Volume 103 Issue 4

VOLUME 103 ISSUE 4 MARCH 14, 2012

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PHOTO BY MICHAEL YANOW

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2|CONTENTS

WEDNESDAY MARCH 14, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Street closures in Santa Monica during the LA Marathon EDITORIAL STAFF

Nathan Gawronsky ยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทEditor-in-Chief corsair.editorinchief@gmail.com Nathalyd Meza ยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยท Managing Editor corsair.managing@gmail.com Fatou Samb ยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยท News Editor corsair.newspage@gmail.com Amber Antonopoulos ยทยทHealth + Life Editor corsair.lifestylepage@gmail.com Jacob Blackoffยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยท A & E Editor corsair.calendarpage@gmail.com Mia Shilpi ยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยท Opinion Editor corsair.opinionpage@gmail.com Roger Morante ยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทSports Editor corsair.sportspage@gmail.com Paul Alvarez ยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยท Multimedia Editor corsair.multimedia@gmail.com Michael Yanow ยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยท Photo Editor Anisa El-Khouri ยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยท Photo Editor corsairphotoeditor@gmail.com David J. Hawkins ยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทWeb Editor corsair.webeditor@gmail.com Nathalyd Meza ยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยท Design Editor Alfredo Avila ยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยท Design Staff Elham Sagharchi ยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทDesign Staff corsair.designteam@gmail.com Jhosef Hern ยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทยทIllustration corsaircartoon@gmail.com

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NEWS|3

WEDNESDAY MARCH 14, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Faculty to observe Flex Day Nadine Weiland Staff Writer For many SMC students, Thursday, March 15 will be merely a day off. For faculty members, it will be a day of workshops and lectures ranging from the importance of sleep to how to capture the attention of disinterested students.

The day is called Flex Day. Faculty members will be transformed into students as they attend lectures and workshops from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Topics include academic integrity, sustainability, the importance of technological tools in education, and how to achieve happiness among others.

“It is important for faculty to keep up with the research and trends in education and their disciplines so that they can properly educate their students,” said Patricia Burson, cochair of the Professional Development Committee. “Maintaining currency in their discipline is an expectation of the faculty.”

The Professional Development Committee at SMC consists of faculty representatives, administration, and classified staff. They organize workshops, handle funding for individual professional development, and coordinate special professional development days.

SMC Flex Day takes place twice a year in the fall and spring. The term ‘Flex’ refers to professional development activities in the California Community College system. All colleges in the system are required to devote a certain number of days to those activities.

According to Burson, Flex Day gives faculty the opportunity to come

together to discuss issues as well as come up with innovative ideas to enhance the teaching experience.

“The sharing builds community, and is meant to help us all better serve our students,” said Burson.

“Students are at the center of the Flex activities, because the activities are meant to help faculty enhance their skills or knowledge to benefit the students.”

Steve Hunt, Co-chair of the Professional Development Committee, said that committee members and various interest groups on campus work together to come up with topics for the Flex Day. They also develop strategies on how to best achieve the goal of providing quality education to students. ”This helps us keep a dynamic forward-thinking college that keeps moving into the future,” said Hunt.

Aside from the two SMC Flex Days in fall and spring that focus on institutional issues, three departmental professional development days are also held each year to discuss department related issues.

Additionally, faculty members are required to spend a certain number of hours per year on individual activities related to professional development.

According to Hunt, these initiatives are meant to help teachers improve their skills in order for students to have a more dynamic and involved faculty.

“The students benefit from having a faculty that is up-to-date in the latest legal and technological issues and knows what’s going on in the teaching field,” Hunt said.

Henry Crumblish Staff Writer

Student Advocacy Bristles

I.D.E.A.S. (Improving Dreams Equality Access Success), a student advocacy club at Santa Monica College, has been a regular presence at the forefront of political issues affecting students. Not least of these issues is the status and welfare of undocumented students at SMC. “A lot of undocumented students already have trouble paying their tuition, and with this new fee controversy, their education has been put in jeopardy,” said Mohammad Jehangir, co-chair of I.D.E.A.S. Undocumented students may have a more difficult time transferring because some come from low-income families with limited resources to get funding for education.

“As a club, we try to fight the negative connotations of being an undocumented student. We try to clear up misconceptions that the general public may have of us,” said Jehangir.

Soledad Sanchez, also co-chair of

SMC student seeks amnesty for North Korea refugees Andrew Riesmeyer Staff Writer Santa Monica College student Edward Joe Kim imagines what life must be like for his friend’s sister, a North Korean refugee. “I know there is no such thing as freedom there,” he says. “There is no food.

People talk about horror stories where children are so hungry, they’re fighting over kernels of corn in cow dung. People often die from starvation.”

This is the reality of living in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Citizens face political oppression, poverty, and torrid living conditions. Those who disagree with the Communist state are either killed or sent to labor camps.

According to reports by Amnesty International, 30 refugees, including Joe Kim’s friend’s sister, were caught crossing into China in early February. They are now waiting to be repatriated into North Korea to be publically executed. Joe Kim says, “I heard that she was caught, and it just made me sick to my stomach.

I couldn’t sleep, so I looked online and found the petition. I made a Facebook event for her.”

The petition, called “Save My Friend,” aims to get the international community’s attention, and compel China to release the refugees to South Korea, where they will automatically become citizens, says Joe Kim. According to the petition’s website, after the death of North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il, in November, his son and successor Kim Jongun, declared that refugees caught fleeing North Korea during the 100 days of mourning would be killed, along with their families.

Joe Kim’s Facebook event has over 1,000 members. “It’s an event and not a group, because it ends when she will be freed or when she is put to death,” he says.

I.D.E.A.S., is an undocumented student.

Sanchez feels that being undocumented creates a barrier of financial hardship that documented students are not familiar with. “I’m highly motivated to succeed; being undocumented is an obstacle I have to overcome,” she said.

