Directors deserve a final say on their films (if there’s something new to say)

Share: With many movies emerging from a 90-minute runtime to a 2-hour runtime, it has become a modernized form of cinematic storytelling for some film directors to release “director’s cuts” of their movies. Their films are typically released with a shorter runtime due to many possible reasons spanning from budget cuts and studio executives’ interventions. A director’s cut of a film should only be absolutely released if it is necessary and serves a purpose for the director and their circumstances. Ridley Scott, known for directing …

Students appreciate extra sick days provided by new state law

Share: In the latest blitz of legislative action in the state, Governor Gavin Newsom signed on Oct. 4, 2023 a California Senate Bill that increased the number of  sick days per year from three to five.     Students at Pasadena City College welcome the new changes with relief and appreciation.  Renzo Palomino is a freshman biology major at PCC, complemented on the new law not for himself, but for his mother who works as a dental assistant and FedEx employee.   “She thinks that law will benefit …

C you later: C-Building is now the Jack Scott Building

Share: Celebrating his legacy and commitment to the college, the Pasadena City College Board of Trustees re-dedicated the administration building to honor former PCC president Dr. Jack Scott at a ceremony last Thursday. Scott served as president of Pasadena City College from 1987 to 1995, laying the groundwork for a $150 million bond program that revitalized the college’s facilities and infrastructure. During his presidency, he oversaw the construction of five new buildings, including the Shatford Library. “Even after he began his retirement, although we all …

5 silly, spooky movies will make you laugh and cry this Halloween

Share: Horror films and Halloween go together like masked killers and stupid teenagers. However, the horror genre has become far more diverse over the years, with films such as, “Get Out,” “Hereditary,” and last year’s “Barbarian,” proving how capable horror can be at telling meaningful stories. As great as those films are, they don’t exactly scream “Halloween”. The mood for this time of year should feel more “spooky monster scary, not grandma died scary”, to quote Donald Glover’s Troy Barnes from “Community”. That being said, …

Something new under the sun: PCC Observatory sheds light on partial eclipse

Share: At 8:30 a.m. last Saturday morning, 9-and-a-half year old Nathan and his aunt, Lorena, hung out on the roof of Lot 4 at PCC. They perched on a cement curb and gazed at a tiny shape on a square of paper. Nathan explained what he was looking at.  “You basically just want to line it up, and you’ll be able to see the curving,” he said. Armed with a simple pinhole camera that he had made downstairs with the help of volunteers from the …

Women’s soccer massacres Compton in true Friday the 13th fashion

Share: The Lancers walked onto the Robinson Stadium Field for their Friday the 13th game-intent on proving themselves after their 4-0 loss against Long Beach. That was just what they achieved in a 5-0 blowout victory over Compton College. Compton scarcely had a chance against the rebounding PCC team, who lost their historic 13 game unbeaten streak on Tuesday.  Within the first four minutes of the game, the Lancers asserted themselves as a powerful force on the field with a goal against Compton. This first …

At best, Kevin de León is a moron. At worst, he ruins the future for Latinos in office

Share: When everyone, including the President of the United States, wants someone out of office, that’s the sign to get bags packed and run for the hills, going as far away from an office with an assistant as humanly possible. Unfortunately, Los Angeles District 14 Councilmember Kevin de León did not get the memo. His unbearable ego outweighs any semblance of accountability or dignity after private, racist conversations surfaced online in 2022 involving de León and three other Councilmembers, embarrassing District 14, my district, in …

‘Era’s Tour’ captures the intimate concert experience on the big screen

Share: It’s March of 2023, and life is not great. A slew of personal issues and the fact that I had missed out on tickets to Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated “Eras Tour” had me feeling really bummed. But one day while out with my family I heard the magic words that every Swiftie wanted to hear, “Congratulations! You got tickets to Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour!” To say I was ecstatic wouldn’t properly convey everything running through my head. Fast forward to Aug 4, and …

Polarization in war drowns out those who need to be heard

Share: Everytime something in the media surfaces about an internationally significant situation, millions across the media, social media, and other forms of sharing become a cesspool of “armchair geopolitical experts.” It muddies the waters and dims the voices of those who actually need to be heard, which in this case is one’s with bombs being dropped on their homes, who are facing the brunt of ethnic cleansing, war crimes, genocide and the denial of their dignity as human beings.  The discussions that take place on …

PCC set to create first responder training facility in Fall 2024

Share: Pasadena City College is planning a first responder’s hub that will house the new wildland firefighter program, fire technology classes, EMT program, and a paramedic program. “I think it’s a good thing,” said EMT instructor, Joseph Kalilikani. “I think that the opportunity to put students closer to their goals, because most of our students are in the Fire Department route, so being in the neighborhood of the Pasadena training grounds, and the fire science stuff, and if the paramedic program gets off the ground …