Photo illustration by Rick Nease/Detroit Free Press 2011/MCT Campus

By Jackson Ly

The Guardsman

Young adults and children are at a greater risk for hearing loss today than even a couple of decades ago due to the increasing popularity and use of earbuds and MP3 players, according to an article published by the American Osteopathic Association.

One in five teens are currently affected by hearing loss, a rate 30 percent higher than in the 1980s and 1990s, but damage from using earbuds can be prevented by moderating volume levels.

When loud music plays through earbuds, the eardrum transfers that sound to the inner ear, where thousands of inner hair cells are transmitting vibrations to the nerves. Earbuds are usually worn as close as possible to the eardrum.

Exposure to loud noise over time will cause those hair cells to shear or break off, City College instructor and speech pathologist Joyce E. Foreman said.

“There’s nothing to regenerate these hair cells anymore. When the hair cells are gone, they are gone,” Foreman said. “Hearing is one of the senses that you cannot get back.”

Hearing loss symptoms include ringing, buzzing or roaring in one’s ears. Muffling or sound distortion also occurs after hearing a loud noise.

Permanent hearing loss can occur when people listen to their MP3 players above 70 percent volume (over 85 decibels) through earbuds, according to teenshealth.org.

Anything under 85 decibels is considered safe, Foreman said.

To put that number into perspective, MP3 players are capable of producing 120 decibels, which is the equivalent of having a rock concert inside one’s ears, said osteopathic pediatrician James E. Foy in an interview with the American Osteopathic Association. After an hour and 15 minutes of listening, hearing loss can occur.

Every increase of 10 decibels means an increase of 10 times more power, but human ears will only notice the sound as being twice as loud, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

The American Osteopathic Association recommends the 60 percent/60 minute rule to moderate earbud usage: no more than 60 percent of maximum volume for no more than 60 minutes.

Noise-canceling headphones pose less of a risk than earbuds because they are worn further away from one’s eardrums. Such headphones can eliminate background noise, which reduces the need to increase the volume, Foreman said.

A New York Times article mentioned that earbuds can be up to 9 decibels louder than headphones, which is a big deal when listening to music from 70 to 80 decibels.

Other risk factors besides earbuds include such environmental noise like loud music blasting from speakers at a bar or nightclub.

In the Club

When one is in a noisy environment, wearing earplugs is an important preventative for hearing loss, Foreman said. Earplugs can reduce noise by 9 to 25 decibels depending on how they are made and fit, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Nick Yee, a second year Live Sound student at City College, has been a DJ since he was 13 years old, and he has never worn earplugs.

“You probably should, but I don’t,” Yee said. “I’ve done so many clubs, after a while, your ears just get adapted to it.”

Noise at a dance club can reach up to 110 decibels, according to an article from earbuds.org.

Yee has to walk up to clubgoers just to hear what they want. Yee still has his hearing, but some of his co-workers may not.

“Some of the guys in the company have hearing loss,” Yee said. “They push the system harder, which increases the chances of the speaker being blown.”

Even though Yee does not use earplugs, he recommends them to people who are not used to the club scene. It is also important to avoid standing directly next to the speakers, Yee said.

At home, Yee listens to music through his headphones at 30-35 percent volume, and his last hearing test was over seven years ago.

“I still got it, man,” Yee said.

For information on getting a hearing screening, contact the Disabled Students Programs & Services at (415) 561-1005.

By Cassandra Hendry

The Guardsman

Recently there have been three robberies and an attempted rape in the Wellness Center on Ocean campus this semester.  But the question is how are all these thieves getting away with stealing students personal items or even holding them up at gunpoint? Also where is the campus police when you need them?

The students of City College deserve to be protected from this kind of violence.

There are only 28 active police officers along with nine civilian employees. City College has 12 main locations in San Francisco and it is overwhelming to protect the campuses with so few officers. The police can’t be at two places at once. There just aren’t enough officers.

A lot of students question why campus police are never around.. But it’s not their fault that they are understaffed, it’s this economy that we live in. No one wants to work without pay and it’s also not that easy to become a police officer. City College police officers “must graduate from a POST Certified academy and also attend continuing training on law enforcement and other appropriate topics,” according to the City College website.

City College needs more officers and should get permission to hire them because safety is important. But with all of the cutbacks it makes it harder for the hiring committee to hire more police personnel, because there is not enough money to pay them.

Students at City College want to feel safe and not be scared about losing their valuables. Campus police have the responsibility to make students feel safe. The students are the bulk of this school, and yes they need protection. the police are trying to get things in order and people just need to remember that these things take time. Students must be patient, and like Diamond Dave Whitaker says, “Don’t panic, keep it organic.”

The Guardsman: What does City College mean to you?

David Campos: It’s a very important institution, and it’s there to educate so many people, and opens a lot of doors for many people to access education and create a better life for themselves and their families. So it’s definitely a very important institution for the city that we need to protect.

TG: What’s your position on the situation?

Campos: We need to make sure that City College is financially stable, but I also think that we have to make sure that the core qualities and characteristics that have made City College so important are not lost. And that in the course of saving City College, we don’t destroy it also.

TG: What can you do in your position to help the school?

Campos: I think what we have tried to do is be very supportive of City College by way of resolution, but also I think the city needs to think of ways in which it can be financially helpful to City College.

Legally, we don’t have any authority over City College, but we want people to know that the city is paying attention to what happens and that the city government is paying attention in particular. So I think we need to make ourselves available to help in any way we can and to make sure that we also represent the needs and the interest of our constituents.

A lot of people in our district, District 9, go to City College. Many of them not only study there but also teach there, and I want to make sure that they’re protected.

TG: City College was warned that it had 14 major problems that needed to be addressed. Moreover, many teachers have been cut, as well as classes. Do you think that there is a lack of leadership? If so, is there anything you’d like to tell the City College Board of Trustees?

Campos: I think the Board of Trustees needs to be more engaged and more active. I have a lot of respect for individual members of the board, but I think that there needs to be more engagement and more transparency in terms of what is happening at City College. There has to be more responsiveness to the needs of the students, teachers and entire community.

