Corsair The Santa Monica College
Informing Since 1929
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Volume C, Issue 5
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
City ordinances smoking residents out of Santa Monica
Contract education raises revenue, and eyebrows
Stringent anti-smoking ordinances are proving inordinately difficult to put into practice.
In a move that has raised certain questions, six contract education classes have been added to the fall schedule at SMC.
By Alexandra Leighton Staff Writer
By Miles Arnold Staff Writer
Since Santa Monica’s expanded no smoking ordinance took effect on Sept 9, many residents living in multiple family residences have found themselves with nowhere to go. Last year’s expansion of the No Smoking Ordinance, which added public areas like courtyards within apartment buildings to the list of places the city prohibits smoking is minor compared to this year’s inclusion of multi-family residential balconies, patios, porches, and other outdoor locations that come within 25 ft of another’s property. A violation of Ordinance 2318 is punishable by a courtordered fine, and only requires a brief notification phone call to Santa Monica Police. Patricia Hoffman, co-chair for Santa Monicans for Renter’s Rights, remains opposed to the expansion of the ordinance primarily because the expansion lacks protection for residents of multi-family dwellings by “not creating grounds for people to get evicted.” Hoffman has known a lot of families where the kids have been in and out of rehab, do not use drugs anymore, but continue to smoke. This places the parents of recovering addicts in a virtually unsolvable
[See SMOKING, page 3]
Michelle Ponder Corsair Mayor Villaraigosa meeets audience members at the Broad Theatre Oct 4. As part of the inaugural gala hosted by SMC’s Public Policy Institute, Villaraigosa and Karen Bass held a public conversation chaired by former state senator Sheila Kuehl.
Politics takes center stage By Jonathan Bue Staff Writer
shifted to education. Early in the proceedings, Villaraigosa stated that he believed, “The issue of education is the civil rights issue of our time,” and called education the biggest challenge to the economy. Former Speaker Bass added
avoiding educational cuts. Currently, California runs on a supermajority vote of two-thirds, An intimate side of politics one of only two other states to do was on full display Monday so and have only recently come night as former state senator to a budget compromise. Sheila Kuehl hosted Mayor Other topics emphasized Antonio Villaraigosa and later in the night were crime, current US Congressprisons, and the ional candidate Karen related legislation. “We have memories of a nanosecond, Bass at Santa Monica’s Bass made the we forget where the economy was Broad Stage Theater. It argument that voters was the inaugural gala of participate in what before he came into office.” Santa Monica College’s she calls a “collective -Karen Bass Public Policy Institute dysfunction” founded earlier this year of California by Kuehl. that by the time she had left legislature. As an example, Bass The conversation between the speakership, California’s points out how 12 new prisons the speakers covered a variety budget had shrunk from 110 to had to be built because of the of topics ranging from local 83 billion dollars with over $11 three strikes law and emotional California politics to President billion cut from K-12 education. decision making by the voting Barack Obama, with the main Bass implied that a measure public. focus placed on public policy. like Proposition 25, a ballot Villaraigosa agreed that one With over 400 in attendance, measure that would reduce person committing a crime, and a majority of which were SMC voter threshold to a simple deserving jail, is not reflective students, dialogue quickly majority, would be a step in [See GALA, page 3]
During the fourth week of the fall semester, Santa Monica College began offering, through a contract education agreement, six new classes that are available only to current international students. While this move is forecasted to boost revenue for the college, there remains among the college faculty skepticism regarding the apparent lack of information revealed about the contract. “We’ve been doing contract education for as long as I can remember,” said Teresita Rodriguez, SMC’s vice president of enrollment development. She explained that “contract education is when a school enters a contract with a third party to provide a certain service whether its providing courses for teachers, or in this case, classes for students.” In recent months, SMC administration has faced a tough uphill battle to maintain classes for its student population. Through this current contract with AC College Associates (ACCA), a Hong Kong based company that provides American education opportunities for international students, the school has opened up classes in biology, economics, history, and ESL.
[See CO ED, page 3]
AS infighting delays decision over student fee, again By Ariana Masters Staff Writer Three weeks into the ongoing debate over the $1.50 student organizing fee, and once again the Santa Monica College Associated Students Board of Directors has postponed the vote. With only one item on the agenda – the vote on rescinding the student organizing fee - the board decided for the third week in a row to push the vote back another week, to Oct. 11. This latest meeting quickly sparked a heated debate with the mention of a possible conflict of interest within
the board. This prompted AS President Tiffany Inabu to question whether, “Vince [Slevin], being the Coordinator of the New Voters Project, falls under ‘Conflict of Interest?’” Reacting to the issue, Chantelle Eastman, AS vicepresident, felt that she had been “betrayed by a member on this board.” In response to Eastman’s comment, Slevin stated, “First of all, I feel that I am being personally attacked. I have not hidden the fact that I am a part of the New Voters Project, and everyone knows that I have been involved with CALPIRG.”
“Any organization or club that any of us here are involved with can apply for funding from the studentorganizing fee. Are we all conflicts of interest? This is ludicrous.” Following the meeting, Slevin stated that, “CALPIRG provides a voice for students, which benefits everyone. Without this fee, there wouldn’t be a CALPIRG chapter and students essentially would lose their voice.” Polarized feelings regarding the $1.50 student organizing fee are being witnessed all throughout the AS board. Michael Song,
student trustee, said that, “the student organizing fee would benefit students. They do a lot of the things that AS should do.” “The only option should be an ‘option in system’ that is specifically for CALPIRG, because it is what the people voted for,” said Max Morgan, who attended the meeting. As it stands the AS fee is option out. Slevin acknowledged that if the vote were to be postponed and no action is made in the future, the fee will be automatically implemented in the winter. “If we don’t vote, it will go into effect.”
Ariana Masters Corsair Vince Slevin, director of budget management and coordinator of the New Voters project, at Monday’s AS Board meeting. A heated debate waged in which the decision regarding the $1.50 student organizing fee was postponed for another week.
