SMC Corsair Newspaper: Spring 2010, Issue 5

In this issue...

25th Annual LA Marathon

30 Days of Veganism

Women’s Tennis Wins Again

Photo Story Page 6

Lifestyle Page 8

Sports Page 10

SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Corsair

NEWSPAPER

Volume XCIX, Issue 5

Online at www.thecorsaironline.com

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Wednesday, March 24, 2010

See Page 5

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THIS WEEK

Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College

Wednesday March 24, 2010 Santa Monica College

Corsair

Newspaper

Spring 2010 Staff

Jessica Thomas Guiliana Dakdouk Indah Datau Antoine Themistocleous Rebecca Slawter Dan Bluemel Brandon Quin Ingrid Rosales Carly Gillis Teresa Raschilla Debbie Vasquez

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Photo Editor Photo Editor News Editor Opinion Editor Sports Editor Calendar Editor Lifestyle Editor Online Editor Arts Canvas Editor

Staff Alessandra Catanese, Alfredo Luna, Alica Forneret, Althea Anderson, Anthony Pantoja, Ashli Townsend, Astrid le Noine, Brian White, Bryn Woznicki, Christian Nussey, Daniel Ross, Danyale Koto, David Carranza, David Dolmage, Emil Norlen, Eric Tipton, Farhan Ali, Jeannel Phillips, Jennifer Martinez, Jeremy Biglow, Jeremy Condamine, John Stapleton IV, Jorge Valdovinos, Joseph E Mouallem, Jung Shim, Katie Madejska, Kenneth Robinson, Kevin Duron, Lauren Freeman, Lillie Grossman, Linda Konde, Lyndsay Smith, Marley St. John, Michael Mendoza, Michael Zielinski, Monique Michaels, Nicole Ritter, Quandinae Woods, Sal Guerra, Sammy Soliman, Sean Carpenter, Sean Mazzapica, Tannaz Lavian, Tara Murphy, Tené Anderson, Terrence Timmins, Tieg Slattery, Tracy Navarro

Michael Zielinski Corsair A Los Angeles Marathon Runner pauses to stretch, in the shade, of an overpass, as others run past, Los Angeles, Calif. Sunday March 21, 2010.

News

Opinion Photo Story

Cheating at SMC Part 2 Anti-war Protest in Hollywood Rhoda Tuit Retires Study Abroad Programs

Parking Meter Woes American Education Lows

The 2010 LA Marathon

3 & 4

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6 & 7

Lifestyle

Calendar

Sports

30 Days of Veganism Conclusion BarFly A Taste of the UK in Santa Monica

World Water Day Santa Monica ArtWalk Five Songs Not To Miss

Weekly Fitness Tiger To Play Masters Men’s Volleyball Women’s Tennis

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10 & 11

Advertising Consultant Deirdre Weaver corsairad@yahoo.com

Graphic Design Jhosef A. Hern

Computer Consultant Agnius Griskevicius

Faculty Advisors Saul Rubin and Gerard Burkhart

Letters to the editor are encouraged. They should be no longer than 250 words and must be signed by the writer. corsair.editorinchief@gmail.com Business and Editorial Offices Letters to the Editor 1900 Pico Blvd., LS 172 Santa Monica, CA 90405 Phone: (310) 434-4340 Classified Ads: Daily Bruin (310) 825-2221

NEWS

Wednesday March 24, 2010

Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College

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Anti-War Protestors Urge Soldiers to Resist Deployment

By Dan Bluemel Opinion Editor Marking the seventh anniversary of the Iraq War, anti-war demonstrators marched on Hollywood Boulevard Saturday to protest the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Leading the march along Hollywood Boulevard from Vine Street to Grauman’s Chinese Theatre were veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. Holding hand-made flags representing Blackwater, ChaseManhattan Bank, AIG, Exxon/Mobil, Chevron and Boeing, the veterans formed a sort of Wall Street Color Guard to call attention to corporate America’s role in U.S. foreign policy.

Iraq War veteran Michael Prysner, a Founding Member of March Forward, an anti-war organization that is made up of veterans and service members, spoke at the rally connecting a soldier’s service to their country as a service to corporate America.

“We are nothing more than muscle, thugs for the banks and Wall Street,” he said. “They don’t care about our lives, the lives of those overseas. They only care about profit.”

Long-time peace activist, Vietnam veteran and author of “Born on the Fourth of July” Ron Kovic joined the veterans in their march. “I think Iraq was a terrible mistake,” he said. “These young men and women deserve not to have their lives wasted. That’s why we are here today.”

Dan Bluemel Corsair Protesters occupy Hollywood Boulevard with a “sit-in” while peace activist Ron Kovic addresses the crowd.

Kovic was awarded the Bronze Star for his service in Vietnam, as well as the Purple Heart for an injury that left him paralyzed at the waist. “I’m very proud of my service to my country, and most proud of my commitment to non-violence,” he said.

Speaking for the veterans present at the demonstration, Kovic said that they love their country despite their criticisms.

“The people who came out today are proud and passionate,” he said. “This is the best of democracy. This is what my sacrifice

was about, to assemble peacefully and non-violently.”

Blase Bonpane, KPFK radio host and Director of Office of the Americas, an international justice and peace organization, spoke at the demonstration encouraging soldiers to resist their orders to deploy. He said 50,000 soldiers have refused to go overseas, and though difficult, hundreds have gone public about it.

“This is how the war in Vietnam ended,” he said. “Soldiers realized they were lied

to and resisted.”

For Bonpane, he sees the Iraq War as being 19 years old. “I was there in 1991,” he said. “It was a massacre and it hasn’t stopped.”

Kovic led the crowd in a sit-in where demonstrators halted the march and sat in the street. He held two-minutes of silence in honor of those who died in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“This is a movement of compassion and caring that respects all life,” he said to the

crowd. “We will continue to sit in greater and greater numbers in the streets until these wars are ended.”

Present at the demonstration were two candidates for public office that have aligned themselves with the anti-war movement.

Richard Castaldo is running against Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) for the Peace and Freedom Party. Castaldo, paralyzed at the waist from gunshot wounds suffered in the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, said he got involved in politics because of the war and Wall Street bailouts.

“I feel, as a nation, we could be doing a lot better,” he said.

If elected, Castaldo said, his first objective would be to work against corporate influence in Washington.

Long Beach mayoral candidate Stevie Merino was also present at the demonstration. Merino, 21, is a student at Cerritos College. She is running against incumbent Mayor Bob Foster for the Party for Socialism and Liberation.

She finds the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan a hindrance to public education. “We need to stop funding wars and start funding people’s needs,” she said.

“Education is a right, not a privilege for a select few.”

LAPD on site said there was no trouble or arrests connected to the march and rally. The Los Angeles demonstration was held in conjunction with protests in San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

Study Abroad Program Expands Boundaries Rhoda Tuit Retires After 30 Years

Photo Courtesy of Dr. Eric Minzenberg Students from last year’s trip to Latin America sit on the Tikal Pyramids.

By Alica Forneret Staff Writer Ascending from the last rung of an ancient ladder, with only the narrow beams from their helmets lighting their way through the darkness, the climbers found themselves gazing upon the preserved skeletons of “The Crystal Maiden” and the bodies of other sacrificial offerings concealed in the cave’s chambers.