TG: What would you like to say to the students of City College?

Campos: I want the students, teachers and administrative staff of City College to know that the city government is paying attention and that we’re not going to look the other way, and that we want to do everything we can to help City College. But we also don’t want City College to become disconnected from the community. We want it to be accountable for the community.

(Interview by Alejandro Galicia)

John Avalos is a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors representing District 11, including the neighborhoods of Cayuga Terrace, Crocker Amazon, Excelsior and Ocean View/Merced Heights/Ingleside.

The Guardsman: What’s your position on the situation?

John Avalos: If City College shuts down because of the accreditation issue, it will be a big blow to San Francisco, especially working communities in San Francisco. A lot of people in District 11 rely on City College where you can get the credits for applying to higher education, universities, and it is a place for them to get training.

TG: What does City College mean to you?

Avalos: A lot of people will lose the opportunity to advance. City College serves as an institution to help. If it is gone, we lose the opportunities and a tool for people to advance academically.

(Interview by Peiru Lu)

Tom Ammiano is a California state assemblyman representing the 17th Assembly District and San Francisco in the California State Assembly.

The Guardsman: What does City College mean to you?

Tom Ammiano: City College means a lot of things to me. Obviously, I have a personal connection to education because of my experience as a teacher. I got into teaching because I saw what it could do for people from all kinds of backgrounds and City College is an embodiment of that educational goal. I also have a personal connection because my daughter attended classes there.

It’s a great institution because it provides different kinds of education depending on the students’ needs, whether it’s a single adult education class or a stepping stone to the California university system.

Lastly, I love City College because of the way it embodies San Francisco ideals of diversity and equality. You can see that, among other places, in the college’s dedication to LGBT studies.

TG: What’s your position on the situation?

Ammiano: As I said, the great thing about CCSF is the way it upholds San Francisco values. It has been that way for a long time. Now, along comes the accreditation commission with the message that things have to change. This has hurt the reputation of the school and caused enrollment to drop.

There may be things that have to change, but we have to keep our unique values. That means we have to keep programs that serve the parts of our community that are most in need and continue to offer as much as we can of the classes demanded by the tens of thousands of students. It also means that change cannot happen in a dictatorial fashion.

The City College administration has to be open and transparent about change, and it must involve students, teachers and line staff in discussions of how to fix the things we know need fixing. Otherwise, we get a climate of distrust that can undermine the educational mission. We can’t allow the accreditation difficulties to divide us and create fear about change.

TG: What can you do, or have done, in your position to help the school?

Ammiano: I have asked my staff in Sacramento and San Francisco to be attentive to what has been going on and to be involved in meetings to try to bring resolution to the matter. I did ask the accreditation body to give City College more time to respond, but the deadline has passed.

I support the involvement of college labor groups in the discussions, and I’ve encouraged people to continue to show their confidence in CCSF by enrolling. I even have a button on my Assembly website to link directly to CCSF.

TG: Do you have any other thoughts on the matter?

Ammiano: The key thing is that we need to work together to keep CCSF headed in the right direction, serving and representing all of San Francisco.

(Interview by Minter McHugh)

Rams prepare to make a play on their home field against West Hill Falconson Saturday, September 15, 2012 in San Francisco, Calif. Photo by Leslie Calderon/TheGuardsman

By Minter McHugh

The Guardsman

After a heartbreaking loss in the championship game last year to Bakersfield College, the City College Rams football team is gearing up for a new season with hopes, goals and expectations all in search of another title.

The Rams have won the national championship nine times, and are bringing back quarterback Turner Baty, who was part of the 2011 championship team.

Losing in the championship game was certainly a devastating blow to the Rams last season, but coming up short is not a trait of Baty’s. When the stakes were highest, Baty elevated his game.

Baty threw eight touchdowns in the 2011 playoff game against Fresno City College, and threw five against Mt. San Antonio College in the Championship game.

Bringing in Baty – who left City College after his championship season to accept a scholarship from the University of Kansas – is a big boost for the Rams. Baty has one year of eligibility left.

“It feels good to be back, for me its a second chance to make a dream into a reality,” Baty said.

Head coach George Rush is excited for Baty’s return and hopes he will provide leadership early in the offseason.

“I’ve always been a big Turner [Baty] fan,” Rush said. “He’s a proven quantity and you know what you’re getting.”

Like Baty after his freshman season with the Rams, every sophomore scholarship received last season was a Division I scholarship.

“The top 5 guys are all gone,” offensive coordinator Dan Hayes said.

Quarterback, Riley Magner, sprints down the field in attempt to score a touchdown against West Hill Falcons on Saturday, September 15, 2012 in San Francisco, Calif. Photo By Leslie

City will have a lot of fresh faces in the lineup with most of last season’s pivotal players leaving for Division I schools.

The upcoming season will feature 45 freshman coming in from high school, but Rush is optimistic about the incoming players.

“This is probably the best freshman class we’ve recruited from top to bottom since probably 2000,” Rush said.

Baty realizes that though he will be playing with brand new players, they still share the same purpose on the field.

“We may be young but we all have a common goal in mind and will do whatever it takes to win another national championship.” Baty said.

With the new faces coming in, the few returning players will have an advantage on the depth chart before summer practice sessions begin.

Center Chris Carter and tight end David Hedlin will be the only players returning who have played a vital role in the Rams offense. Wide Receiver Zac Schuller hopes to get the nod after not getting much playing time last season.

Hays said the team isn’t looking to make any changes to the style of offense from last season, but they will be looking to adjust the speed in which the team operates.

Rush is counting on defensive ends David Tameilau and Dan Filimona to provide experience from starting last season, while defensive end Tavita Faaiu—who redshirted last season—will get his chance to play.

Linebacker James Hickmon will return for his sophomore year and linebacker Nick Holt will get to play for Rush after transferring from the University of Montana.

Rush likes the situation at the defensive back position due to the past play of returning sophomore Maurice Cannon.

