The Corsair, Issue 4 (Spring)

We are currently living in a world under siege. We have been thrust into a war against an enemy that hides in plain sight.

To state the obvious, coronavirus has troops stationed all across the globe. Most of us have found our lives at a standstill, left with no choice but to hope that those on the frontlines are well-trained and well-equipped. However, of the millions of United States citizens following orders to barricade themselves within the confines of their own homes, many are currently fighting their own individual battles; in fact, they already were well before we came into a global pandemic.

I’m talking about battles with mental illness. Some are more familiar with these types of battles than others, but this enemy has grown in strength since teaming up with COVID-19.

Though people with mental illness all have their individual list of triggers, as well as their own toolbox for how to best deal with being provoked, isolation is a pretty common instigator. This is because mental illness is mental; it consists of a constant internal dialogue with yourself, and can cause you to spend a lot of time in your own head.

Self-isolation isn’t comfortable for most people, but for those with mental illness, the thought of isolation can be much more than a thought. It is a threat. It is a personified beast with intentions to inflict terror and suffering onto its victims.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), their Disaster Distress Helpline saw an 891 percent increase in call volume this past March compared to March of 2019. Another equally alarming statistic from SAMHSA shows that March saw 338 percent more calls than February, according to a SAMHSA spokesperson.

So, where do we find hope? How much comfort can the overused slogan “take it one day at a time” offer before we’ve exhausted it? In times of national crisis, we are trained to look toward our country’s leadership for guidance.

Our current administration doesn’t have the greatest track record with understanding of mental health, and recent statements about COVID-19’s impact on the minds of Americans are fairly on-theme with past comments.

In a press briefing almost exactly a month ago today -- March 24 -- President Trump announced that “you’re going to lose a number of people to the flu, but you’re going to lose more people by putting a country into a massive recession or depression… You’re going to have suicides by the thousands. You’re going to have all sorts of things happen.”

Throughout the remainder of this speech, as well as during speeches in the weeks to come, the president used predicted declines in mental health as means to bolster his desires to re-open the economy as soon as possible.

I can’t speak for everyone on this, but I know that his words did nothing to make me more hopeful about the current state of my mental health. I am one of roughly 42 million adults in the United States with clinically-diagnosed generalized anxiety disorder. There are 57.8 million Americans currently living with mental or substance use disorders, according to SAMHSA. Instead of allowing Trump’s remarks to instigate fear or shame, I am choosing to see this time as an opportunity.

Although we are isolated from one another physically, we can still connect mentally and support one another in this time of need.

Different organizations are offering free virtual support groups for those who need more soldiers in their armies, such as the National Eating Disorders Association, Alcoholics Anonymous, and Narcotics Anonymous. Links to these sessions will be provided on The Corsair website.

We can band together to fight off the enemies lurking within our own homes, within our own minds, regardless of what our leadership has planned for the coming months.

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Chancellor Oakley’s Virtual Conference James Shippy | Staff Writer To address issues regarding the current state of California’s higher education system, the largest in the nation, the California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley along with Executive Vice Chancellor Marty Alvarado hosted an informative hour long Zoom (a popular teleconferencing software) press conference, this past Tuesday, April 14.

The purpose of the press conference was to discuss major initiatives being facilitated for the students suffering during the Coronavirus pandemic. This included executive orders, available resources, and the importance of participating in the 2020 National Census, along with a litany of other subjects addressed during Chancellor Oakley’s virtual press conference.

Chancellor Oakley started off by expressing gratitude towards the contributions made by community colleges throughout the state, such as meal distributions at campuses, laptop giveaways, philanthropic emergency grants, and many colleges donating personal protective equipment (PPE) to medical facilities.

Chancellor Oakley, a former community college student, believes students will still be prepared in spite of Covid-19 causing a majority of in-person classes to transition to online classes. However, he recognized that the Safer at Home order due to Covid-19 has exposed the digital divide and the lack of access to broadband.

The digital divide is defined as the gap “between those who already have ready access to computers and the internet and those who do not,” according to the Oxford

Dictionary. The digital divide has not only caused issues of educational access for college students, but also K-12 students.

On a deeper economic and health level, Chancellor Oakley expressed that the digital divide highlights the income gap afflicting families in California, specifically low-income individuals and communities of color, which Covid-19 has also afflicted at a proportionally higher rate, according to the CDC. Executive Vice Chancellor Alvarado spoke on the updated guidelines for “excused withdrawals” for the rest of the Spring 2020 semester. The guidance allows colleges the flexibility to excuse withdrawals so they do not count against GPA and academic probation.