02
THIS WEEK
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More news @ thecorsaironline.com
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Marley St. John Contributor
James Quantaince takes first place in the big air competition at the one year “birthday” of the new Venice skatepark last Sunday.
able of Contents News Opinion A&E
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6
Food trucks
Photo Story
1 & 3
Villaraigosa and Bass Contract education classes Smoking ordinance AS delays CALPIRG
7
Featuring work from various artists
Exhibit
4
Teacher gets suspended Colbert stays in Character
8 & 9
Steampunk D.I.Y. culture Cheap Eats Kent Healy
Lifestyle
5
“Martyr Dumb” Environmental PSAs “Itʼs Kind of a Funny Story”
11 & 12
Womenʼs soccer Womenʼs volleyball Primetim softball Womenʼs water polo
Sports
NEWS
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Maylahn takes one giant step for SMC By Adam Rubin Staff Writer As students of Santa Monica College, we all have seen the importance of taking an opportunity when one presents itself. Michael Maylahn, a sophomore at SMC, saw a potentially great opportunity and went for it. During his English 1 class with Professor Kevin Menton during the spring, Menton informed him about a chance to get to work with NASA. “I thought that having a glimpse of what I wanted to do with my life would be really cool for a sophomore in college,” said Maylahn. “This seemed like an opportunity where I could figure out what my dream is.” The program, known as National Community College
Aerospace Scholars (NCCAS), projects that NASA has to is held at the Marshall Space offer,” said Hutchings. “They’ll Center in Huntsville, Atlanta. split up into groups of ten and On Sept. 17, his dream came design a rover, its budget, sharply into focus when he was and a company that will be in accepted into the program. charge of the rover, then try The project manager, to sell that all to NASA as a Deborah Hutchings, said, “We contract. They will also go on had 271 apply to the program onsite tours and hear several and we are bringing 89. The idea behind this program “We are so small compared to is to engage students and the whole microcosm of the inspire them to go on to four universe.” year degrees and hopefully -Michael Maylahn come back to work with NASA, either as an intern or a full time hire eventually.” guest speakers, most of which Upon leaving the program, are scientists and engineers in they will get a “Certificate of the area.” Completion,” and they are Maylahn was accepted considered Aerospace Scholars to NCCAS after a lengthy alumni. application process, “While he’s in Atlanta, he which included a letter of will spend three days with recommendation and an online scientists and engineers who class. Students were required are working on different to score above a 93 percent
on four assignments that had each student plan a robotics Mars mission in intricate detail. These four assignments involved presenting the objectives, the budget, an overall proposal, and a line drawing of the rover. The Mars mission that Maylahn planned is a groundbreaking new technique that has not yet been carried out. It would entail NASA sending a robot to Mars to collect samples and have it return to Earth for testing. Maylahn believes that this would “aid in the development of new ideas, help plan future missions and further technology.” He also hoped that it would be one step in the direction of “the piece of information that is desired most: what it will take to put a human on Mars.”
Maylahn believes the level of technology that these Mars rovers require will serve other purposes as well. “Something that they develop just for this rover can then come to benefit all of society,” he said. A few examples of this includes a generator released by Boeing that works like a solar panel (but much more efficient), and a laser communications antenna which would speed up data transmission. “I’m really passionate and enthusiastic about this. Engineering is the field I have been getting into. Math and science have just always came really easy to me,” said Maylahn. “Ever since I was little, I’ve looked up into the night sky and been amazed. We are so small compared to the whole microcosm of the universe.”
Contract education classes added to fall schedule [CO ED, from page 1]
The six classes are taught by SMC professors. Aside from the standard international student fee, there will be an additional 12 percent charge, which goes to ACCA. Recent class cuts have angered many residents and students, and the administration has made moves to save a few of the non-credit health classes. Nevertheless, since the start of the cull, 600 sessions open to California residents and international students alike have been removed from the class schedule. One major downside to losing large numbers of classes is that foreign and out of state students that attend SMC may fail to enroll in their requisite 12 units.
The reason this is so detrimental is that international and out of state students account for 15 percent of the college’s revenue each year. “The money that we receive through international tuition goes towards the operation budget of the college in some way, shape or form,” said Rodriguez, “there are no restrictions.” The amount of forecasted revenue through this contract is currently unknown. “We have to figure out what the final enrollment is going to be,” said Rodriguez. “It’s the first time we have offered it in this particular format so we have to figure what the overhead is going to be before we can come to a final denomination.”
However there are some on campus who don’t agree with the move and others who want to know more about it. “I think it’s a terrible idea,” said English professor Jim Pacchioli. He feels that the administration has not presented enough information to the academic senate and the faculty regarding the college’s current contract. SMC student and current copresident of IDEAS of SMC Brenda Villafana said, “I like that the school is trying to do something about its lack of funding but I would like to know more about it and what it means for the students.” “One of the reasons that we have felt less cuts on classes than almost all other community colleges is because of that
Jennifer Martinez Corsair The International education office in Santa Monica College. Current SMC students are the sole beneficiaries of the new contract education classes.
component of our budget,” said Eric Oifer, president of the academic senate. He added that, “If we didn’t have as large an international student population at SMC we would have fewer classes to offer.”
Contract Education allows the school to maintain, not add to, it’s current population of international students while maintaining as many courses as possible including winter and summer.
Villaraigosa, Bass, Broad Smoking up a storm [Broad, from page 1] spoke about an assembly bill on breast of the rationality needed when selecting feeding which drew continuous laughs legislature for the majority. He admitted from the audience. The night finished with the guests that policy makers don’t put enough advising the audience on civic resources in preventative measures. “The cost of providing those services participation. Both Bass and Villaraigosa is dramatically smaller than the cost of accentuated the importance of media incarcerating,” said Villaraigosa. “You literacy when looking at initiatives and can be tough on crime as long as your suggested exposing yourself to both sides of the argument. tough on the root causes of crime too.” Outside of the auditorium Franchesska In regards to President Obama, both Fortoul, 22, took the Villaraigosa and Bass advice and dialogue were quick to point out “It’s different when you to heart. Although she the heat that the president see them in person, the admits to being skeptical has been receiving which they felt has been largely people in public office are when the event began, just like us.” the impression she was undeserved. left with was mostly “We have memories of -Franchesska Fortual positive. “It’s different a nanosecond, we forget when you see them in about where the economy person, the people in was before he came into office,” said Bass to the applause of many public office are just like us,” said Fortoul. “I found it to be very helpful.” in the audience. Also announced Monday night was At one point in the night Villaraigosa addressed the prevailing cynicism and the news that the Public Policy Institute worsening perception the public has on would establish an 18-unit certificate in civil engagement at SMC. Students government and news outlets. Despite the procession’s stern exterior, will take 12 units in introduction to there were moments throughout the politics, introduction to public policy, night that were very light-hearted. The communication, and engage scholarship speakers appeared comfortable with each as well as 6 units in arts and education, other, and were often reminiscing about environment and sustainability, urban their shared pasts. Villaraigosa and Kuehl studies, or health.