“Maurice Cannon has a chance of a really good sophomore year,” Rush said.

Cannon does not believe he will do anything different from last season.

“I just try to work hard and get better everyday,” Cannon said.

Rush believes that the accreditation issue at City it isn’t affecting his recruiting and praises his coaching staff for the job they have done in selling the program to incoming students.

Though it is too early to tell who is going to sit and start, the Rams will have their training camps during the summer to begin their position battles.

“Its something that’s just going to have to play out during the summer and the fall camps,” Hayes said. “It’s just going to be a lot of competition, at every single spot.”

With practice already underway, Rush likes his team’s chances at becoming the No. 1 ranked team going into the upcoming season.
“I like our chances,” Rush said. “You know what they say, everybody is good on May 1st.”

Defensive back, Dominique Cole (14), attempts to catch the football against West Hill Falcons on Saturday, September 15, 2012 in San Francisco, Calif. Photo By Leslie Calderon/The Guardsman

A portrait of Cristina Menjivar. Photo by Santiago Mejia/The Guardsman

By Dan Harrington

The Guardsman

To some degree, assembling a team in any sport is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Coaches must understand the characteristics of the players and forecast how the players will work as a unit.

For the City College softball team, the unique piece of the 2013 puzzle came in the form of a left-handed shortstop, a rarity on the diamond. The placement of Cristina Menjivar at the critical position made it possible for other players to link around her to form a respectable season for the Rams (10-19 overall).

City College beat the Chabot College Gladiators at a softball match at Fairmont Park in Pacifica on April 16, 2013. Photo by Santiago Mejia/The Guardsman

“Cristina Menjivar is the best softball player I have ever had at City College,” head coach Jack McGuire said. “Nobody hit the ball like she hits the ball.”

Menjivar not only led her team and conference but almost the entire state with a .543 batting average. She had more hits than all but two California players, and only struck out once the entire season.

For this and her 43 RBIs, seven home runs and all-around play on the field, Menjivar was named to the Coast Conference North Division First Team in its postseason awards.

The statistics show her capabilities in many ways, but the Rams home field without normal fences took even loftier numbers from Menjivar. Outfielders would often back away an extra 40 feet to grab some deep shots off Menjivar’s bat, or keep the hits in front of them.

“In a 200-foot fenced park, she could have probably 15 home runs. They caught a lot of balls playing back where a fence might have been,” McGuire said. “She put on some shows at batting practice, too. I mean a .979 slugging [percentage], it’s unbelievable.”

A slugging percentage takes the total bases and divides them by official at-bats. A slugging percentage of .500 is considered proficient, and .979 for a season is off the charts.

Menjivar referred to her defensive role at shortstop and the escalating effects of playing there.

“I have so much fire in me knowing I get to play the position of my dreams,” Menjivar said. “When you do well on the field it transfers to your hitting and vice versa.”

Menjivar played first baseman and outfielder at Archbishop Mitty High School, and had the same roles at San Jose State University in limited time.

But her desire to play a position not natural for a left-handed thrower could not be matched on those teams.

“They had 30 plus players, and it was hard to get playing time,” Menjivar said. “There were girls just as talented if not better.”

Menjivar came to City College as what is known as a “Division I bounce-back,” or someone who goes to a junior college after a year on a four-year college team.

“Growing up, [MLB shortstops] Derek Jeter and Omar Vizquel were my favorite players,” Menjivar said. “When you’re left-handed, you always hear you can’t do it. I like to prove people wrong when they say a lefty can’t play shortstop. I finally got the chance.”

City College assistants initially took the conventional view, as well.

“Shortstop is traditionally a right-handed thrower’s position with the footwork and defensive maneuvers. Routine plays for a ‘righty’ are not often there for a ‘lefty’,” assistant coach Scott Peradotto said. “She is proficient in her craft. She became a left-handed shortstop, and that’s rare – against my better judgment. With her athletic ability, she proved she could handle it.”

The cordial head coach was straightforward about Menjivar.

“She was our best player, period,” McGuire said.

City College beat the Chabot College Gladiators at a softball match at Fairmont Park in Pacifica on April 16, 2013. Photo by Santiago Mejia/The Guardsman

With Menjivar at short, freshman and would-be middle infielder Kaitlin Blando could bolster the team with a vacancy at catcher, and other players could play in roles more suited to their strengths.

“I was real excited to go behind the plate and catch,” Blando, who may take over for Menjivar in 2014, said. “Cristina did a great job. Cristina and our second baseman Lauren Duff were both willing to dive and get dirty to make a play and stop a ball from getting to the outfield. They were a good match out there.”

Fellow sophomore Jamie Hom played a lot of shortstop for the Rams in 2012. When Menjivar got the nod Hom roved to the outfield then finished the year holding down third base next to her old spot. Hom knew her new role was demanding, but thought Menjivar led the team by example.

“I think with her background, especially coming over from San Jose, she was already a huge player,” Hom said. “She would give people tips on getting to the bags, covering bases. I kind of liked it, having Cristina there at short.”

Menjivar’s experience and high expectations set a new standard for all players, including teammates who already had memories of success in high school, like Hom from San Francisco’s George Washington.

“I don’t think Cristina felt pressure from the team,” Hom said. “From her own past experiences she made it better for the rest of us.”

With the changes, Hom got the chance to play the same position her mother had played at third base, so the puzzle pieces worked out for her, as well.

“In the end we found a better combination of where everyone was supposed to be,” Hom said.

For her efforts at City College, Menjivar earned the softball team’s Chris Burgart Award for “excellence in leadership, sportsmanship, and athletic achievement.” Rams coaches presented Menjivar the award at the team dinner on May 3.

A lot of the inspiration Menjivar provided to teammates was one-on-one, but the sounds she made with the bat on ball also impressed.

“At one of our first batting practices for City this year, I remember Cristina hit maybe five or six pitches,” Hom said. “We hear a strange ding, and half of the bat is ripped off. She goes to the coach, and calmly says, ‘Coach I broke this bat.’ Who goes and breaks a metal bat?”

