By Cassandra JunielSPOTLIGHT EDITOR

A former employee of the Contra Costa College Community District passed away of an unknown prolonged illness in Berkeley on June 11.

Diana McCrossin died in her home at the age of 78 with two of her children, Tracy and Colin, at her bedside. She began her employment in the district working at the Diablo Valley College Bookstore from the mid-1960s to 1991.

By George MorinPHOTO EDITOR

Students began the class by standing outside and taking five minutes to take in and appreciate the sun and notice the energy that comes from the its rays.

“Sunset is something so simple, yet people will com-pletely overlook (it) due to their busy lives,” said John Kokko, the health and human services professor who teaches the class. “We need to take time to focus on the vibrations in our bod-ies and the things around us. It all ties into each other, from our circulation, kidneys, liver, heart, and breeds a good soul and health.”

In Kokko’s Chinese Medicine

for Preventative Health class, students are taught a compre-hensive survey course which will introduce the basic theory, philosophy and practice of a timeless tradi-tion.

Acupressure, r e f l e x o l -ogy points and breathing tech-niques will be taught during the course, which can both prevent and treat com-mon ailments.

Qi-gong, a combination of exercises and stretches, will be practiced weekly, and students will learn how to use it during their everyday lives. The art of acupuncture will be demystified and explained by both biomedi-

cal and traditional perspectives.The goal for students is to

broaden and deep-en the appreciation of preventative medicine through practical applica-tion, Kokko said.

“I’ve worked with a lot of peo-ple throughout my career and have noticed that my Asian co-workers, even as they age, seemed to have more life in them,” student Brenda Weaver Smith said. “I asked my

co-worker what she did, and she said that she practiced Qi-gong, which brought me to look into a course that taught on the sub-ject.”

The five basic elements that make up the Qi-gong practice

— earth, metal, water, fire, and wood — will be discussed.

Students will be trained to look at holistic perspectives to become better tuned with them-selves.

In comparison to Western ways of healing, where diagno-ses are based solely on medici-nal reasons, holistic medicine is defined by the Canadian Holistic Medical Association as a system of health care which fosters a cooperative relation-ship among all those involved, leading toward optimal attain-ment of the physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual aspects of health.

Holistic medicine and heal-ing focus on the emphasis of looking at the whole person, including analysis of physi-cal, nutritional, environmental, emotional, social, spiritual and lifestyle values. It focuses on

C M Y K C M Y K

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW B

C M Y K C M Y K

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW B

THE WEEKLY STUDENT VOICE OF CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE, SAN PABLO, CALIF.SINCE 19506 PAGES, ONE COPY FREE

VOL. 95, NO. 1WEDNESDAY, AUG. 25, 2010

ACCENTADVOCATE.COM

HEALING POWER

Vague futurePolarized California legislators unable to settle dif-ferences to finalize state budget. Colleges to suffer con-sequences.

page 2

editorial

By Sam Attal and Adam OliverSTAFF WRITERS

In response to offering nearly 60 fewer sections this semester than in fall 2009 and rejecting many students either waitlisted or seeking to add classes, the college will be adding an additional 15 short-term sections to boost enrollment

beginning in September.Currently facing a 9 percent drop in

enrollment from last fall, the college hopes to provide more students with the courses they need, said Dr. Tim Clow, senior dean of research and planning.

“It’s great news for students,” he said. “We want to get it out so students don’t give up.”

As of press time, a complete list

of the new short-term section offer-ings was not available, but a Media & Communication Arts 158 (American Cinema) telecourse has been announced and is scheduled to begin on Oct. 15. Students will be alerted about the new sections via e-mail.

“Hopefully we’re adding sections that have high demand,” Vice President Carol Maga said. “We looked at (sec-

tions) with the biggest waitlists.”The majority of the added courses

will begin Sept. 22, running 12 weeks long and meeting twice a week in the afternoons to work around existing class-es, Maga said. Most of the courses will be transferable to the California State University and University of California systems.

Ancient lessons inspire students

Sections added to help enrollment

Budget remains unknown

■ SEE ENROLLMENT: Page 3

SAM ATTAL / THE ADVOCATE

Illuminated — Dexter Mendoza and Brenda Weaver Smith practice Qi-gong during their Chinese Holistic Healing class in HS-3 on Friday. The class meets every Friday and focuses on a holistic approach to eastern healing practices.

A SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVE

VacanciesASU seeks new

members

scene page 6◆sports page 5◆

Leader welcomed

Shrieve returns to coach volleyball sqaud

campus beat page 4◆

“This class inter-ested me with

the concepts that everything within us and around us takes a toll on us, that it’s all con-

nected.”

Brenda Weaver Smith,student

Classes

created

to

meet

demand

By Cody McFarlandSCENE EDITOR

If members of the district Governing Board had been holding their breath in antici-pation of an official budget to be declared, they would have long since suffocated.

More cutbacks are the pri-mary concern, but since the California budget for 2010-11 has yet to even be decided on more than a week into the semester, the most they can do now is wait on legislators

State limbo leaves college guessing

Ex-clerk passes on

McCrossin

■ SEE HOLISTIC: Page 3

GEORGE MORIN / THE ADVOCATE

Rolling along — Contractors John Sanders and Rodney Goodin apply glue to the backs of sheet metal outside of the AA Building on Thursday.

AA Building sees renovations

■ SEE BUDGET: Page 3

■ SEE MCCROSSIN: Page 3

By Alexandra WaiteNEWS EDITOR

The Applied Arts Building is under-going a three-phase reconstruction project that will result in five remod-eled smart classrooms, renovated rest rooms and brand new offices.

Construction for the AA Building project began on March 16, and the expected completion will be some-time in mid-November, Parsons Brinckerhoff Construction Manager Kevin Sanders said.

The remodel is part of the first phase of the college’s Facilities Master Plan, a long-term plan outlining the changes in infrastructure on the cam-pus, Buildings and Grounds Manager Bruce King said.

Renovation on the second floor of the building is being done in order to accommodate the math department, he said.

Sanders said the cost of construc-tion for the project is about $1.2 mil-lion and will be paid by a bond measure passed in 2002 to fund the remodel of several buildings on campus.

The remodel of the AA Building is a boost for the cam-pus, because smart classrooms improve the learning and attentiveness of stu-dents, King said.

“The renovation will make Contra Costa College a true premier community college,” he said.

DVD and VCR players, projectors and computers placed on the audio and video equipment racks are some of the additions to be made in order to convert the pre-existing classrooms into smart classrooms, Sanders said.

Smart classrooms allow professors to use Microsoft PowerPoint software and the Web in presentations.

Phase one of the AA Building proj-ect, which involved renovating five of the downstairs classrooms and two bathrooms, nearly met its completion date of Aug. 13, with the exception of one classroom and both down-stairs bathrooms, King said.