Alvarado stated, “that’s what colleges have the current flexibility to do. Typically, students would need doctor’s notes and other documentation to indicate hardship.

Under the current situation, all of this is waived.”

Alvarado clarified that the “excused withdrawals” were retroactive for students who dropped classes when the pandemic initially started, and that they are encouraging all California campuses to honor this order.

“We are still awaiting clarification on whether some form of documentation for excused withdrawals will be required for financial aid audits,” said Alvarado.

Oakley conveyed that all, “colleges would continue to educate no matter what happens with the pandemic.” The Chancellor’s office has informed colleges that they should be prepared to educate in “some sort of social distancing protocol,” in the

next school year. This means partial openness, such as more online courses and some hybrid courses, so that they could maintain distances and public health.

During a news conference on April 2, California Governor Gavin Newsom said, “the January budget is no longer operable,” due to a surge in unemployment and delayed tax deadlines. This applies to the education budget as well, as Chancellor Oakley stated that the State Senate Budget Committee would reconvene in August of this year, to adjust the state budget based on revenues altered by Covid-19.

The state relies on tax revenue which has been extended and will take longer to count. Restricted revenue will likely cause cuts to the state budget. Oakley, addressing his Op-Ed piece from the San Diego Union Tribune, made it clear that he would “advocate heavily to protect community colleges which support the programs that are necessary for the response of recovery of Covid 19.” He also cited that “the [California Community Colleges (CCC)] trains 70 percent of first responders in the state; it would be a mistake to cut that deeply into community colleges and restrict our ability to prepare our workforce.”

The Chancellor saved his most impas-

sioned plea for the 2020 Census count.

Oakley directly tied the availability of resources for students, statewide, being influenced by the Census. California, the largest state in the country, also boasts the largest amount of seats in the House of Representatives, currently 53. This influences how much money California receives for higher education for students and includes funds from the Department of Labor to, “help students that are unemployed and get retrained and employed.”

The CCC is collaborating with the California Complete Count Committee, an organization created by the state government to administer the Census, to encourage all students to be counted.

“The effort is essential so students are fairly represented by Congressional leadership and colleges get an accurate and fair share of federal resources for the next ten years,” said Oakley.

rus. Medical professionals are forced to disinfect and reuse the same masks as the hospitals are unable to supply them.

Dr. Stephen Robin, a USC dentist who volunteered in hospitals regarding dental emergencies, states, “there is a shortage of N95 respirators which are critical protection from contracting the virus when working with an infected patient,” he continues, ”I usually just disinfect mine and reuse it.”

Federal health officials stated that respiratory masks should be used only for up to eight hours of continuous use and be discarded after the treatment of an infected patient. Medical workers around the United States are being given one N95 respiratory mask and are advised to reuse it without the acknowledgment of whether the disinfecting of the mask will help preserve it.

When face masks and other protective supplies are unavailable, the Center for

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using face shields without masks, and the use of homemade masks, perhaps from bandanas or scarves if necessary, putting medical professionals at risk for COVID-19 complications.

Some members of the general public have made unconventional alternatives for personal protective supplies, such as plastic garbage bags for gowns, cutting out the bottom of gallon water bottles for eye protection, and using sewn homemade masks. However, hospital workers are unable to use homemade personal protective supplies.

It is uncertain if the alternative protective supplies have the ability to filter infectious agents and help prevent the spread of the virus, although it is clear that they are better than no protection at all.

As some hospitals in the United States are unable to provide PPE for all of their

employees, many medical workers are working from home. After volunteering in hospitals and working with dental emergencies, Robin has begun virtual dentistry where he examines and diagnoses the patients. He stated, “I virtually exam, diagnose, and prescribe medication as needed to keep those dental emergencies from going to the emergency room and taking up space for COVID-19 victims.”

Robin and other medical workers are hoping that the Federal government and CDC work together to take precautions and solve this issue. With limited options for immediate government action towards this crisis, fear and anxiety continue to rise.

“We have to press the Federal government to release the stockpile of supplies of protective gear that is reserved for war,” Robin says. “This is war.”

California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley at a teleconference for California Community College Student newspaper & radio representatives. Photographed in the now deserted center of the main campus of Santa Monica College, in Santa Monica, California, on Tuesday, April 14th 2020.