While she proved the naysayers wrong by making more than routine plays on defense, Menjivar also sought to show the value of instruction at City College.

“My dad’s always talking about going to three great colleges. City, San Francisco State and USF. He always says the best teachers he ever had were here,” Menjivar said, shining light on her dad’s encouragement to attend courses at City College when she decided to transfer.

She even arranged to meet some of her father’s instructors at Ocean campus even if she wasn’t in their classes.

Cristina and her younger brother David (who volunteered as part-time batboy for the Rams) hold a sense of duty regarding academic and athletic performance.

“I really need to focus on school,” Menjivar said. “That’s the most important thing.”

She may include a year of grad school as part of her four years of athletic eligibility, with the demands she will face in labs and classrooms ahead.

Menjivar is deciding what her next stop is. With her concern for the health of people and animals and her mother’s vocation as a nurse, a natural path might be veterinary medicine, pharmaceutical studies or nursing.

With one season at San Jose State coupled with her on-field performance at City College, Menjivar knows she has more to contribute at a field to be determined.

“I have two years remaining and I’m not going to let them go to waste,” Menjivar said. “I will play again. I’m not done.”

A portrait of Nanette Asimov. Photo by Sara Bloomberg/The Guardsman

By Gina Scialabba

The Guardsman

On March 25, we sat down with Nanette Asimov to talk about the accreditation crisis and her coverage of City College for the San Francisco Chronicle.

In Part 1, which ran in Issue 7, we asked about her background, how she got started with writing about higher education for the Chronicle and the state of City College.

In Part 2, she explains what it has been like to report on the school during its accreditation crisis. The commission is expected to render a decision in July.

The Guardsman: Are you the only person at the Chronicle who covers higher education?

NA: I am.

TG: Is there a reason for that?

NA: It is a budget thing.

TG: You wrote an article on March 5, 2013 titled “CCSF Regulators: Sensible or ‘Gone Wild.’” In the article you question the ACCJC and some of their members’ qualifications.

NA: Just to be clear, it’s not me questioning, but it’s the people I’ve interviewed that have raised questions. It is an important distinction. I’m just the reporter.

TG: OK, as a reporter. Some critics have argued that article comes a bit too late and are wondering why you, representing the Chronicle, hadn’t looked into that issue earlier.

NA: I am only one person. I tried to.

I’ve done 33 or 34 stories on City College while covering the rest of my beat. Chronicle reporters also have to do other reporting as needed. There is a website that has all of my accreditation stories listed on them. If I go back and look at the order of them, all of them are important, but would I reorder them? Maybe? Would I not tell the story of how they got this way? Would I not tell the story of the achievements in December? Would I not tell the actions of the Board meeting that ended at two in the morning last October? There’s a lot of stuff if I was to take the ACCJC story and say, “OK, instead of that one there, I’ll put that one there.” The timing has to be right for all those other things as well. So sorry if it was a little late. I got to it at that point.

TG: Were you getting any outside pressure asking why you hadn’t looked into the ACCJC before? Did any readers write letters?

NA: No, not really. I always welcome suggestions. I get story ideas from tips. If someone calls me and says, “I’ve got this great idea. Have you considered looking at this?” That’s helpful. But if someone calls afterwards and says, “You idiot. Why didn’t you write about this?” Well, too late now.

TG: Several people have argued the Chronicle’s coverage is consistently negative and does not seek out the other side of the story.

NA: If I were to go back and look at the coverage, I would see that I have talked to a lot of instructors. I talk to Alisa Messer frequently. I talk to students a lot. Could it be better? Absolutely. Could my coverage be better? Of course. But negative? You know the news is negative. That is for sure. This is painful, hard, sad stuff. The stories come off as painful, hard and sad because that’s the topic. I am not somebody who can write an opinion. If I were to write my opinion it would be “Go, Go, City College!” every step of the way because I love City College, but that’s not what I do. That’s not good journalism. That’s not helpful. If you want to throw darts at me, OK. That’s my job as the messenger.

TG: Do you believe you seek out both sides of an issue in your coverage?

NA: The way that I do it is, whatever the topic is, I’ll interview the people who know about that topic who are presenting whatever it is and get the opposing position. That’s the basic formula. If there is room, they restrict us on space, maybe I’ll get another opinion.  And that’s the formula. Do I violate that formula? No. I think they have been fair. I welcome anyone to show me a specific example. I don’t have people pointing to specifics. I’m inclined to believe I’m being fair.

TG: If you did get letters to the editor pointing out errors, would you address them?

NA: I always do. A couple of occasions there have been errors in the story. Just the other day, there was a fact missing in the story. Luckily we have the web. So I changed it.

TG: There’s been criticism that the administration and Larry Kamer gives you press releases, facts and figures, and that you just report the information without doing any further investigation.

NA: If the administration says this is their budget or this is how they feel, I say in the paper, “Peter Goldstein says this is the budget” or “Larry Kamer says this is happening at the university or the college.” I am not sure what investigation there is to do. If I attribute that, they have the right to give their opinions as well, but I always attribute it.

I’ve been taking pains in this interview to say it’s not my opinion. I’m attributing it and that’s how I write my stories. People may disagree with the administration and that’s fine, but it’s not me.

TG: We put out a question to our readers on Twitter and Facebook asking if they had any questions for you. One was whether or not you had any connection to the “for-profit” college system?

NA: Yeah, I’ve written about the high debt load their students have. I can tell you stories about that. What exactly do you mean?

TG: Do you have any relationship to them other than writing about them? Any financial ties?

NA: This gives me an opportunity to say I am very proud as a journalist since 1984, I am completely independent. My job is to be a watchdog, not to be in anybody’s pocket. So no. Loud and clear.

TG: Anything else you would like to leave us with?

NA: Long live City College. Long live the Guardsman. Long live the Chronicle.

By Sara Bloomberg

The Guardsman

City College was slapped with the threat of closure last July, in large part because it drained its reserves in an attempt to maintain classes, jobs and support services at a level that the San Francisco community needs.