“Making them smart classrooms was the biggest

renovation,” Sanders said. “A lot of the changes you can’t see. The money is in the walls.”

A couple weeks ago marked the start of the second phase. In this part

■ SEE REMODEL: Page 3

“Making them smart classrooms was the

biggest renovation. A lot of the changes you

can’t see. The money is in the walls.”

Bruce King,Building and Grounds manager

ChairmanfeaturedGallery showcasesDiestler’s artwork

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 25, 2010 ● VOL. 95, NO. 1

EditorialBudget

purgatory Capitol stalemate frustrating at best

e are in the second full week of fall 2010. Sections are full, Cal Grants are on hold and students

statewide are scrambling for classes and cash.

Politicians from polarized ideologies are at each other’s throats in Sacramento deciding the state budget for this fiscal year, and everyone at the college is left in the dark. With only glimpses at more proposed cutbacks and a whole lot of talk about the big stalemate at the capi-tol, Contra Costa Community College District officials cannot make neces-sary decisions or allocations of funds.

Furthermore, while stuck in this quagmire, community colleges are spending millions by borrowing money from private lenders and counties to continue functioning at just a fraction of the capacity they used to. The district is amassing a deficit before it is even shown what it has to spend.

Considering these issues should have been mapped out during the summer, the idea of not even having a skeleton to deal with is a little scary. So far one side of the debate is hoping to cut more than $1 billion from K-14 faculty and pro-gram funds, where the other, which is absolutely opposed to these measures, is fighting to stop tax breaks instead.

Apparently, there’s no happy mid-dle, and programs like CalWORKs and EOPS, which offer financial assistance to a great number of students, are up next on the chopping block.

And while lawmakers refuse to com-promise, students and administrators alike are hanging out in limbo, just waiting for the worst case scenario to hit the proverbial fan.

Will the budget be pushed even further at the beginning of September? Are the Cal Grants so many students depend on every semester going to come through? Will even more part-time staff and fac-ulty members be forced to either accept lower pay or find work elsewhere?

The problem now is that the district simply does not have answers to these questions. While everyone can bite their nails and hope for a positive outcome, the wise will prepare for the worst.

W

“It made me sad because I have to take classes at night, instead of in the morning.”

Tyesha Wileypharmacy tech

CampusComment

How have section cuts affected your classes?

“It made it hard to get classes I need because they are all filled up.”

Folayemi Thomasbusiness

“I was waitlisted for classes. After a lot of patience, I was finally able to get a class.”

Margarita Melanonutrition

“I wasn’t affected.”

Sean Sycesastronomy

“I was not affected. My advice is to register on time.”

Alba Mayorgaundecided

“My favorite classes got cut.”

Terence Chrisman Jr.architecture

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not, we’re an essential oil squirt in the mechanism of

democracy.”

Gene Millerjournalist

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Sam Attaleditor-in-chief

Dariush Azmoudeh

associate editor

Lamar Jamesassociate editor

Cassandra Junielspotlight editor

Malcolm Lastrasports editor

Alexandra Waitenews editor

Cody McFarlandscene editor

George Morinphoto editor

Christian Sotoassistant photo editor

Paul DeBoltfaculty adviser

Staff writersCorrin Bailey

Faythe Del RosarioHilberth Diaz Ibarra

Natalie EstradaElsie Fuller

Cary GoodingCassidy Gooding

April HalogJermaine Harrison

David Kelley IIICheuk Ko

Kathryn MorenoJanit Saechao

Rodney Woodson

Staff photographersKavion Gordong

Qing HuangAdam Oliver

Staff illustratorsRoy ChanJoel Ode

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Pacemaker Award1990, 1994, 1997,1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008,

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cartoons are the opinion of individual writers and

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Editorial Board, which is made up of student editors.

ROY CHAN, FAYTHE DEL ROSARIO AND LAMAR JAMES / THE ADVOCATE

‘N-word’ offensive at root, hip to many

■ Slang

late R&B singer, James Brown, topped the music

charts with his funk song, “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud” in 1968. The song became wildly popu-lar and addressed prejudice toward blacks in America and the need for black empowerment.

So as many shout that they are proud, some others are shouting that they too are proud, but that they also embrace whatever the world says they should embrace.

So as I think about this, I tend to wonder about those who have taken a word – changed its spelling to remove the negativity from it – and use that word. The word I am referring to is “nigger” (also known as the ”n-word”). It was historically used to destroy the character of African-Americans, and was to have been buried and given its last rights long ago.

According to Dictionary.com, the term is considered one of the most offensive words in English. Yet, the change in spelling to “nigga” has met the needs of those who embrace it.

The recent controversy surrounding the use of the word by a radio talk show host prompted me to dive into the subject further.

Dr. Laura Schlessinger caused a bit of a stir by her use of the original word over the radio in a conversation with a caller.

Schlessinger repeatedly said the word while attempt-ing to elaborate on a point she was making, however, the point was lost in the scandal that came about

when her use of the word caught the caller off guard. She subsequently appeared on CNN’s Larry King Live, where she announced her resignation from her talk show and apologized.

I asked a few Contra Costa College students whether they either used the n-word in a casual manner (such as with friends) or if they are offended when they hear it. A few young African-American men said the word “niggas” is used familiarly with their close friends.

They said they are comfortable using the word within their circle of friends, however, if “others” approached them and used it, they would get angry.

A former inmate said he learned in prison not to use the word. “One reason is for respect of others and sec-ondly, using the word against another could cause a fight,” the anonymous source said. “I encourage young men and women to not use the word at any time.”

In an article a student wrote about saggin’ pants, she pointed out saggin’ is, “niggas” spelled backward.

Saggin’ is a manner of wearing jeans below the waist area and revealing much of one’s underwear. Although some women do the same and wear low-rise jeans, revealing their

G-string underwear (called “whale tail”), saggin’ is pre-dominantly a male fashion.

Saggin’, just like the n-word, has its historical roots. Some men in prison sagged their pants when they were “spoken for” as well as if they were not allowed to have belts because they were likely to commit suicide.

Although they are two different words with two dif-ferent meanings, they share a common link that may be socially acceptable to some and degrading to others.

The last students I spoke to provided interesting insight into not only the n-word, but other names used against African-Americans such as “coons,” “porch monkeys” and “jigaboos.”

First of all, they spoke against the use of the n-word at all times – friends or no friends. One individual said, “Years back, this really would have not been accept-able to African-Americans.” Students said if others feel comfortable with using the n-word with one another, then they might as well feel the same way about being called the other names mentioned.

No matter how offensive a word may be – whether it is used against someone, to make a point or as a greet-ing from a friend – no matter what your nationality may be – we should stand proud of who we actually are, and not slump over to something we were not made to be.

Cassandra Juniel is the spotlight editor for The Advocate. Contact her at cju-niel.advocate@gmail.com.