“We try to give students all the right information about what their options are for furthering their education and spreading awareness. I think everyone is entitled to higher education,” said Sanchez.

I.D.E.A.S. is a support group for undocumented and underprivileged students.

It provides them with information and resources to help them achieve a successful education.

I.D.E.A.S. is a platform for underrepresented students to voice out their opinion on issues that affect them. Its members are predominantly underprivileged students, but not limited to them.

They supported the AB 540 bill, passed in 2001, allowing undocumented students to pay in-state tuition fees.

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Since early March, the Save My Friend petition has garnered over 171,000 signatures and provided a point of unification for refugee supporters. Word of mouth and social networking helped bring attention to the issue. “It’s easy to support,” Joe Kim says. “You log on to SaveMyFriend.org, and you can sign it and share it with your friends.”

American journalist sisters, Laura and Lisa Ling, have created a video explaining the goals and aim of the petition. Laura Ling was detained in North Korea in 2009 for illegally crossing the North Korean border.

“It was the most frightening time of my life, but I am home and free,” she says in the video. “There are too many North Koreans who live in fear for their lives.”

Joe Kim’s friend’s sister, a North Korean refugee, is currently at the mercy of China.

“They’re doing a cost-benefit analysis of what to do with these North Koreans,” says Joe Kim. “They want stronger ties with the new leader Kim Jong-un, but we’re hoping the petition will be helpful in swaying their decision in the light of public pressure to get them to South Korea.”

Joe Kim says North Koreans live relegated to a world without an understanding of the outside world. “They are taught to hate America from a very young age,” he says.“They are told that their leader is protecting them, and not to trust anyone.”

Joe Kim is optimistic that the petition will be successful in saving the refugees. “If enough people care, it will change,” he says. “It’s not like blind optimism, because it’s happened before, they’ve let people go. But we have to get enough people talking about it first.”

Undocumented students are eligible if they have attended a California high school for at least three years, graduated from one, are registered or enrolled in a institution of higher education, or have filed an agreement with the institution stating they will legalize their immigration status.

The club also supported the Dream Act bill, which was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown last October. The bill allowed undocumented students to get statefunded financial aid and Cal-Grant assistance.

Last year, I.D.E.A.S. was able to give out two $500 scholarships to undocumented students through fundraisers. It helped the two students pursue their educational goals.

I.D.E.A.S. hosts workshops during their meeting in an attempt to reach out and unite other undocumented students and others that support their cause.

“I decided to run for co-chair because I wanted to empower and encourage the other members and show them not to wait for others to make a change,” Sanchez said.

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4|NEWS

WEDNESDAY MARCH 14, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

SMC Student conducts medical research at Yale Alfredo Diaz Staff Writer Responding to emergencies involving stabbings and shootings used to be part of SMC alumnus Carlos Peinado’s daily routine. But now Peinado’s days revolve around the latest advances in cancer research.

Peinado, 26, received a grant to conduct medical research in the Exceptional Research Opportunities Program at Yale University.

This was made possible by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, one of the most prestigious medical research institutions in the country.

The program gives 100 eligible undergraduate students the opportunity to do medical research during the summer at an institution of their choice.

The reputation of the institution was not a choice factor for Peinado. “I wanted to go where the scientists really interested me,” he said.

Peinado had attended the University of California, San Diego, for four months when he approached Dr. Robert L. Sah, the head of Bio Engineering at UCSD, for research opportunities.

Dr. Sah nominated Peinado for the grant after reviewing his credentials.

Peinado stated that he would not

have had the opportunity to conduct the medical research if he had not approached Dr. Sah. “The opportunities are there for whoever looks for them,” Peinado said.

of immunobiology at Yale Medical School. Dr. Kaech is also the HHMI Early Career Scientist and Principle Investigator.

Peinado, who is from Los Angeles, is of

“The opportunities are there for whoever looks for them,” Peinado said.

Peinado is interested in immunology and cancer.

He studied regulatory T-cells in melanoma, a deadly type of skin cancer. Dr. Jack Bui, assistant professor of Pathology at UCSD recommended Peinado to go to Yale and work under the supervision of Dr. Susan Kaech, professor in the department

Guatemalan extraction.

He moved with his family to Guatemala when he was six years old.

He returned to Los Angeles at 15 and attended South Gate High School.

Peinado stated that being the oldest in his family was tough. He admitted being lost and not having much guidance.

After High School, Peinado worked as

an Emergency Medical Technician and later developed an interest in medicine.

In 2006, Peinado enrolled at SMC and majored in Physiology.

Peinado would like to see more SMC students conduct medical research. “My whole point is to try and get people there at SMC to start doing research. “zIt’s possible to do research while at SMC and extremely important if you want to go into the sciences,” Peinado said. Among the people who contributed to his success, Peinado credits his former SMC professor of biochemistry, Dr. Deborah Schwyter.

“He showed a lot of initiative taking responsibility for finding those internships,” Dr. Schwyter said.

Peinado is graduating from UCSD this spring with a combined degree in biochemistry and Cell Biology.

Dr. Kaech was pleased with Peinado’s work, and invited him back to Yale this coming summer. As for the future, Carlos will be applying for an MD and PHD program, which will account for another eight years.

It is worth it, according to Peinado.

“The advantage is that you can treat patients and do research.”

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OPINION|5

WEDNESDAY MARCH 14, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Left-Wing Misdirection: Hypocrisy in Media Res

Right-Wing Misogyny: “El Rushbo” Strikes Again Faye Crosswhite Staff Writer Radio personality Rush Limbaugh has once again found himself in a firestorm of self-imposed media controversy.

After Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke lobbied in support of President Obama’s proposition that health coverage include – among other things – contraceptives, Limbaugh offered his own spin of Fluke’s testimony.

