Archive for September, 2010

Vets need voice on campus, panel says

By Liza Porter

According to student veterans speaking on a panel at the Veterans in Higher Education Conference on September 16, college administrators need to listen carefully to veterans about what will make their transition into civilian and academic life easier.

The panel, titled “Ask Your Student Veterans and Listen,” was part of two days of keynote addresses, roundtable discussions and other presentations that took place at the University of Arizona Student Union Memorial Center on Sept. 16-17.

Ninety-two college administrators and student services staff traveled from nine states to attend the inaugural conference, including several from PCC.

Robert Rosinski, vice president of the UA Student Veterans of America Club, told the audience that veterans need to be on equal footing with college administration when it comes to decisions. Administration should be advocates for veterans, not absolute authorities.

Matt Randle, co-founder and student director of the UA V.E.T.S. (Veterans Education and Transition Services) Office, told the audience, “For us, our alma mater is the military. Who I am, the fiber of my mentality, how I handle situations, my tone, my language, all of that is based on stuff that I learned in the military.”

He said since veterans have more life experience than regular students, they should be treated more like graduate students.

“You wouldn’t treat a graduate student the same way you would treat an undergraduate,” Randle said.

“It explains why we need a voice in our process,” he added.

The UA vets club is in its third year of existence and has developed a good relationship with the UA administration, including achieving priority registration for vets.

Veterans on the GI Bill only have 36 months of benefits to drawn from, and if they can’t enroll in necessary classes, they’ll be on their own financially before they’ve earned their degrees.

It’s often a matter of staying in school or dropping out to get a job.

“If he can’t feed his baby and his wife,” Randle said, gesturing to a fellow vet in the audience, school won’t matter any more.

“He’ll quit, because that’s his priority,” he said.

The panel of veterans named four ways college administrators can help vets transition into college life: eliminate bureaucratic dead-ends, have vet-specific college advisors, have vet-specific financial aid advisors, and deal with the social aspects of reintegration through a vets center on campus.

PCC Chancellor Roy Flores attended the conference and had discussions with veterans at a lunch-time roundtable.

“It was clear from the conversation to me that we need to hear their voices directly,” he said. He plans to form an advisory committee of student veterans who will report to the vice presidents for student development and academics.

“The important thing is for the people who schedule classes, who provide student services to hear directly from the veterans,” Flores added.

“It’s one thing for us to kind of speculate about or get together and puzzle over it, it’s another thing to listen to them directly, because they know what they want, they know what they need.”

How long will it take to get the veterans advisory committee established?

“I don’t know,” Flores said. “But I expect things to be done quickly.”

According to a Spring 2010 report by the Veterans Resource Center of the California Community Colleges System, “A returning vet should be able to step onto a college campus and ask, ‘Where’s your VRC?’ Staffed by vets—and focused on services to promote academics, camaraderie, and wellness—referral to resources flow from there.

Flores agreed. “It’s important for them to have space, and we’ll provide space,” he said.

With regard to the tasks of eliminating bureaucratic dead-ends, and having vet-specific academic and financial aid advisors, Flores said, “We’re going to be conducting training for our people, advisors and counselors and everyone else, who all need to get up to speed, not just one or two people.”

Flores fully expects that these plans will bear fruit before the spring 2011 semester, when a new group of veterans will arrive to register for classes.

“I’m really impressed that they know what they want,” Flores said regarding his discussions with veterans at the conference. “And that’s important.”

“You have to share your power with us,” Randle told the conference audience. “One of the biggest challenges you will ever face is being willing to share that.”

But the payback is huge, he said. “The other side of it is we want none of the credit, we want none of the glory. And we’re as fiercely loyal as anyone you will ever know.”

AZTEC FICTION SERIES, Part 1, Adventures of a College Drama Queen: ‘Casting’

By April George

The alarm blared far too early, the flashing red numbers declaring “7:00.” Phoebe climbed out of bed. If today wasn’t so important, she would still be asleep but she had to be on campus early. The cast list would be posted.

A week earlier, the college drama department had held open auditions for the annual musical. This year’s selection was “Rent.” Phoebe had dreamed of being in the show ever since she’d seen it live in high school. She’d spent years preparing for her dream role as Maureen, the high-strung drama queen.

