Corsair
Synapse Dance
See page 8
The Santa Monica College Newspaper
Volume XCIX, Issue 9
www.thecorsaironline.com
Informing Since 1929
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Black Student Conference calls for unity at SMC By John Stapleton IV Staff Writer
This year’s conference was titled “Umoja: Building a Community of Unity.” Last Saturday, students from According to the event program, throughout southern California the purpose of the annual met in the Santa Monica College conference is three-fold: To cafeteria to celebrate the fifth identify potential cultural barriers, annual Black Student Conference. to identify alternative strategies The Pan-Africa Support Group of for black students to overcome SMC sponsored the event, with those barriers and to “develop an help from the Associated Students awareness of the need to contribute and the Black Collegians Program. to the support and encouragement
of others.” This year’s schedule listed activities from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and included breakfast, guest speakers, workshops, and lunch. The event would conclude with what organizers called their “signature” forums: two simultaneous townhall-styled sessions, during which men and women separate into adjacent lecture halls to engage in spirited public debate.
Guest speaker Elaine Brown commenced the activities over breakfast, delivering a speech to invigorate the attending students. The students could then choose two of the four available workshops to attend over the following hours. While few in number, the workshop topics were grand in scope, focusing on AfricanAmerican history, spoken word poetry, a documentary produced
by a participant of the 1969 Cornell University racial protest, and a lesson on utilizing wise investment techniques to stabilize the financial situation of the black community. After the workshops, participating students enjoyed free In-N-Out burgers, while members of the SMC faculty and student government delivered speeches and raffle prizes.
See ‘Conference’ on page 4
Malibu greenlights SMC satellite campus
Game, set, match for Lady Corsairs
By Debby Vasquez Arts Canvas Editor
Lady Corsairs’ tennis team advances to Southern California Finals
See page 12 for full story Siddhartha Abbazi Corsair
SMC tennis doubles teammates Tiana Lauritzen and Anastasia Eliseeva (back) congratulate each other after defeating Orange Coast College 6-2, 6-3 last Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at Reed Park in Santa Monica.
Santa Monica College is possibly getting a new campus. On April 20, the Malibu Public Facilities Authority authorized SMC to reach agreement with the County of Los Angeles to build a satellite campus on county-owned land in Malibu’s Civic Center. This agreement would also consent to build a new Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department substation as part of the building improvements. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors still has to approve the use of the land which would consist of 20,000 square feet for the college satellite and 5,700 square feet for the sheriff’s substation. Approval by the board is likely, with much optimism among trustees and supervisors. “The agreement has the backing from supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, the sheriff, Santa Monica College, and the City of Malibu,” said Jim Thorsen, city manager. “I am very hopeful the County Board of
See ‘Malibu’ on page 4
SMC celebrates Earth Week’s 40th Anniversary By Alica Forneret Staff Writer
22, the sun peeked through the clouds and the Eco-Action Club, in collaboration with AS, celebrated It is a rare occurrence when the the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Eco-Action Club, Club Grow and Roughly 450 students were in the Center for Environmental and attendance. Urban Studies hope for no rain, but “Any student is going to walk as it began to drizzle the afternoon toward free food, but I think once before Earth Day, Genevieve they inquired more about what the Bertone, director of sustainability event was and what activities we at the CEUS cried out, “Oh Mother had going on, we had a lot of people Nature!” with her fists clenched participate,” said Calderon. towards the sky. In 1962 Senator Gaylord Nelson, “I literally had nightmares that a United States Senator from it was going to rain, because Wisconsin, began developing it had rained the day before,” a plan to make environmental said president of the Eco-Action awareness more prevalent in the Club, Stephanie Calderon. “I political sector. He felt that the seriously did a rain dance.” government was not adequately Bertone’s bellow and Calderon’s embracing environmentalism and jig fortunately paid off. From 11 so, after seven years of planning a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, April and a national conservation tour
with President Kennedy, Earth Day was established in 1970. SMC has also dedicated itself to the green agenda. The AS has pushed to remove water bottles from all school-related events, the Board of Trustees adopted a Zero Waste event policy, and vermiculture composting has been implemented on campus as a means of redirecting waste that would typically go into a landfill. Eco-Action Club reduced their budget proposal by 50 percent after the AS requested a decrease. The club made event t-shirts at home and cut out costly attractions like a rock wall. Once funding from AS was approved at roughly $4,500 the groups moved forward with their
See ‘Earth Day’ on Page 4
Sammy Soliman Corsair
Adreana Marmoljl and Fe Celestial handing out metal canteen bottles in the Santa Monica College Quad at the completion of the treasure hunt on Earth Day.
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THIS WEEK
Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College
Wednesday april 28, 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 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, Jennifer Martinez, Jeremy Biglow, Jeremy Condamine, John Stapleton IV, Jorge Valdovinos, Jung Shim, Katie Madejska, Kevin Duron, Linda Konde, Lyndsay Smith, Marley St. John, Michael Mendoza, Michael Zielinski, Monique Michaels, Nicole Ritter, Sal Guerra, Sammy Soliman, Sean Carpenter, Sean Mazzapica, Siddhartha Abbazi, Tannaz Lavian, Tara Murphy, TenĂŠ Anderson, Terrence Timmins, Tieg Slattery, Tracy Navarro
Christopher Salguero Corsair (Left To Right) Oscar Gross, 18, Kevin Baires, 16, Charles Bennet, 20, and Bernaldo, 15, play the game 21, at Argue Swim Stadium in Los Angeles on April 26, 2010.
News
Black Student Conference Malibu Satellite Campus Earth Week Board of Trustees Honor Society Play
3 & 4
Calendar
Coheed and Cambria Synapse Dance
8
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.