Colleges have been closed all across California since mid-March because of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. (Marco Pallotti/The Corsair)

COVID-19 Leads to Protective Supply Crisis

Kristina Stolbova | Staff Writer As the coronavirus disease continues, health care systems in the United States have become overwhelmed with infectious patients seeking testing and care.

Preventing the spread of the infection depends on the persuasive use of personal protective equipment (PPE) by medical workers and potential patients—face masks, air-purifying respirators, gloves, face shields, respirators, and surgical gowns.

An increase in PPE supply usage in response to COVID-19 will require large manufacturing, a process that will take time many health care systems do not have.

Due to the rapid increase of ill COVID-19 patients in emergency rooms, healthcare facilities are forced to implement alternative ways in order to protect medical workers from contracting the vi-

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Politicians Face Scrutiny Over Stock Transactions Made After Coronavirus Briefing Michael Goldsmith | Staff Writer The US Department of Justice, along with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has opened a probe into potential insider trading and whether lawmakers attempted to profit off of information they gained during a closed-door classified briefing on the pandemic weeks before the information became public.

Insider trading is defined as “the trading of a company’s stocks or other securities by individuals with access to confidential or non-public information about the company. Taking advantage of this privileged access is considered a breach of the individual’s fiduciary duty,” according to Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute website.

Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) sold between $628,000 and $1.7 million in stock on February 13, according to his Senate financial disclosure documents. A week prior he had co-authored an opinion article for Fox News, titled “Coronavirus Prevention Steps the US Government is Taking to Protect You,” in which he urged Americans to have faith in the Trump administration and Congress’ coronavirus response.

“The United States today is better prepared than ever before to face emerging public health threats, like the coronavirus, in large part due to the work of the Senate Health Committee, Congress, and the Trump Administration,” Burr wrote. “The work of Congress and the administration has allowed U.S. public health officials to move swiftly and decisively in the last few weeks.”

Nu-

merous public warnings concerning the growing virus pandemic were issued from international and federal health experts starting late last year. In an interview with CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on January 22, Trump said that the United States had the virus “totally under control”, adding that he was “not at all” concerned about a public health pandemic here in America.

On January 30, the World Health Organization (WHO) publicly declared a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern”. Trump finally implemented recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to practice social distancing and not gather in groups of 10 or more on March 16. There have been no federal stay-at-home guidelines issued from the president or Congress. The White House did not respond to questions regarding their coronavirus response.

Burr is a member of the Senate Health Committee, which was the committee briefed on the impending coronavirus outbreak by the nation’s top infectious disease experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci. Publicly released audio shows that afterwards Burr privately warned donors to prepare for significant economic hardship due to the coronavirus, nearly a month before the information became public.

According to the audio recording of the Tar Heel Circle luncheon, Burr told the group of wealthy d o nors, “ T h e r e ’s o n e thing that I can tell you about this: It is much more

aggressive in its transmission than anything we have seen in recent history. It is probably more akin to the 1918 pandemic.”

Burr’s attorney has since issued a public statement saying, “The law is clear that any American — including a Senator — may participate in the stock market based on public information, as Senator Burr did…he will cooperate with [the Justice Department’s] review as well as any other appropriate inquiry.” Sen. Burr’s office did not respond to specific questions about his stock transactions.

Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) and her husband Jeffrey Sprecher, who is the chairman of the New York Stock Exchange, sold 27 different stocks worth between $1.275 million and $3.1 million between January 24 to February 14, according to her Senate disclosure forms. The senator and her husband also bought three separate stocks worth between $450,000 and $1 million, including the software company Citrix, which specializes in teleconferencing and allowing people to work from home. Stock shares of Citrix have gone up significantly since the pandemic started.

Loeffler also sits on the US Senate Health Committee and received the classified closed-door briefing. After weeks of heavy criticism over her stock trades, the first-term Senator wrote an Op-Ed for the Wall Street Journal, writing, “I never traded on confidential coronavirus information...But to end the distraction, my family will divest from individual stocks,” adding, “I have become a top target of baseless attacks from political adversaries and the media.” Sen. Loeffler’s

office did not respond to questions regarding her specific stock transactions.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) have also faced scrutiny over them and their families’ recent stock market transactions. According to her Senate disclosure forms, Feinstein’s husband sold between $1.5 million and $6 million in Allogene Therapeutics stock between the beginning of January and the end of February. Allogene Therapeutics is a biotech company that develops therapies for cancer.