[Smoking, from page 1] predicament of choosing between losing their Santa Monica apartment or losing their child. And if the family should, “get evicted from a rent controlled apartment, that puts such a burden on people,” said Hoffman. According to Hoffman, it’s not easy to find a vacant rent controlled apartment: imagine if you got evicted with a small child, no additional funds, and nowhere to live because your eldest child smokes cigarettes. According to Adam Radinsky, Santa Monica’s Deputy City Attorney for Consumer Protection, cigarette smoke “is not safe on any level.” However Hoffman believes that Radinsky is guilty of “reversing statistics” because “secondhand smoke has been shown to be harmful, but there isn’t an established limit to how much you can be exposed to.” Radinsky said that, “most laws are made by ordinance, national laws, state, and city, and these laws help make it easier for residents.” Additionally, smokers should not look for sympathy from City Hall who views the habit as a “public health issue,” and the ordinance as s “protection law.” Although it is still legal to smoke inside a multi-family unit, that could
be the next to go, because according to Radinsky, “we have always passed these laws in phases.” Santa Monica is home to many buildings with shared ventilation units in which secondhand smoke could travel from one unit to another, and Radinsky said that this is another issue the city council is already looking at. Additionally, Radinsky describes the constitutionality of City Hall’s decision to ban smoking on privately leased outdoor areas as “a non-issue.” He said that the U.S. Constitution doesn’t “protect the right to smoke,” and nobody will be grandfathered in, just as no residents received the right to a vote on expanding the ordinance. However, while Hoffman questioned the popularity of the new laws in Santa Monica, Radinsky disagreed. “If anything, people say they don’t go far enough,” Radinsky said, estimating that City Hall receives, “a couple dozen complaints a year.” Even some professionals within City Hall seem to be struggling with the ban. According to Sandra Santiago, assistant to the City Manager, she sees, “well dressed men and women jumping out from behind trees and bushes” sneaking a cigarette. “I guess they have it all measured out. It’s funny.”
04
OPINION
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Teacher’s suspension an affront to prostitution-al rights By Sean Hunt Staff Writer
John Stapleton IV Corsair
Bowing to increased pressure from law enforcement and advocacy groups, Craigslist recently removed its “adult services” section, a popular tool for marketing prostitution. For many, this came as a relief, a human-rights victory and a moralistic coup. However, to Melissa Petro, a Bronx elementary school teacher and ex-Craigslist escort, it was not only a disappointment, but also an affront to individual freedoms. On Sept. 7, Petro, who had a brief career selling sexual services through Craigslist, wrote an online article, for The Huffington Post, in response to the removal. Petro criticized Craigslist for “abandoning the very principles of freedom on which [the] site was founded.” In defending the adult services section, Petro lauded the site for providing her with the opportunity to “do business” from the comfort and safety of her home. Following the article, a tenured Petro, was reassigned (suspended) pending an investigation. Petro’s reassignment was the just and socially responsible course of action. What sane parent would want their child to be taught history by an educator with a history of prostitution? Now I’m not implying that Petro is necessarily a horrible person, but lets be real; prostitution is frowned upon by much of our society and, with the exception
of Nevada, still illegal across the country. Petro may not have fully considered the consequences of her article, but likely would have been better served had she kept this dirty little secret to herself. Perhaps if Petro were a college professor dealing with mature adult students, her article might have been received with slightly less hostility. However Petro is a grade school teacher and is responsible for molding the minds of America’s young and impressionable children. Petro must have had some inkling that her disclosure would be cause for contempt and controversy, and yet still she chose to write it, leading many to question her motives. In publishing her editorial, Petro displayed not only a great amount of courage, but also extraordinary stupidity. She deserves all the negative attention she’s been getting, as well as any future disciplinary action levied against her by her employer. Her position as a mentor, authority figure and educator of young children effectively means that she is accountable to the community and entrusted to conduct herself in a virtuous and morally responsible manner at all times. Disclosing to the world her past profession as a prostitute demonstrated neither quality. While Melissa Petro long ago quit her career as a Craigslist call girl, her Huffington Post article ensures that her checkered past will follow her well into the future. And for that she has no one to blame but herself.
Make believe political pundit causes congress to cringe By Sean Hunt Staff Writer Stephen Colbert is no stranger to making fun of political figures. On his Comedy Central show, “The Colbert Report,” he regularly baits his guests with questions that make them appear as foolish and uncomfortable as possible. Colbert’s schtick is all about posing as an extreme right-wing conservative in order to mock the ideals, which the real hard-liners hold so dear. A true professional, Colbert almost never appears on camera out of character. So when he was asked by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) to testify in front of Congress, in an effort to reform immigration policy and give undocumented farm workers access to legal status to work in the US, Colbert came in character. Colbert is one of only a handful of people who have taken the United Farm Workers up on their program called “Take Our Jobs.” The UFW campaign, launched in June, intends to ease the anti-immigrant sentiment in the US by offering out of work Americans the oppurtunity to work labor jobs in the agricultural industry. It appears, however, Americans don’t actually want
these lower-tier jobs, which are almost always done by immigrants, illegal or otherwise. According to UFW President, Arturo Rodriguez, only seven people had been placed in farm jobs at the time of the hearing. By testifying in character, Colbert was able to do exactly what he set out to do: Bring more attention to this important, yet underpublicized issue. Before the hearing began it was apparent, by the many photographers and media-types in attendance, that Colbert’s presence had already raised interest in this issue. Colbert’s statements managed to make some members of Congress notably uncomfortable. In his trademark deadpan style, Colbert managed a not-so-veiled “cornpacking” reference and stated, “I certainly hope that my star power can bump this hearing all the way to C-SPAN 1.” When his 5 minutes were up, Rep. Judy Chu (D. Calif.) asked, “Mr. Colbert, you could work on so many issues. Why are you interested in this issue?” Colbert, in rare form, broke character and responded sincerely, “I like talking about people who don’t have any power, and it seems like one of the
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least powerful people in the United States are migrant workers who come in and do our work, but don’t have any rights as a result. And yet, we still ask them to come here, and at the same time, ask them to leave. And that’s an interesting contradiction to me.” I commend Colbert for standing up for the underdog and raising the awareness of this issue. I believe that he achieved his goal in bringing this hearing to the forefront of the news. Just look at how many news networks have been running stories breaking down his every word. Without Colbert’s testimony this issue would certainly have been forgotten almost immediately. As unfortunate as it may be, most of my generation gets their news from TV shows like “The Daily Show” or “The Colbert Report.” Without Colbert’s appearance before the House subcommittee most young people would not have even heard of this issue. Colbert’s testimony served its purpose; it placed an unsung issue on the tongues and in the minds of Americans, and hopefully furthered an admirable cause. If the GOP is too sententious to be in on the jokes, then they will have to continue to be the butt of them.
