB 208A

Wednesday, March 9• Intramural Sports Sign Up, 9 a.m., NSTC Lobby

• WEBB Society Meeting, 1:15 p.m., NBCB C1026

Thursday, March 10• History Speaker, 9 a.m., NSTC S200

• Intramural Sports Sign Up, 9 a.m., NSTC Lobby

• Bruce Machart Reading & Booksigning, 10 a.m.,

Fine Arts Auditorium

• Career Workshop, 1 p.m., NILC 206

• Gallery Opening, 6 p.m., NFAB Lobby

Friday, March 11• Anime Club Meeting, 12 p.m., NTEC A1025

Saturday, March 12• No Scheduled Activities

Monday, March 14• UH Campus Visit, 8 a.m., NADM Table

N o r t h

S o u t h

C e n t r a l

EspanolEspanol

Lunes, Marzo 7• Hush exhibición de arte de parte de Ann Wood

(L-V), 8:30 a.m., Black Box Theater, Fine Arts

Building

• Junta de Psi Beta, 1 p.m., Cuarto 1101

• Junta de SGA, 3 p.m., cuarto 4202

• Junta del club de tenis, 3:30 p.m., Tennis Courts

• Junta del club de artes marciales mixtas,

8:30 p.m., Gym

Martes, Marzo 8• Junta del gremio de juegos, 3:30 p.m.,

Room 2141

• Junta del club de arte, 5:30 pm., SFAB 113

Miercoles, Marzo 9• Asociación estudiantil de la biblia, 11:30 a.m.,

Game Room

• Junta de la sociedad de WEBB, 2:30 p.m.,

SFAB 1131

• Junta del club BEST, 4:30 p.m., Children’s center

Jueves, Marzo 10• Junta se Phi Beta Lambda, 2:30 p.m., Room 2208

• Junta de la asociación de estudiantes vetera

nos, 3:30 p.m., Student Center

• Junta del gremio de juegos, 3:30 p.m.,

cuarto 2141

Lunes, Marzo 14• Junta de Psi Beta, 1 p.m., cuarto 1101

• Junta de SGA, 3 p.m., cuarto 4202

• Junta del club de tenis, 3:30 p.m., Tennis Courts

Lunes, Marzo 7• Exhibicion de arte Objects of Affection de

parte d Chastity Porter (LMV), 1 a.m., Fine Arts

Gallery

• Junta de Prepara el Camino, 11:30 a.m.,

CSTC 210 A/B

Martes, Marzo 8• Junta de TSEA, 1 p.m., CSCI 243

• Estudia bíblica de BSM, 1 p.m., edificio BSM

• Junta de VYNE, 1:30 p.m., CSTC 210 A/B

• Exhibicion de arte Objects of Affection de

parte d Chastity Porter (LMV), 2:30 p.m.,

Fine Arts Gallery

• Junta de GSA, 2:30 p.m., CADM 204

• The Wind Sypmphony and Slavinskaya

Sumphony, 7 p.m.,

Miercoles, Marzo 9• Venta de pasteles de parte del club de

sociología/antropología, 8 a.m., CSTC

• Lonche gratis de BSM, 11:30 a.m., BSM Building

• Estudia bíblica de BSM, 1 p.m., BSM building

• Junta de VYNE, 1:30 p.m., CSTC 210 A/B

• Junta de la sociedad de anime, 2 p.m.,

CADM W112

• Junta del club de filosofía, 2:30 p.m.,

CADM W106

• Junta de SIFE, 3 p.m., CSTC 202C

• Inscripción de tenis, 6 p.m., gym

Jueves, Marzo 10• BSM Café del alma, 11 a.m., BSM building

• Junta de ASID, 11:30 a.m., CAND R215

• Exhibicion de arte Objects of Affection de

parte d Chastity Porter (LMV), 2:30 p.m., Fine

Arts Gallery

• Junta del club de filosofía, 3:30 p.m.,

CADM W106

Sabado, Marzo 12• Junta de la sociedad de juegos, 12 p.m.,

CSTC 210 A/B

Lunes, Marzo 14• Junta de Prepara tu Camino, 11:30 a.m.,

CSTC 210 A/B

Lunes, Marzo 7• Exhibición de arte de parte del artista Jeff

Mcgee (L-V), 9 a.m., Galleria del norte

Martes, Marzo 8• Inscripción de deportes intramuros (M-J),

9 a.m., NSTC Lobby

• Junta del club de rotaract, 1 p.m., NSTC S215

• Sesión de información del programa de

certificación para el maestro alternativo,

5:45 p.m., NLIB 208A

Miércoles, Marzo 9• Junta de la sociedad de WEBB, 1:15 p.m.,

NBCB C1026

Jueves, Marzo 10• Orador de historia, 9 a.m., NSTC S200

• Recitación y firma de libros de Bruce Machart,

10 a.m., Fine Arts Auditorium

• Taller de carreras, 1 p.m., NILC 206

• Inaugural de Galleria, 6 p.m., NFAB lobby

Viernes, Marzo 11• Junta del club de anime, 12 p.m., NTEC A1025

Lunes, Marzo 14• Visita del campus de la Universidad de

Houston, 8 a.m., mesa de NADM

N o r t e

S u r

C e n t r a l

A site of constant dangerBY PRISCILLA ZARAZUASan Jacinto Times

Since the beginning of PresidentFelipe Calderon’s launch to crack-down cartels in Mexico in 2006,the death toll in drug-relatedcrimes between the drug cartelsand the Mexican military is up to34,612. The killings reached theirhighest level in 2010, jumping byalmost 60 percent to 15,273deaths from 9,616 the previousyear (CNS). Although drug-relat-ed violence concentrates mostlyon the Mexican border, it is nevera bad idea to think twice beforegoing to Mexico this spring break.College students in Texas whoare planning to celebrate springbreak have been advised to stayaway from Mexico because of thedangers of drug violence.According to the StateDepartment, about 100,000 springbreakers will travel to Mexico.Here are some of the most populardestinations college students visit.Acapulco, Mexico: is located inthe state of Guerrero on thePacific coast of Mexico and is apopular spring break destination.Drug cartels have turnedAcapulco into Mexico’s most vio-