Feinstein has denied any wrongdoing, putting out a public statement that reads, “I have no input into [my husband’s stock market] decisions…This company is unrelated to any work on the coronavirus and the sale was unrelated to the situation.”

Inhofe sold six different stocks between January and February worth between $230,000 and $500,000, according to his financial disclosure forms. In a statement issued last month, Inhofe stated that he does not have “any involvement” in his stock trading. Neither Feinstein nor Inhofe sit on the Senate Health Committee.

In 2012 Congress passed the Stock Act, which made it illegal for politicians to use insider information for financial gain. Burr was one of three senators to vote against the legislation, which passed 96-3, with one abstention.

SEC Chairman Jay Clayton declined to comment on this specific inquiry into members of the US Senate, but cautioned, “Anyone who is privy to private information about a company or about markets needs to be cautious about how they use that private information…that applies to government employees, public

officials, etc, and the Stock Act codifies that.”

Illustration by Dana Binfet

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A Forte of Sacred Geometry Tatiana Louder | Culture Editor Normally in Venice, CA or in the Bay Area, Dillon Forte etches the ancient miracle of the world’s design on an expectant tattooees to the sound of Buddhist prayers, or trap music. That is, when California isn’t under statewide self isolation. A true professional, he states, “our current shelter in place act prohibits the capability of resuming business at the detriment to small and medium sized businesses.”

The working world is largely on pause, but the metaphysical is still hard at work. It “doesn’t rely on faith, it’s an objective truth that can be observed and measured,” says celebrity tattoo artist and native Californian Forte about his specialty art: sacred geometry. According to math and science writer Julie J. Rehymeyer in periodical Math Trek, the samurai who were responsible for creating the sangakus, or “mathematical tablets” that were the beginnings of sacred geometry, were “isolated from the development of calculus taking place in the West,” resulting in “a kind of home-grown geometry with a uniquely Japanese character.”

The Western version of the term, “was popularized during the 20th century to represent the religious, philosophical, and spir-

itual beliefs surrounding geometry...In its most common conception, sacred geometry is then a metaphor for universal order...it is itself a practice for enlightenment or self-development, similar to meditation, prayer, or artistic techniques,” Rehymeyer explained.

According to Rehymeyer, recognizing sacred geometry is more about tapping into facts than faith. The principles of these ancient mathematics are equal parts lore and law, with its visually proven thesis that nothing is random.

It is no wonder, then, that Forte’s artwork has prevailed in his native land, spiritual and artistic heartland of the U.S.: California. The Golden State’s mysticism is a pedestrian part of its culture; more stoners in the state probably have psychedelic, awakening imagery on their walls than those who don’t. Forte elaborates on shapes like the floral Seed of Life and Germ of Life, in addition to more intensely geometric patterns, like the tetrahedron. While advertisements constantly show bodies in parts, Forte’s philosophy is looking at the body as a whole, planning not just for the area of the tattoo, but how it will move and metamorphosize across the body.

His website showcases bodyscapes that are, line by line, so precise, they seem to be not drawn by the human hand, but channeled.

While his work on celebrities like Kat Von D and Chris Hemsworth deem him a celebrity tattoo artist, the phrase almost doesn’t resonate, as his artwork is such a great equalizer. The magic deepens upon discovery that the images themselves are a form of visual meditation. While the entire kaleidoscope of the art is worthy of a gaze, one need only stare at the center of the yantra, an ornate piece of sacred geometry that is said to rouse the divine oneness within, according to the “Sacred Geometry Meditations” by Ivan Rados. This instruction book recommends focusing on the center of the yantra for 15 minutes, the center dot representing the ultimate truth, the “divine

nucleus.” Imagine a future of reaching the highest state of existence through looking at one’s own skin.

For the less-committal, For Now Ink, Forte’s temporary tattoo line is available on Inkbox.com. For those ready to take the plunge and get a tattoo, Forte’s advice is to not be afraid to let the tattoo artist play God, as “Trust them. The best way to achieve an amazing design is to let the artist do what they do best.”

Dillon Forte checks out one of the oldest standing examples of architectural sacred geometry: the Egyptian pyramids. (Photo courtesy of Bob Bradley Publicity)

Put Best Coast’s New Album on the Quarantine Queue Tatianna Louder | Culture Editor Hot as ever in her two piece pantsuit, Best Coast singer Bethany Cosentino parodies a disgruntled gameshow host. The lead singer goes full satire in the music video for their single “Everything Has Changed.” And everything has.

The band kicked off the tour for their fourth studio album “Always Tomorrow” with back to back southern California shows.