Fall 2010 Staff Rebecca Slawter Brandon Quin Brian White Sal Guerra Jennifer Martinez Daniel Ross Tieg Slattery Kevin Duron Ingrid Rosales Alica Forneret John Stapleton IV Jeremy Biglow Guiliana Dakdouk
Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Photo Editor Photo Editor Photo Editor News Editor Opinion Editor Sports Editor Calendar Editor Lifestyle Editor Online Editor Exhibit Editor Design Editor
Faculty Advisors Saul Rubin and Gerard Burkhart
Jhosef Hern Corsair
Reporters Alexandra Ahneman,Zuleima Alvarado, Miles Arnold, Kylie Blaber, Jonathan Bue, Alessandra Catanese, Emma Dantoft, Kevin Duncan, Rebecca Elgebra, Nathan Endow, Alvaro Escalante, Jennifer Ferrada, Stephanie Forshee, Sharon A. Fox, Khalil Grier, Cyndi Gomez, Wendy Gonzalez, Matt Gottesman, Zineb Hafiz, Danny Henson, Vaimiti Herlaud, Vera Hughes, Sean Hunt, Aasiya Jones, Alexandra Lazar, Neelofer Lodhy, Julie Massecis, Ariana Masters, Cristina Maxwell, Sarah McIntosh, Jonathan Mendoza, Michael Mendoza, Brandon Minikwn, Natalie Miltcharek, Malika Moore, Julie Newsome, Ayla Pound, Audrey Roberts, Adam Rubin, Laysa Quintero, Michael Santana, Stephanie Sommer, Caitlin Trinkle, Vienna Urias, Lauren Walsh
Photographers Anisa El-Khouri, Luana Kasahara, Albany Katz, Danyale Kotur, Konstantin Marowitz, Jessica Mendoza, George Mikhail, Ted Olsson, Michelle Ponder, Alex Rogers, Jarrad Rosson, Alex Soltes, Terrence Timmins
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A&E
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Dark, comedic tale of terrorism, bombs “Martyr Dumb,” a new play aimed to spoof terrorism and offend audiences, is an unfortunate dud. By Tieg Slattery Opinion Editor Writing a scathing review about community-theater is a bit like blasting a tee-ball team for a lackluster and unprofessional performance. Unfortunately, my Friday-night foray into the valley for a night of disappointment and dramatics left me with no other option. After exhausting far too much time and patience in traffic from SMC to the valley, I arrived at the Eclectic Company Theater to attend a showing of the world debut run of “Martyr Dumb,” a dark, satirical look at terrorism. The venue itself was underwhelming, even by community-theater standards. And though claustrophobically compact, the bones-bare theater had more than ample seating to accommodate the handful of people in attendance. I had actually been looking forward to “Martyr Dumb,” and held high hopes for this lowbrow comedy. They were, however, quickly and efficiently crushed. Twenty minutes into a play that promised to be offensive, misogynistic, homophobic and most of all, a COMEDY, and I had neither cracked a smile, groaned, winced uncomfortably, or even so much as
squirmed in my seat for any other reason than my foot falling asleep. I was utterly unaffected and growing increasingly bored. The acting, though far from remarkable, seemed, if nothing else, adequate, and rare bright spots did occasionally shine through. Kerr Seth Lordygan, who played Jer, the spittle-spraying, fully flaming, lisplipped receptionist, was well-deserved of the meager melody of chuckles, which though scarce, were occasionally evident. In fact, the entire cast deserves some amount of credit for their unrelenting professionalism in the face of adversary. About a third of the way into the second act, half the audience (THREE people) attempted an inconspicuous and early exit. Following behind her friends, a notby-any-means-small woman failed to negotiate the last step (it really was a doozy), and took a tumultuous tumble onto the landing and into the wall. After rolling around awkwardly on the floor for the better part of a minute, in truly bizarre and ill-fated attempts at standing, the woman finally managed to stagger gracelessly out of sight. Steely-faced and unflinching, the cast managed to soldier through the disturbance, and the show did indeed go on. Curiously, I am unable to pinpoint the exact cause for my contempt. The acting was passable and the material, written by Kerr Seth Lordygan and Jason Britt, while far from great,
Courtesy of the Eclectic Company Jason Britt and Misha Bouvion costar alongside each other in “Martyr Dumb,” a play being att the Eclectic Company Theater through Oct. 17.
wasn’t necessarily egregious by any means. But perhaps that is exactly the problem. The show was being billed as provocative, unsavory, ill conceived and offensive. Yet it delivered on none of the aforementioned promises. The only things “Martyr Dumb” truly succeeded in offending were my eardrums. Ladies, a word of advice: louder is not always better. If I felt the uncontrollable urge to spend a Friday evening listening to the banshee-like
shrieking of sub-par actresses, I would have invited my girlfriends out to datenight with the wife. That, however, will most definitely remain off of my to-do list for the foreseeable future, and so too should “Martyr Dumb” remain off yours. If you neglected to read the previous 501 words and still wish to see “Martyr Dumb,” it is playing weekends through Oct. 17, at the Eclectic Company Theater, 5312 Laurel Canyon Blvd, Valley Village.
Carrasco tells the other side Environmental PSAs bring awareness to SMC in “The Other Conquest” Last week, students of all ages and from around the community premiered their environmental PSAs on campus. By Neelofer Lodhy Staff Writer Last Thursday at 7 p.m., Santa Monica College held the “Students For the Environment PSA” series, in which several public service announcements about the environment were submitted by students of all ages. Amber Katherine, professor of environmental politics at SMC was present in support of David Zucker, a film director who was able to make the PSA presentations possible. “Students inspire me. I get a lot of good information from them that I don’t get from adults and they just know how to say things in different ways. I want to be an inspiration for them as much as they are an inspiration for me,” said Zucker. “My goal is to go into schools and talk to different organizations, talk to students, film clubs, art clubs, to inspire them to make a public service announcement. Thirty seconds to a minute, that’s all I ask.” Amber Katherine discussed the environment and all the constant abuses the Earth is experiencing due to common carelessness. “There are signs that we are in what some authors are calling the countdown to catastrophe, so what I try to do in my class is empower students… your generation, students in my class are going to be the change-makers and the problem-solvers,” Katherine said.
“There is limitation to life on Earth. We have limits. On the other hand, our social structures, our values in regards to how we want to live, say that we need growth. We need to grow all the time. We’re growing so fast we’re exceeding the carrying capacity of the planet, and that’s a crisis.” Several young students were present to witness the display of their PSA along with supporting families. Molly Cinnamon, 14, a freshman at Harvard Westlake of Beverly Hills was among one of the young attendees. “I decided to do an animation because I feel that it brings some severity of the situation that we’re in concerning the pollution of our ocean,” said Cinnamon. “It really makes the audience members think that our situation is much worse than it is actually portrayed in this film, and it gets some thinking a little bit more as opposed to doing some live action and showing exactly what is happening.” Other submissions included an animated skit from 11-year-old John Kimrey. Kimrey had taken an animation class over the summer, and in the fall he was presented with the project of creating a PSA for the environment in which his work was selected for the event. Kou Collins, a senior at Santa Monica High School also submitted two PSAs for the series. Collins is an active member of the project Team Marine, which serves to encourage others about conserving water. For more information on how to get a PSA production evolved, visit projectfoundsound.com or email David Zucker at dz@ projectsoundfound.com
Film professor Salvador Carrasco talks about his movie, “The Other Conquest,” and its cultural impact. By Jennifer Ferrada Staff Writer Films are powerful works of art. They are capable of retelling major historical events, and giving a voice to people, groups, and cultures that want to be heard. “The Other Conquest” aspires to reflect the voice of a people who found their culture and ways of life compromised. Written and directed by Santa Monica College film professor S a l v a d o r Carrasco, “The Other Conquest” was featured in Mexico in 2000, and then rereleased to theatres in 2007. It is based on the Spanish Conquest of the Aztecs in Mexico during 1521, told from the perspective of an Aztec who survived the horrible massacre of his people at the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan. It took Carrasco seven years to work on and complete the movie. According to him, it was a drawn out process and filming wasn’t consistent. “The challenge was raising money at first because it was controversial telling a point-of-view from the other side of history,” said Carrasco. That did not stop his inspiring
creation to become a hit at the end after all, however. Carrasco pointed out how the film was named among one of the top ten films of the year, according to L.A. Times as well as The NY Times. It’s been shown in over 30 countries. “It gave a voice to the people who were normally silenced,” said Carrasco. Making the film was very meaningful to him. ‘’It allowed me to stay focused, and it made my belief in the content of it all even stronger. It paid off.” Carrasco recounted his experience on filming the movie. H a v i n g always been interested in cultural c l a s s e s , Carrasco wanted to e x p l o r e c u l t u r a l conflict, and the reality of two cultures colliding together. He also noted the significance of moral ambivalence with this film. Carrasco hopes that “The Other Conquest” will continue to inspire others and gave some advice to aspiring filmmakers. “You don’t have to make compromises in terms of your own beliefs and ideas being on the big screen. You don’t need to sell out,” said Carrasco. For the opportunity to watch and see “The Other Conquest,” Carrasco’s film will be shown in a screening here at SMC on Friday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. in HSS 165.