“She wants to be paid to have sex,” he stated on his national radio show. “She’s having so much sex she can’t afford the contraception.

She wants you and me and the taxpayers to pay her to have sex.

What does that make us? We’re the pimps. The johns.”

We get it, Rush – you don’t want your tax dollars going towards contraceptives for women. Well, 1960 called, and they want their misogynistic, discriminatory view of female liberties back.

According to the Guttmacher Institute’s website, over 25 percent of the roughly 38 million sexually active women in the U.S. use oral contraceptives to prevent unwanted pregnancies and for other medical reasons that have nothing to do with sex. A group that large cannot be ignored, nor should they be called “sluts” and “prostitutes” for wanting a vital portion of their healthcare covered by government funding.

Humans are, at the core of their being, sexual creatures.

Limbaugh is no exception to this. It’s time we face the facts–and our future–and work to protect and serve one another with civil discourse, rather than chauvinism and bigotry. While Limbaugh’s highly misconstrued point is a valid political concern, the ultraconservative media pundit has simply gone too far this time to be taken seriously.

‘Coincidentally,’ on the heels of the Limbaugh controversy, New York Times columnist David Brooks recently discussed the life and work of sociologist James Q. Wilson; specifically his 1985 essay entitled “The Rediscovery of Character: Private Virtue and Public Policy.”

“When Wilson wrote about character or virtue, he didn’t mean anything high-flown or theocratic,” Brooks explained. “It was just the basics...behave in a balanced way. Think about the long-term consequences of your actions. Cooperate. Be decent.”

Political voices like Limbaugh’s have strayed so very far from this elementary yet vital concept, illustrating much of what is wrong with modern American culture and media today. While this is a First Amendment issue, and Limbaugh is certainly entitled to voice his (ever crude and sexist) opinions, he has undoubtedly lost sight of the core values upon which our country was built.

Over twenty years ago, Wilson quoted Aristotle in his essay when urging his audience to practice restraint and respect not only in the political arena, but in society as well. “We become just by the product of just actions, self-controlled by exercising self-control.”

Do us all a favor, Rush. Take a page out of Wilson’s book; or even Aristotle’s. Enough with the hatred and enough with the anger.

You are digging your career an early grave, and frankly, it needs to end.

Andrew Riesmeyer Staff Writer To address conservative commentator and radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh’s comments towards Georgetown student Sandra Fluke, it must first be clearly stated that his words were inappropriate and rude.

But Fluke’s testimony was in favor of Obama’s mandate that employers cover employees’ contraception cost without making them pay extra for it. Should Limbaugh, a private citizen and employer who would be affected by this law, not be allowed to voice his opposition?

Apparently not. While Limbaugh apologized graciously throughout the week, for critics it’s not really about what he said, it’s about perpetuating a game of political sleight of hand. They can’t afford for the issue of contraception to be about religious or individual freedom, as that would be a PR nightmare.

Limbaugh’s critics took the opportunity to frame the issue and paint Conservatives as misogynistic. And this works because the “left” are the crystalline crusaders of women’s rights...right?

Just ask talk show host Bill Maher. In 2011, he called Sarah Palin a “dumb twat” on his HBO television show, and later said that she was “the leader of a strange family of inbred weirdos straight out of ‘The Hills Have Eyes’.”

There was no public rebuke of Maher. As a matter of fact, he is a celebrated contributor for MSNBC, a news network known for leading women’s rights.

He’s got friends in high places, too. President Obama just accepted a $1 million contribution from Maher through a political action committee, even though Obama had called Fluke earlier in the week to condemn Limbaugh’s torrid remarks.

And it doesn’t stop there. In 2008, late night talk show host David Letterman said Palin looked like a “slutty flight attendant.” Any retractions? Nope.

Then in May of 2011, when MSNBC’s Ed Shultz called Conservative talk show host Laura Ingraham a “slut”, he was only suspended for a week. Not one of his advertisers dropped Shultz, yet some who also advertise with Limbaugh walked away from The Rush Lumbagh Show show last week.

So why are we giving these Liberal misogynists a pass? They should be held to the same standard as Limbaugh.

If it was really about women’s rights, there wouldn’t be this imbalance.

Instead, this is a distraction from the real issue. Fluke has turned into the face of the new entitlement class, one who asks for everything for free, at the expense of someone else. Free food, free shelter, and now free sex.

Don’t be fooled America, you’ve got way too much to lose.

Watch It — The Road, That Is Justin Hinton Staff Writer Most people can remember their 16th birthday as a time filled with hope and anticipation, a time filled with eagerly study of road manuals were eagerly studied with the dream of passing the DMV driver’s test.

This rite of passage experienced by many Americans is something that has been passed down for decades. Unfortunately, something else is also being passed down to Los Angeles drivers: dangerous driving habits.

In the past, drivers only had to worry about the road, other drivers, and pedestrians.

Now it seems drivers worry more about who they need to text, their three e-mail accounts, and how their hair looks in the rearview mirror before they even signal to change lanes.

Working together in an effort to make roads safer for both drivers and pedestrians, the Santa Monica Police Department and organizations like “Watch the Road” have targeted a new driver/pedestrian related issue every month.

According to the Santa Monica Daily Press, previous focus issues have ranged from people talking on their phones while driving to pedestrians jaywalking. This month’s focus is on drivers not yielding to pedestrians, whether at a crosswalk or not.

Luz Echavarria, Project Director of “Watch the Road,” uses the phrase “distracted drivers” when referring to those not giving their full attention when behind the wheel. “This goes beyond drivers. It also goes for people texting and looking down while walking.”

As much as I want to scale the highest mountain top and scream that the Santa Monica Police Department is just doing this to bring in revenue for the city and ruin our daily lives with insignificant— yet expensive—tickets, I can’t. On the contrary, it’s about time someone stood up against our ridiculous behavior and helped fix driving around Santa Monica and Los Angeles.