FAYTHE DEL ROSARIO / THE ADVOCATE

cassandrajuniel

A

THE ADVOCATE l WEDNESDAY, AUG. 25, 20102 OPINION

The Advocate is a student publication run by students. Help us be the voice of Contra Costa College with your ques-tions and comments.

Feel free to send any letters to the editor to letters.advocate@gmail.com or deliver them to our offices located in AA-215.

Letters must be signed, limited to 300 words, and are subject to editing for libel, space constraints and clarity.

Be heardPublication wishes for

readers’ feedback

“We have a slightly increased enrollment goal and we want to meet that,” Maga said.

Enrollment is measured by the number of full-time equivalent stu-dents (FTES), with one FTES equat-ing to each 15 units taken, instead of an individual headcount, Dr. Clow said. Each FTES provides the col-lege with $4,500 in funding.

The college has an enrollment goal of 6,300 FTES for the 2010-2011 year, and currently has 3,282.56 FTES for the fall term, with an addi-tional 200 FTES expected from the supplemented sections.

“There’s stiff competition in get-ting into classes,” said Dr. Susan Lee, Liberal, Applied Health, Vocational Training and Athletics Division dean.

With more people being rejected

from four-year universities or choos-ing to enroll concurrently, com-munity colleges are being widely accepted as an alternative, and as a result, CCC is seeing higher demand for classes, Dr. Lee said.

Even with the addition of course offerings, faculty members are urg-ing students to take the enrollment process more seriously.

“We need for our students to real-ize that change is taking place and they need to enroll early, not the first day of class,” Lee said. “Otherwise, they may not get in.”

On the first day of mathematics professor Ed Cruz’s Math 190 class, students lined the walls of room H-3, some spilling into the hallway of the Humanities Building, all hoping to secure a spot on the roll sheet.

However, courses in such high demand often cannot seat the num-

ber of students in need of that class, though many students still continue on, sitting along the window sill and walls to participate in the class any-way, Cruz said.

“We’ve had to lottery in a cou-ple of my classes,” student Amanda Peters said. “The spots they have,

they pull names out of a hat (for). You have people being left out for no reason.”

Often times, not being able to enroll in certain courses may jeopar-dize students’ academic and transfer goals, Cruz said.

“(Rejecting students) always sucks. It’s always rough,” he said. “I feel bad for the students.”

In contrast, many faculty mem-bers dispute whether overloading classes is in the best interest of stu-dents’ overall learning experience.

“We don’t want to put too many (students) in a class and reduce the quality of education,” Natural, Social and Applied Sciences Division Dean Terence Elliott said.

Contact Sam Attal and Adam Oliver at letters.advocate@gmail.com.

Newsline

Friday, July 30Unknown suspect(s)

broke a window in the Fireside Room.

Tuesday, Aug. 10A suspect was stopped

at a traffic stop and it was determined he was an unli-censed driver.

A student injured his ankle while playing soccer at the field. He was transported to the hospital via American Medical Response.

Saturday, Aug. 14A female student reported

being touched inappropriate-ly by an unknown male.

Tuesday, Aug. 17A vehicle was towed

for having its registration expired for over a year.

Wednesday, Aug. 18A subject was stopped

for a traffic violation and it was determined his drivers license was suspended.

Friday, Aug. 20A student was contacted

for smoking marijuana on campus.

Saturday, Aug. 21A student left his back-

pack in the parking lot over-night and when he returned a book was missing out of it.

— Cassidy Gooding

CrimeWatch

accenta d v o c a t e

TwitterReceive breaking news and updates by following The Advocate’s Twitter account, AccentAdvocate.

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

■ THREE SEASONS

Culinary arts hosts contest

The culinary arts depart-ment will be hosting an “Iron Chef Cook-Off ” Thursday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Three Seasons Restaurant.

Participants will vote for their favorite of six prepa-rations of chicken, halibut and salmon, and awards will be presented at 12:30 p.m. Admission is $5 with bever-ages available for $1.

CAMPUS BEAT WEDNESDAY, AUG. 25, 2010 l THE ADVOCATE 3

■ FROM: Page 1

Enrollment | Added sections to secure goal

Budget | Unpredictableat the capitol, Senior Dean of Students Frank Hernandez said.

“We’ve been sitting on pins and needles waiting for Sacramento to decide on a bud-get,” he said. “We’re in the fog, trying to make plans and serve students without nec-essary information.”

The general operating expenses of the college for the fiscal year, otherwise known as the budget, have yet to be announced or even decided, as opposing party politicians suggest and decline proposals left and right.

No legislation has been passed at this time, and there is no telling if the budget will remain remotely the same or get worse, Hernandez said.

The district is currently attempting to make a conservative guess at what the bud-get will likely be and spend accordingly, college Vice President Carol Maga said.

Then, when the time comes, administrators will see if the sum the state decides on will be more or less than anticipated and accommodate for expenses afterward in the months that follow, she said.

Serious consideration of the budget is not foreseen until the first full week in September, Maga said.

Until a decision is made, the college will operate using district reserve funds, while other colleges throughout the state are spending millions to borrow money from private lenders and counties, Maga said.

Students hoping to buy books with Cal Grants are left to scour for other sources of monetary assistance, she said.

Without money to distribute Cal grants, students will not receive financial aid or book and fee waivers. They are very much caught in the middle of the state’s indecision, Hernandez said.

“Districts could front schools money, but they’re unsure if the state is going to repay them,” he said. “That’s a huge liability.”

District Chancellor Helen Benjamin will soon make the decision on whether to distrib-ute funds to aid students or not, Hernandez

said.It is imperative to keep enrollment up to

increase college revenues, and thus neces-sary to cater to students as best as possible in these hard times, Maga said.

Enrollment figures are based on full-time equivalent students (FTES), with every 15 units being taken amounting to one FTES. For every one FTES, the college receives $4,500.

There has been some “soft planning,” Hernandez said, but with no stable founda-tion for growth and the college still adjusting to the devastation of last year’s cutbacks, the only viable option is to wait.

“We may take cutbacks, but we’ll gut through it,” Maga said. “It’s a time of unprec-edented need for education. Colleges won’t disappear, just change.”

She predicts the budget will be received sometime in late October.

Among the disputed pro-posals are the governor’s $23 million cut to cost of living adjustments (COLA) and $10 million worth of cutbacks in both part-time faculty com-pensation and EOPS.

He also favors a CalWORKs elimination pro-posal.

The Community College League of California (CCLC) wants no cuts for COLA, part-time faculty compensation or EOPS and for CalWORKs to remain the same as the 2009-10 school year.

“Everyone’s going to share the pain,” Maga said. “We

just don’t know how much pain we’ll be having.”

The college is still fully functional and classes will continue as regularly scheduled. Fifteen new short-term sections are being added this semester, scheduled to begin between September and October and last 12 of the 18 weeks in the semester, she said.

The current FTES for this semester is 3,282.56. These sections will increase FTES by about 200, Maga said.