Although not an example of deficit spending, City College is a public institution that relies heavily on public funding.

In November 2012, San Francisco voters proved that City College is worth every penny when they approved Proposition A, which will bring the school an estimated $16 million annually for seven years.

Is City College too big to fail?

This is the wrong question.

Instead we should ask, “Why should we save City College?”

It’s too important for poor and working class people who might not otherwise have access to more expensive universities, and it’s too important for the businesses who hire entire workforces trained at the school.

“Every public education institution shouldn’t be too big to fail,” AFT 2121 President Alisa Messer told the Guardsman in February. “It’s not because it’s too big, but because it’s too important to lose.”

She’s right.

California’s community colleges are too important to lose but if the state doesn’t step it up in terms of funding, these public institutions will disappear.

Governor Brown’s Proposition 30 guarantees much needed additional funding for public schools—both K-12 and higher education institutions—for eight years. The state’s 112 community colleges expect to receive $200 million in the first year.

Although the funding is desperately needed, what will happen in eight years—or seven in the case of Prop A—when these laws expire? Students, teachers, workers, administrators and community members will have to fight for more funding or face severe budget cuts.

In 1978, Alan Greenspan articulated the idea that “starving the beast”—cutting taxes to reduce the amount of revenue available —will eliminate so-called excessive government spending through the powers of free market forces.

Californians passed Proposition 13 that same year. It changed the way public education was funded by capping property tax rates and removing local control of funding.

Ronald Reagan applied the theory on a national level during the 1980s and fiscal conservatives have relied on it ever since.

“Starving the beast” doesn’t work.

It hasn’t worked for Jamaica since the 1970s—although neocolonialism is also to blame for the country’s social and economic problems. It’s not working for Spain, Greece, Britain, Ireland or the United States, either—to name a few countries that have been struggling with weak economies over the past several years.

Our national economy has been picking up and unemployment is steadily decreasing despite efforts by the Republican party to derail sensible economic policies.

In April, a team of researchers at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst discovered major errors in a 2010 study that has been used by pro-austerity evangelists as a justification for their gospel.

The 2010 study claimed that countries with public debt exceeding 90 percent of their gross domestic product experience declining economic growth, which implies that reducing national deficits by cutting expenditures would reverse that trend.

However, when researchers in Massachusetts corrected the original errors, they discovered that the data told a different story. Instead of hindering growth, deficit spending actually propelled growth.

Spending on “jobs now [and] deficits later was and is the right strategy. Unfortunately, it’s a strategy that has been abandoned in the face of phantom risks and delusional hopes,” New York Times columnist Paul Krugman wrote in 2011.

It seems we’re coming full circle from the days of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He knew that spending funds on public programs was an important part of stimulating the economy during the Great Depression.

As the economy slowly improves, let’s not forget these lessons from history.

By Gina Scialabba

The Guardsman

I’ll preface this review with a disclaimer: I am a HUGE comic book fan. From reruns of the 1960’s “Batman and Robin” series to the modern day “Man of Steel,” set for release this summer, I’m giddy with excitement at the idea of superheroes, superpowers and good triumphing over evil.

Having said that, I’ll attempt to be as neutral as possible… but I make no promises.

Iron Man 3 is one of the coolest comic book movies ever made. Just when I thought the Marvel Cinematic Universe (yes, that’s the branding) couldn’t get any better, they bring us this action-packed, plot driven, can’t-take-your eyes off the screen summer blockbuster.

I loved Thor. Loved Hulk. Loved The Avengers. But Iron Man enraptures me.

There are many praiseworthy aspects of this film: plot, script and directing are top-notch.

Shane Black (Lethal Weapon, The Last Boy Scout, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) directs flawlessly. It’s certainly an “action movie,” but the action sequences aren’t long and drawn out. They are short and calculated.

When a movie, such as “Transformers,” is heavy on the “wow” special effects and short on dialogue, it becomes overbearing and hollow. I stop caring what is happening on screen and start looking at my watch.

Iron Man 3 has none of these problems. I was riveted from the opening credits.

It’s Robert Downey Jr. who really steals the show. He is brilliant, funny, and downright likeable as Tony Stark. His performance delivers the character like never before, providing multifaceted feelings and humor all wrapped up in our tormented hero.

No other actor could fill his shoes. He is Iron Man. Period.

And our hero is in for the fight of his life against one of the most eclectic and sinister villains to date: the evil “Mandarin,” a cross between Genghis Khan and Osama bin Laden.

The Mandarin vs. Iron Man feud has a long backstory in the Marvel world, but you needn’t know it to appreciate Ben Kingsley’s portrayal of the former.

The Mandarin wants to rule the world, and he’ll resort to brutal acts of terrorism to do so. His casualties include women and children.

He is stealthy and might just be unstoppable. Might. There’s a plot twist here, but I won’t ruin it.

Tony Stark is definitely the superhero for the task, but he is afflicted with a very humanizing condition: post-traumatic stress disorder, a remnant from his last major battle in The Avengers film when he saved New York City from extraterrestrial beings. Hey, even superheroes need a little therapy.

I also loved Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, Tony Stark’s love interest.  She has a much bigger role than the previous two installments. And she has rock hard abs she displays toward the end of the movie.

This is the third and final installment of the Iron man trilogy, but certainly not the last we will see of the Marvel heroes. Thor: The Dark World releases on November 8, 2013, Captain America: The Winter Soldier on April 4, 2014, and Guardians of the Galaxy on August 1, 2014. It concludes with The Avengers 2 on May 1, 2015.

But for now, grab those 3-D glasses and watch Iron Man save the world one more time.

Sidebar Info:

If you go…

Running Time: 130 Minutes

Genre: Action/Adventure/SC-FI

US Release Date: May 3, 2013

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Directed by Shane Black

Based on the Marvel comic book by Stan Lee

Stars:

Robert Downey Jr.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Don Cheadle

Ben Kingsley

Guy Pearce

Illustration by Anthony Mata/The Guardsman

By Mckenna Toston

The Guardsman

San Francisco is like a ghost town. Dreary and desolate. I feel like I’m in a post-apocalyptic city where nobody knows each other.