Opinion Photo Story
Pro vs. Con: Abortion Arizona Immigration Law
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Ocean View Garden
7
Lifestyle
Sports
Hiking Temescal Canyon SMC Dance Club
9
Weekly Fitness Women’s Tennis Track and Field
11 & 12
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NEWS
Wednesday April 28, 2010
Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College
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SMC Board of Trustees honored as “Eco Heroes”
Grace Smith Contributor
(Left to right) SMC President Chui L. Tsang, CEUS consultant Barent Roth, trustee Louise Jaffe, SMC sustainabiity coordination project manager Genevieve Bertone, trustee Susan Aminoff and Board vice-chair Andrew Walzer with son Andrew Walzer Jr. The SMC Board of Trustees was honored as “Eco Heroes” by the CEUS on Wednesday, April 21, 2010.
By Alica Forneret Staff Writer Squirming and smiling, Andy Jr., son of SMC Board of Trustees member Andrew Walzer, giggled and reached out toward the plaque that was presented to the Board at the Center for Environmental and Urban Studies on Wednesday, April 21. The young boy, unaware yet of the sustainable community that his father and the Board of Trustees are building, stared out into the room at the faces of many of the college’s most dedicated environmentalists. “I have the baby up here because
I just want to say I just feel a sense of pride in this college and all that we’ve accomplished and a sense of hope for future generations, and that’s what Andy Jr. symbolizes,” said Walzer. On Wednesday afternoon SMC students, faculty and community members were invited to the CEUS’s open house event. Attendees were given tours of the newly renovated green building and a chance to learn more about the Sustainable Works program, and to witness the presentation of two awards: one to the SMC Board of Trustees and the other to the Big Blue Bus. The Board of Trustees were
given the “Eco Hero” award for their intense commitment to SMC’s sustainable agenda. The Big Blue Bus was awarded for their commitment to providing environmentally friendly and safe transportation to thousands of students at SMC. SMC environmentalist leaders such as Stephanie Calderon, president of the Eco-Action Club, and Natasha Gorodnitski, AS director of sustainability, were also there to show their appreciation for the Board’s support in many initiatives affecting them as earth conscious SMC community members. Also in the audience was
college president Dr. Chui Tsang. Genevieve Bertone, director of sustainability at the CEUS, and Barent Roth, executive director of Sustainable Works, presented the Board of Trustees with a plaque commemorating a grove of trees that were planted by the center in their honor. Bertone informed those attending the event about the efforts that the Board has made to go above and beyond any other school’s Board of Trustees with regards to sustainable planning. The list of initiatives and plans that the Board has supported include the Zero Waste Initiative, the president’s Global Citizenship Initiative, and the Big Blue Bus. “When the center was founded in the early 1990s the administration and the leadership didn’t always make the connection that our leadership does now and I know that there were struggles in helping our leadership see the benefit of environmental practices and being on the cutting edge,” said Bertone. Bertone and other SMC faculty expressed a great appreciation for the work that the Board of Trustees has done to exhibit how dedicated they are to keeping SMC’s spot high on the list of most sustainable learning institutions. Bertone illustrated how the Board of Trustees does not need to be convinced or pushed to be green, emphasizing that they actively agree with it by readily accepting proposals made to them. The Board members’ close relationship with the CEUS and Sustainable Works program has
taught them about “going green” and they’ve applied it to their personal lives. Board member Susan Aminoff proudly exclaimed during her short speech that the time she spent with crew members and Bertone had paid off, making her a more environmentally conscious and active person. “I put out no garbage can this week because I learned so much from Genevieve and the crew,” said Aminoff. “I compost at my home. I just put out recycling and everything else went to the worms!” Aside from her personal efforts Aminoff made it clear that the Board makes a point to help the school as an institution take a similar approach to environmentalism. She informed the crowd of the many sustainable features present in the new buildings funded by measure AA, which the Board has adamantly supported. Some of those features include natural ventilation, water efficient landscaping, solar power, use of recycled waste water and enhanced bicycle access. The sustainable building program also supports the use of public transportation, storm water management, and waste water management and recycling. “There are people who work very hard in this college to help put this program together and to make this is a real learning expereince, so that our students can come and talk about what they’re doing in their own lives and how it’s going to affect a lot of other people in the future,” said Tsang.
Honor Council plays to SMC’s moral code By Carly Gillis Lifestyle Editor The mention of “honor codes” may conjure up images of gangsters, shoguns or soldiers. However, SMC’s Honor Council is hoping that similarly theatric connotations will prove that codes are just as important to another equally heroic, yet less romanticized group: students. On May 4 and 6 during SMC’s activity hour, the Honor Council will present a program of four comedy plays entitled, “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Honor Forum” on the studio stage of the Theater Arts Building. The four plays each present a conflict of morality in various settings. In “The Call-Back,” a snobby diva auditions for a role against a less talented yet mildmannered competitor. Two stoners reunite in “A Visit to the Doctor” and compare their lives after ten years apart. A student working as a waiter serves revenge cold to his unhelpful professor in “A Glass of Karma.” To round out the show, “What Happened in 2010” takes a look into the moral catalyst of our utopian future.
The production was written by SMC Public Information Officer, G. Bruce Smith with collaborative efforts by members of the Honor Council, including chair Valerie Narey and vice chair Tamorah Thomas. “Creativity is an interesting thing. I had ideas at the gym and while driving, but meeting with the Honor Council was especially stimulating,” said Smith. Smith has written a few education-focused plays specifically for SMC faculty in the past, but he is no stranger to full-feature productions. He has authored and produced several plays in the Los Angeles area since he started playwriting over 18 years ago. He also cofounded Playwrights 6, a group of playwright-managed theater companies. “The subject made it a little bit of a challenge not to sound preachy,” said Smith. “But it’s an important message to make entertaining.” Founded by council member Esau Tovar, counseling faculty member, the Honor Council began in 2007. SMC is the only community college in California to have a defined organization dedicated to the moral standing of its students.
The Honor Council acts as a think-tank, brainstorming ways to encourage the student body to pursue good moral standing. The board also serves as an enforcer of due process, overseeing allegations of plagiarism and infractions against the college’s Honor Code. The Corsair has previously reported a perceptible and rising trend of cheating on campus. The charges against Eamonn Daniel Higgins, as well as the recent influx of technologically savvy methods to mislead, have caught the attention of the Honor Council. “Impersonation seems to definitely be on the rise, and we hope to implement a change in how students register their classes,” said Narey. In the near future, Narey stated that the Council plans to conduct a new analysis as to how their methods have improved the rate of plagiarism and honesty on campus. As for now, the members are dedicated to promote awareness of not only the problems, but solutions as well. “The Honor Council is a grassroots sort of program and we want to make a difference,” said Narey.
