Corsair
Neo-Nazi Rally
See page 3
The Santa Monica College Newpaper
Volume XCIX, Issue 8
www.thecorsaironline.com
Informing Since 1929
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Tiffany Inabu AS President Newly elected Associated Students’ President Tiffany Inabu at a regular meeting of the student Board of Directors in the Cayton Center.
By Alica Forneret Staff Writer It is 9 p.m. on Thursday and the polls are closing. After 14 hours of campaigning, a tired presidential candidate walks across a deserted SMC campus. Luckily for Tiffany Inabu, her hard work on the last day of the AS presidential campaign paid off. The next time she would set foot on campus she would be the officially elected AS President for the 2010-2011 school year. Inabu is a second-year student at SMC
hailing from Quartz Hill High School in Lancaster. She spent the majority of her time as a drum major. Now she is teetering between a political science and global studies major at SMC. After entering college, Inabu became heavily involved with student government and campus organizations. She did not know anyone on campus when she first arrived and was initially encouraged to become involved with student government by a classmate. She is now part of eight school organizations and currently holds the AS
Professor resigns, controversy continues for the AET students By Daniel Ross Staff Writer A bitter dispute between SMC administrators and an instructor came to a climax last week when Professor Bill Hogan formally resigned from his position, alleging that his students were targeted because of his frequent public criticisms. Hogan’s campaign included a series of Facebook protests, YouTube videos and frequent letters to SMC’s top officials condemning the AET campus administrative policies and hygiene standards. Hogan, professor of Interior Architectural Design (INTARC), also claimed that the INTARC program’s “funding, resources and teaching hours”
were being unfairly compromised as a result of a “grudge against the Interior Architectural department.” In response to Hogan’s resignation, President Chui L. Tsang said that it is “a personnel matter,” that will be “treated confidentially as will all personnel matters.” Tsang also said Hogan’s allegations regarding antagonistic practices targeting INTARC students would be looked into, and “proper actions” would be taken to “correct the situations if needed.” Among a long list of grievances, Hogan said that his students were denied access to the AET drafting rooms in
See ‘Hogan resigns’ on page 5
budget management chair position. And she works two jobs. “Sometimes I don’t have time to eat during the day so dinner comes at nine, ten o’clock. And that’s okay,” said Inabu. “I’ve gotten used to it. Sometimes I have time to eat, which is great.” Once the school week has ended, she spends most of her weekend studying and catching up from the week. As much as Inabu enjoys being involved with so many facets of campus life, she realizes that being elected AS president may force her to reduce the number of
Terrence Timmins Corsair
activities she partakes in. In the fall semester, when she takes her seat at the head of AS board meetings, she will still be swamped with work, classes and presidential responsibilities, but she looks forward to it all. “I think I’m going to have to take a step back a little bit from certain things,” she said. “I still have to be a full-time student and everything, because academics do come first.” Future AS Vice President Chantelle Eastman is confident about Inabu’s ability
See ‘Inabu, AS president‘ on page 4
Israeli Independence Day sparks discussion By Bryn Woznicki Staff Writer Students celebrating Israel’s Independence Day by dancing, waving Israeli flags and eating free falafel were met by protesters from Students for Social Justice in SMC’s quad on April 20, 2010. Hosted by Santa Monica College’s Pride and Hillel clubs, students marked the 62nd anniversary of David Ben-Gurion, the first Israeli prime minister to lead after Israel was declared an independent state. The demonstrators presence was small, with a handful of SSJ members passing out flyers and holding up signs saying things like, “They Say Celebration But All We See Is Occupation,” and “Jews and Arabs Refuse to be Enemies.” Leeor Braude, Associated Students director of publicity, and co-organizer
See ‘Israeli Independence Day’ on page 5
Monique Michaels Corsair
Moran Keren dances in celebration of the Israeli Independence day celebrated on the quad on April 20.
02
THIS WEEK
Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College
Wednesday april 21, 2010 Santa Monica College
Corsair
Newspaper
Spring 2010 Staff
Jessica Thomas Guiliana Dakdouk Indah Datau Antoine Themistocleous Rebecca Slawter Dan Bluemel Brandon Quin Ingrid Rosales Carly Gillis Teresa Raschilla Debbie Vasquez
Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Photo Editor Photo Editor News Editor Opinion Editor Sports Editor Calendar Editor Lifestyle Editor Online Editor Arts Canvas Editor
Staff
Michael Zielinski Corsair A pollen-laden bee explores a calla lily at Occean View Farms in Los Angeles.
News
Opinion
AS Elections Tiffany Inabu Bill Hogan Resigns Israeli Independence Day Nazi Rally New Dance/PE Building Obama Drills 4/20 Legalizations Obama’s the new Bush
3, 4, & 5
6 & 7
Calendar
Lifestyle
Coachella The Shout Out Louds Martin Lubner Exhibit
30 Days of Going Green Barfly Food Truck ‘Soy’anara to Soy?
10 & 11
12 & 13
Alessandra Catanese, Alfredo Luna, Alica Forneret, Althea Anderson, Anthony Pantoja, Astrid le Noine, Brian White, Bryn Woznicki, Christian Nussey, Daniel Ross, Danyale Kotur, David Carranza, David Dolmage, Emil Norlen, Eric Tipton, Farhan Ali, Jeannel Phillips, Jennifer Martinez, Jeremy Biglow, Jeremy Condamine, John Stapleton IV, Jorge Valdovinos, Joseph E Mouallem, Jung Shim, Katie Madejska, Kenneth Robinson, Kevin Duron, Lauren Freeman, Lillie Grossman, Linda Konde, Lyndsay Smith, Marley St. John, Michael Mendoza, Michael Zielinski, Monique Michaels, Nicole Ritter, Quandinae Woods, Sal Guerra, Sammy Soliman, Sean Carpenter, Sean Mazzapica, Tannaz Lavian, Tara Murphy, Tené Anderson, Terrence Timmins, Tieg Slattery, Tracy Navarro
Advertising Consultant Deirdre Weaver corsairad@yahoo.com
Graphic Design Jhosef A. Hern
Computer Consultant Agnius Griskevicius
Faculty Advisors Saul Rubin and Gerard Burkhart
Letters to the editor are encouraged. They should be no longer than 250 words and must be signed by the writer. corsair.editorinchief@gmail.com
Photo Story
Nazi Rally
8 & 9
Sports
Weekly Fitness Women’s Tennis
Corrections: Issue 7 should have read that AS Presidential hopeful Kayo Johnson is involved with the Pico
15 & 16
Neighborhood Student Association, not the Pico Community Board of Students. Donna Davoodi’s name was misspelled in the front picture caption.
Business and Editorial Offices Letters to the Editor 1900 Pico Blvd., LS 172 Santa Monica, CA 90405 Phone: (310) 434-4340 Classified Ads: Daily Bruin (310) 825-2221 First copy of the Corsair is free, each after is 25 cents.
Wednesday April 21, 2010
NEWS
Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College
03
Neo-Nazis draw hostile crowd in downtown LA By Dan Bluemel Opinion Editor Tensions flared Saturday in downtown Los Angeles when a group of neo-Nazis, rallying in front of City Hall, were met by counterdemonstrators. Flanked by a riot-ready LAPD, members of the National Socialist Movement, a white supremacist political party, spoke about their desire for a white-only nation. Speakers called for the removal of all immigrants and blamed failed immigration policies for current crime rates. “Illegal aliens are draining our resources and taking our jobs,” said Mike Schlayer, who holds the rank of captain within the NSM. “They are trying to breed us out of existence while they leech off Social Security and the welfare system.” Counter-demonstrators arrived early and were cordoned off by police tape, keeping them far from NSM members. A multitude of LAPD officers were on-site forming several columns that protected the small number of neo-Nazis. NSM members, dressed in black fatigues, helmets and combat boots, mostly taunted counter-demonstrators by shouting racially inflammatory language, calling AIDS an “anally inflicted death sentence” and tearing up and stepping on the flags of Israel and Mexico. “Speak English people, or get out,” Schlayer said to the angry crowd of protesters. The NSM announced at the rally their plans for this November’s elections. “We’re going to be running candidates soon to get seats,” said NSM Southern California Regional Director
Jennifer Martinez Corsair Ivette Felarca shouts as the LAPD protects Nazis from protesters at the Nazi rally on Broadway Blvd. by City Hall in downtown Los Angeles on April 17, 2010.