For her audition, she prepared Cassandra’s monologue from “Agamemnon” and chose the song “Gentlemen Aren’t Nice” by Emilie Autumn. She thought those two pieces showed the depth and range needed for the character. From the opening line of her monologue to the closing line of her song, she thought the audition had gone rather well.

Now the day of truth was upon her. She wanted to know before anyone else if she’d gotten the part. The early start had an added bonus anyway. She was falling behind on her schoolwork. She’d invested all her time in the audition, then on worrying about whether she got the part. She could use the extra hours on campus to catch up.

Michael, her boyfriend, met her in the drama department. He smiled. “The list isn’t up yet, but I’m sure you’ve got the part.”

Phoebe bit her lip. “I’m not sure. I mean, the audition went great but there’s probably someone better .”

“No one is better than you.” Michael nodded toward the cast board. The director was pinning up the list.

Phoebe raised an eyebrow. “Let’s see if I got it.” She slowly made her way to the board and scanned the list.

See the next issue of Aztec Press for Part 2

Online Extra: Football scores first blow-out win, falls to Glendale

Story and photos by Narciso Thomas Villarreal
Video by Lindsey Weldon

The Pima Community College football team lost its opening conference game, but has secured its best record since 2004.

The No. 7 Glendale Community College Gauchos, the only remaining undefeated team in the Western States Football League, beat the Aztecs 34-21 on Sept. 25 in the Valley of the Sun.

The loss to Glendale brings Pima to the .500 mark at 2-2. Glendale improved to a perfect 4-0 this season with the victory.

“It was a tough team,” Pima head coach Patrick Nugent said. “We gave them some points off turnovers, but I thought we played really well all the way around. We just couldn’t find a way to win it.”

Anthony Hughes

The Aztecs gained 256 total offensive yards with 192 passing yards and 64 rushing yards.

Pima’s starting freshman quarterback Zander McKean went 13-26 for a total of 151 passing yards and threw one interception.

“I just went out there, tried to give it my best, make good reads,” McKean said. “I feel like I played well but definitely room for improvement. I had some freshman mistakes.”

Sophomore tight end Trenton Kamins threw one pass and completed it for 41 yards.

Freshman running back Anthony Hughes scored a touchdown and led the team in rushing with 27 yards in four carries.

John Hughes

Sophomore receiver Scott Campbell had four catches for 44 total receiving yards. Freshman receiver Chris Howard had a 50-yard reception for a touchdown.

On the defensive end, Pima had 54 total tackles along with four sacks. Sophomore defensive back Ricky Solomon had an interception at Glendale.

Sophomore middle linebacker Brent Lush led Pima with seven total tackles, five of which were solo tackles.

“Even though I didn’t have as many tackles I was hoping for, the type of defense that we were running kind of just set it up that everybody made tackles,” Lush said.

Nine football players from the 2009 Glendale football team committed or signed to four-year college institutions. They were Adams State College, Emporia State University and the University of South Dakota.

The Aztecs beat the Bandits of New Mexico Prep Sports Academy in a 48-0 rout on Sept. 18.

In the blow-out victory, Pima gained 250 total offensive yards with 88 passing yards and 162 yards on the ground.

“We blew a lot of opportunities in the first half, fumbled a couple of times, had some bad mistakes,” Nugent said. “Putting up 48 points is something we need to do. It’s kind of a confidence builder. We got to know we can play football.”

Against New Mexico Prep, Pima scored a touchdown in each of the first two quarters and added 34 points in the second half while not allowing NMP to get on the scoreboard.

Aztec sophomore running back Andy Garcia scored three touchdowns as he rushed for 16 yards in five carries.

Adrian Brahler

McKean threw for 41 yards as he finished 10-12 and threw one touchdown pass. Campbell gained 36 receiving yards while making four catches.

On the defensive end, freshman cornerback Ronnie Burton intercepted a Bandits’ pass and returned the football 55 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter.

“That felt good,” Burton said. “I just felt good to give our team a little momentum, pick our team up because we were down a little bit.”

Special teams also contributed. After sophomore linebacker Justin Kitchen blocked a punt in the fourth quarter, sophomore safety Griffin Ronstadt recovered the football and returned it 21 yards for the touchdown.

“It felt pretty exciting,” Kitchen said about blocking the punt. “I told everyone I was going to block one.”