They started at Alibi Room in Palm Springs on Feb. 27, and with The Novo in downtown Los Angeles, Feb. 28. For some west coasters, this was when COVID-19 was still a rumor and social distancing was something from the Twilight Zone. Less than two weeks later, social distancing and safer-at-home protocols in LA knocked local show dates down like dominoes, with Best Coast to resume their tour tentative May 17 at Academy 3 in Manchester, United Kingdom.

Enter: “Always Tomorrow.” The band’s latest album of anthems is once again for beach witches and anti-socialites. Their fourth studio album, the band maintains their sunshine-madness, which occurs when an angst-inducing amount of sunny days pass, many spent indoors.

Although Cosentino is the face of the band, she is only half of the Californian duo.

Bobb Bruno, who acts as the band’s bassist and lead guitarist, in addition to drumming and producing, is the other original member of the band. Bruno can often be seen flexing his long rocker mop over the band’s notorious riffs during shows.

Since the rapid success of their debut album “Crazy For You,” a decade ago, the pair have been steadily doing the work of keeping the southern California rock sound surf-ready and melodic. “Always Tomorrow” is the all-grown-up reflection of “Crazy For You”; The albums peaked at 37 and 36, respectively, on the Billboard Hot 200. The “Boyfriend” who Best Coast and fans pined for on “Crazy For You” has been coveted, tamed, and moved-in with on “Everything Has Changed”: “Now I’m cooking for two/ now I’m waking up every morning next to you/ I used to be so scared/ If everything’s okay then what the hell do I complain about?”

The lyrics remain simple and internally reflective, often painting a still life of harsh sunshine against the shadowy reverb of Cosentino’s vocals. The whole record develops their previous thesis on love and life.

This time around, the songs are less about pining for a faraway dream object and more about dancing closely and plainly with everyday daydreams and reality. The existence Cosentino croons of on their previous albums has seen unique milestones for which the narrator of the lyrics harbors gratefulness and guilt. “I used to think that I would die without you/ and no offense to you, but I’m doing fine, too,” she sings on “For the First Time”, one of the most pop songs of the track.

Keeping up with their teenage charm, the band includes a signature bedroom slowdance soundtrack with “True.” “Graceless Kids,” the fourth track of the album, comes in rough and shadowy, ushering the listener out of the beachy sound of the first quarter of the album. The song boasts a classic, catchy, outro. This signature of the band’s sound has made their music addictive to the listener since their debut.

“Master of My Own Mind,” their token beacon- for-bedroom-boredom track, offers “for me there’s always tomorrow/ even when I’m drowning in my sorrows/ gotta focus, gotta rewind, gotta stay the master of my own mind.” It is refrains like these, on an album like this, that make the genre, the

band, and the album a gift to its listeners. In uncertain times, the final lyrics of their final track, “Used to Be”, repeat: “already letting go/accepting the unknown...”

The “Always Tomorrow” tour continues with the Sonoma Harvest Music Festival on September 12, in Sonoma, CA. Southern California fans have shows at both The Observatory in San Diego and The Observatory in Santa Ana on September 30 and October 1, respectively, to mark their calendars for after social distancing.

In honor of social isolation, Cosentino has also kicked off her own Podcast, BETHLINE, live every Wednesday at 3pm Pacific Standard Time. The podcast streams live from the Best Coast YouTube page. Hayley Williams of Paramore was a previous show guest. Cosentino noted on the show that it’s, “cool to give myself something to look forward to one day a week these days,” adding that she’s “very grateful for the platform.”

It also gives fans something to look forward to while Best Coast and other beloved music acts await the green light to take the stage again.

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Venice Beach Carries O

Marco Pallotti | Ph Above: Skateboarders in a taped-off area of Venice Beach after authorities placed restrictions put in place to combat the coronavirus pandemic, on Tuesday, April 22nd 2020. (Marco Pallotti / The Corsair)

This week it fin had kicked in afte winter.

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And the never-s Venice locals was the two young me city had dumped sa pools to prevent th days later these h working with sho sweeping out the sa could do a little ska

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The normally bustling Venice Boardwalk is almost empty due to restrictions put in place to combat the coronavirus pandemic, in the afternoon of Tuesday, April 22nd 2020. (Marco Pallotti / The Corsair)

On

hoto Editor

nally felt like spring er a long and cold

esday was one of of sunshine that we ornia have to suffer

year, Venice Beach ull of people eager and enjoy the vibe. oronavirus pandemcrimped everyone’s hat didn’t stop some the beach.

say-die spirit of the s demonstrated by en on the right. The and in the skatepark heir use, but a few hardy skaters were ovels and brooms, and in the hope they ateboarding.

