May 11, 2010

The Mesa PressVolume 53, Issue 6 May 11, 2010The Independent Student Publication of San Diego Mesa College tt

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Features

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Brook Dailey/The Mesa Press

Restaurant Review 0

BeyondancePage 8

Golden Scissors makesannual fashion statement

Movie ReviewPage 10

A piece from Michelle D’Alessandro’s MichiDali* collection, which won her the Most Creative Award.

Story on page 16

With the semester coming to an end, Mesa art students are displaying their work in the student art exhibition,

Pouring it all Out in the Mesa College Art Gallery that opened May 4 and runs through to the end of the semester.

Students are showcasing art works ranging from drawings and paintings to photography, ceramics and sculptures.

Mesa art student Kevin Kao was inspired by his early childhood to create a piece consisting of a porcelain head hung on a wall with wooden antlers coming out

of it. After two weeks of working on it, the inspiration he received from childhood memories and his mother showed through in his work titled Deermother.

“I used the likeness and realism of people from my memories, ideas of mythology, and childhood stories,” said Kao.

Everyday items are used in intriguing ways throughout the exhibition, including alarm clocks hanging from wire and live bees.

Art peices aren’t only viewable but wearable as well with works like Mixed Feelings, a series of high-heel shoes decorated with diamonds, nails, flowers and feathers.

At the gallery opening, the courtyard was filled with artists selling their pieces with prices ranging between $5 to $1000.

Mesa student Kim Garcia’s art stood out to many. She created Time Aggressor, where alarm

clocks were used as leaves in a tree made of wire. In the courtyard, she had a maze of household items like plastic table clothes, fans and tape.

“I used a fictional phase that allowed the art to be interactive,” said Garcia. “It took me two weeks to create a maze made up of painter plastic for the floor and plastic table cloths.”

Richard Serra, a minimalist sculptor and video artist, was Garcia’s inspiration.

The art gallery is located in room D-101 and open Monday through Thursday from 12 to 4 p.m. for public viewing until closing on May 18.

The Mesa PressNews May 11, 2010

Advising ProfessorJanna Braun

Editors-in-ChiefSarah SwaseyBrook Dailey

Managing EditorDanny West

Copy EditorJennifer Karnan

News EditorJennifer Karnan

Sports EditorAshton O’Halloran

Features EditorDanny West

Opinion EditorHope Arjomand

Online EditorChris Rosario

This publication is pro-duced as a journalism workshop for aspiring journalists. All materials, including the opinions expressed herein, are the sole responsibility of the authors and should not be interpreted to be those of the San Diego Community College District. Submis-sions may be made to the address below.

To submit a letter to the editor, please include your name (unsigned letters or letters signed with aliases will not be printed), age, major/profession, college attending (if not Mesa) and e-mail address. Submit your letters to the address to the left or by e-mail.

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Photo EditorDaniel Dreifuss

StaffCeleen ArceDanielle BriggsAndrew FerginAlec FernandesSamantha MirelesRashad MuhammadRonalynne SalangAndy Simmons

Information

Students Pour it All Out in art showSAMANTHA MIRELESThe Mesa Press

The series of heels entitled Mixed Feelings.

Kevin Kao’s wall-hanging piece Deermother.

Daniel Dreifuss/The Mesa Press

Ian Defanti sells his art at the gallery opening.



Hermes Castro, a Mesa College student, was riding his bicycle to work to train for a triathlon on the

morning of Sept. 1, 2006. A drunken driver swerved from the oncoming lane over to the bike lane and struck Castro head-on, severely damaging his spine and paralyzing him from the waist down. His life would never be the same.

Castro has been in physical therapy and rehabilitation ever since, but his physical state has not stopped him from pursuing adventure.

Castro began attending San Diego Mesa College in 2008 with plans to study hydrogeology. To obtain extra credit for his geology class, he attended a speech given on campus by British explorer, environmentalist and motivational speaker Sir Robert Swan.

Swan discovered the hole in the ozone layer and is also the first man ever to walk both the North and South Poles. Swan’s speech focused on the environmental conservation of Antarctica, and the spreading of awareness about the continent’s precious resources. Castro told Swan his story and expressed his interest in Swan’s cause.

A few months and fundraisers later,

Castro traveled to Antarctica with Swan and his team in March 2009 and broke the mould by becoming the first paraplegic to explore Antarctica.

“I feel like I always learn more when I’m experiencing things outdoors,” Castro said. “I really enjoy hands-on learning and really seeing things for myself.”

Castro has undergone about three and a half years of intense physical therapy and rehabilitation since his debilitating accident. The mobility in his legs has increased dramatically; so much that he has been able to walk. In fact, if he doesn’t move his legs enough, he experiences spasms at night.

“It’s a great sign that my legs want to move so bad that they do it on their own,” Castro said. “It’s gets kind of annoying because at night I can’t sleep sometimes if I don’t jump on the hand cycle first, but I know that’s good because I’m getting a lot more function in my legs and they’re feeling much better. It seems like everything’s coming together for me.”

Castro’s love for physical activity and experience have motivated him so much that he is considering changing his major from hydrogeology to physical therapy.

“I really love helping people, so I’ve been thinking about working at hospitals, working with kids, counseling, or something

along those lines,” said Castro. “I think there’s something out there for me, I’ve just got to find it.”

Since his Antarctic excursion, Castro has been giving speeches to spread

environmental awareness and tell his inspiring story. He was one of the featured speakers at the Breaking the Color Barrier in the Great Outdoors conference in Atlanta in September 2009 and has given many other lectures since, including some at elementary schools. He was also one of 12 influential students featured in the Rosa Parks Transit Center memorial bus stop at Mesa College’s east entrance—and he is standing in the picture.

Castro’s favorite sport is basketball. Since his accident, he has maintained his skill and love for the sport. He got involved with a wheelchair basketball team and competed in the 62nd annual National Championship Tournament held by the National Wheelchair Basketball Association in Denver in April 2010. The team finished 17th in the nation.

Castro recently drove up to Fallbrook to visit his old boss and a few of his friends and he left his wheelchair at home.

“My buddies saw me and they almost wanted to cry when I walked in,” said Castro. “It was really neat. I’m really happy that I’m making so much progress because I’ve been working so hard, and it gives me faith that I’ll get to where I want to be, and that’s back on my bike.”