Ronstadt is tied for first in the WSFL in interceptions with two. Sophomore running back John Hughes is first in the league in punt returns with a 16.3 average.

New Mexico Prep is a post-high school academy for New Mexico student athletes. One goal of the academy is to prepare students both athletically and academically for universities.

Bandits must attend Central New Mexico Community College, which is located in Albuquerque. Student-athletes must take fewer than 12 credits.

The last time Pima hosted Scottsdale Community College, there were fireworks on the field in the Aztecs’ first game at Tucson Electric Park. This year, on Oct. 2 at 7 p.m., there will also be a fireworks show after the game.

Admission is $6 for adults, $4 for students and free for children under 12. Parking is free.

Too Many UA/PCC football Conflicts

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‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’

Mystery-thriller a brilliant novel

By April George

Readers seeking a great mystery to curl up with should choose “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.”

The novel takes readers on a literary roller-coaster along with the main characters, journalist Mikael Blomkvist and world-class hacker Lisbeth Salander.

Blomkvist, recently convicted of libel, is approached to solve a decades-old mystery. When he enlists title character Salander to help him, the two are launched into an unexpected journey whose ending will leave readers wanting more.

I recommend having lots of time on hand. Once started, the book is difficult to put down.

Along with the main narrative, the book begins to tell the story of Salander but purposefully does not reveal much. The reader is left questioning whether she should be liked or disliked.

The web of intrigue is the mystery surrounding the Vanger family. Its patriarch, Henrik, has enlisted Blomkvist to discover the truth about the disappearance of his niece, Harriet. Under the pretense of writing a family history, Vanger intends to crack open a case dormant since the 1960s.

“Tattoo” was written by Swedish author Steig Larsson, who also authored two sequels: “The Girl Who Played With Fire” and “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest.”

Larsson, who was himself a journalist, wrote the novels as a way to unwind after returning from his job each evening. He died of a heart attack in November 2004. The three novels, known as the Millennium Trilogy, were published posthumously in Swedish and English.

All three books have been made into Swedish films, and “Tattoo” will be made into a Hollywood film as well.

Part murder mystery, part romance novel and part thriller, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” has something to appeal to all readers. It’s a bit slow in the beginning, but stick with it. Once the story takes off, it’s definitely worth the read!

Grade: A-

Acting dazzles in film version

By Darcy Arizmendi

The first film of the Millennium Trilogy by Swedish author Steig Larsson provides a very strong start.

Unlike most books turned into movies, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” stays true to the source material. It’s so close, in fact, that some message boards argue the film summarizes events better than the novel.

The movie, filmed in Swedish, has English subtitles. Blu-ray and DVD versions offer an optional English dub. The second film in the trilogy, “The Girl Who Played With Fire,” is playing for a limited time at the Loft Cinema, and will be out on Blu-ray and DVD on Oct. 26.

Director Niels Arden Oplev starts “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” the same as the book. Hero Mikael Blomkvist, played by Michael Nyqvist, is in court facing libel charges. Before he begins serving prison time, he is asked to investigate a 40-year-old murder case.

Blomkvist is hesitant to help until he learns the victim was his childhood babysitter. Not long into his investigation, he feels like he has hit a wall. A computer message from hacker Lisbeth Salander, played by Noomi Rapace, guides him in the right direction.

After Blomkvist tracks her down, 24-year-old Salander agrees to help with the investigation. This is where the story gets legs and runs.

The storyline is great, but the real highlight is the actress who plays Salander. Rapace, who even put in real piercings to look more like her character, exactly resembles the woman Larsson described.

Rapace gives her character the necessary edge to play Salander. She excels while portraying the book’s most explicit and emotionally traumatizing parts.

This movie has a strong cast and true-to-book form, matched with a terrific sendoff that ties it together but leaves room for the next part of the trilogy. To say this movie deserves attention is selling it short. This film is one of the most important book adaptations in the last decade and requires attention.

Grade: A-

Popping the question

By Gabi Piña

Congratulations, you and your potential mate have survived your first few dates.

Now, depending on what kind of girl you gents are with, you might be feeling a little pressured to make your fling official.

Do not make any decisions until you are sure your feelings are sincere. Don’t jump on the bandwagon because you’re tired of being the third wheel.

Also, if you know she’s the one you want to be spending most of your time with, make sure that any potential side play is put to rest. Most girls are born with really good bull crap detectors and won’t stand being one of many.