Two skateboarders in an otherwise empty skatepark on Venice Beach in the afternoon of Tuesday, April 22nd 2020. Authorities dumped sand into the skating pools to prevent their use. Restrictions were put in place to combat the coronavirus pandemic, but skaters continued to assemble, prompting the sand dumping. These two young men, however, were intent on removing the sand from one of the pools.

(Marco Pallotti / The Corsair)

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OPINION

We all understand the importance of staying at home during this time, but social distancing can unfortunately be damaging to one’s mental health. Being trapped in your house with the same people for the unforeseeable future is surprisingly exhausting, especially for any over-thinkers out there.

With all this time to think and dwell you can easily get lost in your “dark place.”

We’ve all been there, and we all have one.

It’s that place in your mind where everything

is negative and all you want to do is stay in bed watching Netflix or play video games all day.

So how do you avoid getting to this dark place? There are plenty of things you can include in your daily routine that will help with motivation and lift your spirits simply because it gives you something to do.

The first, and one of the most important ones, is to move around. According to a Harvard Health article written by Srnini Pillay, “recent studies show that the connection between your brain and your body is a ‘two-way street’ and that means movement can change your brain, too.” This would suggest that if you are feeling lazy and down, going for a walk could make you feel better.

The fresh air doesn’t hurt either.

In addition to exercise, creating a schedule is going to help you feel like you have a purpose. Waking up at the same time every day and having a set time to do school-work could make you more productive. Trying to wake up at a decent hour when you have nothing to do or anywhere to be can be difficult, but is actually very important.

When you wake up in the morning, go about your routine as you would have if you were going to work or school. Girls; do your makeup and put on an outfit. Boys; take a shower and shave your face. This could help you feel better about yourself as well as more energetic throughout the day. It makes it less likely that you will get back in bed halfway throughout the day.

Remember to eat a balanced diet throughout the day. When faced with boredom, it is especially easy to go look in the fridge

or pantry too many times a day, snacking on unhealthy treats and eating unnecessary amounts of food. We’ve all done this. Try to keep a normal eating schedule and don’t just eat because you have nothing else to do. Eating a whole bag of chips, though satisfying at the time, isn’t going to make you feel better in the long run; trust me.

One of the most difficult parts of this quarantine is feeling like you have nothing to do. Everything is closed down, and the state is under a Stay at Home order. Parks, beaches, hiking trails are all unavailable, so now you have to find new ways to entertain yourself inside. Sure, watching movies and playing video games was fun for the first few weeks but eventually you will likely begin to feel under-stimulated and bored; which could also end up affecting your mental health.

This is when you should try new things.

Learn how to cook or bake something you’ve always wanted to taste, try meditation or yoga for the first time, read a book you’ve read good reviews on or teach yourself a dance. There are plenty of things you can get up to within your own home; the only limit is your imagination.

So while you are making lists and plans for everything you want to do when the quarantine is over, remember to prioritize your current mental health and keep yourself as busy as you can. Facetime friends and family to get some social interaction and above all, stay safe.

that has been fed to the public that ‘they [celebrities] are just like us’ has never been more obviously further from the truth.

Celebrities now have a captive audience with heightened awareness that are ready and willing to take them to the metaphorical guillotine. In fact, a new hashtag has emerged called #guillotine2020 and some going so far to say that with grocery shelves empty, we should #eattherich.

There are dozens of examples of celebrities hitting a wrong note with fans. Gal Gadot’s attempt to arrange singing John Lennon’s “Imagine” with other celebrities was perhaps most famously criticized for being tone deaf, both literally and figuratively. Many found it insulting that these wealthy elites sing of no possessions when many in their fan base don’t have to imagine too hard.

A more rage inducing example could be Vanessa Hudgens’ Instagram live stream of her thoughts on the COVID-19 quarantine saying, “Like, yeah, people are gonna die, which is terrible, but like, inevitable?”

Backlash hit swiftly and hard with one Twitter response pointing out that, “some of the ‘people’ who are ‘gonna die, but whatever’ are beloved parents, grandparents.

Some are immunocompromised coworkers.

Some are young doctors and nurses and EMTs who spent years studying while you

twirled your hair and now risk everything.