Mesa College’s Vocal Ensemble received a chance of a lifetime as they performed in front of Dr. Gary

McKercher, music director of the San Diego Master Chorale.

The second annual Community College Invitational Choral Festival welcomed the seasoned choir director to critique the performances of participating schools. Palomar, Grossmont, Mesa and MiraCosta colleges all attended.

The event took place in MiraCosta’s new concert hall, which opened this year in January. Dr. Arlie Langager, conductor of MiraCosta’s Masterworks and Chamber Chorales, proudly rejoiced at another chance to use the new space.

“The concert hall has been officially christened for our event today, however we are still in the process of testing the acoustics the new walls provide,” said Langager.

The walls Langager referred to consist of angled, tall wooden panels strategically placed to reflect sound waves. A thick velvet curtain can be pulled across the top level of the panels to help soften the noise.

Low ends, resonance and high ends, all the different aspects of sound were inspirations for the modern design. With all the hype circulating around the room, the audience was eager to see the hall’s sound-enhancing features at work.

Mesa College took the stage after being

introduced as a “younger group of singers.” Their first song “Te Quiero” was preceded by a passionately recited English translation recited by Mesa College student Patricia Reyes.

“My biggest concern was connecting with the text,” said Reyes. “It’s a very romantic song.”

The vocal ensemble’s powerful sound compensated for their smaller size. A strong group dynamic combined with Reyes’ heartwarming Spanish solo resulted in

bursting applause.McKercher focused on Karlyn Moore’s

powerful solo in “Wade in the Water.” He complimented her voice but corrected her stage presence; a critique also given to the whole ensemble.

Richard Chagnon, director of Mesa’s vocal ensemble, was grateful for the advice his students received.

“The best critique we got was on our stage presence,” said Chagnon. “Students have to let their personalities shine through.”

Mesa College’s unique group dynamic and execution earned McKercher’s praise. The ensemble sang a fast-paced rendition of a published advertisement titled “Auction Cries” while grasping opened newspapers.

This refreshing adaptation proved that choral music is not all church hymns, but rather a harmonic and emotional way of expressing anything simple or abstract.

When Grossmont’s conductor, Dr. Randall Tweed, took the stage, he introduced his first song “Rorate Caeli Desuper” by acknowledging its abstract and transcendent quality.

“This song contains both the physical and metaphysical aspects of music,” said Tweed. “We hope our performance inspires both.”

MiraCosta was the final performance and expectations were high. The large chamber chorale harmonized beautifully. After the serene, soft conclusion of “Amor de Mí Alma,” McKercher took the stage and complimented the home choir on their vocalism. Their weakness, he felt, was the overwhelming presence of alto singers.

Nothing slipped past the ears of McKercher. The director of the San Diego Master Chorale fine-tuned every note and emphasized the importance of enunciating words. Choral music’s hypnotic harmonies reach their full potential when they clearly tell a story.

“Make every phrase have a destiny,” said McKercher. “And be careful when singing the word ‘flock.’”

The Mesa PressMay 11, 2010 News

Mesa participates in SDCC Choral FestivalALEC FERNANDESThe Mesa Press

The Mesa College Vocal Ensemble after choir pracice. Daniel Dreifuss/Mesa Press

Paralyzed Mesa student walks againJENNIFER KARNANThe Mesa Press

Hermes Castro receives a Certificate of Student Service and Leadership from San Diego Mesa College President Rita Cepeda. Photo courtesy of Hermes Castro

The mesa PressNews May 11, 2010

During an uncontested race, Shahzeb Naqi ran for the position of Associated Student Government President. Mesa College ASG elections were held May 3-7. Students voted online or dropped

off paper ballots in the Mesa College Associated Students Office.

Only students who have previously served on the ASG committee are allowed to run for higher positions such as president. Other students dropped out of the race due to ineligibility stemming from lack of time, interest or poor grades. Naqi will automatically be the next president because opposing candidates have dropped out of the race.

Naqi has many accomplishments as a Senator Representative, one of which was creating Student Appreciation Days. Naqi wanted to reward students who go to Mesa College. Last semester Naqi held two Student Appreciation days where ASG handed out free water and snacks.

“People go through so much just to pay for their classes and it’s our (ASG’s) own little way of showing appreciation for their contribution to the community at Mesa.”

One of Naqi’s goals is to increase student enthusiasm. Naqi noticed that many students simply go to Mesa for classes. He wants to create a place

where students can hang out and get to know each other while boosting support for their school.

“Students lack school spirit,” said Naqi.Naqi intends to increase the number of Student

Appreciation days each semester to improve students’

ability to meet and enjoy activities on campus other than class.

Another goal of Naqi’s is to increase student scholarships. With budget cuts, Naqi plans to find anyway possible to increase the budget for scholarships, stating that if he had to, he would pay out of pocket for them.

Naqi is committed to bringing wireless internet to the entirety of Mesa’s campus. When he was a senator, Naqi brought Wi-Fi to the bookstore, cafeteria, AS office, and the quad. His next step would be to provide wireless internet to the G building.

Other accomplishments of Naqi’s include bringing transfer and budget workshops to campus, helping create textbook rental programs, and representing students on Capitol Hill.

Running mate and Vice President to-be Daniel Tjandra will join Naqi in the fall semester. The new senators will include Joel Espinosa, German Garcia, Kevin P. Michaels, and Eve Wilson. German was the only senator that ran without any goals to incorporate into next year’s budget, but he will still win the position because the senators ran an uncontested race for four new positions.

“Each and every candidate should have background info and plans for the future as this would tell the students who they are voting for,” said Naqi.

Naqi is a sophomore and a double major in engineering and economics. His presidential term will last one year.

Naqi to take over as ASG presidentANDY SIMMONSThe Mesa Press

Shahzeb Naqi, the sole candidate for President of Mesa’s Associated Stu-dent Government. Photo Courtesy of Shahzeb Naqi

Nunez pleads guiltySARAH SWASEYThe Mesa Press

Esteban Nunez, 21, the son of former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and Ryan Jett, 24, pleaded guilty on May 5 to

voluntary manslaughter and assault for the 2008 stabbing of Luis Santos.

Santos, 22, a student at San Diego Mesa College, was stabbed to death near San Diego State University on Oct. 4, 2008. According to the prosecutors, Nunez and his three friends were upset after being kicked out of a fraternity party and were actually looking for a fight when they came in contact with Santos and his friends.