lent resort city. (Texas Departmentof Public Safety)Cancun, Mexico: is located inthe state of Quintana Roo on theYucatan peninsula and is a typicalspring break hot spot. Accordingto the U.S. State Department,“rape commonly, but not exclu-sively, occurs at night or in theearly morning hours, and ofteninvolves alcohol and the nightclubenvironment.”South Padre Island, Texas: is atown in Cameron County, Texas.South Padre Island is relativelysafe as long as you don’t stray toofar south. Matamoros and NuevoProgresso are just 30 minutesaway and are two of the majordrug trafficking cities constantlycompeting for control. Citizensmust obey a curfew to stay safe.Spring Breakers like to travelsouth of the boarder to takeadvantage of the cheap alcoholprices and lower drinking age.Mazatlan, Mexico: is located inthe state of Sinaloa. Sinaloa ishome of the country’s most vio-lent cartel. Bodies appear on thestreets there on a weekly basis.Drug-related violence involvingAmerican tourists at beaches andother Mexican tourist destinations

is extremely rare. Neverthelessthe U.S. Department of Stateadvises vacationers to use com-mon sense to avoid unpleasantand dangerous situations. It is alsoadvised to travel in groups andnever to leave the resort.Remember when traveling toanother country it is important toobey its laws. American citizens(individuals 16 years of age andolder are tried as adults) are sub-ject to Mexican law. Once a U.S.citizen finds himself in legal trou-ble it is important to contact theclosest U.S. Consulate, U.S.Consular Agency, or the U.S.Embassy in Mexico City. (U.S.Department of State)The U.S. Embassy is located inMexico City at Paseo de laReforma 305, ColoniaCuauhtemoc, telephone from theUnited States: 011-52-55-5080-2000; telephone within MexicoCity: 5080-2000; telephone longdistance within Mexico 01-55-5080-2000. You may also contactthe Embassy by e-mail at:acsmexicocity@state.gov TheEmbassy's Internet address ishttp://mexico.usembassy.gov/eng/main.html.

Spring has tons of sports

BY CRIS RODRIGUEZSan Jacinto Times

University of Houston Clear Lake has been openfor 37 years with out a mascot.This month UHCL is seeking input from students tofinalize the adoption of a mascot. In the universitieshistory there have been two attempts to create a mas-cot once in 1980 and again in the 1990’s. This timethe process will be completed. The MascotLeadership Team is asking for all submissions to beturned in by March 11th.Mascots are not only great for the university butalso for the community. Dean of students DavidRachita say’s “ It illustrates a shared school spiritthat students are proud to ‘show off’ to others. It lets

the greater community see the pride and want to bepart of the energy.The selections will be determined through a five-phase process. Which will include phases from theinitial call, to submission of graphic images for thetop choices. Once the final few have been chosen theMascot Leadership team will refine the images,begin market research, then from the results of thosephases, move on to phase five the final unveiling.The search process was done so everyone in theuniversity community has an opportunity to partici-pate. They would like all their students to become apart of UHCL’s history.If you would like to submit ideas for UHCL’s mas-cot or to read more about it, you can visithttp://www.uhcl.edu/mascot.

Taking act on the RogueBY KELLY JUNEAUSan Jacinto Times

Rogue Improv offers not only some of the cheapest,but funniest entertainment in Houston. On any givenThursday in the city, you can find this talentedensemble of improvisers creating comedic situationsand vibrant characters right off the top of their heads.This Improv troupe performs shows in the Chicagostyle “long form” format in which they take a ran-dom suggestion from the audience and from that cre-ate a completely improvised 25-30 minute show thatflows together seamlessly. They manage to instantlycreate a fully realized world through connectingunscripted scenes that is not only hilarious to watch,but that offers audience members a chance to live inthe moment and escape from their lives as they dis-cover the world along with the performers. For abouthalf the price of seeing a movie, Rogue gives youtwo rounds of creative comedy that, I can guarantee,is much more original and inspired than any run-of-the-mill big budget comedy you could pay to see.Former Massive Improv ensemble members AmyBirkhead and Ryan Heine founded Rogue Improv inJanuary 2010, after Massive Improv disbanded in2009. Only a little more than a year old, Roguealready has a loyal following despite the smallercomedy scene of Houston. Improv has long been anentertainment staple in cities like Chicago and LAthat boast such big name theatres as The Second Cityand the Improv Olympic theatre, that produce and

draw crowds to improvised shows nightly. Co-founder of Rogue Amy Birkhead intends “to give theart form a voice” in Houston not only through theirensemble shows but also by offering classes to inter-ested Houstonians. One of the great things aboutimprov, according to Birkhead, is its wide appeal todifferent groups of people including those who wantto “improve social and networking skills, acting abil-ities, or just have fun.” Their performing troupealone shows how wide the community appeal isboasting a variety of members including a doctor, alawyer, and a local teacher. With their diverse andgrowing ensemble, Rogue improve is right on trackwith their goal of “expanding the experience of theart form in the community.”

Rogue Improv is undoubtedly some of the mostclever, inventive, and cheap entertainment you canfind in Houston. For only $5 you can catch them per-forming every Thursday at 8pm at Rudyard’s BritishPub, 2010 Waugh Dr, excluding the last Thursday ofthe month. For more information on additionalshows and classes visit rogueimprov.com.

Google Images

BY VICTOR ARAIZASan Jacinto Times

The average sports fan doesn’t need an excuse towatch the big game, but it doesn’t hurt to have one:Spring Break. Basketball is in full gear, both in col-lege and the pros, as the NCAA tournament tips offwhile NBA teams continue to surge to the playoffs.Not a fan of either? Hockey and soccer fans will haveplenty to look for ward to as well. Whether you’reheading out of town or spending it in the city, hereare some marquee games that could make or amplifyyour break.