Jeff Hall in a telephone interview. “That’s the way we’re going to reclaim the southwest.” Hall elaborated on his party’s broader intentions. “Why can’t we whites make a white nation?” he said. “There’s nothing wrong with being white. There’s nothing wrong with having our own nation.” Although counter-demonstrators acknowledged the NSM’s first amendment rights, emotions still ran strong at what they considered hate-speech.
“They have the right to express whatever they want,” said Ceasar Galindo, a Latino protestor who heard about the NSM rally from a friend. “They don’t want us here, but I don’t know…I feel upset right now. They are against everyone. That’s totally wrong.” SMC student Orlando Pardo was present at the demonstration. As a first-generation American, he came to express his solidarity with immigrants. Pardo regards the NSM as a “backward movement” that is trying
pushed from Monday, March 15 to Monday, March 22. He said that AS desired a lively competition but that many of the available spots had not been filled by candidates. Two slates were developed, the Your Organized Underdog slate and the F.A.C.T.S. slate. Accompanying them on the ballot were independents such as Kayo Johnson for President and Kendal
Slevin spent time away from the elections to partake in CALPIRG activities and others could be seen studying on and off in the cafeteria, computers posed for any passing students willing to take the time to vote. Polling booths were set up at two different locations on campus during the week of April 5, allowing students to vote during their down time. Incentives of free ice
to scapegoat immigrants for America’s economic problems. “There’s a lot of immigrant bashing going on right now,” he said. “People point out immigrants as the problem, but [the real problems are] things like the war machine that we pour billions of dollars into.” John Houy attended the demonstration over a personal matter. “My father got shot by the Nazis in World War II,” he said. “That’s a good enough reason.” Even though he disapproves of NSM’s beliefs, Houy supports the organization’s right to peaceably assemble. “I believe in free speech, but I want them to understand there’s a lot of people who don’t like them,” he said. After the rally, the neo-Nazis were escorted by the LAPD to a parking lot on the other side of North Spring Street. Demonstrators gathered on the outside of the lot. When one NSM member’s car failed to start, demonstrators began throwing bottles and rocks, causing the neo-Nazis to use shields to protect themselves while they attempted to jump-start the vehicle. No one was hurt in the incident, but one member’s car was damaged. Jim Lafferty, executive director of the National Lawyers Guild, Los Angeles Chapter, acted as a legal observer for the demonstrators. He said there were a few instances of police using their batons and pushing over demonstrators in an attempt to secure the parking lot. LAPD reported five arrests for minor vandalism due to people throwing eggs and rocks. Reporting assisted by John Stapleton IV and Carly Gillis
Campaigning practices failed to win student votes By Alica Forneret Staff Writer
some students, but failed at attracting most. The final attempt to get people interested People walked out of their morning in the elections was candidate row, held classes on Thursday, April 8 to find Thursday, April 8, during the last day themselves bombarded by a mob of fellow of the election. Candidates positioned SMC students carrying laptops, fliers and themselves in the quad during activity asking the question that everyone had hour, turned on some music and took heard at least ten times that afternoon: their laptops directly to students to “Have you voted yet?” garner votes before the 4 p.m. deadline. The frantic candidates and blasting After polls closed at 11:59 p.m. later that music signaled the closing of polls that day, it became clear that the majority of the afternoon at 4 p.m. for Associated Student student population had not voted. elections. In a last ditch effort to get When asked what he thinks is the main students interested in voting, the election issue Uzunyan said, “That’s a question I’ve committee hosted candidate row in the been trying to answer myself. I think that quad giving SMC students and faculty the for the most part there’s a huge group of opportunity to personally meet each slate people that don’t take enough classes to be and independent runner. interested.” This year the polls racked up 2,106 voters Another reason students were out of the school’s population of over 35,000 uninformed, said Uzunyan, is that “the students. The number of voters decreased candidates didn’t understand that they could by 460 votes from the last elections. start campaigning that Thursday [March Friday, April 9, candidates were informed 25].” I didn’t see some of the independent about the results via e-mail. Tiffany candidates until the last minute.” Inabu was elected AS president, Michael Uzunyan blames the AS for the lack of event Song for student trustee, and Chantelle and candidate publicity, but also feels that Guiliana Dakdouk Corsair students have a responsibility to inform Eastman for Vice President. To view the complete list of election results, visit the Blum for Director of Financial Support. cream coupons were offered to anyone who themselves about what is going on around AS Web site link from SMC’s homepage. Although most candidates did not participated and students entered in a raffle campus. “It’s published information,” said The election process began on Monday, immediately begin publicizing, they were to win a laptop, gift cards and other prizes. Uzunyan. “You’ve just got to take it in and March 22 when candidates were required technically given from Thursday, March On Tuesday, April 6, AS hosted the process it.” to have all paperwork turned into the AS 25 through Thursday, April 8 to spread the presidential candidate debate between Current AS president Cameron Henton office. The write-in candidate deadline was word. Kayo Johnson, Tiffany Inabu and Dona admired the work put in by the candidates, the following Monday, March 29. Tiffany Inabu spent her time running Davoodi, standing in for Eli Appel. sympathizing with their busy schedules. According to Christopher Uzunyan, back and forth between campaigning and With roughly 50 students in attendance, “They have personal lives and it’s very election committee chair, the deadline was her existing responsibilities for AS. Vince the debate managed to catch the eye of tough to manage all of that,” he said.
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Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College
NEWS
AS President: Inabu’s story
Continued from page 1
management I know there are things that to keep up with her duties.”She knows we have to fix, and with that knowledge I what to do, where to go, who to ask, and will be able to help the next director.” how to perform,” she said. During the presidential debate, Inabu Using the resources she has already said that she is supportive of CALPIRG acquired within the AS office, Inabu and their efforts to inform students about plans on continuing with many of what social responsibilities they have, but the sustainability programs already feels that the fee proposed specifically implemented to embrace a green lifestyle for CALPIRG’s use should be open to all at SMC, including worm composting campus organizations. and collaborating with the Center for “From what I understand, the college Environmental and won’t be taking a fee Urban Studies and “I want to keep that integrity just for CALPIRG,” their Sustainable she said. “But of being one of the best schools they’re Works program. willing “I want to keep with a sustainable program” to take a student that integrity of Tiffany Inabu, AS President organization fee being one of the and if CALPIRG best schools with a wants to use it and sustainable program,” she said. the board approves it, then so be it.” She plans to continue with the She feels as though dealing with the Bikerowave program that encourages proposed fee will be a learning experience students to bike to school and in return for the board, considering it is the first receive free bike maintenance. time this issue has faced them. She will also collaborate with elected Ultimately many of the decisions will Director of Sustainability, Justine be left up to the College and its Board of Rembac, on new ways for the student Trustees, but Inabu is confident that her body to embrace sustainable practices. experience working with these groups Inabu also plans on applying her in the past has prepared her for her experience as current budget manager to impending duties. rectify the issues with this year’s budget. “It does get tough; I’m not going to lie,” “In this economic time when things she said. “It’s tough being in all of these aren’t going too great, of course it’s going [activities] and I’m at SMC for a long time. to put some strain on our budget as well,” But I’m fine with that. I love SMC. It’s a she said. “As the current director of budget great school.”