Superior Court Judge Robert O’Neill noted that Nunez and Jett will go to prison but may not receive the maximum sentence of 16 years. The sentencing hearing is set for June 25.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the guilty pleas were part of an agreement with the San Diego County district attorney’s office in which murder charges were dropped.

“After carefully evaluating the strength of the case, we have determined this is an appropriate resolution,” D.A. Bonnie Dumanis said. “Both defendants are admitting their responsibility for the death of Luis Dos Santos.”

By pleading guilty to two felonies, each will have two strikes. Should they commit other felonies, they would be eligible for sentences of 25 years to life in prison, Dumanis said.

Two other defendants had already pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against Nunez and Jett. Jett and Nunez were also charged with murder, assault and conspiracy to destroy evidence.

Questions raised about Mesa’s use of Walmart GrantCHRIS ROSARIOThe Mesa Press

Controversy has risen from the allocation of grant funds awarded by the Walmart Foundation to the San Diego Community College District to support new and existing programs for student veterans.

Mesa College augmented the salary of Oswaldo Amezcua, a newly hired counselor in the Veterans Office, as well as supporting Veteran’s Day activities on campus.

“He (Amezcua) provides academic and education planning, career counseling and drop-in services in the Counseling Center and Veteran’s Office for student veterans,” said Dean of Student Development and Matriculation, Joi Blake. “He assists with schedule adjustments to education plans to assist in the processing of certifications.”

Josh Ray, Mesa ASG Senator, California State Director of Student Veterans of America and inaugural member of the Veterans Advisory Committee (VAC) said that since Amezcua is available to all students and not exclusively to veterans, the grant may not have been utilized for its appropriate purpose.

“It is a direct misappropriation of the funds in my eyes,” Ray said. “When you get a grant for something specific, it has to go toward that.”

Ray has attended every meeting of the VAC, which is supposed to convene once a month, since its establishment in June of 2009. Since hearing about the grant, Ray has attempted to work with faculty on the VAC to create scholarships for veterans.

“The committee has not met this semester yet due to the move of the departments to the modular village and the workload in the Veterans Office,” said Blake. “Direct student service has been our priority this semester.”

Vice President of Student Services Barbara Kavalier organized a meeting in April to discuss campus life services and communiqués to student veterans.

According to Ray, when Blake was asked at the April meeting if it was the VAC’s responsibility to distribute the Walmart grant, she replied, “I’m the administrator that allocates that money.”

Dr. Lisa Curtin, SDCCD Executive Director of Government and Military Programs, divided the grant between Mesa College, Miramar College, and the district’s Military and Government Education and Training program, which services 147,000 military personnel on 24 military bases in 15 states.

The Walmart Foundation announced their $3.6 million donation to 12 nationwide organizations that provide educational assistance for veterans in celebration of Veteran’s Day 2008. SDCCD and San Diego State University each received $100,000 in grant money in the spring of 2009. Mesa received approximately $25,000.

Ray has asked the administration for a copy of the grant to discern if any conditions have been violated, however, he has not been furnished that document.

“I have asked the district to provide the information regarding grant specifics,” said Blake. “I am awaiting a response.”

~

The Mesa PressMay 11, 2010 Opinion

Staff Editorial

It’s about 10 minutes ‘til 11 and the initial hassle on campus is over—a parking spot has been found. Rushing towards the elevator, you manage to squeeze in, only to notice that the ride is getting continuously bumpy and suddenly you find yourself coming to an abrupt stop. Congratulations, you are another student stuck in the elevators at Mesa College.

This situation has been a common occurrence, most likely because the elevator licenses around campus have been expired for quite some time. The two most common campus elevators are in the I-300 building, which has recently become only one I-300 elevator due to the other being “Out of Order.” This location is notorious for elevator malfunction and is one of the more popular elevators due to it being the one transporting students from the back parking lot to campus. Almost every time someone rides this elevator, you hear someone in the back say, “I got stuck in this one last week.”

The two other locations do not have as many problems with getting stuck, but they do make strange noises or random, jerky movements. One of these

locations is in the G-200 building and the others are in the LRC. Luckily, they do not have the same problems as the elevators in the I-300 building. These two locations do have one thing in common—their elevator licenses expired June 18, 2009.

The permits posted in these elevators say that the last date of inspection was June 18, 2008, leaving people to assume that these elevators have not been inspected for at least two years.

While it may seem easy to say, “just take the stairs,” the truth of the matter is that some students and faculty need these elevators and use them regularly, so to some, “just taking the stairs” is not an option. And apparently, people now must worry about whether they will make it to their desired floor safely.

Reality could be that the elevators have been inspected and that their permits have just not been renewed or posted accurately; but according to the California Code Title 8, Section 3001: (c) Permit to Operate Required: No elevator shall be operated without a valid, current permit issued by the

Division; California Code Title 24, Part 7, Section 3001 requires all elevators to be inspected at least once every year.

With all of the excitement and anticipation

for new buildings to be completed around campus, many students are left wondering why our elevators, something used on a regular, and sometimes daily basis, are left on the back burner.

Uninspected elevators leave safety in question

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to reconsider instating a ban on the sale of ultra-violent video games to minors in California later this fall. This case will be called Schwarzenegger v. Entertainment Merchants Association.

Schwarzenegger and other activists for the ban of ultra-violent video games argue that the games harm children psychologically in the same way alcohol and cigarettes harm them physically and thus should be regulated in a similar manner as said substances.

The problem with this line of logic is that video games are not a commodity. They are a form of artistic expression and are protected from regulation under the First Amendment. This is not the first time an artistic medium has faced public oposition, with the banning of books in schools and restricting movie productions, but each time the industries have been able to self-regulate without government intervention.

Games are evolving from their “little kid” persona to an expression of art. Movies went through the same process and from the days of short cowboy flicks to serious films such as Battleship Potemkin. Filmmakers have been experimenting with movie-making as a form of art in the same way video game makers have, from simple games like Pong to intellectual games like Myst and artistic games like Okami.

There are other video games now that stem right from literature. The story to BioShock is rooted with ideas from Ayn Rand’s epic novel Atlas Shrugged. The game was praised for its in-depth storytelling and a story based on morality.

