After a nationwide search to replace retired Dr. Brice Harris, Dr. Brian King was appointed to serve as the new Los Rios Community College District chancellor, according to a Los Rios press release.

Dr. King was chosen as chancellor by the Los Rios Community College District Board of Trustees at a special meeting held on Nov. 26, according to the press release.

“We were looking for a person with ex-ceptional leadership skills and broad com-munitycollege experience,” said Los Rios board president Ruth Scribner in the press release. “We found those qualities, com-bined with great personal integrity and a passion for student success, in Dr. King and we look forward to many years of his expert guidance at the helm of our district.”

King has served as president and su-perintendent Cabrillo College in Aptos, CA, since 2004 and has over 20 years of experience in community college teaching and administrative positions, according to the press release.

“It is a true honor to have been select-ed to lead such a great district,” King said.

“The excellent reputation of Los Rios, its programs, faculty and staff are what en-couraged me to seek this position and I look forward to continuing and enhancing that reputation for years to come.”

King currently serves on various local and state boards including board chair of the California Community College Ath-letics Association, board member of the Community College League of California Chief Executive Officers, president-elect of the Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce, board member of the Dominican Hospital;

member of the Santa Cruz Busi-ness Coun-cil, and chair of nu-merous ac-creditation site visits for the Western Association of Schools and Colleg-es (WASC), a c c ord i ng to the press

release.King is credited for leading Cabrillo

through two successful bond campaigns which raised more than $20 million in pri-vate donations through the college foun-dation, and guided the implementation of successful student success measures, ac-cording to the press release.

King is expected to begin his duties as chancellor on Feb 1.

Volume 58, Issue 1Volume 60, Issue 5 NoVember 15, 2012

Before the passing of Proposition 30, California colleges were facing the stark reality of having to make cuts to classes and teachers with the possibility of al-ready high tuition getting even higher.

Yearly tuition is nearing $13,000 for the University of California system and $6000 for the California State University system.

Tuition hikes have plagued the uni-versities for years and caused students to adjust every school year in their decisions about which school to attend.

“Students need to consider all op-tions,” said CRC Transfer Director David Aagaard. “And I think private schools are being considered more as an alternative

when considering the costs of transfer-ring.”

Aagaard added that the benefit of having two local schools, California State University, Sacramento and University of California, Davis, is that more students consider transferring locally to deal with the costs of four year schools.

Confidence in students transferring locally even with higher tuitions is not shared by all.

“If tuition goes down then yeah, they [transferring students] will probably stay here,” said 20-year-old undeclared major George Alveret. “That was probably part of the reason they were going elsewhere. It was going up every year ridiculously high.”

Kaitlyn Peck, 19, a microbiology ma-jor, said she felt that it was possible that she might consider going to a school in

California after the passing of Proposition 30.

“I’ve already gone to Sac State,” Peck said. “I need to go to wherever suits my needs better.”

Peck also said that high tuitions were mostly likely a cause for students not go-ing to school but that also it could be “be-cause of what they want”.

Martha Aguilar, 19, a communica-tions major, said she plans to attend St. Mary’s in Moraga, Calif. but had ideas if tuition kept rising.

“Somewhere close still like Oregon or Washington,” Aguilar said. “As I don’t want to be far from home.”

Proposition 30 will bring relief to some and help them decide on where they are going to school, in or out of state, but Aguilar wasn’t certain it would placate all.

By Scott Redmondsredmond.connect@gmail

Proposition 30 relieves transfer student concerns

>>See CSU, Page 2

sports

Metro is the new macho: hear the men's perspec-tive. >>See page 6

FeaturesopiNioN

Los Rios selects newchancellor

By Scott Redmondsredmond.connect@gmail

Volume 58, Issue 1 www.thecrccoNNectioN.comVolume 60, Issue 6 December 6, 2012

5-hour Energy linked to 13 deaths

Five Hour Energy drinks are current-ly the subject of a Food and Drug Admin-istration investigation into reports that are linking the popular beverage to seri-ous health complications, and in some cases death.

This information comes from a re-port titled, “Voluntary and Mandatory

Reports on 5-hour Energy, Monster En-ergy, and Rockstar” released by the FDA on Nov. 15, which collects statistics from health filings related to energy drink use since 2004.

According to the report, 5-hour En-ergy may be involved with as many as 13 deaths and 36 hospitalizations over the last three years in the U.S. alone.

“There are immediate effects to drink-ing it [energy drinks], which are a rapid

heart rate, a decrease in concentration, tremors, anxiety, fidgeting,”said Michelle Barkley, head nurse at Cosumnes River College. “With long term effects, those energy drinks artificially alter your heart rate, which is wearing down your body’s organs, especially the heart.”

The health reports also show a volley of health conditions that the energy drink

By Kevin Frodahlkfrodahl.connect@gmail

Mary Garcia | The Connection

The negative effects of 5-hour Energy drinks, among others, can last for far longer than the boost of activity you feel.

>>See Energy Drink, Page 2

Dr. Brian King

Craigslist tries its hand at children's adoptions. >>See page 3

With a renovated field, could CRC add a football team? >> See page 5

Twitter was once mainly used for the world to post daily nonsense, obscene pictures and wacky status updates.

Now Twitter is a platform used for more important things like covering presidential de-bates, reporting live news and even saving lives.

In New York City, dur-ing the deadly and devastating Hurricane Sandy, Emily Rahi-mi was using Twitter for just that reason, to save lives.