Do we really need the local government holding our hands like we’re children? It

seems so.

Here’s the problem: we are too comfortable with our surroundings. We’re also too comfortable with our phones; most of us could probably send a text with our eyes closed.

Echavarria claims to have seen a “decrease overall in fatalities” since the campaign was launched in 2004, saying, “We can’t just have an education campaign.

We need enforcement.”

Nothing could be truer in regards to this effort.

In a time when the public yearns for less government meddling in their daily lives, sometimes we just may need it.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, California has earned the shameful distinction of being number one when it comes to the amount of traffic fatalities, just edging out Texas. As Californians, this is not something we should be proud of, but it is something we can change.

The next time you want to jaywalk while

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Illustration by Jhosef Hern

texting, don’t do it – stop to send your text. And the next time you want to check your e-mail while driving, just put the phone down—it can wait. Because of our dangerous road behavior, we now have our local governments and police departments stepping in to help cure us of these bad habits. This is nobody’s fault but our own.

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6|PHOTOSTORY

WEDNESDAY MARCH 14, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Members of the Kansas City Royals go through drills before playing a spring training game against the Chicago Cubs at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Ariz. on March 6.

IT’S TIME FOR BASEBALL Text and photos by: Carrie Jesenovec Staff Photographer

Spring is a time for new beginnings. As the weather warms up and the days last longer, one such new beginning is the Major League Baseball season. No city knows this better than Phoenix, Arizona, home to the MLB’s spring training Cactus League. The Cactus League is home to 15 Major League Baseball teams, ten stadiums, and annually draws in over one million attendees through the turnstiles. Fans of all ages come from near and far with hopes of meeting their favorite players, and experiencing all that is America’s favorite pastime.

For baseball players, it is a time to prepare for their upcoming season. An MLB team’s roster has 40 spots, but during spring training, the roster balloons with minor leaguers and non-invitees to camp. It becomes full of younger players fighting for a chance to become part of the 40-man roster. For a lucky few, this dream becomes a reality. For the rest, the dream of making it onto the MLB roster continues.

The teams will eventually depart from the Cactus League and return to their home cities, prepared for the beginning of the Major League season, which commences on March 28 in Tokyo, Japan.

ARIZONA CACTUS LEAGUE .

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PHOTOSTORY|7

WEDNESDAY MARCH 14, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

(Top) Cleveland Indians players take in fielding practice before playing a spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Goodyear Stadium in Goodyear, Ariz on March 8, 2012. The Cleveland Indians and the Cincinnati Reds share Goodyear Ballpark which borders the municipal airport.

(Bottom) Dodgers infielder Justin Sellers’ bat breaks while playing a game against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on March 5.

(Top) Dodger player Justin Sellers eats sunflower seeds during a game at Camelback Stadium on March 5.

(Bottom)Los Angeles Dodger outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr. stops to sign autographs for fans at Camelback Stadium on March 5. After moving from Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Fla. two years ago, the Dodgers now call Camelback Stadium their spring training home.

San Francisco Giants shortstop Ehire Adrianza dives for the ball in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Stadium on March 6.

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8| HEALTH + LIFESTYLE

WEDNESDAY MARCH 14, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

SMC professor Tupelo Hassman kicks off Spring Literary Series with “Girlchild” Susanna Svensson Staff Writer It has been ten years since she was last here, and much has changed since. Back then, she was sitting in the audience. Today, she is the reason they are all here.

Tupelo Hassman, critically acclaimed author of “Girlchild” and Santa Monica College English instructor, spoke at an almost full main campus lecture hall last Thursday to begin SMC’s Spring Literary Series.

“The first thing I’m not going to do today is cry, because ten years ago I graduated from Santa Monica College,” said Hassman.

For Hassman, who never graduated from high school, graduating from SMC was her first step to achieving success as an author.

Released only a month ago, her debut novel is already in its third printing.

“When I first considered myself a writer, I went to USC from SMC,” said Hassman.

“I was a first-generation college student and class divides were in my face. It was where the book was born. Not that everyone there is privileged. I certainly wasn’t, and I had been working full time since I was 15. I had a culture shock.”

As she read parts of her novel at the lecture, the almost poetic language of the otherwise soft-spoken Hassman drew the audience

into the Calle, a trailer park community outside of Reno, Nev. In the Calle, the audience was introduced to the narrator Rory Dawn Hendrix, the “feebleminded daughter of a feebleminded daughter, herself the product of feebleminded stock.”

“She’s kind of academically gifted, if you like that term,” Hassman said. “I don’t, but it’s popular.”

As Hassman read about some of Rory Dawn’s school experiences, the crowd became enchanted by the voice of the young narrator.

“This is fiction, although it’s a first novel, and the first novel trap is to write about your life,” Hassman said. “So Rory and I started out a lot the same, but now we’re not the same anymore. She does things I never did and she’s bolder than I’ve ever been.”

The harsh world in which Rory Dawn grows up has led people to compare her to some of Hassman’s own favorites.

“There is a list of people that Rory Dawn has been compared to, and that list makes me so happy, because it includes so many of my influences,” Hassman said, when asked about her literary inspirations.

This list includes Charlie Bucket in Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” Matilda, another Dahl character, Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita, and J.D.

Salinger’s Holden Caulfield.

Other sources of inspiration include two of her former teachers at SMC. “If it weren’t for a couple of people in this room, I really doubt that I would be where I am today,” Hassman said.

“Judith Remmes is one of those people.

The other person is Jim Krusoe, who was my first writing teacher.”

Hassman met Remmes when she took English 2 online, the same class that Hassman now teaches.

“In the impersonal and somewhat anonymous world of an online class, her voice just leapt over the screen,” Remmes said, as she introduced Hassman to the audience at the beginning of the lecture. “Now she is sending it out to a far, wider audience, and I’m very excited about that.”