Whether video games cause psychological harm is up for debate. Adults need to take responsibility and watch over what their children do. They still live under their parent’s roof. It’s up to the parents to monitor their children and not the government. Parents need to grow up too.

Games with gratuitous images of violence exist. Movies and books contain those images as well. In the end though, it is really up to parents to decide what is best for their children, and they should be the ones making the decision of what is okay and what is not okay for their children. The state and federal governments should not be involved with something that is an issue of domestic freedom.

Elevator in the G-building that has not been inspected for two years. Sarah Swasey/The Mesa Press

Banning video games equates to banning art

ANDY SIMMONSThe Mesa Press

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Register for Journalism 210a

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The Mesa Pressopinion May 11, 2010

The Word: How do you de-stressduring finals?

“I go swimming, surfing, or bike riding.”

Richard Cobura, Water Purification and Sanitation

“Procrastination.”

Melissa Guzuan, Psychology

“Just go play basketball.”

Alex Tyrrell, Undeclared

“I hang out with inter-varsity and listen to music.”

Lenore Barnhill, Human Services and Child Development

“Just chill at home.”

Patricia Sarmiento, Psychology

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we know how hard you’ve worked to get this far, and we want to help you get even further. As a community college transfer student you’ll be able to take advantage of these great benefits. . .

>> Guaranteed admission

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>> Unique one-course-per-month format

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What’s Next For You?

Although it’s not uncommon for immigrants to carry identification in

many countries, Arizona’s new immigration laws may provide a platform for unjust racial profiling.

Since the founding of this country, U.S. citizens have witnessed various types of abuse by authorities in local, state and national law enforcement, though one would think we, as a country, have moved past such democratic injustice. But in coming months, it won’t come as a surprise to hear about mistreatment of American citizens of Spanish or Mexican decent that reside in Arizona.

We, the people of the United States of America, are the original immigrants if you really step back and re-examine history. Why the American people have such negativity toward others trying to provide a stable life for themselves and for their families, just as the original American immigrants did, is a result of unmerited emotions stemming from the national attitude of unlimited privilege.

The land of opportunity should provide just that. Our Founding Fathers were the original inconsiderate bullies that came here and stomped all over the American natives to find themselves and their kin a better life. Yet, it seems illegal immigrants in the United States are doing just the same, except they aren’t stepping on anyone’s toes, and by that I mean brutal warfare, displacement, disease and

enslavement.By widening

our diversity and our numbers, we can grow as a country. Not only will more citizens mean the purchase of more American goods to boost the economy, a little bit of healthy competition in the job market never hurt anyone.

The U.S. provides a place for people to be free, as far as just the law lets them and a place for people to find respect and equality. We are a melting pot and should continue to be accepting of all who wish to join us in the race for a superior existence.

It’s best summed up in the words of Obama’s Cinco de Mayo speech, “…we’ve got to stay true to who we are, a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.”

The Mesa PressMay 11, 2010 Opinion

Top 10Other things to spill into the gulf

1. OxiClean 2. All the beer cans from last night’s party 3. Nickelodeon’s entire supply of green slime 4. Crystal Pepsi 5. The stuff inside Stretch Armstrong 6. Twenty-five thousand copies of The Eagles Greatest Hits 7. America’s obsession with The Jersey Shore 8. Febreze 9. The economy 10. FIX IT WITH FIRE

Arizona immigration law causes controversyBROOK DAILEYThe Mesa Press

Papers please.

Here you go sir. Aw crap.

Meanwhile in Arizona...

2 tacos-----2.31

1 Med Coke--1.50

2 Lrg fries-1.00(x2)

subtotal 4.81

tax 0.29

total 5.10

Big Burger Palace

Papers by Danny West

Image courtesy of Google


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THE MESA COLLEGE Dance Company presented the fruits of this semester’s labor

at their showcase Beyondance April 30 through May 3 at Horton Plaza’s Lyceum Theatre.

The 15 dance numbers in Beyondance were entirely student choreographed and dealt with a variety of themes, including nature, love, finding fun in the daily grind of work, the battle of the sexes, abuse, and post-traumatic stress. All of the dancers featured in the show participate in the dance performance class, where different forms of dance are taught and students hone their stage performance skills.

“The dancers were really into it,” said Katie Reyburn, a 23-year-old business major at Mesa. “They really immersed themselves emotionally in the movement and the music.”

Many students from the dance performance class auditioned to have their choreography featured in Beyondance, but only 15 were chosen. The well-rounded program featured pieces of modern, jazz, ballet, tap, hip-hop, belly dance and several numbers that fused multiple dance forms.

“At the end, I felt better watching the dancers dancing my work than I would dancing myself,” said student choreographer Emilie Lancry. “It feels like a bigger achievement because you can really enjoy the fact that people are responding to your vision and the dancers are delivering your vision, so it’s just amazing to be a part of it.”

The student choreographers used creative ways of presenting their dance numbers. Two of the pieces began with dancers entering the stage from the audience, while others set tap dances over hip hop songs and hip hop pieces over country songs.

“I liked how two of the numbers used the audience,” said 19-year-old dance major Alycia Torres. “It seemed like they came out of nowhere and I thought that was really cool.”

Ellye O’Brien is majoring in Physiology and Neuroscience and plans to transfer to UCSD. She says she started taking dance at Mesa for fun and one class led to another. This is her first semester choreographing for the Mesa College Dance Company. Her modern dance piece, “Pangea,” portrayed a soldier returning home from war

Story by Jennifer Karnan / Photos by Daniel Dreifuss

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The Mesa PressMay 11, 2010 News

Photos by Daniel Dreifuss

The Mesa Press May 11, 2010Features

There is a preconception that has begun to take root that good food must cost good money; that for a restaurant to

be any good it must make the wallet at least 10 degrees hotter than the oven used to cook the meal. Recently, however, a restaurant by the name of 25Forty Bistro & Bakehouse (25Forty) has opened. Their quality of food and extraordinary prices are fighting to make eating out a pleasurable experience for customer and wallet alike.

Immediately recognizable by its modern appearance, 25Forty has a black and white motif that gives it a very modern appearance. While looking at the menu, first time customers may be confused as to how a restaurant with a menu that can fit on a leaflet could be particularly outstanding. Such confusion quickly fades away after the first few bites of food.

