Divergence March 2015

DThe Cypress ChroniCl

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DIVERGENCE MAGAZINEVol. VII Issue 4 | March 2015

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D IS FORDIVERSITY

Momoko Ishida, International ClubPresident, shows us the ins and outs

of being a foreign student at Cypress, P. 10

the bestof ces 2015Team Cychron took to Las Vegas for the International CES. Check it out P. 32

TUTORING SERVICES

@ LRC

+

P. 8

EASY HAIRTIPS!

P. 14

CYCHRON.COM

THE CYPRESS CHRONICLE 2

M A R C H

I N T H I S I S S U EIt’s almost spring time & that

means out with the old & in with the new. This semester means graduation for a lot of students at Cypress College. It can also be a wake up call to those who want to do better in order to transfer in the fall. Take advantage of the tutoring centers located in the library. There is a math and English part to help get you started on your road to success.

Ever wonder what it’s like to trav-el to another country and not know the language? Step into Momoko’s shoes as she was interviewed on what it’s like to come to America and attend cypress college. None-theless start a new life here with us. We are lucky to have her.

Over the winter break, a couple lucky writers got to go to Las Vegas & check out some cool new gadgets coming our way. Take a gander at what might end up on your wrist or face in the near future. We are one step closer to becoming robots!

Don’t miss this months issue of Firelord’s Library and some fun junk. If you’re ever bored and don’t know what to watch on Netflix, take our word for items check out some neat shows.

Whether you are here to transfer, for a degree or just simply to find yourself, remember that we all share this campus & we have a different journey. But

DIVERGENCE / Celsa Maldonado

Nothing on campus showcases Cypress College’s multiethnic background morethan the International Club. Find out what they’re up to on page 16.10

Who says we can’t have a little fun?

DIVERGENCE MAGAZINE3

8Having difficulties with English or Math? Find out how you can improve your grades on page 9.

08 House of TudorsJerviss got the low-down on the LRC’s math and english tutors.

10 Momoko Ishida Divercence talks to Momoko Ishida, president of the International Club.

14 Get Wavy!Wanda Guerra shares tips for loose, wavy locks.

17 Divergence PicksReviews for our staff’s favorite Netflix picks.

18 CCMN NewsFeaturing two new shows from CCMN.

22 Parking Holds?Can’t get a parking pass? Find out why.

32 CES 2015Details on the biggest tech convention of the year.

FEATURES MONTHLY05 Editorial

Students need to fight for their education.

06 Street BuzzWhat does culture mean to you?

24 Firelord’s LibraryCreative writing from students and staff.

THE COVERD is for diversity, and who else is best fit for the cover than International Club President Momoko Ishida, 20, who moved all the way from Tokyo to California to continue her education.

“Our purpose is to help new international students get used to Cypress as well as helping them to make friends,” she said. Read up about her on page 10.

Photo by Gerard Avelino

14Wanda Guerra’s got some easy hair tips for all you long-haired folk out there who want stylish, natural waves.

CCMN’s got two new shows: Check out the de-tails on SYNOPTICS and Thoughtful Thursdays.

18

Firelord’s Library is back with a l l your favorite creative writing from stu-dents and staff.

25

4 The Cypress ChroniCle / Divergence

Features Editor Erik Lucas gives us his ret-

rospective on the 2015 International CES in Las

Vegas. Here he is right after taking a test ride

in one of BMW’s smart cars. As you can tell, he

was quite pleased.

See the rest of the story, page 32.

5March 2015

Editor-in-Chief Victoria Cardenas Editor-in-Chief Jeff Lopez

Managing Editor Gerard Avelino Divergence Editor Celsa Maldonado

Creative Writing Editor Kyo Okamuro Features Editor Erik Lucas

Cychron.com Manager Jean Poincelet CCMN Manager Jhovani Estrada

CCMN Asst. Manager Jamal Bostick

Staff: Joseph Henry, Wanda Guerra, Shandana Qazi, Jerviss Musgni.

Faculty Advisor Robert Mercer

Mailing Address Cypress College, 9200 Valley View St., Cypress, CA 90630

Email: [email protected] Phone: 714-484-7269

©2015 The Cypress Chronicle unless otherwise stated; all rights reserved.

EDITORIALIt is no secret that The Cypress

Chronicle Newsroom has faced a few problems these past couple of semesters with the school administration. Our main op-position being that our hours in the newsroom were drastically reduced due to a, “line of sight” issue. This affair, however is one that affects other departments such as: dance, theater, speech, music, autoshop etc. and although it is being resolved; the newsroom is still not in the clear with the school administration.

This past Fall semester, our newsroom was revamped as we went from an abandoned cafeteria newsroom to an actual almost professional studio/newsroom. And although we are very grateful for this $50,000 upgrade we still seem to be hitting some obstacles.

In accordance with our new abode ; new equ ipment was bought with the president’s fund to not only comply with our new studio, but to keep up with grow-ing demands of live coverage for school related events -- demands which began after live coverage of the Academic Senate meetings received tons of positive reviews.

For the past 19 years the Cy-press Chronicle had begun the new semester with at least $12,000 in their bursar’s account as a se-curity measure; A measure that was put into place after a mess of a semester back in 1998. During that semester, an adjunct profes-sor was hired to replace an ailing Robert Mercer; the new profes-sor then nearly bankrupted The Cypress Chronicle. Since then, we have made sure to safeguard this money in case of any emergency.

We came into this new Spring 2015 semester thinking that our safety blanket was still in place.

Little did we know that Karen Cant, who is not on the academic side of this decision, had decided to keep us from receiving our Classroom Related Program Ac-tivities Funding (CRPA). Mercer said the Bursar told him that Cant deemed The Chronicle as not needing its 2014-15 CRPA. Do take note, however that she did not contact The Chronicle in any way to inquire about this money; she simply decided to deny us the money off of her own decision.