Alecs Vildosola Contributor
Cast members in “The Callback,” clockwise from left, Tamika Katon-Donegal, Roel Navarro, Shani Tennyson and Shaina Zalma.
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Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College
NEWS
Wednesday April 28, 2010
SMC hosts 5th annual Black Student Conference Earth Day 2010
Continued from page 1
In the men’s discussion, the central theme was improving a personal sense of unity, specifically addressing catalysts for “brotherbrother, brother-sister, or brother-other” hostility. “The ‘black culture’ is a commercial product,” said facilitator Gregory Brookins, relating to the negative stereotypes hip-hop music creates. Brookins claimed that the manufactured aggression of black hip-hop stars was affecting not only how the global society sees the black community, but also how black men relate to one another. “We’re taught to be adversarial,” he said, “that [aggression] identifies what it is to be a black man. It’s important to understand the importance of hip hop content.”
Dr. Karen Gunn, an SMC Psychology professor conducting the women’s forum, asked each participant to find a complete stranger within the congregation. Gunn challenged participants to open up to one another and divulge at least “one thing that you, personally, will do to honor the sisterhood of the struggle.” The audience erupted into conversation and Gunn responded by saying, “One thing you don’t seem to suffer from is silence – that’s social skills 101.” Gunn charged the women to take responsibility for their individual involvement in pursuing community unity, instructing, “If you’re going to talk it, walk it. If you see your sister here on campus acting crazy, you’d better check them – I’m
authorizing that. I don’t mean clock them, but check them.” Each woman then shared their individual goals with the rest of the class. One at a time, the women revealed their resolutions, discussing the strengths and values of the actions to which each was willing to commit. Gunn explained that this exercise had been employed in order to demonstrate the power of a single individual’s contribution to creating a better social situation. Gunn concluded the lecture by encouraging black women to seek more productive results from their community officials, especially at school. “Find out what type of programs the faculty can institute to create these kinds of empowering opportunities,” she said.
SMC moves forward on the Malibu Satellite Campus Continued from page 1
Supervisors would approve the agreement.” The money for this new satellite campus comes from a $135 million bond measure approved by Santa Monica and Malibu residents in 2004 that included $25 million for the educational facility in Malibu. According to the press release published by the city of Malibu, the mayor of Malibu, Sharon Barovsky, has expressed great joy over this merger stating, “The Santa Monica College satellite campus will provide new educational opportunities for the community, and the sheriff’s substation will expand law enforcement’s capacity to serve Malibu, especially during emergencies. Residents have long sought both of these projects, and we are so pleased to see they
are moving forward.” The SMC Trustees also are happy with the union. “We appreciate the support of the Malibu community and look forward to enhancing the local educational opportunities,” said SMC Trustee Nancy Green in the press release. SMC Trustee Rob Rader also commented in the press release, “This truly is an example of inter-governmental cooperation to maximize benefits and to save the taxpayers’ money.” The current satellite campuses of SMC are the Bundy Campus, which houses the nursing program, and teacher training program, the SMC Performing Arts Center & Music Academy, which has
the widely-praised music program, The Academy of Entertainment & Technology, which accommodates graphic design and Interior Architectural Design, in addition to entertainment technology, The Airport Campus houses the ceramics program and the mentor arts program and the Emeritus College has various classes for older adults. If this plan is approved, the Malibu satellite campus will be the sixth SMC sattelite campus. It is not known what this campus will emphasize in terms of programs and courses. According to the college, about 130 students are currently taking classes in Malibu at the Webster Elementary School in the Civic Center area, where general education, art, and photography classes are taught.
Continued from page 1
plans, but not before the AS surprised them with 400 reusable water canteens sporting the new AS logo and the new “Clean and Green” SMC logo. Calderon credits the AS members of Eco-Action, Club Grow, and CEUS as being instrumental in helping coordinate the zero waste, eco-friendly event. Their cooperation brought together almost a dozen non-profit organizations and ensured that all advertisements were printed on postconsumer recycled paper products with soy ink. A scavenger hunt encouraged participants to visit a number of the ten non-profits represented, such as Heal the Bay, green businesses and the multiple campus clubs present. After completing the hunt, participants were awarded a canteen and a chance to enter the raffle for a bike and other prizes. Using a canteen instead of a water bottle may seem like an insignificant step, but imagine this: floating miles off of California’s shore is an entanglement of fishing nets, plastic bottles, and plastic shopping bags. Most commonly referred to as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, it is twice the size of Texas and burgeoning. SMC has done its part to curb the amount of reusable materials ending up in landfills by encouraging students to recycle and make use of materials like canteens. By doing their part to eliminate waste and by hosting events that put the sustainability of our planet first, SMC has ensured that the 2010 Earth Day event continues to flourish.
Wednesday April 28, 2010
OPINION
Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College
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From SMC’s Debate Team: should abortions be publicly funded? By Elijah Senn SMC Debate Team Member
PRO: By refusing public funding for abortion, we are in essence forcing women to carry children they do not want to term unless they can pay for an abortion themselves. Considering the physical and psychological toll that birthing a child takes, it is unconscionable that anyone could find this mandate in any way acceptable. We are condemning thousands of women into what amounts to long-term torture for the state’s moral comfort. This is abhorrent and indefensible, and thus it is only reasonable and fair that funding for abortion should be included in any further public health care initiatives. There are those who would argue that it would be in turn unfair for them to be forced to give their tax dollars to something they find morally reprehensible. However, one must wonder: if we allow the citizenry to pick and choose where their tax dollars go, how many would de-fund the Iraq and Afghanistan wars? How many would end the War on Drugs? Or how many would choose to eliminate the IRS completely and clear up the whole mess in the first place? There are dozens of places in the national budget where repugnant things take place that serve no greater purpose, but funding for abortion is not one of them.