Breads are made with a natural starter instead of the usual brewer’s yeast; the result is a loaf with feather-like softness outlined by a hint of sweetness, owed to the lack of brewer’s yeast that is normally used when making bread and gives

bread its slight bitterness. The salads are equally delicious. Beds of spinach leaves lay where similar establishments

would typically serve iceberg lettuce and are lightly showered with a balsamic vinaigrette.

Prices at a glance seem high, however, they are more than fair for what is received. Lunch for a single person will run between $10 and $12 for a full meal.

Dinner entrees are more expensive, so an entire dinner meal will be around $16 to $18. This may not sound cheap, but it is

more than reasonable for the quality of the food and the proportions of each meal are generous, especially compared to what similar establishments would charge. College students should talk to owner and chef Mark Pelliccia, who, understanding of the low-income life of the average

college student, will give discounts if a college ID is shown.

Sadly, having only been open for a couple of months now, not all of the paperwork has been squared away. The restaurant has not yet acquired its permit to serve alcohol. Though this does not take away dramatically, it is still disappointing to see an establishment of such caliber unable to round out its heartier dishes with a nice glass of wine or a stout beer. This will soon be remedied, so do not despair.

Given that it’s only been open for two months, 25Forty is a very solid choice for a casual lunch or dinner. The quality of food is outstanding without question and prices are more than fair for what is received. The lack of alcohol is a downer but it won’t last forever. For a restaurant that has only been open for two months 25Forty has developed quite spectacularly and it will be interesting to see what becomes of the establishment as it grows.

Located at 2540 Congress St., 25Forty sits along the outskirts of Old Town. Restaurant hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursday with longer hours of 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays The restaurant is closed entirely on Tuesdays.

25Forty Brings Quality Cuisine at a Quality PriceANDREW FERGINThe Mesa Press

Restaurant Review

Succulent Steak Entree with a side of Asparagus Jason Carrier

Director Jon Favreau’s $200 million sequel in the Iron Man series packed theaters and crushed the weekend competition but lacks the ingenuity, storyline and impact of the first installment in 2008.

Get your calculator. Now add $1.9 million (Nightmare on Elm Street) to $6.7 million (How To Train Your Dragon) to $5.3 million (Date Night) to $4.3 million (The Back Up Plan). Now multiply that number times 5 and you still haven’t made the $133 million dollars that Iron Man II pulled in this weekend to rank as the fifth highest weekend-opener of all time.

Scores of faithful fans jammed the theatres this weekend, leaving the beaches conspicuously empty despite the beautiful spring weather. After all of the Hollywood hype surrounding Iron Man II caused legions of fans to fill theaters to capacity this weekend, however, the general consensus in theatres (at least in my row) seems to be that Iron Man II is something of a letdown.

Everyone knows about the curse of the sequel. Look at Matrix Reloaded and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, Two movies that did incredibly well at the box office, inspired a loyal fan base, and were then followed up with vomitous offerings for seconds. Sometimes the sequels are so bad that the original stars won’t even appear in them, and have to be replaced with lesser “B” movie actors or actors whose careers are experiencing a gentle downward spiral.

It’s not surprising that movie audiences expected great things from the sequel, considering the success Iron Man enjoyed in 2008. After grossing almost $600 million worldwide and holding a place in the top 100 grossing films

of all time, you’d expect the sequel to do as well as it did. After all it’s, got all the hype of the first going for it, and a built-in fanbase.

You’d also expect it to be a great movie, and that, unfortunately, is where you’d be disappointed. Audiences are reacting weakly and that does not bode well for next weekend’s returns. The usual culprits in this scenario are not immediately evident in the case of IM2.

Usually the studio, in this case Paramount, sees an opportunity to cut costs on a sequel and rely on the fan base from the original to deliver at least two-thirds of the ticket sales, while spending only half the amount on marketing. Paramount increased the $140 million budget from the first to $200 million for the sequel, and Stan Lee of Marvel Comics apparently gave more latitude to actor/director Jon Favreau with regards to the script. (Favreau is notorious for improvising dialogue.)

There was plenty of exposition in the storyline, which made the story drag somewhat. Many scenes felt improvised

and therefore lacked the sharpness of the dialogue in the first script that made the Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) character so charming. There was also a lack of continuity, if not chemistry, in the relationship between Stark and his best friend Lt. Colonel “Rhodey” Rhodes caused by the fact that Don Cheadle replaced Terrence Howard in the role. Downey looked so haggard that one wondered if the subplot of Stark being ill wasn’t written in to cover it. Either way, Downey was looking a bit worse for the wear and tear. All of the effects are CGI we saw in the first film and the chemistry between Stark and his repressed secretary Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) isn’t anything to write home about. At the end there’s a particularly sexless kiss between the two that felt more like siblings making out than two people finally blowing the lid off years of suppressed desire. Her character even asks Stark after the kiss, “Weird?” No fewer than three people within earshot answered the screen softly; “Yes.”

Sequels will always disappoint, because of the simple fact that it’s more of the same. With IM2, there’s another disappointment though. In the first film, we fell in love with a womanizing, billionaire man-about-town. Stark was a charming genius that created something incredible, but was also incredibly flawed. We loved him because he was flawed and faulted and at the same time we rooted for him to come out on top.

In the second film we expect Stark to honor the old saying “with great power comes great responsibility.” And he doesn’t. Iron Man is now responsible for the security of the United States and he doesn’t even come off as someone you’d let babysit for the afternoon. That makes all of his antics seem reckless, irresponsible and not nearly as likeable as he was when we first met him.

“Iron Man II,” the curse of the sequel ANTHONY TEMPLETON The Mesa Press

Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark in “Iron Man 2.”Photo courtesy of Google

Movie Review

Mason Walker, President of Mesa College’s Associated Student Government, posed as a homeless person for three

days and two nights along with four others as part of an effort to spread awareness through a non-profit organization.

Walker, 30, slept and dwelled in downtown San Diego April 9-11 with three other ASG members from San Diego City College, San Diego State University and Miramar College, as well as the CEO of the non-profit organization Embrace, which hosted the event.

“There is a huge homeless population not only in San Diego, but on this campus in particular,” Walker said. “We wanted to go through what they go through to see if we could provide better things for them.”

Throughout the weekend, Walker kept a journal documenting his travels and the people and situations he came across.

