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| May 7, 2008 ARTS City College’s Architecture Students Capture Local Flavor BY
KAREN KINNEY
City College’s architecture department celebrated its sixieth anniversary by hosting a contest that captured the flare of San Francisco neighborhoods. Student teams brought to life 10 San Francisco neighborhoods with scale constructions that represented the cultural and ethnic styles of each of the diverse neighborhoods. Each team consisted of architecture, construction management and interior design majors guided by local professional mentors using parts from the architecture department and actual pieces from the given neighborhoods. This was an opportunity for students to express creativity and constructional knowledge as well as learn how to take conceptual ideas and bring them together as a team. “One of the most important qualifications for an architect or interior designer is the capacity to interact with others, negotiate ideas and be able to communicate with other parts of the building profession,” said Andrew Chandler, chair of the architecture department and member of the American Institute of Architects. Construction themes were conceptualized by the students canvassing each neighborhood for inspiration and rallying together as a team. Architecture major, Megan Janssen, 25, explained Chinatown’s theme as “preservation through persistence in the midst of exclusion.” Nick Aho, 21, architecture major described the Tenderloin as “creepy at first,” but by experiencing its rhythm and patterns, saw its uniqueness. “The construction is designed to be distorted at the beginning, but then it flattens and becomes more clear,” Aho said. “People think (the Tenderloin’s) dangerous, but there is culture and lots of families.” Team North Beach theme was “tradition vs. chaos.” A towering church-like figure is juxtaposed against the chaos of random neon sparkling lights of Broadway’s strip clubs. Team South of Market focused on the industrial boom of the area and the leather movement of the Folsom Street Fair. Team Bayview used the colors red, black and green to represent African-American culture with their theme “revitalization and preservation.” “I was very grateful for the experience of working with our mentor.” said architecture major Crystal Jacquez, 28, of Team Presidio/Marina, “You can be the greatest designer, but if you can’t communicate your ideas and thoughts, the piece will never come together.” Professionals and community members awarded the teams based on originality, material-use and best representation of neighborhood culture and diversity. Team Chinatown won Best in Show, Team Presidio/Marina won Best Construction and Team Haight-Ashbury won Most Creatively Bizarre. “This celebration is a showcase of our students,” Chandler said. “We strive to create the highest level of creativity in any school in the United States.” e-mail: karen.kinney@theguardsman.com
BY MARIA UMANZOR
“Cinco de Mayo” was celebrated by Mexico’s Cedros-UP Youth and Children Symphony Orchestra (OSIC) with a concert May 3 in the Wellness Center that drew an audience of over 500 people. The Consulate General of Mexico, City College’s Latino Educational Association and the Mission campus sponsored the event. “I’m very happy and proud that the administration of this college allowed this event to happen for the first time in the history of this college,” said Jorge Bell, dean of financial aid and vice president of the Latino Educational Association. The orchestra consisted of about 80 boys; including 28 who were under 11. The rest were between 12 and 22, Gabriel Pliego said, director of the orchestra and the department of art and culture from the Centro Escolar Cedros Universidad Pan Americana in Mexico City. “The consulate is very honored to have an orchestra of young people who are very talented. They’re an example of education and effort,” said Carlos Felix, general counsel of Mexico. The concert began with the orchestra playing “Malambo” and “Invierno,” the little kids who played the violins generated wild applause. Followed by a melody of seven pieces, part of the “Suzukiada Popurri.” Finally, everybody played an arrangement of “La Bamba” for Fernando Arroyo, one of the older boys. With this concert the OSIC, founded in 1995, concluded its tour called “Las Californias Concert Tour 2008” which began on April 25 in Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico. “I feel very happy and proud for the reaction of the audience and the kids are proud of their work,” said Pliego. e-mail: editorials@theguardsman.com Manga Explosion BY STAFF
STATE YOUR FASHION CITY COLLEGE BY DANIELLE DOUGLAS EDITOR
Miles Douglas, 20, Miles Douglas is a 20-year- old part-time student who is undeclared and a music producer of a local hip-hop group called 40Love. “The way I would define my style is mooching off pro-skaters who drop their free gear off at San Francisco thrift stores,” Miles said. He usually spends around $100 a month at shops like FTC, True and searches for bargains at thrift shops like Crossroads and Buffalo Exchange on Haight Street. “I would spend more money on clothes but I’m trying to invest into more important things in life right now like music,” said Miles. Miles sports brands like LRG, Circa, Ipath, Fourstar and for shoes, he “rocks Vans all day.”