“It gave a voice to the people who were normally silenced.”
-Salvador Carrasco
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Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College
P H O T O S T O RY
Wednesday October ,
Photos By Brian White Corsair
Peope flood Siren Studios with a chance to try five of the best food trucks in Los Angeles, during the Thrillist Food Truck Rally event held in Hollywood last Saturday.
Food truck rally pulls in for the thrill By Jonathan Bue Staff Writer
Dante Gonzales, Chef of Dante’s Fried Chicken truck, relaxes outside of his truck after being announced winner.
Trays of food circulate to accomodate the long line of people waiting to try Dante’s Fried Chicken.
with new interpretations on traditionally popular dishes. Common practices amongst the food trucks are the themes in which their menus are based. Competing in the event were trucks like Lardon, a bacon themed truck whose menu includes the “baco,” a taco that replaces the tortilla with woven bacon. Frysmith is a truck that specializes in gourmet french fries and whose Rajas fries feature marinated steak topped with poblano chili and caramelized onions. Alex Chu, 22, owner of the Dim Sum truck points out that most of his customers are of the Twitter age. “It’s definitely for a younger
away public parking spaces and congest the sidewalks. “As long as they are kept to No longer are they just a standard that restaurants competing for the patronage are kept to, I think it’s cool,” of construction workers, said Daniel Weisberg. food trucks have become so Jeff Miller, the LA editor popular in Los Angeles that of Thrillest.com, thinks that they are now competing in the end food trucks are for titles as well. Such was positively changing LA’s the case this past Saturday culinary culture. wherein five of LA’s local “If you’re a restaurant food trucks competed for the and you’re losing out to a moniker of “Best of the Best” food truck, I don’t think you at the Thrillist Food Truck should be upset about the Rally on Sunset Boulevard, a food truck; you might maybe testament to the mobile food want to step up your food culture that has thrived in LA game,” said Miller. for the past two years. However, Thomas Choi, Hundreds gathered in long co-owner of Komodo, admits lines at Siren Studios to that a brick and mortar shop sample the culinary offerings is the end goal for most food of the competing truck owners. trucks. Afterward, By the end of “If you’re a restaurant and you’re attendees would the day, attendees vote for their had voted losing out to a food truck, I don’t favorite truck via Dante’s Fried think you should be upset about Twitter. Chicken as LA’s the food truck.” Part of the appeal best. The menu, of these new-age which owner -Jeff Miller trucks is that they Dante Gonzalez use technologies describes as such as Twitter and Facebook crowd,” said Chu. trans-Atlantic African to gain customers, with some Crystal and Daniel cuisine, was a big draw trucks having thousands of Weisberg, who joke about amongst the crowd and his followers. being “the oldest people fried chicken and tofu dishes “What we’ve seen is a here,” commented on the received applause from those gourmet renaissance of an some of the problems that in attendance. existing culture,” said Ross have come about with the When asked if he felt Resnick of roaminghunger. popularity of food trucks in Dante’s Fried Chicken com, a sponsor for the event. LA, mainly long lines and the should have won, Anthony Many of these truck’s lack of city regulation. Howard, an attendee of the owners are young In fact, city Councilmember event, could only muster one entrepreneurs who share a Tom LaBonge has introduce word out of his full mouth: familiar story; a passion for two motions that would “Totally.” cooking and an economic create designated parking All proceeds for the event downturn that meant areas for food trucks. This were donated to Meals on starting a food truck made comes after complaints by Wheels West located on the most sense. The results residents and merchants who Michigan Ave. in Santa are often times fusion foods argue that the trucks take Monica. Dante Gonzales and his assistant chef celebrate the win over four other food trucks during the Thrillist Food Truck Rally.
EXHIBIT
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Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College
Maybe so, maybe no By Brian White
Give me a reason not to go to work... give me an excuse that outweighs every option... tell me you want to see the stars and you’d rather have no one but me there to show you where the Big Dipper is... inform me of a movie night at your place and I get to choose... have my guilt be overridden with the joy of your voice on the other line...or your smiley face at the end of your text... ask me what I’m doing tonight as if u have no clue... just give me you... give me your touch... lets make new memories... new adventures... laugh at the thought of not being near each other at that very moment... counteract my crazy with your insane conviction... the thought of you is too much at times… and whenever we find the time the moon shall shine for us... Jennifer Martinez
By Macha Rose
Hey Bruce Wayne How do you do You don’t know my name I’m on the nightly news
Hey Bruce Wayne How do you do You don’t know my name I’m on the nightly news
Hey Bruce Wayne How do you do, Don’t you know my name Yeah, I think you do
Hey Bruce Wayne How do you do, Don’t you know my name Yeah, I think you do
I’m on the TV night and day, you took me to your hideaway What was I supposed to do? What was simply robbery, the simple thought occurred to me Maybe he should save me from you
Hey Bruce Wayne
Gotham City’s fallin’ down, everybody’s skippin’ town I don’t know what I’m to do The Joker’s found himself a clown, the Penguin hardly ever drowns I feel like I’m in Gotham Zoo
I admit that I’m attached, to the boy who’s called the bat but that’s why I came to you
If Batman finds I’m sure as dead, OMG he’ll lose his head If I’m in the bed with you
I know, I know the price I’d pay, but we can plan a getaway It’s the last boost I’ll do
A million dollar price tag, I don’t even need a Jag if I can leave with you. A sandy beach and dusty trails, we’ll forget this orphan tale If I can be with you
Hey Bruce Wayne How do you do
Sammy Soliman
Hey Bruce Wayne I’m in love with you
George Mikhail
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LIFESTYLE
Wednesday October ,
Tieg Slattery Corsair One component of steampunk that highlights the appreciation for technological advancements during the Victorian age is the array of gadgets made and used by groups like The League of S.T.E.A.M.