Marine Gaste Corsair Judy Neveau, community relations director at SMC, is in charge of the Debut novelist Tupelo Hassman poses in the backyard of her house in Los Angeles. Hassman, former SMC Literary Series. student, had her first novel “Girlchild” published last “It was a good crowd,” Neveau said month, and was the first author of SMC’s Spring about the lecture. “We don’t always Literary Series last Thursday. get this many, so this was indicative. I think this one was a passion.”

I actually felt sick today when I got off the Ember Knight was one of many SMC bus, and I won’t be going to work, but I students in attendance at the lecture. thought I should come here anyway since “Jim Krusoe is my professor,” Knight I said I would, and I’m glad I did. It was said. “He recommended that I come here. excellent.”

SMC coach Eric Barron follows an alternative path Chavi Gourarie Staff Writer His office is messy. Cardboard boxes partially hide a set of open shelves crammed with running shoes. Like you would see in a bowling alley, their sizes are written on the back in black marker. A desk is squeezed into the corner, and a low white Ikea loveseat occupies the only open space near a window overlooking the Santa Monica College athletic field.

Under the winter sun of Los Angeles, the track outside is a burnished red, the grass brilliant green, and the letters SMC painted in a startling blue. Coach Eric Barron, the office’s occupant, spends much of his days out on that field, coaching cross-country in the fall and track and field in the spring.

Under his baseball cap, his is a small, narrow face, with delineated features tanned by hours in the sun.

It could have been different. He could have been spending most of his day in a cool office building with tall glass windows, mahogany desks, a plaque on his door, and a personal secretary.

Eric Barron was a lawyer, practicing corporate litigation in a corporate firm, wearing corporate attire, and making corporate pay, before switching careers and

becoming a coach at SMC in 2000.

There was no lightning strike or voice that encouraged Barron to take this untraditional step. It was a growing realization that he wasn’t happy at his job.

As a corporate litigator, he was handling cases worth millions of dollars, but even after a win, he found little satisfaction in it. Ultimately, he was moving money from one company to another, and he was giving his life to do it.

The bright spot in his week was coaching a community running group.

Barron runs 35 miles a week, and has been running since high school. Barron began coaching when a running injury left him unable to join the community group’s workouts. Instead, he would time the runs and coach the members of the group, and found that he enjoyed it.

At work, he looked at the partners in his firm, the ones who had “made it,” and noticed that although they made more money than he did, they weren’t any happier. According to Barron, that was the future that awaited him in the best-case scenario.

That is, if he had decided to stay.

Barron realized that he was sacrificing happiness and meaning for money and

It’s 2:28 p.m. and track practice starts in two minutes. Barron grabs his clipboard and a sports jacket, and heads out into the sundrenched field.

knew he wanted a change, but turning down the security and prestige of corporate law was not an easy decision.

What decided the matter was the suit.

Barron made two lists. He wrote down a list of factors he wanted in a job, like money, security and happiness. He knew he wanted to work with people and also that he didn’t want to wear a suit. His second list consisted of possible jobs. He then rated each job by the first list of factors.

Clearly, coaching didn’t require that he wear a suit. It was something he enjoyed, it was a way to make a difference, and Barron was willing to take the steep pay cut that came with the switch.

Barron speaks of his move from corporate litigation to part-time coaching as if it were the only logical conclusion.

“You learn that you need a certain amount of money to live, to support yourself,” says Barron. “But beyond that, more money won’t necessarily make you happier.”

Now, Barron spends his days coaching students in more than just running. He says that for the students, coming to practice and watching themselves grow teaches incredible life lessons.

“You’re going to get out of something what you put into it,” Barron says.

Linda Konde Corsair Eric Barron, a former lawyer who is now a coach for the track and field team at SMC, shows student Cathy Scott different running techniques on March 8.

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HEALTH + LIFESTYLE |9

WEDNESDAY MARCH 14, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Jose Luis Balderas Corsair Michelle DeVera (left), pastry chef at La Provence Patisserie and Café, serves miniature red velvet cupcakes to Llene Leeds (center) and Cissy Yaffe (right) at the 33rd Annual Planned Parenthood Food Fare at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.

Food Fare raises funds for Planned Parenthood Los Angeles Amber Antonopoulos Health & Lifestyle Editor Jessica Goin sliced into sandwiches filled with Burrata cheese, young broccoli, pine nuts, and currants that she was serving at a booth for her sister’s newest restaurant, The Larder at Maple Drive.

Wearing a shirt that said “Love Carefully,” a new slogan for Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, she spoke with as much passion about the restaurant’s organic, sustainable ingredients from Flora Bella Farms as she did about her cause.

Along with many chefs, vendors and volunteers, Goin was at the 33rd Annual Planned Parenthood Food Fare, a fundraising event to benefit PPLA, last Thursday at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.

“I just think it’s such an important cause,” said Goin. “Planned Parenthood gets such a bad rap from Republicans, but they put so much time, energy and resources into helping and protecting young women.”

Together, the daytime and evening sessions of the event attracted over 1,200 “foodies” and Planned Parenthood supporters, and raised close to $900,000 for PPLA, according to Serena Josel, director of public affairs for PPLA. “All of these funds go directly into health care and education programs,” said Josel.

Food Fare has benefitted Planned Parenthood since it was first created 33 years ago by the PPLA Guild, a Planned Parenthood support group consisting of about 200 volunteers, according to Guild president Marcy Pine.

“When you get a group of like-minded women in a room, they can create miracles,” said Pine. “And to me, this is a miracle.”

“We started with Julia Child,” said Pine. “She was the one who did the first food demonstration. And it’s just terribly exciting how it’s grown. Three years ago, we started honoring high-profile chefs.

Goin’s sister, Suzanne Goin, chef and owner of Los Angeles restaurants A.O.C., Lucques, Tavern, and The Larder at Maple Drive, was honored at the event as Planned

Parenthood’s Chef of the Year.