These were not professional archaeologists, nor were they adventurous tourists. These explorers were, in fact, students from Santa Monica College who traveled abroad for a summer in Latin America.

SMC continues its study abroad program this summer by giving students the opportunity to study anthropology and creative writing in Latin America, philosophy and English in Greece, or astronomy and Italian in Italy.

TravelingtoLatinAmericawithProfessors Daniel Cano and Eric Minzenberg, students can expect to snorkel off the coast of Belize

and tutor children from a small village.

“Students will be going to have a wonderful adventure at a place in the world that a lot of people don’t get to,” said Cano.

Students will see their fates align in the stars when spending a summer in Italy.

During the 400th anniversary of Gallileo’s discoveries, students can study astronomy and learn Italian while traveling to Naples, Pompeii, Mt. Vesuvius, Capri and Rome.

The trip to Greece reminds students that Greek influence goes beyond college toga parties.

SMC Professor Eleni Hioureas, a native of Greece, said, “What we’re going to do is examine the philosophies of these philosophers, examine the philosophies of our Western civilization, and then we’re going to examine our own lives.”

Students attending the trip will explore Athens, visiting the stadium where the first Olympic games were held.

Over 700 interested students have contacted the study abroad department for more information on the Greece trip, but two obstacles stand in their way: the

deposit deadline and the overall cost.

SMC Professor Jim Stramel, one of the teachers accompanying students to Greece, said that SMC had not done its best to advertise the trip. According to Stramel, SMC was to release the information before the winter session, but did not send out e-mails until Feb. 20.

“They sat on the information for a full three weeks and did nothing with it,” said Stramel. “I had given up hope and I was depressed and angry because the college had not supported us adequately.”

The original deadline for sign-ups was March 5 but the professors worked to push it to April 5, allowing more students to apply for scholarships. The Associated Students has allotted $75,000 in scholarships for those who qualify.

Students must demonstrate financial need, be a full-time student, an A.S.B. member and in good disciplinary standing.

A minimum GPA of 2.5 is needed, in addition to a recommendation from an SMC faculty member. Students must complete a follow-up project.

“The experience is so much more valuable than the $5,000,” said Hioureas.

“You really see things in a way you never would have thought of before. I don’t think that there’s a reason for people to wait.”

With a tone of encouragement for interested students Professor Cano said, “You aren’t just sitting in class talking about the Tikal pyramids, you’re sitting on them.

You’re not just sitting in class talking about Goya, you’re standing in a museum in front of his paintings.”

Visit smc.edu/studyabroad for the study abroad program’s details and deadlines. An information session will be held next Tuesday at 11:15 in HSS 361.

with SMC Music Department

By Tené Anderson Staff Writer After 30 years of merrymaking in the music department, Rhoda Tuit has written the perfect postlude to her career at SMC. “’Read, write, sing, and play.’ That’s my motto for retirement,” says the longtime chair of the music department. “But mostly focus on play.”

True to her word, Tuit kicked-off the celebration with a first-time indulgence.

“This year I bought season tickets to the Dodgers,” she says. “I’m a baseball nut.”

One of the highlights of Tuit’s musical career was the chance to perform at Dodger stadium in 1991. “I got to play on the organ there for the seventh inning stretch and I sang ‘Take Me Out to the Ball Game’ for 48,000 people. It was a real hoot!” says Tuit. “That was the most fun thing I’ve ever done.”

Another peak came for Tuit in 1991 when she traveled to New York City on her first sabbatical to study jazz improvisation. She earned a second sabbatical in 2001 to study digital keyboards, which enabled Tuit to develop the high-tech digital keyboard lab at SMC. “I believe so strongly in sabbaticals because they’re all about growing,” says Tuit. “You’re getting out there and beating a path to do something new.”

Music has provided a source of neverending fun and inspiration for Tuit.

Recalling her days as a music major at Fullerton College she says, “I really liked my experience there because it was so grassroots. There was a lot of

experimenting going on and we had more freedom to create and do new things.”

Tuit says that level of creative freedom is somewhat unique to community colleges and is the reason she wanted to work at SMC. Getting her feet through the faculty doors of SMC took time and effort, however. “I wrote letters to 27 community colleges and did everything I could to make a contact with someone,” says Tuit.

Choosing a major and a career in music can be an attractive option for students, but Tuit warns it isn’t for the faint of heart. For the student who is vacillating between music and a more predictable choice, Tuit advises, “Don’t do it unless you absolutely have to, because you need that much passion to make it. If it’s just this nice idea you think you might want to do … forget it.”

Joan Mills headed the music department in 1979 when Tuit arrived at SMC. Tuit humbly credits Mills for making the department what it is today.

“We have a huge piano program that’s quite amazing, over 20 sections of classes on six levels,” says Tuit. “I think it may be the largest community college piano program in the world…and she’s the one who built it.”

With over 55 teachers and an abundance of classes to manage within the department, Tuit was thoughtful in offering words of advice for the next incoming chair. “Get as much sleep as you can,” she says.

As for Tuit, with the bulk of her work behind her, she says, “I’m looking forward to being a part-timer… and playing.”

NEWS EXCLUSIVE Cheaters Never Prosper: An Investigation into Cheating and the Consequences Students Face at Santa Monica College 04

Wednesday March 24, 2010

Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College

Officially Reported Instances of Academic Dishonesty at SMC

2008 - ’09

105

’07 - ’08

109

’06 - ’07

93

Academic Year

’05 - ’06

156

’04 - ’05

96

’03 - ’04

80

’02 - ’03

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’01 - ’02 ’00 - ’01 Daniel Ross Corsair Above: Although cheating is on the rise at Santa Monica College, efforts are being made by administration and faculty to combat the problem.

1999 - ’00 0

To the Right: The graph reflects trends in the number of students officially reported for cheating. It does not include students reprimanded by professors without administration involvement. Data was collected from Judy Penshansky, dean of student services.

By Daniel Ross Staff Writer While Ralph Waldo Emerson spoke a certain truth when he said, “It is impossible for a man to be cheated by anyone but himself,� he failed to address a fundamental aspect of the problem: that in cases where dishonesty goes unaccounted, the consequences are far-reaching, well beyond that of the perpetrator.  When it comes to cheating at Santa Monica College, for every student who succeeds at cheating, honest students suffer as the integrity of the college diminishes. But what is being done to address this problem? And with the rate of reported instances of academic dishonesty skyrocketing over the past ten years, are these measures sufficient to deal with a problem that some faculty members feel is out of control?

Awareness by students of the rules governing academic behavior is woefully low. When, at the start of each semester, students use their student self-service accounts, a window appears detailing the SMC Honor Code. Students are asked to read it carefully and continue to the main site only after agreeing to adhere by the stipulated rules. But how many students actually take heart before clicking “agree�?