Steampunk brings Victorian vampire hunting to life An emerging trend takes over, one brass weapon at a time. By Ingrid Rosales A & E Editor Picture a dark, dystopic world where waves of steam billow upward to intersect the zeppelins in the sky. Brass technology has overtaken every corner of the world, and the citizens of the land, in their corsets, top hats and petticoats, must face the dangers of zombies and feral creatures on the ground, as well as the drunken airship pirates flying up above. Ladies and gentlemen: Welcome to the world of steampunk. While it’s obvious that the actual modern-day world isn’t remotely similar to what was previously described, a fairly new and emerging subculture is making the esoteric fantasy possible. Steampunk, a subculture with science
fictional roots, is a movement leprechauns, detecting and Labryinth of Jareth Ball in July ectoplasm from 2009,” Baumann said. “We that involves certain, fictional collecting sites with frequent ghost decided it best to break off the post-Victorian ideologies. Instead of the electronic, activity, and of course, zombie use of the ‘Ghostbusters’ name and develop our own logo and digital age of today, steampunk domestication. “The aesthetic and creativity name.” revolves around the concept And so the League and its wide of steam-powered machines. of the genre is really what What results is a unique choice initially attracted me to this array of characters was born: in lifestyle and hobby: Fashion culture,” Nick Baumann, co- co-founders Crackitus Pottss pertaining to corsets, goggles, founder of the League, said and Professor Jager, specialists and waistcoats; literature and when asked about his interest in ghoul and ectoplasmic containment, respectively; film with similar ethereal outlooks, and music such The citizens of the land, in their Sir Conrad Wright III, a as the likes of neoclassical corsets, top hats and petticoats, member skilled in vampire elimination, and Zedediah, Abney Park or industrial must face the dangers of the League’s domesticated musician Doctor Steel. zombies and feral creatures. zombie butler. Those are just the basics, The League’s range of however. With such a fleshed out faux-historical in steampunk. “At the time, equipment is also a story of its background, creative expansion when I first was getting caught own. From an immobilization is always possible. Take the up in the scene there wasn’t engine powered by baby League of S.T.E.A.M. for much of a subculture that there electric eels, to a re-animated is today.” corpse with pumps and steam example. Though the League wasn’t running through her, it’s safe to The League of S.T.E.A.M., a group based in southern officially formed until 2009, assume that the highly ornate California, is, to put it simply, Baumann and a group of friends machinery require additional a steampunk version of the have been building steam for a effort than every-day items. “My first piece, the Steam Ghostbusters. The League couple of years now. specializes in exterminating “Our first event as an Ghost Pack, I started designing pesky mythical creatures like organized group was at the at least six months prior to the
event, and building took about 3 months,” Baumann said. “There was much research and development that went into trying to figure out what would work and how to achieve the effect. This is when the most time affects the projects, all the working parts. It often slows me down but the end result is well worth it.” Steampunk is a multi-faceted subculture, and while it might seem daunting to just jump in and participate, Baumann assures that it’s not. “This community has been very friendly and welcoming, creative, inspirational, adventurous and willing to try new things. You can learn a lot by attending events and socials, and chatting and making new friends,” he said. For more information on the League of S.T.E.A.M., visit www.leagueofsteam. com. Additionally, for any steampunk-related events, visit www.socalsteam.com.
Do It Yourself goes beyond glitter and glue “Crafting” shakes its negative connotation and is embraced in LA as a hip hobby. By Stephanie Sommers Staff Writer
Jennifer Martinez Corsair Jesse Quintanilla started knitting to unwind during stressful times. In turn he found ways to use his passtime productively, and is currently knitting a scarf for his cousin.
Have you ever received a hideous Christmas sweater you had to wear and wish your grandma would just find a different hobby? Or had to conceal your utter disgust for a colorful scarf your mom made especially for you? When it comes to these circumstances, unfortunately, the world of crafting is not disappearing. You’ll have to continue pasting a pained smile on your face Christmas morning while you unwrap another sequin-studded reindeer sweater. But fortunately for those who are looking for a new hobby, crafting has taken on an entirely new shape. The hobby has grown to become more than just knitting, macaroni noodles and glitter. Los Angeles is one place that has embraced this revamping of the craft world, and has turned Do It Yourself (DIY) culture into a booming trend.
This weekend Long Beach Convention Center turned into a hub of crafting genius. The annual Harvest Festival for Arts and Crafts lured hundreds of attendees, who took advantage of the crafters and artists displaying their work; from handmade jewelry, to household trinkets the exhibits burgeoned with creative talent. Young adults all over the country are embracing the DIY culture. Texan crafter, Joy Manos, brought her hand designed LED wine bottle night-lights to sell. “The Festival welcomes fresh and creative ideas,” said Manos. “The only way you know is if you try.” With websites such as Etsy, (a network focused on buying and selling homemade and vintage items), Craft Nights at local bars, and yearly craft fairs, crafting is affecting a new generation. Craft captain Julianna Parrs has been a spark plug for the generation of DIY. She currently runs a Craft night, every Wednesday night at Akbar in Silverlake. Crafters meet at Akbar for Martinis and Cosmos and let their craftiness flow. On her site, Parrs writes,
“Adults forget to de-stress and simply play, using just their hands and their guts to create stuff.” Paco Soler, a designer of wearable art, his own clothing line of unique garments, says that he designs each piece of his collection as the “fabric speaks to him.” He encourages students, to not be afraid and just go for it. “If at first you don’t succeed, try again and again if it is what you love,” said Soler. “Making clothes is a great way of expressing yourself.” Individuality has been sacrificed in order to keep up with what is popular and socially acceptable. Why try to fit a mold, when you can make your own? This is ultimately what the D.I.Y culture is about. On her website Parrs writes “It’s a chance to drink, kibbutz and marvel at how your pipecleaner sculpting techniques have evolved since 3rd grade.” No longer is knitting a thing of the past or a hobby for lonely, unstylish older women. It’s a thing to do on a Friday night, a way to make an income, and a way to show your individuality.