Upon hearing this, Mercer went through the proper channels to find out why this was; no response has been given since then. How can she justify denying us our funds without so much as a single thought of contacting us to dis-cuss the matter? We do not know her rationale which is in itself problematic as the editorial board needs to remain informed of the publication’s budget. A meeting has been set up with Vice Presi-dent Karen Cant in the hopes that through open dialogue the situa-tion can be resolved.

As of now, the newsroom has attempted to speak with the head bursar about this and were denied any form of communication, sim-ply told to speak with our adviser. This makes us question as to why we are being denied information to our OWN account and if any other departments have been denied their CRPA as well. The newsroom has already gone under a couple mishaps with the hours being cut, line of sight issue, and as of now lack of funding. This could be a crippling blow to The Chronicle’s First Amendment Rights; however we still have a staff and we still have our advi-sor. We will continue to report on unjust issues such as these and we will not back down. D

W I L LNOTB A C KDOWN

WE


streetbuzzINTERVIEWS BY | Celsa Maldonado and Joseph Henry

PHOTOS BY | Celsa Maldonado

Typress College student body is extremely diverse, with students from all over the world. Divergence Magazine decided to ask students what culture means to them.

“...the way you were taught to see the world. belief systems makes up a big part of culture.”

Ashile Chavez, Major: Psychology

Daniel FredricksMajor: Kinesiology

“...food, music, tradition, all contributes to culture.”

Michael ToledoMajor: Theatre

“...religion. remember who you come from. religion include limits and what you believe in.”

“Culture is..

7March 2015

Sean LazatinMajor: Psychology

“Some things that come to mind are cur-rent trends, styles and tastes. Those are the things that i automatically think of.”

Karistel HalcrombMajor: Sociology

“... the view on different religions and different ways of life, including tradi-tions.”


Emily Keery is at the helm of the English Success Center, where anyone can improve their skills in reading and writing.

This department focuses on the funda-mentals of English; from English as a sec-ond language to English 100, every aspect is covered here.

Problems with those pesky run-on sen-tences? Unintentional plagiarism bringing you down? They got you covered here.

Appointments are not required to enter. They also offer DLA's and workshops. Anyone can even come in and do their es-says on one of their computers, but there's more. Tutors will be able to help you out right on the spot!

If that doesn't work, then the ESC's in-novative Smart Tutoring program will wipe any problem away. It works like this: You send an essay to tutor online and in a matter

H O U S E O F

Fall Semester of 2014 was shaping up to be the most brutal semester out of all throughout my tenure at Cypress College. Speeches, video projects, and group powerpoints were weighing a heavy burden. On

top of all that, a research paper was due for my English class. My English class was especially the most grueling with demands for impeccable punc-tuation, textbook perfect grammar, and exceptional MLA formatting. These ordeals almost drove me to the brink of failure, but all was not lost; English Success Center came to the rescue. From sentence fragments to writing a college essay, every little aspect of English was covered in this center, and for those of you in need of math assistance, the Math Learning Center has got you covered!

ENGLISH SUCCESS CENTER

Professor Salcido (left), one of the English professors who tutor their students in the Enlglish Suc-cess Center said “Working here is not given to us. It’s a choice we tutors made. I find the students very comfortable to work with, and they really want to be here.” PHOTO BY Jerviss Musngi

STORY BY | Jerviss Musgni

9March 2015

Math may not be everyone's favorite sub-ject, but a couple of trips here will make one think otherwise.

The Math Learning Center is run by Tim Treloare and Amy Ward. These math coordi-nators keep track of everyone they help and their goal is to encourage more students to take advantage of the services they provide.

No appointments are required. The best part is that anyone can come in. Students don't even have to be math students to join; in fact, anyone from any college district can drop by, and experience everything this center has to offer.

What does the Math Learning Center have to offer? Just about everything from DLA's (Directed Learning activities) to one on one tutoring, these services help maintain the foundation of this center. The DLA's are usually offered as work packets that help stu-dents step by step in any part of math they are struggling in. From Math 20 to Calculus, every aspect of math is covered here.

They even offer unique math services that pertain to photography, culinary arts, and ca-reers in airline and travel! The tutors are a big help as well. They are more than happy to as-sist students break down basic fundamentals of math. Make sure to arrive on time, though, space will be at a premium during midterms and finals. Eager and friendly, these tutors will help anyone succeed.

Hours: Mondays through Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. D

MATH LEARNINGCENTER

of 24 hours they will send it right back with complete evaluation. This will save anyone the hassle of struggling to craft the perfect paper.

But be careful during midterms and finals week, it might be packed, so come in early!

Hours: Mondays through Thursdays, 9 from a.m. to 7 p.m.; Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.


DIVERGENCE: What was your motivation behind becoming an In-ternational student

MOMOKO: I first went to a language school in L.A., because I had a long vacation and I wanted to do something meaningful, so to language school for a month. I was going to go back to Japan and go to university in Tokyo, but I really liked California so much that I wanted to come back, that’s why I kind of quit university in Tokyo and came back here.

D: How has your experience been so far at Cypress College?

M: It’s been really great, because I never really had opportunities to speak English when I was in Tokyo. Now I can learn English and meet people from everywhere because I’ve made friends in the international students club.

D: Was there anything that you found strange when you came to America?

M: When I was walking around in L.A people said hi to me even though they didn’t know me. It was kind of weird for me because in Tokyo nobody does that, everybody just sort of passes each other by. I was kind of scared at first.

D: Were there any major differences in education from America to Japan?

M: “I feel like here, we discuss and write essays, whereas in japan we just listen to lectures. In Japan class sizes can be around 200, which makes it difficult to debate or discuss.”

D: What do you do for fun. Hob-bies?