Being intimate shouldn’t be on the top of your priority list at this point. Remember that double standards don’t work for most girls. Your butt will get the boot if getting in her pants is all you’re wanting from her.

Before putting a label on your love connection, make sure you really know your lady.

Confirm that she is willing to listen to you as much as she expects you to listen to her.

Don’t get yourself into a situation where it’s always give, give, give and you never get anything in return.

Depending on the level of seriousness of the relationship that’s being sought, most girls will want someone they can also call their best friend. Relationships are often healthier when feelings are established but couples start off as friends.

What if your friends don’t approve of your crush? It doesn’t matter. Don’t make them question your feelings for your lucky lady. Letting them make decisions for you will ruin any relationship you ever try to initiate.

Once you, yourself, are sure of what you feel for her, go ahead and take a leap of faith. After having evaluated your feelings for her over and over again, making her your girlfriend seems like the only appropriate thing to do.

By D.J. Ochoa

After a couple of amazing dates, day-long texting and nightly phone calls filled with “no, you hang up first,” you’re ready to peace out single life and try a committed relationship.

Hold your horses, little missy. Just because he is saying and doing everything right, do not sucker yourself into putting all your chips on the table. That’s how the house always wins.

Time is your best friend in cracking the theory of love and roping this “Prince Charming.”

Become friends with him. You desperately want him to be your next arm candy, but invest time getting to know the real person inside.

Invest time with him to show you are a fun gal who can be trusted with anything, because gaining his trust will be a key factor.

Do not invest your time in being too physical with him in the beginning. That’s how so many girls become late-night booty calls.

Remember ladies, he can find any number of girls to take to bed, but cracking into him emotionally will make him yours sooner than you might anticipate.

Becoming his friend will open the floodgates of emotions that he tries to hide in plain sight, but will make him feel secure around you.

You might become impatient with all your friends pushing you to make him your boyfriend, but being too pushy will only drive him away.

It’s like opening a fine bottle of wine. You do not pop the cork out and start chugging. You let the bottle breathe for a few moments, then indulge yourself in its rich taste.

That is what you have to do with your future love interest. Let him breath and figure out for himself that he cannot go another second without you as his girlfriend.

Soon enough, he’ll change his Facebook relationship status from “single” to “in a relationship” with your name below.

‘389 Miles’ screening Oct. 13

West Campus Student Life will screen the border life documentary “389 Miles” on Oct. 13 as part of Hispanic Heritage Month.

The screening will take place at 6 p.m. in the Proscenium Theater at West Campus Center for Fine Arts.

“We chose to screen ‘389 Miles’ because we feel it touches topics that affect a lot of the Hispanic population,” West Campus Student Government President Sugey Lopez said. “Immigration law particularly.”

The filmmaker, Luis Carlos Davis, is a native of the Nogales area. He was inspired to create the film after realizing the unique perspective he had growing up along the border.

The film documents Davis as he hikes, drives and walks along the border area. He interviews lifelong residents, Border Patrol agents, Minutemen and, in one instance, a human smuggler.

The smuggler’s insistence on anonymity led to Davis packing a Mexican wrestling mask to ensure the interview could take place.

-By David Mendez

Playstation Move: Like Wii, but with balls

By Darcy Arizmendi

Back in 2006, Nintendo came out with the Wii, which has gone on to sell more than 70 million units worldwide. Now Sony offers competition with its Move system.

At first glance, Move seems to be a Wii clone. However, one must imitate to innovate. If Audio Highway had never invented the MP3 player, Apple would not have made the iPod.

Move is different from its competitor because it uses augmented reality. That means Move movement takes place in a 3D space.

Here’s how it works: Sony uses a Playstation Eye camera, which comes with the Move bundle.  The camera tracks the Move controller via light coming from a ball on the controller’s tip.

The tracking is better than any experience I have ever had on Wii, and is about as close to 1:1 movement as you can get.

Another selling point for Move is that you can dual-wield two motion controllers at once. This feature really shines when you play the bundled gladiator-style fight game, “Sports Champions.”

Despite the impressive technology, a few drawbacks leave this hardware just shy of revolutionary.

To play games with Move, you need room and lots of it. The games I played recommended having at least 6-8 feet of free space.

In addition, each game suggests different space ranges. This gets old after playing five games or so.