Abortion, while by no means pleasant, is a necessary tool for a foundational freedom of women: the ability to choose when, where and how to have children. There can be no life, liberty and pursuit of happiness if you must always be concerned that you might take a wrong step down your life’s path and encounter an unexpected land mine. By allowing abortion, an essential medical procedure, to remain “priced out” of most women’s reach, we are restricting the most basic of freedoms to those well-heeled enough to afford it. This is inherently undemocratic. The purpose of an organized, democratic government is to act in the highest and best interests of its people, and there can be no higher interest than the care of the health of those people without regard to income, gender, race, age, or any other factor. America is now belatedly moving toward expanding access to needed health care, but we are unfortunately allowing one very important procedure to be left behind in the twentieth century: abortion. It’s not a pleasant thing to see, experience or have described to you, but no surgery is; we cannot allow a general sense of unease with a particular operation prevent us from providing it to women who need it. We cannot allow our citizenry to be forced into what is essentially slavery because we find abortion morally troubling. We absolutely must fund abortion fully under the honest and accurate imprimatur of public health.
Arizona borders on intolerance By Dan Bluemel Opinion Editor This week, the State of Arizona passed and signed into law SB 1070, which gives police the power to verify a person’s immigration status whom they “suspect” are illegal. By all accounts, this law is nothing more than legal racism, just another opportunity for Americans to pick on a minority that cannot defend themselves. SB 1070 is a sign of the times we live in. America’s mood is getting foul and with it comes intolerance and scapegoating. The message is clear from Arizona: If you are swarthy and speak with an accent you better have your papers in order, otherwise Officer Jim Bob is going to show you the power of his badge, and baton. Nationalist, right wing, law-and-order geeks have won this battle, casting aside any sense of empathy or compassion for their fellow human beings. They need a reality check. America is a concept. It exists in our heads, on maps and in legal documents. But it is not real; it does not occur in the physical universe. Look at a satellite image of the planet. Mother Earth has no borders. Furthermore, we are no more American than Mexican or Chinese. “American,” is a man-made, legal title. Instead, we are all human beings of the same blood and bone, born to this planet and thus, equally have a right to it. Nationalism is an ideology that only divides us from our fellows. It inevitably inflicts some horrible injustice upon another group. It creates anger and resentment, helping only to perpetuate
the cycle of violence that has plagued this planet for so long. Despite what is preached on AM radio and Fox News, illegal immigrants are not the problem to America’s woes. Whitecollar, Wall Street crime and capitalism’s greedy, unregulated, profit-over-people ethos has more to do with our suffering economy than someone washing dishes for sub-standard wages. It is no secret that capitalism goes through boom and bust cycles. The Communist Manifesto was very clear about this. After each boom, it states, “society suddenly finds itself put back into a state of momentary barbarism; it appears as if a famine, a universal war of devastation, had cut off the supply of every means of subsistence.” And that was written as far back as 1848. It is not illegal immigrants, but unregulated, rapacious capitalism and poorly conceived economic policies that bring about recessions, depressions and their subsequent high crime rates. Let us not give in to reactionary hatred and legalize cruelty like Arizona. It is frankly, in the simplest terms, outdated. It is time for a truly 21st century solution toward immigration. We must forgo the petty, bloody allegiances of nationalism and embrace our planetary identity. Humanity is our one, true family. A sane solution where we target the economic/financial policies responsible for commercial collapse is desperately required. Anything less would be scapegoating and punishing innocent people for simply trying to eke out a better life.
By Sean Ogino SMC Debate Team Member
CON: For all intents and purposes abortions are selective surgeries and are not a form of contraception. Except in cases of rape, incest, or that the fetus presents a danger to the mother’s life, abortions can be prevented by just engaging in safe sex practices. Contraception prevents conception – obviously. But most people fail to realize this important distinction. Abortions destroy what has already been created and they can be prevented by just engaging in safe sex practices. This is why it is important that we deny public funding against abortions. Preventing easy access to abortions reinforces ideas about responsibility, which is unfortunately a dying character trait in this country. If you decide to engage in big boy/big girl activities like sex, then you’re on the hook for all of the ups and downs that come with it. Abortion abrogates a person’s responsibility and, in the process, kills an eventual life. Selective abortions are essentially cosmetic. The mother or parents don’t want the social stigma of having a child out of wedlock, or at a young age, or both, so they select abortion as the only means of saving face. Instead of handling their irresponsibility responsibly, such as putting the newborn
up for adoption, they go for the quick and easy solution that destroys a forming life. Other forms of contraception remove the potential for life and so remove the harm of ever conceiving. Furthermore, putting children up for adoption enables couples who can’t have children the opportunity to have a family. There are also long-term issues to consider. The U.S. is below its replacement rate. This means American couples are having less than two children, which means a larger tax burden on later generations. An extreme example of Japan shows the detrimental effects an aging population will have on younger generations. According to Reuters News Agency, Japan’s elderly population is expected to increase to 40 percent by 2055. This means 60 percent of Japanese must care for and fund the health care for an elderly population. Having more children alleviates this overall burden; it’s just good long-term economic and social policy. By not publicly funding abortions, which would otherwise be selective and abhorrent to a large group of tax payers, we are keeping health care as fair as possible. It also takes an unnecessary financial burden off the system. Instead of funding abortions, the government can fund safe-sex campaigns and provide more health care to the poor, which is an overall better use of public funding.
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Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College
A RT S C A N VA S
Wednesday April 28, 2010
Touchstone by T.Hoban
We found it in the forest and we took it home and admired it. Not just admired it, we could not keep our eyes from it. First we would take turns
Poppy Art
In Eschscholizia, CA the state flower, the California Poppy is in full bloom in Antelope Valley, in the high desert, west of Lancaster on April 23, 2010.
by Lillie Grossman
admiring it and then to the point that we caught each other sneaking peeks at it in the middle of the night. Tip-toeing across the cold floor to look at its glow, I saw your face bathed in its light surrounded by the darkness. I know that you know what it is, but neither of us will say the words. Am I right ?