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Fire lit under students to keep them from getting burned By Jonathan Mendoza Staff Writer
himself with aspirations of finishing three books, speaking at seminars and running his own publishing company. Healy saw that he needed to make a change or else he would fall prey to burning out himself. Healy’s motto for his creation is “Learn, Earn and Don’t Get Burned.” Living by this philosophy has resulted in the advancement of his own self-education, and in turn he has increased his own personal net worth. A lot of the ideas came from Healy’s own friends and
to just take in only a surface understanding of a topic, without questioning or Being burnt out is a common supporting counterarguments problem students face. They that could help gain a more build daunting schedules and profound understanding of a combine those pressures with subject. part-time jobs and social lives. Healy also explains that Whether it’s falling asleep in for students the key to class or leaving a bar-hopping avoiding becoming burnt night early to wake up for out and succumbing to the work students often find pressures of everyday life is by themselves cutting corners evolving into what he calls the in one facet of their life to “Renaissance Student.” succeed in another. ”We all need to look at Blogger Kent Healy, creator ourselves as artists,” said of the “Don’t Get Burned Healy. “Previous generations Blog,” says, “The more you valued knowledge, where multitask, the less as an artist is creative you become.” pushing “You don’t have to be great to get always Healy started the boundaries and started, but you need to get started to always website to convey pushing be great.” to students that it is their work.” possible to manage their As a result these time ways that would individuals will not - Kent Healy lead to productive, only increase their successful lives. His own self worth, goal is to expose people to colleagues. After witnessing but also enjoy their own important information that how unprepared they were profession in the process- thus ordinarily wouldn’t be taught post graduation from major leading to a more fulfilling in schools. universities Healy felt like he and enjoyable life. He stresses the importance needed to warn others about In addition these people of focus, money management, their potential failure as well. are the very ones that most and creativity as the main The reason most people businesses are looking for, means to a successful and fall into this trap is because those who hold diverse and satisfying life. they fall into what he calls uncommon abilities that go Healy met success early on, “The Student Label: labeling beyond the skills acquired as he ran his own business themselves as only a student from an IGETC based class Reactor Board Technology, in and acting just as a sponge- schedule. New Zealand with his brother without acting proactive and Healy’s message isn’t to Kyle at the age of 15. At the without seeking perspectives downplay the importance of same time Healy was met with from other locations.” an education, but rather to more pressure as he found As a result students tend question how much is gained
Cheap Eats: Café Aroma By Lauren Walsh Staff Writer
assorted items that include colossal burgers, pizzas, sandwiches, pasta, and desserts. On top of it they offer an When you accidently break a glass assortment of sweet fresh juice blends dish or cup at home it’s unforgivable, to accompany any meal. but when you unintentionally break On this particular trip, I ordered one at Café Aroma, it’s a celebration. the large combination plate that Employees and customers begin included a generous portion of their whistling and cheering you on as if mouthwatering steak fries, gardenthey want you to break another glass. fresh salad, and savory hummus. But don’t, it’s just an Israeli wedding Before starting on the dish sitting tradition that Café Aromas’ regulars in front of me, I closed my eyes and implement to lighten the mood when wished that I was living the movie customers or employees accidentally “Defending Your Life,” where the main break a dish. So, instead of feeling a character dies and enters limbo where sense of tension and embarrassment, he can eat anything he wants, and as jollity and laughter fill the air. much as he wants, without gaining a This comedic pound. scenario is one of the Considering that I Why am I eating this many memorable still had the physical flawless delight with attributes of a visit limitations of an silverware made for babies? to Aroma, all of everyday girl, I did which make the the most that I could experience of dining there that much to escape into my own imaginary land better when paired with their extensive of gluttony exempt of consequences. I and stupefying menu. pushed the limits of my already stuffed When customers take a seat at one of stomach and ordered Aroma’s famous Aromas tables, an strange experience chocolate soufflé at the end of my meal. occurs. They’re offered a glass of water, As the waiter served the warm a set of silverware, a candlelight setting, chocolate bliss, my heart palpitated and a novel to the side. While they and as my hands trembled with the wait, and wait and wait for a waitress tiny spoon, I thought to myself, “Why to bring the menu, customers decide to am I eating this flawless delight with kill time while reading the book left in silverware made for babies?” your presence. So, having eyes bigger than my After opening the first page, though, stomach, I asked the waiter for a larger you realize that instead of a prologue, utensil. you are met with the beginning of a 52Frankly, Café Aroma isn’t the page menu spread. cheapest eatery in town, but if you’re Amit Zacks, an Aroma regular said, willing to spend $8 on a substantial “They have so many menu items, entrée or desert, then Aroma gratifies. that even my picky sisters can find Its diverse atmosphere is perfect for something they like.” casual dates, family get-togethers, and The Aroma menu is comprised of friendly rendezvous. approximately 22 different types So don’t sulk the next time you break a of salads (some served with their plate, just drive yourself over to Sunset zesty meat and crispy fish) and other where anything goes at Café Aroma.
Albany Katz Corsair Kent Healy draws from his experience inside and outside of the classroom to enlighten students about how they can succeed with knowledge other than what they gain with a typical college education.
from it. “You don’t have to be great to get started, but you need to get started to be great,” says Healy in a quote from his upcoming book Maxims for Mavericks. And while a lot of students today may not know where to go, or how to
get there, perhaps a visit to Healy’s blog may be the first step in the right direction. You can find and ask questions to Healy at: http:// dontgetburnedblog.com/Or check out his books “Cool Stuff They Should Teach In School” and “Maxims For Mavericks.”
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Ventura slams the door on Corsairs By Michael Mendoza Staff Writer
Laysa Quintero Corsair Freshman Vivien Reece (right) looks on as freshman hitter Kelsey Keil (right center) watches her attempt get blocked by a Ventura net player this past Friday at Santa Monica.
Looking to rebound from last week’s disappointing performance, the Lady Corsairs were still unable to find their rhythm as they fell to the Hancock College Bulldogs. While they did at least avoid a sweep, the match ended in a blowout as the Bulldogs mauled Santa Monica in a series that ended 3-1. SMC’s game plan was ineffective throughout, as they continuously gave away easy points by under-hitting balls and bailing the Bulldogs out on defense. “Coming into the game, our game plan was to execute what we didn’t practice, which was staying in our zones and being disciplined,” said Melisa Tindle, a sophomore net player for the Corsairs. Despite the mistakes, the Corsairs would put up a valiant fight against the Bulldogs. In the opening match, SMC and Hancock battled back-and-forth in an exciting contest, but the Bulldogs offensive firepower would prove too much as they felled the Corsairs 25-21. Hancock would carry that momentum into the
second match, as they continued to put the pressure on the Corsairs’ defense with excellent execution. SMC’s head coach Nicole Ryan was able to stave off some of the Bulldogs’ energy with a few crucial time-outs, but Hancock’s early success would be enough to edge out the Corsairs 25-23. The highlight of the night for SMC would come in the third match, when they displayed their resolve, mounting a comeback in the face of defeat. By going on an impressive 9-0 run, SMC asserted themselves offensively and avoided their second consecutive sweep by winning the game 25-19. Even though the Lady Corsair squad would lose the match after another decent performance in the following fourth game, there was positivity in SMC’s ability to keep every match close. “We’re trying to put everything together right now,” said Tindle. “We have a lot of good things going as individual players, we just need to work better together as a team.” The Corsairs look to harmonize their play and execute accordingly in the upcoming games this week, as they still are a team with something to prove.