Rahimi, who runs the New York Fire Department’s Twitter account provided a lifeline to victims by re-sponding to cries for help via twitter, giving out crucial last minute advice and pro-viding comfort to those still trapped in harms way.

Rahimi constantly used Twitter to give updates on the rising water levels from the storms surge and the fires that raged through Queens, and helping dozens of families that follow her on twitter escape the storm.

“I don’t use Twitter personal-ly but it surprises me that some-one actually used it to help oth-ers and not posting what they

ate for breakfast.”, said 27-year-old business management major Brian Carter.

Twitter was also a major fac-tor during election day with both President Barrack Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Rom-ney tweeting frantically, using fa-mous quotes and new promises to gain last minute support from tweeters headed to the polls.

Twitter has come a

long way since the first tweet was sent back in July 2006.

The social website currently averages 340 billion tweets daily across the world, according to their own data.

“I’m not really a Twitter per-son nor do I ever use it to gain real time knowledge only be-cause so many people post a lot of stupid and false information

on there,” said 30-year-old com-munications major Genean Fer-guson. “I'm happy to hear that someone used Twitter for good and helped those people in the hurricane make it out safe.”

Twitter is not the only social media app to save lives. Face-book was used by two teenag-ers to save a suicidal teens life in Jan. 2012 and is also used to help police stop violent crimes and

fights that are pre-posted by would be criminals on their

status updates.“Twitter, Facebook,

Myspace all these social media tools are steady evolving and the way they are used are evolv-ing,” said 26-year-old film major Jamar Jones.

“One day its used for posting pictures of your friends the next its for sav-

ing lives, one day you’re just going to click on an app and

its going to turn into Optimus Prime and fly away,” said Jones.

So if a major disaster should ever hit close to home and 9-1-1 is unavailable, check Twitter or Facebook. There’s a chance there could be some helpful in-formation or tips that could be a lifesaver in last minute situations.

In the future Twitter may make a big difference in your survival.

December 6, 2012 | News | 2 www.thecrcconnection.com

Continued from page 1

The ConnectionEditor in ChiefZach Hannigan

News EditorStephan Starnes

Features EditorAshley Boucher

Sports EditorZach Hannigan

Opinion EditorAlex Mosqueda

Online EditorStephan Starnes

Production ManagerBrittany Patrick

Faculty AdviserRubina Gulati

StaffTakara Campbell, Emanuel

Espinoza, Kevin Frodahl, Mary Garcia, Latisha Gibson, Victor Macias, Osay Ogbebor, Jonathan Rich, Mozes Zarate

The Connection is an award-winning newspaper published bi-weekly by the Journalism 400 newspaper production class. Editorials and opinion pieces do not necessar-ily reflect the opinions of the students, staff or faculty of CRC or Los Rios Community College District. The Connection is a member of the Journalism Association of Community Col-leges (JACC).

Letters to the Editor must be typed, signed and include the first and last name of the author and a phone number. They must be 200 words or less and may be edited for length, clarity or taste.

The ConnectionCosumnes River College

8401 Center ParkwaySacramento, CA 95823

Telephone: (916) 691-7471Fax: (916) 691-7181

www.thecrcconnection.comconnect@crc.losrios.edu

Editorial assistantsBritni Alford

Cody DurhamAriel Hevesi

Scott RedmondJosh Slowiczek

may have caused or contributed to, ranging from abdominal pain and nausea to abnormal heart rate and convulsions.

Seeing many of these symp-toms at the CRC health services center is not uncommon for Bar-kley.

“I get several students each semester that come in generally with symptoms of rapid heart rate, anxiety, and inability to concen-trate,” Barkley said. “I see a wide range of student’s who come in with adverse effects from the en-ergy drinks.”

“In one case, we actually had

to call E.M.S. [Emergency Medi-cal Services] because of a bad heart rate," Barkley said.

At CRC, customers must pass the little red vials before buying anything in the cafeteria.

The student bookstore also has 5-hour Energy readily avail-able.

Students drink energy drinks every day to help with studying or busy work schedules, and many have at least sampled 5-hour En-ergy.

“I probably shouldn’t have drank it,” said Angela Marcelino, a 20-year-old English literature major. “I had an exam I didn’t

study for and I didn’t have any tea or coffee at my house so I went and bought a 5-hour Energy at the convenience store.”

The news of the FDA’s inves-tigation has affected some stu-dent’s differently.

“It makes me feel like I’m def-initely not going to drink them,” said Carrie Ehlers, a 24-year-old photography major.

Other students who have al-ready snubbed 5 Hour Energy see the news as just another reason to avoid the energy drink.

“It makes me feel like I’m still not going to drink it,” said Clancy Taylor, a 19-year-old small busi-

nesses and management, entre-preneurship major. “Last time I had it, it was gross.”

While it may seem like an effective means for studying or staying energetic, there are many natural ways to keep the pep in your step.

“You never need 5-hour En-ergy as long as you’re getting enough sleep, you’re staying hy-drated and you’re eating a well balanced diet,” Barkley said.

“You’re going to have enough energy, enough concentration, you’re going to get those basic needs if you’re taking care of your basic needs.”

Energy Drinks: 5-hour injury runs rampant

“I do think some people will think it won’t last a good amount of time, and just give up and move to another state to get their education,” Aguilar said.