M: I like to travel and take pictures. I started taking pictures after I came here.

D: Do you like the food here? Be honest!

M: Honestly, I like the food in Japan better. It may be pricey but there

food is better, and healthier.

D: How would you compare Japa-nese food here from actual Japanese food?

M: I feel like, like sushi there’s Cali-fornians sushi right? It’s not sushi to me, it’s a little bit different and I like Japanese sushi better and it’s health-ier too. I do like Californian sushi, but I just like Japanese sushi better.

D: Was there a lot of cultural diver-sity in Japan?

M: Before I came here I never had a black friend or Mexican friends, just like a little bit of Korean friends or Chinese friends. We didn’t really have white people or black people just Asian people.

D: How did you start working with the International Student Club?

M: When I went to the orientation, when I started at Cypress College, some people from the club talked

M o m o k oI S H I D A :International Students Club President

INTERVIEW BY | Joseph Henry

Recently Divergence had the chance to sit down and chat with the President of the International Students club Momoko Ishida. Cypress is a campus with an incred-ibly diverse student body, and Momoko represents a unique part of it. We found it

interesting and informative to converse with her about the culture of her home country of Japan, as well as her experience as an international student, and her acclimation to American Society.

Momoko is a 20 year old International Student from Japan who has been in America for 1 ½ years and is majoring in Sociology.

11March 2015


about it so I thought maybe I can make friends there. I’ve made a lot of friends there, and actu-ally I just became the President this semester.”

D: What are your activities for the international club?

M: Our purpose is to help new international students get used to Cypress as well as helping them to make friends. Personally, when I came here I didn’t have family or friends or anybody so the club helped me a lot in making friends and to meet people.

D: What do you miss the most from Japan?

M: It’s either food or public transportation, because I don’t have a car. I miss how I could go anywhere by subway. It’s frustrating to go anywhere here, I have to ask my friends or take the bus.”

D: Is there anything you don’t miss from To-kyo?

M: Hmm... I feel like people in Japan are really closed, they’re not really outgoing. They don’t really talk to each other very much, so I don’t re-ally miss it. Here I can talk to people more easily and make friends more easily, and I really like it.

D: How do you feel about anime?

M: It’s funny because a lot of my friends watch anime, but in Japan it’s more for kids, or l really, like nerdy people. Over there not many adults watch anime, but here every-body watches it. It was kind of funny for me. I don’t watch anime, I used to when I was little but not anymore.

D: Is there anything about American cul-ture that is as big in Japan as Anime is in the United States?

M: Movies and TV shows. I feel like a lot of Japanese people have this image that America is cool, be-

cause we watch Gossip Girl and those kind of TV shows.

D: Have you encountered the Japanese or Anime Club here on campus? What is your reaction to the fact that there is a club on this campus that is based on the culture you were born in?

M: Yes actually, I talked to the president who wanted to learn Japanese so he was talking to me about it. It’s interesting because to me it’s just normal, I’m glad a lot of people are interested in Japanese culture.

D: Will you be going back to Japan anytime soon?

M: Maybe in summer, I won’t be taking sum-mer classes so I’ll have a long vacation. I actu-ally went back to Japan last summer for about a month.

D: How different is friendship between your friends in Japan and your friends here?

M: Here I feel like we are more honest with each other, more direct. Even when it might upset others. When I was in Tokyo, I only really fought with my friends once, while here I’ve had tons of them.

D: How about holidays? In Japan KFC is very big during Christmas.

M: Yes! For some reason eating KFC fried chicken is something you do at Christmas. I don’t really know why, I think that might be what people think Americans do on Christmas. I did that with my family, ate KFC on Christmas. D: In the International Club, is there a lot of diversity? Are there mostly Japanese students?

M: No, no, no actually there are only three Japa-nese students in the entire campus, and I’m the only Japanese student in the club. Most of us are like Korean or Japanese, but we have a lot of African people as well.

D: What do you do as President of the Interna-tional Students Club?

M: Right now we have other officers that I work with to help figure out what type of events we’re going to do this semester. We’re trying to do things like barbecues, bonfires and those kind of things. I basically plan what we do in the club, and generally organize and make handouts.

13March 2015

We meet every other Thursday at 3:30 in the con-ference room of the student activity center.

D: One last question, what is one thing that you think Americans should know about Japanese people/culture.

M: American people think everything is expensive in Japan, It’s not true! A lot of people say they want to go to Japan but it’s so expensive, actually it’s not that expensive. I think it’s pretty much the same as here. I always tell people it’s not expensive and that they should just go. It’s really different, I think American people would find it interesting.

We’d like to thank Momoko for the time she took out of her busy schedule to permit us a glimpse into Japanese culture. The International club meets every other Thursday at 3:30p.m in the conference room of the student activity center. D

1. How long have you been reading The Divergence magazine?

2. Where did you find your issue of Divergence?

3. What does The D mean to you?

4. Is there anything you really liked about this issue?

5. Is there anything you hated a lot & wanted to burn?

6. What would you like to see covered in the next issue?

7. Would you ever be interested in contributing to the magazine?

Fill out this survey and bring it to the Journalism Department

(Fine Arts 120) for a special reward.

READER SURVEY


1. For this quick every day wave, I like to use a 1″ curling iron because when you comb out the curl it will loosen up and widen, making it look like you used a larger sized iron. This will also help your curl stay in longer.

2. Take your hair into two sections; I usually start at the recession point, and I will travel to the other side to the other recession and those will be my two sections. I have already pretreated her hair with a heat treatment that has a little bit of a hold to it as well.

3. To get a bigger wave what you're going to do is you're going to take long sections, horizontal sections, that are about the width of your curling iron.

Get Loose Waves

HOW TO

wITH A CURLING IRONby Wanda Guerra

Sick of bad hair days? Follow these easy steps to get a pretty every day wave It’s so simple!