Wednesday April 21, 2010
Fitness/dance building approved by Trustees By Tieg Slattery Staff Writer The Santa Monica College Board of Trustees voted unanimously in favor of approving a $3.5 million contract this month to create a new physical education/ fitness/dance and central plant building. The new facility will replace the existing PE locker room building, which currently stands between the track and the pavilion. The contract was awarded to Gensler, an international architectural design firm that has an office in Santa Monica. Gensler is responsible for the new Ritz Carlton building in downtown Los Angeles, as well as many other cutting-edge architectural projects. Judith Douglas, chair of the dance program at SMC, as well as a many of her students, showed up to the meeting in support of the proposed new PE building. According to Douglas, the dance program at SMC is drastically in need of new facilities in order to properly serve the approximately 1,500 dance students at SMC. “When I first started teaching here in 1974, the president of the college at that time wanted to create a dance program with a dance major,” she said. “He created a temporary facility for us. Two converted classrooms: gym 102, and gym 104.” Douglas says the dance program has been operating for 36 years in improvised classrooms. “They have never been real,
true dance studios, just really classrooms with faulty floors and poor ventilation that were always intended merely as a temporary place to house the dancers,” she said. Anna Kakela is one of the dance students who joined Douglas at the meeting in a show of support. Originally intent on majoring in film, Kakela first took a dance class simply to pursue a personal passion. Shortly thereafter she began to consider switching to a double dance/film major. Coming from Finland, she was slightly hesitant at first over the exorbitant cost of an international education, but after joining the SMC dance program, Kakela says that every penny is well spent. “I saved my money for 10 years to be able to come here and study, but the dance department has been worth ever cent of the money,” she said. According to Kakela, it’s not just her dancing that has improved as a result of the classes but also her overall studies. “It’s such a great foundation, self-confidence, respect for others and the pure joy that you get out of dance, that’s why I love it,” she said. Kakela realizes that she will probably never attend class in the new facilities, however she is happy to lend her support to the program that she has been able to take so much from. “The dance department has exceeded my expectations in every way and this new facility will only help to continue to propel the dance program forward,” said Kakela.
NEWS
Wednesday April 21, 2010
Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College
05
Hogan claims mismanagement of AET campus Continued from page 1 order to work on projects, and were harassed by AET lab technicians while making use of the building’s computer laboratories. In some instances, Hogan claims that a number of his students were unfairly accused of cheating. “[Administration] couldn’t get to me so they went after my students… and I’m unwilling to sacrifice them,” said Hogan. “I had about six students come to me reporting that the head lab technician had threatened to write them up for academic dishonesty for working together on a project, even though they were instructed to work together at my direction.” Subsequent to Hogan’s resignation, five students contacted the Corsair complaining of harassment by AET lab technicians. One of the students affected was Lucian Hood, 67, a registered architect who has run his own architectural company since 1995. Hood said that he had experienced harassment by technicians while using the building’s computer lab. He said that while he and another student worked quietly together on a project, a technician interrupted their work, threatening to have them removed should they continue to collaborate on the project.
“Hogan regularly told us: when you talk together and work together, you learn together,” Hood said. He also said that the other student has subsequently refused to use the building’s computer labs for fear of being the recipient of what Hood calls “ridiculous treatment.” Katherine Muller, dean of external programs and the senior administrator at the AET building, said that she will “investigate and address” any
“The sad thing is more teachers are too scared to speak out against abusive administrative practices because they fear retribution from above.”
Bill Hogan
complaints that are made to her. She said that she has received no formal complaints yet regarding harassment by AET computer lab technicians. Muller admitted that potential mechanisms could be put in place to counter further student harassment, should these accusations be substantiated. She said that faculty at the AET building could inform her prior to them assigning group projects to students. This would give her the opportunity to notify the lab technicians of any potential collaborative work in
Israeli Independence Day
Monique Michaels Corsair
Yonatan Mallinger hands out literature on campus during the Israeli Independence Day celebration in the quad.
Continued from page 1 of today’s celebration said that the event was meant to focus on Israel’s positive contributions to our environment and our world. “The main goal of the event is to bring cultures together by sharing ours,” he said. Despite intentions of avoiding conflict, the President of Students for Social Justice, Cameron Quinn, said that conflict is inherent in anything solely Israeli-related. “Any celebration or discussion about Israel that does not mention Palestinians is hiding something from the world,” said Quinn. “Palestinians were displaced in 1948, more than 800,000 refugees still remain and they still don’t have the right to return to their home.”
the computer room. Another INTARC design student at SMC, Veronika Flagenheimer, said that she had witnessed three students threatened with expulsion by campus police for academic dishonesty, despite the fact that they were working on an assigned group project. However, it is the restricted access to drafting rooms that troubles her most. Flagenheimer said, “On huge and
Dovid Loloyan, who works for Chabad, a Jewish SMC club, feels that Israel does in fact belong to the Jewish people. “It has belonged to us for thousands of years, God-given to the Jewish people forever,” he said. Loloyan feels that regardless of the Palestinians being displaced, blame on Israel is being unfairly weighted. “Then the whole world should change because many people have been displaced,” he said. “So why do you only play it against Israel? Play it against the whole world.” Yael Markovich, an Israeli-born business major, enjoyed the celebration but disapproved of the protesters’ presence. “This is great,” he said. “And I’m not letting all the haters affect me. As long as Israel is our land, they will always hate. The Arabs and the Palestinians that hate us teach their kids from day one to hate.” The small group of SSJ members handed out flyers and spoke to people who approached them, but never interfered with the celebration. Two of the protesters were Jewish and of Israeli descent. “Both of my parents served for the Israeli army, and I’m very proud of that,” said Matan Gold, a Jewish SSJ member. “But I’m for peace and a non-occupied Gaza strip. I’m against terrorism, and I’m against war, but I’m for peace.” Yonatan Mallinger, an Israeli who is also part of SSJ, conversed with an Independence Day celebrator. Their conversation started with a disagreement, but ended on a positive note. “She said I’m Israeli and Jewish, that I have to be on the Jewish side. I explained to her that I’m not betraying the side,” said Mallinger. “I’m pro-peace and peace is good for both Israelis and Palestinians.”
standard drafting projects, projects that take hours to complete over the course of a semester, students are forced to cram as much drafting as possible during class time because that is the only time we have to access the drafting tables.” She continued, “Let me tell you, from personal experience, being forced to draft on my coffee table is nothing short of uncomfortable and at some times, extremely painful.” Muller admitted that while there are three drafting tables situated in the
communal students services room for student use, students are prohibited from using the quieter drafting rooms outside of classroom hours. Linda Polari, chair of architecture, landscape and interiors at Otis College of Art and Design, said that their studios and drafting rooms are always open for student use while the building is open. From midnight onwards, a security guard is posted to ensure students’ safety. Regarding Otis College’s policy towards the completion of group assignments in their computer lab, Polari said that they “encourage and teach” collaboration as part of the design process. “We do not oversee our students’ homework in any way; we really encourage student autonomy.” Hogan’s year of campaigning for more resources for his students is at an end. After a crusade that included a YouTube video where he compared toilet seat swabs with swabs taken from computer keyboards, Hogan said that he is taking time off from full-time teaching. “I felt like I had no choice,” he said of his resignation. “The sad thing is more teachers are too scared to speak out against abusive administrative practices because they fear retribution from above.”