Lastly, support. Move launched with only a few titles. Even fewer seem compelling or engaging. So far, the title I have had the most fun with is “Tumble.” Surprisingly, that’s not a retail game and can only be purchased digitally on the Playstation Network.

The Move is a device with all the potential of a good slap of clay. It’s flexible and can be molded into something special. That means we must rely on the developers at Sony and third-party companies to create worthy experiences.

Grade: B+

‘Halo: Reach’ well polished

By D.J. Ochoa

Since the beginning of the Xbox console era, there has been one title that captured countless fanboys’ attention and deprived them of sleep.

That game title is Halo. With the new release of Halo: Reach (exclusively for the Xbox 360), fans of this beloved series will be proud of the work that Bungie put into this game.

Since this will be the last Halo that Bungie works on, it’s no surprise to see how well polished Reach is.

From the vast level design to customization options, Reach will have gamers spending hours indulging themselves. Players can earn points during play that allow them to customize their Spartan with vast armory.

What I found most impressive is how each mode (campaign, firefight and multiplayer) complements the other.

The campaign, played either solo or online with a four-player co-op, begins with you playing as a rookie named Nobel 6 of Nobel Team.

You are set in the planet Reach (hence the title of the game), fighting the good fight against the Covenant.

The story line of the campaign plays as a prequel leading to the Halo trilogy. The campaign takes roughly 9-10 hours to complete. It is filled with enormous battle sequences, crazy vehicles and the first aerial combat in the franchise.

Other great additions are features like sprinting, jet packs (yes, you read right — jet packs!) and invisible armor.

Firefight mode, introduced in Halo:ODST, lands in Reach with great additions that help it meet its full potential. Players have numerous options to customize their firefight mode while taking on wave after wave of enemies.

One of the most entertaining parts of Reach is the multiplayer. Halo is known for its multiplayer, and Reach has not done much to change it.

So, get your hands on Reach and start racking up those killing sprees.

Take a trip to ‘Town’

By Jonathan Fraser

Ben Affleck does it all: he can direct, act and write screenplays. Affleck returns to the big screen as a director three years after his debut with “Gone Baby Gone,” and his return was well worth the wait.

In “The Town,” Affleck masterfully depicts life in Charlestown, Mass., a single square mile that produces more bank and armored car robbers than any other place in the world.

You get the sense that this small town filled with crime is the kind of place where everyone knows everyone, but if they’re asked, they “didn’t see nothin.’”

Affleck plays the main character, Doug McCray, the architect behind all the bank robberies. McCray is trying to change his life and leave Charlestown. He maintains his loyalty to those he grew up with and avoids the FBI as he continues to rob banks and armored trucks.

Meanwhile, McCray unexpectedly falls in love with a bank manager (played by Rebecca Hall) after he and his group hold her hostage.

“The Town” has great acting and lots of action. The progressive story line never gets dull and is free of filler scenes. This is one of the best movies to come out in a long time and proves Affleck has what it takes to be a successful director.

Grade: A+

For movie showings:

Hispanic Heritage Month

Jimena Duarte and Jose Baca Folklorico Tapatio lean in for a stylized smooch while performing.

Colorful Folklorico dancing.

Try downloading Flipboard

By Jonathan Fraser

You know the routine. Pick up a magazine or newspaper, skim through it until you find the articles you want to read. Meanwhile, the rest of the publication goes to waste.

Developers at Apple think it does not have to be this way. They now offer a free Flipboard application through the Apple App Store. While not perfect, the Flipboard shows great promise.

The idea is simple yet effective. Gather all the links and images that interest you and your friends, and display them on your iPad in a magazine-style layout.

Imagine getting all of your Facebook and Twitter updates in a visually appealing form, full of links and images, instead of simply scrolling through feeds.

Better yet, you get a picture and summary of each link or article. If you decide to open the link, you’re taken directly to the source.

Flipboard debuted in June, with mixed reviews. Apple has since released a software update that corrects several issues.

You can now add 21 sections (such as Twitter, news feeds, etc.) as opposed to nine.

The update also allows the user to save content for offline browsing and includes automatic refreshing as new content becomes available.

For Facebook and Twitter, you can now leave feedback and comment on either account straight from your Flipboard.