Mar. 14NBA: Spurs at HeatSpring Break tips off in South Beach in this possi-ble NBA Finals matchup.7:00 PM CT, ESPNNBA: Magic at LakersThe second of the Monday double-header, Kobe &Co. welcome Dwight Howard’s Orlando Magic in a2009 NBA Finals rematch. 9:30 PM CT, ESPN

Mar. 15UEFA Champions’ League: Real Madrid vs. LyonSoccer fan or not, everyone recognizes the brand ofReal Madrid. The home-side Galacticos want tosilence critics and finally move on to the quarterfi-

nals for the first time in eight years. 2:30 PM CT,FOXMLS: Seattle Sounders vs. LA GalaxyAmerica’s soccer season kicks off with Beckhamand Donovan leading the way into an always-packedQwest Field looking to steal the spotlight. 8:30 PMCT, ESPN

Mar. 16NHL: Capitals at Red WingsIf you’re a hockey fan (or not) this is a game youdon’t want to miss, provided that you have access tothe Versus channel. Possible contenders face off intheir only meeting this season. 6:30 PM CT,VersusNBA: Thunder at HeatMVP-like Durant and the Thunder head into Miamito prove they belong amongst the contenders talk asthey head into the playoffs. 7:00 PM CT, ESPN

Mar. 17-20 2011 NCAA Tournament

Anytime you turn on the set you’re bound to find agame on TV as the second and third rounds of theNCAA tournament take place. March madness willbe in full swing as the best in college basketball bat-tle it out for a chance to be amongst the Final Four inApril at Reliant Stadium. CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV

The quest for the mascot

March 7, 2011San Jacinto Times • Page 4Spring Break Special

Keeping busy during spring break made very easyBy ASHLEY CRUZSan Jacinto Times

The week you have been anticipating is almosthere: Spring break! While some people go on vaca-tion, though, you’re stuck here in Houston, wonder-ing what to do. Spring break ought to be all aboutyou, right? It is YOUR time to get refreshed afterthe first half of a crazy semester. So, what are yougoing to do with your time?What if this spring break you broke out of the reg-ular party, beach, or movies routine and you devot-ed a few hours of your week to bettering the life ofan individual or community? Houston has hundredsof organizations and businesses designed toimprove our city and the lives of people in it. Theseorganizations need help to make their goals possible

though. They are awaiting students like you and meto simply volunteer a few hours of our week to help.What if this spring break you helped build a housewith Habitat for Humanity? What if the HoustonFood Bank could distribute food to the hungryquicker because you were there to help? You canlook back on your 2011 spring break as a timewhere you made a difference in someone’s life sim-ply because you offered a few hours of your day.You ready to dream bigger? What kind of impact

could you make on Houston if instead of donating afew hours next week, you donated a few hoursevery week thereafter? Better yet, what kind ofimpact could you make on a person’s life? What ifyou helped a student on juvenile probation get theirlife on track?…What if the time you invested intotutoring a child each week becomes the most

impacting years for the next generation of leaders inour world?So, how do you find just the right opportunity foryou in such a large city? Two great resources are:www.volunteerhouston.org andwww.volunteermatch.com. These websites aredesigned to help get citizens plugged into theircommunity. Three great places to volunteer are theHouston Food Bank (www.houstonfoodbank.org),Habitat for Humanity(www.habitatforhumanity.com), and the RonaldMcDonald House (www.rmdh.org).What could happen if this spring break you spenda few hours doing something bigger than justwatching movies, going to a party, or playing videogames? The greatest impact on our world is made,not when the government acts, but when individu-

als see a need, believe they can fix it, and make thesacrifice to do so. You and I change the world, let’srise to the challenge!If you are interested in an opportunity to help onceor twice during break, Bethany Way would loveyour assistance. She is in charge of Houston’sLemonade Day Team for children and needs helpfrom March 12-20. To talk to her about location,shifts, and details call her at 713-400-9332 or 409-351-9879.If you are interested in volunteering beyond just

spring break, Crossroads is an amazing opportunityto mentor students who are on juvenile probation.The time you invest in a student will have a lastingimpact on their lives. For more information call713-295-2790 or look online at www.crossroads-volunteers.org.

A cheap guide to spring breakBy JANNETTE MARIN

San Jacinto Times

The sun is shining bright, the weather feels great, andeveryone is excited for spring break! Many people can’t waitto be off from school and have plenty of time do enjoy dif-ferent activities. If you didn’t have enough time to schedulea long distance trip or buy flight tickets to spend your weekout of town, then here are a few inexpensive to do ideas foryour spring break vacation!

1. Houston is a home to a large number of museums.Visit the Museum of Natural Science, Museum of Fine Arts,etc. Take a break and eat your lunch with friends out in theHerman Park.

2. Check out the Sam Houston Boat Tour for a shortactivity. Public tour boat takes visitors on an unforgettabletour of one of the busiest ports in the world. Tour is free andreservations are required.

3. Galveston is so close! You can take the beach, skate onthe sidewalk, or ride bikes with a friend.

4. Plan a day and stay at Moody Gardens. The day passprice is only $44.95 per person, which includes: Aquarium,rainforest, IMAX theater, 4-D theaters, discovery museum,palm beach (seasonal), ride film and the colonel paddlewheel boat! For more information visit their website atmoodygardens.com

5. Take a trip to Kemah Boardwalk. There are rides, deli-cious seafood restaurants, water fountains for kids to run andplay, great live music, and many attractions including thespeedboat and the boardwalk beast! For more informationvisit kemahboardwalk.com/pdf/events/pdf

6. Huntsville State Park is an awesome place to be. It’s aplace were you can take a group of friends, grab your bar-b-q grills, and enjoy nature’s view. There is a large swimmingarea, they have kayak boats available for rent, and cabinswere you could stay the night and sit around the fire.