“We hung around downtown at Embarcadero Park, Seaport Village, 8th Avenue and E Street, and 15th Avenue and Island Street,” Walker said. “We also would go to Borders, where a lot of other homeless people went to because it was a clean place where we could sit down and read and do homework.”

As part of the experience, Walker was not allowed to bring any money or food, though he did say he brought toothpaste, a toothbrush and Noxzema pads to cleanse his face. In an effort to make money, Walker rapped while Tyler Boden, the student body president at SDSU, played guitar. They also

worked at the Good Day Center cleaning dishes, tables and the floor as a payment for the food they received.

“People from churches brought us blankets for the nights and some passersby gave us money and food,” Walker said. “I

wasn’t there, but someone who saw us on the news gave Tyler a can of peaches and $20.”

Though the group played football games and did things to keep busy during the days, the nights were tougher to get through.

“The first night we tried to sleep underneath the baseball stadium, but security

kicked us out, so we slept on the side of the post office on 8th and E,” Walker said. “There were rats running around behind our heads in the bushes. The second night we slept at 15th and Island.”

Though Walker stated his group did not

endure any confrontations with police, he said he was scared of getting harassed by them.

“We couldn’t set up our beds until after 9:00 p.m. and were woken up every morning by a loud siren at 5:30 a.m.,” Walker said. “We had to get up, otherwise we would be

ticketed. We also had to sleep right up against the walls because if we were too far out, we would also get ticketed for obstructing the walkways.”

During the weekend, Walker met some interesting people and saw some unusual things.

“We talked to this guy Jimmy. He knew every verse in the Bible, and was talking to us about it,” Walker said. “I also noticed that some people were walking around with bluetooths and cell phones. There was this young couple who had two kids. One was five and the other was around two. The dad didn’t work and the mom lost her job and they were evicted from their home, so now the whole family was living on the streets. A lot of the homeless people are just normal people in bad situations. People were showing us pictures off their cell phones of what they had before.”

Though most people realized the group was not truly homeless, Walker noticed the harsher treatment of regular civilians.

“Most people were nice to us because they could tell from our clothes and appearance that we weren’t really homeless, but they didn’t talk to anyone else that wasn’t in our group,” Walker said. “It’s as if homeless people are invisible, and people are oblivious. One of the nights these girls drove by us and yelled at us, ‘Get a job, bitches.’”

Though being homeless was stated as being very boring, the experience served as an eye opener to Walker.

“It really frightens me as a black man that I could be homeless at any given point because there is a high unemployment rate among African Americans in America,” Walker said. “I feel dangerously close.”

The Mesa PressMay 11, 2010 Feature

ASG president homeless for three days

Mason Walker and the group keeping busy during their homeless stay in downtown San Diego. Photo courtesy of Mason Walker

THE JON GARNER TRIO has been on hiatus since this past fall, but plan to start playing again this summer. Vocalist and guitarist Jon Garner has been playing as a solo act, Jon Ji, and will depart on a mini tour of Northern California in June.

THE SILENT COMEDy just released

a new album, Common Faults, earlier this month. They will be playing at the Birch North Park Theatre on May 28 with fellow Ear To The Ground alumni, Dirty Sweet.

GET BACk LORETTA released a new EP this past summer titled Where Did You Go. On May 29 you can catch them at the Casbah with Or The Whale and Swim Party. They also have a big show at Qualcomm supporting P.O.D on June 12.

The pop-punk trio NEw AGE HEROES has unfortunately broken up. Guitarist and lead vocalist Dustin Blackwell is in the process of starting a new band along with working on his solo project, Nuked

With Care.Singer-songwriter GREGORy PAGE

released a new album entitled Heartstrings this past Valentine’s Day. You can catch Page

every Thursday at Java Joe’s in Hillcrest. He will also be playing at the Sam

Hinton Folk Festival on June 5 in Poway.

A SCRIBE AMIDST THE LIONS is

currently working on a series of

singles, The L a s t

S t i n g Trilogy. The

band has already released the first in the

series, Money in the Mouth. Head over to the Che Café (located

Ear To The Ground YEarbookon the UCSD campus) on June 9 to see them play with Incomplete Neighbor and Boombox Renaissance.

Lady Dottie is still the hardest working blues-woman in town. The band maintains their regular gig every Monday at U-31 and every Wednesday at Gallagher’s, so there’s no excuse for missing out on the good times that LADy DOTTIE AND THE DIAMONDS unofficially guarantee.

DIRTy SwEET is currently on tour in Europe. They released their latest album, American Spiritual, on April 6. As mentioned previously, they will be playing with The Silent Comedy on May 28.

D/ wOLvES released a self-titled EP earlier this month and plan to have their debut album out by this summer. You can see them at the Che Café on May 15 and June 2. They will be touring up and down the coast in June as well.

A yearin review

2009-2

010

Ear

To The

Ground

DANIELLE BRIGGSThe Mesa Press

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of Ear To The Ground, we thought it would be a good idea to check in and update readers on all the bands that have been featured in the column. The upcoming summer will bring plenty of good music, if this update is any indication.

-Danny

The Mesa PressNews/Entertainment May 11, 2010

Start

Budget cuts

H1N1 shot

AcademicProbation

Hungover

You did it!

“The message I tried to convey with this dance is ‘let’s see ourselves in each other, wake up from what we’re do-ing and be here for each other,’” said O’Brien.

Student choreographer Lindsay Lundgren broke her knee 2 years ago and underwent surgery during the final week of rehearsal. She finished her jazz piece, titled “The Butterfly Lounge,” on the Wednesday before the show and went into surgery on Thursday.

“We put a lot of hard work into it and it’s really cool to see the different pieces and ideas and how different they all are,” said Lundgren. “The Mesa dance depart-ment has been around for a long time and I think students in the school should get more involved because it’s so much fun.”

Mesa students interested in performing in the next show are encouraged to enroll in the dance performance class in the fall, which only requires one additional tech-nique class.

Dance contunied from page 8

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Summer Dunsmore, a San Diego Mesa College honors stu-dent, has recently been selected from 40 community college stu-dents to receive the Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship. She plans to attend UC Berkeley.

“I’ve always dreamed of attending UC Berkeley,” said Dun-smore. “Now, with this unbelievable scholarship, that dream will become a reality.”

Summer Dunsmore will be given up to $30,000 per year from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation to complete her bachelor’s degree.