Contact Cody McFarland at cmcfar-land.advocate@gmail.com.

education and responsibil-ity for personal efforts to achieve balance and well-being, Kokko said.

Weaver Smith said, “This class interested me with the concepts that everything within us and around us takes a toll on us, that it’s all con-nected. That our bodies and minds work in uni-son with our health and well-being. You cannot have one without the other.”

K o k k o will focus on interactions between stu-dents so they can under-stand their bodies through different perspectives.

Guest speakers will be a normal occurrence to pro-vide different styles of medi-tation and styles of Qi-gong and to get people to under-stand and use Qi-gong as the vehicle to insight on them-selves, Kokko said.

Guest speaker and acu-pressurist Hae Min Cho ended class with Qi-gong.

“Qi-gong is very impor-tant. Being able to focus in on the chi (energy) within our-selves can help us keep good energy and help us become healthy brighter people all around,” Cho said.

Student Paul Torres said he found the new breath-ing techniques he learned in class to be helpful.

“I’ve had a lot more

energy since I started them,” Torres said. “It’s amazing to see how connected things are. Simply by breathing I’ve been able to increase my energy significantly,”

Kokko’s interest in holis-tic healing began with his great-grandmother being a traditional herbalist on the

island Sun-Yu-Do in the Yellow Sea. She special-ized with wild Korean gin-seng, which she found in the mountains of the island.

Her great-g r a n d s o n , Kokko, now s p e c i a l i z e s in pain relief, stress reduc-tion and natural weight loss.

Along with clinical practice and teaching, he directs an Acupuncture Board class that has helped hundred of acupuncturists pass their state and national boards.

His passion is translating the depth of the medicine to all of his patients, with a commitment to the core well-being and supporting a healthy whole community.

Kokko spent the last 11 years focusing on this field and has a business in Berkeley named “Turtle Clinic Integrative Health” where he practices acupunc-ture and takes appointments.

Classes meet every Friday from 6-9 p.m. in HS-3.

Contact George Morin at gmorin.advocate@gmail.com.

■ FROM: Page 1

Holistic | Insight

McCrossin | Diligent staffer rememberedMcCrossin’s former co-worker,

Brownette Hopkins, said the two cre-ated a solid relationship, bonding as colleagues and friends during their time together.

“She was very vivacious and a nice lady with a wonderful sense of humor. I had the pleasure of work-ing with her for a great number of years,” Hopkins said.

A special moment (when) we were able to spend time together was the celebration of my 50th year wedding anniversary. Diana traveled quite a distance to share in the event with us.”

After working at DVC for approx-imately 25 years, McCrossin trans-ferred to the Contra Costa College Bookstore in 1991 and worked there until she retired in 1993.

McCrossin assumed a variety

of positions at the CCC Bookstore including seasonal help where she worked the rush during the begin-ning of each semester. She aided the staff as a customer service clerk, a secretary to the manager and as a book buyer.

“She was a person who had a strong work ethic. While she worked, if she did not have enough to keep her busy, she would just go home,” CCC Bookstore Manager Janis Walsh said. “She was incredibly bright with good organization skills, as well as (being) a vivacious reader,”

Walsh said McCrossin was also an active donor for the Friends of the Library, and would donate funds even when unsolicited.

CCC Bookstore supply buyer Nicholas Dunn worked with McCrossin for a short period of time and said he remembers her as a

“feisty” character.“She was definitely a hard worker

who could work circles around any-one,” Dunn said. “If she became bored, she did not believe in just being at work and doing nothing. She was meticulous, yet fun to work with.”

McCrossin was born on Feb. 11, 1932 in Monterey Park. She gradu-ated from the University of Oregon with a degree in sociology in 1953. Soon after, she married Clifford Wayne McCrossin, also a graduate of the University of Oregon, once he returned from his service with the U.S. Army where he was stationed in Korea. The following year, they moved to Longview, Wash. and sub-sequently to California.

After McCrossin’s retirement, she and her husband traveled the United States and Europe with their chil-

dren. She is also a descendant of Abraham Clark, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

McCrossin had a great love for genealogy and a passion for humani-tarian efforts. She volunteered with non-profit organizations for more than 45 years.

She is preceded in death by her husband and is survived by her four children, Melanie, Tracy, Colin and Monte McCrossin; four grandchil-dren, Hai Huang, Fiona McCrossin and Brian and Kelly Beffa; her sib-lings, Arlette Merritt, Nancy Burgraff and Steve Morrison as well as many beloved nieces, nephews and their children and friends.

Private services were held in June.

Contact Cassandra Juniel at cjuniel.advocate@gmail.com.

of the project, the old Skills Center in AA-213 will be torn down, and built in its place will be the upgraded math department offices and tutor-ing centers, Sanders said.

He said the math department relocation is expected to be com-pleted by the beginning of the spring semester.

The speech department will also relocate to the AA Building in the spring, moving into some of the offices downstairs and utilizing a conference room, Vice President

Carol Maga said.“We needed the money to perk up

the college,” King said. “The school is 60 years old, and the buildings are tired.”

The third and final phase of the project is to make all the upstairs bathrooms compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Maga said she hopes these chang-es will modernize the classrooms and give them the current capacity of providing the same instruction as other smart classrooms.

Four buildings have already been renovated, as mapped out in the Master Plan: the Student Services Center, the Library and Learning Resource Center, the Computer Technology Center and the Automotive Technology Center.

The next project is to renovate the Music Building beginning sometime in the spring, King said.

In 2006, a second bond measure was passed to fund further renova-tions to the campus.

“We’re still in the middle of designing the architectural plan for

phase one on that second bond,” Maga said.

She said it is difficult to do this kind of construction work while peo-ple are still working in the building. She hopes people will remain coop-erative and understanding through the process.

“Perception of the facilities is important to students,” King said. “We have to keep the school looking good.”

Contact Alexandra Waite at awaite.advocate@gmail.com.

Remodel | Building to gain smart classrooms

“We need for our stu-dents to realize that

change is taking place and they need to enroll early, not the first day

of class.”

Dr. Susan Lee,Liberal, Applied Health, Vocational Training

and Athletics Division dean

■ FROM: Page 1

“We may take cut-backs, but we’ll

gut through it. It’s a time of unprec-

edented need for education. Colleges won’t disappear, just

change.”

Carol Maga,vice president

“Qi-gong is very important. Being

able to focus in on one’s chi (energy) within ourselves

can help us become healthy,

brighter people all around.”

Hae Min Cho,acupressurist

■ FROM: Page 1

■ EXPRESS CAFE

Coffee shop open now

The Express Café locat-ed in the Three Seasons Restaurant opens today with limited services for the first week.

Coffee and pastries will be offered, with a discount of 25 cents if you bring your own cup.