7. Have a picnic at the outdoor Miller Theater or at any

park, whether is with a few close friends or your signifi-cant other.

8. Spring break can be an excellent time to exercise. Gofor a bike ride, swimming, hiking, or skating at the park. Getback into shape while having fun!

9. Take a tent, food, and drinks and go camping.

10. Spend the week volunteering for different organiza-tions around Houston

From Students: “Simply go to a beach nearby, with friends,and they each can bring different stuff like snacks and thingsyou need for a great time at the beach.”

-Aldo Silva, 21, Engineering Major

“Play volleyball!!! Beach sports, any type!! Zoo for kids,Miller Theater performance are free, Discovery Green,Hermann Park is free, museums have a family free day,Amando Bayou, National Parks camping also very cheap.”

-Alma Lozano, Health Infomation Management

Photo by Alex Travis

By ADRIAN REQUENASan Jacinto Times

Finally it is here: Spring Break, a periodto take time off all your business; a weekworth of kicking it up. Oh wait you’re notgetting a break! Seems like when there’s agood opportunity to take a break somethingalways jumps into you schedule. Howannoying is that?Most people never seem to catch a breakfrom their jobs or schoolwork. It seemspretty unfair, but what needs to be completemust be done. You don’t want to lose yourjob just because you took a week off doyou? Of course not; most employers don’tcare what you have planned, it seems likethey test whether or not they can count onyou to work whenever they may need you.Which is fine, but come on, do they have todo it during one of the most widely knowweeks to take a break? School is anotherthing, teachers love assigning homeworkand reading assignments over the break,but if there is a test right after break wellthat’s just cruel! Why must they do this tous? Some break this is; they might as welljust call Spring Break Toiling Grind Week.More work appears out of thin air. Thenagain school faculty members might not begetting any breaks either; maybe this ishow they settle the score with students.Another thing that may keep you busy isa child. If you have kids good luck enjoy-ing your break since your kids are on breaktoo, and are free to do as they please sincethey have less to worry about in life. Now

you have to keep an eye on them full timewhile they aren’t at school, unless you’refortunate enough to have someone else dothis for you. To be a kid again is what somepeople wish could happen at any time.Try to make the most out of your break.Put a smile on your face at work, hum atune, and bring something special to eat. Ifyou can speed read through reading assign-ments well lucky you; if not try to at leastread a chapter a day. The best time to dohomework over the break would be in themorning after you’ve had breakfast andfreshened up, because most likely therewill be no one to bother you at this time.Plus once you feel like you’ve done enoughfor the day, maybe you can enjoy the rest ofthe day provided you don’t have a job. Ifyou have work all day the only option leftis to do your homework at night; hopefullyyou won’t fall asleep. If there’s time foryour kids; play with them, take them out ofthe house they need to experience things,play a game with them, do something artsyand creative.

Hey, look on the bright side, maybe out ofall your friends you’re the only one atwork, but at least by the end of the weekyou’ll have a nice paycheck. Do the mostschool work you can then you’ll know yourstuff and not fail; maybe you’ll be ahead ofthe game so you can take a breather the fol-lowing week. Spending time with your kidswill build a stronger relationship betweenyou. Ultimately get things done, find somefun, stay safe, and be happy!

Finding time to relax

Photo by Alex Travis

Photo by Michael Deats

Photo by Michael Deats

March 7, 2011San Jacinto Times • Page 5

Entertainment/Etc.

LATEcontinued from Page 1

In high school, there is a lot of help for studentstransiting into college, but when you go backyears later with no support, who is there to walkyour through the fear?Seeing this fear in adult’s eyes is the exact rea-

son that Kaye MoonWinters founded the pro-gram “It’s never too late.”The “N2L” program, which is new to San Jac,

is a program that walks the adult learner (25+yrs.) step by step through the processes ofenrolling in school, while being a constant sup-port group for anyone facing the challenges ofgoing back to college.At age 55, MoonWinters enrolled in classes at

San Jac. With her daughter’s support, she suc-ceeded this new chapter in her life, but not beforeseeing first hand how intimidating it truly is foradults.The “N2L” student program is having its ribbon

cutting ceremonyWednesday, March 2 at 2 p.m., with an open

house following until 7 p.m.They will have educational planners on hand to

help answer any questions you may have.

MoonWinters wants adult learners to know youare never too old to come back to school, and thatshe is here to inspire you, support you and is notgoing to let you fail. Going through a box ofKleenex a week, she knows how frustrating it

can be, but rest assured,“San Jac has made a commitment to the adult

learner,” MoonWinters said.If you ever need a quiet place to talk or want to

meet other students going through the samechanges, don’t be shy. MoonWinters suggests tostop by because you are never alone and there arepeople here to help you through it.N2L has a monthly newsletter with about 1,500

people on the roaster.Spanish is available and with speakers, work-

study programs and workshops on everydaytechnologies, this is the perfect help tool forthose in need.If you would like to set up an appointment to

speak with

MoonWinters, stop by her office in the ILCbuilding, room T129.

You can also e-mail her atKaye.MoonWinters@sjcd.edu, or call SanJacinto College at 281-998-6150 ext. 1014.

WORKcontinued from Page 1

While spring break may be an epic holiday, it isimportant to remember that the event functional-ly ceases to exist after college. Set dates for weeklong mass holidays are replaced with vacationdays, which can be saved up to create similarspring break events, just on different days.Because these vacation days can be taken when-ever the employee wants (within limitations of

course) the employee has a large amount of flex-ibility in choosing when he or she would like totake the time off.Many popular tourist sites during spring break

go quiet during the weeks immediately followingthe events. If you work but do not attend schoolit may be prudent to postpone your vacation untilthe weeks after spring break have ended butbefore the summer vacation has ended. Thisallows you to still enjoy the vacation, but avoidthe rush and crowd of students enjoying their hol-iday.