One immediate effect from Proposition 30 came in the form of CSU implementing a tuition fee contingency plan that will roll tuition fees back to the 2011-2012 level.

It is retroactive, meaning it will be effective for the current semester resulting in refunds for students depending upon how many units they enrolled in for the term.

Tuition roll backs and re-funds at the CSU could be a wel-come sign to many CRC students seeking transfer in coming semes-ters, but for some there is more to picking a school than the cost.

Choosing a school for trans-fer is a big choice and a family fi-nancial decision, as students need to consider the cost of transfer-ring, Aagaard said.

“I think the economy has had an affect on a lot of students,” Aagaard said. “As it has been harder for students to afford the cost of transferring.”

CSU: lower tuitions, a saving graceContinued from page 1

Social media becomes new life lineJonathan Rich

jrich.connect@gmail

Visit our award-winning web-site for additional content by scanning this QR Code with your smartphone.

I remember being a kid in the 90s listening to the radio and every song that came on was a sing-along. There was no need to change the station because a smile would start to spread across my face and bring back good memories.

Artist like Tupac, Biggie, Too Short, etc. brought radio wor-thy tunes to fans all over the world. It wasn't about having the hottest single but a great overall album. Hip-hop really meant something, so what happened?

Music today is all about the beat and whether it is a club banger or not. The bubble gum lyrics the rappers provide in their songs are nothing compared to the metaphoric rhymes that were in songs from the past. Yes, every artist has to find their own sound for their generation, but someone has to admit that Soulja Boy isn't the new coming of Tupac.

With nursery rhymes in every song that he has put out, I have to wonder why is it that everyone wants more from him?

When the major labels see that great beats and mediocre rhymes are what the new generation are raving for they push the great artist to the side. Today labels are looking for a great single not a great all around artist or album which gives out these one-hit wonders.

I like a great party song too, but when I’m ready to relax, sit back and chill, I want that feeling I once had as an adolescent, and not became enraged from the garbage that I hear on my stereo.

According to a blog on Wordpress by professor Phil Rut-ledge, lecturer of sociology and American studies at UNC Char-lotte, said, “When we see pop culture in the modern world, we usually mean, that culture is supported by the mainstream, that culture is supported by the industries, that culture is supported by the economic forces.”

Oh yeah, I forgot another thing: the beat. Hip-hop shouldn't be about the sound produced but about the whole package. Hip-hop is becoming too mainstream and accessible and has turned into being all about money, cars and girls.

Just like rapper Common explained in the song “I Used to Love Her,” his love song to hip-hop, he described his love of hip-hop and its evolution by comparing it to a woman that has changed over the years. “It was like a woman. I woke up, it was hip-hop. I went to bed, it was hip-hop.”

Music will never be as pure as it once was. Maybe we I am getting old, or maybe music still has a message secretly hidden in the background. Nah, I don't think so.

The one culture that has been built up from the urban neighborhoods to the lives of many is being commercialized. Media decides what’s popular and society goes along with it.

Hopefully the new major labels will snap out of it and stop worrying solely about money and let the quality of hip-hop sur-face back into the mainstream.

For now, people like me will have to pull out the old cds to listen to our favorite songs from the past.

Our heads will begin bobbing and a smile will once again spread across our face with great memories of what once was, now that’s hip-hop.

OpiniOn | December 6, 2012 | 3Follow us on twitter @CRCconnection

Craigslist is a great tool for the honest, hard-working cheapskate like myself, and it’s also a great tool for anyone who wants to get rid of unnecessary junk.

Books full of pencil marks, board-games with missing pieces and neglected exercise equipment are all just a click away with Craigslist.

Users can also adopt dogs, cats, fish, birds and guinea pigs, or put their own animals up for adoption. You can even find your next romantic relationship on the website.

But the new user may soon be finding a startling, new item available for trade or purchase on the popu-lar online market. Babies. That’s right, human infants.

Would-be parents and would-be non-parents are beginning to look towards Craigslist as a resource for adoption, according to a recent article by ABC news.

There are a few reasons an aspiring parent might use Craigslist to adopt a child. Adoption services are often expensive and users may end up wasting their energy and money through processes that often take years.

“Craigslist and other online resources put the power back in parents and birth moms' hands to some degree," Piper Weiss, a yahoo reporter who has spent the last few years investigating online adoption said, in an ABC interview. "It allows them to connect with each other, potentially, but also it forces them to be their own filter and kind of be their own experts in the matter. There are a lot of risks and a lot of reward to that."

Parents who use Craigslist still have to go through the same legal processes to adopt the child, and the practice is only legal in a handful of states, such as Connecticut, Illinois and Kansas. It is entirely illegal in Alabama and Kentucky, both of which have out-lawed any kind of adoption advertising, according to an article in Yahoo! news.

As crazy as it sounds, if I were ever to adopt a child online, I would use Craigslist as a constant refer-ence, along with whatever adoption agencies are avail-able and affordable.

It may be ideal to adopt only through the proper channels: to find an agency and shell out money to find the perfect match for my family. But what is a pro-spective parent to do if they have no luck with formal adoption agencies?

Craigslist allows users to consult with other us-ers and to exchange phone numbers and personal in-formation at their own discretion. In turn, it allows would-be parents to actively search for a candidate for adoption, and to do their own research and interviews on parents that would like to put their child up for adoption.