Poppy buds shine against the blue sky and snowy mountains in the early morning hours of Lancaster, CA. showing an excellent display of color.
Wednesday April 28, 2010
P H O T O S T O RY
Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College
Far Left: Community Garden member Ray Hojem weeds around the flowers at Ocean View Farms Community Garden on Saturday, April 3.
Left: Despite the rain and cool morning air, the compost pile reads 130 degrees.
Ocean View Farms provide plots for over five hundred gardens. Situated on a windy hilltop, across the street from The Santa Monica Airport, it’s the largest community garden in Los Angeles County. The land is owned by the Department of Water and Power. Saturday, Feb. 20.
Community Garden plays a growing role in sustainable living
Ocean View Farms Community Garden member Ned Bader shovels steaming compost in the rain.
Photos by Michael Zelinski and Text by Bryn Woznicki
Ocean View Farms Community Garden is more than just a beautiful place. It is an example of a local community implementing sustainable living techniques. Located on a windy Mar Vista hillside, across from The Santa Monica Airport, is Ocean View Farms Community Garden (OVF). At first glance, one is surprised by the size of this tranquil hidden sanctuary. Four sections contain over five hundred individual gardens. Mailboxlined pathways divide terraced plots. Golden poppies sprout like weeds. Each rectangular garden is a unique space and forms a distinct piece of the greater garden mosaic. There are gardens dedicated to vegetables, flowers, herbs, fruits, succulents, medicinal plants and native species. There is a children’s garden that also serves as a monarch butterfly sanctuary. “Seeing the new crops come up is very rewarding,” says Scott Feldman, OVF community gardener. “It is my therapy.” The cooperative volunteer efforts of the community garden members make it all possible. OVF is an
example of local sustainability at work. Composting was originally implemented as a cost saving measure. Garden Master Ed Mosman said, “We used to have dumpsters here which were very expensive. We said if we start composting our weeds and our material, there is no need for it to go to the landfill.” Ed laughs as he explains, “we got rid of all the dumpsters and, as you can see, everything that is grown here stays here. It goes right back into the garden again.” Eventually the composting program was expanded upon to include the composting of local stable waste. According to Mosman, OVF “receives fifteen tons of stable waste every other week.” In addition to eliminating trash fees and shrinking landfills, the garden produces rich organic compost, which is available for garden member use. OVF has been serving the local community for over 34 years. But if you are in a hurry to start gardening, you may want to consider other options. The current waiting list for an OVF plot is two years.
Ocean View Farm Community Garden members Richard Nortman, Takeshi Tsunemoto and Juan Arias sort through garden waste prior to composting.
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CALENDAR
Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College
Wednesday April 28, 2010
Synapse Dance Michael Zielinski Corsair
The Synapse dance theater performs on The Broad Stage at the SMC Performing Arts Center on Saturday, April 24. Performances were sold out both nights for the contemporary dance ensemble.
By Emil Norlén Staff Writer This past weekend, the annual Synapse dance theater, presented by the Santa Monica College dance department, gave its audience a night filled with artistic expression, fresh choreography and visual stimulation. Parents, fellow students, relatives, and dance enthusiasts filled up the Broad Stage at the SMC Performing Arts Center on both Friday and Saturday nights. The dancers performed for a sold-out arena and the energy was high throughout the performance. Some pieces had been put together and choreographed by faculty members, while others came to life through the imagination and creativity of practicing dance students.
A high-paced jazz number kicked off the show. Girls were dressed in high heels, colorful 50’s cocktail dresses and hats, while the men wore slacks and suspenders. Aside from skillful dancing, the show also offered an innovative wardrobe for its dancers. Dresses made with soft, floating fabric enhanced the movements of performers. Torn jeans, high top sneakers and baggy hoodies added flavor to the performances of others. While many seemed to enjoy the contemporary hip-hop pieces for their confident and poised delivery, others settled for deeply artistic pieces. Winnie Dean, who traveled from Ventura County to see her niece perform in the Synapse show, liked “The Space In-Between,” a piece choreographed
by SMC student Jennifer Stacy Campos. Dancers were dressed in black donned Mardi Gras masks. At one point in the performance, a female dancer was trying to escape the clutches of her male counterpart while suspenseful music from the “Nightmare on Elm Street” soundtrack was playing. Dean liked the contrast of light in the piece, along with the shape of the dance and the shadows it created. “It was just amazing,” she said. Many other spectators were impressed by the diversity of dance offered by the show. SMC student Elsa Dahan came to watch her friend dance in the show. “It had all aspects of dance,” Dahan said. Many different performances were shown, some more complex than others. “If you’re
ready to open your mind [you should see the show,] but it’s not for everyone,” Dahan said. The second hip-hop performance of the night especially caught Dahan’s attention. “It was very dynamic and cool, with energizing music,” she said. “It was very creative and technical.” Many audience members came to show their support for the dancers. John Alvarado was there to see his daughter dance. Alvarado has been going to different dance events over the past 17 years, after his daughter started dancing at the age of three. “I came here with low expectations,” he said, but was pleased to see how well the show was put together. “The lighting was done well, the music was done well,” he said. “It was a great show.”
Coheed and Cambria delivers with “Year of the Black Rainbow” Coheed and Cambria show us the softer side of rock-and-roll with their fifth album release. By Sean Carpenter Staff Writer It’s always a bit unnerving when one of your favorite bands releases a new album. While musical evolution is expected for artists, it can be difficult to accept change without comparing it to a sound or genre established in previous albums. Considering this, it’s always good to keep an open mind. Coheed and Cambria is one band whose recent release, “The Year of the Black Rainbow,” is a true testament to artistic growth and musical maturity. Released in April 2010, their fifth studio album manages to be more refined while still dispensing the intense ferocity that fans have come to expect. “With a band like [Coheed and Cambria], who have been around for years, a new album can make or break your allegiance,” says SMC student and fan Natalie Sanchez. “It’s like, okay, your last album was awesome, so don’t screw it up for me. But they have stayed true to their sound. [Black Rainbow] is a seriously amazing record.” With vocals by front man Claudio Sanchez, Travis Stever on guitar, bass by Mic Todd, and Joshua Eppard on drums, the band delivers an album with a verve that is reminiscent of such iconic rock bands as Nirvana and Rush.