BREAKcontinued from Page 1

An important aspect of spring break may have beenforgotten though. Students can always stay home andrelax, or perhaps study while waiting for nightfall, sothey may join in the festivities with their friends. Withdozens of nightclubs, like Numbers, Fitzgerald’s, TheScout Bar, Bikini Beach, and pretty much anything inthe Montrose/Westheimer area sponsoring events

throughout the weeks of spring break, being a home-body during your academic vacation can help studentsmake new friends and embark on new adventures.

With one last reference for close to home fun,South Padre Island will be hosting Coca-Cola Beach,a free beach party that lasts from Mar. 6 – 23. Theirwill be no cover and plenty of entertainment to lastthroughout the festival, so make your reservationsnow or lose out on a monumental spring break event.For more information please checkhttp://springbreak.sopadre.com/2011/home/.

Local concert calendarBy MATTHEW ADAMIAKSan Jacinto Times

MMAARR 77

The Big Easy – The Mighty Orq!

House of Blues – Parkway Drive

Reliant Stadium – Tim McGraw (Houston Livestock

show and Rodeo)MMAARR 88

The Big Easy – Howard and Art

Fitzgerald’s – Johnny Falstaff; Sideshow Tramps

House of Blues - Cowboy Mouth + Dash Rip Rock

Numbers – The Scene Aesthetic w/ He is We,

Carter Hulsey + Plug in Stereo

Reliant Stadium – Keith Urban (Houston Livestock

Show and Rodeo)MMAARR 99

The Concert Pub (North Houston) – Rox-Zee

Dan Electro’s – Eric Demmer & The Saz Dawgs

Fitzgerald’s - Robert Ellis & The Boys w/Orgone

Reliant Stadium – Martina McBride (Houston

Livestock Show and Rodeo)

Warehouse Live - Gritsy

MMAARR 1100

The Big Easy – Luther and the Healers

Fitzgerald’s – Thee Oh Sees w/ Bare Wires + Surf

City

House of Blues – Nipsey Hussle

Reliant Stadium – Rascal Flatts (Houston Livestock

Show and Rodeo)

Rudyard’s – Rogue Improv; Megafauna, General

Bye Bye, Electric AttitudeMMAARR 1111

The Big Easy - Jabo

The Concert Pub (North Houston) – Wattzit2ya

Dan Electro’s – SXDE Festival

Fitzgerald’s – Delicious Milk, Commie Hillfiger,

Thunder----nt, Vincent Priceless, Skeleton D*ck;

Gnome Chomsky, St. Cloud, The Examples

House of Blues – Bob Schneider

Reliant Stadium – Lady Antebellum (Houston

Livestock Show and Rodeo)

Rudyard’s – Hell City Kings, Texas Terri Bomb, The

Hot Things

Scout Bar – The Spazmatics

Walter’s on Washington – Foster w/ Tim Wood +

Cari QuoyeserMMAARR 1122

The Big Easy – Guitar Shorty

The Concert Pub (Galleria) - Victim

The Concert Pub (North Houston) – The Dogz

Dan Electro’s – SXDE Festival

Fitzgerald’s – Los Skarlanes; Soja w/Mambo Sauce

+ Chris Boomer

Groundhall- Spring Forward (Featuring 30 bands

go to www.groundhall.com for more details)

House of Blues – Mint Condition

Reliant Stadium – Gary Allen (Houston Rodeo)

Rudyard’s – Letters to Voltron, Opposite Day, The

Be Sarps

Scout Bar – Drowning Pool

Walter’s on Washington – EsE’

Warehouse Live – Xcess vs. 6400; Chris Webby w/

Caleb Mak, Cal Wes + Zeale

MMAARR 1133

The Big Easy – Zydeco Dots

Dan Electro’s – SXDE Festival

Numbers – Belphagor w/ Blackguard, Gigan +

Neuraxis

Reliant Stadium – La Arrolladora Banda Limon + La

Leyaenda (Houston Rodeo)

Warehouse Live – Hadag NahashMMAARR 1144

The Big Easy – James Reese

Fitzgerald’s – Parts & Labor, Ptreodactyl, Prince

Rama, Amen Dunes; Toro Y Moi w/ Cloud Nothings

+ Reading Rainbow

Numbers – The World We Know + TBA

Reliant Stadium – Kid Rock (Houston Rodeo)

Rudyard’s – Davila 666, The Mahas, Funboys, The

Energy

Scout Bar – Stryper

Warehouse Live – Xray EyeballsMMAARR 1155

The Big Easy – Howard and Art

Dan Electro’s – Ledbettie

Fitzgerald’s – Small Black, Sun Airway, Eternal

Summers, Teletextile; Sugar and Gold, Yip

Deceiver, Sun Hotel

Groundhall – Blu, J*Davey, The Niceguys

Reliant Stadium – KISS (Houston Rodeo)

Warehouse Live – The Ready Set w/ Allstar

Weekend, The Downtown Fiction, We Are the In

Crowd, You Me + Everyone We KnowMMAARR 1166

The Concert Pub (North Houston) – Flicker System

Fitzgerald’s – Say Hi w/ Blair + Yellow Ostrich; Uh

Huh Her w/ Diamonds Under Fire

House of Blues- OMD

Numbers – Stephen Jerzak w/ Breathe Electric

Reliant Stadium – Miranda Lambert (Houston

Livestock Show and Rodeo)

Warehouse Live – Menomena w/MegafaunMMAARR 1177

The Big Easy – John McVey

Groundhall – Lluther, Mercy, Lockehart

Numbers – EPMD w/ Ill Liad + Dirty-N-Nasty

Reliant Stadium – Zac Brown Band (Houston

Livestock Show and Rodeo)