If you have the original version of Flipboard, the update is available from the App Store. All you need is an iPad running iOS 3.2 or later.

If you do not yet have Flipboard, I would highly recommend downloading it. It is a fun and entertaining way to keep up with all of your social networks, media and news.

Grade: B

In Tucson, fall means festivals galore

By Miki Jennings

Turning the calendar page to October marks several milestones in Tucson: the sun finally tones down for fall, department stores fill with Halloween goodies and a broad variety of festivals start popping up around town.

Check out these fall events on Tucson’s festival scene:

Tucson Oktoberfest

Sept. 30-Oct. 3

Now in its ninth year, Tucson Oktoberfest takes place at Hi Corbett Field, 3400 E. Camino Campestre. With food, bands, dancing, a children’s play area and more than 100 arts and crafts booths, the festival provides fun for the whole family. Hours: 6-10 p.m. on Thursday, noon to 11 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission: $3, free for children under age 11. Free admission Sept 30 with a monetary donation to Tucson Optimists Childhood Cancer Campaign. Festival proceeds benefit Optimist Clubs of Tucson.

Additional details: www.tucsonoktoberfest.org

Nightfall 2010 – 20 Years of Terror

Oct. 1-31

Old Tucson, on the far west side at 201 S. Kinney Road, transforms itself into an award-winning haunted town for Halloween. Hours: Fridays and Saturdays: 6 p.m. to midnight; Wednesdays, Thursdays, Sundays: 6-10 p.m. Admission: $25 adults, $20 children.

Additional details: 883-0100 or www.oldtucson.com/2010/05/nightfall-2010-20-years-of-terror

Oktoberfest on Mount Lemmon

Oct. 2-3, 9-10

Get your drink on at a higher altitude at Mount Lemmon’s Ski Valley, 10300 Ski Run Road. Admission is free; parking costs $4. The 30-year-old German festival features entertainment and traditional cuisine. Food plates cost $10-12.

Additional details: 576-1400 or www.skithelemmon.com

Tucson Film and Music Festival

Oct. 7-11

Celebrate deep-rooted local talent at the fifth annual Tucson Film and Music Festival. Watch independent documentaries, music videos, animated shorts and narrative features at five city theaters, and catch local bands at venues such as the Rialto and the Hut. Tickets range from $3 to $20, with a limited number of multi-day passes available.

Additional details: www.upstairsfilm.com/tucsonfilmandmusicfestival

Buckelew Farm

17000 W. Ajo Way

Pumpkin Festival:

Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 9-10, Oct. 16-17, Oct. 23-24, Oct. 30-31

Ride in a tractor-drawn wagon to pick your own pumpkins. Shop in the arts and crafts tent, play games, visit a 4-H petting zoo and race on a pedal cart track. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission: $4. Food for sale includes hamburgers, corn on the cob, Indian fry bread and homemade pumpkin pie. Festival visitors pay separate admission to explore a corn maze: $8 adults, $6 ages 6-12, free for ages 5 and under.

Corn Maze Flashlight Nights:

Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 8-9, Oct. 15-16, Oct. 22-23, Oct. 29-30

College Nights Out: Thursday, Oct. 21; Thursday, Oct. 28; Sunday, Oct. 31

Hours: 5 p.m. to midnight. Cost: $13 per person. Flashlights: $5, or bring your own.

Terror in the Corn (Haunted Cornfield):

Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 8-9, Oct. 15-16, Oct. 22-23, Oct. 29-30

College Nights Out: Thursday, Oct. 21; Thursday, Oct. 28; Sunday, Oct. 31

Hours: after dark (6:30-ish) to midnight. Cost: $20 per person includes Corn Maze by flashlight and Haunted Cornfield. On Oct. 21 and 28, $5 off admission with college ID.

Additional details: 822-2277 or www.buckelewfarm.com

Pride On Parade:

Friday, Oct. 8

Tucson’s annual gay pride weekend kicks off at 6 p.m. with a parade that starts on Fourth Avenue and ends at Winsett Stage between Seventh and Eighth streets for a block party.

Pride in the Desert:

Saturday, Oct. 9

Events at Reid Park from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. include performances by gay, lesbian and transgender artists and the drag king dance group Boys R Us. New this year: a dance stage that gives participants a place to cut loose and groove to the music. Vendor booths will offer informational displays and free goodies. Tickets cost $13 in advance, $15 at the door.