• protective serum or argon oil• 1″ barrel curling iron• light hold hairspray• comb

TOOLS

STEPS

3

15March 2015

4. And what I’m going to do is I’m going to take the curling iron. I’m going to touch it to the top of my section and I’m going to wrap my section around, straightening up the root going up to the tips. You hold it for 10 seconds and the wave is ready!

5. So I’m just going to continue to do that all the way through the back of the head, keeping in mind that the part that you’re really going to see with the wave is up-top.

6. You can see it’s just a very soft little loose, almost like a beachy curl going through.

7. Continue until you have all your hair in straight waves. Comb through curls to soften them up.

8. To finish, spray hair with a light holding hairspray. D

4

7


horoscopes

ARIES (Mar. 21 to Apr. 20)It seems like your love life is actually a good one… yay? I guess you have really nice hands?

PISCESHAPPY BIRTHDAY TO

Don’t cry after blowing out the candles, you emotional wreck, you. See, look, you’re crying again. I said stop that. You’re get-ting your magazine all wet. We stayed in school until midnight making this. Have some respect.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 to Oct. 23)Look at you, all needy, looking at your horoscope to boost your self-worth. Well, too bad.

TAURUS (Apr. 21 to May 21)Planning to go to the bars? Bet your the DD, huh? You’re gonna end up hold-ing someones hair tonight.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 to Nov. 22)Take a chill pill, Scorpio. And we don’t mean the ones that come from that shady guy in the alley.

GEMINI (May 22 to Jun. 21)You’re the one whose hair is going to be held tonight. Looks like someone needs an #intervention.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 to Dec. 21)Check ID’s before going on that date with crazy cakes at the bar. Hopefully you have a better eye than the bouncer.

CANCER (Jun. 22 to Jul. 22)(Where the fuck is Can-cer? Dammit you had one job, astrologer. I’m just the layout guy.)

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 20)Stop being so clingy. Like. Let go of this magazine. Let go. I said LET GO. I have a restraining order.

LEO (Jul. 23 to Aug. 22)You’re the one everyone at the bars loves. Just make sure you have protection. Don’t get the herps.

AQUARIUS (21 Jan. to Feb. 19)The only difference between you and Leo is that you’re better looking. You’re the one I’d hire to be a stipper.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 23)Just stop. You like her and she doesn’t like you so stop. Are you a masochist? This ain’t 50 Shades.

PISCES (Feb. 20 to Mar. 20)You’re the emotional one. That’s it. That’s all I got. The stars aren’t always wordy, you know.

i

DISCLAIMER: Seriously, if you believe any of these, please re-evaluate your life choices. These horoscopes are provided for entertainment purposes only. The Cy-press Chronicle and its staff are not responsible for any actions taken due to the above column. Just please don’t do anything stupid, for your own sake.

Schedule of Events

FEB25

Senior DayHundreds of high school seniors are expected to attend this event de-signed to show prospective students what Cypress College has to offer.

MAR2

March in MarchCypress College Associated Students will be joining Community College stu-dents from all over California to march for education reform in Sacramento.

FEB28

40th Americana AwardsThis annual fundraiser gala, spon-sored by UnionBank, will be held at the Disneyland Hotel. Funds raised go to scholarships for Cypress College.

MAR4

Cedars-Sinai Blood DriveCedars-Sinai hospital will be setting up a mobile blood drive unit, giving stu-dents the opportunity to help save lives. The event continues through March 5.

MAR13

KindercaminataThis annual event draws in hundreds of kindergarten students to Cypress Col-lege for not only a fun-filled day, but also exposure to the college experience.

17March 2015

iTwin Peaks (1990)

The 1990 series Twin Peaks is two amaz-ingly suspenseful critically heralded seasons of television which have been admitted to the highest levels of the cult classic pantheon.The series was created by visionaries Mark Frost and David Lynch, and directed by Lynch himself. If you’re a fan of cinematography and haven’t seen Twin Peaks, you are in for an optic treat. The series itself deals with the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of Laura Palmer, a girl from a small town in the Pacific Northwest. To say much more about the plot would risk ruining the mystery of the series, but needless to say the

lives of the citizens of Twin Peaks are blown wide open from the circumstances around Laura’s murder.

Every episode ramps up the drama as more and more of the mystery is revealed, cliffhanger episodes are common and almost force you to watch the next episode. The se-ries isn’t completely devoid of comedy thank-fully as the main character, Special Agent Dale Cooper played by Kyle MacLachlan, delivers a performance that has to be seen to be believed. There’s a reason why online communities developed to meticulously comb through even the smallest details of the show looking for new revelations, the show has subtle themes that emerge only after you fin-ish the series. There are numerous 90’s series which haven’t aged well, ones that exhibit the tropes of the 90’s television that we now find cringe-worthy. It’s even stranger when you realize that the show aired in ABC in the 90’s alongside shows like Full House (1987-1995) and, Family Matters (1989-1998).

DIVERGENCEP I C K SWhy is Netf lix so

appealing? Is it t h e l o w p r i c e

point of 7.99 per month that draws over 50 million people worldwide? Or perhaps most of us enjoy the nostalgia that spawns from the days before the advent of services like Netflix and Redbox, where trips to the video store were commonplace yet exciting. With a library of instantly streaming videos at your fin-gertips that range from hard hitting documentary films to comedic television shows, there is something for every-one on Netflix.

The service is heavily in-volved and arguably respon-sible for the vast change in landscape of modern video rental. In recent years the company has even moved into production of their own original series such as the critically acclaimed House of Cards (2013) and Orange is the New Black (2013).So here’s just a few of our picks for navigating the diverse li-brary that Netflix offers on its instant streaming service.