“Black Rainbow” begins with a track titled “One,” yielding a peaceful and ominous opening that is really a leadin to the second track “Broken.” It is with this track that the album is thrust headfirst into the pure rock-and-roll sound that has come to define the band. “The Black Rainbow” ends with a long and melodic track that provides a contrasting fade-out and truly shows their growth as a band. SMC student Taylor Bind witnessed the band’s evolution first-hand with their recent performance at the Coachella music festival earlier this month. “[Coheed’s] performance wasn’t as hard as I remember from other live shows I’ve seen. It’s softer, but it’s still rock-androll. Claudio still performs each song with the emotion they deserve. You can’t go wrong with that.” Coheed and Cambria formed in 2000 from a band that was previously known as Shautle. Hailing from the New York state area, the band released their first studio album “The Second Stage Turbine Blade,” released by independent record label Equal Vision in 2002. With five concept albums under their belts, Coheed has pushed the limits of conventional music writing. Always the slave to rock-and-roll, it seems clear that their musical presence is likely to go unchallenged.
Wednesday April 28, 2010
LIFESTYLE
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SMC Dance Club helps students keep in step By Tené Anderson Staff Writer
the fact that “over 6,000 folk dances have been created by Israeli choreographers.” When it’s his turn to be a spectator, Now that spring is here, are you feeling Zimmer’s love runs deep for Tango. an itch to break away from the books and “It has a lot of beautiful music and it’s enjoy some outdoor physical activity? challenging to learn,” he said. “It’s very James Zimmer and the International romantic.” Dance Club extend an open invitation for Zimmer felt that in other cultures and students to join their Salsa Swing Tango periods, dancing was a more valued part dance party every Tuesday from 11:15 a.m. of social activity. “It provides a safe to 12:35 p.m. in front of the SMC clock opportunity to meet the opposite sex, and tower. Don’t know how to salsa, swing or gives people more confidence.” tango? All the more reason to hop to it. Mico Lazaro, 18, attended one of Lessons are provided by Zimmer for free. Zimmer’s lessons and was waltzing like a Zimmer, a Santa Monica College pro within minutes. “I feel more confident alumnus, founded the club at the college skill-wise… so I can show girls,” he said. in 2003 to introduce students to a wide Lazaro said the only reason he was variety of dance styles. “It celebrates able to catch on so quickly was because multiculturalism,” he said. Zimmer was “such a good teacher.” Zimmer graduated from University One of Zimmer’s regulars on Tuesday, of California, Los Angeles with a music Emily Bourbon, had other motivations. degree and plays the piano and violin. “I take the lessons so I’ll have some cool “I discovered how much fun it is to see moves to show off when I perform,” she people dancing to a variety of music,” said. “Also, I dream of a man who rides he said. Perhaps Zimmer was destined motorcycles and can dance.” to discover the myriad benefits of dance Zimmer isn’t the man on the motorcycle since his parents met on the 1960s TV but he is the man busy teaching ballroom dance show Shebang. and folk dancing at weddings and sweet Zimmer’s specialty is Israeli folk dancing, sixteens as well as at local community which he teaches Tuesday nights at the centers. He will be teaching historical Westside Jewish Community Center. He ballroom at UCLA’s Powell College says he enjoys it for its musical variety and Library on May 22. He said it will be a
Brian White Corsair
On April 20, Santa Monica College students Brian Niguyien and Breanna Balisteri practiced their waltz at SMC Dance Club that is taught by James Zimmer. Zimmer started teaching weekly dance at the SMC clock tower in 1998. The club holds free dance lessons of swing, salsa, tango, and waltz every Tuesday at activity hour.
“Jane Austen…ragtime…renaissance type of event” and attendees may come in costume. A great joy for Zimmer is seeing former students go on to become professional
A brief respite: Temescal Canyon Trail By Tieg Slattery Staff Writer
gateway entrance off Sunset, but make sure to bring exact change ($7) or be prepared to walk before you hike. Even after a short distance up the wellIf New York is the city that never sleeps, then perhaps L.A. is the city that never marked path, it becomes increasingly easy walks. And yet Los Angelinos love to to erase all memory of the big city and the hike. At times the treacherous traffic and big headaches that all too often accompany constant hustle of a major metropolis can it. Follow Temescal Canyon steadily upward to see a seasonal waterfall, which flows be chokingly claustrophobic. Yet, with only a limited amount of effort steadily after rain. In spring it seems more and a short commute, Angelinos are able to like a stream but it nonetheless flows free, easily escape the concrete confines of the big allowing your imagination to do the same. Dustin Mote and his wife, amateur hikers, city. Located in the Pacific Palisades, at the foot were take full advantage of the outdoor of Sunset Blvd., Temescal Canyon Trail is an opportunities the mild, sunny Los Angeles ideal, entry-level, local hike just 15 minutes region offers. from the Santa Monica College campus. “We try to get out hiking and exploring Parking and amenities are available at the at least a couple times a month,” he
Brian White Corsair
The view of Santa Monica while coming down from the peak of the Temescal Canyon in Pacific Palisades, CA on April 25.
says. “Yesterday we hiked Topanga Canyon, and the views were unreal.” Mote migrated from Chicago to work in the entertainment industry and appreciates the nature of this city. “When I lived in Illinois we would have to drive 2-3 hours just to walk up a hill,” said Mote. “In L.A. there’s a great diversity of city and wilderness, and tons of outdoor adventures right at our fingertips. I love it.” Although the shade of the oak and sycamore slowly disappear from the trail, overgrown chaparral surround to provide welcome refuge from the mid-day heat. Occasionally the shrubbery clears to reveal the vastness of the open canyon below. Once at the ridge’s crest, follow the path two-third of a mile upward to arrive at the unique skull-shaped rock formation that punctuates the peak of the trail and makes for the perfect picnic perch. Here, hikers are rewarded with sweeping views that span from Catalina Island to Downtown. To head back down, loop along the steeply sloping Temescal Ridge Trail or, for the less precipitously inclined, follow the canyon path back down the same way. The Skull Rock round-trip is 5.4 miles, with a 700-foot gain. At a leisurely pace it should take no more than a few hours. Bring water, comfortable footwear and a camera and enjoy some of the best views Southern California has to offer. Los Angeles is a city where fitness comes first, yoga pants double as formal wear and treadmill line-ups fill the gyms that dot nearly every street. However, if you are a city dweller who would prefer to peer at a picturesque landscape rather then the stark concrete walls of the local gym, Southern California’s trails might be the perfect place for you.
dancers and instructors themselves. He absolutely loves and lives what he does. “I’ve made friends and had opportunity to meet lots of diverse people…and I’ve found what I love to do,” he said.