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Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College
OPINION
Wednesday April 21, 2010
Breaking promises: Obama opens shores to drilling By John Stapleton IV Staff Writer Once upon a time, around the Presidential Race of 2008, a young politician from Illinois reassured a tired nation that the time had come for change. He toured the country promoting environmental sustainability, claiming, “When I’m president, I intend to keep in place the moratorium…that prevents oil companies from drilling [America’s] coasts.” He would go on to say, “What I will not do is support a plan that suggests that drilling is the answer to our energy problems.” This Presidential hopeful was addressing the domestic off-shore drilling bill, which, at the time, had been approved by the House, the Senate, and the president, each of whom had endorsed the measure to bring oil and natural gas drilling operations within 100 miles of our shores. But the dude would not abide, and during his eco-conscious bid to become our country’s leader, he vehemently opposed this measure, calling it a “political posturing” gimmick, that “would take at least a decade to produce any oil at all, and the effect on gasoline prices would be negligible at best since America only has three percent of the world’s oil.” Giddy with excitement over his stance against pollution and Big Oil corruption, the people of the United States elected Barack Obama as President to defend our pristine coasts and beautiful beaches. As
such, the domestic drilling bill was for that protection, except that she voted scrapped. to include the west coast in the oil drilling But then in April, in the true spirit of crapshoot. Twice. (Most sources agree that change, the man who had fought for her support for the bill stems largely from the votes of America by promising its the fact that she wrote it.) people pollution-free energy heroically Furthermore, the U.S. Energy Information decided “never mind,” and announced Administration claims that these beneficial his endorsement of a domestic drilling (read: ecocidal) operations won’t be fully bill that sacrifices 167 million acres of operational until 2030, but when they are, oceanfront property for a little Republican they’ll be producing an astounding 100,000 reciprocation. barrels of oil a day. With production like While Obama had once preached that that (1/1,000 of the world’s daily yield), offshore Americans can drilling would fuel “The answer is not drillling everywhere expect “only worsen prices to drop our addiction all the time.” by almost three to oil and put President Barack Obama pennies per off needed gallon, which, investments let’s face it, is in clean, renewable energy,” he has now totally worth wiping out the sea life of the decided, “Yes we can!” Atlantic Ocean. But fret not fellow environmentalists; The benefits are also long term since this isn’t anything like the drilling bill Obama is sure to win some favor with we rallied against two years ago. In fact, the conservatives by passing this bill, Obama’s bill brings the oilrigs 50 miles an ancillary boon he’ll need to pass his closer to the beach than Bush’s did. And controversial climate change bill that will thankfully Obama has restricted drilling require a 17 percent decrease in greenhouse to the 130 million acres of untouched gas emissions by 2020. Some might even wilderness north of Alaska, as well as the call this “political posturing.” entire eastern seaboard south of New To the growing number of irate Jersey. Oh, and the rest of the Gulf of environmentalists who question the Mexico, too. hypocrisy of passing a bill aimed at So, basically, the Pacific Coast contains soothing Mother Earth by passing a bill the only states that won’t be choking down that adds countless teats to America’s oil freshly caught Pennzoil fillets. You could udder, Obama says, “The answer is not thank California Democrat Nancy Pelosi drilling everywhere all the time.”
Jhosef Hern, Corsair Thanks genius. Great deduction. Whatever delusional reasons Obama uses to justify this ecological nightmare, all that alternative energy idealism he fed us is starting to taste a lot like locally grown, organic fertilizer. In fact, if you fell for that hybrid car hype over the last few years thinking you were part of a movement, you’d better swap that tax break for some Exxon stock, because we’re not only looking for more oil, but we’re looking for it in our own back yard. Have fun cruising your Prius down the carpool lane, sucker.
Obama plays into Bush’s plan Despite his promise of change, President Barack Obama has failed to alter key Bush-era policies. By Farhan Ali Staff Writer President Obama has received much criticism for maintaining policies that are very similar to former President Bush’s. Although there is some unfair criticism, much of the condemnation is deserved because Obama has not reversed many Bush-era policies. Health care was a big problem under Bush, and Bush did not do anything to solve the crisis. So far, neither has Obama. One aspect of health care reform that he campaigned for was a public option, an alternative plan for people that did not have health care. It would have provided more competition in the market and would not be mandatory for people to buy. Obama threw the public option into the trash to appease Republicans, something that was wrong on his part. Although it is sometimes necessary to negotiate in order to find common ground, health care should not be sacrificed in order to make the Republicans happy. It is admiral that 32 million Americans will have “access” to health care, but the public option was the main deal. Obama had one chance to pass it and instead he cowered in front of the right wing for the sake of “working together.” Obama has drawn much criticism regarding his treatment of foreign prisons, including Guantanamo Bay. The president had signed an executive order at the
beginning of his presidency to shut down the prison, but few countries were willing to take suspected terrorists, making his good intentions difficult and slow to realize. Obama still reflects a continuation of the Bush presidency by his allegiance to unwarranted wiretapping. According to The New American Magazine, Obama has sponsored wiretapping in the name of “state secrets,” a strategy used by the Bush administration to perform illicit activities. And even though Obama signed an executive order to prevent the torture of prisoners, the risk of abuse is a slippery slope for an administration that claims its right to monitor citizens’ activities under the auspice of protecting its people. Obama continued with the war on terror by bombing Somalia, Yemen and Pakistan. And now even as Obama withdrawals troops from Iraq, he is deploying them to Afghanistan. This is a cold shoulder to “change.” People want to believe that policy changes will emerge with a new administration, but the influences of the old administration remains. On the campaign trail, an individual can make promises, but if the ideas aren’t carried through, they are rendered ineffective. Somehow Obama still manages to represent a beacon of hope for the masses, but he needs to make sure that his legacy isn’t just a doctored version of Bush’s original plan for a better America.
Wednesday April 21, 2010
OPINION
Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College
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Marijuana reform necessary, but unlikely By Tieg Slattery Staff Writer
would also stand to benefit financially, eradicating the need for policing, prosecuting and incarcerating marijuana Once again California stands on the verge “criminals” in the United States. Each year of setting a precedent with marijuana there are around 700,000 arrests made policy reform. After receiving well over for marijuana-related offenses, mostly the required number of signatures, the possession for personal use. This is nearly “Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act as many as all other drug related arrests of 2010,” will be placed on the ballot for the combined, around 840,000. The costs of upcoming November elections. prosecuting these often-victimless crimes The proposed bill would allow local is enormous. governments to regulate and tax the sale of While the government savings would be marijuana, legalize the possession of up to vast, the multi-billion dollar prison industry an ounce of pot for personal use and also could potentially see crippling losses. No allow households to grow marijuana in an doubt the California prison guards’ union, area of up to 25 square feet. who is an especially influential player on For marijuana activists the timing could California’s political scene, will commit a not be any better. California’s fragile considerable amount of time and money economic state has created the perfect towards opposing this bill. environment for marijuana proponents; Whatever the outcome in November, the allowing supporters to cultivate and next few months leading up to the elections harvest the most progressive piece of should certainly be interesting. Given the marijuana legislation since the countrywide current right-wing mood in this country, it prohibition began in 1937. is difficult to imagine this bill will come to Advocates of legalization have wisely pass. Legal marijuana still seems a bit too used the potential economic windfall, progressive and liberal for the mainstream associated with taxing and regulating masses. marijuana, to propel their movement. No one should be incarcerated over Conservative estimates place the annual minor, pot-related offenses and anyone revenue generated by California’s who is currently imprisoned should have underground marijuana economy in the his or her sentences repealed. If you want neighborhood of $14 billion. The potential to smoke pot, you should be able to do so. economic benefit of taxing and regulating This is, after all, America and smoking a would be enormous. joint by no means should exist outside of Aside from tax revenues, the government one’s right to individual liberty.
Jhosef Hern, Corsair What society does not need, however, is Philip Morris, Anheuser-Busch or Pfizer taking over the pot industry. We definitely don’t need our local Wal-Mart peddling pot or a 40-foot billboard with a cowboy, camel or calendar girl advertising smooth, cool cannabis-lights on the side of our freeways. It seems quite clear that sweeping
marijuana reforms in the United States are indeed necessary. However, in order for these changes to become effective, they must be enacted on the federal level where the decriminalization of cannabis users needs to happen. The future of our personal freedoms unfortunately look hazy, and not in a good way.
PHOTO
Newspaper 08 Corsair Santa Monica College
Dan Bluemel Corsair
Members of the National Socialist Movement dodge projectiles from angry demonstrators in a parking lot across from Los Angeles City Hall on North Spring Street. NSM members try to move their stalled vehicle to safety.
Nazi rally in LA turns violent
Neo-Nazis were confronted by demonstrators at a rally in front of City Hall on Saturday, April 17, 2010.
Right: National Socialist Movement (NSM) member Joshua Davenport displays his “White Power� tattoo.