Mesa Student recieves honorary scholarship

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The Mesa PressMay 11, 2010 Entertainment

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The Mesa PressFeatures May 11, 2010

The New Pornographers have built a reputation as some of the most ingenious creators of sparkling and supremely catchy indie pop of the last 10 years. Filled with sublime harmonies and powerful arrangements, their songs have been at the forefront of critically and commercially successful independent music ever since they released their debut album “Mass Romantic” (2000). Their fifth album — “Together,” released last Tuesday — continues to refine the eminently entertaining sound for which they have come to be known, yet does little to break new ground.

Still, “Together” could be called one of their strongest albums, even if it misses the consistent, frenetic inspiration of “Mass Romantic” or the giddy yet mature and poignant highs of their last album, “Challengers” (2007).

“Together,” as the title may imply, is largely free of the angst and yearning for connection found in its predecessors. Instead, its mood is largely one of optimism, and if this may

not be new territory for the New Pornographers, then it at least is a comfortable domain in which the band can produce more of its ear-pleasing melodiousness.

Starting off with the feel-good cello and guitar riffs and wordless “oh oh” harmonies of “Moves,” the new album launches directly into catchy, power-chord pop, returning

the veteran New Pornographers listener to the inspirational sunny-day feeling with which he or she is by now familiar. The fevered pitch of this first song is only intensified by the transition into “Crash Years,” a song that makes inventive use of the standard descending doo-wop chord progression seen in countless tunes since the ’50s.

The song features some rather nonsensical lyrics (admittedly, nothing new for the band). In the New Pornographers’ case, however, such lyrical vagueness is hardly the point, as their words tend to serve as mood-setting bases upon which the group can hang its beautiful melodies. Indeed, by the time the song reaches its climactic fade-out of chiming harmonies set to the simultaneously poignant and hopefully promising words, “The ruins were wild / Tonight will be an open mike,” any lyrical criticisms are rendered completely irrelevant as the listener basks in the impossibly (yet genuinely) sunny soundscape the band has built.

Other highlights of the new album include the bouncy, tightly-coiled guitar and piano pop of “Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk” and the beautiful and comforting “My Shepherd,” a surprisingly (if only seemingly) standard love song

featuring the soaring lead vocals of Neko Case (who usually sings backup to either frontman A.C. Newman’s straight-ahead slick rock vocals or Dan Bejar’s verbose, Bowie-esque yelps and snickers).

Album art for “Together.” Image courtesy of Google

Pornographers’ newest album pleases, but may not astound

The big trend in Hollywood these days seems to be rebooting classic films. A reboot, for anyone still pounding away on their Macintosh II and watching movies on VHS, is a new version of a film made but with completely new ideas and storylines. This is usually a hit or miss process (I’m looking at you, “Planet of the Apes”) but when done right, it can be a sublime experience; such is the case with Samuel Bayer’s revamped version of “A Nightmare on Elm Street.”

In the film, a group of teens discover that they are all being stalked in their dreams

by scarred and burned killer Freddy Krueger (Jackie Earle Haley).

“A Nightmare on Elm Street” takes the iconic “Nightmare” franchise first imagined in 1984 by slasher movie guru Wes Craven and saves it from going down in history as the sad caricature it became by the end

Haley at 5 feet 5 inches makes a more imposing and terrifying killer than Robert Englund ever came close to being-even with eight films worth of practice.

Instead of cracking tired and obvious jokes, the new Krueger stalks his prey with Haley using his signature growl to optimum effect.

Freddy Krueger’s real potential is finally realized when the audience gets its first good

look at the famed killer in sleep-deprived teen Kris Fowles’ (Katie Cassidy) dream.

Haley is supported by a cast of somewhat-knowns with just enough credits under their belts so as not to be instantly recognizable but enough to make audiences wonder where they’ve seen them before.

Despite being little more than cows waiting for the slaughter, Cassidy and Thomas Dekker, as Jesse Braun, do a good job of looking tired (which in this movie is actually a good thing) and managing looks of believable terror.

Story-wise, this is a much sharper telling of the original. The director chose to go with a different back story for Krueger, one that Craven had originally considered

Back to Elm Streetbut changed out of sensitivity.

The reveal of Krueger’s human identity was also done well-Bayer chose to do it in another of his well-crafted dream sequences.

“Elm Street” also manages to take everything that was good about ‘80s slasher films and do them one better with the benefit of the new millennium’s technology.

When Nancy (Rooney Mara) runs through a darkened hallway only to have the floor beneath her quiver and shake and turn into a viscous pool of blood, there’s no question that this is what Craven must have originally imagined when he created his vast dreamscape.

Visually, the movie is stunning-a surprising feat for a horror movie, a genre where the focus is usually on maximum blood splatter and elevating the gross-factor.

Krueger operates in a world of cool blues and electric yellows that help to clearly draw a line between the real world and his realm.

If “A Nightmare on Elm Street” has any major flaw, it’s a lackluster midsection.

The film adroitly builds suspense for almost an hour but then some of the fear is lost as the two main characters go through the motions of finding out the real reason why they are being hunted by Krueger.

Mara is also slightly unbelievable as she becomes the film’s heroine. After simpering in the background for an hour, her turn for brazen savior will have viewers groaning in disbelief instead of cheering.

Whether the reboot trend will last has yet to be seen, but “A Nightmare on Elm Street” deserves to go down as one of the best to come from this particular fad.

Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy Krueger in the recent remake of “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” Photo courtesy of Google

Album Review

Movie Review

ALEJANDRA JACKSONThe TelescopePallomar College

LLOYD MILLERThe DartmouthDarthmouth College

The Mesa PressMay 11, 2010 Sports

Mesa students shine at STAR awards Sportlight athletes took top honors at Mesa’s third

annual STAR awards, held on May 6 in the Mesa Gymnasium.

Football player Tombe Kose took home the Individual Community Spirit award, followed by volleyball and softball player Denisse Martinez who received the SUPER STAR Award.

Kose came to America from Sudan at the age of 8 and has excelled in athletics ever since. He is an active member in the community and has just signed an official letter of intent to play football at Syracuse University.

SUPER STAR recipient Denisse Martinez, a dual athlete, has felt the strains of managing school and sports. While maintaining a 3.5 GPA she was awarded Defensive Player of the Year for softball and given the Coaches Award for volleyball.