Rudyard’s – Jesse Malin & The St. Marks Social,

The Bitters, The Booze

Walter’s on Washington – Dead RabbitMMAARR 1188

Arena Theater – Blue Oyster Cult + The Marshall

Tucker Band

The Big Easy – Texas Johnny Brown

The Concert Pub (Galleria) – Drivin’ Blind

The Concert Pub (North Houston) - Falskye

House of Blues – Snoop Dogg

Reliant Stadium – Alan Jackson (Houston Rodeo)

Rudyard’s – The HandMe Downs, Grizzly, Dead to

Me

Scout Bar - Skyrocket

Warehouse Live – Enter Shikari, Memphis Mayfire,

Letlive, ORBSMMAARR 1199

Arena Theater – Gladys Knight

The Big Easy – Mark Hummel & Mike Morgan

The Concert Pub (Galleria) – Drivin’ Blind w/ Trey

Gadler + Dead Man’s Hand

The Concert Pub (North Houston) – Dimitri’s Rail,

Weston Brown Band, 500 Miles To Memphis,

Fear Fed Eyes

Fitzgerald’s – The Band of Heathens

House of Blues - Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses

Numbers – Peter Murphy

Reliant Stadium – Brad Paisley (Houston Rodeo)

Rudyard’s – Venomous Maximus + Royal Thunder

Scout Bar – Lords of Acid

Warehouse Live- The Hectic, Adalene, The Karma

Kollective, Series Six, Bullet Cell, EpicMMAARR 2200

Arena Theater – Melanie Fiona + Marsha

Ambrosius

Fitzgerald’s – Kevin Devine w/ River City

Extension, An Horse + Fox & Cats; STFKR +

Casiokids

Groundhall – Barcelona, Castle Lights, Finnegan

House of Blues – Raphael Saadiq

Numbers - Men Without Hats

Reliant Stadium – Jason Aldean (Houston Rodeo)

Rudyard’s – Lo Pan, Backwoods Payback, Sanctus

Bellum Warehouse Live – The Word Alive, Upon a

Burning Body, Abandon All Ships, The Color

Morale,

For All Those Sleeping; Black Veil Brides, Destroy

Rebuild Until God Shows, I See Stars, VersaEmerge

+ Conditions

MUSIC REVIEWS

BY GREG STARKSSan Jacinto Times

Kentucky natives Cage The Elephant released theirsecond album, Thank You, Happy Birthday in Januaryof this year. It toped iTunes most downloaded albumlist the day of its release and reached number two onthe U.S. billboard charts. The band has earned adevout following in the states as well as the U.K. andCanada due to their incredibly high energy perform-ances and compulsively catchy tunes. Thank You,Happy Birthday is a tremendous album with bothwhite-knuckle thrill rides of songs and some lullingbeautiful down-tempo pieces as well. This band hassuch a big sound that I can only assume comes frombeing totally stoked to be making music together.While Cage The Elephant has been releasing musicsince 2006, three of the members were originally in aband while they were in high school at the turn of theprevious decade, so they have a good bit of historywith one another. The record as a whole has so muchenergy on it that it is almost infectious to listen to. Ijust want to get up and run around while I am listeningto some of these songs, namely Indy Kidz, SellYourself and Sabertooth Tiger, these tracks RAWK! Injuxtaposition to those one million mile per hour songs,Rubber Ball is slow, almost dainty and elegant includ-

ing male and female vocals accompanied almostentirely without percussion, although there are somebass drum hits and a few taps on the hi-hats. There isno going wrong with this band. They are definitely ris-ing stars in the indy-music scene and we will be hear-ing a lot more from them in the future, hopefully all ofit is as good as, if not better than Thank You, HappyBirthday.

A white-knucle thrill ride

BY GREG STARKSSan Jacinto Times

Gutter Rainbows is the fourth studio album to bedropped by “conscious” rapper Talib Kweli. The nameof the album alone completely epitomizes Talib's style,something that can be both ugly and beautiful simulta-neously. His stylings are what have separated himfrom the rest of the generic radio-friendly popular rap-pers. His “conscious rapper” description comes fromhis insightful observations of “hood life”, and mantrasof self-empowerment. Gutter Rainbows is a musicalmosaic from, believe it or not, fifteen different musicproducers. The record exhibits some real grittinessalong side some very up-beat and more positive tracks,exemplifying the title perfectly. The MC (thats: masterof ceremonies, not mic controller) Kills is on all of thetracks. Mr. Kweli is quite a bard and sculpts a very per-ceivable reality in his music. His vocals and lyricskeep right up with the pace and feel set by the produc-ers, but I guess thats the point of making a hit record,right? The first track is just a beat with people talkingover it while smoking what I hope isn't marijuana,because drugs are bad. The songs that I would drop onmy decks (play on my turn-tables) would definitely bePalookas, which is produced by Marco Polo andmeans; an incompetent person, and I'm On One whichwas produced by KHRYSIS and contains a sample thatmight sound familiar if you listen to rap stations herein Houston. My number one would most certainly beTater Tot, which was produced by Nick Speed who

mainly works with G-Unit, it is a narrative of Talib“doin' dirt”(committing crimes) and easily the mosthardcore track on the album. This is by-far the bestrapper you've never heard of. If you have heard of him,then you already know this record is straight fire(thatmeans its good)!