Below: Black Panthers demonstrating against a Nazi rally at Los Angeles City Hall on April 17, 2010.
Dan Bluemel Corsair
Jennifer Martinez Corsair
Dan Bluemel Corsair
Protesters are enraged after the LAPD harmed activists. One protester throws a water bottle that riquochets off of one of the police officers patrolling the Nazi protest by City Hall in downtown LA.
S T O RY
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Far Left: Former Chairman of the National Socialist Movement (NSM), Clifford Herrington, addresses members of the media after an NSM rally in front of Los Angeles City Hall on April 17, 2010.
Left: The National Socialist Movement held a rally at LA City Hall where they were met by hundreds of protesters.
Dan Bluemel Corsair
Brian White Corsair
Brian White Corsair
Above: Protesters gathered in front of LA City Hall on North Spring Street against the National Socialist Movement’s rally. Protesters flooded the streets while the police, in riot gear, protected the Nazis.
Right: Photojournalist Brandt Russo was forcibly pushed back after the LAPD hit him with a baton. A woman right behind him falls into the bushes while a police officer hits her with his baton. Near City Hall in downtown Los Angeles on April 17, 2010.
Jennifer Martinez Corsair
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Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College
CALENDAR
Wednesday April 21, 2010
Astrid le Moine Corsair
Drastic changes eclipse the Coachella experience People in the crowd throw a diamond sign up in the air at the Jay-Z concert during Coachella on Friday, April 16, 2010.
By Ingrid Rosales Calendar Editor
If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it. It’s an important mantra to learn, but Paul Tollet opted to break that cardinal rule. Tollet, founder and main promoter (along with Goldenvoice) of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, Calif., decided to stray from his usual organization of the festival and took a new approach. The music fest took place this past weekend, April 16-18, and was the threeday concert’s eleventh year of existence. Instead of booking classic, nostalgic acts (like Prince in ‘08 or Paul McCartney in ‘09), the organizers chose hip-hop superstar Jay-Z, a radical transition for a festival famous for highlighting underground music groups. If that wasn’t enough change, organizers eliminated the option of purchasing singleday tickets, making three-day passes the only option available for hopeful attendees. Tickets were replaced with wristbands, and 15,000 more people attended than last year’s crowd of 60,000, according to the Los Angeles Times. Incredible visuals carried on throughout the weekend, with lasers being the main
theme among the artists. Muse, the Saturday headliner, pulled all the stops on their song, “Newborn” with dozens of green lasers shooting from the stage and into the desert sky. Hands down, though, the greatest visual display all weekend came from Canadian DJ Deadmau5, who rocked the dance tent with an enormous vibrant platform that lit up in time with his beats. As always, Coachella had some extremely memorable moments. She & Him, a duo that includes indie actress Zooey Deschanel and singer-songwriter Matthew “M.” Ward ended the set fifteen minutes earlier than expected, only to come back and announce that they were told they had more time. Then, to make use of it, the two performed a genuinely great cover of “I Put a Spell on You,” as the audience ate it up. Thom Yorke stole the entire festival with his rock supergroup Atoms for Peace. Yorke, lead singer of art-rock band Radiohead, surprised his crowd with two solo renditions of his original band’s songs: “Airbag” and “Everything in its Right Place,” making his set an instant classic among Radiohead fans in the crowd – That is, if they could hear Yorke’s set from behind the thousands of heads in the crowd. However amazing the many bands and
artists that performed, what good was it if one couldn’t even get inside the tent? One would expect a large audience for the headliners and popular acts like Julian Casablancas, MGMT, and Tiësto, but it was pretty ridiculous trying to weave through hundreds of hipsters and not even reach the farthest speakers. Plus, Coachella begins to lose its magic after the fifteen-minute wait to use the bathroom following the extremely long line for food. To make matters worse, Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano decided it was high time to erupt. The natural disaster ended up affecting the music festival at Coachella, as several European bands were forced to cancel appearances. The Coachella Web site announced the Cribs’ cancellation on Friday and continued announcing several cancellations on their Twitter account, including artists Delphic, Bad Lieutenant, and Gary Numan. The eruption even affected groups that did make it to the festival. Phoenix’s lead singer Thomas Mars stated at the beginning of their performance that their light director couldn’t make it to the desert, so there would be no light show. Little Boots playfully asked her audience if she could stay at a fan’s place because she
couldn’t get home. The air flight delays might also explain the Gorillaz’ curious performance. There were no special guests (aside from Little Dragon and De la Soul, artists who also performed during the weekend), and prerecorded tracks abounded. It was a “likeit-or-completely-hate-it” performance by the Sunday headliner, though in defense of Gorillaz, the entire gimmick of the group is heavily based on 3-D fictional characters. How could you not expect pre-taped videos? There were several top-notch performances, but unfortunately the horrible organization and plain bad luck on Goldenvoice’s part detracted from the event. As a music festival, the event was phenomenal and an incredible experience for the average concertgoer. When compared to past Coachella music festivals, 2010 was sub-par. There is still hope, however, that Tollet and Goldenvoice will pull it together for next year and tighten the loose bolts. It’s unclear whether single-day tickets will become available again, or whether they’ll reduce the crowd size and ticket sales, but like any other change, it will just have to take some getting used to.
Sweden, are going bare bones on their third album, “Work,” veering away from their usual staple of integrating guitars along with a string section and percussion, as they did on their last two albums. With the help of producer Phil Ek, who has produced albums for the Shins, Band of Horses and Fleet Foxes, the simple, nonenhanced influence can definitely be detected in “Work,” in which only piano, guitar and other non-techno instruments are used. This band of Swedes are known for the upbeat, poppy, whimsical sounds that are paired with downhearted lyrics. “Work” contains much more positive, optimistic lyrics such as “even if I know that you’re
right, I still go on,” and “so much to live for.” The album begins with “1999,” a nostalgic look at the year that represented a time of adventure and mischief for the singer Adam Olenius. With its poppy melody, the song has an infectious beat that never seems to end. “Fall hard,” uses the Shout Out Louds’ signature sound, which fluctuates between desire and sadness. The album has catchy tunes such as “Walls,” that gives a great beat and confident lyrics. “Throwing Stones” has a country-guitar beginning that quickly turns towards indie rock, the perfect song for a hipster movie character riding his or her bike or motor scooter out onto the open highway.
“Four by Four,” with its upbeat piano, is a simple tune with simple lyrics and melody, but a great song nonetheless. “Paper Moon,” “Play the Game,” and “The Candle Burned Out,” are those pensive songs you listen to when you are lost in thought . “Show Me Something New” is the type of song you listen to when you’re getting ready to embrace a great chorus and tambourine-incorporated melodies. If you are in the mood for music that manages to be somehow both effervescent and melancholy (characteristic of the music from the darkly beautiful country of Sweden), “Work” is your best bet. You will not forget the name of the Shout Out Louds.