Additional details: www.tucsonpride.org

Tucson Meet Yourself

Oct. 8-10

Bring your appetite for diverse food and cultural fun to the 37^th annual Tucson Meet Yourself folklife festival (also known as Tucson Eat Yourself.) The free three-day festival at a variety of downtown venues spotlights more than 60 ethnic groups with performers, folk artists and vendors. This year’s event includes a Get Moving Tucson 10-Mile Run and 5K Family Fun Run-Walk at 8 a.m. Saturday. Festival hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Additional details: www.tucsonmeetyourself.org

Arizona State Fair (Phoenix)

Oct. 15-Nov. 7

The Arizona State Fair boasts an impressive lineup of entertainment, from musical acts to an Arizona Dames All-Girl Roller Derby bout. Of course there are also the Fair staples of rides, games and food. Musicians such as The B-52s, Megadeth, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Selena Gomez (how’s that for variety?) will perform on stage on different nights at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Reserved seating costs $15 to $20. General admission seating is free with Fair admission. The Fair is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Hours and admission costs vary.

Additional details: (602) 252-6771 or www.azstatefair.com

Club Crawl

Saturday, Oct. 16

Music lovers aged 21 and up can mosey their way downtown for Tucson Weekly’s Fall Club Crawl. Eighty bands will play at 25 venues around the downtown/Fourth Avenue area and at six outdoor stages on Congress Street and Fourth Avenue. The eclectic music includes reggae, blues, jazz, honky-tonk, folk, Dutch indie-rock and a rockabilly group consisting of a man and his 18-, 14- and 9-year old sons (I’m not making this up, they’re called Mad Max & the Wild Ones!) Tickets cost $8 in advance, $10 at the door.

Additional details: www.clubcrawl.net

AIDS Walk

Sunday, Oct. 17

AIDS Walk Tucson, held on the University of Arizona campus, hopes 6,000 walkers will help raise $180,000 to benefit the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation. Supporters can sign up for a 5K walk or 10K Fun Run, or sponsor a team or individual. 2010 marks the 22^nd annual AIDS Walk in Tucson, and the 25^th anniversary of programs that provide services to Tucsonans who are infected, at risk or otherwise affected by HIV/AIDS. Walk registration begins at 7 a.m.

Additional details: 628-7223 or www.aidswalktucson.org

Southern Arizona Blues Heritage Festival

Sunday, Oct. 17

Enjoy the blues from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Reid Park. Performers will include Janiva Magness, Sergio Mendoza y la Orkesta, Neon Prophet, The Sugar Thieves, The Coolers, Arizona Mass Choir and a Blues Challenge winner, Bryan Dean Trio. Festival admission costs $10 for adults, and is free for ages 17 and under.

Additional details: www.azblues.org/Festival

All Souls Procession

Sunday, Nov. 7

Participants will walk two miles through downtown Tucson for the All Souls Procession, which serves as a way to honor the dead and grieve for lost loved ones by dressing up and celebrating life. Some 20,000 walkers, artists and mourners will parade down streets decorated with art that has been installed for the event. They complete the walk by burning offerings and wishes for the deceased in a large urn. Participants will meet at Epic Cafe at Fourth Avenue and University Boulevard at 5 p.m., and leave at 6 p.m.

Additional details: www.allsoulsprocession.org

CRACKING WISE: Internet Idiots Abound

By David Mendez

I, like most of you who have Internet access at work, spend a lot of time online. (Though, like all of you, I never waste class time online. Right? No, don’t nod your head or your instructor will notice. Good job.)

This may come as a shock, but as a journalist I keep up with the news quite a bit — newspaper websites, blogs, webcomics about stick figures, etc.

Unfortunately, despite being intelligent, witty and charming, I appear to lack the sense to stay away from the comment section of these sites.

I’m no stranger to the vitriol of the Internet. After all, I play Call of Duty online. There’s nothing quite like hearing a 12-year-old tell you what he did with your mother last night.

Still, something special happens when you give regular, decent human beings the freedom to anonymously comment on subjects they know nothing about: they become one of any variety of Internet douche bags.

If you’ve spent any time on the Internet, you know what I’m talking about. There’s the standard ill-informed conservative, screaming that our president is a Muslim who hates White America (which, by admission, isn’t one of Eminem’s better songs.)