MUSIC REVIEW

Gutter Rainbows by Talib Kweli

BY GREG STARKSSan Jacinto Times

Who would ever think a band could sound the samefor twenty years and still be liked by millions? Cake,thats who. Funk-rocksters and half-sung singers com-prise this band from Sacramento who just releasedtheir sixth full-length studio album on UpbeatRecords, a fittingly named label for this band. Front-man John McCrea is the driving force behind the bandwith his laxed vocals and interesting word-play in thelyrics. Showroom Of Compassion sounds just likeevery other Cake recording I've ever heard, yet I stilllike it. Whatever these guys are doing its workingwell. I can think of at least 10 other bands that sound-ed just like them in the 90's, but where are they now?Not in your music library, thats where. This record isbalanced well with a nice mix of upbeat and somedown-tempo, but all quintessential Cake for sure; ablend of funk and alternative rock with an almost Tex-Mex country/Tejano sound fused in the background.Lots of horns, maracas, and funky bass, with the ever-present McCrea half-sung, half-spoken vocals. Myfavorites are Whats Now Is Now, which is a FrankSinatra cover that departs greatly from old blue eyes'version, Teenage Pregnancy which is the only instru-mental track on Showroom Of Compassion, and EasyTo Crash which is a sweet blend of synthesizer andsouthern-rock undertones and is the most rockin' trackon the album. There has been a single released and

much to my displeasure it was not any of those three,it was Sick Of You and I was definitely sick of hearingit halfway through due to the fact that it is the mostrepetitive song on the record, but I guess thats why itwas chosen as the single, because singles typicallysuck. If you like Cake to begin with, you'll definitelylove Showroom Of Compassion. If you've only heardtheir singles from TV and radio, this is one that youshould add to the “to listen to” list. You won’t hate it.

MUSIC REVIEW

Two decades of rock ‘n roll

March 7, 2011San Jacinto Times • Page 6Just For Fun

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

ACROSS1 Pet adoption ctr.5 Like drive-thru

orders9 Cash alternative

14 Come __ end:conclude

15 Most eligible forthe draft

16 Popular branch ofyoga

17 Small-time19 Have __ with: talk

to20 Like strictly

religious Jews21 Invite to enter22 Fawn’s mother23 Family folk24 Simple to apply,

in adspeak25 Approx. leaving

hour26 Some Ga. Tech

grads27 Pass along softly,

as a secret29 Coin flip call:

Abbr.30 Yuletide spiced

ales31 Numero after

siete34 Fellows35 Stage group36 Occur together39 ’60s atty. general

who servedunder his brother

41 Elephants, e.g.42 End of a giggle43 Angel dust,

briefly46 Completely

stump47 “May __

excused?”48 Significant

period49 Handy bags50 Rodin or

Michelangelo52 Evita’s married

name53 Fortunate one54 Put on a coat?55 Color of suede

shoes, in song56 __-Seltzer57 Hockey disks58 Dines59 Mouth off to

DOWN1 Walked

decisively2 Christie sleuth

Hercule3 On a slant4 Pharaoh’s cross5 Hot alcoholic

drinks6 Burger toppers7 Group with

thirtysomethings,briefly

8 “Mighty” tree9 Vehicle’s

framework10 Wham-O footbag11 Addis Ababa’s

country12 Television

watcher’s choices13 Kit __ bar18 Teamed, as oxen21 Massage

reactions24 McGregor of

“Moulin Rouge!”28 Q-U connection29 Cheap dance hall30 Like small laddies31 Halloween mo.32 “Undersea World”

explorer Jacques33 Momentous

34 Warehouse gds.37 Joins, as stones

in a wall38 Colored part of

the eye39 Expresses stern

disapproval of40 Touchy-__42 Diaphragm

spasm that maybe cured byholding one’sbreath

43 “Downtown”singer Clark

44 Onion soupholders

45 Hooded coats50 “Star Trek”

helmsman51 Palmtop

computers: Abbr.

52 Very quietly, toBeethoven

53 Scale abbr.

Saturday’s Puzzle SolvedBy Scott Atkinson 3/7/11

(c)2011 Tribune Media Services, Inc. 3/7/11

SOLUTION TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

Complete the gridso each row, column and 3-by-3 box(in bold borders)contains everydigit, 1 to 9. For strategies onhow to solveSudoku, visitwww.sudoku.org.uk

© 2011 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.

3/6/11

Level: 1 2 3 4

Original work welcomeDo you have an original comic strip?Bring it by the Times office at Centralcampus and we migh run it.

March 7, 2011San Jacinto Times • Page 7Student life

Literally tired of writing this: Insight from a student with narcolepsyEditor’s note: This story originally appeard on Feb. 28. Due to a

publishing issue, it was incomplete. The completed version appearshere.

By KELLY JUNEAUSan Jacinto Times

“Wake up!” My friend smacks my desk and I wake with a start.Laughter ensues from the other side of the room as I jerk upright,rubbing my blurry eyes, trying to remember when exactly I fellasleep this time. I know I should feel embarrassed, nodding off inthe middle of the classroom during lecture- but after years of fallingasleep in class, I’m pretty immune to it. It’s just a fact of my life- Ifall asleep, all the time, everyday, no matter where I am or what I’mdoing. I just can’t help it; I’m a narcoleptic.

Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disease that causes excessivedaytime sleepiness and frequent sleep attacks. It is believed to occurin individuals who produce a low amount of the protein hypocretinand who have abnormalities in the area controlling REM sleep in thebrain. There currently is no cure, but once identified it can be treatedwith various stimulating medications and certain antidepressants.Typically, the onset of narcolepsy happens during adolescence, butoften goes misdiagnosed for years with doctors instead blaming the

patients sleep problems on many more common diseases like depres-sion or chronic fatigue. A major indication that a person does, infact, have narcolepsy and not any other fatigue-causing disease is thepresence of cataplexy. Cataplexy is a sudden loss of muscle tone thatis triggered by a heighted emotion causing a person to lose controlof their muscles for a short while and hit the floor. I, like 70% ofpeople with narcolepsy, have it and I can tell you it does in fact feeljust as weird as it sounds. Before I was diagnosed, I often foundmyself falling over whenever I laughed at something or felt reallyhappy. Something would click in my head, then I would begin tolose control of my muscles starting from the head and moving down,eventually unable to stand. Now medicated, it doesn’t happen to meanymore, which is good because it is certainly isn’t fun to go out andhave a laugh with some friends and end up randomly collapsing onthe floor.