The fact that Craigslist is a website known for internet scams and fraud might make it seem like a bad resource for adoption, but the fact that Facebook is a website known for online bullying and stalking doesn’t make it a bad resource for social networking or stop users from giving out highly personal infor-mation every single day. Just because there is a poten-tial for Craigslist to be abused does not mean it is a bad adoption resource.

So to the careful, responsible adult who is con-sidering adoption, I say, try Craigslist.

By Kevin Frodahlkfrodahl.connect@gmail

Craigslist, a click away from adoption

HAWK TALKCompiled by Scott Redmond and Takara Campbell. Photos by Britni Alford.

Sarah Hibbs, 20Criminal Justice

“I’d probably have to probably get a lot of weapons and like some swords and knives, maybe a hammer. Probably just I wouldn’t have to sacrifice that many people, like three or four people I’d sacrifice.”

Casey Teague, 18Graphic Design

“Okay what I would do to survive the zombie apocalypse is I would put a whole bunch of treadmills outside my house on every square inch and pretty much do whatever I can to get those treadmills and when the zombies come they would walk on treadmills and I’d be saved.”

Karisa Newton, 18English

“To survive the zombie apocalypse I would probably go on a gun sword training. I

don’t think I’d probably be in a big group 'cause I’d probably kill someone out of rage. But if there really was a zombie apocalypse I don’t think I’d trust too many

people with certain things.”Quentin Tillman, 19

Engineering

“Obviously I’d get more weapons, you know like chainsaws,

snipers, and any kind of other stuff. Of course I would get a team be-

cause obviously I can’t do it by my-self because otherwise I would be a

zombie. If I had to sacrifice anyone I would probably have to sacrifice my teammates at one point or another.”

How would you survive a zombie apocalypse and who would you sacrifice?

By Latisha Gibsonlgibson.connect@gmail

Tainted hip-hop culture becomes the mainstream

December 6, 2012 | SportS4 | www.thecrcconnection.com

Hawks sweep James Clark Invitational

Mary Garcia | The Connection

Mary Garcia | The Connection

Britni Alford | The ConnectionThe CRC men’s basketball team huddles around each other and the first-place trophy after winning the annual James Clark Invitational.

Hawks' sophomore guard Charles Standifer attempts to score against Merced in game one of the tournament. Standifer averaged 26.3 points and 8.7 rebounds in the tournament and was awarded MVP honors.

Hawks' fresh-man guard Justin Barrels attempts a free throw in game one against Merced. The Hawks won the game 77-74. Barrels averaged 15.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2 steals per game.

Hawks' freshman forward Miguel French takes flight for a huge block in game one against a Merced attacker. The Hawks defense held opponents to 70 points per game.

The Cosumnes River College men's basketball team hosted the James Clark Invitational from Nov. 29 - Dec. 1. They squared off against three other colleges: Mer-ced, Columbia and Feather River.

Game one against Merced proved to be the toughest test for the Hawks. However, with the help of Hawks' sophomore guard Charlie Standifer's huge double-double, they were able to defeat Merced 77-74.

Columbia didn't provide nearly as much competition for CRC in game two as the Hawks soared to a 40-point victory.

On the heels of freshman forward Miguel French's double-double and consistent free-throw shooting (12-14), the Hawks ad-vanced to the final game with a 109-69 beatdown.

The final against Feather Riv-er was tougher than their previous game. However, with a 28-point outburst from Standifer and freshman guard Justin Barrels' most efficient game of the tourna-ment (16 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals), the Hawks won the game and the James Clark Invitational with a 76-67 victory.

­—­Cody­Durham

Mary Garcia | The Connection

The volleyball season ended on a downer as the Hawks lost their last game to Diablo Valley College on Nov. 14. They suffered numerous losses this season and things were not always easy for them.

Freshman libero Mary Tamayo said that some of the changes this season made things tough for the team.

“I think overall, we could have done bet-ter,” Tamayo said. “Because of the changes in positions, it affected our way of playing.”

Freshman defensive specialist Sapphire Dedrick said that things could have been a lot better, but was optimistic in some areas.

“I think we did pretty well,” Dedrick said. “Because we had a new coach and most of our team were freshmen and we actually had a few returning players. I think we did

pretty good; it was like building blocks for next year.”

Sophomore middle hitter Rose Ko-loamatangi said the reason the season was so tough for the Hawks was because there was not a lot of communication on the court.

However, she still felt that the team made an effort to work well together.

“We played together as a team,” Ko-loamatangi said. “We never gave up on each other. We were always there to help each other out. Any problems or questions we had on the court, we kept each other up and made sure

we were motivated.”The last game

that they managed to win a couple of sets took place on Oct. 10 when they took on Sacramento City College.

They contin-ued to struggle as the season pro-gressed.

Head Coach Natalie Wells also said that the team did well in their ef-forts despite not winning a lot of games. She also mentioned that there are areas in

which the team could improve in the future.“I think that they could improve on in-

dividual skills that they could be working on in spring time as a group,” Wells said. “Be-ing able to come together and play as a team and get competitive.”

Wells also stated the reason why this season was tough for the Hawks.

“Well, we play in a very competitive divi-sion,” Wells said. “We play in the Big 8, which is very competitive. In fact, Santa Rosa, one of our top teams, is still in the state champi-onship. They are playing for the Final Four this week. So it’s really competitive.”

It doesn’t make sense to have a newly renovated football stadium with no foot-ball team of our own to play on it, but that is the case at Cosumnes River College.