In a poll of 20 students, not one said that they had even glanced through the text, let alone studied it carefully. For Judy Penchansky, dean of student services and the person to whom students are sent when officially

reported for cheating, this lack of general awareness is indicative of the problem at SMC.  “Honestly, there are some students who don’t even know what plagiarism is,� said Penchansky. “There have been instances where students have come to me who think there is nothing wrong with sharing notes in class during an exam.�

But Penchansky believes that inadequacies in teaching practices are partially responsible for the problem. She said that there is currently no mandate to teach academic honesty in the classroom, which is something she would like to see addressed. “Some teachers believe that where discussion isn’t prevalent in the classroom environment, they don’t need to discuss [cheating] with their class,â€? said Penchansky, “but we should have an active discussion with students‌we need to talk about it with them. It should be a blanket policy at the college.â€?  In the majority of cases, Penchansky said that for first-time offenders a warning letter is given. In more severe cases she said that the student involved is sent before the Honor Board, a committee comprised of three faculty members, three students and an administrator. Only in the worst cases are students expelled. For some, however, current procedures are not strict enough to deal with the problem.

“I would make the penalties more severe,� said Jim Pacchioli, a professor of English at SMC for over 20 years. He believes that current policies are not “stringent enough� to deter students from cheating, but also sees weaknesses in teaching methods that unnecessarily allow cheating to occur in the first place.

According to Pacchioli, some teachers make it all too easy for students to cheat by setting assignments that are too broad in scope, thereby opening the door for students to plagiarize essays from other sources. “The more I can direct an assignment,

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Students Reported for Chea ng Teresa Raschilla Corsair would be to use Turnitin.com, a Web site that Obsatz has used at GCC to successfully uncover instances of cheating by her pupils, but a Web site to which SMC is not a subscriber.

Turnitin.com allows teachers to download submitted assignments into one large database. Any assignment that a teacher believes is plagiarized can be compared to all other assignments in the system. It is a Web site with which many high schools are affiliated and, according to Obsatz, this has allowed her to uncover cheating by her pupils that would have otherwise remained hidden. “I had a student who turned in the same paper she submitted to her Judy Penchansky high school. There’s no way I could have known without this kind of database,� said Obsatz. “I wish SMC [subscribed to] Turnitin.com. Just the fact you have it deters students from cheating.� Michael Ritterbrown, English division chair at GCC, agrees with Obsatz that Turnitin.com acts best as a deterrent for students. Used throughout all the departments at GCC, Ritterbrown said that it is a useful tool for both students and teachers. However, he was unable to provide statistical evidence that showed it had reduced instances of cheating at the college.

Another proposal put forward by Tim Cramer and Dana Del George, English professors at SMC, is for a “traffic school� style class where

There have been instances where students have come to me who think there is nothing wrong with sharing notes in class during an exam. the more obvious it is when someone is trying to palm off someone else’s work as their own,� Pacchioli said. “I design assignments that are so particular, it’s hard to download off the Internet.�

Pacchioli also expressed worry regarding the “autonomous� nature of disciplining students for academic dishonesty. He said that without proper channels and a clear sense of protocol, invariably “problems will arise down the road.�

But with current procedures proving to be less than effectual, what more can the college do to combat the problem of cheating? According to Sharyn Obsatz, an instructor at SMC and Glendale Community College, one such way

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students caught cheating are required to complete a course on academic honesty before they can re-enroll in the original class. “Sometimes second chances come too easily,� said Del George, a professor whose online English 2 class during the winter semester was marred by widespread plagiarism. “Using the traffic school model, students are forced to slow down and take stock of what they’ve done.�

According to Cramer and Del George, the course would last for approximately six to eight weeks and would have students “hear a lot of preaching� on the subject of cheating and its possible ramifications. To be accepted into the curriculum, it would first have to be approved by the Student Affairs Committee.

While Judy Penchansky was dismissive of Turnitin.com’s potential to prevent students from cheating, she believed that the idea of a “traffic school� style ethics class held the promise to make a difference at SMC. She said that she is “100 percent� behind anything that is “interactive, engaging and educational,� and said that it fairly addressed the issue of prevention as opposed to cure.

Whatever action is taken in the future to tackle this problem, it is the honest student who will suffer in the meantime.

For anyone who misses out on a place at a university by those who earned their place dishonestly, there is little consolation in that much used adage: “cheaters never prosper.�

Wednesday March 24, 2010

Parking Meter Woes

By Farhan Ali Staff Writer Just when you thought driving couldn’t get any tougher in Los Angeles, it has. Fines in California are being raised across the board for any type of traffic violation, the Los Angeles Times reported.

A couple weeks ago, after leaving the YMCA, I returned to my parked car to find a citation. La Cañada-Flintridge had charged me $60 for not having a blue sticker on my license plate; a rather hefty fee considering my car registration is up-to-date. Thing is, increased citation fees have become a greater source of revenue for the government.

The Times reported that within the past three years, revenues from running a red light increased from $200,000 a month in 2007 to $400,000 a month in 2009. Not coming to a complete stop at a red light before turning right increased from $156 to $381 per violation. Even minor violations, such as a broken taillight, have now doubled in recent years.

Governor Schwarzenegger also demanded that speeding sensors be placed on red lights to catch speeders, according to the Times. Violators would be fined anywhere from $225 to $325.

Fines would generate more then $300 million in revenue through 2011.

For many people, the raise in fines is a major problem. Yes, we get it; it’s for our safety and for the safety of other drivers. But when the fines for violations such as a broken taillight get doubled, that’s just ridiculous. The problem is, the government knows it can get away with this.

There have been incidents in Los Feliz, Silver Lake and Hollywood where parking enforcement has abused

OPINION

their right to give a ticket. The Times reported that 10 to 12 percent of parking meters in these neighborhoods have been deemed failed or broken.

Most have that message flickering on their displays. In Los Angeles, meter enforcers aren’t allowed to write a ticket for cars parked at a failed meter.

Los Angeles councilmember Tom LaBonge has pressured the Department of Transportation to avoid unfair ticketing. LaBonge’s Web site states that parking enforcers are not allowed to write tickets at failed meters.

“We’ve already raised the parking rates,” said LaBonge. “I want to make sure that we’re not unfairly ticketing people, too.”

So the question is this: Why do they still do it?

The Times reported that in the last fiscal year, at least 550,000 tickets were given out because cars were parked in failed meters. Out of all the citations, only two percent were contested.

Dan Schwartz, a Silver Lake resident, questioned what was going on when he received a citation for a failed meter, even though he put a note on his dashboard addressing the failed meter.

“I would like to feel that this city is not trying to marginalize me into being a petty criminal in order to make money from me,” Schwartz told the Times. He thinks a lot of people in the city believe this is what is occurring.

Even Santa Monica has felt the burden of expensive parking tickets.

According to the Santa Monica Daily Press, Carolyn Oldham sent a letter to the editor about a $61 parking ticket she received. Feeling the fine was rather steep for only three hours of parking, Oldham was incredibly upset about the incident.

“I could not help but notice that there were several parking spots available to

Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College

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Jhosef Hern, Corsair others...so I was not depriving anyone of a potential spot,” she wrote.

Parking is continuing to become a hassle and although the government is behind raising ticket costs, parking enforcers should also have some common sense when handing out tickets.

According to Los Angeles Department of Transportation spokesman Bruce Gillman, parking enforcers do not

operate on a quota system.

“We typically write three million citations a year,” said Gillman in a telephone interview. “That figure has held steady for three years regardless of the number of officers deployed on the streets and alleys of Los Angeles.”