Last year’s SUPER STAR Award winner Joshua Denz was this year’s keynote speaker. Denz was selected as the California Community College Athletics Association Male Scholar-Athlete of the State this year. Denz spoke about his involvement in Mesa water polo, his life inspirations and receiving the Scholar-Athlete Award.

“It’s such a great honor and inspiration to be nominated by my coaches and given these amazing awards,” said Denz.

This is only the third time a Mesa student has won the statewide award, and the first time since 1985.

All the student athletes are nominated by their coaches and then voted on by a committee made up of coaches, counselors and administrators who work at Mesa. The STAR

Awards committee is made up of Kristy Carson, Ailene Crakes, Guadalupe Gonzalez, Leroy Johnson, Kim Lester, Debbie Powell, Nathan Resch and Brian Stockert.

This year’s ceremony was dedicated to track and field coach Arnie Robinson, a gold and bronze medalist from the 1972 and 1976 Olympics. A slide show was created and presented to Robinson in addition to a commemorative plaque.

The STAR awards were created in 2008 by Mesa Academics and Athletics Program counselor Kristy Carson to recognize and celebrate athletics and athletes at Mesa.

When Carson came to Mesa four years ago she noticed the lack of recognition and knowledge of the sports teams and programs on campus. She wanted to create something

to show the dedication and heart behind all of the student athletes.

“There are 20 sports teams at Mesa, and nobody knew about any of them,” said Carson.

Once a student athlete herself, Carson knows how hard it can be to score points in a game and in the classroom, so awards for highest individual and team GPA are included in the ceremony. Men’s cross-country had an overall 3.21 GPA in the fall, and baseball player Brennan Geary earned the

award with a 4.0 GPA.“These students have

no time, and work so hard, we have to recognize that,” Carson said.

The Team Community Spirit Award was given to women’s basketball team for their generous involvement and fundraising for breast cancer and earthquake relief for the recent disaster in Haiti.

Carson knows the success and popularity of the STAR awards will shed light and a new interest in sports at Mesa, and produce an appreciation for the hard working and dedicated students who play on Mesa’s sports teams.

ASHTON O’HALLORANThe Mesa Press

Denisse Martinez, volleyball and softball player at Mesa, received the SUPER STAR award this year.





Tombe Kose accepting the Individual Community Spirit Award.

Joshua Denz, former STAR award recipient and CCCAA Male Scholar Athlete giving his Keynote Address.

Olympic Gold medalist and track and field coach Arnie Robinson accept-ing his 2010 Honoree plaque.


Models walk runway inMesa student designsSARAH SWASEYThe Mesa Press

SAN DIEGO MESA COLLEGE’S fashion department held their 29th annual Golden Scissors Fashion Show and Awards Gala at the

Westin Horton Plaza on May 8.The three-hour program, titled “Graffiti

& Lace,” showcased 13 student-designed collections and more than 84 individual student pieces. Forty-six student models walked the runway and students from San Diego City College Fashion Photography shot the photos. San Diego City College Cosmetology students took care of hair and makeup.

The show’s opening collection was that of guest designer Katya Pshchenko, a Ukrainian fashion designer whose pieces have walked the catwalk at “Grand Defile” in Milan, Italy after being honored as one of the five best Ukrainian fashion designers. This was her first show in the U.S.

Alumni designer Kathleen Argerake’s bag collection was the second to hit the runway. Argerake’s original Flea Circus Bags, also known as “Flea Bags,” are made of 98 percent recycled, reclaimed or repurposed materials.

Student designers showed off pieces in categories such as Day and Night,

Chantilly Night, Romantic Lace, Urban Dreams, Children’s Wear and Club Wear. After the general groups were done walking the runway, the featured student-made collections were shown. Students drew upon life, interests and fashion’s past, among other things, for inspiration.

The fashion show was followed by an awards ceremony presented by Andrea Marx, program director and Mesa College fashion professor; Susan Lazear, Mesa College fashion professor; and Barbara Kavalier, Mesa College Vice President of Student Services. Before handing out the medals, Kavalier reminded the crowd of the goal of the Mesa Fashion Department.

“Golden Scissors is about providing important first steps toward our students’ achieving their dreams,” said Kavalier.

The Fashion Advisory Committee, consisting of faculty and staff of the Mesa Fashion Department and noted members of the local San Diego fashion industry, judged collections and designs for the awards gala.

Best of show awards for a collection included Megan Costa

for Best Workmanship

and Michelle D’Alessoundro for Most Creative. The Best of the Best in Continuing Excellence went to Kari Lam and Osbaldo Ahumada.

Ahumada was awarded for his avant-garde piece made entirely of plastic forks in the Free Lance Tagger category. In this fantasy category, designers were not allowed to use any regular fabric for their creations.

For the full collections, Mesa students Lindsay Tanner and Keter Ly tied for third place. In second place were student designers Megan Costa and Michelle D’Alessoundro.

Keith Bonar won first place for his men’s wear collection titled “C’est Bonar,”

also the only full menswear collection to walk the runway that night. Bonar aimed to create a collection of modern menswear that is contemporary yet does not forget the past by combining the structure of tailoring and the sculpture of draping.

“Always inspired by fashion history, I looked to the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries for inspiration and surveyed the state of menswear at the turn of the 21st,” Bonar said.

Chris Arreguin was awarded The Rising Star. This honor is given to a first year design student who shows promise of becoming an award-winning designer.

First place awards in other categories went to:

Millenary—Erica DerbyWeekend Wear—Vana Twohey

(denim jacket & gold pants)Day Wear—Laura Borneman

(floral dress)Special Occasion—Chris Aherns

(black strapless dress)Club Wear—Rachel Flemens (black

net 2-piece dress)Evening Wear—Voshel (blue ruche

gown)Retro-redo—Clara Allen (army green

dress)Fantasy—Rachel Flemens (screen

dress with studs)

All photos courtesy of Brook Dailey/The Mesa Press

Keith Bonar won the first place award for his collection menswear collection, titled C’est Bonar.

Osbaldo Ahumada’s creation for the Fantasy category, made completely ofplastic forks.

An avant-garde piece in the Fantasy category (left), and one of three dresses in Michelle D’Alessandro’s collection titled wMichiDali* (below).

May 11, 2010

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