In fact, the last time CRC had a foot-ball team was in 1978, well before most of us were even thought of. That was when CRC was known as the Chiefs, not the Hawks.

“The Chiefs name was deemed insen-sitive to Native Americans, so we took campus-wide suggestions and became the Hawks,” athletic director Liz Belyea said.

But what happened to our football team?

“There were not enough players to sustain a team,” Belyea said. “Elk Grove was very small then, so they had trouble fielding a com-petitive football team.”

That was then; This is now. With the expansion of Elk Grove and the rapid growth of college students, finding players to field a new football team would seem like a non-issue.

So what is it exactly go-ing to take?

“Money would likely be a key factor in CRC ever fielding a football team ever again,” said sports in-formation officer Nicholas Podesta. “In order to be in compliance with Title IX, additional sports providing athletic participation for female athletes would also have to be provided by the college.”

Title IX bans gender discrimination in schools, whether it be in athletics or academics.

Fair enough, but just exactly how much money are we talking?

“About $3 million,” Be-lyea said. “We need more personnel, equipment and facilities.”

“There was not any actual new sta-dium construction with respect to the football field," Podesta said. “The project was actually a renovation of the existing facility, that was funded partially through a partnership with the Elk Grove Unified School District."

Podesta is referring to the local Mea-

sure M bond which was passed by voters in 2008. The bond initiated a $14.5 mil-lion renovation project of the new sport-ing facilities at CRC that included the school’s stadium, baseball and softball fields. Along with two new soccer fields and new parking spaces for students.

With the recent success of CRC’s baseball team winning the State Cham-pionship, and both the women’s and men’s basketball teams winning their re-spective tournaments, there is no telling how much success a CRC football team would have or how competitive the team would be.

“Each year, CRC reviews its athletic and intercollegiate team programs to en-sure we are serving the needs of our stu-dents and community,” CRC President Deborah Travis said.

The chances of fielding a new football team to play in the new stadium are slim to none, but that doesn’t mean we will never see a football team again.

“There’s no really telling how much interest a foot-ball team would draw today, since there’s little recent his-tory to base an assumption on,” Podesta said.

If you ask students like 20-year-old, sustainable land design and irrigation major, Brock Mallory, the want for a football team is there.

“I feel like if we had a football team I would defi-nitely be on campus more to attend sporting events,” Mallory said. “I think foot-ball is the most interesting sport.”

Maybe, just maybe, there is a chance that one year there will be a football team in high demand by other students like Mallory and the community.

“Anything is possible, but this is not likely in any near future,” Belyea said.

SportS | December 6, 2012 | 5Follow us on twitter @CrCconnection

TheCheap$eats

The curious case of the Sacramento Kings

By Zach Hanniganzhannigan.connect@gmail

It’s a Wednesday night in December in the outdated “Arco Power Train Pavil-ion,” close to 12,000 fans are watching their Sacramento Kings take on the To-ronto Raptors.

Banners of glories past hang in the rafters, a once proud and vibrant fran-chise has been reduced to one of the NBA’s worst teams.

The fans and players cheer each oth-er on as the Kings fight for a win, but they can’t ignore the whispers.

First it was Anaheim, then Seattle and now Virginia Beach. No one knows what will become of this struggling fran-chise. But one thing's for sure: they can not go on this way.

The kingdom of Sacramento is be-ginning to grow restless in light of the recent information that both Seattle and Virginia Beach have tentative arena deals in place.

The word tentative seems all too fa-miliar to citizens of Sacramento, after our city council approved an arena deal that the Kings’ owners, Joe and Gavin Maloof, backed out of.

That event left many questioning whether the owners are committed to Sacramento, when it is clear that Sacra-mento is committed to the Kings. In 19 of the last 27 seasons, the Kings have sold out whatchyamacallit arena, 10 of those were losing seasons.

The city has even formed an orga-nization known as Crown Downtown, whose sole purpose is “to show continued support for the construction of a down-town sports and entertainment complex and the benefits it would bring to the city and the region of Sacramento,” according to the organization’s Facebook page.

Then there is the issue of the Kings’ roster; a roster that at times will leave you scratching your head.

The young, but talented group is sprinkled with veterans and, at times, look like world beaters. But all too often, they are the punchline of a joke.

Lead by former rookie of the year Tyreke Evans, who is struggling to find his niche within the organization, and controversial seven-footer Demarcus Cousins, the Kings are a model of incon-sistency.

On one night you can’t help but think this will be a team to be reckoned with in three years and other nights you are left throwing your remote at the tele-vision after a fourth-quarter collapse.

Sacramento’s Head Coach Keith Smart seems to know how to treat young players, but not how to coach them. It is hard to understand why the smooth shooting fan favorite Jimmer Fredette, who owns a .463 field goal percentage, sits on the end of the bench when the Kings are in need of offense.

So what’s to become of the Kings? Hopefully a mutiny.

It is time for the team to start over. Find new owners, fire Smart and general manager Geoff Petrie and get someone in the organization that can get an arena deal done.

As a fan’s sign put so elegantly, “Is this the last time we’ll see greatness in Sac?”

Can CRC field a football team?By Victor Macias

vmacias.connect@gmail

Volleyball team hopes to rebound after losing season

By Emanuel Espinozaeespinoza.connect@gmail

Victor Macias| The Connection

Sophomore middle hitter Rose Koloamatangi defends a spike against the Delta College Mustangs on Oct. 26.