Why are the streets so empty? How can a bus filled with people be so silent? Why is prolonged eye contact socially unacceptable? How come starting friendly conversation is like pulling teeth?

Nothing makes sense here.

In India, I was everyone’s sister, or didi. I never needed to knock or ask permission to enter. I felt the embrace of family wherever I went, and it filled my heart with an indescribable warmth.

It’s like we’re afraid of each other here, or have stiff necks and don’t feel like talking. Or maybe we just don’t get enough sun.

Whatever it is, I don’t like it.

I want the warmth back. The communion and vitality. I want to bump shoulders with strangers and not need to apologize.

But if India taught me anything, it’s to make the most of what I have. And right now, in addition to depression, I have infinite opportunities. And the determination to seize them.

While it’s certainly tempting to go back to Kolkata, marry Sonu, and live the rest of my life in India. I have to remember that I’m being idealistic. I know I wouldn’t be happy. At least not for long.

I’ve decided to suppress my desire to go back, in hopes that it will eventually fade.

I’m ready to get serious about school and start working toward graduation. India was certainly an educational experience, especially for an aspiring journalist, but it didn’t get me much closer to a degree.

School will give me the skills necessary to accurately report spot news. The skills I need to be a good reporter—the voice of the otherwise voiceless.

I recently had the opportunity to interview LA Times crisis reporter Mark Magnier. He told me of a time he slept under bridges in Iraq during the violent reign of Saddam Hussein–all in the name of the news.

Call me crazy, but there’s nothing else I’d rather be doing.

Next time I travel, it will be to a war zone. I’ve dreamt of being a war reporter for years, and I’m ready to make it happen. I don’t want to waste any more time.

It will take an immense amount of courage and drive. But after tackling a three-month solo trip to India–I know I can do anything.

Officer Beatrice Ramirez. Photo courtesy of family

By Minter McHugh

The Guardsman

Beatrice Ramirez, a dedicated former City College police officer for over 20 years, died April 17 at the age of 42 after a lengthy battle with lupus and complications after suffering a stroke.

“It is with great sadness that I report to the campus community the passing of Officer Beatrice Ramirez. Officer Ramirez Star #31 passed away early yesterday morning in a local hospital following a valiant fight with a long-term illness,” City College Chief of Police Andre Barnes said after her death.

Born October 8, 1971, Ramirez began the student officer program at City College around 1990 under former City College Police Chief Gerald DeGirolamo said Rolando Garcia, current City College Downtown campus control agent and longtime friend of Beatrice.

After excelling in the student officer program, Beatrice was asked to become a lab aide under DeGirolamo.  Her dedication and professionalism was noticed, landing her a job as a campus control agent. A few years later she applied for and became a campus police officer, solidifying her presence at City College.

Interacting with people professionally and socially was a significant part of Beatrice’s day-to- day life, and she treated close friends as if they were family. She was known for her many selfless characteristics.

Officer Beatrice Ramirez, star #31 (left), engages in police training with SFPD in 1998. Photo courtesy of family

“She’d give you the shirt off her back, and the last dollar in her pocket,” said Garcia. She always acted on her desire to experience adventure and enjoy life. She loved to travel and root for the San Francisco Giants and 49ers.

Beatrice saw people come and go during her long tenure with the police department, making friends the entire time.

Joe Villagomez started at the academy with Beatrice in 1992 and worked with her until 1998. Villagomez left to serve in the military but the two always kept in touch as friends.

When Beatrice was admitted to a hospice in late March, Villagomez visited her from time to time, but when he went Easter Sunday he had bad news.

Ramirez’s nephew and godson Jacob Valdiviezo, a 19-year-old student athlete who lived in San Francisco’s Mission district, was shot and killed on March 30. Ramirez died 16 days after Valdiviezo’s death.

“She was in tears,” Villagomez said. “She was broken.”

Ramirez left behind three brothers and three sisters.  A wake was held at Duggan’s Funeral Service April 19 and a church service was held April 20, followed by Ramirez’s burial at Holy Cross Cemetery.

I was robbed at knifepoint on May 8 after using the bathroom at the City College Wellness Center.

A man approached me while I headed toward the sink and asked if he could use my phone.

“No, sorry,” I said. “I don’t do that.”

He quickly pulled out a knife and cornered me. I was going to have to make a decision.

Risk physical harm toward myself by attempting to disarm this man, or give the man what he wants and report the incident afterward were my only options.

I didn’t have much time to think, but I chose to give up my iPhone as I thought about my girlfriend, my family and all who all love me.

The man then asked me for all the money I had in my wallet.

I gave him the $11 that I had for gas.

“Stay in the bathroom for 20 seconds, and don’t you dare call the cops,” the man said.

I only counted to about ten seconds and ran outside to see how far he had fled. A group of breakdancing students were hanging out and one of them let me borrow their phone to call the police.

I spoke with the police for an hour, but by that point the man was nowhere to be found.

I wasn’t angry because a man robbed me of my iPhone. I was angry hat my back was pushed against a wall, literally, and my life and health were threatened.

“It isn’t worth it,” the officer said. “You did the right thing.”

I wouldn’t accept that and kept telling myself that I could have been a hero and either escaped or disarmed the man myself. I’m a prideful man and I wasn’t going to allow myself to feel that this was okay.

I calmed down and tried to assess the situation intellectually.

I tried to look at this from the robber’s point of view. I came to the conclusion that this man had nothing to lose.

This man has probably already been incarcerated and may have even been on probation.

Robbing people might be his only way of surviving in this society, which hasn’t allowed him an equal opportunity to succeed.

This man was African-American, around 6 feet tall and maybe 200 pounds. Our society judges him by the way he looks and he is treated unfairly when it comes to housing and employment.

If I put myself into this man’s shoes, what options would I have? How would I buy food and live if nobody hired me or paid me fairly?