Parks and Recreation (2009)

Shifting gears to the world of comedy, our favorite comedic show (and television show in general) is without a doubt, Parks and Recreation. A modern classic, headed up by the dynamo Amy Poehler and sup-ported by a brilliant troupe of dynamic ac-tors like Nick Offerman and Rashida Jones. Parks and Rec as its fans have endearingly come to call it, is comedic lightning in a bottle, perfectly encapsulating the nature of comedy modern times. The Show and its characters have invaded popular culture, as

well as the comedic zeitgeist of our genera-tion.

Never has a show posited such a serious premise while subsequently delivering such a hilarious product. The show revolves around the workings of the Parks and Recreation department of Pawnee, Indi-ana. The main character Leslie Knope is a high energy public servant whose lives for her job. Most of the comedy spawns from Leslie’s relationships and interactions with her co-workers and friends. Supporting cast members show up throughout the seasons new characters show up which keeps the show fresh and entertaining.

The series which is currently in its 7th and final season, and the first 6 seasons are available to instantly stream so now is a perfect time to binge watch and catch up. You can catch the current season Tuesdays on NBC at 8/7c.


Cychron Media Network

What’s NeW at

With a new semester underway, it means new staff members bringing their ideas to the newsroom. The Cypress Chronicle’s own YouTube channel, the Cychron Media Network, hosts a variety of both live and pre-recorded web shows covering a wide range of topics. Here’s a look at two

of our new shows this semester, with even more coming from new and returning staff members in the following weeks.

19March 2015

syNopticsSynoptics will be spearheaded by three very enthu-

siastic hosts: Tala Ayyoub, Wanda Guerra, and Gabe Magana. Follow them this semester as they go out on the field to engage students in intriguing conversations about relationships, conspiracy theories, music, and social/political issues.

Join the group as they rotate their main hosts to discuss their own opinions on each topic in the hopes to teach people new things as well as entertain of course.

thoughtful thursdays

Have you ever had an awkward date? Or maybe an important job interview you didn’t know how to prepare for? Well, you should tune in to Thoughtful Thursdays.

Follow Jess Mendoza, Jacqueline Cama-cho, Mohamed Seyam, and Cynthia Rodri-guez as they break down the how to’s for everyday situations. Thoughtful Thursdays

is the fun and intriguing how-to show every college student needs, provided by college students.


Welcome back

PHOTOS BY | Jhovani Estrada

21March 2015


Unableto buy a parkingpermit?

HERE’S wHY.by Shandana Qazi

23March 2015

Students enrolled in classes at Cypress College who have

not cleared the holds on their account have lost the ability to purchase their very own parking pass.

According to the Admis-sions and Records Specialist, Christy Davis, students cannot obtain a parking permit for their motor vehicle unless and until all their charges are paid off. She states, "Whenever a student pays fees it goes to-wards enrollment first. So if they have not cleared their enrollment fees and paid for that, we are unable to release parking because they still owe money to the college."

So until students pay off all their fees, students will have to buy a two dollar parking per-mit, that is valid for twenty-four hours, this is a way to get around the nearly forty dollar fine. This is also causing stu-dents to waste more and more money each day.

Christy Davis continues, "It does get a little bit expensive.", but unfortunately that is the alternative.

For students who are not looking to spend another dime

until they are able to purchase a parking permit, they have an option to park on any of the available parkings out on the streets across from campus.

Registered Nursing major, Teresa Amenhen, felt she was fortunate enough to have been able to pay off her dues, "I was lucky enough to have the money to clear my balance."

She bel ieves that some students have it harder than others and that not everyone can find comfort in finding a parking spot without having

to worry about being late to class. If a student is not as lucky as Teresa, and does not have enough money to clear their withholding balance, they have the option to either purchase a one day pass from the tall yellow ticket booths, located all over campus near parking spaces, or they can plan ahead of time and park anywhere where there i s parking available outside of campus.

When asked if it is unfair that students must take an extra step to find free parking

when they are an enrolled cypress college student, Teresa remarked, "I think it is very unfair.". She rea-sons that students should not go to any length for something as little as finding a parking spot.

Photography student Andres Gálvez felt a similar way. "I feel like it is biased and that there should be a way to over-rule this policy.", he said.

When asked if there is a way to override this issue, Christy Davis replied, "We're unable to override the hold until they pay off their bal-ance."

Although it is important to have your holds covered, purchasing a parking permit for the semester should not be made any more difficult.

"I do understand that it's hard.", Christy Davis reas-sured once again, "In order for us to provide programs and different things for the campus and to keep a nice campus and to have good parking and security, unfortu-nately all of those things need to be paid.".

Ultimately, no matter the load of payment(s) a student owes, those wages are required to be paid off entirely prior to aquiring a parking permit. D


CYPRESS COLLEGETheater and Dance DepartmentS c h e d u l e o f E v e n t s

Into the WoodsMarch 13, 14, 20, and 21,8 p.m.

March 15 and 22, 4 p.m.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

March 13, 14, 20, and 21,8 p.m.March 15 and 22, 4 p.m.

People in MotionMarch 13, 14, 20, and 21,8 p.m.

March 15 and 22, 4 p.m.

Firelord’s LibraryCreative writing by students and staff

Curated by Kyo oKamuroart by Christian moreira, Christianmoreira.Com

My mind is a placefor my monsters to dwell and forthose who havebeen lost between.Where screaming and howlingare commonplaceyet no one can hear itas it echoesthrough the night.Only silencesurrounds their homeas they residewithin the madnessof ones mind.

26 Firelord’s Library

welCome baCK to College, nerds. and of course welcome back to the library,

where as ever, we aim to present to you the creative writing blossoming at Cypress Col-

lege. For this issue, we have a plethora of poetry which we hope you’ll enjoy and be

inspired by. Tangents is taking a sick day for this issue but may be returning next time~

but until then, consider this:

“You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say,

‘Why not?’”