Shout Out Louds alter mood and find new groove By Debby Vasquez Arts Canvas Editor
Remembering names is hard. They are even harder to remember when they are bands you think you don’t know until you realize that you adore a song by them. The Shout Out Louds may seem like a band you have never heard of before, but listen to one of their songs and you’ll most likely recognize them. Their music is most frequently found on indie TV and film circuits like “The O.C.” and “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.” The Shout Out Louds, who hail from
Wednesday April 21, 2010
CALENDAR
Martin Lubner’s obsession By Emil Norlén Staff Writer A large crowd gathered at the Emeritus College on Second Street in Santa Monica for an intimate evening to appreciate the paintings of Martin Lubner. With a main focus on the objects in his art studio, Martin Lubner created the “More Still Other Lives” exhibition, an art installation that had its viewers look closer at the simple details of Lubner’s work. Lubner studied art at UCLA where he graduated with a B.A. in painting in 1951 and an M.A. in art history in 1953. The 80-year-old artist had always had a passion for drawing but he became obsessed with it as he produced more art. The world around him and his art studio was his major inspiration for the exhibition. “Paint is the most marvelous thing. It can express everything from heaven to hell,” Lubner said. Most paintings in the exhibit were drawn with oil on canvas, a technique used by the classic painters and artists like Leonardo da Vinci, who practiced the technique during the Renaissance period in Europe. Lubner has embraced this traditional approach. His paintings are simple to look at, but they are full of expression and through their simplicity, great detail can be found. Lubner prefers to use layers when he paints. “If something is not good, you
can simply paint over it,” he said. The exhibition has been an ongoing process for Lubner over the past seven years, as he worked on revisions and changes on his paintings. One painting sets itself apart from all the rest: a self-portrait of Lubner standing next to his wife Lorraine. Lubner started working on the portrait in 1983 and only recently finished it. The self-portrait is a full body painting of Lubner and his wife. It is a representation of heaven and hell that can be found in the world around us, said Lubner. In the portrait, dirty rats are seen crawling around Lubner’s feet, while a colorful rainbow drapes down next to his wife’s feet. “The rainbow falling on her feet represents the gold found at the end of the rainbow,” Lubner said. “I just love the colors and the dimensions,” said visitor Roberta Saraceno about the portrait. Aside from creating art, Lubner also teaches how to draw. He has his own private art studio in Marina Del Rey where classes and workshops are being taught. Students of Lubner’s who visited the gallery opening were all impressed by the work of their teacher. “He has an edge that I like very much,” said student Kate Brownie. Brownie prefers Lubner’s teaching style. “He is very specific and he doesn’t force his style on anyone,” said Brownie. Fellow
Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College
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Danyale Kotur Corsair
Several attendees peruse and observe the many works of Martin Lubner during the opening reception of his exhibit on April 8, 2010 at SMC’s Emeritus College.
student Andrea Whittenberg agreed with Brownie. “He is strictly individual and he will help you develop your ideas,” said Whittenberg. Many of Lubner’s students showed up to show their support and appreciation for his artwork. Nora Chapkis had previously taken drawing classes with Lubner and
came to the exhibit to enjoy the art. “It’s just wonderful. Look at all that texture,” she said as she admired a painting of a bathroom sink. Lubner’s exhibit runs Mon. – Fri. until May 7 at the SMC Emeritus Art Gallery located on 1227 Second Street in Santa Monica.
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LIFESTYLE
Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College
Wednesday April 21, 2010
30 days of going green: spotting seven kinds of recyclable plastics By Alessandra Catanese Staff Writer I am a little over halfway through my 30 days of going green and it is time for some updates. Balancing waste-free living, composting, and green transportation has been tough. However, the more I make myself aware of how much I waste, the less wasteful I want to be. It can be difficult, but only in the beginning. First of all, my compost is looking good. There are some flies gathering around it, but the more worms that grow, the less flies should stay. Lucky for me, I’m starting to find compositors all over the world for tips and tricks. The other day, my friend in New York sent me a picture of the compost bin on his balcony. He is the one who taught me the trick about the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio I explained on my blog. Remember to check it out at thecorsaironline.com. As for waste-free living, once I started finding things easily recyclable and reusable, it was a lot easier for me to live simply. Lately I’ve been researching proper ways to recycle, and it seems the most popular and complex item to recycle is plastic. To get some resourceful information, I called up Adam Holt, manager of the Santa Monica Recycling Center on Delaware Ave. Holt assured me that his particular recycling center takes all seven types of plastic. Yes, there are seven types of plastic and this is where things get complicated.
Recently, recycling facilities have stepped up their game. Most types of plastics can be recycled curbside, depending on the recycling center. Plastic numbers three, six and sometimes seven are the only types that are unacceptable for curbside drop off due to chemicals or toxins. These are the types that should be taken directly to the recycling center. Lucky for Santa Monica residents, the Santa Monica Recycling Center has a 24-hour drop off station. Only plastic bags, which can be recycled at any local grocery store, and styrofoam cups can never be put in the curbside recycle bins. The American Chemistry Council (ACC), an industry trade group, helped me understand the different types of plastic with a chart on its Web site. Plastic 01 is called Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), nicknamed Polyester. We mostly see this type of plastic in beverage bottles like soda and water, and some food containers like in the main campus cafeteria. Holt settled a common misconception that I had believed before about the caps on water bottles. I was under the impression that recycling centers need you to remove the caps from your plastic bottles because they were made out of a different type of plastic they couldn’t use. “Those days are over, technology has really caught up to us,” Holt assured me. Today plastic manufacturers, like the ACC, have started making most plastic beverage bottle caps out of the same
plastic as the bottle, and if not, the center can still recycle them after sorting the material. Plastic 02 is called High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and is mainly used in bottles for non-food items like shampoo, conditioner, laundry detergents and even recycling bins. They can also be used for foods with a short shelf life, like milk. The first and second types of plastic are the most commonly recycled, according to Holt. Plastic 03-07 are the less commonly seen ones in the recycling center. Plastic 03 is PVC or Vinyl, used for plastic binders or tamper-resistant seals. Plastic 04, Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) has “excellent resistance to acids, bases and vegetable oils,” says the ACC, so it is used for frozen food bags, breads and fresh produce. Plastic 05 Polypropylene (PP) is what was commonly used for bottle caps and is now mainly used for medicine bottles, yogurt containers and bottles of ketchup. Plastic 06, Polystryrene (PS), is used for eggshells and “food service items.” Plastic 07 is mysteriously labeled “other,” meaning the item is “made with a resin other than the six listed…or is made of more than one,” according to the ACC chart. This chart can be found with other helpful information on Earth911.com. They have plenty of articles about how to recycle all your hazardous household
products. They also have a Recycling Center locator, as well as information on “Business Solutions.” The Santa Monica Recycling Center will be handing out In N’ Out gift cards this Thursday, April 22 in honor of Earth Day. Bring your recycling by and get a burger while you’re at it.
By Bryn Woznicki Staff Writer
100, how can eating soy instead of meat be beneficial? “The difference between soy and animal foods is the fat content. Soy is very low fat; any fat it would have is unsaturated and healthy,” says Richwine. Soy also lacks cholesterol, which is especially beneficial to heart health. Richwine explains that soy contains phytochemicals, chemical compounds found in plants that may be beneficial in preventing disease. Soy contains isoflavones, phenolic acids and phytoestrogens, and while all of these phytochemicals may be beneficial in reducing risk for cancer and heart disease, phytoestrogens mimic estrogen. This may be where the sperm count theory comes from. Although excess estrogen won’t lower sperm count, estrogen does promote cell growth. It is recommended that those who have had breast cancer not consume excess amounts of phytoestrogen. If a person’s body has surplus (phyto)estrogen accompanying cancer cells, there is an increased chance of cancer cell growth. Harvard scientists conducted a study and found that men who consumed the highest levels of soy had the lowest sperm count, though they still fell within a healthy range for fertility and had good quality sperm. The June 2009 issue of “Harvard’s Men Health Watch,” says that “unless fertility is a worry, men have no reason to bid ‘soyanara’ to soy.” However, excessive consumption of soy by men may not even be a pertinent issue around SMC. Jasmine Temelador, sociocultural anthropology major and employee at the TCBY/coffee shop on campus, notes that “women definitely outweigh the men when it comes to [ordering] soy milk [in a beverage].” So can we eat too much soy? “For a normal, healthy person, eat as much soy as you
want,” says Richwine. That leaves much to the imagination in regards to quantity, and Miller says that “moderation is a good target, you shouldn’t have your only source of protein be soy.” Rice, beans, nuts and quinoa are also good options, she says. Yonatan Mallinger, SMC film student and a vegan of almost seven years, eats a lot of soy. Though it is a vital part of his diet, he doesn’t quite approve of the environmental implications. “The soy industry is owned mainly by the meat industry, ironically,” says Mallinger.” They cut down rainforests to grow soy to feed cattle, so the meat industry is even more harmful for the environment because it takes more land.” “There are claims that say everyone who eats tofu is cutting down rainforests, but that’s a big fat lie,” says Mallinger. “We’re just eating leftovers [from the meat industry] and cows eat a lot more soy than people. One cow would eat a lot more soy than one vegan.” No one can be sure how much of the rainforest is being illegally destroyed. In 2006, however, Greenpeace discovered that Amazon rainforests were destroyed to grow soy. This soy was subsequently sold to KFC and McDonald’s chains, where it was used as feed for the chickens served in their European restaurants. There you have it: soy won’t interfere with a male’s development, nor will it lower his sperm count; like anything in life, it is suggested that one consume soy in moderation; women who have had breast cancer should regulate their soy intake and even though growing soy has the potential to hurt our environment, it seems that overall the soy bean is a nutritious protein source that is low in fat and cholesterol-free. So, soy burger anyone?