If I were desperate like him, I might resort to doing the same thing. The man who robbed me didn’t look like he wanted to harm me, but if he had to, he might have.

While my back was against a wall at that moment, my attacker is living his life with his back against a wall.

Law enforcement is after him. He is putting himself in danger every time robs someone.

Now, I may be wrong about him. Maybe he does have a job, maybe he has not been to prison and maybe he does have a family and a significant other that loves him.

I do not know, but desperate people do desperate things.

I don’t care how tough people say they are. It takes a lot of courage to rob somebody on a school campus of about 85,000 students, when there is a high possibility of getting caught. (Except at our school, apparently).

This incident has taught me that I live a privileged life.

I am an Asian-American man. I haven’t committed any felonies or misdemeanors. I am a  journalism student at City College and I do not have to resort to committing crimes in order to survive.

I do hope that justice is served for the crime that this man committed. I also hope and pray for disadvantaged people to stay strong, to turn it around and to beat the system.

When I say “‘beat the system” I don’t mean committing crimes. The way to beat the system is to find employment or go to school to develop the skills to find better jobs.

This man got away, for now. I am certain that if he continues to commit crimes he will get caught one day and he will go to prison, then get released and continue in that cycle.

After telling this story, I do not believe that minorities are being treated fairly by law enforcement, but it is not law enforcement’s fault either. It is the criminal justice system that creates a cycle that traps minorities into the standard that our law enforcement holds against them.
- Ivan Huang, 20, City College of San Francisco

Students exit the Wellness Center at The City College of San Francisco Ocean Campus on Aug. 20, 2012. Photo by Beth LaBerge/SF Examiner

By Alex Lamp

The Guardsman

A City College student was robbed at knifepoint around 4 p.m. in the men’s restroom at the Wellness Center on May 8, making it the third incident inside the building since March.

The suspect stole the victim’s cell phone and cash.

Journalism student Ivan Huang said he was approached by a man who asked to use his phone. When Huang declined the request, the suspect pulled out a knife.

“He quickly pulled out his knife and cornered me. I was going to have to make a decision,” Huang wrote in an opinion for The Guardsman. “Risk physical harm toward myself by attempting to disarm this man, or give the man what he wants and report the incident afterward were my only options.”

He chose not to escalate the situation and handed over his phone and cash.

Huang said he complied with the suspect, who then told him to,  “stay in the bathroom for 20 seconds, and don’t you dare call the cops.”

A nearby stranger outside of the bathroom let Huang use their phone to call campus police, but by then the suspect was gone.

Police believe the suspect fled toward Ocean Avenue, and possibly toward the Balboa Park BART station.

None of the suspects in the previous two incidents have been apprehended, either.

Warnings are posted around the Wellness Center and both uniformed and undercover officers have been patrolling the area, as well as the entire campus, and will continue to do so through the rest of the semester, a police spokesperson said.

Campus police advise students using the wellness center to, “find a friend and always keep company. Be aware of your surroundings, hide your items. Unless you’re on the elliptical or other machines, keep your headphones off.”

City College police can be reached at 415-239-3200 and people should call 911 in the case of any emergency.

Sara Bloomberg contributed reporting to this story.

People come and go from City College’s new Chinatown/North Beach campus at Kearny and Washington streets in San Francisco on Aug. 28, 2012. The site opened in July for summer session and an open house is scheduled for Sept. 21. Photo by Sara Bloomberg/The Guardsman

By Alex Reyes

The Guardsman

Could this be the last issue of The Guardsman ever published?

Normally I don’t engage in catastrophic thinking, but this is the last issue of the semester, and the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges releases its verdict in July on the fate of City College.

What if the commission gives a thumbs down?

The term “existential threat” is so overused on cable news and Sunday morning talk shows that it’s given the concept a bad name. It seems to apply in this case, though.

City College’s 14-story Chinatown/North Beach center opened in September 2012. While declaring the new building to be “a smart addition to the landscape,” San Francisco Chronicle architecture writer John King also noted that, “the first meeting held by trustees in a companion four-story building included a vote to bring in a state trustee to oversee [City College’s] operations.”

“In this context,” King wrote, “it is difficult not to view the $138 million campus as an albatross.”

It would be tragic indeed if the Chinatown/North Beach “vertical campus” were to close.

As the website of EHDD, one of the building’s architects, puts it, “The project is a result of over 30 years of grassroots community activism to bring a college campus to a traditionally under-served community. The design process required 10 years of stakeholder buy-in from wide ranging interests such as the San Francisco political community, historic preservationists, and educators.”

A wall display on the ground floor features a multitude of donors who contributed to the development of the Chinatown/North Beach center.

The names of Lillie Wong, who donated over $250,000, and the Robert Joseph Louie Memorial Fund, which contributed between $50,000 and $249,999, are prominently displayed on the first of four panels.

Many Chinatown benevolent associations also contributed, as did businesses, labor unions and an unknown number of “Anonymous” donors. Former City College Chancellor Don Q. Griffin’s name is displayed, as is San Francisco Board of Supervisors President David Chiu’s.

At the bottom of the fourth panel, which devotes over 130 lines to $1000 contributors, the City and County of San Francisco thanks its “residents and voters […] for their support in bringing to reality the long-held dream of a permanent home for the Chinatown/North Beach Campus.”

Over 30 years of grassroots activism, for a City College campus that served as such for just two semesters?

The new Chinatown/North Beach campus is 14 floors high and provides some spectacular views of San Francisco. Photo by Sara Bloomberg/The Guardsman

City College has been in business since 1935. City College employs thousands of people and educates tens of thousands each year. Many people who were trained at the school now work and have worked in San Francisco as firefighters, police officers, artists, chefs, journalists and nurses.

In addition to the vital role it plays in San Francisco’s economy, the public education mission of a vibrant City College well represents the generous and humane spirit of the City and County’s namesake.

The decades-long community spirit that led to the opening of the Chinatown/North Beach center less than a year ago is another example of the best San Francisco has to offer.