If a quota does not bind parking enforcers, then they could use fair judgment and, dare we say, compassion, when issuing tickets. The power is in

their hands and it is a power they have misused for a long time. It seems that they believe they can get away with it and many people are not confident enough to contest this injustice.

There has to be more restraint on the matter of parking violations. The recession isn’t doing us any favors when it comes to our wallets. The government should give us a break and quit cashing in on decent taxpayers.

America Is Slipping In Their Educational Standards Compared to other countries, based on graduation rates and test scores, the US is failing in educating their youth.

By Sean Carpenter Staff Writer

Andreas Schleicher, Head Analyst for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), addressed the U.S. Senate Committee on Education this month saying that the United States lags behind other countries in its educational rankings.

Working with the OECD, Schleicher revealed startling facts about the continuing degradation of American school systems.

According to the New York Times, Schleicher said that, internationally, greater amounts of students are graduating high school and college and scoring higher on achievement tests than students in the United States.

With only New Zealand, Spain, Turkey, and Mexico trailing behind the United States in educational outcomes, the United States’ slot on the educational roster indicates a grim situation.

In other wealthy nations, “Fifteen-

year-old students were, on average, more than one school year ahead of American 15-year-olds,” according to the Times.

With this news at hand, lawmakers are planning to rewrite the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, a piece of legislation that governs federal policy on public schools.

However, this Act has all the signs of a quick fix. It has become clear that a successful remedy must be broader and more fundamental, considering that educational reforms like “No Child Left Behind” have been failures.

According to the Times, Texas supermarket chain CEO Charles Butt also addressed the Senate education committee. He said that public schools are not entirely to blame for America’s poor education performance. Butt said that dysfunctional families and a society that holds little value for education have played a large part in sub-standard scores.

“Schools are inheriting an over-

entertained, distracted student,” he said.

This problem, by extension, is also compounded by a system of media that has for years catered to a public thirst for information as entertainment, rather than a means of providing relevant information necessary for making informed decisions about social issues.

According to New York Times columnist Bob Herbert, education is neglected by American society and media. “Education doesn’t get the attention it deserves,” he said at a 2008 Harvard University education and media forum called “The Media: Driving Education Policy?”

According to the Harvard University Web site, Herbert and Boston Globe columnist Derrick Jackson both acknowledged that “the lack of coverage often reflects larger problems in America today: the unwillingness of people to sacrifice to help fund schools and many Americans’ lack of concern regarding the disparities in the lives

of others.”

Southern Californians are all too familiar with the lack of funding and community support in education.

Considering the recent public school budget cuts in California, it is no wonder that experts are finding a decrease in educational performance, compared with other countries.

In a country that has always been the self-proclaimed “land of opportunity,”

our educational system makes this phrase seem more like a colossal joke.

In comparing ourselves to others, Americans expect an equitable outcome in educational standards.

In a culture that values sensationalism to reality, celebrity to intellect, and lacks compassion for its fellow citizens, we can only continue to expect less until fundamental social and cultural changes are implemented.

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PHOTO

Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College

Alfredo Luna Corsair

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Above: Krige Schabort crosses the finish line to win first place in the wheelchair open division during the 25th annual Los Angeles Marathon on March 21, 2009 in Santa Monica, Calif. This year’s race was unlike any other year as the course, dubbed “the Stadium to the Sea”, passed some of the the great icons of Los Angeles. It began at Dodger Stadium and ended at the Santa Monica Pier.

Alfredo Luna Corsair

A close-up of one of the medals awarded to each participant who completed the course during the 25th annual Los Angeles Marathon on March 21, 2010 in Santa Monica, Calif.

Wesley Korir, 27, defended his title as he won the 25th annual Los Angeles Marathon for the second ye 2010, Santa Monica, Calif. Korir’s time was the third fastest in the history of the LA Marathon and abou running in the LA Marathon.

25th Annual LA Marathon

By Tara Murphy and Jessica Thomas

On Sunday, March 25, 2010 the Annual LA Marathon made history with a new route starting at Dodger Stadium in downtown Los Angeles and ending at the Santa Monica Pier. The route was dubbed “the Stadium to the Sea.” It was the first time the course has included areas outside the Los Angeles City limits and it passed such landmarks as Graumann’s Chinese Theater and Beverly Hills’ Rodeo Drive. Over 25,000 participants joined in the 26.2 mile run, sponsored by Honda and presented by K-Swiss Charity Program.

The first place champion was 27-year-old Wesley Korir, a Kenyan man from Louisville, La., who defended his reigning title in 2:09:19. It was the third fastest time in race history and about a minute behind Korir’s 2009 winning time of 2:08:24, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Edna Kiplagat of Kenya won the women’s event in 2:25:38. “Edna just pushed the pace, which was not the pace I was running for,” Silvia Skvortsova, who came in third place, told KNX 1070 News. “I was staying with my pace, which is what I was planning to run.”

The LA Marathon gender challenge bonus paid $100,000 to Kiplagat, who was first to cross the finish line. Women are given a handicap when competing against the elite men, who started 18 minutes and 47 seconds behind Kiplagat, according to eliterunning.com.

A strong goal of the race is to raise money for numerous charities. Sixty charities benefited from the race and raised over $2 million, doubling what was raised last year, according to The Los Angeles Daily News. Among the organizations involved were Heal the Bay, American Cancer Society and Students Run LA, a program that challenges at-risk youths.

The marathon ended at the Santa Monica Pier where an enormous beach party took place. Music and entertainment were provided as dozens of exhibits took place in the surrounding area. Companies gave away free samples of their latest products and sponsors provided food and drink to runners, spectators, and fans.

S T O RY

Wednesday March 24, 2010

Monique Michaels Corsair

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (left) congratulates Wesley Korir, 27, from Kenya (center) after his victory on March 21, 2010, Santa Monica, Calif.

Monique Michaels Corsair

ear in a row. Korir crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 9 minutes and 16 seconds on March 21, ut a minute behind his race time last year. Korir has won over $200,000 in the past two years

Alfredo Luna Corsair

Spectators at the finish line cheer for the participants of the 25th annual Los Angeles Marathon on March 21, 2010 in Santa Monica, California.

Monique Michaels Corsair

Constantine Yap, 10, from Whittier, Calif., was the third youngest male participant to complete the 26.2 mile course during the 25th annual Los Angeles Marathon. Yap finished in 3 hours, 3 minutes and 40 seconds.

Monique Michaels Corsair

Edna Kiplagat, 30, from Kenya, won the 25th annual Los Angeles Marathon. Kiplagat crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 25 minutes and 38 seconds.

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LIFESTYLE 30 Days of Veganism: Bryn Wraps Up With A Recap

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Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College

March 24, 2010

Brian White Corsair Bryn Woznicki at the end of her 30 days of veganism. Choosing lunch at Santa Monica College leaves her to ponder: meat or no meat, that is the question.

By Bryn Woznicki Staff Writer Thirty days has gone by so quickly.

When this experiment began, I thought it would be inconvenient and difficult, and at times it was. But what really caught me off-guard is how much I learned in these past 30 days.

I’ve learned that food can be really delicious and satisfying sans animal products. I had the best lasagna of my life and I now enjoy almond milk, vegan rice cheese, and meat alternatives. I see these products becoming a part of my everyday life. I’ve also found that Trader Joe’s is an

excellent resource for vegan-fare, from reasonably priced meat alternatives to pre-prepared lunches and snacks.