■ SPEECH

‘Debaters’ to be shown

The speech department will be showing the film “The Real Great Debaters” and holding a forum for dis-cussion on Sept. 16 in LA-100 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

For more information, contact Connie Anderson at 510-235-7800, ext. 4544.

■ CLUB RUSH

College clubs on display

Club Rush, presented by the Inter-Club Council, will take place in the quad on Sept. 1.

All students are encour-aged to attend the event, join clubs and learn of the breadth of clubs on campus.

■ FROM: Page 1

By Natalie EstradaSTAFF WRITER

The ASU started off the fall semester by providing students with extra breakfast and lunch options from Aug. 16-19.

“Welcome Week is to wel-come all the students back and to let them know that we are here,” ASU President Joseph Camacho said.

T h e e v e n t helped the ASU raise funds after its bud-get was cut dra-matically. Members did man-age to raise some m o n e y , but not as much as they had h o p e d , Camacho said.

“ W e didn’t raise as much as we wanted, but it wasn’t just about money,” he said. “It was about welcoming the students and being there.”

The ASU started off Welcome Week by setting up in the Student Activities Building in front of the Bookstore and gave away free coffee and donuts. Members were available on Monday and Tuesday beginning at 9 a.m. until all the food was gone.

Wednesday was Ice Cream Day in the same location. Yet, the turnout was not as strong as before, and there was ice cream left over.

The event concluded on Thursday with a barbecue. Students had the choice of hot links and polish dogs as well as chips and a drink for $5.

“The food looks good, and the pricing is also good, so it’s a great way to start out the semes-ter,” student Taylor Griggs said

In order to receive food, one needed a student identifica-tion card. Students were also given the chance to purchase an ASU sticker for $5, giving them access to discounts on the food and future campus events.

Camacho said that since the event is for the students them-selves, by participating in it and purchasing the sticker, the money is going back to the students.

The ASU reached out to stu-dents by making a Facebook account to inform them about the event. Event information was provided on their profile two weeks before.

“(Welcome Week is) making a point by letting students feel welcomed with a smile,” ASU Director of Public Relations Rodney Wilson said.

Contact Natalie Estrada at nestrada.advocate@gmail.com.

By Sam AttalEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

After facing major budget cuts in the 2009-10 academic year, employ-ees of the college and district came together in the Knox Center on Aug. 12 to discuss the possibility of fur-ther reductions.

“The next year is going to be a difficult year,” President McKinley Williams said. “I don’t want to sugar-coat it.”

Faculty, staff, managers and district administrators met on All College Day to focus on ways to limit spending in a time where the college has yet to adopt a budget.

The event is held at the begin-ning of each semester to review the past year and lay down plans for the next.

“It’s a very, very challenging time for us,” District Chancellor Helen Benjamin said. “I have con-fidence that we will get through this and come out whole in the end.”

After laying off many employees of the district, the college hopes to cut spending by using other means such as having faculty and staff work more efficiently while using fewer resources.

“We will do more with less,” Academic Senate President Richard Akers said.

Although this year’s budget fig-ures are unknown, the college had to cut down in the number of cours-es and student services offered, Williams said. He projected a $1.7 million cut for the next year.

Williams advised his colleagues to conserve energy and limit depart-ment expenses to necessary items.

“It’s not going to be business as usual,” he said. “We’re going to have to work smarter, not harder.”

As a result of slashed cours-es, many students waitlisted and attempted to enroll late in active sections only to be turned down.

“We have a student popula-tion that’s difficult to deal with,” Williams said. “We’ve done a lot of work over the years to make sure our students are served equally.”

The challenge of serving students

more efficiently and equally with a quality education while using fewer resources is nothing new to the college, Classified Senate Council President Mercy Pono said.

“We come out and do a damn good job,” she said.

Along with faculty and staff, Associated Students Union President Joseph Camacho said he is working to decrease spending by

10 percent each semester. He said the ASU will also be combining certain events to lower spending and operational costs.

The event also shed light on some less chaotic news happening around the college. Attendees were shown a lengthy slideshows of what employees did over the summer.

New hires were introduced and Williams gave out awards to out-

standing faculty and staff members for their dedication to the college.

The event ended around noon when attendees split into groups to attend department program reviews and division meetings to discuss their specific budgets and issues unique to each division.

Contact Sam Attal at sattal.advocate@gmail.com.

Students asked to occupy positions

College plans ahead

By Cassidy GoodingSTAFF WRITER

As the fall semester begins, the ASU finds itself with a great num-ber of holes in its ranks. Of the 20 positions mapped in the ASU rule-book, only eight were left filled at the close of last spring.

“A lot of people here transferred or graduated,” Director of Public Relations Rodney Wilson said. “It’s going to be a lot of work, and we’re going to need a lot of help.”

After alleged threats, disrespect and personal attacks going on with-in the ASU staff during the spring 2010 semester, President Joseph Camacho said he sat at the head of

the ASU meeting last Friday and called for more cooperation this year. He also expressed a desire to become more fully staffed.

“We need to fill all the posi-tions,” Camacho said. “Either until we run out of positions or until we run out of people.”

Of the 12 vacant positions, two are executive roles. The other 10 are senatorial offices.

The two executive spots to be filled are secretary and parliamen-tarian. The secretary of the ASU is given the job of taking down “meeting minutes,” the times at which ASU meetings commence and close, and typing out what was said by all the members during group votes, Camacho said.

Also known as “the enforcer,” the parliamentarian is often referred to by the president to make certain all of the rules of conduct are

being followed during meetings, Camacho said.

The students who fill the sena-torial positions, on the other hand, interact more with the student body itself.

There are 20 constituent groups on campus — such as clubs and organizations — and each senator chooses two to represent during ASU meetings, Camacho said.

Therefore, as the ASU draws more members, more voices on

campus are heard and recognized, he said.

So, the empty chairs in the Student Senate portend a quiet semester, Academic Senate President Richard Akers said.

“If you want to have an impact, then we need your involvement,” Dr. Akers said to the ASU and ASU hopefuls at the meeting. “Your voice is essential in the decision-making process. With your voice behind me, we can get a hell of a lot more done.”

Akers also confessed his disap-pointment in the level of involve-ment from the Student Senate in recent semesters.

Camacho, however, is not wor-ried.

“We can work with eight (mem-bers). We can work with four,” he said. “It just changes things.”

Welcome Week, a function put

on by the ASU during the first week of school, was an example of things working differently.

“Getting through Welcome Week was a challenge,” Camacho said.

Because of the low count on staff, he said, “things weren’t as easy as we would have liked.”

The few remaining members had to meet during the summer months to plan — something that is not required of them, Camacho said.

“This is only the beginning of the semester,” he said.

Judging by the turnout at Friday’s meeting, where 11 stu-dents came to petition for member-ship, Camacho is confident that the ASU will be just fine.

Contact Cassidy Gooding at cgooding.advocate@gmail.com.