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A D S PA G E
Wednesday March 31, 2010
11 S P O RT S SMC Weekly Fitness: Football Wide-Reciever Treyvon Jimenez Wednesday April 28, 2010
By Michael Mendoza Staff Writer To play the game of football, players must embody dedication, determination and courage. For freshman Treyvon Jimenez, these three components have played a huge role in his personal development as a widereceiver and the improvement of the SMC football team as whole. “Coming to SMC this year I was impressed by the improvements of the team as far as conditioning and working out,” said Jimenez. Vying for a spot on the team, Jimenez knows it will take more than determination and courage to reach his goal. To prepare for competition, he puts in multiple hours of work, highlighted by specific footwork drills, to ensure that his skills are up to par by the upcoming season. “I practice my footwork by doing three cone drills,” said Jimenez. “It also helps me have good balance and strengthens my ankles.” Being on the field requires an exceptional amount of endurance, and to assure he can maintain that peak level of fitness,
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Jimenez pushes himself through arduous conditioning exercises. “I like to run stairs since the incline helps me speed-wise,” said Jimenez. Jimenez isn’t willing to settle for second best, and that self-determination to exceed his own expectations is what drives him everyday. “I’m always striving to be the best,” said Jimenez. “I try to catch one hundred balls a day and always work on my route running.” Off the field, Jimenez follows a simple diet that consists of avoiding non-processed and less fatty foods. “I always include some type of green vegetables with my meals and eat a lot of baked foods instead of fried foods,” said Jimenez. “I always follow my diet no matter what because I’m disciplined enough to avoid the tempting foods like desserts.” From the field to the dinner table, Jimenez is always striving to be the best, and a certain NFL superstar gives him that extra motivation to reach for the stars. “I really look up to Reggie Bush,” said Jimenez “He’s so good that I strive to be better than him, and I’m always trying to outdo the best.”
Freshman Treyvon Jimenez glides up the stairs as he prepares for the upcoming football season.
brought a much-needed toughness to the Lakers’ perimeter defense, a trait they had previously been lacking. He’s earned that six million dollar contract he signed by playing some stellar defense against the NBA’s leading scorer, Kevin Durant, in the first round. Other off-season moves included Vince Carter to the Orlando Magic and Richard Jefferson to the San Antonio Spurs. Carter was brought to Orlando in hopes of alleviating some of the pressure on All Star center Dwight Howard, while San Antonio brought in forward Jefferson to complement the Spurs’ Big 3. Carter has had flashes of brillance, whereas Jefferson has suffered from inconsistent play all season. The drama is always highlighted in the playoffs, and each action is carefully examined by the millions of fans watching. Game one between Miami and Boston had all the excitement fans were craving. During the waning minutes of the contest, a tussle broke out between members from both the Heat and Celtics, resulting in Miami forward Quentin Richardson being struck by
Kevin Garnett’s elbow. Because of that blow, Garnett was suspended by the NBA for game two against the Heat. The San Antonio vs. Dallas Mavericks series also involved some chirping, highlighted when Mavericks owner Mark Cuban came out and publicly stated that he “hated the Spurs,” according to Yahoo Sports. So far Cuban’s comments have done little more than motivate the Spurs, as San Antonio took a commanding 3-1 on Sunday night. The drama spills into the games as well. Although the Milwaukee Bucks lost their first two playoff games to the Atlanta Hawks, rookie point guard Brandon Jennings has rallied the troops with two straight home victories over Atlanta while averaging an impressive 19.8 points and 4 assists. Game 2 of the Lakers and Thunder series recorded a memorable duel between the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant and the Thunder’s Kevin Durant in the fourth quarter, as Kobe scored 39 and Durant pumped in 32. This was followed with 29 points and 19 rebounds by Kevin Durant in Game 3 for the Thunder’s first playoff win. The Thunder continued their
Alfredo Luna Corsair
2010 NBA Playoffs Report: The excitement may be just beginning By Farhan Ali Staff Writer March Madness has ended, with Duke University taking home the NCAA championship for just the fourth time in its long history. To many though, the madness started on April 17, when the 2010 NBA Playoffs began with a bang. This year, the West is crazier than ever, with tossup series and upsets inevitable as eight 50 plus win teams enter the Playoffs. The East is also stacked with perennial powerhouses like Cleveland, Orlando, Boston and Atlanta. As it stands now, all the signs point towards a frenetic, energized and adrenaline-filled finals down to the final buzzer. Offseason acquitions are looming large in the 2010 playoffs, wth some teams benefiting and others not so much. Ron Artest was virtually exchanged for Trevor Ariza in the offseason, and at times has looked out of place in Hollywood, struggling to fully mesh with the Laker’s renowned triangle offense. Although many claim the swap was unnecessary, Artest has
momentum into Game 4 as they thrashed the Lakers from buzzer to buzzer, decisively defeating the defending champs 110-89. Not to be outdone, Cleveland’s Lebron James put on his own Jordanesque performance against the Bulls, as “The King” scored 40 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and dished out 8 assists to push the Cavs up 2-0 in the series. However, Chicago would come back in Game 3 behind Derrick Rose’s 31 points to cut the series deficit 2-1. As if on queue, Lebron and the Cavs wasted little time in Game 4, as they dominated the Bulls 121-98 to push the series lead with 3-1. With the playoffs already off to a nice start, fans can expect the series to reach an even higher level of excitement as they get to the conference’s semi-finals round. As talent in each round improves, the playoff games show why March Madness is just an appetizer of what it means to play basketball. In every round, it will come down to two teams. Both will be ready to seize the opportunity, but the 2008 NBA playoff commercials said it best; there can only be one.