George Bernard Shaw

Firelord’s Library

Writing Tip No. 69 ;)NEVER write about a subject that bores you. If it bores you it will bore the reader.

I dared to love so long without defense, My eyes were wiped blinde. But I'm not falling apart, I am, however, falling a lot, The strength of my high, Is the strength of my low, As my seven-year old smile vanishes, Roaring with whispers. I'm a tried trier, I'm a ride higher, I can taste you on my breath where the wine is fire, The whiskeys full of stars. Life, like light, fades, Weak from tears and dead from dreaming.

by david hathaway, eduCation major

happy hour

27November 2014

can we choke on wolveslike the way red is in your hairakin to a flush on my lips you hands over my skinI'm hazy, it's a last kiss it's hunting me down like caninesscraping me up because it's another moment I'll be bleeding onflesh breaks so easy when youknow the girl you love is leaving youcan we choke on words the wayit was so hard just to sayyou didn't think I should be treated this way, this way you treated meI'm shaky, you're pressing into meand just a moment more, I hold onit's a last kiss, the wolves couldn't behungrier than this, no, I'm empty on youstarved cause I'm loving youteeth in fur, I've torn into myselfmissing you, I've howled intoa night of raging on youcan we choke on our mouthscause I can't grasp not havingmy lips on you, and I can't fathom forgetting your breath on my tongueI am drunk on you, dazed on youI am hunted by wolves, I am eatendown to the bone by youredder still, heart serrated openit's a last kiss, I'm choking on itwolves were hereyou're gone, I'm choking on it

by Kyo oKamuro, 21, Creative writing major

choke on her absencecalmsilentstillthe deep breathand quiet exhalelike a lone treeswaying atop a distant hillit’s leaves whispering softly into the wind

stillsilentcalmlike the moon’s slow pursuitof the sunas shadows swallow daylightand her sea quickly awakensas the rolling waves send us crashing to and frotogether

by bria stone, 24, Creative writing major

untitled


Rather Than Exiting My Mind, You Merely Move Around It

You and I separated long ago. The only writer I ever loved. I try to find myself in between your words, lingering somewhere deep in your inspiration, but I don’t think I’m there. You always made them up,

but I knew you better than that. Recycling moments from the past to make a fake love feel real. I don’t love you. I only wish I could see your memories of me living on through your fingertips,

the way you do through mine. We live separate lives in the same vicinity, touching the same people. If you had told me this years ago, I wouldn’t have believed that even a single degree could separate you and I.

We were each necessary for the other to mature. My biggest fear is that I didn’t help you grow as a writer. So what if we matured? If being loved by me didn’t improve your writing, then it was all for nothing.

by manda ader, 21, Creative writing major

I can't see youto know where you are,unable to witnessas you take a breath.Inhale, exhale.Does your chest riseas the air is takeninto your lungs,will it lower in turnas you breath itback out?I can't see youto know how you are,do the tears still fallor has a rednessbegun to flow?Why can't I reach outto touch at your cheekand feel a warmth,are you still with me?It feels cold without you here.Please be okay,I miss you.

untitled

by taylor watson, 23, Creative writing major

29March 2015

It’s not like anyone understandswhat it is that draws me to you—like anxious mosquitos to a caged blue light, where they die united, leaving a burnt stench in the air as the light lives on. Or whales who throw themselves ashore,leaving their lives so they mightfinally taste the half-baked sun.

Or maybe I am more ordinary than I credit myself for. Maybe I am like ants swarming a Snickers bar,vultures following the dying doe, Hollywood zombies tracking the tender brain. But I wonder: is this hunger, or craving?

Is there a chance that your years of self-abuse could change you chemi-cally? That my lips picked up cocaine in your saliva, or perhaps heroin laced the perspiration of a nervous palm over mine? Is this attraction or addiction? Does it matter?

We make the choices that decide our fate,or so they say. But who’s to say we’re really choosing?

by manda ader, 21, Creative writ-ing major

Thoughts Provoked by a One Way Street

Sign

Photo by team_tiara, Wikimedia Commons. CC-BY-SA 3.0

(Chorus:)Wanna get some Pizza or ramen?I think about you quite often, Guilty pleasureYou could do better, than me.

Three days have past and I've alreadyforgotten which words were your lastTaunting me. Some might say I'm playing it cool, But I think I'm frozen in fear. Obsessing over you behind closed doors'cause I don't think you're ready to hear What you mean to me

(Chorus)

I'm unaware of your life storyI might not know all of your favorite things, I don't know all of your pet peeves But I want to.That's a fact. It's true. Baby, me and you We are gravitating. Pull pull pulling Unintentionally

the moon is alone again tonight Full-of everything except belongingThe sky can hold so many starsbut you are the closest one I see shooting. Where's your target? Don't forget this feelingslow down There's no way To turn aroundBack to me-so now’s the time to make memoriesI won't forgetThis feelingThere's no wayI won't allow-itCome to me-oh

Guilty Pleasure

songs by Pj silverio, 21, fine arts major

C'mon! Take your turn and stop whisperingTalk about yourself-disclosure, latch onto me All I've heard is this white noise, but I'm still listening-patiently. I'm not just another one of the boys, 'cause I'm nibbling-anxiously.Solicitous for the two of us. Implicitness painted in lust.You know ice cold green tea is a must.Honey, I'm not lying, I'm just trying to earn your trust.I know you got it in you 'cause I caught your two eyes staring into mineway more than a million times. Rescued from oblivion's confinesand under every underpass I won't forget the signs'cause your name is the only one that my mind shoutsmaybe, before it's over I'll faint, pass out.So please tell me, 'cause I wanna know. Do you wish for me too when you hold your breath under the tunnel?