“That’s awesome!” is the most common response I get from some-one when they find out about my narcolepsy. I realize they assumemy life resembles that of a quirky stock narcoleptic character in amovie that can go from being wide awake to dead asleep in a secondflat, always in an exaggerated comedic fashion. Even though I’msure it’s pretty funny when I nod off and almost fall out of my chairin class, the disease is far from a joke. Before I was medicated, Icouldn’t stay awake in any situation. In class I couldn’t focus and

would drift off, while driving I would have to pull off the side of theroad to try and make myself more alert, and many of my favoriteactivities, like reading, I couldn’t manage to do and stay awake foreven 5 minutes. I felt like a zombie, constantly drained, just livinglife from nap to nap. Now that I am medicated things are better, butI still struggle with the tired feeling and the sleep attacks every day.They come randomly, and try as I might my mind goes to sleep evenif it knows it is in the middle of a test or a conversation. Even if Iam not fully asleep, often it feels like my brain is in a fog and I can’tfocus. It’s a totally consuming tired feeling that not even a large cupof coffee or huge energy drink could take away. It is a long processto find the right medication to treat it, but now I manage to feel fullyalert for at least a few hours every day, which is a good step in theright direction.

Everyone’s got a struggle, and mine just happens to be stayingawake. Seems like it would be simple right? Well, tell my brainchemistry that. It is definitely hard, but on the bright side it’s givenme a lot of good stories to tell about the strange places I’ve fallenasleep in and I’m probably one of the few, if not the only, studentson campus allowed to fall asleep in class. I hope I’ve shed someinsight on this unique disease, and now that I’m done, I think I’llhave a nap.

Blog posts of the weekThe San Jacinto Times now has a staff blog. You can check it out at sanjactimesstaff.wordpress.com. Each week we will publish the best of our blog postings Drop by the site and check us out; feel free to com-

ment on our posts or share stary ideas. Also, please join our group on Facebook. Here are this week’s posts:

Guns are bad, mmkay?

When you put weapons in people’s hands, those people may try touse them. But at what cost is one person willing to take the life ofanother? As many students may know college is a stressful environ-ment and can be very hectic and emotionally driven.When people have weapons they feel more confident, safe, and

they sometimes can feel arrogant. With a gun in hand, a student mayfeel inclined to argue his case of plagiarism more vehemently, due tostress. Students may feel more inclined to carry a weapon with littleidea as to the ramifications’ of its use. As an ex-convenience storeclerk I have argued that I should be allowed to carry a firearm forprotection but I would always be denied the right to do so due to mycharacter and the nature of the situations presented. Most impor-tantly it is not in my character to take another mans life, but also itwould endanger all those around me due to my inability to accu-rately discharge a firearm in a tense situation.The following scenario would play out; “Aman pulls a gun on me,

and as he checks his blind spots for anyone that is a threat I pull mygun on him.” The following results would occur; “the man sees mygun and pulls the trigger due to desperation and fear of his own lifeand I am fatally wounded (possibly dead) and I may have pulled thetrigger as a delayed reaction to being shot causing a wild bullet to beunleashed upon whomever is in the line of fire,” Or “a stand offoccurs where the both of us evaluate each other as either a killer ornot, and in that situation the gunman can find opportunities to

exploit any opening he can to disarm me then further injure, or evenkill me.”Apply that to a bunch of students with their whole lives ahead of

them, and add the fear and anxiety of the situation. Innocent defend-ers, armed assailants, and faculty would all be at risk. One intentkiller with a propensity for violence, in what he, or she may feel is anuncontrollable and unstable situation, may do more damage thenoriginally intended.Aside from the student aspect, faculty would need to be required,

in this situation, to undergo the same psych evaluation that policeofficers do and be trained in hand gun use. In a gun inhabitedschool, every teacher would then feel liable for the safety of their stu-dents and must be willing to take a life if necessary. Add that to thedwindling budget colleges are allotted by the state, and include theraise in salary and further more the raise in tuition to support gun-slinging professors, college in the state of Texas would no longer beacademically viable as students would always be distracted by thefear of the unknown.

-Michael DeatsThe Rockets will not like me when I am madI hate that Kevin Martin and Luis Scola are the Houston Rocket’s

best two players. I cannot co-sign with their unathletic reverselayups, mid-range jumpers and dunks that never rattle the rim. Ihate that the team does not play defense. I hate that the only thingKevin Martin can dominate on a basketball court is the free throwline. I hate that the Rockets need to play better just to hover around

.500. I hate that the Rockets have not only a slim chance to make theplayoffs but also do not suck enough to logically expect to get a dif-ference maker in the NBA draft lottery given their mediocre record.But most of all I hate that when the Rockets game comes on I will stillwatch.It still sounds weird writing that the rockets have “a slim chance to

make the playoffs” and hurts to see how far this team has regressedbehind the Spurs and Mavericks. I still have faith in Darrell Moreyand his ability as a GM but recent decisions have led me to questionsome of the moves he has made. For example the pointless TerranceWilliams deal that sent away a first round pick and the Trevor Arizasigning that left Trevor with the common NBA disorder, OverpaidAthlete Syndrone. I am not a huge Aaron Brooks fan but he wasgiven away in a trade with the Phoenix Suns. Shane Battier wasshipped to Memphis for Hasheem Thabeet, who is in my opinion theworst player in the NBA, but at least we have size now right.However the regression of this team cannot be blamed on DarrellMorey or Rick Adleman or the current players on the squad. In factI believe the Rockets have the best collection of complimentary play-ers in the NBA, but without a Yao Ming or Tracy Mcgrady level play-er this just leaves us with a lot of assets and moral victories. Thisteam hitched its wagons on the wrong superstars, a decision that willlead to the slow decaying of the Rockets until we find the next super-star to build around. But look at the bright side it could be worse; wecould be Cleveland Cavalier or Toronto Raptor fans.

-Chris Shelton

March 7, 2011San Jacinto Times • Page 8