“Each year, CRC reviews its athletic and intercollegiate team programs to ensure we are serv-ing the needs of our students and community.”

— Deborah TravisCRC President

December 6, 2012 | Features6 | www.thecrcconnection.com

Men embrace the world of fashion

Watch out ladies, the sidekick on our shoulder and our purse full of valuables is slowly but surely leaving our tight grip for the neanderthal man.

From snazzy scarves to the ever-so-popular man bag, it appears men have fi-nally fallen victim to the world of fashion.

“It took them long enough!” said Tyler Holdener, an 18-year-old linguistics major at Cosumnes River College.

The second America watched Chan-ning Tatum strut his stuff wearing fitted sweaters and classy scarves in the movie

“The Vow,” it was all over.“It is no longer considered effeminate

or 'gay' for a man to take pride in look-ing well-groomed,” according to an article from the Daily Mail by Martha De Lacey.

From Hollywood stars to college stu-dents, it’s evident the term coined “me-trosexual” is slowly but surely losing its meaning.

One glance around campus is all takes.Sporting a colorful sweater over a

crisp button up collared shirt and maroon bow tie, Holdener defines his style as both

“hipster and classy.”Studying abroad in England inspired

him to embrace the beauty of fads and style.

“Over there, it’s fashion or die,” Hold-ener said.

Coming from a small area in Lodi, Holdener said he sees a lot more diversity among men’s fashion at CRC.

“They’re getting there,” said 22-year-

old electrical engineer major Ken Trinh. “There’s some people that still look like they dress like kids.”

However Trinh welcomes the world of fashion.

“I dig the beanie look,” Trinh said as he described his go-to places for new trends, including the website Lookbook and Men’s General Quarterly magazine.

Although it’s a matter of personal preference, more people should go for it and take more risks with their style, Trinh said.

Even Professors have shifted their wardrobe to a more stylish and up to date collection.

Mathematics and statistics Professor Matthew Rodrigues looked sharp and chic wearing a book bag and fitted jacket.

Rodrigues said he notices a pleasant change in his style over the years, pro-gressing from those confused teenage years to the mature male.

“As I’ve gotten older I wear more fitted clothes,” Rodrigues said. He no longer the

“kid skater look.”“I think more men are starting to pay

attention to what they wear,” Rodrigues said.

Although he sports a casual and classy look, he can’t quite claim all the credit.

“My girlfriend dresses me a lot,” Ro-driguez chuckled.

Whether it’s help from women or tips from magazines, the secret of fashion is out and men have jumped all over it.

It isn’t just a matter of throwing on clothes, it’s creating a unique sense of style that depicts something short of a novel.

“I’m classy but a little bit preppy,” said 19-year-old theater arts major Alexander Stallings. “It has a mixture of a bum with a college professor.”

His method of madness begins with a pair of shoes, which he then uses as inspi-ration for the rest of his outfit.

This morning Stallings decided to go with the khaki cargo pants, a crisp cream sweater and headphones.

“It’s a cross between a 1960’s jazz trum-pet player” and a “crazed writer,” Stallings said.

At the end of the day, the outfit cho-sen creates a portal to their personality, a picture worth a thousand words.

“Fashion is a nice way to express your-self,” Holdener said.

From metro to macho, it’s both a mat-ter of preference and a desire to dare.

“Most people judge a book by it’s cover, so might as well have a nice cover,” Hold-ener said.

The countdown for holiday shopping has begun! You’re watching the constant

Christmas commercials and receiving coupons about deals.But before you set out for the malls, here are some tips so that you’ll still have a holly jolly Christmas with some money saved for school in January.

1. Be Organized.Play Santa, make a list and check it twice. Figure out who’s been naughty or nice

and decide who you actually want to buy gifts for. Instead of going through the isles and picking up random items and saying, “Umm, I guess John would like this”, list the names and items you want to purchase for that specific person.

2. Do your Homework.Even though Black Friday has ended it doesn’t mean the deals at department stores

have ended as well. Find discounts at different places and use those to your advantage. Avoid being bamboozled and shop around at different stores or websites and see which places have the cheapest bargains.

3. Stick to your Budget.Walking around the mall with your shopping bags in your hands could be fun at

the moment, but the moment you see your credit card bill or your bank statement and notice that a chunk of your money is gone won’t seem so jolly. Shopping is fun especially this time of year with all the festivities around us that its hard to hold back. Avoid being a shopaholic this year and know the limit on how much you want to spend wisely.

4. Be Creative.Christmas of course is the season of giving but it doesn’t mean that the giving has to

have a price tag on it. With the Christmas spirit roaming through the air like Whoville, sometimes the gift that family and friends enjoy best is something made from the heart rather than something bought. Make something for that special someone rather than to buy something that would only last a minutes after opening it.

5. Be a Grinch.Sometimes as shoppers we can’t say no! Your motive for being at the mall could be

shopping for Aunt Betty but later you’ll find yourself in Forever 21’s fitting room. So to prevent yourself from turning Aunt Betty’s Christmas gift into your gift have a firm at-titude. If your temptation keeps opening that wallet of yours go with someone that you’ll trust that can pull you away.

Tips and tricks for all that holiday shoppingBy Osay Ogbebor

oogbebor.connect@gmail.com

By Ariel Hevesiahevesi.connect@gmail.com

Twenty-year-old music major Anthony Gi doesn't describe his style as anything special. He effortlessly flaunts a plaid button up shirt splashed with purple, pink and white colors. He accompanies the shirt with a classy black military style jacket and fitted light wash jeans.