Primetime Softball Actors and crews from popular network TV shows congregate to compete in a prestigious softball league. By Ayla Pound Staff Writer Baseball has always been a way for people to enjoy themselves and let off some steam, and the cast and crew from some of the top primetime television shows are joining in on the fun. After a few co-ed softball teams were formed among a couple television shows, the event stimulated more interest from other programs. Eventually, what began as a loosely orchestrated Sundayafternoon play date developed into the full-fledged Prime Time Softball League. Among the teams currently participating are the television series “Desperate Housewives,” “The Office,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “Modern Family,” “The Mentalist,” and “Wizards of Waverly Place.” It all began in 1989, when a few of these softball teams ran into various roadblocks such as reserving fields and recruiting umpires. After Larry Rosenthal, Rosario Roveto, Tom Oseransky, and Mike Sexton, all managers of their own teams, decided it would be easier to overcome these obstacles with a league of their own, the PTSL was born. “It was started in the late 80’s when crews were getting together and playing softball together to have some fun. They decided to form a league to make it more official,” says Matt Barber, number 23 on the “Bones” team. When the league was formed, many production companies and other industry
corporations wanted to be part of it, but a league that began with sixteen television shows needed to draw the line somewhere. Thus it became a rule that to participate in the PTSL, the team must be formed from a primetime television show. Last Saturday, a game was played between “Bones” and “The Office” at the Hjelte Sports Complex in Burbank. By a score of 27-0, team “Bones” made it clear that they were holding nothing back. However, the monumental blowout was expected from last year’s league champion, and was good natured in actuality. “It’s a lot to zero,” said an “Office” team member with a sheepish smile. In fact, the feel-good attitudes of the teams participating made it evident that these games are put on for pure merriment, a characteristic that has made the league so successful. The league’s motto is “To have fun!”, ultimately making the final score almost meaningless. The season takes place over three and a half months and then extends into conference and divisional playoffs, and a league championship game. For many of the team members, participating in the PTSL is a way to have some fun on the weekends and enjoy some friendly competition that can be hard to come by for an individual in show business. For some, it is also a time to spend with family, as it gives them an opportunity to bring along their children and spouses. The PTSL is currently celebrating its twenty-first season. With 40 teams participating in last season alone, it is likely that the number will continue to rise as the league popularizes the primetime playing field.
Sara Stark Corsair Santa Monica’s Keiley Makuta (left) swims to keep ball possession from the opposition in the Lady Corsairs’ first conference matchup against Ventura College at SMC on October 1st.
Corsairs struggle to close gap By Alexandra Lazar Staff Writer As the sound of the horn pierced the record-high Los Angeles afternoon heat last Wednesday, the Lady Corsairs water polo team kicked off their second match of the year against Ventura College. The game ended in 15-5 loss for the Corsairs as the VC Pirates picked up their second consecutive win. “They started off pretty good. I just wished they kept up with their defense and hard work,” said spectator Natasha Chu. “They could have won this one.” The first quarter started with a splash as the Pirates came out stealing the ball relatively easily from the Corsairs, leading to the first two scores of the game. Shortly after the Pirates’ triumph, however, the Corsairs stung back with a score of their own that closed the deficit to one point. After a near-miss opportunity with fifteen seconds left in the first period, the Corsairs would remain behind for the rest of the period and wouldn’t get any closer. Throughout the second period, the Pirates dominated the Corsairs by adding five points
to their lead and taking control of the match. But the outcome relied not only on the offensive onsluaght of the away team, as it must also be attributed to the polished defensive game of the Pirates. Santa Monica could only muster one point in response, leaving the score at 2-9 as they moved well into the five-minute break. “We need to get everyone involved, not just one or two people,” said head coach Steve Contarsy. “Way too much time has been spent underwater.” The Corsairs found little reprieve in the third period, as the Pirates pounded in four more goals past a weak Santa Monica defense. “Girls, keep shooting, keep moving towards the cage,” said coach Contarsy to the team as he witnessed the Pirates defense block yet another chance for a point. Despite some late scores by the Lady Corsairs that included a well-executed strike from Judith Cuevas, the Ventura lead was simply insurmountable. Look for SMC to bounce back on Thursday as they take on Cuesta in another crucial conference matchup that marks the last time the Ladies play at home this season.
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George Mikhail Corsair Sophomore Mercy Tejada fends off a player from Bakersfield in a dominant performance from the Corsairs , which ended with a resounding 3-0 victory in their first home conference matchup of the 2010 season.
Ladies run away with conference win
Santa Monica’s women’s soccer routs the opposing Bakersfield Renegades to remain undefeated in conference play. By Zineb Hafiz Staff Writer The Santa Monica College Lady Corsairs made a statement with their first dominant performance of the year, chalking up a 3-0 victory. And being the second game of the conference play, the message came across that much more clearly: The Corsairs are not here to try their best. They’re here to win. On the receiving end of the SMC beat down was the Bakersfield College Renegades, who were held scoreless for the duration of the game last Friday. Sophomore Brianna Edwards opened the score in the twenty-fifth minute of the first half after a superlative lead pass from sophomore Mercy Tejada. Tejada would play a pivotal role in the match, emerging as a leader by controlling the pace of the game and ensuring SMC ball possession. Even though she and the rest of the Corsairs established themselves as the hungrier team by putting up the first score, the Renegades continued to fight to tie it up with valid attempts on goal from Samantha Callagy and Melody Jorgensen. However, SMC’s defense proved to be too strong to let the opposite team consistently build an attack, and they went into halftime teeming with confidence. “Look ladies, you’ve done enough,” said head coach Aaron Benditson to
his players during the half. “We are going to start the second half like the first one, with the same energy.” The team responded quite nicely as forward Brianna Edwards scored her second goal only one minute after the whistle blew to start the second half. “You guys are in a mood like I’ve never seen before,” said Benditson to the players sitting on the bench. Ten minutes after the second goal, Freshman Olivia Patterson “put it in the refrigerator” by scoring the third and final goal of the game. On the other end of the field, the clean sheet was not only a product of solid Corsair defense, but must also be attributed to the stellar blocks of the new goalkeeper Lauren Rae Reichardt. As a last-ditch effort to score, Renegades head coach Scott Dameron asked for an extra four minutes to be added to the 90-minute match, but it was in vain as the final whistle sounded to announce the end of the game. While the Corsairs could relate to the frustration exemplified by Bakersfield after enduring a blowout loss, they took time to appreciate the big win after their last three matches ended in a draw. “It’s a big win for us,” said sophomore Jen Hager. “I was very excited for the girls,” said Coach Benditson. “They put a lot of effort and energy into it.” Benditson and the girls are looking forward to a promising remainder of the season after this match. “It was a good confidence builder,” said Benditson. The ladies look to ride their newfound momentum for the remainder of Conference play in their push to illuminate themselves as top playoff contenders.