e-mail: a_e@theguardsman.com RENAISSANCE CALL BY BEN TAYLOR Hey! Lets all stop for a moment and think about why we are doing what we are doing. What is your ultimate goal in life? What is your secret dream? Me? I would like to never work a service industry job again. I would like to provide for my basic needs (housing, food, clothing, etc.), by doing things that I am passionate about, that I am good at. Isn’t that why we’re all here? But is that the only goal? The American Dream … to climb all the way from the lowest of the low to the tippy top of society, pushing at and treading on the heads of the masses as you make your ascent? What’s the bigger picture, beyond just you and your aspirations? What about making the world a better place for all of us? The problem is that we live in a world that tends to crush our lofty goals rather than encourage them. We are taught, in myriad ways (T.V., propaganda, etc.) that it is wrong to do what you really want to. Stop dreaming. Get a real job … if you do what you really want, if you try to help other people, well … that’s just a lot of time and effort. You might never get that dream house, you might never get that car. You might never be able to turn off reality and assimilate into Amerikkkan Death Kulture. It’s spring, color and life is blossoming everywhere. A flower in bloom is a delicate thing that needs to be protected and nurtured. All it takes is a careless footstep and it is crushed dead. You and I are in bloom too.There are some who are scared of the flowers that we might become. Thinking of us as weeds that will grow and overrun their carefully cultivated garden. Don’t let them crush you. Don’t let them nip you in. Your dreams are the most powerful things you have and are the only things worth working for. e-mail: news@theguardsman.com BOOK REVIEW BY JIM PATTERSON
John Landis If you think it is time for a critical assessment of John Landis films and career, then author Giulia D’Agnolo Vallan has just the right book for you. Titled simply “John Landis,” Vallan interviewed many of the director’s friends, fans and admirers for this oversized coffee table book. If you are a Landis fan, who isn’t, you’ll want this book in your library. Filled with photographs of Landis films, the book is an engrossing look at the man behind such films as “National Lampoon’s Animal House,” “An American Werewolf in London,” “The Blues Brothers” and “Trading Places.” Landis has created some great screen characters, such as Bluto, played by the late great John Belushi in “National Lampoon’s Animal House.” Belushi, an alumnus of Saturday Night Live, became a big star thanks to Landis. The film also popularized toga parties at colleges across the country. Cartoonist Aaron McGruder (“The Boondocks”) gives us five reasons to love John Landis. “John Landis likes black people and black people like John Landis,” McGruder writes. Landis also directed pop icon Michael Jackson’s memorable “Thriller” video. Vallan tells us Jackson was impressed with “An American Werewolf in London” and called Landis to shoot his video. “John Landis films come from a land of endless wonders, sharp intelligence, radical wit and brilliantly controlled chaos,” Vallan writes. “John Landis” is a great resource book for fans who want to better understand the director and his work. e-mail: jim.patterson@theguardsman.com MOVIE REVIEW BY JIM PATTERSON
Leaving "White Castle" I“Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay” picks up where “Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle” (2004) left off. The boys are flying to Amsterdam so Harold (John Cho) can track down Maria, the girl of his dreams. While Harold is in the airplane’s washroom, Kumar (Kal Penn) barges in with a smokeless bong so they can get high while high in the sky. Kumar drops the bong and passengers think he has a bomb. Air marshals cuff the boys and back on the ground Homeland Security brass arrest them as terrorists and send them to Guantanamo Bay. They quickly escape prison and join a group of Cubans on a small boat to Miami. They go on a road trip to find a Texas friend who can get them off the hook as terrorists. On the road, the boys chance upon pal Neil Patrick Harris, in a hilarious cameo. When Harold and Kumar are doubled crossed by their Texas friend they go on the road again and end up at the president’s ranch in Crawford, Texas and the president is home. This film is filled with sight gags, crude jokes, sexual content, nudity, profanity and drug use, but we expect these things in a Harold and Kumar film and fans will not be disappointed. This film also has a kickass soundtrack. Note: You must wait until the end credits to see an important scene and you must visit whatwouldnphdo.com for some hilarious advice from Neil Patrick Harris. e-mail: jim.patterson@theguardsman.com Shows that Rock Your Socks! PHOTOS AND TEXT BY DESMOND MILLER
Howlin Rain and MGMT at Slims — 04.24.08 Blue lights set the tone for a mellow show loaded with sounds from an era long gone. Howlin Rain opened their set with music from a time of free birds and southern boys, and it was great. Lead singer Ethan Miller belted out songs with a rasp that would make Joe Cocker proud and guitar riffs that would rival any 70s guitar god. MGMT followed, but was a bit more somber than their debut song “Time to Pretend” would lead you to believe. The band played serene songs from their album as though they were in a heroin-induced haze, but when they went into there signature song they livened up. In all honesty, Howlin Rain stole the show. Black Kids, Cut Copy and Simian Mobile Disco at Mezzanine — 04.26.08 Ecstasy was in the air and the Mezzanine swelled to capacity when the Black Kids took the stage. The crowd demanded more and was given it in spades as they absorbed their energizing performance. When Reggie Youngblood, the band’s front man, powered into the bands hit song “I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You” the crowd went wild. Australia’s sons Cut Copy followed and kept the energy level high as the crowd kept up with the relentless beats and kept the dance floor wet. Playing off the strength of their newly released third album, Cut Copy fans made themselves known by yelling and screaming during interactions with the band. Unfortunately, the night was cut short by heat exhaustion and nausea caused by the huge crowd and Simian Mobile Disco was missed. At least the show entertained from start to its unfortunate finish.
e-mail: a_e@theguardsman.com These 'Grapes' Leave a Sour Taste BY BONTA HILL
If you’re out there looking for smooth lyrics and classy beats, guess what? This CD is not for you. Hanif Jamiyl’s upcoming release of “Krushed Grapes” is a collection of sexy talk and booty-shaking beats. After listening to one song, you definitely know Jamiyl is from New York. With his smooth delivery, he makes it a point to involve sex and relationships with women in every song. “Let Him Go” has Jamiyl encouraging a mistreated and disrespected girl to get up and leave her man and it is the one song that is not all about erotic adventures. “Gyrations” will probably hit the clubs soon. It has the booty-shaking beats and Neptunes’ sound to it. The vocals on this track describe one-night stands and partying all night. “Let Him Go” and “Gyrations” would be two song that would make it to the iPod and that doesn’t say much about this CD. In all, if you’re looking for a classier Too Short, this album is for you. It hits shelves May 6, but don’t expect it to hit the top of the charts. e-mail: bonta.hill@theguardsman.com Spinning in the Web Sports Blog — Deadspin.com Link Dump — Kottke.org Community Reviews — Yelp.com PLAYED OUT — Myspace.com
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Students built San Francisco neighborhoods for a sixtieth anniversary architecture contest at Justin Herman Plaza.
Children warming up for the concert. 