Tyler Holdener sports a cream sweater with maroon and navy blue detailing. He pairs it with a crisp white collared shirt underneath, blue jeans, and brown mocassin shoes. To complete the look he ties it altogether with a maroon bow tie and a winning smile.

"Most people judge a book by its cover, so might as well have a nice cover"

—Tyler Holdener linguistics major, 18

Trendy males strut their stuff in the halls of CRC. It's not just about making a statement, it's evolving men's fashion as we once knew it.

Britni Alford | The Connection

Ariel Hevesi | The Connection

Features | Demcember 6, 2012 | 7Follow us on twitter @CrCconnection

Ambitious CRC English Professor stands out from the crowd in Mexico

In an office full of life, colorful art decoration and random knick-knacks sporadically placed throughout the walls, Cosumnes River College English Writ-ing Professor Heather Hutcheson eagerly awaits her journey back to her second home in Oaxaca, Mexico where she will continue her sabbatical.

“It takes awhile for the Spanish to kick back in whenever I go to Oaxaca,” Hutcheson said. “My brain has been think-ing in English for so long, but tomorrow at 10 a.m. everything must switch.”

It will be Hutcheson’s fourth time be-ing back to Oaxaca, a place she’s grown quite fond of over her past visits. She must say goodbye to commercialized restau-rants and convenient grocery stores, for soon she’ll be in a rural town known for their garlic and green beans.

“With volunteering, the difficult things are completely diminished by re-wards,” Hutcheson said.

During her stay in Oaxaca, she teach-es English to a group of villagers in build-ing no bigger than a conference room with a couple of swings for a playground.

“I love having the opportunity to try new things and meet new people,” Hutcheson said.

However, between her imperfect Spanish and golden blonde hair, she can’t help but stand out in a place like Oaxaca, Mexico.

“It’s funny because I teach English, but my Spanish makes me sound like a child,” Hutcheson said.

In addition to the language barrier the laws are completely different, Hutcheson said. “Especially when it comes to driving.”

It’s a painstaking six to seven people

to a cab and o c c a s i o n a l l y bus drivers will spontaneously race one anoth-er with a load of passengers, Hutcheson said.

“It’s really difficult at times, but I’m attract-ed to figuring it out,” Hutcheson said.

These chal-lenges and cul-tural differences are what excite her the most.

“ T h e r e ’ s s o m e t h i n g about being foreign in a place that’s so f a s c i n a t i n g ,” Hutcheson said.

Perhaps her happy-go-lucky child-hood fueled her curiosity to explorer other cultures.

“Some of the more wilder experiences I have now, I think, ‘well it’s nothing my parents wouldn’t have done’,” laughed Hutcheson.

From horse racing to gold mining, her parent’s unique entrepreneurism made her childhood anything but average.

Hutcheson described her adolescence as “carefree” growing up around horses, cats and chickens in a rural town just out-side of Palm Springs.

“I was always running around crazy outside,” Hutcheson said enthusiastically.

She hasn’t lost a bit of the spunk she had as a young girl.

“She’s always had boundless energy,” said Dean of Humanities and Social Sci-ences, Virginia McReynolds as she de-scribed the various projects Hutcheson spearheads, such as the Literary Magazine, the Writers Conference and the SHARE-fare.

“She’s one of those rare people in the world that have so much going for them,” McReynolds said. “She has a huge heart.”

Whether it’s instructing English to a group of Oaxaca villagers or a class of CRC students “I realized this is something that makes me feel really good,” Hutcheson said.

Hutcheson’s eager spirit and selfless actions have touched the hearts of many, especially her former students.

“I love her like family,” said 22-year-old

sociology and social services major Ayana Hudson who was inspired by

Hutcheson to continue writing poetry.Hutcheson also spends a great deal of

time writing about her journeys and expe-riences.

“Whenever I would tell stories about my past my mom would say, ‘you have to remember she’s a creative writing teacher, she embellishes things’,” Hutcheson chuck-led.

However, there’s no sugar coating her extraordinary memories she continues to document.

“I have a life full of hilarious people and adventures,” Hutcheson said.

But this is merely the first chapter to her story.

“I need to figure out what’s next.”

By Ariel Hevesiahevesi.connect@gmail

Hutcheson hopped onto the bus in Tlacochahuaya on her way to the town of Tule for an empanada fair. She slowly watched as one by one people toting heavy sacks and mothers with children file out of the bus at their vari-ous stops. Before she knew it, “I sud-denly realized there was no one left on the bus-just me, the driver and his trusty sidekick.”

Special to The Connection

By Brittany Patrickbpatrick.connect@gmail

Every year, when that ball drops at exactly midnight in New York and the old year folds into a new or sometime during the first month or two of the year, many people make those one or few goals called

“New Year’s Resolutions.” In fact it is reported 45 percent of

Americans make new years resolutions, according to University of Scranton’s Jour-nal of Clinical Psychology. Though only 8 percent actually achieve their aspirations, 39 percent of people people in their twen-ties are likely to achieve their goals.

In a series of interviews, four out of six people accomplished at least one of their resolutions for 2012.

Two students wanted to put a more focused effort in school, which follows the statistic that 47 percent of people make self improvement or educational related resolutions, according to University of Scranton’s Journal of Clinical Psychology.