Nicole Ritter Corsair Alessandra Catanese, 20, shows the recycling label that determines what type of plastic resin can be used. April 19, 2010 in Santa Monica, California.
Debating soy protein’s status as friend or foe The debate continues: is or isn’t soy good for our bodies? Studies have conflicting results in regards to soy’s effects, yet the protein that was once part of American counter-culture is becoming increasingly popular. Linguistics major Sugiko Nazel eats soy at least twice a week in the form of tofu or flavored, soy-based drinks. “I think lots of soy products are tasty, having grown up with the Asian side of my family where the exposure to soy is greater.” But even Nazel doesn’t have complete understanding about what soy does to the body. “On the news a while back, I heard it lowers men’s sperm count if they consume too much,” says Nazel. Julie Miller, M.A., registered dietician and certified diabetes educator says that soy may also have detrimental effects on women. “I would recommend eating soy in moderation because research is conflicting,” she says. “There is research that soy is a cancer fighter, but there is also research that says soy causes cell proliferation in breast tissue.” Registered dietician and SMC professor of nutrition, Dona Richwine, says that soy is “great health-wise,” rich in benefits. “Of all the plant foods it’s considered to have the highest biological value.” Biological value is determined by how readily a protein is absorbed into the body, as well as the amount of essential amino acids the protein contains. Although no plant food contains all amino acids, soy has the most. “On a scale of 100, soybean protein has a biological value of 96. All animal products have 100,” says Richwine. If soy has a biological value of 96, and animal foods have a biological value of
LIFESTYLE
Wednesday April 21, 2010
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Food trucks serve delicious alternatives to the usual standard fare By Tannaz Lavian Staff Writer You’ve seen them, you’ve heard about them, maybe you’ve even frequented them. Food trucks conjure up the nostalgia of childhood ice cream and candy trucks, but serve more adult combinations of creative food fusion. These mobile restaurants drive through busy intersections, delighting taste buds and offering the thrill of the chase, all over the place. In the past, street food vendors would sell only basic fare, hotdogs on the side of the road, rickety aluminum shacks parked outside construction sites and petite stands selling sliced and seasoned fruit. Now trendy, eye-catching trucks have replaced the old. Bold paint-jobs and catchy mascots welcome a new crowd of diners. Today’s cultural phenomena of themed food trucks go beyond tacos and burgers, presenting strange and charming concoctions like purple-yam Ube pancakes, Kimchi porkfries and fried kale. With a nod to technology, each truck urges its patrons to follow them on Twitter in order to locate them around town. Venice’s “First Fridays” events on Abbot Kinney Street usually present a revelry of trucks both old and new. While atop the newly opened World Fare bus - a vintage, double-decker ‘busturant’ specializing in South African street food, food-enthusiasts Doug Grant and Audrey Davis said, “We travel everywhere for food.” First-time food-trucker and vegetarian, Jessica Jones, enjoyed her black bean
Bar
and lentil slider topped with portabella mushrooms from the Cal Fresco Food Truck. “I didn’t know truck food could be so tasty or look so adorable,” Jones said. Michele Grant, co-owner of the Grilled Cheese truck explained the phenomenon as an extension of arrested development. “We are kid food, for the kid at heart and for the kid that’s still a kid.” Grant attributes their success to the strong positive emotional reaction people have to their “plain and simple food.” Local businesses see great value in these mobile munchie factories and are happy to encourage them to stay nearby. Jay Huffschmidt, the marketing manager of Beverly Hills Porsche offers up to use of bathroom facilities to the cooks and food truck workers. Huffschmidt said that he “believes strongly in strategic-partnering and community-building.” Huffschmidt’s partnering has paid off and the dealership has made direct sales from the hungry crowds. It is hard to imagine anyone deliberately sabotaging a business that prides itself on serving edible joy to the masses, but Monica Kim, who serves up tacos at the Bool Truck, gets ticketed regularly by the Los Angeles Police. In the La Brea News Beverly Press, Kim said, “We’ve been coming here for three months now and we get tickets every day; we can’t always move the car every hour. Sometimes we’re busy or there aren’t any spots.” To counteract the problems of street parking, food truck vendors have banded
f ly
By John Stapleton IV Staff Writer Until last Monday night, all I knew about whiskey was that it made ice taste better. Fortunately, I now have a fully expanded palate, from get-the-job-done bargain whiskeys to limited production batches of bourbon. Offering you an education every Monday night: Culver City’s Bigfoot Lodge. The latest offering in a series of log-cabinthemed whiskey bars born in San Francisco, Bigfoot West opened just last year, but has already aged into a full-bodied experience. The subtle lighting and rustic environment give the bar a casual sophistication, with just a whiff of swanky exclusivity. Woodland creature taxidermy and antler chandeliers surround the massive 360-degree bar, made of cross-sections from California’s own Big Bear pines. Lounge areas offer the finest in wood-stump seating and game-hide sofas, with ample lumberjack-esque table room to swap hunting stories over. But Bigfoot redeems its burly décor every Monday by offering Whiskey-Lovers Night, a celebratory hooch parade that transforms the bustling local dive atmosphere into a no-frills whiskey bar, replete with far less competition for a bar seat and far more exclusive whiskeys reserved especially for this weekly occasion. At this point, the liquor prices finally reflect the ambiance, with some pours topping $48 for a single. While this might seem grotesquely exorbitant (especially on a
student budget) what you’re paying for is the breadth of Bigfoot’s hand-picked selection of rarer ryes. While a $50 shot might ruin your plans for this weekend’s garage sale spree, Bigfoot’s four dangerously affordable flights provide a lifeenriching experience that you’ll remember for a lifetime – unless you’re still struggling with that whole “moderation” concept – and are served up neat by connoisseur Ian Malcolm (of Saints and Sinners fame) who promises to have you leaving with more than double vision and a fat stranger. “It’s a night to give customers an educational experience, so people can come away loving whiskey, and knowing why they love it,” says Malcolm, who at the time was lining up a flight that started with Jim Beam, and ended and ended with a hand-crafted single malt that tasted like walking barefoot in the rain. Write this down: Stranahan’s Colorado single malt, Paladise Cask Snowflake Batch. Good luck trying to find it anywhere but Bigfoot. With its specialized selection of top shelf whiskey (which means the entire selection is either Irish or American, since any other origin would necessitate the alternative spelling “whisky”--fun fact, tell your friends), Bigfoot succeeds at being an exceptional whiskey bar, even when it pretends to be a dive bar the other six days of the week. As patron Lukas Em put it, “It pulls off kitsch without being contrived. A lot of bars try to be this cool.” I’ll drink to that.
Marley St. John Corsair Hundreds of foodies celebrate the “First Fridays” of every month on Abbot Kinney in Venice by sampling many of the dozen or so gourmet food trucks spanning the street. April 2, 2010.
together at large events like the LA Street Food Fest. Many of these events, however, have left patrons with rumbling stomachs due to the meager quantities of food unable to meet the demands of teeming crowds. Aven Yam, a street food connoisseur, said that even though the effort to unify the trucks is gaining momentum, it might outlive the novelty of the craze. “Within the next 18 months, like the cupcake fad and the frozen yogurt sensation, the food truck craze will wane,” said Yam.