DO BETTER.” Hudgens only made it worse with her initial response saying that her comments were being “taken out of context” and that it’s a “crazy, crazy time”, but never actually apologizing. Later she released a formal written statement, apologizing for those she “may have hurt”.

Another famously known case was Madonna’s Instagram post of her taking a milk bath filled with rose petals, with expensive necklaces draped across her neck. Somber piano music played in the background, while she talked about how the virus has become the “great equalizer” in society. While some agreed with her sentiment and felt humbled by her words, others laughed at the dramatic nature of her video.

“Very dramatic. Get over yourself. We live in the real world,” said one post, while another pointed out something that is on a lot of people’s minds saying, “you sure about that? Covid testing...the rich and the famous seem to be getting tested without any issues...ahem.”

This is a common sentiment that is making the rounds, we may be in this together, but we are not equal. Even though celebs are just as susceptible to this virus as us, they are in a much better position to get tested and do not have to worry about

the financial backlash this shutdown will cause.

“We are weathering the same storm,” said a post on Instagram, “but they are in a cruise ship or a yacht, while the rest of us are in row boats.”

However, not all celebs are being dragged through the mud. Pink in a recent virtual interview with Ellen commented on the social disparity that has become so painfully apparent.

“It’s very controversial to people that I was able to get my hands on a test,” Pink said. “I would say you should be angry that I can get a test and you can’t... You should be angry about that, and we should work together to try and change that.”

Pink also donated $500,000 to a hospital in Philadelphia her mother worked at and again to Mayor Garcetti’s Emergency Covid-19 Crisis Fund.

“I think the difference between famous people who are being virtually attacked versus those that aren’t,” mused Jose Gomez, a part-time worker at a local grocery store, “is that the ones who are, are pointing the camera at themselves and sorta just thinking of themselves. For those that aren’t, they tend to point the camera toward the people and they really understand that they come from a place of privilege and that they [celebs] are not the cure for our fears.”

How to Stay Mentally Healthy in Quarantine Karoline Berg | Digital Editor COVID-19 has escalated more and more over the last few weeks, with more than 500,000 cases in the US and 1.6 million cases worldwide. Everyone is told to stay at home and practice social distancing to avoid spreading the virus. As we are moving into the fourth week of quarantine, people are probably beginning to feel the effects of isolation on their mental health.

Illustration by Dana Binfet

Your Quarantine is Not Like Ours

Damaris Galeano | Staff Writer

While the world is thrown into chaos, America is in crisis, and everyday citizens are affected by the Covid-19 virus in some way or another, celebrities have beamed onto our screens to tell us to “stay positive” and “we’re all in this together.” But as they remind us to stay indoors and give us their personal opinions on the matter, many find their attention focused on something else entirely. At the edges of the frames of videos, live streams, and picture posts, people can see grand archways, vast backyards, closets the size of small apartments, and bathrooms the size of classrooms.

A breaking point however, seemed to be when Jennifer Lopez posted a video on Twitter showing her family in the backyard of Alex Rodriguez’s vast Miami compound saying, “We can’t go out to any restaurants or anything but the service and entertainment here is pretty good...#StaySafe.”

“We all hate you,” was one Twitter response. Others began comparing this to the second half of the movie, “Parasite”.

Many are getting a new sense of clarity about class inequality, and with many people’s lives on the line, a sense of bitterness comes with it. Everyone’s lives are frozen in time at the moment, whether in a tiny apartment or palace-like mansion. The idea

SPORTS

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Teddy Parham: The Journey of a Budding Prospect Deshawn Pouper | Sports Editor The goal of the majority of community college athletes is to earn a scholarship to a Division I College by the end of their sophomore season. Take sophomore Point Guard, and Santa Monica College (SMC) budding prospect Teddy Parham after finishing an exceptional season. The Point Guard from Notre Dame High School chose SMC over the closer Glendale Community College, noting the chance to play his natural position, and how the new team was going to look.

“They were giving me an opportunity to play again, and play point guard… and just all the new people coming in, I knew it could be a fresh start,” Parham said.

Parham was coming on to a Corsair team that had eight to nine freshmen (him included), and three to four sophomores. Parham arrived in the 2018-19 basketball season.

Prior to that, the Corsairs had only won three out of 28 games, and that was a red flag for him before choosing SMC, but the new start enticed the young point guard.

In his first season, the Corsairs earned a 20-win season, and made it to the elite eight of the playoffs, but was eliminated. Parham acknowledged, “because we had so many

freshmen, and three or four sophomore it was a lot of immaturity on the team honestly, and I feel like that’s where [we fell off]”.