ADAM OLIVER / THE ADVOCATE

Keeping calm — President McKinley Williams speaks to his fellow employees about the college’s plans for the next academic year during the annual All College Day event held in the Knox Center on Aug. 12. The event was centered around helping the college survive budget cuts.

Voids in ASU worry members

THE ADVOCATE l WEDNESDAY, AUG. 25, 20104 CAMPUS BEAT

“We didn’t raise as

much as we wanted, but

it wasn’t just about money. It was about welcoming

the students and being

there”

Joseph Camacho,ASU president

By Dariush AzmoudehASSOCIATE EDITOR

As an attempt to promote energy conservation and both save and raise money, the Contra Costa Community College District has implemented a contest to see which college can conserve the most electricity.

In addition to saving schools money through conserving energy, the contest serves to adver-tise energy awareness, minimize electrical con-sumption, further improve utility management and reduce environmental impact.

“It’s a good idea to save money,” custodial services Manager Darlene Poe said.

The district-wide contest, which began on July 1, includes sister colleges Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill and Los Medanos College in Pittsburg. When the competition ends on Dec. 31, each college will win back a percent-age of what they save in electricity.

“We’re in competition with DVC and LMC to see who saves the highest percentage of elec-

trical energy,” Buildings and Grounds manager Bruce King said. “All the schools will win a percentage of the savings.”

The contest is not measured by money saved, but instead by the amount of kilowatts saved, he said. The college with the largest reduction in kilowatt-per-hour percentage compared to last year’s outcomes will be declared the winner.

Last year, the college did very well in con-serving energy by being under the utility budget by around $200,000, King said.

“Every dollar counts in this economy,” he said. “(The contest) is good for everybody.”

The amount of money each school will receive is calculated by the number of kilowatt hours saved, multiplied by the school’s 2010-11 average utility rate and again by the percentage each contestant wins.

There is a possibility that prizes will not be given out, however, if there is not enough dis-trict-wide cost savings compared to last year’s results.

King said the idea for the contest came from Center of Science Excellence Director Joseph

Ledbetter and the Sustainability Committee.“(The idea) came from a suggestion that we

pushed which was to track energy used by build-ings on campus and to give money back to the college from the savings,” chemistry department Chairman Leverett Smith said. He is also a mem-ber of the Sustainability Committee.

E-mails and fliers were sent to each depart-ment informing them about the contest and urg-ing them to promote it. Everybody in the college can take part in the competition, not only faculty and employees, but students as well.

“It’s for the whole school to participate, not just faculty,” King said. “Every little bit helps. If you leave an empty room, turn off the switch.”

Along with promoting energy conservation, the contest could potentially help the college in a big way by building revenue.

“Due to our budget, it’s going to help us save some sections,” Smith said. “We could use that money for heating or for classes.”

Contact Dariush Azmoudeh at dazmoudeh.advocate@gmail.com.

Event invites new facesFuture reductions

announced earlyWelcome Week raises funding

District promotes electrical savings

“With your voice behind me, we can get

a hell of a lot more done.”

Dr. Richard Akers,Academic Senate president

By Dariush AzmoudehASSOCIATE EDITOR

Immediately after being hired as the new volleyball coach, Zachary Shrieve began his job by calling for the team’s first practice on that day.

Following the exit of Azure’D Nunley, Shrieve was hired last week and has already started putting together a team just in time for the new season.

“I met with the athletic director (last week), we had an interview and that was it,” Shrieve said. “Our first practice was on that day. We had to contact all the girls, because up to that point, they didn’t know there was going to be a team.”

A total of 16 players showed up to practice on Monday afternoon.

“He’s already building a team,” Athletic Director John Wade said. “The students seem to be excited. He’s been working hard in his short week here.”

Shrieve is a familiar face to Contra Costa College, having already coached the volleyball team in 1997 and 1998 and serving as assistant to his sister, Stephanie Shrieve, in 1996.

During his time here, the Comets had a 3-12 record with him as assis-tant coach and went 13-22 in his two years as coach. Shrieve said he had to leave the team due to “family time” issues.

Graduating from Berkeley High School (BHS) in 1987, he began playing volleyball in his sophomore year. He went on to San Diego State looking to continue playing vol-

leyball until a tear of his Achilles tendon ended his collegiate career.

Despite the injury, he continued to play the sport recreationally. The injury allowed him to focus more on his social life at San Diego State and becoming a coach, he said.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree in English in 1992 and a master’s degree in 1999, he went on to coach volleyball at BHS for two years.

He later went on to Richmond High School (RHS), where he has been teaching for 17 years. He taught English his first seven years and then physical education for nine years.

Currently he is teaching both subjects simultaneously for the first time. During his tenure at (RHS), he coached volleyball for one year.

Shrieve said he hopes to start an open gym volleyball class in the spring to get people more interested in the sport.

“My goal is for the girls to improve and get better every week,” he said. “We’ve got the numbers. We just need the girls to get involved and interested.”

While the players have only known him for a week, they are getting to know him more as time goes by.

“We practiced for a week, and so far, so good,” sophomore volleyball player Allyce Escorcia said. “He seems committed, fun and moti-vated.”

In regards to balancing jobs as a teacher at RHS and as the Comets’ volleyball coach, he said he does not know how it is going to affect him but knows at the end of the day, he’s going to be tired.

Contact Dariush Azmoudeh at dazmoudeh.advocate@gmail.com.

Coach returns to lead squad

SPORTS WEDNESDAY, AUG. 25, 2010 l THE ADVOCATE 5

Nunley leaves program to pursue career

Volleyball void filled by Shrieve in time for season

CHRISTIAN SOTO / THE ADVOCATE

Second time around — Returning volleyball coach Zachary Shrieve trains his team during practice in the Gymnasium on Monday. He was hired on Aug. 16 to begin his second stint as the Comets’ coach. He last commanded the squad in 1998.

TAKING OVER

By Malcolm LastraSPORTS EDITOR

After registering only three wins in four years, former Comets volleyball coach Azure’D Nunley decided to step down from her posi-tion during the summer to focus on her career as a nurse.

“She was part time as the volley-ball coach while she had a full-time job at Kaiser while studying to be a nurse,” Athletic Director John Wade said. “It was to the point where she couldn’t manage the two anymore and she felt it was unfair to the play-ers, so she stepped down.”

Nunley was hired during the spring semester of 2006 to help revamp an ailing volleyball pro-gram.

“When I hired her I thought of someone who had tons of experi-ence since she played volleyball and received a scholarship from UC Irvine for it,” Wade said. “She was young, had a degree and had a lot of pluses she brought to the table.”

In her first full season as coach, Nunley had trouble establishing a winning team, going 0-17 over-all and 0-13 in the Bay Valley Conference.

Her second year ended on a similar note, with the team failing to gain a single win for the season.

In her third season, Nunley’s squad was able to acquire some wins, leading to a 2-16 overall record, the best season she had at

Contra Costa College. In her final season, she was only able to attain one win.