Rick Royce, owner of Rick Royce Premier BBQ Catering, has participated in the event for over 25 years.

“We enjoy helping out the charity and meeting all the other restaurateurs,” said Royce. “We love to please people with our product, and hopefully we get business from it.”

Alain Cohen, owner of Got Kosher, described event patrons as “interesting, creative, and more progressive than average.”

Over 200 local restaurants, coffee shops, caterers, and wineries participated in the event, including La Provence Patisserie & Café, Michael’s Restaurant, El Cholo Restaurant, Clementine, Caffe Luxxe, FOOD, Lago, D’Caché, and Casa Torelli Imports & Italian Wines, among many others.

“We’ve been helping Planned Parenthood with this for almost 12 years,” said Max Bonilla, executive chef of catering company Parties Plus. “It’s really a very noble cause. We are glad we are here.”

In addition to the culinary creations and services donated to the event, vendors sold items such as handmade jewelry, art, ties, handbags, and clothing. Thirty percent of vendor sales were donated to PPLA. Food Fare’s Raffle 4 Choice featured donated prizes such as Paris vacations and wine country getaways. “Love Carefully” shirts, created for Planned Parenthood by clothing designers Velvet by Graham & Spencer, were sold at the event.

The Guild subcommittee “Made with Love” sold mostly handmade pieces, such as whimsical princess wands, tiaras and tutus, as well as gently used donated items.

All proceeds from sales of raffle tickets, “Love Carefully” shirts, and “Made with Love” items were donated to PPLA. Ticket prices for the event ranged between $150 and $250, with 100 percent of those funds also going directly to PPLA. “It’s a very good cause,” said Caroline Perel, second-year Food Fare attendee and

former Santa Monica College student. “It 1136 3rd Street Promenade #201. helps out a lot of people, and it’s fun to “What people should know about Planned taste all the goodies and see all the pretty Parenthood is women’s reproductive health, things.” stopping the teen pregnancy epidemic, selfA sparse crowd of anti-abortion protesters esteem for women, and peer counseling for gathered outside the event, carrying graphic teenage girls,” said Jessica Goin. signs denouncing Planned Parenthood.

“The management skills they’re learning “I want to protest for the children who that they can take on to businesses— don’t have a voice,” said Margarita that have nothing to do with sex—are Gonzales, one of the protesters. incredible.”

“People have differing views regarding abortion, and I respect their right to disagree,” said Josel. “That said, I do wish that all of us— on both sides of the abortion debate—could work together to improve access to sex education and contraception, so that we can reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and the need for abortion.”

While some Planned Parenthood health centers do perform abortions, according to a press release, 93 percent of services performed in clinics are preventative.

These reproductive health services, largely geared toward lowincome women who wouldn’t otherwise have access to care, include breast and cervical cancer screenings, STD testing, annual exams, treatment for abnormal results, vaccinations, and birth control.

“For most of the students that we serve, services are totally free,” said Josel.

Jose Luis Balderas Corsair The Santa Monica Jessica Goin, sister of Suzanne Goin, Planned Parenthood’s Chef Planned Parenthood of the Year, cuts sandwiches for Food Fare patrons. health center is located at

.

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10|ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

WEDNESDAY MARCH 14, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

HBO’s Game Change: Henry Crumblish Staff Writer It was late August 2008, and the presidential campaigns were well underway—Obama was ahead in the polls and the situation was turning frightful for the Republican candidate. The “Grand Old Party” needed something to rejuvenate and energize their campaign if they had any hope of winning the election.

McCain Campaign then found his running mate in the then-Alaskan Governor and mother of five, Sarah Palin.

HBO’s “Game Change,” directed by Jay Roach, details the struggles of the McCain campaign before bringing on Palin. The straight-to-TV release delves into the motivations and reasoning for inviting the relatively unknown governor onto the ballot.

Roach, better known for directing comedies such as “Meet the Parents,” and “Dinner for Schmucks,” is not completely unknown in the world of political dramas.

In 2008 he directed “Recount,” a movie about the 2000 presidential general election and the Florida voting machine scandals.

In an interview with CNN, Roach said, “It’s interesting that politicians are forced to study perpetually their own media depictions, as well as focus on the issues and what they actually care about.”

Game Change is successful in exploring this aspect of

politics. Viewers gain an insight into the struggles and frustrations the McCain campaign faced behind the scenes, especially during the primaries.

The film does a great job of illustrating just how quickly Palin was thrust into the limelight, and how ill-prepared she was at the time for the constant bombardment of interviews and media appearances.

Game Change also raises the question: Was Palin even mentally equipped for the office of vice president?

Palin has publicly denounced the film as “untrue,” and has called it “a false narrative.” On the contrary, Nicole Wallace, one of Palin’s top advisors at the time, disclosed to ABC news that “‘Game Change’ was true enough to “make me squirm.”

“Game Change” features superb acting and an all-star cast. Julianne Moore (Sarah Palin), Ed Harris (McCain), and Woody Harrelson lead the ensemble. The movie does a great job of depicting these larger-than-life figures during its short two-hour runtime.

Julianne Moore’s portrayal of Palin is a sympathetic one.

The physical transformation of the actress is so seamless that at times you forget that you’re watching a film.

Moore portrays Palin who at times is a naïve mother from Alaska, not ready to be vice-president. At other moments she captures the inner strength and poise of Palin brilliantly.

According to Kate Stanhope of TVGuide.com, Moore

Gloria Cheng Joins the Santa Monica Symphony Daniel Dokter Staff Writer Saturday was a perfect night to hear beautiful music from the Santa Monica Symphony. The concert, held at the Civic Center Auditorium on Main St., was directed and conducted by Allen Robert Gross, who hosted special guest pianist Gloria Cheng.

The performance of the evening was Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 in B flat major.