Tell me, tell me if I'm wasting my youthwantingwishingand waitingfor you

Your birthday is coming up. so when they light the candles upand you hold in your deep breathwill you blow them out for me or bite your tongue?Put out the fire and let's just have some fun while we're still young.

Tell me, tell me if I'm wasting my youthwantingwishingand waitingfor you

C'mon c'mon

Under the Tunnel


Eating at Leif's Diner has always been a favorite place of mine. I usu-ally go there to enjoy the roaring sounds of orders being taken and the pungent smell of grilled steaks.

Drinking rancid coffee makes me reminisce of my time in high school. For an awkward boy, I did have many girls talking to me. There was al-ways one I could not muster up the courage to speak to: Glynis. Even the thought of her intimidates me and sends me running to my cage. I can't believe I'm still in love with her or is it maybe the idea of her.

I ran into Glynis at a Fresh n' Easy and funnily enough I wasn't the one that went up to her. She approached me and we caught up on each other's lives. Almost an hour passed by and I could sense how unhappy she was in her marriage. Her smile was forced when she spoke about her life. Her eyes screamed of a certain sorrow ; I didn’t dare ask what troubled her. She didn’t want to part but I couldn’t have stayed there any longer. I was becoming anxious and sad for not being part of her life in an intimate way.

I drove to Leif's Diner and ordered my usual. She walked in about an hour later and sat down in a booth across from me . She waved. This time her eyes screamed something different. A need for love and an open invitation to the nearest hotel room. In my head I imagined all the things I wanted to do to her. I wanted to run away with her. I didn’t care for infidelity. I felt that all these years we missed out on something beautiful. I yearned to strip her from her sadness. Instead I waved back and walked out.

I didn’t drive back home, instead I ran. Dogs howled as I ran home, I howled too. They were probably howling at the eternal cage they lived in. I howled because I was thinking of all the people I'd already lost.

That's Leifby geovany deniCia, business administration major

When you brought me into this worldI'm certain that you believedthat you knew what it waswhich I would become as I grew,that I would be the samepastel coloring as your ownsomething familiar that you had moldedbut as the time passed...

My colors became more vibrantthan you could have ever imagined,burning brightly with a magnificent wildnessthe sort that you could never hope to contain.I was never meant to be ordinaryand you cannot trap me here,I will not bow to your waysnor shall I be broken by your God.

Were you hoping that I would just roll overand play the obedient little child?To suppress the flames within meI'd become nothing but an empty shell.I am alive and want to taste freedom,allow me to spread my wings and soar.Do not cast arrows to stifle that flight,just breath and maybe then you will see...

Perhaps I am at times untamedbut I am not a monster for you to reject,I may not have become the perfect imageat least not within your own eyeshowever do you truly think me that obscure?We no longer walk the same pathyet I am not blind to the one you wanderI merely cannot swallow myself for you.

You brought me into this worldand one day I hope that you'll acceptthat I am different than the thingyou had wanted me to be,I am not asking for you to agree with my waysonly to understand that I am who I ammaybe a wolf amongst the flockbut my teeth will never sink into you...

I have not become something so sinisterthat you should think of me as poison,the blood that runs through your veinsthis is something that we both shareas I am your kin, your child.Whether I am made of wool or fur,your hand should always remain within reachand your warmth of heart not faltered.

I love you always,but I will not change for your sakeand only ever for my own.

Who I Amby taylor watson, 23, Creative writing major

31March 2015

I’m hunting ghosts just to find you you’re chasing light that’s already fadedstill I swore I’d be your strength in the darkness I am but a shadow playing phantom in the abyss but I’d light myself aflame just to keep you warm don’t break I know it hurts but don’t break I’ll eat up the pain for youI’ll choke on every thing you can’t swallow rivet agony down my spine I’d give you my bones to keep you together and if I have to hunt myself down I’ll pull the trigger just to save you


For Taylor

by manda ader, 21, Creative writing major

Do you havea story toshare with

the Firelord’sLibrary? Send an

e-mail [email protected]

An Impulsive DietI used to make my choices carefully,keeping a menu of where I’d been.Now they all taste the same to me.

My first boyfriend called me a tease.It was over a year before I let him in.I used to make my choices carefully.

Always tasted citrus gum on his teeth.Orange-lime breath through a goofy grin.Now they all taste the same to me.

Another guy smelled of tobacco and weed,scratching his habits into my skin.I used to make my choices carefully.

His kisses were like rice crispy treats,sugary desserts while staying thin.Now they all taste the same to me.

I go back in time whenever I’m lonely.We’re eternally teenagers, acting on whims.I used to make my choices carefully.Now they all taste the same to me.

writers shouldn’t fall in love with her if she isn’t fictionhow come I can’t write you out of mewhy won’t the ink bleed you from mehow many words does it take to purge you when does a poem expel youbut in every manifestation of these lines, these stories thatrivet out my chest burning, writing into a spiral of missing youbecause I know, I know no amount of literary craft can change what changed between us and I know, I know missing you isn’t quite cured by how many waysI can proclaim that I dobecause whether I say itfucking hurts or describe it akin tobeing taken to star reaches and made desolate of airchoking on what it’s like to have a broken heartstill if I don’t write I think I’d diemissing you is like being taken apart I need to write you out so how many words does it taketo dismantle missing you how much exposition do I need to fill this hole where you used to behow much written fabricationdoes it take to stop being in love with you?


writers shouldn’t fall in love with her if she isn’t fiction


CES 2015:“I’ve seen the future, and it’s filled with

self-driving cars and selfie-sticks.”STORY BY | Erik Lucas

PHOTOS BY | Maria Hedrick

4k curved TVs were in abundance at CES 2015, and nothing showcased this better than this massive wall of them at the Samsung booth.