Despite not being able to lead her teams into successful seasons, Nunley did establish a positive outlook in her teams by making sure they kept their heads upward during hard times.

“Despite our per-formance level, she would discipline us,” former volley-ball player LaShara Johnson said. “She never gave up on us while we gave up on ourselves. She tried to teach us the basics on how to win.”

As of press time, Nunley was not available for comment.

Former players described Nunley as a perfect coach, regardless of the team not winning many games, as she led the team by example of how to conduct themselves.

“She would always emphasize being on time and stressed how to be a coachable player,” Johnson said.

“She was a classy person and did things the right way as a coach,” Wade said. “She was a professional and was a great model to her play-ers.”

Returning players expressed surprise after hearing that Nunley would not be returning for the 2010-

2011 volleyball season.“I didn’t believe (Nunley left) at

first,” sophomore middle blocker Efaraima Danao said. “Once I heard the news from my teammates I was

shocked.”Despite Nunley’s

move, her players respected her deci-sion to further con-tinue her career in nursing.

“I was disap-pointed but she had to make the best decision for her,” Johnson said. “I would have liked if she had stayed.”

Although Nunley resigned as the volleyball coach, Wade is still hopeful that a volley-ball team will materialize for the upcoming season.

“I don’t see why (the athletic program) will not have a volleyball team this year,” Wade said.

Recently, Wade hired Zachary Shrieve to take over as the new coach. Shrieve returns to Contra Costa after serving as the team’s coach in 1997 and 1998.

“I feel that coach Nunley left a positive impact on the volley-ball program despite our records,” Johnson said. “Hopefully the new coach will continue to elevate (the status of) the volleyball program.”

Contact Malcolm Lastra at mlastra.advocate@gmail.com.

SAM ATTAL / THE ADVOCATE

Making an exit — After four seasons, Azure’D Nunley resigned from coaching the volleyball team over the summer in order to focus on her nursing career.

s Major League Soccer in the United States ever going

to be as competitive as the European soccer leagues? Will big names like David Beckham, Thierry Henry and Rafael Marquez help improve the competitive edge of MLS? Or are these players just here to make themselves richer as their careers are com-ing to an end?

There are many positive and negative aspects to consider when answering these questions. On the posi-tive side, as a soccer player myself, I can see that these players would

definitely bring their competitiveness, profes-sionalism and, of course, their very rich experi-ence to MLS.

Over the years, MLS has brought in super-stars such as Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer, Jorge Campos and others to help develop the league. More recently they have brought in players such as Beckham, Henry and Marquez to try to increase the popularity and competitiveness of the league.

Beckham has played on some of the biggest clubs in Europe such as Manchester United, Real Madrid and AC Milan.

He has won prestigious titles on all of the clubs he has played with. Beckham landed here in 2007 to join the Los Angeles Galaxy and aid ticket sales.

“I’m coming there not to be a superstar. I am coming there to be part of the team, to work hard and to hopefully win things,” Beckham said in an interview with

ESPN before arriving in America. “I’m com-ing there to make a dif-ference. I am coming there to play (soccer). I am not saying me com-ing over to the states is going to make soc-cer the biggest sport in America. That would be difficult to achieve. Baseball, basketball, American football, they’ve been around. But I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t think I could make a differ-ence.”

MLS hopes that by acquiring all these stars they can increase the popularity of soccer and give the United States a

competitive edge.However, there are

also negative aspects to bringing these popular players to MLS.

On one hand, they are big names and major stars, but on the other, these players are all at the end of their careers.

Throughout the world, professional soccer players at the peak of their careers choose to play in Europe because it boasts the most competitive soccer leagues.

Beckham, Henry and Marquez were no longer starters on their respec-tive teams in Europe, yet they were paid

major money to come and be key players for MLS. Beckham signed a five-year, $32.5 million contract with the LA Galaxy to make $6.5 million annually. Henry and Marquez will make approximately $5.5 mil-lion annually, both play-ing for the New York Red Bulls.

Is this the best way for MLS to increase its competitiveness? Or might they consider shifting focus to some of the young talent right here in the states?

Contact Hilberth Ibarra at hibarra.advocate@gmail.com.

hilberthibarra

I

Superstars bring popularity, experience

“She never gave up on us while we gave up on our-

selves. She tried to teach us the basics

on how to win.”

LaShara Johnson,former volleyball player

By Alexandra WaiteNEWS EDITOR

About a week ago, a friend and I gained an appetite during class and were brainstorming ideas of where to eat within walking dis-tance of the college.

We had trouble coming up with any-thing that was not Chinese, Mexican or fast food, and we were not in the mood to go home feeling nauseous.

My friend brought up the name of a frozen yogurt place called Limón, locat-ed right across the street from the cam-pus, and suggested we give it a try.

The minute we reached the front door, I knew the right deci-sion was made. The appearance of the restaurant alone was on the same level, if not higher, than many of the frozen yogurt places around Berkeley.

The restaurant may be easy to miss, as it is squeezed between Lee’s Garden and a computer repair shop in the San Pablo Supermarket, but the small size only adds to the unique charm and quality that is unusual for the area.

Perhaps the owners could add some decorative pieces and flair to liven up the place and make it more attractive to passersby, but the extensive menu and array of items made up for the somewhat simple looking decor.

Among the frozen yogurt fla-vors were plain tart, taro, mango, organic vanilla and strawberry. They also offer a large variety of milk teas and smoothies.

What is most impressive among their selections is an abundance of toppings, ranging from the aver-age bite size candies to obscure, spicy Mexican sauces.

The pricing system is the same as many other frozen yogurt res-taurants, and is based on how much the bowl of yogurt plus its toppings weigh.

Above all, the caliber of their service was surprising. After getting the frozen yogurt, I was having difficulty scooping the cheesecake bites out of the con-tainer. Right before giving up, the cashier grabbed a clean spoon, pulled out a fresh container of cheesecake bites from the freezer and scooped them out for me.

From then on, he was extreme-ly friendly and went out of his way to make my friend and me feel comfortable.

I put together a mixture of mango, strawberry, and vanilla frozen yogurt with Oreo crumbs,

brownie bites, cheesecake bites and chocolate syrup. The tex-ture of the yogurt was rich and creamy, and each flavor had a dis-tinct twist from the typical yogurt flavors I have had in the past.

The dish was a perfect way to treat ourselves after an exhaust-ing day at school, as it was fairly inexpensive and lighter than the average dessert.

The experience left me feeling satisfied and grateful for deciding to branch out.

The overall experience of din-ing at Limón proved to be enjoy-able and peaceful due to its rela-tively small crowd, which allows for a calm, quiet atmosphere.

My only fear is that this hidden treasure will remain fairly unno-ticed and suffer a loss of business. At least I know I will be doing my part in trying to keep this delight-ful restaurant alive.