Ms. Cheng’s educational background includes graduate degrees in music from UCLA and USC. She has pursued solfège and piano studies in Paris and Barcelona, and is currently part of the UCLA faculty She also carries a B.A. in economics from Stanford University. Cheng’s greatest accolade to date is a Grammy award from 2009 for “Best Instrumental Soloist

Performance.”

As Cheng walked on stage, the audience paid generous respect through applause.

Cheng played to the accompaniment of the orchestra. Musical notes fluctuated throughout the auditorium. Starting out light, the orchestra suddenly would move to very vibrant and energetic music.

The program embodied a wide range of moods and tonalities, feelings of happiness coming from sounds that would make anyone crack a joyous smile, with minor key movements that seamlessly transitioned into pensive, dramatic, and soulful sounds.

Cheng’s performance lasted for twenty minutes, and by the end of it, the audience erupted into ecstatic applause.

The audience continued as the director paid thanks to each section of the symphony.

reportedly watched hours of TLC’s “Sarah Palin’s Alaska” as preparation for the role.

Woody Harrelson plays Steve Schmidt, the campaign strategist for Senator McCain. Harrelson delivers a marvelous job of carrying the audience along an emotional journey which led to the inclusion of Palin as McCain’s running mate.

Steve Schmidt also reported to ABC that the depiction of himself and the campaign were accurate, “At times I felt I was having an out of body experience,” said Schmidt on ABC. Harrelson captures Steve Schmidt’s character in the scene where he tries to convince McCain (Ed Harris) that Palin is the right choice. “I’d rather lose by ten points and know I did everything then lose by one and ask what could we have done,” said Harris as McCain.

In an article with the NY Daily News Schmidt recalled, “one of my biggest regrets from my time as campaign manager was recommending someone as a vicepresidential candidate who wasn’t ready.”

“Game Change” by Jay Roach exposes what is demanded of our elected officials and the dangers of electing a popular face or celebrity.

Is “Game Change” typical liberal media, or rightwing propaganda? The answer is neither. Roach and his esteemed cast offer a new perspective on the frantic, historic and widely entertaining 2008 election.

A 2008 article by The New York Times, for Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.

“Selections From Really Long (and Not So at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.

Long) Ago,” summed up the experience of Concerts are free of charge, but patrons hearing Cheng perform, “It’s not just that are encouraged to donate.

Ms. Cheng plays these daunting pieces with such commanding technique, color, and imagination. She has brought together works that fascinatingly complement one another.”

A not-for-profit organization, the Santa Monica Symphony keeps its doors open by selling merchandise.

Coffee mugs, a variety of shirts, and other souvenirs, along with traditional donations, Marine Gaste Corsair keep the Symphony in The Santa Monica Symphony performs Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 in B flat major conducted by music director Allen business.

The Symphony’s Robert Gross last Saturday in the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. next show is scheduled Asta Karalis Corsair Mac & Cheese and a side salda at Upper West.

Upper West: An American Menu Made Fun Karolin Axelsson Staff Writer Every now and then, everyone can use a break from the studying, and divert from the typical student diet of Ramen Noodles, cheap fast food, and cereal.

The American menu at the restaurant Upper West, located at 3321 Pico Blvd. is made fun and interesting with twists like Walla Walla onion marmalade offered with their hamburgers ($15), or spiced Pastrami-style Nueski’s bacon on a BLT ($14).

Upper West feels like a fine-dining experience, with high-end food at double digit prices. But the kicker is that during

happy hour, many of the items on the menu drop to a moderately priced $10.

The restaurant opened in 2010 with its high ceilings and trendy interior, that display a modern and welcoming feeling.

Upper West’s ambiance sets the perfect vibe for a date, business meeting, or causal dinner with friends.

But while the interior helps to create an enjoyable atmosphere, the exceptional service sets your experience beyond expectations.

A must try on Upper West’s menu is the gluten-free Mac & Cheese ($13). Asiago

and Irish White Cheddar spiced with Tarragon defines a new meaning to the classic dish. Tarragon, an herb traditionally found in French cooking, adds an edgy taste, making the cheeses feel less heavy.

The most popular appetizer of the house is the Burrata ($12); a cheese made from mozzarella and cream, served with green apple and blackberry Panzanella, that is perfect to share between two people.

Upper West is open for lunch and dinner, turning into a bar in the evenings.

With a good selection of wine, beer, and excellent cocktails, you may find yourself in

.

an all-day affair.

A must-have from the bar is the Pepperoncini Martini, made with pepperoncini, tomato juice, Belgian white beer and tequila at $10, they break all the rules for a regular martini.

They also offer a wide selection of refreshing non-alcoholic cocktails, such as the mint lemonade, a traditional lemonade served with mint leaves.

Happy hour is every day from 5p.m. to 7 p.m., and on Mondays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

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SPORTS|11

WEDNESDAY MARCH 14, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

SMC Excels at Moorpark Meet Mai Sims Staff Writer

Sophia Villegas Staff Writer

Adrian Galicia Corsair Francisco Casillas of Santa Monica College competes in the men’s 200 meter race at the North/South Meet at Moorpark College on Mar. 9.

SMC athletes, Francisco Casillas, Jimmy Darling, Mide Ogundipe, and Jessica Juarez excelled during Friday’s track and field meet at Moorpark College that brought together Citrus, Moorpark, Glendale, West Los Angeles, and LA Valley colleges.

Francisco Casillas came in first place during the first heat of men’s 400 meter dash and led his team to victory in the 4x400 meter relay.

A scare ensued when Casillas pulled out during the 200 meter and then limped off the track, but Jumps Coach Artis Edwards assured the Corsair that he would be ready to compete in the following week and that he had only suffered a minor hamstring sprain.

“We have a lot of ability on the men’s team, we just have to put it all together,” head coach Larry Silva said. “We have a couple of guys that are going to be significant to the team that got injured at the beginning of the season. We’re just healing them right now.”