33March 2015

CES is an intimidat-ing and disorienting battle pit where bil-lion dollar corpora-

tions fight for the affection of the glass-eyed media and vendors alike.

To survive, you must take a bastard-sword to the thin membrane of social niceties. You must absorb confidence and gu idance f rom your peers. This being my second go-around at the massive tech event, I learned how to speak the local language, pretend I belong, and eat the surprisingly tasty free press lunch while waiting in an endless line to see Sam-sung’s latest bland offerings.

“Bland” is actual ly the word I would use to describe the majority of CES 2015, in that most of the products there were uninspired up-dates on their predecessors or former iterations. Wear-ables showed up in full force this year, with the big boys like Sony, Samsung and LG putting a spotlight on their latest offer ings; smal ler compan ies l i ke ZTE and Withings also came strong with their wearable game, opting to offer more budget friendly options.

4K TV’s were literally lit-tered throughout the con-vent ion center—most o f them curved in one way or another—but besides Sam-sung’s beautifully designed S9W S’UHD model, noth-ing impressed me much. VR (or Virtual Reality for you n00bs) finally made a splash,

with a company called Six-ense stealing the show with an ep ic l ightsaber demo game.

Samsung and Oculus also had offerings, but I was kind of disenfranchised by dys-topian scene of hundreds of reporters staring into their l i feless headsets, mouth agape, so I opted to pass on them.

New laptops, tablets and phones were sort of in short supply at CES, most likely due to industry leaders like Apple and Samsung unsur-prisingly not being present at the event. That being said, companies like LG and Dell showed off some cool new mobile gadgets, like the G-Flex 2 phone and the Venue 8 7000 tablet.

Drones and self-driving cars pretty much stole the entire show, with Mercedes’ F 015 concept car and As-ctec’s Firefly getting most of the buzz. Not to be out-done, BMW came with a full-fledged demo of their all-electric i3 car, letting journalists take the semi-autonomous vehicles out for a cruise down Las Vegas Blvd. Some rumors suggest reporters were even getting lost on the strip during the test drives, but I know noth-ing of that. (Editor’s Hint: s c a n t h a t QR code.)

B e f o r e things got c r a z y o n t h e h a l l

TOP: One ring to rule them all? Well, maybe all the wireless connected devices in your house anyways. The Logbar Ring will retail for $130 and arrive sometime in March of this year.MIDDLE: The Withings Activite Pop is a breath of fashionable fresh air in the stale smart watch game. It connects to your smartphone, measures your daily activity, and retails for $150—all while maintaining a classic design.BOTTOM: Very few things can make me drop my jaw in awe, but the Axxess Air2 floating speakers did just that. Needless to say, I need this in my life.


TOP: CES ice sculpture at CES Unveiled. The drinks were great, by the way. And free.

ABOVE: The bright spot in this years smartphone show-ings was the LG G-Flex 2, an android device with a 5.5 inch curved screen. The design felt great in the hand, and the laser-focusing camera was super crisp and fast. The G-Flex 2 will come out later in March, but we are still waiting for pricing.

RIGHT: Onlookers gaze at the magnificence that is the DJI Inspire 1, a quadcopter drone that sports a 4K camera, transforming design, and the ability to have two operators at the same time. The Inspire 1 retails for $3399.

35March 2015

floors, I had a chance to attend the CES pre-show, known as Un-veiled. This is where the real fun was for me, as I saw everything from a smart belt to a 3D printer that actually printed food—mind blown. I got to see what an NFL coach uses on the sidelines with Microsofts Surface Pro 3 tablet, and connected to Chevy’s driv-able WiFi hotspot (also known as a connected truck). There were even “smart rings” that control everything connected in your house. Needless to say, since the food was abundant and the drinks were flowing, this was my favor-ite event at CES.

While I would love to tell you a b o u t e v e r y s m a r t - t h i n g o r connected-piece-of-crap that lined the floors of CES, I simply have neither the patience nor the necessary column space to do so; instead I will lay out a proverbial digital tapestry of some of my fa-vorite gadgets and services found in the neon-laden halls of the LVCC; just take a look at these past four pages.

So what did I take away from all this gadget-laden madness? Well I’ll sum it up for you: hold on to your equipment at all times (we had a monopod stolen—thanks unknown asshole), hydrate at all costs, learn to shove through crowds like a possessed minotaur, remember your ridiculous tech acronyms (IoT, SUHD, ADAS), avoid press day like the plague, and always do your Vegas party-ing after CES is over—hangovers and CEO’s screaming about a smart washing machine don’t mix well. But above all, always bring a selfie-stick. I didn’t, and I felt more out of place than Kanye at a Sony press conference… yeah, unfortunately that did happen.

For more coverage of CES 2015, be sure to check out Cy-chron.com where we have tons of photos and videos for your multi-sensory enjoyment. D

TOP: One of the things I’m most excited to use later this year is Sling TV by Dish. It’s a $20 a month service that lets you watch cable TV networks like ESPN, Disney Channel, TBS and CNN over the internet. Sling TV is coming later this year.

MIDDLE: Hundreds of people lined up to immerse themselves in one of the many VR offerings at CES, including this entranced man using the Samsung Gear VR. The Gear VR is co-created by Oculus (the company behind the Rift) and uses a smartphone as the dis-play. The Gear VR retails for $199.

BOTTOM: Self-driving cars are the future, and they were out in full force at CES 2015. Here we see Mercedes’ F 015 Luxury in Motion car, which has bizarre proportions and large LED lights on the front and back, which it uses to communicate with other driv-ers. It’s equipped with four rotating chairs that allow the passen-gers to sit face-to-face, or they can pivot around and take manual control of the vehicle if need be. The F 015 is just a concept how-ever, and has no planned shipping date.

Documents

Divergence March 2015