Some organizers agree. Chef Roy Choi, owner of the immensely popular Kogi trucks that offer Korean-Mexican fusion cuisine, will transition from managing four food trucks to establishing a permanent location within The Alibi Room, a bar and lounge in Culver City to which the Kogi trucks regularly cater. So while food trucks abound and the food is hot, take a stroll down Abbot Kinney, visit the Alibi Room or tweet your way to a delicious meal near you.
S P O RT S
Wednesday April 21, 2010
Team depth aids SMC in recordbreaking day at Western Conf. Championships
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Women’s tennis continues their spectacular run into WSC, as they dominate the field. By Brandon Quin Sports Editor With the playoffs in full bloom, women’s tennis had the opportunity last weekend to showcase their talent on an individual platform at the Western State Conference Championships. Displaying dominance akin to their regular season exploits, the Lady Corsairs did not disappoint. That dominant performance resulted in SMC advancing the most tennis players in school history to the Southern California Regional Championships. An impressive five of Santa Monica’s eight WSC entrants are headed to the next round of individual’s competition, and head coach Richard Goldenson isn’t surprised in the least. “Any one of our top six players would play number one on any other team in our conference and on any team in the state,” said Goldenson. “The conference results prove this.” Just as the Corsairs steamrolled opponents in conference play this season, they wasted no time demolishing their opposition in the Western Conference Championships. SMC faced little resistance in the preliminary rounds of the tournament, with Santa Monica seizing victory in all but one of their first eight matches. That positive momentum was sustained throughout the second and third rounds, as the Corsairs continued to handle their WSC opponents. When the dust settled and the fourth round of individuals was finally complete, four of the Lady Corsairs’ contingent were left standing in the wake.
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Siddhartha Abbazi Corsair Freshman Gwendolyn Kauffman preps to return serve in match against Mount San Antonio’s Amber Mullis, en route to a 6-1, 6-2 straight-set victory.
Lady Corsairs dominate; advance to semi-finals By Kevin Duron Staff Writer If you imagined that the women’s tennis squad would crumble under the pressure of sporting the number one seed entering playoffs last Tuesday, you would have been sorely mistaken. The Corsairs offered skeptics a booming wake-up call in their meet against Mt. San Antonio College, sending the Mounties packing with a decisive 5-0 victory. To those that were interested in the results of the sensational team’s doubles results for the match, the Corsairs forged ahead. Winning the first five singles matches against San Antonio, SMC secured a ‘W’ for the day by default and rendered doubles competition unnecessary. SMC was so dominant out of the gates that they were even prevented from finishing all of their singles matches. This was the case for Sophomore Anastasia Eliseeva, whose match was halted by the officials in the second set due to early victory for the
Corsairs. Eliseeva, from Russia, was engaged in a highly competitive match with her opponent Stacey Peng, leaving fans disappointed to see it go unfinished. She sliced a beautiful drop shot to take the second game of the first set and delivered an exceptional volley to take the third. Getting the wins on the day however were Jutta Collet, Tiana Lauritzen, Alix Thomas, Gwendolyn Kauffman, and Kimberly Penez. “My girl was very good and hit the ball very well. She was tough today,” said Kauffman after her match, which she took 6-1, 6-2. “I ran the net really well and started racking up points, so it turned out pretty well, but I definitely am going to work on my volley this week.” Freshman Jutta Collet had arguably one of the toughest battles of the day, working her way through vicious rallies against the Mounties’ Julianne Carluen. However, after taking the first set by winning an exhausting tie-beaker, it was smooth sailing to victory for the French phenomenon.
“I struggled in the first set because I wasn’t attacking very well, but then I started being more consistent,” said Collet. Head Coach Richard Goldenson seemed pretty confident in the girls from the getgo, sharing what he discussed with the girls before their match. “I told them that if they played their best, all will be well, and they did exactly that. We’re just going to work on the same things in practice this week that we’ve been working on all season, seeing as it has got us this far,” he said. Evident from their sweep of Mt. San Antonio, the Corsairs have greatly improved their individual skills by working to make each other better in practice. “My teammates have changed my game so much,” said Kauffman. “We learn from each other by playing against each other, and we can develop our own shots by the advice we receive.” The Corsairs continue their run towards a championship next Tuesday, as they prepare for a semi-final match-up against Orange Coast College on April 27 at 2 p.m.
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Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College
Continued from page 15 SMC’s Anastasia Eliseeva, Tiana Lauritzen, Gwen Kauffman, and Jutta Collet appropriately finished off their final opponents in straight-set fashion and are thus headed to the next round of individual competition known as the Regional Championships. Doubles competition was more of the same for Santa Monica, as the combination of Eliseeva/Lauritzen and Collet/Kimberly Penez breezed through the tournament without dropping a set. Elliseeva and Lauritzen made quick work of their Bakersfield College opponents, Buford/Gonzalez, winning the match 6-1, 6-0. Collet and Penez would follow up with dominant performance of their own, finishing off Santa Barbara’s Tapu/ Slyutova 6-0, 6-0. With each passing victory, it becomes more apparent that SMC’s deep roster contains more talent then the school has ever witnessed. “Without a doubt this is the most talented team I’ve ever coached,” said Goldenson. “I’ve said all season, if everyone tries their hardest and plays their best, anything is possible.” Despite the Lady Corsairs’ stellar performances at individuals, Coach Goldenson expects the team to keep their eye on the prize. “I expect everyone to go very far in the individual events, but the team playoffs are the main event,” he said. “Because it’s the team results that will be in their heart and memories when they look back 20 years from now.
S P O RT S SMC Weekly Fitness: Runner Alex Garabedian Wednesday April 21, 2010
Cross-country sensation Alex Garabedian gives a glimpse into his daily routine and training regimen utilized for not only Santa Monica College track and field events, but even more arduous competitions like the LA Marathon. By Michael Mendoza Staff Writer Long distance running is a game of endurance. That endurance is tested on a daily basis with lengthy runs and strenuous drills that push bodies to the limit. Few are inclined to accept this daunting challenge, but SMC cross-country star Alex Garabedian is willing to go that extra mile in pursuit of success. Garabedian, a resident of Westwood and third-year student at SMC, didn’t grow up with any involvement in crosscountry competition, but once Santa Monica’s track and field program caught his eye, Garabedian had no choice but to run with it. “I had never ran track before, but at SMC I decided to run cross-country and realized I was a natural,” said Garabedian. To complement his natural ability, Garabedian has implemented a workout specifically for long distance events. “It’s all pure running and there aren’t any drills,” he said. “I usually start with a seven lap warm-up, and then I begin several repetitions of running 400, 150, and 100 meters. Being responsible for training your body properly for competition also comes with
the obligation of practicing healthy eating habits. “I follow my coach’s diet,” said Garabedian. Head coach Larry Silva’s diet requires Garabedian to limit himself to only one sweet a week and no fatty foods.
David Dolmage Corsair SMC’s Alex Garabedian glides across the track.
“It’s hard to follow because sometimes you want to have more than one dessert a week,” he said chuckling. Always trying to test his own mettle, Garabedian doesn’t restrict himself to
only college-regulated races. He recently competed in this year’s LA Marathon, impressively completing the 26 miles in just three hours and nineteen minutes. Despite engaging in such a taxing event, Garabedian’s pre-run preparation remained constant. “I didn’t train differently,” he said. “I just did my regular workouts with my cross-country and track coaches.” During the off-season, Garabedian commits himself to running thirteen miles a day with his teammates. “Crosscountry meets are usually four miles or more so you have to prepare with long distance runs.” A self-reliant individual, Garabedian has always looked for ways to motivate and improve himself independently. “I’ve always been more talented in sports than academically, so I find self-motivation to do better in both areas to get into a good school,” he said. With his high level of collegiate success, Garabedian has hopes of heading to a Division 1 school to take his cross-country career to the next level. His eyes are set on “schools such as UCLA, USC, or Berkeley.” Garabedian knows it will take hard work to reach his lofty goals, but he certainly has the legs to make the journey.