“I wanted to go straight into school out of highschool, and I did, no breaks” said Kylie McConviloe, 18, who is work-ing on her general education. She also intended to spend more time with her family, which she accomplished.

For 2013 McConviloe hopes to finish up school at Cosumnes River College and move to San Diego so she can attend University of California San Diego.

Kenneth Rosette, 19, a construction and criminal justice double-major, said he made a lot of resolutions this year

including going to church more, which he accomplished. Rosette also wanted to put more time and effort into school than his social life, which he is “working on” in these last few weeks of school. He does not have any current goal ideas for 2013.

One student set the common weight loss goal for the year.

Jessica McKillican, 19, pursuing her bachelor of fine arts in musical theatre at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy set out 2011 to shed a few pounds.

“Of course most people’s resolutions are to lose weight and since Jan. 1, 2011, I’ve gone down three sizes in pants and lost 15 inches all over. I’m feeling great,”

McKillican said.A student who is currently balancing

work and school set a goal to change her mindset.

“Be happier, and if I am being honest to party more, I like partying,” said Anissa Williams, 19, a sonography major. “It took me a while, but it happened.”

For this upcoming year, she said she would like to eat healthier and exercise more.

“People who explicitly make resolu-tions are 10 times more likely to at-tain their goals than people who don’t explicitly make resolutions,” according to University of Scranton’s Journal of Clinical Psychology.

Old resolutions are being accomplished and more are being made for the new year

Holiday blissed eventsDowntown Sacramento Ice RinkWhen: Nov. 2 - Jan. 21Where: 701 K StreetWhat: Sacramento’s original outdoor ice rink celebrates its 21st season.

New Year’s Eve Sky SpectacularWhen: Dec. 31 - Jan 1, 6 p.m. - 1 a.m.Where: Old SacramentoWhat: Guests can enjoy two different firework shows as part of the high-energy community celebration.

“The Nutcracker” TheaterWhen: Dec. 7 - 23Where: 1301 L St. at Sacramento Ballet Company Community Center Theater.What: No holiday theater season would be complete without “The Nutcracker.”

Raley’s Theatre of LightsWhen: Nov. 21 - Dec. 31, 6:15 - 7:45 p.m.Where: Old Sacramento State Historic ParkWhat: Each night, event-goers will experi-ence a symphony of lights, sounds and visual effects that will take the audience back to the time of the beloved poem

“The Night Before Christmas.”

More details about these events can be found at thecrcconnection.com with even more event and volunteer options in your local community.

Britni Alford| The Connection

December 6, 2012 | Arts & EntErtAinmEnt | 8 www.thecrcconnection.com

Dive into a good book, tv series or movie over the winter break

"'The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,' by Rebecca Skloot. This book I've been interested in and comes highly recommended so I look forward to delving into it."

-Scott RedmondConnection Staff

"'The Foundling Series,' by D.M. Cor-nish. It’s a steam-punk coming of age story of this young boy. To see him grow up from this little kid to this amazing adult is a worthwhile journey to read about. The books are very de-tailed. There’s a dictionary after every book. You can tell the author has taken a lot of flesh out the world.”

-Takara CampbellConnection Staff

"'East of Eden,' by John Steinbeck. Steinbeck’s attention to detail makes his story telling second to none.”

-Zachary HanniganEditor-in-Chief

Sports Editor

"'The Divergent series,' by Veronica Roth. It’s really similar to the Hunger Games but with a love interest. I feel like its more appealing and more fun to get into, because theres more romance. I’m a romantic, but I love that the characters are not all about themselves, but that they’re love grows from helping others.”

-Brittany PatrickProduction manager

"'The Rum Diary' by Hunter S. Thomp-son. The book is about a young man in Puerto Rico trying to figure out what he’s going to do with his life. It’s a good read. It’s about the tropics.”

-Josh SlowiczekConnection Staff"'Man’s Search for Meaning', by

Victor Frankl. A personal account of imprisonment in the Jewish concen-tration camps, told from a psychiatric perspective. It’s both educational and incredibly engaging.”

-Mozes ZarateConnection Staff

The

Connection's

recomended

must reads

Compiled by Mozes

Zarate.

Photos by Britni

Alford and Mary

Garcia.

The Connection staff recomend must see movies and must see television series to catch up on.

"'Lost' is a superbly twisted television series that you can watch on Netflix. You’ll probably spend the entire winter break onwards wondering what the hell you watched. Nothing makes sense; polar bears are on a deserted tropical island that just happens to have a hidden civilization of evil, evil people. Your life will never be the same.”

-Stephan StarnesNews Editor

Online Editor

"'Shameless:' You never know what you’re going to get with Shameless. They have no boundaries, and the show’s just off the wall.”

-Cody DurhamConnection Staff

"'Spaced:' It’s from the creators of 'Shaun of the Dead,' Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg. It stars Pegg and Jessica Stevenson as Tim and Daisy, and they lie about being a couple to get this apartment in London. The show focuses on their adventures while pretending to be together, when they’re not really attracted to each other at first. If you like watch-ing stuff about nerds making endless references to comic books, 'The Evil Dead' and 'Star Wars' or you loved 'Shaun of the Dead' then you should consider watching this”

-Alex MosquedaOpinino Editor

"'Elf ': starring Will Ferrell is one of the funniest comedians, and it’s a funny Christmas movie.”

-Victor MaciasConnection Staff