Mide Ogundipe placed in first in the long jump with 6.40 meters while SMC’s jumper Jimmy Darling placed third in the same heat with a 6.11 meter jump.

Darling then placed third in the high jump, leaping 1.90 meters.

“He definitely has a lot of potential,” said Coach Edwards about Darling. “When we finally get him refined, he’s going to be a

great athlete.”

Jessica Juarez, who just joined the team this past December, took home a third place in shot put with a 8.14 meter throw.

Silva admitted to being very pleased with the overall performance of the track and field team this semester.

Silva, who also instructs a fitness program at SMC, handpicked many of the girls on the women’s track and field team “The beautiful thing about them is that almost all the girls on that team I pulled out of physical education classes,” Silva said.

“So I brought them in that way, and now they’re actually being competitive, which they probably never thought they could.”

Silva is looking forward to the WSC Finals that will be held at Moorpark College on April 27.

“It’s just the second meet,” said Silva.

“So I keep telling them that they shouldn’t have any kind of pressure on themselves.

We just go out there, perform, and have fun. If they duplicate what they’re doing at practice, their performance is going to take care of itself.”

“The coaches keep us level headed,” Darling said. “So, even if we’re not winning meets, as long as we are improving on our individual events, we feel better about ourselves.”

N AT I O N A L U N I V E R S I T Y

Men’s Volleyball looks for winning spark to return after multiple losses After a tough loss at home against Santa Barbara City College on February 29, the Santa Monica men’s volleyball team lost two more matches over the weekend.

The Corsairs have lost three straight matches and have dropped to 3-7 overall and 0-3 in Western State Conference action play.

The Corsairs took on El Camino College Warriors on March 7 and lost three sets in a row at 25-19, 25-16, and 25-14.

They then took on the number one ranked team in the Western Conference, the Long Beach City Vikings (8-0) on March 9, and lost all three matches at 25-20, 25-21, Ian Kagihara Corsair and 25-11 in Santa Monica College opposite hitter Adam Osman (7) spikes Long Beach. the ball against the defense of El Camino College middle blocker Key serving and Kevin Burrell( 22) and outside hitter Trevor butler (20) in the hitting errors Santa Monica College gym, Santa Monica Calif. on Mar. 7. by the Corsairs played a big role in the loss to El College matched his seven kills leading the Camino.

Coach John Mayer was disappointed with Warriors to victory.

Despite the tough losses, Coach John the way the team played.

“We had an off night, and El Camino Mayer feels optimistic about the season. played very well,” said Mayer. “We had a “We’ll be ready to go down the road,” said bad practice coming into the match and it Mayer. clearly showed in tonight’s performance.”

The Corsairs still have time to turn their Sophomore Connor Corgiat led the season around.

Corsairs with seven kills, and Jason Seven matches are left to play including Mallek and Fabio Calesso both had six three Western Conference matches: kills. Sophomore Hunter Hovland of El Camino added 13 kills and Kevin Burrell One against Pierce College, one verses MoorPark, and a rematch against Santa had 11 blocks to down the Corsairs.

In Long Beach against the Vikings, Barbara City College.

SMC plays Pierce College at Pierce Conner Corgiat led the Corsairs with seven kills, but Greg Utupo of Long Beach City College tonight at 6:00 p.m.

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12|SPORTS

WEDNESDAY MARCH 14, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: MICHELLE LIU Yair Avila Staff Writer

HOW DID YOU GET INTO SWIMMING? When I was a child, my mother enrolled me in swim classes just for fun.

WHO INSPIRES YOU THE MOST WHEN IT COMES TO SWIMMING? Actually, I quit swimming a year ago.

After I transferred to SMC, I decided to join again just to stay fit.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE SWIMMING OVER ALL OTHER SPORTS? My mother wanted me to get in shape as a child, so she enrolled me in swimming classes. Ever since, I’ve been into swimming.

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE? Chinese Olympic Track-and-Field Gold Medal Champion Liu Xiang. He won the gold medal for the 110-meter hurdles. I’d like to meet him. I’ve heard he’s very kind.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL YANOW

CORSAIR

SWIM TEAM

GRADE LEVEL: SOPHOMORE HOMETOWN: DALIAN, CHINA MAJOR: COMMUNICATIONS

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS AND PLANS AFTER SMC? My goal after SMC is to transfer to Loyola Marymount University. I’d like to continue swimming at LMU. Once I graduate, I will go back to China.

WHAT KEEPS YOU MENTALLY FOCUSED WHEN YOU’RE COMPETING? I don’t think about anything-- I just swim.

HAVE YOU ACQUIRED ANY MEDALS FROM COMPETITIONS? IF SO, WHERE? Yes, I was the State Champion for the 100 individual medley in April last year. I also won the silver medal in both the 200 individual freestyle medley and the 100 freestyle.

.

WHEN YOU’RE NOT COMPETING IN SWIM MEETS, WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN? I go shopping, and when I can, I sleep.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS AFTER THE SEASON IS DONE? Once the season is done, I will proceed to focus on school and continue swimming in a club.

HOW WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE A NEWCOMER TO SWIM? Don’t fear the water, just jump in and have fun!

WHAT DOES THE WATER YOU SWIM IN REPRESENT TO YOU? When I’m swimming in the water, I get the feeling of freedom. The water definitely represents freedom to me. I have no fear, I just go out there and swim.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SWIMMING STROKE AND WHY? My favorite stroke would have to be freestyle, because it’s the easiest and the one I enjoy the most.

“I discovered Michelle Liu in a swimming class and noticed she had a beautiful technique,” said Head Swimming Coach Steven Contarsy. I tried getting her to join the swimming team, but she kept saying no. For three months she rejected joining, but ultimately she decided to join. She has been a great asset to the team.”

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