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S P O RT S
Eliseeva and Lauritzen No. 1 in CA
By Brandon Quin Staff Writer
Siddhartha Abbazi Corsair Sophomore Anastasia Eliseeva wickedly returns volley against Orange Coast College’s Melissa Boyer.
Corsairs advance to finals By Kevin Duron Staff Writer “Business as usual,” said Coach Goldenson with a smile. There is perhaps no better way to describe the Lady Corsairs’ fifteenth consecutive victory yesterday as they eliminated Orange Coast College in the semi-final round of the playoffs and positioned themselves just one win away from a Southern California championship. The women’s tennis squad relied heavily on their endurance and composure as the meet carried on late into the chilly Santa Monica evening on Tuesday. Despite some minor speed bumps in a few early singles matches, the Corsairs rolled to a welldeserved 5-3 victory over the Pirates. Firing out of the gates was freshman sensation Tiana Lauritzen in the #3 spot on the team, soundly defeating Orange Coast’s Anna Walinowicz in straight sets. With her victories yesterday, she polished her 40-0 record in both singles and doubles matches. Catching up with Lauritzen after the game, she reflected on the effort that she put into the day’s performance, “I just stuck to my game and didn’t think about hers at all,” she explained. “There’s a bit more pressure because these are playoff games now.” While Lauritzen was sticking to the basics, the rest of the team was in the midst of their own matches on the other side of Reed Park. Anastasia Eliseeva also took home the win yesterday, but it didn’t come easy. After struggling in the early going by double faulting twice in the fourth game of the first set, Eliseeva honed in on her ingame strategy. “I saw that she wasn’t moving very much, so I started running her around,” said Eliseeva. Using this tactic, she successfully
Wednesday April 28, 2010
drew her opponent away from the net and then angled a sharp shot to secure the match in straight sets. With wins from fellow teammates Gwendolyn Kauffman and Kimberly Penez, also in straight sets, the Corsairs headed into doubles play needing only one more win to capture the event. At this point it was safe to predict the match’s outcome by referring to the late nickname of former Dodgers’ closer Eric Gagne, “Game Over.” This remains true because of the superior talent of Eliseeva and Lauritzen as doubles partners, evident in their victories together at the Ojai Invitational last weekend, crowning them as the best doubles pair in the state of California. They took the honor to heart by showing their prowess on the court against the HoBoyer Orange Coast combo by taking the match in straight sets. Eliseeva cranked up the miles per hour on her rallies and served up an ace to win the fourth game of the first set that would’ve left scouts scrambling for a radar gun. Lauritzen provided overly sufficient support with her notable net play, recording three smashes in the final two games of the match that devastated her opponents. As the group heads down to Saddleback today for the Southern California finals of the playoffs, there is no doubt about the chip on their shoulder. Having Saddleback as their only loss, the girls have revenge on their mind. Coach Goldenson seems as confident as usual. “I was looking at them [Saddleback] last weekend at Ojai and I didn’t see the improvement in them that we’ve had since the start of the season,” he said. The Corsairs look to cap off their undefeated conference record in championship fashion today against Saddleback College, as they face off in the Gaucho’s backyard at 2 p. m.
Playing in a tournament graced by the likes of Pete Sampras and Billie Jean King, the women’s tennis team achieved a feat never previously seen at SMC as they etched their names into the history books late Sunday night. Last weekend, at the Ojai Invitational, the Lady Corsairs four-day triumph was highlighted by the spectacular performance of Anastasia Eliseeva and Tiana Lauritzen, as they combined to capture the first doubles championship in school history and finish as the number one doubles team in California. SMC would also find substantial success in the singles competition, with Eliseeva reaching the quarterfinals and freshman Jutta Collet falling just two rounds short of the same accomplishment. The contest opened Thursday morning with the preliminary singles rounds that saw both Eliseeva and Collet breeze through their initial opponents without losing a set. Although Collet fell in a tough second round match, Eliseeva would advance into the quarterfianls where she would match-up with Sierra’s Brittanie Miller. Despite a disappointing three-set loss to Miller, Eliseeva was subsequently able to shift all of her attention to that elusive doubles championship. Doubles competition was launched in the midst of the singles rounds, and was the beginning of the Corsair’s true shining moment. SMC’s pairings of Elliseeva/Lauritzen and Collet/Kimberly Penez both opened the tournament with consecutive rounds of
dominant tennis, with neither team losing a set to their first two opponents. The next round was rough on Collet and Penez, with a few controversial calls not falling in their favor. They consequently lost in three-sets to Orange Coast’s Melissa Boyer and Kim Ho. On the other hand, Eliseeva/Lauritzen were just getting started as they pulled out a tight three-set win over Mt. San Antonio’s Carluen/Peng. Two decisive victories later, Eliseeva and Lauritzen found themselves in a position never before achieved by any SMC women’s tennis pairing, as they entered Ojai’s doubles title match. Not satisfied with simply reaching the finals, the dominant duo of Eliseeva/Lauritzen wasted little time against Reedly College’s Amy Busch and Yumiko Justin, taking both sets 7-6; 6-2 and thus capturing the illustrious doubles championship. With record-breaking becoming commonplace for the Lady Corsairs, their spectacular level of success can be attributed largely on the players’ arduous preparation. “This team is genuinely dedicated and they know they have to practice consistently to maintain their competitive edge,” said head coach Richard Goldenson. ”Practicing gives them the confidence that they’ll get the job done on match day.” Coach Goldenson immediately extinguished any concern that such an emotionally taxing event could possibly hinder the Corsairs in their current playoff push. “There’s something about that word playoffs that just gives you an adrenaline rush,” he said with a smile.