Although the exact definitions of “vegan” and “animal-free” still elude me, I learned that being entirely animal-free is nearly impossible, as animal products exist in many of the items we use daily; I struggled with what I called “Vegan Guilt” when I had a misstep; I spoke with Elisha Valdez from Real Food Daily, who encouraged me to be conscientious of this world and our impact on it, and not beat myself up over slip-ups.

From the trusted Dr. Debrier, I learned that there are health costs and benefits to both vegan and non-vegan diets. While

cutting back on cholesterol-laden food such as milk and egg yolks may be healthy, such foods also inherently contain necessary components to our health, like omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12.

Santa Monica College’s David Phillips, Professor of Psychology, taught me about the beef industry and its devastating effect on the environment. I learned that almost 3,000 pounds of fresh water and 18 pounds of grain must be used to raise one pound of beef.

I watched videos exposing the atrocities committed on animals. In the documentary “Behind the Mask,” I learned about the Animal Liberation front and how they liberate animals from unimaginable situations. I learned of Britches, a baby chimp rescued from UC Irvine, who had his eyes sewn shut from birth and was exposed to constant screeching for psychological testing. An undercover field officer for PETA discovered that in one lab when testing household items on animals, it was commonplace to rub the product into abraded skin, into the animal’s eyes, or into their rectum or genitals. Ironically, because animal physiology is so different from ours, animal testing is largely inapplicable to humans.

I agree with the ethical issues surrounding the lifestyle, but am not sure if I’m ready to commit a hundred percent.

I agree with Professor Phillips who said that it is much easier to be entirely vegan in your private life, and that in doing your best to cut out animal products, there are

A Taste of the UK in Santa Monica

By Debby Vasquez Arts Canvas Editor Los Angeles is a great city of diverse cultures.

You can get authentic Chinese food in Chinatown, great tacos at Olvera Street and buy Japanese delicacies at Little Tokyo.

But did you know that Santa Monica also offers a look into another culture from across the pond?

Santa Monica is one of a few American cities that has an especially large United Kingdom population; many expatriates from England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland reside here. With these ex-pats come restaurants and shops that sell British imports like their famous lagers and beers and their sinfully delicious chocolates and sweets.

If you choose to partake in the pub experience near the 3rd Street Promenade, The Cock ‘n Bull on Lincoln, The Brittania Pub and Ye Olde King’s Head on Santa Monica Boulevard are good places to have a lager while cheering for Manchester United (or Newcastle) and mingling with some Brits.

If you choose to expand your palate, Ye Olde King’s Head is the perfect place to divulge and learn what an authentic British breakfast is. No pancakes are served for breakfast, but grilled tomatoes and baked beans are among the food items included with sausages and potatoes.

If that doesn’t entice your palette, the basic “Fish and Chips,” or fried fish and French fries, might be the best thing. You can also try “Bangers and Mash,” which is two sausages and mash potatoes with

peas and gravy.

If you thought that the only place to have tea was at Starbucks, think again.

The Tudor house on Second Street and Santa Monica Boulevard is a tearoom which regularly serves “afternoon tea” with traditional tea sandwiches, scones, cakes and pastries.

You can get a good British meal at all these places, with drink, for around $20, significantly less than a flight ticket!

But if $20 is a little steep for you, there are still ways to experience Brit food for cheap. Ye Olde King’s Head, the Tudor house and The Continental shop on Wilshire all have groceries from the Great Britain and Ireland at an affordable price.

Jennifer Martinez Corsair

Outside the Ye Olde King’s Head Shoppe in Santa Monica.

Cadbury chocolates are sold alongside the many “crisps,” or chips, flavors like prawn, onion and sauerkraut. Also sold are sodas like Irn-Bru, a popular carbonated beverage in Scotland. Even British beauty products are available!

With so many of these British businesses so close to each other, you may call it “Little London Town”, but these businesses are so hidden, you have to know where to find them.

“I found out about this place because my boyfriend is English,” said anglophile Tracy Newsom of Ye Olde King’s head shop. “It’s such a great place to find products from the U.K., I love the chocolates and I even bought a boomerang from Australia!”

The community even has its own weekly newspaper, “The British Weekly,” started in 1984 by a Welsh expatriate. “The British Weekly” has a local circulation of 25,000.

When asked why Brits would want to come to Santa Monica, “British Weekly” managing editor Neil Fletcher said it has more to do with coincidental location than outright intent.

“It’s historic, many of the leading Brits in entertainment made their homes here in the 1930s,” said Fletcher. “Christopher Isherwood, Stan Laurel, W.H. Auden, Charlie Chaplin…I also think the weather has something to do with it. Brits love what they call ‘the seaside’, and after cold, grey England, the temperate weather here makes for an easier transition for the newly arrived.”

So, if you’d like to experience a bit of English culture without breaking the bank, check out Santa Monica’s U.K. novelties!

some exceptional situations. This will be my new approach on my diet and in the products I purchase.

Most of the hardships I faced were not because vegan products were unavailable but because friends and family treated me differently. When I told my grandma the experiment was over she said, “Thank god.” My mom would jokingly say, “Oh, its vegan,” about any food to avoid further conversation. A server at a restaurant called me “difficult,” and a co-worker taunted me for not accepting his M&M’s.

I slipped up on day ten and caught some flack, but didn’t waver from the diet for the last 20 days. There are plenty of vegan options; many foods are inherently vegan, there are vegan substitutes for many of your favorite ingredients. Restaurants can

accommodate your needs and you needn’t starve. I don’t feel the need to buy animal products for personal consumption in my home anymore. I don’t find them necessary and I don’t really miss them.

For those of us who aren’t ready to go from zero to vegan in a day, there are little changes we can make. We can go meatless one day a week; we can remove our support of companies that test on animals; we can buy meat and dairy alternatives. I encourage everyone to read labels, research companies and truly be aware of the items we consume and recognize their effects on our bodies and our planet. I encourage everyone to be respectful of others’ life choices, not to judge and to thoughtfully look at lifestyles different from yours. Happy (and humane) living everyone!

Bar f

By Rebecca Slawter News Editor Let’s face it; no one goes to a karaoke bar for the music. The atmosphere is truly what dictates the place’s quality. If people are trying seriously, and failing miserably, to sing obscure songs because it suits their mood then you’re likely to lose interest. Or wish you’d lose your hearing.

The Gaslite, not far from campus, straddles kitschy and trendy. Featuring karaoke every night of the week, the Gaslite’s location puts it on the cusp of the trendy westside, and provides Karaoke lovers with the perfect outlet for their harmonizing aggression.

Colored streamers lined the back of the small stage and a large flat screen was tilted towards the audience so that both the performer and those who wanted to sing along could read the words.

“There’s the über-karaoke-ers, and then there are those of us who make fun of them,” says Rick Major, a regular at the Gaslite on Friday nights. Though not a typical karaoke person, Major comes here often with friends.

“The regulars get a little too serious. One guy even records all his performances with a video camera,” says Major.

And just as anticipated, the early song selection fizzles. Someone chooses a song in Spanish that only a few could hope to follow. Several couples attempt to salsa on the small dance floor, but most people retreat to the booths lining the walls.