Windows face in all directions on the top 14th floor of Chinatown/North Beach.

The view to the north is dominated by Telegraph Hill and the lovely Coit Tower. Clothes hang below on lines strung on a rooftop at the corner of Kearny and Jackson Streets. Rooftop and other high gardens abound. The blue of the bay and the brown hills of Marin tantalize the senses.

Who will look from these windows in the future?

Steve Li (Center) advocating for undocumented students during the United We Dream (UWD) march to petition votes for the Dream Act after his release from Arizona in 2010. Photo courtesy of Pocho1 Visual Movement

By Cecilia Ren

The Guardsman

It’s been almost three years since former City College student Shing Ma “Steve” Li was imprisoned and sent to the Central Arizona Detention Center.

Li was oblivious to his undocumented immigration status until the day of his arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Having spent almost half his life in the Bay Area, Li saw himself as an average San Franciscan.

Li’s parents emigrated from China to Peru, where Li was born, in the late 1980s to escape the country’s one-child policy.

When he was 11-years-old, Li came to the United States with his family on a tourist visa to flee from political turmoil in Lima. In 2002, Li’s parents applied for political asylum but were denied their request.

Then, in September 2010, Li went from an average Chinese American student to a criminal in the eyes of ICE officials.

Li is now a third-year college student at UC Davis.

The Guardsman interviewed Li at UC Davis about his experience as an undocumented immigrant, the importance of community and the struggle for immigration reform.

The Guardsman: After this whole ordeal, what’s your current status with immigration?

Steve Li: I’m currently in deferred action, which means my deportation status is temporarily halted and stopped. I’m still in deportation proceedings, but it’s currently deferred for a year, which expires in a couple months.

TG: Do you know exactly when the expiration date is?

SL: I don’t know exactly when. But because of the new Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals that Obama announced, I should be fine. I could apply for that.

TG: What exactly is the Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals?

SL: It’s an act Obama approved last year to stop deportation of DREAM Act eligible students.

TG: Do you think the DREAM Act will likely to be passed in the near future?

SL: It’s just stalling in Congress. But the DREAM Act is a bill that would allow some sort of a pathway to citizenship. There are 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States and two million of them qualify under the DREAM Act.

There’s a big broken immigration system, everyone knows. The White House knows that. The Senate knows that. The Republicans and Democrats know that. We still have a broken system because there is no clear pathway for undocumented immigrants here.

TG: Are you currently involved in any other form of actions to potentially speed up your immigration or legalization process?

SL: I’m currently not in the process of trying to get a green card or any legalization. The only ways I know, if you’re undocumented, is to either apply for political asylum, a U Visa or get married. I do not want to get married for citizenship because there’s a psychological factor that comes with it. I think if you do get married, it should be for love and not for anything else.

As for political asylum, it is a very complicated process. One can only apply for it if you fear for your life going back home as a result of violence or gangs. There’s a U Visa, which is something you can apply for if you are abused or something in your own country. I don’t qualify for any of those.

TG: Did you think your story was going to get the national attention it did? How did you feel about that?

SL: I was already incarcerated in the detention center in Arizona. So I had no idea what was going on outside.

TG: So you had no idea that your friends back in San Francisco were advocating for you?

SL: I had some idea that my friends were in fact advocating for me, but I didn’t know how big it was or what it was. I knew they were doing something about it. I’m very grateful, and I owe them a lot for seeing this injustice in our immigration system.

TG: Do you feel it was because of the demonstrations that your story got so much attention?

SL: I think during that time in 2010, it was a really big deal because the DREAM Act was coming to a vote in December. It was a really big deal that the DREAM Act was coming out for a vote because it was also the first Asian American/Pacific Islander story out there.

TG: What was your reaction when you realized Senator Dianne Feinstein had taken on your story and offered to help your case? When you found out she was “on your side”?

SL: I found out she was on my side when I wasn’t deported. I remember I was two days away from being deported. It was very close, and we were not sure what was going to happen. My community was pressuring Feinstein. She knew about my case for about twenty days or a month, possibly, and nothing had happened yet.

TG: Did Feinstein reach out to your support team first or was it the other way around?

SL: My lawyer contacted her first because a private bill is something that is very … a last resort. It’s very hard to get. “Private bills” basically means this is a bill that is uniquely for you and that it is going to be presented to the Senate. It was one of the last resorts we had to go through because we were denied initially for deferred action from the Immigration Department, and they wanted me to get deported as soon as possible.

TG: Your parents were deported last year. Do you have any other family members at all left in San Francisco or California?

SL: I have no family here. I am by myself.

TG: How are you paying for college tuition or other living expenses?

SL: Right now I’m living off of scholarships because I haven’t found a job yet.

TG: Do you still go back to San Francisco to visit?

SL: I still go back. City College is still there. My friends are there. I go back to visit.

TG: What are your plans after college?

SL: I definitely want to go to graduate school. I’m still pursuing my education. It’s not over after undergrad.

TG: What’s your current major here at UC Davis?

SL: It’s Asian American Studies and Exercise Biology.

TG: How has this experience affected you psychologically, physically and emotionally?

SL: I think this has affected me in various ways. Seeing what happened to my family and being separated from my family has definitely been challenging. We are fighting not only for the DREAM Act to pass but also for an immigration package that will not separate families or tokenize children.

TG: What lesson did you learn from this experience?

SL: Seeing the injustice through my experience, I decided to do something about it. I now encourage others to do the same and become more active within their communities. You do have a voice and the ability to change the world in ways that you want to see it change.

TG: What could you have done differently if you knew about your visa status before the arrest?

SL: I don’t think there was anything I could’ve done differently. I would be in the same situation that I’m in now.

TG: Is there anything else you would like to add?

SL: Immigration reform is going to happen during the next four years. This is really the time for people who are passionate about this issue to get involved and share their stories. It’s very important to be aware of the things that are happening to this issue.

I really hope that we can have a unified community that realizes the importance of the work immigrants do for this country and to fight for a humane immigration system that won’t separate families in the future.