Contact Alexandra Waite at awaite.advocate@gmail.com.

By Dariush AzmoudehASSOCIATE EDITOR

Getting a hit TV show usually requires a formula. With a show that centers around scientists, CBS has found the right algorithm with a comedy called “The Big Bang Theory.”

The comedy, created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, has been one of the top sitcoms on televi-sion ever since it premiered in 2007.

The series centers around two physicists at the California Institute of Technology named Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstadter, their neighbor, Penny, and their co-workers, Rajesh and Howard.

“The Big Bang Theory” con-tains many references to comic books, video games, science fic-tion and simply the study of sci-ence itself. It is these references that differentiate it from other

shows on CBS, such as “How I Met Your Mother” and “Two and a Half Men.”

Sheldon, Leonard, Raj and Howard are what most people would call “geeks” for their love of anything relating to science fic-tion, while Penny is a young and attractive blonde waitress who moves to the Los Angeles area from Nebraska with aspirations of becoming an actress.

The show is still airing on CBS at 9:30 p.m. on Mondays until the premiere of the fourth season on Sept. 23 when it will move to Thursdays at 8 p.m.

For new or even one-time viewers, the series is easy to get into as it does not rely heavily on continuity.

The only things that change throughout the series are the char-acters’ relationships. While the four guys were friends initially, it is their interactions with Penny that evolve throughout the series.

In the pilot episode, Penny moves into the apartment across the hall from Leonard and Sheldon. While she is unpack-

ing, Leonard introduces himself and invites her to eat over at their apartment. Leonard begins to fall for Penny and does a favor for her by picking up her television from her ex-boyfriend’s place. After having a run-in with her buff ex, Leonard and Sheldon return home without a television, or their pants.

Leonard’s crush on Penny runs until the two finally become a couple at the beginning of season three, but the lackluster relation-ship doesn’t make it through to the end of the season.

While the guys all share the geek quirk, they each have their own unique one too. Howard is the ladies’ man who fails to impress the opposite sex with his bad pickup lines, while Raj is

somewhat the opposite and unable to talk to females due to his to selective mutism — unless he is drunk.

Sheldon’s quirk is what makes him the fan favorite and the wild card of the show. Actor Jim Parsons does an excellent job por-traying Sheldon, the genius of the group who earned his first Ph.D. at 16, but who is unable to under-stand sarcasm, irony and humor.

He is cynical and must have everything his way or else he becomes unbearable. He also has no interest in being involved in any intimate relationships.

A notable moment from the show was in a Christmas epi-sode where Penny gives Sheldon a napkin from her job that was autographed and used by Leonard Nimoy of Star Trek. Sheldon bursts into happiness because he now “possesses the DNA of Leonard Nimoy.” In this excite-ment, he gives Penny several soap baskets and even hugs her.

Contact Dariush Azmoudeh at dazmoudeh.advocate@gmail.com.

Newreleases:Usher: “Verses”

Mogwai: “Special Moves [Live]”

Katy Perry: “Teenage Dream”

Ra Ra Riot: “The Orchard”

Fantasia:“Back to Me”

By Natalie EstradaSTAFF WRITER

MORAGA — The Moraga Art Gallery opened its doors to 19 artists on Saturday, showcasing a variety of paint-ings, jewelry, fused glasswork and other different types of art.

In the event titled “Favorites,” 19 art-ists are exhibited at the gallery, giving viewers a chance to talk and get to know the artists at the reception.

Guests also had the opportunity to purchase their favorite art, ranging from low to high prices.

Everyone was welcomed to enjoy the food, soft drinks and wine. Among the many art pieces shown, the majority of the show centered around the work of art department Chairman John Diestler and local artist Nancy Slack.

“There is a variety of art here. I like how they have food, wine and people enjoying the art,” attendant Rich Cox said.

Diestler creates digital images from

photographs he transforms in Adobe Photoshop into what he is seeing at that moment. His images range from regular photographs to photographs that look like paintings. His work looks delicate and is easily distinguished from any-thing else in the gallery.

He said sometimes he will start from scratch with an old photo because he sees it differently than when he started working on it originally.

Academic Senate President Richard Akers said that what he likes about Diestler’s work is his ability to craft a

unique image from a photograph. “I like that he goes out and does what

he teaches,” Akers said. “He doesn’t just keep his title as artist, he goes out and shows his work.”

Nancy Slack’s art goes in a whole different direction. She creates fused glasswork including colorful plates, flowers, jewelry and home accessories.

She was a journalist, but her hus-band was moved from location, and starting new wasn’t an option for her. She was inspired by a friend to take pot-tery classes and then everything took off

from there, Slack said.Artist Leslie Swartz also exposed her

work to others at the show. She began last January and has a wide range of art she enjoys creating. At the gallery she presented paintings of squash and dif-ferent kinds of pumpkins.

“My daughter tells me to stick to one type of art, but I can’t,” Swartz said. “I just have so much and I can’t stick to one.”

Contact Natalie Estrada at nes-trada.advocate@gmail.com.

Newreleases:“The Back-up Plan” (PG-13)

“The Simpsons: The 13th Season” (NR)

“Flight of the Conchords: The Complete Collection” (NR)

“Lost: The Final Season”(TV14)

Games

CDs

DVDs

Movies

This week:“Centurion” (R)

“The Last Exorcism” (PG-13)

“Takers” (PG-13)

“Make-Out with Violence” (NR)

Unleashed

Editor’s note: This column lists popular new (and upcoming) releases for the week.

Newreleases:“Mafia II” (XBOX360/PS3- M)

“Shank” (PS3- M)

“Superstars V8 Racing” (PS3/XBOX- E)

“Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game” (PS3/XBOX- T)

THE ADVOCATE l WEDNESDAY, AUG. 25, 20106 SCENE

Geeks hit network with a ‘Big Bang’

Local works shown

SAM ATTAL / THE ADVOCATE

Extensive details — Art department Chairman John Diestler (right) discusses the history of his images with Alan Mayers during the “Favorites” art show at the Moraga Art Gallery on Saturday. Diestler, who transforms his pictures to create digital paintings, is one of the showcased artists.

Diestler’s digital paintings featured

Sitcom profiles comedic quirkiness

“Limón”

★★★★★Cuisine: Frozen YogurtWhere: 2300 El Portal Drivein San PabloPrice Range: $2.50-$8

foodreview

“The Big Bang Theory”

★★★★★Starring: Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kaley CuocoNetwork: CBSTime slot: Mondays at 9:30 p.m.Genre: Comedy

tvreview

CHRISTIAN SOTO / THE ADVOCATE

Cold delight — Limón manager Alex Vuong serves frozen yogurt to Don Russel (middle) and Saveth Soun (right) on Monday. They both are frequent customers of the restaurant, which is in walking distance of the college and serves a variety of cold dishes.

Nearby creamery serves icy treats