Later on the same person sings “Feliz Navidad.” Those already on their third or fourth round adamantly scream, “But it’s not Christmas!” and then join in anyway.

The typical songs are chosen, the songs that everyone knows but are what make karaoke bars truly great. “I’ve Got You Babe” and “Sweet Child of Mine” are belted out off-key. Thankfully, the drone of the crowd’s equally tone-deficient singing overtakes the small sound system.

Though a fully loaded bar, the Gaslite lacks beers on tap. The bottled beer selection is sufficient for beer lovers, but

ly

mixed drinks see the most business.

There is a clear generation gap at the Gaslite. While many students and twentysomethings are present, so are the abovefifty crowd, with few in between.

The measly breeze created by the two ceiling fans is not enough to cool the large mass of people. The one thing that dive bars lack across the board is air conditioning, and the Gaslite is no exception. The bar quickly reaches capacity, and the “one in, one out” policy is enforced by the bouncer.

Unable to stand the crowd any longer, many people wander over to V Lounge.

Larger, trendier, and more expensive, V Lounge starts to fill up only after the Gaslite is at full capacity.

The openness of the lounge obviously exaggerates the lack of a crowd. Tables available for reservation (ahem, trendy) line the walls and a recessed dance floor sits in the middle of the room. Seats surround the dance floor, giving a voyeur-esque vibe.

One glance and you spot the people who came for V Lounge and the people who didn’t want to wait in line for the Gaslite.

Suit jackets and body-hugging dresses that were absent at the Gaslite distinguish those who came for the lounge.

With two bars it’s clear that the establishment expects more of a crowd than they have. The dark lighting and restroom attendants make this place more suitable for Hollywood than Santa Monica.

V Lounge offers a full bar, but only for a loaded wallet. Even smart ordering can’t get you out of a high bill. If your drink of choice is a vodka Redbull, expect $9 for the vodka and $2 for the Redbull.

The oddity that these two bars are next to each other is not lost on many. The Gaslite, a haven for the young and young at heart, and V Lounge, a Mecca for trendy upand-comers, are two very different places.

However, they complement each other.

So next time you find yourself indecisive between the polarity of bar scenes --- holein-the-wall or up-to-the-minute -- head out to the intersection of 20th and Wilshire Boulevard. You might just need a little of both.

Wednesday March 24, 2010

CALENDAR

Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College

09

Artists Showcase Their Work at Airport ArtWalk

By Tannaz Lavian Staff Writer On a sunny Saturday afternoon, the day before the beginning of spring, airplanes, as usual, flew overhead at the Santa Monica Airport. Yet something livelier was proceeding on land.

The Fourth Annual Santa Monica Airport ArtWalk, hosted by the City of Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Division and the Santa Monica Airport, was not as outlandish as one might expect.

Visitors were diverse, and sometimes eccentric, as more than 60 local artists and performers opened up their personal studios and displayed their work. The wide array of exhibited art was a testament to the magnitude of talent in the area.

Prominent on the ArtWalk was “Found,” the current exhibition at ARENA 1 Gallery curated by Sandra

Vista. The show, on display to coincide with art books, inspirational trinkets been subletting a room at the airport for with next month’s Earth Day, was built and brushes. five years, said, “I float between society on the concept of recycling. and hillbillies.” He has Vista and five other mixedrecently delved into neon media and collage artists colors and likes to build began by taking “field-trips” up paint. Wolf noted to scrap yards to create their that creating the impasto works. They used ordinary texture takes months objects like playing cards because the paint never and scraps of wood in seems to dry. “Each work extraordinary ways to create includes a part of me, works that were texturally like a mini-self-portrait,” unexpected and visually he said. appealing, so appealing, Ron L. Zheg’s in fact, that at one point “Poetography” was Vista called into the crowd, exhibited in an enjoining “Please don’t touch the hall. A series of black Sean Mazzapica Corsair a n d w h i t e p h o t o s , artwork. Keep your mitts off Yossi Grovin and Renata Pompelli pose in front of Yossi’s sculptures at t h i s i m p r e s s i o n i s t i c the zipper tabs.”

Walking into the artists’ the 4th annual Airport Artwalk in Santa Monica. composition was studios was a peek into their enhanced with poetry. personalities, history, culture, and In another portion of the ArtWalk, One piece read, “Like a tapestry all self-expression. Shelves were stocked Michael Wolf, a pop surrealist who has spread out, Los Angeles[sic], the people

as threads, white, black, copper, yellow, brown; making a beautiful life.”

Less conventional works of art were also on display, including Daniel Edlen’s vinyl art. Edlen individually paints the antiquated black disks, and in essence, brings new life to vinyl records that have been replaced through the generations by cassette tapes, CDs, and, currently, MP3s.

Sculptures and pieces of jewelry were also for sale.

Artist exhibitions were accompanied by performances from the Ruskin Group Theatre. Additionally, special discounts at local restaurants were doled out and the topic of the imminent re-opening of the Museum Of Flying was discussed.

Altogether, the community was welcomed into the artists’ studios and given a chance to enjoy the surrounding art as airplanes rumbled overhead.

SMC Celebrates World Water Day Music in March: Five Songs on Repeat

By Tracy Navarro Staff Writer

From alternative to garage rock, these five new songs are guaranteed to keep the music fans listening for more.

By Debby Vasquez Arts Canvas Editor 1. Franz Ferdinand Feat. Marion Cotillard, “The Eyes of Mars”: When you ask art rockers Franz Ferdinand to write a commercial jingle, you won’t just get a simple catchy tune; you’ll get a very deep, poetic rock song. Not sure if that’s what fashion house Dior wanted but with vocals by actress Marion Cotillard, “Eyes of Mars” begins with a faltering crack in her voice as an acoustic guitar plays; then it suddenly builds up into a dizzying rock song with prosaic lyrics like, “I feel perfection in my chaos.”

With Franz Ferdinand’s lead singer Alex Kapranos doing backing vocals, Cotillard doesn’t seem out of place in a Franz Ferdinand song that is not one to miss.

2. Two Door Cinema Club, “I Can Talk”: Take the guitar sound of Editors and Bloc Party’s style and you get these guys. Alex Trimble’s voice is so mousy and soft that the lyrics are barely audible, which isn’t really of much importance. After he whispers, the guitars amp up and blindside you into a danceable beat that makes you not care what he says and instead makes you want to boogie. Its danceable groove really makes this song and band stand out, possibly making them the next big thing of ’10.

3. Gorillaz, “Stylo”: When it comes to Gorillaz, they can make catchy tunes that stay in your brain for weeks on end (Remember “Dare” and “Feel Good Inc.?”). Their upcoming album “Plastic Beach,” features ”Stylo,” a song that begins with a memorable and constant synth beat.

With guest vocals by Mos Def and Bobby Womack, along with singer Damon Albarn, the song sounds more like mood music than something poppy and groundbreaking. We hear Womack’s vocals at full force but Def’s rap vocals, which should be the center of the song, sound faded and crackled while Albarn’s singing only cements the fact that this song should be background music while cruising in your car or waiting in the elevator.