Although some may view that season a failure, it gave the young team a chance to comeback and redeem itself. That offseason Parham decided to step up, and become a leader for the team. He played a sizable role this past season in leading the Corsair to another 20-win season, and back to the playoffs before an exit in the third round.

Parham is always working on his on-court game, from Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), throughout high school up until now, he’s always found things to work on. “I would say it’s gotten more precise, I think I could say every year I’ve played, every level of competition it just gets more precise,” Parham explained. Precision is something that shows up in his game on the court during play, by controlling the tempo of the game when necessary, and being precise with where he makes his next move with the ball.

At the moment Parham’s next stop going forward is up in the air, but with complications surrounding COVID-19 and players getting recruited, the process is a little slower.

Parham remains optimistic as he has talked to coaches with the hopes of coming across

the right situation.

“I’m still talking to coaches, getting phone calls, and interest. It’s just a matter of which coach is going to offer me a full scholarship,” Parham stated. “It’s pretty stressful honestly, especially being a sophomore you have to go somewhere. You know you’re just waiting, and being an athlete when it comes to coaches, they come and go. They want specific [players] on their team, and it’s just a draw of a card when it comes to offering a scholarship, especially at the point guard position.”

Who knows how long it will take until the eager point guard gets the right offer he is seeking? But when it happens, Parham is ready to step on the court, and continue to work.

SMC #10, Ja’Shawn Chisel, a 6’4” freshman small forward from Denver, Colorado and East High School, and SMC #1, Teddy Parham, a 6’2” sophomore point guard from Notre Dame High School listen to Coach Thomas during a time out in the final regular-season game at Santa Monica College on Friday, Feb. 21, 2020 at the Santa Monica College Gymnasium. The Corsairs won the game against West Los Angeles College 91-81 in front of a crowd of 255 people from both schools. (Glenn Zucman/The Corsair)

English Premier League: What’s Next?

Marco Pallotti | Photo Editor The English Premier League (EPL), like all the other leagues around the world trying to cope with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, is still trying to figure out how to finish the 2019-20 season gracefully. Other news and gossip, such as the speculation that Spurs and England forward, Harry Kane, probably won’t be going to Manchester United; that Newcastle United looks set to be taken over by a Saudi consortium; or Arsenal players and coaches have agreed to a 12.5 percent pay cut; has faded into the background.

Most players’ contracts expire on June 30 of any year, which complicates any proposal that once things return to some kind of normal, at least some of the remaining fixtures can be played. At least one thing is clear: Liverpool could be crowned champions as they have put so much daylight between them and the second place team, Manchester City.

Pressure is building on the Premier League to end the season with the current standings, and on Tuesday, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) eased their tone towards the leagues that want to end seasons early, though it’s possible the respective countries’ governments would make

that decision for UEFA anyway. Belgium decided that it wants to make their current league’s standing the final ones, and it’s probable most, if not all the UEFA members

ago.

If the Premier League doesn’t play another game this season, then the first four teams will receive European Champions League

leagues, will follow suit.

UEFA recently stated they want to complete the Champions and Europa Leagues in August, but with the aforementioned contract issue no one seems sure how this will work. For comparison, the Euro 2020 competition was cancelled over a month

places for next season, with the caveat that Manchester City is currently appealing their ban from that league for the next two seasons for breaking fair play rules. If the ban is upheld, then their arch-rivals, Manchester United, will receive the fourth Champions League spot, and their Europa League place

will be given to sixth place, Wolverhampton Wanderers.

As for relegation from the Premier League, last place belongs to Norwich at 21 points, who are four points behind Aston Villa; who in turn are two points behind three teams: West Ham, Watford, and Bournemouth. At the moment there seems to be no consensus about who the unlucky team or teams will be that make the drop into the English League Championship.

In the race for promotion from the Championship, Leeds United and West Bromwich Albion have pulled away from the third place team, Brentford. By the current rules, only the first two placed teams are guaranteed promotion to the EPL, with teams placed third through sixth playing a knockout tournament to decide the third and final promotion spot.

Leeds United was the dominant team during the 1970s in the old First Division, the predecessor to the Premier League, but fell on hard times and entered administration (essentially bankruptcy) in 2007. They eventually descended into the third tier of professional English soccer, before slowly working their way back to being this close to promotion. It would be a shame if their aspirations were thwarted by a virus.

Illustration by Carolyn Burt