There’s the touchy minority defender who screams that any mention of a person’s nationality is racism, completely ignoring that the phrase “pot calling the kettle black” has nothing to do with African-American cookware.

There’s also the standard Internet belief that anyone who stands for gay rights has to be gay. That is so blindingly stupid that I don’t even want to waste time sarcastically refuting it.

Last, but certainly not finally, there’s “tl;dr” which is shorthand for “too long; didn’t read.” That happens to be shorthand for “I give you full permission to ignore my forthcoming opinion on the Playstation 3, which is what I think this article might be about based on the title.”

Let’s be real with ourselves here, people. Unless you’ve got a need for attention comparable to anyone on “Dancing With The Stars” (my football savior Kurt Warner excepted), don’t be an Internet douche bag. Life’s just easier that way, kids.

For the record, my mother is a lovely, happily married woman — and if you cross her, she’ll destroy you on Call of Duty.

Chipotle Grill can tame roaring appetites

By D.J. Ochoa

We Tucsonans know a thing or two about Mexican cuisine. Living just a few miles from the border has enhanced our taste buds.

Fellow hungry enthusiasts, Chipotle Mexican Grill serves food that will surely satisfy your appetite.

Chipotle is a chain fast-food restaurant with seven Tucson locations and a limited menu — burritos, tacos, burrito bowls and salads. Do not let those facts discourage you from checking this place out.

What Chipotle lacks in variety, it makes up in quality.

Walking into the restaurant on University Boulevard, I was greeted by a rich aroma of steak and chicken being grilled. The workers preparing food behind the counter greeted me warmly.

I was feeling particularly hungry after long hours of lectures, so decided to order a steak burrito. But, ordering a burrito at Chipotle is not as simple as you might think. No sir. There are three steps involved.

First, an employee heats a tortilla and smacks a spoonful of rice and beans (your choice of black or pinto) in the center. You can also request fajita peppers, which I did.

Second, you decide what type of meat will be added: steak, chicken or barbacoa.

Third, select condiments to add more flavor to an already mouth-watering delectable. Choices include three sauces, lettuce, sour cream, corn, cheese and guacamole.

After the monster tortilla is rolled to trap all the ingredients inside, it’s time to feast!

I was impressed with how each ingredient complemented the others. The steak was finely cooked, each condiment added its own flavor and the tortilla was strong enough to hold everything in place. It was just the right size to satisfy my roaring stomach.

So, take a break from late-night sessions at Viva Burritos, and try Chipotle. You won’t be disappointed.

Arts Briefs

Faculty presents

Oct. 3 recital

The Pima Community College performing arts department will host a “Raymond T. Ryder & Friends” music faculty recital on Sunday, Oct. 3, at 3 p.m. in the West Campus Center for the Arts Recital Hall.

Ryder, a pianist, will be joined by Eileen Perry on piano, Carol Christofferson on clarinet, Ann Weaver on viola and Michael Keepe on saxophone, and vocalists Jonathon Ng and Nancy Davis Booth.

They will perform a variety of chamber music featuring piano in collaboration with instruments and voice.

The program includes Mozart’s “Kegelstatt” trio, Handel arias for solo voice with piano and a serenade of 20^th century French music for saxophone and piano.

Other performances will feature “Pas de Deux” from the ballet suite “Souvenirs” and Schubert’s “Shepherd on the Rock.”

Tickets are $6, with discounts available. For additional information, call the box office at 206-6986 or visit www.pima.edu/cfa.

-By Marie Rodriguez

Poetry reading

features Bitsui

Pima Community College will host a poetry reading and book signing by local poet Sherwin Bitsui on Tuesday, Oct. 5, from 10:30-11:30 a.m. at Northwest Campus, room A-207.

Bitsui will read excerpts from his 2009 poetry collection “Flood Song,” which received the Before Columbus Foundation’s 2010 American Book Award. He will sign copies after the reading.

The author is a native Arizonan from the Navajo reservation in White Cone, Ariz. He currently lives in Tucson.

Bitsui has been described by critics as “a powerful young talent, at the forefront of a new generation of Native writers.” He has won numerous awards for his poetry, as well as the 2008 Tucson MOCA Local Genius Award.

For additional information, visit www.pima.edu or call Northwest Campus at 206-2200.

-By Stephanie Missouri