4. MGMT, “Flash Delirium”: Drenched and soaked in Technicolor acid water, MGMT’s new song from their upcoming album, “Congratulations” is full-on psychedelic and nostalgic. It begins slow with a synth shanai (a north Indian oboe), then it gets upbeat with flutes, mellotrons and organs, instruments used on such psychedelic classics like the Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and The Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations.”

“Delirium” gives a slight resemblance to “Weekend Wars” from their debut album, (emphasis on the word “slight”), but the song sounds like a lost tune from the 1960s. If you are into acid rock or an MGMT fan, this song will not disappoint.

5. The London Souls, “The Sound”: Garage rock bands are a dime a dozen in New York, but what makes this group so special is that they integrate garage rock with hard rock reminiscent of Led Zeppelin and Wolfmother. This three-piece band rocks hard in “The Sound,” with great guitar riffs, an awesome melody and solid drum beats. If you are in a head-banging mood, these guys are the ones to listen to.

Students hanging around the quad last Monday got to enjoy a celebration put on by dance instructor Linda Yudin and her Afro-Brazilian dance students for World Water Day. Also accompanying the dancers were drum leaders Luiz Badaró, Kevin Moore II and Te’Amir Sweeney. Environmental Policies teacher Amber Katherine joined Linda Yudin in efforts to teach students about the importance of World Water Day. Few students were aware that World Water Day has existed for the last 18 years. It was founded by the United Nations to address different problems about the world’s water and ways to resolve them. This year’s theme was the drinkability and access to clean water.

“Of the 6.7 billion people on earth today, nearly one billion people lack access to safe, clean water. More than 3.5 million people die each year from water-related diseases,” Katherine said

to the audience amidst the drumming and dancing.

“While others in the world go without, the U.S. is the highest per capita water consumer in the world. If the wars of the twentieth century were fought over oil, the wars of the twenty-first century will be fought over water.”

After Katherine’s speech, the drummers began a fast samba beat and the dancers cheered and chanted in a traditional Afro-Brazilian dance. After dancing and offering a basket of fruits and vegetables to the water fountain spirit, Yudin invited the on-lookers to join in on a free dance lesson on the nearby lawn.

Monica Kiguelman, 28, a first time student of Yudin, said, “The [AfroBrazilian] class is spiritual and is in touch with each element.”

Lorenzo Right, 23, has been taking Afro-Brazilian classes outside of SMC for eight years. Not only was he playing the tambourine alongside the dancers, but he also engaged in a traditional Capoeira dance, a choreographed fight. “Yemaja is the African Godess of Water that today’s

dance has called to. In Afro-Brazilian dance we are taught to respect nature,” says Right of his training.

According to the National Resources Defense Council, economically developing countries are the ones who are going to be affected most by Global Warming. In an online brochure released by the NRDC, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts that “by 2020, between 75 and 250 million people in Africa will suffer increased water stress due to climate change. In East Africa, snow is already disappearing from mountains like Mount Kenya and Mount Kilimanjaro, affecting the local communities that depend on the rivers and streams fed by these mountain snows.”

Communities around the United States have had events raising awareness for World Water day that began as early as a week ago in Sacramento.

The Chronicles Group/Running Dry Project will host a June panel discussion in Washington, D.C. about making a sustainable future for water.

Antoine Themistocleous Corsair Eunice H. Kim dances along with a big group to Brazilian drums out on the quad on Monday during activity hour at Santa Monica College. Kim is taking a Brazilian dance class at SMC with dance treacher Linda Yudin.

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S P O RT S

Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College

Wednesday March 24, 2010

Women’s Tennis Continues to Dominate Conference Play; Defeat Pirates 7-2

By Brandon Quin Sports Editor Recently, it seems as if nothing can stop the momentum of the Lady Corsairs.

Riding a seven-game winning streak, SMC women’s tennis geared up for their second match-up of the season against Ventura College. Just as they had in the first affair, Santa Monica wasted little time in a decisive 7-2 victory over the Pirates.

“I was very happy about the team’s effort against Ventura,” said head coach Richard Goldenson. “In both matches, everyone put out 110 percent effort and this is why the final score was 7-2 both times.”

Sophmore Anastasia Eliseeva led the Lady Corsairs into battle, giving the team an immediate boost with a straight-set triumph over Ventura’s Katya Welborn; 6-4, 6-0. This is becoming old hat for Eliseeva, as she has now won seven consecutive singles matches without losing a set.

Not to be outdone, freshman Jutta Collet followed up Eliseeva’s dominant performance with one of her own. Collet would also finish off her opponent in straight-sets, making quick work of the Pirate’s Bertghold.

Continuing their early success, the Lady Corsairs would prevail in three of the next four singles matches and definitively put their stamp on the contest.

Heading into doubles competitions with a stout 5-1 lead, SMC looked to continue pressing the action and subsequently bury their opponent.

The Lady Corsairs opened up with the team of Eliseeva and freshman Tina Lauritzen in opposition to Ventura’s Bertghold/Gray. The match was tight throughout, as Eliseeva/Laurizten squeaked out an 8-6 decision over the Pirates.

Doubles success didn’t come so easily for the Lady Corsairs, as Ventura would take the next game in tie-breaking fashion against SMC’s team of Collet/ Penez; 9-8. Not to be deterred, Santa Monica would end the game on a high note courtesy of Thomas/Kauffman with an 8-6 match win and an overall 7-2 triumph.

With their eighth consecutive victory, SMC’s success this season has been predicated on their aptitude to stay in the game at all times. “The entire team has an uncanny ability to concentrate and stay focused throughout the matches,” said Goldenson.

In order to continue that success into the post-season, Goldenson believes that the Lady Corsairs merely need to bring everything they have to offer. “To succeed in the playoffs this team just needs to stay on track and play their best tennis,” he said. “They have all the tools and if they bring them to the court anything is possible.”

Siddhartha Abbazi Corsair Freshman Tina Lauritzen viciously smacks a returned serve in the midst of her straight-set victory over Ventura’s Hallie Sellers; 7-5, 6-2

Wednesday March 24, 2010

Tiger Takes Questions for First Time Since Incident

By Tieg Slattery Staff Writer The best thing to happen to golf since Tiger Woods is, well, once again Tiger Woods.

On Tuesday March 16, Tiger Woods, the biggest draw in golf, announced his plans to return to the PGA tour.

In a statement released to the media and also on his Web site, Woods announced that he will indeed return to the links at the Masters tournament set to begin on April 5 at Augusta National in Georgia.

Woods has been absent from the PGA tour since November of 2009, when he won the Australian Masters.

Just weeks after that victory came, the infamous early morning car crash and subsequent sex scandal, sex rehab, public apology and private therapy ensued. Now finally, after much speculation, the recently disgraced Woods is set to return to the game that made him the world’s first billiondollar professional athlete.

While it may seem to many that the most prestigious, and arguably most difficult, tournament in golf might not be the best place to shake off the rust after a six-month absence, Augusta is an ideal venue for Tiger’s post-scandal comeback. With its stringent security and strict standards for media and spectator access, Augusta will allow Woods to focus solely on his game.

Being perhaps the most exclusive and private course available, the Masters should offer Woods a refuge from hecklers and reporters alike.

Ironically, Augusta is so exclusive that it managed to quietly keep all nonCaucasians off its course right up until 1990, only seven years before Woods became the first black man to win the highly coveted green jacket.

Ever the control freak, Woods successfully managed to play puppet master with his public image for the majority of his professional career before his rapid, stunning and very public fall from grace began on November 27. The amount of control Augusta can afford Woods must have undoubtedly factored into his decision to return to golf at the Masters.

Las Vegas oddsmakers show Woods at a 4-1 favorite to win. If Woods lets his score speak for him, the world’s number one golfer will likely move past his recent scandal. If Woods should bomb, however, then the circumstances surrounding his absence will be blamed for his fall and Woods will remain a marked man in the public’s eye.

Regardless of where Woods places on the leaderboard, his return is guaranteed to make winners out of the sponsors, advertisers, PGA players and the tour itself. Since Tiger’s arrival on the PGA tour, PGA prize money has increased from 65.95 million in 1996 to 279.8 million in 2010, and according to the Nielson ratings system, recent Tiger-less tour television ratings are down 11 percent from last year.

Let Tiger return to the perfectly imperfect world that judges him for staying below par in his games, not in his marriage. As for a successful comeback for Woods, sports fans are betting on it.

S P O RT S

Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College

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David Dolmage Corsair Freshman starting pitcher Alice Coleman poses as she prepares herself for the next opponent on Softball’s schedule of games.

SMC Weekly Fitness: Pitcher Alice Coleman

By Tieg Slattery Staff Writer Over the past few years, women’s softball has been noticeably absent from the sports program at SMC. Luckily for 19-year-old Alice Coleman, 2010 marked the return of a softball program to the college.

Coleman is the starting pitcher for the women’s softball team at SMC this year and offers some insight into how she stays in top shape in order to perform at the highest level.

For Coleman it is the simple things that are key to maintaining her fitness.

While she does spend time in the gym strength training, she prefers less traditional methods to lifting weights. “I don’t want to look like The Hulk,” she says with a smile.

“My favorite types of exercises are the ones where I don’t feel like I’m exercising. Going hiking with a few

people you can talk to the whole time and not realize two hours later that you have been working out for a few hours,” says Coleman.

Coleman also credits her coach, Michelle Haines, with keeping in-gym workouts interesting. “Our coach has a lot of interesting workout strategies.

She works in the sports department at USC so she has all sorts of different muscle-targeting strategies that she uses with us.”

Coleman, a vegetarian, adheres to a strict year-round diet. Since she doesn’t eat meat, she makes sure to supplement her diet with non-meat protein sources.

“I generally stick to tofu for a good healthy protein. The only thing that as a vegetarian you really have to struggle with is iron deficiency so I try to consume a lot of beets and leafy green vegetables. Generally in the season I will also take an iron supplement.”

Alice admits that she has a sweet tooth

but says she manages to satisfy those cravings in a healthy manner. “I have healthy versions of what other people consider junk food,” she says.

Coleman’s daily diet is so strict that what she considers a guilty pleasure most would consider healthy. “I’m addicted to an açaí purée with blueberries, topped with sliced bananas and granola. I probably have one every second day,” she says.

Coleman’s favorite thing about the SMC softball program is simply that it exists. “What’s actually remarkable is that we have a softball program at all,” she says.

While Alice would love to continue playing after college, she knows that most adult leagues are slow-pitch and that doesn’t offer much opportunity for a pitcher who’s been honing her fast-pitch skills for the past twelve years. So for Alice the opportunity to play softball at SMC is something to truly cherish.

Men’s Volleyball Can’t Find Rhythm Against Santa Barbara Vaqueros; Lose Three to Zero

By Alica Forneret Staff Writer

Brian White Corsair Despite struggling in a 3-0 loss to the Santa Barbara College Vaqueros, the Corsairs show team camaraderie as they raise hands in unison during the match.

The Santa Barbara Vaqueros’ 1986 state championship banner, suspended over the heads of the SMC men’s volleyball team, forecasted a turbulent road ahead. The Vaqueros wasted no time in a decisive 3-0 victory over Santa Monica.

The game began quickly for the Corsairs, as they scored the first two points of the contest with stern aces flying over the heads of the Vaqueros’ defense. SMC took advantage of Santa Barbara’s inability to move their players around the court and, in doing so, disallowed any quick response from SBCC. However, any thought of a Corsair victory would swiftly be altered as the Vaqueros turned up their intensity and matched the heat the Corsairs were bringing toward the end of each set.

“If we’d played to 20 we would have won the game because between 20 and 30 we lost it,” said Coach John Mayer.

The first game ended with the Corsairs falling behind 30-23. Following the first defeat, Mayer gathered the team

members into a huddle, stating that the contest was not yet over and that it was possible to move ahead and win.

This seemed to inspire SMC, as after a steady back and forth period of scoring between the two teams, the Vaqueros held only a slight 19-18 advantage over Santa Monica.

The Corsairs felt renewed after their first set redemption and began to display confidence that a victory was on the horizon. They started encouraging each other after failed digs on defense and even laughed off some of the errors, under the impression that they would make up for it later.

It was not until the end of the second game, where the team suffered a 30-27 defeat, that the Corsairs were given reason to fear their impending demise.

Between the second and third match, the Vaqueros were up on their feet practicing bumps and spikes, at ease as they chatted wildly in preparation for what would become their first win over the Corsairs this season.

As the bell rang to start the third game, the team filed out onto the court and fought hard to keep their hopes alive.

The Corsairs battled valiantly, but on

this night the Vaqueros just wouldn’t be stopped.

Eventually, the tug of war led to the final point scored for the Vaqueros leaving the game at 30-27 for a final tally of 3 games to 0.

Despite the end result, it was clear from the beginning that the team entered the match with too much confidence. “We had beaten them before and didn’t expect to lose this game,” said player Yadier Despagne.

“They outplayed us. I think it was totally on our side of the net,” Mayer said.

Coach Mayer understands that the team is young, but they are budding into a successful group of student athletes with the potential to win every game as long as they approach each one with the same level of energy and defensive strength.

“We can be good for spurts but then we’ll let off,” said Mayer.

In anticipation of their next encounter with SBCC on Wednesday, April 7 the Corsairs will not allow this loss to hold them down.

“We’ll just have to kick their butt when they come to SMC,” said Ammon Ellison. “We’ll have to return the favor.”

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A RT S C A N VA S I CRY FOR EVERYTHING by Brooke Gutierrez “Year of Green Sun”

Wednesday March 24, 2010

Corsair Newspaper Santa Monica College

by John Broyles

A River Musing

by Brooke Gutierrez

Can’t wait to roam the rivers, dive under the cold and crazy waves of the sea, and lay under the sweet hot sun as her fingertips touch the sand... I am so sure that this ought to satisfy my mind, body, and soul. A one way ticket with nature...daily, nightly and ever so rightly.

Lloro por todo; por tristesa, por rabia, angustia, desesperación, por lastima, lastima a mi Y por otros, por amor, porque vi una película Y me toco, porque escuche una canción y la melodía me dio ganas de llorar... por cualquier cosa Y es horrible!

Pero es horrible también no llorar.

(Translated) I Cry for everything; for sadness, for rage, anger, desperation, for feeling sorry, sorry for myself and for others, for love, because of a film I saw and it touched me, because I heard a song and the melody made me want to shed a tear… for everything and it’s horrible!

But it is also horrible not to cry.